Author's Note

The following fanfiction is based on the Equestria at War universe, a mod for Hearts of Iron IV. It is a pre-war story about the Winter Revolution of 995 ALB(After Luna's Banishment, five years before the TV-series start and twelve years before the EaW starts) in Princessyn, a poor city on the North-East of Equestria.

Each chapter is divided into two parts. The first part is taking place at present time from the third-person view, the second part is a story told by the main hero from his point of view, and took place in the past.

This chapter is not final and may minorly change in the future. Right now it is more of a test for me in the pony fanfiction, to see if the viewers will be interested in the story and if I should publish the other chapters.

Sorry for any typos.

Please be critical and point out what you like and hate.

Chapter 1

“Is your name, Victory Alexander Key?” A mare voice, coming from across the room strictly asked Victor. His name was indeed Victory Alexander Key and he was at a loss. Who the hell was the one who is asking? Where the hell he was? He took a glance around. The room was dark. And he was blinded by the strong light coming on his light-orange snout him at right. Some magical force kept him in the chair. “Lieutenant?” the voice caught the attention of Victor once again. Whoever she was and whatever was happening in here must be serious. He decided not to fuck with those guys.

“Yes, I am the First Lieutenant Pegasus Victory Alexander Key,” Victor said, loudly and confidently. Well, it was easy, everybody knows their name. But no voice was heard after. It wasn’t enough Victor though, so he decided to add, “Born on September 21st, 958, in Princessyn.”

“You were born there indeed. But are you truly a Slavponian?” At the point, Victor started to listen and examine the voice. It had a Canterlot accent. Would it be the Cap of the Royal Guard? Highly unlikely. After all that mess, she has ordered in Princessyn, she has been replaced at least. Anyways, what does she mean?

“Well, as far as I know, my parents were Slavponian,” well as far as he knows. What is that kind of question anyway? He never heard that nationality mattered in the army. He knew the language well. He even had little accent coming out. But well, most of his life he lived abroad. From Vanhoover to the New Mareland. Is that what she means? “But I wouldn’t call myself one now. The only common thing that I had with Princessyn is my family and my heritage. My family, there has been shot, and my heritage became the source of shame to me.”

“Tell me how you got to the Princessyn,” she asked, as strictly and clear as any other question, “as I know, you were at 17th Infantry division.”

“Only after I pour something into my throat.” He heard an angry sniff. Victor always had a problem with alcohol. What can he say about it? Heritage.

“Very well,” the pony said, he heard a sound of moving chair, the sound of hooves slowly moving to the left from him. When he looked that direction, he saw parts of the white body, everything else was unclear.

“Where am I?” Victor finally decided to ask. “Are you the new Captain?” Victor did not hope for an answer, but he didn’t want to be an obedient dog in the room, he wanted to show the dominance, especially over some mare.

The white pony sighed. She turned her head; Victor has seen the end of her snout. “Patience lieutenant,” she answered and turned back to somewhere, “all I want to know, is what happened in Princessyn last winter.” Victor saw yellow aura appear around something that looked like a bottle. So, she was a unicorn, but why did it matter anyway. The sound of pouring liquid was heard from that direction. And then another, as she had poured it into two glasses.

“I thought it is strict in the Canterlot Guard with alcohol,” Victor noted and heard bottle touching the hardwood surface. Then another two magic auras appeared around as Victor supposed two glasses filled with some liquid.

“Well, I am not quite a guard, neither a soldier.” A glass in yellow aura levitated right to Victor as he watched white body disappear in blinding light and heard clopping hooves walking to the table. She had such wide information about him. She must be well connected to the government at least. “Enjoy, Trottingham whiskey, one of the best in my collection.” Victor took a glass with his wing. He lifted it to his mouth and took a small taste. He spread it over the tongue. It wasn’t a cheap whiskey and she had the whole collection of these, whoever is questioning him must be from higher ranks or government positions. “Don’t worry Lieutenant, I am not wishing any harm to you. The only truth about Princessyn.” She silenced, Victor had a feeling that she was looking at him, straight to his soul, to his shame, his anxiety, his feelings. “I’m listening.”

“So be it.”

It was November of 991. I was on a train to Princessyn. The crisis hit hard on everypony. Only the army was kept full. Food has been coming from the last supplies. All to keep four hundred thousand soldiers all over Equestria. For what. To keep order in regions where there wasn’t enough food. What a stupid logic.

Princessyn – it is not the bright Las Pegasus, sunny Baltimare or superlative Canterlot. Even though the name of the city comes from the word ‘princess’, Celestia herself has been there only a few times, once to conquer the land from Slavponian Rus’, a kingdom which existed more than thousand years ago, the other time to open a cake factory even before I was born. Goddamn cake factory. Nopony cared about Princessyn. For nobility, Royal Guard and Equestrian companies, it was one big pot, filled with a hell amount of tasty resources like coal, steel, ponypower, wood, and furs. Nopony in Severnaya would get even a Bit of something that should be theirs. What to say about other parts of Equestria? I’m more than sure, I would even say experienced through traveling around Equestria. Every time somepony is asking where the accent is from, I would say Princessyn, they would ask ‘Excuse me, where?’, all in the same manner. When I would clarify, the whole goddamn train full of stereotypes comes into my ears. ‘Oh, you are slav. Where is your bear?’ or ‘How about going out to drink some vodka, huh’, every one of these ‘jokes’ would be followed by horrible laughing, laughing in such way that it humiliates me from inside. My whole nation is just one big fucking joke for all those Equestrians.

The summer was dry. Central Equestrian agriculture companies couldn’t grow enough crops on their fields to support all Equestria. This has put already poor Severnaya region down the list below all other cities in the nation. What to say about the winter which came later that year. Slavponians was always known as though ones to cold. But without proper clothing, heating, supplies, even they wouldn’t stand a chance. Only the army was kept full. No really, the Chief of Royal Guard Hard Hoof sent ten thousand troops that year right into the city, to maintain the order in the districts of the region where the unrest rose the most. I was one of them. I was assigned to the 17th Infantry division into the 336th Rifle Company. As First Lieutenant, I had a fine rifle platoon. Forty-five heads were on my watch, I knew everypony’s snout.

When I got an order. I was happy to some degree. My grandparents were still alive and were living right in the center of Princessyn. I was worried for them, but as my father was one of the most influential ponies in the region, he kept them safe and full.

The road was long, I had to change train three times. Cloudsdale-Canterlot, Canterlot-Manehattan, Manehattan-Princessyn. It wasn’t an emergency anyways. Already on the train, I’ve met this guy, Ray Wheat. He was the first lieutenant and was assigned to the same company as I did. Furthermore, he was from St. Petershoof. So, we quickly became buds.

“You know I had a friend in Princessyn.” Ray started talking. He took his levitating pipe out of his snout and thoughtfully looked on the floor.

“You had?” I asked, making the focus on the ‘had’. Ray spoke in the way as something certainly had happened to him. “Who was he?”

“My nephew,” It’s not like we were friends already, but if he wants to share his drama, I’ll listen, “he was a cook, ran a family restaurant. It was going alright, and my brother had connections to supply the restaurant with good food. Well, and you know, having the freshest food in the whole city, it is kind of bipolar. On one side you will have clients, on the other someone will always want to take it from you.” The train got on a bump. Old Manehattan railroad surely needs to be fixed.

“He got robbed?” I asked.

“He got lynched, with everybody who worked there that night.” Ray looked up and leaned towards Victor pointing his pipe at him. “My point is Vic, everybody in that city is desperate. They’ve lost the concepts of patriotism and mateship. They will try to fool one another to get food, what to say about killing.” Ray leaned back and bit his pipe again. “It is not Tall Tales or a pack of angry students in Baltimare. If there is gonna be something, it is gonna be big. Big and bloody.”

“You have a point. That’s why we need to get it all peacefully.” I said. I had a naïve hope then, that nothing is going to happen if I keep my rifle down. I hoped that people I knew and was visiting every summer of my foalhood are the same now, smart, investigative, amiable. That I will be able to reach an agreement with them. Well, once again, it is all just a naïve thought.

The knocking into the door was heard. Ray opened it with his magic even before I stood up. He didn’t even look there and continued to observe flying trees outside as the train moves.

“Tea gentleponies?” A blue unicorn mare was holding a tray with teapot and two train style teacups.

“Ray?” I called Ray because I didn’t order tea. He jumped and quickly turned his head towards the conductor.

“Yes darling, please come in!” Ray cheerfully said it and seem like he quitted all his thoughts about Princessyn. “I hope you don’t mind Vic, I asked for a good cup of tea for both of us on the way from the toilet. You know, it cheers up.” I guess I wouldn’t sleep longer today. Celestia starts to get the sundown already, and we had another hundred miles till Princessyn.

“Of course, officers.” The conductor spoke again. “It is griffonian tea. It has been brought all the way from New Mareland. Someponies even say that Celestia herself personally orders this particular kind of tea for her.” She explained while placing the tea on the table between me and Ray.

“Well, I heard that Celestia likes a good whiskey too!” I said.

“Really? Celestia consumes something else besides champagne and cakes?” Ray questioned it, hinting on the newspaper lying next to me and the article about last Grand Galloping Gala.

“Well I’ve been in the Royal Palace like a year or so ago, and I’ve seen at least a box of finest whiskey from all over Equestria.” I confidentially said it is true. Who else would drink all that? Not the Guard or servants, it would be only princess, “Tall Tales, Albion, Princessyn, Las Pegasus, and other places.”

“Then you have a lot in common with her Vic,” sarcastically said Ray, “Maybe you should go for a date with her highness.” After that Ray produced a pinch of laughter, the conductor smiled too.

“Ray, I always loved to dream. But going out with the goddess herself, I don’t even know if you can think about it.”

“Take a chance, Vic. Perhaps one day…” Ray started to speak but was interrupted by me.

“Perhaps one day I’ll meet your dear mother Ray, that is something in my range of possibilities.” That was a tough joke, but it was worth it. Ray only growled.

“Well, if you wish sir, we don’t have whiskey, but we have an apple cider from Ponyville apple farm.” The conductor smiled again offering to bring the cider.

“No, thank you. I should have a clear head on this ride.” I said.

“That’s right. Who knows what waits for us in Princessyn.” Ray supported it and looked at the conductor with his best look. She quickly straightened up and turned towards the doorway.

“Oh, alright, officers. I won’t take any other minute of your time.” The conductor said and walked out the doorway, “Enjoy your tea!” she said kind fully and carefully closed the door with magic.

We had one more day of a train ride before we get to the Princessyn. It was really far away.