POV: Synthia, age 23

I smiled as my students entered. They swiftly sat down, then began to talk.

"Now now! One at a time!"

The students looked at each other, then asked one unanimous question.

"Who are you?"

I smiled. "I am Synthia Everlasting but you can call me 'Hunter' or 'Ms. Everlasting', if you wish."

One kid cocked her head. "Hunter?"

I showed off my Slinger. "I'm a Hunter, a part of the Commission. Now, we're starting this school day off with an assembly."

The kids all got up, then lined up at the door. I led them to the gym, then seemingly vanished. A famous singer walked up to the edge of the stage and music bean to play.

"It takes five days for society to break

Starvation, hunger, violence and rape

The United States of America's dead of her epidemic yet again

The violin should play

When you orchestrate and prepare an awful state of affairs is it fair

To say that you paid to rob your own grave?

With nature defaced, the decay is ingrained

You can't take the truth 'til its straight in your face

And it's too late to change it or take it away

Fate is a strange thing, we predicted the happenings

Straight after late capitalism

But we didn't prepare

For the winter despair

There was frost on the glass

We were lacking the vision

But for what little is left we need a tactical vision

And for that, we can thank The Division."

He backed away and the Division Agents walked up, continuing the song.

"[Chorus:]

New York City

Could it be more gritty?

Money is the root of all evil

So when we fall farther it seems more fitting

New York City

Could it be more gritty?

Money is the root of all evil

Would our dear forefathers weep or pity?

Rewind

Flash back for a minute as we shoot back five days

To black Friday

New York, feel the boom bap vibrate

Street map is a true rat like maze

Open jail, flip the gulag sideways

Too late to glue cracks, view that crime rate

Whole city's in a 2Pac mindstate

Thugging at eachother to get food and hydrate

Better get moving to that highway

Come on, if you really wanna do that, why wait?

Pack your bags, grab your shoes and migrate

Cause a dead president's a dude that's irate

For a land built on dirty money

It's absurdly funny

That it's turning ugly

But you know humans, we just keep running

And we will, it is our will, and this is a free country

[Chorus]

The president says to do whatever it takes

To tether the threads and weather the state

Defend it against any tremors and quakes

Hell or heaven could make

My vector can spray

Like a rector can pray

So I'll rectify lies, correct your mistakes

You're treading a fine line with steps that you take

So you might find my bootprint etched in your face

Yes siree, we do what's necessary

Every discretionary decision is left up to me

Definitely

Stepping the street

With weapon ready

To step in and cease

The spread of the epidemic dead on its feet

Second guessing whoever we meet

We're a second from our severed head and spines lying separately

So I'm speaking to my team with techy telepathy

If I protect them

They protect me

[Chorus]"

(AZ Lyrics, again.)

The kids cheered and I made my way to my class. A tiny boy sat next to me.

"Hey there, everything okay?"

"I don't know. Why has the Division taken over the school?"

I smiled. "We haven't 'taken over', we're here because we've experienced the ugly and can help kids like you get over the fears drilled into you from death games. I actually got out of a death game a year ago."

A spark ignited in his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah. Have you ever heard of 'The Midnight Blade' before?"

"Yeah. I heard he freed hundreds of people by killing the World Boss of a certain game."

I chuckled. "Do I really look so masculine? Why does everyone mistake 'Midnight Blade' for a dude? Or is it because of gender stereotypes?"

"Wait, you're the Midnight Blade?!"

I looked at the boy with a toothy grin. "Yeah, I am. Surprised?"

"Can I have your autograph!?"

I laughed, then gave him my autograph. "Am I like your hero or something?"

"Heck yeah! When I heard that someone was able to beat a gun game with twin swords, it inspired me to be like them and keep on living!"

The kid was glowing a slight red. I smiled, then turned my attention to the assembly.

The principle explained the reason for our arrival to the students and told them to treat us like they would their old teachers. It ended and I round my kids up.

"Alright class, time to head back to class."

We walked back to the classroom and the kids began to pull their history books out. I grabbed all the books with Chaos and neatly piled them on the bookshelf.

"I don't like to teach like that. Instead of reading books that are watered down and can be confusing, let's watch some videos instead."

The class murmured and one kid raised their hand.

"Yes?"

"How did you do that?"

I smiled, then turned the board on with Chaos. "I can use and control Chaos, this invisible force that is in every one of us. It's in our souls."

The class talked amongst themselves a bit more. I sat down at my laptop and accessed the videos that had been provided to me.

"We're going to be learning about Reach and her fall. Anyone here familiar with the events?"

One hand, and it was shaky.

"Yes?"

"I know that a Spartan team called 'Noble Team' went MIA on the planet. That's all I know."

I sighed. "That's okay. We're going to start from the beginning."

I started the video, but one minuet in, it mysteriously paused.

"Hmm.... This is odd.... Why is it saying that someone with more authority than me has paused this? I'm trying to use my grandfather's ONI credentials, and yet they still have more authority...."

At that moment, someone cleared their throat. I looked over at the door and saw Blade, my great-grandfather.

I bolted to my feet. "O-oh! N-Noble Actual! I didn't-!"

He cut me off. "Save me the talk. The video's wrong."

"Huh? What do you mean? This is-"

"What ONI want's you to show your class. They're disrespecting my fellow brothers and sisters. Move over."

He nudged me to the side, closed the video, then logged into ONI's database with his credentials. He pulled up a folder simply titled "Never Forget."

He looked right at my class. "What I'm about to show you is everything my helmet captured while I was on Reach. Uncut. You might want to get comfortable."

He opened the folder and hundreds of videos were stored, all separated into days. He double clicked the first one and skipped forwards until it was of him putting his helmet on.

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POV: The class watching the "movie".

"Sir. We're coming up on the base."

"Thanks."

Six watched as the base grew larger. The warthog stopped as he got out and Six walked past Jun, who was loading a sniper clip.

"Visegrad Relay went dark last week. I sent a squad of Marines to investigate, but they have since been declared, MIA." Colonel Urban Holland was talking NOBLE via comms.

Six took a step forwards and was stopped by Kat. Carter looked over his shoulder, then back at the computer.

"And now you're sending us."

"Rebels pulled a similar job on Harmony. Knocked out our eyes and ears, then stole two ships from drydock. We can't let that happen; Reach's too damn important. I want that relay back online, Noble One."

"Sir, consider it done."

"Then I'll be seeing you on the other side."

The chanel closed and Carter turned around. Emile made a sly comment.

"So that's our new number Six."

Carter glanced at the Spartan, then at Kat. "Kat, you read his file?"

"Only the parts that weren't covered in black ink."

Carter gave her a nod, then swiftly introduced the team.

"Noble Six that's Kat, Noble Two. That's Emile and George, Four and Five. You're riding with me, Six."

"Yes sir."

They left the prefab building and got into a Falcon with Jun and it took off. Carter leaned close to Six.

"Just so you know, I've read your file, even the parts the ONI censors didn't want me to. Glad to have your skill set, but we're a team. That lone wolf stuff? Stays behind."

"Got it."

Jun made a smart-ass comment. "Welcome to Reach."

Six looked out at the rolling fields and made his own half-ass comment. "I feel pleasured."

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Blade fast forwarded the video. Before he resumed it, he hovered over a part that seemingly wasn't important. He then resumed the video from that point.

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Jun looked at Carter. "Sir, what did you mean by lone wolf stuff?"

Six answered without looking at his fellow Spartan. "I've been known to quell entire insurrections by myself."

"Oh. I get it now. ONI ops"

"Yep."

Six then pulled something from a protected pocket. It was a simple photo.

Carter noticed. "What's that?"

"Nothing. Just a simple photo."

"Can I see it?"

Six handed the photo to his commander. Carter looked at it for a long time.

"Is that you, as the boy?"

"No. That's my son."

"Huh. What happened to your family?"

He gave Six the photo back.

"I was forced to leave them. Something happened and I was separated from them. ONI made me into what I am now."

Jun whistled low. "Damn. Sorry to hear. Must be a pain to you."

"No, not really. I keep fighting so I can keep them safe."

Carter examined his DMR. "Every good soldier needs a reason to fight."

Six looked at the lake ahead of them. "You're right. They do."

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(Time skip! We're now at the part where George throw Six away.)

George walked over to Six.

"George, what's wrong?"

"Timer's fried. It'll have to be fired manually."

Six turned his gaze from a door right to George's unhelmeted face. "That's a one way trip."

"And I plan on making it. Listen," George ripped off his dog tags and shoved them into Six's hand. "Reach has been good to me. Time to make this count, alright?"

George lifted Six off his feet and walked him out of the airlock. He threw Six back to the planet, then spun around to fend off several Covenant kill squads. Six watched as the carrier was ripped in half, destroying the Super Carrier it was refueling on.

Then, several hundred more Super Carriers appeared. Six watched as they pulverised Reach's orbital defences.

He slammed into the ground and got up, limping over to New Alexandrea. He pressed against a wall and slowly made his way to a stranded squad of Marines.

"A Spartan?!"

Six gave them a nod, but no words. The Marines followed and through the entire encounter, Six said nothing.

Eventually, he was picked up in a Pelican. He was transported to Carter's current location and the silent Spartan hopped off.

"Good to see you again, Six."

"Sorry I came alone."

Carter nodded. "Kat needs your help. Time to dust off your wings."

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Blade fast forwarded.

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Six just landed at ONI Spire. He made his way to the remains of Noble Team and all eyes were on him. He showed George's tags and Emile made a comment.

"He always loved Reach."

Kat fiddled with a wire and then shouted "Got it!"

Carter walked over and Six slinked into a corner. Kat walked up to him, then began to berate him for acting like a machine. An explosion sent all the Spartans flying and they rushed to elevators.

Kat ended up getting killed with a Needle Rifle shot and Six quietly carried her into the fallout bunker.

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Blade paused the video, then skipped forwards. With a sigh, he answered a question.

"Kid. The fact that 'Spartans never die' is a lie. They do die. We're humans, not some invincible fighting machine. You just watched two die."

No one said anything. Blade resumed the video.

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POV: Synthia

(After the end of the feed.)

The class watched intently as Blade's helmet feed played before them. At the end, they stayed silent.

Blade walked away without a word. I sighed and turned the board off.

"School has ended. No homework for today."

The class got up and left. I waited for a tad longer, then followed them out. Outside the school, a Guardian lurked.

I walked right up to her. "Who are you?"

She said nothing. I tried again. Still nothing.

"Why won't you answer me?!"

She sighed, then turned around as if to run. She only got one step before I grabbed her.

"Tell me your name now."

She wrenched herself from my grasp and sprinted away, sniffling.

"Who was that?" Kazuto walked up on me.

"Don't know. That Hunter just upped and left, sniffling. I only wanted to know who she was."

Kazuto pulled his ringing phone out of his pocket. "Hm? Asuna? What do you mean Yuuki's gone? Wait, her body's missing?!"

I covered my mouth and turned away. I sprinted off, chasing after that Hunter.

Come back!