> The equis union > by white1498 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Several forms moved through a blizzard five of the forms had golden necklaces with a colored gemstone as its centerpiece, one had a golden tiara crown with a gemstone as its centerpiece as well, while fifteen more forms followed the six leads and one taking the very front of the group. All of them searching for something or rather someone. "Where is that coward...I just want to punch 'em in the face for forcing us to wonder in a bucking blizzard of all things!" says one of the forms wearing cyan blue thermal winter clothes with a golden necklace with a red gemstone as its centerpiece. Yet still walking with the group not wanting to get separated and lost in a blizzard. "Dash, complaining about the cold and how you want to punch the one we're out here to stop won't make things better you know that." says a form with orange thermal winter clothes with a similar golden necklace but with a lighter orange gemstone as its centerpiece and sticking with the group just like the cyan one. "Girls... He's here. Get ready for a fight." says a form in deep purple thermal winter clothes, however, this one had golden tiara with a purple gemstone for a centerpiece. All of the forms got into a combat stance but the six leads were the ones that took up the front while a form in tan thermal winter clothes moved to be with the fifteen bringing up the rear. "So you brought the elements to me?" says a dark voice from a swirling mass of black clouds. "Good you saved me the trouble of going south and laying siege to Canterlot to get the elements." says the dark voice before a green and black beam of energy was shot but was stopped by a lavender energy barrier. "So you learned a new spell, big deal once I get those CRYSTALS I shall take control of Equis and then the galaxy for all crystals are MINE." says the dark voice with the appearance of green eyes with black slit pupils. "Alright girls lets do this and end this monster." says the purple form before all six of the forms in the front start to lift up into the air. "No, I will not be denied MY BIRTH RIGHT." yells the dark voice before dark crystals appear and freeze the rear forms in the dark crystals all while the six floating forms fire a beam of rainbow-colored light to the dark cloud and the dark voice begins to fade while only ash and dust is caught in the wind and is blown to the far ends of the frozen land. However, the dark crystals capture the six forms meeting them just a mear foot from the snowy, permafrost ground. Meanwhile two weeks later "Sister, it has only been two weeks and things are only getting worse." says Luna looking over a map of Equestria's military deployments before picking up several reports. "The yaks have closed their borders and are beginning a re-armament campaign, the hippogriffs are gearing up for conflict, the kelpies are increasing their raids on the coastal cities, my thestrals are beginning to get eager for bloodshed, the changelings are starting to stockpile any and all resources they can find in their lands, the zebra tribes are starting to train up their warriors, the griffons are selling military equipment to everyone and to top everything off the public is starting to get riled up about the military buildup that will end with a full-blown war with new weapons of killing taking center stage." says luna before flipping to another report."(sigh) Sister, we should start preparing for the worst. Though I suppose there is one silver lining the kirin have yet to show any sign of a military of any kind though there are massive amounts of almost every race heading to the kirin from dragons to breezes, earth pony, pegasus and unicorn to zebras and changelings, even kelpies of all things and the more tamer of my precious thestrals. They're all heading to the kirin, but why?" says luna before placing down the report. "Luna, did I ever tell you I killed a pony once." asks Celestia looking out a window. When no answer came up the shuffling of papers Celestia continued. "She was just a filly no more than maybe eleven I was walking down the hall when she bumped into me I helped her up and just like that we spent time together. She was like the daughter I never had but one day as I was helping her with her homework she started coughing up black blood. I didn't know it was ion-monoxide poisoning at the time but myself and the very best doctors did our best to help her. I ended up making a spell that everyone even myself believed would cure the disease but it ended up killing her... Even now I still grieve for her that filly that I couldn't help, but I will not make a repeat that mistake again." says Celestia before turning towards a desk with paper on it. Celestia starts walking over to the desk picks up a pen and writes an order to all of Equestria then signs her name at the bottom. "Tia, sister, you know that ever since my return that a law of the magnitude of what your thinking of will require my signature as well if it is to take effect." says luna before Celestia moves to the side and Luna sees the law and indeed this law would require not just their signatures but the approval of both the public and the nobility and both would agree to it in a heartbeat. "Sister...We have work to do." says luna before signing and having it sent to the parliament and the house of the public. Canterlot, five years later The sound of fighting and explosives could be heard everywhere not even the animals outside of the havens and bunkers were excepted from the fighting between all factions each one fighting for control over the world. However, in the end, the most forbidden of orders was given and the use of balefire warheads was used and in the blink of an eye, the world was forever changed. Where once stood a beautiful house now a smoldering ruin, a field of crops waiting for the harvest that never came now a field of barbed wire waiting to ensnare a soldier for death to lay claim to their soul. On the ground lay the dead and the dying many of whom ended their own lives from the futile effort of fighting a world that now resented their mere existence. The streets now filled with races of every kind from the naval kelpies to the mighty dragon all now laid on the dead ground as one. Inside a burnt-out building "Sister, is it now day or night... I can't anymore." said a mare dressed in a dark blue uniform with an environmental-mask on clutching at a pistol that long ran out of munitions with a rifle strapped to her back with a bayonet attached to it looking out a burnt out window. "I don't know sister, but (sigh) the war is over signal that the fighting is over and that all leadership of the past is dead." said a mare in a uniform that was once white now blackened from the ash that fell in the place of both rain and show. Looking to the sky while loading two bullets into her own sidearm. "Sister, do you think that we maybe reincarnated at some point in the future." says the dark blue mare now looking at her sister with now silver eyes. "I wouldn't know, because we never would have remembered our past lives." says the once white mare priming her sidearm while taking out an all-clear signal transmitter. "Sister." says the dark blue mare before she closed her eyes for the last time. "Yes...Luna." says the once white mare while taking aim at Luna's forehead. "I love you, Celestia... More than a sibling ever should have the right to." says Luna not even moving from her spot. "I know, Luna...I feel the same way." says Celestia before a bang was heard and Luna's body fell limp. "Maybe, I'll remember this past life." says Celestia before activating the transmitter. "Well, it was nice while it lasted." says Celestia before aiming her sidearm to the side of her head looking to the sky and closing her eyes, then a bang and she to fell limp to the ground. Meanwhile, in the ruins of Ponyville and many other towns and cities, great doors opened for the first time in five years and the inhabitants walked out to see what became of their world. While in the kirin haven the signal that the war is over was met with cheers all while great caravans of supplies were sent out to the war-torn cities. While in the changeling hive a new race appeared and this new race helped the changelings to distribute materials to rebuild the cities. However, it will be many years before the world will be anywhere close to habitable again as many were beset with disease and injury just to die days later. However, the races endured and after nearly three hundred years of near leaderless hardship an explorer team sent to the far north made an amazing discovery. Upon the team's return a council of three had been assembled to create something akin to a governments leadership and was told of their discovery and so it warranted the dedication of every single scrap of all remaining resources to achieve space flight and the extraction of the sixteen heroes who banished the last of the original dark evils of the old world. > report from the far frozen north team > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To the governing council, It is the teams' great honor to report that upon completing our survey of the far north that they have been found and are currently frozen inside of dark crystals. When the teams resident magic users tried to free them it ended with them passing out from mana exhaustion. After the magic users recovered from their exhaustion they then started to scan the site and what was found is shocking. The dark crystals are being powered by the very planet its self, but there might be a way to free those imprisoned in these crystals if they were moved off-world, because these crystals, are empowered by the very planet its self and with the crystals way-line mana cut the crystals should become brittle and with a little bit of magic the crystals should start to fall apart. The teams' engineer has already drawn up plans for tech that if the balefire rockets are used then spaceflight might be seen in the next thirty years. However much work will have to be done: rebuilding large amounts of infrastructure, decontaminating enough ground to start growing food among plenty of other things to get back on our hooves to even start toactually work on space flight. Once spaceflight is actually achieved at least three freshly designed and built corvettes will be required to defend the system, an orbital construction vessel and a science vessel to explore and survey new systems that are found. Of course, once the orbital facilities are built the crystals should be moved to them as soon as possible to free those who are imprisoned within the crystals. with best regards, Iceshard > chapter one > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Far north base, Eques, Faust Bridge of the Sharo “This is the carrier vessel Sharo coming in for the pick up of the lost heroes. Requesting permission to land on site, over.” says a white mare with ginger hair, blue eyes, brown scales on the back, and a white horn into a headset microphone as the vessel flew over a basecamp surrounding several dark crystals. “Carrier vessel Sharo, this is site aero-space command proceed to landing pad alpha-one for pick up and Tahlen I know it’s you. Please, you don’t need to talk in accordance with protocol, sis.” Says a blue mare with red hair, blue eyes, red scales on her back. “You know that.” Says the mare. “(Sigh) I know, sis, but this is basically the only thing that doesn’t end with me writing a report that can be summed up as, “everything is just as it was, like yesterday. Nothing of any real note”, you get that right, sis.” Says Ava into her headset. “I get it, sis. It gets boring up here but you still have a responsibility to keep the flights that go in and out orderly. Besides, the pilot heard me get confirmation too land at landing pad alpha-one that is also pretty close to the, what fifteen crystals that hold the heroes of the pre-great war age, right. You the ones who slew that dark unicorn who called himself a king.” says Tahlen into her headset looking at her nails with little interest. “Tahlen, I do have some good news for you though…I’m going to become your co-communications officer on board the Sharo. Isn’t that exciting?” says Ava holding her arms to her chest while clutching her hands into balls. “Oh! That’s great news. When are you going to get onboard?” says Tahlen now excited to be working with her sister onboard the same vessel. “I’m being transferred today and don’t worry I already packed so I should be onboard before the last of the IIMs are loaded up into the cargo bay and are secured.” Says Ava into her headset turning to look out a window to see the carrier vessel move to land at landing pad alpha-one. “I am happy and excited that you're joining the crew but I must ask, what does IIM stand for. I get that it’s an acumen but still what does it mean.” Asks Tahlen into her headset unsure as to what IIM stands for. “Oh, it stands for Important Imprisoned Mares, because the only documents that were salvageable after the war indicated to the group being made up entirely of mares and before you even ask when your stuck in a frozen Tartarus forsaken hole with only A: work to do and B: read whatever documents you are cleared for then you know how boring things can truly become at one of these posts.” Says Ava into her headset but now she is standing on her hooves and picking up a duffle bag and swinging it over her shoulder. “I see well. See you soon my shift on the bridge is almost over. I’ll be waiting for you at the barracks, later sis.” Says Tahlen into her headset before she got up after feeling a hand tap her shoulder. Turning around she saw that it was one of the other communications officers a dark brown pegasus stallion with white fur running from his lower jaw to his lower body, green eyes, and brown hair. “Hey, Piper it’s a bit early for you to start your shift isn’t it.” Asks Tahlen after turning off her headset. “Yes, but you should meet with your sister when she comes on board. Besides, I’ll cover the rest of your shift for you.” Says Piper to Tahlen in a tone that hinted at something else but what. “Piper, are you doing this just to get at my hot, sexy half kirin-earth pony sister.” Asks Tahlen looking Piper straight in the eyes before folding her arms under her own generous breasts. “Is it really that obvious.” Asks Piper to Tahlen who simply nods. “Oh, well could you put in a nice word for me, please. I actually want to paint a portrait of her to help fund the vessel when it comes time for a retrofit and you know those can get very expensive those can get.” Says Piper rubbing the back of his head. “I’ll see what I can do…” says Tahlen and Piper gets a hopeful look on his face, “…but no promises that she will be willing to take a raunchy pose while you paint a portrait of her.” Says Tahlen taking off the headset and handing it to Piper who now had a little bit of a disappointed look on his face. “(sigh) the things I do to help keep the vessel running smoothly.” Says Piper before putting on the headset, turning it on and taking the communication officers seat. Sharo’s Cargo Bay Tahlen stood near the exit to the cargo bay waiting for one equine that she is all too familiar with. She waited even while the IIMs were loaded up and secured to the vessel she waited. “Where is she. She knows if she misses the vessel she’ll be transferred back to here until further notice.” Says Tahlen to her self-crossing her arms looking and waiting for her sister. “Tahlen, over here. You silly filly.” Called Ava to Tahlens’ left as she ran up to Tahlen and gave her a bear hug. “Sis, it is so good to finally be on a vessel. I mean we can…you know braid our manes and tails, and have our filly talks when we aren’t working at our station. “I fully agree with you there, Ava.” Says Tahlen before turning towards the exit and motioning for Ava to follow. “C’mon, I’ll show you to our bunk and get you squared away before hitting the showers to get cleaned up.” Says Tahlen with Ava trailing right behind her heading to the vessels’ showers. “So, sis, do you really think that six of those crystals holds the elements of harmony because you know… that’s what the few surviving documents from the war say. Do you think there is any truth to those papers.” Says Ava following Tahlen to the Sharo’s showers. “Honestly, I don’t believe it for a second.” Says Tahlen still looking ahead. “The mere thought of a group of equines with “magic gemstones” sounds way to far fetched to have even a grain of truth to it.” Says Tahlen before stopping in front of a door with an icon of a showerhead. “Anyway, we’re here. Oh, and as a heads up all the showers are mixed sex. So, expect the stallions to stare at you.” Says Tahlen before opening the door and entering followed by Ava. Meanwhile in the Sharo’s cargo bay “What's happening...Why am I so cold…why can’t I move my arms or legs…where am I even…and why am I so tired.” Thinks a purple form from inside one of the crystals before falling once more unconscious.