Present:

“Okay class, turn to page three hundred and ninety-four,” the voice of Professor Van Horn boomed as he looked across the room for those who did not bring their copy of An Introduction to Magical Physics. He loved picking on them. His demeanor was always matched by his nonchalant tone and strict rules. He did not tolerate disorder. Perhaps that’s how he kept his job at the school or the Institute as it was now called.

The young filly in the front of the class quickly did as she was told. A young alicorn with a silver coat and glossy black mane, she had already been held accountable for insubordination once before. She admitted to arguing against a teacher about her methods of solving trigonometric functions. Her punishment had been a week of labor in the Everfree Forest. It was a terrible experience, for the forest was crawling with dangerous creatures and spontaneous forces. She was powerless as she saw entire trees being ripped apart by a blinding array of lights. It was amazing how she was not traumatized; she was only eleven at the time. As she sat in her desk, she knew another act of defiance would surely mean expulsion or worse. As the professor, one of the only ponies still left teaching, drew his lesson on establishing the perfect field around a bridge to a close, he glared at his class one last time.

“Remember that it is magical conservation month, youngins,” he warned. As a worker for the government, he strongly believed in the ideas of the New Equestria Order. He was obligated to deliver such warnings and precautions. Not that he wasn’t allowed to enjoy the satisfaction that it might bring, which he thoroughly did. He was never allowed to be so cruel in the old regime; he would have been fired.

As the class dispersed, the young alicorn filly reunited with her friends, who were now outside the establishment that they were forced to call school. Her friends, a black earth pony and a navy blue pegasus, and she were heading to the town square to perform their standard hours of community service. It was non-magical help to promote the well-being of the community, both physically and mentally. At least that’s what the slogans said. Regardless, it was still required or punishable by forced labor. Either way, everypony had to work.

“School was such a drab today,” exclaimed the pegasus. “I can’t believe all we did was talk about bridges. I mean honestly, I can only handle so many bridges, and so little explosions. When will we ever get to the nitty-gritty?” He smiled. He was amusing himself with his own visualization of various shocks of lightning. Even though he knew it was highly improbable, he still kept the thought, if only as comfort.

“Probably never. I personally don’t care about school,” said the earth filly. “I mainly want to finish it, so I can finally start my own adventure into the world of magic. It doesn’t matter that I cannot practice it as dictated by Order law. With all these new discoveries, who knows?” she asked hopefully. The third pony mainly rolled her eyes at her, with a slight smirk on her face. She knew her friends too well but decided not to crush their dreams, even if they were next to impossible. She, herself, was part of what could be considered impossible.

“I think both of you guys are awesome!” she said, keeping her word. She was telling the truth. No matter how much her friends seemed to lack in understanding or ability, they made up for it in their creativity and perseverance. “Opie, I totally agree, I am getting sick of bridges,” she said to the pegasus pony, giving him a warm look of understanding. Turning over to her other friend, she kept the same tone, in an almost motherly way. “And Yuna, your optimism just astounds me. Makes me wonder how you got a black coat, when you always look on the bright side of things.”

“Maybe to look fabulous,” she said as the three friends burst out in laughter. Even though the New Order had turned everypony’s life upside down, these three provided a happy scene among many miserable ones. They knew of the reality, but always sought to forget about it and cheer each other up and, at least, keep their own morale up. That’s how they viewed their friendship. A powerful force that transcended the rules imposed on them by outside factors. It was magic.

They reached the town square and received their duties for the day. They had to help re-establish a malfunctioning connection between the central city hub and the rest of Equestria. Ever since the New Order took over, every city in Equestria was connected to each other, in order to provide smoother allocation of resources and necessities, as they said. In reality, it was primarily for surveillance and other administrative features.

“Really? These break all the time!” complained Yuna. She was clearly frustrated that she had to work on yet more technology. She could not believe that such an inefficient method was still employed. Magic was so much easier and a lot more reliable than most of these foolish contraptions.

“It’s okay, we’ll fix in no time, don’t you worry,” reassured her alicorn friend. She was stroking her foreleg down her friend’s mane and back, giving her a mix between a pat and a massage.

“Hey, Ember, do you know anything about electrical wiring?” asked the pegasus.

“Not really. I could always be fantastic at it though,” the filly alicorn replied. “I am still missing my cutie mark. You never know,” she said with a smile. She jested around the idea. She knew that she’d never had a future regarding archaic technologies, even though she did consider their development and their influence to be highly fascinating.

“Based on that, we could all be destined to be good at technology then,” Opie clearly pointed out. It was true, none of them had a cutie mark, and they would be getting close to the time when a pony receives his or her cutie mark. In the case of Opie, that time had already passed, yet he still did not have the graceful mark. Not that he’d get one anytime soon, anyway. Ponies did not get cutie marks anymore. He had accepted that horrible truth long ago.

“I don’t really want to do this for the rest of my life.” Yuna replied. “I’d rather not find out if this is what my destiny is,” she said in an almost disgusted tone. If she was assigned to a life like that, she knew she had to do it, of course. The punishment was too brutal to consider, even as a last resort. That did not change the fact that she hated it. At least the new regime did not force her to enjoy the work she was doing. If that happened, she’d probably accept arrest. She couldn’t be paid to enjoy this job. She was a boundless spirit, trapped in a cage that did not allow her to spread her reach. She was going to have to suck it up for the time being.

They finished the task at hoof in less than two hours with the help of an electrician at the site. It was more like he needed their help. He was in a situation where he could not physically complete the job without another’s help. Magic would have been, of course, unacceptable in this instance. He showed them how the primitive object worked. It sent out messages in a series of off and on switches at the very core of its scrambled signal. Through invisible waves called radio waves, the message reached the end of a machine that received the scrambled message, unscrambled it, and displayed it on a device for anypony to see. The specifics were intricate and of not much interest to the three friends, so he let them go on their way. The picture of a spark on his flank showed that he could have talked on for hours on end on the subject.

After finishing the mundane task, the three friends bid each other farewell and continued to their respective homes. Not far from the center of town, Yuna travelled to a house that resembled the top half of a giant five-spoke star. She was used to this type of architecture. It was unique and creative, much like Yuna and the rest of her family (at least before the Order). She cherished the house’s ingenuity, unlike the ghastly and rather dull designs she was taught in school. They lacked so much vision. Opie went to an apartment complex above town, where the rest of the pegasus ponies lived. He lived in the typical cloud home, with the exception that his was modified to withstand several amounts of damage before dispersing. This was added after it was already constructed, mainly due to the nature of Opie’s “experiments”. It was a shame that he was not allowed to practice what he typically enjoyed anymore.

Ember travelled to a cottage just outside the forest. It was covered in yellow walls and a brown frame. The windows were polished to a glossy finish, resembling the brightness that once existed in this town. The door was a remnant of a much earlier time, for it was rounded and grandiose. The veneered finish on top coupled with the elegant gold knock contrasted the stained and peeling walls of some of the neighbors. Despite the rough times, it was in a very good shape. As the young filly reached the step leading into the house, she felt a pair of eyes gazed upon her. She quickly turned to see who it was, but as soon as she focused her vision on the place she had anticipated, the figure was gone. Cautious, she went inside her house and locked the door. She made sure to cast the spell, which would wake everyone in the house should someone break in.

She reached the kitchen and found a note left on the table. WILL ARRIVE LATE/ DINNER IS IN FRIDGE. She was disappointed that her parents would get home late, usually deep into the night, when she’d already be asleep. But that was the way it was in Equestria these days. Ponies worked for the greater good and for the future. That’s why they were being forced to build all those new cities. You have to be prepared, they said. She principally did not believe it was necessary. Even though she did not remember anything before the takeover, she did not consider herself naive enough to believe that it truly was in need for repair. At least not through what the town’s infrastructure and demographics showed. But she was no one to complain about the government. She already had been punished due to it. Besides, the Resistance was well underway. She was confident that if anything were indeed wrong, they’d be able to fix it.

She pulled out the steamed carrots and peas from the fridge and heated it up using their own electrical stove. Magical stoves wasted too much magic and they were trivial, said the Order. She wolfed down her portion, hungry from the day’s hard activities. As she sat in the dinner table by herself, she stared at the empty space, wondering what her parents were doing at that time. With every bite, she felt herself considering worse and worse scenarios. What if her parents had been kidnapped? Or what if they had been found guilty of a crime they didn’t commit, or what if they just decided to leave her by herself? As she swallowed her last bite, she shook her head and cleared her head of such negative ideas. She convinced herself that she was worrying too much, that everything was fine.

Back in her room, she was trying to see how much she could remember from her earlier childhood. No matter how hard she tried, she did not remember a single thing before the age of nine. Her parents said that she had been very sick, barely even alive. It was a miracle that she came out of it almost intact. Nevertheless, she was eager to find out what she could. She would lie in her bed and poke her mind until something new popped in her thoughts. She knew it was a foolish quest, but she was willing to try anything. She even tried hypnosis at one time, but all she gained from that instance was a good night’s sleep. She gave up around twenty minutes in and decided to read her book, The Guide to Flora and Fauna of Equestria. She had been studying up on obscure animals that existed in Equestria. She was looking for one in particular, one that haunted her dreams. After about an hour of studying, Ember decided to close the book and slip in a well-deserved sleep. Tired and unable to keep concentrated, she fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

She stood alone in a large pitch-black room. She could barely see anything except the occasional scurry of a rat across the room trying to reach its safe hold. She envied the rat, mostly because it had a chance to flee what was about to happen. As soon as a single light lit up, she found herself surrounded by the angry forms of several hundred creatures. They stood on erect, with two forelimbs sticking out from their sides. Their dead eyes stared at her, pleading for mercy, yet menacing at the same time. They were alone, sad, and helpless. Their pathetic limbs barely seemed able to carry them. She tried running away, but the room seemed to be infinitely expanding into nothingness. The creatures easily caught up to her; this was their territory. They knew it meter by meter. There was no way for her to evade these creatures. She could not go on for more than thirty paces without having one of them jump at her. Its cold dead claws stretched out, hoping to catch something, anything, from her that would help it escape its deplorable state. They were dying. Their bodies were basically walking carcasses. If they weren’t trying to destroy Ember, she would be sad for them. Even when she tried to disperse them using magic (she was extremely opposed to murder), they always stood back up and resumed their plight towards her. She also tried to fly upwards, confident that the creatures could not fly. They always brought her back down, for every time she flew up, there was a platform waiting at the top of the room. This is where the creatures would jump on her, bringing them all down to the surface again.

Their perseverance astounded her. At this point, they had her pinned down. They circled her, clearly proud of their achievement, as much pride as a creature of such monstrosity could have. Lonely and scared, she felt herself tense up as one took a carving knife out. She could barely move as much as a hoof when he began cutting her up, piece by piece. She felt the cold blade of the knife cut deep into her skin and bones, tearing away the limbs that belonged to her. The pain was excruciating. She wished for the gentle embrace of death but it never came. As the more diligent bunch had their fill, the others mainly grabbed what remained of her and sank their filthy blunt teeth into her body. As they pulled off her muscles and tissues, they didn’t even bother to wait until it was fully off her. They could have easily torn off every part of her body without ever picking up their mouths. As soon as they reached her eyes, her brain and her heart, there was a pause. Their leader, a smooth and clean creature, with fresh pink skin and a well-combed mane walked up to her. Inspecting the remains, he then grew a smile from ear to ear. His laugh echoed maliciously as he gulfed down his empowering meal.

Ember woke up in the middle of the night, screaming. Her bed, drenched in sweat, was very uncomfortable and the pillow had become a water bag. This was the third time she had the same nightmare, though different from previous ones. This one had been a lot more morbid than the last, for she saw what happened after she was captured. She could not understand why it was so vivid, so familiar. It was almost as if she had already experienced it. As crazy as that sounded, she considered it a possibility. She did not consider herself creative enough to imagine such a complex thing. She had never met the creatures depicted in it, though. To her, they were revolting mistakes of nature, they would have never been allowed in Equestria. She didn’t even know if they did indeed exist. She dearly hoped not. It frightened her, more than anything, the thought that she would die alone. Ever since she could remember, she had always cherished close relations with others, especially with her mother and father and later her two best friends. She was mortally afraid of losing any of them, especially if she could do anything to prevent it. The feeling that she always had when she entered that dream was that of heart-wrenching guilt and responsibility. Regardless of what happened in that dream, she was glad it was over. Unlike the teas of fear from earlier, those that she was currently shedding were now of relief.

Running into her room, came her mother. “Are you okay, my sweet darling?” She asked the young filly.

Wiping the tears and sweat from her face and body, she replied, “Yes, momma.” Her eyes grew wide as she went over to the older mare gave her a big hug, to show her appreciation for the concern she showed towards her. “I love you” She reassured her.

The white unicorn gave her a comforting smile, closed her eyes, and stroked her daughter’s mane. After some reassuring moments, she whispered into her ear, “I love you too darling... You are my lovely angel.” The two embraced until a grey pegasus entered the room.

“Am I not allowed to join this sweet event?” he asked sarcastically as he walked up to them. The two opened their arms in a warm welcome to the father. The three shared a very intimate moment for several minutes, not saying a word. They did not need to. They knew each other, and knew what the young pony was going through. The atmosphere in the room was very loving and warm; it was euphoria of sentiment. Perhaps it was the conditions they were in, or the things they now cherished, but even though the situation they were living under was very harsh, it enticed them to be together as a family. They saw what really mattered in their world. It truly was the best of times and the worst of times. As Ember calmed down, the three ponies went back to sleep, to get ready for the next day.

When Ember woke up the next morning, her parents had already gone to work. Such was life in the Third District of Equestria. She dreaded having to attend the school one more time this week. She was excited for the next day when she could spend some time with her friends. As she got out of bed, she readied herself for a shower. It was not every day that she was allowed to have one, so when she could, she thoroughly enjoyed them. Turning the knob to allow the water to flow, she patiently waited as the water worked its way up the plumbing and out of the shower head. A shower was such a good feeling; she couldn’t help but feel goosebumps as the water hit her. A smile crept its way on her face, for she absolutely loved the rejuvenating feeling of the jet streams of water hitting her skin. It felt like she was being cleansed of her past and starting fresh. She picked up the loofah with her horn (levitating magic was the only kind of magic allowed), and began scrubbing herself from mane to hooves. She paid especially close attention to her mane and tail, which had been covered in filthy sweat from the night before. Midway through rinsing herself off, an image came across Ember’s mind. It was that of a powerful waterfall, rushing through with such force that anything caught in its path would be gone. Such a vision was common to Ember. Once or twice a month, she would randomly visualize things, while performing seemingly regular activities. She ignored most of them since she did not see any value in them.

After she cleaned herself up, the little pony went down for breakfast. There was no note on the fridge this time; it was commonplace for her parents to be gone so early. She, herself, had to be at the school in a matter of minutes. She grabbed an apple from the basket and headed towards the establishment, where she’d learn the wonders of the world, or at least as they were told by the Order. She bit hard into the apple, working hard to remove the piece she had torn off. Unlike the moist and sweet apples of the past, this one was hard and rather dry. It lacked the natural characteristics that made it the tasty fruit that it once had been. As products of the New Equestria Order, most foodstuffs were grown by the government itself in order to maximize production and minimize costs. They said that it would produce better results, for the greedy farmers would not take advantage of the consumer anymore. No pony with a brain stem bought any of that, of course, but there was a considerable amount of ponies who were very naive and easily won over.

She reached the school several minutes early since she lived relatively close to it. It took her five minutes to get to it, using her wings at the speed (a slow speed) set by the Office of Pegasus Affairs. Even though she herself was not a pegasus, all the same rules applied. The same went with the Office of Unicorn Affairs rules. Inside the school, she met Yuna, who was unpacking the thesis she had been assigned the previous day. The sudden realization that she had forgotten to do hers hit Ember square in the face with the intensity of a train-pulling stallion. She only hoped that the teacher wasn’t present that day.

“Ugh… You actually eat those revolting things?” asked Yuna to her silver friend, honestly perplexed at the apple she held in her hoof.

“Uh... yeah, it’s food,” replied the other. She was more concerned with what to do with her dilemma than such a trivial thing as the apple.

“That disgusting slop that the Order produces can hardly be considered food,” The black unicorn spat out. She walked over to her desk and put held her head by her hooves as she began to recall distant memories. “Real food existed back in the day,” she began. “I remember apples from that time, so big and juicy. We always went out to the weekly market where there would be a cart from a place called Sweet Apple Acres. We’d get a bagful of apples for the week, although we probably ate most of them that same day. They were almost as big as both my eyes put together! And the taste... To die for.” She slurped her saliva in a gesture to signify her satisfaction. “Ah, those were the days.”

Ember had only paid half of her attention to her friend as she quickly wrote down line after line, attempting to finish the assignment before the teacher walked in. She didn’t know about the world in any other way than this one. She had heard countless tales of old-times, but she knew the reality of her day. Therefore, she raced to finish the professor assigned at the last minute. He was a zebra of around fifty years of age; he was very stringent with his students. Any indiscipline would result in referral towards the Director, who would decide the fate of the pony in question. For the last few years the Director had been a heartless ruler. Any pony with a violation greater than a simple mistake would be punished. He made sure that his code was followed. Ember had already seen the horrors of punishment. She did not want to relive such an experience. That’s why she wrote faster than she ever had in her life. She knew that a pathetic attempt would not be basis for referral, just a poor grade. In her mind, that was a much better alternative. Just as the older zebra entered his classroom, Ember put the last period to end her completely-butchered-but-otherwise-finished thesis. As the teacher picked up her work, she couldn’t help but form a big grin.

The rest of the day was uneventful, as every other day was in the now grey town of Hoofsville. Long gone were the days that ponies learned about the wonders of Magic, the importance of cutie marks, or the effects of friendship. That was regarded as “Irrelevant information.” Now they were all forced to learn more material at a faster rate. What foals accomplished in five years in the past, they now did in one year. It was exhausting, but efficient. When they would get out of school, they’d be able to use their knowledge to help the community and its individuals, whoever they were. That was the motto of the Order. Use the resources and knowledge of one to help the other. Their motives were plausible enough.

Ember and Yuna met with Opie in what had once been a central park. It had now been converted into an industrial park after all of the trees were cut down and shipped to different locations. Opie had had another stressful day at the Institute for Rising Stallions. He had been forced to carry a dead weight of pure steel. The resistance of the colts was being tested much more than that of the fillies. Opie was not built for physical endurance, and his collapse into the chair beside Ember showed that. He laid his head down for around five minutes before asking his friends about their day. They all conceded that it was nothing worth remembering. They all sat in silence for several more minutes, studying their surroundings. The factories that now stood were dull and bleak, very much unlike the previous luscious trees and vibrant plants. The smoke that the factories pumped was toxic to the many species of animals that once populated the park. The three friends watched with despair as a bird flew across the sky, but stopped as soon as it was within meters of the factory walls. Frightened, it turned around and flew back. Nature was being abused, yet there was nothing that a normal pony could do. The Order was too powerful. Out of the three friends, only Ember had the ability to direct magic. The other two were restricted on their abilities. At least Opie could fly. What Yuna lacked in inherited ability, she made up in innovation and imagination. She knew what she wanted and had plans to achieve it. Whatever she set her mind to, she would make it happen. No matter how impossible it might seem to others. Even though she was an Earth pony, she was a lot more knowledgeable about magic than most unicorn ponies. She strongly believed in the notion that knowledge is power, so she felt herself more powerful than many. Unfortunately, she could boost herself up too high at times.

Soon afterwards, the three friends decided to go to Yuna’s house. Walking up to the star was always exhilarating for Ember, who could not believe such a structure could still be standing. “How is it that the Order hasn’t taken down your house?” the young filly asked her friend.

Yuna merely grinned as she took a glance at the top spoke. “You know my dad works for the Order. He has influence inner projects, so he has certain privileges. One of them is living in comfort.”

Ember merely stared at the house, still gaping in awe. “It sure is comfort, all right,” she said as Yuna opened the door and motioned her friends inside. Stepping into the house, everypony could see the various paintings hung at every wall. All of them were original and proper. The carpet, soft and smooth, lined the living room with the glow of elegance and majesty. The sofas were creative in their design, clearly adding to the decor of the room. A table with whiskey and shot glasses stood at the edge of one sofa. The windows were all framed with titanium to reinforce the tainted glass which they supported. A grand piano was placed in the corner of the living room. Its black finish, contrasted well with the carefully polished white keys and the carpet. It was the centerpiece of the room. In the dining room, the table was made from solid oak tree and then carved specific molds for each member of the family. The chairs were also made from the same material and were padded with the most comfortable blend of fabrics and silks. A chandelier hung from the ceiling as the porcelain dishes glistened in a case beside the table. In every room, the bed was made of memory foam and the floors were covered in the same type of plush carpeting. The bathrooms were all sparkly white, containing a tub that could almost be considered a Jacuzzi. Every knob in the house was lined with gold, especially the shower and sink knobs, which only added to the amazing style it already had. Back in the living room, Yuna’s parents would sit in their easy chairs, basking in the enjoyment of simply living in such a cultured abode. The family crest, lined with gemstones, was plated above the fireplace.

When the three friends arrived at the house, no pony was present, so they took a place in the living quarters. Opie and Ember had been to her house only once before, but they had to scurry to her room for her parents were conducting a meeting in the living room. Now, they could truly appreciate the luxury that her house possessed. They were dumbfounded. Their houses did not compare to this one. Opie’s house, very different due to being in the clouds, was in need of much maintenance. The roof was on the verge of drifting apart if the atmosphere got any more humid. There was also a part of the floor that would randomly give way, causing whoever that was standing above it to fall through it. Luckily, there was almost no way for a non-pegasus pony to set foot in the clouds since the amount of magic necessary for such a feat was strictly prohibited. Ember’s house resembled more of a cottage than a house. The outside, save for the elegant door, was humble and poorly decorated. There were little, if any, luxuries inside the house. The only thing that came remotely close to a luxury was the fact that they had a working fridge and stove. Many ponies in this day and age had to fetch their food every day they wanted to eat somewhat fresh. It was sad, but such a trivial thing from the past now seemed incredibly essential.

“So, what do you guys want to do?” asked Yuna, as she sat down in one of the sofas. The easy chairs were strictly prohibited.

“We could honestly stare at your stuff for hours on end,” replied Ember, still gazing around the living room. She had moved on from observing a painting of a beautiful mare to observing a chess set. Each piece seemed to be individually carved on a marble board. Ember just stood in amazement. “I can’t believe you guys are so lucky. To have all this stuff, I mean.”

“Well, Father says that it’s not luck,” Yuna said in a solemn tone. She shifted her stare into a nearby painting, deeply recalling an earlier event. “He said it’s all been careful management and the correct playing of his cards.” She had an expression of disappointment in her face, almost as if she had wanted something different than what had happened.

Opie went and sat beside Yuna. “Yeah that’s probably it,” he said. He also began to seep into deeper thought, ignoring the objects around him and considering them just simple objects. “I don’t know how you feel about it, though.” He paused for a moment, trying to pick his words carefully as to not insult his friend. He stared at her deeply, trying to look for answers. “I mean, I don’t think that you care too much about it since you never mentioned it. I doubt that anyone besides us know that your dad is that high up the social ladder,” he said somewhat bluntly.

Yuna just sat there and looked away for a moment. She did not stir very much. She considered what Opie had just described, and applied to her life. She was aware of her position in the system. She was aware of what she could be if she wanted to: powerful and wealthy. She did not enjoy that, however. It was because of her responsibility as a member of a higher class, that she resented it. She had a strained relationship with her parents. They could not force her to stitch a single thread together, not that she’d stitch something together in the first place. She was a free spirit. Her siblings had all gone on, but they had all limited themselves to a single thing. Yuna was an artist, unbound, and the rules imposed on her by society were too much for her. She wanted to break free from her bondage. She knew it was near impossible. A single tear was about to flow from her face when she suddenly turned back to her friends, back in control.

“I don’t care. My parents are what they are, and I can’t change them.” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “But I will not let them change me.” A mischievous smile crept its way into her face as stood from the sofa and into the kitchen. She went into the fridge and took out a stalk of celery that she began to chew down. Her friends promptly joined her in the kitchen. “Are you guys hungry?” she asked them.

“Am I ever!” exclaimed Opie, who almost jumped up at the mention of food. He made his way over to the sink and washed his hooves. Thankfully it was a lever, rather than a knob to operate the sink. “Wait, why did I just do that?” His puzzled expression was matched by those of his friends.

“I was just going to ask you the same question. They’re just going to get dirty again as soon as you put them back on the ground, which you will have to do pretty soon.” Ember pointed out. She was right; Opie had just done something strange, almost unponylike. Unable to come up with a real reason, Opie just shrugged and continued over to the fridge. His friends followed suit and continued their activities.

“You can have two things, except for the truffles and the cocoa stalk. Those are off-limits.” Yuna informed him. Her parents would not notice simple things if they were missing, but they would freak if such a delicacy suddenly disappeared. Not only were they rare and expensive, they were also magical. Being members of the Inner Order, her parents had to make sure they were above the commoners, lest they attempt to go up against their rulers.

Opie was still ecstatic, though. There was so much other food in the fridge to feed him for weeks. He didn’t even recognize half of it. Finally, he took out an eggplant, butter, and oil. “We should cook something,” he suggested, already taking out one of Yuna’s pans.

“Oh my gosh, that would be amazing.” Ember agreed, her tone showing her excitement. She grabbed a wooden spooned and joined Opie. She went into the fridge and took out more veggies to throw into the creation they were about to make. Yuna thought about the idea before her friends did anything drastic. Her parents would be angry if she destroyed the materials or depleted the fridge, but an innocent endeavor, such a home-cooked meal with her friends, seemed like it would be acceptable. She joined her friends, grabbing several condiments from her cabinet. As she began to add pepper to the already stirring eggplant, Opie accidentally got butter on his face. He tried to reach for it, but his hoof was caught in part of the apron Ember was wearing, bringing them very close to each other. “Hold on there, little colt” she warned him, giving him a playful but otherwise stern look.

“Oh, puh lease, don’t flatter yourself,” he replied, rolling his eyes sarcastically. “I don’t waste my time on blank flanks.” His almost condescending tone could have cut through Ember, if she did not her friend well, and if they weren’t joking around.

“How’s that self-hate going then?” Yuna said with a cold undertone. She leered at Opie, who, in turn, gave her a playful glare of spite. Ember continued to stare at Opie. The tension in the room quickly dissipated as soon as it began for the three little ponies began to fill the room with laughter, clearly amused at their own antics. These moments of carefree attitudes and playful joking were what they shared the most. They knew that in the New Equestria Order, those moments were hard to come by.

After approximately thirty minutes, the three friends were sitting in the regal table, gracefully eating their own meal. Ember had just realized that the fork she had been using was made from plated silver. She also saw that included in the dining set, was a spoon made from some sort of pearl-like substance. She could only imagine the fancy plate that could be eaten with such a spoon. She sipped another gulp of chemically refined water. It was about as refreshing as she had ever tasted. The tap water she had at home had a distinctive metallic aftertaste, but not this one. Being in a house this fancy, she would have preferred something with more allure, but seeing as everything else was alcohol, she was content with simple water. She quickly abandoned the thought all together as she remembered that Yuna was taking great risks simply letting them have dinner. So, she thoroughly enjoyed every bite. Every different taste reminded her of the different reasons she was glad to have this particular set of friends. Opie was so confident and ambitious. He knew what he wanted and was not afraid to fight for it. Even when he was shot down by professors and officials, they could not do anything past labor punishments, which he gladly served. His dedication astounded Ember. Yuna on the other hoof was a bit more reserved than Opie. She knew the repercussions that her actions held and was cautious to make drastic decisions. Like Opie, however, her dreams were enormous. They both had high expectations, and even though it did not look favorable to either of them, they still kept their heads high and their spirits alive. Perhaps that’s what most impressed Ember about them.

Across from her, sat Opie entranced in his meal. The flavors and aromas sent him to a place he had only travelled to in his dreams. He could see images of being in a particular cloud surrounded by other pegasi. They were all talking about the recent development of storm patterns, Opie’s favorite part of the weather. He saw a Director pegasus assigned him as Head Advisor of storm occurrences. He could hardly hide his enthusiasm as he screamed at the top of his lungs. Everypony around him clomped his or her hooves together to congratulate his achievement. He would take Equestria to a new era of regulated weather. The glee that radiated from him could almost be felt by those around him. Unfortunately, he was pulled out from his vision as quickly as he entered it. This particular meal was the one he shared with his family back in Cloudsdale when his dad got a promotion in the weather factory. That’s when he made a huge step towards the type of thing he wanted to do. Unfortunately at the time, he had not been certain, resulting in his lack of Cutie Mark. Now that he was sure of his life’s calling, it was too late.

Yuna just looked at her friends attentively. She saw how they gulfed down their food with almost an insatiable manner. She was glad to give her friends something that they could enjoy. Even for a little while. She knew that this would be a one-of-a-kind event. Especially with the way her parents were acting lately. This was the fifth straight day they had to stay late at the Order. She knew that it could not be good; their jobs were not tied to production or any sort. Also, when they did arrive home, they’d be in a deplorable mood, obviously stressed from whatever they had been working on. They wouldn’t talk to her anymore, and they avoided each other at all costs. It was as if they knew something important that would impact her greatly. She could only guess what it was, but she would rather not think about it. Her sister and her brother had already left home, and they were doing well. She did not see why she couldn’t do the same, even if she did have radical ideas. She was nevertheless worried for the sake of everypony. As she looked at Opie and Ember complementing each other on the meal, she wished that her parents could do the same. Would they ever pull themselves out of the situation that they were in? Perhaps to return to the family that she knew they once had been. Looking around her house and at all of their belongings, she knew it in her heart that it was not very likely. Not for the time being.

Twenty minutes later, the kitchen and the dining room were spotless. Thanks to the help of her friends, Yuna’s house now looked the same as it did before the group decided to have an impromptu get together, save for the eaten food of course. “I hope you had a wonderful time!” said Yuna as she waved her friends good-bye. She went back inside and shut the door, happy with the events of the day. She went up to her room and laid on her bed, thinking about her future. What did she really want in life? She always thought she’d be an artist, like her sister and brother, both of whom were now in Manehattan, living the life. At least they had been before the takeover. Now she had no idea what they were doing, but she assumed it was still better than what she was going through. But what really rang true in her heart was magic. Her obsession with it culminated when she realized at age six that only unicorns had the ability to control magic. Even though inhibited by nature, she knew that she would do something with it. Perhaps now that there so many restrictions on it, she would find a variant that would allow magic to perform large feats without using a lot of it. She could revolutionize magic. The thought alone amused her, as she saw the irony that of such an idea. She continued to lay for another ten minutes, trying to find the wherewithal to lift herself up and properly get ready for bed.

When she finally did, the front door of her house burst open. An angry voice shouted mumblings that she could not make out from her upstairs bedroom. Opening her door, slightly ajar, she was able to listen to what was going on.

“Why don’t you ever listen to me?! Do you want us to be imprisoned?”

The shouting voice was that of her father, clearly infuriated. The one he was shouting at, Yuna could strongly assume was her mother. “Do you realize what you almost put us through? If it wasn’t for the stupidity of Mearl, we’d be screwed. We wouldn’t even be in Equestria right now!” Her father’s last words struck Yuna strongly. Being banished from Equestria was not a light punishment. The terrors that existed outside of the protected land were unknown to most ponykind. Survival, especially for earth ponies, was slim to none. However, a punishment like that would need to come from a severe crime. For that reason, Yuna refused to imagine what sort of thing could have happened to cause such uproar. After a few more ramblings, her father left his victim alone for a while as he began to walk to another part of the house. “What is the meaning of this? Yuna!” he shouted once more. Yuna quickly remembered that she forgot to pack everything inside the fridge to its rightful place, which included the cocoa stalks. She had left the part that she had used for dinner completely visible. So many possibilities ran through her head as her father climbed up the stairs. She jumped back into bed, pretending to be asleep. Soon enough, the stallion burst the door open. “What. Did you do?” he asked. An expression of pure anger masked his face.

Yuna was legitimately scared. “Nothing,” she whimpered out. “I just had a little dinner.” She covered her mouth with part of her covers.

“You had the whole eggplant? That was supposed to last us for a week?” He pressed on while drawing ever so closer to the filly, attempting to break her down.

“I was hungry. There was nothing else to eat.” At this point, all she wanted was for him to leave. She hated seeing him like this. Her father, the one that was supposed to protect her, being the aggressor, almost like an enemy,

“I don’t buy any of that hogwash; you had people over, Yuna.” He pointed a hoof at her. “Don’t you lie to me.”

“It was only an eggplant. You know you can buy more.” She pleaded. She was starting to have enough of it.

“That’s not the point! The point is that you’re letting your grubby little friends in here.” He was right in front of her now. “They are commoners. They have seen our house and our belongings. They are undoubtedly plotting to seize it from us. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stole something tonight!” he said suspiciously

“They are not like that; they are my friends!” she exclaimed and got out of bed. “I know them, and they would never be jealous of the stuff that we have, nor would they ever steal from us.” She looked straight at him in the eye. She might have still been a filly, but she knew what friendship was. It revolved around trust.

“I don’t care. They are not coming here ever again,” he said sternly. “And you are not allowed to see them again.”

“What?!” Yuna yelled, perplexed and aggravated.

“From now on, you go to school, to community service, and back home. And you better make sure nopony ever sets foot in this house again. Understand?!” He had already begun to walk back towards the outside of the room, not wanting to argue any of this. “I have sent ponies into harsher punishments for lesser crimes,” he said under his breath. Regardless of whether she heard or not, his word was final. She tried to argue, but as soon as she said something, he had already closed the door. Not giving up, she went after him. Outside of her room, she followed him down to the living room, intending to pursue her argument further. Her parents, however, had gone outside before she could reach them. Just as she was about to open the door, she spotted a mysterious box on the coffee table.

It had not been there earlier, so she assumed that her parents must have brought it home from work. Curious, she set it up, and pressed the red button it had on one side. The box began to vibrate, first as a low hum, then uncontrollably. Frightened, Yuna dropped the box. Instead of falling straight into the ground, however, the box levitated in front of her. Amazed, she drew closer to it, raising a hoof to touch it. Just as she did, the box expanded outward. It stretched its corners in such a way that it was creating more of an oval, not very thick, rather than a giant box. As it expanded, Yuna saw the black void that it showed on its surface. Once the box stopped expanding, the void lit, making Yuna step back in instinct. She raised a hoof to cover her eyes from the very bright spectacle that now illuminated the room.

A circular array of light had erupted. From the distance at which she was, she couldn’t see anything inside it, but more colorful lights. But as she drew closer and closer, she began to make shapes and figures inside the lights. Eventually, she could see through it as if it were a window. She saw many ponies huddled together, comforting each other as a griffon stood in front of them, with a magical lance at its claw. The ponies were scared; they knew that whatever was coming to them was dangerous, yet unstoppable. Behind them, Yuna could see cages and crates, where other ponies were situated. As the cages opened, another creature, this time an unknown figure made of metal, banged against the cage to signal them to exit. To the left of these ponies was a train, which had just transported them to this place. What struck Yuna as odd about this train was that it was not being pulled by ponies, as it was standard. Rather, the engine was moving by itself! Perplexed, she focused out of this detail and returned to the wider image she saw first. The group of ponies had dispersed, for they had headed off to another station. Here, Yuna saw that some sort of mechanism was being strapped to their front legs. It was restrictive and it did not let them move their legs far apart from each other. These ponies were being shackled! She wondered why such a thing would be done. There were no prisons in Equestria. There was no need for them. Everypony knew how to behave, and no pony ever committed anything major. It was unheard of. Ponies were not mindless animals, she thought.

After one of the ponies refused to be shackled, one of the metal guards came up to him and struck him with its lance. As the blow came down on the unfortunate colt, the end of the lance glowed as it administered a magical sting into the pony’s body. The poor individual fell backward as the writhing pain caused him to roll back and forth. His assailant merely stood, with other ponies just watching. They knew that if they did anything, they’d also be struck. Yuna stood in awe. She could not believe that this sort of treatment was being administered to these poor beings. Moreover, she could not understand what they could have done to deserve such treatment, considering that many of them were foals. With a concerned and somewhat disgusted expression, she saw the shackled ponies enter a gate, which itself was guarded by more guards, mid-sized dragons. Inside the gate, she saw a vast array of shacks set up as far as she could see, with many ponies scattered on the ground. There were ponies of all ages, all of whom were incredibly emaciated. Incredulous, she focused on this new part of the picture. She focused on one particular pony.

He was a red unicorn emaciated beyond belief. His ribs were visible and his skin was thin. He could barely walk as he stood in line to what appeared to be a soup line. When he stepped forward, he accidentally knocked into one of the metal guard creatures. The creature waved his spear at him, clearly motioning for a response to his action, which it labeled as retaliatory. The unicorn attempted to explain himself to the creature, but the guard remained armed against the pony. It deemed his reasons unsatisfactory and drove its spear through the unicorn’s chest, drawing a large amount to blood. With the unicorn pinned on the ground and unable to move, the creature continued to push his weapon further inside the pony’s body. The metal creature now twisted his spear, and more and more blood gushed out from the pony’s chest. As the creature pulled the weapon out, a stringy organ stuck to the spearhead refused to be severed from the pony’s body. The metal creature merely pulled with more force, and the spear came out, complete with the heart of the now-dead pony. The metal creature took the heart off the spear and threw it back to its owner. It then washed the spear and proceeded on its way. Yuna watched with horror as the silent depiction showed how ponies witnessing this atrocity simply walked past the mutilated body of the unicorn!

Unable to continue to watch the gruesome spectacle any further, she found the lid of the box and threw it into the mystical window. It vanished from the room at once, leaving only the box from which it came behind. Yuna put the box back to the place where she found it and ran back to her room, with the images that she had just witnessed embedded into her brain.

Her parents walked back inside the house, relaxed after their talk with their boss outside. Her father noticed that he had left the Portal on the table. He had realized how foolish this had been, for if anypony found it, he would be in a lot of trouble. Not only from the Order, but from the masses as well, should they find out of his occupation. He put the Portal back into its compartment and went to his room. He joined his wife in bed on their comfortable mattress in their luxurious room. As he turned off the light, he wished his wife good night and proceeded to have himself a good night’s sleep.

Finally, it was the day when half of the students in Hoofsville were allowed to rest. Ember was part of this half. Not wanting to oversleep and miss her chance at spending quality time not serving the Order, she woke up very early, even before the sun came up. She took a refreshing shower, ate breakfast, and was about to go outside, when a siren started to sound all over town. She quickly found the nearest cover and hid herself under it. She was frightened. She did not know what could have caused this siren to go off. Hoofsville was remote compared to the inner cities, especially the capital of Canterlot. If anything of true danger was happening to Hoofsville, then all of Equestria would be collapsing. Luckily, the siren went off as quickly as it started, yet its effect would be remembered for much longer.

Ember’s parents quickly came down the stairs, wide awake, even though they had been fast asleep a few minutes ago.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” asked Ember’s mom, concerned. As Ember replied yes, her dad went outside to find out what may have happened. Other ponies were already outside, also worried about what may have happened. They conversed with each other about various possibilities, the main one being an attack on a major city. Hoofsville itself was not a major city, it didn’t even have its own stomping grounds and many essential supplies had to be shipped into it. The closest major city to it was Manehattan. An attack to Manehattan would leave the town without resources. Without resources, the town would be doomed, for it was a manufacturing city. The second nearest city, Trottania, was much farther away. Without Manehattan up and running, Hoofsville would be systematically destroyed. Therefore, the sound of any siren, no matter how short it was, was still a matter of utmost importance.

Ponies had already gathered around town’s square, to which Ember and her parents had also travelled. As the town ponies convened, Ember herself tried to join the conversations, while she looked for her friends. “What’s going on?” she asked an older mare.

“We don’t know yet, but many are talking about an attack by the Resistance,” a mare behind Ember said. The last word spoken from her mouth was almost spat out.

“Why would they attack now? It’s almost Freedom Week,” Ember replied, trying to make sense of the situation.

“Of course they would attack now, little filly,” she spoke down to Ember. “They want to weaken us when we are relaxing.” A tone of anger had seeped into her voice. “Of course such degenerates would do such a thing. Good thing the Order came along,” she said with reproach at the Resistance and complete adoration at the Order. Ember herself had never bought any of their propaganda, but it was apparently having an effect on the psyche of some ponies. Of course, she did not remember anything before the Order, so she was somewhat biased.

Ember moved away from the mare and approached a colt. He was a little bit older than she, but not by much; he had did not have his Cutie Mark either. “Hey,” she said to him.

“Hi, do I know you?” he asked with curiosity somewhat mixed with a little annoyance.

“I don’t think so. My name is Ember. Are we in the same level?” she asked him with a warm smile to show him her good nature.

“Probably not, I’m a weapons student,” he said, but refused to give her eye contact. “I am working to get my certification, and then I will join the Service. I can’t even imagine all the wonders I will be able to do for the Order,” he informed her. She was disappointed once more. She had met two ponies, both of whom were brainwashed by the Order. Somehow, she had hoped that her town would not be as conformist. She walked away from both of them, never occurring to her that both of those ponies could be related.

“Ember!” shouted a gleeful voice in front of her. She looked in front of her to see her favorite pegasus standing in front of her. He had not been flying, so she had not spotted him earlier.

“Opie, how are you?” she said to him as she gave him a big bear hug. She was glad to find somepony that would never abandon his ideals.

“Ok, there, Em. I know you fancy me, but this is pushing it,” he said jokingly. Ember caught on quickly and let go of him, letting her face give a slight blush. She pulled back her wings as quickly as they had prompted up. Looking back to the pegasus, she saw that he had noticed her last moments of embarrassment.

“So...” She began, ready to change the subject. “Can you believe these ponies? They are so gullible!” she said with amazement.

“Really?” Opie exclaimed while giving her a puzzled look. “Most of the ponies in the Lofty Homes agreed that the Order was rubbish. In fact, the one pegasus that supported the party has been known to be a narcissistic bigot,” he said with a smirk. Ember was taken back by this. Maybe her kind was not as easily controlled as she thought. Then again, pegasi were a little different than earth and unicorn ponies. She wondered what her nature, a cross of the three types, was. Just as she was about to mention it to Opie, he interrupted her. “This is just like the Takeover.”

Ember shot him a confused look. This was one of the things she did not remember, but knew, that was incredibly important. She cursed herself for not having those memories. “The night the Order took control, right?” she asked him with curiosity.

“Yes, that fateful night when the former Princess was dethroned.” He began. His face had adopted a grim expression. “This was back when we lived in Cloudsdale. My dad and I were on a trip to Canterlot to discuss the changes that had to be made to the weather systems. It was dark, and most ponies were putting up their tools. Just as the sun was about to fall, ringing pierced through the capital city, much like the one today. We all looked up to the castle, where we saw a giant projection being displayed. The picture was dark, but a voice rang loud and clear. It told us she was evil. That all this time, she had been playing us for fools and ignorants. We were her playthings, he said. And she, our master.” At this point, he had Ember’s undivided attention. She had heard this story before, mostly from the classes at the Institute (which were much different), but every time somepony, especially one she trusted, would tell her the event, nothing else would be on her mind. “He was here to save us from her clutches. She was not worthy of being our goddess, much less our princess. We didn’t believe most of that at first; it was too far-fetched to be true. We assumed that it was a bad joke by the guys in the comedy department.” He shook his head negatively. “And then she appeared on the projection. We could tell that she was in a bad shape. Her eyes were red and her rainbow mane gave a lifeless glow. We were appalled to see her in such a condition. It tore us apart. But what she said still hurt us even more. ‘I have failed you, my ponies. The lies have been too great, and I cannot bear to continue this charade. I have not been the ruler that I claim to be, and for that I resign my post. I am sorry I could not have been a better Princess.’” Opie waited for a moment. He himself was moved by his own words, “She then turned to the side and shed a tear. She looked disappointed. As her image disappeared, the voice boomed once more, proclaiming the New Equestria Order as the law of the land. It would be effective immediately. The Princess had formally been taken care of. We have not seen or heard of her ever since.” He finished, with the same grim expression on his face. Ember was quiet. She was trying to analyze the events that had occurred, but also giving her friend space.

Opie had been devastated by Celestia resign. He had placed so much faith in her. His whole life was based around the fact that she was as powerful as the sun, yet as gentle as a pony could be. He thought her invincible. When he found out that she considered herself guilty, he could not bear to idolize her the same way, if at all. His dad was destroyed too. Unable to handle the repercussions that her humiliation brought, for the Order abolished magically-controlled weather, he fled Cloudsdale. He looked for the most remote hamlet he could find. When he found Hoofsville, it fit nicely. Opie connected his lack of Cutie Mark to Celestia’s downfall. When he found out he loved weather, he was still young. He still had juvenile uncertainties. He travelled to Canterlot to see Celestia raise the sun, in an effort to confirm his desire to pursue weather. His initial doubt cost him a part of his being and, therefore, inhibited his essence. Now it was much too late.

He lifted up his head and looked at Ember. Sometimes, he envied her. She did not remember anything of Celestia. She did not remember life before the Order, and therefore, she did not understand what he had gone through. If it had not been for all the stories and communication between ponies, she would be perfectly content living her life under the Order, he thought. He did always wonder how she had a unicorn’s horn and a pegasus’s wings. The only other pony he knew like that was Celestia, but then again, he did not know many ponies outside Cloudsdale or Hoofsville. Most of the ponies in Hoofsville were earth type, so their kids were not magical either. He assumed that it was because Ember’s parents were a unicorn and a pegasus. This explanation satisfied him as he walked up to her.

This whole time, Ember had been trying to imagine a world different than the one she was currently living. What would be different? She thought that perhaps the streets would be covered in candy and every pony would be singing. She quickly dismissed the idea as childish. If not, then she thought of a cesspool where Celestia would come in her carriage and throw acid in the face of a filly trying to cross the road, as the filly tried to avoid the seven different thieves from getting her. This vision was dismissed quickly as well. She could only imagine, but the truth was that she did not know. She was about to hit herself on the head, when Opie came up to her.

“How much longer do you think this is going to be?” he asked. He was slightly annoyed that this shenanigan had already managed to cut into two hours of his free day. The foals were still in town’s square.
“I hope it ends soon,” Ember replied, sharing his feelings. “By the way, have you seen Yuna?” she asked him.

“Actually, I haven’t. I thought for sure she was here, unless that was another pony. She’s probably sleeping in,” he suggested with a hoof on his forehead.

“I know she’s a heavy sleeper, but not being woken up the siren is a little ridiculous, don’t you think?” she asked, her eyelids drooping slightly to show her suspicious thoughts.

Just then, a loud ping filled the room. Everypony present was suddenly silenced, intent on listening closely to whatever was about to happen. Almost, as if on cue, a dark voice came from speakers built in the town's square. "Hello, my little subjects," The voice said coldly. It sounded as if it were angry. "It has come to my attention that the wretched Celestia still has many supporters.” Ember was mesmerized by the voice. It reached into her soul and pulled out an unknown feeling in her. She could figure out what it was yet, but it was strong. Meanwhile, the voice continued. “Celestia is an enemy of the Order, and she is therefore punishable by law. Anyone protecting or supporting her is responsible for the same crime. But that’s not why I’m here today because Celestia is perfectly under control." Opie gave a sigh of relief to this. Ember just kept on listening closely. "But her supporters are giving our great land much trouble. I recently found out that Celestia had in her ward, another Alicorn. She has a gray-purple coat, a light-blue translucent mane, and a cutie mark of a crescent moon. This individual had kept silent these past several years, hiding her existence from me. No doubt she wanted to wait for the perfect moment to strike me and the Order dead.” The voice paused for a moment while the various gasps came from the crowd. “More importantly, she is still out there, plotting her evil scheme. If anyone is to find her, he or she is responsible for turning her over to the authorities. She is an enemy of the Order and an enemy to you. Remember, she is an Alicorn, a mix between a pegasus and a unicorn, and is pure evil. Any information regarding her whereabouts will be met with substantial reward. That is all for today."

The voice shut off, leaving every pony in town square shocked. Ember stood in the middle, paralyzed with the information the voice had just delivered. Looking at her horn and wings, she realized that many eyes were already starting to fall upon her. As the ponies around her moved in closer and closer, she could hear her own heartbeat thump viciously across her chest. For the first time in her life, she wished that she could be invisible.