Hello again everyone. I'll bore you with my excuses after this chapter. This chapter is another chapter i felt needed doing before Alexa can dive into the covenant and innies guns a blazing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo, if i did then Halo Wars never would have ended with sergeant Forges death. This war has enough dead hero's.

Chapter 5: It Begins

The two weeks passed by quickly and without incident. I learnt more about each of the Spartans, as the days passed I met more and more of them as they got better and moved around more. There were no more awkward comments between us anymore, but I could still see that they viewed me as an outsider but I'd change that with time.

I hadn't really gotten a chance to see the doctor again, she was very smart and it seemed everyone wanted to borrow her for it. But it was okay, I know that she could solve everyone's problems and I was glad she was given the chance. I met up with Anders though. She was just as smart but she actively sought me out, and I was more than happy to spend time with her. I even introduced her to my friends and it was rather funny at first, to see the neat and well mannered scientist hanging out with the crazy ODST's.

She was nervous at first, but when she talked with Lucy, my world ended. Those two combined were hell. When those two were together I often sought refuge among the various pilots. I was just glad that Anders never followed me there. So me and Edward spent a fair bit of time together. I had gotten wickedly good at cards and it was only a shame we didn't play for money.

But it all had to come to an end sooner or later. So I had said goodbye to Lucy and the Helljumpers, she was certain we'd meet again and they were all looking forward to fighting with me. I said goodbye to Edward and the other pilots and they told me if I ever needed a ride they'd be there in a flash. I was sad to leave them all, but now I understood the reason of the tattoos, where ever we all were, we were linked.

I never had to say goodbye to Anders, she was coming with us and I was grateful for that. We'd become quite close even with all of Lucy and her jokes about my size, but I was glad we all had fun together. I was already missing that.

Right now I was on a pelican with other Spartans and scientists. Unfortunately Anders and the doctor were on another pelican and the other Spartans weren't very talkative, so I was left to look out the window at the ship slowly blurring into the blackness of space while the black slowly turned blue.

The pelican eventually landed and we all filed out. The scary man from before separated me from the rest and led me down several hallways and stairs outside into a courtyard. Then across the courtyard and into a separate building. As I walked into the room I was faced with several tough and equally scary people, and why were they were all bigger than me. I thought I was supposed to be the invincible super soldier.

"Right listen up, this is the maggot we've got the job of whipping into shape. We'll all take turns teaching her our own specialities. Today's going to be firearm training. Everyone else should check the time table for the squirt's training with you." The scary man just barked out orders and casually calling me a maggot, repeatedly!

The smart thing to do would be to ignore his maggot remarks and finally come to terms with my size and worthlessness. But who said I was smart, "I'M NOT A MAGGOT AND I'M NOT A SQUIRT, DON'T INSINUATE I'M SMALL." I instantly froze, I knew my mouth was going to get me into trouble sooner or later.

"Maybe there's some fight in you after all maggot." The scary man just laughed. It was a loud throaty chuckle that made me think a tiny bit of farther christmas. He didn't look like santa exactly but his laugh and his size was good enough to be farther christmas, he wasn't fat but his height, he just needed a padded costume. Maybe he wouldn't be so scary if I gave him some mince pies and milk? I'll have to run that by him next time we talk.

Scary Santa just left the room, followed by the other scary people, and I was left with two. These two did not look happy with being left with me. They looked like they'd snap me like a twig if I asked a stupid question or annoyed them in any way.

They led me outside again to what I presumed was a firing range and I was sat on a bench, the rest of the day was spent drilling different weapons into me. They pulled them apart and placed them together and taught me how to pull them apart and how I was supposed to fire them. I then spend half the night learning to fire them.

After the long day I wanted nothing more than to die of exhaustion. My entire body ached from the use of all the weapons and I knew that the following days and possibly weeks would be the same. Why me? I have so many more guns to learn and I was feeling that I'd be learning them over the course of the weeks. I was led through more halls that I tried to remember to an empty barracks and left there to collapse on the bed.

Pain, a sharp pain in my feet, that was how I was woken and I was given little chance to change and prepare for the upcoming hardships of the day. I followed through the halls again to the same building as before. I was greeted by the sight of a different instructor this time. Today I was to be learning some martial arts, again I barely survived the day. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The days went on like this, I would be woken up after way too little sleep, trudge barely prepared through the halls to the same place to be taught something new by a scary looking person who didn't feel like just talking. However I got used to just being grateful for the fact they brought food with them for me which meant at that point in time they were some of my best friends.

Months passed stuck in the same demanding routine, over the days I was taught firearms, martial arts, tactics and signals, driving, flying, first aid and the doctor, who was true to her word, also found someone to teach me kenjutsu. But right now I didn't feel like thanking her, she'd only increased my work.

In the time spent in that room I had made great progress, I wasn't going to be the best at these things but it was a start, it was the basics. It just meant I'd have to continue training and practising for a lot longer, whenever I had spare time I'd have to practise. The best thing about this place was they didn't accept failure or forgetting, I had to remember, I had to succeed and do better, and so I would.

I was woken up again, but this time not by anything, anything except the feeling that I should already be awake. I guess I was getting used to the wake up time here. This time though scary santa greeted me when I had just finished getting ready for the day. "Alright maggot, today you'll be joining the other Spartans. You're training isn't complete, but it'll have to do. Remember you're a Spartan you'll survive and you'll win. But you do it as a group. Now I know who and what you are, but that doesn't matter anymore, you're good enough to fight and that's what matters, I guess what I'm trying to say here kid is you've graduated."

"I'M NOT A MAGGOT AND I'M NOT A KID." He just laughed at me again, in his throaty chuckle. There was something in his eyes, it was like this time around he accepted me. I think I was one step closer to fitting in here or I could be entirely mistaken, I'm not a mind reader nor am I good at reading faces.

He led me down more corridors and through buildings, he eventually led me to a weird car which I had learnt was called a warthog or at least that was the common nickname due to the tusk like attachments on the front. I had learnt how to drive one and pull one apart and put back together again. It was really a rather simple machine that could be fixed with sticks, two sticks and a rock. Beautifully simple.

We went for a drive through the countryside down some mud roads and through some plains. I was slightly worried he was either going to kill me and bury me out here or he was going to set me loose and hope I didn't find my way back. However we kept driving to my relief.

The warthog came to a stop by large steel door. Like an hanger door, a large one built into the side of the land. After we entered and travelled down yet more corridors we came to a large room. As I entered, he shut the door behind me and left me to the darkness and the six figures. They just moved towards me through the shadows, instantly putting me on edge, hopefully scary farther christmas didn't hire them to kill me. They just kept coming closer, through shadows and darkness, their faces covered so I couldn't tell who they were or what their motive for scaring me like this might be, maybe scary santa did decide to have me killed.

"Please don't kill me, I don't know what scary santa told you but I'm a nice person." Now I've never heard of a case of murderers stopping just because you ask them nicely but worth a try right? I don't want to die just because I didn't bother to ask them nicely.

All I got was laughter from one of the figures while the others remained passive. The middle one stepped forwards and removed his hood to reveal John. Me and him hadn't talked much but I knew he accepted me, I doubt he'd kill any Spartan no matter the order, but was I a Spartan to him. I was an odd ODST loving newbie to him, I hadn't grown up with him, I hadn't proven myself to him. My very cover story put me at odds with him, I was supposed to be the Lone Wolf, the special operative, maybe I was already working on trying to spy on him and his family.

I'd guess the others were Spartans and I was here to participate in some team training, but I didn't need to guess when the others removed their hoods and revealed Linda, Kelly, Sam, Fred and Kurt. It was probably Kurt who was laughing at my comment. He was always up for some social interaction, unlike the others, it's why I got on with him the most. "Follow us, don't fall behind and don't make a sound."

I followed Johns instructions to the letter, no reason not to, might annoy him if I don't. Him and Kurt, from what I heard they were the best leaders. So again I was playing follow the leader in silence, at the end of our little trip I found myself slipping through a crack in the wall, guess being small has it's benefits. I got a giggle watching Sam try to squeeze himself through the hole in the wall, as I looked around it appeared to be an old store room I was now in. It was mostly empty but maybe there was something we could use for the upcoming test.

"Listen we don't know where you went or what you were up to, but next time give us a heads up. You're either one of us or not, but if you're one of us you just up and disappear. Now we have a challenge, tomorrow we're playing capture the flag and we're going to work together to win." Everyone just looked at me as john filled me in on the details.

After he finished the briefing he left to set out to whatever he was off to do, the other five just followed his example and I was left to stand there. I didn't really know what to do, so I just moseyed into the corner and watched them all as they went about interacting with one another. I sat there watching their actions wishing I could fit in with them all, they were all remarkable.

I must have been lost in my thoughts for some time as I stirred to Linda shaking me, I looked around and it appeared everyone was sleeping. It was just me and Linda, I guess she was up on guard. I wondered for a second why nobody asked me to help, I could have done guard duty, I was well rested and wouldn't be much use tomorrow anyway, but I guess that's because they still didn't trust me. But I'll change that, they'll accept me and trust me as one of them when I'm done.

Again I snapped out of it to Linda shaking me again, "Jeeze, how can you be so absent all the time? I was talking to you and you were in a daze again, that better not happen in the field." I just nodded, I knew I could be trapped in my own thoughts at times but I wouldn't let it happen in the field. Besides I needed to ponder what it was I was doing here. I fit in with Anders and Lucy and Edward and all the others, but I didn't belong here.

"Linda, why can't I be one of you?" In honest I knew why. I wasn't one of them because I couldn't be, I was the new kid and everyone had already made their friends and found their places, there was no room for me.

It seemed Linda picked up on what I was thinking. "You are one of us, but what are we meant to do with you? We don't know your skill set, your specialities. Like me for example, I'm the best sniper here, Kelly's the fastest and Sam's the strongest. Besides I think John is just trying to get you settled in." It was nice talking to her, reassuring, but I think she was lying. They just don't trust me.

"Now I'm on watch so you should get some sleep, tomorrow if you want I'll try and get you more involved. And don't worry, you're alright by my standards." She offered me a small smile and I decided I was getting tired so I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

I was having a wonderful dream where I was back home again and was late for class, but my world began to shake. I woke up and it just turned out Linda was shaking me awake, what is it with these people and shaking me. It was too early to be dealing with this. "Hey wake up lazy short arse." That was it, I was waking up and slaying them, I don't care if it's a god or a demon or both in some kind of weird double trouble tag team.

I bolted upright and was face to face with Linda, it appeared the others were still asleep, if she didn't give me a good reason for waking me and calling me short, then she would be sleeping too, permanently. "Listen I thought you could take over the last few hours of the watch from me, John will take notice and you'll be seen as a team player."

To be honest, I wanted to find fault with her reasoning and even if it was just to vent my frustration on a mangled corpse of an ex-Spartan. But I guessed I probably shouldn't, and that I should be grateful for her trust. So I gave her a nod and a smile and took up watch.

It wasn't very interesting watching a hole in the wall, but hey it was an easy job to do if that's what to took to earn their trust and show I wanted to help. I don't have a clue how long passed, but I could have sworn it was days, but I was shaken out of my focus and ended face to face with John. Now if I was fully awake I would have asked why these people are always shaking me but I to was too tired.

"What're you doing? It's Linda who's supposed to be on watch." His voice quiet and hushed so as to not wake the others. I knew he was confused and I grew worried, I'm not sure if he would appreciate me taking watch or not. Hell, what did I have to loose.

Little voice in the back of my head, your life. "Linda woke me up, told me to take watch. Nothing happened while you were all out by the way." I tried to get in his good books, hopefully I could play a role in today's events.

He gave me a nod and a smile, still not being too talkative, but there was something different in his expressions this time. I guess he'd been waiting for me to step up, maybe I'd passed the test. He strode over to the gap and squeezed through, I watched wondering what he was doing.

Barely a minute passed when he was back, "Wake the rest up, it appears the Chief started the test while we were napping." I didn't question him as I went about waking the others quietly. After we were all awake and gathered, John took centre stage, "Chief has started early, but we planned for this so give the kit to those that need it and Alexa. Alexa stick close and do as we do, if you really are special ops then you'll know when to step in. Right we move in ten, you all know what we need to do, Will, I want that room dark in fifteen. Now let's win this one." He really was their leader, everyone followed without question and everyone was motivated.

Kelly walked up to me a placed black overalls in my arms and started changing into her own, I quickly followed her lead, it was just like a school's changing rooms except there were girls and boys here. It was just like the one they were wearing yesterday, all I was missing was the hood. Kelly lead me over to John, Sam, Fred and Linda who were all wearing the same overalls we were. John handed everyone a hood and we placed them over our heads. "Now you all know the plan, everyone else will play our support, we are going to eliminate the opposition and take the flag. Remember that armour's tough do be careful. Alexa hang back in the shadows and if you see an opening, take it. Me, Fred and Sam are going to drop in from the ceiling while Kelly is going to attack at speed from the ground. Linda is going to stay back with Alexa."

John led us through the whole in the wall and I followed Linda into position. With my new night vision I felt strangely at home in the shadows, I just hoped the metal men guarding the flag with the big guns couldn't see us. I looked up and saw the three agilely moving around on the ceiling, one with some rope over their shoulder which I expected was to be used in whatever they had planned next. I looked across from where me and Linda were hidden to see Kelly in the opposite shadows poised like a cat ready to spring forward and pounce on a poor marine.

I then turned back to the hill with the weird metal exoskeletons, and then it happened, Kelly was off, she was fast but just as she darted forward the man turned in her direction. I could tell that he was surprised by the pause but so was Kelly and she was in his crosshairs. I just acted, I didn't wait to see how it would pan out, I just needed to help.

I sped forward, as I did so I had caught the attention of another who peppered bullets into the darkness behind me. I leapt onto the exoskeletons back and snapped the gun from it's shoulder as Kelly continued on her path and jabbed the metal mans chest, denting the metal and causing him to flinch off balance as I gave an elbow to the back of his neck with all the strength I could muster. After the metal beast fell I ran to the shadows again as one of the other metal men was taken up into the air, depositing more Spartans into the fray.

As I reached the shadows I saw Fred move on another metal man, as he closed in the lights were turned off and the hill was in darkness. I saw the man turn his gun in Fred's direction, this time there was no question, Fred would be hit. I moved again on instinct and leapt towards the tin man's back, hoping to disable the gun again for Sam to take him down but the man expected that and turned while I was in the air. The gun lit up in the darkness and pain erupted in my chest and down my side as I crumpled to the floor, luckily Sam reached him before he could do anything more.

The rest of the match was a blur to me, I felt some hands under my arms dragging me away. The lights snapped on as was dragged away like I was never there. I saw three figures on the hill with the flag being proudly waved in the air as a sign of our victory. The next thing I knew I was being carried through the hole in the wall to our little base and several Spartans moved about preparing to help get me fixed up.

The strong arms carrying me placed me down on a table, I finally got to look up to see Linda's face. My head rested on something soft and fluffy, I closed my eyes to block the pain. I guess I drifted off to sleep. I came too much, much later. My chest and side was on fire and I'd daren't move in case it flared up. I looked around and it appeared that everyone was asleep except Kelly, I guess she was on watch.

She moved over to me, in a hushed tone, "I see you're awake, it's been a day. Everyone's been worried about you, even me, thanks for your help earlier, it appears you're fast. Maybe some time we can see how fast." She was different now, she was the one starting the conversation this time. And she even offered to meet up sometime in the future.

"Thanks but lets wait until I don't feel like being sick at the prospect of getting up. So what happened to me? And while I was out did I miss anything?" It was nice talking to a fellow Spartan so casually, everything else had be clinical and military like, but now I was just casually talking to one. I guess I now had the trust and respect of more after yesterday's event's.

She just took a seat on a crate next to the table still facing the exit. "Well, after you were shot, Linda dove in and pulled you out of there like she was supposed to and brought you back, she placed you on the table and has been sat watching you since, until John ordered her to sleep. We had to remove four stun rounds from you and we patched you up with some antique medical supplies we found here. You were lucky, they weren't too deep or problematic but you wouldn't want those while under fire in the field, that would be fatal without assistance. But you've got us now, and luckily we had finished the challenge so you were never in any real danger."

I just laid there as she spoke, her voice was calming. She just kept speaking, I think she knew that it was calming and making me sleepy, I think she was trying to get me to sleep some more. "You're rather vicious for such a tiny one aren't you, thank you for diving in to help me, that was ingenious, if you weren't so short that wouldn't have worked. If you hadn't have had to save me, then that trick might have worked the second time, but thank you for saving Fred and me."

Now if I wasn't so tired, or if the other Spartans weren't sleeping or if her thank you hadn't shocked me then I really would have leapt of the table and found some creative way to insert those stun rounds into her brain or joints but I was too sleepy. As the darkness took me yet again, I couldn't help but smile. I was one of them now, without a doubt.

Hello all, this chapter is later than usual as I've had a mass of collage work to do. So I've taken this chapter back and I've changed some of it to hopefully get it to feel smoother and to flow better. I think it' better now, please tell me what you think. It won't be my best chapter, but then again i don't think it was too bad, could have been worse. :)

Reviews:

TheWizardOfOzbourne: Thanks again for your offer and i'm just glad you caught the mistake whatever it was. If anyone sees a mistake then don't be afraid to call it out, however some things will be intentional, it can't run like the actual series as she isn't from the actual series. But thanks again for the offer. I'm sure the mistake you made wasn't too bad and i'm glad you like my story so far. :)

Ander-j-l: Thanks for your support and i'm glad you like it so far. I intend to keep updating for a long time but there will be times i fail to update for a couple weeks. Again i'm glad you like my story so far. :)

Everyone's support is greatly appreciated. I'm grateful for all the views and reviews of this story. I'm glad people like it.

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