Children of the Guardian Chap5

by ~Sunjian54

Children of the Guardian

Chap 5

"All warfare is based on DECEPTION." David said as he paced back in forth in front of the military students.

"Achieving a crushing victory is not a true sign of victory. True victory is winning a war without picking up a sword." He said turning toward them. All of the students exchanged glances.

"You think I'm crazy don't you?" David joked. "Well I'm not. That's the way a smart general or leader fights wars. He never lets the wars happen. Every leader cares enough for his people that he won't endanger their lives in a war. As soldiers of the Equestrian military it's your job to make sure of that. In your hooves are the lives of your loved ones and families."

He turned and picked up a piece of chalk with his magic. "But this is a military school. So let's look at some tools you can use if you have to fight." He turned and wrote on the board, "Battlefield Essentials".

"Now then can anyone name any battlefield essential?" He asked looking at the stallions in the classroom. They all just stared blankly at him hoping he would give them the answer. David sighed.

"This…? Is the top class here at this academy? THESE…? Are the soldiers whose hooves hold the fate of the Equestrian Alliance?" He asked sarcastically. He was about to say something else when a sudden noise caught his attention. It sounded like a heartbeat at first, but as he focused on it the noise became a rhythm.

(Music?) David thought. (Where is it coming from?) He began scanning the faces of all the ponies in the room, looking for some clue that would give them away. He didn't have to look far. His gaze quickly fell on a pure white pegasus on the top row, eyes closed, bobbing his head to music that was bursting out of his headphones.

David placed the chalk back on the tray and began walking up the stairs to the row where the pegasus was. His anger was rushing through him like boiling water, his eyes burned with a blazing fury. He walked down the row of seats until he was directly in front of the pegasus, who was still bobbing his head and smiling, oblivious to what was going on. David reached forward and tapped the pony's head.

"Hey man what's the big idea-a-a-a…" The pony stuttered when he saw David in front of him.

"Good song?" David asked flashing an evil smile.

"Yes sir, UH I mean NO sir!" The stallion said as he took his head phones off and set up in his seat.

"What's your name soldier?" David growled looking into the pegasus's neon green eyes.

"White Noise sir. 5th battalion Radio op." The stallion said shaking. David began looking over the stallion as he talked to him.

"Well listen here White Noise. I don't care if you're a Radio pony I want you out of that seat and down in front of this lecture NOW!" He barked.

"YES SIR!" White Noise quickly jumped out of his seat and ran down to the front of the class.

"I see that there are some of you, who think this is a joke." David said as he walked back down the stairs. "But because none of you seem capable of telling your flank from your muzzles Corporal White Noise here is gonna give me a hand." He said as he walked up next to the white pony.

"Alright corporal, name one of the battlefield essentials." David growled as he looked at the pony. He was a pure white with a small scar across his nose directly under his neon green eyes. His hair and tail were pitch black but had a red streak running through them. His cutie mark was a black music note being drawn by a pencil. What made David the angriest about him however was that he had a neon blue earring in his left ear.

(He doesn't even look like a soldier) He thought angrily. "Well?" He said glaring at White Noise. The pegasus just continued staring at the board. "That's what I thought…" David sighed as he turned back toward the class.

"It's obvious to me that NONE of you have a clue about anything. I now know that it was a waste of my time to come here. I…" before he could continue he turned to see White Noise, headphones in his ears, writing on the board. At first David was annoyed that the pegasus was still listening to music, but the anger faded when he saw what the pegasus had written on the board. Underneath "Battlefield Essentials" was a list of essentials that he had been waiting for.

White Noise put the chalk down and turned toward David with a huge smile. "Is this enough sir?" He asked grinning from ear to ear. David looked over what he had written.

"Terrain, Intel, Supply, Leadership, Health, Strategy, Morale." He said to himself as he ran a hoof alongside the word.

"Yes this is more than enough White Noise. You can take your seat." He whispered. White Noise nodded and returned to his seat music still playing in his ears. (This is amazing…How could it be… that he could know all of these. He's a musician… not a soldier.) David thought as he continued to stare at the board. As he did however a sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

(I was judging a book by its cover.) He thought as he looked back up at the pegasus who had returned to his seat. (He may not look it, but he has the mind of a true leader.) David shook his head and turned back toward the class.

"Everything White Noise has listed up here is correct, but now let me explain it to you. First on the list is terrain. Does anyone have any idea what that means?" He asked. David looked around and saw no hooves in the air except one.

"Yes White Noise?" He said pointing to at the pegasus.

"Terrain is knowing the lay of the land and using it to your advantage sir."

"Correct, and what kind of terrain does a good leader want?"

"A good commander wants the ground that benefits him, but hurts his enemy sir." White Noise said proudly.

"Correct White Noise any good commander picks the battleground himself so he can use it against his enemy." David finished as he checked off terrain on the board.

"Next is intelligence, can anyone give me an idea of what that means?" One of the stallions who had egged David put his hoof up.

"How smart your men are sir." He said confidently. David laughed as he walked up to the stallion.

"WRONG!!!!!" He roared at the stallion. David's voice echoed throughout the whole room, this was mainly because he had learned how to use the Royal Canterlot Voice from Twilight. His voice was so loud that it knocked over a few stands and students.

"That is incorrect. Anypony else have an idea?" He asked calmly. Once again White Noise put his hoof up.

"White Noise?"

"Intel is the information you have on the enemy, his intentions, and his forces SIR!"

"Correct again. White Noise is putting you ALL to shame." David said as he walked back up to the board and checked off Intel on the board.

"Since none of you seem capable of answering any of these. White Noise please enlighten the rest of the class to the meanings of the other essentials." David commanded.

"Yes Sir! Supply is the amount of food and materials you and your enemy have during the battle. A successful officer will have double the amount of supplies he thinks he needs.

Leadership is the understanding of how you're soldiers look up to their leader and if they will follow his orders, it also applies to understanding the temperament of the enemy leader.

Health is the overall wellness of your soldiers.

Strategy is the essential of being able to carry plans that will defeat your enemy with the lowest loss of life on your side, and the greatest loss on your enemies.

Finally Morale is the spirit that your soldiers possess. Soldiers that are strong in the cause will fight harder SIR!!"

White Noise concluded as he collapsed back into his seat. David nodded and smiled.

"He is correct on all accounts. I'm very impressed." He finished just as the bell rang to dismiss the class.

"Thank you all for coming to this lecture, now go eat and come back ready to learn." The scraping of chairs as the students left was followed by the conversations of what lunch was going to be. David turned and began to pack up his things until he suddenly felt a presence behind him.

"Thanks a lot for the lecture sir." David turned to see White Noise grinning ear to ear, headphones still pounding away.

"You're welcome, but why is a music pony like you in a military academy?" David asked confused.

White Noise took his headphones out of his ears and sighed. "I was in music school but then the war started and the school was destroyed. The only thing my parents could afford was military school so here I am."

David cursed under his breath. Yet another pony whose life had been ruined by the war. "Are you happy here?" He asked upset.

"Oh yeah I love it here, but I do miss music school Mr. Guardian. Anyway thank you again for the lecture." White Noise then turned and walked toward the door.

(Don't let him go. Think… what about Vinyl Scratch!) David's mind screamed at him.

"White Noise wait, what if I pulled some strings and got you an apprenticeship under Vinyl Scratch? Would you like that?" White's eyes got as big as his head would allow and leaped back toward David.

"YES!! YES I WOULD LOVE THAT!!!" He continued hugging David as he continuously thanked him.

"Okay then that's what we'll do. Come on let's go." As David led White Noise out of the academy he realized something very important. It didn't matter if the entire head class was idiots, because the one genius who knew anything was walking alongside him. Next Chapter: Chapter 6 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 38 Minutes