Chapter 24
“Alright, that's enough for now.” Ordered Six towards the now even further exhausted guards before her. The guards in question promptly fell to the ground before her as their hooves gave out underneath them.
“Oh…thank…Celestia” Panted out an exhausted Pixy.
“You can…say that….again.”
“Yep…”
“I can’t… feel my…hooves”
“You're dismissed, for the time being, go get some rest. Meet me here tomorrow at 0500 Hours in full gear, do not be late.” Ordered Six as a chorus of weak ‘Yes sir's' gave their affirmative. Six nodded towards the quartette as she went to equip her helmet to check the time.
1300 hours huh… well time flies when you’re doing PT, so… What to do now?
Was the big Question on Six’s mind. She had worked her trainees to the bone, anymore exercises were out of the window for them without it risking their physical health. Perhaps she could keep going on by herself?
“I see you have already started breaking my guard.” Came the familiar voice of Princess Celestia, the extremely threatening kitten.
“They volunteered for it, Ma’am. They knew what they were getting into when they decided to train under a Spartan”
“Yes… Captain Armor has informed me of their newest assignment. Is this how you were trained?”
“No.”
“Really? How wer-“
“Classified. Don’t even bother asking.”
“Can’t an old Mare have a little small talk with their newest guest?”
“I’m not your guest. I’m your asset.”
“Well then. Would my ‘asset’ care to join me for some Lunch with my sister? We have some things we would like to discuss with you."
“…Alright.”
“Splendid! Follow me then.”
Six motioned with her hoof for Celestia to lead the way. Celestia did so as the pair made their way back inside the castle. The trip through the winding corridors and hallways was a quiet one as every attempt of small talk was shot down by the Spartan with the classic answer of ‘Classified’ or just a simple ‘no’ when it came to a certain subject manner.
It was starting to annoy the Spartan slightly as the door to the dining room came into view. ‘*Finally*’ The Spartan thought, the sight of it making her glad that the talking kittens' attempts to talk would stop. In there, there would be business to discuss, the business of war... her specialty.
A short walk later during a silence Celestia found quite uncomfortable the pair had made it to the castle's dining room. The very same room, Six realized she had first met Celestia in. The Princess in question lit her horn and opened the door for them both.
It was the same dining room from before with a tall extravagant ceiling, a long ornate table, and several very expensive-looking purple curtains framing the windows. But that meant nothing to the Spartan, what truly caught her eye was dark-blue Alicorn staring at her warily.
*That must be her sister…Luna I think…huh*
Her gaze flipped between the large kitten wearing a crown and Princess Luna before she chuckled to herself.
*At least the theme is consistent… I wonder if the same goes for their personalities?*
The lunar Alicorn in question stood up from their seat and trotted over to her sister and the Spartan, her gaze still firmly locked onto Six’s own.
“Greeting Sister, Six, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Princess Luna Co-Ruler of Equestria, and I must say it is strange to be eye to eye with another pony in my current form.” Greeted the Lunar Princess with a smile as she presented her hoof
“I know the feeling.” Answered Six with her own small smile as she shook the offered hoof in greeting
“Now come, join us for some tea, we have much to discuss regarding your future working with us.” Began Luna politely
The three of them soon took a place at the long ornate table as a nearby servant set out some cups. The Princesses took theirs with a smile, Six did the same with several small nods as a cup of tea was put before her.
“I have heard much about you Six” Began Luna as her magic surrounded her own teacup. “Both from my sister and quite literally. I take it you have already taken a liking to several of our guards?”
“You could say that. They have what the others there didn’t.”
“Yes… what would that be if I may ask?” Interjected Celestia with a curious look and a sip of her tea.
“Drive.” Answered Six as she also took an experimental Sip from her own cup, prepared to spit it out should it be laced with something. “Determination… Luck.” After several seconds and her body not screaming out that something was wrong, Six took another, larger sip. “The traits of a Spartan.”
“I see.” Began Luna as she looked down into her cup. “I take it the training you're subjecting them to is the same you went through?”
“Nowhere near close to my level.”
“Very well… what is ‘your level’ then?” Questioned Luna
“We are getting close to Classified Territory Princess. I believe we had something else to discuss Princess so cut to the chase.”
“I’m sorry I simply wish t-“ Answered Luna before being cut off
“Yes, know me better. Don’t bother. You are at war and war is my specialty. So tell me what am I dealing with and where am I headed. I am a Soldier, a Spartan, not a Diplomat. I do not do small talk.” Responded the Spartan forcefully as a silence descended upon the trio.
Luna glared, a frown on her lips, at the Spartan for having the gall to interrupt her. When Luna next spoke, gone was her friendly demeanor as it was replaced with a cold authority devoid of any friendliness. “Then so be it. Our enemies are known as ‘Changelings’ a race of insectile emotionvores. Several days ago their queen led a surprise attack during the wedding of our niece Princess Cadence. They had also launched multiple smaller attacks all across Equestria, like the one you participated in Las Pegasus.”
“We were, however, able to defeat their Queen, forcing their full retreat from Equestria. Save from the occasional skirmish with disorganized forces yet to leave our lands, we have no idea where their main Hive is located.“
“Asymmetrical Warfare… I have dealt with this before. Luckily for the two of you, I’m *extremely* well versed in this doctrine of conflict. But with the way you're describing their recent actions… More intelligence is needed before I can make a plan.” Spoke the Spartan, deep in thought.
“Yes… without more information, the only thing we can do is put the guard on high alert and start searching for any disguised Changelings” Added Celestia as she took another sip.
“Disguised?” Question Six with a slightly tilted head.
“You do not know of their shapeshifting ability?” Responded Luna mimicking the Spartans expression
“No. So what exactly am I fighting? What biological advantages do they possess?”
“Of that, we are not completely certain. They are a secretive race that we had thought to have gone extinct during our reign 1000 years ago. But what we do know is that they can fly like a Pegasus and use magic like a unicorn. They feed on emotions with love being the most potent and their preferred food and energy source. Changelings have the innate ability to disguise themselves as anypony they wish, the true extent of this ability is still unknown to us.”
“How good are these disguises?”
“Nigh perfect, we are currently researching a way to detect such hidden changelings but the process is slow.”
“Great… just great… Well, is there anything else I should know?” Responded the Spartan with the slight annoyance of not having been told of this sooner.
“In regards to the current state of conflict no. Your authority among the Guard itself however will need to be discussed. Due to your…*unique* nature. I feel it may be best that you take your orders from us directly. In regards to who you yourself may order around, I will leave that to Captain Armor to decide.”
“I can live with that”
“Good. We will also be assigning a mare known as Twilight Sparkle to you in the coming days to act as our representative. You would take any order from her as an order from us. Understood?” Questioned Celestia, her serious tone sounding strange to the Spartan's ears.
“Crystal. But how am I to know who she says she is, and not a changeling in disguise?”
“You do not need to worry about that, if she were to be replaced we would know far before she ever made it close to something important.”
“Good, because I’m not babysitting. My trainees can do that.”
“What are you planning to do with them anyway? Are you planning on taking those trainees under your command once they're finished with whatever training you're giving them?” Questioned Celestia curiously.
“Maybe…But I will make them as close to Spartans as can be” Responded Six, her gaze briefly locked onto her own reflection staring back at her from her tea.
“…hmm. What should we expect from them once you have concluded their training?“ Came the query from the Lunar Alicorn, her demeanor now one of interest
“If they all make it through, you’ll have four elite soldiers far superior to anything else in your guard.” Responded the Spartan casually.
“Is that a challenge?” Answered Luna playfully.
“No, it is a fact. Their training, physical characteristics, and psychological mindsets will far outclass anything else in the Guard from what I have seen.” Luna’s grin only grew at the Spartans' answer.
“Do you wish to prove that theory?”
“...What are you getting at?” Responded Six curiously.
“Let us propose something then, Six. How about a test…a game between your trainees and our best guardsman as their final exam? You say they will be better than anything we have would you like to… oh how do they put it, sister…’Put your bits where your mouth is?’” Proposed Luna, her face so smug one might mistake it for that of a cat.
In response, a predatory grin began to spread across the Spartan's face at the smug cat's challenge.
“That is much better than what I had in mind for their final test”
“And what would that have been Six?” Questioned Celestia as Six took another long sip from her tea before pulling away and answering as casually as one would discuss the weather.
“A mock assassination attempt on your lives.”
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Updates to save the day!
I like Nobel Six jig. Everyone messing with her get messed with instead ♡
I wonder how old this Spartan is... Also if Six will remain on Equestria since she actually died...
Hm... Wonder what could be inherited if she had ever children. Unless one of the operation entirely removed the reproduction organs. Than again... New body, gives hoped to have corrected reproduction problems of any kind.
I wonder what is the difference between a royal guard and a regular city guard. The titel only? Special training?
Royal Guards are actual military, while other are only a police force?
Lethal spell training? Swat like Tactics? Perhaps medical Improvment of the individual physical traits and or magical affinity?
They better don't only have better armor and weapons
11053929
*Cough* *Cough* I may or may not have done research into this subject and found the answer I was looking for *Cough* *Cough*
yeah it’s totally possible for Spartans to have children. Their sex drive is just repressed by all their intense psychological training, not genetic augmentation
11053934
yay, possible happy ending, win the war, meet stallion, have family, be ultra lethal momma bear
11053936
…
How did you get this info?! This is highly classified intel!!!! Who the fuck snitched?!?!??
11053937
Hello ONI? Yes I have a security breach patch me through to project Orion.
... Definitely not a diplomat.
11053938
11053934
Interessting...
11053936
Magnificent story sequel idea
11053937
There is a spy 'Among us'
11053942
More of a Rip & Tear, until it is done deal of individual ♡
11053946
Spymaster got spied on
No need to call for ONI
They are everywhere anyway
11053946
Ive been tricked.
Ive been Backstabbed!
And ive quite possibly been… bamboozeld
0_о?
11053956
duun 
duuun 
... 
Dun
I can only guess their reaction. I hope it's as funny as I think.
Honest question: If Six tried this alone, would it be successful?
11054009
With enough planning, research, equipment, intel and luck highly probable
With UNSC equipment: absolutely
Wonderful, per as usual.
11054009
That would possibly answer the immortal or long-lived department ...
Might even show how much power they actually have (or use anyway)
Heh. Their reaction will be priceless I imagine.
11053929
Noble 6 is between 18-22 and kat being 22 which both of them are from the beta company. There is no confirmed age for noble 6 but this is my best guess.
11054006
Celestia: You little devlish silvertonge. Noone ever tried to get my marehood under a assasination attempt.
Luna: More like on your life...
Celestia: But we are imortal...
Luna: That what make it a mock assasination. Since we don't die getting killed.
Nobel Six: Riiiggght...
11054009
Good question. Unless they are imortal - imortal.
11054039
Hey LSTS Connor, why is you'r Avatar looking into my soul for a heart shaped cookie recipe?
11054059
Immortal and are you high?
Would a more appropriate term for changlings be Emotivore? That sounds better I think.
11054101
Only on good storys. I enjoy a random humor moment from time to time. Courtesy of Pinkie Pie
11054101
Probably
11054039
This is one of only two hyper-lethal vectors we’re talking about, I doubt anything could stop six if ya pissed her off enough, at least, nothing in equestria could
11054164
Yeah also that
Oh, snap.
11053938
>Remain calm...
>Breach is being investigated...
>Speak no more of this.
It is difficult to argue with this assessment.
Thinking about some of the training advantages that the Lunar Guard has I'm actually not so optimistic for these Royal Guard pseudo-Spartan IVs. In a dream, one can simulate any situation and run through multiple simulations in one night. These simulations can be as real as Luna commands them within the limitations of her knowledge. I'm not saying that the Lunar Guard are super-soldiers but their ferocity and loyalty are on a borderline zealot level that cannot be instilled through training alone. That and that their numbers are small enough that they can be trained by the Night mother personally (and I do put her skill at around hyper lethal and on par with a SPARTAN-II)
11054164
As I have argued previously. Luna could, however, it would require her to reveal quite a few of her cards. Some of which she may not want anyone to know.
11054164
The thing to remember is that the characters in Halo were unstoppable only as long as they had the magical "PC" floating invisibly over their heads. The moment Six's life moved away from the player's control, she lasted about 45 seconds before getting a plasma sword in her ribs. They're strong, sure, but not invincible.
I'd argue Six and the Chief survived as long as they did (using the average player game as a reference,) because they fought smart. They ducked back to let shields recharge, made good use of health stims, and always had a steady supply of loaded weapons at the ready. Take away all of that, and leave them with melee combat alone... Those odds aren't in their favor.
Or to put it another way... Considering Twilight's power level, maybe fighting an Alicorn is a tad more difficult than most people give them credit for.
11054702
That depends if the Spartans your using are from the books or the Games. See, in the actual halo offical lore, the Spartans have a unique thing called Spartan Time which is basically an adrenaline in their bodies that literally accelerates their perception of time....basically, the world slows down for them.
And as for Six only lasting 45 seconds without player control? Lore has it that those 45 seconds happened after several hours of non-stop fighting. Six only died due to cumulative damage. And no one knows how many of the Covenant she killed in those hours.
11054757
Medically, adrenaline works by causing blood vessels to contract, thus pushing blood through the system faster. It also accelerates the heart, to push the process a bit more. That gets oxygenated blood to the muscles faster and in greater quantity. Cortisol is also released, which is what causes that shaky feeling afterward. I read somewhere that natural adrenaline can last as much as an hour, although the average mean is about 15 minutes.
From all accounts, the Spartans were heavily modified genetically, so it's possible they could have had altered adrenal response. But considering the stress this puts on the system, staying on adrenaline for more than an hour or so would lead to a heart attack. Even if you assume some of that modification was to increase their ability to survive "Spartan Time," it would still be something best saved for critical moments, rather than something you'd click on at the start of combat, and just leave running for hours.
Not to mention that adrenaline isn't magically created out of nowhere. The soldier has to eat regularly, and the body needs time to turn food energy into fresh adrenaline, so it's not something you could use over and over without regard for reset time.
11054038
I need to turn this into a hoodie
11054757
*Cough* You might want to reread the description of the story and the first chapter. *Cough*
11054702
Same goes for you *cough* The answers you seek are in the description and chapter one *cough*
11054164
You seem to forget that magic exists. Doesn’t matter how “hyper lethal” you are, if you’re suspended in the air the equivalent of zero g with no velocity and unable to move, you’re a sitting duck and will die in the next few seconds.
And that’s just basic telekinesis.
Bullets are rather large all things considered, and plasma is even larger in terms of projectiles. Doesn’t matter how good your armour or shields are, a pinpoint laser bolt travelling at the speed of a bullet with temperatures comparable to plasma is going to go right through you.
And that’s just magic. Earth Ponies and Pegasi aren’t pushovers. Pegasi would arguably have the hardest time, and Earth Ponies wouldn’t have a field day either, but horses buck like a freight train and being bucked by a magically-enhanced horse? Well, goodbye most of your skeleton.
I personally dislike how little credit people seem to give the species in Equestria. Even ignoring the Alicorns, they’re not pushovers, they won’t just fall over and die the moment Darth Vader decides he wants to poke them with his lightsaber. Everyone seems to forget how strong earth ponies are, how fast and manoeuvrable pegasi are and how magic unicorns are. And that’s not even considering griffons, dragons, etc etc.
Arguably the biggest barrier they face is their own mentality. Given the whole “thousand years of peace” thing, it’s be hard for them to wrap their heads around the idea of fighting instead of running. But once they do, they’re not just gonna get stomped.
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11054702
All three of you make excellent points, Alicorns are not individuals that I would underestimate under any situation, despite how weak they may at first appear, but I was comparing six agenst basic infantry, six lost at the end of reach due to the fact she was outnumbered AND outskilled, a Spartan can kill a platoon of elite minors but not marshals or ultras, and that’s all six was fighting in the ending cutscene. And magic can be countered by a great many things I don’t think we have seen six getting moved by magic yet, so my question is, how would the magic aura react to her energy shields?
11055373
Telekinesis requires that the total surface area of the target be covered. The over shield's electromagnetic disturbance would render that impossible. so for as long as the shield is up, the spartan cannot be lifted/frozen/decelerated (you get the picture) but again telekinesis is the least of the worries.
11055428
I was using that as an example, but I concede, I’d rather not clutter up the comments more than we already have
11055782
I understand, but should you wish to read the discussion it predominantly occurred around this point on page four of the comments.
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Thanks!
Never has a funny and so true sentence been uttered
I almost went into cardiac arrest from how hard I just laughed.
Ah the good old loyalties test. Oh well, have to settle with a gauntlet.
An interesting idea, made me chuckle, but also a concerning one beyond the obvious.
The obvious concern, such an attempt would likely disrupt some government affairs. The not so obvious concern, Six will train soldiers that would have no problem overthrowing the government.
Six's statement would imply that her trainees-upon graduation-would have the mindset and skills to be okay with assassinating their immortal rulers, should they deem it necessary. This would mean that they could turn against Equestria if they believed it was needed. I know it may sound paranoid, but if I was a leader, being told that soldiers capable of taking down governments are being trained by a dangerous person you don't quite trust yet... That would make me a bit more than concerned.
11053936
God help any stallions looking to try their luck with her daughter, should she have one.
👀
11053934
It's less psychological and more that their hormones are fucked-up from all the augmentations they had undergone. As far as I am aware, it is only S-062 Maria that is implied to have a 'family' after retiring from service (I'm still not sure how a Spartan retires from active service.)