//------------------------------//
// An Unexpected Return 
// Story: Remnants of Glory 
// by TheMajorTechie 
//------------------------------//

	A chilly breeze rolled across my face as I woke. I turned to the side, watching Jewel's gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. My eyes diverted towards the open window; the source of the wind.

I lit my horn, and shut the window as I settled down to continue my rest. It'll be a long day tomorrow.





I awoke once again, but this time, to the warmth of the morning sun that bathed my body. Jewel had already woken up earlier on, and had already packed our stuff for the return journey to Canterlot.

"What about food?" I asked, pointing at the bulging saddlebags.

Jewel shook her head.

"There's none left. The last of the rations were handed out last night. We're taking the rest of the Empire with us to Canterlot. At least they still have food there."

I sighed deeply, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. My stomach grumbled as I stood up, folding the blankets neatly as I did so.

"Do we at least have scraps?" I asked, putting the blankets into my bag.

Jewel shrugged.

"Look for yourself. I'll keep packing."

Luckily, there were indeed a few leftovers sitting out. Ignoring the fact that most have been out for the entire night, I ate. Once I finished, I wrapped the remaining scraps in a cloth, and brought it along with me.





Jewel and I met up at the train station, just like before. There were now several trains in an operational state, thanks to the few engineers that lived in the Empire. One by one, the trains departed, trailing each other end-to-end as they began their winding journey towards Canterlot.

Our own train, which held only us and our families, as well as the statue, departed last. Jewel sat in the passenger car this time, while I tended the controls. In the corner of my eye, I noticed a small object up in the sky, but I paid little attention to it. For now, the only thing that matters is getting these ponies to their new home. The Crystal Empire won't be able to stand much longer with the fierce winter storms beating relentlessly upon it.

Luckily, unlike yesterday, the ride was rather smooth. There was the occasional time where I had to add some coal, or readjust the pressure, but aside from those, I spent the majority of the time gazing out the window, watching as the barren landscape of ice transitioned to beautiful forests and fields. It felt truly painful to remember that those fields were once what the Crystal Empire looked like.





We arrived back in Canterlot, with plenty of time to spare. The city was bustling once more with activity, though most of said activity was in reality, ponies shuffling into temporary quarters that were assembled in the ruins.

I gazed skyward, enjoying the warm sunlight on my face. It was only then when I noticed that the object I had seen earlier appeared much larger now. In fact, it looked almost like a small airship!

The scientist ponies from the camp in the Everfree Forest were also here. Apparently, while we were absent, they had come on their own to Canterlot, supposedly to access their much larger, proper labs. They were here now, watching the object in the sky closely with a small telescope.

"I-I think they're here!" One of them exclaimed excitedly.

I turned to face the stallion.

"Who's here?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Celestia, Luna, Equestria! They've returned!"

I glanced skyward once more. The object in the sky was now much more visible, and I could clearly see the outline of the supposed "starship" against the pale-blue sky.

Welcome home, Equestria...