//------------------------------// // The Star and the Generals // Story: Equestria Ninjas: Friendship School // by Wildcard25 //------------------------------// At the School of Friendship one afternoon, the ninja bros were busy sparing with each other as their students were watching. Various students were cheering on a specific brother. “Come on, Sensei Mikey!” Silverstream cheered. “Take them down, Sensei Raph!” Gallus called. “Sensei Leo's got this.” Sandbar said confidently. “I calculate Sensei Donnie will triumph.” Ocellus voiced her opinion. “We'll see.” Smolder said, as she watched with excitement. “Yona loves watching sensei's spar!” Yona cheered. “Come on, bros. Show me whatcha got!” Mikey taunted. “You'll be sorry, Mikey.” Raph warned him. “You too, Raph.” Donnie replied. “Remember, brothers. We're demonstrating for the students.” Leo reminded them. “Doesn't mean, one of us can't win.” Raph said, as the brothers continued to spar. As they were ready to go for a finishing attack their cutie marks started glowing. The four were distracted by the glowing and ended up crashing into each other, making the students groan. “That had to hurt.” Smolder said while trying not to laugh. The brothers groaned, as they sat up and looked at their flanks, “Leo.” Raph began. “We're being called.” Donnie said. Leo turned to the students, “That concludes today's lesson. Class dismissed!” the students headed out. “Dudes! The map is calling us!” Mikey cheered. “Well, that's a first.” Raph said. “Come on, we better go see the map.” Leo said, as they were about to leave the dojo, only to be teleported into the castle before the map, where Twilight was waiting with a giant smile. “Twilight, we're...” Donnie began, but Twilight cut him off. “I know. And so am I!” she motioned to her flank. “Oh, yeah!” Mikey cheered, “The five of us tackling a Friendship Mission. Awesome!” “So where are we going?” Raph asked. “Well, good news is we're not going far.” Twilight motioned to the map, as they saw their cutie marks hovering above Canterlot. “Canterlot?” Leo asked. “Well, that's convenient.” Donnie admitted. “What could be happening there?” Leo wondered. “Hopefully, no drama between the princesses like before.” Twilight hoped. “Oh, yeah. The mission Starlight was on, and you wouldn't get off her back about how to handle it.” Mikey teased, much to Twilight's embarrassment. “Well, whatever it is it needs our help,” Twilight said, “I need to go inform Starlight to watch over the school while I'm away.” “And we'll grab our supplies from the dojo.” Leo said, as they headed back to the school. After getting ready, Twilight left her office and saw the brothers waiting for her, “Alright, guys. Let's get going.” before she could transport them all, Cozy Glow flew in. “Good afternoon, Headmare Twilight. Sensei's.” the little filly greeted. “Hi, Cozy Glow.” Twilight greeted. Cozy took notice of their backpacks, “Oh, it looks like you're all going off somewhere. What's the situation?” Before anyone could answer her, Mikey spoke up, “That's top secret. As in Hush-Hush. As in, classified.” “Mikey,” Leo chided him for his rudeness, before speaking nicely to Cozy, “We're being called to a Friendship Mission by the map. So until we return Guidance Counselor Starlight will be looking after things.” “Gee, that's a big responsibility to drop on our school's guidance counselor.” Cozy said worried. “Don't worry. With our luck we won't be gone too long,” Twilight assured her, “Besides. I have my utmost confidence in Starlight. Just as I have before.” “If you say so.” Cozy smiled. “See you later.” Donnie said, as the group teleported. Soon they appear in Canterlot's city, “Ok, we're in the right place. But where are we supposed to go?” Raph asked. “In a city like this it could be anything.” Donnie added. “Well, the problem usually comes find you.” Twilight reminded them. “Let's hope it's fast.” Mikey said, until they looked ahead seeing Flash Magnus and Blade Swipe leading a group of soldiers in training in a march. “Left! Left! Left-Right-Left!” Magnus ordered. “Come on, you slackers!” Blade ordered. “Flash Magnus! Blade!” Twilight called. The two ponies seeing their friend stopped and announced to the soldiers, “Company, halt!” they announced. “Hi, guys. What brings you to Canterlot?” Blade asked. “The map sent us here for a friendship mission.” Leo explained. “Huh? Well, talk about timing.” Magnus said. “What do you mean?” Twilight asked. “Canterlot museum is going to be displaying a fragment of the Convexity Star.” Blade explained. “The Convexity Star?” Leo asked, as Twilight gasped. “But that's from a rare comet that crashed onto Equestria thousands of years ago!” Blade nodded, “Legend says it can grant anypony immortality.” “Wow.” Mikey marveled. “Come on!” Raph said skeptically, “You honestly expect us to believe something like that exists?” “It's true. And the ones sent to guard it are proof of that.” Magnus said. “What do you mean?” Donnie wondered. “The ponies hired to guard it are the ones who were affected by the star itself. The Kiican Generals.” the Pillar explained. “And they are?” Mikey asked. Twilight explained, “The only other ponies who've lived as long as the Princesses themselves,” Twilight gasped, “Thousands of years ago during the time when Equestria was founded five pony generals founded the legendary star that crashed here so long ago. When they touched it, the immense power from it had given them immortality. So for many years they vowed to protect it with their lives against any looking to try and use it for their own purposes.” “Exactly,” Magnus confirmed, “So many ponies are eager to see it with their own eyes.” “You think maybe our mission is to help protect the star?” Leo asked the group. “Well, it does sound logical.” Donnie replied. “I suggest we go looking at the star to make sure,” Twilight suggested, before getting all giddy, “And hopefully get a chance to see the generals themselves!” “She's going fangirl.” Mikey nudged his bros who chuckled. “Come on, let's go!” Twilight cheered, as they hurried. Meanwhile down in the Technodrome, Shredder was venting his frustrations to his henchmen, as well as his partners. “Argh! I can't stand all this waiting. We need to find a way to fully power the Technodrome's Portal!” “Patience, Shredder. Chrysalis and I may have found a way.” Krang assured him. “And how?” Shredder asked. Krang pulled up an image of the Convexity Star on the monitor, as Chrysalis explained, “This is the Convexity Star. It crashed landed here on Equestria thousands of years ago during the founding of the land. It's said to grant any who touch it immortality.” “You honestly think that's true?” Dark Raph asked skeptically. “I had also heard legends of it's power,” Night Terror spoke up, “My mother used to tell me stories about it when I was a kid.” Krang spoke up, “Even a fragment such as this has enough energy to fully power the transmat portal.” “And where can we find it?” the ninja inquire. Krang pulled up the Canterlot Museum on the monitor, as Chrysalis spoke, “At the Canterlot Museum.” “A place like that is bound to be crawling with security.” Night Terror spoke up. “Exactly,” Krang agreed, “Which is why we must plan this carefully.” Back in Canterlot, the group arrived at the museum while being allowed permission from the guards to go in before the exhibit was opened to the public. They walked down the halls of the museum, with Twilight, Leo and Donnie marveling at all the exhibits. “Wow. Now this is amazing.” Leo said. “Just like going to the natural history museum.” Donnie looked around. “We've entered geek territory.” Raph spoke to Mikey who laughed. “So where is the star?” Twilight asked. “Right through here.” Magnus said, as they went through a restricted area. They then saw the Convexity Star inside a clear glass case to keep others from touching it, while also inside a display case on a pedestal. “That's it.” Twilight gasped. “Wow.” Donnie gasped, as they got closer. “Hold it!” came a voice. The group halted and saw five ponies approaching them. Three were unicorns and two were pegasi. Four of them were colts and one was a mare. Each of them wore armor that looked ancient and yet well preserved. “That's as far as you're allowed to get close to it.” the Mare being a unicorn warned them. “Sorry, we didn't mean to get too close.” Leo apologized. Another unicorn being a colt spoke up, “Oh, it's quite all right. Curiosity does get the best of most of us.” he chuckled. The other four generals sighed, “Brother, you can be too carefree.” one of the unicorn colts told him. “You're the Kiican Generals.” Twilight gasped. “You are correct,” the first unicorn colt spoke up. He was wearing golden armor, with a sword strapped to it. His coat was gold like his armor, and had dark mane, tail, and cutie mark of his weapon, “My name is Yaotl.” Next was the unicorn mare who was wearing green armor and had retractable blades. Her coat was green, mane and tail were silver, and her cutie mark was over her blades, “I am Serpiente.” The first of the two pegasi colts wore gray armor and carried a double bladed sword. His coat was gray, his mane and tail were black, and his cutie mark was of his weapon, “I am Aguila.” The second of the pegasi colts wore yellow armor that was modeled to look like he was wearing a jaguar's head as a helmet. On his person were two curved obsidian swords. He had a yellow coat, red mane and tail, and his cutie mark was of his weapons, “My name is Gato.” he hissed, making Mikey shiver. And finally the last unicorn colt approached. He had a strong build and was wearing red armor and his weapons was a war hammer. His coat was a bright shade of red with a purple mane and tail, with his weapon as a cutie mark, “And I am Mono.” “Great generals, it is an honor to meet you.” Leo bowed his head, “We are...” “Oh, no need for introductions, Leonardo,” Yaotl began, “We know all about you and your brothers.” “You do?” Mikey asked. “Yes. Your reputations are almost as big as our own.” Aguila answered. “As well as the Princess of Friendship herself.” Mono bowed his head to Twilight in respect. “Along with the Pillar Bravery himself, Flash Magnus.” Serpiente motioned to the Pillar. Gato motioned to Blade Swipe, “And we've heard tales about you as well, Blade Swipe.” Blade looked nervous, “I hope only the good things.” Mikey spoke up to the generals, “Is it true you dudes are actually thousands of years old?” “Indeed, they are true,” Yaotl confirmed, “Thousands of years ago we came into contact with this star,” he looked at it through the case, “Upon touching it we were all blessed with immortality. We decided to use our eternal life to travel the world and learn all we could about anything.” “As the years passed, so did our knowledge of the land,” Mono continued, “We adapted as Equestria got more modern.” “Along with seeing so many things happen over the course.” Aquila said. “What sort of things?” Donnie asked. “When the Pony of Shadows emerged and the Pillars disappeared,” Serpiente listed off, “When Tirek sought to consume all magic, when Discord tried to turn Equestria into his own image, when King Sombra tried to take over the Crystal Empire, and even when Nightmare Moon was banished.” “So what've you been doing all this time?” Raph asked. “Keeping vigil over the Convexity Star,” Yaotl began, “We swore an oath to keep it from falling into the wrong hooves with our lives.” The other four groaned, “You mean you swore an oath to it.” Gato hissed. “We wanted to destroy it when we realized what it was capable of it.” Aguila told the ninjas. “But our brother insisted we protect it.” Serpiente added. “He then got the idea of us taking it on tour just to show other ponies.” Mono put in. “Something as rare and valuable as this must be shared with the public.” Yaotl argued. “It never did occur to you carrying it with us has only made us targets.” Aguila argued back. “Because you forced us to carry the burden of watching over it we couldn't have had real normal lives.” Mono added. “How can we have normal lives when we are immortal?” Yaotl asked rhetorically, “Yes. We cannot have families of our own because they will eventually outgrow us.” “And whose fault is it we're stuck with immortality?” Serpiente asked being equally rhetoric, “It's yours, brother!” “You insisted we get too close to the star and now look at where we are!” Aguila continued to argue. “How was I supposed to know the consequences? None of us did!” “Face it, brother. You care more about the star than you do us.” Mono said. “That is not true!” Yaotl frowned, “You four have always treated me like a pest in the family no matter how old we got or what I did for us. You never believed in me, ever!” he stormed off. The ninjas stood awkwardly after witnessing the family drama, and Mikey spoke, “Well, we found our mission.” his bros and Twilight looked at him knowing he was right.