//------------------------------//
// Book 2 Prologue 
// Story: A New World, a New Way 
// by zeusdemigod131 
//------------------------------//

It was late at night when a carriage pulled up to the gates of a mansion, and a unicorn stallion with a silver coat and a neon blue mane was unceremoniously kicked out.

“OW!” He shouted, rubbing his head as the carriage sped away. “Be careful next time!” He yelled after them. 

“Hard Proof, I presume?” An accented voice asked.

The Unicorn turned to see an elder Earth Pony Stallion in a suit standing at the gate. “The master wishes to see you.” 

“Master?” Hard Proof asked.

“Of the manor sir,” the butler informed him before pushing the gate open. “Right this way please.”

Hard Proof grunted and rubbed the steel inhibitor around his horn. “Alright,” he said glumly, at least he was finally out of that cell.

Following the grey stallion, Hard Proof took note of his surroundings. Whoever lived here was obviously rich... and apparently they were in Canterlot. 

“So who lives here anyway?” Hard Proof asked as the butler pushed open the door.

“This is the manor belonging to his royal highness, Prince Blueblood,” there was a solid thud as Hard Proof attempted to run out the door, but forgot his magic didn’t work through the inhibitor. 

“Ow,” he mumbled again. 

“Oh come now,” a new voice, this one rather cheery and sounding very high class, spoke. “There’s no need for that.”

Hard Proof gulped and looked up to see a royal white Unicorn descending the staircase towards him. 

“Will there be anything else sir?” The butler asked.

“Not at this moment Silver Platter,” Blueblood said with a smile. “You’re dismissed.”

The butler nodded and left, leaving the Prince alone with Hard Proof. 

The two stallions just stood there for a while, Blueblood smiling while Hard Proof fidgeted. “Why did you bring me here?” He asked curtly. 

“All in good time, my good Stallion,” Blueblood said, walking up to Hard Proof and put an forearm around his back. “But for now... there’s something that I’d like to show you.”

Reluctantly, Hard Proof allowed the Prince to lead him down one of the mansions many hallways. “You know, we aren’t so different, you and I,” Blueblood said as they walked. “I mean, of course, I’m royalty and you're... a common pony,” the way he said that made Hard Proof think he’d been working on correcting himself. “We both have similar ideologies.”

“I doubt that,” Hard Proof said back.

“Oh do you?” Blueblood asked with a laugh. “I suppose it is hard to believe, but trust me... there is plenty of proof if you’re willing to listen.”

Hard Proof raised an eyelid. “I’m listening.” 

Blueblood smiled. “It all started... when those creatures showed up.”

As they walked, Blueblood explained his dealings with the Pokemon, and Arceus especially. Once he had finished, the two were standing at a pair of doors.

“That’s all very interesting,” Hard Proof said. “But what does it have to do with me?”

Blueblood smiled and his horn lit up. A second later, the inhibitor dropped from Hard Proof’s forehead with a clink and a thud.

“This,” Blueblood pushed the door open to reveal a rather spacious den, with several other ponies milling around.

One, a milky green stallion with a spinach mane was eyeing some of the books and pieces on the fireplace. 

Two of them were grouped together, and the sparkle from their skin gave away their heritage as Crystal Ponies. Both were stallions, one a white coated Pegasus, the other a green coated Unicorn.

Hard Proof blinked, then turned back to Blueblood. “What is all this?” He asked, eyes narrowing.

Blueblood smiled and stepped forward. “Hard Proof... how would you like to help our little group get rid of the Pokemon. Once and for all.”

The Stallion stared at the Prince in disbelief for a few moments before an unsettling grin crept onto his face. “Count me in.”