How easy it was to take over:
Thousands of ponies entered and exited Canterlot every day. Many of these ponies were the rich, the influential ponies who held so much sway over the masses, hoping to add even more riches to their inflated wealth, despite the fierce competition of hundreds of nobles attempting to do the same. And there were many that were attempting to gain a new life from farming, aspiring to reach the status of nobility. Nobility went out seeking business and social gatherings everywhere in the white city of Canterlot. And with so many trying to strike it rich in the city, deaths and accidents quickly caught up.
You could step off the curb of the street and get hit by a Canterlot Taxi. At least two nobles a day would be killed in a crossing accident. At least one would find his or herself in front of the new railroad carts. Bits and pieces would be found for the next few days. Fires would take dozens of lives, and at least one would get shot. With all these deaths, one would assume something odd was going on and perhaps Canterlot was not safe. But the lure of power and money was too great for most ponies, and still the familiar sound of new hooves hit the pavement echoed through the city of Canterlot.
But something disturbing arose as more and more continued to come.
The Old Money, as they were favorably called by the regular citizens of Canterlot, were slowly being picked away. Those who had grown up within the old society of Equestria, and who had taken to the lessons of friendship to heart, were slowly being replaced by those who had grown up with the new capitalist system in their minds and souls. Even with the newly established secret service, sworn to protect all the citizens of Equestria, the murders and accidents continued. But no pony in Equestria could possibly conceive that these incidents had all been planned. Nopony had ever been born who was so sadistic and mad as to plot the deaths of the country's beloved nobility.
So one afternoon, when a young handsome surgeon, his horn glowing as he picked up his suitcase, stepped off the train and into a world full of steam, smoke, clamor, danger, and endless possibilities, he looked around the crowded platform, and watched with glee, the moving forms of mares and children. How their legs moved with simple grace, the muscle underneath pushing against the skin, and the blood coursing through their entire bodies. He licked his lips as sniffed the scent of smoke, sweat, and scent on the train platform. He began to walk away, the large coat masking his mismatched limbs from the general public, his face breaking into a twisted smile. He would enjoy his time here.
For it was easy to disappear, to fake emotion, and so very easy in the smoke, clamor, and din to mask that something sinister and deadly had taken root in the heart of the kingdom that worshiped kindness and friendship.
This was Canterlot, on the eve of the greatest event of Equestrian history.
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“Wake up Miss Twilight. We've arrived.”
Twilight grunted in acknowledgement as she slowly awoke, light assailing her eyes as she looked through the car window. The entrance to the Canterlot Palace laid plain in sight, opening as the car shuddered before stopping. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning silently as the driver opened the door, chuckling softly. “Do you require aid, Miss Twilight?” She blushed softly, and offered her hoof. He gently lowered her down to the pavement and smiled brightly at her. His wings twitched softly as she smiled back.
“Thank you, sir. It was very kind of you to drive me to Canterlot all the way through all that traffic.” The driver shook his head as he closed her door.
“It really wasn't a problem. It was an honor on my part to drive you to the palace…I know you’ll make us proud Miss Twilight. You've always done Equestria well!” Twilight blushed a bit more, bowing her head.
“I’ll try not to disappoint. I apologize, but I must meet with the princess.”
“I understand. Be safe and good luck!” He climbed back into the taxi, and Twilight watched it chug away back into the busy streets of Canterlot before entering the castle. Two guards nodded at her appearance, and she nodded back, following the route towards the throne room of the two princesses’. She bit her lip nervously; the thoughts which had been driven back by sleep had come back to plague her mind.
“What if I’m not ready,” she sighed, endless amount of worrying thoughts crossing her mind as she approached the doorway, now in sight. She shook her head, and lifted her head. She had saved Equestria several times, and was one of the most powerful Unicorn in modern history, and had spent countless nights researching every topic she could possibly need for the job. She was ready! That mindset ran through her mind and empowered her confidence, so when the guards opened the door way for her, she stood proud and tall, an aura of extreme confidence exuding from her body.
Which was then crushed by the glares of a dozen Pegasi and Unicorns in the room.
“Twilight Sparkle,” one of them sniffed, his head held higher than what Twilight thought necessary.
“Enough,” Luna growled, cowing the old Unicorn. “She is here and you will all accept it.” The group grumbled, but didn't speak a word. Twilight looked away from the old Pegasi and Unicorns and smiled softly at Celestia, who had risen. A warm glow enveloped Twilight as she felt her teacher look upon her.
“I’m glad you could make it here so quickly, Twilight. We have much to plan.” Twilight walked up to her, nodding.
“I agree, we only have a month until the Grand Opening!”
“So we are questioning why you have introduced a new member so late,” the same Unicorn who had spoken up muttered darkly.
“Shut up Sullivan. No one cares if you were punted to adviser. She doesn't look as incompetent as you've made her out to be. She looks like she’ll add a flair that the fair needs.”
“My building was grand and new! Better than anything that amateur can design!”
“It was ugly and an atrocity,” he retorted, silencing Sullivan for a moment.
“Thank you, Burnham,” Celestia emphasis on her words guaranteed they were all quiet. “Now, you all know your places. The land has finished construction, and your buildings have already been designed. You will start construction today.”
“You will have all the resources you need. Report anything you require to a guardsman, and you will have it as quickly as we can procure it. Now everypony besides Olmstead. Get out,” Luna ordered. They trotted out, each one discussing their plans excitedly except Sullivan, who looked back with snort before the gates slammed in his face.
“What’s his problem,” Twilight wondered aloud, causing all three of them to sigh.
“Scraper Sullivan. He’s the architect who designed all the Cloudscrapers in Manehattan, Baltimare, and New Pegasus. We invited him here, but…he doesn't have the look we are looking for. We demoted him for you Twilight, and he hasn't been happy about it.” Celestia sat back down. Tapping her hoof against her throne, her tired face showing how much stress she had been going through recently. She even looked more tired than Luna, who was staying up far later than usual.
“Princess,” Olmstead asked, shifting his eyes between the two of them.
“Olmstead, if you would be so kind to show Twilight what you've done? We've already cleared a space for the building she sent in but we want her to see what you've done. And who knows, maybe she could improve on it.” Olmstead snorted in good humor and nodded.
“I’ll do it. Though I’d have to doubt that she could improve upon my designs for they are near flawless, as I have assured you time and time again.”
“Pride will lead you to dark places, Olmstead. Remember that,” Luna cautioned before turning to Twilight. “Please follow Mr. Olmstead. He’ll be your guide for the grounds. Work hard,” Luna ordered, waving the two away.
“And have fun,” Celestia said warmly, smiling brightly at the two of them.
“We will. Thank you Princesses,” Twilight replied as the two walked away, escorted by several guardsmen. Twilight looked over, getting a better look at Olmstead now that she wasn't distracted by the two ruling bodies of Equestria. He was clearly an old Unicorn, with a dusty brown mane with streaks of gray streaming through his cropped mane, and thick bags under his eyes. A nice pressed gray suit covered his body, as was common in Canterlot nowadays. But even with age haunting him, he still exuded an experienced aura about him. He clearly knew what he was doing.
“So, Mr. Olmstead, what do you do?”
“Me? Why Twilight, as a scholar I’m surprised you've not heard of me.”
“A little pretentious, don’t you think,” Twilight quipped, before covering her mouth with a bright blush. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I’m just used to being around the snobs of Canterlot…Not that I’m implying you are one! Because that would be-“Olmstead laughed, placing a hoof on her shoulder, stopping the walk for moment until Twilight had calmed down enough to breathe properly.
“It’s alright, I understand. I don’t like to consider myself as part of the nobility, but I've designed many things that you've probably seen before. The Canterlot Gardens, new parts of Cloudsdale, Left Park in Manehattan, and the list goes on.” Twilight blinked rapidly, her eyes wide.
“You designed all of those things? But…I thought you were an architect?”
“A landscape architect, Twilight Sparkle. I design the land to make it as lovely to the pony eye as can be. And I dare say I've been quite successful in that endeavor. But this…this is my masterpiece. I hope that this project will be the one I’m remembered for once Celestia takes me.” They had already walked from the palace, with Olmstead having guided them to the very edge of Canterlot. Twilight looked around, and even looked down, but saw nothing.
“Mr. Olmstead?”
“Wrong way, Twilight,” He chuckled, pointing up. Twilight shifted her eyesight up, her mouth wide open. What she thought was a huge cloud cover was actually the grounds of the most magnificent fair ever to be designed by the pony race. Streams of Rainbows arched off the edge of the cloud landscape that hung right above her. It could have almost been mistaken for Cloudsdale, but there was something thick about the clouds. Something that perfectly represented the new and improved feelings of the new age in Equestria, like the clouds themselves believed that they were better than any other cloud. And it wasn't just the clouds themselves. Instead of the familiar look of cloud buildings on top, they sagged as workers finished construction of wooden and steel buildings, and even more ponies streaming over a bridge that connected the mysterious land to Canterlot.
“Mr. Olmstead…What is this?”
“The impossible, Twilight Sparkle. There was nowhere in Equestria that could have held what we needed to impress the Gryphon King. So I've created a place. I've named it…The Magic City. And that is the place we will hold the first Equestrian Trade Exposition.”