The Beginning of the End

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

I have NEVER done anything like this before so I really REALLY hope I'm doing everything right ;o; It'd be a dream come true to see this possibly become a sub board here so ANYONE is free to join! I put A LOOOOOT of thought into this AU! ^^

The Story:

The Stage is Set
The End is Approaching

No pony wanted to say it, no pony wanted to aknowlege it. It was an inescapable fact, and it pervaded the minds of everypony in Equestria, though none spoke of it, it was undeniable.

The sun was growing dimmer.

It was slow, barely noticeable between days, but the longer the months drew on, the darker the sky was becoming. Talk began to spread, the terrible thoughts became words, and no pony could deny it any longer, this was the beginning of the end.

The end of the Sun
The end of the Moon
The end of Equestria.

It had started with their fall, first the sun, then the moon, shot from the sky by a magical force greater than even their own almost infinite magic. In the wake of the sister's destruction, The Evil was vanquished by the princess of friendship, the battle had been hard, and in the end she to succumbed to her injuries. The Evil was defeated, but now Equestira was left floundering in the ever approaching darkness.

New science began to emerge, arcane and dark magic that explored possibilities that none had ventured towards before: Could alicorns be created? Celestia had known how, when the princess of friendship ascended, She was vastly more powerful, but they weren't the only powerful unicorns in the land.

Summary of the AU:
The Princesses are gone, and without anyone strong enough to take over the burden of the sun and moon, they are dying as well. This is an Equestria on the brink of mass hysteria, as the sky darkens, crops bear less food, ponies are hungry, and hungry ponies are desperate. How will you cope? How will you survive?

Rules:
All the basic forum rules apply here, this AU has a much darker tone, but keep with the rules of the forum even so.
NO ALICORNS. This is a forum rule but it needs to be said, in this AU, scientists/mages are attempting experiments to making them by combining pegasi and unicorns, but it is a very shaky and volatile magic, often causing harm to the subjects and casters, so no Alicorns, please.
Those are the big two, everything else basically lines up with the forum rules!

How to join:
When you make your FIRST post only, please post this small form at the start!

Code:: -LINK your picture here!-
[b]Name[/b]:
[b]Age[/b]:
[b]Gender[/b]:
[b]Race[/b]:
[b]Personality[/b]:

You only need to post this form on your first RP post in the thread, any after that are not needed unless you're introducing a new character!

========The Beginning of the End========

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

https://2img.net/h/oi62.tinypic.com/zjxbh5.jpg
Name: Crossed Swords or just Cross
Age: Adult - 29-30
Gender: Stallion
Race: Earth Pony
Personality: Cross is a very empathetic and sensitive stallion, but tends to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. He makes it his duty to bear the burdens of everypony around him, despite the heavy sadness that he sometimes carries of his own. He is beaten down and haggard, but manages to retain a sad optimism, even in the face of the dark times ahead. His only regret, the thing he will never forgive himself for, is not doing more to stop The Evil from stealing Equestira's Sun and Moon.
=========================================

The stallion's sides heaved as he trotted along the streets of Canterlot, hooves splashing along the puddles left by the still pouring rain, it had been raining for days now, the weather teams were too caught up in their worry to attend to the weather, and it was beginning to get out of control. He was doing his best, being just an earth pony left him very limited options. But he was doing his best. He would often spend hours roaming the streets, watching over the citizens. Things had gotten more dangerous since the Event, the streets were not as safe to roam.

He was no longer a guard, there wasn't as much need for an official one now that there were no princesses to protect, but a few remained together, keeping the peace the best they could. But it could only do so much. He sighed heavily, his eyes scanning the streets for any sign of trouble.

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Mon Jul 27, 2015 1:40 am

Name: Slyph Gongjiang
Age: 17-19
Gender: Male
Race: Unicorn
Personality:Slyph never REALLY grew up. While an excellent academic and an ample reader of everything put on paper, He's always seemed to prefer fairy tales and children's stories. Socially awkward to a fault, he doesn't really make alot of friends. But his quick wit (when his anxiety-induced stutter doesn't get in the way) and his desperate need for approval easily makes him quick to accept others. Even though the world is ending around him, Slyph doesn't seem to change at all. The only difference being the number of books in his room steadily increase every day.

===============================

In a dark alleyway, the sound of a very one sided fight emanated.
"Stupid, Thieving Brat!" The old mare delivered a savage kick to the youth on the ground.

"I-I-I d-didn't-" The young unicorn gasped out from the fetal position he adopted.

"You think just because the world's ending you can just... take whatever you damned well please?" She screeched.

The colt crawled backwards, shielding his torso as well as he could. If anything, he was an expert at being beaten. The trick was to look like you were in much more pain than you were, while keeping your head and torso protected with your hooves.

This was different, the mare wasn't looking to simply teach him a lesson.

Slyph kept his horn quiet and proceeded to take the beating.

"Thief!" The mare screamed at him. "Thief!"

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

It was the screaming mare's voice that put a gallop in Cross' step, but not because he thought she was in distress, he was more concerned for who she was screaming at. As he approached closer, he heard a stuttering reply, the voice sounded like it belonged to a rather young colt.

When he came upon the scene in question, he could see clear as day that the altercation was clearly one-sided, and the young unicorn seemed so afraid, it was obvious that the older mare was overreacting to whatever had happened.

He stepped closer and gave the mare a stern glare, "Ma'am. Stop beating that poor colt senseless!" He motioned to get between the two and narrowed his eyes, "Whatever he may or may not have done, I can guarantee that it does not deserve such brutality." It seemed to get worse every day, did the death of their rulers really bring the death of harmony as well?

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Mon Jul 27, 2015 1:18 pm

At the appearance of the guard, the mare instinctively folks step back in fear. Slyph took the opportunity to peak at his would-be savior.

"Butt out, Golden Boy." The mare spat at the guard. Her eyes widened wildly as she advanced. "Nopony came when I needed them most."

The colt on the ground scrambled to a corner. Corners were safe, no one can appear behind you.

"Just because the worlds ending doesn't mean we have to be uncivilized! NO ONE TAKES MY BOOKS." The mare Growled as she lunged at the guard.

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Mon Jul 27, 2015 10:57 pm

= https://i.servimg.com/u/f18/19/22/64/18/flutte11.png =
Name: Flutter Shot
Age: 25
Gender: Mare(Female)
Race: Unicorn
Personality: More protective; always has the good of others in mind; still not too social; an Equestrian archer who takes orders of protection or theft; needs glasses to see; fusses with her mane when nervous; can be really brave at times, but starts off very skeptical; doesn't like to talk about her past; always carries bow and arrows, carrying two quivers to double the arrows; has fear about her true strength; loathes The Evil, and wishes she could have been in the first battle with the Royal Guard.

=========================================

The tan mare trotted around, her bow and an arrow at the ready. Her green magic aura was weak, she hadn't gotten a job in weeks. If she didn't get one soon, she'd perish. She heard the growling scream of a mare, "...mean we have to be uncivilized! NO ONE TAKES MY BOOKS.". She walked towards the voice. At the alley-way, she saw a guard, a scared colt, and an enraged mare. She watched the mare lunge at the guard, and thought about trotting to the scared colt to help him escape.

She recognized none of the ponies, but her guard blood was boiling. She trotted up, making sure her hoof steps caught at least the mares attention. She kept her head low, the shadows hiding her eyes.

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

Cross kept his eyes glanced back at the young colt until he saw him safely around the corner, once he knew he was at a safe distance, he turned his attention back to the ever increasing anger of the mare, "we are stretched very thin. So few of us remain that it is impossible to be everywhere at once."

He was about to open his mouth in an apology until he saw her advancing, he knew he couldn't bring himself to physically harm the older mare, "Please see reason. There is no need for such violence, that isn't what our late rulers taught us, we--" He gasped as the mare suddenly lunged, trying to side-step her, he needed to at least subdue her, "Is a book really worth beating a young pony half to death?!"

He glanced in the direction of the mare who had just rounded the corner, noticing she was a unicorn and looked very capable, "Ah! Please cease this, Ma'am, I don't want to hurt you!" He looked towards the mare and nodded in the direction of the younger unicorn, he needed to be looked over for serious injuries more than anything.

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Wed Jul 29, 2015 1:57 am

"I d-didn't take the books!" Slyph whimpered. His eyes widened as he noticed something strapped to the underside of the mare. So caught up in the fight they were, that they didn't notice the archer just down the alley.

"W-w-watch for-"

The mare interrupted the youth with an enraged scream, and continued her assault of the guard. he pointed feebly to the mare.

"S-she's got a-"

There was a glint of steel, and a blade shot out at the guard. The mare wielded the kitchen knife with a wild abandon of someone who just wanted to hurt.

Slyph tried to escape through the wall, clawing fruitlessly.

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

((EDIT: CRUD! Sorry Eevee I didn't see that you hadn't posted! D8))

Cross looked towards the colt when he spoke, his fearful eyes made him inclined to believe that he indeed had done no wrong, and that only gave him more reason to subdue and stop this madmare. He wasn't as concerned with himself, more worried for the colt who had been attacked, so he hadn't thought to keep an eye out for a weapon on her.

He turned his head when he heard his voice again, momentarily distracted from the mare who was clearly out of her mind, "She has--AGH!" He gasped when the knife caught against his shoulder, cursing himself for not looking out for a knife. He stumbled a bit and winced, the wound was long, and deep, but not fatal.

He turned back to the mare and decided that there was no time for any kind of peaceful subduing, gritting his teeth through the pain as he tried to knock the knife from her hooves, his eyes falling back on the mare with the bow , his eyes silently asking her for whatever help she could give, "Ma'am I don't with to hurt you, but if you swing at me again I wont hesitate to knock you flat." It was as much a threat as it was a warning, all it would take was a hefty blow from his hoof to at least knock her out so they could leave the scene.

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Wed Jul 29, 2015 7:40 pm

((i'll just post now.))

Arrow shot a warning at the mare, stepping in front of the terrified colt, eyes shooting daggers. "Ma'am, I will not hesitate on the next shot." she wasn't going to look at it hit the mare, but she wouldn't hesitate. She still hated death. She notched two arrows this time, to show her sure-fire attitude. She really would shoot the mare.

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:11 pm

The mare froze at the sound of a bow being notched, and turned about slowly.

"Why does it matter? We'll all be dead soon."

As she begun to lunge the archer, Slyph lurched forward and grabbed her back hoof. The mare fell onto her stomach, spitting curses.

"W-wai*"

"Idiot boy!" She screeched as her back leg shot out and caught the boy square in the muzzle. He sprawled back, dazed.

She glanced back up at the archer's arrows. She recoiled slightly, and slowly started to retreat. Eyes switching from the two guards to the colt on the ground. She slowly set her knife on the ground.

Soon, she turned and silently made her way back through the deserted streets, muttering something about the wrong idiot colt.

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

Cross watched the mare carefully, glancing away only to see the archer holding her bow ready. Good. He hoped that with a bow and arrows staring her in the face she would relent.

He took a shakey breath through the pain from his injury and stared at her, "No one will die as long as I have breath in me." He looked prepared to leap when he saw her lunge for the bow mare, then flinched when she struck the colt across the muzzle and was about to intervene when he noticed her beginning to retreat, "That's good, if you retreat we wont have to harm you." He didn't want to, and he could guess that the mare with the bow didn't either.

When he saw her set the knife down and turn to leave, he finally allowed himself to relax, turning to trot over to the colt, "Are you alright?" He looked at them both, "My home isn't far from here, if you need a safe place to rest...I have food and water that you're welcome to as well?" He winced as he lifted a hoof to help the colt to his feet, "My name is Cross." He turned to the mare and smiled, "Thank you, you showed up just in time...I don't know what we'd of done had you not scared her off."

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Tue Aug 04, 2015 10:30 am

Flutter un-notched her arrows, and set them away, doing the same to her bow. "Wasn't anything special. I was born into a protective family. Guard Cross, you might remember my mother and father..." she looked at the sky. It was a horrible shade of yellow and orange. "I wish I could be like them..."

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Wed Aug 05, 2015 1:42 pm

Despite his scrawny appearance, a few bruises on his legs, and the new stream of blood trickling down from his nose, Slyph was surprisingly much better than he appeared. Again, the art of being bullied had served him well.

"I sh-should... I should g-go home. my grandma..." His hoof dug into the dirt.

"She's... probably wondering where I am." He muttered as he turned back into the dumpster.

Silently, the boy reached behind the dumpster and retrieved a paper bag, filled with rectangular, distinctly book-shapes.

"Thanks." He nodded curtly to the stallion, then the mare. As he turned to go, very consciously trying to hide the parcel from the guards, his stomach growled.

Curse you, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs!

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

Cross smiled softly at her as he bent his head to pull a strip of cloth from a light pack over his back, beginning to tie it over his wound, "I might have, what were their names?" Truth be told, his time as a guard ended quite a while before the fall of the princesses, but he'd known almost all of them by name.

He looked surprised when the colt seemed to have no issue holding himself up, after that beating he'd expected much worse condition. His brow lifted a little at the somewhat skittish behavior. He certainly wasn't a fool, it was clear that this colt was hiding more than he let on, he sighed and chuckled a little,

"I'm not a guard anymore, I haven't been for a long time..." He tried to give him a comforting smile, "I couldn't turn you in or get you into trouble even if I wanted to, which I don't." He looked in the direction that the old mare had escaped, "A few missing books certainly doesn't warrant a beating." He looked back at the colt, "my home isn't far, and she may try and come back." He was a bit worried that a second run in might end worse for the boy, especially if she found a better weapon.

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Mon Aug 10, 2015 10:37 pm

"He's right you know. I won't turn you in either, not after what that mare did. I'd shoot her if she did that to me, but not in the frist few minutes." she said. She felt a chill go down her spine. He really might know mom and dad... she thought, sorta choking up. She swallowed her tears and told him her parent's names. "Quick Shot was my father's name and my mother's name is Arrow Storm. Did you know them?" she asked the old guard, hope shining in her eyes for the first time in ages. It faded but it was still there, the shine dull as her eyes.

She lost her father to the perils of the Everfree. Her mother to sickness. She was always with one other. But even her sister left, and had most likely died by now. She was never good with others, that Blue Arrow. Flutter thought about it, and before the answer from the ex-guard came, her name was said. "My name is Flutter Shot. If I could be so bold as to ask, what is your name, kid?"

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Tue Aug 18, 2015 9:37 pm

((Thanks for your patiences!))

Slyph cautiously stowed the parcel of stolen books." That's not how the law works... but thanks. I guess. You two mustn't get out often. Some get worse than beatings for less

The youth sat down with a wince and slowly begun feeling about his person delicately. after some poking he discovered only one broken rib, a broken nose, and a lot of bruises. The guard's suggestion of retreating to his house only made Slyph recoil slightly.

"What's the catch? Theres always a catch..." He muttered at the suggestion of going to the ex-guard's house.

However, the conversation slowly shifted to the mare archer's family. Slyph watched curiously, this could just be one big long set up to some confidence trick. Or it could be some mare who wants to know more about her family.

Posts : 198 Join date : 2014-07-15 Age : 33

Cross looked up and signed a little heavily, "The world is falling apart...Law doesn't exist anymore." He looked at the younger stallion and gave a weak smile, "The best I can do is keep the peace, as best I can." He looked down a little, "Unfortunately there are plenty of times where I'm too late to intervene...I'm glad I could get to you in time." He had no way of knowing if that mare had planned on taking it further than a beating, but the presence of a knife wasn't a promising sight. He gave him a more confident smile, "There is no catch...I just want to help where I can. You're right to be wary, but I assure you I have no ill intent, I only want to help."

He turned to the mare when she gave her name and nodded, smiling, "Pleased to meet you Flutter Shot." He thought about those names until his ears perked in realization, "Ah I did, I knew them." He smiled a furrowed his brows, "They were both such good ponies...Their loss was a hard blow to the guard." He looked a little sad, "It happened shortly before I left the guards, but every one of us was affected by it. They were remembered very fondly often." He looked at them both and smiled, "I mean no harm to either of you, if you need shelter I don't live far."

Subject: Re: The Beginning of the End Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:44 pm

"Thank you, Sir. And, in return, I will help you as best I can." Flutter Shot said, bowing to the older Stallion. She was so grateful that she had a friend.

» A new Beginning
» Due next week at the beginning of class.
» Dream Sickle New beginning
» An end to solitude, a beginning of something else. [Inferno]