Honor and Friendship

Chapter Three

Aythai’Vadam crouched on a rock, overlooking the trail his Phantom had left behind. The destruction was impressive, the Sangheili was honestly surprised that he actually survived. The gods were truly with him, or were they? The thought came across his mind that this was some divine damnation, he was the sole survivor after all. His life was far beyond pure, his sins were bound to come back to haunt him… But this does not explain the betrayal of the Brutes.

It made no sense to him, the tactics were off and they cut the combat power drastically by attacking their ship like that. Plus, there was zero warning before the attack, and no explanation was given to them. The Brute ships just opened fired on them, and began boarding actions. Even the boarders didn’t give any explanations to the attack, though they were given retaliation orders rather quickly, or else the entire ship would have been destroyed a lot quicker.

“Maybe the Shipmaster knew something, but didn’t have enough time to actually inform us?” Aythai’Vadam thought, rubbing his lower mandibles. When a cold breeze shot a chill down his spine, it reminded the Sangheili what he was doing. “I will save the investigation for later… For now, I need to find that Phantom, and salvage what I can.” He hopped off the rock, and slid down into the trail. “I can recover my gear, if those creatures are hiding it within that village, later.”

His thoughts went back to the orange creature, who called herself “Applejack”. Why did she care so much about him, anyways? Far as she knew, he could have been some hostile invader, which was often the Covenant’s case. Yet, she was showing compassion that is completely unheard of, idiotic as some would say. Not to mention, her words and touch felt so… Familiar to him.

Aythai’Vadam came to a halt within the trail, placing a hand on his chest, the very place where Applejack had placed hers. His own touch wasn’t the same, and he hadn’t felt such a thing before then. The best way he could possibly describe it, was that it felt like a spark within his chest. While her words were honest and true, like he could trust whatever she told him. Exactly how he could trust with any other Sangheili.

This Sangheili quickly shook the thought off, and continued his mission. Aythai’Vadam needed to get his hands on some weapons and armor, before anything. He especially needed to get a body suit on before nightfall. It was decently warm right now, but the temperature was probably going to drop when night comes. While the Sangheili were a resilient race, they were also vulnerable to the cold, like any other.

-Not Far, With The CMC-

The three Crusaders were keeping a sharp eye out for their target. Each one of the fillies had a net in hand, ready to throw it on to their prey. Though, they were getting nervous from being in the dangerous Everfree Forest. After all, the sounds of monstrous creatures groaning filled their ears.

“S-So… D-Do you know what t-the alien looks like, A-Applebloom?” Scootaloo asked, keeping her eyes on what was on their left.

“N-Not personally, no…” Applebloom said, keeping their eyes forward. “O-Only what m-mah sister told me.”

“S-Same -h-here.” Sweetie Belle added, watching their right.

Scootaloo’s ears lowered, when she heard something roar off in the distance. “What d-did she say it looked like?”

“W-Well…” Applebloom began to try and recall what Applejack told her. “AJ said he wore this really high tech armor, which was black and shiny. Underneath it, he had these dark gray scales, almost like Spike's but smoother. His body was more muscular than mah brother’s but… He was hunched over a bit. He only had four fingers, and his mouth had four opening things… Like a bug.”

That description made Scootaloo get a rather funny image of Spike as a bug. “But Rarity s-said that he was ugly, looking like some barbaric monster, who dwarfed a pony and had a mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth. That the alien looked like something out of her nightmares.” That allowed Scootaloo to get the image of some nightmarish creature trying to eat her.

When something broke a branch near her, the orange filly screamed and threw her net at whatever it was… Directly on to the face of a passing manticore! The beast faced her, and let out a ferocious snarl towards the three. “O-Oh, huh, s-sorry about that… Eh-hehehe…” Scootaloo apologized, rubbing the back of her head, while the manticore tore the net off of its face, taking a step forward.

When it roared at them, all three fillies screamed.

-Somewhere In The Everfree Forest-

“Are you sure this will work, Applejack?” Rainbow Dash asked, the group following Twilight. The alicorn was using her magic to create a tracking spell, the alien’s weapon being used to do so. “I mean, what if that thing leads us to a hidden army of aliens? All ready to invade Equestria!”

Applejack couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her friend’s overactive imagination. “Because, Rainbow, ah doubt an army of aliens would leave one of theirs in danger… Besides, if they were ready ta attack Equestria, I’m sure they woulda done so already.” She looked towards Twilight. “Hey, Twi, what does that there tracking spell tell ya about the big fella?”

Twilight held the strange weapon up, incasing it with a lavender aura. “It’s not easy to carry this thing, even with magic, Applejack.” She said, before concentrating on the tracking spell, the weapon’s barrel pointing forward. “He’s moving towards the crashed ship, still… He’s closing in on it.”

“I can’t believe we have to return to that awful place.” Rarity said, straightening her white dress a bit, being ever so careful not to get any dirt on it. “Bad enough I had to stop the perfecting of a dress for my latest fashion line.”

“I know! I can’t believe it either!” Pinkie Pie chirped in, bouncing around. “Maybe I can find something fun to play with!”

“No, Pinkie!” The group yelled, as the pink party mare giggling. Though, when they heard three familiar screams, Applejack’s eyes went wide, her ears folding back. “Rarity!” She faced the fashionista. “Please tell me ya have a locator spell on Sweetie Belle, and that she’s back at yer store!”

“Why, of course, darling. She has far too many chores to do. But, I will check for you.” Her horn lit up blue. “Though, I am very sure the girls wouldn’t be-?” Her own eyes went wide, as her ears folded back into her purple mane, and screamed the response. “They’re in the Everfree Forest!!!”

Without hesitation, Applejack sprinted past Twilight, grabbing the alien weapon as she went, when the fillies screamed again. “Applejack!” The group yelled, the farm mare rushing in the same direction of the three screams. “There’s no way Applejack can take on whatever is after them, we need to go too!” Rainbow Dash said, flying next to Twilight.

“She’s not the only one going to the girls.” Twilight answered, as the five started to follow their farm friend. “She may have company when she gets there.”

-With Aythai’Vadam, Around the Sametime-

Aythai’Vadam eyed the crashed Phantom, holding back one of the branches that concealed it from his sight. “There it is. Better get in, and salvage what I-?” He was caught off guard by three young screams, causing him to look around. “That sounded like children?” He thought, before a roar quickly followed the screams. “And they’re in danger!”

The Sangheili looked towards the crashed Phantom, then towards where the screams came from. His training dictated that he rearms himself, and send out a distress beacon. However, the Sangheili part of him demanded that he go and save the children from what threatened them, that they are a priority. Aythai’Vadam kept looking back and forth, trying to figure out what he will do.

When the three screamed again, Aythai’Vadam snarled and cursed in Sangheili. “Label. Me. For. A. FOOL!” He snapped, and sprinted off towards the screams. The Sangheili knew that he’ll regret leaving without grabbing at least a plasma pistol, but time was of the essence… And those children were running out of that.

-With The CMC-

The manticore had the fillies cornered at a cliff, the three dropping their nets and huddled together at the edge. The beast took a step forward, its mouth drooling with saliva. “W-What are we going t-to do, Applebloom?” Scootaloo asked, staying on her friend’s left.

“A-Ah don’t know.” She admitted, staring up at the towering beast. “N-Never h-had to deal w-with a manticore before… Ah haven’t ever seen one, either!”

Sweetie Belle stayed on Applebloom’s right, and behind her friend. “I t-told you this was a bad idea.” She, nervously, said.

“Ah know that now.” Applebloom replied, before the manticore lunged towards them!

This startled the three, causing them to lose their footing and start to fall off the cliff’s edge! Applebloom three her hand out, and tried to grab hold of something, but she couldn’t get a grip on anything. Though, as they left the rocky edge even more, the farm filly suddenly felt something, big, snag on to her hand tightly. The moment she felt it, Applebloom instantly grabbed Scootaloo, who grabbed Sweetie Belle.

“Don’t worry, girls! Ah got ya!” She shouted, looking down at her two best friends. “And ah ain’t lettin’ go!”

The other two smiled up at her, but quickly lost it and were awe-struck. “U-Uh… Applebloom? M-Maybe you should l-look at w-what has a hold of you, instead!” Scootaloo stuttered, barely able to believe it. Applebloom raised an eyebrow, confused, before she looked up… Gaining an awe-struck look of her own.

Right there, one hand holding on to the ledge while the other had a hold of hers, was the alien! He had both feet against the rock, like the alien had slid over the edge so he could grab them. Both eyes were locked on to her own, his four mandibles closed. “T-The a-alien!” Applebloom shouted.

“Hang on, little ones!” Aythai’Vadam yelled, only using his two lower mandibles to speak. When they nodded, the Sangheili started to swing back and forth, until he was able to throw all three back over the edge and on to solid ground. This allowed him to fly up, and land between the manticore and the fillies. Aythai’Vadam took a combat stance, showing that he was willing to fight. The manticore attempted to intimidate him, by roaring, but the Sangheili responded by opening all four of his mandibles and roared back. “If you want them, then you will have to face me first!”

The manticore stepped back, surprised to get such a response, while the fillies thought it was the coolest thing, ever. With a snarl, the manticore charged towards the Sangheili, and the returned the charge with his own. But he didn’t give the beast what it expected.

Aythai’Vadam slid on to his left hand, and threw up a foot right up into the manticore’s muzzle! The beast roared in pain, but the Sangheili didn’t let it recover. He gave its jaw another kick, before slamming his fists into it. While it was dazed, Aythai’Vadam spun around and gave the side of the beast’s face a powerful kick! Sending the manticore sliding off to the side.

“So cool!” The three fillies cheered, as the Sangheili held one fist out more than the other, while he lowered his stance more. “Get that overgrown varmint, Mr. Alien!” Applebloom shouted.

“Kick his butt, big guy!” Scootaloo chirped, throwing both arms up into the air.

Sweetie Belle kept bouncing, happy to see that somepony was there to protect them from the manticore. “Be careful, Mr. Alien!!!”

Aythai’Vadam didn’t respond to the fillies cheering him on, he was actually tuning them out. His attention was fully on the beast that he was fighting, as it stood back up. From what the Sangheili could tell, his attacks were harming it but also pissing it off even more. It would be a worthy prey to hunt, on Sangheilios, but he could not focus on such things, not right now… He was protecting three children, and this thing was proving to be too resistant for hand to hand combat.

The beast suddenly went for the three fillies, causing Aythai’Vadam to try and intercept it. When it reeled up, to bring its paws down on to them, the Sangheili got between them and clamped his hands down on both paws. The manticore’s strength caused his feet to dig into the ground, but he held out.

“What I would give… For a weapon… Right about… Now.” He groaned, every muscle within the Sangheili’s body flexing under the pressure. Aythai’Vadam could feel his feet dig deeper into the dirt, a knee suddenly falling down to the ground. The Sangheili completely forgetting, he’s still recovering from a recent crash. His body wasn’t at a hundred percent yet, so he’s at a disadvantage in strength. “You three need to… Get out of here, now!”

“What about you, Mr. Alien?” Applebloom asked, the three watching him trying to hold the manticore back.

“I will be fine, you three need to leave!” He ordered, the Sangheili’s left arm starting to fail. “Better this thing kills me, rather than you three!”

The manticore slowly raised its barbed tail up, the three fillies becoming wide eyed. “Look out, Mr. Alien!” They shouted, as Aythai’Vadam saw the possibly venom tipped weapon. He mentally swore in Sangheili, his own eyes wide, as the tail went for him.

“Get away from them, ya overgrown varmint!!!” A familiar voice yelled, before the four saw Applejack jump in, slamming Aythai’Vadam’s weapon into the manticore’s barbed tai! Causing it to be knocked to the side.

Her sudden attack caused the manticore to pull its push back some, enough for Aythai’Vadam to swing up and slam his foot right into the beast’s face! When it backed away, to recover, Aythai’Vadam held his hand out to Applejack. “Applejack! Needle Rifle, now!”

The farm mare looked at him, surprised he remembered her name and blushed a bit that he might have heard everything she has been saying, eyeing the Sangheili then to the weapon… Before she finally nodded to him. “Comin’ right at ya, pardner!” With that, she threw the strange weapon to him.

Aythai’Vadam caught the needle rifle, placing his hand into the pistol grip and on to the barrel grip. The needle rifle started to gain a purple glow, the crystals extending out more, as it was activated. He instantly pointed it at the manticore, his eye looking down the weapon’s scope. “Eat needles, ugly.” He pulled the rifle’s trigger, and fired in controlled two round bursts.

The mantcore was struck four times, before it ran away, but barely escaped that fifth, devastating, needle which would have detonated the others. This caused Applejack to smirk, nodding a bit, seeing the beast retreat from them, and saw her friends running towards them. “Gotta say, pardner. Ah was worried ya were gonna get yerself hurt. Good ta know ya can-?”

The farm mare was cut off, when the needle rifle was pointed at her and Aythai’Vadam started to back away from the oncoming group. “Move, and I will shoot.”