Midnight Rising

~~Once upon a time, in the majestic Empire of Equestria~~

Hello reader, I find myself compelled to address a few things before you begin the story proper. It's for the best, really, to have full disclosure on just what you are about to experience. The story you are about to read is 100% accurate to the best of my memory, recalled as I experienced the true events described within. What follows is my accord of the events of the Midnight Rising Incident, an event that I was directly involved with right up to my interactions with the key players involved. From my home, Equus, in the Horsehead Nebula, to the Serpentis and Siren systems, back to Equus and my home country; Equestria. This was the biggest incident in history since Empress Twilight's Ascension and the Golden Age that followed, and I find it appropriate it to tell it exactly as it happened.

Before I begin, I should give you a little backstory, on the state of Equestria when the Midnight Rising occurred, on Equestria's most-recent history, and on myself. Equestria comes first, as it always should. Our nation had experienced a cultural revolution, with Empress Twilight Sparkle herself at its head, about 900 years ago. The history books tell of the fall of the Princesses Sun and Moon, and Twilight's resolute conviction to uphold Equestria throughout the turmoil. In what was at the time an event of chaos, destruction, and loss a new Equestria was forged, united under the ideals of Manifest Destiny and Equestrian Exceptionalism. Ideals that have passed down through each generation since, hence why we call it the Golden Age. We enjoy limitless luxuries, great comfort, a high standard of living, and marvelous technologies that even the maddest would've never dreamt of before Her Ascension. Empress Twilight is now our sole ruler, Her word law, Her will in the interest of all ponykind. These ideals allowed us to expand beyond our borders, to claim half of the globe under the flag of the Equestrian Empire. Most other nations relented, some had to have our flag...forcefully planted in their soil.

There was resistance to our glory, of course. Not all races thought our will benevolent. There was even resistance from fellow ponies, particularly the Harmony Brigade. But, it's hard to resist an Empire when your leader can't bring herself to violence. In the end, any resistance, be it from the other races or fellow ponies, was unjust and born of ignorance. Her will is law, and our superiority is inherent.

Following the dawn of the Golden Age, Empress Twilight expanded study in the fields of science and magic in a way that the Princesses never had. It was from this that our TRUE might was born, and revolutionary changes made to the very fabric of Equestrian life. The means to travel entire continents in the span of hours, the means for ground ponies to fly, extended lifespans, and the crown jewel; the Star Core; a fusion of the arcane and mundane that allows for travel between worlds and across the stars. Our military evolved with these technological advancements, too, and long have the spear and sword been abandoned in favor of the gun and bomb.

As for me? Well, I'm an earth pony. Of neutral colors, of above-average physique. An every-stallion, the kind that might be your neighbor. Or co-worker. My job? Military. "Oorah", salutes, "yes, sir", "no, sir", all that, right? Well, not for me. I'm not your typical grunt. I'm not even your typical Royal Guard. I'm... Well, a Hunter. I act alone, under Empress Twilight's direct orders. I have the great privilege of seeing Her Majesty in person on a semi-regular basis, usually to deliver reports about my actions(and proof of kills), but sometimes She deigns to speak to me on a personal level, asking me things like 'how's the colony on Equus Prime doing?', or 'is Orthros' scientific survey team doing alright?'. Things like that. I answer as best I can, but I prefer to talk about my work with the Empress. I live alone, mostly in my ship. I have a house in Canterlot, but I'm there usually one week a month. Sometimes two weeks out of six months. Ain't much there. My home is the stars, foreign worlds my neighbors.

Which brings us back to my feature presentation; my account of the Midnight Rising Incident. I went to see Empress Twilight one morning to receive a mission order. It was a simple missive; go out, see what's what, end what's what, return, report. As you can imagine, things didn't go quite as planned. They never do, right? What followed was an event unlike any other in recent history. I traveled to a colony world, and it was on this world where I encountered things long ignored, and met a pony long forgotten, lost to the annals of history. Over the course of the following week I met more lost echoes of Equestria's past, and came to know a mare with a long lost connection to Empress Twilight Herself. It was this mare who gave rise to the ideals and events that caused what is now known as the Midnight Rising Incident, so called because of the darkness of the void that this forgotten pony came from. An event that was as every bit as formative on Equestria and the ponies directly involved with it as Empress Twilight's Ascension.

And an event that will never be described in any book or record, save for this one. My memoirs. My name is Meteor Shower, by the way. Welcome to my recollection of the Midnight Rising Incident.