//------------------------------// // The Map // Story: Trail Blazer // by MagicS //------------------------------// In the House of Government both Bright Diamond and Cheese Souffle were finishing up the last of their duties for the day. Celestia was an hour at most away from lowering the sun and any stragglers who had business with the representatives were being turned away at the door and asked to come back tomorrow. That turned out to be quite a few ponies, business as extremely busy as usual around here. Bright Diamond was tired and eagerly looking forward to the next day of rest while Cheese Souffle was happy to have so many things to get done and work on. Bright took his job very seriously but he just didn’t understand how his comrade could let it envelope his whole life and not take any breaks or leisure time like he did. Thunderstorm was as always doing his own thing and training his pegasi. Already were his plans coming to fruition and he was looking forward to being able to use a map to work off of when it came to planning the most important places to start the weather and mail service. For most of the other ponies in the city and even ones that worked directly for the representatives they had no idea about the important undertaking that was nearing completion. A cautionary move by Bright Diamond, instead of advertising it before the mission was complete he decided to keep it hush hush in case something went wrong. Whether that being the map not turning out well, or the mission failing, or the three ponies ending up hating each other, he didn’t want ponies to get their hopes up only for them to be dashed. Instead he was banking on things going perfectly well and then they could reveal to the population the mission and story of the three travelers as well as the new map of Equestria. And hopefully they would be the perfect example the representatives wanted them to be of three young ponies from the new generation who got along and worked together for a greater good. The common good of Equestria and the ponies in it. Bright Diamond was coming into Cheese’s office to say goodbye to him for the day and wish him luck for all the work they would have to do tomorrow. The two of them thought quite often of the three ponies they had sent out on their journey across Equestria, it was months since the mission began but even now their thoughts would just drift to them at times. Bright was “concerned” for his cousin and hoped things were going well. And also hoped that this adventure had maybe gotten his brother to turn over a new leaf so he wouldn’t go right back into his room and live like a hermit for the rest of his days. Cheese was less concerned, he wasn’t the type to worry in general and he had nothing but faith in Trail Blazer and the other two to accomplish the mission without a problem. “Cheese? Goodbye for the day, I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Bright Diamond said to the other representative hunched over his desk. “Uh-huh. I’ll still be here for a while,” Cheese replied, not looking up from his work. He had a mountain of disorderly papers stacked up next to him. “Try not to overwork yourself. If you get sick or collapse our entire government might fall apart.” “Hardy-har-har. If you can stick around to make jokes you could’ve spent the last five minutes doing something productive,” The earth pony representative snorted. “Rest is important. Mind and body,” Bright snidely responded. “Okay, then go get some rest and leave me alone.” Bright rolled his eyes. Cheese’s obstinacy was annoying and he really didn’t want to let him have the last word. On the flip side though he also really wanted to be on his way and take a stroll through the city before retiring to his home. The map Trail Blazer had left him proved quite useful and he was able to get around far easier than he used to. He still liked to take his walks to see as much of the city as he could and what needed to be done locally. And her map allowed him to start planning a much more organized city. “Very well, I suppose I’ll leave you to your work. Meanwhile the town calls to me,” Lustrous did an about face and went to leave the office. But before he could the door was slammed open and a black pegasus shot through it, barreling into the office and nearly bowling over Bright Diamond. He skidded to a stop in front of Cheese Souffle’s desk and saluted. The two representatives were flabbergasted until they recognized the pegasus as Raincloud, one of Thunderstorm’s recruits who he loved to boss around. “What in blazes are you doing?” Bright asked the pegasus as if he had lost his mind rushing in here. “I’m sorry sirs but I was told to notify you immediately,” He said, his nervous eyes swiveling back and forth between the two representatives. “Notify us of what?” Cheese Souffle asked him. “They’ve returned.” Trail Blazer, Lustrous, and Steel Wing were first noticed by Thunderstorm’s pegasus scouts to be returning to the city. The three of them were tired but the cold and dreary climate of this part of Equestria didn’t bother them at all anymore. It might as well have been summer to them. Seeing that city get closer and closer with each step they took also did a good deal to brighten their day. It was a strange feeling though, so many things had happened while they were away and yet they could all remember leaving so clearly it might as well have been yesterday. They had changed so much, seen so much, and had become the closest of friends. Compared to the three ponies that left here those months ago they might as well be completely different. “Well, even with how nice of a trip it’s been… for the most part… it’s good to be back,” Lustrous said as he smiled at the city. “Agreed. There is much I’ll have to discuss with Thunderstorm but I’m glad we’ll all be able to settle down for now,” Steel Wing said. “I still need to actually make the map. So unlike you two this job isn’t over for me yet,” Trail Blazer scowled. “We could help out,” Lustrous offered. “No deal. It’s my map and I’m making it the same way I make every other map,” Trail Blazer shook her head. Lustrous shrugged. “Suit yourself. I just hope my cousin and Cheese Souffle aren’t going to make a big deal out of us returning. I mean, just because they want to use us as propaganda doesn’t mean we’ll have to do something like make public appearances or go to a ceremony, right?” “I imagine they’ll at least make some sort of statement about us,” Steel Wing said. “After all how can we be an example for other ponies if they don’t even know our names or what we did?” “You’re not gonna try hiding out in your mansion or something are you?” Trail Blazer asked Lustrous. “Absolutely not!” Was his stiff response. “Although I don’t wish to become a spectacle I will not be retreating back into my room like a recluse anymore. I was never happy about my cousin using us for that purpose but… oh well, I suppose I do owe him for forcing me out on this journey. I’d do it all again if I had to. Not like I’m gonna admit that to him though. He’ll be able to infer it anyways...” “Heh, good luck dealing with your little family drama,” Trail Blazer teased him. “I’ve been dealing with it my entire life, this will be no different.” The unicorn sighed after that and the three continued on to the city, they had already reached the bridge and were practically within its limits. The roads and everything looked a bit cleaner and less muddy than when they had left. As if they were being better maintained now. Perhaps they were and that was one of just many things that had been done while they were on their trip. As their hooves clacked over the last boards of wood and carried them into the city proper they all took a breath of “fresh” city air. For the first time since Tri-Point they were back to a real city. The other little towns and settlements they had seen out across Equestria could scarcely even be called civilization compared to their home city. “Home sweet home,” Lustrous said as he looked up and down the street. “I suppose we should just head straight to the House of Government?” “You suppose correctly,” Trail Blazer answered and then looked up at the sky. “It’s getting a little late though. They might’ve already closed up for the day.” “Doubtful,” Steel Wing spoke up. “I didn’t mention it before but I saw some of Thunderstorm’s scouts earlier, they definitely saw us coming back. Expect a warm welcome.” Lustrous groaned. “Great, thank you for sharing that with us now.” “I knew you would complain about it,” Steel Wing grinned at him. “Well at least I don’t see ponies crowding the streets all excited to see the returning adventurers. So we’re not famous yet, good,” The unicorn noted. “I wouldn’t mind being popular for a bit of a more wholesome reason,” Trail Blazer rubbed her chin. “Oh right, you’re already well known by the stallions here. Hopefully your previous reputation doesn’t harm your appearance as a servant of Equestria...” Lustrous said. Half teasing her and half wondering if maybe Bright Diamond would be a little apprehensive about putting Trail Blazer up on a pedestal when half the city had slept with her. The earth pony didn’t seem to care. She was well accepting about that part of her life and didn’t let it bother her. Regardless of any of that for now though they still had to officially get back and say hi to the representatives. It was a pleasant walk through the city, Lustrous thought about how the bags he was carrying felt like nothing now compared to when he had first started carrying them. Steel Wing was glad he didn’t have to keep an eye out for dangers or worry about every little thing. And Trail Blazer was looking forward to shedding all this junk, holing up in her home, and drawing her magnum opus. When they did finally reach the House of Government the three of stood outside the door for a second before going in. “I really don’t want to meet up with my cousin again,” Lustrous frowned at the building. “Forget it, there’s probably something annoying they have planned for us to do at some point so let’s just go in already,” Trail Blazer said and went to open up the door. When instead it was opened up from the inside. “Surprise!” The three representatives right inside it yelled at once. “Welcome back!” “How was the trip?” “Did you see lots of amazing things?” Cheese, Bright and Thunderstorm mobbed them and barraged them with questions. Bright Diamond gave his cousin an overly affectionate hug that the latter was unwilling to return while the other two were content with a more formal welcome and hoofshake with their chosen adventurer. “You look… better,” Cheese Souffle said to Trail Blazer. “There’s a backhoofed compliment if I ever heard one,” She smirked. “But yeah, it’s true. I’m… a lot better. And I kind of didn’t want to admit this or say it to you but since we’re here, well, thanks for sending me on this mission.” Cheese Souffle’s fat face lit up with a smile and only professionalism held him back from hugging the mare. “I’m glad.” “I’m certain you have many things to tell me about,” Thunderstorm said to Steel Wing. “And from that smile on your face you also seem to be quite a bit happier.” “A lot happened over the course of our trip,” The pegasus said, looking over to his two companions. “I made my first friends.” A more solemn look passed over his face as he returned to looking at Thunderstorm. “There are some other unfortunate things I need to discuss with you but that’s not important right now.” Thunderstorm frowned but nodded, accepting Steel Wing’s explanation. “I see. Well, no reason to ruin a good reunion. Now’s the time to celebrate your return, we have some nice things to tell you.” “Nice things like what?” Lustrous asked with a nervous expression as he pushed Bright off of him. Bright chuckled and straightened up. “In three days we’ll be having a celebratory parade for you. That will give us enough time to spread the word about your mission. You’ll be put on a wagon and shown off to all the ponies of the city. I’m also going to have a great painting made of you three!” “For the love of Celestia...” Lustrous collapsed to the ground and covered his head with his hooves. “Yeah that all sounds swell,” Trail Blazer rubbed the back of her neck. “But I still need to actually make the map you know? Can I go do that now?” “Oh right,” Bright seemed to have forgotten about that. “Well even if it’s not all done in time that’s not really important. It’s more that you’ve actually accomplished the mission and have returned. And that you hopefully get along so ponies from all the tribes can look up to you. You do get along now don’t you?” The three looked between each other. All the memories of their trip so fresh that they didn’t need to say anything. A steady laugh started building between them all, to the surprise of the representatives. “Yeah...” Trail Blazer said through a fit of giggles. “Yeah I think we get along now.” When it came down to it the fact was that Lustrous and Steel Wing no longer needed to accompany Trail Blazer any longer. For the first time since they had started their journey if they really wanted to they could just go their separate ways and would hardly have to see the others again. There was nothing tying them together and no obligation to have to meet up again aside from the inevitable parade. That thought was hanging over their heads as they stood outside the door to Trail Blazer’s home. “I know it may sound silly but considering we’ve been stuck together for so long do we need to actually make a promise to continue to meet up? We all live here in this city too so I’m sure we’ll see each other normally anyways,” Lustrous said. “You don’t need to make a schedule about when you visit and hang out with your friends, Lustrous. Feel free to drop by any time, the both of you,” Trail Blazer said to the two stallions. “I agree with Trail Blazer. We don’t need to force anything, you’re both welcome to say hi whenever you want to me. You know where I’ll be,” Steel Wing smiled. “It’s just odd,” Lustrous admitted. “I’m not used to the whole friend thing and now that I’m home it’s going to take some getting used to to not being around the two of you every waking moment.” Trail Blazer smirked as she pulled open her front door. “Well let’s make one promise then. I’m gonna be busy working on my map but I’ll still need some breaks from that. So come around tomorrow evening and we can hang out, like normal. Bring your cards, Steel Wing.” “I suppose that works for me,” Lustrous smiled. “And I am very excited to see your finished map.” “It’s gonna have a whole novel of notes to go along with it...” The earth pony grumbled before heading inside. She looked over her shoulder to smile more warmly at the two. “See ya.” “Good night,” Lustrous waved. “Sleep well,” Steel Wing told her. And her door was closed, leaving the unicorn and pegasus to say farewell to each other and return to their own homes. Each of them wearing a happy smile on their faces and looking forward to tomorrow. Trail Blazer’s map and compilation of notes took eight days to fully complete. It was copied profusely, the original (not a copy as she initially requested) was sent to Princess Celestia along with the three adventurers so they could meet with her again. Thunderstorm and a squad of his pegasi also went along with it and were then pressed into doing the new work Princess Celestia set out for them. The map was used to create a work schedule for all the ponies of Equestria to follow for the next several years. Farmers, construction workers, settlers, weather ponies, couriers, etc. All of it set up by the Princess with the aid of Trail Blazer’s map. Lustrous convinced his brother to put off the parade until the map was completed. Upon which he miserably sat with his two friends while crowds of ponies cheered for them. He did feel glad that the ponies were so involved in the new age of Equestria and happy to see that the three tribes could work together like them but it didn’t do enough to drown out his embarrassment. Steel Wing was Steel Wing. But now he made a conscious effort to get along with and befriend his fellow pegasi working under Thunderstorm. And the three of them continued to be friends who hung out all the time while all three of them still lived in the city, and still met up with and kept in contact as much as possible when they separated. Throughout Equestria the little places they visited either grew or ended up lost to time, the logging town down on the southeast coast disappeared but Baltimare sprang up nearby. Tri-Point would end up gone but the settlement that became Vanhoover started up to the west of it at some later time. The little place they stopped at on the west coast too small to even be called a village ended up being the birthplace of Las Pegasus when more settlers arrived and saw the location’s potential. More ponies spread out and started up cities just like the future Manehattan and within years Equestria was a true centralized country with numerous actual towns and villages all under the rule of Celestia and Luna. Rolling Fog never left Tartarus but many of the pegasi under him eventually came to embrace the new Equestria. The three representatives gladly shed their titles when the time came and worked under Celestia as administrators. Essentially doing the same job but just under a different name. Down the years Cheese Souffle would pass on first, childless. Bright Diamond next, one child. Thunderstorm last, three children. Poppy Hymn made her way across Equestria to find Lustrous. Already having given birth and nearly shocking the unicorn to death when she and their baby arrived on his doorstep. Trail Blazer and Steel Wing teased him relentlessly but were happy for him. The two star-crossed lovers would eventually have a very large and very happy family, making descendants going through every age of Equestria. Lustrous himself actually became an explorer. He found that he could never be satisfied with staying indoors anymore. Not with so much natural beauty out there. His poetry never improved but that didn’t stop him from eventually traveling further than he had ever gone on his first journey, the journals he took with him became important reference guides for ponies of the future. His wife and family supported him in his passion, even though it meant not seeing him for long swaths of time. Steel Wing became a royal guard at the Castle of the Two Sisters some years later and eventually Captain. According to diaries found from other guards at the time he fell deeply in love with Princess Luna but never acted on or mentioned these feelings to her. Trail Blazer didn’t travel anymore after that grand mission across Equestria and brief return to the Castle. She still made maps of the city and kept its ever growing buildings and expansion under check but she did it for her own joy, not because she was asked to. The only true work she did was occasionally helping out Bright and Cheese with some job. She would never reunite or reconcile with her family but she still found herself at peace for the many remaining years of her life. Of the friends, Lustrous was the first to pass away. He caught an unknown disease while traveling through the same swamp he had been accosted in all those years ago. Unfortunately nothing could be done and the news of his death didn’t reach his friends and family until nearly two months later. He was survived by his wife, his children, and grandchildren. Steel Wing was next. He served as Captain of the Royal Guard for many years and refused any attempts by the Princesses or his comrades to force him into retirement. In the last half-year of his life his health deteriorated rapidly but he was happy to know he would still die as Captain. Trail Blazer was unfortunately unable to make the trip to say goodbye to him. He died childless, ending his family line. Whether he wanted it to be that way or not is unknown as Steel Wing left behind no writings. Trail Blazer was the last. She had become a close friend of Lustrous’s family and was known to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren alike as everyone’s favorite aunt. At this point she was the only remaining pony of the ones who had been involved in the map making mission. To Lustrous’s family she was never known to go anywhere without a smile on her face, accepting of her life and refusing to be brought down and wallow anymore like when she was young. She passed away in her sleep as the oldest mare in the city with the painting of her and her friends hung up on the wall next to her. Many years later a studious Twilight Sparkle would glance over their names when reading about that chapter of Equestrian history. A copy of the painting and first map of Equestria were printed in the book along with them.