Chapter 1: Freefall
A/N This story is in third person so you can better understand what's happening. Feel free to review. It also takes place about two years after My Little Pony: Horizon
I can't sleep. This was Josh's only thought for the last two hours. He rolled over and saw his wife of two years sleeping peacefully. Rainbow Dash was a cyan pegasus mare with a rainbow mane. Her cutie mark was a cloud with a rainbow lighting bolt. As for Josh, he was a charcoal gray Alicorn with black wings and a shield for a cutie mark.
He rolled out of bed and onto his hooves. He walked down the hall towards his work room. After stopping at one of the doors to check on his daughter, Skyler, he entered the cluttered work space. He changed into a human, a side effect of a spell that had saved his life. The project he was working on consisted of making functioning radios for the Royal Guards. He patted his timberwolf, Timber, on the head and got to work. He was testing one of the radios when he heard a faint crackle of static.
As there was no reciever active, there should have been no sound. Curious, he turned up the volume, only to have the signal vanish. As he was about to give up, it returned. But it wasn't static.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is UNSC FFG 201 Forward Unto Dawn, requesting immediate evac. Survivors aboard. Prioritization code Victor zero five dash three dash sierra zero one one seven." A female's voice said. Josh, surprised at this, fumbled with the mic before responding.
"UNSC FFG 201 Forward Unto Dawn, I read you." He spoke. There was a pause.
"This is UNSC FFG 201. Thank God you found us." The female responded.
"UNSC contact, what is your location?" Josh asked.
"In a degrading orbit around the planet." Josh was dumbfounded.
"Say again, it sounded like you said in orbit."
"We will be entering the atmosphere any moment."
Josh hit a button on his display table. A hologram of a Roman Centurion appeared.
"Leonidas, pull up surface grid 19 by 22." Josh ordered.
"Aye, sir." The A.I. complied.
"UNSC contact, identify yourself." Josh said.
"This is UNSC A.I. Cortana."
"Well, Cortana, If you have any navigation equipment, I am sending you coordinates for a safe landing zone."
"Recieving... Got it. We still have emergency boosters."
"Roger that. I will inform my leaders of your arrival."
"Of course. I will prep the survivor."
"Only one?" Josh asked in disbelief.
"He's... lucky." Cortana replied. Josh stood up and focused his magic. After a few seconds, he appeared in Princess Celestia's bedroom. Before she could react, he teleported her to the War room. He did this with the other royals; Princess Twilight, Prince Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance. Princess Luna was not in her room, so Josh had to leave her out for now.
"What is the meaning of this?" Celestia demanded through a yawn.
"Yes, why did you wake us at this hour?" Shining Armor complained. Twilight and Cadance fell back asleep, leaning on each other.
"Roughly five minutes ago, I made contact with a ship of extraterrestrial origin." He stated. This brought everypony to full awareness.
"What did they say?" Twilight asked.
"They have only an A.I. and a single survivor. Their ship is disabled, so they are going to attempt to land in the Badlands." Josh explained. "In fact, I should head home to make sure my family is safe." Before anypony could say anything, he was gone.
/
"Chief! Wake up!" Cortana shouted. The massive figure shook himself awake and climbed out of the cryo pod.
"How long was I out?" He asked in a deep, gravely voice. He looked at the blue figure in front of him.
"Four years, seven months, ten days." Cortana answered, staring into his orange visor. The man, the Spartan, was a seven foot tall super soldier, capable of unimaginable feats of human ability.
"Situation update?"
"I have made contact with a man in the surface of the nearby planet. I am going to use our emergency boosters to land at the location he provided." Cortana smiled. "We might finally go home."
"How do we know we can trust him? It might be a Covenant trick."
"There was only one radio signal on the entire planet, and no signs of advanced civilization."
"Fine, but if he tries anything, I won't hesitate to do what I must." Chief growled.
"Cortana, do you read?" A man's voice called.
"I think you should take this, John." Cortana said. Chief sighed.
"This is Master Chief Petty Officer John 117 of the UNSC. Who are you?" John asked.
"Former Captain Josh Ramierez of the United Nation Coalition, now Prince of Equestria. I assume you are the survivor Cortana spoke of." The man said.
"That is correct... and what the hell is Equestria?" John asked.
"The country that I am living in. Now, what species are you? Don't want to freak out the locals." The man and Cortana chuckled.
"I am a Human." John stated. The man gasped.
"I can't believe it! Another human. I thought I would never see one again!"
"Are you implying that the locals aren't human?"
"Yes, I am. It will be easier to explain when you get down here." The man sighed.
"Copy that. Cortana, when will we enter the atmosphere?" John asked.
"A few minutes."
"Alright. We'll prepare for your arrival, over and out." The man signed off. Cortana turned towards John.
"I don't supose you have a plan to get off of this thing?" She asked.
"Thought I'd jump, mix things up a little." Chief had a slight smile as he took Cortana's chip out of the terminal and put it into his head.
/
Josh was watching the shy from the top of his house. Rainbow Dash flew up and landed nest to him.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"We're going to have a vistor soon. I just hope he's friendly." Josh sighed.
"What do you mean? Where is he coming from?" Josh pointed up at the sky. One star seemed to move, then grow brighter. Soon it flew over them, rattling the house. Skyler began to cry, so Dash went back inside. As the object neared the horizon, a smaller light broke off and began heading in a different direction. Josh realized exactly where it was going. He rushed inside.
"UNSC A.I. Cortana. A piece of your ship has broken off and is heading for a major population center."
"That isn't part of the ship. That's the survivor." Cortana replied. "He jumped since it was too dangerous to be on the ship when it crashed."
"Well if he doesn't divert from his path, you might have an entire army at your heels." Josh growled.
"We'll do what we can, but no promises." Cortana sighed. Josh teleported back to the war room.
/
"Any news about our visitor?" Shining Armor asked.
"He is a human and he's coming here." Josh nodded.
"Wait, when?" Twilight asked suspiciously.
"Now." Josh teleported them all to a window. They could see a light heading for the castle. It slammed into a guard tower, then flew off course and into a large glass dome.
"Luna is in her observatory, isn't she?" Josh asked. Everypony nodded. Then, running because Josh had to recharge his magic, they headed towards the observatory.
/
Luna struggled to stand up. Dust clouded her vision and debris littered the floor. Three guards, Wilson, Dust Storm, and Vigilant Eye, galloped into the room.
"Princess! Are you alright?" Wilson asked, helping her up. Something started to stand up on the other side of the room, and the other two guards took defensive stances. Whatever it was, it was human shaped, but much too large to be Prince Josh.
As the behemoth took a step forward, Dust charged at it. Before it could react, Dust slammed harmlessly into its chest. Vigilant Eye flew behind it and attacked, but the creature swatted him out of the air. Dust charged again, this time making the giant stumble. Wilson was about to blast it with magic when a voice called out.
"Guards, stand down!" Prince Josh yelled. They obeyed, and Josh approached the now still mountain of metal.
"Don't get too close. It's dangerous." Dust warned. Josh stopped and turned to her.
"Who attacked who?" Josh asked. With his reputation, Dust knew that it was rhetorical. She blushed at her mistake and backed away.
"I assume you're Master Chief?" Josh asked the giant.
"Yes, and I assume that you're the human we talked to?" The armored man said.
"I am. It's a pleasure to meet you. As you can expect, we have many questions for you." Josh gestured to the royals, who were standing by the door. Chief pulled a chip from the back of his helmet. A hologram of a slender, blue woman appeared.
"I'll be happy to answer them." Cortana smiled.
A/N First part done. If you have any questions, read my two other stories (does not include Equestria Girls Horizon Alternate Story, as thaat is a stand alone.) If you still have questions, ask me in a PM. I will always reply eventually.