Chapters Chapter I: The Land of Nevermoore
Equestrian rule had been torn to pieces. There was no law, not anymore. The only city not in the turmoil was Canterlot which had closed its gates to the outside world. A force field was also put up to stop pegasi from getting in. Canterlot was not frozen like everywhere else. Canterlot still had law. Canterlot still had sanity. Basically, Canterlot was heaven right now. How had this come to be though? How had law and order failed and broken apart?
Here is that story. Ten weeks before the "freeze" Celestia and Luna had made a compromise with their nation. The Equestrian ponies were to pay double the taxes in order to support the capital city. Of course nopony liked this. Most hated it in fact. Many began to believe their monarchy was corrupt. Then the Great Equestrian Revolution. At first there were only small protests, but then it got even worse. Officials and aristocrats who hailed from Canterlot were beaten or killed brutally in cities all over Equestria. Luna wanted to send out their army to fight the "savages" but upon receiving word that huge mobs were approaching the city, Celestia made a different order.
The gates to Canterlot were closed immediately and a force field was raised. Celestia knew a revolution like this would surely destroy the capital, so she decided to protect it. The mobs did come, though they couldn't get in. They camped outside the walls for two weeks. Guards were sent out to disperse them from the walls but it never worked. The revolutionaries always outnumbered them. All guards were caught, their horns or wings broken, and then thrown off the near by cliffs in a sort of public execution. Guards were eventually never sent out again.
More mobs joined the ones already outside the walls and soon a crowd the size of a small army lay outside Canterlot. Celestia and Luna both knew and had known for a week now that their power as rulers was gone. They no longer had control over anything outside Canterlot's walls. They know only had a city state under their control and thankfully those who lived in Canterlot were loyal. The sisters decided to wait the giant mob out.
The mob stayed for a few mote weeks. Eventually agreeing that the monarchy was going to do nothing to stop them or let them in, they decided to leave. Before they did though, they all declared their independence in front of the walls. They screamed it at the top of their lungs. Then they all left. The gates remained locked and the force field remained standing. Celestia knew that if either fell, Canterlot would be immediately invaded and destroyed.
Equestrians now had their independence, which turned out fine for a while. City state systems were set up and life continued on.Everypony was happy. Well not everypony but those who rejected the revolution were severely punished, usually by death. The happiness only lasted for a week though. Celestia had a way to punish Equestria for its betrayal to the monarchy. Before she did it though she sent letters to all the elements of harmony, asking them to come to Canterlot immediately. After two days without a reply from anypony, Celestia had to go through with her plan, elements or no elements. She cast a spell that made everywhere outside of Canterlot a frozen wasteland.
Letters were sent to every city explaining what had happened. In them Celestia stated that the snow and ice would be lifted upon surrender to Canterlot. After a discussion was held with all leaders of every city and it was decided they would resist any and all monarchy. The sent notice of this to Canterlot and Celestia only sighed. She knew Hell was about to break loose, but that was a part of them learning a lesson out there. Still, would they ever surrender?
It didn't take long for that Hell to break loose though. One week after the freeze crops died out. Food became something more than money itself. Fights broke out over food and sure enough, lives were soon lost. The leaders of the City states tried many things to calm down their citizens, but soon small revolutions broke out and all the leaders were mauled to death by groups of angry ponies. Mayor Mare was the leader of Ponyville. Her remains were put in a box and placed below a layer of ice in a near by lake
Now civilization completely fell apart. Anypony could do as the pleased as long as the weren't caught by others. If they were, they were usually killed if they were doing something their captives didn't like. Houses became abandoned and most pony folk stayed on the move trying to survive. There was no law out there in that wasteland. Unspeakable crimes were committed and the convicts were never punished.
The name Equestria no longer existed too. The name was too "happy" for the land's current condition. Plus, it reminded most of the cursed monarchy. Many names were constructed for the land but only one stuck. That name was Nevermoore. That name had a history all its own that seemed to compliment the current conditions.
Hooften Nevermoore was once a famous explorer of the world. His most infamous adventure was going to the Arctic region of the planet. Before he left, he forgot one thing. His sanity. When he and his crew arrived in the arctic region he ran the boat into the first iceberg he saw. The boat sank and those who didn't drown froze to death. It was the most unsuccessful, disastrous adventure of Nevermoore's career, which in turn ended in those ice cold waters.
The land of Equestria now reflected his name well. Their leadership had failed them and now they were left to freeze to death. Some ponies even lost their sanity like Hooften. The new name was grim, like the land. It was rather long, like the land. It was eerily cold, like the land. It was the perfect name for the cursed land.
This leads now to six stories. Stories of survival and pain. Stories with gruesome details. Stories belonging to the mane six. None had made the trip to Canterlot in fear of death. Now it was their task to try and tame the dangers of the newly crowned Nevermoore wasteland. Only problem though was that they were completely seperated from each other. The stories that will be told may not be happy, as life in the wasteland isn't so. It's realistic, which means that bad things happen.
Will all six mares survive Nevermoore?
Two weeks after freeze
"The snow ain't lettin' up sis..." Applebloom sadly delivered the news to Applejack. Her big sister was under the impression that surely the snow and ice would melt. Only problem was that the temperature stayed at 15 degrees and the sun only shined on Canterlot. That was how the spell worked, Applejack didn't get it. But the wasteland had taken some sanity from any and everypony.
"Ah know, Applebloom..." Applejack had been progressively losing hope about her survival let alone her family's. Big Mac was suffering from a bad cold which left her to look after her sister ang granny plus helping Big Mac fight disease. They had been held up in the farmhouse for a whole week and a half after realizing it was too risky outdoors. They were slowly but surely losing their food supply, apple's they had stored in the basement before the rest died in the cold. They were also now out of firewood.
Another reason to stay inside was that all law and respect was lost. Gangs of ruthless ponies wandered the lands looking for food, water, and "entertainment" as they called it. This usually meant that somepony died when found by one of the wandering gangs. "Fun" was had before their deaths though. Applejack knew they were out there somewhere, an Apple orchard would be a good place for one to hide.
It was true though. Upon Applejack's rare trips around their grounds she had found the "remains" of a gang's work. One pony she had found was still barely still alive, gasping for air, a tree branch in her chest cavity. Hell had indeed risen to the land, now called Nevermoore. She could only state as that mare died in fron of her. Ever since then, Applejack kept herself and her loved ones in the farmhouse.
It was a good plan, except for the looming loss of all supplies. This was a worry and Applebloom constantly advised Applejack to go get more supplies. All her sister did in her spare time was stare out the nearest window, hoping the snow and ice would just go away, hoping this Hell was all a dream. That was far from the truth.
A couple days passed and they were now out of firewood. Applejack had to go get more or else they would all freeze to death. She put on her old winter clothing and left to fetch some wood. It was still a constant 15 degrees outside and cloudy. Absolutely miserable conditions. She started her trot to the barn. She did reach it safely. Applejack nudged the door open and looked inside. She had not been in the barn sometime. In the middle of the floor was a corpse.
Poor soul had tried to seek refuge in the seemingly abandoned barn but froze to death in the process. Applejack just stared at the body then glared over to where the firewood was. Problem was there was none. It had been stolen! Applejack gasped in terror as she looked at that now empty corner of the barn. When had this happened? She walked over to investigate. There was surely drag marks in the little bit of snow on the floor and hoof marks. Who stole their wood?
There was a sudden bang outside. Applejack froze, whoever had done it was still there! Even though she was scared for her life she had to stop the thieves. She sneaked back outside the barn and looked around. All she saw was snow and ice. What had caused that noise though? Something then rushed up behind her and held her there.
"Hehe! Got her Browning! I gots an Apple farmer!"
"Hold her there Steamer, I'm comin'!"
A black colt turned the corner around the barn. When he did he stopped and smiled at the struggling Applejack. Another colt then turned the corner, this one was blue. Browning was a unicorn and the blue colt was a Pegasus. Steamer was a gray earth pony.
"Well now! What have we got 'ere eh?"
"One of them apple farmers boss!" Steamer sounded a bit dumb.
"Hmmm, now little mrs. do stop strugglin' we want no trouble from ya..." Browning just chuckled as he said this, the others chuckled with him.
"Get off my land ya bandits!" Applejack mustered all the fury she could into these words.
"Your land? Last I checked there was no law, meaning no boundaries. Anyways, who's got who captive right now?" Browning mocked Applejack. "Let's have some fun shall we?!"
"Ooo! We gonna buck 'er in the face boss?!"
"No....she needs a kickin' somewhere else. How 'bout yer heartstrings? Tell me little lady, why you out here in the cold anyways?" Browning edged a bit closer to her.
"Ah was trying to get firewood for my family, which you stole!"
"A fire you want huh? We as gentlecolts can give you and your family a nice big fire!"
Browning turns towards the farmhouse. His horn lit up in an orange hue and he shot a ball of magic at the house's base. Applejack stared on horror as she watched the farmhouse erupt in flames. She could hear their screams of terror as the flames engulfed every nook and cranny.
"There, now they're all nice 'n toasty! Haha!" Browning and the others began to laugh sadistically.
"NOOOOO!!!" Applejack cried out, her family was burning alive in front of her eyes! She mustered all her strength and broke free of Steamer's grasp. She sprinted towards the farmhouse.
"Hey! Get back 'ere!"
"Let 'er go Steamer, let's see if she burns with em...." Browning eagerly looked on to the raging fire.
Applejack arrived at what now had turned quickly into a pile of embers. Browning had used a explosion spell, anything hit by it erupted in flames and in seconds there was no escape. She frantically searched the embers for any signs of life.
"Applebloom?! Big Mac?! Granny?! Anyone??!!" Tears streamed down her face. They were all gone.
All Browning and company could see right now was embers and smoke. They stood there staring at the carnage they had caused waiting to see if Applejack would emerge. Applejack did. She walked slowly out of the smoke with tears streaming down her face, she had a fierce, angry look on her face. She was staring right at Browning.
Browning's partners both became uneased by this stare. Browning stood there laughing.
"Oh, is the little mare cryin' now? Is her precious family gone? Haha! Whatcha gonna do eh?!"
"Uh boss, I wouldn't do that...look out!"
Applejack began a sprint straight for Browning. She was screaming the entire way as she got closer.
"Isn't this cute?! She's angry! Haha!"
"Boss look out!!" Steamer screamed.
Applejack stopped in front of Browning, spun 180 degrees, and bucked him in the face. A loud crack was heard and Browning's skull split. His brains were obliterated and he fell to the ground stone dead. His blood pooled in the snow. The three standing ponies stared at his lifeless body. Applejack then gave the blue Pegasus a dark glare.
"You're next scum!" She screamed.
"Ahhh!"
The blue Pegasus began to run away. Applejack was hard on his hooves. They ran into the orchard. The Pegasus was so scared he forgot to use his wings, he just weaved through the trees. Applejack did not loose sight of him. Eventually the blue Pegasus shook off Applejack, but he kept on running. He accidentally ended up running into a dead end, which happened to be a cliff face. He turned around to change direction and screamed in terror.
There was a fierce looking Applejack with a lasso. She had found a near by supply shed. She spun it madly and threw it at the pegasus and it went around his neck. Applejack then pulled with all her light. There was a snap and the Pegasus fell down to the ground. The jerk forward had broken his neck.
She now had to track down Steamer. She returned to the barn and found his hoof prints in the snow. She followed them and found herself at the barn ors. She busted the doors open with a kick and looked inside. To her side was a pitchfork which she grabbed in her mouth. She began to slowly search the barn.
To her right came a crash and there stood Steamer frozen in fear. He had knocked over a shovel. Applejack thrust the pitchfork into the air. There was a sickening crunch and a squish sound. Applejack looked towards the wall. There Steamer was, hung on the wall by the pitchfork in his chest cavity. He was no longer moving. She had killed the thieves.
Applejack walked out of the barn and over to the pile of embers. Somewhere in there was her family's remains. For all she knew, she was the last Apple family member alive in the wasteland. She sat down next to the embers and had a moment of silence. After a while she stood back up.
"Ah swear, by the power of Celestia, that I will destroy all the gangs like that one! My family's deaths will not be in vain, ah swear it!"
She walked back into the barn. When she came back out she was wearing a winter long coat, a bandana, a backpack with survival supplies, and a lasso. Her spirit wasn't high, but her family was gone. She was going to destroy any gang that brought harm to anypony. She changed her hat to a black one and laid het old hat on the pile of Embers.
"Ah love you....rest in piece."
She then walked off into the distance the.brave the dangers of Nevermoore. Celestia help the gangs she crossed.
Chapter III: The Concrete Kingdom
Four weeks after freeze
Fillydelphia fell down hard when the revolution happened. The city crumbled from within and now only the shells of skyscrapers and other buildings remain, providing very little protection from the deadly conditions. If you stayed in that city, you were quite brave. Even though its government had completely gone to pieces, a small group of rebels had formed what they call a kingdom. To the knowledge of any wanderer of the wasteland, this was the largest gang you would find.
The gang had never decided on a name. They did decide, however, decide on a name for their "kingdom". They called it the Concrete Kingdom and they claimed they owned all the land that had the city on it, which was a good amount of land. The land consisted of around 150-200 members. The total always varied due to death tolls and new recruits. They never left the city, they only cared about running their operations from within.
They created their own law systems and enforced them violently. In most cases, anyone who broke a law, even minor, was put to death. This rarely still affected their numbers. Anyone who was expendable in their eyes was an asset, not a member. They were slightly medieval as well. They had methods of torture and were very filthy, granted, they were in a fallen city. They also had a monarchy and a new leader was made when they were deemed worthy, which generally meant they challenged the current leader to a brawl. Of course, they had to win to become the new leader because the loser won the prize of death.
This is the basis of the Concrete Kingdom. This is also where this chapter takes it setting. Within the still crumbling structures is a familiar character. Rarity. She had the unfortunate luck of being in Fillydelphia when the freeze happened. She had been on a business trip. Throughout her four weeks of being there she had successfully avoided anything related to this newly arisen kingdom. It could be deemed awkward that the "Concretians" hadn't ever once investigated the building that Rarity was in. It was an ideal location in the eyes of Rarity though. Surrounded in a protective wall of debris, she was not only protected from most of the winter elements, but any hostiles as well.
Rarity still never dared to leave her little oasis. She often heard the terrified screams of wanderers being taken prisoner by the gang members just outside her wall of protection. She also only lit a fire when she knew it was safe, a light in the distance might seem a bit suspicious to the Concretians. They don't take intruders very nicely. Being caught meant inevitable suffering, or at least highly probable suffering. There had been times where the Concretians allowed certain wanderers into their little clan, but that was a very rare happening.
Food had and had always been an issue for Rarity here. Most any food was hoarded by the kingdom and she wouldn't risk stealing some of it either. When it was absolutely necessary was when she would leave to find food. Whenever she did leave she did find food, just in unpleasant places: high to reach places, around dead bodies, near the kingdom's main gate, even under feet of snow. In the end, it was worth it to eat. Rarity as a matter of fact was about to leave to find food, she was dreadfully low on her already pitiful stock.
The problem was that it was daylight. She could use magic to hide herself but the flash from her horn could be seen beforehand, then an alert would be made. The Concretians were everywhere, she had just been lucky enough so far to not have been caught. When she realized that the coast was indeed clear, she booked it towards the northern end of the city. She reached it safely. Her hoof steps had been very quite, a very useful tool in that fallen city. She searched high and low for any sign of food. Eventually she found some, but it wasn't very inviting.
Down at the end of the street Rarity was looking down was a backpack, out in the wide open. At first she wanted to jump at the opportunity but she then realized something. Where had the backpack come from? There was no body anywhere near it it seemed and there was no chance that the Concretians had left food lying around. Maybe there was another wanderer in the city that may have accidently misplaced their bag. Possible but unlikely.
It now just came down to Rarity's judgement. Should she attempt to grab the backpack or should she play it safe a starve another night? Either way had its own positives, some better than others, but still positive. Staring.....pondering.....staring some more. She had not made one move in any sort of direction since seeing this backpack. Food.....no food,,,,,so hungry! She had to get that backpack!
Rarity took at a full sprint towards the bag. It was food or nothing! She got closer and closer. Her eyes grew wide in wonder at what was in the pack. It looked fairly big and probably had very useful supplies in it, most likely food. She was some fifty feet away when she saw a flash in the corner of her eye. Something hit her violently and flung her to the side. She tried to get up but couldn't. She had been hit by stun magic!
She could hear hoof steps approaching her. Whoever it was was snickering a little. Rarity looked up and saw a very dirty looking unicorn above her.
"Hehe, got one..." said he.
He spun 180 degrees around and planted his hooves. He then bucked Rarity in the face hard. The impact knocked her out stone cold.
When she woke back up it was night time. She also noticed she was in a sort of makeshift cage, created from steel cable taken from surrounding debris piles. Her heart sank as she knew where she was. She was in the belly of the beast, the heart of the Concrete Kingdom. Her cage was surrounded by four torches and also seemed to have wheels attached. Where was a cage like this to be pulled?
Two colts then entered the area. The didn't say a word, just grabbed some reins and began to pull the cage forward towards a gate. The gate rose and on the other side the entire gang had gathered in what looked like grandstands. Her cage was pulled to the center of view. She was unloaded from the cage but then chained to the ground around her ankles. Rarity looked up and saw what was probably the current leader of the Kingdom, he donned a crown of barbed wire.
"Welcome to the Concrete Kingdom, intruder." The king simply smiled at her. "Haven't had a mare for some days now...."
"What do you want?" asked Rarity.
"We want justice. We don't tale kindly to wanderers trespassing on our land. Doesn't sit right with us...."
"I beg your pardon but, your land? I thought there was no longer any sort of law so how can you claim this city as your own?"
"Oh, a smart one she is! Hoho! If there isn't law though, whose to say we can't claim land eh?"
"Well......um...."
"Exactly, your smarts have failed you. Anyways, if you haven't figured it out yet, your on trial."
"Trial? For what may I ask?!"
"Where have you been the past few minutes?! You have been caught trespassing on our land, your on trial for the decision of your punishment......but first, I want information." The king looked on towards the white mare with curiosity. "Who are you? You look.....familiar."
"I won't tell you any information, thank you very much." Rarity said sternly.
The king sighed. "Buck her Silver...."
A pegasus to her right turned suddenly and kicked her in the side very hard. A small crack was heard, which was most likely a broken rib. Rarity slowly got back up from the ground and tried to look strong in the face of the enemy.
"That didn't," Rarity saw her reflection in some glass near the edge of the floor. "Ack! My mane!!" She had gotten dirt in her glorious purple mane.
The king smiled, he had gotten an idea. "We have a pretty pony do we? Fine, you'll talk soon enough. Silver, shave her mane and tail hairs off please...."
"WHAT?!"
"Yes, I mean what I say." The king grinned at her.
Silver began to take steps towards Rarity again, this time she struggled violently. The possibility of her mane and tail being gone made her very distraught.
"No! Stay back vermin! I'm warning y......oof!!" Silver had tackled her to the ground. Rarity was in pain as her broken rib fussed with her nervous system. Silver pulled out a small knife from a sheath and began to shear off Rarity's mane and tail. She screamed as loud as she could, but nothing stopped Silver from shearing and shearing. Rarity was eventually bald and tail-less. Tears streamed down her face. She was in physical and mental pain.
"Why....WHY?!" She screamed.
"I already told you, now give me the information I want!"
"Fine......fine.....I am Rarity" She sighed.
"Wait, THE Rarity? A member of the elements of harmony?!" The king was very surprised.
"Well, yes...yes I am."
"Well boys, we gotta little tool of the monarchy in our custody!" Everypony in the grandstands began to snicker. "I know exactly what to do with you....send her to the pit!"
Roars of approval surrounded all around the grandstands. Rarity was scared and confused. What was the pit ? What terrors awaited her there? She didn't know, but she would soon find out. As she was being pulled out of the trial area, the king said his finals words to her.
"My condolences miss, but we don't like the monarchy. We also don't like their various tools either. Enjoy the pit!!" He began to laugh as he said the final words. It sounded enjoyable for the Concretians, just not for the unlucky prisoners that were sent there. Rarity was pulled several hundred yards until they arrived at the pit.
The pit was indeed a pit. A huge, gaping hole that stretched for some twenty yards. It looked at least the same distance deep. Rarity was pulled to the edge and halted there.
"Here it is. The pit...."
"What exactly is down there, may I ask?" Rarity wanted to know the possible dangers that awaited her. She was still terribly scared.
"Down there? Hell, well, that's the best way I can describe it, hehe! You see, we throw the maddest of the mad down there to be in exile. We don't want them corrupting our little society. No can get out, even pegasi, we break their wings before they go down. Which reminds me..." Silver took a hammer in his jaw and sent it crashing down onto Rarity's horn, snapping it in two.
"OUCH!!!"
"Just a precaution miss, hehe. Anyways, most of the inmates down there are colts..."
"Why does that matter?" groaned Rarity.
"Lets just say they haven't seen a mare, especially one like you, in a long time."
"What?!"
"Have fun!" Silver then pushed Rarity over the edge. She collided with multiple rocks on the way down and came crashing to the pit's floor. She slowly stood up and studied her surroundings. It was dark and tunnels seemed to stretch in multiple directions. There was no way out. A pebble fell before her.
"Oi! Boys, get over here! We gots a live one this time!"
Colts of all shapes, sizes, and races came out of the dark gloom surrounding Rarity. She began to lower her belly towards the ground in fear, what were they going to do?
"W-what are you going to do?"
"Us? We gonna have us some fun, love!"
Rarity screamed as the colts came down upon her.
