The Traveller. Through our homeland.
by Horacy
Chapters
Prologue
Peaceful days full of harmony. Good old times. Old? Yes, sadly old. These days are in the past. Now, days are just dump. Eight hours of a not that sunny day and then sixteen hours of the cold, scary and not so peaceful night. Days are gloomy and pretty cold... short too. Nights are just nights. These are beautiful in their own way accually. The sky at night is in deep shade of violet and with shining stars and glowing white moon it is the best view you can see if you are not travelling across Equestria or other islands here and there. But nothing is that amazing as it should be at night. In these sixteen hours animals are getting pissed off and are attacking everything and everywhere. It is easy to get yourself killed in this beauty of night. But how, when and why it all happened? We all know the peacefull and friendly world full with harmony so where it go? Well, time for some history...
Y’all do remember that pointless war against Griffonia right? Wait, no? Okay then. We will start from there. The Great War against Griffonia turned out to diplomatic peace. But it all started not that long ago. The ruler of Griffonia – King Phrovaner the Strongest became a war against us ... ponies in particular. He wanted to claim Equestria’s forests. Why? Because forests in Griffonia were empty from all animals, and as everypony now know griffons eat meat. So the war, why the name – The Great War? This war turned out to be the deadliest and the most life-sucking one. After one hundred moons Celestia, Luna and the rulers of Crystal Empire attacked, with all force at Griffonia. The King Phrovaner was defeated but Celestia wasn’t that cold-hearted monster. She created The Bow of Elders. Five elder griffons were the rulers and Griffonia received from Celestia half of the forests in Equestria. The Bow of Elders thanked her and signed a diplomatic document to have peace against Equestria and Griffonia for one thousand moons. Everything turned out pretty well.
Well ... maybe in Griffonia.
After the war Equestria wasn’t that damaged. There were only four small villages burned to the ground. But ponies weren’t that happy. Their ruler gave an enemy their lands! And she didn’t need to. She won the war! She could just told them to buck off and leave them at their own! So after this ponies in Canterlot created the group knew as The Motion Of Resistance, TMOR in short. They were planning on taking Alicorns from the throne and take ruling Equestria as it was in Griffonia. After ten moons from the end of The Great War there was The First Revolution agains Alicorns. TMOR won but not for long. After this Celestia and Luna tracked down the main base where TMOR were hiding and burned it down. Accually what the revolutionises were doing? They were killing guards. Simple right? Kill guard to weakened the ruler. Well it should be simple but it wasn’t. After 40 moons after The Great War there was second and final Revolution. TMOR got to the castle and after many deads they finally killed two princesses. Now you ask: How they killed Alicorns for bucking sake?! Well, because there were two Alicorns and the number of TMOR was more than three thousand ponies. Even two Alicorns couldn’t win that. After their death they killed Alicorn in Crystal Empire by poison. They thought they were done but 5 ponies and one Alicorn stepped in front of them. But it turned out to Alicorn’s death and three ponies with her. Only two were smart to stop fighting. But unfortunately two days after this they tried to kill the leaders. Well ... they tried. After this the leaders created The Circle of Leaders. Six ponies: four mares and two stallions. So you think that after this everything was smooth and all? No ... killing Alicorns was the worst idea ever. The Circle of Leaders created new rules and all this stuff. These were bucked up rules. There were civil wars ... a lots of them. Equestria was crushed. Nothing more to say.
Okay so history of Equestria, done! Now the history of Griffonia.
There is not much to say about them. Everything in Griffonia were smooth and clean. The Bow of Elders had and have (as far as I know) everything in control. They managed to repair their monarchy, economic, politic just everything. They even colonised some lands on the farest north. They named these lands Arcticonia and every griffon who was living there was named as Arctic Griffon. These lands are very VERY cold. But they managed to live there. Griffons have thick fur under their feathers so they aren’t freezing to death. After claiming all these north-lands they decided to re-named Griffonia and after Global Voting (or something like that I am not sure how they named it) they decided to name Griffonia: The Great Griffon Kingdom, and Arcticonia stayed the same. The time from the end of The Great War to Global Voting they named The Gold Time. And The Great Griffon Kingdom lived long and happy lives. Happy ending for them! Yay!
Other countries didn’t have that macabric or epic times in these moons so we just named them: So on the farest north is Arcticonia. Under it is The Great Griffon Kingdom. Lower is Equestria. Under Equestria and a little on the right of it is Zebricolandia – land (mostly forest) filled with zebras. The biggest country on this planet. And under it are some lands that zebras didn’t get anyone into. We don’t know what is there and I think we won’t find out. Everypony is too scared to even go near it because of rumors about what zebras doing to intruders who want to go there. On the left side from Equestria are The Dragon Islands. Not much to say about them too. These are just islands with the big volcano in the middle. These are very hot lands. Yeah that’s it we don’t know much about them. On the right side from Zebricolandia are very strange lands. We know that the sky is all bright violet and lands are from black stone. There are two big islands and in the middle is strange, big tower. There is very windy and foggy. The day-night cycle don’t exist there. We only know these things about it... nothing more.
So yeah everything changed these times but maybe we get rid of this boring history and finally get to the story hmm? Okay so let’s get started.
Well now at these days we have year 1C046 (First Century, year 46th). My name is Wooden Mace. I am a stallion, 21 years old. I have light green fur, brown short hair and green eyes. My cutie-mark is a stick with a small bag tied up at one end. I was a traveller. Not real traveller but I was delivering stuff from one village to another etc. etc. Oh and I’m an pegasus but flying isn’t my thing. I can barely float in the air. I prefer calm walk. I’m very peaceful pony and I like to make new friends or have nice company to talk to. I was fascinated about world from my colthood. I always wanted to meet new ponies or even other species, discover new places ... stuff like that. And I finally had an opportunity to do this. So this is my story, about the pony in world filled with adventures. Be ware of randomness and epic moments, because I had a lot of these.
I'm not alone...
Darkness. I couldn’t see anything. But I could feel... cold. It was bucking cold! I was outside, because here in Equestria it was already late winter. The next thing I felt on my fur was a feeling like I was lying on something hard. Something not that cold but wet and hard at the same time. Hmm... let’s go with wood. After some seconds I tried to stand up but I felt ropes were holding my hooves which turned out to immobilising me.
Then I heard somepony "Maddy! Take this bucking cloth off of his eyes!”
"Don’t call me ‘Maddy’ you immature imbecile!”
"Okay Mad, whatever you say. But still, can you take this cloth off of his eyes?”
"Okay, okay. Don’t shit yourself.”
Then I heard sounds of hoofsteps on the wood. These were louder at each second. Then I saw light. It flashed me lightly so I didn’t open my eyes fully. When I was okay I looked up and saw old red stallion with an armor sitting on him.
He looked at me with this maniacal smile and asked me "Enjoying ride?”
I was feeling like somepony ponynapped me. I didn’t know what was happening so I just looked around me. I was sitting on a big wooden cart. Somepony was pulling this cart... propably some earth ponies. Then I saw three more ponies sitting on this cart with tied up hooves like mine. One who was sitting in front of me was a stallion. Grey fur and violet-black long hair. Black on top with straight hair and bottom ones were violet and were lightly covering his face. Long tail, looked exacly the same as his hair. Violet eyes. His cutie-mark was a... sandwich? Well... umm okay I’m not the one who should judge others. Oh, and he is a pegasus too? Cool, finally somepony who will learn me how to fly... maybe. Why I said that? Because I haven’t got anyone who would learn me this. Pegasi are rare breed at this times. Most of them are living on the north of Equestria... on clouds. Okay let’s get back to reality. Pony beside me was a mare. And by the gods, she was so beautiful. She has white fur and long light blue hair and tail. Light-blue eyes as well. She was an unicorn but ohh god I could just sit there and look at her all day. Well, that would be at least creepy but you get the point. Her cutie-mark was a bow with two arrows crossing the bow. She was beautiful and was an archer? Wow, I always liked bows. I don’t know why, I just liked to shoot with them. I couldn’t get good look at the third pony because of this red one who was looking at me.
Then I thought it would be good if I could answer him, so I said. "Umm... okay I guess. What is going on accually?”
He laughed at this. Lightly but did. Then he looked at me again with even wider smile and said "Well, you are our tender coins to freedom and we are going to our stronghold but I prefer the name: prison.”
Now I was scared. "Uhh, so what are you going to do with me?”
He sat beside me, wrapped his leg around my neck and said with deep, narratoric voice "You, my little friend, you are our tender coin to freedom. The one who will save us from bad things. You are the one who will help us and you will agree to this. So be a good boy and SHUT THE BUCK UP!” This last sentence he shouted right to my ear and then I felt piece of wood hitting my head. Shortly after I felt this hit my vision blurred out and I falled asleep again.
*
When I woke up again I felt almost unbearable pain in my head. I made quiet noises from that pain. It felt like somepony hit you with a bat or something... well, that accually happened.
Then I heard someone speaking, mare’s voice in particular "Oh, you woke up? How’s the head?”
I opened my eyes and saw that mare who was sitting beside me in that cart. I felt really uneasy at this. She was just so damn beautiful.
I sat on my flank covering with one hoof right side of my head exacly where I got that hit and then I replied her "Hurt, pretty much. Why he even needed to hit me like that?” I muttered that last part to myself.
She then said again "I’m Crystal Snow by the way, Snow in short if you would prefer that.”
I looked at her and saw that warm and friendly smile on her face... but not fully warm. It seemed like she forced herself to smile but not fully. 50/50 or something. But I can’t be so suprised. These idiots ponynapped us for damn sake. At least she is not only beautiful looking but have marvelous voice too. I bet she can sing. Well, most mares can sing.
I said "I’m Wooden Mace.” and held foward my hoof for her.
She bumped it with her hoof and after this I remembered something. There was two more ponies in this cart. I looked around to find them and saw four beds so that means they go somewhere. Okay good enough.
"Hey do you remember these two ponies in this cart we were... transported by?” I asked her and she nodded and waved her hoof lightly in the air to signalise me to continue. "Do you know them?”
"No. When they throw us to this cell they took these two somewhere but I don’t know where. By the way, do you know why they took you? I mean there are a lots of ponies here in Equestria, so why us?”
I hmmed for a second but no ideas were coming to me. After some seconds I sighed and shook my head to her. But it was good question though. Why they took us? Why not somepony else? It was at least strange. Maybe someone ordered them to ponynapped us?
Then I heard a sound of opening metal doors to our cell. Me and Snow turned our heads toward the sound and saw these two ponies that were in this cart before. Behind them was standing green unicorn. He pushed these two inside and immediately closed the cell doors and walked away withoud speakind anything.
These two new ponies stood up and looked at us and then sat opposite to each others and we were sitting in perfect square.
First one who spoke was Snow. She introduce herself to these two and I was the next one.
Then the gray stallion on my right said "I’m Violet Loaf.” And the one on my left said "I’m Apple Pie.” She was the pony I wasn’t able to saw back then in the cart. She was an earth pony, pink fur and blond, curly mane and tail with green eyes. Her cutie-mark was an apple pie... oh sweet irony. But something was strange in this name. I think I heard something about a pony with a similar name. Apple-something, something. I can’t quite remember.
"So, how you got there guys?” I asked and almost immediately Violet said „They murdered everypony in my village. Everypony beside me! And then they ponynapped me! A shame to me. I was defending my family and instead of killing me with an honour they just throw a nat at me like griffons at poor animals!” Anger was filling him... everypony could hear that.
"They slaughtered everypony in my village too.” said Snow with a little bit of uneasy in her voice.
"The same in mine. Everypony got killed beside me. What a monsters.” Said Apple Pie with a little anger but not that much as Violet Loaf.
"Well, I wasn’t in my home village when they attacked me, but they burned everything to the ground and ponynapped me as well.” I said.
"Wait, you weren’t at your home and they didn’t kill you anyway?” said Violed and then continued "That is strange. Maybe they were tracking us down to ponynapped us and in the process they decided to slaughter everypony?”
"That... is an idea. But why they wanted to track us down?” askes Crystal Snow with a horrified look on her face.
"I don’t know. Mace, can you tell us how looked attack on you and village you was in? Maybe it will help to know why we are here.” Askes me Violed Loaf wit a determined look on him. He really wanted to know why they ponynapped us.
I sighed and said after this "Okay. Well... it started a month ago as far as I remember. I was travelling to another village to deliver important note to the mayor of said town...
*
It was a boring day as hay. Nothing interesting was happening. Nothing. I was walking down the street of this small village that was near the one I lived. Everyponies were busy with their works outside or inside. No kiddos running here and there. It was normal day but at the same very different.
Then I got myself to my destination – the post office. I walked in and met familiar face of my friend. His name was Green Plant. He was an earth pony. A little bigger than me, grey fur and green mane and tail. His mane was a mohawk. Big light-green eyes.
He looked at me and said with happy voice "Oh Hi Mace! I wondered when you will be coming. Only envelopes as last time or you have something bigger?”
I put my saddlebags on the ground near doors and answered him.”Well as you can see I didn’t need to get your help so... yeah, envelopes.”
"Ok I’ll take care of them. Thanks for delivering them.” He said after he took my saddlebags to his office.
"No problem! Bye!” I said and after I heard weak ‘Bye’ I left the building and planned to head home, because what can I do in so boring village? Well... every villages were boring but this one was ultra-boring.
I was walking down the streat again and then I heard a scream. Somepony was screaming like a filly. I galloped in the direction of this scream and when I was close I heard more screams. Then I saw a group of ponies wearing armors and weapons. Two of them killed ponies beside a house and theb burned it, propably their house. When one of them saw me he shouted „Here he is!” and half of their little group galloped to me. They wanted to kill me so I started to run. I was terrified at this point. Well, who wouldn’t be, right? I was running down the street of this village as fast as I could but after some seconds I saw a shadow of a pony flying above me. This pegasus landed in front of me to blocked me from running. I turned back and the only thing I saw was a big wooden bat hitting me in the head and the pain after this hit that knocked me out.
*
"So that’s it. That’s how they got me.” I said and then I felt pain in my head. The pain was that hard that I fell on the ground and wrapped my hooves around my head.
"Oh buck, you alright?” asked worried Apple Pie to me. Everypony now had worried looks wrote on their faces.
I sat on my flank again and said with tired voice "Uhh yeah, I think I took too many hits in my head. Maybe I’ll take a nap again. That pain is horrible.” and I again started to rubbing my head with my hoof.
"Ok. Sleep as long as you want to. We will be quiet.” mumbled Crystal Snow.
After this I got to this mattresses that were lying near one of the walls and laid on one of them. When I get at least a little comfy or in different speaking able to sleep I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
I finally had my adventure that I was dreaming from my colt-hood to have. Was it worth it? Or maybe is it worth it? Well, we will see...