When the Silent Fall

Chapter 3 – Friendship for the un-educated.

After Shuur agreed to take friendship lessons from the Cutie Mark Crusaders, they decided they would all get something to eat. So the would be teachers and their less than amused student headed out to Sweet Apple Acres. Upon arrival Apple Bloom Got them all some apples, in which Shuur took happily. Unfolding the bottom of his helmet he slid an apple between his helmets siding and bit down. Never before had he tasted something so sweet, juicy and crisp. He liked these apples, and thanked Apple Bloom before asking for more. Shuur was beginning to like this planet. Apple Bloom was just happy that he liked them; it would not have been a good day if he disliked the apples. The results would most likely mean getting him carrots, in which they had a fierce rivalry, no matter what the others said.

As Shuur munched on the apples he was provided he began to realize his plan to get the ponies to join the Covenant was forfeit because he lacked a way to contact the Covenant. He also noted that basket of apples was becoming shockingly low. Did he really like them that much? Sure they were delicious, but Shuur was no glutton. He looked down to the shiny red fruit, Shuur thought of eating this one as well, but thought better of it when he saw the Crusaders faces. Though they could not see it, Shuur clicked his mandibles in embarrassment; he promptly put the fruit back into the basket. He gazed around the barn before speaking up, “So are my, lessons, to begin here, or did you have someplace else in mind?”

Scootaloo spoke, “We could take you back to the club house, and it would probably be more private there.” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement.

“Well then it is settled, my lessons are to begin in your club house.” With that note they all rose and began to make their way to the door before Shuur stopped. He then looked down at the fillies, “Apologies, a group of ponies is coming, I suggest you think of an excuse quickly.” With those words Shuur cloaked as the crusaders turned to greet their unexpected visitor. Soon enough the doors were pushed open and the same group as earlier made their way inside.

“Ah told ya, the sound came from in here and, Apple Bloom what ‘er you and yer friends doing here?”

Apple Bloom gave a sheepish grin, “Well since we didn’t get our cutie marks in alley sweepin’, we thought we’d try barn sweepin’.”

Applejack gave her a hard look before turning, “Well anyway we had better start our investigation here, ain’t nowhere else that there been them noises.” Twilight moved forward.

“Alright Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, you two check the higher levels,” The cyan and yellow Pegasi nodded before taking flight. “Applejack, Pinkie pie, you two look for any disturbances on the ground.” Applejack and the fluffy pink pony nodded as well, starting their search. “Rarity and I will look for any magical disturbances, in case this thing is powerful.” A pearly white unicorn’s horn began to glow, and Twilight’s joined hers like wise.

As they searched, Shuur found it a good time to make his exit. But as he turned, he found himself looking straight into Pinkie pie’s blue eyes. Shuur froze, Not again, the last time this happened, I died! As if reading his thoughts, she smiled and proceeded to bounce away.

Applejack found the now near depleted apple basket, “What were you girls doin’ with a full basket of apples?” She turned to the Crusaders, who answered in a stutter.

“We…well… um… barn sweepin’ makes us all real hungry.” Applejack was not convinced.

“There were enough apples in this here basket to turn the three of ya into apples.”

Shuur, looked back at them, This was it, I’m truly done. Just when he was sure that all hope was lost, Pinkie Pie spoke.

“Hey over here, come see this!”

Applejack broke away from the girls, the rest of the group turned to see Pinkie’s discovery. Shuur sighed in relief.  Was she helping him? He continued to scale a wall, and then jump up to a rafter. He looked down at her discovery, his pile of hay.

Twilight walked up to the pile, scanning it with her horn light. Magic, of course they have magic, why not? This entire planet was one big Sangheili child’s dream world. As she concluded she began to speak,

“Well it’s not magical, but it’s a shape I haven’t seen before,” she turned to the yellow one, “Fluttershy, do you know what kind of animal could make this shape?”

Fluttershy moved slowly to the hay pile, then proceeded to examine it, “No, but it looks like it was heavy, and tall.” Just as she finished, the beam Shuur was on creaked. All at once they looked up to see nothing there, then Twilight’s horn glowed again. As she did so, her eyes glowed a soft magenta color before she gasped. Shuur had not expected that she had a way to see him.

“Gi… girls, there’s something tall, heavy, and invisible watching us.” The first to react was Rainbow dash, charging Shuur so fast he didn’t have time to react.

As she hit him, his shields flared and lost eighty percent power. He also found himself falling backwards from the force. As he did he reached and caught the beam in his left hand. He looked back to find Rainbow looking for him, “Where are you yah big invisible monster!” Shuur cringed at the use of the term monster, but was quick to start swinging back and forth as he remembered his shields. As he did Twilight called out.

“It’s swinging back and forth on the same beam!”

Rainbow Dash turned around and charged Shuur again, but this time he was ready. Using the momentum he had built up he swung on top of the beam, just as Rainbow Dash flew under him, directly into a wall. Twilight cringed.

“Sorry, it just swung on top of the rafter.”

Rainbow Dash slid down the wall before recovering, and as she did Shuur made for his secondary exit.

“Rainbow, lookout it’s moving towards the window!” cried Twilight.

Rainbow reacted quickly, instantly making her way to the window. As Shuur saw this he changed course for his tri-failure exit: making a hole in the wall. He reached to his belt and took off a small blue orb, arming it. It let out a satisfying whine as he threw it at the wall farthest from the ponies. It stuck to the wall, forming a small energy field around it before exploding violently, burning a hole in the wall. He cringed as he saw other parts beginning to set fire; Apple Bloom would not be pleased. He then jumped down and began to sprint, deactivating his cloak as it would do no good at this speed. He heard gasps as he fully uncloaked, he also heard yelling as someone commanded for water. Just as he began to enter the Ever Frees tree line something appeared to be moving at impossible speeds towards him, his motion tracker must have been malfunctioning. He found himself as incorrect as a cyan ball struck him in the back, screaming in pain as his shields died from the blow.

“Ow, GAH, What the BUCK!” yelled a tomboyish voice witch Shuur assumed was Rainbow Dash.

He continued his sprint as he began to see the tree’s thickening, each one closing the gap in which he could run.

”Yes run, run like a coward who has no honor, like you.”

Shuur shook his head, he was not about to attack possible allies.

”You said it yourself, there is no way to recruit them, what purpose do they pose?” Shuur again shook his head, this voice was not his own,

”They showed me hospitality when they had no reason, that is why.”

The voice chuckled, “Is that all they are to you, your caretakers?”

Shuur slowed down, he was a considerable distance in, “No they are not my caretakers, they are my, ‘friends’” The voice now laughed heartily.

“Do friends try to capture the other? Do friends try to burn down one another’s barns with blue fire? Do friends spy on each other with illusion magic?” It was Shuurs turn to chuckle.

“You don’t know who or what I am do you?” The voice was silent as Shuur laughed, ”You really should do your research before choosing a target to try to tamper with.” The voice spoke again, annoyance present in its voice.

“Very well Mister Elite, I concede, you are harder to tamper with  than I thought when I brought you here.”

Shuur stopped running, “So you are responsible for my coming here, and not letting me join my kind in the great journey!” The voice’s tone had changed to one of mockery.

“Yes, in fact I am What are you going to do about it?”

Shuur used his true voice, in his native tongue, “I will hunt you down and find you, obviously you want me to hurt these ponies, and so you are now my enemy.”

The voice laughed again, “What was that? Some native throat gurgles meant to scare me, HAH! What a riot you are.” Shuur looked behind him to make sure no one followed, then spoke again in English.

“My native tongue, by the way, you are now my target.”

The voice continued merrily, “How precious, now if you will excuse me I have to activate my plan B. Oh and I think you’ll quite enjoy it.” With that, Shuur felt like a pair of eyes had stopped watching him.

He sighed, Well that explains my coming here. Shuur growled, What nerve, to bring me here upon death. I will defy him with every breath this body takes!

Unfortunately Shuur heard the result of his roar, “Mister Elite, is that you!?!” Shuur heard the shout from his left, he checked his motion sensor, sure enough there were three red dots moving towards him now. Shuur cloaked, just in case Rainbow Dash was sitting on standby. He crept towards the dots, and then he noticed the six red dots in tow. He unfurled his mandibles in rage; his own friends would betray him? Then Apple Bloom spoke again.

“Mister Elite, we got everybody calmed down, they’re even ready to talk to you now!”

Shuur calmed down, finally some diplomacy. This was cut short by the sounds of howls; Shuur looked to his motion tracker, disturbed to see it mostly covered in red dots now. He stood and yelled to his friends.

“There are thing all around us, I count nineteen.”

He heard a gasp come from Fluttershy, “Oh, oh my there hasn’t ever been a recording of nineteen Timber Wolves in one pack ever.”

Shuur saw that they were all slightly unnerved by this. Then he got a look at one of these, Timber Wolves coming across a path on their far side. It appeared to be made of wood, Shuur thought of this as a clever camouflage made through evolution. As he approached further, he saw that the ponies had made their way to a clearing. He walked towards them, rustling the bushes slightly as he did. This alerted the ponies as they all came to face a shadow, though hard to see in the dimming light of their sun. Again Twilight lit her horn and her eyes glowed the same magenta light.

The purple unicorn sighed, “It’s only Elite, don’t worry.”

“He darn near burned down mah barn with a blue ball, we have every right to be worried.”  Applejack spoke up.

Apple Bloom looked at her sister, “Ah told yah, you just frightened him is all.”

Shuur was about to retort to Apple Blooms comment on his fears when another howl erupted from the woods. Fluttershy suddenly hid in the middle of the group.

“Tha…that was the attack howl.”

Shuur made his way towards the group at a quickened pace.  He did not wish for them to be harmed by predators. Just as Shuur reached the group, he saw a wolf jump out of the woods; its glowing eyes caught him off guard, Perhaps it is an adaptation for low light? Soon another joined it, then another, and another. After a surprisingly short while, they were completely surrounded. Twilight looked at Shuur,

“Hey Elite, if you have any more tricks up your sleeves, now would be an appreciated time to use them.”

“Very well Miss Twilight, I shall.” Shuur chuckled. With those words the armor clad alien de-cloaked, causing everyone but the crusaders to gasp again. Once he finished he placed his hands on his sword and plasma rifle, noting that the line of timber wolves were now looking at each other in fear. He looked at the now revolving line of timber wolves, “Well if you are going to attack us, do so now.” He caught a disapproving look from Rarity but turned his thoughts to the battlefield. Just as he did, one of the wolves charged, rallying the rest of the pack to join.

Shuur drew his sword and plasma rifle. His sword activated with a hiss as it extended, while his plasma rifle gave a gentle whur upon equipping it. He let out a war cry before charging the wolf right back. He heard shouts behind him as the ponies cried their own war cries, which were cute compared to his. Once he reached the wolf he gave a simple strong swipe as his sword cut through it with ease, the heat of the blade ignited it. He heard whimpers and shouts behind him guessing that the ponies preferred not to kill.  Oh well, their loss. He danced across the battlefield, cutting down any wolf foolish enough to approach him, and firing his plasma rifle at the ones who kept their distance. After there were only four left, the wolves made the decision that the tender ponies were definitely not worth it. They began their retreat, whimpering as plasma bolts stroked them.

Soon he let out a cry of victory, and stowed his weapons. He turned to face his allies, only to find them huddling around a form. Shuur felt a knot tie itself into his stomach. Lying on the ground was Apple Bloom, a large gash formed on her right foreleg, running from the top to the bottom, bone exposed in the center. He saw that Applejack was crying, but only his visor showed that she was alive.

“Move out of the way, she lives and we must get her medical attention at once!” He yelled to the ponies huddling around Apple Bloom.

Applejack looked up to him, “How can yah tell?” her voice dripping with sorrow. Shuur didn’t listen.

“That is not important what is important however is that she lives and must get to medical at once.”

Twilight looked up, “I’m sorry Elite but I used most of my energy in the fight, I don’t have the strength to teleport us to the hospital.” Shuur clicked his mandibles in annoyance.

“Then I shall take her, witch way is Ponyville from here?”  “You ain’t touching her, you monster!” Applejack stood.

Shuur yelled back, “Every moment we wait is another my friend lays on the ground bleeding to death! Now which way to ponyville?”

Applejack softened up, she pointed her hoof to the east. “Ponyville’s that way, please hurry Elite.”

Shuur nodded, he moved in and picked up Apple Bloom. Pointing himself towards the east with his compass, he began to run as fast as he could towards Ponyville. As he dashed through the trees, he thought the only good thing that came out of today was that he missed his friendship for the un-educated lessons.

Ooh, there’s a cliff hanger for yah, or at least it is for me. Any who thought I’d answer the question: how did he get here, though I didn’t answer who brought him. I also might show what said mystery guy’s plan B is in the next chapter, though I might also show it two chapters from now. I don’t know, it all depends on how long the Reach campaign is. (SPOILERS!)