When the Silent Fall

Chapter 2- Thing in the barn

Shuur was in a council chamber. He looked up to find himself in front of the prophets. He instantly fell to one knee.

“Lord Prophets.”

The prophet in the center spoke, “Strange that you would address us twice Shuur’Makhanee, especially at your trial.”

Shuur was startled by this, “Trial, what trial?”

Fits of laughter erupted from around the chamber. The Prophets were quick to silence them. The farthest left spoke, “Your failure on Reach was unacceptable!” The prophet continued, “That and your un-honorable death was a failure as well.” Shuur was taken aback, he was dead? How was that possible?

“Hehehe, you look confused Shuur’Makhanee,” the farthest right Prophet now spoke, “This is the council of the dead, and we deem you un-worthy for the great journey!”

Shuur was now truly afraid, “NO, you cannot do this! I am honorable, I have slain many!” The prophets now laughed at him as well, the center spoke again.

“Yes but all of your kills are un-honorable as well, a shadow kill is not honorable because you never truly challenge your enemy.”

“But I have killed with direct confrontation!”Shuur’s voice was shaky.

The Prophets laughed again, “Or do you mean that you were killed with direct confrontation?”

“I had not seen him come from behind me!” Shuur said, beginning to become angry with the Prophets Judgement.

The Prophets stopped laughing, “That is the excuse of a liar and coward, come now face your sentence with courage!” and with those words the world disappeared to Shuur as he was now falling towards a hellish landscape.

Fire and magma burned the ground, as seemingly endless oceans of lava crashed against his personnel hell. The land was craggy and red, large spires of spikes rose from the ground, odd flowers that sprayed a yellow gas dotted the landscape. As Shuur landed, he noticed that he was not wearing his armor, or any clothing at all. He let a roar of defiance loose from his maw, this could not be happening, this was not the way he was to end! Shuur continued to roar until he had no breath left. As he breathed the air scorched his lungs, causing him to try to breathe less by holding his breath.  But even as he did so, he felt the air get hotter inside him, until he was forced to breath out, as he did his breath caught aflame, burning his mandibles, and upper jaw. He roared once more as he felt light headed.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Shuur awoke screaming. He looked around, finding out that he was still in the barn. Shuur sighed, I’m still in equestria thought Shuur, Was that a message from the great ones, or am I going crazy?  A voice broke his stupor.

“What in tarnations was that!?!”

Shuur suddenly  remembered that he was still in the barn owned by ponies that had not yet discovered him. He quickly activated his cloak, just as Applejack opened the barn doors. She continued to enter and look around whilst Shuur made headway to his primary exit. Just as Applejack finished her search, Shuur crept out the front door, which was still open due to Applejacks hasty entry. Shuur quickly made his way to the orchard of fruit bearing trees. He soon picked up on a loud noise just south of his position. To him it sounded like gunshots so he quickly made his way towards the sound, hoping to prove he could kill with direct confrontation. Soon enough a red dot appeared on his motion tracker. He followed to the location, getting ready to draw his sword, when he spotted his would be target.

In front of him was a large red pony, easily taller than anything he had encountered thus far. He quickly drew his hand away from his sword. He had a ‘cutie mark’ of a green version of the fruit, including a chunk missing, showing its inside. He hated the term on mention, what honor was there getting a cutie mark on your posterior when you found your talent? It was more an embarrassment than an honor to Shuur. He continued to observe the large red pony noting the differences, it was easily taller than any other equine, and it was also a duller red than anything else. Another noticeable change was that it had a more boxy snout, and its eyes were smaller in entire body comparison. Shuur watched in wonder as the pony moved four empty baskets underneath of a tree.

What are you doing now? He pondered as he watched the pony move to one side of the tree before giving a swift buck, causing the sound he had heard before, and also causing all of the apples to fall into the baskets.

Shuur was no longer as stricken when he watched the event occur, but still a little shaken. He continued his surveying of the pony, observing that each time he kicked; it was facing horizontally from his stand point, like a two-dimension animation. His thoughts were drawn from his mind as Applejack came trotting up. “Hey Big Mac, you seen anything strange crawlin’ round here?”

Big Mac gave a simple, yet definant, “Nope.”

After his answer Applejack continued her trot towards the town. After she left Big Mac commented, “Darn critters got my sister on the run again.” He continued his assault on the trees, making each one drop its red fruit. He had also spied that Applejack had a similar cutie mark. He guessed that she took care of the trees, while her bulkier brother picked their fruit.

After concluding that the pony was not about to switch tactics, he began his trek towards the road Applejack had continued down. Upon finding the road, he followed her red dot on his motion tracker. Deciding to try to find the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Shuur headed towards the dot. Once Shuur reached the village, he noted that Ponyville was much more of a day town than a night town. Ponies of all shapes, breeds and colors trotted about to their daily business, ponies attended small stalls, and others trotted into shops and businesses. As Shuur continued his spying he spotted his targets, three small fillies, one mounting a scooter, the other two riding in a wagon to the rear. As Shuur observed further he learned an interesting fact: they were headed straight for him.

Shuur soon found himself cursing his lack of cover as they collided head on with him. His shields flared and died, leaving him vulnerable to the air born yellow and white projectiles flying from the wagon. Shuur soon found himself covered in pony, and was not amused by this. He quickly moved to hide himself before his shields recharged and gave away his position. As he looked back, he chuckled slightly, where he had once been, now stood three very confused fillies, and a crowd of worried ponies. Shuur found his cover in a nearby bush, just as his shields flickered to life. He continued to watch and wait until the crowd dispersed before coming to the recovering fillies. Even after the collision and general panic, they had already figured out what they hit and they waited, expecting looks on their faces.

He crept over to the group and spoke, “Sorry little ones, I had not anticipated your, arrival.” Scootaloo answered to the shadow.

“Well at least you apologized, but it’s kinda hard to watch out for an invisible alien.”

Shuur chuckled again, deep and rough, “We should not speak here, you will look like fools.” Scootaloo was about to retort when Sweetie Belle spoke up.

“He’s right, we already have bystanders.”

Scootaloo looked up to find that a couple of ponies were looking at her with looks of concern. She sighed and watched for the shadow to move. Shuur saw this as his queue and proceeded to lead the fillies to a nearby alley.

When they reached said alley Shuur uncloaked, “Again I apologize for earlier, I was busy watching the citizens of the town.”

Scootaloo was first to respond, “You really scared us back there! Do you know what it’s like to collide head on with a wall of light?” Shuur cringed slightly, Scootaloo continued, “What was that anyway, the light thing?”

Shuur knelt to answer, not liking to tower over his only contacts, “My shields, now I must add you were going an impressive speed to drain them completely.” Scootaloo was caught in between pride and anger.

“You mean you raised a shield, but you didn’t try to move?” Shuur nodded.

“No, I have a special set of shields enveloping my person at all times to protect me from my enemies.”

Scootaloo seemed to calm down a little, “Okay but watch out next time,  move please.” Shuur nodded in approval.

“I shall; now I assume you were coming to see me?”

Apple Bloom stepped in, “Yes we were Mister Elite, we were wonderin’ what you ate?”

Shuur had thought about it for a while, he had been too busy as of late to realize how hungry he was. Shuur looked at Apple Bloom before answering, “I am omnivorous, meaning I eat both plant matter, and animal matter.” Shuur feared their reactions slightly; he knew they were herbivorous because of their equine appearance. He was surprised to hear Scootaloo whisper to Sweetie Belle.

“Told ya so.”

Apple Bloom nodded, “So would an apple be alright?”

Suddenly Shuur was taken aback, “You would offer one of your own for me?” Now it was Apple Blooms turn to be surprised.

“What!?! No no no, I mean the fruit, you know, apples? Grow on trees, all over Sweet apple acres?”

Shuur was now rather embarrassed, “Sorry I have not heard of such apples, I assume that the name of your homestead was a gimmick towards your family’s behavior.”

“Sorry, I should have probably told you that.”  Apple Bloom giggled.

Shuur soon raised a hand in alarm. “I’m sorry others are coming our way.” Shuur cloaked much to the ponies chagrin. They looked back to a see a group of six well-known ponies pass, who spotted them and then turned and walked their way. Apple Bloom looked on the ground to find the shadow gone. Relieved, she turned back to face the group. Shuur had simply moved behind a building, and was looking around the corner to listen to them. The lavender one spoke first.

“Hi girls, what are you doing back here?” Shuur did not recognize any of them, apart from Applejack. He assumed this must have been a group of her friends.

Scootaloo spoke up, “We’re, um, trying to get our cutie marks in alley way sweeping, yah, that’s it, alley sweeping!”

Shuur face palmed, what a stupid answer, he was caught for sure.  Then the lavender one spoke again, here it comes.

“Alright well, have you guys heard or saw anything strange lately?”

Shuur could not believe what his ear speakers were telling him, she believed that? Really, she did? Shuur concluded that either this mare was slightly dumber than the rest, or it was his lucky day.

“Nope, not a thing, why?” answered Scootaloo, slightly relieved.

“Well Applejack was walking out to help Big Mac with apple bucking when the said she heard screams coming from the barn.” Scootaloo noticeably cringed, which the mare still didn’t catch onto. “Well, good to see you girls again, bye!” The lavender one began walking away,

“Bye Twilight!” the three responded in unison.

After Twilight left, her group in tow, Shuur watched his motion tracker to make sure they were a considerable distance away. Once they were ten meters beyond the alleys mouth, he rejoined the Crusaders.

He promptly un-cloaked as they turned to question him further, “What did she mean screams Elite?” asked Apple Bloom. Shuur answered quickly his hunger increasing noticeably.

“Even aliens have nightmares.”

Apple Bloom sighed in relief, “I thought you’d gone killed a pony.” Shuur responded annoyance present in his voice.

“No I had not killed a pony, I tend to try to keep my allies alive.”

“Sorry fer assuming there Mister Elite, it’s just that after hearing you eat meat…”  Apple Bloom blushed, as Shuur waved a hand.

“Worry not little one, I understand, you have the right to be afraid of me you know.” Apple Bloom perked up a little.

“I know, it’s just you’ve become a good friend is such a short time, that I just felt a little guilty is all.”

Shuur paused for a moment, Friend, did she say friend? Shuur understood the concept, some Sangheili attained friends from their training courses. It had not occurred to him that you could gain friends outside of the military, which was a Sangheili’s way of life.

Apple Bloom caught onto his pause though, “Aw come on, you have to have heard of friendship as an alien right?” Apple Bloom brought Shuur out of his thoughts.

“Yes I have, but it happens seldom where I come from.”

At the mention of how often friends occurred, the three gasped, “You mean you don’t have any friends?”

Shuur nodded, “No, in my line of work, you seldom often get to know your squad.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood agape for a moment longer before huddling into a small group, and proceeded near un-hearable whispers. After a short while they broke out cheering.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, FRIENDSHIP TEACHERS YAY!!!”

Shuur was having none of this, “No, simple as that, no friendship teaching of any kind.” But the Crusaders were relentless.

“Please Mister Elite, please?” they all sang out in unison.

“As I said before, no.”

“Please?”

“no.”

“Pleeeease?”

“No.”

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease???”

“NO! I said NO, what part of that do you not comprehended?!?”

But even as Shuur yelled at them, he looked down only to find his demise waiting. The three of them had huddled close together, all of them bared humungous glittering eyes that a Jiralhanae would have had a hard time resisting. As he looked upon them, he sighed heavily,

“Very well, you may teach me about this, friendship.” Just then Shuur’s stomach growled, causing the Crusaders to take a step back in fear. Shuur chuckled, “But first can we grab something to eat, I am truly hungry.” The three nodded, relieved that it was only his stomach. For a while they thought he really was a thing in the barn.