Purpose Of Existence Chapter 23: As We Fall From The Heavens
"Blue Team you mission is simple. You will disembark from your pelican 200 meters from your intented target. Your priority is the remaining half of Forerunner AI designation Medicant Bias. You will re-emerge them and return to Infinity ASAP". Master Chief was quiet listening to Captain Lasky's short but full debrief of their upcoming mission. A mission that could deside were they going to be stuck on this husk of a spacestation forever or will they return home safely. Linda was croushed on the floor of the pelican quiet as usual. She was making last moment cheks on her gear making sure everything was indeed incheck. Fred was inside the cockpit doing god knows what. Kelly...Eh well she was Kelly. She had hard time standing still and was bouncing all over the place adrelaine already pumping in her veins.
Chief however had taken his old trustworthy spot standing at the back hatch of the pelican. The place where he stood when he, Cortana, Keys and Johnson first came to Ark. It was evening. Sun was setting and casting beatiful bright red reyes of light. If the situation woudn't have been so dire and he would actually have cared for such things Chief would have said the sight was mesmerising. He turned away from his thoughts and continued to listen to Lasky's debrief.
"We are nearly certain that no flood could have survived the firing of the halo array. However knowing the resiliance of the parasite I recommend extreme caution. Stay vigilant spartans and get us home". Lasky took a deep sight and finished "For what its worth...Good luck". With that the transmission was cut and a eery silence fell to replace the hum of the hologram and the soft speech of Captain Lasky.
"We are ten minutes out!" Came the voice of the pelicans pilot as the dropship started to shift towards their final goal. Chief could hear the click of Linda's sniper rifle as she loaded a fresh mag and secured it. Fred also came from the cockpit fully ready. Kelly stood next to him and looked at him with powerful eyes that radiated calmnes, friendlines and a emotion that could now be descriped as anything else than love. Love for a sibling and it was trought she, just like all spartans were his brother and sisters. She looked at him for a moment and said "Where-ever this takes us John, we are with you. I hope you know that?"
...With that the pelican they were riding on blew up. Its wing came tumbling off and it crashed to the wast mountains of the Ark. Only thing thing that Chief managed to see or hear where the hue of light green and the sound of an explosion. He only managed to clanse at his siblings that were trying to hold on for their live as the pelican fell and after that...It was complete darkness.
Chief opened his eyes. His head pounted hard and his legs hurt like hell. Everything hurt like hell, he realised. He looked around searching for Kelly, Linda or Fred but no one was in sight. Actually now that he thinked of it there was neither snow or mountains here. Everything felt so warm. Everything was warm. He was at a beach he realised. There were other people and children running, talking and laughing. Everything was so...Happy and calm. "Where am I?" John Thought as he gazed around. It was midday and the beach seemed to be at its busiest. John started slowly to walk he passed laughting couples and playing children. He even let a small smile spread on his lips as couple drunken old man started a small comical bar fight in the middle of the beach.
"Funny" He thought there was so much people around him...Yet he has never felt more alone. His was brought out of his thoughts as a semi large sized man bumped into him. The man turned around and had took a long look at John. "Watch where your going kid". The old man said as he took another long look and shrugged continuing to where-ever he was headed to.
Thought as the man moved John noticed there was someone behind him. A small figure, slender clearly feminine. As the man moved completely away John's jaw fell open. In front of him was standing a very human looking Cortana. She was just like her hologram. He didn't know much about women but even he could tell that Cortana was absurbly beautiful and his theory was supported by the amount of looks she was getting just by standing there. "Hello John". She said, reminding John of their not so fond reunion. "Its good to see you. Its been so long". She continued and smiled kindly at him. Thought now her voice was warm and her features kind. Everything was as it was always supposed to be. "Well say something, or Il start to feel really stupid". She said and blushed. Chief was trying to find words but none came, he was completely utterly speechless.
"How?" He finally managed to mumble out load, gazing Cortana up and down memorising every single detail about her, like she was about to dissapear. "What do you think John? Your pelican crashed. This is your conshiosnes, I am what you wanted me to be. Like we should always have been…" Cortana trailed off at the end and looked to John with sad eyes. "Im sorry John. Im so sorry for everything ive done. For the pain ive caused and the pain im going to cause… It isn't me you know that right?" She gave him a sad smile and looked down. "You haven't lost your hope? About me? About us?" She kept her gaze down and refused to meet his eyes. John was in a standard USNC PT outfit, his mjolnir gone. He had trouble finding words to confort her. He never really was good with words and showed his caring more by actions than talk.
"You know I haven't Cortana. You know me better than anyone and it might be serving against us for know but I promise you that I will not give up on you and never will". John was quiet for a moment to collect his thoughts and continued "I would travel across stars, destroy solar systems, blow up ships and planets for you...and so I will do if that's what it takes to bring you back. That is my promise to you and I nevr fail my promises". When John finished Cortana smiled. A real Genuine smile spred across her face adn she hugged him. Really actually hugged him. "If you want this to end like we both want you need to let go of your past and focus on the future. You coudn't have saved me no matter what you did but you can now. Focus on that".
Suddenly there was loud yells all around him. He turned around to look for the source of the voice but found nothing. Cortana smiled at him knowingly and said "They are calling for you. Its time that you finished this my knight in shining armor. Go now, Il be waiting".
With that Chief's eyes opened.
I just now realised how much music can affect your writing and I believe it had a giant effect on this chapter and it truly shows. Hopefully you enjoy my little comeback chapter after my unplanned leave.