//------------------------------//
// Mombasa 
// Story: A Rarity of a soldier 
// by Lon35hadow 
//------------------------------//

	Diamondback, mostly the ponies, excluding Twilight was quiet as Twilight's eye, under her helmet, began to twitch. "Back away slowly," Sawn said, which was promptly followed by those in the area, the exception being Shining.

"Uh, Twily," Shining said, now getting worried. 

"How. Long?" That was all Twilight said, and the anger was clear, as well as the meaning.

Shining sighed, knowing it best not to piss Twilight off further. "For as long as I can remember," he said. "It was a few week before you were born, Twilight. Mom and Dad were out, and I was home alone. I did something stupid, and I mean normally stupid, which, long story short, led to me somehow teleporting to the Hive I was born at, as well as my disguise, something my genetic mom placed on me. As for why I was with you and the others is because their was a love shortage, yes we actually feed on it, and I had to be given to a pony family. my genetic parents were the rulers of that Hive, and they, along with Chrysalis' parents, after I had arrived there, and after a few other subsequent visits for the reason of at least knowing what I was, had us meet, and, well, the both of us hit it off, and, well, our parents arranged a marriage. Which was set before my wedding with Cadence."

"Shining, I'm not sure I want to hug you for still being alive, kill you for hurting Cadence, or give you to a pack of hungry Kig-yar for cheating on Cadence," Twilight said. "And believe me, being attacked by hungry Kig-yar is worse than death."

"That's. . . kinda it, Twilight," Shining said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Both changeling and equestrian law allows for polygamy, and, well, due to Chrysalis not knowing what I looked like as a pony, she didn't know it was me, and I didn't realize it was her until after the wedding, for which I apologized. It was a few years ago I tried to help Chrysalis and my hive by disappearing as a pony."

"Shining," Twilight said.

"Yeah?"

"Cadence is going to kill you when she finds out. And she will find out."

"Yeah, I know," Shining said. "But if so, she'll have to go through all the guards I have with me."

"You know," Rarity said, walking up, "you don't seem all that scared of Nightmare."

"Hive mind, Ma'am," Bright said. "We still have an individual personality, but we are able to easily connect with one another."

"Oh," Twilight said. "Hey, wait a minute. "Shining, is there any chance that long exposure to a changeling's magic can cause. . . slight alterations to somepony, such as pheromones?"

"Yeah," Shining said. "Why?"

"Huh," Rarity said. "That explains the Yanme'e hive."

"Yeah, I guess it does," Twilight said.

"What," Shining asked.

"Bug like alien race," Twilight said. "Works a lot like a changeling hive, if I'm right, and about a year ago, all the drones began to treat me like their queen in one of them. At least I have an explanation as to why."

"Five minutes until the other royals arrive," Jacob said. "Either you two finish this reunion now, or later. We nee dot get moving to where they're landing, just north of here."

Shining sighed. "Looks like you'll get to hear all of that twice," he said, "as well as everything else once."

Twilight nodded. "And if Cadence doesn't kill you, Shining, we are going to have a talk afterwards."

As the group made their way to where Celestia and the others would land, Shining visibly stuck close to Rarity and away from his rightfully pissed sister, though she was nowhere near as pissed as Cadence could get. Let's just say that the Crystal Empire went through multiple replacement crystal walls to the point they got a discount on them a month, as Shining was always that unlucky, rarely more so. Shining would most likely need a cast laced with diamonds so that Cadence didn't hurt him accidentally while in recovery, if he was unlucky to that point.

Anyway, the group arrived a minute before the chariots did, but said vehicles, if they could be called that, were in visual range.

"So, um, do we do the honor guard stuff, where we for two lines," Tony said, "or just like we are now?"

"Seeing as how we're friends of one of the royals," Hades said, "I believe it does not matter."

"Same," Josh said.

"I could care less," Sawn said.

"And I technically am a royal," Nightmare said.

"That settles it, then," Jacob said. "Still, I think it best if Twi and Rares do the introductions for us."

"Agreed," everyone else said as the chariots landed.

It was Twilight, Rarity, Nightmare, and, with a large look of shock, and possibly anger, who knows, on Cadence's face, Shining Armor. It was Shining who spoke up first. "Hey, Cadence," he said nervously.

"Explain. Now." Shining sighed and, after getting Pinkie promises from everypony but Cadence that they would listen, and, in Cadence's case, not assault him, he went to his changeling form, and began to explain. At the end of where he had gotten with Twilight and the other, Cadence said, "You know, Shining, you could have said something before the wedding. You forget I'm the alicorn of love."

Shining facehoofed upon getting it, to the chuckles of the others, while Luna walked up to Nightmare. "Nightmare."

"Luna." Both mares of the night, and not in the hooker sense of the word, stood, eyeing each other, Nightmare having her helmet, that of an ODST in her magic and by her side. "I am surprised you are not trying to kill me."

"Not like I can," Luna said. "If I tried, then Twilight Sparkle and Rarity Belle would most likely try to do the same to me, as well as your fellows."

"No, they wouldn't," Nightmare said, chuckling. "At worst, they would cut off your horn, and give you to a group of Sawn's friends. And you do not want that."

"I will keep that in mind."

"Luna, neither of us are the same as the last me, for lack of a better term, met," Nightmare said. "Personally, I think we could at least try to get over our history with one another, and at least become ponies who can stand one another."

"Agreed," Luna said. "But only because you had a part in returning two of the Elements."

"Agreed," Nightmare said.

Twilight walked up to Celestia. "The Griffons are out of here, princess," Twilight said.

"That is good, Twilight," the solar alicorn said. "So, are you going to introduce us to your other friends?"

"Yeah," the lavender alicorn said. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Diamondback Squad. Diamondback, everyone else."

"Pleasure to meet you all," Jacob said, with the others speaking some variation of it.

"And a pleasure to meet  you all," Celestia said. "And you all have my thanks for ensuring that Twilight and Rarity are okay."

"It was our honor, Highness," Ruso said. "I imagine you all wish to know the next part of the story?" Multiple nods from the four Elements, one dragon, and five royals.

"Then I'll start it off," Twilight said. "After all, that is what takes place first, chronologically speaking."




Covenant CCS battle cruiser  Faithful Servant- in orbit above Forerunner world Erde-Tyrene; AKA: Earth, October 20, 2552

It has been two years since Twilight had met with Ruso, Hades, and Sawn, and th efour of them were in a Phantom, a type 52 variant, as humans would come to call it, preparing to go the a human city to assist the forces there already. "I can't believe we're at the human homeworld," Twilight, wearing her armor, said, preparing her Storm Rifle and dual Needlers.

"Same," Sawn said. "But I'm more surprised this is the human home world, given we have such a small fleet. The one for that last world was larger, and, we still took casualties. They could easily destroy the fleet."

"Agreed," Hades said.

"Say what you will about the humans," Ruso said, "but even I will admit they have become much more ferocious fighters than they were since the start of the war."

"Then I guess we had better be careful," Twilight said. "Along with the four of them in the Phantom were six Unggoy, three other Kig-yar, and two other Sangheili. "Is everyone ready," Twilight shouted to the others.

"Aye," they all replied.

"In that case," Twilight said before activating her radio, "Pilot, are we clear to leave?"

"Aye, Highness."

"Then take us down to the planet."

"As you command." With that, the Phantom took off as everyone in the troop compartment finished their weapon checks. About ten minutes later, with the ship shaking from explosions outside, the ship touched down, and the compartment doors opened, and everyone rushed out. One of the Sangheili, with Ultra armor, lead the three other Kig-yar away from the landing site, while  the other, wearing Zealot armor, lead the Unggoy into a building in front of the landing zone.

Ruso, Hades, Sawn, and Twilight went to the left of the landing site, into an alleyway, the sounds of human rifles and plasma artillery evident in the air. "All troops, be warned," a Sangheili said over the battlenet. "A demon has been sighted. If seen, engage and kill."

"I suppose that was to be expected," Hades said. "If there were any demons left, they would have them here, trying to defend their home world."

"Then we should probably be more careful," Twilight said. "Engage from a distance."

"Agreed," Sawn said. "Do you think you can make us invisible as well?"

"Easily," Twilight said before she lit her horn, and each had an aura the same color of her magic, which rendered them all invisible to any but each other.





"Yeah, it took me a while to get that spell perfected," Twilight said. "But, when I did, it helped us a lot."

"That it did," Sawn said. "Especially that night.

"Oh yeah," Josh said. "And if you all are wondering, this is an exo suit that is, essentially, a walking tank, which is  a vehicle of destruction."

"Cool," Rainbow and Spike said.

"Anyway, back to the story," Twilight said.





A few minutes after they had landed, Twilight's group was in a building as the Covenant ship over the city, the one the Prophet of Regret was in, went into slipspace. "I wonder why he left," Twilight said.

"It is not for us to question," Ruso said. "But I admit, it is curious."

"I'm simply curious as to where the demon is," Hades said

"So long a she isn't near us, I am happy," Sawn said. "We should continue moving, so that a human patrol does not find us."

"Agreed," Twilight said. "Even with us being invisible, some of them do have enhanced HUDs that would let them see us."

"Then let us continue," Ruso said.

A few minutes later, they all heard something over the battlenet, something that was a surprise to all of them. "All Sangheili, the Jiralhanae have betrayed us on the planet. Kill the traitors, and give no mercy. Any who fight with them are traitors." As soon as it was over, Ruso pointed his rifle at Hades.

"Explain, Hades."

"I did not know of this, Ruso," Hades replied.  "If I had, I would have killed you, and tried to kill the others, while that message was going, if not tell you as soon as we had split up from the other groups."

"Ruso, he's right," Twilight said. "And besides, we've been together for the better part of two years. We know he wouldn't betray us, or the Sangheili."

Ruso stared at Hades, who didn't have his weapon, a Spiker, raised. After ten, long seconds, he said, "You are correct, Twilight," before lowering his rifle. "Then what do we do now?"

"I would say find someplace to hide out," Sawn said. "And I know this will hurt your pride, Ruso, but I think we have a better chance at survival right now if we find a group of humans."

"As much as I hate to admit, I was thinking the same," Ruso said. "But the humans will kill us before we get a chance to say anything."

"Then we should find a place to hide, and wait until we can get out of this city, and find a human transmitter," Sawn said.

"Agreed," Twilight said. "let's move, guys." With that, the group, with still a bit of mistrust from Ruso to Hades, moved into the city, eventually finding a two story building, which they entered. The top floor is where they hid, and it overlooked a single, tiered plaza, which, the noticed had a human drop pod in the center of it, as well as a trio of dead Unggoy.

"I wonder what happened down there," Sawn said.

"Whatever it was," Hades said, looking at a monitor on the wall, "it was enough to force this helmet through the window and embed it into the wall." Indeed, a helmet, with a crack down the middle of it, with the word "Dare" above the visor.

"Don't human helmets have some kind of beacon in them," Sawn asked. "If so, we may be able to wait until one comes, and, if we're lucky, we may be able to convince them we are against the Brutes. Well, most of them."

"Agreed," Twilight said. "Still, I would like to know why the others betrayed the Sangheili."

"As would I," Ruso said. "For now, we should set up positions so we don't get attacked without knowing."

"I'll take the bottom floor, then," Twilight said. "With an invisibility spell, it should be easy."

Sawn nodded. "I'll go after."

"And then I," Ruso said. "Hades-"

"You need not bother saying it, Ruso," Hades said, a hand up in a "hold on" gesture. "I will not take a watch downstairs until you all trust me fully again."

Twilight just rolled her eyes, and made her way downstairs, where she stayed for an hour before Sawn came down, an hour later, he and Ruso swapped, then Twilight, then Sawn, then Ruso. During the last few minutes, two Kig-yar came in, and were swiftly killed with two Energy daggers to their throats. It was after that that Twilight came down again, and, ten minutes later, she heard a door open. "Lower level clear, far as I can tell," a human voice said, to which a voice Twilight didn't think she'd hear again spoke up.

"Copy that, Jacob," Rarity said. "Let's move in. Beacon's coming from inside."





"And with that," Twilight said, "I pass the story over to Rarity."

"Thank you, Twilight," Rarity said. "So, my part starts six hours before that point."




UNSC Marathon class cruiser Say my name- in orbit above New Mombasa- drop bay

Six individuals stood around a square table, which showed a hologram of the city under them, as well as the Covenant carrier over it, the Space Tether, and the drop route, as the mission of this group of ODSTs, along with many other, was to infiltrate the ship, while a seventh slept near his pod.

"The Navy put up a good fight," one of the ODSTs, a male with short cut hair, as well as a small goatee, wearing ODST armor with the standard right plate, a left late with an extended bottom, a backpack with a lever like thing at the top, and shotgun shells strapped to his lower right leg, said.

"'Course they did," a second, this one larger than the others, with mostly standard ODST kit, though with additional ammo holding on his chest plate, colored yellow with a white skull and crossbones, with a military standard buzzcut said. "It's Earth."

"Better late then never," the third, a black man wearing the ODST sniper kit, bald, the accent colors being blue, his right shoulder pad missing, his left being an entirely flat version of the standard one, said in a joking tone, pointing at the large one.

"How 'bout you show some respect, Romeo," the big one said, placing his helmet, which had teeth designs on the bottom, on the table.

"Just saying, Dutch," Romeo said, waving his hand as if in a "Goodbye" way. "They missed one."

"No. They left it for us," Dutch replied.

It was here the yellow lights and the alarm sounded. "Looks like we should head to our pods," a fourth, this one being a quadruped in white and purple ODST armor, modified for her body, her helmet modified for a horn, said as two other people waled into the room.

"You know the music," one, a male with barely regulation hair, but was still able to pull it off, wearing ODST gear that was almost exactly the standard kit, his knife on the right side of his chest, the sharp end facing left. "Time to dance."

"Hello, beautiful," Romeo said, getting a small kick in the ankle from another quadruped, one slightly taller then the other, her armor being a dark shade of purple with accents of black, and exactly the same in form as the other, as the male jumped a bit, and looked at the other, a blonde woman in recon kit, helmet under her left shoulder, hair in a pony tail, and a headset across her forehead.

"Pods," he said in an authoritative tone. "Now," pointing at them all.

"Replacements," Rarity heard the woman ask Buck as the others made their way to the weapon racks, though she didn't get the rest of the conversation.

Mickey was the last to the weapon racks. "What the hell kind of armor was she wearing," he asked Romeo.

"Dunno, Mickey," Romeo said, bumping Mickey in the shoulder. "I wasn't looking at her gear."

"Both you immature," Pawas said. "That sad when Unggoy calls you immature." This got chuckles from Rarity and Nightmare, while Romeo just ignored it.

"Pft. Seriously," he asked Dutch, who had an SMG, with suppressor and holographic scope in hand.

"Well gonna be close quarters," Dutch replied, putting the SMG in a two handed grip.

"Exactly," Romeo said, grabbing a shotgun midlength, and pointed the barrel at Dutch, who pushed it aside.

"Second to last, right next to mine," Buck said, Dare making her way to a pod.

"Cozy," Romeo commented, getting eyerolls from the two mares. "You gonna tell us her name, Gunny," he asked as Buck walked over.

"Ms. Navel Intelligence," Buck said, grabbing the shotgun in Romeo's hand. "Our new boss,"

"Oh brother," Mickey said

"So check your mouths, find your chairs," Buck said, "and get set," he said before giving Romeo a sniper rifle, "for a combat drop." With that, he walked towards his pod.

"What the hell am I suppose dot do with this inside a Covenant ship," Romeo asked, presenting the rifle vertically to Dutch as he walked towards the sleeping member of the team, and tried to hit him with the butt of the rifle, only to be stopped by Rarity's telekinesis.

"Go to your pod, Romeo," she said. "I'll wake him up."

"If you say so," Romeo said, making his way to his pod.

Rarity used her magic to shake Jacob, and wake him up. "Jacob, wake up," she said. "Almost time to drop."

Jacob, wearing standard kit, shook his head to clear his eyes, and then stood up to stretch. "Right," he said as Dutch came over, second SMG in hand.

"Interesting team you brought with you," Jacob," he said, handing Jacob the second SMG.

"I try," Jacob said, taking the SMG, and putting it in his pod's weapon holder and sitting down. "See you guys planet side, assuming we all make it."

"We will," Pawas said, going to his pod, which was just a smaller ODST pod. "These have gravity drives."

"Noted," Jaocb said as Pawas, Rarity, and Nightmare entered their uniquely made pods, the main doors closing on each, and strapping in.

The pods turned around to the left, doing a one eighty, the doors to the troop bay closing.

Dare came on over the right screen in the pod for Alpha nine, Buck the left. "Latest intel reports Covenant troops are massing beneath the carrier," Dare said over the radio.

"They're pulling back," Buck asked in slight surprise. "Why?"

"We're not going to find out way up here," Dare said as her helmet and Bucks gained their color, Buck's a sky blue, Dare's gold.

"Troopers," Buck said over the radio to the squad. "We are green- and very, very mean!" It was here that the pods in front of the squad began to detach from the ship, a countdown happening in Jacob's pod as it got closer. When it hit zero, his pod, as well as the rest of the squad's, was launched out, and Jacob was thrown up a little, he would have hit the roof if he hadn't strapped in, and the New Mombasa Space Tether could be seen from his pod's window as he dropped, as well as a single UNSC frigate.

"I take it back," Romeo said over the radio as Jacob passed said ship. "Navy got its butt kicked."

"Hey, Romeo, remember when I told you to shut your mouth," Buck asked.

"Yeah?"

"Consider that a standing order."

As Jacob passed into a cloud bank, Buck said, "Captain? Fifteen klicks off the deck."

"Stand by to adjust trajectory," Dare said. "On my mark."

"What did she just say," Dutch asked over the radio.

"Mark!" The pods of Alpha nine adjusted their trajectory, turning slightly to the right.

"We're way off course," Mickey shouted.

"We're heading exactly where i need to go," Dare said in response.

"But we're gonna miss the carrier," the ODST said as the shields to said carrier shimmered, starting from the front, making their way to the back.

"Radiation," Dutch shouted.

"Covenant just set off a nuke," Mickey asked in shock as an orb of energy appeared in front of the Covenant ship

"No," Dare said, the orb growing larger. "The carriers going to jump!" As the ship entered it, Dare yelled, "It's a slipspace rupture! You need to-", just as the ship finished it's transition.

"EMP," Dutch shouted. "Losing power!"

"Stabilize then pop your chutes," Buck yelled. "We're going in hard!" That last part came out as another pod slammed into the front of Jacobs, sending him in a spin, making Jacob have to hold onto a handle to keep the door from being ripped open, the pod spinning faster and faster, until Jacob blacked out.





The mouths of those that hadn't been in New Mombasa then only stared wide eyed and slack jawed at Jacob. "How- how did you survive?"

"Grave generators use little energy," Pawas said. "Human improvements also allow for small storage capabilities, which allowed Jacob to survive hard fall, as well as base ODST training, plus luck."

"Yeah," Jacob said. "Anyway, I was out of it for six hours. When I came to, the city center was occupied."

"And we were there to make sure he was okay," Rarity added. "Though it took us a while to get there, not to mention just getting there."





Rarity was awake when her pod hit the ground, building, whatever it was she had hit, and her head jerked down from the force. The grav fields just made sure she would survive, not that her neck wouldn't be sore. She shook off the disorientation, and activated her radio. ""Alpha nine, this is Private First Class Belle. Is anyone receiving?"

"I am," Nightmare replied. "Either the others are having radio problems, or they're dead."

"Agreed," Rarity said, using her magic to activate the release bolts on the main door. "Where are you?"

"I don't know," Nightmare replied. "If I had to guess, I'd say some kind of apartment building. My pod crashed through a few buildings, smoke coming from the hole due to a few fires."

"Right," Rarity said, looking around, seeing she was on a rooftop, before her eyes settled on a nearby smoke column, of which there were actually few. "I think I see it. I'm on my way, and if I find the others, I'll bring them."

"Copy that. I'll be waiting."

With that, Rarity grabbed her weapons, her Assault Rifle with the custom skin, and an SMG, and used her magic to hover herself down to the ground. When she touched down, she scanned the immediate area, not finding anything, but seeing one of the lockdown doors, the lights green, indicating it could be opened, so she made her way there. But as soon as she reached it, the lights turned red, and a voice said, "Wrong way. Turn around. Beware of traffic." The voice was male, and robotic.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Stupid system," she mumbled, turning around and following the street signs. A she followed them, she came across multiple dead civilians and marines alike, but few covenant bodies. Eventually, she came across another lockdown door, though this one opened automatically, and closed as Rarity passed through it. She proceeded to follow the road until she came across a small skirmish between a small group of Jackals and someone behind a car.

She flanked the six of the three Jackals, and thus had a clear shot with her Rifle, so she took aim, and fired at the spines of them. Two of them fell before they could do anything. The last, out of reflex, jumped around, only to get hit in the back by a Plasma Pistol shot. "Die, you filthy Jackals," a familiar voice said.

"Pawas, that you?"

A familiar Grunt head popped out from behind the car. "Rarity," Pawas said. "That you?"

"Yeah, it is," Rarity said. "What happened to you?"

"Well, my pod was sent off course, and me land near here in plaza thing. Made way here, where I encountered Jackals. What about you?"

"Same, only I landed on a building, and was able to get in contact with Nightmare. I was on my way there when I ran into you," Rarity said, walking up to Pawas. "You okay, physically speaking?"

"Yep yep."

Rarity nodded. "Then let's go," she said, and the two continued the march to where Nightmare was, following the road as they did so.

About thirty minutes later, the two came across a hotel building that did indeed have a large hole in it. "Nightmare, I think I'm here, and I picked Pawas up along the way," Rarity said over the radio.

"Took you long enough," Nightmare replied as she walked into sight of the two, on the edge of the hole. Nightmare had a Battle Rifle and Magnum pistol. She teleported down to them, after which she said, "Any idea where the others are?"

"None," Rarity said, shaking her head. "Only thing to note, really, was that the first lockdown gate I went to was closed by the city systems. True, it led me to Pawas, but still. It's a little weird, in my opinion."

Nightmare sighed. "Nothing's ever simple, is it?"

"Apparently not," Rarity said. "Think we should look for the others?"

"Yeah," Nightmare said. "I just hope we find them alive."

"Me agree," Pawas said.





"And for the better part of six hours, all the three of us did was go around the city, looking for Jacob and the others of the squad," Rarity said. "We found a few Coveanant squads, each led by Brutes, as well as something that was rarely encountered before, something called an Engineer by the UNSC, and Huragok by the Covenant. They're essentially biological computers. Unfortunately, most of them exploded." At this, the ponies gasped, or, in Flutterhsy's case, fainted.

"Uh, can someone wake Fluttershy up," Twilight asked.

"On it," Spike said before gently shaking Fluttershy.

Flutterhsy came back slowly, rubbing her head as she did so.

"Okay then," Rarity said. "You alright, Fluttershy?"

"Yes," Fluttershy said. "It's just- why would they want to harm those they were with?"

"Because much of my race is deserving of the name humans gave us," Hades said, his arms crossed. "They told the Huragok that humans would use them to destroy Forerunner machines, and Huragok have an obsession with ensuring machines are made properly. Those I once thought my brothers told the Huragok that suicide harnesses would prevent that from happening."

"Oh," Fluttershy said softly.

"Yeah, it wasn't pleasant," Rarity said. "Anyway, five and half hours after the drop was when something happened."





Nightmare, Rarity, and Pawas, each now having scavenged Covenant weapons, were walking through the darkened streets of New Mombasa. They hadn't found anyone else, but, for some reason, various signs along the roads changed as they neared them, and they couldn't tell if it was the Covenant messing with them, or if it was something else. "Hey, guys, wait up," Rarity said, examining a wall, hoof to her chin. "Odd. Those look familiar," she said, but there was nothing on the wall.

"What do you mean," Nightmare asked, walking up to Rarity.

"Activate the VISR, Nightmare," Rarity replied. "You'll see what I mean."

"If you say so," Nightmare said before activating her VISR, and what she saw surprised her. "Are those-"

"Spell glyphs? Yeah, they are," Rarity said. "Most of those I recognize from the times Twilight had me sit through a magic lesson. Can't believe they're actually useful right now."(1)

"So, can you read them," Nightmare asked.

"For the most part, yes," Rarity said, looking at the glyphs. "Okay, this one says 'change', this one 'two'. Two changes, maybe? But this one says 'form', the one next to it being 'communication'. Weird."

"Indeed it is," Nightmare said. "What do you think it does?"

Rarity sighed. "Only one way to find out," she said, lighting her horn as she stared at the four glyphs, before a light the same color of her magic enveloped the caster, with enough light to cause Nightmare and Pawas to avert their eyes. When the light faded, well, let's just say it wasn't expected. When the light faded, and where Rarity once stood, now stood a female human ODST with the same colored armor, as well as Rarity's custom Assault Rifle.

"Rarity," Nightmare asked.

"Yeah, it's me," Rarity said, looking over her new form. "Can't say I expected this to happen. I figured it'd just be a simple appearance changing spell, not this. You want to learn it, Nightmare?"

"Later," Nightmare replied. "For now, we should probably finish following those signs. Have to be leading somewhere important."

Rarity nodded. "Right," she said. "Let me try something first, though." Before Nightmare or Pawas could ask what, a flash slightly dimmer than the first, and when it faded, pony Rarity was there again. "Quicker than I thought," she said. "Okay, let's go."





The looks were priceless. That's all Twilight and Rarity could think as they laughed at the stupefied expressions on the others. "You all should see your faces," Twilight was able to get out.

"B-but Twilight's the magical prodigy," Sweetie said.

"So," Rarity said once the two calmed down. "Just because my cutie mark was in fashion doesn't mean I can't be good at magic."

"'Was'," Celestia asked.

"Yeah," Twilight said. "We actually found out after New Mombasa that, if a ponies personality changes enough, the cutie mark changes, too."(2)

"Indeed," Rarity said. "Mine changed from the three diamonds to a shield with two katanas over it."

"And mine became two energy swords crossed over one another," Twilight said.

"But cutie marks are supposed to be set in stone," Applejack said.

"Well, to be fair, nothing like what happened to Twilight and Rarity has happened before," Rainbow said. "Which reminds me. Hey, Rares, can you show us what you look like as a human?"

"But of course," Rarity said before casting the spell, she had, still to the shock of the others, made herself, the same blinding light happening. When it faded, human Rarity stood there, though with her helmet under her shoulder. Her skin was a tan one, her hair the same color, with the same curls, though it went to her neck. "So, what do you think?" No verbal answer was needed. The wing boners on Rainbow's wings, and, I am not kidding, Celestia and Luna's, as well, to the chuckles of Nightmare, Rarity, and Twilight. "I'll take that as good."

"Anyway," Jacob said, chuckling, before continuing the story.





Pawas, Nightmare, and Rarity stood just in front and below a drop pod with an unopened hatch. The various street signs, ones that had actually shown them routes to avoid combat, and thus conserve ammo, had led them here. "Has to be Jacob's pod," Rarity said. "Or at least someone's."

"Really," Nightmare asked in a surprised manner. "I didn't guess that."

"Oh, shove it," Rarity said, lighting her horn. "Now come on, and help me get the thing down."

Nightmare chuckled. "On it," she said, adding her magic to the effort, and a mix of the two unicorn auras appeared around the pod, which was promptly pulled form the building it had embedded itself in, and then carefully set on the ground in front of an abandoned car.

Pawas knelt to one side of it, and punched in a safe release code, another feature he had come up with for situations like this, where the pod was on its back, and a bolt detonation being potentially dangerous, as this simply made the hatch swing open to the side. As the last digit was input, a small hissing sound was heard before the hatch swung open, revealing an alive, but currently unconscious, Jacob.

"I got this," Nightmare said, charging her horn before firing a small beam of magic at Jacob's head, which caused Jacob to jerk straight up.

"The fuck," he yelled in a pant.

"Nightmare spell," Rarity asked.

"Yep," Nightmare replied. "You alright, Jacob?"

"Barely," he said. "After that fucking mind rape, that is. Otherwise, perfect. Any idea where we are?"

"I would guess the city center," Rarity said. "The three of us downloaded a map of the city earlier, or at least parts of it, including here. City's entirely occupied, and we haven't gotten word from the others, yet."

"Then I guess we should get a move on, see if we can find anything," Jacob said before a ding could be heard. The group of four turned, and one of the signs said, "Keep left," with an arrow pointing in said direction.

"City Superintendent," Nightmare said. "When I heard we'd be over Mombasa, I decided to play it safe and do a little research on it. I imagine it wants to help."

"Then I say we take it," Jacob said. "Come on."





"From there, we followed a beacon on Rarity's HUD, and made our way to an intersection that was being held by Brute forces," Jacob said, "and into a building that led to a small, grassy area, where I used my suppressed pistol to kill a few Grunts."

"Which was just before we met up," Rarity said.





"Hostiles eliminated," Jacob said over radio in a whisper. "I see only one door unlocked."

"Copy that," Rarity said. "Get into breaching position. Jacob, care to take point?"

"Not at all," he said, getting his weapons ready by putting a fresh clip in each. He walke dup to the door as Pawas, Nightmare, and Rarity took positions up at the sides, his SMG close to his body and held one handed in his right, his left pressing the open button before going to the two handed grip, and sweeping the first floor area. "Lower level clear, far as I can tell," he said.

"Copy that, Jacob," Rarity replied. "Let's move in. Beacon's coming from inside."

With that, the group moved inside, Jacob in the lead, followed by Rarity, then Pawas, and finally Nightmare. Jacob had reached the stairs and was going up them when a voice that both Nightmare and Rarity recognized spoke up, one they didn't expect to hear, here of all places. "Rarity?"

The sudden voice made both Jacob and Pawas stop and rescan the area, but Rarity said, "Stand down, guys. It's an old friend. Right, Twilight?"

As the last syllable left the unicorn's mouth, the air shimmered a little near the other exit, opposite the side Rarity and the others had come in, before a third pony wearing Covenant armor, easy to tell with the style, colored lavender, dark purple, and fuchsia. "Hey, Rarity," Twilight said, keeping her helmet on. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to find the rest of my squad so we can get out of here." It was here Rarity noticed just how Twilight's armor was. "Twilight, why are you wearing Covenant armor?"

"Because they were helping me find you," Twilight replied, before eyeing Jacob. "Why are you with a human, Rarity?"

"Because he got me off  a planet the Covenant were destroying," Rarity said. "And why are you here?"

"Because the Brutes betrayed every Sangheili in the city, and we, meaning myself and those I'm with, thought it would be best for our survival to ally with humans at least until the Brutes were destroyed. We picked up on a beacon, and decided to wait here for a UNSC squad to arrive. You all, in this case." Twilight then noticed Nightmare. "Who's the other pony?"

"Pinkie promise not to shoot," Rarity asked.

"Pinkie Promise."

"Nightmare," Rarity said before Twilight teleported in front of Nightmare, and began to, or try to, beat the mare into unconsciousness, as Nightmare was bale to block the attacks, and Twilight hadn't exactly promised to hurt or kill, just shoot. "Twilight, calm down! She's helped me a lot."

"What," Twilight asked, shocked, stopping her assault.

"I'll explain later," Rarity said, "but it all happened a year ago what made her physical, I mean."

"Fine," Twilight said. "What's with the Unggoy?"

"Just a Grunt I helped out," Rarity said. "And the last one's name is Jacob."

"Noted," Twilight said.

"You're one of Rarity's friends," Jacob asked.

"Yeah," Twilight said. "Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"Well, quick warning, I don't follow the Covenant command structure, so as long as you're Covenant, I don't give a shit if you're a princess."

"Me either," Pawas said.

"I think that's enough, everyone," Rarity said. "So, Twilight, you said you and those with you want to get out of the city?"

"Yeah," Twilight replied. "Why?"

"We're following traces of our squad," Jacob said. "May lead us to a way out of here."

"So, an uneasy alliance," Twilight asked.

"Looks like it," Rarity said.

Twilight sighed. "Then I guess I'll lead you all upstairs. That's where the others are, so long as you don't try to harm them."

"Long as they don't try to harm us," Jacob said.

"Fair enough," Twilight said. "Follow me." With that, Twilight teleported to the stair case, in front of Jacob, making him jump slightly, and led the group of four to the top. "Come on."

Twilight led them up to the to floor without incident, as any potential scavengers had been killed on the entry floor. "Don't fire, guys," Twilight said to her companions, still hid from the other's sight. "Allies. For now, at least," she said as they entered a large room with a broken screen. "The beacon's coming from what's embedded in the screen," she said to Jacob as her companions came out of a side room. Rarity, Nightmare, and the other two raised their weapons, though that was out of habit, and also playing it safe.

"Coffin worms," Ruso said in the Covenant language. "Better than the standard ones." He then noticed Rarity and Nightmare, and shifted to English. "Princess, is that-"

"The friend I was looking for when I met you, Ruso, yeah," Twilight said before turning to Jacob and the others. "And don't worry about Hades. He's with me."

"And Hades is who," Jacob asked, going over to the screen and picking up the helmet.

"Me," Hades said, crossing his arms

"Huh," Rarity said. "A Brute with green fur. That's new."

"I'm surprised you aren't saying disgusting, Rarity," Twilight said.

"Well, I'm not stupid enough to piss a Brute off in close quarters," she said. "And besides, one of my old squad mates, as well as Jacob's, gave me a second and logical opinion on it."

"I'll keep that in mind with the next argument we have," Twilight said.

"Assuming we get out of here," Nightmare said. "Anything with the helmet, Jacob?"

"Yeah," he said, placing it on the floor. "Belonged to the last minute captain of the squad."

"The one who came in with Buck," Rarity asked.

"That's the one," Jacob said, going to the window. "And I'll bet that's her pod down there, too. Door open, far as I can tell, and no body. Must have gotten away, seeing as how the Covenant don't do anything to human dead except eat them." The last part had a glare directed at Hades, who simply shrugged.

"He is not wrong, much as I wish my people weren't like that," Hades said.

"My people are like that too, Hades," Sawn said. "Which brings me to the point we're all wondering about: who is going to be the leader of this odd group until we get out of this city?"

"I nominate Jacob," Rarity said .to which Pawas and Nightmare supported.

"I nominate Twilight," Sawn said, seconded by Hades and Ruso.

Jacob and Twilight looked at each other. "Looks like we're the deciders," Jacob said.

"That it does," Twilight said. "Which I think deserves this: we lead our own groups separately, while something that effects the whole group is something we both must agree on. Because if just one of us takes the lead, it could lead to one half leaving for some reason."

"Agreed," Jacob said. "So question is now, what do we do?"

"I say we follow the signs," Nightmare said. "They helped lead us here, and lead us to you. Might lead us to the others."

"Agreed," Jacob said. "What about you," he asked looking at Twilight.

"Are you sure we can trust an A.I.," Ruso asked Twilight.

Twilight thought for a few seconds before sighing. "It's a human A.I., so if Rarity trusts it, I trust it," she said. "I agree with Jacob. For now."

"Then I guess we should get moving," Jacob said. "We got a map of the area in our helmet systems, so one of us will need to take point."

"Then who do you suggest," Twilight asked.

"Rarity or Nightmare, seeing as how they would be able to put a shield around us in a fire fight."

"If your worried about being in a fire fight, I would be able to prevent it," Twilight siad, lighting her custom invisibility spell, though both Jacob and Pawas looked confused.

"Uh, what that do," Pawas asked in confusion.

"It's a special invisibility spell," Twilight said. "Makes everyone it's cast on invisible to everything except those it isn't cast on, and anything with access to electromagnetic and infrared sensors. Or Hunters. I still have no idea how they see."

"Same here," Jacob said. "So, time to move?"

"Far as I can tell," Twilight agreed. "And, due to his eyesight in the night, I think Sawn should be on point. His helmet also allows him to zoom with most weapons, and automatically adjusts for light."

"If that's true, then I agree," Jacob said.

"Then follow me," Sawn said, swinging his carbine around into a two handed grip, but before he got to the stairs, he said, "I hear something below, probably a Brute, along with Unggoy," saying the last part in confusion.

"But that makes no sense," Hades said. "Unggoy may be cowardly, but are loyal, for the most part. There is only one thing that would make them follow a traitor when they have numbers, and that's-" he stopped.

"Orders from a Prophet," Ruso said. "And one very high up in the council. And there is only one I know of with enough power and has favored the Brutes. Truth."

"A high Prophet ordered this," Hades asked in a quiet snarl. "We must alert the rest of the council."

"Useless," Ruso said. "So if one Prophet knows, then the other two hierarchs most certainly do, or at least one, and so long as two think this is the correct path, which it most certainly isn't, there is nothing we can do. Not with the Covenant."

"Then what do you suggest," Hades asked.

"When we kill the Brute in this building and those with him, I will tell you," Ruso said, drawing his sword, but not yet igniting it. "Sawn where are they?"

"Bottom floor," Sawn said.

"Too bad I don't have a shotgun," Jacob said. "Make quick work of their armor."

"Then it's a good thing you have us, then, human," Hades said.

"Then I say we get to work," Jacob said.

"Agreed," Sawn said. "Hades, care to take the lead?"

Hades grinned as be brought out his Spiker. "Not at all," he said, sliding past Sawn and taking the lead, which the others followed. Upon reaching the bottom floor, they saw a small group of ten Grunts being led by Brute major in electric blue armor.

"What are you whelps doing," he asked in the trademarked deep voice all Brutes had. "We came here to find out what happened to that outpost that went dark, not sleep!"

"But commander, we tired," a grunt said.

"I don't care," the commander barked. "Get back to work before I decide to eat all of you! NOW!"

As soon as the commander yelled, Hades took aim with his Spiker, and fired it at said Brute, catching him by surprise, and stopping him from moving just long enough for Hades to remove the armor, which was, to Hade's surprise, followed up quickly by a headshot from Jacob. The grunts were quickly killed by Ruso's sword, Hade's Spiker, in both ways it can be used, and headshots from those carrying headshot weapons, I.E.: Magnum and Carbine. "That was quick," Jacob said.

"That's obvious," Twilight said. "So, where's that next beacon at?"

"Near ONI Alpha site," Jacob said. "If the police force and any UNSC forces with them were able to complete anything, the place is blown to hell, most likely, but we still might get an idea as to where one of my squadmates went." Here, a robotic voice came on.

"Attention, traveler. Details on missing persons can be found at-," here it sounded like an audio clip was cut in, as the voice sounded deeper, close to an African accent, "ONI Alpha site."

"I guess that settles it," Twilight said. "Sawn, point. Rarity, would you mind giving us directions?"

"Not at all, Twilight," Rarity said, and, with that, the group left the building.





"And, for a few hours, that's how it was," Jacob said. "We would look for clues to everyone's whereabouts. For the most part, Twilight's spell hid us from everything. First was Alpha, where I found a detonator, as well as a destroyed building, and I figured that Micky, the demolition expert, had a hand in it. Our next stop was the HQ of the New Mombasa Police department, though we didn't get in, but we did find a sniper rifle that had been bent by a gravity hammer. After that, the nearest train station, Kikowani. The gates in were sealed, but we found a biofoam canister."

"And what is this 'biofoam'," Luna asked.

"A medical object that acts as a seal and bandage for some wounds," Twilight asked. "I kinda went a little crazy when I was able to examine it."

"That's an understatement, Twilight," Rarity said.

"Hey, Rares," Rainbow said, "you never said if you taught Twilight that spell."

"Oh, she did," Twilight said before her horn lit and a bright light occurring. When it faded, there stood a woman the same height as Celestia with dark brown skin, a round face with sharp features, with familiar hair, and wearing a human version of Elite Ranger armor. "Though I only rarely used it," Twilight said in her new form. "I kinda liked my pony form, and I felt that taking a human shape would put a kind of rift between me, Ruso, Hades, and Sawn."

"Yeah, but can we know what happened next," Rainbow asked.

"Sure," Jacob said.





Jacob had the biofoam canister in his hand. He shook it to see if there was any left, and a light sloshing sound could be heard. He held the nozzle over his left hand, and pressed the button to send some of it out by releasing air in the canister, with only a little coming out. When none came out, he looked at it, and tossed it to the ground.

"Can anyone hear me," a voice said over the radio, which got the attention of everyone, including Twilight and the former Covenant with her, as they had been patched into the frequency Alpha nine used for ease, and made Jacob reach for the button on his helmet's left side to try and hear it better."This is Captain Veronica Dare! My beacon is active-need immediate assistance! Someone, please respond!" At the last part, they all looked up to see a Covenant phantom activate its floodlight, and go off to the northwest of their current location.

"What do we do," Rarity asked.

"We help," Jacob said, bringing his SMG to bear as he looked in the direction the Phantom had gone.

"Agreed," Twilight said. "Let's go."

"I'll take point," Jacob said, and there were no arguments here. The group of eight fought through small groups of Covenant before reaching the beacon location, which is when they were blocked by a small pack of Brutes, a Chieftain with a gravity hammer in charge. "Fuck me," Jacob said. "Take 'em down," he said to Rarity, Nightmare, and Pawas, who opened fire on the Brutes, leaving the Chieftain for Twilight's group, who was able to quickly remove the armor.

"Hades, take him down," Twilight said, to which he replied by dropping his weapon, and roaring the the Chieftain before charging him, grabbing a brick off the road as he did so, which he then slammed into the Chieftain's throat upon reaching him as the Chieftain tried to strike him down, but missed, and the brick broke the spine, which made him fall to the ground, dead. Hades then reached down, and took the hammer. He looked at where those that had come with the Chieftain were, to see them dead.

"Area clear," Jacob said before looking at the doors. "Looks like we're heading down," he said before pressing a button, which opened the doors to an elevator tube. "Okay, then," he said. "Any one who is light and has hands will climb, while Nightmare, Rarity, and Twilight, if you guys are willing, will help the others down as well as use levitation to go down."

"I'm up for it," Rarity said.

"Same," Nightmare agreed.

"If it'll help," Twilight said.

"Right," Jacob said. "Pawas, Sawn, we're climbing down," he said before taking a few steps back, and then running forward and jumping when he hit the threshold, grabbing hold of the elevator cable. When he was out of sight, Pawas fallowed, then Sawn, with the ponis levitating Ruso and Hades down.

When what felt like hours, but was just ten minutes, passed, Jacob was close enough to the bottom to drop down. He cleared the rope for Pawas to come down behind him, then Sawn, with Ruso and Hades, with the taken gravity hammer on his back, being set down by the ponies as they levitated down. Once the last one was down, Dare came on over the radio, saying, "They've got us cornered! We're low on ammo! If you can hear me, we're on sub-level nine, near station t-" That's where it cut off in static.

"Two levels down," Hades said, looking at a part of the wall that said "Sub-level seven". "They most likely have troops between here and there."

"Who do you think those others are," Ruso asked.

"Might be the rest of our squad," Jacob said. "Doubtful anyone else could be down there with her."

"She'll probably shoot us on sight," Sawn said, bringing his Carbine around. "In honesty, I am surprised you haven't tried, human."

"Hey, I may hate the Covenant, but that's in general," Jacob said. "Besides, whether we like it or not, we're squadmates right now, and I don't shoot them in the back, or at all, unless they give me a personal reason, and far as I know, none of you have killed my friends or family."

"Enough talk, everyone," Rarity said. "Let's go."

"Right," they all said, and they made their way.

Along the way, they came across a dead NMPD officer's body, there being claw marks all over his body, with Drone bodies nearby. "This does not make things easier," Jacob said. "I hate Drones."

"And if there are this many," Ruso said, "then we most likely have a hive to deal with, since we are underground."

"Greaaat," Jacob said sarcastically. "Come on, we should move so they don't find us." From there, they dropped down another sub-level and killed more Brutes and their forces before dropping down to sub-level nine. Their destination was at the end of a long hall with a few turns.

With the others covering his six, Jacob walked up to a large door with a red light, indicating it was locked. "Captain? It's me, Lance Corporal Hardin of Alpha nine. I got your distress call, and made my way here with a few. . . friendlies I found along the way, so please don't shoot."

There were a few seconds before Dare replied, "How do I know the Brutes aren't using you to get in here?"

Jacob rolled his eyes, but knew where she was coming from. "Rares, you mind helping me out here?"

"There aren't any hostiles out here, Captain," she said. "I can assure you of that."

A few more seconds of silence. "Do you swear there are no hostiles out there?"

"Do you know of the promise my old squad did with Rarity sometimes, Ma'am?"

"No, I- wait, what," Dare said, making it clear she wasn't the only one in there. "Then why didn't you say so, get up here." There was the sound of shuffling feet.

"Jacob, Rares, that you?"

"Josh," Jacob said, surprised. "Yeah it's me, and I pinkie promise that there are no hostiles out here, only friendlies."

"Right," Josh said from the other side. "We're good, Captain. It's a sort of promise from Rarity's home world that, and I quote here, unbreakable promise, and you do not want to make the one who made it mad"."

"I'll take your word for it, Sergeant," Dare said. "Okay, Corporal. Opening the door."

With that, the door opened, and, to be expected, Dare brought her weapon up upon seeing Ruso and the others. "Whoawhoawhoawhoa," Jacob said, taking Dare's arm and pointing the gun to the ceiling. "They're with us, Ma'am," he said. "Long story short, the Brutes and the rest of the Covenant, far as I can tell, betrayed the Elites. The one here is an exception, and the leader of the group is, and I swear I'm not joking, a princess and one of Private Belle's friends. Twilight, Rares, back me up here."

"He isn't wrong, Captain," Rarity said. "Also, hey Josh."

"Hey, Rares," Josh said. "The others are further in the room, by the way."

"Right. And this would be Twilight."

"Hi," Josh said.

"Hello," Twilight replied in a deadpan. "And he is right, Captain. The Covenant betrayed us, and we want revenge, even if it means joining with the UNSC."

Twilight and Dare stared at one another for a few seconds, and it was a tense few seconds. "Fine," Dare said, "but if they turn on us, it's your head."

"Fair enough," Jacob said, releasing Dare's arm. "Can we come in?"

"Sure, but get in here quickly. Sergeant, tell the rest of your squad we have guests they know," Dare said.

"Ma'am," Josh said. With that, the group came into a two portioned room that overlooked what Jacob guessed to be the data center for the city Superintendent.

"So, Captain," Jacob asked once everyone was in and the door closed, "what's going on?"

"If you're asking why the Drones are very active," Dare said, "it's because some idiots blew up ONI Alpha, which is at the top the this shaft. That woke up the entire bugger hive." She then looked out the window. "As for that? That's the Superintendent, the A.I. that runs the city. ,y mission- Alpha nine's mission- was to secure its data. One problem, though."

"We must go through the Yanme'e hive," Ruso said.

"I don't trust you, you know," Dare said to him.

"And I could care less," Ruso said. "But the point remains that if you wish to complete your mission, human, you will need help."

"He's right, Ma'am," Jacob said. "We had to fight a shitload of buggers just to get down here, and, well, it's my honest opinion that it was a miracle we got down here. And besides, Twilight apparently came up with a spell that's able to hide those affected form everything except whatever Hunters use to see."

"And it works?"

"Yep," Jacob replied. "Just to test it, I stepped in front of an Grunt, and taunted him. No response. It works."

"I guess we'll use that, then," Dare said. "Talk with Miller if you want, seeing as how you two know each other. We leave in ten."

"Understood," Jacob said. "Hey Rares, want to talk with Josh?"

"Sure," Rarity said. "Nightmare, Twilight, want to?"

"I don't see why not," Nightmare said.

"If Rarity's friends with them, I guess they can't be that bad," Twilight said.

"Then come on," Jacob said, and the group of four made their way to where Josh was, along with three other familiar faces.

"Long time no see, Rares," Tony said. "Jacob."

"Tony," Jacob and Rarity said in surprise, before seeing the other two. "Patrick, Bishop? What are you guys doing here?"

"We got shipped here a week ago, and were posted by ONI to guard that damned thing," Tony said, hooking a thumb to the A.I. core. "Only reason we're alive right now is because only a few would know of the tunnels, if I had to guess. And that's human."

"Good to see you guys again," Bishop said. "But who are the two new ponies?"

"Nightmare, who is, I'm not kidding, an entity who possessed Rarity a few years before she met us, and is the other one in ODST armor," Jacob said. "The one in Covenant armor is Twilight, one of Rarity's friends who came searching for her, but found the Elite who came in with us instead."

"Yeah, care to explain that," Patrick asked.

"Twilight, you know more than I do," Jacob said. "Care to explain?"

Under her helmet, Twilight rolled her eyes. "The leaders of the Covenant, the three high Prophets, or at least two of them, ordered the Brutes to kill the Sangheili. Only reason Hades, the Jiralhanae, is with us is because he didn't know anything about it."

"Well," Josh said. "The Elites are going to be pissed."

"On that, we can agree," Twilight said.

"So, uh, Twilight, why do you have a horn and wings," Bishop asked.

"I'm an alicorn," Twilight said, "which equates to princess."

"Oh, great," Josh said. "There's another one, now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that we have another lazy ruler out there who let's her subjects face all the danger when they easily could, only actually doing something when there's no other choice," Josh said. "And before you ask, that's my opinion on what Rarity's told us of the other princesses."

"To which you aren't wrong," Nightmare and Rarity said before Rarity added, "At least with the UNSC, the leaders are at the back because it's their job, and they know every thing needs a plan. Celestia just lets us fight with out a plan if it came to war. The most direction she gave Twilight and me was the Canterlot invasion."

Twilight sighed. "Agreed. In all honesty, in laziness of rule, I think the princesses are worse than the Prophets. Of what I've heard, the Prophets do actually lead, or at least Regret does."

From there, the group continued to talk for the remainder of the time until Dare said, "Okay, people, time to move out!"

"Looks like we'll have to wait for the rest of the reunion," Jacob said.

"Unfortunately," Rarity said. "Twilight can you do the invisibility spell on a group this large?"

"Easily," Twilight said, lighting her horn before a lavender wave of energy washed over the room.

"What was that," Dare asked.

"Us going invisible," Jacob said. "Lead the way, Ma'am."

"If you say so," Dare said, and the group left the room, entering the area where the hive structure could be seen. With the invisibility spell going, they simply needed to make sure they didn't make a loud noise, make physical contact with the Drones, or otherwise disturb them, and, having accomplished that, made it through with ease.

"My target's in there," Dare said once they were on the core, pointing to a group of Brutes firing on the main door.

"Kill the traitor," one yelled as he fired his Spiker at the door.

"You think it's another Brute that didn't follow orders," Jacob asked Hades.

"Unlikely," Hades said. "My kind has what you humans call a pack mentality, and only a few of my kind are not in a pack, myself as an example, and those in a pack almost always follow the Alpha. If not, then they battle the Alpha, and one of two things happen, the challenger dies, or becomes the new leader."

"So kill them," Josh asked.

"That would be best," Hades agreed.

"Then take them down," Dare said as Ruso ignited his blade, and ran to one of the Brutes and cut his head off and Hades grabbed the hammer he took on the surface, and pulped another's head, which left two, one of which Twilight supercombined, another dying by a plasma grenade thrown by Pawas.

"Area cleared," Jacob said.

"Hardin, with me," Dare said. "Everyone else, out here."

"Ma'am," Jacob said as the two of them made their way to the entrance. After making it past what Jacob guessed was the scanner room, the two made it into the central area. "It's okay," Dare said in a calming tone, like a mother to a scared child. Jacob heard, to his surprise and confusion, a farting noise was heard before a blue tentacle appeared.

Oh, god, please don't let this turn into a hentai tentacle movie, Jacob thought as what the tentacle was connected to came into view. "Huh," he said. "An Engineer."

"How do you know what it is," Dare asked.

"Saw a few over the night, and Twilight told us what they were," Jacob said.

"Well, anyway, ONI's been following this one for a while, and it was supposed to be our mission to retrieve it. Given how skilled they are with any kind of tech and how long it's been, this one probably assimilated the A.I.'s data, which means-"

"We bring it with us," Jacob finished. "You need the data it has."

"Exactly," Dare said. "And given a subroutine of the A.I. was called 'Vergil'," I think it's appropriate to be called that."

The Engineer signed, and an armor attachment, a translator that Twilight had improved while at the ONI Alpha site bridge remains that had every Covenant language, including Engineer. <Actually, human, my name is Quick to Adjust.>(3)

"Actually, Ma'am," Jacob said, "he says his name is Quick to Adjust."

"I'm not even going to ask," Dare said before a voice came on form a camera screen.

"Veronica!"

"Buck," Dare said in surprise as she went to a camera screen to see Buck covered in Drone blood, his Assault rifle in hand. "Whta are you doing here?"

"I came to look for you," Buck replied. "Where are you?"

"Superintendent core," Dare said. "We're coming out. Don't fire at anything that doesn't fire at you." She also was looking at a screen that showed jumper Brutes coming down the main shaft.

"Why?"

"Just don't," Dare said before she said to Jacob, "Let's go."

"Right," Jacob said. On the way out, with Quick behind them, he asked, "Ma'am, for the rest of the mission, requesting permission to lead Sergeant Miller and his squad."

"Why?"

"Because we were the same squad that found Private Belle, Ma'am, and know how the others fights. I was the leader at the time. They'll follow me."

"If you think you're able to, I don't see why not," Dare said as they exited. "Diamondback, Hardin's your squad leader by virtue of field promotion to Sergeant Major."

"Yes, Ma'am," Diamondback said.

"And I think for communication purposes, if you'll agree, Twilight, I think for the time being, your group is to be Heretic Squad," Jacob said.

"Fair enough, I suppose," Hades said.

"Agreed," Twilight said.

"Then let's go," Dare said, and the group began to make their way to Buck, killing the Brutes and their reinforcements along the way, easily eliminating a Chieftain. It was Dare who made it to Buck first. "Good to see you, Buck."

"You too, Veronica," Buck said. "Care to explain why Covenant are with you?"

"Rogue," Dare replied. "Now come on, we need to get out of here."

"If you say so," Buck said. "Rookie," he said, nodding to Jacob as they got moving.

"Buck," Jacob said. "So, did you find the others?"

"Other than you, Rarity, Nightmare, and Pawas," he replied. "Doesn't look like that's the case right now, though."

"Kinda figured that one out. Oh, and by the way, the Captain gave me a field promotion and put me in charge of the marine squad."

"Noted," Buck said.

From there, the large group fought through Drones and Brute forces before making it to a service elevator that barely held them all.

buck then took his helmet off as Dare walked up to him. "Look, Veronica-" he said before Dare socked him.

"That's for leaving," she said.

"I didn't think you were alive until a while ago," Buck said before Dare grabbed him, and kissed him.

"That's for coming back," she said as the kiss ended.

"Yeah, um, did you forget about us," Tony said in a deadpan.

"Oh, uh, right," Buck said in embarrassment. "Well, we should probably get moving," he said as the elevator stopped. The doors opened, Buck put his helmet back on, and the group walked out.

"There," Dare said, pointing to a city garbage truck. "We'll use that to get the Engineer out of the city."

"What about the rest of us," Josh asked.

"I'm seeing a 'Hog three of us can ride in," Jacob said.

"I guess I could use my magic on any Ghosts we find to allow you guys to hijack them," Twilight said. "Would still need a way for you guys to keep up."

"We could ride on the top of that truck," Bishop said.

"I guess that'll have to do for now," Jacob said. "And I call driving the 'Hog. Who's going to be gunner and passenger."

"I'll turret," Buck said as he went over to the 'Hog and got on the turret.

"Then I guess I will be riding," Sawn said. "I'm able to hit targets with ease while moving at fast speeds, after all," he said, going to the passenger seat, and settling in.

"Then I guess it's time to gear up," Jacob said as he entered the driver's seat and turned the 'Hog on, Quick opened the main hatch on the truck for he and Dare o get in, and the others laying down on the top to reduce their profile, but still allow them to fire. There was a traffic door blocking their way, but Quick opened it. Soon a sit was large enough for the truck, Jacob said, "Time to hit it," before sending the Warthog flying forward, the truck not far behind.

As soon as they were out, the group was instantly targeted by ground forces, as well as a few Ghosts. "Twilight!"

"On it," Twilight said, using her magic to hold two Ghosts in position. "Ruso, Hades!"

"Right," both said before leaping off the truck and onto the Ghosts, which Twilight had pulled closer, and punched the drive rout before taking the seat, which was when Twilight let the vehicles go. With a single Warthog and two Ghosts, the group was able to blow through the resistance ahead, either just skipping a group, or utterly demolishing them, and it was like this until a second highway door was in front. Once all four vehicles had passed through, Quick sent a signal to the one behind them to close, but held off on the one on front.

"Guys, I'm seeing a Scorpion and another 'Hog," Jacob told the others. "Wouldn't hurt to have the extra firepower."

"Copy that," Josh said as he and the other human members of Diamondback got off the truck. Josh made his way to the Scorpion, while Patrick, Bishop, and Tony went to the Warthog, Tony the driver, Bishop beside him in the passenger seat, and Patrick the gunner, this one a Gauss variant. "Could use a gunner," Josh said.

"Me on it," Pawas said before Rarity lowered him to the ground and he made his way to the turret on the Scorpion. "Ready," he said as he got into the gunner spot.

"Right," Jacob said. "You three good," he asked the ponies on the truck.

"Yep," Rarity said.

"Then let's go," Jacob said. "Quick, open the doors," he said. "And Captain, if you don't mind, I'm going to get some music playing for the mood."

"Long as you keep focused on the objective," Dare said.

"Copy that," Jacob said.



Once the doors were fully open, hell itself was unleashed on the Covenant forces on the other end. The two Warthogs and Ghosts, sped through them, causing them to divide their attention, as the Scorpion fired on large groups or watch towers with the main gun, and individuals with the chain gun.

This chaos allowed the truck containing Dare and Quick to pass with little actual damage, as Quick had put shields around it, as the ponies picked off anything the vehicles missed, or covering the back of the Scorpion and sighting targets for it.

"Banshees," Twilight yelled as the group passed the second of the gates after getting the new vehicles.

"Copy," Josh said, turning the main gun on the wing of five Banshees. "Targets sighted. Firing," he said before firing a shot off, which thundered around the area, and the single shell hit the lead Banshee, causing it to explode.

Same," Patrick said, turning the Gauss turret and firing off a shot at the rear right, for them, Banshee, hitting and killing the pilot. The last three then split and boosted towards them, firing their plasma cannons at the vehicles.

"Fuck you," Josh said, firing off another shell, and destroying another Banshee, the main body crashing behind the Scorpion as they continued forward.

"Firing," Buck said, turning the machine gun turret to face one of the air vehicles, unleashing a barrage of armor piercing rounds on the flier, which promptly dropped as the pilot was killed by the barrage.

"Gotcha," Patrick said before killing the last one with a Gauss shot. "Targets down."

"Copy that," Rarity said. "Ground forces to the North."

"Understood," the vehicle drivers and gunners said, preparing to fire.

"Veronica, we need to get off this road," Buck said to Dare over the radio.

"Agreed," Dare said, scanning the road from inside her vehicle. "There. Second turn off past the ground forces. That'll take us to the Uplift hotel. We can hold out there."

"You heard her, people," Jacob said. "Blow through these assholes, and turn off at the second ramp."

"I'll radio the others," Buck said. "Mickey, you read?"

"Yeah, Gunny," the ODST replied over the radio "What's up?"

"Get ready for an extraction, Uplift hotel," Buck said. "And only fire on targets outside it, or Hunters, unless I say so, got it?"

"Yeah, but can I ask why?"

"We have Rogue Covenant with us as allies," Buck said. "And I found Jacob and the others, they'll be there."

"Copy that," Mickey replied. "En route now," he said as the group hit the turn off ramp.

"We need to abandon the vehicles," Dare said as she climbed out of the truck due to blockers in the way.

"Eh, the Scorpion turret was almost out, anyway," Josh said, deactivating the Scorpion and getting out as Pawas exited the gunner position.

"Same with the Gauss," Patrick said as his Warthog was abandoned.

"And this one," Buck said as he climbed off the Machine gun turret and Jacob and Sawn got out of the vehicle.

"Then we had best move," Hades said as he and Ruso got out of the vehicles, the Ghosts falling to the ground.

"Agreed," Jacob said.

"Let's move, people," Dare said, Quick behind her, and the group made their way to the Uplift hotel plaza and entry area.

"We just need to hold out until Mickey and the others get here," Buck said. "Maybe ten minutes."

"I think we can hold out that long," Jacob said. "Okay, whoever's got medium to long range weapons like the BR and Carbine, take position at the entry way to the hotel. Everyone else, spread out so they can't hit us all with a single grenade. Twilight, is there any way you can increase the strength of Quick's shields for us so we can be further away from him but still be protected?"

"I think so, yeah," Twilight said.

"Then stick with him," Jacob said. "Quick, stay behind those at the doors, make sure the Covenant can't hit you."

<If you wish.> With that, Quick turned, and made his way into the hotel, Twilight close behind.

"Okay, get ready, people," Buck said. From there, the group settled into position, with Sawn, Tony, and Bishop at the doors, the Jackal using a Carbine, the marines using Battle Rifles, everyone else spreading around the plaza, creating a kill zone in the middle where every field of fire overlapped. Just a minute after they got settled in, the first Phantom arrived, this one carrying Grunts, most likely so to have them waste ammo, a failed attempt, as the Marksmen were the ones to fire at them, firing off head shots, effectively killing all in less than ten seconds, and the three reloaded their weapons. The second Phantom arrived thirty seconds later, this one carrying a mix of Grunts and Jackals. The Grunts were taken care of in the same way as the last group, while Jacob, Josh, Rarity, and Nightmare killed the Jackals from behind with SMG fire.

After that was the third and fourth Phantoms at once, delivering Brutes leading Jackals and Grunts. The latter two were killed like the last groups, while the Brutes took longer due to their armor, but the combined fire of the group killed each in a minute. After that was the fifth and sixth at the same time, and this is the one that took the longest. The fifth one deployed a group of Brutes led by a Chieftain, while the sixth had one gold Hunter, one blue. "Shit," Jacob said. "Marksmen, open fire on the Brutes, specifically the Chieftain," he said over the radio. "Everyone else, distract the Hunters until the Brutes are dead."

No reply verbally, but the Carbine and BR fire on the Brutes showed they had heard, while those spread around the courtyard fired on the Hunters, if only to distract them.

Jacob was firing at the blue one as it turned to face him, and it began to run his way. Aw, fuck. The Hunter charged him, shrugging off the bullets flying towards it, and tried to slice Jacob in half with its shield, but Jacob was fast enough to roll under the Hunter as it tried to hit him. Jacob primed a plasma grenade he had picked up while underground, and threw it at the Hunter's unprotected back, the orb sticking to the worms underneath, causing the Hunter to roar in pain before the grenade exploded and vaporized enough worms for it to lose cohesion, and fall apart. "Fucker." With that, Jacob looked at the gold one, and saw it was taking fire from every angle, making it a wonder it was still intact, though not for not much longer, as it soon fell apart.

"Hostiles cleared," Bishop said over the radio. "Nice kill, Jacob."

"Thanks," Jacob said. "Buck, how long until the others get here?"

"Should be right about now," he said before pointing to an approaching Phantom that had three yellow arrows pointing down appearing on the ODST HUDs. "There."

Jacob nodded, then activated his radio. "Twilight, we're good. Bring Quick out. Evac's here."

"Right."

"Everyone ready, Gunny," Mickey asked over the radio as the ship settled in above the plaza.

"Far as I can tell," Buck said as Dutch came down the gravity life.

"You sure we're good," he asked.

"Long as we don't piss 'em off," Buck said before they all ducked as a Covenant cruiser came out of slipspace, and began to charge its ventral beam.

"Shit," Jacob said. "Everybody! Phantom! NOW!"

The others rushed to the Phantom, and went up the gravity lift, but Quick stopped, frightened. "Come on, Damn it," Dare said, gripping the front two tentacles. "Move!" She tried to pull Quick to the Phantom, but he stayed where he was.

"Aw, nuts," Buck said before he began to push Quick from behind towards the Phantom, Dare going the grav lift first, her feet going up, and Quick was eventually pushed into it, and both went up. Dutch looked at Buck. "What can I say," Buck said, picking a piece of Drone wing off his armor and crushing it. "It was a hell of a night." With that, Jacob, Dutch, and Buck boarded the Phantom, and it flew off over the water to escape the Covenant ships, just as the one that had arrived fired its ventral beam into the city.

On the Phantom, everyone was ready if they were to be pursued. Buck, his helmet on, walked over to where Romeo was, and waved for some help from Jacob. He went over, and the two pulled him off the turret he was manning. "Pawas, take the gun," Jacob said as the two carried Romeo, a gash in his chest, into the main body.

"On it," Pawas said, taking Romeo's position.

"Easy does it," Buck said as the two lowered Romeo to the floor, the ODST grunting in pain, and Buck took Romeo's helmet off.

"We went through hell for that," he asked in a raspy voice, pointing to Dare and Quick.

"Give him some meds, would 'ya," Buck said to Jacob.

"On it," Jacob said as he reached for a syringe that had painkillers in the vial.

"It's important," Buck said. "It knows things."

"Heck, Gunny," Romeo said as Jacob injected him. "I wasn't talking about the alien." With that, Romeo fell asleep, the meds quickly kicking in, along with exhaustion.

"Mickey? I'm sending you a very special copilot," Buck said.

"Aw, come on! I don't want a Covenant in here," Mickey exclaimed.

"It won't bite," Buck said. "And unlike you," he said, Quick hovering past him, "it knows what to tell those cruisers to keep 'em off our tail."

"I do not think that's an issue," Hades said, looking out one of the ports. "Look."

Those in the troop compartment all looked out the hatch, and saw the Covenant ships beginning to glass the city. "Looks like they found what they were looking for," Dare said.

"What about you," Buck asked her as he walked up beside her and she looked at him. "What about us?"

Dare took Buck's hand in her own before replying, "Win this war. . . then ask me that again," before the hatches closed, sealing Alpha nine, Diamondback, and Heretic into the Phantom as it made its way away from the soon to be destroyed city, and all the dead within.




ONI orbital facility-one month later

The survivors of New Mombasa, each of them, human and not, stood in a room where Quick was analyzing a UNSC drone. "Still can't believe we ended up on the same planet," Rarity said to Twilight, both having their helmets off, revealing their cut manes.

"You and me both," Twilight said. "Still, we ended up at the same place, didn't we?"

"Yes, I suppose we did," Rarity replied. "Probably a good thing I knew Admiral Hood so I could convince him to give you and the others supervised access when we made it to Cairo, huh?"

"And the fact the rest of the Sangheili split from the Covenant," Twilight said. "And that an old friend of mine was with the arriving forces."

"You mean Urd," Rarity asked. The former Minister of Fairness had left with the Sangheili, he had always been a supporter of the Sangheili, and had barely escaped in time. So far, he had seen Twilight only once since the split. Most of the time, he was with Hood and Thel Vadam, the Arbiter, discussing the strength of Truth's forces. "I'll admit I was a little surprised you had a friend high up in the Covenant, Twilight."

"Like I was surprised to learn you had discovered a new spell?"

"Hey, I showed it to you."

Twilight giggled. "I'm kidding, Rarity," she said as the doors opened, and Dare, along with an man with black skin, a marine cap on his head, and a light goatee, which got looks from everyone.

"It has access to the Covenant Battlenet," the man asked.

"Limited, but yes," Dare said as the man looked at something in his hand. "We're not entirely sure how it manages a remote connection to the w-" she stopped as the man threw something, a lighter, Rarity realized, at Quick, who caught it, but not before Jacob tried to catch it.

"Whoa, stand down," Buck said. "Stand down!"

"Sergeant Major, please," Dare said as she and the man walked over to Quick. "It's extremely flammable!"

The man put his hand son his hips as he looked at Quick and said, "The Brutes. The bastards who put bombs on your buddies and killed millions of my people," an unlit cigar in hand. He sat down on a crate in front of Quick. "They're digging a mighty big hole," he said before placing the cigar in his mouth. "You're gonna tell me exactly what they're looking for. And then you're gonna help me stop 'em." At this, Quick brought the lighter up, the top open and alight. He offered it to the man, who leaned forward, and out the tip of his cigar into the flame, puffing as he did so. After a few seconds, he pulled away, and brought the cigar out of his mouth, and looked at it as Quick flicked the top shut.