Chapter 64: Grief
Ranger
Chapter 64: Grief
By Wanderer D
"Twilight!"
"Alejandra!"
The pair of rookies ran to each other and embraced tightly.
"Oh my god, you're alive," Alejandra whispered. "I wanted to go get you! I swear!"
"I know," Twilight replied, not letting go of her fellow rookie. "Sunset told me."
"They stopped me. I don't know what they did, I was going to go—"
"It's okay," Twilight whispered. "I'm here… I know you would have come for me. I have no doubt."
"And were circumstances different, we would have had you at our side," Sunset said, walking down the ramp to the pair. "But unfortunately you were in no position to help, Alejandra."
The pair separated, and the other rookie saluted. "I-I know, Lieutenant."
"This is not over yet," Elena warned, walking past them.
"W-what do you mean?" Twilight asked. "Is this about how the mission ended up as it did?"
Mox, who had followed Elena down the ramp, placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "You shall find out soon. Come, we must meet with The Commander."
"Do you know what's going on?" Alejandra asked, falling in line after the veteran team.
Twilight shook her head. "Only that there's more to how the mission went than we know."
The group walked towards one of the meeting rooms, the same one where Sunset and Jane had been briefed on their covert actions. Slowly they all walked in, with the two rookies sitting in the center.
It wasn't long before Chrysalis herself, followed by Bradford entered the room. Everyone present saluted, before she nodded.
"At ease, take a seat." Chrysalis paced slowly, obviously trying to find the right words she wanted to say. Twilight resisted the urge to ask the many questions she had, forcing herself to remember that this loss also meant a lot to the commander herself.
Eventually, Chrysalis stopped and faced them. "Rookies Twilight Sparkle, and Alejandra Acevedo, I hereby promote you to Squaddies. You'll be talking about your specialization with Lt. Shimmer soon." She took a deep breath. "I wish it was under better circumstances that you had been awarded this.
"We had planned this situation as carefully as we could, but we… forgot to account for a very important possibility, and thus, the deaths that happened are our responsibility."
Twilight slowly clenched her fists. "And what would that possibility be?"
Chrysalis leveled her eyes on her. "Treason. Your team should not have been exposed to that level of combat. We had every confidence in your capabilities for fulfilling that mission. But one of our own betrayed details of it to ADVENT in hopes of joining back their cities."
"Who would do that?" Twilight asked, standing up. Her body was trembling and it was taking her a considerable amount of self-control to not blast magic all around her. "Who would sacrifice our lives for that?!"
"Twilight… please…" Alejandra took her arm, pulling her down so she could sit again.
Chrysalis sighed. "We have apprehended the individual that did this… there's no easy way to say it. One of your fellow rookies, Michael Cruz…"
"No." Twilight shook her head, sinking back into the chair, eyes wide. "No,nononono…"
"...sent a signal to ADVENT with the details of your first mission in exchange of an extraction and, presumably, 'forgiveness'. We managed to catch him before he was extracted with the aid of our Reaper allies."
"No…" Twilight whimpered. "He was my friend."
"We have to see him." Alejandra said, grasping Twilight's arm. She looked at the commander, as if daring her to argue with her.
"You will leave all of your weapons outside the room," Chrysalis said. That includes your… special item, Squaddie Sparkle."
Twilight didn't answer, but Alejandra looked at Chrysalis in surprise. "I-I thought—"
"That I would tell you not to see him?" Chrysalis snorted. "That traitor needs to face the consequences of what he's done. And he has to face the victims that can still speak for the fallen."
"I know you're exhausted from your ordeal, Twilight," Bradford spoke up. "But it would be best to do this now. Once he's seen you two… he'll be interrogated one last time. Tomorrow he will be executed for treason."
"Are you sure it was him?" Twilight whispered. "There's no chance that-that he was set up? That there's a mistake?"
Chrysalis looked at her with pity. "Given your history, I understand why you'd want something different… but we confirmed everything. Shen herself found the signal, and the device he used was in his backpack. He was being picked up by ADVENT when Volk and his people found him. He admitted as much without hesitation."
Elena looked straight at her. "He betrayed you, Twilight, and let you go to your death."
The cell block was contained in the underbelly of the Avenger, next to where they stored the supplies. It wasn't big… it only allowed for four, maybe six individual prisoners, but the Avenger had never been intended to keep them inside.
Once enemy VIPs were captured, they were interrogated and dropped off for further examination with one of the other factions. There, they would either cooperate… or their futures would be decided by the faction leaders, which were generally speaking not very inclined to be forgiving of ADVENT's willing accomplices.
At this time, the cells were empty, except for one man.
Michael sat on the bunker bed in the cell, face resting on his hands. He didn't even look up when he heard someone approaching. That is, until he recognized Twilight's voice.
"Is it true?"
He looked up, a haunted look in his eyes. "Y-you're alive!"
"Is it true?" Twilight asked, and he noticed that Alejandra was right with her. "Did you really sell us out just to have an easier life? Do we really mean so little to you?"
Michael stood approaching the cell's door. "I was scared, I—"
"The Assassin killed Galahad!" Twilight snapped. She curled her hands into fists, shaking in anger. "We'll never hear him call us 'duckies' again! He'll never give us any more lectures or history lessons, or teach us anything!"
Michael licked his lips. "I—"
"An alien we hadn't seen before melted Monique," Alejandra said quietly. "By the time her body hit the floor, her head was gone… I watched that… acid bubble and go through her armor and corpse like something out of a movie." She held herself. Looking down. "You told her she was cute."
"Listen, I had no idea—"
"The assassin then blasted Ndlovu with her gun… it took the upper part of his chest and face with it," Twilight added. "You remember him, right? He loved to tell stories about his country and about places he had visited. You used to have beers together at the bar."
Michael hadn't answered, merely shaking his head as he backed away from the door.
"You remember Kevin, right?" Twilight said next. She could feel tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't care. She sniffed. "Just Kevin. F-from Canada? Did you know he didn't die in the attack?"
"H-he's here?" Michael asked, his voice hoarse.
"He took his own life," Alejandra said, when Twilight couldn't stop sobbing. Tears also fell unheeded. "He went crazy with horror at losing his arm and finding himself a prisoner of The Assassin."
"I hate you," Twilight spat. "I hate you. I hate you!" She ran up to the door and looked into the cell. "How could you?! We were friends! How could you! How could you send us to die and pretend everything was going to be okay? You're a monster! You're no better than any of the monsters we fight! You're despicable!"
"That's enough, Twilight, Alejandra," another voice, one that Michael didn't want to hear at all said.
He watched in horror as Sunset emerged from the shadows. "You!" he shouted. "G-get away from me, monster!"
Sunset ignored him and looked at the other two women. "Go rest… you both need to talk. When you're feeling better, you're talking to the ship's counselor, understood?"
Both of them nodded, giving Michael one last angry look before they left.
Alone with him, Sunset shook her head. "Twilight would have died for you. That's what friendship means to one such as her."
Michael gave no response from within the cell and she snorted. "I hope you remember that tomorrow."
Twilight slowly took off her equipment. The shin protectors, her boots… bit by bit, all of the pieces were accounted for and stored in an orderly fashion in her locker.
Next to her, Alejandra did the same. The pair hadn't said a word since they had come up to the barracks.
"What are you planning to do?"
Twilight blinked, then looked over at Alejandra. "What do you mean?"
Alejandra held her chest armor in her hands, looking down at it. "I mean… you can go back to the labs and stay there."
Twilight looked down. "Oh."
The two didn't say anything for a few minutes.
"I think," Twilight said, "That I'll keep doing both… I can put my mind to research, but I don't want to leave my t—" she shook her head. "My friend on her own."
"I don't know what I want to do…" Alejandra confessed. "Is it going to be like this? Abandoning others if the order comes through?" She hesitated "I don't know if I can—"
"You can!" Twilight interrupted, standing up to face her teammate. "We went through hell in training… and through hell again in the last mission! We survived our friends! The least we can do is honor them by not quitting!"
"People quit all the time…" Alejandra whispered. "I know that some of Sunset's old teammates are now working in the storage area, they're just regular staff but now they don't… they don't have to risk…" she trailed off.
"You don't want to stop, do you?" Twilight asked.
"No… I don't." Alejandra said, holding the chest plate tightly. "I don't want to… but following that order… it really hurt, Twilight."
"I know."
"A-and I feel like I-I betrayed you too! That I left you! I should have ignored the order and attacked maybe then I'd—"
"Die?" Twilight asked, walking over to sit next to her friend. "They would have killed you, Alejandra, and I would have one less friend in this world."
"I-I've tried not to break down," Alejandra said, a strong sob rocking her body. "I've tried to be strong, l-like the lieutenant, like Galahad would have been but I-I can't just…"
It started with more silent tears just falling on the chest plate. Then her body shook and she let out a thin wail, and Twilight quickly drew her into an embrace, her own tears running free.
"It's okay," she sobbed, leaning into Alejandra's shoulder. "Let it out…" she sniffed. "Let it all out."
o.0.o End Chapter 64 o.0.o
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If he knew just what she troly is, her word would hurt so much more.
*sniffs deeply* Ahhh. . . The smell of friends-turned-traitors realizing what their stupidity has wrought. I can only think of 3 smells more glorious and satisfying.
glad they confronted that traitor, hope he dies weeping like the pathetic coward he is.
Let's see, what would Twi specialize in? Specialist? maybe. Psi-ops? probably not. She's not really cut out for ranger work. I doubt she can lug around the gear for a grenadier, but she might make a good one if she bounces the grenades just right. Sharpshooter is a possibility too.
8865390
Mage class, with the specializations Sorceress, a powerful spellcaster with offensive spells capable of dealing great damage over long distance in a variety of blast radii and conjures powerful shields to withstand enemy fire, or the Enchantress who uses her skill at magic to enhance the gear and physical abilities of herself and her fellow XCOM operatives.
8865390
You wanna hear something funny? How about a want-it-need-it spell on a plasma grenade? It's a riot!
Psi would Suit Twilight the most
8865441
You certainly helped my mood after that chapter. Thanks. 
Oh my gosh.
8865387
You have piqued my curiosity. What are the other smells?
8865438
If she consistently fielded the Element, maybe. Otherwise large active effect spells like you describe are damn near useless because of the drain on the caster.
8865390
Specialist or Sharpshooter, and the difference depends on how a Specialist controls their AI robot. If it's a mental link from an implant, or computer knowledge and such, Twilight would not be able to use it and couldn't be that class. If the AI Robot is like a pet, where she can just give it simple verbal commands and it moves on it's own automatically, I can see her being that class as a Medical Support unit.
The other good class for her is Sharpshooter, as it takes her out of range of engagement, helps support her teammates when they are in danger more actively, and with magic it can be much more helpful for her, as she can use magic to enhance her vision, enchant the scoop or rifle, or cast long range spells from afar.
Sunset, for example, would be a powerful sharpshooter unit with her blood vision able to see enemies around corners and very far away, allowing her to have perfect aiming, scouting/hunting abilities, and so on. If Twilight could get a passive vision like that from the Crown's magic, or even her own reserves, she would be a powerful sharpshooter as well.
8865441
Knowing Xcom it would her team that dies and not the enemy with that strategy
8865441
That would be one of the most effective weapons ever made.
Treason is the most horrible poison in friendship. It will take some time for both Twilight and Alejandra, but I'm confident they'll came back into action in due time. Though I'm not sure how the others in Equestria will take it if Twilight decides to tell them what happen.
As for Twilight's specialization, Specialist orientated medic seem the most suited for her, since I think she's more cut for saving lives than taking them.
*space missing*
the cells are empty / the cell was empty
chest
Well that's gotta be damaging. Here's to hoping her resolve is strengthened...
8865441
If you're going to enchant explosives go straight for the X4.
8865466
Magic and psionics don't play nice with one another, though. Given that magic makes a psionic's head explode, turning the magical unicorn into a psi operative is the last thing you want to try.
8865547
Well yeah, and it'd do her nickname Princess proud to be marching on the battlefield wearing her crown.
8865947
But given it’s semilar to magic, and she’s the element of it, it kinda would be very close to be using magic like she would normaly with her horn.
8865545
I don't remember at this time
8865950
It looking similar doesn't stop the heads of psionics from exploding though. A few chapters back a Priest died just trying to read Twilight's mind, and that happened without Twilight even trying to kill him. Unless Twilight makes a breakthrough in her research and finds a way to make psionics and magic play nice, she can't be one without killing herself.
Of course, this is all rather academic given that psionic potential is a random roll of the dice in the genes, not something you can just choose.
8865973
Yes, but I could imagine that she could master psionics or deploy an interest in it.
8865980
But how would she do so without killing herself? Heck, how would she have the Gift without dying to begin with? Psionic energy reacting badly to magic energy isn't exactly optional. Sunset and Gheist tried to have Sunset learn psionics, and while we don't know the details of what went down we do know that Gheist pretty much abandoned the idea of learning Sunset's skills for his Templars.
8865988
What I mean to say, Psionic powers would be the closest counterpart to magic she could have, if she wants to use “magic” as human.
8865947
Because of both the unknown risks revealed by sunset going demonic from tapping the Element and the sheer level of FUBAR that would come with the Element potentially falling into Advent possession there's <1% chance of it being a part of Twilight's standard kit.
8865990
It's the 'could have' that I question. Getting psionic powers would mean she'd kill herself if she ever tried to use magic again.
8866033
Same can be said about Twilight herself though, and that hasn't stopped XCOM from sending her into the field.
8866077
Yes.
8866079
But why would she ever try to get psionic powers? It would lock her out of magic forever, which being a unicorn would mean the equivalent of cutting of her hands at the simplest but could also mean she can never use the magic of friendship with her friends ever again.
It would be one thing for Sunset to decide this, since she's already invested in earth as her new home and she doesn't really have much in the way of motivation to go back to Equestria. Not that she wants to, but she can afford to give up magic. But Twilight is only here to help the people of earth and fully intends to go back home to the magic rich Equestria once she has done so. Unless she can find a way for magic and psionics to co-exist she'll probably be doing everything she can to avoid getting psionics, if anything.
8866139
Just a thought if she could't use Magic as human
At this time, they were empty, except for one man.
I think that’s what you meant.
I ship it.
The fact this story started with Sunset being ambitious and wanting a leadership role and be recognized by Celestia, and now it's this rollercoaster of action, tragedy, moments of comedy and slice of life and more... stories like this that combine everything in a fluid manner are the best
Harsh lesson to learn...
Traitor will not suffer his regrets for very long...
The only good thing is that Chrysalis will be more careful of betrayal and this method might be discovered before it happens again.
All in all, they lost damn good soldiers but made very valuable experiences and learned very valuable information.
Maybe they make a lesson out of it? Advent and it's sweet lies with its consequences if traitors get picked up by Advent to five them their reward of showing themselves unreliable.