//------------------------------//
// Old friends. 
// Story: Battle for Equestria 
// by BronyNathan 
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								*****
Cole watched as Woodwind vanished into the portal. He let out a sigh of relief that he was gone. The Scientists were cheering and patting themselves on the back for their accomplishment.
Cole left for the barracks. He didn't care what Woodwind said. His plan would never work and he had become weak with his new position. He wasn't the same person he knew in the trenches; on the battlefield. Back then he was an unstoppable force of death. A far better soldier than Cole could have ever hoped to be. But, that was the past, and now the earth was dying. The ground was too poisoned by nuclear war to grow crops, Animals were dying, and food storages were quickly running out. This world was their last hope and Cole wasn't going to let his so called friend get in the way of that.
Brust saw Cole leave and chased after him. barely keeping pace even while running. 
"Cole? Cole! where are you going?" he called out
Cole turned to face the diminutive man. "Dr, how much longer will it take to get the larger portal done?" 
Dr. Brust looked confused. "Sir? It's already done, except for the guidance chip we gave The President to take to the new world, and it'll take that machine two weeks at least to get all the data back here."
Cole looked angry at that, but it gave him time to outline a plan and get his army ready. he continued the thunder down the hall, leaving a confused Brust in his wake. 
"Yo, Hair-line? stop bluffing and play your hand already!" Crissy said as the card game reached its end. 
Frank "Hair-line" Rood began to sweat as the bluff became more apparent. His frustration got the best of him and he slammed the cards on the table. 
The other players let out a sigh of frustration as she revealed her cards. Double Aces. 
"Damnit, teeny! How do you always know?" He yelled in a joking manner.
She laughed as she pulled the money to her. 
"Just know you too well i guess." she said giving him a slap on the back of his balding head. 
Hair-line reclined in his chair and started thinking about the past. "So, you haven't heard from Woody in a while have you?" 
She looked shocked at his statement and a little embarrassed considering their past. 
"Why should I have? What? Just because of what happened between us mean that i'm up his ass all the time?" 
Hair-line laughed. "No, i heard it was the other way around." he said laughing. The other soldiers remained quiet. Hair-line never knew when to shut his mouth. And the slap across the face that followed made it apparent to him that he screwed up. 
Teeny had a look on her face she got when she was ready to shoot someone in the head. And anyone she gave that look to was going to die. 
Hair-line gulped and recoiled. "I-i'm sorry, teeny. I didn't mean it." he said.
She softened her look just a little. "Damn right you didn't. If i had a gun i'd-"
She was cut off as Commander Cole burst into the baracks. 
She stood rigid and saluted. "COMMANDER ON DECK!"
He shot them all a look as they stood rigidly at attention. "Correction. That's President now."
They all looked at eachother and stood even straighter. Hair-line looked confused.
"But comm-" he quickly corrected himself, "Mr. President, what about Woody?" He asked looking worried about his friend. "Woody's taken my place as scout in the new world." Cole said with anger at the tip of tongue. 
They all knew it was a mistake to cross the Commander, even for someone who was his oldest friend. 
Teeny stepped in this time. "Sir, he must have had a good reason to take your place-" She said but Cole rushed her and put a hand on her throat and slammed her into the lockers behind them. The soldiers and Hair-line backed away, unsure what to do. 
Cole's eyes were burning with anger and hate as he stared into hers.
"What are you trying to say, private? Are you saying i can't do my job? Are you saying he's better than me?" 
Teeny grabbed at the massive hand encircling her throat. she could hardly breath. she choked out an answer. "N-no, sir." 
He smiled an evil smile and slowly let her go. She fell to the floor, coughing. Cole stood there looking at them all. Other soldiers from across the massive barracks were coming to see what happened. 
Cole cleared his throat ready to speak. "Soldiers, in two weeks time, we go to war! Woodwind gave me all his responsibilities while he's away. I want you all to train harder than you ever have in the time we have. Now pack you're gear and get ready for the fight to save you, your families, and you're fellow country men!" 
The barracks were in an uproar of cheers and clapping. Hair-line raced to Teeny's side as the Commander left. 
"Teeny, you ok?" He asked helping her up. 
She spit on the ground where the commander had stood giving his speech. 
"That sonofabitch! If he wanted to go to war in the first place, then thats probably why Woody took his position."
Hair-line looked puzzled. "Well what can we do about it? We can't stop him." 
Teeny had that look on her face like she was putting together a million mile an hour plan together. "No, but i know who can. follow me."
They left the barracks and headed toward the lab wing. Hair-line started to look paranoid. "Teeny are you crazy? Common soldiers aren't aloud down here!"
She shot him a smile. "We were given special permission by Woody to come down here." 
Hair-line kept a cool face from there on out. He didn't want any of the passing scientists to think they were up to no good. 
They reached the main lab doors and nearly ran head long into Brust who was doing his usual juggling act of papers and folders. 
Teeny was glad it was him they ran into. out of all the scientists in the building, he was the most trustworthy. 
"Dr. Brust! we need to talk to you!" she said practically shouting. 
Dr. Brust fumbled his papers and folders. "Please, follow me to my office." he said calmly. 
The two soldiers walked down the many winding halls back to his office. Dr. Brust entered the code to his door and the three entered and took their seats. 
His office was an absolute mess. The entire floor was a carpet of papers and empty folders. His desk was littered with styrofoam cups, empty or half full of days old coffee. 
It was hard for little neat freak Teeny to take in. "Damn, Doc, how can you live in this mess?" she asked astounded. 
Hair-line laughed.  "C'mon, Teeny, a little organized chaos is good. Right Doc?"
He ignored the question and got right down to business. "So, what can I do for you two?" 
Hair-line decided to start. "We wanted to ask you about what happened when Woody took Cole's place." 
Teeny stepped in. "Yeah. Why in the hell is Woody in that world instead of Coal?"
Dr. Brust sighed. "The President didn't take to the Commanders... brash form of action." he stated. "Cole wanted to invade, but Woodwind wanted to go in diplomatically."
Teeny looked angry. "That freaking Presidents position has gone to his fat head! He never used to think about the safe course. He thought with his gun, not his mouth."
Hair-line smiled. "Well i for one like the new Woody. He seems safer to follow."
The Dr. Smiled. "Well, he's certainly a better leader than Cole. I for one can't imagine what damage he'll do to that world." 
Teeny looked a little distraught. "He's just going to ruin another world. Can you send us there? Can we go see him?"
Dr. Cole thought long about it. "The machine Woodwind went through is toast. it was a one shot deal." He stated. "But-" he continued. "The large machine will be ready in two weeks time. Cole has already requested that himself, a guard and I are the first to go through. He wants to find Woodwind and bring him home."
Hair-line snorted. "From the sound of things, I think "bringing him home" is the last thing he wants to do with him."
Dr. Brust took in a deep breath. "I had a feeling. but after we return, I will come and fetch you after all the scientists had gone. I'll send you through to see him." 
Teeny smiled and reached out and hugged the Doctor. He was unused to displays of affection like that. especially from women. The two soldiers left and waited. They'd see their friend again. And, help him end that wretched Cole's meaningless life.
*****