Mechanics of Duty

by Spiffy_Shades_of_Grey

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Nightmare Moon, Tragedy, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Sad
Length: 1014

In a time long before Twilight and her friends, Celestia and Luna were rulers of Equestria. But with the stress of two armies, and all sorts of refugees invading their young country, will they meet the canlange, or will the fall with the rest?

` Blood ran in the streets of Equestria long before Twilight set foot in ponyville. Blood was shed in the feilds of Equestria, before the foundation of ponyville.
In the middle of Equestria's single largest war, master detective Leo Canter must now track down the most canny of criminals. Is he up to the task? Is destruction all that awaits him and his fading kingdom? Will he find this murderer, or will war and hate consume him?

Published 2015-02-03 06:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-02-03 06:50:02 UTC

Prologue:

Prologue:

Prologue: ‘Back in the day’ part I

There was war. Bloodshed in the streets. Bloodshed in the fields. Bloodshed was in the air and bloodshed was at sea. There was war.

There was war. War on two fronts. One army, massive, blood thirsty, and barbaric, from the east, and another, ruthless, merciless, unforgiving, and unstopping to the west.

In the middle of these two armies, there was a beautiful kingdom. The last of it’s kind, a city on a hill, a light in the darkness. This kingdom naturally being Equestria. This was back in the old days, not long before a third foe would arise from within, and bring darkness to this light. This was in the old days, when the brotherly love and universal friendship was just developing. This was back when before Ponyville was settled. It was back when a state of martial law was necessary for the public to keep calm. This was in the early adult years of both princesses Celestia and Luna.

There was war.

With two armies slowly closing in, pillaging and destroying each inch they gained, the kingdom was in severe danger. Threat, please... threats would have been considered kindness.

There was Pain. Bodies were left to the open elements as the defenses retreated. Loved ones reported ‘mia’ or ‘kia’. Hunger, children grew thin, and crops grew short, mothers sacrificed hoof-fulls of hey for their most precious children. Death: parents, children, friends, family’s died out from starvation, war, depression, and over exposure to the elements. Pain, there was mental pain, visible in the faces of the orphaned ponies who trotted to the next safe zone. Pain was in the feet of these same poor ponies, who trotted to one safe zone, but didn’t bother to unpack, for in the morn they’d have to move to the next.

There was no Equestrian pride. Everyone looked for salvation from their unkind fates, and yet the only saviors that were presented were more unkind fates.

There was little, but still some hope. Equestria was close, and all refugees would be accepted.

There was war, and there was evil, and there was darkness, and there was hope.

War room (7864 c.e.) Equestria

Luna spoke gently, firmly, authoritatively, but kind, “We will reinforce our walls, and we will feed all of the starving, and provide a safe place to rest for all of the weary.”

The generals across the square, wooden table, smothered in candle wax and war maps, all grunted in compliance, and turned to go preform the orders to the letter.

Celestia looked at her sister, “ Our foe’s are strong, what happens if our walls fail?”

“They won’t fail, we used to know discord, and we both know what he will do. Sorin on the other hand will be difficult to discover, but I have spy’s scouting out his armies as we speak, and within the week we’ll know what he has to through at us, and what he plans to do,” Luna said. “Our troops have better training than any of the other kingdoms, and that will give us another edge.”
Luna, turned and began to walk out of the war room. She reached the hall, and a rush of cool, fresh air hit her. She didn’t realize how warm it was inside the war room. Relived, she began a stride down the hall. Celestia followed right behind her, also relieved for the fresher air. The two sisters, more opposites than alike, walked together.

(Luna was an alicorn, and a couple shades of primarily dark blue, she was the younger, and better looking of the sisters.)

(Celestia was also an alicorn, larger and older than luna, she was white with a rainbow magic main. She came across as an adult where as luna played the childlike figure.)

Luna went to her room, and opened the balcony. Now really fresh air, a nice cool spring breeze, and kind welcoming smell welcomed her outside. The sun was over the top of the castle, meaning it was about mid day. She smiled, and then leaned on the safety bar. Celestia walked out behind her.

“Sister, I wish for you to stay here behind with the people,” Luna said to Celestia. “ You seem to be better around the people than I, and I am the better strategist. It is only for the best of the coun...”

“Luna,” Celestia interrupted, “ I don’t want you to go out there.”

“I must sister, it is my duty as princess of our great land I must!” Luna protested.

“I understand why you think this, but I think we both must stay here. Leave the war, the horrid war to the soldiers. We are here, and we plan, and we provide supplies for those brave colts. We have done our part of this fight, and we need not become monsters in this way...”

“But Celestia, it is my...”

“Luna promise me. Promise me you will heed my word. Our kind tends to get that taste of blood, and latch on to it. Look at our father... if it wasn’t for mom, he would have... we both know what he would have done to everypony,” Celestia pleaded her sister.

“Celestia, I can’t stand by and wait for them to just die. If I’m there, I can save so many of them, we wouldn’t ever need to loose a battle,” Luna protested.

“ Luna, we have given them all they need for victory. They need but believe in themselves and surely both armies will shatter upon us like glass on stone, now promise me you won’t go,” Celestia looked her younger sister in the eyes.

“Fine, I won’t go...” Luna said begrudgingly.

Celestia smiled, “Thank you.” She hugged her sister, and gave her a small kiss on the fore head. “You look just like mom you know?”

“Yea, you tell me all the time.”

“Well that’s because you must know all the time.”

The two sisters continued on with their day, doing the daily duties that princesses do, but secretly, Luna was a little hurt...