*Placeholder for A/Ns if any... otherwise leave blank...*
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Tiffania stood idly in front of her house... still in her traveling gear, which only slightly decreased the appearance size of her chest, temporarily returning to full prominence as she took a deep breath.
"Tiffania? Are you ready to go?" I asked from the side of the carriage.
The Elf girl turned to me, a tiny half smile across her face, like she wasn't sure if she should be happy or sad. "Yes... I'm ready." She replied and I helped her up into the carriage...
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Much later...
"Tiffa... are you ok?" asked Louise.
I then noticed her staring out the window... "Motion sickness?" I asked, then sighed "You get used to it..."
"No... its just that... this has been the farthest I've been from home... ever... I'm scared... I don't know anything about where we're going other than its name! Tristain right?"
"Yeah, we should be coming up on the capital soon... though I think we might be drifting along the Germania borders right now... at least I think it's Germania..." said Louise as she looked out the window herself at large blue mountains with forests at their bases...
"Hey is that smoke?" I asked as I noticed a trail of smoke coming from an area just outside the forests... it looked like a work site... easily within walking distance... I opened the door and swung around so I was sitting up front with Anies... much skill was required for this feat...
"Anies" I started "I want to know what that site is over there, the one with the smoke trail..."
"Yes sir!" she responded and steered the horses towards the smoke trail to investigate.
As we got closer I realized that this wasn't any Covie site, nor was it a fire of any sorts... it was a construction site! Mounds of cement blocks were piled here and there, rugged dirt roads weaved throughout the foundations and there was already a single concrete structure with metal workings riveted onto it to give it a nice finish and to help resist extra incoming fire.
I jumped down off the coach, letting a green bulldozer past before doing so... I then found the man in charge.
"Sgt. Montgomery?" I asked "It's been a while... or at least seems like it..."
The Marine turned to me, holding a clip-board with a shotgun on his back and a few explosive charges on his belt. "Sir!" he saluted upon seeing me "I wasn't expecting you here sir!"
"Neither was I expecting you here... mind telling me what's going on? I've been out of the know of operations in this sector recently." I said, by now the girls had also gotten out of the coach and were looking around...
"Well only a few days ago Queen- erm... I mean Chancellor Henrietta gave us building rights in this little and currently un-owned estate... she said she was leaving the land open right now as the last owner died prematurely and she's waiting for a proper noble to give it to." The Sergeant then took me on a bit of a tour around the work site. "You see, the engineers and technicians of the Dawnstrider have been working tirelessly to construct our new base here. The small old one outside the Magic Academy is quickly becoming full and we need a place for more troops on land to stay, along with the landing pads, motor pools, reactors and other needed structures that Lord Hood had wanted... let me show you the command center."
So Jude led us into the building at the center of the work site, also the only building that was finished. The metal floor had a sort of nostalgic feeling as my boots cling-clanked along it. There were computers, and no not the type you find at home... but big, smart, tactical and strategic ones... the type you'd find in the War Room... with a large map of the planet in the center of the room... over in the corner were two arches... one blue and one orange... they were just sitting there with no apparent function against the wall.
"What are those?" I asked
"Teleporters, they are linked to the base at the academy and the Senate Hall."
"Teleporters? They work?"
"Oh yeah, we tested them enough, plus these ones are running on magic rather than Forerunner tech... whether that makes them more reliable or not I'm not sure... we bought some very rare wind crystals from Albion after the war's end which we've been using to make these Teleporters and some other gadgets such as improved jetpacks..."
I racked the back of my brain... wind crystals... where had I heard someone mention those before... I knew the Covies would kill for those things... which is exactly what they were doing at this very moment... which also brought up another concern...
"Covies have been real quiet..." I said out of the blue right while Jude was explaining the other things they were using wind crystals for. "Too quiet... it's disturbing..."
Jude frowned as he pondered my statement "Your right... we've had no contact with them since we arrived here in full force... maybe we scared them off?" he said, however the last part he sounded a bit skeptical, you can't just scare the Covenant off... especially if they are after Forerunner tech...
"Maybe they're just waiting for a time to strike?" I said "It's been far too long without an attack... not that I'm complaining... but... I just have a feeling something big is 'bout to happen..."
The sergeant nodded "Well hopefully we can finish up construction here before that happens? Oh yeah that reminds me, we made some... improvements to the Senate building while you were gone... hope they enjoy their new digs..."
I looked back at the teleporters "So, would we be able to use these to return to the building?" I asked
"Oh yeah sure, they work fine so you should be able to use these to cut down on your travel time."
Louise, Siesta, Tiffania and Anies had been listening to my conversation behind me, Louise and Siesta looked worried while Anies scowled... Tiffania didn't even seem to have a clue what I had been talking about...
I motioned to the teleporters "Onwards." I stated and Louise stepped into it... but nothing happened...
"Um, hey Sergeant!" I called and Jude came running back.
"Yes sir!?"
"Why can't Louise use the teleporter?" I asked.
The Sergeant clued in finally "oh right! They are programmed to only allow UNSC and T-SOG units access to their air ways."
"T-SOG?" I asked
"Tristain Special Operations Group, the Soldiers of Tristain who have been trained in the use of our tech, however most only serve as senate guards for the time being... hold on I have an idea of how to get you through there."
Jude ran to the back of the Command Center, opening up a closet of some sort with a sliding door, pulling out three Purple UNSC marine outfits which looked like they were of older design, with steel or titanium plating over very simple Kevlar (Halo: CE marine armor, instead of Halo 3, Reach or 4 armor)... or more likely T-SOG outfits, since they had the fleur-de-lis on them and were sort of a purplish burgundy or maroon.
"Put these on and you will be able to walk right through unhindered. I can't just give you some kind of pass since these are only proto-types and we had to work with the most simple of friend-or-foe parameters. Hence the requirement for a UNSC or T-SOG uniform. There are washrooms in the back where you can change."
Louise held up the uniform... looking it over "Uhhmmm..."
"Oh just put it on... I mean how back can it be?" I asked.
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"Hahaha-haha-haha-hahahahahahaaaaa!" Myself, Montgomery and Anies laughed at Louise walked out of the washrooms, her right eyebrow twitching.
"Th-th-that looks... really large on you... haha-haha-hahahahaha!" I wheezed... man it had been a while since I'd had a good laugh at her expense... minus the last few times I'd tazed her.
"I think... I think Louise should get a smaller size." Whuffed Anies
"T-that... that's the smallest size we hahaha-ve" coughed Jude.
The pants were slightly bundled at her ankles, the sleeves were just a bit too long and the torso... well... the torso had more room than she could fill if you know what I mean.
Meanwhile Siesta and Tiffania had also changed into the T-SOG uniform and it fit them both fine... well... Siesta more than Tiffania since even the largest uniform we had didn't quite have enough chest space for her, making it a little tight in the chest area... she'd also swapped out her large sun hat for a wide military Boonie cap to hide her ears.
"Well... we may as well head through." Said Anies after we'd all calmed down and Louise had cut her leggings and sleeves a bit to length.
Now have you ever felt the sensation of taking a teleporter? It feels like you are being dissolved at the molecular base and then reformed just as quickly almost like a really sharp pins and needles feeling when your foot or hand falls asleep... although it happens so fast that most can hardly feel it for more than one second... some however complain that the sensation continues well around five minutes after they've teleported, those people just aren't fit for it in my opinion though.
Once I stepped out of the teleporter I was greeted by many bright lights outside the room I was in, which was a circular hallway around an inner section... like a giant dome... I could only see what was in this dome through a small doorway just in front of the receiving room... well... it was more like an unfinished balcony... it went straight down...
I then heard Louise, Siesta and the others warp in behind me...
"Are you sure this is the palace?" Louise asked.
I shrugged and walked through the empty doorway... looking around the dome... I then noticed a large pedestal or kind of... throne type thing... in the middle of the dome which curved both downwards and upwards, making more space... if you can picture the kind of Sci-fi senate room in a certain galaxy far far away and a long long time ago, you can (*Cough-Starwars-cough*) pretty much picture what it looks like.
I looked out into the room and saw a few T-SOG Senate Guards in blue full body EVA Marine armor, rather than the standard Purple... there were also two Red T-SOG Royal Guards in ODST armor inspecting the bottom of the pillar on which what I assumed was the head of the senate's position was placed.
I noticed the different colors of the T-SOG uniform and I guessed that each color was a different branch. Burgundy, Maroon and Purple were the default colors of standard T-SOG soldiers, Blue was that of the Senate Guards, since most of the men and women who were walking around the building right now were dressed in blue marine outfits... while Red might have been the personal guard of Henrietta.
I returned back into the halls, where Louise and the others were waiting, all of them leaning against some kind of decoration such as a holographic torch stand, heavy potted flora such as small trees and flowers or just the walls themselves.
"So what's going on?" asked Anies
"Looks like the palace underwent a makeover... in a very quick amount of time as well I might add... we were only gone for what? Two weeks tops!" I replied, then turned to a passing Senate Guard. "Hey, where is Henrietta's quarters? We have a report to hand in."
"Uhh..." the guard muttered... I then showed him my identification and he relaxed "Up in the eastern wing, head a quarter way around the senate halls then go through the door there, head upstairs two flights and then through another door, go left and you should find it, the biggest set of doors there."
"Thanks." And with that the five of us headed on our journey through the confusing and new building... we may have gotten lost once or twice but eventually we managed to find the Chancellor's quarters...
As we approached the doors we could hear some kind of rabid moaning... or growling... either way it didn't sound pleased...
"Um..." started Louise... "Alex you go first..."
I rolled my eyes "Yeah yeah I'm going..." I stepped towards the doors and cracked one open, peeking inside... I inched my way into the room which had been redesigned again and had a fancy purple desk at the far end which had a wide window in it which overlooked the whole Capital City, the desk was on a slight two step rise and closer to the doors were a set of two couches, a table in the middle and two smaller but still cushioned chairs... several holographic torches lined the room on half purple and black walls, a simple pattern with the lower half being black and the upper being purple.
At the desk there was a small machine with a glass like screen and holographic board in front of it... there was also someone sitting at the desk...
Her hair was slightly ratty despite her hair band and her eye was twitching at the screen but there was no mistaking that purple hair... other then her hair and face which was contorted with anger at the moment she looked entirely professional with a well ironed purple dress-suit, mini-skirt and half-heels.
"Y-your Excellency?" I asked, using the new term for her.
As soon as she heard my voice her hazed eyes snapped out of it and she franticly brushed her hair with her hands... looking over at the door... "Oh... Alexander... I didn't noticed you come in..." she said, calming down.
"What was that all about? I could hear you from outside."
She half-blushed, realizing she'd been louder than she originally thought and stuttered "U-uh... well... I'm having... problems..."
I walked over to her and had a look at her side of the small glass pane that was in front of her... there was a holographic interface upon it with a single box window opened up on the screen saying... Log In...
"Computer?" I mused "What's the problem?" technology isn't my strong suit... that was more Kat's thing... but ask me to fly a fighter, chopper, or even starship and by all means I'm the best Noble has!
"I don't know..." she mumbled "I'm stuck..." she perched her head on top of both of her hands while her elbows rested on her desk.
I looked over the log in screen... selecting one of the admin rights to show her password...
Username: Henrietta de Tristain
Password: tristain 043
Read the screen... I cocked an eyebrow at this... I tried something...
*tick-ticka-tack*
Password: Tristain 043
I entered into the input, then hit enter...
*ba-ding!*
The computer rung and the log in screen faded, being replaced by the desktop which only had four icons being: Recycle Bin, My Computer, My Documents and a single text document labelled as Reminders.
The operating system hadn't changed much since it's old days... the current one by default being Windows 56S now...
"When did they install these?" I asked, referring to her desktop.
"Yesterday... It was already working once they showed it to me but then I had trouble opening it back up again today..."
"Oh yeah about that... your password is case sensitive you know...?"
"Huh?"
"You need to press and hold the shift key when you enter the T in Tristain." I explained "Oh right! I nearly forgot... hey guys it's alright!" I called.
The girls who had been waiting out in the hall pushed through the doors and walking into the room, Louise, Anies and Siesta both gaping... Tiffania was too, however I bet she would have been either way whether the room was in medieval form or modern.
"Louise!" cried Henrietta "It's good to see you back again! How went your trip?"
Louise knelt, along with the others, aside from me... "Quite well your... Excellency..." I could tell she still wasn't used to the new terms by the way she hesitated.
"Oh you guys don't need to kneel anymore, please, stand." Said Henrietta, essentially throwing all her old protocols out the giant window and into the streets.
I couldn't help but smile at her... since day one, she'd changed so much it was amazing... I took her for stubborn and in all honest a total idiot... but standing here and now she had gone and amazed me of all people... she'd smartened up and evolved her nation through herself, made sacrifices and let things go that I doubted any of the nobles or royalty before or after he could have done without the mental pain of stabbing themselves in the foot. Her... she looked no worse for wear... if anything she looked better... and that modern outfit with her tight yet official looking mini skirt made her look so cute...
"And this must be Tiffania then?" she asked, nodding towards the disguised elf girl.
"Y-yes ma'am..." she replied...
"Hmm... I noticed that hat doesn't suit you... why do you wear it?" asked Henrietta... to which I was inclined to agree... it didn't look good on her... but nonetheless I knew why she wore it...
"S-she burns easily..." I said
"Burns!?" exclaimed Henrietta "Like a vampire!?"
I facepalmed "No, sunburn!"
"Oh..." it was times like this that reminded me of how much of an idiot she could be...
"But you are inside now so its fine right?"
Damn! She was persistent!
"It's alright Alex... one way or another it was bound to happen sooner or later... may as well get it over with..." said Tiffania as she removed her hat... everyone except myself jumped back from her.
"Elf!? Your an elf!?" exclaimed Louise.
"W-well its not like I meant you any harm by it... I just... well... you guys all hate Elves so I figured it would be best if no one knew... I was scared..."
Henrietta sighed "Well... that's understandable... come, we will head out into the back, no one but UNSC personnel will be there and they will be indifferent as to what you are. You can fill me in on the details on the way and once we are there."
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We all stood next to a small gazebo which was placed upon a slight hill, surrounded by water with a narrow bridge linking it back to the main path. No one was out here at the moment aside from two UNSC Engineers who were putting up an antenna at the far side of the Royal gardens, well out of ear shot.
"Well... actually... Alexander already knew this... but I'm only half elf... my mother was an elf while my father was a human..." explained Tiffania while she stared down her reflection in the pond. "She was the mistress of the Arch Duke of Albion... my mother had told me to not appear before others... and lead a solitary life once she was gone... which I did... until now..."
"The Archduke of Albion?" asked Henrietta as she crept down beside Tiffania. Meanwhile Louise and Anies were standing halfway up the hill, I myself was sitting on the shallow hillside... the grass was wet and slick but I managed to keep my butthold...
"I won't discriminate you because you are part elf... or even if you were full elf I would not... you are the one who saved Alexander, and for that you have my eternal gratitude. Do not worry, in Tristain I will become your personal shield... Tiffania."
Tiffa stood back up, facing Henrietta "Your Excellency! Thank you!" she gasped and bowed slightly.
"Not a problem... come... let us sit and have a drink? Hmm? We can talk about what happened over in detail... and there is this drink I've been meaning to try from Alex's world!" she giggled after saying the last part...
We all sat down in the white gazebo on the hill, small and simple glasses were in front of us with a brown but clear liquid in them, lemon slices decorated the rims of the glasses.
Henrietta was looking through the glass on eye level... "So... does the lemon change the taste entirely?" she asked.
"No..." I replied "It's also a crap load of sugar and processing to make it taste right..."
"Processing?"
"Very long process of making goods so that people don't have to go through the strain of making it themselves... also the more processed a product is the worse it is for you... in terms of foods... this is considered a soft drink where I come from after all and is supposed to be treated as a kind of treat drink... kinda..." I finished, placing my helmet on the table and taking a sip of the ice cold lemon tea that was before me... very sweet and sugary... something I think I shouldn't be drinking... uuhhhggg... but I hadn't had one in so long... I haven't even had a beer in well over a month and a half... *sigh* I'm sorry I get sidetracked...
"Anies, you too, the trip must have been long, you deserve some rest as well..."
"Sorry ma'am but it's not required, I have more information about the trip than my original report suggested... since we were back there I didn't want to stress you with classified intel of which certain personnel have no need of hearing... such as the guards and engineers... however there was in fact another battle I'm afraid." Said Anies
"What happened?"
"I'll explain that one." Said Louise "We were attacked by that Sheffield woman again, only this time she attempted to interrogate me for the location of another void user."
"Another void user!?" exclaimed Henrietta
Then Anies chimed in "I think it's possible that this Sheffield person knows more than we do... without a doubt she is powerful and dangerous at best, to ignore her would be... foolish..."
"If she is indeed this powerful" said Henrietta "Then we should have heard something from the other nobles... rumors, whispers... some kind of gossip maybe?"
Meanwhile Tiffania was totally confused as to our conversation.
"If there isn't any info on her..." I added "It might be possible that she is going freelance... a rouge or brigand maybe? Then if what Louise said is true and that she is really a void familiar... then aside from her master... where might she be getting all these resources to track us down... it's not like she's got a crystal ball with which she can see our every move right!?" I said... then paused "W-wait... there is no such thing right?"
"Not that I know of... however it's possible that those Forerunners you spoke about a while back are involved... if not them then their tech at the very least... did your men ever return to that dig site you sealed off before?"
"No... the rest of the Fleet bugged out and I don't think opening up that vault of crazed robots is a good idea quite yet... however now that you mention it... I think I might need to slip in there... get that... floating ball out of there... maybe we can get some answers..." I said
"The only question is..." added Louise "What questions will he answer... or will he just lead to more?"
We all sighed...
"Either way, we will focus on the now for the time being. Anies. Don't let your guard down for a moment, stay alert and focused, along with your squad."
"Yes ma'am!"
"Anyways, Alexander..." said Henrietta, turning back to me "The sun is going down... first thing tomorrow we will have the knighting ceremony and resolve your transformation into a noble."
I nodded "Sure."
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I couldn't sleep... strange for me... I was in my own bed in one of the guest rooms in Henrietta's personal wing of the senate building... it was nice... I didn't have to deal with girls trying to hog the sheets for a change... still that being said I was having difficulty sleeping... this silence of the Covenant was making me nervous... along with the recent discussion about Forerunner tech... which had brought concerns about the Prometheans back to the top of my mind... that and I couldn't help but wonder what all this Forerunner tech was doing here in the first place... I knew they had been around allot... but this much stuff in one place... it wasn't a coincidence...
I sighed and tried to sleep again by closing my eyes... but couldn't... it was going to be a long night... then I heard faint music... a harp or something... I sat up... it wasn't like I had anything better to do... I might as well look for the source... I stuck my head out a window... it sounded like it was coming from above... maybe the top...
After changing into my fatigues... the Nanite-Transformer was perfect for getting in and out of my armor by the way... I left the room and found an elevator which I was able to take to the top of a spire in the middle of the senate building... it lead to a huge tower spire, poking high about the building, looking over the entire city and the surrounding area...
I stepped out into an entirely glass room aside from the floor and first foot or so of the walls which included the balcony and it's walls too.
I then noticed a blonde girl with a loose green tunic and long white stockings sitting on one of the benches playing a harp... her point knife ears stuck out from under her long hair... she was singing in a language I couldn't understand... (But I shall translate it for you despite you know what it says)
"The left hand of god, Gandalfr. Brave, the shield of god... The right hand of god, Windalfr... kind at heart, the flute of god..."
"That's beautiful..." I sighed as I leaned against the wall just inside next to the balcony...
Her ears twitched upon noticing my presence "I'm sorry..." she quickly said "Did I wake you?"
"Eh..." I shrugged and walked out onto the balcony "I couldn't sleep anyhow..." I smiled "Mind some company?"
"No not at all." She replied and I sat down next to her.
Once I sat down she began to stare past me at the moon "It's strange... the moons look just the same as it did back in the forest." She said and I couldn't help but chuckle at her naivity.
"Well we are still on Halkenginia." I said "It's not like we've left this world, the moon and stars will always be the same... albeit not always at the same angle but they will always be there..." I paused "Hey, I've asked you this before... but I didn't drag you into anything unwanted did I? Sometimes I wonder if you would have liked it if you had stayed in your cottage... was it a mistake to bring you out here?"
"No, not one bit!" she chirped back "I was in that cottage alone for five years... it was well past time for change... and this is just what I've been waiting for... though not necessarily what I imagined it would be like."
"Well what did you think it would be like? If you don't mind me asking."
"Well... simpler I guess... I grew so accustomed to my simple way of life back in the woods that I guess I grew to expect the same things of everywhere... though now I know that isn't the case... either way my leaving the home so to speak was... inevitable... I guess now rather than later right?" she said. "It's been my biggest dream to walk freely on this world... explore it..."
"That's good to hear..." I replied "The pressure had been on for me... just one less thing out of a long list of items I need to worry about..."
She stood up and rested her arms on the top of the balcony railing... if you could call it that... it was more of a foot thick wooden and steel plated low wall. I then followed her in kind, leaning onto it with one arm.
"But like I said... I don't know anything about the world out here... it's scary... although I'm a mage... I'm still part elf and that is interfering with my interactivity with this world..."
"I wouldn't think of it as being cursed Tiffa..." said "Think of it more as a blessing... you are half elf with magic powers that few have... and yes... I know you are the other Void Mage that Sheffield was talking about."
She seemed startled by the fact that I had revealed I knew her secret... "H-how?"
I smirked "Like me... you and I are both horrible liars..." I said, referring to her episode earlier this evening...
She sighed softly... not looking at me, maybe what I'd said came out to soon...? "But you and me are quite alike really... we both are a kind of misfit in this world... you're a half elf who knows little of the outside world, whereas I am not even from this world... we both don't know all that much to about this world to begin with..."
"Not from this world?" she asked
"Oh right, you've never seen UNSC before now... well let's just say we're not locals... which is why I can see why you are feeling this way... unsure of yourself and of those around you, so if you ever need to talk or need help, feel free to come to me..." I chuckled "Besides... I'm not Louise's familiar anymore so aside from any orders from Lord Hood there isn't really anything stopping me from helping you anymore."
Tiffa smiled and hugged me, coming up to about my nose in height which was fairly tall considering I was about six and a half feet at least... the SPARTAN IIs were taller... some were over 7 feet...
She pushed back from me at half her arm length. "Thank you Alexander! I'm glad I can be friends with you!" she paused... "I think..." she mused...
"You think?" I asked
"Well..." she trailed off... then took me by surprise by kissing me, it was much less strained than any I'd had with Siesta or Henrietta since Tiffa wasn't nearly as short as them, hence I didn't have to bend down ridiculous amounts to oblige them.
The weird thing was... I didn't want to push away from her when she kissed me... like Siesta or Henrietta I had a slight tinge of doubt whenever shit like this happened... still... in general I didn't want anything to do with girls at the moment so even with Tiffa it was slightly strange, if not quite as much... that coupled with the fact I'd never kissed a girl until nearly a year ago... at least I think it's almost been a year now since I'd gotten here...
She then released me "G-good night Alex!" she chirped and daintily skittered away, leaving me in awe at what just happened... sure she was timid and a bit naive... but she saved my life so I'd repay her in kind... sooner or later... I sighed, girls were confusing... ask me to swing a sword, shoot a man, blow up a ship... sure I can do all that easy... but ask me to have a casual conversation with someone of the opposite gender... who has an attraction to me? Um... let's just say I feel more comfortable following a Grunt through a minefield... and a really big one with the mines really close together...
When was the last time I'd had a good fight, I wondered... I needed to blow off some steam and I hadn't had the change to lay down some serious kick ass... however my plans were set already, tomorrow I'd planed to gather up Noble Team and head into the Forerunner ruins to the west of Tristania in hopes of recovering 042-Tristain and getting some answers.
I turned back around to look at the two moons which hung in the night sky, sighed, then headed back inside and down to my quarters where the rest of the night passed uneventfully.
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"Are you ready?" asked Henrietta as we all stood in her office, her hands were clasped behind her back patiently.
"As ready as I ever will be" I replied
"Ok, raise your hand and repeat after me."
I nodded as Henrietta continued to say the oath "I, Alexander Chyton, swear myself to Tristain, The Chancellor and all her people."
"I, Alexander Chyton, swear myself to Tristain, The Chancellor and all her people" I repeated
"To protect and serve her until my dying breath."
"To protect and serve her until my dying breath."
"My oath is ever lasting, to break it is death, dishonor."
"My oath is ever lasting, to break it is death, dishonor."
Henrietta nodded "I name thee Alexander Chyton a Chevalier." She said. "Now then, Siesta."
Siesta walked over to me, Henrietta gave her a small golden magnetic badge which Siesta stuck on the shoulder of my armor.
"A normal cloak would probably have been hindering for such bulky armor, and since so much is changing I figured the symbol of nobility can as well..." explained Henrietta. The golden badge was merely a single golden Fleur-de-lis with a silver circle around it... it actually blended in rather well with my armor... taking the spot of where my emblem would have been if I had one.
"Master, how does it feel?" asked Siesta.
"Pretty good... wait... Master!? What's this about!?" I exclaimed, making Siesta giggle.
"W-wait, why is Alexander your master!?" demanded Louise in partial rage.
"Well duh! The queen- erm sorry, The Chancellor's orders!" she held up a formal slip of paper which was all written in French. "By her orders I am now his maid!"
"W-what!? Your Excellency?!"
"What? I felt that Siesta would get along well with him since they are both friends... what better a maid to ask for than one who is friends with his or her master?" countered Henrietta... though I'm not sure how I myself felt about it...
"Y-y-yes... your Excellency... Thank you for your thoughtfulness..." Louise strained out forcefully trying and failing to sound legitimately thankful...
"Yes thank you Your Excellency!" chirped Siesta, only making matters with the fuming Louise worse...
"Well now... the boring procedure has ended... there is a Tristainian Special Ops Group Falcon waiting for you outside on the upper landing pads ready to take you to the Academy... meanwhile I must get ready to attend the Intercontinental Conference... fun... they don't even know about Tristain's change in government or protocols... this ought to be good..." Henrietta huffed the last part as though she expected all eyes to roll once she walked in, which considering this world's governmental and religion systems, I wouldn't have been surprised if they did. "Oh also Tiffania can stay here because she's my cousin."
I turned around in surprise along with the others. "Oh really? This is interesting." I said
"Yeah, I didn't know this either until about an hour ago..." replied Tiffa.
"Tiffania's father is my father's younger brother. The one which is the archduke of Albion's South Gotha area. I would guess that this was fate... it was meant to be" said Henrietta.
I chuckled "Who would have thought it? Hey Tiffa, why don't you come to the academy? I'm sure that you'd like it better there... no construction around." I asked.
"Thanks but no thanks... Henrietta made the offer earlier but I rejected... to be honest, I don't know If I've quite mustered the courage to step into a school full of people who likely hate elves... and you know... since I'm half elf, I'm sure that would cause much prejudice to be directed at me... not only that but I feel my presence would only bring you more trouble than it's worth..."
I smiled, removing my helmet "Tiffa, I promised to keep you safe didn't I? If you come to the Academy you will have nothing to worry about." I was about to go on and say something well thought and meaningful when a stupid brat jumped up and whacked me over the head for no apparent reason.
Rubbing the back of my head I turned to face her "What the fuck was that for!?"
"Mind your place, you are a Chevalier now. A knight!"
"So?" I retorted "Isn't it a Knight's job to protect others?"
"A Chevalier's job is to protect the queen!" replied Louise
"Well eeeexcuuussseee meeee! I didn't know that!"
"Well now you do!"
"And it was necessary to bonk me on the head for that!?"
"Yes"
I blinked twice in quick succession... furrowed my brow and then facepalmed...
"So you are allowed to hit yourself but not others?" Louise asked, a smart ass tone in her voice.
"NOT THE SAME!" I exclaimed my voice raising an octave in exasperation. I'm sure I've said this before but Louise is impossible...
"Whatever..." she sighed, as though I was the antagonist in our ongoing conflict... ok... well... maybe like... half the time I guess... but still...
Louise started to head over to Tiffania, no doubt to give her a hard time or something... I moved to intercept her but to my surprise...
"Tiffania... about Alexander..." she paused as though the words were difficult to form. "Thank you. For saving him that is."
Tiffania's expression relaxed, I guess she'd come to the conclusion that I had where Louise was going to give her hell for something... like her breasts again... but she just smiled and replied "No problem, it's how I was raised, taught to help others that is..."
"B-but just so you know..." Louise started, that annoying and frustrating tone inching back into her voice that meant you were gonna get an earful any minute... Tiffania seemed to notice it too as her eyes quickly narrowed at Louise after she started talking like that... this time I did break it up before anything could start.
"That's enough Louise." I said and grabbed the collar of her outfit and hefted her over my shoulder, starting for the landing pad near the top of the Senate building.
"HEY! YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME!" She exclaimed "I ORDER YOU TO DROP ME!"
"I'm not your familiar any more remember? I'm just keeping you alive for another day, got it?" I replied while she wailed on my back with her tiny fists rolled up into balls, no so much as tinging off my armor. After a minute of hitting she stopped, pouted and held her fists under her chin.
"Owwie" she muttered
"Well then don't beat so hard, especially against such heavy armor." I replied, half scolding, half joking.
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We all sat on the passenger bay seats of the Purple stripped down Falcon, this one was pretty much the same design but had all the weapons ripped out and replaced by seats and had a troop bay bar hanging from the main troop bay, almost like the skids on Hornets only rubber padded and hung from the Falcon with handholds, it was low enough so that you could lean back against the lower part of the main troop bay, it wasn't comfortable but it made it so that you didn't have to balance yourself the whole time you were sitting. This must have been just a transport version of the craft since the only weapons on board were a set of six spare Magnums clipped to the inside walls of the Falcon.
Siesta was sitting on the skids, holding onto the side of the Falcon, her legs swinging below the chopper. "I can see forever!" she exclaimed over the rotor blades, wearing the Purple TSOG fatigues which were under the standard armor.
"Wait is this the first time you've flown?" I asked.
She turned her head partially to hear me better, however I guess she didn't hear me, her short black hair was flailing around madly and the wind whipped her face. "WHAT!?" she exclaimed
"I SAID! Is this the first time you've flown!?" I asked louder.
"Yeah! Never been on a Dragon or flying machine except for the big airships!"
I chuckled quietly, not nearly loud enough for her to hear me. As we flew I looked out across a vast forest we were passing over... a large brown scar with bits of neon white structure sticking out from the middle rested deep within the woods. The Forerunner dig-site... it was abandoned now... not for long... I shook my mind off it, today was supposed to be a happy day, a day for celebration! I'd worry about the gloomy Sci-fi dungeon crawler I was going to go on tomorrow when it was time for it. We Spartans were good at improvising with plans anyways... if worst came to worst we could just do what we did best... however knowing us we'd go overkill... I snickered thinking of a time we'd used to much Plastic Explosives to blow up a Covie Reactor on some backwater planet after they'd taken it over... blew up the reactor... blew up the occupants... blew up the base... damn near blew up the planet...
We landed at the academy and a sea of students greeted me and Louise back, congradulating me on becoming a noble... I wasn't sure how I felt about the attention, sure in a way I'd always wanted it, but not for these reasons... I wanted attention so that I could make points and get shit done, this... this was... overkill... but maybe this way I could still get people to see the real threat... Henrietta and Louise sure saw it so why couldn't anyone else?
"Congratulations on becoming a noble Alex!" Said Guiche as I stepped out of the Falcon. "You have heard of the Undine Squad right?"
"No..." I replied "What is that?"
I regretted asking... "We the Undines!" Exclaimed Malicorn... a rather fat and pudgy nerd looking kid... along with a legit geeky looking kid and several others... "The Queen- erm, Her Excellency's knights! Undine! And Guiche is our captain!"
"Huzzah for Her Excellency!" Exclaimed the Undine guys "Huzzah for Captain Guiche... oh and Huzzah for First Lieutenant Alexander!"
"I'm just an LT huh...?" I grumbled under my breath... while they looked at me expectantly... then I did what I normally did under these awkward situations... I slowly started backpeddaling. "I'll... be at the base" I said picking up the pace before turning about face and swinging into the old UNSC base wing of the Academy...
I sighed... now shit was defiantly not going to go back to normal... It was dead and buried like... 9000 feet under now...
I leaned against the walls of the base admitting defeat... I threw my hands up in the air "FUCK IT!" I exclaimed "FUCK IT, I Don't care anymore!"
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Sorry for the delay in the upload... school has been a bitch what else can I say?
Anyways A review would be much appreciated, whether negative or positive its up to you, constructive criticism is preferred over smashing any day mind you. If you liked the Fic, why not add it to your faves and follow it to stay in the know of future updates... so that you know... when I actually do decide to update you will know... knowing my consistency... *Mumbles*
Anyways I'll write to you later and I'll let you know that if you haven't reviewed or don't want to review to let me know what the final pairing should be, I've put a poll for it up on my profile, a few quick clicks will be all it takes to vote for your fave OCx? Pairing.
Now then.
WTYL Fan-bros.
-Rogue