The New Lunar Republic: Leviathan
In the darkness of the void, the stars and planets of the Solar Empire hung like gossamer jewels. The planet Aquarion was one such gem, named so for its bountiful blue oceans and cyan sun. The greatest city of Aquarion was the bustling metropolis of Sunspire. It was located on the great ice-covered northern continent, its towering solar arrays shined like a beacon across the expansive tundra. Snow drifted lazily, unhurriedly upon the city streets as ponies of every stripe and color went about their daily business. And upon one such street a young unicorn colt and one shy filly pegasus walked.
The unicorn wore a serious expression and walked with purpose, his newly obtained cutie mark shining on his flank. The pegasus trotted behind him meekly, eyes downcast. Winter Reverie stopped dead, causing the trailing pegasus to bump her head into his flank. She looked at him in surprise and shivered in the cold. His head swiveled round to stare straight into her eyes, his own seemingly carved of blue ice against his white coat and deep cobalt streaked mane.
“Are you going to keep following me?” She flinched back, ears flattening against her scalp. She looked down and twirled the tip of her hoof through the frozen drifts then glanced up and nodded. He kept looking at her for a few seconds longer and sighed, tilting his head back to gaze into the overcast sky.
“Fine.” He began walking again. “My name is Winter Reverie, what’s yours?” Silence greeted him.
“Well?” He waited a while longer before he heard a faint squeak. Winter stopped and turned around again. The pale unicorn glared daggers at the younger winged pony. She practically cowered and opened her mouth but no words came. Instead, she unfurled her wings and began to move them in a deliberate, non flapping manner. He recognized it immediately.
“Wing Sign? So you can’t talk huh.” She nodded. “Take it slow, I’m rusty.” A fearful glance and a faint, equally fearful smile flashed his way before she started to move her wings through the different positions of Wing Sign, the language of pegasus ponies who could not speak.
“Cr-y-stal Fl-our-ish. Crystal Flourish huh? Well alright then Crystal, how far are you willing to follow me?” She signed carefully, her fuchsia feathers swishing the delicate water crystals.
“All the way, if it means leaving this place.” He repeated her words. “I suppose that’s good enough.” Reverie began walking down the street again, the mute pegasus filly in tow. The adult citizens of Sunspire paid no attention to the two young ponies. They were just more motes of life, swept along with the flow of the boulevard.
“I’m going to the docks to see if I can’t get hired on as help on one of the ships. We don’t have money so that’ll be the best way to get off world besides stowing away, which would be stupid anyway.” Sirens grew in the distance and a bright red fire wagon blared past. Winter Reverie caught a snippet of conversation floating along the crowd.
“Did you hear? They say Celestia's School For Gifted Youth caught fire!” He glanced back at Crystal and jerked his head to make her hurry. The quickest way to the orbital dockyards took the two ponies through one of the many city squares, full of citizens of every hue and stripe of life. Business ponies, lawyers, wagon drivers, executives, carpenters, spacers, pilots, and everything above and below. It was into one of these open areas that Winter and his companion sought to cut through.
A loud, but pleasant chime sounded through the air and all the massive screens that had once been scrolling pertinent news bulletins and various advertisements went black. An urgent notice flashed twice followed by a shot of a crème colored mare seated behind a news desk. She cleared her throat and spoke in a rehearsed calm.
“Attention citizens, this is an urgent announcement. I repeat, this is an urgent announcement by our lady, Princess Luna.” Nearly everypony in the square had stopped to stare. Winter Reverie and Crystal Flourish no exception. The screens all faded to black once again and then were replaced with the most regal pony Winter had ever seen. While he had seen the image of Empress Celestia poised with all her authority and ruling grace, she was different from her sister.
Luna’s beauty was subtle, unquestionable, and breathtaking. A cerulean crown rested among her flowing star field mane. Her gentle eyes seemed to be looking directly at him. The camera was focused on her from the middle up. Worry creased her brow and determination set her jawline tight. She began to speak and Winter Reverie felt himself sink into the velvety sound even as the snow piled on his back.
“My little ponies, I returned to you many years ago as nightmare moon, a terrible creature that was defeated thanks to the brave efforts of six courageous souls. Words cannot express my joy at my own defeat and my return to you, to everypony that was abandoned in my exile. Only love and unconditional acceptance has greeted me. And for that, thank you! Thank you all!” She proclaimed this loudly and everypony cheered their hearts joy. Princess Luna let happiness curl the corners of her mouth before it fell back into a frown.
“But the things I have seen in my return have… disturbed me. I watched the Solar Empire of my dear sister flourish from my own star bound prison, marveling at it. In the recent years however, I have seen the cancer that has festered in its heart.” Whispers started to float through the still air.
“I cannot ignore what this kingdom has become. I tell you now that this empire is corrupt!” Ponies gasped all around but none could tear away from the Alicorn’s speech. “I can no longer turn a blind eye to what has happened and is happening even now. I come before you to say that my sister, whom we all love, has become a tyrant!” She stamped a hoof and several ponies jumped.
“I come before you now to tell you I shall do what should have been done a thousand years ago! But I shall not do it out of bitterness, out of a desire to rule. I do it for all my little ponies who now suffer in this Solar Empire! I remember when everypony was free! Free from the horrors and cruelties all of you face! And it is with a heavy, but resolute heart that I declare my withdrawal from my sister’s empire. And I declare the founding of a new state.” Winter could have sworn he could hear the very snowflakes cracking against the ground in the silence.
“By the powers vested in my, I secede from the Solar Empire and raise the flag of the New Lunar Republic!” Her voice reached a crescendo, the camera view zoomed back and a banner was unfurled behind her, a crescent moon, backed by a pair of wings on a lavender field.
“In this New Republic all shall be free! All shall live by the ancient amendments laid down at the very founding of the Equestrian kingdom. This Republic shall stand against the Empire and the horrific ideals it has come to uphold. All ponies are welcome. Any planets who swear themselves to us shall be given protection, every citizen offered asylum.” The camera zoomed out further to reveal serried ranks of earth and unicorn soldiers as pegasi zoomed overhead. It was an awesome display of martial might. And before it all stood Princess Luna, clad in purple metal embossed with winged moons.
“In this new unity lies strength! The strength needed to overthrow tyranny! Out of our scattered dreams we shall forge a new destiny among the stars! And know that I shall watch over you. From this day forward, let it be said that freedom lives once again, and that she shall never be silenced.” The next words shook every pony to their core.
“For the New Lunar Republic!” She cried, and from behind her, the answering call of over ten-thousand voices took up the rallying phrase. The volume of it vibrated the air.
“For the New Lunar Republic!”
The video feed cut to a static image of the flag that had been shown. For a time no pony dared move, frozen in the snow by what they had heard. Soon though, individuals started to move, realizing the implications, the chaos civil war would bring and the preparations that needed to be made. Soon everypony was running or hurrying in one direction or another.
Winter Reverie slowly felt a smile creep onto his face.
“I think I know our destination. Still need to sign on to a ship though. And I think I know just the one. You still coming with me crystal?” She signed back unflinchingly.
‘All the way.’
Author's notes: Alright, this little teaser I whipped up a little while ago because there is no decent (That I've found) pony fiction set in space, or at least of a New Lunar Republic nature. This fic shall have a bastardized amalgamation of various space combat mechanics that I feel fit to throw at the wall to see what sticks. Why? Because I love epic space combat, huge guns, futuristic cannons, and the thought of planetary bombardment makes me giddy. Oh, and ponies, love them ponies too.
So, if this little prologue (And maybe first chapter) get enough positive attention I'll see about putting time into this little tale. To everyone who's reading Fire Ghost, don't worry, it's still my number one priority at the moment.