Part Two: To The North

200 years ago...

The early morning beamed down through the water droplets that hung in a fine mist that swirled around the Cloudsdale Skyport, bedazzling the pelt of an orange Unicorn who trotted along with a map magically suspended in front of his muzzle unaware that he was covered in dozens of tiny rainbows. Sunburst stopped and lowering the map he took the time to adjust his glasses before checking his barding. Then leaning over he looked down over the edge of the skyport to the lofting highs of Cloudsdale that streamed underneath his hooves upon ribbons of clouds before giving way to the ground so far below him. A unicorn could untroubled on the clouds as long as they maintained a simple spell. This wasn't really a matter of difficulty for him. Sunburst had been at Luna's school in the Littlehorn Valley the day this stupid war began. The mangled corpses of those Zebra refugees still haunted his dreams at night despite his best efforts to block them out. Since then he had lost his family when the Zebra Empire forces overran Sire's Hollow. Now he was been dragged North to the Crystal Empire. "Working for Ministry of Awesome is such a drag. I would rather be at home with my books and scrolls."

About a week prior to being ordered to report to Cloudsdale, Sunburst had been contacted by his superiors in the Ministry. The situation in the Crystal Empire was rapidly deteriorating. The Zebra forces had broken through the outer defenses around the Crystal City and were making headway into the heart of the Empire. It was only a matter of time before Equestria's northern ally fell and then an invasion from the North from the Zebra Empire would be inevitable. He was ordered to provide intelligence on what he knew about the Crystal Empire and to help form a resistance movement should the conventional forces of the Crystal Empire fall. He was to accompany a small taskforce made up of some 134 ponies and officers. The taskforce was led by his old friend Starlight Glimmer.

Starlight had changed after the Massacre At Littlehorn Valley. She had become more severe and seemingly detached from everything. While her impressive magical abilities would have granted her the ability to serve anywhere within the Equestrian military she opted to serve on the frontlines as a commander. Since then she had fought in several major campaigns against the Zebra Empire but Sunburst could tell that in every battle he lost more of his old friend. Perking his ears at the hooffalls of somepony approaching Sunburst turns seeing Starlight approaching. Her muzzle hidden behind a map of the Crystal Empire hovering in front of her.

"I really wish the Zebras had attacked someplace warmer. The Crystal Empire has gotten so cold since this damn war started. What do you think of our assignment Sunburst?" Starlight quipped knowing he was watching her. "Orders are orders Starlight besides it isn't that bad up there. I live there for a while before returning to Equestria to help out with the Ministry."

Starlight looked around and saw her cloudship, The Fractus sat at the opposite end of the quay as ponies finished loading the last of the supplies they would need for their journey northwards. The Fractus herself was the latest model of Raptor-class cloudships produced in Equestria. She had been especially modified to take a large group of ponies into the warzone that was once the Crystal Empire. Seeing the sunlight glimmer off the hull made her heart swell with pride. "I deserve this." Starlight thought to herself. "I wonder if father would be proud of me after everything that has happened." Starlight's stomach churned with hatred as her thoughts drifted back to when her unit had found the burned remains of Sire's Hollow.

The fires still sent billowing smoke from the ruins of Sire's Hollow when her unit crested the ridge over looking what once was a vibrant little town. The previous few days had seen the Zebra's overrun the area driving out the Equestrian military. That had changed after some hard fought battles that had seen the Equestrian forces victorious. Starlight had been ordered along with the rest of her unit to push towards Sire's Hollow to scout for any stragglers of the retreating Zebra army. No contact had been heard from the village since the Zebra's had overtaken it. The swiftness of their onslaught had meant no time could have been given to evacuate the ponies who lived there including her father.

Breaking ranks she rushed down the path and flung open the iron gate. The homes and businesses arranged around the fountain that stood at the center of the village had all been put to the torch. A few lifeless body's floated in the shallow stagnant water of the fountain. Running to where her foalhood home once stood she found it like the rest of Sire's Hollow had been burned to the ground. But there were no signs of struggle and no visible body's around. Hope cautiously rising in her breast Starlight began to sift through the charred planks of wood until she came across a body. The body laying on its side had been badly burned with the blistered skin had torn showing the yellow fat beneath it and the ivory teeth were still visible through the blackened cracked lips of its muzzle. Brushing away the soot from the flank of the corpse revealed a cutie mark she knew all too well. It was her father's. Firelight had been butchered along with so many others she knew from growing up in Sire's Hollow. For a long time she sat on her haunches surrounded by the remains of her former home staring at the body. "Why didn't you run Papa? Were you waiting for me to return?" Her vision glazed over as tears seeped down the sides of her muzzle soaking her sides until she shivered from the cold.

Her unit had found all of the inhabitants either burned alive inside their homes or dragged to a hastily dug ditch outside of town where the body's of the slain lay stacked on top of each other in a ghastly heap with a single scarlet hole between the eyes. Fathers, mothers, and foals had all been killed in a ruthless fashion that had come to define this disgusting conflict. Nopony was spared, not the young or old alike. Getting off her rump Starlight drags her father's remains from the husk of her former home. Finding a spade in the shade behind her house she begins to dig a large hole for her father. When it was deep enough she gingerly pushed her father into it. Taking a photo from her barding of her father and herself from when she was young she places it on her fathers side before starting to fill the hole back in again. Tamping the earth down over the top of the grave leveling it out she stands there looking at the flattened mound. "This is how life ends now? Losing people I love without saying goodbye?" Starlight thinks to herself while feeling something snap deep inside her soul. A rising boiling hatred for the Zebra's who did this to her father, her home, and her country. "They all deserve to die for what they have done. I promise Papa I won't forget and I won't forgive until they are all driven out of Equestria."

As the memory fades and she finds herself back before her ship. Shaking the past away from her mind, Starlight notices the crew beginning to form ranks as Sunburst stands by her, "Ready for the voyage to begin?" Starlight nods and faces the growing crowd before her. All of the ponies in the crowd are a smattering of Earth, Unicorn, and Pegasi and with one swift ,mechanical motion they snap to attention as Starlight opens her mouth, "We are gathered here to embark on a mission that could end the war significantly for our cousins in the Crystal Empire. If we succeed then we shall all be home again soon. So everyone to their posts and keep a sharp eye out when we cross the border because we will no doubt be under fire." The ponies all raise their forehooves in salute before departing to board The Fractus. Looking back at the Skyport, "It would be nice to have some shore leave her when we return. Maybe even get a few drinks. What do you think Sunburst?" The unicorn nervously fumbles with his glasses, "Eh he...., maybe after I give my report to the Ministry Starlight."

Boarding the cloudship Starlight feels the hum of the engines rumble through the metal deck plates. Heading into the bridge she grasps the ship's wheel and checks the engine readouts. "Fuel looks good, turbines at full power, and all other systems are in the green. Let's cast off shall we?" Turning to the pony standing behind her who gives a curt nod and trots out of the bridge giving orders to the ground crew to release the mooring lines from the cloudship. As soon as they are released Starlight turns the wheel pulling away from the quay.

The Fractus glides sleekly through the favorable headwind as they float along towards the Crystal Empire. Within a few hours they had already crossed the border. The blinding snow made it difficult for Starlight to stay on course. Looking at the binnacle she adjusted course a bit. She felt the helm fight her input as the wind buffeted against the hull. Blasts from an unnatural turbulence caused by the ensuing violence below them. Looking at the thermometer against the bulkhead Starlight noticed that it had already dropped to almost freezing since they had crossed the border. Trotting to her side Sunburst says, "All of the discharges from the spells from the war have altered the Crystal Empire's weather patterns. The latest Ministry intelligence suggests the Zebras are taking advantage of the snow cover to launch new offensives all along the defensive perimeter of the Crystal City." Sunburst presses his muzzle to the cold viewport trying to see the ground through the frosty haze below them. "Not exactly like I remembered it being. I can't believe it has changed so much."

Starlight sets The Fractus on autopilot allowing the ship to follow the course she had set without needing her at the helm. "A lot of things have changed because of this war." Starlight said grimly as she stood next to Sunburst, "Who knew we would need to bring an armed escort just to visit the Crystal Empire."

Sunburst looks at his friend and raises a hoof to reach out to Starlight before she speaks again, "How is everypony settling in? Heard any complaints?" Sunburst lowers his hoof again, "Only a few grumblings about the cold and damp besides that everypony is doing alright. Those who need to be at their duty stations are on alert for any signs of enemy activity. The rest of the crew is getting some oats in the mess hall." Starlight nods her head in approval before heading back to take the cloudship off autopilot.

All of a sudden a bright green flash of light fills the bridge casting shadows throughout the cabin. Squinting Starlight tries to read the instrumentations before her and she feels the engines sputter then go silent. Taking the wheel she tries to keep the cloudship aloft but the craft is falling like a stone from the sky. The Fractus was falling fast, Starlight found it difficult to keep her hooves on the deck. The ship seemed for a moment to lack gravity as it fell causing all manner of things to float about the bridge. Sunburst wraps his forehooves through the railings against the bulkhead as Starlight shouts to a cowering orderly trying to brace himself for the crash, "GET THOSE DAMN ENGINES BACK ONLINE OR WE ALL DIE!!!" As The Fractus falls farther and deeper into the reaches of the Crystal Empire as the world dies around it.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoy part two of this story!!!

My Little Pony Belongs To Hasbro.

Fallout: Equestria Is Copyrighted To Kkat.

All other characters belong to me.