1000 years ago Equestria was a much different place, It may seem inconceivably long ago... but I assure you, it was as different as night and day. Keep in mind that the world did not have the peace and harmony that we praise for having today. As I look around at you all, I can see none of you have seen battle... and as much as I hope you never have to raise your blades, it would be foolish to think that you could live a life without conflict. My story starts 1000 years ago, give or take a few years, back then Changelings ran rampant, claiming more land than we could secure. I was at the time in school learning the basics from my teachers, but I wasn't particularly popular due to my race.
It was a cloudy day with strong winds, the leaves were torn from their branches and forcefully smashing the windows, the wind whistling through the cracks like a moaning wildebeest. Barely any grass was left on the ground, it had all been replaced with trodden dirt roads, the only signs of greenery were the few weeds leeching off the buildings partially covering them like a parasite. Ponies of varying colours were walking up a short set of steps into an old wooden house, the steps creaked under their hooves. But just before walking up the steps a young bat pony of grey hue and light blue mane took a deep breath, his mane flowing down, it was tied into a ponytail with white ribbon and slung over his shoulder.
"Don't be nervous don't be nervous, they can smell weakness" he said to himself, he put his hoof to his chest "It's just another day, of class, as soon as it's over you can go home, so bare with it" he muttered to himself as he took another deep breath then stepped onto the first step, which creaked loudly, he looked up and moaned.
"Oh I can't do it" he said turning around and walking away from the building then stopped "Oh yes you can, you walk in there and show them that you have the courage to face another day" he then turned to the building again "But they'll make fun of me" he turned around again "Are you a soldier or not!" he told himself then stood up, puffed up his chest and walked forward. Once up the stairs he then continuously told himself "get to your desk, just let me get to my desk, no incidents, just let me get there" he mumbled as he speed trotted to his desk, he sat down and breathed a sigh of relief and revelled in his small victory.
The bell rang breaking his moment of relief. A stern old pony with triangular glasses walked in, her white hair tied in a bun and her age showing through her wrinkles.
"Mrs Warren" the fillies muttered as if it was a forbidden word.
She smacked a stick against the front desk making the ponies jerk upright.
"Now class," she said with a sharp voice "I'd like to remind you that you are responsible for your own actions". She walked back and forth in front of the class, Patrolling the aisles making every pony nervous. "So I want the names of the culprits who decided that it'd be a swell idea to break my, custom printed WINDOWS! " she yelled, smacking the ground making every pony jump, her hoof-steps could be heard on every individual piece of the floor that moaned as she slowly walked over them.
"Silver Crescent!" she said smacking her stick on his desk.
" Y-Yes ma'am," the bat pony said standing up to attention.
"A young little whelp like yourself wouldn't think about harming my new windows now would you," she said.
Silver looked her in the eyes which seemed to carve straight to his soul, "N-No ma'am I wouldn't I-I couldn't" he said looking straight at the wall in front of him, paranoid that if he stared too long he would be turned to stone, he could feel her gaze drilling into his skull.
"Hmm is that so..." she said.
he gulped then heard a bunch of fillies and colts snickering in the corner, Mrs Warren glared at the corner, the several fillies snickering immediately stopped and stared at the wall.
"Is this humorous to you!" she said walking over to them.
Silver looked out the window and gradually sat back down, the winds were strong he had a bad feeling about today. His mind couldn't shake this nervous feeling he had, but soon he drifted into imagining himself as a guard, he had heard about a place called Canterlot that had recently been built and that two beautiful princess's ruled there, rumours said everyone is happy there and that every pony no matter what you are is welcome there... he wanted to believe such a place existed, but he didn't even know where to start looking.
"I wonder if that place exists, I wonder what the princess's are like" his train of thought came to a grinding halt as he noticed everyone staring at him with Mrs Warren glaring at him.
"I've been told that it was you who broke my windows Silver" her voice containing a pent up rage behind every syllable.
Fear gripped Silver's heart racing down to his hooves.
"W-what that is a LIE!" he shouted in protest, then his regular bullies smirked behind Mrs Warren.
"Oh no it was definitely him I couldn't forget his stupid looking ears and wings," he said.
Silver looked around Panicking as everyone nodded and agreed.
"Oh yeah definitely him, no-one else looks as ugly" one of them said.
"Yeah yeah, now I remember it was him!" said a colt nodding in agreement.
Silver was hurt at how everyone was dumping the blame on him, pushing him into the firing line. Mrs Warren was furious and kicked away his chair.
"So tell me why you did it Silver lying to my face no less, you must be PUNISHED!" she roared.
Silver shook his head and panicked, looking for an escape, scanning the room, he bucked her aside and ran, he darted down the aisle as the shouts of Mrs Warren could be heard from behind, he kept running and bashed the door open. sprinting down the hallway as voices piled up on each other behind him. He burst out the front door and was greeted by the strong winds. He couldn't fly away he was too small and the winds would push him around even more, he panicked hearing the voices getting louder his heart was bashing against his ribs, wanting to explode out of his chest. He ran towards the path that would take him home. But some guards we're running away from that direction, one of them wounded, they opened their mouths as soon as they had entered the village, shouting the same word over and over.
"CHANGELING'S!" they bellowed "CHANGELING'S ARE COMING!" they said desperately.
As Silver looked behind the guards, he could see a swarm of blue eyes and white fangs.
"Oh no," he said as fear tightened a noose around his heart and felt his body stop moving staring at the swarm.
He could hear ponies screaming from behind him as well, he turned his head quickly to see changelings invading the school, a different guard pulled him away.
"C'mon kid we can't win this, there's too many of 'em!" he said sprinting towards the town centre with Silver in tow.
Silver was dumbfounded with shock and fear "w-what's happening, where are we going, what happened, am I going to die!". he blurted out as the guard shoves Silver down next to a fountain where several other guards are present each of them fending off several Changeling and getting swiftly overrun.
"Keep yer head down and ya might make it". he said shoving Silvers head into the dirt as the guard grabbed a spear and yelled as he charged into battle.
Silver looked around people were being captured with some sort of goo and then being carried off, he saw people he had known be carried away to be used as the Changelings food. He looked down again and began to cry "This can't be real, this can't be happening" he said as the guard that had saved him was being pinned down and overwhelmed, his eyes widened and looked at a nearby spear and tried to grab it, but his hooves were shaking uncontrollably and he kept dropping it. He slowly turned to look at the guard who was now being encased in the strange substance to be carried away, Silver yelled, tears still in his eyes and hurled the spear, closing his eyes, covering his ears and slamming his face in the dirt... but then the noise stopped, he opened his eyes... and everyone was still, looking upward, the Changelings had even stopped their assault and stared towards the skies.
Silver stood up and wiped away his tears, he looked up, the skies had a hole in them revealing a clear starry sky, a full moon and a beautiful mare who's mane and tail flowed like the night sky and twinkled like the stars, her wings gracefully holding her aloft.
"I am princess Luna and thou shall leave this place or suffer our wrath!" she proclaimed, as the clouds cleared and soldiers filled the skies wearing battle armour.
As the Changelings dispersed they took the ponies they had bagged with them, hissing as they retreated. As the moonlight shone Silver couldn't take his eyes away. Luna looked at him softly and flew down to him, she picked him up.
"You are safe little one, we shall take you to Canterlot," she said in a soothing voice.
Silver was speechless, he wanted to cry, but, he couldn't... instead he said thank you, over and over again while clinging tightly to Luna. Other soldiers and guards with Luna helped anyone who was still in the village onto large carts and were carried away... but Silver was carried by Luna personally. He wouldn't let go, if it was a dream he did not want to wake, as they took off above the clouds, the skies were clear as Luna gracefully flew at the front. the clouds were a white ocean beneath them and the stars shone brightly above, as the moon lit the way. soon Silver's eye's grew heavy and began to close...
"Sleep little one, you will be safe in Canterlot... I promise" she said softly as silver's eyes shut and he fell into a blissful sleep.
Chapter 1: Canterlot, The city of Equestria
As Silver awoke he looked around he was lying in a bunk bed, there were several more of them in the room in an orderly line, there were two windows on a stretch of wall and by the wall were a couple large wooden tables with candles, lit. It was dark outside... Silver hopped down from the bed, the floor and walls were wood and made him feel at home. Silver smiled examining the room, intrigued by its design but made his way to the window, and stared up at the full moon. He put his hooves on the window to get a better look.
"Wow~" he said as his eyes sparkled with joy for the first time in years. He had never seen the moon so clearly before, nor the stars, his mouth hung open in amazement. "So many stars in one place," he said as he drifted into a trance. It was soon interrupted by someone standing behind him.
"Ahem," the pony said, "We are glad to see you awake small one, we were worried you would sleep for eternity," she said tilting her head slightly.
Silver turned around and then remembered the same pony who saved him. Seeing as it was the pony who carried him, he felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he realised he had been staring at her, His ears drooped and he shuffled his hooves "U-um sorry for falling asleep," he said.
Luna shook her head slightly "you do not need to apologise If anything we should be asking forgiveness of you" she said walking closer to him "You must have been exhausted you've been asleep for a long while now" she smiled and patted silvers head.
Silvers's ears pricked up "Wait, a long while?" he asked tilting his head "how long have I been asleep?" he asked.
Luna put her hoof to her chin "A couple days, although..." she said staring off then shook her head "No, it is nothing" she said but Silver tilted his head more, like a puppy wanting a biscuit. "I hope you have noticed where you are," she said a smile slowly forming across her face.
Silver looked around "A wooden room?" he said, but Luna shook her head "A...sleeping area?" he guessed again, taking another look around the room.
"Not quite," she said moving a stool from one of the tables to the window "Think of it as a game, if you win you get a prize," she said smiling.
Silver began rapid firing answers "A room, a room for sleeping, a sleepy room, dining room, a room room, a moving cart, a castle, a box, a box in a castle, a room in a box in a dream in a castle in a table in a dining room for sleeping" he said out of breath but Luna shook her head once more, he was determined not to give up, he took a deep breath then fired more answers " home, the moon, a field, a chair, a room in a chair, a tree, a tree trunk, a squirrels house, sleeping tree box, a boxed tree of sleeping, a boxing tree with a chair, a tree boxing a squirrel sleeping in a chair in a trunk in a castle?" he collapsed onto his belly lying down like a rug, he pouted "alright I give up" he said, admitting defeat.
she patted onto the stool gesturing him to sit, she stood next to the window able to look out it with ease, Silver couldn't help but stare at her composed next to a window the moonlight reflecting off her skin, he shook his head and got up. He trotted over to her and stood on the stool to look out the window and his eyes widened with joy as he realised the answer.
"Do you know now," Luna said with a smile looking down.
Silver nodded "is this Canterlot!" he said joyfully as Luna nodded and chuckled.
"Welcome to the Capital of Equestria," she said, "Canterlot" looking down she saw different species of ponies helping each other and simply talking instead of fighting or spitting words at each other. She smiled remembering something Celestia had told her. She opened her mouth and repeated the line her sister had said "Canterlot stands for the beginning of harmony returning to Equestria, while it also serves as a capital base it's also the symbol of a new start, a new life...no matter what pony you are" she said as Silver stared out the window, captivated. She looked at him his eyes full of hope and patted his head again. She turned around and began walking towards the door.
Silver, taken away by the moment almost didn't notice, "where are you going?" he asked stepping down from the stool.
Luna turned to face him "I must leave you now, I have important duties to which I must attend," she said.
Silver looked down at the floor "oh...".
Luna put her hoof to his chin "Do not be sad little one, If you wish to see me again then I'm sure it is fated to be, but, for now this is farewell" she said, silver still looked unhappy. looking into his eyes she made a suggestion "We can do anything you want when we next meet, how does that sound" she said with some enthusiasm. Silver's ears perked up slightly.
"Anything ?" he asked "Even fly?" as his eyes glistened once more, Luna nodded.
"Yes of course! we can soar up into the skies where the clouds are the floor and the stars the ceiling" she said smiling.
Silver perked up "Okay! it's a date!" he said hopping around Luna then stood in front of her "My name's Silver Crescent" he said cheerfully then made circles with his hoof "Everyone made fun of my name in my village but here it's going to be different! nice to meet you".
Luna smiled "I think it's a lovely name, you may call me Luna," she said puffing out her chest.
Luna left the room and silver continued to stare out the window while thinking about her last words.
"This place is the barracks for the night guard, that's why you won't see anyone here at night, mostly," she said walking closer to the door "The guards may look intimidating, but they're nice ponies when you get to know them,". She stood at the door and began to open it.
"Goodnight!" Silver blurted out.
Luna stopped, then turned her head "Goodnight Silver, sleep well" she said before walking out the door and closing it behind her...
Silver took one good long look at Canterlot "Things will be different" he told himself, and nodded "Things will be different..." he moved the stool back to its table then hopped back into his bed "Yeah, different" he said before slowly dozing off as his eye's shut once more.
"Luna...huh" he mumbled before a small smile crept on his face and he fell back to sleep.
***
Luna closed the door behind her and took a sigh of relief, Celestia chuckled
"Not as easy as you would assume is it," she said standing close to Luna as they began to walk at a slow pace down a corridor
"How can we lie to them, surely they must be told the truth?" luna said pondering what good lying to them this early would achieve
Celestia calmly retorted "When they are young they should be concerned with schoolwork and mundane tasks that make up ordinary life, not war and vengeance for loved ones lost,"
Luna hung her head "I suppose...," a look of frustration crossed her face "I can't believe that's another village lost, that's the fifth this week"
A concerned expression grew on Celestia's face "yes, their attacks are becoming more frequent it all points to they're advancing on canterlot," she sighed "I'm surprised we've lasted long enough to complete its construction"
Luna smiled "well we only had to defend one place, and with our strength there's no way we could possibly lose," she said puffing out her chest and looking proud.
Celestia chuckled "I suppose you're right," she stopped and admired the view as the hallway had led to a balcony section of the castle
the sisters walked to the railing of the balcony Celestia smiled proudly "we built this you and I," she said whimsically "we're taking in as many as we can but until we find more able bodies we're only projecting our power"
Luna looked at her sister with a look of confusion "but we have the numbers to attack the changelings, we have armies,"
Celestia shook her head "but having them able at any moment is draining on them. a large sum of them went with you and as I saw they were all exhausted, lack of sleep, irregular eating... they were drained," she turned to a more stern expression "If the changelings attacked it would only be by our magic that they are kept at bay"
Luna hung her head "oh, I see..." she contemplated firing a retort but knew her sister was right, the soldiers were only equestrian, they get tired and hungry just like anyone else.
Celestia softened her gaze "but, I suppose you did well...you did save a few ponies" she turned to luna "I'm sorry the small one must be in your barracks, with the surplus of ponies you brought back with you shelters are full and stretched thin as it is,"
Luna shook her head "I hardly think one bed being filled will upset the night guard, but what bothers me is you could have used your barracks why choose mine?" she asked, what bothered her was the fact that Celestia would offer her own bed if she could in a heartbeat, so using her barracks was the next best thing.
Celestia smiled back "I thought it would be better if the sister who saved him was the first face he saw while I would have loved to do the orientation he has more of a connection to you than me. Not to mention in your night guard there are some bat ponies," luna's brow furrowed.
"and what does that have to do with anything?" she said firmly, Celestia looked out to canterlot
"do you know how many ponies we have found" Luna looked up surprised
"well not the exact number but we've saved earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns-"
"and how many of those we've saved are bat-ponies," Celestia interrupted "the answer is none..." a sorrowful look spread across her face "I talked to your guards, the ones who are bat-ponies say that they have no definitive home or community, or if there is one they haven't heard of it...they told me that aside from their parents and the bat-ponies they met here, they haven't seen another one of their kind"
Luna's eyes widened in shock "That cannot be, surely they had a hometown that-"
"That's just it," Celestia said cutting her off again "...one of your guards, the captain was from a bat-pony village"
Luna's mouth opened to say something, but she thought better of it and listened closely.
"he said that they fought changelings regularly because of the location, they couldn't hold back the staggering amount that attacked them, so most of the villagers left to all corners of Equestria to find a better environment to raise families or start anew, he told me where it was, and i left to see it for myself.
Luna gulped forcing the words out of her mouth "what did you see" she could see Celestia's expression change.
Celestia's face changed to a glare of anger "the whole village was..." Celestia steeled her mind as the image itself was too horrible to put into words "the village, was completely taken by the changelings, the buildings warped beyond recognition, ponies hanging like fruit from trees" Celestia stopped when Luna placed her hoof on her shoulder.
"you don't need to explain, I understand," luna said comforting her sister however she could
Celestia embraced her sister "war...is such an ugly thing". as the two sisters stared out at canterlot illuminated by the moon the two began to move indoors.
***
Silver was still asleep by the time morning had rolled around. but interrupting his peaceful sleep was a soft female voice.
"Rise and shine little guy," the voice said then a thump was heard and something fell to the floor.
"You idiot that's not how you wake a young'un up," a gruff voice said, "this is how you wake up a young'un, just like grandpappy taught me" who was then interrupted by several other voices.
"No! the child is innocent and pure. we don't need you corrupting the poor thing" a mare's voice called out "you need to wake up it's morning" she said gently.
Silver grumbled "mmmm...no," he said rolling over.
the mare groaned "Oh come on! we've been at this for an hour" she said as her steps trailed off and thud as she sat down.
the door swung open a stern voice could be heard over the others bickering "Would you be silent" he said as everyone in the room seemed to stop talking immediately. "What's the problem? you can't wake up a young colt?" there was mumbling around the room.
"well we 'ad many good'uns but Flare just said oh it's inhumane to hurt the wee lad," the gruff one said.
" Hey! at least I thought whacking him with a bottle wasn't a safe idea, Celestia forbid that anyone tell you your ideas come straight from your arse!" the mare said mockingly.
"quiet the both of you! I have a simple harmless solution that will wake him up and not cause any permanent damage" he said as there were mumbles of concern.
Silver felt himself lifting up he was having a pleasant dream about flying with princess Luna then all of a sudden he felt himself falling rapidly and landing in the ocean, he woke up immediately sitting up in front of him were four guards wearing purple armour and one with silver none had their helmets. Silver looked around where he was he was in a river just outside the barracks it was shallow but deep enough for half of him to be submerged. he blinked trying to piece together what had transpired.
"well you can't argue with results," the mare said, "but I'm not being the one who has to get the bed sheet," she said pointing to the sheet which was floating off into the distance, the large stallion with a bushy beard groaned.
"Oh I swear ya do this for fun!" he said as he charged after the sheet
"Oh remember that if you lose the sheet you pay for it!" she yelled back to him.
The sterner one helped silver out of the river "I believe you are at a loss, correct" the colt said
Silver nodded examining the three ponies: the mare was a pegasus with crimson mane and creme skin with a set of matching daggers strapped to her sides, the stern looking earth-pony had a jagged black mane and light grey skin he had a single sword strapped to his side. As silver turned his head he saw the muscular earth pony, with a bristly beard and short auburn mane the blanket rolled into a bundle in his hoof he had a great axe strapped to his back carved into its blade where fire-breathing dragons on each side with the edges tinted crimson. he noticed silver staring at his axe and his eyes seemed to sparkle.
"Oh aye you noticed me axe" he said holding it aloft with one hoof as if it were simply a stick, a smug smile across his face "ya see this 'ere is me special axe, it's good for a lot of things, it can tear the hide's of monsters asunder in an instant, it can make the very ground tremble with its power, you see these red edges? they constantly keep at a searing temperature that burns the unworthy if they so much as touch it, it can-" he was interrupted by the pegasus.
"Yes yes yes and it can dice onions without crying and cook an egg without a pan, don't bore the poor thing with your over-sized kitchen tool," she said as the stallion put his axe away.
"I just wanted to show the lad my axe" he grumbled
"yes I'm sure you'll take any excuse to whip out your axe and brag about it to anyone when it can't even cut a tree," she said with a smirk on her face
"It was one time Flare when are ya gonna let that go," he said disgruntled
the other pony present creased his brow
"Enough! you are not here to have a pissing match, you are here to tell the boy the rules, and regardless of who's tool is bigger and better you still will not escape your duty to take him to school am I clear," he said glaring at the two of them who mumbled a yes sir "Now then princess Luna gave you two this important job and if you don't like it then I can always call the weapon fairy to dump your weapons into the waste pile"
the two ponies jumped backwards holding their weapons with looks of shock "how could you say such a thing, my weapons might hear you" the pegasus said
"I really hate that fairy, a' you got her number?" he said with a puzzled look on his face
"Now then, no shirking of duty, or else, Silver, The Crimson-haired pegasus currently fondling her daggers is flare she is the most trustworthy person you could talk to and makes a surprisingly tasty sandwich"
"wait, what-"
"and the burly fellow who has an obsession with his axe is Brutus while that's not his real name he could split most things in two but, if anyone ever finds out what it is its document level would be classified because of how horrendously stupid it sounds"
"Hey, that's-"
"But anywho I have business to attend to, take care," he said before disappearing in the blink of an eye
Silver looked at the two guards just as they looked at him they had a look of annoyance on their faces then silver spoke "you're cool ponies" the two of them looked at each other then the sky and their expression changed to one of compliance "well it is the captain's orders" Flare said
"And I'd rather not risk losing my weapon to the blasted fairy" the two nodded as if negotiations had concluded and shook hooves
"To the school!" they both proclaimed in unison a truce had been called and they were ready to face their duty
It then dawned on silver "it would be an entirely new school...with new people...and new everything" he mumbled then had his anxiety kick in and his head began filling itself of what it would be like, he couldn't say no but now as they slowly began to make their way to the school he hoped it would take a long time to get there.
