Stained (Red vs Blue)

And End, For Now

Before The Storm

Montana barely lived.

The medic told me that if we waited any longer to bring her back to the Mother Of Invention she would have drowned in her own blood. I was anxiously pacing back and forth in front of the doors to the operation room when one came and gave me the news. I almost hugged the man, but I didn't.

He also said that she would be unfit for combat, the shortness of breath would stick with her for the rest of her life, and she's have a nasty scar there. I was just glad we saved her. Before now, we've lost so much. And our job is not even finished yet. Since our return with C-O and Montana, everyone hs been celebrating. Even the Director said that he didn't care about me leaving against his orders. Said it would have taken longer without me.

The whole thing seemed... unreal. I couldn't believe that we actually did it. Saved Montana and C-O, and killed three of the major threats. Please tell me I'm not dreaming all of this, that none of this ever happened. Tell me I won't wake up with a feeling of victory and realize that we were actually losing. I don't know if I could take that or not.

But we've yet to win. There's still one more person out there, but I'm not sure if we can kill him. I'm not sure if I can, anyways. Iowa and I have roots that trace back to him, ties that can never be broken. A history that cannot be erased. He raised us, basically. Trained us since we became Spartans. Made us killers with our own mind. Made us strong. How can we raise a gun at him? How can we pull the trigger?

We already killed our old friends.

Tracer and Echo were our old teammates, had our back. And, even though we didn't know it at the time, we killed them. If they had known us, and we had known them, would we have tried to kill each other? If Mentorhad known we went to the Project, would he have attacked? Who am I kidding? If he had a score to settle with the project, he wouldn't care who stood in his way. Be it the entire UNSC, or a whole wave of Spartans. He'd find a way to take down each and every one of us.

Wait, would he try and kill us?

I shoved the thoughts out of my mind. We've been at the Mother Of Invention for... two days, I think. I don't know. I've lost track of time. We've had so much... comotion running around the ship. So many are saying we won against Vanguard. So many are calling the team -Iowa, Alaska, Michigan and myself- heros. We are not heros. At least in my opinion. But I never responded to that. I never thought of a good answer.

My thoughts led to the topic of war. Don't ask me why. I compared it to a forest fire, at first.

War is like a forest fire. The hotter it burns, the shorter it lives. Shells lay scattered on the ground like scattered leaves. Weapons discarded like fallen branches. Bodies lay where they died and it feels... wrong to move any of it. When the debris is cleared away, and the bodies buried.

All that remains is their valor.

The sacrifices and those that served resonate within us long after they fade away. They inspire us to be better people, beg us to learm from them so that no one else should have to suffer. Only time will tell if we are wise enough to listen to them. Are we wise enough? Can we learn from our mistakes and move on?

We never forget those that... are gone. They stay with us, in our memories and actions. Whether we use their influence in a positive or negative way is up to us. We decide what we do with our lives, make our own choices, decisions.

Our struggles have been a steep hike up the side of a mountain. We have fallen time after time, but, eventually, we climbed further than we ever had before. We have scraped our knees and hands countless times on the hike, but we have never stopped trying, and trying, and trying. If we stopped, we'd fall right off the edge into the black abyss.

Iowa waved a hand in front of my face. "You okay there? You seemed to be lost in your own littl world," She said. I chuckled, and responded with, "Yeah, I'm fine. I've been thinking about the past, about everything. It doesn't seem real anymore," I said. She nodded. "We've lucky. Really lucky. I... feel like we've acomplished some pretty great stuff, too. Before the Project, I was just thinking that I'd be just another Spartan in hell knows how many, fighting mindlessly for the UNSC. No. I actually got a chance to be here as a Freelancer, and I got to see the horrendus battles that take place," She said.

We both looked at our hands for some reason. The blood on our hands will never wash off, always be there, haunting us, taunting us. We will never forget how many we have killed. How many lives we have taken from the world. I sighed, sagging my shoulders. So many dark thoughts in a time when so many are laughing, smiling. But the recent events have taken their toll on my mind. I can't stop thinking.

Why is so hard to move on?

I sighed again. I knew, eventually, they would fade. But I would never be able to forget. I closed my eyes. I saw Oregon and Ash, whose lives were torn away from us in a blink of an eye. Tracer and Echo, otherwise known as Joshua and Jonathan, our old teammates. Of our Mentor. So many were lost in this struggle.

But, the team stayed together. For that, I am greatful. Without them, I would have fallen to pieces long ago.

"Agents Iowa, Alaska, Michigan and Nevada, report to hangar bay two," FILSS announced over the intercom. I haven't heard her voice in such a long time. Iowa and I stood up at the exact same time. We smiled to ourselves, and walked to the area. When we arrived, Alaska and Michigan were already there. C-O was standing beside a pelican, dressed in normal clothes. The Director was there, along with the Counselor. C-O smiled sadly. "I'm leaving, for now, guys. It's too much for me. But I will always be a Freelancer with you, always. When ever you need me, you know who to call,"

I was shocked. "Wait, how? How will we contact you?" Alaska asked. "We have Pi and Lambda back. I was implanted with the memory unit, and I was given Pi. The Creator sent her back to us," She said. The pink A.I. appeared on her shoulder. The Director looked at her, urging her to get the goodbyes over with already. I almost growled at him.

She must have seen the look, because she suddenly hugged Iowa. "I'll miss you. I may be back, in later years. If it's okay with you, Director," C-O said, glancing at him he just nodded. She hugged Alaska and Michigan, and looked at me, asking for permission. She remembered that I didn't like hugs. I let her.

After saying goodbye, she boarded the pelican. I hate goodbyes. They make me think they are never returning. "Agents, follow me," The Director ordered, already walking toward the door. We all looked at each other, then rushed after him. He led us through numerous halls, into a mostly unused section. Iowa and I looked at each other and shrugged. We didn't have a clue as to what was going on.

As we neared a door at the end of the hall, it was starting to have a chill in the air. Not really cold enough for us to shiver, but just enough that we noticed it. He typed in a code onto a control pad, and the metal door slid open. The room contained cryotubes, used for cryogenic sleep. I raised a brow at that. "Agents, until he resurfaces, you will remain asleep," He said. At first, I didn't really catch what he said, but, when I realized it, the engineer walked into the room.

"A.I.s," He said. The four of them appeared on their host's shoulders. "Code: Sleep one one eight three seven five," All of them disappeared, and my memory unit felt... empty. "What the hell did you do with them?!" Iowa yelled, forcing the engineer against the wall. I pulled her away, glaring at him.

"Do not worry. I merely shut them down temporarily, so that they do not go through rampancy while you are asleep," He said. I understand his reasoning.

Minutes later, we took the injections that prevent ice from forming in our blood and, in the end, killing us. It stung, but was just a sharp pain just above the crook of our elbows.

Iowa and I looked at each other. I held my hand out, my elbow pointing towards the floor. She took it. "This isn't our end. Just our beginning. I'll see you the next time we're awake," I said. She smiled. "Okay, guys. We feel left out here!" Alaska called. We motioned them forward, and huddled together. We didn't have much time to talk before the Director ordered us to the cryotubes. "Honor to all," I said. They nodded.

We stepped into them, and turned to face the glass. This is not our end. Just the beginning.