open Houses of Monarch

[Yes-Man 597]

(http://mlpforums.com/topic/55774-the-houses-of-monarch/#entry1365124)

The year is 2570 Monarchian Era, in Equestria, just before the Great Chaos War. The country has been divided into Houses, which fight for control and create alliances with one another. Each of them pursues a different goal, and will do anything to achieve it. Our story begins in an ancient tomb, near present day Canterlot...

 

***

"You found anything?"

"Nothing but a bunch of old bones."

"Hold on.... There's a door over here... Must lead to the Sanctum... All tombs have those."

The slow, ear-piercing creak of a door opening is heard, and a unicorn wearing purple robes stands near it. She moves her torch wherever she looks, until she rests her eyes towards the end of the room. Several markings are seen, and she calls the others. Five more unicorns with similar clothing and 2 soldiers run over. A Griffon in blackish armor walks casually by, straight into the Sanctum.

"Hey... Can any of you read Ancient?"

"I can..."

The soldier looks over it, and in the middle of he wall there is a Dragonequus surrounded by two Alicorns, one white and one black.

"In the Year 2571 of the next era, a great chaos will consume Equestria. It will be stopped, but only by the Goddesses in mortal form. The key to the Goddesses lies in the newly founded city of... Monarch..."

The unicorns look at each other, astonished.

"We must tell Arch-Mage Dusk...."

The Griffon quickly realizes that he could make a good bit off this information, and flies off to tell the other houses. After all, he is loyal only to currency.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Yes-Man

[Preeminent Pisces 100]

((what exactly am I supposed to post to that? Sorry, I'm a bit slow...))

Thresh excersized until his tmer went off. The others criticised him exercising body strength instead of magic, but Thresh knew that if he stayed bodily fit, he could hold out a spell for longer. He took a long drink from his water bottle and rested. He glanced around the empty training room and sighed. His crush probably had no idea of his existence. He sighed again at the thought of her and stared out the window. A peculiar griffon flew overhead.

[THE WILD HUNT 213]

Kreinbahthur rolled his neck as he loosened up his muscles, preparing for yet another duel against a pompous member of one of the many houses that now took residence in Equestria.

"Funny, I thought alicorns were supposed to be royalty," said a tall unicorn stallion. "It seems the alicorn legacy has fallen far from its glory, considering we now stand before a peasant scum."

The unicorn spat on the ground and grinned, and to Kreinbahthur's mere amusement, two of the unicorns friends walked over and stood by the side of the taunter.

"Hmph, fun aren't we?," Krein responded. "At least I am not the one intimidating others as I strut about with two stupid supporters. You're a mere bully, so please, step aside before I knock you off the ground."

Krein forged on forward and pushed the head unicorn aside, using his wings to push the others away.

"Don't walk away from me trash!," yelled the unicorn. The unicorn used his magic to levitate an urn from a nearby stand, and launched it at the alicorn. With a quick buck, Krein smashed the object before it hit him.

"You asked for it," Krein said bluntly as he turned around sharply and tackled the unicorn to the ground. Several other ponies had gathered around the scene, some even suggesting that the guards be called. Nonetheless, Kreinbahthur decided to beat the unicorn around a little. After about several blows, he pinned him to the ground.

"You're quite lucky I know how to control myself now foal, because if not I'd have caved your face in. You an your houses, some order they are when they do nothing but oppress those who care not to affiliate with their weak, unstable system!"

Kreinbahthur levitated the unicorn and tossed him towards the crowd, quickly flying away before any more ponies would retaliate against him.

"Close call there," he thought to himself. Though yes, years ago he would've completely lost it in a fight, he had beaten up that unicorn quite badly, and if he wasn't mistaken, he had left several burns across his body. "Whatever, he got what he deserved... what the fools of this new country deserve as a whole..."

[Yes-Man 597]

Door flew over Baltimare. He had just delivered the info to Arch-Mage Dusk, just to get the Sparks off his back. They could be crazy religious fanatics when it came to the goddesses, and this was no exception. He now was en-route to Moore, to tell the Creeds. But he saw something peculiar. An Alicorn flew by him, but he did not look like any other street trash he usually saw. Door shook his head and flew a little faster, suspicious of this strange pony.

[THE WILD HUNT 213]

Kreinbahthur had fallen into his thoughts once more, flying was always a time for him to think of course. The fight with the unicorn had brought back several memories to him, and not necessarily good ones. He murmered to himself in an odd language, rather unaware that someone was tailing him.

[Yes-Man 597]

Door tailed the Alicorn for a while, but eventually got bored and his urge for the Bit got strong again, so he went off towards Manehatten, to tell Princess Floris of his discovery. He deeply disliked the Francies, but Bit was Bit, and there was no questioning it.

[THE WILD HUNT 213]

(Well that was anti-climatic xD)

Kreinbahthur noticed a stray pony trail off and swerve away in another direction. There were no other ponies around...

"Was he following me?"

Krein camouflaged himself with a spell and flew after the pegasus. He needed to see whathe was up to...

[Yes-Man 597]

(Yeah. Door has the attention span of a rodent. And he was a griffon.)

Door flew for a while, until Manehatten came into view. He didn't care what the board would do, he just cared that they would pay quite a few Bits for this info. He slowed down, and landed just outside the city walls.

 

He sniffed the air, and knew that the board was in a generous mood today. The smell of money and cologne filled the air when they were. His class retracted slightly, and he walked towards the city gates, putting his fedora on. Two guards were playing poker, oblivious of the world around them. He rolled his eyes, and went inside the gates, throwing a bit into the guard booth.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Yes-Falafel

[Blitz 127]

Blitz, hearing a commotion down below the patch of clouds she was sitting on, peeked over the edge just in time to see the end of what looked to be some sort of fight. She saw a unicorn that looked like he had been burned, and two other ponies that appeared to know him. Must be from one of the stuffy Houses... She began to grin mischievously as one of them looked up at her out of curiosity. Perfect. She 'derped' her eyes and flew around, taunting the ponies below her. The unicorn that had looked up fired a small magic blast at her, which she quickly dodged. "Nope!" She shouted, irritating them further. The unicorns shot three more blasts in her direction, but this time their aim was off and they hit the cloud behind her. "Aw come on you guys can do better than that!" Now they were shooting at her full force. Well, crap. Realizing she probably couldn't dodge much more, she flew up into the clouds, then away from that area before they started blasting away at the thick area of clouds she was in. Sheesh those guys are irritable. She thought as she began flying aimlessly.

(OOC: Sorry this ended up way longer than what I had intended )

Edited April 15, 2013 by Blitz

[Yes-Man 597]

Western Gearturn, Tuesday, 2:18 PM, 14th of March, 2570 M.E. (Sorry, but I'm going to do this whenever I go someplace else.)

Two Tinkerwork Guards look at a young, female unicorn who is wearing the Robes of House Spark.

"-So what's a Spark doin' all the way out 'ere?"

"Ye, shouldn't ya be out zapping things, or licking one of yer idols."

The two guards chuckle, and the unicorn blushed. She gets a bit upset, and snaps at them.

"You morons! Don't you know who I am? I am the Spy Watch told you about! AND, I have important news for him, and Grandfather Clock. Now I suggest you move aside before I zap and lick you!"

The two guards look at each other, an unlock the city gates. They open them for her, and she walks in pompously. They close the gates after she walks in, and get back to working on the automatic door opener.

She walks through the streets, navigating past Motor-powered carriages and pipes, shrugging off looks from the citizens and guards. She arrives at a grand clock-tower, and the guards let her through.

[Preeminent Pisces 100]

"Thresh! Get your grimy butt out here and do something useful for once!" Thresh's stepmother yelled. He sighed and headed out of the empty gymnasium and grimaced as his stepmother trotted up to him.
"Still working out to impress that mare, I see. She'll never like you. She's a tinker-belle! You know how much they hate us!" she criticized. She called any chic from Tinkerworks a Tinker-Belle.

Thresh made a face.

"Go study in the garden. The landlord hates it when you let the plants die out. Go fix it," she demanded.

Thresh obediently trotted to his home, but instead of heading straight for the neighborhood garden, he snuck down the secret tunnel he had dug that led to his own secret garden. He magically grew hybrid plants and exotic ones that hardly needed sunlight. He was sick of his life, so it was time to go. He picked up the satchel that he had packed earlier and severed a Daisy-Lion flower from the stem. He lugged the enormous flower into the sunlight through his back entrance to the cave and out onto the Cliff. The Cliff led off into a deep, dark crevice, but it also provided the perfect launch-point for his escape. He tossed the huge flower over the hole and held it there magically while he climbed on it. Thank goodness that the wind was strong. He released the plant and it began to spin in the wind. It whirled upwards and Thresh held on as tightly as he could as he rose over the crevice. He pulled 3 petals back and it stopped twirling and began to fly forwards. He smiled. Today was the best day of his life. He waved goodbye to his once-home as it slowly faded away.

[Yes-Man 597]

King's Palace, Anarch, Monday 11:99 PM, 13th of March, 2570 M.E.

A group of unicorns stands around an idol, chanting.

"For the Discord shall bring the Greatest Day, and will for mercy the Houses shall pray... On the brightest day and blackest night.."

The statue, which appears to be a Dragonequus, begins to crack, and the unicorns chant louder and faster. A magic beam hits it from the ceiling, and the statue is gone. A Dragonequus stands where it once was.

"Oh, the great and mighty Chaos-God has come! All shall witness his almighty glory-"

"Would you shut up!? It's hard enough to sleep in a stone encas-Say.. Where.. Where am I?"

"The city of Monarch, my chaotic sovereign."

"Hmmm... Monarch... I remember when this place was barely founded...."

He snaps his fingers, and a box of tissues appears. He wipes a tear from his eye.

"Boy, those were the days.."

[Preeminent Pisces 100]

Thresh continued his flight. He removed a map and an apple from his satchel, careful not to tip the flower. He charted his journey. He flew on for about an hour, reading a book and not paying attention to the terrain far beneath him. He suddenly bumped into somepony. He stopped the flower, which began to turn very, slowly. He climbed to the edge of the flower and glanced over. It was a pegasus with derped eyes.

"Sorry, I should've been watching where I was going. Could you tell me where I am?" he asked.

[Yes-Man 597]

"So, Erm... Lord of Discord... What shall we do now?"

"Lets have a little fun!"

"Fun? My lord, now is not the time for games! Now is the time for war! To take up arms against the Houses! Equestria should be bowing to you by no-"

Discord snapped his fingers, and the Cultist froze.

"Anyone else want to object?"

[THE WILD HUNT 213]

Kreinbahthur had followed the griffon to a district of one of the houses.

"Wonderful," he muttered as he roosted on a cloud. There were several guards strutting around, and knowing his own maverick status, the moment anyone saw him they would be out to get him.

"Hmmm... an idea just hit me! Laas!"

With that last word, Krein's vision reddened slightly and he saw the aura of almost everyone in the area. With this, he would be able to tell if they were aggressive at the moment or not.

[Yes-Man 597]

Door was halfway to the Directonal Meeting place. He retracted and unretracted his claws, which always calmed him down. He felt like going on a massacre, and he knew he would if he hadn't gotten any of the Good Bit in his system. It was really all he lived for.

[Blitz 127]

Thresh continued his flight. He removed a map and an apple from his satchel, careful not to tip the flower. He charted his journey. He flew on for about an hour, reading a book and not paying attention to the terrain far beneath him. He suddenly bumped into somepony. He stopped the flower, which began to turn very, slowly. He climbed to the edge of the flower and glanced over. It was a pegasus with derped eyes.

"Sorry, I should've been watching where I was going. Could you tell me where I am?" he asked.

Blitz had been flying for a while when she got bumped into by something. She stopped an realized that she still had her eyes 'derped' somehow. Oops. She shook her head and her eyes returned to normal. "No it's not your fault I wasn't paying attention. And to answer your question, I think somewhere near the Everfree Forest." She took a closer look at what this pony was sitting on. "Umm... Are you riding a... flower?" Edited April 15, 2013 by Blitz

[Preeminent Pisces 100]

"Yes! Magnificent, isn't it? I bred the species myself! It's a Daisy-Lion. It uses the seeds of a dandelion on the bottom to float and I use the daisy petals on top to steer. Am I anywhere near the house of Tinkerworks?" Thresh asked. "I'm Thresh, by the way. I came from the house of Sparks, but I quit it. Too religious for me. I like adventure! What's your name?"

[Blitz 127]

(OOC: sorry writer's (or not-a-writer's) block)

"I'm pretty sure it's that way." Blitz said pointing to the house of the Tinkerworks. "My name's Blitz." She said, flicking her mane out of her face. "Yeah House Spark sure sound's that way from what I've heard." Blitz stated, rolling her eyes.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Blitz

[Preeminent Pisces 100]

"Yeah, it's dull. I am attempting to pursue my destiny," Thresh adjusted his position, for his flower had rotated, "but I'm not sure what it will be. Nice to meet you. What's your destiny? Why're you flying anywho?" Thresh asked. He only had a vague idea of social conduct.

"Am I being nosy? Sorry..."

[Blitz 127]

"Oh no, not at all." Blitz said. "Well the reason I was flying around was because I had bothered some unicorns from one of the houses, and they start firing at me so I figured I should probably get out of there." She shrugged her shoulders. "Destiny? Eh, I dunno, never really thought about it much... Guess something with weather maybe..." Edited April 15, 2013 by Blitz

[Yes-Man 597]

Grandfather Clock, Gearturn. Tuesday, 3:47, 14th of March, 2570 ME

"~Much of it is already taken, Grandfather. But all we need and care for is the information itself."

The Clocks gears turned for a minute, then an enormous voice rang out. The the ponies in the outside, it sounded like ringing bells, which could be heard for miles, but on the inside, it was a deep, clear voice.

"The coming of the Goddesses would greatly jeopardize out authority in Equestria. We must stop this chaos ourselves. Luckily, the Artificial Draconus Irhis project is going according to plan. Morning Star, you are dismissed. And if those fanatic Idol-lickers do anything drastic, inform me right away."

The unicorn left the tower.

 

She looked around at the city of Gearturn. Skyscrapers towered overhead, and pollution from factories poured out of some stacks all around. She sighed and made her way out of the city. She very well knew that if all the clans found out about this, it'd cause absolute discord. But, she was on a payroll, and the only thing that mattered was the money.

[Preeminent Pisces 100]

"Ooh, the weather? I have a good friend, Golden Dreams, whose destiny involves weather. She's a Wind Breaker. As a matter of fact, she's the Wind Breaker, but not the only one. Just the leader. Anywho, where are you off to?" Thresh asked. He was rather enjoying this conversation. It was, after all, his first conversation in hours.

[Blitz 127]

Blitz shrugged again. "Heh, I'm not really going anywhere in particular now that you mention it... just flying around I guess. That sounds pretty cool about your friend though. How about you? You're going to the Tinkerworks House, right?" She asked, trying her best not to be as awkward as she usually was.

[Preeminent Pisces 100]

"Well, sorta. I just ran away. I was planning on going there, but now that I think of it, I don't really want to go. If they found out that I was a Spark, whew! That'd be one heck of a scene! Do you live around here?" Thresh asked, equally trying not to be awkward. His flower sunk a few inches, so he magically produced a wind to lift it a tad higher.