To The Skies!

The night was young, and the only sound to be heard was the crickets chirping, the warbling sound piercing through the silence in a soft, easy manner. The Canterlot sky was filled with stars that shone bright, burning like the wick of a candle. The castles and mansions of Canterlot spewed thick, dark smoke, as though they were factories ready to dish out a new bulletproof carriage.. Airships roamed the night sky, adding to the luminescence of the stars.

Welcome...to the Age of Steam. Or as some call it nowadays; the Steampunk Era.

In the slums of the city,  new life has just begun in the worst hospital anypony could ever imagine. A foal, crying in his father's arms, his mother lay on the hospital bed, unmoving, as nurses cry quietly and cover the body. The foal will never know the warmth and compassion of his mother, only the firmness and strength of his Father. This will shape his future. The father of the foal looks through the window, seeing wealth in the form of an airship owned by the infamous sky pirates, ‘Of Cogs and Guns’.

He smiles painfully down at his crying child, and he whispers in the foal's ear, "I know one day, you'll fly around the world...my young Dirty Pistons."

You are Dirty Pistons, you just turned three years old and are currently playing in the wooded backyard of your home. Your father is away. Your hear something; the loud sounds of trees snapping as a destroyer class airship cruises near the ground. You look behind you and see the massive airship crashing into your backyard. You run to the house, making it inside just as the warship destroys all of the trees in your backyard. You looked down, away from the startling sight and back up. Your dad bursts through the front door of your house and sees you watching through the backyard screen door. He approaches and gets on his knees to hug you. You can only stare, feeling no sort of emotion as you reflect on what happened. You had almost died and yet all you could do was watch your favorite playing area become an empty field.

How come you weren't crying?

You're now six, and on your birthday, you build a mini airship destroyer that actually flies thanks to a radio control system. The ship is complete with  a finish of redwood on the edges. You show it to your father, and he chuckles. "One day, I'll build you an airship so mighty, all others will be brought to shame. But sadly, that will be a gift for when you are older, my child." You smile wide, and hug your Dad. "Thanks, Dad!" You call out. He looks around, and hugs back as he says, "You're welcome. Just...say it a little more quiet next time."

On your twelfth birthday, your Dad was nowhere to be seen. You looked all around the house. But no sign of him. You finally come across a study room in your home. You go through the book names. Books like, "The Time Machine" and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and eventually you come across a book called, "How to build an airship" You try to pull it out, but it stays rooted to the spot. You then grip the top and pull as hard as you can, and an audible click is heard. The rather large bookshelf slowly pivots, opening to a stairway spiraling downwards. You decide hesitantly to go down, where you hear the sound of a blowtorch and some hammering of nails and bolts. You come all the way down the stairs, a good twenty feet down under the ground, and you see an unfinished airship being built by none other than your Dad.

You look at him, and he just stares through a welder's helmet. But due to his rather large muzzle and strong jaw, you knew it was him. You ran to him, and he heard you. He turned to face you, and broke into a sweat. "My child! Dirty, you shouldn't--" he stopped when you hugged him and he hugged back hesitantly. He laughed quietly. "I guess...you found out my secret. I have been working on this gift since you were six and still building. But you won't get it until it is done. Okay?"

You nod slowly and look to it. On the sides were slots opened for at least twenty-five cannons. And at the fore of the ship were five mortar shot cannons. at the aft of the ship were two gatling guns, and the ship's hull was covered in a bullet-resistant alloy. Stuff you only knew of due to being a colt. Your Dad got off his knees and patted your back. "She's a beauty, isn't she, Dirty? And someday, she'll be yours." You picked up on him calling it a she. You noticed an unfinished engraving on the side that read, 'The Ship of the Reaper' It was powered by sails and steam, judging by the smell of oil and smoke.

You could only imagine the adventures you would go on. Until your father suddenly passes out

Now you’re sixteen. You're walking to the Canterlot Cemetery, holding a bouquet of roses. You stop at a pair of tombstones. One has the name ‘Prisma Colors’ and the other has the name, ‘Hyde Rawlicks.’ You placed the bouquet of roses in a small vase with a chipped section at the rim. You then filled it with water and left. At this point you already knew you would have to finish building the ship and begin a new life for yourself. You weren't gonna live your life in fear of the sky pirates like your dad told you to at age thirteen.

And one day, it all began with a simple meet and greet.

To The Skies!