//------------------------------//
// Survivors of the War 
// Story: Remnants of Glory 
// by TheMajorTechie 
//------------------------------//

	After all that had just happened within the past hour, I personally think that I need a nice, long, break. I mean, seriously, I just saw some sort of alternate universe back there, of which even with Jewel and I together, could only barely make sense of. Apparently, somewhere out there, there's supposedly some other universe where instead of all this... stuff happening, everything seems perfectly fine, and the very place that I had stood in had apparently been the site of a friggin' castle.

At least now that I have that out of the way, I could maybe take some time to really relax for once. It's been so long now since I've actually laid down and slept all day, and that's exactly what I intend to do.


~~~{Everfree Forest Border Line}~~~


Well, another day, another adventure. At least this time, I'll be able to experience it in full, since Jewel and I practically slept off the rest of the day yesterday. Ponyville is likely one of the strangest places that I know of as of now, and considering it's proximity to the Everfree Forest, I don't blame it. This place is probably full of monsters.

...And that's exactly why we're entering it now... When we first woke up this morning in the tree-library-house-thingy, I had originally planned to return to Canterlot. However, Jewel had other ideas. She wanted to explore and map the Everfree Forest, as well as scouting for special types of crystals that could be enchanted with very powerful spells. After considering it for a moment, I agreed to join her. Besides, who wouldn't refuse such a grand adventure? And frankly, enchantable crystals hidden in forests had quickly taken the focus of my curiosity, and so off we went into the sprawling forest of the Everfree.

Strangely, in the area that we entered in, the signs of civilization hadn't immediately vanished as I thought it would... it was as if somepony had been here, set up a camp of sorts. Perhaps during our trip we may meet them at some point. Judging by the carvings in the trees, and the littered ground, I could tell that they had been here recently, maybe even just a few days ago.

Nearby, I noticed a strange metal box laying inside a tent. Jewel watched with great curiosity as I began to inspect the object. When I opened it, my eyes were met with various trinkets that I couldn't recognize. There was this cylindrical object that appeared to cast light by pushing a button on the other side, and I have come to call it the "toggle-torch", since you could turn the flame on and off. There was also some sort of... "board", etched with fine, intricate patterns. In the very center was a small dark slab, surrounded by several small objects that appear to be mounted onto the board itself. The only way that I could identify it was by the text in the bottom right corner, "StellerCommunications Module, Rev. 1.2". Of course, I had absolutely no idea what that meant, but just in case of if it somehow becomes useful, I packed the board into my saddlebag.

I also took a first-aid kit with me, as well as some shiny cylinders that appear to be some sort of food container. Just as I was about to leave, I heard a loud, masculine yelp from above. Before I could even look up, Jewel and I found ourselves caught in a net, and surrounded by several frantic looking ponies. The amount of mares and stallions appeared to be equal, but I couldn't be entirely sure. Also, they were covered by grime and filth, and under all that dirt, I spotted what appeared to be some sort of white coat.

I trust that the stallion wearing the glasses was in a way their "leader" of sorts. Immediately after they caught us, he ordered a small group of four ponies to bring us to the "holding pit", and that he'd "examine us closer" after he washed himself off.


~~~


It's been nearly half an hour since we were brought here. Though we were cut from the nets, the "holding pit" still cut us off from escape. After all, this wasn't necessarily an actual "pit", but more of a vertical hole in the ground, surrounded by reinforced steel beams. I already tried to climb out, but whoever designed this thing made the walls waaaaaaaay too slick to ever scale.

Soon enough, the stallion returned, this time wearing a fresh new white coat. Strangely, he appeared to be more of a scientist than the raging stallion that he had been earlier on. After a few rounds of intense staring, we finally began to speak.

Sooo... are you going to release us?

Perhaps, but first, you answer me. Why were you looting our camp?

Wait, this is your camp?

Well of course it is, ya bucking moron! Have you had your head under a rock for the past year?!

Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I just didn't know. You see, we came here from the Crystal Empire to scout for supplies, and after we found practically nothing in Ponyville, we decided to go into the Everfree.

So you're saying that you're a survivor of the war, and that the same goes for the mare next to ya.

I tried to sound as impressive as possible.

Eyup, we sure are, and ever since Sombra mysteriously disappeared, we've been scouring all of Equestria, looking for a new place to call home.

Interesting... and... wait, is that our spare communications module you've got there in your saddlebag?

I suddenly realized that the "board" that was in my saddlebag was some sort of long-distance communications device, far outpacing any technology I've ever seen.

Uh... yeah! Sorry, I was planning on taking it with me to try to figure out what it was for.

It's a communications module that plugs into our mainframe in the treehouse over there. The spare isn't all that important, and we've got many more in storage. You can keep it for your own studies. Also, here, lemme get you out of this place.

The stallion pressed a button on a small box that he pulled from a pocket, and suddenly, we began rising upwards towards the surface.

Also, you're free to stay as long as you like here. Just don't bother me while I try to contact Celestia.