Sins of an Equestrian Empire: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter 3 – Distant Lands, Disturbing Problem

Magic in general is neither good nor evil it is just a ploy for ponies like me and you to play gods among the common folk. Raising the sun is one thing but to imprison a god, well let’s just pray time is on our side and that this Nightmare Moon plays her hand. For when she comes knocking at the door I hope there is lock to keep the darkness out, till we finish what we came here to do.

Star Swirled to Celestia – Date Unknown.

Twilight felt groggy disorientated and most of all a splitting headache rang through her head. She awoke in darkness as is the tradition of night time being sent on her royal errand.

She then began to walk back through the long corridors back into the hidden library for unknown reasons. She stumbled to reach the entrance which with a slight touch the doors opened themselves and dissolved before her very eyes.

She continued to proceed into the library now fully alight thanks to the hearth illuminating the room in a pleasant orange glow. In the distance she saw Lighting Guise with his back turned reading one of the many scripts with the faint hearing of him mumbling the very text he would be reading. Twilight approached only to be stopped by a commanding voice.

“Stop right there…traitor” Lighting said with his back still turned to her.

Twilight’s response was one of confusion and worry “Traitor? C’mon Lighting it is me Twilight your friend and we still got a job to do” her response being cheerful with a backing of worry of her companions perplexed state.

“Is that what we are then I do remember a slight hint of you abandoning me at the last moment with your slight thought being to go home. Tell me then am I that easy to get rid of Twilight?” still his face remained obscured to the purple pony.

“What is going on Lighting” as she proceeded to move forward to the silver haired pony.

“Now if we can just talk this though”.

As she rose her hoove to turn the pony around the sight that beheld her was one of the silver haired ponies face turning to her and suddenly aging before her with the skin slowly dissolving quickly before her eyes as she screamed for help before her.

Lightings only response was one to grab the frightened pony with an angered jester with yelling the following words as what remained of the silver head of hair where a skull of a demonic being that would haunt Twilight.

“You left me to die, Twilight Sparkle” his last words echoed throughout the library as Twilight screamed only to be awoken from her nightmare.

Twilight awoke screaming as her eyes opened wide to observe her surroundings total blackness around her. Her first thoughts where to use her horn to illuminate the surrounding area and with a quick purple flash revealed a dank and decrepit cellar before her very eyes.

She quickly tried to piece together the newly discovered area and suddenly it clicked into place that this was the very cellar that Spike had found recently and hid from Pinkie Pie during their hide and seek games. Twilight breathe a sigh of relief but not before replaying the last moments of her time with the dream version of Lighting and his message.

Twilight then began to take the slow walk upstairs to the ground floor while rethinking of her last memories.

“Let’s see there was the hearth in the centre. I went to investigate then I fell into a pit that coincidentally was going to pancake me to bits, I’m sure Pinkie Pie would find that mildly entertaining and finally Lighting giving me a scroll and him screaming no followed by running. He must have run for help, not that it would be possible”.

“I guess his no was something of him thinking I was doomed” as she chuckled shaking off whatever fear still beheld her.

“Now to lift up this cellar door and tell Spike about this crazy adventure and report my safety to the Princess I cannot wait to see Lightings face” Twilight lifted the cellar but it was unfortunately budged tight.

She began to groan and sigh replying with a sudden push of magic to force the hatch open. Sunlight hit her the second the door was removed causing her to shield her eyes.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief after walking remembering that it was not day time when she last remembered. She continued to leave the cellar to discover something else shocking.

The sight that beheld Twilight was one of confusion and upmost horror. The library was burnt down reduced to nothing but ashes and splinters around her. Utter shock of how this would have happened. Her first thought being Spike and suddenly anger took her as she began to march out of the charcoal remains of the library and into the streets of the town.

“Grr!! ,that clumsy dragon, he always burns my scrolls and books when he gets a slight jump scare but to burn down the library just seems so unlike him, lets just be thankful Twilight he did not send the entire library in fire to Princess Celestia.”

She proceeded past all the black wooden remains only to be blocked by a fence surrounding the remains of the library. She lowered her head to read the description on the sign.

“Warning. Dangerous Obstruction. Proceed at your own risk” the sign said.

Twilight groaned in response followed by “Thank you for stating the obvious” and moved on over the fence to read yet another sign in the middle of the road. She ignored this one passing it off as another warning sign and continued over the fence walking into town. By the looks it was early morning and the stores where starting to open.

“Think! Twilight think! I know lets head over to Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie will sure know what is going on” her pace quickened towards the bakery.

As she galloped through the street her pace dropped to a mild walk as she begun to observe the town. It was different, strange almost not the Ponyille she remembered from yesterday morning when she went shopping for the usual purchases .The stalls where gone now replace by actual buildings selling more or less the main groceries that any pony would need.

Guards were patrolling frequently all wearing armour of unknown origin, the breastplate was a darkened design and bore a Pegasus and an earth pony bearing a shield and sword standing back to back. They marched through down the road towards as Twilight walked right past them her head lowered as she did not trust these strange ponies.

“What was that? And who were they? No pony in the Royal Guard are dressed in this fashion and so far away from Canterlot” theories where being formulated but no answers where being made.

“Gotta get to the bakery and get some answers” Twilight continued waking.

Upon arrival at the bakery the building was different then it was yesterday the same with all the other buildings around it. Many of the structures where taller as well as more of an industrious nature the same as the architecture she once saw in Manehattan or Stalliongrad. She continued inside to realise that it was not a bakery anymore it was a collection office of some sort.

Twilight walked inside to see two guards standing next to the door and a line of ponies coming and going past the stalls each had their heads down as they walked out the door as if they lost something or received bad news. She continued to wait in line until it was her turn.

“Next!! C’mon you the purple pony we do not have all day now.” the green pony with a money sign cutie mark urged Twilight to step forward to the counter.

“Umm” was the only noise that came out of Twilights mouth.

“Name” the green pony said.

“Ugg…Twilight Sparkle.” her voice being cautious and high pitched.

“Missy this is a tax office, not a joke shop, if that is your response get lost, now again what is your NAME!” tensions began to flare in the green ponies eyes.

“Okay, Purple Prancer.” the only name that came to her mind on the spot.

“Okay let’s see, Purple…Purple…nope not on the list” a sigh was the response as he looked back up at Twilight.

“Town of Origin then.” as the green pony walked back to get a stack of books to rest on the counter.

Twilight decided to state her actual town of origin and replied with “Canterlot I suppose” the response she got was not one of good fortune.

“For the love of the Empire. Guards remove this jokester before I really lose my temper, phff Canterlot I have had enough of these farm ponies” he walked back to reset the books as the guards walked up to remove Twilight from the building.

She voluntarily left just as confused as she had entered the building and realised that the bakery was no more.

“Okay think Twilight this might not be Ponyville after all, for all we know we could be up in Derbyshire, if so that damn scroll teleported me half way through Equestria” she shuddered at the notion and the journey back home.

She quietly reassured herself of this after all Ponyville and Derbyshire where literally a brother and sister town to one another but this change was a little off putting to her. Twilight needed more proof, the Sweet Apple Acres farm was convincing enough to her.

The journey through the supposed town of Derbyshire was still off putting it looked like Ponyville exactly just more modern and advanced. Fountains were placed where they should be in the town of Ponyville this time changed with statues of ponies that she did not recognise and others dressed in knight and officer clothing similar to her brothers Shinning Armours wedding outfit.

Signs where plastered on walls showing simple but shocking slogans of “OBEY” and “WORK HARD” the worst one she saw was a sign of “Watch over your neighbours, dissent will only slow us” this was not the Ponyville. Most disturbing it was not her Ponyville, her only thought now was getting to that farm.

Twilight started galloping again in full motion to Sweet Apple Acres all the passers-by ignored her as she continued down the long road and over the hill to view the farm. It still remained but this time it was different and more modern as the rest of the town. Fences and walls now surrounded the ranch. Ponies worked in the fields and guards overlooked the work being done. The earth ponies worked while the unicorn guards watched closely.

The walk down the hill towards the main gate was slow and slightly frightening. The gate was covered in metal fencing with a wooden frame as well as the rest of the wall, as she approached the gate the two unicorn guards in black armour called out to her.

“This is a restricted order on behalf of the Empirical Rule, state your business or else” their horns charged waiting Twilights response.

“I was sent here from the office in town to here and I think I got lost by the looks of it” her utter shock of an excuse like that was not her smartest choice it seemed.

“Oh really” one of the guards replied, “Well look what we have her Lancer. Another pony who thinks she can bullshit us with directions, I swear these farm ponies think they can sweet talk anypony”.

“Oh do not you worry you came to the right place” the other armoured pony said menacingly.

Twilight began to cower and shudder until a siren could be heard all over the estate.

“The earth ponies are escaping security get over to the eastern block and quell the uprising”.

Both guards just stared at Twilight and looked at her careful attention as the sirens noise still flaring in the distance.

“I do not know about you Pike.” Lancer said “But I do not think that nopony is going to miss this one little unicorn”.

Pike then smiled at Twilight.

“Yeah, after all we did see her escaping the estate did not we Lancer.” he nodded in approving this notion of meaningless violence.

Twilight responding by running back the way she came towards the town being chased by the two guard ponies. She began to try twists and turns through the dark alleys covered by the sun eventually reaching a dead end through with a fifteen foot high wall. She could now overhear the galloping of the two ponies with them shouting.

“We gotta find her Pike.” Lance said while galloping.

“Yeah Lance I do believe I’m kind of down on my usual beating quota.” an evil smirk covered his face.

Twilight looked around in fear she then tried to teleport over the wall but was unable to without being seen by Pike and Lance. She quickly thought of what to do and where to hide. The only place was beside the huge bale of hay next to her. She jumped in and remained hidden.

Pike and Lance stopped galloping and came between the other ends of the alleyway. They slowly walked down looking for any clues of Twilights whereabouts.

“When I’m gonna find her” Lance said staring into the dark alley way, “I’m gonna beat a new shade of purple into her” he said while gritting his teeth.

“Oh we will” Pike said agreeing on this notion.

Twilight began to shake and slowly sob at the idea of this. The idea of being caught by these two ponies was one thought she did not want as they begun to slowly approach her current location. She closed her eyes only to have her mouth covered by some random hoove that came behind her and took her by surprise.

“Shh, quiet.” the voice behind her in the bale of hay said to her.

Twilights only response was to agree or be the victim to these two deranged unicorns. They continued up to next of the bale of hay and turned around. Lance then said to Pike.

“Well that is just bucking great Pike, first proper riot in months and the opportunity for some fresh meat just runs by.” Lance now walking back out of the alley towards the farm walking by Pike in the process.

“Do not worry Lance, we’ll get back to the estate and sort all this out. I saw this one earth pony back there just begging to be put in this place.”. Both laughed at the notion that cooked up in their twisted heads as they disappeared back towards the farm.

Twilight could now breathe a sigh of relief but not before she knew whose hoove was wrapped around her mouth.

“I’m gonna let you go now under that you stay quite agreed.” said the voice behind Twilight.

She nodded in response as she was now free to breathe and moved out of the hay slowly to now turn around and see the concealed pony step out of the hay as well.

It was an earth pony of similar height to Twilight his coat was a dark chestnut brown similar to Lightings if she did recall his mane was a light brown with this ponies cutie mark being a hammer and an anvil.

“Ehh-hem…I must apologise. Steel Steedly is the name and I do believe those two twisted gentlemen where looking for me if I do say so.”

“You triggered the breakout from the farm?” Twilight responded.

Steel chuckled at the response from Twilight “Farm, that is a farm.” Steel laughed at the notion.

“If that is what you unicorns call it now, more like a detention camp for those who cannot pay taxes and might I say so little missy that is a quarter of the bleadin town is holed up in there”.

“So those guards they were actually?” Twilight began asking Steel as he walked back to the hay to get his belongings from the back.

“There the supposed police force of this mighty fine town. Them more like prison wardens if I do say so myself missy. Pike and Lance the two worst of the bunch of sadists I have seen this side of Ponyville.” his response spitting on the ground right where both of them where standing a minute ago.

“Now if I do not be so rude darling we gotta high tail it outta Ponyville, never did like this place in the summer.” Just as Steel began to put on his pack and a bag of apples he began to walk past Twilight who was strangely not moving.

“Somethin wrong darling, do not tell me you have never been to Ponyville.” each time Steel said those two words together Twilight shuddered a little.

Twilight then turned around and begun talking back to the country earth pony.

“P-Ponyville, this IS Ponyville right?” Twilight began to piece it all together.

“Well shucks it is not bleedin Manehattan now let’s quickly get off this alley before those two degenerates come right here and snatch us.”

Twilight’s response was to quickly dash past Steel only to hear him shout at her to come back and explain. She dashed back the way she came and felt something familiar about that other sign she took a slight glance at earlier. After a minute or two she stopped for breath in front of the smouldering burnt out tree. She slowly used her magic to lift the sign and rub off the charcoal to read what she confirmed to be true.

“Here once lied the famous library of Ponyville , believed to be owned by the famous Twilight Sparkle , the library was destroyed in the great rebel revolt of Ponyville dated about the Summer Sun Celebration of 1292 of our Empire”.

Twilight dropped the sign and fell to the ground in utter disbelieve confirming all her suspicions about the towns sudden change and the way Sweet Apple Acres had become. This was not her timeline and by the description at least three hundred years since she and the others beat Nightmare Moon. Steel finally caught up to her and quizzingly began to question the distraught pony.

“Now missy” Steel began to catch his breath before continue speaking “You mind explaining about your sudden dash straight to this burnt out barn shack.”

The only response he received was the sounds of crying and teardrops rolling down Twilights cheeks.

“Aww shucks little missy I did not mean that, look let’s just get you up on your hooves and lets sort this out over here and remain hidden. Plus I do not think that makin this sorta scene is a good look for the patrols that come through here”.

Twilight nodded and began rose on all four hooves and began walking with Steel to sit over to an off road beside two of the houses, the shade would keep them safe from prying eyes she then began speak back to the dark chestnut pony.

“Phew I think that little incident at the camp would have them up to their eyes in sorting out the riots till the cows come home, I guess we needn’t worry” Steel said confidentially.

“T-T-Thank you… Steel was it?. I’m sorry I can explain what happened.”

“Damn straight you can explain, runnin off like a wild bull at a rodeo. What had you so spooked up with that burnt building anyway?” Steel asked.

“It was…my home so to speak… a long time ago when things weren’t as complicated as it is now” Twilight tried to hold back the tears.

“Hmm well that is a mighty long time ago, Ponyville has been like this since that little kickstart uprising some eight years ago and has never been the same since” Steel still looking out for any guards looking for them.

“What was it like before then Steel?” Twilight now slowly forgetting what happened a few minutes ago with the guards.

“Truth be told I kinda remember, me and Pa used to up and down the countryside selling our goods to any customers. Ponyville itself was one of the major towns to visit during the harvest season. It was quite and out of the way from the cities of Stalliongrad or Hoofington and was never was drawn into any of these political ho-down.” A slight smile ran across Steels face.

“And then what happened” Twilight again asking.

Steel looked away and straight to the ground “That was when the rebels came to the town, those who wished that all earth ponies be free from the taxing and laws imposed by the cities over the mountain. The fires and riots were not kind to see I tell ya.”

“After all that, I decided enough was enough and left the business and went as far away from here as I could, sadly labour farms have a thing of bringing you back the places you did not want to” Steel chuckled sadly.

“After the end of it all, the Empire stepped in and quickly rallied up all rebel leaders and had burnt alive within some building, more than likely your home from what I see. Since then this town and its neighbours have had no choice but to step in line.”

Twilight was shocked to hear such ruthless attitude. Where was the Princess in this matter and why would she let such murderous acts go unpunished within her own kingdom.

“But what of Princess Celestia? What happened to her say in all this?” Twilight now fighting back all of the supposed truths now standing all around her.

“Lady there are no Princesses anymore, just me you and the Empire. They run the show and if they say pay up. You have no choice but to say how much?” Steel now slapping some sense back into Twilight about her new situation.

“What happened to the Princess Luna and Princess Celestia then?” Twilight could not believe that the two goddesses could possibly be gone and leave the land like this.

“What am I a history book lady?” Steel becoming all agitated about this discussion.

“I do not know whatever happened there gone and no moping around in an alley is gonna fix this” Steel now finishing to take a breather.

“Then we must get to Canterlot, I can still fix all of this” Twilight now remembering the library containing the time scroll from the Star Swirled Wing. If she could not fully go back in time she could tell herself never to accept the mission from the Princess. Saving both her and possibly Lighting from all this trouble.

“Well shucks missy Canterlot is just a few days journey we can make it there and sort all this out. Although I do not know how the heck you could fix your homelessness and my tax problem together” Steel now getting slightly excited.

“A few days, what about the train can we not take it there and solve this by nightfall” Twilight confused over the few days notion.

“No can do, no trains head to Canterlot anymore and the only way is by walking or hitchin a ride on a wagon to the place. Really I do not see why you even want to go to a place like that.” Steel trying to piece together any reason why she would think of such a crazy notion.

“I do not care Steel, where going and that is final. Nothing you say is gonna change my mind you can stay her in Ponyville if you want but I’m going.”

“Hold it if so I’m coming with’cha some jobs I heard are over at Canterlot and from what I heard they pay well” Steel now helping Twilight on her four hooves again and suddenly starts to ask “By the way I told you my name might I have the honour of knowing yours?”.

“Twilight Sparkle…why do you ask?” Twilight now slightly beginning to trust Steel more slightly, she felt a familiar attitude similar to Applejack as when she first arrived in her Ponyville.

“Oh really, THE Twilight Sparkle. If I had a bit for every time some mare told me she was related to you I would be rich. Everyone knows she is dead and gone for nearly two hundred and ninety years.”

“Phhff… Fine Steel believe what you want but it does not change who I really am.” Twilight now understanding her unfortunate situation with her name back at the tax office.

Both ponies now readied themselves and began to depart from Ponyville and head for the capital of Canterlot. The wagon to the city was on the outskirts of town accepting anypony suitable for the job at hand.

Many of the ponies that where volunteering seemed to all be equipped with pick axes and shovels for the journey, some even had hardhats. Steel and Twilight walked up to the leader of the group most likely being the foreman and asked if there was any room for the trip.

“We want to sign up.” Twilight asked the gruff looking pony.

“Oh yeah and how is you gonna help, I find that hard to believe.” his tone being not interested in what Twilight had to say.

“Hey I can work just as hard as any pony.” Twilight now trying to convince the foreman to accept her or at least to try hitch a ride.

“I do not know you look like a real egghead, if I need you to read a book or scroll I will let ya know but your friend on the other hand seems more then capable to handle a shovel.” his attention now steering towards Steel.

“I can guarantee you sonny as my mother always said an honest day’s living is worth the dirt beneath your hooves.” Steel trying to impress the foreman.

“It is true.” said Steel “She might not look like a worker but she is a historian of sorts a real egghead if you can so put it right. I’m pretty sure she will find you a ton of rare sapphires and gems beneath those caves of Canterlot”.

“Hmm..well we have been short of unicorns on the job for a while and finding gems to trade has become more uncommon in the past few years, ever since elemental stones hit the market no one wants anything to do with bleedin sapphires.” the foreman spiting on the ground at the disgrace of this sudden decline.

“Then it is a deal then, anything my partner finds we be sure to tell ya.” Steel said sealing the deal.

“Yeah sure just make sure she do not get in the way and such.” The foreman gave a shrug and then walked off to further look over the final preparations.

“So I’m hunting for gems and rubies now.” Twilight sounded annoyed at Steel “You do know that I do not know the slightest thing about gems right”.

“Well I always thought you unicorns love that kind of thing; anyways he do not gotta know it is either the wagon or we walking Twi”.

“Guh fine but I’m not promising anything until we Canterlot agreed” Twilight said diligently.

“Agreed and do not you worry Twi.” as Steel hoped on the wagon.

Oddly enough Twilight could not say no to this proposition as she begun to hop on the wagon as it began to depart being pulled by two ponies from Ponyville. She then decided to take one last looked back at the town and tried to picture the way it was the last time she saw it covered in simple straw roofs and stone roads. Steel paid no attention to her but breathing a sigh of relief as he no longer had to worry about returning back to the “farm” as Twilight had put it. The chestnut pony knew there was nothing to be found in Canterlot but to the purple unicorn there was only to be sorrow found among the capital.

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It was during this time far away in the luscious city of Hoofington that other forces were at work. An academy for gifted unicorns headed by the grandmaster himself Grandeur Lavaliere who both thought and trained his students about the important of magic as well as its sizable contributions to the Empire. The academy was less than three hundred years old since the tear down of Celestia’s Academy for gifted unicorns. It was all decorated with empirical banners decorating the halls, masonry that both appealed an ancient yet vibrant look to the academy and bookcases displaying all works of magic that the Empire deemed suitable to study and others that where considered a corrupting nature but only to be trained to any pony deemed suitable to learn its contents. Many students voluntarily went to the academy to learn as well as to honour their families who waited for them at home, others however where sent there against their will either by being observed by the watchful eyes of the Empire or sent there by their parents with no money to pay off tax debts.

It was here that the final tests for the academies two brightest students who both studied from an early age into the many dark natural arts of magic. The two were Wreath a blue coloured unicorn and Coronet coated in a dark grey coat both ponies from two different backgrounds and both sent to the academy at just being young fillies. Many people have said that Coronet volunteered in honour of her family and that Wreath was ‘volunteered’ by scouts of the Empire, both shared a distasteful bond of one another but knew that this attitude was encouraged in the academy as to promote competition, a trait that Lavaliere loved.