San Marecisco Waterfront
Pier 18
Equestria, Verdon
Sunday, October 18th, 1599 AD.
6 weeks before “First Contact”

Three centuries ago, San Marecisco was originally founded as a key naval outpost for the Equestrian Hoofcific fleet. Today, San Marecisco stands as Equestria’s first Industrial City and is home to one and a half million Ponies and the Equestrian “First, Second” and “Third” fleets along with the growing Equestrian Airfleet. The city is built between a large open bay that leads out the endless body of water that is the Hoofcific.
Standing at the mouth of the bay is what remains of the Ironclad Bridge. The large suspension bridge was intended to be an alternative to a large, but risky ferry system that could’ve clogged the harbour and created chaos on shipping. Construction began twenty nine years ago. Five years in, progress had reached past the half-way mark when the bridge was destroyed by an unsuspected malestorm, killing hundreds of workers.
Only a few bodies were recovered, the rest was lost to the sunken wreckage that was to make up the road deck. The four pylons and the main roads making up the approach to the bridge now serves as an aging memorial to those who lost their lives after the project was abandoned.

The Ironclad Bridge still catches the eyes of Princess Celestia ever since she first visited the disaster site. Tomorrow would commemorate the twenty fifth anniversary of the disaster. Today, Celestia is in town to see off the elements of harmony on a six week cruise to the Crystal gulf that was reclaimed by the Crystal Empire along with its deep water port named Pearl City.

“Princess?” The voice of Twilight Sparkle draws Celestia’s attention away from the ruined bridge and towards her beloved student. “Are you okay?”

“Uh, yes, my student. I was just had a few things on my mind I need to sort.”

The excuse wasn’t enough to keep her personal student from looking in the same direction.

“What was it like, the day the bridge was destroyed?” Twilight asked out of curiosity.

“Chaos.” Was all that Celestia said. “When I first arrived at the scene, the storm had moved out to sea and the road deck had collapsed into mouth of the bay.”

“How many ponies were hurt?” Twilight asked.

“Those who were working on the pylons and the approach roads had evacuated just as the storm hit the bay.” Celestia replied, to Twilight’s relief. “But at least two hundred ponies lost their lives when the road deck collapsed in the storm.”

Twilight’s relief was shattered with shock. Death was always seen as a natural occurrence in Equestria, but for so many to die in an accident as severe as what happened on the Ironclad Bridge was really unfortunate.

“What a terrible tragedy…” Twilight shook her head.

“And one that has set fear into the hearts of everypony in this city.” Celestia agreed. “Equestria is on the dawn of a new era, a dark one to be precise.”

“How so?” Twilight tilted her head.

“Ever since the accident, San Maresisco has become the most dangerous city in Equestria in terms of workplace safety, the growing number of accidents in the industrial district, and the biggest issues being poverty and corruption in the city council and local law enforcement.”

Twilight didn’t know what to say, she and many other Equestrians knew that society in San Marecisco was falling apart. But she wouldn’t think it would be this bad. “That’s awful! Isn’t there something you can do?”

“It’s already in the works, Twilight. There’s no need for you to worry about.”

Twilight wasn’t worried about the city’s current state, but the mentioning of corruption in the city council is what’s spooked her. “But, Princess-”

“No buts, Twilight.” Celestia interrupted. “This is something I must deal with personally.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight insisted. “I can organise the lawsuits, the charges the-”

“Twilight” Celestia placed her hoof on her student’s lips. “You and your friends have done so much to protect Equestria from its mortal enemies. From Nightmare Moon, Discord, the Changelings and liberating the Crystal Empire from King Sombra. Words cannot describe on how proud I am of you, Spike, and your friends.”

Celestia’s words touched Twilight’s heart. To her, Celestia has always been a secondary mother to her since she took her into her school of gifted unicorns.
“Thank you, Princess.” Twilight thanked her teacher with a hug before joining the other elements by the gangway of their ship.

The ship is a former three mast, double decker Super Frigate named the ‘Everfree’ repurposed to transport royalty in the days before the first zeppelins took to the skies. Now retired from the navy, the ship will embark on its final voyage transporting the elements to and from the Crystal Gulf before she is struck from the naval register nd formally retired.

“Rarity, are you sure you need all this clothing?” Applejack questioned the fashionista as she observes a crane hoisting Rarity’s luggage onto the ship. “It looks like you’re trying to deliver a shipment.”

The alabaster unicorn simply laughed in response to the apple farmer’s question. “Darling, if I was doing a shipment for a valuable customer, I would’ve had the whole cargo space filled up by now.”

Applejack was puzzled. “And how on Verdon would somepony have ah’ wardrobe big enough store a ship load of dresses?”

“Somepony who obviously has an endless wardrobe that not just fits all of that clothing, but it also acts as a secret gateway to an alternate world!” The joyful voice of Pinkie Pie piped out of the blue with the pink mare appearing between the apple farmer and the seamstress.

“Uh… What now?” Applejack said after getting over the sudden shock from Pinkie’s sudden appearance.

“Hey girls.” Twilight greeted her friends. “Where’s Rainbow and Fluttershy?”
“There they are!” Pinkie pointed towards the start of the pier.

Trotting their way towards the gangway is a cyan blue, rainbow mane Pegasus named Rainbow Dash. Alongside her is a butter yellow Pegasus named Fluttershy. Joining the two is Vinyl Scratch, or commonly known throughout Equestria as “DJ PON-3” by her fans, had come to town to see off the elements and was expecting a friend from overseas to arrive in port from across the Hoofcific.

“Hey girls, sorry we’re late. We were just passing central station when we bumped into Vinyl.” Rainbow called out.

“Wassup dudettes!” Vinyl greeted the Elements.

“Hey DJ, What are you doing here?” Twilight asked.

“I’m in town to pick up a friend who’s coming in from Austaliona for a few weeks.” Vinyl explained.

Twilight was surprised. “Wait, you have an Austalion friend?”

“Yeah, I met her when I was doing my first tour there about three years ago in Sydneigh.”

“Wow, what’s her name?” Pinkie asked.

“Stirlingite.” Vinyl answered.
“What a lovely name.” Rarity complimented.

As Vinyl was about to continue, Princess Celestia re-joined the group to say her final goodbye.

“Are you girls ready to cast-off?”

“Yes.” The six replied at once.

“Hello, Princess.” Vinyl greeted Celestia with a bow.

“Hello, Vinyl.” Celestia replied. “What brings you here today?”

“I’m in town to meet a friend coming in from overseas.” Vinyl explained. “Her ship should be pulling into port soon.”

“That’s wonderful.” Celestia replied with interest.

A loud high pitched whistle broke the harbour atmosphere as the ex-frigate’s commanding officer announced his final boarding call.

“All aboard! For the Everfree’s final voyage to the Crystal gulf!”

“We’d better get goin’!” Applejack trotted off to the gangway.

“Right behind you!” Rainbow followed.

As the elements boarded the ship, Twilight and Celestia exchanged one final hug.

“Goodbye, Princess.” Twilight farewelled.

“Take care, Twilight. I’ll let you know on Spike’s condition when I return to Canterlot.”

Spike, who is Twilight’s assistant is a young dragon Twilight hatched as part of her qualification test to enter Celestia’s School of Gifted Unicorns several years ago, and have since developed a brother-sister bond. Spike was to come on the cruise but contracted a strange flu a week prior that saw him in hospital in their hometown of Ponyville.

“Thank you for looking after Spike for me while I’m gone… And for covering the medical bill.” Twilight thanked her teacher once more.

“Anything to help repay for all you and your friends have done for Equestria.” Celestia winked. “You better get going before they depart without you.”

“Oh, right. Goodbye Princess.” Twilight said before she teleported herself onto the ship as its crew began to free the mooring lines, freeing its sails and the captain orders the ship out to sea.

Ironclad Bridge Lookout
San Marecisco Bay
1.5 hours later

In the weeks following the Ironclad Bridge disaster, the city council closed off the area to the public after the construction company tasked with the bridge’s construction abandoned the project. Today the structure is in a bad condition, twenty five years without any maintenance and no all-weather protection coating has left the bridge completely exposed to the elements. The northern approach highway had been bulldozed and salvaged for scrap, the north tower and what remains of the road deck suspending from the tower was abandoned. The southern approach was left untouched as a memorial and the collapsed road deck couldn’t be salvaged, making entering the bay a dangerous gamble for large ships heading for port at low tide conditions.

The lookout is located a small ways back from the closed off main structure that overlooks the bay, giving the locals and tourists access to a beautiful and terrifying view of the whole city.
From the lookout you’re given a full view of the city itself. Small skyscrapers huddle around the City Business District while apartment complexes and commercial districts surround the CBD. The waterfront comprises of vast marinas with the San Marecisco Terminal as its centrepiece alongside the naval base. Making up the majority of the outskirts is the city slums where two thirds of the population that works in the city’s monstrous industrial complex calls home. The city’s nobles and industrial entrepreneurs reside in the large mansions on the large hills surrounding the city overlooking the slums.

To the north of the city lies the powerhouse of Equestria. Lining the other side of the bay are large factories, towering refineries, steel mills, the deep water port, dry-docks and the city’s coal fired power station. Its atmosphere of fire, blood, sweat and tears have plagued this city since the early days, the smoke billowing from the thousands of chimneys creates a terrifying cloud of fire that rains down ash on the industrial city. The one quarter of the factory workers who are unable to afford to live in the slums reside within the factories themselves, many of which have families to look after.

The workers would spend almost ten to twelve hours a day operating the large machines that make the materials to build Equestria. The young fillies and foals who can’t go to school would normally spend time helping their dads on the production floor, conducting small jobs to earn the extra amount of bits to get food on the table. In certain cases the mothers are forced to take up prostitution.

From time to time machines would break down, bringing production to a halt. In many situations the workers cannot access the source of the problem, so young foals are sent in to fix them problem. This however isn’t resolved without fatal accidents occurring, young children involved in such incidents make up twelve percent of the annual death toll from industrial accidents in the city.
These accidents don’t always occur in all factories. Some owners go the extra length to invest a small portion of their savings into looking after the workers and their families. Some factories have an apartment built alongside, while others have schools to help the young ones get the education they deserve. Princess Celestia applauds those who are doing their part to look after their workers, but the large majority have little to no symphony for their workers, regardless of the circumstances.

Celestia believed that the city was faring as well as the other cities of Equestria did, well… That’s what the annual reports from the mayor claim. A couple of weeks ago she received a letter from a private investigator who had quit the S.M.P.D on claims the department and city council was corrupted by the nobles and power hungry industrial entrepreneurs who had a grudge against the Equestrian Workers Union. It baffled her at first, but when private documents from the mayor’s office was sent to her last week truly revealed the true state of the city.

It saddened the solar princess to see her subjects succumb to such greed. Ever since industrialisation was introduced to Equestria from its Trans-Hoofcific neighbour, the Austaliona/Kangaroo Federation, the equine nation has been undergoing a sudden transition from its post-renaissance/early industrial age into a full blown Steampunk Industrial age. A transition that could take a whole generation to adjust.

Looking to the sky, not only was she met with the fiery wall of smoke that looms over the city, but the various sized airships of the western zeppelin fleet sailing over her as they head out to sea for military exercises. Looking back down her eyes meet a small rock embedded in the centre of the lookout with a bronze plaque on it.

“In memory of the two hundred and fifteen Equestrians who lost their lives on October 19th 1574.You are gone but never forgotten.
-Lord Mayor Fanta Sea.”
Celestia shook her head in sorrow from reading the plaque. The princess trots up the rock, opening one of her saddle bags she brought with her for this occasion she pulls out a beautiful bundle of roses enveloped in the golden aura of her magic. The roses have a mixed colour of white and a faint steel grey which makes them native to the San Marecisco metropolitan area. The wrapping is a dark grey tied together with a gold ribbon.

Celestia gave the roses one final glance before gently placing the roses at the foot of the rock. Two of Celestia’s elite Solar Guards present gave the monument a brief salute in a sign of respect. Celestia gave the monument one final look before she turned around and started her way to the royal carriage that awaits for the solar princess a small ways back from the lookout.

Her eyes once again meet the open expanse of the Hoofcific. Throughout Celestia’s life many major events have occurred around the ocean. From the great migration of the Hoofcific Islanders to the rise of the Austalion/Kangaroo Federation. The ocean also contains many secrets, from the lost city of Atlantis, to a long forgotten war whose scars that scorched Equestria have long healed. But some scars remain with Celestia, some of which she still masks to this day.

The scars inflicted by the greatest threat to the equine nation since Tireks reign.

The Gorgon Empire, and it’s ruler who’s name, forgotten but still lives on in Celestia’s memory, will spread fear like a plague at a brief mention.

Medusa

Author's Notes:

Hey guys, Iowa here.
I just wanted to apologize about the lack of updates. This year hasn't been good which forced me to take a brief hiatus from writing. But now I'm back! And with a new and improved "Landfall"!
There's so much I could say about what's changed. Well... Everything is changed. I didn't like where the series was going with the current plot, so I decided to stop on Equestria's Warships and start over from scratch. I'll be continuing Equestria's Warships once Landfall is done with a probability I might revise and redo Equestria's Warships to carry on the new storyline.

The prologue isn't over, the next chapter will cover Medusa's origin and on a later chapter how she and Hitler came together.
That's all for now, until next time.
"I'll see you on the naval battlefield."

P.S For those who are looking to start a new story or looking to improve your writing skills? I'm starting a blog series called "Write it Better". So keep an eye out on my blog feed if your interested.