Halo: Fourth Ring

Reunion Drives

Rainbow Dash felt the kick of the pistol in her hoof as she fired at the Covenant aircraft flying towards her.

The pilot, whose vehicle was smoking dangerously, tried to pull upwards, but was reduced to atoms when the ‘Banshee’ exploded.

Dashie and her group had taken care of the attack force from the ‘Spirit’ dropship, and were in the process of destroying the ‘Banshees’.

Luckily, the pilot of the second Covenant aircraft decided to retreat, allowing the marines to give a sigh of relief.

Just then, Luna spoke up to inform them of something.

”Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. I have good news - and alarming news, unfortunately - for thee,” Luna acknowledged.

”So? What is it, Luna!?” Lightning asked.

”There is a lifepod signal past that canyon. Unfortunately, there is also a cursed Covenant dropship there, too,” Luna answered.

Irritated, Lightning Dust complained, ”Aw, jeez. Why must there be Covenant everywhere we go!?”

Already infuriated by Lightning’s antics, Rainbow Dash replied, ”I don’t know, but know this. If you annoy us, mostly me, one more time, Lightning Crust, I’m gonna buck you into next week. Understood, chucklenuts?”

Not wanting to invoke Dashie’s wrath, Lightning hurriedly nodded.

Satisfied that everypony was ready to move on, Rainbow Dash and the group trotted across the alien bridge and traversed the canyon.

In Dash’s head, Smart AI Princess Luna struggled with herself. Despite the fact that Smart AIs don’t go rampant until they’re more than 7 years old, Luna would go rampant after five.

This was due to the real Princess Luna’s corruption; Nightmare Moon.

Somehow, Nightmare was able to affect Luna’s AI counterpart, which resulted in the AI constantly having to struggle for control of herself.

After dealing with some Grunts and a Veteran Elite in the canyon, Dashie and the marines finally exited the canyon, only to come across a Covenant dropship unloading its troops.

Spotting some marines near a metal structure, Rainbow Dash shouted,”Open fire!”

It was a tough battle, and a marine got impaled with a pink needle, but everypony survived, and the marines came out on top.

Suddenly, somepony shouted out, ”Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow knew that voice.

She never forgot that voice.

Galloping towards the voice, she ran into her best friend, Applejack, who gave her a hug that made it hard for her to breathe, even through Dashie’s armor.

”Applejack! Oh, it’s so good to see you!” Rainbow cried.

”Oh, Sugarcube, I thought ya’ll were dead! I saw yer lifepod comin’ in way too fast! Thanks fer the help, too! We needed it, bad!” Applejack replied.

”I see that it’s complete and utter chaos here! What happened!?” Dashie asked.

”When we all landed, everypony survived, only minor injuries. The Covenant musta thought that wasn’t good, so they sent down here several dropships. In just the one hour we were cooped up ‘ere, we all lost half the survivors!” Applejack answered.

”Hey, guys! Someone here requested a Warthog?” questioned a familiar voice.

”Vinyl! That you?” Rainbow shouted.

”The one and only!” Vinyl replied.

”Thou should use the Warthog Vinyl has delivered, as I have detected several lifepod signatures,” Luna recommended.

”Yeah! I’ll do it!” Rainbow enthusiastically shouted.

Noticing the glares directed at her, she corrected herself, and said, ”I mean, let’s do it!”

The three mares, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Derpy, who had happened to be with Applejack’s life pod, set out to round up the rest of the scattered marines.

It was fairly easy, especially when the group had a SPARTAN-II riding with them.

The only problem?

Covenant.

”Alrighty, then! That there’s the last of ‘em!”

The hardy trio had just held off two Covenant dropships, all the while tending to injured marines in the area of the last lifepod.

”Vinyl Scratch, come in. Can thou pick us up?” Luna asked.

The comms crackled with static for several seconds, until Vinyl replied, ”Sure thing, Luna! I’ll be right there!”

Eventually, Vinyl’s Pelican dropship arrived and picked the remaining marines up, as well as Rainbow, Applejack, and Derpy.

As the Pelican flew to Alpha Base, the ENSC’s current (but temporary) base, Luna spoke up and shared some news with the marines.

”So what’s goin’ on here, Luna? Is it the Captain?” asked a marine.

”Thou is correct, young one. The good news is that the Pillar’s crew is alive and well. Unfortunately, the Covenant have captured them all!” Luna answered.

”Let me guess: we’re going on a rescue mission,” Rainbow quipped.

”Exactly. Rarity and the crew are being held in the brig of a Covenant ship known as the Truth and Reconciliation,” Luna confirmed.

”Then let’s go already!” the ecstatic Spartan said.