The Untold Pageant

by kiheerSEDMAN

Chapter 5: The Brink of Departure

Chapter 5: The Brink of Departure

The white unicorn gracefully walked forward followed by her friend trailing close behind. She played her part flawlessly, bemoaning the river before her as the purple unicorn rolled her large eyes. They had a discussion about the dangers of the world and how vicious it all was, but in the end the white princess ended up riding atop her staggering friend.

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The unicorn capital was abuzz with activity despite the chilling wind and snow blowing around the mountain on which it stood. Inside the city and past the palace walls in the bowels of the grand structure was the surprisingly simply dressed princess who was prepared for travel at the advice of the grand magician Starswirl the Bearded. Beside her was her young and untested but loyal servant Clover busy seeing to the transportation of the expensive possessions of the princess.

“That is the last of the jewels, is there anything else you wish to bring?”, asked Clover, whose nose was dug inside a checklist, a pen magically held at her side ready to take a note from the princess who was busy staring at her apparel in the mirror.

“Oh, well I don’t want to take anything else since it would be far too heavy for the pullers.”, she said sadly staring into the mirror, lamenting her less than regal cloak.

“Well, we best be leaving, the weather has gotten much better to the south, I think it is a sign of a good expedition.”, advised Clover as she picked up her own personal saddlebags and waited at the door for the princess as she made her way out.

They moved purposefully out to the gates of the palace. The spells that had once protected the elegant arches and paintings had long since been discontinued due to hunger and lack of unicorns that were able to heat and protect such a big structure. Thus, the walls were scarred by the snow, and the tapestries and paintings hung in tatters, hardly moving in the wind due the the ice that coated the once supple works of art.

“You know, I really am glad to be leaving this place behind”, said the princess looking at the mangled decorations.

“Yes your highness, I’m sure your decision was a good one, after all the populace seemed to be very happy with your pronouncement.”, said the aid dutifully.

“I for one think that you all best leave with more haste”, said an aged stallion walking in through the door to the entrance hall, “after all, no one is sure how long this break in the storm will last.”

“Starswirl! It is good to see you”, exclaimed Platinum, finally looking away from the remnants of a painting of several ponies gathered at a dining table, their faded faces held wonder and admiration for the pony who sat in the middle “we shall be going now, do not fret.”

Starswirl rolled his eyes, soliciting a suppressed giggle from Clover as they made their way through the entrance hall, which had guard ponies milling around gathering the final stores of food, gear, and any other things that needed loading into the large wagons outside.

Stepping out into the open air, they were given a spectacular sight. A entire city of unicorns milled around wagons filled with the personal possessions, magical torches filled the city as ponies were filing out of the gates to stay at the villages at the base of the mountains. The streets were filled with more activity than anything seen in the last year since the storms hit.

“Milady,” said a guard who had trotted up, and bowed before his princess “the scouts have just checked in, and they say they have found good land to make a temporary camp, we await your command to move the initial colonization group out to the site.”

“Well, I’m sure it will be better than the freezing mountains, so onward!”, cried the princess, stepping into her carraige followed by her aid.

“Clover, we will have a lesson when we stop to make camp understood?”, said the wizened Starswirl.

“Of course teacher.”, said Clover, hurrying past into the carriage which promised warmth and a mildly comfortable ride.

The guards began moving off, calling out to the busy unicorns, “Make haste! The first group is moving off! Remember to go to your assigned camps to await further instruction!” Their cries slowly fading off as they moved further down to the city gates.

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The pink earth pony gazed inquisitively through the holes cut out of the map held over her face. Her modestly dressed friend rolled her eyes beside her. They began walking in circles, not really going anywhere on the stage. They got into an argument, executing their lines with finesse, the verbal exchange getting heated to the point that the pink pony spat the map into the orange ponies face and proceeded to walk off a small cliff.

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The battered towns of the plains were alight with activity, the masses of earth ponies were busy with preparations. Valuables were brought out, coveted bags of preserved food were uncovered for the journey, provisions were counted, and all the ponies began assembling in their respective towns, all huddling together waiting for the final order to move south. In the capitol city was the chancellor who was making her sixth inspection around the city. It was filled with the chatter and banging of thousands of ponies all busy with preparing for the coming journey, the streets were littered with the belongings of the residents. Wagons were being hastily built, hammers banging away incesently at the frozen wood of freshly felled redwoods to carry the massive nation of ponies.

The chancellor looked around the busy main street, “Interesting…” she said to nopony in particular. The focus of her interest was the discolored bodies of the deceased, unfrozen by the hasty work of the city, and trampled to the point that they became unrecognizable. Her contemplations were interrupted as a militia pony ran up.

“Miss chancellor! The council wishes to know when you will give the order to leave.”, he said.

“Oh! Everything seems to be well underway in my opinion! I think that as soon as the last wagon is finished, we should head out!”, she said cheerily trotting off to stare intently at some frozen planks of wood.

The militia pony rolled his eyes and walked away down the littered street. Soon enough, he came up to the regional quartermaster's tent, a hasty construction of animal skin supported by two long poles of wood stuck as deep as they could go into the frozen ground. A torch lite the form if the quartermaster himself, a gruff piece of work with a blunt face weathered by the never ending snow and sleet.

The pony looked up from a long list of materials and schematics strewn across the battered table before him, "Why are you in such a rush?"

"When will the last wagon be completed?", he asked curtly ignoring the question not wanting to waste any time.

"Why would I know when the last wagon will be done, does it look like I build them?", he said indignantly, "I can tell you how many we still need to complete if that helps."

"Sure, that will work.", the militia pony conceded.

"We have twenty three to make and two hundred thirty seven complete, is that all?", the annoyed quartermaster said, glancing back to his work with an impatient expression.

"Yes, is there anything else that needs to be done? Anything that might delay our leaving?", the pony asked also wanting to end the conversation.

"No, not that I'm aware of, now if you don't mind I have work to do.", said the quartermaster turning away to face the table again, "and remember, I don't cover anything outside of the capitol!", he called after the militia pony as he quickly vanished down the active street, off to deliver the news to the council.

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Wind blows across the stage, the rainbow Pegasus glanced at her friend. Clouds are moved across the background, and powder fell. She pushed her friend forward as they battled the black clouds and roaring wind.

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The thud of hundreds of hooves hitting against marble and cloud echoed all across the skies. The snow covered buildings where alight with a mass organized dismantling of anything and everything that could be carried in flight. The freezing wind seemed almost insubstantial in comparison to the mass preparation taking place high up in the clouds.

"Heave! Put your backs to it! If we're to move out on schedule, we'll have to pick it up!", screamed a monitor as he egged on the groaning pegasi beneath him, as they lifted a large bag of essential supplies, "I haven't seen a sorrier bunch since the Tulane Rift!"

Commander Hurricane watched from the sideline, as the bag fell from the grasp of the inexperienced lifters and crashed into the floor below.

"Why you little sacks of manure! I'll have you court martialed the next time you drop one of those! Now get down and give me fifty!", yelled the monitor, who was horrified that his team had just messed something up in front of the commander.

"I'm terribly sorry commander! This won't happen again!", the monitor said, cowering slightly under the gaze of the infuriated Hurricane.

"I'll speak to these ingrates myself, now get out of my sight!", Hurricane yelled at the retreating monitor, turning her gaze to the offending ponies snapping to attention before her, "Do you call that lifting!? You went through training! You know that pegasi overcome no matter the odds! I don't care how small your rations are, you will overcome! Am I understood!"

She was met with a firm, "Ma'am yes ma'am!"

"Now salvage whatever still works down there and bring it to the mustering point! Remember we leave at twenty two hundred!", she ordered before turning to find a messenger standing before her with an anxious expression.

"What is it?", the commander asked wearily.

"Ma'am, the second scout patrol has come in with a suitable DZ!", the messenger said before turning and flying off.

"Excellent...", she muttered wearily to herself and flew off to the command center.

The Capitol was filled with pegasi, some walking or working on the ground, but most flying in formation to their assigned rally points. The pegasi chain of command was very effective, and was evidenced by their swift preparations. Sitting across a square with a platoon parading past was the command center, it was a sturdy construction built a wooden frame covered by animal skins from a dead predator. It was a standard build and was designed to collapse quickly for transportation.

Inside of the tent, Hurricane found her aid Pvt. Pansy talking with the scout patrol, "I'm sorry the commander is unavailable, you'll have to wait."

"But we were told to come here! She must be around!", blustered the sergeant in charge of the patrol.

"I just received word", said Hurricane stepping inside.

The lieutenant on who was directing in her absence instantly yelled, "Commander on deck!"

The pegasi snapped to attention at their stations allowing the sergeant to give a report, "We have found a suitable path to travel south, and we also mapped out the path for three miles, but we should be able to move all battalions through without difficulty."

"Excellent, send the map to logistics and they'll handle it" ordered Hurricane before turning to face her aid, and asked of her, "is there anything else that is needed?"

"Yes ma'am, Colonel Ice wishes to consult with you about necessary troop adjustments and possibly a transfer of some units to a different battalion.She was at the Alpha group mustering point last I checked.", the aid replied.

"Fine, I'll go deal with that, we had better be ready to depart on schedule. It's almost time for the final review before we take to the skies and leave this frozen waste dump.", Hurricane said as she departed the busy command tent.

Comments

[sweeT2010Tooth]

Let the journey to new lands begin! Good chapter.

[kiheerSEDMAN]

3264833

Thank you, I plan on adding the next one over the weekend.

Where do you think the story is going?

[sweeT2010Tooth]

3265832 I'd imagine that, after an arduous journey into unknown territory, the three travelling nations will find each other. They'll then notice that one another had the same ideas of expedition possibly intending to wrongfully subjugate the new land for their own benefit. Due to having lost so much already, innumerable past disagreements, and a great need of that land (bordering on greed), the nations will come at each other's throats with bitter resentment and hostility.

[kiheerSEDMAN]

3268162

Congrats, that's fairly close. Then again, this is obviously based off of an actual episode. I've been really busy but progress will be achieved...eventually.

[sweeT2010Tooth]

3297015 Having seen the episode, I had a reference point.

That's fine if you're busy. I can understand as my hours are somewhat limited, too.

[Apple Burp]

I'm back! University started up so I've been a bit busy these last few weeks.

I'm glad to have two chapters when I did find my way back. Your chapters are long enough to convey an idea but short enough to make me mad when they end. You have a thing for cliffhangers, my friend.

My only complaint is that we've been hopping between the tribes thus far and they haven't had any real interaction besides hating each other. Once we get some tribe interaction and not earth pony chapter, unicorn chapter, pegasi chapter the story will be mighty interesting.