The New Era: Prologue

Jaxson yawns slightly as he walks through the halls of floor 24506, his apartment just down the way. He had gotten the walk he wanted, got to try out that cinnamon chocolate king blast, and even got to see a Void-Entity, so his day, while didn't exactly pay anything, was a good one, and he got to see some cool things. Shaking his head, he heads to his apartment, and goes inside, closing the door behind him as he's greeted to the lights having been dimmed a great deal. This causes him to raise an eyebrow as he goes into the dining room, and blinks upon seeing Kylla wearing a rather attractive dress, nervously fidgeting her fingers, and keeping her eyes mainly at the ground.

"Hey, Kylla." She jumps slightly and looks at him with a large blush. "What's all this for?"

"I-I-I-I thought I'd g-g-give you a g-g-g-good afternoon since you worked so hard yesterday... I got you a drink and made you your favorite meal..."

He blinks in surprise. "You did all this? For me?" She nods. "Why? I haven't exactly done anything special lately..."

"I just thought you'd... You know, like something nice after so long."

"Heh, thanks Kylla." He sits down at the table as she smiles softly. "So..." He looks down at the plate. "Hydranian steak, Verrian salad, and a glass of Blood Dragon wine? You went all out." He chuckled the last part out softly.

"I-I-It's nothing, just a little something I put together..."

He gives a small laugh as he sips the wine. "Kylla, these things cost a fortune to by already made in a restaurant, you can't just tell me it's just a little something." She nervously rubs her arms. "Well, let's dig in, huh?"

She nods as they both start eating.

...

Miss Jolor sighs heavily as she tosses her purse onto the table at her home, an apartment in the Golden Eye Sector, floor 340,506, in the Upper and Middle class levels. She sits down on her couch, and opens up a take-out she bought from a nearby restaurant, Black Cheese Steak and Griffonian beats. She shakes her head and takes a bite as she turns on the Holographic TV.

"Recently there have been a number of reports coming from the mining operation down in the Hillside Sector. The miners are keeping their mouths shut, but it's obviously something big, and the fact they've called in some Union Police and extra mining-mages means it's bigger than an average excavation. Just what is the Broadened Gold Company, one of the lesser known companies, found down there? We'll hopefully know more right after the break. But for now, back to you Dolland."

The kitsune blinks as she had a piece of the cheese steak hanging from her mouth, speaking with it there. "That much security and additional help and they aren't saying a word? Must be something big..." She looks out the window. "Wonder how far they'd go to get what they're looking for..." She asks as she stares at a massive rip in the void creating another large ship.

...

The young Dragoness hangs up her apron, and pulls on a simple jean jacket as she checks her time, then jogs out, waving a taxi, which soon picks her up through the usual void portal. She sits back as she looks at the driver. "Green Garden, Apartment Tower 40,506." The driver nods and starts driving.

She sighs and looks out the window as the driver spoke. "So, you're one of them rich kids?"

"No, why?"

"Usually Green Garden only takes in Rich and Famous, how'd you get a place there?"

"Family might be rich, but I'm no one special."

"Ah, they gave you a place and nothing else?"

"I refused anything else. Wanted to make my own name and the such."

":Who's the family?"

"The Jolliers."

"Jolliers eh? Weren't they the first to colonize on Cetera back before it became the capital?"

"Please, don't lump me up with them. I may have their last name, but that doesn't make me special."

"If you say so." He looks out the window. "Ugh, damn POB Drones..."

The dragoness watched the large drones fly by, scanning the windows and vehicles for anything hostile. "Got an issue with those security drones?"

"No, they just keep flying in my driving lanes, hard to drive without almost crashing into one that flies in front of me."

"Ah." She brushes her hair out of her eyes, and looks at the driver. "What about you? Anything special?"

"Heh, not really, just an average Night-Taxi driver, working for the Graying Silver company."

"Huh, they new?"

"You could say that. We don't have much, but we manage to get by. It's a wonder though, we could never get past the rank those guys at the Borrus's Taxis. It's like they're better than they let on."

The dragoness chuckles. "Maybe they just tend to hire good workers..." She says, thinking about Jax.

"Yeah? Well, maybe, guess not all companies are hiding something..." He shrugs. "Anyways..." He blinks. "Oh, we're here."

The dragoness nods as she hands him a good 2 Silver Coins.

"Well, you pay better than the others I pick up." He takes it. "I'm serious, they're always paying in Platinum..."

"It's not so bad, so long as they pay in large majority."

"20-30 coins a drive."

"Okay, that's pretty bad." He nods. "Well, see you around."

"Sure, whatever." She nods and gets off.

...

Over in Cetera Palace, on the tallest balcony, the man wearing the emperor's robes, cloak, and crown gazes upon the land, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm..."

His steward comes in. "Milord, is there something wrong?"

"No... Not yet at least..." He glances at the steward. "Any reports on the Twilight?"

"None, they're still beyond the borders of the DBAC, it seems they're playing it safe until their plans to do... Well... Whatever it is they're planning, is ready."

The emperor gazes out to the land. "I see..." He sighs and places his hands on the railing. "I've been the emperor for nearly 10 years now... And yet I could never accomplish what the first seven could..."

"To be fair, the first seven were highly gifted in all classes, they were the top elite in everything..."

"And then they disappeared, and left us to choose emperors through votes..." He looks at the man. "Could they be dead?"

"Possibly, but then again, we never knew much about them to begin with, so it is unknown... Maybe they're the ones watching over us, and the temples are actually right about these things..."

"Maybe..." He looks to the steward. "Get a letter ready."

"For whom?"

"I'm going to get something to eat."

"You mean outside of the palace walls? Anywhere specific?"

"The favorite of the seven emperors."

"Understood, we'll make sure Mark's Diner is ready at the time."

He chuckles softly. "Something so old fashioned, and yet it's the most booming restaurant in the capital."

"Because they don't use anything artificial."

"Fair point."

...

Dorn steps out of the way as about three mining-mages step through to the doors of the laboratory. He stuffs his hands in his pockets as he watched a couple Union Elementals drag the now passed out Celestia in, who was hugging a bottle of moonshine to her chest with a drunken grin on her face.

Twilight gives one of those blank looks. "I've never seen the Princess in this state before... What in the name of Celestia did you give her?"

"God's Blackout Moonshine."

RD bursts out laughing. "Oh man! The name itself tells me everything!"

Rarity adjusts a pair of glasses she suddenly had on and was wearing. "Well, I can honestly say I'd have rather a glass of your finest wine than something like that."

Dorn shrugs, before they all heard the barrier dispel, causing Dorn to jog over. "You guys got it?"

A mining-mage comes up with a thumbs up. "Yeah, this one's barrier was the easiest do figure out. It didn't have additional security and magical coding."

Twilight tilts her head. "Magical coding?"

Dorn folds his arms. "Most mages in the DBAC compare magic to things like math and computers. So they can see the 'coding' of a magical spell, much like how a techie or hacker can see the coding in a computer or program."

Twilight smiles. "Fascinating. it makes sense in a way, thought that's not how we view it... Or at least I don't."

Dorn nods as they seven of them head down to the door, and see the other two mages had already opened it, having cast a lighting spell to reveal the old laboratory. It was well preserved, and one mage was currently looking over a large containment cell holding... A currently frozen in green crystal black mare wearing odd armor.

Twilight whispers under her breath. "It can't be... Is that... Nightmare Moon?"

Applejack tilts her hat. "How in t' hay did Princess Luna turn back inta Nightmare Moon?"

A mage says as she looks at a clipboard, rubbing her head. "Says here she had turned into this a few days before everything went to hell. Apparently something was tearing Equestria into a chaos ridden land."

Twilight curses. "Discord..."

"No, Discord is written here to be in containment cell E." Said containment cell held Discord within another green crystal. "Seems to read that while everything was happening, most, if not all of the populace was being frozen in time within the green crystals..."

"...That means my mom and dad are-"

"Still alive." Dorn finishes, adjusting his helmet. "Which means the entire populace of Equis is very much alive... God damn the supervisor is going to freak upon hearing this."

The mage looking through a folder says as he steps over. "Yeah, this find itself could be worth up to 240,000,000 Golden Diamond Glow-Crystals."

Dorn's jaw drops at that. "H-H-Holy shit, we'd be able to do anything with that kind of money!"

"Very much so, meaning your company could become the next generation of the Ceterian Founders."

Dorn stumbles and collapses into a chair nearby. "...This is insane..."

The mares look at each other with confusion, before suddenly hearing Celestia upstairs. "Hey, where is everypony?"