Grime

"Come on son! Get on the damn train! We already bought your ticket!" Shine Glimmer said from the entrance to the last evacuation train from Ponyville to Canterlot.

"NO DAD! I already told you! I am not leaving my home! For all we know the plague and all this could blow over in a week!" Calloway said.

"Son, you KNOW it will take months if not years,no DECADES at least for this to just "blow over"!" Shine replied. "Canterlot is the ONLY safe place in Equestria! You know that's true!" Shine added.

"Read my lips dad...I...DON'T...CARE! I am not just going to leave! Besides everyone I know besides you and mom are either dead or staying here! I will not leave!" Calloway refuted.

"All aboard!" the conductor announced from the train. "NOW SON! This is not up for debate! Get on now!" Shine said now desperately trying to get his adopted son to leave with him. "Train to Canterlot now departing." the announcer said over the loudspeakers.

"No." was all Calloway said before the train started up. Shine simply sighed "Good luck then. You always were hard headed." as Shine entered the train Calloway could hear his mother talking "Where's the boy? Don't tell me he didn't come!" Gold said with worry in her voice.

"He....he wouldn't come." this was all Calloway heard of the conversation before the train departed. Calloway just sat there for a few minutes...maybe hours he didn't remember which. He just sat and watched the train with his only family leave Ponyville forever. He knew that Canterlot was the best option for him but....he just couldn't bring himself to leave his home. Anyway you're probably wondering what is going on in Equestria that left Canterlot as the only true safe haven. Well it wasn't the only safe zone.

Other cities like Ponyville, Manehatten and Cloudsdale still operated. However all other cities like Fillydelphia and Las Pegasus for example were either lost to conquest form the Changeling Empire or were quarantined and cut from Equestria, no longer recognized as operating communities. Anyway back to whats going on. Around six years ago a large virus outbreak in Fillydelphia killed half of the towns population in six months. The virus was thought to have originated from a laboratory doing research on chemical weapons just outside the city. This theory was never confirmed however.

The afflicted most often die from the "plague"(Technically know as the Herobis Virus) within two weeks.

However approximately 1 in 5 individuals infected develop an immunity half-way through the infection process which causes the virus to stop progressing everywhere except the brain. Large sections of the brain are then destroyed by the virus which causes the victims to become insane and hostile(However one theory posed is that all actions regarded as hostile are simply attempts by the infected to seek aid from other ponies.). Their flesh starts to rot as well during this process which attracts insects who make nests in their orifices(Yes ALL orifices).The only known cure for the plague is possessed by the much more advanced human tribes in the Everfree.However they want the Elements Of Harmony in exchange.

Needless to say the plague situation is not pretty. So far this plague has killed around 30 percent of Equestria's population. The only reason Canterlot isn't effected is due to the magical properties being cast over the city by the now-ruler-of Equestria, Luna. In addition to the Herobis Virus outbreak Equestria also threatens to topple under the leadership of Queen Luna. Luna rules with an ironfist unlike how her now deceased sister Celestia once ruled this previously happy, prosperous land. If you're wondering how Celestia died, she was assassinated by a Changeling spy one night in her bedroom. Luna has since imposed strict martial law and given the government along with herself more power than ever before.

As if this wasn't enough Equestria faces the threat of being conquered by the Changelings who assassinated Celestia around 3 years ago. However the Changelings only started their conquest of Equestria around one year ago. So far the Empire has only captured quarantined cities. They make easy targets since infected citizens and ragtag guerilla groups don't make much of a threat to them. The Changelings could overrun Equestria right up to Canterlot at any time.

This is what puts many people on edge. They COULD just come in but they don't. No one really knows why. So far there hasn't been a fight between the Royal Army and the Empire yet. But it would be catastrophic. There are BILLIONS of Changelings and only a couple million Equestrians.

The only hope for a successful war against the Changelings would be if Equestria joined forces with the Griffon Kingdom, Human Conglomerates and the Dragon Tribes. The first is unlikely due to how the Griffons have walled off Equestria due to the plague. The second is unlikely due to most humans killing ponies on sight. And the latter is unlikely due to how reclusive and generally hostile the Dragons are. Put simply Equestria is at the breaking point.