//------------------------------//
// Fifth battle for Manehattan 
// Story: A Rarity of a soldier 
// by Lon35hadow 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight and Rarity, each wearing their armor, Twilight holding two Needlers, the second one having been invisible before teleportation, in her magic, Rarity holding her assault rifle. The two stood in the middle of a crossroads, the buildings all around burning and devastated. "I wonder if this is the worst the city's seen," Rarity said.

"No idea," Twilight said. "But look, there," she said, pointing a hoof at a three story, brick building. "Plasma burns. Griffons are definitely using Covenant tech. No way they could jump from eighteenth to twenty-first century tech to Covenant levels in a single war, at least one this long."

"Jul, or someone else?"

"Does it matter," Twilight said. "They're a problem, either way. Right now, we need to find a landing zone for the others, and help any guards we find, pony or changeling."

"Agreed," Rarity said. "So, which direction should we go?"

Twilight looked around before setting her eyes on the pony equivalent of the Empire State Building. "Well, the horn of the building is opposite Central Park, so," she said, trailing off, "there," she said, pointing south east of their current direction. "Central Park would be best for a landing if pelican, and a good rally point if their coming in ODST style."

"Then let's go," Rarity said, and the two began to make their way to central park. Along the way, they saw more destroyed and burning buildings, most having plasma burns on them, along with dead bodies, most being pony, almost all, nearly ninety percent, really, having plasma burns somewhere on their body. Almost none had on armor.

"Damned brutes," Twilight said. "I'm beginning to think the Griffons and the Jiralhanae have some kind of common ancestor, but were settled on different planets after the Halo firing."

"Agreed," Rarity said. "Though how that would have happened is beyond me."

"Probably a mix up with the records," Twilight said. "Forerunners weren't perfect, after all."

"Too true," Rarity said. "Still, I thought that Rainbow's scout, or whatever her role was, said they were massing, not attacking."

"You forget the gap normal communications have here on Equis, Rares," the lavender alicorn said. "Assuming, you know, there isn't an agent in Rainbow's division of the guard."

"That's could be it," Rarity said. "Hold up, Twi. Tracker's picking up movement, twelve o'clock. Can't tell if friendly or hostile."

"Copy that," Twilight said. "Move slow. I'll go stealth," she said before she began to fade away, blend in with what was behind her, to which Rarity nodded, and began to proceed carefully, scanning with her eyes for anything moving. 

When she passed into a intersection, something yelled, "Halt! Lay your weapons down, and don't move!"

"Ponies," Twilight said, still invisible. "Wearing guard armor, with bows and swords."

"Got it," Rarity whispered, her radio on. "Color?"

"Same as the Gem Dusk."

"Then what do we do?"

Before Twilight could respond, a mare said, "Identify yourself. Now!"

"My name is Rarity," the unicorn replied. "Element of Generosity. I ma aware that ponies believe I was missing, but I returned just today, and are here with the graces of the three princesses, as well as Rainbow Dash. If you have a unicorn in your group, get in contact with one of them."

It was silent for a few minutes before the same mare said, "If they don't, we'll kill you."

"Unlikely," Rarity muttered.

A few more minutes later, the same mare said, "The Princesses say the sent you. "They also say that we are under your command.

"General."

"They made me a General," Rarity asked, picking her weapons up.

"Indeed, Ma'am," the mare said. "If I may ask, General Dash said Princess Sparkle was with you, but I do not see her."

"That's because I was invisible," Twilight said, reappearing. "Rank and name."

"Sergeant Bright Day, Ma'am," the mare said, and Rarity turned around. Bright Day was a unicorn mare of Rarity's size with a yellow coat and white mane and tail, and she was saluting. "Ma'ams, if I may ask, what's with your armor?"

"Just something we picked up," Twilight said. "Status of the city?"

"Ma'am, the city's been taken, and has been for the past day. The Griffons stopped any messengers we had for the past week, when the siege began," Bright said. "They sent there own with a fake message earlier, according to General Dash. We, meaning myself and my squad, think it was to lure more troops in."

"But how did no one see the city being attacked," Twilight asked.

"I don't know, Ma'am," Bright said. "But, personally, I think we may have a few turncoats among our ranks, unicorns, to be precise, who put an illusion spell over the city."

"That makes sense, I guess," Twilight said. "What about the Griffons? Anyone important?"

"Not that we can tell, Princess," Bright said. "If I may ask, where are you two going? We're ready to escort you?"

"Central Park, Sergeant. What's your squad strength at?"

"Fifty percent, Ma'am," Bright said. "We lost four ponies before today, and most of us are injured to a degree. We're held up in that building," she said, gesturing to a nearby, two story building. "We're able to move and fight, though."

Twilight nodded. "Tell them to get ready to move out."

"Yes, Ma'am," Bright said before going into the building she said her squad was in.

"You know," Arion said, "it could be something else other than a unicorn."

"You mean Covenant," Rarity asked.

"No, I mean Forerunner baffler tech. Covenant used versions of it in their Active Camo, and a few actual ones were found in Covenant storage buildings."

"Yeah, I guess," Twilight said. "Still, that means there's a Covenant remnant faction here."

"Which is bad, regardless of how we slice it," Rarity said. "But right now, we need to get a beacon for the others."

"Agreed," Twilight and Arion said at the same time. A few minutes later, Bright and her squad mates, a thestral mare, a pegasus stallion, and an Earth pony mare, each but Bright being injured. 

"Diamond reporting, Ma'ams," Bright said, saluting, their sqaud name bringing back memories for Twilight and Rarity. "Ready to escort you to Central Park."

"Are you sure you're up for it," Rarity asked.

"Ma'am, the Gen Dusk has the most brutal training regime," The thestral said. "We can manage."

"Then let's go," Twilight said. "But if you feel like we need to slow down, let us know."

"Of course, Ma'am," the pegasus said.

With that, the group of six made their way to Central Park, with each on the lookout for hostiles. "I don't like this," the Earth Pony said. "At least, we should have encountered a scavenger. The Griffons may stay in a city for near a month, but they let their own people scavenge."

"Yeah, something isn't right," Bright said.

"You probably just jinxed us, Bright," the thestral said.

"Yeah, I know."

"Hey, at least we're here to help you guys," Rarity said.

"Thanks, General,"  the bat mare said. "By the way, if you don't mind me asking, how do you plan on kicking the Griffons out?"

"Just some friends of ours," Twilight said.

"Well, I hope your friends have an army with them."

"They are an army," Rarity said cryptically.

"Well, let's just hope they get here soon," the pegasus said.

"Oh, they will," Twilight said.

The group continued to walk, passing destroyed building after destroyed building, until they reached an intersection where, unlike all the others, the overlooking building were intact.

"Detecting something inside the buildings," Arion told Rarity and Twilight. "I'm thinking hostiles."

"Where are the others," Twilight asked, her suit's external speakers off.

"Inbound," the A.I. replied. "Josh'll arrive first."

"Does he have it on?"

"You know he does."

"Hate to be the Griffons, then."

As soon as the last syllable left the armored alicorn's mouth, the familiar, to the two Elements, anyway, sounds of weapons being readied were heard, and a voice said, "Stop where you are, now!" The group stopped, the guards out of surprise, the other two to bide time. "Lay down your weapons, unless you want to die." Again, the group complied, for the same reasons, but the guards had entered anger. Before anything could be done, though, a single Griffon, wearing the usual Griffon armor, which resembled ancient knight armor, colored blue and yellow, stepped out of a building. He also had a Carbine across his back, and a Plasma Pistol, notably with the coloration indicating the Spitfire variant, in one talon.

"You all are now prisoners of the Griffon Empire," he said. "If you wish to live, I suggest you take your armor off. Now," he said, the last part with the pistol pointed at Twilight, who scoffed.

"You really think that'll hurt me in one shot, let alone kill me?"

"But of course," the Griffon said. "It is a gift from our newest ally, a Shipmaster Nyrseeus. It can easily melt through pony armor."

"This isn't pony made armor, dumbass," Twilight said, a smirk on under the helmet. "In fact, I bet I can kill you without getting hurt at all."

"Perfectly timed," Arion said.

"Oh, and what makes you think that," the Griffon said.

"Not what," Twilight said. "Who. Josh, care to open fire?"

"Nope," was the reply on the other side of the radio before a swarm of missiles hit the buildings overlooking the intersection, killing each Griffon in them, and Twilight yanking the plasma pistol away in her magical grasp as Rarity grabbed the Griffon's throat.

"Looks like I was right," Twilight said just before a large, for lack of a better term, suit of armor came into view, flames coming out of the back. The armor was colored black with highlights of yellow, along with a yellow visor. It had three tubes above it's right shoulder, and a large tube over the left, the entire right hand being a machine gun.(1) "So bye." She grabbed a Needler, and fired a shot into the Griffon's head, killing him, before releasing the body.

"Hey, Rares, Twi," Josh said via radio from inside the suit. "Already in trouble?"

"Just waiting for you, Josh," Twilight said. "Diamond Squad, this is one of our friends, Josh. Major Josh Miller, to be precise."

Bright and her squad saluted at hearing Josh's rank. "Sir," they said.

"New friends," Josh asked, looking at the two mares.

"Just some ponies from a new guard division," Twilight replied. "So, Josh, how long until the others come in, and how?"

"Thirty minutes, and drop pod in the Central Park," Josh said, pointing the suit thumb in the direction of the park. "Orbital images show large hostile group there, most likely to ambush and kill any soldiers that head there. I was sent first to find you guys."

"Then we should get going," Twilight said. "They're going to need help."

"Right," Josh said. "Lead the way."

"You got it, Josh," Rarity said. "Diamond squad, keep close."

"Ma'am," Bright and her squad mates said.

"Follow us, Josh," Twilight said, and the group began to move.

"Not even back a day, and you guys are already in the thick of things," Josh said. "You sure are trouble magnets, aren't you?"

"Like the others aren't," Rarity shot back. "It seems ever since we met in New Mombassa, we've gotten the jobs that seem easy, but go to hell almost instantly."

"Touche," Josh said. "So, how'd meeting with your friends go, and where did you guys get?"

"Good," Twilight replied. "And just before Mombassa."

"So Rares finished the 'Nightmare'?"

"Yep," Rarity said.

"Well, they sure are in for a shock when they see the spell you guys learned," Josh said.

"Yeah, they are," Twilight said. "Hey, wait, Rarity, didn't that Griffon Commander have yellow and blue armor?"

"Yeah, why," Rarity asked.

"The Keepers."

"Oh. Fuck," Rarity said. "Of all the remnant factions, why them?"

"Uh, Ma'ams, what are you talking about, if I may ask," the pegasus said in confusion.

"Something that's currently classified," Twilight said. "So pretend like you aren't listening in."

"Listening in on what?"

"Exactly," Twilight said before resuming the conversation with the others. "But that would beg the question as to when they got here."

"We'll have to worry about it later," Josh said. "Right now, let's kick the Griffons out of your city."

"Hell yeah," Rarity said, a small grin on under her helmet. After a while, with the edge of the park in visual range, Rarity said, "Hey, uh, Twi, didn't you know who say her soldiers would be helping us?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised we haven't seen any of them?"

"Are you talking about the changelings, Ma'am," Bright asked.

"How do you know," Twilight asked.

"We encountered a small group a day ago," the thestral said. "We were fighting three Griffons, and we were already injured, and they were kicking our plots. Only reason we survived is because five changelings came in and killed them. When it was done, one we think is their leader said 'The changelings stand with Equestria' before they left. Haven't seen any since."

"Well I don't trust them," the Earth pony said. "I was in Canterlot when they invaded. Probably just trying to gain our trust so they can stab us in the back."

"Or there's the fact the Griffons are attacking us too," Bright muttered loudly, not noticing until after the fact, and everyone was looking at her.

"Kill her," the Earth pony shouted, but was held back by Twilight's magic.

"Stand down, Soldier," Twilight said. "As for you," she said, turning her attention to Bright, "your real name, and no more illusions, got it?"

Bright sighed before her body burst into green flames. When they died away, a changeling with a black carapace, wearing dark green armor, was in her place. "My name and rank are the same, Ma'am," the changeling said with a slight echo effect "Though I do have the changeling rank of Infiltrator. I've been in the Gem Dusk since the start of it. The Griffons began to attack the Hives a year ago, and Queen Chrysalis and King Carapace told every Infiltrator that, if it was needed, we were to reveal ourselves. It was only a few hours ago that Queen Chrysalis informed all of us in Manehattan that you two were coming, and we were to assist you. The others are overlooking the park as we speak, waiting for us to arrive."

"I say we kill her, then let the Griffons know so they can wipe the bugs out," the Earth Pony said.

"Shut it," the thestral said. "If she wanted us to die, she would have told those changelings not to help us earlier. So shut it."

"Traitors, all of you!"

"Princess Celestia herself said the changelings were our allies now," Twilight said, not really lying just. . . predicting the future. "And even if she didn't, as a princess, I say so. And if you don't want to be charged with treason, I suggest you don't try to harm Bright in any way. Understood?"

"And how do I know you all aren't being controlled?!"

"Oh, for christsakes," Josh said, walking over to the pony. "Shut the fuck up." He raised his hand, and slapped the pony with enough force to knock them out. "I always hated racists."

"Same," the pegasus said before looking at Bright. "So, Ma'am, where are they at?"

"You still trust me," Bright said in a surprised, but still sorrowful, tone.

"Yeah," the pegasus replied. "You forget, Bright, you and I were in training together. I would know if your personality was an act. You forgot, my mom was an actor, and she once told me that their is a tell for every actor that one can see, you just need to pay attention. There's a lot, so I'll just say that I have seen none of them with you."

A small smile came onto Bright's face. "Thanks, Cloud."(2)

"You got it, Bright," Cloud said. "So, what do we do with her."

"Take her with us," Rarity said. "We can let Rainbow decide what to do with her."

"Yes Ma'am," Bright said, lighting her horn and taking the unconscious mare in her magic. "The building where the others are would be that one," she said, pointing to a still intact building.

"Then let's go," Twilight said.

"I'll wait outside," Josh said.

With that, the group, with a now unconscious mare, made their way to the building, the equines going inside with Josh outside, saying, "Five minutes."

"Hoe the changelings are ready," Twilight said.

"We are, Princess," Bright said. "For the past week, King Carapace has been sending his best in to help us kick the Griffons out of here, and the Queen said you would the one to give the order to attack."

"Then we move when the others arrive," Twilight said. "And believe me, it'll be obvious when they do."

"If that's what you order, Princess," Bright said. "Somepony hand me some rope or something."

"Here ya go," the thestral said, offering Bright some rope.

"Thanks, Shield," Bright said before hogtying the Earth pony. "Now, she won't at least try to kill us. Well, try well, that is."

"That, I can live with," Cloud said.

"Agreed," Shield said.

With that, Twilight and Rarity walked over to a window that overlooked the park, with Rarity looking up. "There," she said, pointing to eight flames in the sky, which were followed by ten others. "Looks like they're bringing in a few others to help."

"Good," Twilight said. "Because if the Keepers are here, then we'll have a fight on our hands."

Rarity chuckled. "To think that, if this were happening the year we met with the others, we'd be nowhere near Manehattan, let alone in the actual army."

"Yeah," Twilight said. "Nor would either of us have gotten drunk that night and be in the relationship. Not that I'd want to change that."

"Same here, Twily," Rarity said, nuzzling the alicorn, much as she could with the armor on. "I wonder how Luna will react to seeing Nightmare in person."

"Probably freak out," Twilight said. "They're almost here," she said, the "meteors" closer, and flame trails obvious on the leading ones.

"Then let's get ready," Rarity said. "And after this, Twi, we're going to Joe's."

"Whatever you want, Rares," Twilight said. "Bright, tell the other changelings to get ready."

"Ma'am," Bright said as Twilight activated her radio.

"Almost time, Josh."

"Copy that. I got the party favors ready for the Griffons."

"Just don't go overboard."

"No fucking promises," Josh replied, chuckling.

"He always did like guns first with that suit in a combat zone," Rarity said. "It's a wonder he hasn't accidentally killed a friendly yet."

"The suit has features to prevent that, Rares," Twilight said.

"Still," was all Rarity said.

A few minutes later, the leading eight pods hit. "Bright, now!"

"Yes, Ma'am," she said, and a few seconds later, a large scale buzzing sound was heard, and a huge-ass black cloud of changelings came out of the buildings around the park.

"Josh, get the others on the radio, and tell them the black, insect,pony hybrids are friendly."

"Already done," Josh said. "Now come on, I want to see how well the suit works on this planet."

"You heard the man, Twilight," Rarity said. "Time for some fun," she said, bringing her rifle up.

"In that case," Twilight said, "move it, ponies. We're going in."

"Ma'am," the three other equines said, standing at attention.

With that, Twilight and Rarity, Twilight holding both Needlers in her magic, rushed out of the building, the Gem Dusk squad behind them, with Josh not far behind once they exited the building.

The sight in the Park was. . . already one of carnage. Because of their chitinous exoskeletons, the changelings could take a few more plasma shots, and the double attack, one part from inside their defenses thanks to the drop pods, the other from the outside, disoriented them, and the outer lines were cut down with ease. It was the middle lines, which were quite large in numbers and had enough time to get into good defensive positions. The first Griffons to see Twilight, Rarity, and the others, opened fire on them with Carbines and the standard Plasma rifle, but were blocked with magic shields, or dodged by Twilight and Rarity. Josh slid to a stop, using his left foot to counter his forward force, then brought his right arm up, the hand for the chaingun coming out, which he grabbed in his left before unleashing a hail of bullets, cutting the Griffon group to shreds.

"Contact, nine o'clock, coming in fast," Twilight said, which Josh simply punched, with the machinegun hand, with enough force to rip the Griffon in half, but three others were coming in. These three, though, were killed by three separate rockets which seemed to track their movements. Josh turned around, and a female Spartan wearing the Hellcat armor with Hydra in hand stood there.

"I missed using this baby," Bishop said. "So, Twi, Rares, how are your other friends doing," she asked, walking to the others, firing three more rockets, resulting in three more Griffon Deaths.

"Good," Twilight replied as a Griffon supercombined. "They're looking forward to meeting everyone."

"Well, same for me here," Bishop said as she dropped her Hydra, and pulling out a magnum. "But first, I say we get out of here."

"Agreed," Rarity said, firing off a burst from her rifle, downing a charging Griffon while she dodged a plasma rifle shot. "Where are the others?"

"Near the lake, just east of here. We landed there, and that's our rally point. I volunteered to find you guys and get you to it," Bishop said, firing off three shots with the pistol in her hands.

"Then let's go," Twilight said.

"What about them," Rarity said, referring to Diamond squad.

"Right," Twilight replied. "Diamond, with us."

"Ma'am," Diamond squad said.

"Josh, come on," Bishop said as they began to move, while Josh was firing into a group of Griffons that had hunkered down behind some rocks.

"Hold on," Josh said, grabbing a canister from his left thigh, pressing a button on it, and throwing it behind the rocks. He then turned to face the others as an explosion occurred from where the canister was thrown. "Boom, motherfuckers."

"Overkill, don't you think," Bishop asked, already knowing the answer.

"Maybe," Josh said as he caught up with the group. "But in war, sometimes, never hurts to go a little overboard."

"Fair enough."

From there, it was a short, but bloody, hike to the lake where the rest of Diamondback was. When the group arrived, well, let's just say it wasn't pretty for the Griffons. Ruso, Jacob, and Patrick swung energy swords at any who got close, Tony fired off BR bursts, Pawas and Sawn were firing off Needler shot, with Sawn using his shield gauntlet to cover both him and Pawas, who stood behind him and fired at Sawn's left and right. Hades just smashed shit with his gravity hammer. Nightmare, though not visible, was in the trees, using an invisibility and silencing spell in conjunction with a DMR. "Jacob, over here," Bishop yelled, and a Spartan in Helljumper armor colored white and purple turned to face them.

"About time," Jacob said. "We got two five man ODST squads coming down to assist, so get ready, guys."

"Copy that," Rarity said as she, Twilight, and Josh formed up with the others, Diamond squad behind them.

"So, Ruso, enjoying the fight," Twilight asked as Ruso stabbed a Griffon with his sword while the lavender alicorn fired off a few needles.

"Indeed I am," Ruso said with a chuckle. "Shame, though, that they think rushing will be able to stop all of us."

"Agreed," Hades said, bringing his hammer down on a Griffon's head. "Not even Truth's forces were this stupid."

"Which makes it all the more fun," Sawn said, firing his Needler, a hailstorm variant, into a small, incoming group to the point where supercombine explosions occurred.

"Still, I'd like a bit of a challenge," Tony, with the Maverick armor with the colors being green and blue, said, getting a headshot on a lightly armored Griffon.

"Same," Patrick, wearing Recruit armor with the hardened skin going, the colors being black and red.

"So, Rarity," Nightmare asked over radio, "how did Luna react when you got to my part of the story? Josh told us how far you both got."

"Better then we thought," Rarity said. "She probably won't want to see you though, Moony."

"I had thought so," Nightmare replied. "Oh well."

From there, it wasn't much different, Diamondback killing any Griffon that got close while, at the same time, having casual conversations. The only actual disturbances to this was the arrival of the ten ODSTs around the park, and, near an hour into the thing, Diamondback having gone physical skills near five minutes after Twilight, Rarity, and Josh made it, an ODST shouting, over the radio, "They're falling back? Should we pursue, sir?"

"Negative," Jacob said. "Athens, this is Diamondback. Hostiles are pulling out."

"Copy that, Diamondback," the Comms officer replied over the radio. "We have satellites over the city now, and there is a mass retreat. We have Marines on standby in Pelicans if they try to get you all by surprise before defenses can be set up. Also, be advised, satellites are picking up five chariots, if General Belle and Princess Sparkle's descriptions of royal chariots are accurate. I'd say they will arrive in fifteen minutes."

"Copy that, Athens," Jacob said. "Diamondback, out."

"So, what are we going to do," Rarity asked.

"Let them leave," Jacob said. "And it looks like your friends are coming here in person, guys."

"Me can't wait to meet ponies," Pawas said.

"I'm sure they can't wait to meet you too, Pawas," Nightmare said, physically joining with the squad fir the first time since the battle had started. "A for me, I think they'd rather me be locked away in the moon."

"Then I hope they like lead and or plasma," Josh said, still in the suit. "'Cause they'll have to get through each of us to harm even one of us."

"Oh-ah to that," Bishop said before Bright, with a few cuts here and there on her chitin, walked over to Twilight.

"Ma'am, King Carapace has arrived," she said, saluting. "He wishes to speak with you."

"Then tell him to come here," Twilight said. "If he has a problem, tell him to hold it."

"Yes, Ma'am," Bright said before walking off.

"Just how many races do you have on this planet again, Twilight," Jacob asked.

"Well, there's the ponies, changelings, minotaurs, griffons, who we just turned into fried chicken, donkeys, mules, horses, deer, and then there's the fucking, and I mean that literally, caribou."

"Bad blood," Tony asked.

"Try they want to take equestria over just because it's a matriarchal society," Twilight said. "Sawn, do you have any friends with glassing capable ships."

"For the right amount of money, they'll do it," Sawn said, knowing where Twilight was going. "Though I'd recommend waiting until they actually do something, so that it's justified in the eyes of the law."

"Noted," Twilight said.

A few minutes later, Bright and another changeling, this one taller, near Chrysalis' height wearing ornate armor, but still functional, don't get me wrong, walked up. "Princess Twilight, this is King Carapace," Bright said.

"Pleasure to meet you, King Carapace," Twilight said before tilting her head a little. "You seem familiar. Did I ever run into you while you were disguised?"

The changeling king chuckled before speaking in a voice that Twilight knew well. "In a way, you did, LSBFF," he said before he burst into flames, with, upon the flames dying down, Shining Armor, still wearing the changeling armor, standing there. "Hey, Twily."