I Have Returned Chapter 8
I Have Returned
With a single push the doors flew wide open, revealing herself to all of the ponies in the
room. One by one they all turned around and saw her. Each of their mouths dropped in sight of their old friend, they were at loss for words.
Before them stood a behemoth of a being, standing over 6 ft tall, easily taller than Luna, and possibly even Celestia. It was so alien to them, they had never seen such a species before, and the strangest thing of all, is that it looked just like Twilight Sparkle. Although, she was different, her face was covered in scars, her eyes were as cold as a winter night, and it felt like she had an aura of death around her. Her body seemed to be made out of metal, that, or she was wearing armor. Behind her was another metal being, it’s body, or armor was blue, and white, it also had a metal head, or helmet.
Something else seemed familiar with the beings though, to Luna at least. She felt that she recognized what species they were, but when she tried to remember what they could be, a blistering pain shot through her head. She shook off this pain and turned her attention back to the figure that stood in front of them, Luna recognized the dark and emotionless look in this beings eyes and she didn’t like it.
Applejack was the first to speak up “Tw...Twilight? Is that you?”
Jane didn’t respond instead turning her head slightly down, her long bangs attempting to obscure her face.
“It is! I had my doubts, but that hair and that face...it just couldn’t be a coincidence.” Rarity added.
Rainbow Dash, feeling a bit braver walked forward a bit. “Twilight, you need to help us, we can hear screaming and loud sounds from the halls, none of the guards have returned and…”
As she was talking Twilight lifted her head back up and looked Rainbow Dash in the eyes, and as Rainbow looked back at her she felt something she thought Twilight wasn’t capable of inflicting: fear. Rainbow had a lot of opinions about Twilight; she was a bookworm, she was a bit antisocial, and she could get a bit crazy but Rainbow Dash could never imagine herself afraid of Twilight. But now... she had a look so dark it could stop a manticore in its tracks.
Luna now stepped forward “Twilight, we have been hoping for your return for a very long time, however now it seems that we are meeting under less than pleasant terms.”
“Nice to see you as well Luna, I was hoping Celestia would be with you.”
Luna shook her head. “That is not important right now, what is important is what’s transpiring here. I have heard a cacophony metal clanking and screams of terror fill these halls, and now you appear before us clad in a suit of metal armor. I want you to answer me Twilight: did you murder our guards?”
Jane hesitated for a moment and then she slowly nodded her head. After she did that everypony’s expression changed to a look of horror and some disgust; Rarity and Fluttershy fainted on the spot, Applejack pulled her hat over her eyes, Pinkies mane deflated, and Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth in pure rage.
“How…. How could you?” Luna managed to stutter out, her voice reeking with fear.
“So what if I did? They are soldiers, they’re supposed to fight in the face of adversity.” Jane's voice was cold and emotionless. “And they lost.”
“Nopony should have to fight such a hopeless battle.” Luna responded.
“True enough, but when you sign up to be a soldier, that is what is expected for you to do. I knew that when I signed up for the military, so that is what I do, fight and kill.”
“You’re a soldier?” They all said in unison, save for Crimson who still stood out in the hallway hoping to not be noticed.
“Yes, so what?”
“But you’ve never wanted to become a soldier ever.” Shouted out Rarity. “You have never condoned violence!”
Jane looked unamused at that comment. “Are you honestly going to say that to my face after knowing what I just did outside?” She told Rarity, as the white unicorn stared at the floor trying to hold back her tears. “For years, I thought I was just like you pathetic animals. I had that stupid sunshine and smiles attitude like the rest of you, actually believing that I could solve all of the worlds problems with words and the power of friendship. I cannot believe how stupid I was back then. When I left Equestria, I ended up in a world of pain, and suffering. A world where everyday, every breath could be you last. I finally woke up and saw reality. The world is a cruel unforgiving place, with no mercy. I learned that the hard way sadly. I knew something had to be done, so I joined up with the military. The first time I was put into battle, and the first time I had to take a life, I knew that that was what I was meant to do. I was born to kill.”
Luna stared at Jane, utterly shocked, by what she had just said. Then all of a sudden she noticed another armor clad being outside of the room. She shouted out to it. “YOU!!! DID YOU DO THIS TO HER? ANSWER ME!!!!!” Tears were flowing down her face now.
The being stepped in the room, and said. “Hey, I’m not here by choice, I’m just a friend of Jane who got dragged into this.”
Applejack spoke up “Jane, who in tarnation is Jane?”
He pointed at Jane, who they knew as Twilight, and the concept confused them.
“You...you even changed your name?” Fluttershy asked.
Jane nodded. “Twilight isn’t exactly a normal name to be have for a human, and it was another way that I could distance myself from this place and start a new life.”
The group was silent now, most of them still unable to process this information. Rainbow however was a mare of action and she had stewed in her own fear and despair for long enough.
“So...this is it then?” She said.
Jane was actually intrigued by her statement, it wasn’t a question about her so she didn’t know what Rainbow was going to say.
“You leave us for six years without so much as a goodbye, then you come back to us a different species, you kill dozens of guards, and you have the gall to say that the race that you lived in for most of your life, the ponies that you once called your best friends, are stupid.”
Rainbow began to slowly trot over to Jane, Crimson was ready to pull out his pistol but Jane put her hand up, signaling him to hold back.
“Twilight I don’t know if you remember this but I am the element of loyalty, something you have clearly forgotten. Do you expect me to just stand here and listen to you tear down your society, your friends, and your mentor?”
Jane remained stoic. “I expect you to do something Rainbow because you’re too brash and hot headed not to.”
That was Rainbow’s breaking point. “Why you little-”
Rainbow charged at Jane incredibly fast, raising her hoof and preparing to belt her one in the face. Jane was expecting her to do this and before she could do it Jane backhanded her in the face and sent her flying across the floor, having her land on the ground in a hurt ball.
“Rainbow!” Fluttershy cried out.
There was no response. But she was not dead, Jane merely hit her hard enough to knock her unconscious so she wouldn’t be any trouble.
“Exactly as expected. Running straight into a fight with absolutely no plan, that is beyond idiotic. She’s just like an animal.” Jane scoffed.
Luna was really getting fed up at this point. “Then why in Celestia’s name are you here Twilight?”
“MY NAME IS JANE!!!!!!” Jane exclaimed making Luna stagger back a bit. “And I am here for those.” Jane pointed right to the back of the room behind the throne. There was the door to the elements of harmony.
“Why would you take those? You can’t activate them without us, and you would be a fool to think that we would.” Rarity intervened.
“HA, I don’t need you to activate them. That’s the beauty of my species. We have technology, we can find another way to activate them, or syphon their power into something else.”
“Your species doesn’t deserve to have them!” Shouted Rarity.
This struck a chord with Jane, a chord the shouldn’t of been struck. She walked over to the white unicorn. Jane towered above Rarity, she was more than twice the size of the young dressmaker. “For the past 30 plus years my species has been hunted down by a force stronger than us. We are at the brink of extinction while you prosper sitting on your fat asses doing nothing. Those elements are the ultimate weapon, with them I can save my species.”
“And to do that you’ll practically destroy our species, kinda hypocritical don’t you think?” Rarity shot back.
“No, I am taking what I need, and then i’m leaving. I have no quarrels with pony kind, and I do not intend on harming innocents, unless they get in my way of course, which at the moment you six are.” Jane walked over to the throne, using her strength she easily moved it out of the way.
“It’s pointless to even try.” Luna spoke up. “Celestia is the only one who can open the magic lock into that room.”
Jane laughed at this confusing the Lunar goddess. With ease she punched through the door, and pried it open with her hands, revealing the six elements of harmony. Jane looked back at Luna who was shocked at the female spartans brute power. “You were saying.” Jane taunted.
Luna didn’t know what to do, she couldn’t let Twi- Jane walk away with one of the most powerful items in existence.
Jane looked around the room trying to find something to carry them in. Eventually her eyes drifted over to Fluttershy who was wearing her saddlebags. “Fluttershy.” She said, making the timid pegasus look up. “Your saddlebags give them to me.”
Fluttershy in a scared rush hid behind Applejack, who was beyond angry. “You stay away from her ya here me, or else!”
Jane chuckled at how Applejack was trying to threaten her, a spartan. It was hilarious. She didn’t have time to laugh though, as he faced reverted back to a more serious tone. “Fluttershy, please give me your saddle bags, I won’t ask nicely next time. If I were you, I’d take my kindness while I’m still giving it.”
Jane waited a few moments, nothing happened. “Very well then, you made your choice. Crimson, get the bag for me.”
For a moment Crimson hesitated, was it really right to do this? If he didn’t Jane sure would be pissed at him. It was strange how mad she was, normally she was kind to everyone she met. Sure she got very serious when either she wanted something, or was on the battlefield, but never on this level.
“Crimson…” Jane said starting to get annoyed.
“Sigh… yes sir.” He slowly walked walked over to Fluttershy making Applejack even more angry. Once he got close enough, she leapt at him with all of her strength. Sadly for her though, he was able to quickly shake her off sending her flying into a wall, knocking her out like Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy started crying as he grabbed the saddle bag from her and tossed it to Jane, who caught it and immediately started putting the elements in it.
For the first time Pinkie Pie spoke up. “Please… don’t do this Twilight.”
“Sorry Pinkie, but I have lives to save.”
“Please Twilight, or Jane, or whatever you want to be called, just listen to me” Luna blurted out. “You taught me about friendship, it’s joys, it’s wonders. Please don’t throw that all away, you’re hurting us all, including yourself. Please, if you stop this, we can discuss things. I can tell that you’ve been hurt over the past few years, but we were always there for you back in the old days, and if you would just let us we could help you. Is the concept of friendship even alive to you anymore?
The words bounced off Twilight. “I haven’t seen you ponies in five years, you all mean nothing to me. I don’t need friends, not anymore.”
Luna was getting desperate now. “Please, we could even discuss about you borrowing the elements.”
“I’m not borrowing them, I am taking them permanently. Plus I can’t waste time. There are people dying right now, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t take this chance.”
Luna couldn’t believe what she heard. None of her, none of the Twilight that she had met was in this monster. No longer was the sweet and caring pony in there, all that there was was a murder machine.
With dried up tears in her face, Luna charged up her horn with a powerful spell. “Have it your way then, Jane.” And fired it directly at her.
The blast hit her straight in the chest. Alicorn magic was far greater than that of a normal unicorn, so the blast knocked her back, and took out a significant portion of her shield. She hit the floor right next to her helmet, and she instinctively put it back on. The helmet clicked into place, and a very annoyed voice came through the speakers.
“Thanks for dropping me.” Roland said.
“That is not our priority right now.” Jane rebutted.
Luna picked up the bag of elements with her teeth, causing Crimson to raise his gun.
“NO, you might hit the elements!” Warned Jane. Crimson lowered his weapon, but he still stayed on guard.
Luna started to slowly inch herself towards the open window next to her. Upon seeing this Jane knew what the night princess was about to do.
“Crimson, tie the rest of them up, and bring them back to the pelican, I’ll be there shortly.” Jane ordered.
In an instant Luna bolted out of the window, her wings spreading as she tried to pick up speed. Jane ran after her, and jumped out of the window activating her thruster packs. She flew through the air, and barely managed to grab onto Luna’s hoof. Immediately the night princess started to violently shake her hoof to get the spartan off of her.
“GIVE ME THOSE ELEMENTS!!!!” Jane shouted.
“NO!” Luna screamed back, her voice muffled by her holding the bag in her mouth.
Jane reached out as far she could with her other hand to grab the saddle bag that Luna was clamping onto with her teeth. Eventually she was able to get a grip onto the bag, she moved her hand inside it, and pulled out one of the elements inside the bag, her old crown. She could feel herself slipping, as the alicorn continued to try to shake her off. Jane tightened her grip as much as she could, but it was hopeless, she fell off, and Luna flew away with the five other elements.
Jane looked down, she hadn't noticed, but in their struggle Luna flew up extremely high. Directly below her was Canterlot mountain, which she was approaching at a fast rate. She activated her stabilizers which slowed her down, but she was too late as the Spartan crashed through the mountain.
______________________________________________________________________________
Sometime later….
Jane gasped for air as she woke up, every inch of her body was in a burning pain. It felt like she had just fought through hell. Above her was a giant hole in the ceiling. Judging from how high up it was, she fell pretty deep into the mountain, at least a hundred meters. How was that possible? It was a mountain, how could it be hollow? Then she looked around, all around her was Forerunner architecture. Everything, from the walls to the ceilings, and everything in between was all Forerunner built. It didn’t make any sense.
Roland spoke up. “I’m taking a wild guess that you are thinking what I’m thinking.”
“As long as you’re thinking how the hell does this place have Forerunner structures?”
She noticed that she was still holding the one element in her hand, good, at least she had something. Judging from the direction that Luna was going, she must of been heading for the Crystal Empire.
In a dull pain, Jane stood up, every bone in her body creaking. Damn, even as a Spartan she was lucky to still be intact. She noticed on the far side of the room she was in, was a terminal.
“Jane, plug me in,. If that terminal holds records I might be able to see why this is all here.” Roland asked.
“Or how long its been here.”
Each step burned as she made her way over to the terminal. When she got back to the infinity she had to get medical attention. That wasn’t the only problem though. Her visor was cracked, and her energy shields were broken, as well as her radar. Shit, she would also need armour repairs, this day just kept on getting better and better.
She reached towards the back of her helmet, and pulled Rolands data chip out, and placed it in the terminal. Rolands holographic body appeared, as he started to look through data.
Jane silently waited for a few moments, as Roland searched through the terminal hoping to find anything usefull.
“Anything yet Roland, anything at all?” Jane asked. If one thing stayed the same about her, even through her five years of combat, it was her curiosity.
“Nothing yet, well at least nothing we alre- Holy shit…..”
“What, what is it?”
“This planet, it’s a...it’s a Forerunner shield world.”
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Equestria is a Forerunner shield world?! How is this possible?!
5270570
It's been done at least 30 times, sorry. But, still, I think that Crimson should see that this is completely wrong in every way, and side with the ponies.
AND WHY THE F^CK DID YOU KILL THOMAS LASKY!?!?!?!?
5270829 You'll see why I killed Lasky next chapter.
5270829 There has been a decent amount of twists that have related the ponies to the forerunners before, but never like this.
Damn.
“No, I am taking what I need, and then i’m leaving. I have no quarrels with pony kind, and I do not intend on harming innocents,
Bull shit, she just shot and killed a bunch of guards who by definition had done nothing wrong.
Also why didn't luna just rip her apart with impunity with her magic? Honestly every character in this story has been monstrously OOC.
Hmmm Twilight is acting extremely dark, sadistic even, not in a dark, sadistic soldier, but an insane one, my idea is that Twilight/Jane lost it, Why? Every being no matter what has some sort of... limit to say at least, I mean, I understand how she killed the Covenant with such a pleasure, but seeing her kill inoccents is far beyond the soldier point...
5318473 Well, Jane is purposely out of character, the others I would have to disagree with you to a cirtain degree. Jane's contradictions between her actions, and words were on purpose, I have something planned for that. As for Luna, I don't think she would have the guts to do that to Jane even dispite what she has done.
5320352 You have my attention, I'll be waiting for the next chapter
Wait, when did Twilight take her helmet off?
SHEPARD!
Actually all it takes is individuals who fit the personality requirements. Individuals humanity has in spades (which actually speaks poorly of ponykind that they only have one of each). Besides, they are useless as weapons, but could be useful for screwing over the enemy if it is used in the right way at the right spot. Or to power a super weapon, either Star Forge style or Death Star style. Maybe the Suncrusher!
That sounds like a good offer. We wouldn't have any permanent need for them, after all.
If you can reach that high then why not knock Luna unconscious and take the bag?
Which means we're probably going to blow it up. I think Requiem is the only Forerunner structure we've come across and not blown up. No, wait, I think we blew that up, too.
6137480 The Didact destroyed reqium. Humanity tried to preserve it for tech.
5318469 Ah, but they're soldiers, trained to defend their country, and even though they're pathetic, they are still soldiers who should be willing to die for their cause... which they're not. Pathetic.
A Shield world?! Actually, makes sense, lot of stories have Equis as a shield world...
yes because she didn't just tell you she doing this to save a dyeing species that is (sorry if I'm wrong not good with halo lore) fighting a losing war that is being fought for their kind to stay alive
6410642 ("Your saddlebags give them to me.") Terminator reference? Forerunner shield worlds: I haven't read any of the books but the impression I got from the games is that "shield worlds " either have a "shell" on the outside of the atmosphere like Requiem in Halo 4 or atmospheric "layers" with massive "transit" systems for ships to travel between them like that one planet near the end of Halo Wars. (Though I could be wrong.)
6412303 Doesn't matter if they should be prepared to fight for their country, they're still innocent. You don't strike first on a nation neutral to you and slaughter all their gaurds then get to pull the high ground card saying you don't intend to kill any innocents.
WHAT IN SAM HELL,GET ME MY SHOT GUN!
6412303
But they're guards?!?!?!? I understand a soldier in a war. But these are peacetime guards who haven't even heard of humanity before having their brains blown out with a 12.7 x 40mm bullet! If anything, sir, you're the pathetic one for saying that a guard in peacetime (Who serves a country that hasn't been in a fight for MILLENIALS) should be prepared to give up their life at any moment!!!
10578500
If you join a fighting force(Whether a Guard, a Soldier, a Cop, or Swat) than you are signing on to willingly give your life for your country, or for protecting the innocent, regardless of the circumstances. And most importantly, their are NO innocents in war.