Star Chaser kept calling out for his father as he tried to get away from the metal monster. Marcus just sat there with Fluttershy next to him, tears rolling down his face. He took off his helmet and sat there as Fluttershy went to their son, trying to calm him. Marcus could hear Twilight saying something, but he didn’t pay it any attention. His focus was on his son. I’m scaring him. His own father. He doesn’t know who I am and he’s terrified. This body was his curse to bear, but he had hoped it was something that was gone forever. Now because of the Princesses his son was terrified of him. He looked over to Twilight who was nudging his hand.
“Marcus…we need to go. Luna and Celestia are expecting us soon.” Marcus nodded and turned back to Fluttershy, who was crying. She walked up to put Star in his room, then came back down and wrapped her hooves around her husband’s neck. He returned it, and berried his face in her mane. It smelled like fresh grass as always. She pulled away and kissed him quickly, trying to force a smile.
“W-we’ll be fine Marcus. Star Chaser’s just tired…I’m sure everything will be ok.” He nodded and got up, not saying anything. She was trying to make him feel better, but he knew the truth. Star Chaser didn’t recognize him like this. How could he? Fluttershy walked Twilight and him out of the house, the two royal guards trailing them. He looked back and nodded to them both. He turned around and walked with Twilight back to her library with his weapon out so she could gather a few things. She eyed him carefully, noticing the new scares on his armor.
“What are those from?” she asked.
“Griffon talons. One of them stayed behind I think. I took care of it.” He just shifted his grip on the shotgun. Twilight just gulped and nodded. It was self-defense, but she worried what would happen if the Griffon’s learned that one of their own was dead. They kept walking from then on in silence, Marcus keeping watch on the skies in case something else felt like trying out his skills. They finally made it to the library, where Twilight grabbed her saddle -bags and stuffed them full of scrolls and letters that she had received from Celestia. Marcus guessed the two had kept up with the whole ‘war is upon us’ thing, but still, it was a lot; maps outlining the Equestrian nation, as well as outposts and bases, letters from the Princess herself detailing trop numbers and other statistics about Griffon forces across the border. She was taking this princess thing seriously, and it looked like she was trying to be a part of as much as she could. He nodded and walked around, checking entrances and exits, and keeping an eye outside of the house. He finally sat down and watched Twilight scurry around her house while he wondered where her assistant was. He was normally up and about when something like this was happening. His question was finally answered when said purple dragon bounded out of the cellar with old books. They looked at one another and exchanged curt nods, both knowing time was too short for long friendly greetings.
With everything ready, Twilight with her filled saddle-bags joined Marcus with a determined expression. She had only once needed to be a ‘Princess’ and that was when the Princesses had gone missing for a few days because of the overgrowth of the Everfree. Now though, she seemed to know what she was doing. Guess it was a bit of a reality check; if they die or disappear, she’s next in line. Both of them ready, Twilight nodded to Spike and smiled at him as she charged her horn.
“Be careful you two!” he yelled at them. Then they vanished in a flash of purple magic.
___________________________________________________________________
Canterlot Palace was busy beyond belief. Curfews had been set, with 24 hour guard patrols walking throughout the city streets. War would be upon them soon, and they needed to be ready. Old siege weapons that hadn’t been used in nearly millennia were wheeled out onto the battlements, and stocks of food and previsions for the army were beginning to be stored in underground stock rooms. Weapons were kept sharp, and armor well maintained. Pegasi had regular patrols within the palace’s airspace, and
Unicorns kept up the message system with the outer cities and villages. Within the main castle, Princess Celestia and Luna were within the war room, discussing tactics with Shining Armor incase the Griffons decided to press and early attack. This meeting was a last ditch effort to calm them, but in case the Griffons didn’t hold their end of the peace, Equestria needed to be ready. A flash purple flash of magic filled the room, and the entire meeting froze. Guards drew swords, Unicorns aiming their horns with charged magic of ice and fire, while pegasi flew into the air, ready to dive down to save their princesses and commanding officers. What came next was a bit awkward.
Marcus was bent over, nearly heaving out his lunch from that day, while Twilight stood next to him while wide eyes. Everyone froze, but slowly, with the help of the calming voice of Princess Celestia and orders barked from Captain Armor, everyone began to back off. Marcus tour off his helmet and breathed in deeply. He tried to stand, but nearly doubled over, a pained expression on his face. Twilight rushed to him and tried to help him up, but his weight was too much. She opted to have him lean on her a bit till the nausea and pain subsided. He panted heavily for a few more moments till he nodded his head and stood up.
“Twilight, you ever forget a note to self that you really shouldn’t have?” She just looked at him confused. Then he remember who he was talking to and just shook his head. She wrote all of her notes down, how could she? Shining Armor walked up to the crouched Spartan and laughed at him, clapping him on his back with a for-hoof.
“Teleportation not agreeing with you there Marcus?” Marcus shot him a glare and stood up, the nausea gone now. He towered over the pony, but Armor didn’t seem the least bit intimidated.
“It never has.” He then smiled at his old friend and brought his hand out for a hoof bump, which Armor took with gusto. They both laughed at one another, but went quiet when the Princess walked up to them. He nodded to the both of them, which annoyed Luna to no end.
`“A valid member of Equestrian society, and yet thou still does not bow.” He shook his head. He explained why enough for them to know the speech by heart, and yet they still seemed peeved by it; wasn’t his problem. He saluted them instead, clicking his boots together and standing straight at attention, his form perfect and smooth. He relaxed once they showed for them to go to at ease, and looked towards the map they had been discussing over when he had arrived. Marcus walked over and nodded, marking all of the key locations such as cities and forts at choke and check points. Those would key, and easier to hold then the cities. IF the others were anything like Baltimare, they would have little to know defenses. Not like Canterlot at least. Celestia was off to a corner speaking with twilight in hushed voices while Shining ran him through the plans.
“Since they’ve been building outposts and such so close to our borders we’ve had to move troops and resources that we either can’t spare or don’t have. That plus its way out in the middle of nowhere, so reinforcement’s, Sister’s be thanked if there are any, will be slow coming.” He nodded and looked towards an eastern mountain range; it would be close quarters, but it was the quickest way in and out of Equestria in the Griffons didn’t want to drag the armies through hills and valleys of snow and hail. Marcus extended his arm and pointed to mountains.
“What forces have we here?” Shining took notice of it and thought for a moment before answering.
“A garrison or two of unicorns and a garrison pegasi, plus 4 or so earth pony officers from Trottingham. I’ve ordered more but its slow going; we haven’t been to war in a long time.” He nodded and placed a few markers at the mouth of the mountain’s cavern. That force will need to hold if this country wants to keep this war out of its land. He was about to speak when a hoof touched his shoulder. Marcus turned and saw both Celestia and Twilight behind him looking hurt.
“Marcus…may we…may we speak in private?” He nodded to the two of them, and walked over to where the duo had stood previously. He turned around and faced them with his hands behind his back, looking down at Twilight, then back to Celestia.
“Marcus, Twilight told me about what happened before you came here; about your son….I cannot express how sorry I am to do this to you. Had I known, I…I would have tried” She was silenced by a hand covering her muzzle. She stood shocked as the room went quiet. All eyes turned to them as Celestia turned her head back to Marcus with a building rage. Before she could speak he did.
“Save your bullshit for later; we both know you would have done the same thing, and if it’s all the same to you I honestly don’t want to hear ‘I’m sorrys’ and ‘I didn’t know’s. Right now you need to focus on get your country though this in one piece, not how my family is doing.” He stood at attention and walked away from her, back to the map where Shining Armor just didn’t really know what to do. No one did. He looked around the room and slammed his hand down.
“Don’t just fucking stand there like a bunch of grunts caught in head lights! We’ve got a war to prepare for! MOVE IT!” The room burst back into full speed, and Both Marcus and Shining went back to planning. Celestia stood there, looking around the room, then to Marcus. He doesn’t fight for me…he fights for her. Celestia finally joined the group at the table, looking around and nodding towards her chief commanders.
“So you’re telling me you have only 300 guarding one of the most important positions in Equestria?” Shining nodded.
“We have more on route, but our numbers are small. What you saw at Baltimare was the majority of our forces.” Marcus bent over with his head in his hands. He stood up straight and nodded.
“If things go south and we have war, that’s where I’ll be. “ They all nodded. The rest of the day was the castles staff getting everything ready for the griffon dignitaries. Marcus polished his weapons and armor, checking over everything and making sure he would be ready. He was just finishing up when Luna finally approached him. He nodded his head towards her as she sat next to him. He was out on a balcony looking out over the city as the rest of the defenses were set up. He placed his shot gun next to him and leaned back against the wall, sighing lightly. She did the same and lookup towards the lowering sun.
“In this new age I shall never get used to things like this. Before I was banished, Equestria was a warring nation, and there were no such things as peace treaties. It was a much darker time.” Marcus said nothing, only nodding his head. Humanity, for the most part, been peaceful since the founding of the UNSC; only small insurrectionists who wanted individual planetary freedom fought against them, but that was before the Covenant.
“Marcus, tell me of your family.” He looked to her and raised an eyebrow.
“She didn’t tell you about Star Chaser?” Luna just shook her head again and smiled.
“Wrong one.”
“Oh…that one.” His head sunk low and he thought for a bit. Just as she was beginning to think he wouldn’t respond, he finally did.
“We were a tough bunch of kids. When you train to become a soldier at the age of 6, with every adult you see either a part of the training staff or the medical staff, we really had to rely on one another. Whole ‘bonding to become a cohesive and effect unit thing’ was thrown around by top brass, but it did help us create something of…of a family. We learned one another weaknesses and strengths, and worked off of both when needed.” Luna nodded and looked out from Marcus towards the city again.
“And obedient to the core I presume?” Marcus laughed and just nodded his head. There wasn’t an order a Spartan II wouldn’t follow. Luna nodded, standing up turned to leave when an armored glove was shot out inform of her.
“Luna, I’ve always liked the night more than the day. It has more to offer for a soldier, such as cover of night and fear tactics. But it also holds some beautiful things in it too. So I ask this of you because I know you will hold to it. If what I think is coming, then look out for my real family; my one here, because I might not make it through this one alive.” Luna just nodded, not looking down at the Spartan. She just walked on, waiting for what would come to be known as The Day of Red.