Generation Stealth

                                                       Chapter One

“Basic Training is a real pain in the ass.” I moaned out while walking down the carved out dirt path leading down the many rows of tents, this camp was relatively small due to the lack of trainees coming to fight. Rainbow Dash smirked at me shoving me in the shoulder a bit to mock me.

“Wow, you’re a real pain in the ass, stop being such a bitch Cloud Shade.” I rolled my eyes at her; she could be really mean when she wanted to be. But she was hardly rude to me; we’ve been best friends ever since Foalhood. We were almost inseparable.

“Yeah, yeah that’s enough out of you asshole. Where is the mess tent anyway? I’m starving over here.” Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof out to a elongated tent, it stood out from the rest mostly because of its tall stature, I smiled rubbing my hooves together.

“Right then! Let’s go eat!” I ran down into the tent with Rainbow right behind me. We laughed while we ate, this was our only free social time in basic training, we talked during morning calisthenics but that wasn’t exactly easy, we were too busy gasping for breath to say much. The only time we were ever allowed to talk besides that was when we were in our bunks.

“Hey Rainbow, you still awake?” I asked from the top bunk, I had my forelegs folded behind my head as I spoke.

“Yeah, what do you want Shade?” She asked with a tired tone in her voice. It’s been nearly a year since we left for Basic Training, we were going to get out of here tomorrow, I couldn’t be more excited.

“You think they’ll pair us up in a squad?” I asked curiously over the top bunk, I could hear her small sigh, I always had a habit of occasionally annoying the crap out of her.

“Probably, I mean we were by far two of the best trainees, why not keep the best together?” I nodded, there were three other Ponies who were also rather skilled in basic training. I sort of had to struggle to remember their names. Sky Dive, Stealth Hawk, and Aero Flame. I shrugged my shoulders a bit.

“Yeah, you’re probably right; I just can’t wait to get the hell out of here. I can finally start a much simpler military career.” I said with a lazy grin spread across my face.

“Whatever, you’re just too lazy to do morning calisthenics.” I laughed, we always loved to joke around with each other, what best friends don’t? The times in basic training were some of the best times of my life. Now those times are about to end.

“Come on Sky Blazers!” I yelled out to the three soldiers in my air squadron, it’s been eight years since basic training. I am now in command of the 160 Stealth Air Squadron. This was a combat situation, there is a new enemy on the Horizon. A mysterious rebellious group known as “The PAC” abbreviated means “Ponies Against Celestia” This is an air war, we’re some of the best pilots in Equestria.

“Sir, yes sir!” They all shouted in unison, Rainbow Dash I considered more like a second in command than a soldier. She trotted up next to me with her helmet strapped to her head. We were ready to go to our first battle.

“Alright men! Our orders are to intercept the enemy supply transports and take them down! Regroup at Skypoint Bravo, from there we’ll initiate the attack!” They all saluted before rushing around to their fighters to begin the mission. I turned to Rainbow a sly grin on my face.

“You ready for this Rainbow?” I asked with a cocked eyebrow, I knew she was but I always loved to screw with her, it always pisses her off when I belittle her.

“Of course I am you dumbass now hurry up we got to get to Skypoint Bravo.” I nodded trotting over to my Stealth Assault Fighter. Me and Rainbow flew in unison through the dense clouds.

I got on the intercom to begin communications with the squadron.

“Alright, every pony report in.” I said just to test our frequencies on this channel.

“Sky Dive reporting in sir!”

“Aero Flame reporting in sir!”

“Stealth Hawk reporting in sir!”

“Rainbow Dash reporting in.” She didn’t say it with a lot of enthusiasm, I sighed shrugging my shoulders. I couldn’t wait to begin combat, we always thought of it as a game, except in this game when you die you don’t get to try again. So our motto is, don’t lose.

“Sir, not to disrespect you but why are they sending in a Stealth Squad to intercept a supply transport?” Aero Flame asked with a bored tone in his voice. I sighed rubbing my forehead tiredly Aero Flame always did have a knack for annoying me.

“Wow Aero, do you ever stop bitching?” I asked with a serious tone in my voice. I hated when he asked stupid questions, like questioning the mission.

“That depends sir; do you ever stop busting my balls?” I heard the laughter of the entire squad through the intercom. I couldn’t help but laugh to, we were almost there. Just a few more minutes and the dog fight would begin.

“Alright men, take to the clouds, move in nice and quietly I’m right behind you.” I said through the intercom, a few seconds later the planes ahead of me began to slowly ascend into the darkened clouds. They were masked perfectly, no enemy plane would be able to detect them. I soon ascended behind them taking my spot in the clouds as well.

Soon we were right on top of the enemy supply transports. There were only about three planes in total, but they carried about five fighters between them as an escort, this wouldn’t be an easy fight.

“Alright men, are we going to go down now!?” I shouted at them while we moved silently through the Clouds. I got the response I expected from them of course.

“Sir no sir!” They all yelled in unison.

“You bet we aren’t! We aren’t regular ponies we are Lions!” I shouted at them, in an organized pack we flew down into the fray, they didn’t even see us at first, we had the upper hand in this battle. We intercepted them dead on beginning a volley of turret fire. I began to maneuver around missile firing. I fired off rounds in short controlled bursts into the enemy fighters.

“Aero Flame take the left flank.” I waved my hoof in signal to the left side through the cockpit. He nodded in response moving off into the clouds. He soon came out behind them opening fire. He fired missiles into the crowd of enemy planes. He scored flaming streaks across the poor fighters sending them combusting onto the ground below.

“Nice shot Flame, now get the hell out of there you’re in hot.” I barrel rolled out of the way of an enemy missile. I looked up as two planes came up on both of my sides.

“Look out Shade you got two on your tail!” Rainbow shouted at me, I rolled my eyes. My heart rate was starting to increase, I had to get out of their sight before they open fire.

“I know Dash I know!” I shouted at her, I rolled to the right, to avoid their turret fire. I was a sitting duck in this position. I had to think fast! I was about to be knocked down into the water.

“Alright, Rainbow get my back I’m pulling up.” I said before pulling back on the thruster as hard as I could, I lifted the nose of the plane upwards into a sort of loop. I passed the enemy planes over head almost in slow motion. They looked up at me confused before I finished the loop landing right behind them.

I shot two missiles, one for each of them. They never even had a chance to react, before they knew what hit them they both went down in giant balls of fire. There were now only two enemy fighters left. They were trying to pull into a retreat, I moved into intercept cutting off their escape. I saw Rainbow come up from behind them dropping bombs on top of them.

I saw the fireworks as flaming metal shattered from the enemy fighters on impact. They went down as well ending the enemy resistance.

“Alright, Aero, Hawk, take out the supply transports, our work here is done.” I breathed out a sigh of relief. This was his first combat situation; he and Rainbow survived the fray. They pulled out rolling into a sort of dive, friendly reinforcements arrived and were starting to secure the transports.

“Rainbow, lets head out, I’m buying our drinks tonight” I said with a grin on my face. We had just won the first battle of what was sure to be a very long war.

Rainbow and I were on leave for two weeks, we decided to spend that time together in Ponyville, and we spent most of our time in either Clouds Dale or in a club.

Vinyl Scratch was tearing up the Turn Table as usual, me and Rainbow were sitting at the bar ordering drink after drink. Apparently if you come in dressed in uniform you get free drinks. We were sitting there really enjoying ourselves until this asshole shows up.

“Rainbow.” The strange pony said trotting up to her, he looked at her with a stern look on his face. I didn’t really care; it was her personal business and hers alone.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were on leave?” The strange pony said while looking down at her, he sounded pretty angry. I sipped my drink looking casual, I looked at him with a cocked eyebrow, Rainbow simply look annoyed.

“Soarin, I told you we’re done, I don’t need to tell you what I do or don’t do.” She shrugged ordering another drink; I looked at the Wonder Bolt who now looked incredibly angry.

“You think that now you’re in the military you’re somehow better?” He grabbed her by the shoulder hoisting her off the chair. She squirmed out of his grip floating in the air. I sighed rising up to my hooves; I didn’t want to deal with this bullshit right now.

“Leave her alone, please.” I said trying to sound calm. He looked at me beginning to laugh. He obviously thought I was weak because he was a lot bigger than me.

“Who the hell is this clown?” He said shoving my head. I sighed rubbing my forehead tiredly, that’s it, this douche is going down. Before he could react I bent my hind leg into his stomach. He let out a gasp falling onto the floor.

“Here’s a drink on me.” I said pouring my drink over his head. I laughed a bit walking out of the club slowly, Rainbow ran out behind me trying to keep up.

“You know Dash, you should try to keep your Ex’s in control. That whole scene just makes me look like a giant ass.” I said shaking my head; I’m normally not the violent type. But Rainbow Dash is my friend; I don’t let ponies push her around.

“Thank you regardless, but you didn’t really need to hurt him. Believe it or not Shade I can handle myself.” I laughed trotting down the alley way.

"You sure didn’t prove it.” I said rolling my eyes; we decided to put the scene behind us. We only have a week left of leave. We want to spend that time having fun not arguing with each other, Rainbow is my best friend, though I silently hope we can be more than friends one day I have to be content with the cards I have currently been dealt.

I only hope things work out for the best, for both of us.