>”Pull this one through, And there’s a bottle of whiskey waiting for you, boys!”
>Barker’s Voice Crackles slightly through your helmet’s internal comm system.
>You knew what you signed up for when you joined the ACEs, and It was nowhere near this bullshit.
>Who the fuck tries to coax his troops into pushing an objective with fucking booze?
>Especially against ARES Division?
>”Enemy Pilot spotted!”
>More fucking grunts.
“How many of you fucks do they have?”
>”Engaging!”
>A hailstorm of bullets, both energized and regular, flew all around as you flew through the air.
>Pulling the pin, you toss ‘em a good old arc grenade.
>It lands on one of the grunt’s helmet, the electricity flowing through his body, frying him and two of his buddies.
>The last one, stunned, turned tail and ran.
“Easy targets.”
>Two energized rounds flew through the bastard’s skull, and his helmet went flying.
>His body stumbled, all control lost, and he landed flat on his face.
>”Hey, Kid, Your Titan’s ready! Call it when you need it!”
>You tap a few notes on your datapad, and Barker, well, Barks Into your Comms unit.
>”Prepare for Titanfall! Man, I love saying that!”
 
>Looking to the sky, you see your titan as she falls to the point marked on your hud.
>The Ion series Titan, VC-3065, Was possibly your best, and only, friend.
>When you were a pilot for the M-CORP, You were assigned her, and you’ve been together since.
>Of course, you sometimes had to change Chassis due to damage, but the Datacore was the same.
>VC Smashed into the ground a few meters in front of you, deploying her bubble shield for a safe entry.
> You Jumped, and latched onto a nearby wall, still running, as VC stood, opening the cockpit for you.
>As you hopped into the cockpit, her familiar voice spoke, welcoming you back.
>”Hey, Kid? We got a problem.”
“What’s going on, Barker?”
>”ARES Just dropped a titan I’ve never seen before. Possibly another prototype.”
“We’ve dealt with ‘em before. What’s the problem?”
>”This Titan’s Been One-Shotting our guys, but they just disappear. Vitals, Biosig, Everything, just gone.”
“Roger. We’ll take it down. Just don’t get hit, right?”
>”Right. I’ll mark it’s position for you. Good Luck, kid.”
“That was two hours ago. Needless to say, I got hit. VC’s nowhere to be seen or heard, and I’m nowhere near the original AO. I am, however, in some sort of woods. I’m gonna set up camp here, and hope for nothing to get me in the night. Anon’s Log, out.”
>You are possibly fucked.
>The woods around you are too dense to show the Day-Night cycle on this planet.
>You say this planet, because the gravity is lighter than Typhon’s was.
>So, unless Typhon decided to spin slower or some shit, you’re on a different planet.
>No SERE Kit to help you out of this one, either.
>Well, it’s not as bad as Operation Fracture.
>Now that was a mess.
>Anyways, you stomp out the fire you built an hour ago, and scale a particularly tall tree.
>Finding a branch you deem sturdy enough, you lay down as best as you can on it.
>Sleep evades you for a few minutes, as you adjust to the new environment.
>Suddenly, you dream.
 
>The day’s events replay in your dreamscape.
>You still remember the Titan that sent you here.
>It looked like a Vanguard class, but sturdier-built.
>It’s Datacore was covered by a strange piece of metal, ensuring the FOF Signature wasn’t visible.
>The Bolts it fired were an odd purple in color, and made barely any sound as they flew.
>The only way you knew you were hit was the shield disappearing almost instantaneously.
>For some reason, the Enemy Pilot Decided to talk on open Comms, and what he said gave you chills.
>”Good Luck getting home, Mate.”
>Then you felt like someone punched you in the gut, nearly knocking you out.
>When you opened your eyes, VC was gone, and you were in this god-forsaken forest.
>Now, You opened your eyes once more, still lying on the tree limb.
>Something was rustling in the bushes beneath you.
>Doubtfully friendly.
 
>Your Hud Shows traces of the Creature’s outline, and it doesn’t look like anything you’ve seen before.
>You pull a Pulseblade, Running the numbers in your head.
>On one hand, It could be a Docile creature, And you’re overreacting.
>But on the other, when have you ever ran into something on a planet other than Harmony that isn’t hostile?
>Taking the chance, you sling the blade into the dirt below you.
>The blade sinks into the turf below, and begins to transmit a low pulse, covering a good 30 meter radius.
>The creature below is revealed, it’s outline marked on your Hud.
>It looks like an experiment gone loose, resembling that of a wolf, but much Bigger.
>It’s head snaps towards the Pulseblade’s low-pitched hum, and It releases a growl that reverberates through you.
>Initiating your jump kit, you nope the fuck out of there, scrambling through the branches above you.
> As you make one final jump, you burst through the Canopy.
>The quick glance you are afforded informs you there is what looks to be a colony to your right, about 2-3 Kilometers out.
>As you fall through the canopy, you twist your body towards said colony.
>Once your feet touch dirt, you’re off, sprinting like there’s a Ronin right on your ass.
>About 45 Minutes of pushing through brush, vines, and God knows what else, you break through the tree line.
>With The colony in sight, you use the last bits of your strength to get to the stone bridge that lies between you and safety.
 
>The bridge is about a 5 minute jog from the tree line, but God, does it feel like an eternity.
>Your Calves scream at you, but you finally cross the bridge.
>Pulling a swig of water from your helmet’s hydro-line, you rest on the wall of a nearby house.
>You look into the Settlement, and see nobody walking the streets.
>Odd, but not unusual. A lot of settlements have a day of rest, where they all stay inside, and catch up on Frontier-wide news.
>You remember the looks on everyone’s faces back home after the Battle of Demeter.
>Even though the fight had happened months before, Angel City was abuzz with gossip once news hit their ears.
>Most of the news just glorified the IMC’s “Gallant efforts to retain control of the refueling world from the terrorist group, known as the Militia.”
“What a load of bullshit.”
>Your mind takes it’s leave through your vocal cords, revealing your external speakers aren’t transmitting.
>Looks like you just talked you your own helmet.
>not like there’s anyone here to hear you, though.
 
>Your strength Regained, you swagger into town, hoping one of the local hicks will notice the elite Pilot visiting their shantytown.
>You head towards what looks like the town’s center, seeing nobody at all during your walk.
>You decide to wait, and take a seat on the Fountain marking the center.
>Hours pass, and eventually you decide to watch your helmet’s Holologs.
>You watch previous briefings between you and Commander Briggs.
>Her Husky-yet-feminine voice makes you yearn for home more and more.
>Eventually, you see a flash of Blue to your left.
>You stand up, knowing now that you’re being watched.
>Frantically scanning your surroundings, you spot about 5 colorful creatures.
>They’ve formed a V Pointed towards you, and stand on all four legs in what you believe to be an attacking pose.
>SeveralQuestions.JPG
>They look like the Holograms of Earth’s ‘Horses’, but are about half the height.
>Plus, Two of them have what appears to be horns protruding from their foreheads.
>You see the colors Yellow, White, Purple, Orange, and Pink.
“Where’s Blue?”
>You forget your helmet’s external speakers aren’t working.
>Something thuds on the ground to your left, and you glance over.
“Clever Girl…”
 
>Blue’s Wings(?) are extended, most likely to intimidate you, but she lifts off again, and joins the other five.
>The six of them make a Basic A Formation, and Begin to glow in their respective colors.
“Wait, what?”
>”I don’t know what you are, but if you are intelligent, give us a sign, Creature!”
>Ok the purple one just talked.
>The fuck has ARES been doing to these things?
>Remembering your helmet’s malfunction, You try to communicate with your arms and hands.
>But they fail to understand. Once you move they all flinch, almost jumping back.
>”What’d’ya Think, Twi?” Says Orange.
>””I think we’ve got one that left the Everfree. Let’s put Him where he belongs, right girls?” Says Purple.
>The rest nod in approval, and you are enveloped in a purple hue.
“The fuck?”
>The hue surrounds you, and you are lifted into the air.
>You’re pretty sure your screams are heard through your helmet, but you are sent towards the forest nonetheless.
>Once you’ve reached the treeline, the purple hue dissolves, and you are dropped about half a meter to the ground.
>Your jump kit Slows the fall automatically, and you land on your feet.
>That was fucking weird.
 
>Since the direct approach failed, you decide to scout the town.
>Finding a tree That’s taller than the rest, you scale it, and, once again, find a branch you deem sturdy enough.
>Pulling out your Longbow DMR, you scope in on the town center, and sight the six from earlier.
>Tracking each for a few hours a day, you discover that the town is inhabited by multiple of the colored horses.
>You also find the daily routines of all six colors.
>Purple hangs out in a bit tree made out of some sort of Crystalline material.
>Orange live on what looks to be a farm, but it’s main crop is apple trees, for some odd reason.
>Pink runs what looks to be a shop near the town center.
>Yellow lives on the outskirts of town, in what is possibly a breeder’s hut.
>Breeder of what, you’re unsure.
>White Looks to work in some sort of fashion parlor, based off of the statues that inhabit the windows.
>And Blue Somehow does workouts in the clouds above town.
>At least you think those are workouts.
>A week passes, and your rations are running low.
> Turning your gaze from the town and it’s inhabitants, you scope on the wildlife of the forest.
>If there’s one thing you learned in the M-CORPS, it’s how to dress your kills.
>You Place your sights on a particularly lean-looking Pig.
>Remembering your training, you slow your breathing.
>There is nothing in-between breaths.
>Just You, Your Rifle, and Your Target.
>You Squeeze the trigger, and the Rifle bucks back into your shoulder.
>A squeal echoes through the forest, and falls silent.
>You jump from the branch you’ve been perched on, and move to your kill.
>Time to go shopping.