Prequel: Cherry Blossom Road
Strong Brow didn't get why he was out here. He didn't understand why a liaison of the Royal Sisters called him into Canterlot two weeks ago for a 'special project,' one that would see him working with the largest construction crew since that big job in Las Pegasus two years ago. Can’t forget to mention the five hour train ride up the coast and into some remote northern corner of the Empire that’d serve as the build site, either. They called it a ‘housing project.’ A housing project where?! A ruined town served by one rickety train line? It was almost too much.
He wasn't going to complain, of course. He was being compensated handsomely for his time and efforts and the materials they were building with were strong; thick slats of oak and heavy stone. It was an interesting experience, this little project he was involved in. It turns out it wasn't just carpenters and masons that the Sisters had leveraged into their service. There were city planners, designers, farmers, bakers, tailors, and even guardsponies!
That was over a week ago. Construction had been going well and they had finished most of the homes. That was without cutting corners, too. The project manager in charge of this whole thing was pretty serious about making sure everything was up to code. Something about their ‘royal duty’ and the ‘grave importance’ of the build. Brow didn’t really get it but he wasn’t one to argue. He hated wasting energy and to him, arguing did just that. But having a pint of berry brew at the freshly-opened tavern after a long day was one thing he could agree with.
“Bartender! A drink, please. The usual.” Had the place even been open long enough for there to be a usual?
“Ehh… You’re going to have to help me out with what that is, Strong. ‘M afraid the High Hopes hasn’t been around for long enough for me to have your drink order down.”
Apparently not. “Yeah. Makes sense. One pint of berry brew then; that Sunkissed Farms’ stuff.”
“A stallion after my own heart!” The bartender, named Lucky Shiner, had a smile on his face as he let the sweet purple liquid flow from tap to tankard. He set it before the stocky form of Strong Brow, who’s chiseled physique and burnt orange fur fit with the decor of the dimly lit room. “Three bits on your tab, Strong.”
“Thanks, Lucky. Keep it open.”
Lucky placed a foreleg on the counter and leaned in, directing his conversational efforts towards Strong Brow. All his guests were satisfied with their drinks so he figured he’d treat himself to some chit-chat. His bright yellow coat struck an interesting contrast and made his presence in the tavern all that more pronounced. “Hard day at work, my friend?”
“Same as most days, really. We’re almost done with the last housing district. After this is the uhhh… Public works, is what they called it.”
“Public works?”
“Barracks, hospital, storage, town hall. Places like that. Once we’re all finished with that comes the wall but I guess that’s… Not our job. Dunno who’s job it is, alls I know is it ain’t mine.”
“I heard some rumor that the Princesses’ themselves were to finish it up! Can you imagine that? I can scarcely imagine them dirtying their hooves, much less doing any heavy lifting!”
Strong Brow took a healthy sip from his tankard. He considered heavy lifting for a moment. He had seen teams of powerful unicorns move boulders in place of a crane before. What could an alicorn do? “I don’t think their heavy lifting and our heavy lifting is the same thing, son.”
Lucky paused, if only for a moment. Seemed he understood the implications fairly quickly. “My, I suppose you’re right about that one.”
The other stallion only nodded in agreement. He remained quiet for a spell, causing Lucky no small amount of consternation. He finished his drink and remained silent, sliding his cup towards the barkeep who dutifully refilled it. That’s six bits now.
“I know that face. I’ve only seen it a hooffull of times but I’d know it like I know my own Cutie Mark. You’re thinking. You’re thinking hard. What about?”
“What am I to do once this is finished?”
Not what Lucky was expecting. No sir. “That is… An excellent question. Return home? You’ve got one of those, I’d imagine.”
Strong turned away from Lucky now, training his lush green eyes on something in the middle distance. His brow was furrowed and anypony could see now where he got his namesake. “S’ppose I do. But that life… It’s tired. I’m tired, Lucky. I wouldn’t mind a change of scenery. A change of pace.”
Lucky looked around him, drinking in the now-familiar surroundings. Less than a month ago he was a card shark in a seedy bar in Las Pegas. Now? Now he was here. Here was… a far way from home. Colder than he’d like. It was kinder than what his life had been before, though. No pony knew him, knew his record. It was just smiles and hard work, day after day. This was a good life. It was his life. “You should stay here. With me. With... us.”
Us. The concept never really occurred to Strong until now. This really was a unique congregation of ponies, wasn’t it? He had a feeling they weren’t just selected at random. The Royals’ had their reasons. They always did. “Maybe I will. Let’s see how this pans out.”
Lucky seemed satisfied with that answer and left Strong with his drink, tending to the other patrons of the bar. As much as the company was appreciated, Strong liked having some space to himself. He’d heard himself described as insular at best and cold at worst. He didn’t really care. He did his job and had enough friends to get by. What else did he need? That was a question for somepony else.
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To say Bright Belle was stressed out would be the understatement of her career. She had managed some pretty incredible projects, that much was certain. This was beyond anything else she had ever taken part in. Sure, she had her aides and the most talented crew of ponies around. Even with a Royal-picked team of experts the responsibility of making sure everything was running smoothly was almost too much for her. To think they expected her to become mayor of the place once it was completed was absolutely mad! Her? MAYOR!? She could see it.
Her thoughts were busy as she brushed her short-cropped, grey-flecked mane. It was a sign of her age and experience and she wore it with pride. She had been a public servant for as long as she could recall. She earned her Cutie Mark after winning her school's student council election, after all. It was basically in her destiny! That alone wasn’t much of an explanation for why she was chosen for the job though. Anypony can do anything, no matter their Mark, so why her?
She set the brush aside as she heard a knock at the door, pulling it open with a gentle tug of her telekinesis. She had scheduled a meeting with the three Masters of the city and it would seem they were right on time. Walking through the doorway was Strong Brow, Master of Infrastructure, Gold Wheat, Master of Supply, and Marram, Master of Defense. She doubted any of them truly understood how crucial they were to the ability of the city to function long-term. Strong Brow would be responsible for any and all future builds or repairs, Gold Wheat would oversee the production and distribution of food and leisure items, and the weapons training of any able-bodied ponies fell to Marram.
“I’m glad you all could make it. As you all know, the project is nearing completion. The journey has not been an easy one and I appreciate all of your hard work up to this point. Your work, however, is not yet done.” She was facing the assembled ponies, a beam of sunlight catching her dusky purple coat. “I have called you here to exercise a power entrusted to me by the Royal Sisters. This power allows me to grant titles to ponies that I see fit to carry them. From this point forward, you each shall be a Master of this city. The city of Wayout.” She paused to let that news wash over them but honestly, they looked rather unfazed by the idea. At least Marram and Gold Wheat were. Strong Brow was thoroughly confused.
Marram was the first to speak. “That’s good to hear. I’ll admit I had my reservations when my outfit and I were called out here. At first glance, this seemed more like a rather cruel practical joke. Knowing what I know now, however… I think my skills will be extremely useful here.”
This earned an inquisitive look from Strong Brow. “Whaddya mean ‘knowing what I know now’? This is the first I’ve heard anything about what happens after this whole deal is finished. It’d be nice to know what exactly I’m working to build.”
Bright Belle took the reins of the conversation once more, clearing the air with a lofty voice. “I apologize you were so kept in the dark, Mr. Brow. Are you familiar with the concept of non-native ponies?”
“You mean the ones that show up outta nowhere? No Cutie Mark, no family, nothin’ to their name? Yeah, I’ve heard the rumors.”
“Well they are far more than just rumors, Mr. Brow. They are very real. Usually their appearance is a thin trickle, a few isolated instances every so often. Most of these ponies are introduced into society after receiving the necessary education. However, the past two months have changed matters dramatically. We’ve experienced the single largest appearance rate in the history of Equestria. Over a thousand non-natives have found their way onto Empire soil and we are quickly running out of housing space. The main flow seems to have been tapered off but their arrival is still at rates higher than average. To this end the Royal Sisters have ordered the construction of this town and the staffing of its essential positions by ponies of ability and integrity. That is your purpose now, Mr. Brow.”
The room was quiet for a moment, the faint whistle of the coastal winds brushing against thick-paned glass just barely audible. After a brief pause, Strong Brow spoke again. “Huh. Guess I have no choice but to accept. At least my future promises to be interesting, eh?”
This earned a warm smile from Bright Belle. “Excellent to have you on board! The Royal talent scouts spoke very highly of your dedication to your work before your recruitment and you’ve paid back our investments twofold. And what do you say, Mrs. Wheat?”
“Ah was already mor’n happy to accept the invitation to work for ya, Miss Belle. Knowin’ my role in this whole thang more clearly only serves as extra incentive. Ah look forward to it!”
“Wonderful. Glad to see everypony is on board. Now if you’d like to join me in my sitting room, I’ve got some information we need to discuss…”
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Gold Wheat wiped the sweat from her brow, resting her forelegs on her hoe. The northern sun shone kindly on her sun-baked yellow fur and it filled her heart with warmth. It was her calling to feel her hooves dig into the earth, to create life from soil and seed. It was to her the noblest of professions and she wouldn’t wish to be doing anything different.
Right now she was working to prep the land for their first round of crops. There was a river running into the ocean a mile or so out from the city center, so they were planting facing that side. It’d be easier to irrigate and ship out goods from that sort of position. There were teams of ponies divvied up to work acres of land each, churning great swathes of land. It wasn’t the most ideal farming soil, being full of clay and small rocks, but the ground was healthy and the topsoil was fully intact. It wouldn’t be as much of an uphill battle as some farms but it wouldn’t be a stroll through the market either.
She cast her gaze out to the fields, surveying her farming teams. It took two or three ponies to prep a single acre of land and there were thousands of acres. This was the third day they had been working and they were making good headway. Their progress was steady but the hard earth was slowing things down considerably. Today they had pulled a good hooffull of construction ponies off duty to assist and they were proving to be invaluable.
Gold Wheat was used to making incremental progress. To the outside observer it would seem like barely anything had changed from sundown of yesterday but that wasn’t the game she was playing. Come back a week from now and you’d be amazed at the amount of earth they had moved. That’s what she loved most about being a farmer! The gradual change that came with making any living thing bloom was as satisfying as the change oneself undertakes as the years pass.
She was pulled out of her reverie by a younger farm pony running up to her, breathless and excited. It was sweet Rain Drop, a talented unicorn farmer and invaluable asset to the operation. “Rain Drop! Somethin’ ya need, dear?”
“Nothing I need, no. Just something I think is quite interesting. Take a look by the mountains, coming round the bend. It’s a train!”
Gold was very used to seeing trains steam in day and night but this one was wildly different. It was pale white and gilded gold, highly ostentatious and incredibly fast. On the prow of the vehicle was a brilliant rose in deep ebony. How curious. “Whaddya reckon it is?”
“I’ve heard whispers about some Order or something. Dunno. Maybe it’s the unicorns they’re shipping in to finish up the wall?”
Gold Wheat stood quiet for a minute before turning her mind back to the work before her. “I’d reckon that’s the case. I’m sure it’ll all be clear in time anyhow.”
Author's Note
Thanks for taking the time to read this! This is the setup chapter for the Town of Wayout. I can assure you there's going to be plenty more in time. I hope you've enjoyed what you've read and I can't wait to make more!
Chapter One: K is for Kelson
Dawnbather. A combination of words that hung in her head. Where did they come from? A question to follow an answer. The question before it- what was her name? Dawnbather worked for her, as she was the only one it needed to work for. Looking around at the packed train car, she wondered how many other of these strange creatures had found names of their own. She had had a few conversations to discover that they were all in the same boat: alone in a strange land in a body that is not their own with near-complete amnesia. She was just barely learning to walk before she was cuffed and dragged to what must’ve been the nearest train station. The story was the same for just about everyone else, just with different gaps in time between arrival and capture.
At least it seemed as though the guards weren’t really hostile in any way. Most of them were talking to their captives when they could, during the quieter and less turbulent times of their train ride. She had gleaned a few things from the guard standing a few feet down from her. Here was a short list: They were in Equestria, which was the home of the pony race. She was a pony; a unicorn to be specific. There were many kinds of ponies but most of them were either pegasi, unicorns, or earth ponies. They seemed to be ruled by some sort of celestial monarchy of incredibly powerful ponies who existed outside the biological “rules” that other ponies followed. The last thing and perhaps the one item most pertinent to her current situation was her destination. It was a town called Wayout.
Wayout was an accurate name for such a place, given just how far out from her it was. It had been at least a day on the train. She had eaten several meals, slept at least once, and still they trudged along. There were windows, albeit with bars across, and she could see the countryside stream by her at a lightning pace. On her side was a strip of land that quickly disappeared into a vast ocean. Several hours later and they had pulled away from the ocean and appeared to be steadily heading inland. She ate, bread and cheese and a flavorful vegetable spread. It tasted good enough to eat and did a good job of filling her stomach. If this is what a prisoner's rations were like, imagine the real food! Several more hours passed and she drifted off to sleep, joining the tired ranks in their listless dreaming.
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It was daytime now and the sun wreathed her body in a pleasant warmth. Among the sounds of nature that filled her ears there was a calling, a cosmic voice reaching out to her over a great distance. It pulled on her heart and she followed, unsteady legs working their way down a hill. She was in a sparse forest and alternated through patches of pleasant shade and brilliant sun. She walked for some ways, always following the voice, never wondering why. She knew and she didn’t; it was a knowledge known to her but hidden in the deep parts of her mind. She was content to become comfortable with her body, to feel her lungs expand and depress, to smell the warm grass and soft earth, to hear her hooftreads upon the dirt. She came across a creek and crossed it with relative ease. The water was cool against her legs and she appreciated the difference in temperature, if only for a while. She walked and walked until her heart told her to stop and she did. It told her to sit and she did. It told her to look up to the sky and when she did, it fell.
She woke with a start, jolting the pony next to her with the violence of her awakening.
“You okay?” The voice was concern with a thick vein of annoyed, no doubt resenting the loss of sleep.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just had a uhh…. A weird dream is all.”
“What kind of weird dream makes you wake up like THAT?”
“The sky like… fell on me. I don’t know, I can’t explain it.”
“Mmm, I gotcha. I had a weird dream too. I was like, walkin’ around in this blizzard, right? I had full winter gear on so it wasn’t too bad. Anyways, I was gettin’ up to this big structure. Was about to find out what was before I got woke up.”
“Oh jeez, I’m sorry! It sounds like you were about to hit some sorta big revelation.”
“Hah, yeah. It’s no big though. I’m uh… Wren Tails, I guess.” Wren was an appropriate name indeed for the stormy gray pegasus. Her wings seemed strong and well-suited for flight. Her eyes were a dusty blue and possessed a natural softness that was at odds with the taut muscles that wrapped her frame. Deep orange hair framed her eyes nicely. Dawn presented a stark physical contrast, being of sandy coloration with a shock of golden yellow hair atop her head. She had seen her eyes reflected in the glass and they were a dark red, like a glass of red wine. Where Wren had muscle tone Dawn had pudge, being softer of form and rounder in her complexion.
“Did your brain pick your name for you too?”
“Basically, yeah. Kinda weird when your brain knows your name before you even know what you are, isn’t it?”
“This whole thing is weird…. I’m calling myself Dawnbather, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Dawn. Dunno why but I feel that name fits.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Wren. That name fits just as well as mine does!” That earned a little chuckle from Wren. Her heart told her that if she wanted to live a happy life, she would have to hear that sound again. She believed it.
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After roughly another days worth of travel they arrived, causing a great clamor throughout the entire train. It was mostly just nice to finally be out in the fresh air, something Dawn breathed in as deep as she could the moment her hooves touched the platform. In the time between meeting Wren and now she had made a friend, an earth pony by the name of Sawyer. She recalled the first time she heard him say his name.
“Sawyer?”
“Mhmm.”
“Sawyer.”
“Yep.”
“Sawyer…”
“That’s it.”
“Nice to meet you Sawyer.”
So there stood her, Wren, and Sawyer, awash as they were in a sea of bodies. There were teams of ponies with marks on their flanks (called Cutie Marks, apparently) who were directing groups of ponies hither and thither. Before long they were called to move with a gaggle of some fifty or so other ponies. They were ushered through the gates by a small contingent of guards, who lead them down a couple of winding streets. Every so often they stopped to assign housing, three or four ponies to a house. The houses seemed of a decent size and from the few glances Dawn got they were well made and well furnished. It seemed you got to choose your housemates, to a degree. The guards would point to a group of ponies and asked if they knew each other. A yes would have them assigned to a house. A no would skip them and move on to another group. When she was called upon she answered yes but asked why it mattered.
“Friendship, or the beginnings of it, are deeply important to the pony race. We hope this will help to develop strong friendships for you will need the companionship in the coming days.”
That was as good an answer as she could’ve expected, so in went the three new-found friends. Finally alone, they all took a collective moment to relax and de-stress. The house had two stories to it, the first consisting of a dining room, a modest kitchen, and a sitting room. Upstairs were the sleeping quarters. Sawyer went upstairs, no doubt to tend to the bags under his eyes. Dawn examined what appeared to be a gift basket on the table. There was a selection of fruits, vegetables, bread and the like, along with a note. It was then she realized she had no idea how to read.
