The nation of Equestria holds little space in the history books of both the Solar Empire and the Lunar Republic. It was a forgotten nation. A nation that would split and crumble, and two more would rise from its ashes.
You know, when I was younger, my dad used to tell me stories. Stories of a happier time. A time when there was only one pony nation on Equus. A nation that lived in peace and harmony. Where the land itself seemed to exude happiness. Where the great sisters ruled together to keep their ponies happy and safe. Where the only thing dividing ponies where horns or wings. But I suppose thats all they were. Just stories.
Across the vast expanse of the Macintosh Hills, a massive stone wall stretched for miles on end, encompassing the entire area know to the ponies of old as the 'Badlands'. This amazing feat of pony engineering cut deep into the mountainsides, as if splitting the very land itself. Dotted across the gigantic structure were many spiral watchtowers, with many ponies adorned in fine dark blue armor, patrolling their own sectors. Some even gazed out towards the northern skies warily, the slowly setting sun casting light pink rays across the sky. Periodically, large, sapphire blue banners descended from the walls tops, proudly displaying the insignia of the ponies nation.
Their insignia. Their crest. The very symbol that caused them to well with pride, was that of an upward facing crescent moon, with a small star reaching out from its center, as two wings splayed outwards from its sides. This was their flag.
The flag of the Lunar Republic.
Now if one were to look passed these mighty walls and into the area that once was infamously named the 'Badlands', they would not see a desert landscape, barren of life as it once was. No, they would see many small cities spread out across the area, all very lively and bustling with activity. Of course, these cities would only garner some much attention, as one's eyes would be focused on the massive thriving metropolis that was centered smack dab in the center of the badlands.
This city, Orion, was well known as the capital of the Lunar Republic, and rightfully so. Surrounding the city was a miniature version of the great walls of the Macintosh hills, considerably smaller but still mighty nonetheless. Inside the walls lay countless buildings, and at the center of the city, lay the mighty fortress that was the Lunar Palace. Just like the night sky above, the city was dotted with small lights popping out from the darkness. Various street lamps illuminated the dark streets, as well as many lights from the residential buildings.
In one particular residence, a young thestral pony sat in her room, attention solely focused on the items in her hooves. A stuffed toy stallion in blue armor was clashing with another just like it, except this one featured golden armor. They young filly continued to play a mock battle between the two, imitating crashing sounds as the two collided. So enthralled in her playtime that when a small knock came from her door, she let out a startled 'eep', nearly flinging her playthings away.
The door opened slightly, enough for a large black stallion to peek his head in. Scanning the room silently, his emerald eyes finally locked on the small pony on the floor. The once tired eyes of the stallion quickly took on new life as he adopted a warm smile.
"Hey kiddo, I'm home" He said happily, stepping all the way into the room. Barely had seconds passed before he was slammed by the young thestral, wings beating excitedly as she hugged his neck, he returning the gesture tenfold.
"Dad! Your home!" she squealed, finally letting go of her fathers neck. However, her father's attitude quickly changed, a stern expression now present. "Arent you supposed to be in bed Midnight?" he scolded. Midnight's ears quickly hugged her head, realizing that she was well past her bedtime. Averting her eyes from her fathers, she instead focused on the floor, hoping to build an excuse in time. Small chuckling above her roused her from her thoughts, spotting her father trying to hold back laughter.
Emphasis on trying.
Her confusion quickly turned into annoyance. Her father was just toying with her again.
"Very funny dad" she said unhappily, the happy moment ruined by her fathers antics. In response, the stallion ruffled her mane with his wing, the soft feathers tussling her thick hair. "You know I kid" he said, his happy tone present again.
"So", he continued, " What are you up to?"
Her enthusiasm quickly returned, she was all too happy to show her father her latest toys. Skipping happily over to her toys, she practically shoved them in front of his face. "I'm playing battle ponies!"
"Battle...ponies?", his voice carrying a hint of worry as he raised an eyebrow. He was well aware of what each toy signified. One was unmistakably a solider in the Solar Legion, while the other clearly favored the Lunar Battalion. His eyes rotated between the two toys and his daughters wide smile, indecisiveness present in his head. On one hoof, he loved to see his little Blossom so happy, however, on the the other hoof, she was still to young to understand the underlining concepts of what the toys signified.
"Sweety, don't you, I don't know, want to play with something else? Perhaps that doll your aunty got you?" He asked hopefully, pointing to a small pink mare near her toy box. The small thestral followed her fathers look, her own eyes quickly finding the doll. She groaned as she spotted it. "But daaaaaaad, dolls are so lame! These guys are way cooler!", now shaking the toy soldiers in her fathers face. Just then, the door opened once more, this time allowing another thestral mare to pop in her head. A snow white mane shrouded part of her face, leaving one brilliant golden eye to spot the two. Narrowing quickly, she looked into between the duo.
"You", she pointed a hoof at Midnight, " Are supposed to be in bed young filly". As the filly silently 'awww'd the mare's hoof quickly locked onto the Pegasus, her eyes narrowing even more. "And you", she started, "Are supposed to be getting ready for it yourself"
"Sorry honey" "Sorry mom" , the two said together. Shaking her head, the bat pony trotted all the way into the room, revealing her cutie mark, that of a moon . Smiling happily at her daughter, she nudged the filly with her head.
"C'mon you, it's bedtime", pushing her daughter closer to the evil clutches that was her bed. The filly wouldn't go down without a fight though. Struggling slightly against her mother's gentle nudging, the filly tried to seek the aid of an ally.
"Dad! Tell mom I don't need to go to bed! I'm not even tired!" She called out to her father. Her father made an attempt to move, but a stern look from his wife locked him in place. " Sorry sweety, but daddy isn't here right now. This is all a dream" he said while waving his hoofs in the air while making 'woooooo ooo" sounds. The filly groaned, throwing her own hoofs in exasperation. She was now so close to the cruel creation that was her bed that she yawned subconsciously.
"Buuuuuuut" her father continued," Everyone knows no filly can go to bed without a bedtime story!". The elation she felt at the mere mention of a bedtime story caused the small bat pony to all but dive into her bed. Her father always told the best stories! However, the missing tension against the mother's head quickly caused the mare to face-plant into the floor.
"Whoops, sorry honey" he nervously said. The female thestral simply mumbled into the floor, which sounded similar to ' your going to here it later'. Meanwhile, Midnight was practically bouncing in her bed, eagerly awaiting her father to begin. Trotting over to her side, her father sat to the right of the bed as his wife moved to the opposite.
"So, which story would you like to hear?" He asked curiously. This caused her to loose her sudden excitement as she tried to think of which story she wanted. Her father had many good ones, but which one? Suddenly, it hit her, and she bounced again in eagerness.
"Oh oh, tell me the secret story again!" She said happily. Her father did not share this, as he spotted his wife's ears perk up, while raising a solitary eyebrow at him.
"Secret story?" She asked, her lone golden eye boring into him, as he resisted the urge to gulp nervously. The filly, ignorant of the tension between her parents, nodded in earnest. "Yep! Dad says its a secret! I don't know why though, the story's awesome!" Her father would need to have a discussion with her later about the term 'secret' , but there was more pressing matters.
"Uh, sweety, maybe a different story? Perhaps the one about the little train that could?" He tried to steer his daughter in the right direction. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be having any of that.
"But, daaaaad, that's story is so booooooring! Tell me the secret story again! Pleeeeeease?" At the last part, her eyes grew considerably larger as small unshod tears popped up near the corners. Midnight also pouted her lip, which began to quiver slightly as she looked to her father.
"Yes honey, I would like to hear that story as well" his wife said, a predatory look in her eyes. She grinned widely, displaying her two front fangs, which glistened in the small light of the room.
He was trapped. On one side, he faced a weapon of mass cuteness. The other? A wife all to willing to bury him in the hole he dug. He let out a sigh. He was definitely sleeping on the couch tonight.
"Alright, secret story it is" he smiled at the squeal from his daughter. Collecting his thoughts momentarily, he cleared his voice, signaling he was ready to begin.
"Ok, so, this is the story" he paused, smirking as his daughter hung on his very word, " of the Fall of Equestria". If his wife's eyebrows could leave her face, they would have done it then and there. He mentally winced at that. Yep, he was on the couch tonight. Probably no blanket too. His wife showed her displeasure, as she brushed her mane away, allowing both eyes to bore into him, but she allowed him to continue. Why not let him dig a bigger grave?
"Long ago, the world was not a happy place. Ponies were sad and scared as an evil force named Discord ruled the land. But then! Two royal sisters, Alicorn's of the Sun and Moon, joined together to defeat this tyrant. Together, with their power, they were ultimately able to defeat this monster, and encase him in stone for eternity! Across the land, ponies rejoiced and would soon band together to form the nation of Equestria, with the royal sisters as their leaders. However, this peace would only last for so long".
Midnight didn't realize it, but her fathers voice carried a hint of sadness, and her mother moved closer to stroke her mane lovingly.
" The land after the tyrants rule was damaged and desolate, and ponies struggled to return their home to its greatness. One day, the younger sister, saddened by the daily struggles of her ponies, proposed to form a new colony, where all the ponies would grow strong and happy. But the elder sister forbade it. For she felt it would divide and shatter the weakened kingdom, forever. Despite her sisters belief, the younger sister moved ahead with her plans, and under her moonlight, she secretly established her colony".
The stallion took on a genuine smile as his gaze shifted away, seeming to stare at a faraway place. All the while the young thestral tried to fight back a yawn, her eyelids becoming heavy.
" For a time, the colony thrived and grew, all under the protection of their mothers moon. Then, things changed. The elder one discovered her sister's lie, and ordered her to bring the ponies back to rejoin the nation. The younger refused, saying the ponies were happy being separate and free. This would not stand for the elder. She decided that if they did not come back on their own, she would bring them back forcefully".
Despite this being her favorite part, Midnight had already snuggled into the warm confines of her bed, her mothers soothing strokes slowly lowering her into sleep. She barely had her eyes open, and much of her fathers words did not register in her sleep induced mind. Meanwhile, her father continued to speak, with much more conviction this time.
" The younger pleaded with her sister, begging her to reconsider. However, the elder would not be swayed. Before she could carry out her plan though,the younger called out to all the ponies of the nation, asking them to help protect her colony. This would be the final days of the nation of Equestria. For you see, just like the royal sisters, the nation was divided on the issue. Sides were quickly chosen, and many ponies refused to budge". Shaking his head slightly, he continued,"Eventually, Equestria could not stand divided, and it crumbled away, to never be reformed again. And that. Is the fall of mighty nation of Equestria".
The father let out a deep sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding and looked expectantly to his daughter, only to find the filly sound asleep. Smiling, he moved the covers all the way up, the young thestral letting out a content sigh. Finding his wife's eyes, they both nodded silently. Each offered their daughter a good night kiss, before quietly exiting the room. Just before closing the door, the father checked the room once more. Finding all is well, he closed the door with a small click.
Turning around, he immediately entered the piercing glare of his wife.
"I cant believe you" she said angrily. The pegausus sighed. He had this coming.
"She was going to find out sometime" he replied calmly.
"Yes, when she was ready!" she seethed through grit teeth. How could her husband do this? Telling a filly, their daughter no less, something meant to only be heard by older ears!
The stallion avoided his wife's glare, instead choosing to sit quietly on his haunches. His wife was quick to realize his saddened expression, and felt some of her anger melt away at the sight. Snorting loudly, she tried to build her anger back up, only to find she couldn't do it. It was one of the qualities that she loved and hated about her husband, she couldn't stay mad at him. Sitting down on her own haunches, she sighed.
"You are such an idiot sometimes" she said, rubbing her temples with a hoof. In reaction, her husbands head lowered a little more.
"But" she moved a hoof to bring his eyes to lock with her own, "I still love you" . The pair shared a small but loving kiss. Their eyes never leaving each other.
" And, I think I understand what you were doing. You wanted to protect her by telling her" she stated, gently nuzzling him. Moving away, her brows then furrowed. "You could have at the very least told me first, I'm your wife for Luna's sake".
"Sorry honey, you know me" the stallion said sheepishly. Oh, she knew him. All to well. Rolling her eyes, the mare pulled the stallion up to a standing position.
"Cmon, lets get to bed" the mare motioned, already walking toward their room. Taking one last look at door, the stallion tenderly placed a hoof on the door.
"Goodnight, my midnight blossom" He said quietly. Satisfied, he trotted to catch up to his wife.
"Soooo, this means I'm not sleeping on the couch tonight? Right Honey?" he inquired hopefully.
Swatting his face with her tail, she gave him the answer.
"Easy, easy! Bring it in!" The slightly heavy set stallion bellowed out, his voice ringing across the docks of New Oatleans, the prized shipping hub of the Lunar Empire. Across the wooden walkways, many ponies continued about their workday, pulling or moving various items to their destinations, creating a bustling hive of activity for the cities upper docks.
"Thats it! Steady! Looking good!" The earth pony called out again, motioning with a forehoof. His loud calls garnering some attention from the various pony species across the docks. Now, if they decided to actually pay the stallion some attention, their eyes would immediately spot the large airship slowly entering its way to dock in section 21A, a large amount of pegasi flying near to secure the docking clamps.
Inside the massive airship, a thestral pony sat silently in her chair, confident in her crew to guide the powerful vessel with precision and accuracy. The muffled yells of the dock foreman disrupted the calm serenity of the Nightshade's bridge, the captain's right ear flickering slightly in annoyance. Her crew wasn't a bunch of foals, they didn't need a hoof to guide them. Each crew member continued their work calmly, a few glancing out the massive windows of the bridge, double checking their progress from a visual angle. A few small statements from various crew members motioned the helmspony to adjust the wheel ever so slightly, a move that would normally be disregarded by lesser experienced airponies. However, they were no rookies. They were the elite, the core of the Lunar Republic's air power.
The captain, attempting to distract herself from the forepony's growing shouts, lazily looked out the port side windows, identifying two more identical airships entering their own docking stations, the Razorwing and the Everfree. She sighed blissfully. Another year had come and gone, bringing with it another year of memories. This was her only second trip here as captain of the Nightshade, during the busiest week of New Oatleans, where the already bustling east coast city of the Republic became a hub of military activity.
Inspection Week.
The name said it all. During this time, many of the Lunar Republic's navy and airforces docked in the port city to undergo various tuneups and, of course inspections. The city would soon have a mass of soldiers, sailors, and aircrew bustling through its already heavily trafficked streets, bringing more then welcomed business across the city. The cities unique location and large shipyards made it the perfect base for the various frigates and airships to mass with space to spare. The lower docks near the ocean supported the various boats of the republic, while farther into the city, the upper docks managed the airships.
The captain shifted in her seat subconsciously, feeling the forward momentum of the ship slowly ending, a feeling of reverse for only a moment. Quick to act, the pegasi that had been flying near moved instantly to complete their jobs. Diving quickly, they grabbed the large tethers located across the particular section of the docks, moving to secure the Nightshade while the crew held her steady.With practiced precision, the ship was secured with in moments, the dock forepony nodding in satisfaction.
"Ma'am. Were locked in" a pink unicorn with a two toned mane addressed her captain, swiveling in her chair to address her eye to eye. The captain nodded, repositioning her hat with a hoof, before hopping out of her chair.
"Good. I was afraid any longer and I might have had to shut that forepony up myself". This comment earned a round of chuckles from the crew, all too aware of their young captain's wit. She smiled at the sight, her crew was definitely a unique bunch. Despite being part of the elite core of the Republic's airfleet, they were technically the 'rookies' of the group, as being the youngest, the captain a prime example.
Ruffling her black wings, attempting to fix her uniform, the captain affixed her gaze outside, to where multiple groups of shipwrights were descending on the Nightshade. Taking a glance around the bridge, she made sure everything was in order.
"Im going to head outside, stretch my wings. You guys think you can manage without me?" She smiled, splaying her wings to their full length. A bright silver coated mare answered her captain's witty remark with one of her own. "No problem at all captain, we might actually be able to get some work done now" Earning another round of laughter from the bridge crew. Finding all as it should, the captain exited the bridge, humming to herself as she appeared on the top deck of the airship, a large amount of shipwrights already busy with different pieces of the ship. Pegasi moved above and around the massive structure, calling out to ponies on the deck, many holding clipboards with unknown paperwork. Making her way around the bustling groups, she finally managed to step foot on to the docks. Turning around, she gazed happily at the large airship that hovered before her.
The Nightshade was one of several sister ships, each one equally massive and powerful. They were the tip of the spear for the Lunar Republic's airfleets, sporting the latest in technology and weaponry, the ships thirty six powerful cannons a testament to that. In addition, the ships engines were the top of the line allowing the ship to move at speeds many would consider impossibly fast for its size. However, none of those things were what made the Nightshade unique, or in the captains case, beautiful.
The ship's balloon was that of a brilliant dark purple, with a navy blue stripe crossing its side. Across most of the balloon was large amounts of beautifully adorned metal structures, each matching colors to the balloon itself. On each side of the balloon, large metal crests of the Lunar Republic shined brightly against the glare of the sun, proudly standing strong.
The actual ship itself favored an entire navy blue look, with light blues here and there. Near the bow of the ship rested the bridge, its large windows allowing her to see her crew shuffling about. Across the expanse of the ship, various cannons could be spotted, inspection crews tinkering with them with gusto. The sight of the Nightshade tethered down with so many ponies brought a small frown to her muzzle.
She was never a fan of inspection week. Mind you, she was well aware it was necessary, especially for what was coming up, and it was important to maintaining the fleet's power. Still, she didn't like the fact her ship was tethered, unable to soar the skies free and unheeded. Attempting to focus her attention elsewhere, the captain continued her way through the docks, passing many other crewman from their prospective ships, she took a few glances at the other docked ships. Along with the Nightshade, Razorwing, and Everfree, there was also the Concordia, Firestrike, and Comet. Each had similar appearances but had outstanding differences that made each stand out respectfully. She smiled happily at this, the Lunar Republic's glory was all around her, filling her heart with pride and joy. Bypassing a large squad a Lunar battalion troops, she finally managed to reach part of the city.
In the time since she was small, the Lunar Republic had undergone many technological advancements, pushing forward in their quest for knowledge, earning many achievements of late. Recently, they had been able to construct buildings with much more strength and durability, switching from stone to more metal materials. New Oatleans proved this as large multistory buildings covered the expanse of the city, the upper docks some of the tallest. Switching from the wooden walkways to the sun warmed stone streets, the captain of the Nightshade continued her progress toward her destination. All around her, ponies went about their day, from small foals to full grown mares and stallion. From carriages pulled by pegasi above to those being pulled by earth ponies below, the city was a bustle with activity. It was always this busy, the influx of military personnel sent most of the city into a frenzy. She wondered what it was like normally. Perhaps she should visit sometime?
Ignoring the thought, she was soon able to spot a familiar building in the distance. Sandwiched between multiple larger buildings, the mall one story looked ridiculously out of place. Displayed on top of the store was a large fake doughnut, the words 'Doughnut Joes' across its fake glazed surface. Finding the large crowd she was in suddenly uncomfortable, she spread her wings and took to the sky, mindful to avoid loosing her cap during takeoff. Flying the rest of the way there, she landed directly in front of the door, bypassing the bustling citizens of New Oatleans.
Pushing the door opening, its bell jingling, alerting the owner of a potential customer. The buildings inside favored a bright white with a checkered tile floor. Unique pictures of different doughnuts adorned the walls , while rounded tables spread about gave the entire place a vary calm and quite feel. Approaching the counter, she smiled happily at the large unicorn stallion behind it.
"Hey Joe, long time no see" the bat pony acknowledged happily. The stallion's eyes immediately filled with recognition, his own muzzle changing into a smile.
"Well, its been too long! How's my favorite Lunar Captain been? " Joe asked already moving to get the thestral her usual, jelly doughnut, hold the sprinkles. The captain rested on a stool at the counter, content to wait for the stallion to acquire her food. Adjusting her cap once again, she let out a small yawn.
Joe soon placed the delicacy before her, and without hesitation, she dived into it. A symphony of flavor exploded in her mouth, and she shivered slightly as her taste buds became overloaded. On one side, she was horrified that she could only taste such beauty once a year, on the other side she was glad, to many of these and she'd get fat. Finishing off the last of the delight, she sighed contently. Yes, cant have too much of that. The stallion smirked at the familiar dopey expression of the Lunar captain.
"I take it was good as usual?" He prodded, removing the plate from the counter before wiping it down quickly.
"Joe, you need to expand, to everywhere" She said in her doughnut fueled state. The stallion laughed heartily, recognizing the mare still under the doughnuts spell. Attempting to start their usual conversation, the stallion switched to a popular topic for the bat pony.
"So, ready for the conference this year captain?" He asked, already seeing the glint in the thestral's eye. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she was more then ready to deliver an answer.
"You got the right Joe, we may finally be able to show up the Solars yet" She stated, referencing the Solar Empire's nickname. Despite no open hostilities ever existing between the continent's most powerful nations, The Lunar Republic and The Solar Empire had a fierce standing rivalry, taking any chance to show up the other. Last year, the Empire had arrived to the conference of nations with a large fleet of their strongest frigates, making it look like they were going to war rather then a peace conference.
Now, the Lunar Republic would arrive with the most powerful ariships in the fleet, trumping anything the Empire could produce.
Joe smiled at the enthusiasm of the thestral, she looked like a kid in a candy store, or in this case, a doughnut shop.
"So I take it we might finally be the talk of the conference eh? Bout time us republicans got some attention!" Joe proclaimed, satisfied at the efforts of the Lunar Republic as well as the captain.
"Ya, I cant wait to see the looks on their faces. If only I had one of those new cameras!" The two laughed happily. All in all, it was easily becoming one of their regular talks, the only difference being the bat pony's rank. The two continued in small talk as the outside world continued on its business. However, things were not so well as everything appeared to be.
A sudden shockwave rocked the diner, the captain and Pony Joe both bracing against the counter to avoid falling over. At the same time, a loud bang echoed across the city, all activity nearly stopping to divert their attention. Then came the screams. The captain knocked out of her sudden shock, dashed out of her seat, running toward the stores wide windowed front. Outside, ponies were retreating in the opposite direction of the bang, appearing to flee for their very lives. The thestral barely looked out the window before she saw it, the blood in her face all but vanishing.
Thick, black, rising smoke.
Coming from the docks.
Her stomach lurched, and she felt hot bile in the back of her throat. Next to her, Joe was trying to pick his jaw off the floor, staring wide eyed at the climbing smoke clouds. Before the stallion could stop her, the bat mare had plowed through the doorway, the swinging door nearly hitting several fleeing pedestrians. Pony Joe was almost too stunned to tell her to stop, but he did manage one phrase before the mare disappeared into the crowd.
12:42 RST- Bridge of the Comet receives report form engine room. Fluctuations in the harmonic drive causing concern. Captain Stormbreaker advises to remain posted on the situation.
12:58 RST- Additional shiprwights arrive on board the Comet. Six in total. Four pegasi. One unicorn. One earth pony.
13:15 RST- Bridge of the Comet receives frantic report of harmonic drive instability. Captian Stormbreaker orders immediate shutdown of harmonic drvie.
13:16 RST- Massive explosion aboard the Comet. Orgins believed to be the engine room. Witnesses outside the ship report several other exsplosions. Have yet to be confirmed.
13:18 RST- Fires begin to overwhelm the Comet. Captain Stormbreaker gives the order to abandon ship.
13:20 RST- Fires reach ammo storages abaord the Comet. Additional explosion rips the Comet in two. Shrapnel and debris cause numerous injuries as well as damage to the Concordia and FireStrike.
13:26 RST- New Oatleans General receives first injured........
Luna sighed as she once again failed to read through the entire report, the words barely registering in her mind. Her gaze constantly drifted away from the sheet of paper before her to the remains of the Comet, one of the republics most powerful airships. Her heart fell as she glanced over the skeletal remains of the once mighty derrigiable. The balloon, which once was the largest part of the ship, was now but a fragment of its old self, deflated, burned and torn. The metal crests of the republic lay strewn about, their originaly pristine surfaces now charred and oxidized, making the metal appear sickly. The hull of the Comet, where airponies of her nation once served their country and did their jobs, now lay a corpse, what little wood and metal left lay dead, burned beyond recognition that many would not even believe it had actually once been a ship. The cannons seemed to be the only surviving peice of her fleets proud member, their metal designs were able to wistand the roaring fires days ago though they would need some time before being operational again.
The dark navy alicorn continued to stare away at the wreckage of the Comet, her eyes carrying a far away look. In her mind, Luna could see fire ponies rushing to douce the blazing inferno that was the airship, the fire whipping around, snapping at any pony that dared to get too close. She saw ponies fleeing across the docks, panic evident on their faces. However, it was those who weren't running that made her heart grieve. This was not just a wreckage, it was also a grave. Ponies, good ponies, ponies that had joined to serve and protect their nation, to protect their families, to make their nation proud and strong had died here. She felt her jaw clench as she resisted the urge to stomp her hoof into the ground.
They didn't deserve that! They didn't deserve to die! Not like this. Luna for her part, was no stranger to death. That was a fact she had grown to live with. Her alicorn lifespan allowed her to live longer then what most ponies could dream of, and because of that, she outlived more ponies, more generations then she could count. She had watched as ponies grew old and died, only for their children to follow soon after and their grandchildren.....
The Lunar Republic's leader snorted as she tried to lower the boiling anger inside her. But the fact remained, she could handle those deaths, she could handle time taking its toll on her ponies. It was these deaths however, that would get to her at certain points. Like a dagger that found its way into a gap in armor, these were deaths that managed to break through Luna's normally hard shell.
"My queen?" A reserved voice asked behind her, a slight trepidation noticeable to the Moon alicorn. Luna did not immediately reply, instead continuing to look toward the wreckage of the Comet, paying silent homage to the ponies that hsd lost their lives here. Sighing once again, she finally turned away to address the pony behind her. The stallion before her stood tall with a demeanor earned only through years of training. His coat mirrored her own, what little was exposed of his thick grey armor. His helm was adorned with two flared wings on each side of his head. Moving downward, his neck heavily protected in reinforced armor, his chest sported a fin like dual plated armor. This large chest piece complemented well with his long greaves, offering excellent coverage. Covering his back was the normal thick cloth that all used underneath their armor, its navy color a symbol for the republic. Finally, his rear was protected by additional 'fin' plates. This was a sentinel, one of her elite royal guard.
"We have gathered all the captains. They are awating your presence aboard the Moon's Light" Luna nodded, acknowledging the quick work of her guard. She had barely issued the order a short time ago.
"I trust you were able to find Officer Olive alright?" She inquired, well aware of the second in command to the Comet. Her guard nodded, his face stoic. "Yes my queen, she is with the rest of the captains" he answered, saluting. The dark alicorn nodded once more, silently thinking of the days future events. She sighed, her lips curling slightly into a small frown. As much as she didn't want to, she looked back to the wreckage of the Comet, the remains of the balloon quietly flapping in the wind. Luna nearly lost herself to staring at the wreckage again, her mind elsewhere. The queen of the republic eventually turned back to her guard, a serious expression on her face.
"Let's not keep them waiting. Shall we Maroon?" She said, already lifting her wings for takeoff.
"Yes ma'am!" Her guard saluted, his own wings stretching out. Luna didn't waste time as she used her powerful muscles to propel her self into the air, natural instinct and years of practice taking over as she flew. As she ascended higher into the sky, several other ponies rose from nearby buildings, several more sentinel thestrals and pegasi forming around the duo. Luna serious expression faded somewhat as she gazed out across the northern district of New Oatleans, spotting many ponies across the city shuffling through the streets, going about their day. Despite being the alicorn of the night, Luna had grown to accept her ponies to choose wether they wished to move during the day or the night. Surprisingly, it was a strong mix, many working both during the day and night, causing many Lunar cities to have a constant bustle of activity.
Sensing they were slightly off course, She banked right, her guard following suit with absolute precision. Concluding her flight path adjusted correctly, she returned her attention to the city below. Her serious expression broke as she spotted a small filly waving enthustiatically at her from a nearby rooftop. The mare next to the filly was also waving, hers more composed but still carrying the same warmth for the republic's leader. Luna offered her own wave in return, giggling slightly as the filly's wave increased tenfold.
It was good to see the smiles on her citizens faces, especially after the incident days ago. Even after her arrival in the city, she couldn't help but feel the underlying tension that was spread across the city. Her citizens had not recovered from the panic of the days prior and they seemed to be on edge, as if expecting something else to occur. Her smile faded as she thought of the rumors that had circulated in the hours following the Comet's destruction. Despite the mayor's quick work to squash the rumors of a terrorist attack to another dragon incursion, the damage had been done. Worse yet, the news had spread across the republic like wildfire, many cities being put on edge at the sudden destruction of one of their airships. Luna had to make a public address that everything was alright. That the republic was not at war. That it had been a tragic accident.
She wondered why she herself had trouble believing that.
Midnight Blossom sat quietly in her chair, her thoughts away from her as she gazed blankly at the polished oak table before her. Her actions were mirrored by the five other ponies seated with her at the large oval table. All the gathered captains of the Fortress class airships sat undisturbed in the conference room aboard the Moon's Light, Queen Luna's personal airship. They all shared similar thoughts, many revolving on the days prior.
Midnight couldn't help but think of the minutes after she had left Donut Joe's.
"Out of my way! Get out of the way!"
"Luna above let them be ok!"
"No! No no!"
"Everyone get back! Get bac-!"
Midnight Blossom physically flinched as she remembered the moment she saw the Comet rip apart, shrapnel and debris careening everywhere. She had felt the heat against her fur, the flash of light stinging against her eyes, and the sheer deafening boom of the explosion. The thestral had helped evacuate the remaing ponies along the docks and been happy to receive thanks for her efforts. However, these were small comforts to the fact of many of the crew of the Comet were unable to leave the ship. She could only imagine the families that would soon learn of their relatives fate. Families would lose brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, mothers...fathers....
No. You can't think about that. Not now.
She tried to steer her thoughts away from the darker corners of her mind, but soon felt the unpleasant thoughts run rampant in her mind. Gritting her teeth, she let out a frustrated hiss causing the mare next to her to nearly jump out of her fur. Unsurprisingly, this broke many of the captains out of their thoughts to turn their attention toward the startled mare. The olive coated mare faltered under the combined gaze of the other captains, as she herself was not one, in spirit as least. True, she wore the dark navy blue captains uniform and cap, as well as sporting the small armor piece that adorned their chest. However, she had only come to her position through circumstance, as she is or was chief officer of the Comet, before her captain went down with the ship. Now, thrust into the position of captain, a position she felt she was unprepared for, especially compared to the captains before her. Each in their own right, surpassed her own abilities easily.
The captain of the FireStrike, Stonecold. An aging unicorn stallion who's coat was darker then Queen Luna's night, with a short grey mane that was noticeable without his cap on. A deep pale scar ran along the right of his face, parting at the eye, which was a milky white. His features ended with a thick mustache that matched his mane's greying. A veteran of the dragon incursions twenty years ago, this stallion was a hardened veteran with more experience then anyone at the table.
Next to Stonecold was the Razorwing's captain, a marble white mare by the name of Pearl. Now, she did not look like the captain of a warship, instead the mare had a natural beauty that would make most mares jealous, her long blond mane covering part of her left eye. This was the classic mistake many ponies made about this particular captain, for she was a mare with a mind sharper then blade and a heart of ice. Beautiful and smart. A dangerous combination.
Seated directly across from the timid mare was Oxford, captain of the Concordia. The lean crimson stallion was his cap lowered covering most of his eyes. The strong silent type, Oxford was known as a captain who appeared lazy, hardly issuing any orders. The mare realized that there was far more to this captain then his appearance.
Addressing the Pegasus seated to her right, she immediately identified the Everfree's captain by his rainbow mane. Rainbow Blaze, a magenta colored Pegasus who was well known for his humble and kind demeanor, making him a well liked public figure. It was even reported his sister was a pegasi unit aboard his ship. The mare found a small comfort in the warm smile she received from him.
And finally, they're was the captain of the Nightshade, the only thestral mare in the entire group, Midnight Blossom. Supposedly, she was the youngest of the group, in her mid 20's proving that age and experience didn't always make good captains. The thestral was top cadet at the Lunar academy, her skills in combat training superb with a strong intellect to back it up. It was even rumored that her family was good friends with Queen Luna herself!
"Oh, sorry for scaring you" Midnight spoke, causing another slight jump from the mare. This caused Pearl to scoff. "So this is Stormbreaker's replacement? Pitiful" she stated, not helping the poor mare's mood.
"Hey, let's not be so quick to judge, she was his second in command. That stands for something" Blaze rushed to her defense. Pearl rolled her eyes at Blaze's statement but said nothing more. This allowed Stonecold to address the mare himself.
"So, your name is Olive Garden, correct?" He asked his hearty voice similar to a grandfathers. The mare known as Olive saluted out of instinct and before she could stop herself, spilled out her rank.
"Yes Captain Stonecold sir! Chief Officer Olive Garden sir!" She drilled out. This caused the stallion to burst into laughter, earning an annoyed glance from Pearl, a bemused expression from on Blaze's muzzle, and two confused looks from Blossom and Olive.
"Hahaha! Sir! Aw, come now Captain Olive, we are of equal rank, surely we don't need to use such formalities?" The unicorn smiled happily. Olive smiled sheepishly, unsure if she should continue as captain or officer. However, before she could reply, the doors to the room opened abruptly, two armor clad sentinels entering, taking positions on either side of the doors. Entering soon after, was the Queen of the republic, the alicorn of the night.
Standing a head taller then an average stallion, with a lithe but strong figure, the queen trotted in. Her mane, with the same beauty as the night sky, continued to blow in its nonexistent breeze as she walked. Her dark navy coat was the basis for the colors of the empire, as she wore a light blue vest coupled with a black cape. In addition, she sported silver slippers that soon changed into violet grieves. All in all, Queen Luna had a stunning appearance.
"My queen!" The captains saluted in unison, Olive faltering slightly in hers. The queen smiled happily at the gathered ponies as her sentinels closed the doors, a quiet thud echoing in the small room.
"At ease captains" the queen stated, taking a seat at the head of the table. The gathered ponies relaxed somewhat at their rulers order, though Olive couldn't help but tense up. She definitely wasn't ready for this!
Glancing across the gathered ponies, Luna cleared her throat. "I suppose you are all wondering why I have called you here", when she received several nods in response, she continued. "Originally, all of you, save for captain Olive, were to be my personal escort to the conference of nations this year. However, after the Comet's destruction, things have changed". As she spoke, she levitated several dossiers to lay before each captain. Midnight eyed the dossier but waited patiently for her queen to finish.
"Officially, you all will no longer be my escort, save for one" she turned to Midnight, the thestral snapping to attention as her queen's gaze fell on her. "Captain Blossom, you and your ship will be the leading the new fleet to the conference this year". Midnight for her part remained calm under her queens look, remaining stoic.
"With all due respect my queen, isn't there others more qualified then myself? Surely you'd feel more comfortable in more capable hooves?" The captain asked, truly surprised her ruler had chosen her to lead a fleet to the conference of nations! She heard Pearl shift in her seat, placing both forelegs on the table.
"I agree with Captain Blossom, nearly all of us here are more experienced than her. Myself and Captain Stonecold would be more then honored to host you abroad our ships my queen" the Razorwing's captain pointed out. Luna nodded, her captain speaking the Ruth. Stonecold would easily be the wisest choice in terms of experience and Pearl's tenacity alone was unmatched. However she knew their skills were needed elsewhere.
"While I appreciate the concern, I stand firm that the Nightshade and Captain Blossom will remain as my escort" , she raised a hoof when the blond maned mare looked to speak again, " However, this does not mean that all of you will sit idlly by". She gestured towards the documents in front of the remaing captains. Without delay, the gathered ponies reviewed the information within the folders.
"I'm to patrol the Everfree border?" Captain Blaze asked confused.
"As have I" Oxford stated quietly, the stallion finally speaking.
"It appears Miss Olive, that we will be seeing more of each other" Stonecold noted, Garden also discovering that she had been assigned with the older unicorn to Las Pegasus, nearly on the other side of the republic!
Pearl simply nodded at her folder before closing it, directing her attention back to her queen. Blossom's examination of her folder revealed a more detailed outline of her job, noting several key things before closing her document as well.
"I trust you have all your assignments?", the queen asked. Receiving a nod from all the gather ponies, she poke agian. "Very well. I'm confident you will carry out your orders to the best of your abilities". Rising from her seat, an action mirrored by the captains, Luna concluded she was finished.
" I bid you all a good day" she said, a small smile on her muzzle.
"And a glorious night to you my queen" the captains saluted.
