Remembrance

by Demonfire463

Chapter 6 Search Party

Chapter 6

After not seeing Fluttershy for a few days, we decided to go on a search for her. Twilight Sparkle organized a large group of people to go search in different areas of the town and surrounding areas. I'm stuck with the forest. I'm also alone since nobody else wanted to go in the forest because it's dangerous. I stand at the edge of what they call the Everfree Forest, where I was found. Before me, there is a shadow under the canopy of the trees. I step forward. Well, I've been here once before. Can't be all that bad.

After searching for quite some time, I see some old ruins in the distance and I sprint towards them. Dang, this place looks like it was part of a castle once. Like fate arranged it, there he sits. The rogue Spartan, just on the other side of the room. Fluttershy is tied up and gagged next to him. Rage flows through me just looking at him.
"There you are. Thought you'd run faster for someone you've taken such a liking to." Fluttershy flinches as the Spartan gently touches her face. I now notice that there is a large bruise on her forehead.
"Don't you touch her!" I shout. He steps away from her. "Wait, you can-"
"Walk? After you broke my leg?" He tears through the mesh suit on his right thigh and rips a piece off. His leg is made entirely of metal.
"How'd you lose it?"
"Energy Sword. I really hate Elites. But now they can help me. I sent a small group on that suicide mission to go after you."
"You knew I'd kill them? Aw, I'm flattered."
"I figured that if you killed them, no harm done. If they killed you, bonus." I look at his face. Covered in third-degree burns, his face is red and black. Also rather misshapen from the intense heat. Almost all the glass is broken off his helmet now. Only about a fourth of the original visor remains.
"If the Elites can't kill me, what makes you think that you can?"
"I better know my environment." I look to Fluttershy, who is crying and shaking her head.
"You sound confident, how 'bout a fight?" He charges and jumps for a drop kick. I kneel and lean back to dodge under it. I whip back up and turn around. I firmly plant both feet as he runs toward me again. He jump kicks, but a second to early. I grab his foot and flip him over me. He lands face first against the stone floor. "Jumping too early? Rookie mistake. Though I am an expert." He gets up and punches. I grab his fist and pull his head downward into my knee. "This is just pitiful, haven't I done that before?" He remains standing however. I kick him in the chest and he bends over from the blow. I punch him in the back of the head and he falls onto his face again. He doesn't move. "Finally." I walk over to Fluttershy who is still shaking her head. I take the gag out of her mouth. "Hey Fluttershy." I say softly.
"It's a trap!" She shouts.
"What?" I'm grabbed by the neck and thrown back. I trip and fall onto my back.
"You didn't think I'd be that easy did you? The way I fought you last time?" He says with a chuckle. He pulls out a detonator and gags Fluttershy again. "Bye-bye Spartan."
"NO!" He clicks the detonator and the pillars supporting the structure explode. He grabs Fluttershy and runs out the back. The ruins collapse on me. I black out.

I open my eyes to darkness. My body is in pain. Massive weight sits on top of me. "Zecora said the blast was over here!" Pinkie Pie shouts. It's muffled, but definitely her.
"Are you sure?" Rarity asks.
"Look at the charred marks on the stone, whatever happened here wasn't natural. Definitely an explosion." Twilight says.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's start looking!" Rainbow shouts. My head is pounding and I try to move. Nothing. I can still feel all my limbs, doesn't feel like anything's broken. At least I got that going for me. I hear the rocks being moved, both physically and by use of magic. A small sliver of light hits my face when a rock about six feet above me is removed. A pair of hands moves another stone, then another. Rainbow Dash looks down the small hole in the rubble she created. She looks right at me and her eyes widen. "Girls! Girls! I found him! Help me out!" Within a minute, most of the rocks are moved. My upper body is free now, and Twilight grabs my right hand with her magic. Rainbow Dash grabs my left hand and they both drag me out of the debris. Rainbow takes my helmet off. "You with me Max? Max!" She lightly slaps my face but I can't find the strength to respond.
"Please Max." Pinkie says.
"Water." Twilight says. "Give him some water."
"Right." Rainbow takes out a water bottle and pours some water in my mouth.
"Max, please. Come back to us." Rarity says. I cough on some of the water.
"Ugh, I'm fine. I'm fine." They all sigh in relief when I speak.
"Thank Celestia." Rarity says.
"Thank goodness you're back, I was getting worried." Pinkie says. Rainbow simply smiles at me.
"Thanks. Thank you all." I slowly and painfully stand up, with the help of Twilight and Rainbow. We share a group hug. "How long was I out?"
"Five days. That's when we left to look for Fluttershy. You didn't come back so we went to look for you." Twilight says.
"Did you find Fluttershy dear?" Rarity asks. I pick up my helmet.
"I did. He took her. I've gotta get her back." I step forward and flinch at the pain.
"You need to rest." Rainbow says. "You can't go after her like this, you'll get killed!"
"Well you can't fight him, or you'll get killed. And we have to hurry...or Fluttershy will get killed." I walk to the back exit of the ruins. I see exactly what I'm looking for just a few feet away. I walk over to the red shard of glass. Since our armor weighs so much, footprints aren't hard to find either. "You all stay in town. I'm gonna finish this." I remove my helmet.
"No way, she's our friend too." Pinkie says.
"I understand, but that doesn't matter to him. If anything it gives him more incentive to kill you. I'm going alone. But I sure as hell ain't coming back alone. Wish me luck." Twilight walks up to me and looks in my eyes for a moment. Tears welling up, she closes her eyes and hugs me tight.
"Good luck." We break the hug. .
"You too Twilight." Pinkie jumps up and hugs me even tighter
"I'll miss you. At least until you and Fluttershy get back anyway. Then I won't have to miss you anymore and we can have a party!"
"Thanks Pinkie." We let go. Rarity approaches me next. She gives me a kiss on the cheek and hugs me close, making me blush a bit.
"Do be careful darling."
"I will be. Thanks." We hug a while longer, then release. Rainbow Dash walks up last. At first she says nothing. After a while she lightly punches my arm.
"Do me a big favor would ya?"
"What's that?" I say with a smile. She hugs me tighter than anyone before, I return it.
"Please don't get killed. I don't wanna have to explain that to anyone. Especially Applejack." She starts to cry. Well I certainly didn't expect that out of Rainbow Dash. I hug her a bit tighter.
"Hey, c'mon. Don't cry. I'll be fine. Don't cry Rainbow." We let go and she dries her tears.
"I'm not crying." She sniffs. I smile at her.
"You really want me to come back in one piece don't you? I only wish you could see it."
"See what?"
"See me kick that Spartan's ass. I'll see you after this is all over."
"Okay." With that, I put my helmet on and follow the trail to the Spartan. The others go back home.

Author's Note:

Tell me what you think of Chapter 6 in the comments section. I wrote the ending, now to write the stuff in between! Please like/fav but especially comment! I love your guys' feedback in actual words but likes are good too, enjoy Chapter 6, Chapter 7 will come soon!