//------------------------------// // The Beginning // Story: The New World | The Fall of the Crystal empire // by Escalator //------------------------------// "In loneliness, in sickness, in confusion-the mere knowledge of friendship makes it possible to endure, even if the friend is powerless to help. It is enough that they exist. Friendship is not diminished by distance or time, by imprisonment or war, by suffering or silence. It is in these things that it roots most deeply. It is from these things that it flowers." -Pam Brown Equestra; Canterlot Region, Castle of the two sisters Celestia and Luna had been busy exploring the knowledge left behind by their late mentor Starswirl the Bearded whether it was medical, magical, or strength and power. But when the captain of the Royal Guard entered the old library, the princesses ceased their search and glided down from the bookshelves. "Your Highness, you have a visitor who brings urgent news," informed the Captain. "From where may I ask?" Celestia asked. "The Crystal Empire Your Highness, and she claims it's urgent," the Captain added. "Very well, thank you," Celestia thanked, as the captain saluted and left the room. "I wonder who or why did they send a message about?" Luna questioned. "I don't know sister, but we must answer it no doubt," Celestia replied, as the two exited the library and headed down the hall decorated with pony armor, portraits of old tribal leaders such as Commander Hurricane and Princess Platinum. Down another hallway was the hall of Peace seekers, with a special portrait reserved for the leader of the American Revolutionary Forces via, the first president of the Federation George Washington, who stared at the wall that the Sisters passed by to the throne room. Along the hallway are torches and torches, with the red carpet being the primary floor from the throne room to the back exit. As they entered the throne room Luna suddenly stood stiff in shock. "Luna is something wrong-" Suddenly Celestia sees that it wasn't a messenger at all... It was her soon-to-be apprentice Radiant Hope who stood in front of the thrones where the sisters stood. "Radiant Hope, I didn't expect you to be here at such a fast pace?" Celestia curiously queried. "I concur, you didn't bring anything? Unless..." "I'm sorry to come in here, but I came here for your help, my friend... He's..." "Ah, you never told us you've had a friend," Celestia chuckled, and Luna gave her the cold shoulder. "*ahem* right... What's wrong my little pony?" Celestia asked solemnly. Beastrop Province, Louis State "And with another yet striking victory for the Texan army! Griffonian armed forces are scattering on the run! Yeehaw, folks! Dem birds really don't like the taste of ur donated guns! And we get a new southern buddy haha! Give er' a good ol' friendly clap for that!" *Place non-realistic clapping here* "Hahaha! Anyways yer folks! Have a nice night! And remember! Birds think? SINCE WHEN!-" Meagan shuts off the radio after hearing the same old funny Southerner yapping his mouth off as Canter comes towards all packed with his lieutenant's helmet and equipment he'll need for the journey. The two are at the train station, and Canter had just been shipped to the northern border which spans up to more than hundreds of miles of bordered acres. Along it are trenches, foxholes, tank positions, and camps. "I hope you have a safe journey, Canter, I really hope you do," Meagan pleaded, as Canter chuckled and looked at the impregnated stomach that lay before him giving him a smile. "Ah don't worry, I'm going to be a daddy, and you'll be a mother," Canter smiled, as Meagan grabbed his hand and smiled back at him. "Do what you must to come back home, for our child Canter," Meagan expressed. Canter then grabbed her hand and the two kissed mouth to mouth, as a married couple's love before releasing their mouths from one another. "TRAIN DEPARTING TO STATION 60! ALL ABOARD!" Yelled the Conductor, as the train prepared to depart. "I promise, I will come back," he promised, as he ran towards the train with his ticket in hand handing it to the conductor he stamped it and climbed on board he sat in the private cabinet reserved for military officers, sitting on one of the Chairs is Lt. General Bradley who is reading a newspaper. "Good evening Lieutenant, I thought you'd never gotten on board." "My wife sir," "Ah, but you know the saying, a man does horrible things," Bradley paused, expecting Canter to finish. "To feed his family..." As he placed his luggage inside of the cabinet above the Conductor poked his body out after looking at his stopwatch and shouted. "ALL ABOARD! ALL ABOARD!" The train whistle blew and the smoke bellowed from the top of its funnel as it departed from the station everyone in the crowd waved their handkerchiefs toward the soldiers, relatives, and children who were departing to the north. Canter scanned around to find his wife before he spotted her waving her hands to him followed by his in-laws and his entire family as the train started picking up speed and finally they disappeared from his sight and into the land of plains and trees. Canter sat down on his chair as he watched tree after tree pass by him along with the farmer ponies either apple or pear families, along with corn and cotton farmers that spanned the plains collecting their usual cash crop in the evening time as Canter sat back with the sounds of his fellow officers chattering over politics, strategies and boring war stories. He went to West Point for this? He thought... And he would think that trains with faces weren't weird enough! Nevertheless, he never knew when he joined the military he would end up being some fortunate favor to the country's high leader Uncle Sam, of course being married he chose to rather stay with Meagan than an old bearded man with the power to shoot lasers from the tip of his fingers. And Meagan? Well hell, she was something else, the day he and she met he thought she was enough until she started telling him about how she rescued ponies from an evil being named Tirac (Or Tirek), and how she helped the princesses Celestia and Luna with some of the adventures along with some sort of Smooze Queen, Canter never felt lucky, to think that the family legacy he was getting himself into especially being related with the savior of humanity itself, though while he preferred to live his life normally he doesn't fray from it either, and he even told Meagan about it and at first she seemed ridiculed by it before he explained plainly and even showed her some of the artifacts along with showing her his 200-year-old Grandmother (which the Luther relatives are blessed with an expanded life span that can possibly span up to hundreds of years depending on the gender.) Of course, while his Grandmother died last year he and his wife lived happily together even in military service, and he is expecting a child. But as his train now tracks through a long way of railroad, he thought to himself what lays before him in the future... Which Creator himself shall show him...