//------------------------------//
// Chapter Two 
// Story: War For Equestria 
// by Nighthawk154780 
//------------------------------//

The two weeks felt like two days passed by as Nighthawk was back on his hooves, walking around the cadet grounds and having to deal with gear issues. “No no no no no no NO!” an earth pony screamed, carrying a clipboard. “This was your last set of armor and you cracked it!”
Nighthawk sighed, shaking his head. “Come on Ash you have the best suits of armor outside of Canterlot.”
Ash ducked behind a beam laughing. “Best! B-E-S-T suits of armor that you somehow break.”
“Ash, it was all training accidents. Father promised he would pay.”
 “Well guess what, he didn’t pay. And to a cadet who breaks, melts or shatters three suits of my armor, is clearly irresponsible.”
Nighthawk sighed. “Ash please, one more custom suit. I'll take care of the fixes.”
“No means no cadet. Now get out of my shop before I literally kick you out.” Ash demanded taking his pen that he had tucked away behind his ear and started writing something down.
Nighthawk raised an eyebrow. “You’d do it for your son in a heartbeat.” He said with a dead look and tone. Ash looked at Nighthawk, pen hanging out of his mouth, looking like he wasn't in the mood.
After a few seconds Nighthawk walked out, rubbing his head. “Crazy old stallion. Never liked his armor anyway. It felt too tight!” He said to himself, not really paying attention and ran into another pony who dropped her books falling to the ground.
“Hey why don’t you! Oh? Oh dear.” The pony said, feeling shocked. “Are you okay cadet?”
Nighthawk rubbed his head, recognizing the voice and looked up seeing the same diamond blue eyes sedate him and a glance of a light blue hoof reached out to him. He shook his head and grabbed her hoof getting up and saw the pony mouth some words. “Are you okay? Hello?”
 He shook his head again chuckling. “M...miss Starfrost. Right. Sorry, I'm okay. Are you okay? I didn’t see you there.”
Starfrost chuckled, still holding Nighthawk’s hoof before pushing her hoof back. “Of course I'm okay. Just dropped some books.”
She slowly started picking a few up with her hoof and magic as Nighthawk shook his head and started helping. “My bad. Just had a fight with a clipboard.”
“Did you win?” Starfrost asked with a grin.
“Eeehhrrr, maybe.” Nighthawk replied with a smile.
The two ponies got to the last book and immediately they felt each other’s hoof touch the center of the book and the two of them turned red, looking away and then Starfrost picked up the book with her magic. “Well I hope you did win. I’d hate to see you in the medbay again.”
 Nighthawk smiled before hearing loud comm static over a speaker. “All guard cadets. Report to the battle arena for remedial training!”
Suddenly Nighthawk’s eyes widened and looked at Starfrost as she chuckled. “Better get out there.”
Nighthawk galloped away before sliding to a stop. “Wait, can I!” He looked and saw nothing and sighed. “Right...lost my chance again.”
Whenever training came to be, Nighthawk was always focused. Even to the point where some of the new cadets felt scared, but today felt different, he seemed distracted. The bell rang as Nighthawk and another cadet clashed sword blades, the sound and force vibrated across the room, metal on metal. The cadet took a step and swung the blade that he held with his magic at Nighthawk’s side. He smirked and backed up, spinning the blade and lunged it as a counter before quickly being blocked. The crowd of cadets watched as the two went at it, both gasping as they gave in and fired small shots of magic that would merely stun them. After a good five minutes of fighting the cadet noticed that Nighthawk’s swings were getting weaker and noticed his head turn slightly like he was looking for someone. He found the chance to trip him and immediately stun him, making his give a loud scream.
“ALLEZ!” The instructor shouted as he slowly walked up to passed out cadet. “The hell is wrong with you cadet? Usually you’re the one who takes the wins.”
Nighthawk sighed, shaking his head. “No excuses sir. I’m kinda distracted.”
“Then why don’t you get your head back in the game. Focus on the fight. Not what’s on the right of you.” He replied helping him up.
“Ugh he noticed…” Nighthawk coughed under his breath.
The instructor laughed. “I sure as hell did. Cadets, take this as a learning lesson, your fight, when it comes to clashing swords, your eyes are right in front of you. You are not straying to the left, nor to the right, Nighthawk…” The cadets laughed as another pushed him jokingly, “…You’re focused on the task at hand and rely on your peripheral vision so that way you can still watch your sides, but you can still attack on the front. Do you all understand?”
“YES SIR!” The cadets shouted.
“Good. Give me two more!”
Meanwhile, Firefox and Phoenix Blaze were walking to the council chamber as they passed by the battle arena hearing the fighting. “They’re learning. Good.” Firefox began in conversation.
“I was told a few more months and we’ll have a new battalion.” Phoenix replied with a smile.
“Good, we need those men. How has your son been in his training?”
“He’s improved, but not well enough to unlock the flame.”
“Time is not on our side, Captain.” Firefox said sternly and quietly, “He needs to unlock that flame.”
“Sir, you can't rush a power this tense. For all we know he wouldn’t…”
“For all we know, sir, he’s biding his time and when he does our plans will be in jeopardy.”
Phoenix hesitated and looked around before continuing. “I get that sir, I understand what’s at risk. But we still have time. He’s still young and as such his heart is still on the uard so we can sway him down the right path.”
Firefox shook his head. “You better get to it then Phoenix. Before the council sways him.”
“Trust me. I know what I’m doing. He’s my son after all.”