New World, New History

It seems that the great Fall of the Alicorn Empire has rivaled itself with the Terrarian birth of Jesus Christ, in that it decided the counting of years for all time afterwards. As far as I can tell, the Empire began around seven-hundred years (officially) before The Fall. The ponies that I have spoken with so far do not use synonymous terms as B. C. and A. D., for they simply put a number for the year – as though there was nothing before The Fall. Despite this, however, I shall recount the years before and after as B. T. F. (before the fall), and A. T. F. (after the fall). Both of these counting the same ways that B. C. and A. D. would have counted – meaning B. T. F. will count backwards and A. T. F. will count normally.

I spoke of three great uprisings – all of which I will record – but I shall begin with the least interesting, saving the best for last. I feel I should mention that my sources list, though it began solely with Princess Celestia, has increased to all of the princesses, and the writings of such Native Equestrian historians as Written Lines (I’ve previously referred to him as “Acies”, meaning Lines) and Record Times (who I shall refer to as “Scribere”, meaning Record). Both of which, I might add, had very little detail on the second of the uprisings, but had incredible detail on the first and the final ones.

I mentioned beforehand that the King and Queen were once the only Alicorns allowed to move the Celestial bodies. This, however, changed drastically due to the first ‘uprising’. The stories say that there was a particularly blatant moral lacking in the Ruling class around four-hundred B. T. F. – feasting at the expense of the commons, allowing friends to escape justice in courts, and countless other such generic transgressions against natural codes of justice.

Just as there were criminals being set free by these corrupt courts, there were good ponies sentenced to banishment which did nothing to deserve it. Among these, there was a young Alicorn stallion by the name of Atticus. While he did nothing wrong, he let his emotions get in the way of his actions. He fell in love with a young Alicorn princess by the name of Prima, on the line of the Queen herself. Being of no noble blood, the colt was banished. Though he was officially banished, his presence never truly left. Atticus would often give letters to the caravans going into the city, having them delivered to his love. Thus, he kept his influence over the commons and even some of the guards. The ponies saw his plight and the wrong which had been done to him, and took great pity upon him – thereby increasing his power over the highest among the Ruling class themselves. Seeing as he was an Alicorn of exceptional magical ability, he always sought the opportunity to take the highest chair in the Empire away from the scandalous liars who stripped him from his love.

Whether by Divine providence or sheer luck, a crisis came to decide – as a crisis always does – the leaders from the cowards. A very large asteroid (about twice the size of the planet, according to Scribere and Lunacae) was on a collision course with the planet. Amongst every class in the Empire, there were those who panicked, those who tried to calm the rest by declaring that there was no real threat at all, and those who pleaded with the King and Queen for aid. This corruption of sheer laziness and neglect had affected the King the most, and so he was of no help. As soon as all hope was lost, as always does, there came a Hero.

Atticus entered the city unharmed by any guard – themselves having been betrayed and ignored by the King whom they vowed to protect. This stallion, through crowds of cheering ponies, walked directly into the palace, summoned his love, and walked her out into the yard (inside the city walls yet outside of the palace). His plan, as we see after the fact, involved using the gravitational pull from the sun, moon, and all of the stars to drag off course of the planet, this huge threat. The idea worked wonderfully and it is even told that the Asteroid came so close to the planet, that it knocked a few trees over onto their side, but did no other damage. After this day where the young stallion saved the world by being persistent and quick-thinking, his bloodline was considered one of a sacred claim. Even though Atticus had the entire city’s (and vast empire’s) support for his Kingship, he blew everyone away with the sense of honor required in a pony to take such an action. He re-banished himself (with his new wife, of course) to honor the court decision, however wrongfully his sentence of banishment was proclaimed. The Empire thereafter elected the next best of the Ruling class to become King. The worst of the Ruling class at that time was, as far as I can tell, the first to have the Pegasus or Unicorn punishment imposed upon them.

The second uprising was more of a precursor to the third and final. This battle takes place around the year of fifty B. T. F. The Senate had decided to declare war upon a nation which I cannot find the name of, but fell back upon the guise of tradition to simply not pay the soldiers. This tradition began in the earlier (unrecorded) history of the Empire, where all wars were strictly for self-defense and the defense of the nation’s allies. Because these ancient soldiers were more of a militia, they were paid solely by their nation’s freedom. While, of course, this is an adequate payment for a war of self-defense, this was not a war of self-defense. This campaign was being fought purely for the spoils of another nation that was becoming nearly as powerful as their own. The story goes – and while I hope this is true, I cannot verify it – that at a pivotal point in the battle, the first line of defense simply used their shields to keep away the innocent but forced enemy, while the second, third, and forth battle-lines turned around and slew their evil commanders (who stayed in the back). At the signal, the first line teleported behind the other three lines of soldiers, who were bowing their heads and holding out their right hoof as a sign of peace and apology. I am barred from any more information about this peculiar revolt, but I do know that two years after the battle, that nation was the Alicorn Empire’s largest ally.

The third uprising, though the shortest-lived, had the largest effect upon the genealogy of the entire populace of the planet itself. Within two years of the last revolt, possibly as revenge, the Ruling class began hoarding the food-stores for themselves around winter-time. The starvation itself was bad enough for the commons, but when the Senators – and even the King himself – began accusing them of being ignoble and too demanding of the Ruling class, they truly felt the war which was waged upon them. One of the only recorded quotes from these speeches to mock the starving populace is a small sentence fragment which sparked this morbidly honorable response. The head of the Senate is recorded to have said, “…Perhaps being more humble might help your hunger?” At this, to function as a representative for the people, Atticus returned to offer his aid in the fight. As everything he attempted did, it succeeded with flying color.

Atticus assembled every pony – and I truly mean every pony in the Alicorn Empire, including some allies – and had them all stand staring at this evil mare, the leader of the Senate. The leader of the Commons began his speech to the Senator, “How do we show our humbleness?” to which the mare replied, already shaken up by the staring of thousands, “To lay your powers down and accept what comes to you from your superiors.” Atticus’ response, as his responses always did, blew everyone away. He came to the conclusion that – though it may be a mistake in the end – in order for his friends to eat, he must take away all of his abilities. Therefore, Atticus, by his own self-sacrifice, became the first Land-pony. The best of those in the crowd who were still Alicorns, gave away all of their powers for the greater good of the Commons. Those who were simple Unicorns, though many tried to, were not able to muster enough magic to remove their own horn. Those who were Pegasi – though by their nature wanted the most to sacrifice for the rest – had no magic to even try and remove their wings. Therefore, according to the myth, this is why the Land-pony is so hard-working and reliable. Their bloodlines began with true heroes, giving up everything for the cause of every other types of ponies.

The head of the Senate immediately opened up the food stores to the public and offered herself up for punishment, thereafter becoming a Unicorn.