//------------------------------//
// Strategy 
// Story: Guardians of Equestria 
// by Silverwind Blade 
//------------------------------//

[Celestia walked the halls of Canterlot castle, wrapped in thought, her rose-coloured eyes moved silently from sight to sight. As the guards at a door saluted her, she gave them a warm, beautiful smile and shook her head. “You know, you don’t have to do that any more”.
“Yes Prin- er, m’am.” The unicorn guard said, keeping his eyes fixed ahead. “We know we don’t  have to.” 
A slight blush rose on the alicorns snow-white cheeks, and she bowed her head in a gracious nod as she moved through the door, flapping her wide white wings and gliding down a staircase to the lower, subterraenean levels of the castle. Another pair of guards stood ahead, and came to attention and opened the door into a long, vaulted corridor. 
As her hoofsteps rang against the stone floor, she examined her thoughts. Twilight and her friends’ reports of the aftermath of Fillydelphia and the carnage there had sent her memory spiralling back thousands of years to much, much darker times. Of a castle broken by a division between sisters, and of a war between sun and moon that had left swathes of land devastated and scores of ponies dead. 
How long had it been since Equestria had fought anything that could be called a war? In the thousand years she had reigned alone, there had been battles, and the guard had been mobilised to fight on numerous occasions, certainly. They had guarded Equestria against danger, but they had always rallied under her banner and guidance. And, as the Princess of the Sun and its’ living avatar on Equus, her power had, most often, been enough to end any threat over the ten centuries of her solo reign. Only reluctantly and with reservation had she ever sent her ponies into danger. And even then, they had been equipped as best she could give them. 
Since then, well before her sisters’ return as first Nightmare Moon, and later as her true self, had neither her Solar Guard nor her sisters Lunar Guard ever had to fight in their true capacity. Instead, they had mostly been present for honour and ceremony, with some status as VIP security. Not for centuries had they had to mobilise in any force or strength with their real fighting equipment. 
In the face of the impending threat that Twilight and the rest had described, and their ability to consume magic in order to enhance themselves, the Royal Guards would be forced to rely on primitive tactics and weapons other than magic. It was a way that they had not fought... ever. 
It was inevitable than many of her Little Ponies would die. And the thought stabbed a blade of fear into her breast. Even if she was no longer the ruler of Equestria, the long, long centuries she had ruled and the form and shape she had given to Equestria and its’ culture and society, the unity and harmony she had given to her ponies and the other citizens of Equestria were her work, and she had put so much of her love into Equestria, and to all of her ponies, that anything that could hurt all she had made was like a wound to her. 
Despite herself, and her resolve, the snow-white alicorn felt tears well in her eyes at the thought. She had created a land of peace, friendship and harmony, where ponies would not have to fight and die. That they should have to...
She angrily scrubbed the back of one foreleg across her face. The anger was at herself for feeling so weak and sad, and at the situation for having come about. 
Taking a deep breath to clear her mind and control her breathing, she poised herself before the heavy, thick double doors, before lighting her magic and stepping through. 
Faces turned as she stepped through, and she gave a small, tight smile. “I’m sorry to be late, everypony. I was a little... distracted”
“Dawdling, Sister?” Luna said with a slight mocking tone, though one that came with a smile. “Most unlike you”
“Never mind, at least we’re all here,” Twilight replied, taking control of the floor as Celestia seated herself alongside Luna. The room was a virtual powerhouse of Equestria at that point. Three out of five alicorns, the whole council of friendship, Starswirl the Bearded, and a smattering of the other most powerful and notable ponies in Equestria, all bought together by Twilight’s call. 
“I don’t think I need to recount why we’re here,” Twilight began, her voice measured and serious. “You’ve all heard – or seen – what this new threat has done to Fillydelphia, and to other places too, as we’ve heard and found since. What we’re here to talk about is what to do next, and how we go about stopping it. I’ve never fought a war before. Never thought I’d have to, but it looks like we’re going to have to, whether we like it or not, which is why I’ve called you all here. You all have skills or experience we’re all going to need to be able to try and fight back, and stop any more creatures from- from dying unnecessarily.”
The words hung in the silence of the underground chamber for a moment, accompanied only by the quiet clearing of throats and the shifting of bodies on chairs, before Twilight picked up again. 
“Celestia, Luna; you have more experience than anypony here. I hate to bring up old times, and old memories – but I know that there were wars fought during your rule, and you won them. So, I want to draw on your knowledge. And the same with you Tempest Shadow – you commanded armies before, fought battles. If you’re willing to, then I’d like to ask for your help too”.
The three ponies in question exchanged looks, with a nod passing between Celestia a Luna, as the smaller of the two alicorns spoke up. 
“Of course, Twilight. As we have always said; we’re here whenever you need us, and defending Equestria is always something we will do with all of our will and strength. Our skills and experience are yours to command”. 
Tempest nodded firmly in agreement. “I’m no Princess, Twilight, or former one at least; but I can agree with everything Luna said. You reached out to me in friendship and gave me a chance. I’ve made Equestria my home, and found friends here among its’ people. All of my skills are yours”. 
Twlight nodded gratefully and smiled at all three, who returned the gesture with nods. 
“I will take care of the overall management of logistics, resources, and our strategic positioning” Celestia said confidently. “Luna will handle combat strategy and distribution of forces. Tempest; would you handle battlefield strategy?”
Tempest nodded briskly, while Luna gave a slight smile and a nod, while Twilight turned her attention to the other ponies. Sunburst and Starlight sat on the other side of the table, along with Star Swirl. 
“Sunburst, Starlight; you’re the only ponies other than I that I can think of that know nearly as much about magic or research – and wow, that sounded way less arrogant in my head – but it’s true all the same. If anypony can get some answers, I’d trust it to be you”.
Sunburst levitated his glasses off of his muzzle and polished them with the corner of his cape, while Starlight’s muzzle set into a firm line and she nodded . “Of course, Twilight” she answered. “Anything we can do, we’ll do. But,” she said with a frown, and one ear flicking, “why can’t you do the research with us? We’re more likely to find out what we need if all three of us are working on it”. 
Twilight looked to her friends, and then to Starswirl who kept a measured expression, running one hoof through his long white beard. 
“Because we’ll be somewhere else, Starlight. Starswirl?”  
The veteran unicorn stood and paced slowly to the head of the table . “Thank you, Twilight. For the rest of your benefit, as Twilight and I have already discussed my findings; I have information and knowledge that might yet help us all, and Equestria – Equus – altogether. 
“During my years of study and research,I came across many accounts of many civilizations, cultures and countries, and all manner of creatures. And when I received Twilight’s summons and warning about these creatures terrorising Equestria, it reminded me of something I had learned, long ago.”
Star Swirl’s horn lit with the glow of magic he illuminated a picture in the air, almost like a screen, showing the place he had been with Daring Do, showing the engraved ruins and the ancient stonework, high on the jungle plateau. 
“Hundreds of miles from here, far in the south east and on the very borders of Equestria on the Celestia Sea, I found this long, long, abandoned place. It was concordant with the research I had done many centuries ago, before I and the other Pillars were trapped in limbo. It related to an ancient civilization, old even before Equestria’s time, from far across the ocean, and how they had travelled to Equestria. Something about them, a warning or a message, told of creatures, a swarming army of them that were ever-changing as they swept across the land, consuming life and magic of others and growing bigger, more powerful, and more deadly as they did. And powered and driven only by their hollow hunger. The exploits that wrote of them called them Hollow Things.”
He paused, studying the faces around the table, all of them fixed on him as he spoke, many nodding in understanding of his words, faces tight and concerned or listening attentively. 
“It is my opinion that these creatures that have come to plague Equestria are the same things written of in these journals and essays from a far away land. Somehow, they have returned, many centuries later, to become a threat to us, too”.
“And Twilight and the others going on a quest is related to this?” Starburst asked as he leaned forward, looking up at the elder wizard with a curious expression. 
“That’s right, Starburst,” Starswirl answered with a nod. “The other thing that the journals mentioned, along with some other accounts I managed to find after much cross-referencing of the sealed sections of the Royal Archives here at Canterlot were that there was a titantic conflict, far across the ocean in this far away kingdom. They struggled, and fought for many moons against the Hollow Things. But the way they finally managed to turn the tide was through the use of six mighty Guardians. Not ponies or creatures, but some form of machine or device; the translation wasn’t clear. Apparently the Guardians drove the Hollow Things back enough that these ancient people managed to exile the Hollow Things.”
“So, if these ‘Guardians’ still exist, perhaps we can use their abilities in the same way,” Luna suggested, waving one hoof. “If Twilight and her friends can make the journey, then we too must hold the line here, for their return”.
Twilight nodded to her friends, who had tight, but firm expressions on their faces, mixed concern and determination as they sat opposite and looked at the other ponies around them. The lavender alicorn took position at the head of the table once more.
“It’s not a lot to go on. And these kingdom – Lemuria – may not even be there any more. Thousands of years have passed, and these Guardians – if they even exist – might have rusted to scrap by now, or been swallowed by earthquakes or volcanoes. But if it’s something that gives us a chance, then we have to try.”
“Ah don’t mean to be a stick in the mud,” Applejack said, raising a hoof. “An’ I sure ain’t sayin’ I won’t go with ya neither. But, are we sure this is the right course? An’ I don’t just mean goin’ after the Guardians. I mean, fightin’ a war and all. War just... ain’t the pony way, not to me at least. It just don’t seem right. We’ve used rainbow friendship lasers plenty of times, of course. But it’s always been that – friendship. Fightin’ folk and talkin’ about killing other ponies or sendin’ ‘em off to fight... it just doesn’t seem right. Shouldn’t we be tryin’ ta talk to these creatures?”
An uncomfortable silence fell on the room for a moment, and Twilight bowed her head, ears drooping.
“I keep asking myself the same thing, Applejack. And it doesn’t seem right. It doesn’t seem the pony way of doing things. But from everything Shadowfeather said, and from what the survivors of Fillydelphia said; these creatures don’t even talk. I want to resolve this peacefully, more than anything. And if there’s any other chance, any chance at all that this can be bought to a discussion, a truce, or a standstill, and that we can resolve this war with friendship as our option – then I’ll do everything to get that result. But in the meantime, we have to protect Equestria, and all of its’ creatures, until we can get to that point. And if that means going on a quest to try and learn more about these Hollow Things and to retrieve these Guardians, then that’s what I believe in”.
Applejack nodded, though her expression stayed one of resigned disappointment. 
“Well,” Pinkie said, smiling as she bounced up onto the table with all four hooves. “If we’re going on a trip, then I’ll pack us plenty of supplies! After all, a trip with friends to a whole new place is going to be super exciting! Think of all the new places we’ll get to see, all the new friends we’ll get to meet, and all the new parties there’ll be to have. And ooooh, we’ll have to have travel games to pass the time, and songs to sing while we’re camping too! Especially since we’ll need something to keep our spirits up, when the nights get cold, and lonely, and we’re far away from home! But we’ll make it through, since we’ll be together, and I’ll be the morale officer for our trip, too!” 
She grinned widely at the rest, reaching out to scoop them into an impossible hug, tight enough to make everypony’s eyes bulge as she squeezed them with improbable earth-pony strength.
“Oh, I can’t wait!”

Canterlot Castle and the city surrounding it clung to the steep, western face of Mount Unicornia.      On the northern face of the mountain, arranged in stepped platforms and tiered plazas stood the cities’ airship port. Braced and suspended jetties jutted out into the air, hundreds or thousands of feet above the forested foothills and rolling meadowlands that surrounded the mountain at the heart of Equestria and formed the bustling hub of transportation that connected the city with all corners of Equestria and beyond, as much as the railways did.  
As convenient and efficient as the railways and trains were to reach most parts of the country, for direct travel without a timetable, and for venturing outside of Equestria, nothing could be an airship. This was why Twilight and the rest were boarding an airship, assigned from the Royal Flight for their express use in the quest to recover the Guardians from wherever it was they were located. 
Star Swirl had provided Twilight with a full transcription of his notes and the research he’d followed, and a scribe had been assigned as part of the group leaving on the quest to work as Twilight’s aide and to decipher and adapt more of the veteran wizards’ notes to lead them in the right direction, and hopefully give them further knowledge of the mysterious land of Lemuria.  
Their first stop wasn’t even to be overseas; to begin with, they’d be visiting the ruins that Star Swirl had been studying to begin with, as if it were from the same civilization, perhaps it would have more clues.  

Standing at the deck rail aboard the airship, Rainbow Dash looked out over the bustle of the docks with a sense of, despite the reasons behind their quest, building excitement. Her wings were spread upright behind her, betraying her mood as she stood with both forehooves on the deck railing, her rose-coloured eyes scanning over the quayside. The thump of hooves against the deck coming from behind twitched a cerulean ear, and she glanced back to see Applejack step up, the orange earth pony nodding with a smile as she took position alongside her close friend and oftentime rival. 
“So, I can tell yer gettin’ excited over all of this. Not that ah’m surprised,” she said with a slight smirk at her friend. “After all, it is pretty in yer wheelhouse”.
“Of course,” the pegasus replied with a grin, and a nudge against the more muscular mares’ shoulder. “Adventure, travelling to far off lands, discovering an ancient culture and all in an epic race against time; it’s just like-”
“A Daring Do book?” Applejack finished, raising one eyebrow and support her muzzle on one hoof. Rainbow made a face at the other mare, who chuckled softly, as they both looked out over the docks once more. 
“Although,” Rainbow said a few moments later, her voice more subdued, but eyes still looking out over the bustle as supplies were loaded aboard the airship and ponies along with them. “This isn’t really like a Daring Do novel as it’s a lot more real. Well,” she said with a frown. “I mean, Daring Do is real, and so are a lot of her adventures, but-”
“Ah know what ya mean,” Applejack said, in the same measured tone. “It sounds like a right excitin’ trip when ya say it out loud, or try and tell anypony about it. But when it comes down to it, it’s because there’s gonna be ponies fightin’ and dyin’ while we’re out there on our adventure. An’ Celestia only knows what we’re gonna come across while we’re out there too. There could be anythin’ waitn’ across that ocean. ‘Specially if it’s where these things came from originally, too.” She took her hat off and held it between her hooves, letting the breeze ruffle her blond locks. “Ah ain’t scared to say that I dunno what’s out there, what’s gonna happen to us, or to Equestria. An’ that scares the livin’ piss outta me. Those things, rovin’ across Equestria, killin’ ponies and all sorts of creatures alike without any care or thought. All while we’re lookin’ fer an answer and lettin’ other ponies do the fightin’... what if they make it ta Ponyville. Granny Smith, Applebloom, Big Mac an’ Sugar Belle. And the farm itself an’ all it means ta me... Losin’ any of ‘em would be like losin’ a part of myself”.
A blue wing unfolded from Rainbow’s side and, uncomfortably and cautiously, draped itself over the orange ponies’ withers as she spoke awkwardly, and slowly. 
“I’m... not good at this kinda stuff,” she awkwardly in her scratchy tomboy voice. “But I know that with all of us together – you and me, and all of our friends – we somehow always find a way through, or find a way to do what needs to be done. But... I’m worried too,” she said in a quieter, more confidential voice to the earth pony, leaning against her friend. “I think of the same thing; of my parents in Cloudsdale, or of Scootaloo or any of the others back in Ponyville being hunted down. And I think back to all those rows of covered up sheets in that field in Fillydelphia, and those... those smaller sheets, and imagine if it was somepony I knew...” she faltered and her gaze lowered to the docks, and past the jetties to the open air below. 
“I dunno, AJ. It makes me just want to leap into the sky and start flying until I’m too tired to think of anything else except sleeping, or being someplace so far away it just doesn’t matter any more. Does... that make me a coward?”
Applejack looked back to the blue mares’ face as she looked over, searching for some kind of answer in the farmer ponies’ face. 
“Rainbow, I think y’all are about as far away from bein’ a coward as it’s possible fer a pony ta be. I’ve seen y’all square up to things five times yer size an’ never back down, an’ take on... well, frankly crazy challenges too. Y’all are braver than anyone else I know. An’ showin some concern for what’s goin’ on and few yer folk ain’t any kind of bein’ a coward. Y’all are just as much a pony as the rest of us, an’ it’s okay ta be scared of what might happen. Reckon it just makes us want ta fight more, sometimes”. 
Rainbow rested her chin on her folded forelegs as Applejack spoke, feeling reassured by her words. Applejack was undoubtedly honest; after all, it was her Element of Harmony, and her straight-forwardness was one of the traits she admired in the other mare. Applejack raised one forehoof and rubbed it over the pegasus’ withers gently, enjoying the moment of calm and clarity amidst the bustle, before Rainbow sat up and peered down at the quayside. 
“Wait a second – is that Spitfire and the Wonderbolts?”

“Are you sure this is really necessary? I mean, it’s not like we haven’t faced things on our own before. And surely the battle here will need your skills. After all, you are the best fliers in Equestria”. Twilights’ protests looked to be fallin on deaf ears as she tried to appeal to Spitfire at the bottom of the airships’ gangplank. The gold-coated mare simply held the same stern, cool expression she always favoured as she looked on at the princess of Equestria. 
“It’s not all of us, Princess,” she replied, gesturing behind her to the four other blue-suited pegasi that accompanied her. “Only me and four hoof-picked fliers. And Rainbow Dash, of course. The rest of the Wonderbolts are staying in Equestria. They’ll be taking care of duties on the front line. With Soarin leading them, they’ll do fine.”
Twilight frowned in exasperation, ears flattening to her skull. Already there were more ponies on this trip than she had wanted; the airships’ crew had been enough, but then there was the addition of a platoon of Guardsponies, and their supporting elements. Now Spitfire, Fleetfoot, Misty Fly, Fire Streak and Thunderlane had been added to their numbers, bringing the airship close to full complement, and adding more to their numbers. What had started out as a simple quest, full of urgency, was turning into a expedition with a growing mass of logistics weighing them down. 
“Princess, you might need us to scout ahead, or take on any problems you come across. Not to mention, if any messages need to be couriered back-”
“Fine, fine,” muttered Twilight, rolling her eyes. “You’ve convinced me, Spitfire. You’d best get on board and find yourselves some quarters and stow your luggage away. We’ll be leaving port soon”.
“Yes m’am,” the fire-maned pegasus barked in reply, showing no obvious sense of satisfaction at coming out on top of the discussion. “Move it, ponies! Let’s get aboard!” They trotted past her, nodding in greeting and recognition as they filed aboard, while Pinkie Pie came up alongside her, back laden with a stack of bags and packages.
“The Wonderbolts? We’re taking in-flight entertainment with us too? That’s neat!” 
“I wish that’s why they were there, Pinkie. And I hope that’s all we do need them for”.
“It’ll be okay, Twilight,” Pinkie said with an ever-present smile as the last of the pegasi went up the ramp. “We’ve always come out on top over whatever baddies we come up against, especially with you leading us. You’re always smarter than you think you are, and you know we all believe in you to get it right – and you’ve got us too. And let’s face it,” she said conspiratorially, leaning close. “We are pretty amazing when we’re together”. 
Twilight smiled at the pink earth pony, who grinned in reply. The alicorn nodded to the bags on her back. “Is that all yours, Pinkie? I mean, I’ve packed too, but that many bags is something I’d expect from Rarity, not you”. 
Pinkie craned her neck almost impossibly to look at the bags across her back and nodded. “Oh, yeah, those are all mine! All important for the trip, too. I figured if we’re going to strange, new lands and new civilizations, that I’d better make sure we’re ready to make friends with any creatures we come across. And what makes friends better than cakes! I packed extra baking supplies just in case, along with plenty of party supplies for any new friends we might make too. I mean, the place we’re going might be where these nasties came from, sure, but there’s bound to lots of other places where we might make friends. After all, that’s basically what we do, right?” 
Twilight grinned at the candy-floss haired pink pony and shook her head in amusement. “Of course, Pinkie. Who knows what creatures we’ll meet, and it’s good to see one of us at least has the right idea”. Pinkie grinned in reponse and bounced her way up the gangplank on the tips of her hooves, singing nonsense to herself as she did so.  
Looking up to the deck, she could see the others mostly onboard, talking amongst themselves as they moved from point to point. Crew ponies moved around as well, preparing the lines to cast off, or tying down supplies or equipment on deck. Idly, she let her eyes roam over the shape and lines of the airship again, as she had nearly a half-dozen times since they’d arrived earlier that morning. The ship was one of the newest ones in Equestria’s fleet. It was typical of the newer breed of airship being built by Canterlots’ shipyards, and incorporated numerous advanced design concepts and knowledge gained from new approaches to building. Instead of a suspended gasbag above the main body of the vessel, it instead made the gasbag central to the design, the main hull being built over and alongside the gasbag. The vessel had a much sleeker profile with this being the case, making it look far more swift and elegant. The ships’ prow was a raked back, sharp-looking affair, and the decks extremely streamlined and flowing, with only the bridge raised toward the stern, enclosed beneath a smoothly arched and curved cabin. Much of the ship was constructed of laminates of thinner steel alloy plating and other lighter materials than the old-style wood-and-brass construction. Mana batteries below deck were charged by unicorns – or alicorns – to power the ducted propellors at the back and the sets of parallel rudders to steer once underway. All in all, the ship was much sleeker and more streamlined than anything Equestria had built to date, and to Twilights’ eyes, it looked like one of the hi-tech spaceships she’d seen in the comic books and movies of Sunset’s world, on the other side of the magic mirror portal. 
Her eyes moved back to the prow of the ship and the name emblazoned upon it, her lips curving upward in approval. Sun Chaser. It was a fine name, for a fine ship. 
The flutter of wings turned her head back to the quayside, and she gave a smile of surprise and greeting. Celestia alit on the jetty alongside her, as did another familiar pony; none other than Daring Do, clad in her outfit for adventure. 
“Celestia! And Daring Do? I’m happy to see both of you, although a bit surprised at your being here, Daring Do”.
“Nice to see you again, Princess,” the tan-coloured pegasus mare said with a firm smile. “And I hadn’t quite expected it myself, but it seemed like the best way to do my part. I was working on that site you’re heading to with Star Swirl, and if there’s ancient ruins to be found, mapped and explored, then there’s no pony better”.
“I can say I disagree with that,” Twilight said with a smile. “And I’m sure having you with us will make a lot of difference and give us an advantage when we do get to the ruins.”
“No problem, Princess. I just want to do whatever I can, and if for once one of my adventures helps Equestria in a big way, then so much the better”.
“Thank you, Daring Do. And you don’t have to call me Princess,” she said with a chuckle and a wince. “It sounds so... formal. Just call me Twilight”. 
The tan mare grinned. “All right Princess Twilight,” she said with a chuckle, and flapped her wings, heading up to the deck of the airship. Celestia smiled in amusement as she departed, and the pair of alicorns were left alone on the quay. 
“Celestia...” Twilight said, unsure of what to say. 
“Twilight,” the older mare said, stepping closer and wrapping her into a warm and comforting hug. “Luna and I will take control of things here. You and your friends will find the answers you seek, I’m sure of it.”
“That’s just it, everypony else seems to be a lot more sure of it than I do,” Twilight said into Celestia’s snowy-white chest fur. “It’s not like we haven’t done things like this before, but this time it just seems so much more... desperate than before. Equestria has been at stake before, but sometimes this just seems so much more worse”. 
“I know, Twilight. And I agree, it does seem like the stakes are so much higher this time. And even if you don’t believe in yourself, all of us will always believe in you. You’ve always shown that with your friends beside you, you can do anything. I believe that and I know that you do too. And you’ll always be able to contact me while on your journey; you can always get to me through Spike’s magic. In fact,” she said straightening up and giving a firm look at the younger alicorn mare. “I insist you send me regular reports, and I shall be doing the same to keep you updated of the course of the war. We’ve already had our first strategy meeting, and the reserves are being mobilised, along with war reserve equipment being bought out of storage. We’ll be ready for them next time, Twilight, and they shan’t roll over us so easily next time, I assure you”.
Twilight looked up at the taller, older alicorn with surprise and admiration; her voice had taken on a far more stern and forceful tone, one she’d heard only a few times before when her mentor had dealt with dire circumstances. It was... almost thrilling to hear, though scary at hte same time with the implications it held. 
“I believe in you and Luna as well, Celestia. And all of our friends, and the other ponies too. I know you’ll do everything you can to slow these Hollow Things down, and that Starlight and Sunburst will do everything they can to find out about them as well”. 
Celestia nodded knowingly. “Of course, Twilight. We’ll make you proud, and I know you’ll do the same. Now, I came here to see you off and wish all of you luck. You shouldn’t keep everypony else waiting”. She arched her head in the direction of the ship, spreading her wings and giving Twilight a beatific smile. The younger alicorn grinned in return and spread her wings, flying up to the deck and alighting gently. As her hooves touched the deck, the captain of the ship called out orders. Lines were untied and thrown clear, the gangplang retracted into the hull, and below decks, unicorns charged their horns and fired magical energy into the receptors attached to the vessels’ engines. As the magical energy grew and multiplied, coursing along conduits to the engines, the mana storage batteries glowed increasingly bright. As the glow reached an even, sky blue, a unicorn engineer threw a series switches and levers, opening circuits and conduits, channeling the energy to the driveshafts for the propellors and levitation engines. He leant his muzzle close to a speaking tube, informing the ships’ captain that power was ready. In return, the captain called out to all hands to stand by to leave port, and he called for ahead, slow speed. The propellors built up speed with a thudding rumble and the ship shuddered from bow to stern, starting to move, at less than a walk at first.
Heads turned up from work all across the quayside as the Sun Chaser started to move. Cheers and waves went out across the docks as the gleaming, elegant vessel started to move. Twilight and her friends looked out across the railing, waving to other ponies as the ship started to move, leaving the quayside behind. All of them shifted their gaze as one figure in particular looked up at them, the elegant and beautiful figure of Celestia, her wings spread and raised and watching them with an expression of serenity and nodding as their eyes fell upon her. 
The last of the dockside slipped behind the stern of the airship and the mountain receded, the spires and towers of Canterlot castle sliding into view as the vessel gained distance from the airship docks and steered onto its’ southerly course, the castle now sliding past the vessels’ port side.  
The captain rang for more speed, and the ships’ propellors grew from a rumble into a full-throated roar, and the heart of Equestria started to slip away. Twilight and her friends stood by the railing, watching as Canterlot grew smaller – and, as important to all of them, the little cluster of buildings on the rolling plains at the heart of the nation that marked Ponyville grew smaller still.