Once upon a time, the land of Equestria was ruled by a pair of benevolent, magical Alicorns. I know, I know, you’ve heard this one before. Younger sister gets jealous blah blah…to the moon, blah blah blah Elements of Harmony, blah blah blah… and a gang of young fillies saves the day with the magic of friendship, the end. Sure, it makes a good story. It might even manage to pass as a cartoon series for foals, if foals anywhere outside of Canterlot Central had time to watch cartoons that is.
The whole thing with the Elements of Harmony is true of course. At least, some of the story is. I only know what they taught us back in school when I was a squeaker. Of course, the schools are run by Canterlot Central, so everypony knows they ain’t telling us low-life district ponies the whole story. Whatever the truth really is, it’s been lost in the last thousand years since…
I’m getting off track. Sorry, I ramble a bit when I get worked up. Here is a brief history of Equestria from the time of Princess Luna’s return to now. At least, this is what They have told us happened.
All was peaceful in Equestria for a handful of years after the younger princess was restored. Then things began to go wrong. Though “Nightmare Moon” had been obliterated, leaving only Luna behind, she found herself questioning the judgment of Our-Great-Wise-Most-Wonderful-Protector-Her-Royal-Holy-Highness Celestia (May she ever show us her favor). Princess Luna did not understand Our Great Etc. Celestia’s master plan for making Equestria great, and questioned her older sister and her laws.
Time passed and the younger princess became convinced she could run things better than her sister. So she began to try to undermine Our Great Whatever Celestia’s authority. Eventually, this turned into a fully-fledged rebellion. Luna had a gift for persuasion and twisted it to turn even her sister’s most faithful, the wielders of the Elements of Harmony themselves, against Celestia. Even the unicorn Twilight Sparkle, who Celestia herself had called her most faithful student, fell sway to Luna’s influence.
The rebellion grew and it came to war. Much was destroyed beyond repair and many lives were lost. In the final, tragic battle, Celestia struck out to destroy the wielders of the Elements, who were Luna’s generals and as such were traitors to all Equestria once stood for. Luna looked around her and finally came to her senses and out of shame and regret for the destruction she had wrought, the alicorn princess threw herself in the path of Celestia’s attack, deflecting it and saving the lives of her generals at the cost of her own life.
Celestia, though wracked with grief over her sister’s death, pulled together what was left of Equestria under a strict order. Those who had betrayed her and Equestria, along with all their descendants, were organized into the districts. There, they would work to rebuild what their treachery and rebellion had destroyed. Those who had remained loyal (most notably the Blue Blood line) were gathered in to Canterlot to form Canterlot Central, so that they and their descendants would always be with their beloved leader.
However, though she wished to be merciful, The Great Celestia knew that justice had to be served so that no pony would ever forget what became of traitors. So, on the anniversary of Luna’ s death, she ordered a lottery of all the young ponies between twelve and sixteen in the districts. From each district, two earth ponies, two unicorns and two Pegasus were chosen, one colt and one filly of each. Among this first group were the famous Applebloom, sister of the traitor of Field District, Sweetiebelle, sister of the traitor of Polish District and Scootaloo, ward of the traitor of Cloud District.
These and the others chosen fought each other to the death in the first Harmony Games. This was to recreate for all the traitor districts, the horror and loss of the Great War, so they would never ever forget and try rebelling again. Celestia, ever merciful, decreed that the last pony standing, the winner, would earn special favor from her for themselves and their district. Applebloom won the first games.
Since that day, the games have come and gone nine hundred and ninety nine times. This year will be the year of the Thousandth Harmony Games. It is also the year I turn twelve. Lucky me.