Date - 2524
Location - Planet Reach - Spartan Training Facility
The training was... Harsh to say the least, they were woken at 6 AM and were immediately thrust into morning exercises. At the end of it, Ash thought it would hurt less to be struck by Pikachu's lightning, Pikachu... When Ash thought about his old partner he felt a tug in his stomach, same when he thought about every one of his Pokemon and friends, and Serena... It was going so right between them, they were going to go on a new adventure together, just the two of them.
"Today's mission is 'Ring the Bell', when every member of your team has rung the bell" he then motioned towards the end of the course, "cross this line."
One of the boys brought their hand up, "question trainee?" Mendez said
"What do we win sir?" they asked
"You win dinner, 157, last team to finish goes without dinner." A collection of gasps and murmurs spread around the teens. Ash looked around and spotted two of the others that he was familiar with, Kelly-087 and Samuel-034, they were both two years older than him, as it turns out, Ash was the youngest, he was thirteen while the rest were fourteen to fifteen. He approached them, they gave him a nod of acknowledgment and he stood beside them, "ready... Go!".
Ash sat alongside Kelly and Sam in the lunch hall, they were also joined by Linda-058 and Fredrick-104. The five of them were currently eating their dinner as they loudly conversed, "man, you did great Ash, way to be a team leader" Sam patted him on the back as Ash blushed at the attention, "seriously man, thanks to you we won't have to starve like the poor souls of 164, 129 and 062."
"It's nothing really, just doing what I do best, helping others push their limits, it's not my first time having to take charge."
The next few days were the same, morning exercise, training mission, eat, class, evening exercise, sleep, repeat.
It will be like that for a long while, with some wild events here and there, until things will take a huge turn a year later. For the best or worst...
The augmentations had... a few complications, as in thirty of the teens had died during the process, twelve of them had also been permanently crippled due to the procedures and proceeded to washout to be put on the sidelines, things had only gone downhill from there, a year later six Spartans had been killed in action due to battling the insurrectionists, known as Team Rocket, who had begun to spread like wildfire among the outer colonies, causing massive revolt against the UNSC. This is when everything started going wrong, with the UNSC being brought down to its knees by Team Rocket, and the death of six of these war machines, everything went from bad to worse, the UNSC had recently lost contact with the planet Harvest, at first expected to be Insurrectionists, they sent squads down. Only to discover a much deadlier threat.
First contact with The Covenant.
Ash admired the machinery that was now wrapped around him. Dr. Halsey had introduced the Spartans to her latest project, Project MJOLNIR. Ash chuckled to himself, if Clemont saw this he would be foaming at the mouth. Ash looked at his reflection in the mirror, he wore the MK IV, he looked into his opaque golden visor, the armour was coloured mainly blue with white accents running across it, just like his old clothes from Kalos.
Ash looked to his squad, Sam, Kelly, Fred, and Linda stood next to him in a line. They looked out to the dead of space where the Covenant Cruiser resided, "you guys ready" Ash said to his team, they all nodded, "Then let's go." they jumped out the pelican and aimed towards the Covenant ship, the managed to narrowly avoid the blasts of plasma that was shot at them. Linda and Fred split off to avoid the fire, with the promise to catch up to them. As the trio got closer they could see a part of the ship's energy shields dissipate as it readied another plasma shot, they sped through the gaps and located the hole which was previously ripped open by a MAC round by the UNSC.
They walked the halls of the Covenant ship, the purple walls of the ship seeming almost organic. They stepped into a wide-open room, then a blue light suddenly illuminated the shadows, a tall reptile-looking creature wielded a sharp blade made of blue energy, the creature stood at nearly eight feet tall and wore tough looking armour. It charged at the squad of Spartans, they began to fire their ARs st it as it charged, the opponent then fired a charged shot of green energy, "Ash!", Ash felt Sam push him out of the way, Sam was knocked to the ground as a hole was burnt into his chest plate by the hit. The creature picked Sam up and held its blade to the Spartan's throat, Ash and Kelly shot rounds from their Magnums at the beast and it dropped Sam as it crumpled to the ground, dead.
Ash knelt next to his friend, "Sam, what were you thinking? why would you take that shot for me?" Sam let out a chuckle.
"You took one for me, why not make it even?" Ash pulled him to his feet.
"You good to keep going," Ash asked.
"Of course I am, let's do this." The three of them entered the engine room, it was here they finally met back up with Fred and Linda. Ash pulled out the nuclear warhead and went to plant it but then the hum of the doors opening stopped him in his tracks. A group of lanky bipedal creatures filled the room, they held round energy shields to block any fire, Ash and the rest of the Spartans rushed behind cover.
"Their shields are blocking all of my fire, what are we going to do?" Kelly asked.
"The shields only cover the front, and there is a gap in the shields exposing their arms" Ash tossed a frag grenade behind the shield bearers, it exploded and killed three of them, Linda then killed two more with well place sniper shots. A couple of group creatures rushed into the room, they had large tanks on their backs and a ventilator system strapped to their faces, they also wielded the same small weapon that the large reptile beast was using.
"Ash! Keep arming the warhead, I'll attempt to close the door." Kelly said, she sped forwards as more shield bearers approached the door, two of the small ones attempted to block her but were taken out by Linda's sniper. Kelly managed to reach the door and she managed to lock it.
"Alright, the countdown is set, we should move out," Ash said, they began to walk to the exit.
"Yeah, you guys should get going." Sam stood back from the group.
"You guys?! You're not coming?" Kelly exclaimed, Ash, put a hand on her shoulder.
"Kelly-" Ash began.
"No! No one gets left behind"
"My suit's breached. If I step into that vacuum, I'm dead anyway" He took off his helmet and looked at them somberly.
"No, no! We don't leave anyone behind!" She pleaded, but it was fruitless anyway. The sounds of more Covenant trying to breach the door filled the room. Ash spoke up.
"He's not staying to die, Kelly, he's staying to fight." The sounds grew louder as they got closer to breaching the room.
"Go, our new friends are gonna wait for us to argue" Sam then pulled Ash and Kelly into a hug, and they returned it. Ash looked into his friend's eyes, and they saluted each other. The Covenant then spilled into the room as the rest of Blue Team fled, Ash, looked back to his friend one more time, before turning away to never see him again.
Date - 2534
Location - Kalos - Lumiose City
Serena got up from the table at the cafe she was eating at. She walked sadly as she approached Prism Tower, she was here to meet with Clemont and Bonnie, today being the day that their friend, Ash Ketchum, went missing.
"It's really been ten years since he disappeared..." Clemont said as he placed a cup of tea in front of Serena, Serena just nodded and picked up the beverage, "it's been tough for you hasn't it? Especially with how close you two were."
"I just wish he got to see me become Kalos Queen six years ago..." Clemont looked at her sadly.
"I'm sure he would've been happy for you."
"Serena! You're here!" Bonnie's bubbly voice exclaimed, she charged the woman into a hug, the now fifteen-year-old had just come back from traveling Sinnoh.
"It's good to see you too, Bonnie" Serena smiled and returned the hug, "congratulations on placing third in the Sinnoh League Bonnie" she praised, the younger girl blushed and gave a grin.
"I knew today will be sad for you Serena, so I got you something!" Bonnie had a wide smile, Serena gave a questioning look. She placed a necklace in Serena's hand, it had a gold coloured chain and in the middle of it was a red gem.
"Thank you, Bonnie, I'll always keep it on me" Serena smiled and hooked the necklace on her neck. Clemont brought some snacks in and set them on the table, Bonnie grabbing some cookies from it.
The three conversed for a while, reminiscing on memories from traveling Kalos with a certain Raven-haired boy, soon Bonnie changed the topic to something a lot more recent.
"Have you two heard about the Halo incident? You know, the giant space hula hoop that was found and that the Master Chief blew up?!" Bonnie exclaimed with a big smile, ever since the Spartans had arrived and began defending humanity she had been obsessed with them, especially the one they call the Master Chief.
"Yes Bonnie, of course, we know, who doesn't. It would be hard to not hear about humanity discovering an entirely artificially built world which defies so much we have thought to be possible, a beautiful technological marvel!" Clemont exhaled after his rant, "I also heard there's an award ceremony being shown on live TV around this time, giving awards to those who survived the incident, which means the Master Chief too" Bonnie let out a grin and grabbed the TV remote. The broadcast showed the hulking figure of the Master Chief and a dark-skinned man dressed in a white uniform.
Location - Orbital Defense Platform - AKA Cairo Station
"You told me there weren't gonna be any cameras" Ash grumbled, he always hated being in the spotlight for things he has done, he did this because he had to, not for the payoff.
"And you told me you would wear something nice!" The dark-skinned man said next to him, Sgt. Avery Johnson walked alongside the Chief as a crowd of Marines spread around them and cameras flashed in their faces "but seriously, folks need heroes Chief, to give them hope, so smile" the older man grinned "while we still got something to smile about".
The two men stood in front of a man who looked around his sixties, he was known as Lord Hood, he wore the same white uniform as Johnson and he donned a collection of medals. Ash and Johnson saluted him. "Gentleman, we're lucky to have you back," he then looked to a pedestal where the hologram of the AI Cortana appeared, Cortana was Ash's companion during the battle of Installation 04, they had met a couple of days before they had left planet Reach on The Pillar Of Autumn and soon finding Alpha Halo.
"Go ahead Cortana" Hood said
"Another whisper sir, near IO, we have probes in route" She informed him, Ash wasn't sure what they were talking about but when does he ever, he just does what he is told he needs to do.
"I apologize but we're going to have to make this quick," Hood says, Cortana looks to Chief.
"You look nice" she compliments.
"Thanks"
"Thank you" both Ash and Johnson replied at the same time, they both looked at each other. They turned their attention back to Lord Hood.
"Sergent Major, the colonial cross is awarded for acts of singular daring and devotion, for a soldier of the United Earth Space Corps," he then placed a medal in Johnson's hand, then a young woman with short cut hair wearing the same attire as the others stepped forwards, "Commander Miranda Keyes, your father's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service. His bravery in the face of the impossible odds reflects great credit upon himself and the UNSC, the Navy has lost one of its best," he then handed her the same medal he gave to Johnson.
Lord Hood turned to Ash but then suddenly alarms started blaring.
"Slipspace ruptures, directly off our battle cluster" Cortana informed them.
"Show me" Lord Hood looks to her.
"Fifteen Covenant Capital ships, holding position just outside the Killzone" everyone looked to each other. The broadcast of the ceremony was then cut off.
Location - Kalos - Prism Tower
"What?! Covenant, here?" Serena exclaimed. After the awards ceremony was interrupted and news of The Covenant invading Earth spread, a mass panic began to spread. Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie had rushed out of Prism Tower and they were greeted by people scrambling through the streets as Covenant dropships began to lower down.
"Serena, Bonnie, we need to get back in Prism tower, I can activate the defense system I had built-in. We need to make sure we are completely locked in." Clemont turned to them only to see Serena missing, "Bonnie! Where's Serena?!" He yelled worriedly.
"She got caught up in the crowd and I can't see her!" she cried out.
"We'll have to find her, hopefully, she hasn't gotten too far," Clemont said as the two of them started to rush through the panicking crowds.
Serena ran as she was pursued by a duo of Elites. When she had left Prism Tower with Clemont and Bonnie, she had been separated from them, and then Covenant soldiers had begun dropping in and now she was on the run from them.
She turned a corner hid, Serena then saw them run by, letting out a breath of exhaustion and relief, she left her hiding spot. The streets were now desolate as everyone had fled.
Serena wandered the street, that's when a loud growl resonated throughout the area. Serena turned to see a pair of hulking monsters wearing blue armour plating with small exposed patches of what looked like orange worms? They looked at her and began to charge, the blonde let out a loud scream as she threw herself to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast, the second one started charging its large gun, it glowed a neon green and just as she thought it was all over, she heard a loud metallic crash. Serena looked up to see a large figure, at least a bit taller than seven feet, they were covered in mainly blue with white accents, and the golden colour of their visor reflected the sun brightly, the Master Chief.
The Chief had thrown himself onto the creature's canon and knocked it off course, that's when he pulled out a frag grenade, He quickly lept up on top of it, he then punched his fist with the grenade into its exposed back before leaping off of it. The beast then blew up in a glorious explosion of orange blood.
Master Chief looked to her with his blank visor, Serena stared at the large man as he approached, "are you okay Ser-Miss?" she looked up at him.
"Y-Yeah, I'm okay, t-thank you." She said, still shaken up.
"I recommend you get outta here, before that second Hunter kills you," just as he said that, he pulled her down as a green beam of energy shot past where she just was, "see? Go, find your friends or just anyone that can help you, avoid any contact with the Covenant."
"I will, thank you so much!" She thanked him again.
"No problem, Miss uhh"
"Serena, call me Serena" She smiled at him.
"Alright Serena, now seriously, go!" at that, he left her and began to face off against the second Hunter. Serena took Chief's advice and ran, that when she ran into Clemont and Bonnie. They asked her what happened and where she went, and she told them exactly what had happened, Bonnie couldn't believe it but she promised her it was true.
She was saved by the Master Fucking Chief!
Hey guys, I finally got the second chapter out. What'd you guys think? As you can see this chapter was much longer than the previous and I had a lot of fun writing this one.
Just to shed some light on stuff:
These events take place just after the first mission on Halo 2, and another thing to say is that The time from the Covenant first attacking and the Halo events was drastically shortened, this is for fact that, I want to keep Ash and Serena young, since, during the Halo games, Chief is in his 40s, soo...
Also thanks to the Guest that left the comment suggesting Team Rocket be considered the Insurrectionists in this universe, if you're reading this then you know who you are.
Anyway, that about wraps it all up, think of it as a Christmas Eve present, with that said, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year since I won't be able to say that by the time the next chapter is out.
See Ya!