Two hours later...
After a quick Q&A session to get a basic understanding of each others species. I told the two princesses the stories of the traveler, golden age, and collapse. I called my team halfway through the tale of the traveler and they arrived in time for them to share their story from the collapse. Markov told the princesses how he watched cities burn from orbit, Sapphire recalled how she bravely fought the Vex on mercury before being killed by a Hydra when her squad was overrun, and I spoke of how my family was killed when the Fallen attacked earth and burned New York city to the ground.
"How has your kind survived in the face of such adversity?" Princess Luna asked, almost to tears by the story of my family's death.
"The human race has survived because we stood together and fought the darkness even when there was no chance of winning." I said "Humanity was saved when the Traveler sacrificed itself to stop the darkness and with its final breath, created the ghosts, whose sole purpose was to resurrect dead warriors and aid them in the protection of the Human race."
"Sister, I wish to speak to you in private." Princess Celestia requested. We left the two princesses to talk and waited outside the throne room. We waited for around ten minutes before being called back into the throne room.
"Does the Human race have any allies in the war against the darkness?" Princess Celestia asked.
"No your highness, we have fought this war alone since the beginning." I answered.
"Then let the nation of Equestria be the first to offer aid to human race in the war against the darkness." Princess Celestia offered as she brought out a document that stated the terms of the alliance.
"What does your kind bring to the field of battle? I noticed your guards are armed with spears and swords, which are ineffective against the advanced weapons the Cabal, Fallen, and Vex field in large quantities." Markov pointed out as he read the document.
"We have the best mages on the whole of Equus and can field them in a force numbering three thousand." Princess Luna said proudly.
"We shall also request for copies of your weapons so we can create our own versions and strengthen our army with them." Princess Celestia added.
"Very well, please excuse us for we need to inform our leader about your offer." I said before we left and informed Zavala of the alliance offer.
"I see, tell them that the Vanguard accepts their offer and shall send diplomats to work out the details of the alliance." He said before ending the call. We were on our way back to the throne room when we heard a commotion coming from outside the castle walls.
We looked out a nearby window and saw that a large group of ponies asking if they were safe, if the Fallen would return, etc. We rushed to the throne room when we saw the crowd begin to grow restless and unruly.
"Your highnesses, The Vanguard accepts your offer and there will be diplomats arriving soon to work out the details." I said before asking "What shall you tell the crowd outside?"
"The truth." was all the Princess Celestia said before heading out onto the balcony. "CITIZENS OF EQUESTRIA, WE HAVE LEARNED THE MONSTERS THAT ATTACKED CANTERLOT ARE CALLED THE FALLEN. THE ATTACK WAS THWARTED BY THE BRAVERY OF EQUESTRIA'S NEWEST ALLY, THE HUMAN RACE, AND THEIR GUARDIANS."
"Who are these 'Guardians'?" Asked a pony. The princesses then motioned for us to show ourselves, we stepped onto the balcony, earning a few strange looks by the ponies below.
"THIS IS REAPER NINETY-NINE AND HIS TEAM, ENVOYS OF HUMANITY AND THE ONES WHO STOPPED THE FALLEN ATTACK." Princess Luna said loudly as we took off our helmets (which were on the whole time), which was received with gasps and looks of shock. I wasn't expecting to give a speech when Princess Celestia and Princess Luna went back inside, leaving me, Markov, and Sapphire to speak to the civilians.
"I have an idea, play Citizen Soldier by Three doors down, no vocals." I whispered to my ghost, He went to speaker mode and began playing the music without the vocals. I then sang the lyrics with Markov as backup singer.
"We'll always be ready because we will be there." I sang the last line. Most of the civilians below were awestruck by our performance and I finished by saying: "We are the Guardians and we'll always be ready."
We then went back inside and were greeted by a shocked Princess Luna. I put my helmet back on before I spoke, saying: "Yes, I can sing and yes, we're all part of the human race."
"Then why do you look so different?" She asked.
"Exos (I point to Sapphire) are sentient golden age machines made to be police officers and military units while Awoken (I then pointed at Markov) were transformed at the by a mysterious power at the edge of known space during the collapse." I answered before Princess Celestia went out to the balcony and lit up her horn.
"What's she doing?" Sapphire asked Princess Luna.
"She's lowering the sun." She answered before my ghost sensed the planet's revolution jolt forward, making it seem that the sun set because of the Princess. "Now it's my time to raise the moon."
"What?" Markov asked before Princess Luna lit up her horn and the moon rose into the sky.
"What...just...happened?" I managed to ask after snapping out of the shock of two aliens moving celestial bodies with magic.
"Our planet has a slower revolution than most other planets, so we give it a little push to keep our time to twenty-four hours a day." Princess Celestia answered as she came back from 'lowering the sun'. "We also move the moon to help it keep up with our pushes."
We then heard the sounds of jumpship engines overhead, we then said goodbye to each other as the diplomats arrived. Me and my Fireteam then returned to the tower while the Princesses worked out the alliance with the diplomats. We arrived at the tower moments after Commander Zavala announced the success of our mission and were received as heroes of humanity.
A week later...
It has been a week since the establishment of the Human-Equestrian alliance and Commander Zavala has tasked Markov and Sapphire with training the Equestrian army in guerrilla tactics and modern weaponry since Lord Shaxx was busy with the Equestrian Guardians who were fresh out of the grave. I decided to spend my time in the Crucible, training against other guardians. I was waiting for a control match to rap up before I register when a four-man fireteam composed of an Exo, two Humans, and an Awoken came up to me asking:
"Is this where we register to enter the control match?" asked the female Awoken in Warlock armor. "My name is Aroura Xal, Leader of Fireteam Misfit and we're here to join."
"Actually, the registration is over there." I pointed to the stand where most players sign in. "Are you guys new to control?"
"We're-" Began the Awoken when one of the two Human Hunters interrupted.
"We're pros at control, we won over a dozen matches already. My name is Dexter, best fighter in all of the solar system." He boasted before the other three gave him a glare.
"We're somewhat experienced at playing but I wouldn't call us pros, name's Nightingale by the way." Said the other Human as he offer a hand to me.
"Hi, name's Reaper, leader of Fireteam Scout." I said as we shook hands.
"You're THE Reaper?! The one who established the Human-Equestrian alliance?!" Shouted the Exo, who began acting like a little girl meeting their favorite music artist. "My name is John Seventeen and I'm honored to meet you. I hope to fight by your side one day."
"Please, the honors mine." I said humbly before I heard the ongoing match ended. "Anyway it was nice meeting you and I hope we meet again someday."
I signed in for a match in Midtown and waited for the battlefield to be prepped. I checked that my weapons were set to my new favorite loadout, the loadout being the False Promises Auto Rifle, Arsenic Bite bow, and Prospector Grenade Launcher. When the battlefield was ready I flew to the City and was greeted by Fireteam misfit and a Unicorn guardian.
"Hey, fancy seeing you guys here, ready to kick some but?" I asked them as I drew False Promises.
"Hell yeah, my name is Midnight Blade and its good to meet the one responsible for my resurrection." Said the unicorn as he pulled out a Baligant Shotgun. John then drew Ace of Spades (which I was curious on how he obtained it), Aroura readied her own False Promises, Dexter pulled out a Izanagi's Burden Sniper Rifle, and Nightingale grabbed his Lumina Hand cannon just as the game began.
Fifteen minutes later...
I was looking at the kill scoreboard, I had five kills, John had Ten, Aroura had fifteen, Dexter got seven kills, Nightingale got three kills and twenty assists, and Midnight somehow killed nine opposing guardians without any deaths. After I grabbed my Rank-up reward I headed back to Canterlot to see how my fireteam has been doing. I landed at the makeshift spaceport and made my way to the castle, watching how people and pony lived together happily.
"Halt, what's your business here?" Asked the guard as I approached the gate.
"I am here to see Trainers Markov and Sapphire." I answered.
"And your name is?" He asked as he looked me over.
"General Reaper of Fireteam Scout." I answered, the princesses made me a general of the Equestrian army so I can help lead the army when the need arises.
"Sorry sir, I didn't recognize you, you are clear to pass." He said before opening the gate. I then went to the firing range where Markov trained soldiers in modern weaponry.
"-and remember, a weapon's range can be the difference between life and death." I heard him finish as his class ended. "Ah, general, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit."
"Spare me the pleasantries Markov, I'm here to see how well your handling training duty." I said.
"Well, this army is over three centuries behind us in tactics, tech, and troop numbers. They said they had three thousand mages, I just found out that more than two thousand five hundred of them are reservists! How the hell am I gonna make an effective fighting force out of reservists?!" He shouted.
"Calm down, you can train the reservists in small batches to allow the reserve force to catch up with the standing army." I said reassuringly, I am one of the few people alive that can calm Markov down without resorting to the use of drugs and I do it by giving him solutions to his problems.
"Good idea, I'll contact somebody to organize the bringing up of reservists and have them trained alongside the main army." He said before I departed and began to head to the military college where Sapphire teaches tactics. I entered the classroom and saw Sapphire giving lessons on chokepoints and how to use them effectively.
"Ah, general, you're just in time. We're about to conduct a wargame with me on the offensive and Chimera Claw here as the defender.
"Okay, by the way how are you doing with the teaching?" I asked as they began the wargame using an ancient strategy game called 'Team Yankee'. After ten minutes of watching as pieces get destroyed on both sides, Sapphire called the game a victory for Chimera.
After the class, I went to the local gunsmith and decided to upgrade the masterwork on my False Promises. After some time I went to a donut shop owned by somebody named Donut Joe. I haven't had a donut since before the collapse and ever since I learned of the donut shop in Canterlot I've been craving one. I bought a chocolate glazed donut and sat down, savoring the smell that I've missed for over five years before biting down and tasting the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth goodness that is a donut.
I quickly finished the donut and was walking back to the spaceport when I noticed that I was being followed by three ponies. I charged my fist when I saw that they were armed and that they were going to rush me. I turned around and they charged once they figured out that I knew what they were gonna do.
I punched one with just enough force to knock him out before my melee ability disoriented the other two with an energy wave. I then disarmed them and kicked one in the face before the other tried to blast me with a spell. My shield absorbed the attack as I pulled out False Promises and shot the pony in the right foreleg.
"Darn you Humans! Don't you see that your presence will attract the darkness to Equestria?!" He shouted before the royal guards showed up and took him away along with the other two. I had to identify myself before they let me go and continue on my way to the spaceport. I arrived at the spaceport, got into my jumpship, and took off towards the Tower to inform Commander Zavala about the incident.