Chapter 24: Rescue

August 10, 2558
2022 hours
Apple Family Orchard

Greyblade finally managed to collect her thoughts and ask her lover the burning question bouncing around in her head.

“How did you survive?” was all that came out.

Greyblade and Cinder Pine were sitting on their haunches beneath a tree in the Apple Family Orchard; the area was private enough for them, so that’s where they decided to settle.

Cinder took a deep breath as he prepared to recite his recent ordeal.

“I…we had nowhere else to go, so we jumped into the water behind us,” he began. “They started shooting at us as we tried to swim away; to be honest, those who weren’t shot had to have drowned, since our armor was causing us to sink.

“I’d thought of this as they were lining us up, so I unhooked all of the latches on my armor, and as I jumped in I held my breath and let it carry me down far enough for them to not see me, before taking it all off and swimming away.”

He looked up to see his lover’s misty eyes and hoof up to her mouth in shock; he could tell this was incredibly hard for her to hear.

“I should be apologizing to you!” he continued. “I could’ve saved at least some of the others, but instead I kept my mouth shut! I’m the spineless coward!”

“No! No! Don’t you dare say that about yourself!” said Greyblade immediately. “It was a difficult situation to begin with, and I apologize for putting you in it! You thought on your hooves and did as much as you could. I couldn’t ask for a better soldier…or a better friend.”

She took his hoof in hers.

“We’ve both just lost so much at the hooves of something out of our control, but at the very least,” she continued. “We’re back together again! Just seeing you reminded me to look on the bright side, even after all that!”

“I…was always the optimistic one I guess,” Cinder Pine confessed as he looked back up at her and smiled. “How else would the two of us have gotten together in the first place? You, a proud and beautiful warrior princess–”

“–and you, a mere peasant soldier who had the guts to talk sweet to her,” said Greyblade, finishing his sentence. “Exactly. Now, more than ever, we have to stay positive!”

“Agreed,” said Cinder. “But, where do we go from here exactly? The humans didn’t give chase at all, so Gildedale can’t be in much danger from the outside. Do we just…go home?”

“I’ve been debating that with myself actually.”

“Why? The people will be thrilled that their princess is still alive! And our country needs all the leadership it can get right now, especially after a defeat like that. This should be a no-brainer!”

“It’s not that simple, Pine!”

“How so?”

Greyblade pursed her lips for a moment.

“I know it may sound silly,” she started. “But I don’t think they’ll accept me back.”

“What?!”

“My dad is going to think I’m a disgrace! What if nopony forgives my failure? You must understand?”

“Our king would never–”

“You don’t know him like I know him!”

This caught Cinder off-guard, as he hadn’t considered that he might not know what Gildedale’s king was like behind closed doors.

“That may be true,” said Cinder after a brief pause. “But now is not the time for ‘what if’s!’”

Greyblade was going to retort, but instead took a pause herself. Her lover had a point.

“Surely you understand that,” he finished.

Greyblade sat in quiet agreement for some time, and she was about to speak again when a gamboge, and rather anxious-looking, filly appeared from behind an apple tree, briefly stunning both Daleponies.

“Uhh, hi…” the anonymous filly said tentatively. “M-my name’s Babs Seed.”

“H-hi there!” said Greyblade as she regained composure.

She recognized the filly’s accent, recounting how the ponies native to Manehattan spoke during the attack.

“I-I recognize you,” said Babs, causing Greblade’s heart to sink slightly.

Suddenly it made sense why the young mare looked so nervous.

“D-did…w-we-were you the one leading that big attack?” she asked finally. “Y-ya’know? In Manehattan?”

“…Yes,” said Greyblade awkwardly. “And, I’m sorry…”

Without another word, Babs Seed darted off back towards the farm, a massively frightened look now adorned on her face.

The blonde Dalepony simply hung her head.

“Oh horseapples!” she said in dismay.

“What else could you have said?” Cinder said in attempted encouragement. “I’m just glad your trying to be honest.”

“It must be something about this farm,” said Greyblade, still not looking up.

Unexpectedly, Cinder Pine began cracking-up; Greyblade only looked up at him in slight disbelief as he burst into full-on laughter. Before she knew it, she was laughing along with him!

All of a sudden, it felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her chest; she felt as though she could finally stop being so hard on herself.

She then silently thanked her lucky stars for giving her such a supporting partner in life.

“You’re right,” she said finally. “Our situation right now overrides any personal issues I might possibly have.”

“That’s the spirit!” Cinder responded.

“Whether or not it’s worth facing my father right now, I have to try!”

Cinder smiled.

“By your word, Princess,” he said.

“Let’s get moving!”

August 11, 2558
0126 hours
Somewhere 200 miles southeast of Ottapaw

Beheld before Fireteam Icebreaker wasn’t just a mere compound or discrete POW camp, but a fortress. A singular, massive complex built into the side of the mountain.

“They’re keeping her in there?!” exclaimed Shifty.

The squad was huddled together inside the undergrowth, overlooking the changeling prison.

“Where the fuck else?” said Ogden.

“Calm down Jenkins,” Sgt. Alex ordered. “We ain’t savin’er with that attitude!”

“I’m calm,” said Jenkins. “I won’t do anything stupid...not today at least.”

“That’d best be so,” said an authoritative Gunnery Sergeant David Alvarez. “Because we can’t go in guns blazing. The moment they sound the alarm, they kill her! So, we need everyone’s head in gear if we’re gunna make this work!”

“Aye Gunny,” said Ogden.

“Now, here’s the plan,” started Alvarez. “We go floor by floor, search every cell, leaving no stone unturned, understood?”

Everyone nodded their heads.

“And Jenkins,” he said as he grinned. “I want you on point.”

The PFC only smiled back.

“Let’s go save our girl!” Gunny finished.

As Rainbow Dash came to, the loud clanging of the cell doors opening shocked her awake. She saw General Hives and two of his minions standing in the doorway.

“You,” he said, pointing to the one on his left. “Wait out here, and you, follow me.”

“Yes sir!” they said in unison.

Hives and the one on his right walked inside.

The doors closed shut, once again leaving the room in near darkness. As the two changelings walked forward, Rainbow not only saw the General’s smooth purple helmet and uniquely official-looking purple robe, but she was also able to see a small axe hinged at his hip.

“I’m glad Queen Chrysalis allowed me to design these prison cells so that they can double up as torture chambers,” he said. “It saves money.”

In a panic, Rainbow began backing up into a corner in a vain attempt to get away from the two changelings coming towards her.

“Lay her on her stomach,” the officer ordered.

“Yes sir,” said his subordinate as he walked up to a trembling Rainbow Dash.

Unable to fight him in her “tied up” state, Rainbow could only let the changeling guard grab her by her left shoulder and her left arm and pin her to the ground. Rainbow let out a small squeal on impact as the air in her lungs was knocked out of her.

“Untie her wings.”

“Sir?”

The General face-hoofed before saying, “She can`t fly away if you`re holding her down!” He then said under his breath: “Now I know why they put me in charge.”

His subordinate obeyed. As soon as the last knot was undone, he put one hoof on her head and centered the other on her back. Despite being held down, she could only feel the relief of two wings freed.

But as she began to flap them, her right wing was pinned to the floor by the Hives’ left hoof.

“It’s about time I went after these,” he said menacingly.

“Y-you wouldn’t,” Rainbow responded weakly.

“Oh, I think you know I would,” he said.

He added pressure to Rainbow’s wing and began to twist.

“*gasp* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” screamed Rainbow as instant, white-hot pain seared through her wing.

“Having fun yet, peach?!” asked the Hives.

“N-No.”

He twisted again, but with more pressure this time.

“AAAAAHAHAHA!!!” shrieked Rainbow into the floor, the pain worsening and eyes now misty.

“How ’bout now?”

“B-b-bu-buck you!” said Rainbow through tears and clenched teeth.

He twisted again, this time with even more pressure, and Rainbow let out yet another blood-curdling scream as she felt a few feathers pop out on that one.

Fireteam Icebreaker had silently made their way up through the complex, sneaking by some guards here, slitting some changeling throats there…

They had only just arrived at the top floor when they heard the first scream.

“She's right around the corner!” said Ogden. But as he rounded the corner he saw a lone changeling guard. He immediately snapped back out of sight, halting the other five humans behind him. He looked to them with his index finger over the lower part of his visor.

“Changeling,” he whispered. “One of `em. He's guarding only one cell.”

He took a quick glance back around the corner before turning back.

“It’s also unlike all the other cells,” the PFC continued. “This one doesn’t have bars. It’s a solid, metal wall, like they’re trying to contain someone more important.”

“Good observation,” said Gunny.

He turned to Sgt. Alex. “Thompson, double-peak that bastard with Jenkins.”

“You got it, sir!” he whispered back.

The lone changeling guard sighed as he heard the blood-curdling scream come from inside the room behind him.

Shifting his weight uncomfortably, he looked to his left and saw nothing.

As if I’d expect anything to come from there. he thought.

He looked to his right and then, just as he looked back over to his left, two humans had appeared from around the corner, one standing and the other crouching just in front, both with their weapons trained on him.

Within the same half-second, he was struck by two bullets, one in the chest and one in the head!

Rainbow could barely see anymore, the pain was becoming too much!

General Hives twisted one last time, and though she only let out a soft whimper, he knew she was experiencing the worst physical pain in her life.

“Stahahap, please,” she begged. “Oh, my, Celestiahahaha! *gasp* The PAIN!”

“Would you please stop praying to that old MULE?!?!” said Hives, clearly annoyed.

He turned her head and punched her already blackened eye.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” she squealed.

Then the General turned her head back around and looked her straight in her good eye.

“She can't help you here and you know it!” he said in finality.

THUD!

Every creature went silent and looked towards the cell entrance.

“Shit! No keys,” came a voice on the other side.

“Aww, how sweet,” said Hives as he unhooked his small axe from its belt. “I guess I was wrong. Too bad they won’t recover all of you.”

Rainbow was shocked by this sudden prospect.

“No,” she breathed as she began to hyperventilate.

“Hold the door, will ya?!” ordered the General to his subordinate.

“Noho…please,” pleaded a sobbing Rainbow Dash as the Hives aimed the axe.

“HAVE MERCEY!!!”

As the changeling guard approached the door, a sudden blast blew it into his face and flattened him! The same blast momentarily stunned Hives as well, before he quickly regained his composure and raised his axe once again, aiming for what Rainbow could only assume was her head!

But as his arm reached its apex, a bullet careened into the back of his helmet and drilled through his head, before finally exiting out of his face, splattering green blood over the back wall!

Upon getting shot, the axe slipped backwards out of his hoof, causing it to tumble downward, end-over-end, towards Rainbow’s face. She shut her eyes, preparing for the worst, when the thud of the axe lodging itself in the floor made her shudder.

She peaked with one eye to find that the weapon had landed just before her nose! The cerulean pegasus then simply stared in blank shock, with both eyes now, at the blade directly in front of her face.

How she hadn’t fainted by this point, she could not know.

“NOO!” shouted the changeling guard as shoved the door off of himself and towards Sidney, only to be promptly riddled with bullets from Corporal William’s silenced SMG.

“Thank god we brought explosives!” said Shifty as Jenkins pulled the axe off the floor and away from Rainbow’s face.

In an instant, every part of her body relaxed. Jenkins simply looked on at her cerulean, breathing form: battered, bloodied, bruised, and wings clearly broken.

But still alive.

“Sid? Marcus, we’ve just made a ton of noise, so watch behind us. Shifty and Thompson, you two check the bodies for anything useful,” ordered Gunny as he grabbed the keys off of General Hives’ body. “That includes the one we left just outside! Be sure to drag’em in here first.”

As everyone got to work, Jenkins knelt down to Rainbow.

While he waited for Gunny to finish unlocking her chains, the PFC simply leaned over to his left towards Hives’ body and ripped off a sizeable piece of fabric from his robe.

Once her hooves were unrestrained, Jenkins gently helped her up onto her knees.

“What did they do to you?” he asked.

She just stared at him for a moment through her tears, before tightly hugging him.

“Thank you!” she said through her relief and anguish.

The PFC just hugged her back. As he did so however, Gunny silently motioned for him to make things quick, to which Jenkins nodded before putting away the ripped piece of cloth.

“Rainbow, I am so glad to see you too!” he said before separating from the embrace and holding his pegasus friend at arm’s-length. “But right now, I need you to focus, because we’re not out of the woods yet. Can you walk?”

She sniffed while rubbing away her tears before nodding rapidly.

“Ye-yeah! Yes!” she said frantically.

“Can you run?”

“I-I think so.”

“Good enough. I know your wings don’t look too hot right now, so the plan is to fly you out. Is this making sense?”

“On a pelican, right?”

“Yeah! That’s it!" he said with a smile. "You remembered!”

Alex simply gave Ogden a stern look from behind.

“Aight, we’ve been here long enough gang!” said Alvarez.

“Ok, we’ve gotta go!” said Jenkins to Rainbow. “I assume you’re ready to leave this hell-hole?”

She just rapidly nodded like before.

“Alright, then c’mon!” he said, standing up and holding out his hand. “We can stitch you up later!”

The ODSTs of Icebreaker jogged down the hall toward the spacious cave opening Rainbow had tried to escape from earlier, with the pegasus in question running with them in the middle of their six-man formation.

Though, it was less that she was running with them and more like she was having to be pushed.

She was so exhausted. The words, and shoves, of encouragement from the ODSTs trailing her were the only thing keeping her from falling behind.

She saw Gunnery Sergeant David Alvarez put two of his fingers onto the side of his helmet and keep them there for a few moments, before removing them and looking behind him.

“Our bird left Infinity and entered the atmosphere about fifteen minutes ago,” he briefed as they ran. “That means it should be at the cave opening right when we get there!”

The hallway once again fell away from its corners, transitioning into the rocky tunnel Rainbow now knew all too well. Two changelings rounded the corner, heading in the opposite direction to investigate the blast.

“But the moment we enter the cave, prepare to fight your way through!” he finished after he and Corporal Marcus shot them dead.

“Wh-what about me?!” squeaked the injured pegasus.

“Just stay behind us Rainbow!” said Jenkins reassuringly. “We’ll get you to the pelican!”

With that, all six ODSTs entered the cave with their weapons raised and with Rainbow Dash in tow. They prioritized any and all changelings on the ceiling first, followed by the ones directly in their way. Jenkins and Shifty, who were taking up the rear, shot at any changelings trying to give chase.

After nearly tripping over the dead bodies of these bug-like creatures for what felt like an eternity, the group had finally reached the cave entrance; and just like Gunny said, the pelican was lowering itself into view just as they arrived!

“Everyone on! HVT first!” barked Gunny. “That means you, Rainbow! Sergeant! Man the turret!”

“Aye sir!” said Alex, immediately following the pegasus onboard.

He waited until everyone else had gotten on before firing. Meanwhile, Gunny ran to the cockpit.

“We’re all on!” he told the pilot. “Let’s book it!”

As the vehicle began to speed away, the ramp started to rise, eventually shutting out the outside world and allowing silence to fill the passenger compartment. Jenkins had already strapped himself in and was helping Rainbow to do the same.

While buckling her in, he couldn’t help but notice the look on her face: she was looking past him, towards the now closed-off entrance, her frazzled mane slightly covering her eyes, which were wide in shock with pupils that were far smaller than he’d ever seen before.

Combine that with her shallow breathing and well, she was really carrying her heart on her sleeve!

“Hey! Hey! It’s over,” he told her reassuringly, influencing her to make eye-contact. “You’re safe now.”

She only stared at him with a disbelieving look, to which Jenkins took off his helmet and decided to take a more serious tone.

“Look, I’m not going to ask you if you’re alright, because clearly you aren’t,” he said.

This caught Rainbow off-guard. She thought he’d keep talking kindly after what she’d been though?

“I don’t know what you’ve been through,” he continued, seemingly answering her question. “Though, I guarantee it wasn’t pleasant!”

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“But I can say this: you are going home,” he said in his most assuring voice. “You’re going to see your friends and family again, and you’re going to be okay!”

She cracked a smile at the thought of seeing her friends again. She recalled how it wasn’t too long ago when she was considering that an impossibility!

“See? See?!” said Jenkins, smiling himself and giving Rainbow a mild nuggie. “There’s a smile!”

Rainbow could only giggle, now recalling the tickle-fight she’d had with him just a few days prior.

“If you can crack a smile after all that shit,” said Jenkins reassuringly. “Anything is possible!”

The pegasus wiped the tears away from her eyes and put a hoof over the hand Jenkins had placed upon her shoulder.

“Thank you-AAH!”

The entire cabin rattled violently as the pelican was struck by something!

“Shit!” Jenkins exclaimed before putting his helmet back on.

One of their green bolts hit the left wing engine! he heard the pilot say over the radio. We can still hold, but we’ll need-

Two sudden rounds of wild shaking in rapid succession interrupted her.

FUCK! They got the right-wing and rear-left engines too! We’re going down!

She didn’t need to say it, as the group of seven could already feel the g-forces kicking in!

Brace for impact!

August 11, 2558
0156 hours
Somewhere 200 miles southeast of Ottapaw
Biome: Semi-Arid Desert with Much Undergrowth

The stillness of night just northwest of the mountainous tundra was shattered by a flaming UNSC pelican dropship smashing through what little shrubs and trees existed in its way.

It finally came to rest when the front end smashed directly into a large, dead desert tree.

As the ramp began to lower, a squadron of four changelings landed near the wreckage to investigate.

All four were cut down in an instant the moment Sgt. Alex Thompson and Corporal Marcus Williams appeared from inside the pelican. The two hopped out and began to survey the area.

The two ODSTs had the night-vision setting turned on behind their visors; Alex scanned the area in front of them while Marcus had turned around and scanned the area behind the fallen, burning aircraft.

“The coast is clear,” said the British Corporal into his helmet mic. “For now…”

Author's Notes:

Hey fillies and gentlecolts! In light of recent events (namely the show ending for Gen. 4 ), I wanted to create something to give back to this AWESOME community!

I’m working on a project that will help creative writers write the best fictional stories that they can, and I would love to get your opinions as fellow storytellers!

Here’s a link to the survey. It should only take a couple of minutes to complete, and I'd really value your thoughts!

Thank you guys so much for reading this story throughout the years, and bearing with me as I myself grew as writer. It really means so much to me!

I recently started scheduling time every day strictly dedicated to finally getting this story finished, so you can expect the next chapter to be out soon!

Hopefully within the next week or two (Why didn't I do this earlier? )...

Until then, this is Delta Blade signing off. See ya soon!