Author's Note: This is a new story, taking place a considerable number of years ahead of our canon. But still based within it. Certain characters will be making cameo appearances, and others will just make a few mentions. This is my attempt at making something entirely unique/new, but using some themes from my previous stories to help develop it. This story will follow a pair of societal misfits, as an old enemy of the UNSC strikes again to wreck havoc.
Prologue
Planet Hephaestus, Outer Colonies.
Military Space Time: April 1st, 2572
11:00 hours.
Stormy clouds inked the early morning skies, as the morning Sun’s beams attempted to pierce the heavens, and light the planet below. Two hazel eyes fluttered awake, as the young boy laying in the bed stretched and yawned. Gazing around his room, his eyes fixated on the two posters before him. Both hosted a still image of two armored soldiers. One stood, his focus forward, a hand wrapped around his fist in a fighting stance, the other holding a crisp salute, the UNSC flag behind him.
The soldier in the fighting stance, wore black and green armor, a pair of red ‘eyes’ completing his Commando visor. The young boy glared at this poster with a certain hatred, re-reading the label; Butch the Betrayer. Smiling as he turned his attention to the saluting figure, his eyes met with the black visor of the Recon helmet. Reading the poster always brought him hope, the image of Blaine the Brave always brought him happiness.
Cheering, albeit quietly, the young boy rose to his feet, swinging fist after rapid fist into the air. His door creaked open, as his father stood there, groggy, two bunny slippers on his feet. He scratched his stubbled salt and pepper color chin hair, before grinning a stupid grin.
“Heya buddy, finally awake I see.” he smiled. “Toni was looking for you next door, something about needing you for a homework project?”
“Toni, ew!” Richard stuck his tongue out, shaking his head. “But she’s a girl!”
“-and a cute one at that!” his mother poked her head in. “Do you need us to walk you over?”
“I’m ten years old mom!” Richard whined. “I can walk myself.”
“My, how independent,” his father shook his head. “Fine, run along kiddo. Your mother and I’ll get the picnic stuff ready, and if you want, you can invite Toni too!”
Richard mumbled subtly as he stepped into his closet, tripping over himself as he struggled to dress himself. Once he had finished, he opened the door and walked down the stairs. Walking past the kitchen, he watched as his father spun his mother around on the linoleum, wrapped his forearm around her lower back, tilted her, and kissed her square on the lips. Shaking his head with disgust, he announced his departure and stepped out the door.
The brisk, spring wind gently brushed his cheeks, as the smell of dandelions filled the air. While pleasant, he found himself sneezing obscenely. His neighbor, Boris, had been leaving his clothes out to air dry again, and the scent of his homemade detergent contained something Richard was allergic to.
Moving quickly down the street, he passed Mrs. Carmichael, who was walking Snitzel, the family Rottweiler. His teacher jogged by in her disgustingly form fitting spandex clothes, the large lady glaring at the young boy with expectation.
“Mr. Free, I hope you aren’t gallivanting around the town, waiting until the last minute to do your assignment with Ms. Byrd?”
“No Mrs. Carmichael.” Richard grumbled. “I’m just going to her house now.”
“See to it that you get that model Roman Colosseum ready by Monday. Ciao darling!”
Passing by the heavy set woman, Richard continued his trek to Toni’s house. Stepping up the stone stairs leading to the door, he hesitated for a moment, before knocking on the front door. The door opened not to long afterwards, as Toni’s father poked his face out the door. His bleary old blue eyes stared at Richard for a moment, before he grunted and allowed him in.
The furniture of the home was, to some degree, neatly placed. Although Mr. Byrd had unfortunately let the place go, long after his wife had passed away. Richard remembered that all too well, as it had been right after Toni’s family moved into Troy. She was having some issues acclimating to the harsher atmosphere of the planet, while Mr. Byrd and Toni remained completely unharmed.
“You gonna stand there and stare at my furniture, son? Or you gonna say hello to Toni? She’s been waiting for you.” he grunted, before shuffling into the kitchen. “Upstairs, first door on the right!”
Richard, always nervous around Mr. Byrd, trudged up the stairs, but not before sneaking a glimpse of the family portrait on the wall. Four people sat in the middle of a sunny park, Mr. Byrd and Mrs. Byrd smiling happy at the camera, while an older gentleman with a long white beard cuddled a baby Toni.
Richard had only known Mr. Byrd as the town grump all his life, but never before had he gotten a glimpse of the man behind the perpetual frown. Richard turned his attention to Mrs. Byrd, whose light, hispanic complexion radiated in sunlight. Both of them seemed in complete happiness, not a care in the world.
“Mr. Byrd?” Richard asked nervously. “Who is this old man in the picture? Toni’s grandpa?”
“Hmmph?” Mr. Byrd asked, shuffling back into the room, when his eyes befell on the picture, his sour expression slightly shifted into a crooked smile. “No, that’s her great uncle. That man was my uncle. He had survived the battle of Reach, twenty years ago. Him and his son came and got me from the Orphanage I stayed at, raised me into the military.”
“What about your parents?” Richard asked. “Didn’t they love you?”
“‘Course they did kid!” Mr. Byrd grunted. “But they died of sickness, just like N-”
“Just stop stalling and get up those stairs!” Mr. Byrd barked suddenly. “I won’t have my daughter failing school because you’re easily distracted!”
Frightened, Richard ran up the stairs, and into Toni herself. The two tumbled along the floor, as Toni landed on top of him, her knees on his lap. Pinning him to the floor with remarkable strength, she smirked as he grumbled.
“Hiya Richard!” she beamed. “Ready to play?”
“Play?!” Richard asked curtly. “I thought we had homework to do?!”
“No silly!” Toni smiled. “I did the assignment myself earlier! I thought we could play house or something today?”
“House is for girls.” he grumbled. “-and I’m not a girl.”
“House is for boys and girls!” she frowned. “You just don’t wanna play with me, huh?”
“Well, no.” he stammered, as he saw tears welling up in her eyes. “H-hold on, that’s not what I meant!”
Ever since she had moved to the town, and with her mother gone, she had always been alone. No-one wanted to be her friend, because she was extremely intelligent for her age. Richard had been the only one to bite the bullet and make any attempt to befriend her. But he himself didn’t have any friends either, so he could sympathize for her.
“My family is having a picnic after we finish our homework assignment,” Richard spoke quickly. “But I guess it’s already done. My parents told me I could invite you, y’know, if you wanted to go?”
“A picnic?!” she screamed with happiness, “I’d love to!”
At the sound of her screaming, her father charged up the stairs, pistol at the ready. Richard froze as he stared down the barrel of the weapon from his pinned position.
“You been fighting my daughter?”
“What?! No, I-”
“It’s okay Daddy.” Toni smiled, releasing Richard. “We were just play fighting is all, and Richard’s family is having a picnic. Can I go Dad?”
“Hmph. Play fightin’s just as bad as normal fightin’.” Mr. Byrd grunted again, holstering the weapon. “Sorry about that son. Did you get the homework done?”
“Yep!” she smiled. “I did it before he got here, remember?”
“Oh yeah,” Mr. Byrd mused, scratching his scalp. “ I suppose you can. But you be back before sun down! Free, you’d best take good care of my daughter... and no more play fighting!”
“Thank you for having me Mister and Missus Free!” Toni said, as she skipped along.
“Of course sweetie!” Mrs. Free smiled. “We’re always happy to have you!”
Richard held his two thumbs in his pocket, as his father put a hand on his shoulder. Looking up towards his father, he noticed that his dad had actually shaved that morning, which must have taken place after he left the house.
Whatever the case may be, his father looked like a whole different man. The four continuing to walk along in utter silence, minus the occasional humming from Toni. Richard smiled for a moment, for once, he had actually seen Toni legitimately happy. When she was at school, even in his presence, she was a miserable wreck, and at her house she seemed giddy to see him, but she still was nervous about her father.
In this moment, however, she was truly happy, and he knew it. Perhaps that was why he found himself grinning from ear to ear for the remainder of the walk. Helping his father set down the blanket, Toni helped his mother set the dishes they would use. Sitting down, the four munched away on delicious Thornbeast cones and Moa Burgers.
Then it happened.
A loud cracking filled the air, much like the sound of a bullwhip snapping the sound barrier. The four looked up, as a giant purple ship appeared in the sky above them, completely blotting out the sun. Mr. and Mrs. Free stood, completely frightened, as the children stared at the adults, confused. Standing, the children huddled under the adult's legs.
“Not them, not here! NOT NOW!” Mr. Free roared, as the bottom of the ship opened, hundreds of tiny pods shot from the heavens.
One landing right in the center of their blanket…
Last edited by Shad0wChas3r on March 28th 2014, 11:52 am; edited 1 time in total