A Nightmare reborn
Twilight put up a magical shield just as Luna initiated the Canterlot Royal Voice. "YOU HAVE ALLIED YOURSELF WITH THE NIGHTMARE!? WHY WOULD YOU WHEN IT CORRUPTED YOU ALL THOSE YEARS AGO!?"
Twilight then lowered the shield as the others rubbed heir ears, Celestia having put up a less effective shield. "Well, Princess," Rarity said. "Wait, and you'll find out.
UNSC Normandy- November 10th- 2551
Rarity, Jacob, and Pawas were in the hanger bay of the Paris class frigate, Normandy. Jacob wore ODST armor. His helmet, next to him on a crate, was steel gray with a white-gray stripe down the middle. He had a row of grenades on his waist belt, and his lower legs had multiple ammo pouches. "So, what do you guys think our mission is?"
"No idea, Jacob," Rarity said. She wore ODST armor modified for her body type that was colored white with purple accents, her helmet being white with a purple stripe down the middle, with two combat knives attached, one on each side of her barrel, her assault rifle, the modified one she had in present day, on her back with an SMG on her left, rear leg. "But it's ONI, so it can't be good."
"Me agree," Pawas said. His armor was. . . interesting. It was a mix of Grunt Ultra, Ranger, and Storm. He had on a small jetpack that functioned similar to how normal Grunt Methane packs would with a quick release of it, albeit without the smell, and he had on a helmet that resembled the Grunt Ultra helmet along with the under suit of a Ranger Grunt, while the armor itself had greenish blue lights, similar to the color motion trackers would have friendlies. But the interesting part was that it was made out of Titanium, lightened with the inclusion of an ONI micro gravity reducer, built thanks to Pawas a year before from the gravity drive on Spirits, making it as heavy as normal Grunt armor. "Human world we go to been glassed by Covenant earlier this year."
"Which means the bastards missed something," Jacob said.
"And now ONI, lazy assholes that they are," Rarity said, now cussing like every other soldier, "want us to go in. Yay."
"Still, I wonder why we're heading to a glassed planet," Jacob said. "Must be important, especially since they gave us each some kind of armor upgrade."
"I suppose," Rarity said. "Still, be nice if we had more than 'Go into this cavern, we are picking up strange readings from it', Much as I hate ONI, I'll give them that they have eyes and ears practically everywhere, so they know more than they're letting on."
"We'll find out once we get to the surface," Jacob said. "Once we get deployed, anyway."
"Which should have been five minutes ago," Rarity said.
"Sorry, Marine," the ship's A.I., a green female projection that wore an old fashioned, twentieth century military outfit, said as she appeared on the nearby pedestal. "Captain's a little nervous, as some planets are reported to have become hunting grounds for the Covenant, humans being the prey."
"Trying to see if there's any Covenant left on the planet, Abby," Jacob asked.
"Indeed," Abby said. "So far, nothing's found, and we haven't scanned the area you three are going to need to get there."
"Why no pods," Pawas asked. "Modifications made make pods safe for occupant."
"Yes, but there's still the possibility of anti-air fire," the A.I. replied.
"Oh," Pawas said. "Me forgot."
"Well, while we're waiting," Rarity said, "can you tell us anything else about the mission?"
"Simply that the signal you're investigating is not Covenant or human in origin, and that Evac will be a Prowler hanging in low orbit that'll be on station for a planetary week before you're left there."
"And if we miss that window," Jacob asked.
"Then it'll be another month until you can be evaced."
"So we'll probably be dead by then," Rarity asked.
"Most likely," Abby said.
"Well, at least she's blunt."
"Thank you, Marine," Abby said before her projection straightened. "The Captain says you three are cleared."
Jacob nodded, and put on his helmet, completing his look. "Copy that. Come on, Diamond Squad."
"Good luck, guys," Abby said before she disappeared.
The three got into the pelican, a D-77, and Jacob went up to the pilots seat, him being the only one tall enough to sit in the seat and look out the wind shield. He closed the back hatch, and got the Pelican started out, Rarity and Pawas in the seats behind. "So, what do you guys think we'll find?"
"No idea," Rarity said. "Must not be important to the covenant, though, assuming they haven't picked it up, seeing as how they aren't here."
"Latter likely," Pawas said. "No Covenant ships nearby, means no signal receiver for said signal, meaning they don't know."
"Which means we probably have free reign here, assuming there aren't any human scavengers there."
"And if they do," Rarity said. "Well, I hope for their sake, I hope they don't mess with us."
"Oh-ah to that," Jacob said.
From there, it was Pawas and Rarity preparing their weapons, Pawas having a modified Magnum that had a slightly larger clip and was burst fire along with an SMG.
Near half an hour after leaving the ship, they landed next to the cave they were to enter, and, with helmets on and re-breathers at the ready if needed. "Okay," Jacob said, "remember, we're on a portion of the planet that hasn't yet become a glassland, so we don't need those re-breathers. Yet."
"And let's hope we don't need them," Rarity said as Jacob opened the hatch, and the three stepped outside.
"Uh, quick question," Spike said. "What's a glassland?"
"Well," Twilight said, "basically, it's an area of land that Covenant ventral beams had been used on, which burned away the ground and boiled the water, and super heating the atmosphere, which caused a vacuum of sorts to be made that swept up a lot of dust, which created an extremely cold winter, cold enough to make the molten rock harden into glass, often for hundreds of miles. Hence, glasslands."
"Though natural features like mountains do remain, simply not as tall," Rarity said. "Though, only the very tall ones."
"That sounds like it was practical tartarus for any who survived," Chrysalis commented.
"I doubt any one survived that," Rainbow said.
"Actually, Rainbow," Twilight said, "there have been a few planets that have had colonists survive the glassing. Maybe not until evac, but they survived the glassing itself."
"Back to the story-"
The three made their way to the cave entrance, keeping contact with the Normandy by using the pelican as a midpoint for transmission, until it suddenly went out, which occurred just before they entered. "Well," Jacob said, trying various channels, "shit."
"Yep," Rarity said. "So, what do we do?"
"Our mission," Jacob said. "Come on." He took the lead as the three made their way into the cavern, which seemed to glow with a strange, blue light.
"Definitely no Covenant," Pawas said. "Supply pods be here is there were."
"Let's be glad for that one," Jacob said.
"Agreed," Rarity said. "Still, I can't help but feel I've felt this way before."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, not exactly," Rarity replied. "A shiver down my spine, a tingling at the base of my horn, and a buzzing in my head. It just feels. . . familiar, but I don't know from where."
"Well, whatever it is, let's hope it isn't bad," Jacob said.
"Yep yep," Pawas said in agreement.
The three continued further into the cave for near an hour, scanning the and passages for anything hostile, if they didn't know what was hostile here. "Hold up," Jacob said, holding a fist up. "Armor's reading a sudden pressure increase."
"What does that mean, Jacob," Rarity asked.
"It means," Jacob said, "someone's trying to kill us or knock us out." With that, he fell to the ground, unconscious, but alive, with Rarity and Pawas following soon after while trying to get out of the cave, but failing to do so.
"Turns out, that cave was, for lack of a better term, man made," Rarity said, "though by no means were they made by humans."
"Then who made them," Celestia asked.
"The Forerunners," Twilight and Rarity said at the same time. "Basics are they were an ancient race that died out a hundred thousand years ago fighting. . . well, best not to say," Twilight added. "But let's just say both Rarity and I fought what they fought, and it wasn't pretty, or easy, even with our magic."
"Indeed," Rarity said with a shudder at those memories. "Anyway, the three of us were taken away, as I found out later, to some kind of lab, which is where I'll continue."
Rarity came to slowly, and with a small headache. She tried to get up, but found she couldn't. She slowly opened her eyes. "Jacob," she yelled, hoping he'd reply, but got nothing. "Pawas?" No reply.
She looked at her hooves, and saw she still had her armor on, but she was being held down by what she recognized as a gravity field, but the tech in the room around her wasn't Covenant, being more blocky, a mix of both human and Forerunner tech, looking both mechanical and organic at the same time.
She didn't have her helmet on, and she was sure her weapons were gone.
"Oh, you're finally awake."
The sudden and unfamiliar voice startled Rarity a little, and she would have jumped if she could. To her surprise, it wasn't a person that came into her view, but a small, round, orb with a yellow light from the center. "I had feared you'd been accidentally killed," the orb said in a feminine voice. "My name is 6732 Peaceful Resolution, the one who oversees this laboratory. And you are?"
Rarity didn't reply, only glared at the machine. "Where are the others," she asked.
"You mean the Inheritor and the Unggoy," Resolution asked. "Oh, they are quite alright. Still unconscious, but alive. But that does not answer my question: What is your name?"
"Let me go, and I'll tell you."
"I'm afraid that isn't possible," Resolution said. "You see, protocol prevents me from letting a previously unknown race free with out some way of monitoring them unless they help me answer questions, and you have not made that step yet."
"And I won't until you let me go," Rarity said.
Resolution sighed, much as a machine could, and said, "Then we are at an impasse. No matter, I was able to extract the other personality, and use the equipment here to grow it a new body. I'm sure it will answer my questions."
"What do you mean, 'other personality'?"
"Simple," Resolution said. "When I scanned you and your compatriots, I discovered a second personality in your brain, and extracted it, as I couldn't very well question it with you suppressing it. Now, all I have to do is place the personality in the body I grew for it, using your genetics as a starting point, and wait for it to awaken." With that, Resolution left, leaving Rarity with more questions than she had started with.
It wasn't an hour later that Resolution returned, with a tray of gray mush that was probably supposed to be food. "This is all I could make, Subject. It has all the nutrients your kind needs to eat that I was able to observe from studies while you were unconscious. I do apologize if i tastes terrible."
"My name isn't 'Subject'," Rarity said.
"Well, I don't know what your actual name is, so I went with what came to mind. If you do not wish me to call you that, answer my question."
"Ugh," Rarity groaned. "Fine. "My name is Rarity. Happy?"
"Indeed I am," Resolution said as Rarity dropped to the floor, the gravity field deactivating. "I hope you find someplace to rest. I did not expect there to be any visitors here, and I have no guest quarters prepared."
"And where are the others," Rarity asked.
"In the next room," Resolution said. "Though they are currently unconscious, though they should wake up soon. It has been three weeks since you first arrived."
This made Rarity's eyes widen. "Three weeks?"
"Yes," Resolution said.
"We need to leave soon."
"Why's that?"
"Because," Rarity said, "in a month since we arrived here, it would be our last chance of getting off planet."
"Oh, you can't leave," Resolution said. "Protocol dictates any new species who enters here can not leave until every thing, including life span, can be discerned."
"To hell with protocol," Rarity said. "Me and my friends will leave in a few days, and you won't be able to stop us."
"The Reclaimer and Unggoy, no, I won't be able to stop them," Resolution said. "But you? You, I can ensure you don't leave," she said before Rarity was lifted off the floor in another gravitational field. "I am sorry, but until the other personality's body is ready and it is in placed in it, you can't leave. And don't bother using your natural abilities. That gravitational field negates them. I made sure to modify them to do so if this were to happen after I discovered what you could do."
She hovered the tray over, and said, "Now, if you will excuse me, I must over see the final stages of the body's construction," before leaving the room.
"Yeah, Resolution was a bitch," Rarity said.
"How'd you get away," Fluttershy asked.
"Well, that's quite a tale," Rarity said.
A day later, Resolution came back into the room. "What do you want?"
"I simply thought to inform you that your companions are awake, and that the other personality is currently being transferred to its body."
"And why do you think I would want to know about the second one right now?"
"I honestly didn't, but she asked me to tell you."
This made Rarity slighty uneasy.
"'She'?"
"Yes," Resolution said. "Said her name was Nightmare. What an odd name. Then again, you are called Rarity, so perhaps it has to do with the abstract. And if you try to tell me to terminate that, which Nightmare told me you would try, to allow one contact between you two."
"And why should I listen to her," Rarity said. "She corrupted me four years ago."(1)
"She informed me of that," Resolution said. "And she asked me to tell you that, given the fact both are far away from home, you would at least listen. Of course, only one of you is getting away. So, what will it be?"
Rarity was, in honesty, curious as to why Nightmare would want to talk with her. "Fine," Rarity said. "But only one."
"It should only be a few hours, then. Would you like your comrades to be here as well?"
"Why not," Rarity said.
"Then I shall fetch them," Resolution said before flying away.
"This'll be interesting," Rarity said to herself.
Anyway, an hour later, Jacob and Pawas were brought in. "Rarity," Jacob said. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I am," Rarity replied. "What about you guys?"
"We fine," Pawas said.
"That thing said you wanted us for something," Jacob said. "What is it?"
"Something from my past," Rarity said, before the sound, familiar to the three, of hooves treading stone could be heard, a sound which, in current circumstances, surprised Jacob and Pawas, but only served to further confirm Rarity's guess. From the shadows of the cave came a figure, as tall as Rarity was, with a beautiful, black coat and elegant, purple mane and tail, a pointed horn, and six stars on each of her flanks, and teal blue, reptilian eyes.
"Hello, Rarity," Nightmare said. "It has been far to long, hasn't it?"
Even with them knowing it was coming, the mouths of the others hung on the floor, to which Rarity and Twilight chuckled at. "Yes, she did look somewhat different then before," Rarity said. "Honestly, though, that wasn't the most shocking part."
"Then what the buck was," Rainbow asked.
"The fact she apologized for what she had done, and wanted to help the three of us escape."
Rarity glared at the supposed unicorn that had just walked in. "Why did you want to talk with me, Nightmare?"
"I can't just talk with an old friend," Nightmare asked in an offended tone, even if she was far from offended.
"We aren't friends," Rarity said. "You tried to corrupt me and turn me against my friends. What makes you think I want to speak with you on friendly terms?"
"I thought similar circumstances would," Nightmare said.
"What do you mean," Rarity asked. "Resolution said she'd let one of us leave once you got a new body."
"Then she lied, or you simply misunderstood her," Nightmare said. "She said that all subjects of a new species are to be kept here until information on them can be obtained, and stuff like lifespan is an average."
"Which means she'd need more then just one of you," Jacob said. "But just who are you, and what do you have to do with Rarity's past?"
"I'm surprised and a little insulted she didn't tell you," Nightmare said with a chuckle. "Certainly she told you of what happened to a Princess Luna and her self, didn't she?"
Jacob's expression turned to one of understanding, then of hate. "You're the one that took her over."
"Indeed I am," Nightmare said. "And yes, I was defeated, but a small portion of myself remained in her, as well as Luna, though I was brought out of Rarity by that infernal Resolution. At least with me still in Rarity's mind, we could have easily escaped from that gravity field."
Pawas perked up. "Gravity field hold Rarity?"
"Yeah," Jacob said. "Why?"
"You forget," Pawas said. "Me once Spirit technician. Worked with gravity drives."
Jacob then got a devious smirk, a look Rarity had associated with him having a plan. "Got it. How long would it usually take to, say, deactivate an active one for maintenance?"
"Best an hour. Worst two," Pawas replied.
"And, just for curiosity," Jacob said, turning to Nightmare, "you wouldn't happen to know any illusion spells, would you?"
"I do," Nightmare answered. "Why?" Jacob gestured as silently as possible to where Rarity was being held, Pawas, and his forehead in order. "Oh," Nightmare mouthed. "Yes, I know illusion spells."
Jacob nodded. "If you all will excuse me, there's something I need to ask Resolution," he said before leaving the chamber.
Nightmare's horn then lit up, and a projection of Pawas left after Jacob. "Now that that's taken care of," she said, "Rarity, I do hope you can look past our history and at least tolerate me until we can get back to Equis."
Rarity growled, but said, "Only until you show otherwise."
"Do not worry," Nightmare said. "I won't."
"And, really, the plan went well," Rarity said.
"I sense a 'but' coming on," Sweetie Belle said.
Rarity chuckled. "You'd be right, Sweetie."
An hour into the completely improvised plan, a complication happened. "Uh oh," Pawas said. "Big trouble."
"What is it," Nightmare asked.
"Last part of gravity field generator in ceiling above Rarity. Can't reach myself. Need help."
"Damn," Nightmare cursed. "I still haven't made it back to full power. I can't maintain all these illusions and a levitation spell at once."
"Jacob, this Pawas," Pawas said over his comm unit. "We run into problem. Last part of gravity field generator in ceiling. Can not reach my self, and Miss Nightmare unable to keep illusions going while levitating me. Need time."
"So, how long have you been here," Jacob said, asking Resolution a question, as well asking Pawas how long it would take.
"Me say ten minutes," Pawas replied. "Do that?"
"Sure, that makes sense," Jacob said is response to both Pawas and a question Resolution asked.
"We have ten minutes," Pawas said.
"Let's hope that's enough," Nightmare said as she lit her horn and lifted Pawas up to the ceiling.
The following span of time was as tense as it could be, with Pawas, Rarity, and Nightmare fearing that Resolution would walk in, so to speak, and keep them all there for the rest of their natural life spans. Pawas worked quickly as he dared, not wanting to make a mistake that would result in Rarity's death, Nightmare doing her best to keep Pawas steady during the ten minute period. Rarity, though, was the tensest of all, only able to watch her comrade and temporary ally work on freeing her while Jacob was in another room with a potentially murderous robot.
So, imagine the relief of all of them when the field keeping Rarity off the floor vanished, and she fell to the floor, not as a pancake. "You okay," Nightmare asked, offering a hoof to help Rarity up, which the white mare took.
"Yeah, I am," Rarity replied before saying something Nightmare didn't expect. At least, in a serious tone. "Thanks."
Nightmare staggered, surprised at the fact Rarity had just said thanks to the one who had taken her over all those years ago. "Your welcome," Nightmare said, getting over the shock. "After all, we are technically sisters, maybe even twins."
"We can discuss relations later," Rarity said. "Pawas, tell Jacob we're ready to go."
"Right," Pawas said before activating his comm unit. "Jacob, we ready."
There was no verbal reply, but, through some impressively subtle gestures, Jacob was able to Morse code out, "Right. Teleport."
"Jacob wants teleport," Pawas said. "You two manage?"
"I do believe we can," Rarity said. "So long as it's together."
"It will be," Nightmare said. "Just get Jacob in here. We will most likely be able to manage only a single teleport."
"Understood," Pawas said. With that, he radioed Jacob to tell him that they were ready, and just needed him.
Jacob was able to get away from Resolution a few minutes later. "You sure you're ready," he asked, walking in.
"As sure as we can be," Rarity replied. "Besides, if we don't try now, we'll be stuck here, and miss the secondary exfill.
"Fair point," Jacob said. "Besides, normal protocol is for a sub-prowler for an op like these be here a week before and after it's supposed to be, to increase chances of finding a team, and we're in that window now."
Both Nightmare and Rarity lit their horns. "Then let's move it," Rarity said, before the four of them vanished in a flash of light. What they didn't realize, though, was Resolution had been watching.
"Make it home," she said, her voice changing from the confident tone it was to a more. . . shy tone. "Make it home, Rarity."(2)
"So, from there," Rarity said, "we teleported to the pelican, which was still intact, contacted the Prowler, a kind of stealth ship, and was extracted. Though, I was surprised when Resolution didn't contact us, saying she'd find us."
Rainbow scoffed. "Might have been 'protocol'."
"Yeah, with what we learned a year later," Twilight said, "I came to the same conclusion."
"I still refuse to believe that Nightmare got a new body," Luna said.
"Technically, she both did and didn't," Rarity said. "Let me explain. The body she had is more of a. . . well, the best term I can think of is 'shell', with an organic heart, lungs, every thing but a brain and nervous system, which are mechanical, to which Nightmare was downloaded into. Essentially, with the right technology, that means the body could die, but another one could be made, and she could be transferred to that one, but she still has biological urges, form eating to needing a good buck from time to time." Both Rarity and Twilight chuckled.
"Probably a good thing the three of us got drunk that night, huh," Twilight said. The fact the two armored ponies had changed to the point they got drunk surprised those listening a bit., and, at the confused and shocked looks, Twilight explained. "After the war, Rarity, Nightmare, the others, and myself were at a bar, all of us got drunk, yes, that is possible with Sangheili and Jiralhanae, and the next morning, Rarity, Nightmare, and I woke up in the same bed, which smelled with, well, guess, and the night before, according to the others, we apparently told each other we loved the others personality and looks, and fucked. Surprisingly for the three of us, we actually started a sober relationship, and we haven't broken up since." Again, looks. "Hey, the three of us had been fighting for the better part of a year then, and had gotten to know one another well, so it can't be said it was a rushed relationship unlike most other relationships here on Equis."(3)
"She isn't wrong, unfortunately," Cadence said. "That's how most of the relationships among my staff go."
It was then that a guard rushed in, wearing armor that was a mix of lavender, purple, white, and fuchsia rushed in, both Twilight and Rarity assuming she was a part of the Gem Dusk guard, given the coloration, and stopped just short of the group. The mare had a blood red coat with a navy blue mane and tail, her wings armored, the front edges having blades.
"What is it, Morning Flare," Rainbow asked.
"Ma'am, scouts report Griffons massing near Manehattan," Flare said saluting. "We believe they are preparing for an attack."
"Buck," Rainbow cursed. "The guard regiment there still hasn't recovered from the last battle. They'll get slaughtered."
"Maybe not," Rarity said, putting her helmet on as the others looked at her. "Shannon, it's Rarity. We have a situation, and need the others. We'll head there, and broadcast our location. Drop the others there. It's a coastal city under threat of hostile attack, and the military forces there will need help." A second later, she nodded. "Got it, and tell them to bring the fun shit." Shen then looked at Twilight, who had put her helmet on already. "Ready, Twi?"
"You know it, Rares," Twilight said.
"Before you go," Chrysalis said, "I have agents there. I told them that if they see you two, they are to remove their disguise, and assist."
"Thanks, Chrysalis."
"Thank my husband," Chrysalis said. "Which reminds me, the both of us will be there soon."
"As will the rest of us," Celestia said. "And, Twilight, Rarity? Good luck."
"We don't need luck," Twilight said, pulling her storm rifle out with her magic. "We have ammo." With that, the two vanished in a flash of light, and a pop of sound.
The fifth battle of Manehattan would soon begin.
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And the fun begins for the Halo team. Time to ROCK THIS WORLD!!!!
6725014 Here's the line.
6726161 oh-ah? Think you mean ooh-rah!
6738181 You know what I mean. And that's what the subtitles say in H2A with the opening cut scene to outskirts, if I'm right.
6738219 H2A?
6738238 Asking because you wonder where I got the line from, or don't recognize the acronym?
6738239 sorry, I don't recognize it.
6738246 Halo 2: Anniversary.
6738251 ah OK though it was probably a mistake, thanks for the info!
TO WAR, BROTHERS!
found a mass effect reference
I wonder if Chief will appear.
I love that line, never need luck when you have ammo :D