October 14, 1006
It was a warm summer evening in Ponyville. The Sun was beginning to set, merchants were packing up their carts, shops were closing for the day, and foals were scurrying home for supper. Young Mares and Stallions were still about town, relaxing after a long work day. Lights were still on in some businesses however, including the Ponyville Music Hall, workplace and home of one Harmony Muse.
Harmony Muse, or to her friends, Harmony, was no ordinary pony. Unknown to -most- of ponyville, she was in reality Lieutenant Harmony Muse of Her Majesty Princess Luna’s Night Guard. She, and a handful of other ponies stood silent watch over Ponyville and its Princess, Twilight Sparkle. Over Twilight’s own objections but at the request of the Night Princess. By now the Night Guard had become used to Twilight’s mischief. Like that time she dressed as a post-apocalyptic pony and snuck into the Royal Library. We all knew it was her, even with the eye patch and silly hair cut.
Harmony Muse sat in her living room, surrounded by her friends Grumpy, Joystick, Fluttershy and Lizzybell. On a table laying in front of her was very well cared for scrapbook, “Equestria Games ‘04”. Expectant eyes flitted from her to the book and back.
“So, what’s this about, Harmony? 5th Edition came out and we could be converting our characters over to the new system right now,” Grumpy said, breaking the silence.
“I still prefer the 3rd Edition with the Lifepath system.” Lizzybell sighed. “It gave characters a background that you could write around. Plus it gave a clear view of skill sets and why they had them.”
“Shaddap. Everybody knows 4th Edition Ogres and Oubliettes gutted most of what made characters special in the name of balance. First Level Battle Unicorns casting more than one spell a day?” Grumpy took the bait in their friendly argument. “Real gamers tried to forget it ever happened.”
“Really, I’m kinda bored with O&O after college. Besides if you want to talk about unbalanced and overpowered, there’s always Paladin Game’s ‘Power Ponies’!” Joystick challenged. “Speaking of which, I was busy planning a boycott of the Power Ponies comic. Did you hear they had revealed that the Masked Matter-horn was secretly a servant of the Mane-iac. They even wrote her being one for years,” Joystick grumbled to nobody in particular.
“Is this like the time you wanted to boycott them over having Saddle Rager attend anger management? It’s their characters, and their choice to ruin themselves financially,” Grumpy said, showing a rare smirk.
Fluttershy blinked a couple times. “Oh My! I think if Saddle Rager were real, she’d probably be afraid of what she could do if she got really really angry. She’s really a scary character for a comic book..”
“Not like the 990s comics and their obsession with dark broody heroes like Timberlobo,” Lizzybell put in her two bits worth. “I’m the Main MARE!” She shouted quoting the comic character. It was always fun to show that a businesslike mare like her was as much a nerd as the rest. “Or Liveryfeld’s obsession with pouches, and unicorns with unrealistically large muscles and horns.”
“I don’t think it was that unrealistic,“ Fluttershy quietly chimed in. “My friend Bulk looks a lot like this Skull Poo character. Well, without the swords, guns, and dirty language.”
A mention of the past gave Harmony a somewhat distant smile. “Oh, since you were all very supportive of me so far, I thought I’d talk about another very important story of my pa-.”
Lizzybell interjected, “You’re really gonna tell them about all that, Muse?”
“Why, Miss Bell! Surely you’re not afraid of some old ‘war stories’, are you?” A grin slowly forming on Harmony’s muzzle as she spoke.
Lizzybell gave a meaningful smirk as she stood and walked over to the book, nosing it open. Pictures of the Crystal Empire and a familiar Coliseum were seen as well as several impressive figures in various fighting garb. Some of which weren’t even ponies. “Just remember, it isn’t just your story, or even our story.“
“I get it. Luna’s Mane, I get it.” Harmony pulled the book to herself, looking fondly down at it. “Still, crazy to think of everything that went on. I’m sure more’n once everybody here except maybe Flutters is gonna call bullsh..manure on me.”
Fluttershy heard her name and looked up, one eye hidden by her bangs, skittish even among her friends. “What do you mean?”
Harmony met her gaze with a grin. “Well, you were there. We’re talking about the ‘04 Equestria Games, up in the Crystal Empire? I even watched you and the Ponyville aerial relay team get your medals. Good job giving the showboaters from Cloudsdale a run for their bits.”
Fluttershy frowned just a slight as she formulated her reply, “That wasn’t very nice. You know Rainbow Dash’s a Wonderbolt now.” she said, defending her friend.
“You’re not helping your case, Flutters.” Harmony said, throwing up her hooves in surrender as the cream colored Pegasus’s eyes narrowed. Every guardpony with the potential to be in the vicinity of Ponyville was briefed on ‘The Stare’. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry, Let’s just say the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts have an interservice rivalry. We both serve Princess and country, we’re both part of the E.U.P., but we each have our own pride to maintain.”
“Which usually meant my having to drag one or two of your plots to the stockade any time one of you had one too many mugs of cider,” Lizzybell’s deadpan reply came quickly, to which Harmony Muse hummphed.
“Wait, wouldn’t it be cheating for a guard to compete in an event? I mean you were obviously going to be kicking someone’s flank, given what you told us before” Joystick’s head popped up from his Gamecolt.
“Yeah, well, if the Wonderbolts can do it. Anyway, it was the Princess’ idea. They thought seeing the guards out and about giving it their all in a friendly competition would help the ponies feel more secure in those watching over them.” Harmony paused for a second. “Officially, I was representing Canterlot, like the Wonderbolts were representing Cloudsdale. Still not sure why every town and city in Equestria got a team, and the other nations only sent a single delegation to represent their whole nation.”
“Oh, I’m sure things would be reversed if the games took place in Zebrica or Saddle Arabia” Joystick said. “Less travel expense, travel time. Far easier to take a few hour train ride, than a few days or even weeks by chariot or ship.”
Lizzybell nodded, “True, true. I guess someone could say it’s a difference in our culture as opposed to LongMa.” Lizzybell paused and shuddered, remembering a nation where Discord worship was the official state faith.
“You should see some of the cartoons I’ve had important from Neighpon,” Joystick giggled. “Though, you may not ever look at a squid quite the same way…”
Harmony Muse shuddered, mentally reminding herself to never go to a cartoon night at Joystick’s house ever again. “Just do everybody a favor, don’t show those to Pinkie Pie. I’d prefer any parties say safe for children.”
Joystick simply laughed out loud. “Yeah, sorry, it’s a bit late for that, buddy. The party mare may not be quite right in the head, but she’d never do anything like -that-. She’s different, but good ponies, just like that derpy mailmare. What was her name again?”
Harmony rolled her eyes. “Anyway. Yes, it was at the ‘04 Equestria games. Ponyville beat out the other towns and even foreign nations for the gold. Canterlot, surprisingly, came back with a very low medal count. Those in the guard that were raised here in Ponyville wouldn’t let the rest of us forget it, let me tell you. I’m sure you remember the situation with the ice and little Spike saved everybody. But yes, that’s where my story takes place. But it isn’t where it begins.”
“It actually begins on the other side of our world of Equus, in the nation of Kowkata.”