Ch. 16 The First Happy Memory
As promised, here is one chapter with nothing but fluffy goodness and it marks the first time our favorite Arbiter/tress can be happy without the cloud of depression and failure hanging over her. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it!
I paid off my Limited Edition of Halo 5 yesterday so all that remains is acquiring an Xbox One and going to pick it up on Oct. 27!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters are copyright of Bungie and 343.
True to Dava's word, the Temple was back to its original splendor after almost half a day of cleaning and sanitizing. The bullet holes, plasma scoring and blood stains were completely gone and in their places were fresh paint and new flooring along with newly made tapestry that made it look like there was never a battle at all. Even the courtyard had no evidence of the body parts or pools of blood that were left over from the Arbiter's rage-induced rampage.
"You know Admiral, it's time like this that I love being a high ranking NCO." Stacker said as the Marines finished the last of the painting. While it took longer than anticipated, having help from the humans actually sped things up a little or else it would've taken an entire day and for that the Temple custodians actually had something to be happy about.
"It's times like this that make me wish I took retirement years ago." Hood replied wearily. Nowhere in his job description did it say that he had to attend weddings and participate in firefights at said wedding. At least on the Cairo he had an entire station between him and danger.
"And miss the Chief losing the last vestiges of his freedom?" Stacker asked with a sly grin as Hood sighed.
"I'm going to catch a lot of heat from going ahead with this." Hood explained as Stacker shrugged.
"Let the other prunes stew and just enjoy Sangheilian hospitality. Just wait until you get a taste of their best alcohol, one sip and you'll be knocked on your ass." Stacker said happily as Dubbo shook his head.
"The Chief had to drag us out of the bar." Dubbo explained as Hood looked at them with a raised eyebrow.
"Bachelor party." Stacker said simply.
"Remind me to assign you both extra duty." Hood said as Stacker and Dubbo started to complain but one look kept them silent. "You were right, being higher ranked does have its perks."
-Scene Change-
The sun was setting on the Temple grounds and night was approaching but the look of the scenery actually made the Arbiter feel calmer than she was before. As if the gods had finally decided to give her one moment of happiness without anything happening.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Kela said as she approached her friend. "As if the gods themselves are giving you their blessing."
"One full day is too much to ask for then." The Arbiter said as she sighed. "Just one day was all I wanted."
"But you are getting it still...ok maybe not the whole day but your dream event." Kela said as the Arbiter grimaced.
"Tomorrow we hunt the human and the next day we begin the summit. I wanted to be able to spend a day with my partner and show him our planet some more but all we will receive is a few hours." The Arbiter replied dully.
"You know...I could use that veto clause. I could still take him from you." Kela said as the Arbiter slowly turned to her. "Imagine it, me and a human marrying in front of a setting sun and then the night descends as we retire to our room." she teased mercilessly as the Arbiter narrowed her eyes. "Just as we start to feel tired we begin to consummate our-" she was cut off as the Arbiter grabbed her mandibles and held them shut.
"You are not taking my mate!" The Arbiter shouted angrily as Kela laughed as best as she could through held mandibles. "I worked too damn hard to get this to happen and I am not giving it up!"
"Then stop whining and complaining and thank the gods that you still have a wedding to attend." Kela responded calmly as the Arbiter snarled. "Also, tell me how the night goes...I wanna know who ended up on the bottom." she finished as the Arbiter flared her mandibles before chasing her friend around the courtyard.
"Get back here and take your beating like a true Sangheili!" The Arbiter yelled as Kela laughed.
-Scene Change-
"So, I heard you put two of our boys in the infirmary." The lead Spartan said with a blank face but the small twitch at her mouth gave it away.
"Only one, the Arbiter got the other." The Chief replied with a shrug.
"Yea, we're sorry about that by the way." she replied as the Chief grunted. "Our orders are suppose to come from the UNSC only but some of our teams didn't seem to get the memo."
"Even if it came from ONI it still had to be authorized by a ranking UNCS commander." Cortana replied as the Spartan grimaced.
"It was and that's the problem. High ranking positions are being shuffled around somehow and no one seems to know what is going on." she replied with a frown. "Two Rear Admirals just went missing a month ago and their positions were filled within an hour with new officers and ignored the usual COC."
"And no one is stopping this why?" The Chief asked even though he knew the answer.
"No proof and also ONI has spooks that have everyone on notice. If you even so much as sneeze wrong they can declare you a traitor on your military record and I don't think I need to say what that means for the soldier or their family." she replied sternly as the Chief nodded.
"Alright, enough doom and gloom! It's time for you to be chain- I mean married!" Stacker said as he entered them room and ushered the Chief out.
"I hate you!" The Chief blurted out again as Stacker laughed.
"Save your breath for your vows Chief." Stacker explained as the Spartans shook their heads.
-Scene Change-
The evening sun was setting as the Chief stood at the same dais he was at before the attack happened but this time he knew that nothing was going to interrupt this again. Nonetheless he still had a little hope that something would but then the familiar ringing sounded again and with every sound he felt what little hope he had was being sealed away.
"Here we go again." The Chief grunted as Cortana was laughing in his ear.
"Chief relax you'll do fine and just remember, you are the one who will prevent any future wars between the two races. You'll be ensuring the coexistence of Humanity and Sangheili from now on so look sharp and smile." Cortana said as the Chief sighed before he heard the very familiar footfalls near the doors.
The Chief turned his head and saw the familiar sight of the Arbiter approaching with her now cleaned armor but he did have a momentarily lapse of thought as the orange light still peeking through the windows hit her figure and seemed to bathe her in a very surreal orange glow. When she finally reached her place on the dais the Chief actually had to shake his head to snap himself back.
"Here we are again huh?" The Chief asked calmly as the Arbiter nodded.
"I apologize for what happened...my rage got the better of me." she said low enough so only he could hear. "I just got tired of having something bad always interrupt anything I accomplish and it finally got the better of me."
"Pent up aggression needs to be exercised out or else it can cause harm." The Chief replied as he put a hand on her shoulder. "That's what allies are for."
The Arbiter nodded again as the priest approached the dais. "Well, time to take the plunge." she whispered with a small blue hue appearing on her face.
"Seems like it." The Chief replied simply.
"Shall we continue where we left off or shall we start over?" The priest asked as the Arbiter and the Chief shrugged.
"I guess we can start over." The Chief offered as the Arbiter looked at him.
"Are you sure? We can just finish up where we were." she asked uncertainly.
The Chief shrugged before he did something that shocked the entire human audience, he smiled and for once it wasn't a creepy "you're going to die" smile but a genuine smile that he only gave to his team. "It might not make up for everything but it will at least give us somewhere to start that doesn't involve fighting."
The Arbiter was speechless at both what he said and also the smile now gracing his face. It was as if everything that was bad in her life just melted away and was replaced with nothing but joy and good feelings that warmed her entire body. The only one who was able to make her feel like that was her mother but now someone else had come along and did the exact same thing. Giving out a joyful cry she stepped close to him and threw her arms around him in a very tight embrace.
The sudden movement caught the Chief off guard and the very foreign feeling of being hugged made him lock up. "What do I do, Cortana." he mumbled urgently as he became uncomfortable.
"Just relax and do what your instincts tell you to do for once John." Cortana said softly as the Chief went silent before he raised his own arms and hesitantly placed them around the Arbiter. "Welcome to being human John," she said encouragingly. "it will get better from here on out."
The hug was a little stiff from the Chief but the Arbiter welcomed it nonetheless and felt as if the entire world had disappeared and the only two people in existence were herself and the Chief as she remained in his warm embrace. Then a human had to ruin the moment.
"Aw...our little Spartan is finally growing up! It was only yesterday he was killing machine and now look, his first crush." Dubbo replied as a Stacker counted down from 5 and a loud slap was heard.
"Asshole!" A female Marine said as she stood over him with a raised hand and the sound of laughter was emanating from the humans.
The Arbiter only snarled back as she removed herself from the Chief and already missed the warm feeling of his arms around her. Giving one final hiss she turned to the priest with a small patch of blue on her face again. "We are ready...ignore the fallen human."
"Yes well, very good." he said as he cleared his throat. "Since the times of our ancestors, we have gathered to celebrate unions of different importance. Each one was considered a blessing by the gods, who strive to ensure that each union was being made between those who were fit to be together. Never before had there been such an importance of the present time and-"
"You are still armed are you not?" The Arbiter whispered to the Chief who gave a short motion to the SMG strapped to his belt.
"Figured it was important based on what I've read." The Chief whispered back as the Arbiter gave a small nod.
"To not be armed is considered a serious offense and show that you do not have the ability to protect your mate. This is more true between warriors than it is between non-combatants but the underlying tone is still there." The Arbiter responded. "Why did you not fight this?" she whispered curiously.
"I...don't know why I didn't to be honest." The Chief replied after a moment. "Everything was telling me to fight this like I would anything else but I couldn't voice it at all."
"You were confused as to what was happening and yet you didn't fight it." The Arbiter whispered slowly. "The gods have truly blessed us with the union of our races."
"If you say so." The Chief whispered back as the Arbiter hooked her hand around his.
"The time has come to put away old hatred and look to the future as our gods have always intended. With this moment we are joining two people, who might be of different birth but are no less than equal in the gods eyes. With this moment we lay a new path onward for the betterment of hope and peace between us and let old wounds close and old feelings be washed away on a tide of change." The priest finished as he took their conjoined hands.
"Arbiter of the Sangheili, Thela 'Vadam, are you prepared to take the vow of marriage and be the defender of your love until time takes you?" The priest asked solemnly as the Arbiter's eyes lit up.
"Upon my honor as the Arbiter of the Sangheili, I, Thela 'Vadam am prepared to take the vow and defend it with my dying breath." The Arbiter replied with her voice brimming with confidence.
"Guardian of Humanity, John-117, are you prepared to take the vow of marriage and be the defender of your love until time takes you?" The priest asked the Chief as he glanced at the Arbiter and back at the crowd.
"Put the camera down Stacker." The Chief said as Stacker grumbled. The Chief shook his head at the Marine before taking a deep sigh. "Upon my honor as the Guardian of Humanity and as a Spartan, I, John-117 am prepared to take the vow and defend it with my last breath."
"So it goes in the ancient times, you are both bonded in the eyes of the gods and may they bring you both forward in joy and triumph from here on out. May all your journeys succeeded and may you both usher in a new era of cooperation and harmony between us all." The priest finished before the Sangheili gave a roar of happiness as the sun finally set.
"One thing left Spartan, you had better kiss your wife." Cortana said as the Chief froze again.
"Not going to happen Cortana." The Chief replied sternly as Cortana smirked.
"Oh yes you will, it might not be right now but before this event is over you will." Cortana said as the Chief began to worry.
"Let's eat already!" Dubbo yelled and would've raced out the door had another Spartan not clotheslined him.
"Why was he accepted into the Corps again?" Stacker asked as the Marines shrugged.
-Scene Change-
The reception was in full swing as the courtyard came to life with dancing, feasting, singing and drinking if the tipsy Sangheili were any indication. True to Kela's word the weapons were left in a container near the Temple doors in case they were needed as no one wanted a drunken shootout. Dubbo and Stacker wisely stayed away from the alcohol though with Hood's gaze on them it wasn't that hard.
"If only it was like this before everything happened." The Arbiter said as she remained with the Chief and just looked around the courtyard.
"At least we didn't lose anyone." The Chief mused as the Arbiter shook her head.
"I mean everything Spartan, the war and the killing. This is how it should have been since the beginning with our two races intermingling like friends instead of pointing weapons at each other as enemies." The Arbiter responded sadly. "Our faith in the Prophets had blinded us to the point that we neglected our feelings and only went with our pride. If only we had listened more than everything could've been avoided."
"What happened in the past can't be changed as much as we want it to. There's a lot that we all regret and wish we could change but it can't happen." The Chief replied as he remembered his old team. "I lost half of my team during the war and the worse part was that I was the one that lead them into it."
"During my time as a Zealot, I had it in my mind that I needed success at any cost and I got it. I had more than a hundred successful missions under my belt but I had more casualties than any other Zealot at my rank. Many of them were the ones I trained with I first joined the service and we had that special bond between comrades but I led them to their slaughter simply because I had glory on my mind." The Arbiter replied sadly. "I had friends and I got them killed."
"We all did things that we aren't proud of." The Chief replied evenly but the Arbiter could hear the very slight crack in his voice. "When they happen, we try to justify it the best we can but it always leaves something there."
"I guess it's time to let it go." The Arbiter said softly. "I led my friends to their deaths and I regret it even to this day. Now I'm still alive while they are no longer here to share in this new age we are building. They died for some stupid ideal that turned out to be nothing more than a suicide pact in the end. They died for nothing but a stupid dream."
"They died for what they believed in." the Chief said solemnly. "I did the same thing for my team. We started getting over-confident and it cost us. I was the one who believed we were truly invincible until they started falling and then everything came crashing down but the one thing they told me before they died was that they died for humanity. They died with the belief that they fought for something worth dying for and to them it was. It always hurt when they died but looking back on it now I finally understand." The Chief finished as he gazed at the night sky. "We were trained to be machines but they always kept what made them human while I became the machine."
"You closed yourself off from feelings because you didn't want to end up like them but in the end you already have become like them." The Arbiter said as the Chief still gazed upward.
"I'm not a machine anymore." The Chief finally said as he looked at her.
"You never were Spartan, you just didn't believe you were human." The Arbiter replied as she took his hand again. "We led our units because we believed in what we were fighting for. Whether it turned out good or bad they still believed in it even in their final breath and yet we felt guilty because we believed that they were meaningless in the end. We neglected to take their feelings into account and chose to focus solely on ourselves and what we did."
"I guess it's time to stop thinking of ourselves and take the views of those we serve with as well." The Chief said simply as the Arbiter gave his hand a squeeze.
"Remember those we fought with and the memories we shared with them. Let's use those to build a better future where feelings of companionship can help to wipe away the scars of the past." The Arbiter said as the Chief turned to her. "We owe it to all of them."
The Chief was silent for a long moment as he thought over everything and he couldn't find any fault in it. He did carry around the burden of what happened and she did as well and that was what made them similar. They tried to cover up what happened but nothing ever did but now they had the ability to let everything go and be free.
Slowly but steadily the both moved closer to each other and under the moonlight the both shared their first kiss.
And I will close the chapter with that found memory. Originally I wanted to throw in a drunken brawl but I wanted to give you all a feel good fluff chapter so I decided with some reluctance to leave it out in the end. I really had a blast writing this and I hope that you all enjoy it as much as I did and I hope I made it satisfying to see the Chief finally act like a true human for once.
If you all need any clarity, the Chief kissed her on the front of her mandibles. The Sangheili can push them together if they need to so just try and go with it.
Read and review and I will see you all later!