Iron Wall. Guardpost 15-beta. 5th February, Year 6 of the New Solaminan Calendar (2030).

From one end of an Empire it stretched. Twenty feet tall, ten feet thick, built of solid rock mixed with the iron supports that gave it it’s nickname among the common folk, it was the single most impressive structure in all of Equestria. Across the land boundaries of old Equestria it stretched, and yet in all of this mighty structure there were but a handful of gates, most notably the gate to the Crystal Empire in the Northern part of the Wall.

It was the edifice of Solamina, the symbol of her will. Millions of Converted and tens of thousands of Equestria-born Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns had all taken part in its construction. Many of them had died. Now the great wall was the permanent residence of thousands of Royal Guards, many of whom had either chosen this as opposed to active service, or had been ‘reassigned’ here. It was also still home to many pony workers, whose job was to keep the Wall in tip-top condition. It was they who had given it the name "the Iron Wall", in reference to the iron supports that helped keep the thing up. Though most of them were Converted, more than happy to be here in even the worst conditions, many were ponies who had been given somewhat less choice.

These ponies lived in small, almost prefabricated little villages, each one supplied by small farms that had sprung up in the area. These villages were more often than not little more than prison-camps; the Guards enforced a strict curfew on the residents, and many of the freedoms allowed to the common pony even in this dark and perilous time were simply unheard of out here.

It was this life that faced one recent arrival at this dark and dismal place, though she at least was not here out of any punishment, unlike some. Her name was Maud Pie. Most ponies would have more likely heard of her sister than her, for Pinkie Pie - more properly Sub-Commander Pinkamena Pie, Sub-Commander of the Solaminan Empire's military - but Maud had never been particularly interested in the praise or respect of ponies. She much preferred rocks: simple enough that she would never be confused and hurt by them, and yet complex and mysterious enough that she would likely never find herself even remotely tired of them. They were, in a very real sense, her life.

And yet…

And yet there were other things in her life. Family for one thing - most of her family, fortunately, still lived where they had always lived, back on the family farm. One though, would never return home again.

She could still remember the letter. Though she had met Twilight Sparkle, and indeed the rest of the Element bearers, at Pinkie’s first official ceremony as a member of the Equestrian army, she couldn’t claim to know her very well (nor was she particularly interested in doing so). Nonetheless, from everything Pinkie had said about her friend in her letters, she had expected… more from a letter of condolence from her.

Dear Maud Pie,

It is with great sadness that I write to report the death of your sister, Sub-Commander Pinkamena Pie, in action during recent engagements with the enemy in Britain.

Pinkamena was a valued friend and respected member of the Equestrian military. She was, however, a mare of duty, and would not suffer others going into battle in her stead. I assure you, her sacrifice for the Empire will not be forgotten.

My deepest condolences at this time of sadness,

High Commander Twilight Sparkle,
Head Archmagi.
Equestrian Armed Forces.

The cold words had not conveyed any genuine sense of affection on Sparkle's part, nor had they described to Maud in any way anything of the Pinkie she had known. Pinkie had never been a "mare of duty", she had fought because her friends had fought - and when they had died, she had fought to avenge them. Oh, Pinkie's letters had come to be filled with such fire, such anger when she had sent them to Maud. And such frailty too, such... sorrow, more and more as the war went on...

We just heard back from the Dover front, Maud… the attack was a disaster, and Rarity… they say she’s ‘missing’, but everypony knows what they really mean… there’s some new magic weapon the humans supposedly have...

Fluttershy ran away from us - she ran away from us, Maud! We’re her friends and she just ran away! I hope she doesn’t get hurt…

We heard back from our spies. The human’s magic weapon is running around with Rarity and Fluttershy’s manes sewn into his coat. They’re both dead. I had a doozy a few weeks ago, but I wanted to hope that…

We’ve heard nothing back from Applejack’s team. Twilight wouldn’t like me telling you this, but she was working with Convie specialists. The general thinking is they got ambushed.

Word’s come through. Applejack’s mane is on the human’s coat. She’s gone, Maud.

Rainbow died, Maud. She died and they threw her body onto a pile to rot or to burn. Scootaloo brought her back though… Scootaloo brought her back. Her hair was shorter, and she looked so small, but she’s back. It's not the same, but it's something.

Why us, Maud? Why did this have to happen to us? Why couldn't they have just laid down and died?

My friends were the most important part of me, Maud. Without them, what do I have?

I volunteered for the big attack Maud. I'm going to show those humans a party they'll never forget... unless you forget everything when your head gets ripped off and put on a spike, that is. And if I meet that one human, that magic weapon… so much the bucking better.

Still, Maud had found herself not as entirely broken up about her sister's death as she could have been. Pinkie... hadn't really been Pinkie anymore. And though Maud was not one to engage in conspiracy theories, she knew that Pinkie hadn't been Pinkie for a considerable amount of time.

No amount of loyalty to her friends would make Pinkie engage in a war of annihilation. No amount of cajoling could convince her to kill in anything but defence, if even that - and no amount of pain could convince her that death, or vengeance, was a suitable punishment for anything. She was, at heart, a gentle soul, and while Maud knew better than some that gentle souls could snap, Pinkie was not such a soul.

Maud had known Pinkie. She had known her better than the pink mare had known herself in some ways. The mare that had gone to war hadn't been her sister. She had been somepony else.

Maud had long since resigned herself to the war. It brought Converted to her father's home, and they were hard-working, polite and efficient, even if they brought very little raw skill or knowledge to the table. It had allowed her more freedoms and more opportunities with her work. As for the humans... she pitied them, she really did, but her place was Equestria. She had taken no part in the war against their kind, and she had no intention of changing that, but she wasn't so torn up that she would jump to their aid. Perhaps that made her selfish, perhaps it did not.

Especially now, for though she had not been herself, the humans had still killed Pinkie. Everything she was, everything she had loved, was gone.

Maud shook her head. Melancholy thoughts were not something she indulged in often. Though she was rarely, if ever, effusive about anything, she did in fact enjoy life, and focusing on negatives - even on such a loss - would not be a good way to honour her sister. No, Pinkie of all ponies would have told her to enjoy everything, and so here she was, working on the most ambitious building project ever.

The building of the Iron Wall, as well as its maintenance, required an absolutely astronomical amount of rock-farming, so much so that seventy six quarries had opened up across the country, and more rock was still needed, being constantly imported from the newly colonised lands of Earth. The Wall itself was a colossal endeavour: in theory it covered the entire Equestria border, with a single gate installed at the roadway to the Crystal Empire. It was, to her rock-expert mind, a magnificent achievement, a true demonstration of what one could do with stone. She was here, as a rock expert, to inspect the wall and see to it that the stonework was entirely perfect.

"Excuse me?" she heard a voice say quietly. She turned, broken from her thoughts, to find a Royal Guardspony officer saluting her. He was pale orange and looked altogether comfortable in his armour, something that was rarer than the Guard liked to admit these days. "Captain Zealous Flare, Royal Guard contingent, Guardpost fifteen beta. I was told an expert was coming in - I assume you’re her?"

"Maud Pie," Maud said quietly. "Rock farmer and mineralogist."

"Pie, huh?" Flare said, smirking slightly. "Any relation to the Sub-Commander…?"

"She was my sister," Maud replied blandly.

"Oh," Flare said, stammering slightly. "My condolences. She was… very respected."

"Really?" Maud asked with a slight raised eyebrow. "So the rumours I heard about her being called the ‘mad pink whorse of the Guard’ were…"

"Ahem," Flare said, looking somewhat sheepish. "Apologies, ma’am. Uh, in any case, we’ll have consultant work for you to do in the morning." He motioned another guard, this one a mare with sad eyes, forward. "For now, lodgings have been secured for you in a local tavern. I’ll have Sergeant Willow lead you."

"Thank you," Maud said blandly.

Sergeant Willow nodded at her and set off for the small settlement near the outpost. Maud followed idly, looking around as she did so. She frowned slightly as she saw a small blue wooden caravan sitting idly near the settlement, a blue mare with a white mane talking to a few ponies. One of the ponies noticed her, and frowned slightly. She quickly looked away.

"Over here, ma’am," Sergeant Willow said after a moment, leading her to the tavern. It was small on the outside, with an upper floor where presumably the guest rooms were. Inside it was not much more impressive, with a bar and a small common room where several ponies were sat talking. A forest green stallion was sat behind the bar, a smile on his face as he greeted the two.

"Top o’ the mornin’ to ya, Weepin’ Willow," he said, his voice thick with an accent. "And who might your friend be?"

"This is Maud Pie, Ostach," Willow replied with a slight smile. "Maud Pie, this is Glas Ostach, the tavern’s owner."

"Prefer to call it a pub meself," the stallion said. "Reminds me o’ home a bit more."

Maud glanced at the stallion’s flank, noting the lack of a cutie mark. "A Converted."

"Aye, ma’am, that I am," Ostach said, grinning easily. "But don’t let that be any reflection o’ me talents, I’m the best barkeep on the Wall."

Maud nodded. "A cider then."

"We talkin’ the soft crap or the hard stuff?" Ostach asked, wincing slightly as he spoke.

Maud raised an eyebrow. "Hard, please."

"Aye, I thought that might be the case," Ostach said, moving to get the drink.

"If that’ll be all ma’am, I’ll be going," Weeping Willow said with a slight smile.

"Thank you," Maud replied quietly.

"Take care o’ yerself, Willow," Ostach said as the Sergeant left. He whistled slightly. "‘pologies fer me language, by the way, Miss Pie. Back in the day, I was somewhat more… effusive in me swearin’."

"What stopped you?" Maud asked idly.

"Don’t rightly know," Ostach said with a shrug, setting a mug of cider in front of Maud. "I get this… odd headache every time I try. Worse I swear, worse it gets. Reckon it’s coincidental-like."

"Perhaps," Maud said. She downed the cider in one gulp, and placed the mug down. "Another please."

Ostach raised an eyebrow. "Sister, you just managed to bloody impress me, and let me tell ya, that there is not a common feat. Last fella I saw down a mug like that were Claw Hammer, and that fella’s built like the proverbial brick shithouse…"

He winced again, and whacked one hoof against his head.

"Sorry," he said reflexively. "Mean to say, Claw Hammer’s a bloody big fella. Bigger’n the horse me ma used to have on ‘er farm. I say usedta, dunno what happened to the thing after we took the potion and headed fer the Barrier..."

He rambled on for a bit as Maud drank another mug of cider. For a while she just sat and drank, listening to Ostach talk about his life. He seemed to have consistent pains in his head but those were common among some Convies - you just got used to it.

"Hey, Ostach," a voice suddenly cut in. "Get me my usual."

Maud turned to find herself facing a stern looking Earth Pony stallion with tan fur and a shield cutie mark.

"Well, if it ain’t yer ugly mug back from another day’s lugging rock!" Ostach said with a grin. "Maud Pie, allow me ta introduce former-Private Earth Shaker."

"Private," Maud said amiably, frowning.

"Former private," the pony said gruffly. "My usual, Ostach."

"Sure, sure," Ostach said with a grin. "This fella, now, he’s a real riot. Was part o’ the war, see…"

"I don’t need you telling half the world my life story, Ostach," Shaker said with a low growl.

"Oh, fer sure, fer sure, I jus’ thought the little lady might be interested," Ostach said with a shrug. "How many?"

"Five," Shaker said. "I’m feeling light today."

"Aye, I bet," Ostach said with a knowing grin. "Fancy startin’ another fight with Sergeant Sternblade?"

"Go buck yourself," Shaker growled.

Ostach laughed. "Say what you like, laddie, yer still stuck here."

He trotted off, leaving Maud alone with Shaker.

"Convie bastard," Shaker muttered, glaring after him. He turned to Maud. "Related to Pinkie Pie?"

"Sister," Maud said quietly.

"Huh," Shaker said. "'Tween you an' me, she was better than Sparkle." He growled. "Bucking Sparkle."

"Indeed?" Maud asked, raising an eyebrow. "What did Sparkle do to you?"

"Why the buck d'you think I'm here?" Shaker said with a scowl.

Before he could say anything else, Ostach came back with his drinks - five giant mugs of cider. Shaker promptly began downing them, and he said nothing else for a long time.

***

“... and its just all the same, every day,” Shaker murmured miserably after his fifteenth pint. Maud nodded as she sipped at her own drink. “You lug the rock. You shape the rock. You put the rock in the pile of spare rocks, or you let the horny bastards - sorry, the Unicorns - lift it into place to replace a broken piece.” He paused. “Wall collapses sometimes if they don’t pay enough attention. Some of them don’t. Or they’re too tired. They…”

He didn’t finish, and Maud didn’t need him to. Collapses were commonplace things - and the ponies caught under them were… unlucky.

“Still,” Shaker said. “Can’t last forever.”

“The Wall is intended to be an eternal landmark between the Empire and the rest of the world,” Maud pointed out.

“Yeah, yeah,” Shaker mumbled. “‘Tween you and me, there’s more things in the world than the shiny whorse gets.”

“Oi,” Ostach said from where he was sitting. “I’ll have none of that, now.”

“Shut it, you Convie plotwipe,” Shaker said. “She’s a shiny whorse. Dunno how you can talk anyway - its your species she’s murdering right now.”

“My ‘species’ is pony, lad,” Ostach growled. “And I’ll thank you to remember it.”

“Don’t bullplop me,” Shaker said. “I was in Britain, pal. I saw how hard they fought to stop us potioning them. Don’t tell me you’d’ve picked this if they gave you a choice.”

“I took the potion,” Ostach said with a scowl. “I chose ta do it, too. Mind, can’t quite remember what I was thinking when I did… but I know I’m happier now.”

“Sure,” Shaker said. “We had a Convie called himself Young Sky, converted him while we were out. Fought like a little whorse to try and stop us before we got him. After that, couldn’t remember why. There’s something up with your head, Convie.”

“There ain’t nothin’ wrong with my head!” Ostach replied heatedly.

“Oh yeah?” Shaker asked. “Then why don’t you swear without apologising for it?”

“Why you little feckin’ batard!” Ostach yelled. “I oughta…” He paused, frowning. “I… sorry, I shouldn’ta…”

“Whatever,” Shaker said, clearly feeling his point was proven. “I’m done. G’night Ostach.”

“Aye, goodnight, laddie,” Ostach replied, his frown softening. A moment later he raised a hoof. “Look, Shaker.”

Shaker turned to look at him.

“Sorry I got heated, like,” Ostach apologised, his tone soft. “You’re always welcome here, no matter what - just leave yer deserter talk outside next time please?”

“Yeah, whatever Ostach,” Shaker murmured. With that, he turned to leave. Maud sighed, frowning as she thought over his words.

It’s your species he’s murdering right now.

She didn’t care about the humans. Did she?

“Don’t mind him,” Ostach said, interrupting her thoughts. “He’s always been a seditious bastard - sorry, pardon me language. It’s why he’s here. Deserted from the Guard after serving in Britain.”

“I see,” Maud said, finishing her drink. “I think I will retire.”

“Aye, g’night to you then,” Ostach said. “Have a good one.”

Maud nodded and ascended the stairs to her room.

***

Maud sighed as she lay awake in her bed, wondering why she couldn't sleep. It wasn't as though she was particularly stressed. Her work, while fulfilling, was not difficult. Still, the thought of what Shaker had said to Ostach… about the Converted, about the fighting…

It’s not our business.

She frowned: there was a noise outside her window, soft and quiet. She got out of bed, walked over to the window, and raised an eyebrow at what she saw.

A group of ponies - twenty or more - was congregating near the caravan, talking and looking around furtively. Earth Shaker was amongst them. A moment later, the group began entering the caravan, ushered in by what must have been the pony who owned the thing. A moment later they were all inside... impossibly, they were all inside.

How...? Maud thought. She frowned slightly, then went to lie back down.

***

The following morning, she awoke to Guards everywhere wandering about the inn, as though they were looking for something. What she had seen last night... it felt almost like an impossible dream. There was no way that so many ponies could possibly

"What's going on?" Maud asked Ostach, the innkeeper frowning at the Guards as they searched.

"A whole buncha workers disappeared last night," the Convie replied. "Buckers are on the run. Little plot-wipes think they can escape the Empire, probably to help those humans out..."

Maud frowned. A 'whole bunch' of escapees? That sounded like... but that had been a dream...

"Not to worry," Weeping Willow said, approaching the two. "We've got every possible avenue of escape on record and nopony's leaving the town without us knowing."

Maud nodded. "I take it you're here to show me to the Wall?"

"Yes ma'am," Willow said. "Come along, please."

***

As they walked along the street, Maud saw the blue Caravan trundling away. As she watched, it was stopped by two Guards, who entered it. A moment later they exited... and waved the Caravan on its way.

Maud frowned. The escapees... could it be...?

No. It wasn't possible. It had been a dream. And even if it was...

Maud smiled slightly. Well - let them leave. It was no problem for her. After all - she might not care about the humans altogether that much… but the Empire was hardly more of a concern.

It’s not our business, she thought with a wry smile. Either way.

“You alright, ma’am?” Willow asked.

“Perfectly fine,” Maud replied. “I believe we have work to do.”

“Yes ma’am,” Willow replied. “This way please.

And with that, they headed off to the Wall, as the Caravan trundled away from it… carrying its precious cargo of ponies.

It was another day on the Wall.