Chapters "My fucking hooves are aching" General Inferno complained. General Storm glaced at him.
"What do I cear?"
"Still don't know why Celestia wants us to show her student the military side of the job, like she's ever going to rule. She'll be dead by the time Celestia is half over with her rule." He protested.
Storm looked at Inferno, who was taller than him, with a annoyed looked.
Inferno scoffed. "Not my princess."
Strom rolled his eyes.
"Is that why you are wearing a blue uniform?"
"No, I just don't look good in light butternut." Inferno said sarcastically. Rolling his eyes behind dark sun glasses. Storm ingnored Infernos jab at his uniform, butternut was a good color for him.
They both stood there in silence for a while. Inferno grew board and decided to take a short nap while waiting for Celestia and twilight to get here. Storm glanced at the sleeping unicorn.
Storm scoffed at him silently I would never let my guard sleep on the job, let-alone Me. he thought to him self. Though his hoofs were also hurtting. And the sun was warm on his back. He felt it's warmth and began to grow increasingly tried, he fought with him self tell he could fight no more. He slept, still standing up.
Celestia, Luna and Twilight walked to the awaiting train and General's. Walking down the long halls of the castle, their foot steps ecgoing off the walls. Celestia looked down at Twilight, who seemed nervous. Luna was on the other side of Twilight, she felt her gazed and look at her, and then to Twilight.
"What is the matter young one?" Luna asked.
"Oh, I'm just worried about the Generals and all that stuff".
Celestia spoke to her sudent.
"Don't worry, Luna and I have known them for a long time, there is nothing to be scared of. Thier nice once you get to know them."
"Yes, any way they are well trained. You will be in good company."
Twilight semmed to lighten up, as they rounded the corner to the train. Celestia was shocked when she saw what was waiting. There, in the doorway was General Storm, fast asleep. Next to him was General Inferno, greeting them with a smile and a salute.
"Princess Luna." He bowed to her. She returned the bow. The General then looked to Celestia.
"Your General went out some time ago, I believe you should wake him."
Celestia cleared her throat and proded Storm in the shin. He didn't wake, he mumbled some thing. Inferno smlied, almost laughing, but he coked it down.
"Let me" he offered.
Celestia gave him the ok. He cleared his throat, loader than Celestia, Storm just mumbled something of an insalt. Inferno seemed annoyed by this. He loosened his coller.
"ARMOR INSPECTION! STAND AT ATTENTION!, MAGGOT!" Inferno yelled at the top of his voice, like a drill Sargent . Storm woke up. Snapping to full attention, saluting.
"Yes, sir!" Storm looked around and realized he had fallen a sleep, and that princess Celestia was standing before him. He hastily saluted.
"Princess Celestia, my apologies, I don't know why...". She smiled at him, letting him know he should stop talking. She spoke to him softly.
"It's ok, you don't need to explain yourself." She then jestrued with her wings to Twilight, who was standing next to her.
"This is princess Twilight sparkle, Twilight this is General Lightning Storm, and General Inferno." Thay both inclined their heads to her.
She looked at the two. Storm who was closer to her, was shorter than Celestia but taller than Luna. His coat was a pale white, while his short cut mane and tale were electric blue. Wareing a close fitting short jacket, with light yellow scorlling on the cuff of his sleave. His chest decorated with various medals. His face stern, and formal. She looked to Inferno, he was wareing a blue long coat, with silver lines decorating the sleavs and a cross made of four crescent moons on the right side of his coat. The ash black stalion was tall and well muscled, he was even taller than Celestia was. His charcoal white mane also cut short. She looked at him, suddenly he look to her, makeing eye contact. She could fell him looking at her though the dark sun glasses he was wearing. He held his star for an uncomfortable amount of time till she broke first.
"Hello, nice to meet you" Twilight said.
General Inferno spoke to Celestia and Luna, as if she wasn't even there. Storm looked to Celestia.
"Well we must be going, long train ride to fort Star Fire." Celestia nobbed.
"Yes, Luna and I have some important matters to a tend to. Paper work for Equestria to receive a zeppelin from Germaniegh. You know how it goes General." She smiled warmly to Storm.
Storm, Inferno, and Twilight made their way for the train. Inferno walking slowly, but still ceeping up with her and Storm. He walked as if he was thinking about something. Storm glanced to Twilight, smiling, or at lest trying to smile.
"So Princess Twilight." Inferno asked, startling her with his deep voice. "What are you the Princess of?"
"Friendship, I was, well I am the holder of the element of magic." She said, reminding her self who she was. Inferno's face darkend, going angry as she mentioned the elements. She grew quiet. Not wanting to anger the larger unicorn.
Finely, they made it to the train. Though this train was different than the small one back at ponyvill. This one was large and black. Sporting a sun and moon crest on the front. Inferno let Storm and Twilight in first, he entered, talking to a watter. Storm showed Twilight to several cushions next to a low table. She sat down next to the window. Inferno sat down next to Strom, a cup of dark liquid in his magical aroa.
Twilight looked out the window, at the castle above. The train lunged forward, causing Inferno to spill some of his drink.
"Damn" He curst under his breath. Storm gave him a angry glance. Inferno smiled, something she thought he couldn't do. He nuged Storm in the rips.
"Saw the way she smiled at you, you'll be wanting to get back in a hurry. Huh?" Storms eye brows frowed his eye brows.
"Shut up! She is the princess!" Inferno's smile grew as he took a sip form his cup.
This is going to be a long ride. She thought to her self.
Author's Note
Sorry for any grammer issues or other stuff. Let me know what you think. Frist story I wrote.
Twilight sighed, as she wached the surrounding country side moved by, blurs as the train moved. It had been an hour sense they left Canterlot. And nether of the generals had talked much, a few short words here and there. She torn her stare away from the from the window, and looked at the two generals. Inferno was asleep, or she though he was, his shades still on and his hat pulled over his eyes, his breathing slow and steady. Storm was going over some paper work a secretary gave him. He was deep in his work, he sent at least ten scrolls in the past twenty minutes.
"How long till we get there?" She asked.
Storm didn't notice her. He continued to go about his business. Inferno let out a breath, tipping his hat up with his magic.
"I suppose a couple hours, or so." Inferno told her. He gestured for a watter. One hurried forward and stoud in front of the tabble, asking the General what he wanted.
"Another brady for me, Apple cider for the princess, and..." he looked to Storm, who was to deep in paper to realize what was going on. "...a fine wine for General sunshine." Storm looked up form his work, turning to Inferno.
"What did you just call me?"
"General Sunshine." Inferno said in a mocking tone. Storms expression turned blank, his face red.
"How do you know what she calls m..." He trailed off, realizing that Twilight was listening.
"Who's she ?"
"Never, mind. Just don't call me that agian!" Storm went back to his work.
Twilight was confused about all of this. Why she even had to do this, why they both talked to each other like this. The total lack of dialogue happening between them. She remembered what Celestia told her,'Make sure and ask alot of questions '
"So... you two are head General's?" She asked, trying to get a conversation going.
Inferno cocked an eye brow.
"What gave the away, my uniform or the hat." He said sarcastically. Storm rolled his eyes.
"Must you always be sarcastic? She is a princess after all."
"Yes, I do. And no offense Princess..." he he pointed his hoof to her. "... but I serve Princess Luna only , no one else, she is my only princess."
"I can trun you in for treason, you do know that right?"
"Ya, but you won't, I know to much about you and..."
"You wouldn't!" Storm cut him off, raseing his voice. Inferno gave him a smerk.
"Try me."
"I swear, I do some thing to you athousand years ago and you still won't let it go." Storm said looking up above, to some unseen force.
"You know I still have good reason to be angry at you." Inferno said, turning away from Storm as the watter aproched. Inferno took the drinks placing them in front of Twilight and strom. He nodded his thank you as he took a sip of his drink.
Twilight realized some Storm had just said.
"Wait, you just said a thousand year ago , does that mean you two were alive back then?" She ask her question to ether one of them, more to both of them. Storm, who was taking a drink of his wine, choked on it when he heard her question, some of it coming out his nose. Which caused Inferno to bust out laughing at him.
Storm, recovering from his wine going through nose, looked frantic.
"No,no. You must of heard wrong."
"I don't think so, I heard you say a thousand years ago " she said, Inferno trying to stop laughing, agreed with her.
"Ya, I heard that to, cear to explain why the two of us.." he gestured to him self and Twilight. "..heard some thing you didn't say?"
Storm gave him a look that would kill. He then looked to Twilight, smiling.
"Well you see...um... Inferno and I are...umm" he struggled to explain. Inferno leaned back in his seat, a gren spread acrossed his face.
"This otta be good."
Storm gave him a nother glare, Inferno returning it with a smile.
"Well, Inferno and I are..." he struggled to get it out,"... we're immortal." He said quickly, taking a drink of wine afterwards.
Twilights face was completely blank, her mouth was hanging open. She stayed like that for a while. Inferno looked to Storm.
"Did you kill her" He wisperd to Storm.
Twilight shook her head violently. Her expression changed from blank to pure shock.
"WHAT! Your IMMORTALS! But how? Does Celestia know this?"
Now Storms face was blank. Inferno was laughing, again. Inferno leaned in close to Twilight.
"Why of corse Celestia knows! Why wouldn't that old hag know about other immortals?"
Storm gasped.
"Whach what you say about Princess Celestia!"
"You see..."Inferno continued talking to Twilight, completely ignoring Storm. "... Storm and I learned how to cast a immortality spell, well more we were told how to, you see we're the Princess's personal boby guards. We were alive when they were young, and there parents wanted them to have friends there whole life, friends who would protect them. So they showed us the spell and here we are, alive, older than dirt and still look'en good."
Twilight nodded her head in agreement, though her face showed she still didn't understand completely. Storm looked at Inferno, mouthing the word what . Inferno gave him a nodd,go with it . Twilight looked to Storm.
"So how old are you?" She asked. Storm thought about for a while, and a little while more, tell he came to a blank.
"I didn't know exactly , but about two thousand years, give or take." Inferno huffed. Storm glaced over to him. Inferno smiled, letting Storm know he was about to do some thing.
"It doesn't matter how old we are."
Twilight was still trying to comprehend what she was just told when a couple of servants aporched them, dinner trays in their magic. Inferno straighten him self up, Storm shuffled though the paper. Putting them aside in preparation for their lunch.
"What do we have to day?"Storm asked one of the servants.
"A rose paddle and young alpha salad, with a blue cheese crumble, and honey yogurt with toasted oak toping." The servant said as he placed the plates of food on the table in front of them.
"Sounds marvelous." Inferno said.
They ate in silence. She ate small portions of her food. She ceep glanceing at the two generals, Storm ate his food while reading over the paper work he had. Inferno ate with elegance, wich surprised her. He would take a bite of salad, chew and swallowed, wiping his mouth between bites. And for the frist time, she realized just how different the two generals were. Just like the princess they served so loyaly. She thought to her self, Inferno and Storm had been alive for Lunas banishment, she wondered what the two of them did when that went down. She shook off the thought. And went back to eating the wonderful salad that was in front of her. Listening to the train, the steady sound of the tracks.
Inferno, Storm, and Twilight walked off the train stiffly. It was a long and perticularly borning train ride. No one spoke after Twilight learned of Storm's and Inferno's secret. Questions still lingered in her head, questions that questioned the questions of which she wanted to ask. And she would've ask them, but she didn't want to seam pushy. The secrets that this two had, immortal, they were immortal !
They approached the entrance, which had a guard house next to it. The guard standing ready to excort them to the cort year, he saluted to the Generals, they returned the gesture. Inferno waved to Twilight, looking at the guard.
"Take princess Twilight here to the map room, I need to go over some things with Storm." Storm looked to him in a questioning way. The guard nodded and ask Twilight to follow him. She looked to Storm, he gave her a 'it's ok' look. Her and the guard went off.
Storm wanted for them to be out of ear shot.
"What is t..." is all he could get out before Inferno hit him in the jaw, sending him back a few steps. Storm looked up in shock.
"What the hell was that for?"
"What do you think it was for, dumb ass. You held that secret for more than a thousand years! You couldn't keep it for a enother five seconds!" Storm rubbed his sore jaw with his magic.
"Didn't need to hit me you prick."
"You remember the last time you did that." Storm looked lost, his cheek a little swollen.
"You get drunk, told the hole town our little secret. Then they tried to kill us, I saved your sorry ass, and set the place on fire. Killing elven, because of your big moth."
"Oh, ya. Dam, still didn't need to hit me, Celestia was gonna tell her any way."
"Fuck Celestia." Inferno said as he truned around, a small smile spread acrossed his face.
"Oh wait.... you all ready have." Storm gave him a flushed, angry look.
"You little..." Storm said as he tryed to kick inferno in the nuts. Inferno just laughed when Storm missed, taunting him.
"You missed."
Twilight stood before a large table with a map of Equestria and its surrounding neighbors. It looked much like the map set in the floor back a Canterlot, were the Genrals would plan for hours on end. She stood there for a while, studying the map. The rainroads, rivers, towns, forests, even mountains which were numbered.
The small room was poorly lit, a single lamp hung above the map. Several cork baords hung on the pale brown wall with other maps pinned on them. A picture of Commander Hurricane hung on the wall. Other than that there wasn't much else in the room, a cote rack in the corner next to the door, a small counter with a coffee pot setting on it.
The door opened, she turned to see who was coming in. It was the Generals, Storm seemed angry, Inferno had a small smile, which quickly vanished as he entered the room. His expression turning back to his normal pissed at the world look, 'I am gonna kick you teeth in' kind of look. Storm went to one side of the table next to Twilight. Inferno went to the other side of the table. Storm cleared his thoart.
"What are we doing here exactly?" She asked Storm who was closer to her than Inferno, and besides she didn't want to ask General Inferno a question, he was to smart ass'ed about things.
"Well you know.." Storm started "...there is many different thing involved in being a princess." He stood next to her but not looking at her as he spoke. Instead he looked at the map. Inferno spoke now from the dark corner, his eyes seemed to glow, looking at her.
"Celestia has been teaching you about the importance of friendship and the elements of harmony." His eyes were cold, the way he said about the elements even colder. She nodded.
"Yess..." she drew out the 's more than she wanted.
"Well, forget about all of that for now, we are going to teach you about the military side of the Equestria defense."
She nodded again.
"Like using the Elements of Harmony for the defense of Equestria, I brought this up with Celestia before..."
Inferno cut her off rather rudely, she was going to remind him who she was, but then she remembered what he said on the train. 'Only Luna '
"No, that is not what WE mean. We are talking about physical defense. Broader guard, missiles, ships, weapons, young colt willing to die for their home land, compared to those they are incapable for warfare."
Twilight cocked a eye brow.
"What?" She asked Inferno.
"Do you actually believe the elements can be used for warfare, because the can't, they were made for magical def..." Twilight cut Inferno off, which made her fell like she had control over him. She didn't know how wrong of a mistake that was.
"Are you saying that the Elements aren't capable of defense? What about all those villans I de with my friends, Celestia has always told me that friendship is power. What about Terk, Discord, Chrysalis. When I first used the elements on Nightmare moon I fou...."
Inferno cut her off as soon as she mentioned Nightmare. His face grew angry, his eyes that were cold now gave her a look that could kill. His voice raised, obviously pissed off by the little alicorn. Twilight suddenly had a fear of him, his name did good to his temper.
"Don't even go there! The Elements are not the most powerful item Equestria has! You finished them off so easy because no you believed you and your little friends could do it." Storm cut him off now.
"Inferno calm down..." Inferno contented to yell at the little princess.
"Your little elements are not as powerful as you think. Tell me princess what would your elements do in war, what happens when you and your friend are in a damn trench being gassed and your friends are dieing from chlorine cuase they couldn't get to their mask fast enough. And there is nothing you can do but listen them die! And you have to watch the rats eat off their rotting bodys. Or every time you go over the top, you pray that the next bullet doesn't hit you when your friend takes one in the head. Or you have to go to sleep listing to the screams of your friend that is stuck on the barbed wire as he dies, knowing there isn't a damn think you can do. And may I remind you, you didn't defeat Chrysalis, you failed! We're ready to go to defcon 1. My and Storm would have had to take things in to our own hoofs, you don't want that. You almost stared a full on war princess, WAR, some princess of friendship you would of been . THE BLOOD WOULD BE ONYOUR HOOVES!" He said as slammed his hoof on the table, cracking it. His shades falling off his face. He started at her, his eyes were two different colors. The right a light blue, the left an angry red color
"And you couldn't do a damn thing." Inferno shook his head. Whispering to him self. Twilight just stared in disbelief, she didn't do any thing to offend any pony, at least she thought so. But something she said ticked Inferno off. How angry he had grown in such a short period. He cracked a thick hard wood table top with such easys.
"I have to go." Inferno said as he left, slamming the door on his way out.
Twilight looked to Storm, who was now on the other side of the table, staring down.
"What was that?" She ask the other unicorn. He looked up, his eyes blank.
"That was Inferno."
Author's Note
Sorry it took so long for this chapter, i didn't know were to go with this one.
Storms face was blank, shaking his head. He looked to Twilight.
"It's ok you didn't know." Should I tell her? he asked him self.
"Didn't know what?" Twilight asked Storm, still very confused about what just happened.
"Your frist misstake was mentioning Nightmare moon, that is a very, very , tinder subject. Never mention it again." Storm said, not looking at her, his eyes were shadowed over from the hat on his head. She wanted to ask why it was a tender subject, but thought better of it.
"Your second misstake was mentioning about using the elements for warfare, he served..." he paused trying to remember how many years it had been. "... a good time ago, in the Great War against Great Bridle. His hole company got chewed up trying to hold a barn in no mans land. And he couldn't use his magic to help the wouned."
"Why?" She asked
"A agreement with Great Bridle. We wouldn't use magic if they didn't use magic"
Twilight looked down to the group.
"I didn't know."
"No you didn't" Storm said as he walked out outside, looking for the pissed off unicorn.
Twilight followed close behind him. Waching him look around.
"Want me to fly up and see if I can find him?" She asked Storm. Spreading her wings out, ready to fly up.
"No." He said.
"Why"
"He is a thousand plus year old unicorn, if he doesn't want us to find him, we won't. That simple."
"Oh.." she nodded in agreement. She than looked to the pale white unicorn. A question comeing to her mind.
"His eyes, why were they like that?"
"He has Heterochromia, if effects the colors of his eyes. Shouldn't you know this?"
She mentally smacked her self in the head. Heterochromia! Why didn't she think of that. She truly thought there was something else, something more magical.
Storm continued to walk. Talking all the while.
"Lets get back on track. We came to Fort Starfire to give you a taste of our military." He looked to the small alicorn. "And to start with, lets go in to the history of Equestrian military. Back when I was a young colt enlisted in the guard, we only had our spears and our armor..."
Twilight sighed, it was going to be a long day.
~~~~~~~~~
Inferno wanted to kill something. The last time he was this pissed off was when Luna was banished. He night he fought against Storm.
He pittied the next sorry son of a bitch that pissed him off. And that just happened to be a unspecting captain who forgot to salute Inferno as he walked by.
Inferno paused for a seacond, letting the captain walk a ways before he let him have it.
"Attention!" Inferno yelled while he truned around. The captain nearly jumped out of his armor when Inferno yell. He scrambled to salute, not truning around to see who had scared the shit out of him.
"Why didn't you salute me when you pasted by, Captain?"
"Didn't notice you, sir!"
"I don't want to see your fat ass, look me in the eye."
The guard reluctantly turned aroun. Inferno took off his sun glasses off, Inferno could see fear in the captain as he looked at his eyes.
"Why didn't you notice me, Captain?"
The captain swallowed hard.
"I was thinking about how many blankets I need for the men, sir!"
Inferno cocked an eyebrow.
"Why, you getting cold?"
"Um....yes...sir?" The captain said hesitantly. Infernos facial excretion grew increasingly displeased.
"geather your men ,colt!" Inferno yelled. Cuaseing the captain to jump again.
"Yes sir!" The captain stared trotting back to his barracks. Not looking back.
Infeno let a smile creep across his face. this is gonna be good . He truned and walked in the direction the guard had run off in. He squited as he truned in the sun, reminding him to put his shades back now. The sun is too damd bright
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight Sparkle was bord out of her mind. For the last half hour Storm has been going on about his military career and the progression of military technology. Normally she didn't mind learning about new things. Be listening to General Storm was like listening to Grany Smith ramble about how easy all the young ponys had it these days.
"And that, Princess, is why it is important to have air cover when crossing a river. So what else would you like to do? Go to the testing grounds or visit the personal?" She picked up her head as he finally ended the conversation about his life. There was hardly a pause in between his questions and her over excited answer.
"THE TESTING GROUNDS! Oh...um...I mean....The testing ground, I would like to go there next."
Strom smiled.
"Somepony seems excited to see new weaponry. Ok, off to the testing grounds it is then." He said as he truned left in frount of a row of barrects.
As they walked by, loud noises and yelling could by heard from in side. Storm was just gonna ignore it untel a NCO came crashing therw the window in front of them. Storm stopped and watched as he stakered to his hooves. Looked up, and attempted to salute.
"Sir!"
"Sargent, why didn't you use the door?"
"He threw me out cuz ah broke salute." The NCO said, with blood dipping from a cut on his eye brow.
Storm glanced over to Twilght.
"Go on with out, just straight head and to the right, you won't miss it. I'll be there in a bit."
"Um... o..k dose he need to see the nurse or some thing?" She said, noticing the cut the the sargents brow.
"Yes, take him to the nurse. Then make your way over to the grounds." Storm nodded as he walked to the door in to the barrects. Twilight walked off with the dazed sargent.
