"Is that your mom?" asked one of the ponies around me. The voice was quiet so I couldn't really tell who it was.

"Yeah," I replied as I nodded, that sad smile still on my face. I ran a finger alongside her hair, as if trying to feel it through the photograph.

"What... what happened to her?"

"The invasion happened."

"Hurry Mack!" I heard my mother call from the apartment's living room. I obliged, blindly tossing clothes into my backpack like she said. 'Clothes. Only clothes, Mack.' That's what she said. I heard the incessant sound of sirens from outside. The booms of explosions interrupted that dull wailing every so often. A glance outside and I could see Pelicans and some purple craft flying around outside.

I paused in my packing when my eyes fell on a framed picture that sat on my dresser. It was from a year ago during one of the carnivals that they hold outside of the city. I reached for it but hesitated. Only clothes. Nothing else. But... this is so small. Surely she wouldn't mind?

Having made up my mind, I grabbed the frame and flipped it over. Prying off the back, I pulled out the picture. I gave it one brief look before stuffing it into my backpack and closing it. Putting on the bag, I turned and walked out into the living room to see my mom standing at the window, looking out. I saw that she wore her camping pants (a pair of dad's military pants), a gray tank top, and her hiking boots. What mostly drew my attention, though was the fear on her face and the gun in her right hand.

"Mom? What's happening?" I asked, looking from the gun to the window to her face. She turned to me and I saw her fear mostly disappear as she gave me a warm smile. She walked over to me and knelt in front of me, using her free hand to fix a strand of my hair.

"Nothing sweetie. Just..." she paused, as if debating on whether or not to say something. Finally, "some bad people are here so you and me are going to go somewhere safe."

"Will dad be there?"

A sad smile, "No. No, dad won't be there. Soldiers like him will be there though. They'll keep us safe."

She stood up and glanced out the window before looking at the gun she held. Lifting it up, she used her left hand to pull the slide back a little to see look into the gun. Satisfied, she flicked something on the side of the gun before motioning me to follow her.

I nodded, following her as she moved to the door and slowly opened it. She stepped out with gun raised and I saw her eyes darting as she checked both directions of the hallway before walking fully out of the door.

"Come on, sweetie. It isn't too far."

I stepped out and looked down the hallway. I spotted some of the other people on our floor also leaving their apartments with bags and heading for the elevators. Feeling a tug on my bag, I looked back to see that my mom was motioning me to the elevators to the left of our apartment. I could hear a voice over the building's speaker system.

"Please stay calm. All residents are advised to head to floor seventy-two for evacuation. Please stay calm. All residents are advised to head to floor seventy-two for evacuation."

The voice repeated over and over again. Unhindered by the dull voice, I followed my mom to the elevators and the packed people there. They were loud with concerns,

"Where's the elevator?"

"What's going on?"

"The Covenant? They were supposed to be far away from here!"

Through it all, my mom was there next to me, standing silently as she watched the floor display with fiery intensity.

After what felt like forever, the elevator doors opened with a ding. Standing in the elevator was a Marine in full gear with rifle held in both hands.

"Hurry up and get on!" he shouted, "Boat leaves in thirty minutes!"

A panicked frenzy swept through the crowd as they pushed and shoved to get aboard the elevator. It was all pointless, the pushing and the shoving. The elevator was of such size that all could squeeze into it. Who is attacking us here? I thought as I looked at the Marine. Somehow, I ended up next to him in the elevator. I saw him look at the pistol in my mom's hand before looking at her. He nodded and, turning my head to look at my mom, I saw her nod back. Did a conversation occur that I'm not privy to?

After a couple of minutes in what had quickly become a sweat box, a ding sounded and the doors slid open. For me, it was as if the gates of hell had been opened. All I could hear was gunfire, screaming, and the roar of engines.

"De-ass now!" shouted the Marine in the elevator, "Run straight ahead and don't stop for anything until you reach the dropship!" A pause. Nobody moved. "Move! Now!"

One by one, I watched the people as they now ran off the elevator and into the madness that ensued. Quickly, the elevator car emptied as more and more people exited. I felt a hand squeeze my forearm. I looked at the hand and followed it up to my mother's face. It seemed to be set in stone as she stared out of the elevator.

She had no need for words though. The squeezing of my arm said it all. "Stay close."

I looked back at the people and noticed... it was our turn. A subtle push from my mom and I was off, pumping my legs and running after the retreating backs of the people in front of me.

I allowed myself to examine the area around me. Floor seventy-two was one of the recreational floors. Plants grew in boxes under artificial sunlight. Fountains of cool water were placed around the floor. Benches sat at strategic locations to allow a person to relax in the presence of nature, however artificial it may be.

Now, it was a place of chaos. Marines traded fire with strange alien beings whose weapons fired light. The yelling of orders and the screams of the injured pierced the sound of gunfire and, behind it all, the roaring of a Pelican's engines sounded like the bass of a terrible song.

I looked forward to see one of the balls of light impact the man in front of me. He screamed out in pain as he dropped to the floor, his shirt and back burnt. I wanted to stop, I wanted to turn and go back but the words of the Marine echoed in my mind. Turning, I spared a glance over my shoulder to see that my mom was still close behind. With her presence and the words of the Marine, I pushed forward, pumping my legs harder.

The world blurred as I ran faster than I ever did before. All I saw was the path in front of me. I was only vaguely aware that a couple more of the people in front of me fell to the ground. I ran around them. Before long, I spied the doors leading out to the pad and the hulking Pelican that sat waiting. A Marine sat at the door, beckoning us on.

Before I knew it, I was there, running aboard the dropship. I turned around to greet my mom. When I turned, I saw that she wasn't right behind me like I thought. No, she was still a ways away from the Pelican and... Limping? She's hurt!

I could see the dark stain growing larger on her left pants leg, the red hand clenching the thigh and knew that she'd been hit by one of the bolts of light. She was so close! Just a little bit to go and she'd be on board!

A purple lance of light suddenly erupted from her chest and time seemed to slow down. I watched as blood began to flow from the wound and as my mom looked down at it with a look of shock. Color began to drain as she looked back up. Our eyes locked for a second and so many words passed between us. So many unspoken words. Then, she just dropped forward, onto the floor.

"Shit! Get us out of here! Civvies are on board!" I heard the Marine shouting as time sped up again.

"No!" I screamed, reeling on the Marine, "My mom! She's still alive!"

"She's dead kid! Did you not see it go through her heart?" he asked bluntly.

I shook my head, "No! She's alive! I gotta help her! I-"

I felt a pair of arms wrap around me as I tried to leave the Pelican. It was already starting to lift off as I did.

"Let me go! She's alive!" I yelled as I struggled against his hold, "Mom! No!"

The owner of the arms, the Marine, was unresponsive besides a tightening of his arms. I continued to yell and thrash until the building was out of my sight. Then, slowly, the realization came to me and I began to calm down. By the time the ramp was closed, I was fully calm and the Marine released me. Now able to move again, I shuffled to an empty seat, took my pack off, and sat down. Setting the bag in front of me, I opened it slightly and retrieved the picture that I had placed in there.

I traced the figure of my mom with my left hand. A tear dropped onto the picture. The one was followed by more until it became a waterfall of sadness escaping me.

I heard sniffling and looked up to see that the ponies around me, and Spike, were all looking at me with sorrowful faces and balling openly. The one who was crying the most dramatically was Rarity, with a hoof to her forehead and her head thrown back.

"T-that's terrible!" Fluttershy was the one who said this. This surprised me as I this was the first time she had spoken to me. "You poor thing!" she exclaimed before throwing herself against me in a hug that would have been crushing if I was not in my armor. One by one, the others joined in until all of them had at least one legs around me in a hug.

The sudden act of sympathy brought a tear from my already misty eyes. I found myself trying to hug them all back as best I could. Here I was, a being of unknown origins and yet, already they treated me like a dear friend. I looked at the picture that I still held in my left hand and gave a sad smile.

I won't betray this friendship, Mom.

A/N: Blah... Stupid work and school, taking away from writing time. Technically, I got this out on time (being about thirty minutes from midnight still).

Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed this (hopefully not many mistakes). As always, please leave a review telling me what you think of it so far.