Prologue
Kiwi Blitz hurried out of her Canterlot home. A lot had happened for the young mare. She had finally gotten old enough to attend Cloudsdale’s highest academic schools. Why Cloudsdale she’d never know. Maybe it was just the scenic beauty of it all… Ya… That was it. Today was oddly calm compared to the last few hectic weeks. A group of rogues, numbering in the millions, had been causing a lot of issues for Equestria and her allies. The pegasus never was big with the politics; she preferred speed, speed and endurance.
She continued her trek through the empty streets of Canterlot. It felt odd, the only thing there for her to listen to being the silence, but she shrugged it off. She passed by some shops that had their windows shattered and the items within scattered across the floor. It was normal to see something like this nowadays.
In the beginning, ponies ransacked the shops for any goods they could get their hooves on, and whatever was left - usually the shit that nopony wanted - went to the floors and accumulated mold and dust. But throughout the past few weeks, things slowly settled down to where you’d see maybe a single pony in a shop looking for anything left of value.
She walked passed a stallion who was asleep on the sidewalk and gave her a side-glance. she had known the stallion at some point in her life, but things changed over time. What was once a good friend of her was now nothing but a beggar.
Continuing her commute, she passed by a few more shops and beggars.
“Nothing but rubbish,” she mumbled under her breath. Shaking her head, she looked down towards the floor and slowed her pace until she came to a stop.
She slowly looked at once to what had been a great breakfast shoppe, the one she eats at every morning. She was confused for a moment before seeing a crying filly in front, curious why she crept forward noticing the shoppe was now destroyed: everything either missing, or broken. The stallion frowned, that was the one good thing left in canterlot for her. She sighed a growing ache in her head getting almost unbearable as she went to join the rations line. Celestia set them up thinking it was a good way to stop the ransacking, but more often than not the food blimps were ransacked and set ablaze.
“The magic of friendship” yea right. More like: “The magic of thieves”.
There had even been a few attempts to get into the castle and ransack THAT too. Blitz shivered, rumor had it the last pony to try it had a very, very, warm death. The news every day told of another murder and then more propaganda .
“Enlist in the Equestrian military” they said “You will be saving your country” they said.
Yet for some odd reason, the Equestrian military couldn't hold a damn border for their lives. Every day there was another retreat. Everyday magic bombs found their way into the cities destroying buildings. Just another day in shitty paradise. She smiled as she got closer to the front of the line. Blitz was starving beyond all relief, she missed dinner last night and wasn’t in much of a hurry to miss yet another meal. She groaned when all they had were apples, she was never a big fan of them. But beggars can’t be choosers and she took the apples. Now that breakfast was dealt with she had to find her way to the train station without getting mugged, or fly the two miles to cloudsdale- not hard, just inconvenient.
She decided to take the easy route and took to the skies. she didn’t want to risk getting mugged while walking along the streets though she wasn’t carrying anything important on her. she had learned her lesson after being a victim of a mugging. she had been carrying a small amount of bits on her, but it was enough to help her scrape by for the day.
“And you just had to let your guard down, didn’t you?” she shook her head in order to clear any troubling thoughts that remained.
Life hadn’t been all too easy for anypony since the initial attack on Canterlot. Each night, Canterlot’s residents would lie awake, their minds swarmed with thoughts of escape. Many tried, but few accompli she d the feat, their bodies being found along the borders of Equestria. The two mile flight wasn’t all that bad. she managed to get to Cloudsdale within a matter of minutes.
Upon arriving, she was met by a few sentries.
“Identification please.” One of them asked obviously board out of his wits.
Blitz fumbled with the many cards she carried and finally pulled out her ID. Upon showing it to the sentries, they moved aside, allowing her entry. Even Cloudsdale was quiet that day. Usually, you’d see ponies dashing back and forth going from building to building or guards patrolling the perimeters, contacting each other to verify that nothing was out of place or seemed suspicious.
“But not today,” Blitz whispered. Something was definitely not right, but she couldn’t put a hoof on it. Yes, the silence and calmness did upset her, but there was something else. Something she couldn’t quite explain.
As if to break her from her thoughts, a voice called out to her. “Hey, Blitz, what are doing heading to the school for? Didn’t you hear? It’s an off-day, we’re free to do whatever.”
She turned towards the mare speaking to her and hesitantly said, “Oh, right… hey, um… do you know why everything seems to be so silent today? It seems a little odd if you ask me.”
The mare only shook her head in response and flew off in the direction of her home. She thought about following her , but decided it was best not to. So, she spread out her wings, feeling the wind blow through the feathers. Sighing, she shot into the air and headed back home, but not without a little flight practice.
Once she finished her practice, she situated herself on a straight flight path back to Canterlot and cruised slowly towards the city. Normally, he’d be flying at top speed, but there was no point really. As she touched the ground of Canterlot she sighed starting to make her way home again eyeing those around her with suspicion and doubt. She hated being this way, life had been so nice and simple… why did it have to change? Why do the stupid unicorns think they can do this?
And why won’t the princesses do anything about it? She once again shook her head trying to clear the thoughts out of her head before she noticed an odd silhouette in the distance, as had multiple of the ponies around her.
“What in Celestia is that,” somepony from amidst the crowd asked. Nopony had a clear response however for they were all thinking the same thing.
As they sat waiting and staring, the object grew closer. Within minutes, sirens began to blare throughout the city. They had been attacked by bombing runs before, so nopony panicked. Instead, they got out of the streets, since that was usually place that was attacked.
But Blitz stood her ground, staring at the ever-growing object. It didn’t seem right at all. she stood there for a few more moments before the object was clear to see.
She gasped as the rough metallic outline shown in the light, a pony came over the intercom as the siren changed to a completely foreign one to Blitz. She scurried, trying to open her wings before the object hit. Ponies hurried for the stables: Promises of hope and survival. A flash was seen from two sides of the castle: Obvious signs of the sisters leaving. The missile hit just as she opened her wings. A pony, once promised to be great: forced to watch as her city: where she was born: turned to rubble in a blue haze.
Ponies screamed and hugged as they vanished: all that was left were the silhouettes on the walls. But this was not the end of equestria. Life simply flips a page as our story begins.
Author's Note
Apologies for the short chapter! My computer was broken this week rendering us unable to produce a longer chapter. I promise you, the next chapter will be MUCH longer. ~Night
Chapter 1
“DONT LET HIM ESCAPE!” one of the burley security ponies shouted in rage.
His hoofs screeched as he rounded a corner ahead of the security stallions chasing him.
“Sorry boys but I’m-” the light gray colt running didn’t have time to finish his taunt before he slammed headlong into a dark yellow mare in her standard issue black suit jacket complete with matching bland gray tie to match her mane. “Fucked…..”
One of the guards that had been chasing him was now dragging him by his tail while following the mare very close to her heels. This wasn’t the first time that stuck up woman had caught him. especially during another escape attempt. They rounded another corner and the guard intentionally dragged him across the corner rather than around it to a door marked, “Mistress: High Moon.” Beneath it it read, “Your Overseer.”
The colt had never even seen her do anything besides talk. Every rule passed down here wasn't even passed by her. And he only knew that because of his eighth time being dragged into her office. She pushed open the door and the guard disinterestedly tossed him in.
“Dismissed.” she said showing her odd accent his aunt called it a Hoofington accent.
The guard snorted at him and left. Looking around the plain, cement gray walls, the stallion spied two familiar faces sitting in High Moon’s chairs she had reserved for the most mischievous little fillies and colts. Both of them were around his age, 13-15, and both were earth ponies. The mare on his left was known as Shadow Chaser and had a scar on her left cheek from their first adventure. She wore her black mane short and spiked up at the front.
The stallion next to her was Crimson, obviously because of being bright red and bald. He had no scars but took his fair share of abuse from the guards. That color didn't help them with much else than a distraction. Miss. High Moon walked around her plain, dark wood desk and took a seat before motioning for the colt’s friends to get up.
“This is getting bloody old you three.” everypony settled in for one of her famous lectures.
They didn’t pay much attention. These things were usually carbon copies of one another. You should count yourselves lucky the guards didn’t mistake you for rats and shoot you. : You three should know better than to fool around with . and the best part of it all, coming in at around an hour later, “What do you have to say for yourselves?”
“Can we go now?” Shadow Chaser asked nudging Crimson awake.
“Hang on.” the last stallion in interrupted.
“Yes, Oblivion?” High Moon said giving another one of her patented stink eyes.
“If you run Five, then you know what’s out there. Tell us.”
Moon wasn't as taken aback as many would assume. It was about the quintillionth time they’d asked in one way or another but she either avoided it or, if she’d order a guard the right way recently, gave a vague answer. “As far as you’ll know, nothing you’d want. Now get out of my office and back to your stations!”
The group knew they weren't getting anywhere today. They’d have a way to find out tonight hopefully.
“Well?” Crimson asked as they rounded the corner where Oblivion left a portion of his face.
From his hammer space, Oblivion drew a little square object with a white ‘5’ on it outlined in yellow.
“Nice!” Shadow Chaser said hushed. “They didn't frisk you!?”
“Not a chance.” Oblivion said cocky. “See if this’ll synch you up with that door Crim.”
Oblivion gently tossed the chip to his friend and he hastily stuffed it into his blue jumper, nearly falling over in the process. “I’ll do what I can.”
