In the 19th century of Princess Celestia's rule, Equestria experienced an acceleration of its progress and prosperity as the first westward expansion began. Yet there were some ponies who took this call to progress as a warrant for ever more radical reform. In 1858, 148 ponies left Equestria to realize that radical dream. This is their story.

Written for a Writeoff Association contest (based off the prompt "Distant Shores"), but more broadly intended as an homage to Nathaniel Hawthorne, inspired by and deeply indebted to his great short story, Earth's Holocaust.

North of Canterlot, in the far marches of Equestria near the border with the Griffon tribes, there is a mountain that flies.

West of Canterlot, beyond the Galloping Mountains and a desert painted in the pastel hues of a faded rainbow, a tower sits at the edge of the world.

South of Canterlot, past the Everfree forest and the desolate badlands, a city of gardens waits to be born.

The Lost Cities Challenge! Awesome authors who have taken it upon themselves to explore other abandoned places:

- The Land of Glass and Stone, by RazgrizS57
- The City that Breathes, by Pearple Prose
- Aletheia, by Foehn
- Far Kobresia, by Baal Bunny
- Keskiyönnon, by Bradel
- Unknown Architecture, by Not_A_Hat
- The Gentle People, by Bad Horse
- The Seal of Wax and Glass, by DuncanR

Dramatic Reading by Illya Leonov: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4.

Royal Canterlot Library interview for Lost Cities.

"The world is neither fair nor just, Miss Pie, it simply is. You may take it as a responsible adult or bemoan the point like a spoiled child."

Every day is full of decisions. Decisions on how to dress, how to act, which turns to take, and the list goes on. However, the decisions that have the most impact on our lives are scarcely obvious. For Pinkamena it was the simple choice of staying on the rock farm, for Cheese it was whether to escape the inevitable or embrace it. Cheese Sandwich chose to leave, and his life was forever changed for the better. Rory Scribe chose to stay, and that made all the difference.

Awesome cover art a commission by Demona Silverwing. Check her out on deviantart! Proof-reading graciously provided by Goldfinch142. Pre-reading for the first bit by SageBrony07, Templar Brony, and Sweet Basil.

There is a village where everypony can be the same.

You may have read some nasty things about it. Rumors of stolen cutie marks and power-mad unicorns. Tall tales about forced smiles and frightened glances.

It's all lies. All except the part about us wanting to escape. That's true.

It's why we came here in the first place.

Winner of the May Writeoff Event.

A cryptic note brings Sunset Shimmer face to face with Adagio Dazzle, but she finds herself woefully unprepared for what her former foe has to say...

Pre-read by and cover art courtesy of the 'Dazzling' MelloReflections.

Hopes for conquering the world destroyed, the Dazzlings travelled from city to city in their search to find a chance to reignite the ashes of their old lives. Slowly, constant failure drove them to despondency, to clinging to a tragic past from the days of the Siren Sisterhood - the days when there were Sirens at all. Days before the fire. Though trapped in the past, time did pass as it always does, bringing with it change. Aria changed. Sonata changed. Adagio did not.

Cover art: "Falling Mermaid" by yo-chan_photo on Photobucket