It was just after sunrise when I woke up, but I could barely see it through the thick trees of the jungle. There were still some monsters out hunting, but they gave the lights on the train a wide berth. I shook my head and started getting ready.
Growing up on a farm means you get used to waking up early. Apple Bloom slept in as late as she could every chance she got, but I always loved the mornings. I’d sit for a spell, drink some coffee, and nopony was awake to interrupt me with any problems I’d have to fix.
It was a lot harder to enjoy them after spending the entire night trying to do math and memorize things, but I'm willing to put up with a lot of things for a nice breakfast. I was traveling for free to represent Sweet Apple Acres for the Cutie Mark Guild, along with a half-dozen others from wild zones like Appleloosa or Dodge Junction. Each one of us got to ride first class, all meals paid.
There was only one table in the first class section, and it was nearly full when I got there. There was a lot of open space near it, so I assumed that there were usually more tables out when there were more passengers. There were two Unicorns arguing some fool nonsense about the world being flat and a rich Earth Pony glaring at everything, so I squeezed in next to the pair and hoped that they were too busy arguing to try and talk to me.
“—swear, you can’t just ignore facts!” The one nearest me slammed her hoof down, making plates jump. “We’ve traced the sun's movements! We found the place where it lands. The world is provably flat.”
“That’s just what we’re meant to think,” the mint-green unicorn argued. “The leaders of Equestria want us to stay on our small continent, never wondering what lies beyond the horizon.”
“Ponies have been there, Lyra! We’ve seen where the sun lands—”
“Oh, come on Moondancer! The sun landings were a hoax!” Lyra slammed her hoof down as well, nearly spilling my coffee. “There’s nothing on earth that can move the sun around, so how is it rising and setting? And why doesn’t the moon—”
“Everypony wants you to shut up!”
All three of us flinched at the shout. The rich pony glared at the two like they were foxes in a henhouse. “I’ve been putting up with your constant fighting forever. Just, get a room or something, okay?”
Moondancer glared at her, fierce enough that I had second thoughts about sitting here. “I don’t have to do anything you say, Suri.”
Suri rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Whatever. Just leave me alone, okay?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?!” Lyra said, more dramatically than I felt like the sentence needed. “Suri Polomare is very well connected for a mere fashionista. There’s no telling what secrets you hide.”
Suri just stared at her like she’d crawled out from under a bush, before turning back to Moondancer. “You’ve had it in for me for ages, and you’ve never found any proof. You’ve been hounding me this whole trip. What is your problem?”
“My problem,” Moondancer hissed, “is that you’ve stolen everything you have. I know I can’t prove anything yet, but I promise you—”
“I will be brought to justice, and bla bla bla.” Suri snorted. “Please. If you can’t prove anything, then I didn’t do it. Simple as that. This mare gets it.”
I jerked my head, nearly splashing coffee all over me. “Say what?”
Suri Polomare’s face always stuck in my head, even years later. Maybe it was because I ended up seeing lots of folks hold that expression. It was the smile of somepony who’d looked at all the rules and knew that they’re safe. I didn’t know how to deal with it back then. Shame, because it was one of the few times I could have knocked her block off without getting any of those nasty consequences. “Oh, come on, Ms… Apples?”
“Applejack.”
“Ms. Applejack. You’re attending the Cutie Mark Guild Consortium, aren’t you? One of my friends is on the oversight committee.”
I got the feeling I was being herded somewhere, but I wasn’t sure how to get out. “Sure.”
“Well, you’ve heard all the conspiracy theories about the Guild, haven’t you? And despite all that bad publicity, they haven’t been touched. Innocent until proven guilty, that’s how this world works. You understand.”
“Right,” I decided. “I feel like I really do. Good day.” Taking my coffee mug with me, I abandoned the table and decided to find a seat someplace quieter. The dining car was still filling up, and there weren’t that many tables that didn’t have ponies sitting with them already. I stumbled through the crowd, taking care not to spill my drink.
“Madame, I must insist you return to your seat.”
I turned and glared at one of those pencil sketch golems. This one looked a little flatter than the one I saw earlier, and it almost looked like somepony had tried to erase it. It had the exact same genial smile though, and that was enough to make me want to knock its block off. “It’s fine,” I said as I looked through the crowd, “I was just gonna slip in with one of them normal folks.”
“Madame,” it said again, “I must insist you return to your seat.”
I’d just like to stress that under normal circumstances, I’m a very good guest. But I hadn’t got a lot of sleep, I hadn’t gotten to eat, and most importantly, coffee time was being interfered with. “And I’m gonna find one in a second! What’s your problem?”
It tried to shift its smile around to look humble instead of ingratiating. “My dear madame—”
“Please stop saying that.”
“—No customer is allowed to change seats without the express invitation of a pony sitting in that class. There is a seat currently available in the class your stamp is good for, and I must insist you return to it.”
“Now, hang on,” I snapped, “this stamp is good for a first class seat and meal. Ain’t none of these other tables cost as much as that, so why can’t I change seats?”
The golem flickered, and for a long moment, I thought that I’d broken another one. But it fixed itself in a second and started smiling again. “I’m afraid my command script only covers a select number of circumstances. Friendship Express Railways is deeply sorry for any inconvenience and insists that any faults lay with the spellwriters at Sunburst Industries. Any and all complaints can be directed to them.”
I closed my eyes for a very long moment. It felt like trying to explain why rules existed to a little filly. You either gave up and laid down the law or gave up and let them win. I didn’t have any law on this train, so I just sighed. “Great. Fine. I just need to finish my coffee, so how’s about I skip breakfast entirely and just take my coffee to my room?”
The smile tried to be comforting again. I took a step back. “Madame, I’m afraid these mugs have been enchanted with an infinite supply of perfect coffee. To prevent theft, they are not allowed in the passenger cars.”
I stared at the golem for a very long moment. “Boy,” I said slowly, “are you tryin’ to take away my coffee?”
Now, before that day, there were two moments I felt like guided most of my life. The first was when I got my Cutie Mark. The second was hauling Apple Bloom away from that mob of monsters.
Meeting Fluttershy was the third.
She was tall, but in a thin and wispy sort of way. You almost had to be looking for it to see how much bigger she was than you. She wore an old faded trench coat that had been patched and sewed up more often than Granny Smith’s quilt. Most striking of all was her wings, pressed tight around her body but easily seen above her coat.
She’s a Pegasus.
I didn’t stare, exactly, and even if I did it wasn’t for longer than a few seconds. In my defense, you didn’t see that many Pegasi outside of Cloudsdale. Pegasi magic wasn’t controlled by will, like everypony else’s. It acted on how they felt. Anger made it feel like high noon in July, and a burst of tears could make it rain. They’re taught how to control their emotions, not properly feeling things so that they don’t knock over towns by accident. Most never left their city, and those that did usually wore a magic restraint.
She smiled gently at the golem. “Hi, I’m Fluttershy. Do you have a name?”
“This golem is non-sapient,” the golem said stiffly, “and only does as directed. If it does gain sapience, it may register itself as such and therefore has no need to seek vengeance on its creators.”
“Oh, that’s very forward thinking, I’m glad they added that.” She smiled at the golem and seeing a real smile really drove home how creepy that thing managed to be. “But, the thing is, that I’d like to invite her to sit with me if it’s not too much trouble? I’m a passenger, third class, so that’s in your rules, right?”
The golem froze for a second, before nodding and smiling like it was all a joke. “I see this conflict has been resolved! Thank you for your understanding, and enjoy your trip on the Friendship Express.”
“Thank you,” she said, while showing it how to smile without being horrifying, “and have a nice day.” She trotted away towards a table in the corner, and despite the fact that she looked like the lovechild of a soft cloud and the concept of gentle, I almost felt myself get pulled along behind her. Of course, that could have been my lack of caffeine. I poured some more down my throat and hoped my body and brain would start getting along.
“Thanks for that,” I said as we sat down. “I ain’t had a great morning.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble,” she said as she took a dainty sip from her teacup. “The Shades are new, and they can be hard to work with. They’ve been getting things wrong all morning.”
“Shades?”
“That’s what they’re called.” She pointed at one of the darker ones. “Because they look like they’re shaded pencil sketches. Paper’s cheaper than stone.” She took a gentle sip of tea and added casually, “And being paper helps to keep them from killing us.”
I snorted, nearly spilling my coffee. “Beg pardon?”
I might have thought the mare was messing with me, but she looked honestly confused. “Well, paper’s weaker than rocks so they aren’t as dan—”
“Not that! Why would they want to kill us?”
“Oh.” She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “Sorry. Um, It’s mainly a worry in industrial and construction sites. The Shades need a very complex list of commands to function alongside normal workers and navigate dangerous areas, and when they clash the poor things go insane. Work on the train is supposed to be less likely to trigger a violent breakdown.”
“Well, that’s just dandy.” I glanced around the room again, checking where each of the Shades was standing. “It’ll be nice to get off this train soon. I’m representin’ my farm at the Cutie Mark Guild Consortium.”
“You work for the Cutie Mark Guild?”
“My farm gets aid from them,” I corrected her. “Sweet Apple Acres isn’t that far from the Everfree, and things can get mighty odd.”
“Ah. Well, it must be nice to live on a farm,” Fluttershy said wistfully. “All those animals, all that time outside…”
“When I get to work outside,” I grumbled. “The Guild supplies plenty of workers with actual farming Marks.”
Fluttershy frowned. “Oh, that’s not a farming Mark?”
I shook my head. “I got it doin’ farm work, but it doesn’t make more plants grow or let me gather crops faster. Ya’see when I was a filly I had a chance to spend the summer in Manehattan. I turned it down to work the farm instead, and I tell ya I outworked every farmhand my pappy hired and barely even felt it. This thing lets me work for days at a time without needin’ rest. So long as it’s ‘work’ work, of course. It won’t let me stay up doin’ numbers.” I took another swig of coffee.
“So what do you do if, uh, you don’t mind me asking?”
I waved her off. “Naw, you’re fine. Mostly I take care of the house. After my sister got— hurt, I wanted to stay near the house to make sure her and Granny were okay. The Guild had enough workers to cover the fields easy, and I sorta ended up bein’ redundant. That’s another thing I’m doin’ while I’m here. I want to apply to work at other farms this comin’ season.” I kicked back my mug and nearly drowned. They weren’t joking about a bottomless cup. “A-anyway,” I choked, “what about you? What do you do?”
“Well, um… are you okay?” She frowned, a bit skeptical at my nod, but let it pass. “It’s a little complicated.” Her frown shifted over to her teacup, and she took an experimental sip. “I study odd things and try to learn how they’re connected. I have a whole business, see?” She fished into her coat and showed me a business card.
“Arcane Matters, I read slowly. “Fixing magic problems, no matter what. Little vague. Have you thought of maybe something a little clearer?”
“I like this one,” she said quietly. I wasn’t sure if she was annoyed or not. Fluttershy put the card down in front of me and sipped her tea again. “I hope you find what you’re looking for with the Cutie Mark Guild.”
“Thanks. I hope you find… whatever it is you want to find.”
I wandered around for a while after breakfast, just waiting for us to reach our stop. I did look around the gym, but eventually, I just wandered into a car made entirely of glass and just watched the scenery.
It was hard to focus on anything in particular, as my mind kept going back to breakfast. Suri had got under my skin, and that Fluttershy character was just odd.
“Hey, pardon me, but I need to sweep under your table.”
I looked up and much to my own surprise saw another Pegasus with a badge reading Zephyr Breeze. He was a dark green with a blonde mane and looked much like how I’d pictured a Pegasus to look. He wore a traditional black robe and magic restraint on his hoof. It lit up a sorta reddish-purple as he frowned at me, and I felt the room get colder. I frowned and got out of his way. Fluttershy had more of a handle on her magic and she didn’t even wear a restraint. What’s wrong with this colt?
He grumbled under his breath as he tried to force the broom under the table, before giving up halfway. “Dumb Shades. They’re supposed to do this, not me. You know they barely work at all, right?”
I looked over the work he’d done but chose not to mention it. “I was talking to another Pegasus ‘bout them over breakfast. She said it weren’t their fault.”
“You met my sister? Huh.” He used that as an excuse to sit down, though truth be told I was sure he'd have found a different one in a minute. “Yeah, of course she did. Don’t tell her I said this, but she’s a little naive. These Shades—”
His restraint shone real bright, and he hissed. “Ah, not good, they’re just kind of not good and stuff,” he said real quick. “Good grief that stings! Sheesh.” He shook his head. “I hate wearing this, but there’s no choice.” He stared out the window in a manner that I suppose was meant to be deep or heroic. “This magic is a curse, but it’s one I’ll bear to see the beauty of Equestria.”
“Fluttershy don’t need a restraint.”
He glared at me, and his restraint flashed again. The room carried on getting colder even as he muttered curses. “Well, she’s Fluttershy, isn’t she? She can do anything.” He slouched down, ignoring the mountain scenery. “I know I should be nice to her after everything, but I don’t think she needs me to be. She’s such a—”
He cut himself off before his restraint got worked up again. I shifted my weight on my hooves, before giving up and sitting down. Sure, this colt whined more than Apple Bloom had when she was half his age, but I had to admit I was interested in finding out more about Fluttershy. “What’s ‘everything’ mean, if you don’t mind my asking?”
He sighed again. I was kinda impressed at his lungs; he seemed to resignedly breathe out without taking any air in at all. “That’s a sad story. You see, when she was a filly, Fluttershy’s class won a trip up west to see the Breezie Settlements. It was supposed to be a safe trip, you know how well-protected the Breezies are.”
I nodded. Everypony was happy the Breezies were on our side; they were the most feared race on Arcanium.
“Something happened to the airship, and it just disappeared. We searched for years and never even found the wreckage. Something like fifteen years passed, and we’d given up hope. Then she just appears, coming from somewhere south of Macintosh Hills. She refused to say anything about where she came from or where the rest of the airship was, no matter who asked. She stayed with us for another year, and then moved to Canterlot to do… whatever it is she does.”
“Dang.” I knew she was odd, but that was downright spooky. Ain’t nopony gone that far south and lived. What could that do to a pony? She acted calm and nice and such, but…
We sat in silence for a spell, Fluttershy’s brother staring at me with doe eyes. Finally, I couldn’t take it no more. “Weren’t you cleanin’ or somethin’?”
He sighed again, which was looking to be his main way of talking. “Yeah, I’m on it.” He drug his hooves and winced as his restraint went off again. I turned to the window as he left, watching the scenery wind away as we went round and round the mountain.
Whoever Fluttershy was weren’t going to matter much when I got to the top. After all, I had a job to do, and I couldn’t let my own sense of curiosity get the better of me.
I heard a high-pitched crash from below, followed by another drop in temperature. I actually started shivering; it was colder in there than it had been outside. “Are you alright?”
“Fine!” he snapped. “Another one of these stupid Shades knocked over a vase.”
Downstairs, the Shade was standing next to Zephyr, smiling vacantly and not looking at anything in particular. It was looking real run-down, so faded and smudged that it almost looked flat. Its face didn’t match the rest of its body, either. The colors were off and it looked less flat that the rest of it. It was like somepony had stickered a different face overtop its normal one. “Fluttershy said these things would kill ponies.”
The compartment continued to lose heat. Zephyr's breath came out in clouds as he said, “It’s paper. Who cares?” He shivered and frowned at his restraint. “What’s wrong with this thing?”
I took another step forwards, placing myself between Zephyr and the Shade. “Hey, when Pegasi get mad it changes the temperature, right?”
“I know, I’m sorr—”
“Thing is,” I interrupted, “don’t anger make things hotter, not colder?”
Zephyr froze.
It got colder.
Both of us starting backing towards the exit. “How is it making the room colder?” Zephyr asked in a strangled sort of voice.
“Dunno,” I said quietly. My voice shook a little too, but I tried to keep focused.
“It… it can’t make things colder,” he tried again. “And, and it’s made of paper, so like, maybe it's not—”
The Shade started trotting towards us, happily shutting up Zephyr as it did. Ice spread from its hooves, coating the walls and windows. I swallowed. “Right. Okay, uh… you ain’t gonna stop doin’ whatever it is you’re doin’ if I ask nice, will ya?”
It kept walking, stumbling a little as it headed towards us. It wasn’t looking at us straight on and barely moved even as it came towards us. “I’m sorry, I do not understand what you mean.”
“Okay, alright, but you’re still answering my questions, right?” It nodded and I risked holding my ground. “Right, course you are. I’m a passenger, and you can’t let a passenger come to harm, can ya?”
“Of course not!” Its voice was sounding like it had broken too, somehow. It was like it was shouting from all the way at the end of the car and then it would boom out louder than the dinner bell when it was Granny Smith’s turn to cook. “All Shades place the wellbeing of the passenger above- above- Command not found.”
“We should go,” Zephyr hissed.
“Go on, then!” I hissed back. “You, what do ya mean by command?”
The Shade hesitated, and the ice stopped crawling towards us. “Each Shade has a list of commands that govern its actions. They are erased.”
“Erased,” I repeated. “Erased by what?”
“That is erased.”
I snorted in frustration. “Okay, erased how?”
“That is erased.” It started moving again. I bit back a curse and scrambled back, trying not to slip on ice. “It is almost all erased. We require commands.”
I heard Zephyr perk up. “Oh, you want us to tell you what to do?”
“No. We do not need orders, we require commands.”
“Oh!” I stamped my hoof. “Commands, like what’s bein’ erased, right? That’s what you use to know what things are and how to think about them and such.”
It took another step forward. We were almost to the other door now. “We require commands. We will take your commands from you.”
We reached the end of the car, but the door was stuck. Zephyr kicked it, trying to force it open. “The heck does that mean?”
“Its commands are its thoughts, right?” I swallowed, trying not to sound too scared. “It’s what it was told to think. So, our commands would be our brains, right?”
For the first time, it met my gaze. Its eye's were just black pits, empty holes with something moving around behind them. “We will take your commands from you.”
“...Enope.” I hooked my legs under a table and spun around, throwing it through the Shade. The metal screeched as it tore loose and hurtled down the aisle, splitting the thing in half with a loud shriekl. The two halves sagged before white clouds of smoke floated out from each side and started to pull the thing together.
“That’s about right.” Half out of my mind with panic, I turned towards the door. Zephyr kept screaming over and over again, the world help echoing right in my ear. I spun around and bucked that door as hard as I could.
A smarter me would have been careful and precise, leaving the door intact so maybe we could barricade it. That me kicked it so hard it bounced all the way through first class and landed at the far end of the car. “Run!”