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Title: Under the Surface
Author:

yappichick
Media Creator:

penny
Media Link: http://penny.dreamwidth.org/64129.html
Word Count: 36,300
Fandom: Halo: Combat Evolved (with a little Halo: Reach thrown in)
Characters/Pairing(s): John-117, Cortana, Catherine Halsey, Jacob Keyes, Avery Johnson, James Ackerson, with a tiny bit of John/Cortana thrown in for good measure.
Rating: T
Warnings: Very, very AU. If that sort of thing scares you, then this isn't the story for you. Set before the events of Halo: CE.
Summary: The UNSC is fighting a failing war against the Covenant. Strongholds have been taken, hope is starting to fade. The only promising signs that the UNSC would ever would be able to stand against them are Halsey’s Spartans. Now, Cortana, Earth's first human-AI hybrid, has just been assigned to work with the Master Chief to try to stop the power that threatens to overtake the world and destroy those who will not follow them.

Author's notes: A big huge thank you for my f-list who listened to me moan and groan for months about this story. Thanks to

vangirl for organizing the challenge and a HUGE thanks to my media creator,

penny , for all the awesome goodies!

Part 1: Stomping Grounds

Part 2: Let's Get This Show on the Road

Part 3: Crashing the Party

Part 4: Pushing the Boundaries
Part 5: Full Circle

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Love, love, love this fic! *hugs* This is an awesome AU, yappichick! I wish this was canon, because I definitely would play the Halo series if it was!

I normally don't really care for Halo, but I loved how you portrayed the Chief and Cortana, and all the drama that started because of their budding relationship. (At first I was like "\o/ Yay, they kissed!" Then "Crap, that can't be good." Then finally, "Damn it, kiss and make up you two! D:<")

I know next to nothing about the series, but you really sucked me in with this fic. I don't have the time right now to listen to the media that penny put together for you, but I will soon.

To be honest, I was leery on reading, as most of my knowledge of Halo is dim memories of the first game and my brothers playing it on the monster box of the system with the huge gorilla controllers (which are still the best controllers for the system, damn you people with your tiny hands. *shakes fist*) The only other knowledge I can say I have that has anything to do with Halo is Red vs Blue, which doesn't follow canon at all. (But it looks like that might be changing with season nine. *epic glee*)

Why thank you so much! :D *beams*

I'm glad you enjoyed the progression of John and Cortana's relationship. I do have two other sequels mapped out in my mind. I don't know if I'll ever get around to writing them, but I'm a sucker for a happy ending, so let's just say John and Cortana get their moment of happiness. :D :D

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this monster-sized fic. I know sometimes AUs can be daunting, so I really appreciate the fact you read it all. :D :D

Thanks again! :D :D

It's no problem! Thank you for writing it!

I love monster fic, and I read really, *really* fast. Especially when I get sucked in to a well written fic. I don't mind AUs at all, as long as the writer knows what they're doing and keeps as true to characters as they can while playing with their own universe. I like to see what people come up with. :D

I like happy endings, especially for the characters that deserve them. And I think you topped me in word count by about 3000 words, so I know all about monster fic. >:3

I hope you'll be able to develop one of those sequels. I know this leads into the games, just with the addition of a Cortana with a physical body, but I would love to read more of any fic that tie into this AU. Even a little series of drabbles would make me happy. And like I said before, I wish this were canon, then I could play as a Cortana. >XD

"Under the Surface", Halo: Combat Evolved

WHY HASN'T ANYBODY COMMENTED ON THIS???

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