//------------------------------// // Parole // Story: Rise of an Empire, Fall of Another // by Kyuubi325 //------------------------------// --------- New Timbuktu Old Gaol Prison Special Block 1:32pm; three days after the capture of the Equestrian scouting force Pumpkin and Summers were quietly eating a thick meat stew they made during a cooking class with the Gryphon they met earlier. Her name was Gretchen. However, before they could finish, their meal was interrupted by an electronic crackle. “Zzzzzzzt...Attention residents, today’s announcements are as follows…..residents Slate the Pegasus and Mug the unicorn will be exiting solitary today……dinner specials will be garden salad grown by our residents and fishloaf, all prepared by the top students in the cooking class...Pumpkin and Summers please head to the Warden's office. There will be two corrections officers waiting at gate 3….zzzzzt.” The two guard stallions said their goodbyes to Gretchen. As they walked away, she waved and went back to finishing her lunch. “I thought they said it could take almost two weeks...” Summer says, as they make their way over to a heavy metal door marked with a yellow letter 3. it was guarded by two burly Zebras wearing simple blue uniforms. One opened the gate, and said “Please follow us…” before heading down a maze of different hallways. The walls were made of both hard brick and a smooth gray stone that lacked the traditional marks of masonry. After going through countless security gates they came upon a set of Oak doors. One of the Zebras escorting him pressed a switch, which then emitted a faint alarm. The doors opened afterward, as if by magic. “We will now enter the warden’s office. Any hostile action will be punished severely.' they say in unison as the door opens, revealing an old zebra stallion with a sour look and a tight suit sitting behind a Rose Wood desk. “Ah yes...Knight Summers and the Lunar guardsman Pumpkin. Let’s see; your in here for interfering with a military operation near the badlands. Mind telling me why Equestria has seen it fit to invade our lands with a scouting force? Hasn’t your country done enough to Zebrica?” he says, his voice empty of any form of worry. “You’re lucky we didn’t dump you two and your belligerent friends in the high security block with the scum, but guess what happened shortly after you arrived? I got a fucking telegram from the Britanians to let you go with this..." he throws a wax sealed envelope on his desk. The two orderlies motioned Summer's to pick it up. “You will also receive a package to deliver to your leaders” he says, glaring. “Your fellow Equestrians will meet you at the motor poo.l” Before they could even ask what was going on, they were lead to their cells to gather their belongings. “Hey, you stiffs leaving?” they turn from their packing to see Gretchen looking at them with a smile. “Yeah...they're sending us back over the border to deliver a message and package to the princess…” Pumpkin says sadly, having become fond of the hen. “It’s ok dude. I get out soon and the talk on the radio says that parliament has been discussing opening diplomatic talks with other nations soon” she says. "I’m sure I’ll see you guys later” she winks, pecking them on the cheek before hugging them close. Badlands 37 km from Recognized Equestrian border Zebrican Diplomatic Convoy 3:21am Pumpkin sat uncomfortably between two Diamond Dogs as they road inside the metal carriage. It tore through the dunes and roared nonstop, having long since passed the Equestrian Midway Station with ease without stopping. He looked over at the two Dragoons, as they were called. They were named Lawrence (a young mutt with a grey muzzle and short floppy ears, wearing a tan military uniform with a number of metals) and Taylor (a short Diamond Dog known as a fox hound Diamond dog, with reddish fur that contrasted with the gray fur of his commander. He had a pair of white tipped ears that likely inspired his breed's namesake.) He chewed on a dried leaf, and spat a dark mucus out the open cabin of the vehicle. Pumpkin had heard their vehicle was called a “Cheverolet 30 CWT”. He leanedhis ears away from the snarling engine ahead of him. and turned his eyes behind him to see the 4 “Karrier” trucks following them. Their backs were covered with canvas, protecting the occupants and cargo from the harsh elements. Despite the roaring of the machines he could still hear Summers arguing with Mug and Slate about that was happening. Even after seeing the prison and the Zebra's new allies they still refused to accept that Zebrica had changed that quickly. Any and all information about the Zebras was now obsolete, as their culture was in flux after making contact with the Britanians. As they exited the city he saw small glimpses of just what had changed since they had come in contact with the Diamond Dogs. Machines paving streets...machines pulling carts…machines lighting the streets. Just what kind of race are the Britanian Diamond Dogs? What interested him the most was what he couldn’t see; just how radios project sound, what mechanism powered their vehicles, and what sort of government was a Parliamentary Republic? These were questions his Princess would ask, but he had few answers since his time in Zebrica was so too short. He shook his head; he loved his princess Luna, but sadly patience was one of the few virtues she lacked. He smiled, reminding himself that it was sometimes a blessing as well. He slowly relaxed on the back of the dusty seats, adjusting his leathery wings to try and get comfortable as he closed his eyes. He thought of the differences he saw between Equestrian Diamond Dogs and Britanians, mainly the females with their lack of mangy hides and slender forms with soft chests. Then there were the males; Britanian males lacked the hunched posture, the sloped brows, and the bulky gorilla like arms of Equestrian Diamond Dogs. It was strange looking at them; they were stunningly different, but similar to their barbaric cousins. For example, while their forearms weren’t as bulky or long they had similar digits on their paws (a bit longer and more dexterous); their tails ranged from small subs to long fluffy monstrosity’s; their muzzles still had the same amount of variation as Equstrian Diamond Dogs, some being flat or long; finally, despite the fact they washed he could still compare the scent to Equestrian Dogs. He shook his head again, before nodding his head back into the seat. He just wanted to get some sleep... Counsel of Nobles Canterlot Capital of Equestria 11:37am “What you are saying is completely mad!!! You expect us, those of an impeccable pedigree, to believe for one moment that a group of metal behemoths with diamond dogs riding their backs are approaching our borders!? That our great guards ponies were captured on their mission by those over grown mongoloids!?” Jet Set yelled along with his wife Upper Crust as they glared down at the shaking pegasus guard, who just nodded in response. Fancy shook his head, while Blueblood rested his head on his hoof, tired. He had been called to the sudden emergency meeting. only to watch Jet and Crust spend the last hour screaming at the guard stallion, who was only doing his job. “Let’s read over it again shall we?” Sir Platinum shook his sliver mane out of his eyes as he spoke calmly, but with the same pride as his ancestor Princess Platinum once mustered.“From your report you say that at 4:21am a caravan made up of metal self-driven wagons ridden by diamond dogs, Zebras, and our missing scout force showed up at our outpost?” he asks, looking down at the guard who nods. Platinum shook his head in disbelief Blueblood finally had enough, and sent a message to the princesses using his magic. He know that the nobility would likely try and prevent the Princess from using her constitutional powers of diplomacy to overrule them, having arranged for her to have a nice brunch with a few of the provisional mayors from nearby townships, using their own reasonable complaints to distract her. “I think this has gone on long enough! I’m sure this guard stallion has proof of his claims, as outlandish as they seem.” He says calmly but firmly, like Fancy had taught. He only smiled when he saw the guard stallion nod and pull out wax sealed envelope from under his armor. He could see the small group of noble’s pale as they saw evidence of their worst fears. Even if some of the story was wrong, if Zebrica had a true government instead of the squabbling warlords then the loophole they used to skip around the Princess was now void. The princess had the power of diplomacy only if the country they were opening trade with had a stable government (originally put into place for her own safety). That was what allowed them to trade with the warlords in the first place rather than have to spend their precious bits on the unwashed (as they believed) tribal zebra. It was at that moment the large carved oak doors were forced open with a gold aura (despite being locked) as two irate Alicorns forced their way in. Celeista glared at the seated nobles. “I was told that there was nothing of importance today…. That I would finally be able to talk to representatives from our many townships about how to fix our impending economic crisis, made worse by yourlaziness and greed! Now imagine my surprise that while I was discussing solutions to try and weather the oncoming disaster I find out about this meeting! That after I was denied by you wenches to help the Zebras with our considerable surplus of funds to help and prevent warlords from rising to considerable power on the land to the south of us, you instead decide to add to the growing fire by giving them old swords, shields, and countless enchanted goods! For what? Sugar for your tea? Wood and stone to build your new vacation home? I shudder to call any of you nobles, who likely had a hoof in why the Grphyons cut off contact with us…..give me the letter!” she orders the shaking guard, as the nobles curse there luck. She brings the letter to her eyes, breaking the seal and reading the letter. “So this is why your lied… apparently the reason was that your precious warlords you all propped up are either dead or awaiting trial by the newly established Zebrican government along with their new allies. So what was your plan, to send our guards and invade our southern neighbors after coming up with some half flanked excuse about how they tried to invade us? Maybe how they scalped some of our guards delivering the goods we trade with them!” she shook her head; seeing that many of nobles refused to look at her in the eyes told her all she needed to know. “I will be sending a message to the outpost to allow them to proceed to Canterlot under the watch of MY loyal guard to make sure there are no mishaps” she glares at all of them before leaving the chamber, followed by her silent sister who only glared at them. They didn't even deserve her Royal Canterlot Voice.