//------------------------------// // Daybreak: Long Road Home // Story: Sigil of Souls, Stream of Memories // by Piccolo Sky //------------------------------// Rarity let out a small moan as she splayed out on the floor of the freight car, letting her arm roll up and out the open door dramatically. “I…am…never setting foot on a train again for the rest of my life. All it will ever bring to mind is thoughts of discomfort, starvation, dehydration, and fighting to the death with brutes in obscene suits of armor…” “You might not dehydrate so fast talkin’ less…” Applejack groaned as she walked back into the car before plopping down in her own spot against the wall. Rarity didn’t seem to notice. “I think out of all the things I miss, it might be regularly bathing…” She turned her head. “Are you the same, Fluttershy?” “Oh,” she spoke up quietly from her own spot, seated against a crate with Angel curled up on her lap. “I think it’s probably not eating every day that I miss the most…” “I should have asked the princess if we could have some cookies waiting when we got there…heh heh…” Pinkie spoke up from her own spot, half draped over a crate, and her laugh getting a bit weak at this point. Not long after, a long sigh was heard from outside. The ladies looked up and spotted Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, and Spike walking back to the open freight car. Their outer shirts were taken off and used to load up an assembly of small tins. Behind them was the switching station they had stopped the train at and, along with it, a few abandoned supply crates and packs from the incoming Trottingham forces. At this point, most of them had been thoroughly picked over. On reaching the car, Shining Armor set down his own load, letting the tins spill out. “Alright, we should be loaded up on water for the rest of the trip. But as for food, this was all we could find. Trottingham rations. They must have had to leave these behind.” He took up one and tossed it over to Applejack. “We got enough for everyone to share one. It’s not much and they’re going to be hard to choke down, but it’s all we got until we hit Mount Aris.” Applejack took up the tin and looked at it for a moment as Shining Armor began to pass out the others. She finally went for the key, broke it off, and opened it up. She sniffed soon after, immediately making a face and pulling back. “Sheesh, those big fellas must not got any sense o’ taste… Sure this ain’t dog food?” “Oh, it isn’t,” Dash sighed as she walked by with her own load to the further cars. “If it was, Spike would have eaten what we gave him…” The dog let out a small whimper. “We’ll get the next car,” Twilight sighed with her own load, before turning aside and beginning to walk on down the line. Sunset rapidly fell in behind along with Spike. “We need to get moving again as soon as we can.” Only walking down a short distance, Twilight came to the next open car. She took a moment to dump her own tins down on the edge of it before climbing inside herself, and Sunset soon followed before Spike hopped in as well. Those gathered within all looked to them, and she gestured down to the loads. “We’ll have to give one for every two people. I’m sorry, this is all we got.” The various passengers grimly nodded before they picked themselves up to come get it. As they all came over, Twilight looked up and over to one side. Seated in a corner was Luna. She had relocated to the car soon after their initial departure from Trottingham; apparently not wanting to cause enough of a fuss to have people start asking about who she was. After staring at her for a moment, she reached down and picked up one of the tins before they were all gone. She walked over to her afterward. Sunset hesitated a little before more reluctantly following, and Spike fell in right behind. They soon reached her and Sunset moved to one side, sitting on the nearest crate with her back against the wall. Luna simply continued to look indifferent, as usual. Twilight offered the tin to her. “Here.” “I’m not hungry.” Twilight pulled her hand back before slumping. She turned her head to Sunset soon after, finally extending her hand out to her. She took it. “Thanks.” Bringing the tin over, she looked over the top and grimaced a little. “Beef. This one’s going to go down hard…” She began to reach for the key. “Back when I was still running with their military, we always tried to steal whatever Fillydelphia rations we could get. Those ones actually taste like what’s on the tin. I think the commodore’s greatest achievement is finding a way to make soldiers that can actually digest this stuff.” Twilight let out a little snicker as she sat, causing Sunset to look up to her. “What’s so funny?” “Nothing. It’s just…I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you make a joke.” Sunset, subconsciously, smirked a little. “It’s only a half-joke, really. The real joke here is this food…” She finished unrolling the top of the lid, exposing the contents, and looked in and over them. After a moment, she began to dig into it. Twilight, on her part, kept staring at Luna. While she did, the rest of the tins were gradually distributed, and the train car was shut up again. Only about a minute later, the train gave a whistle, and a minute after that it began to start moving again. Sunset had eaten about all she could immediately and set the tin down to digest a little, and Twilight looked down at her own hands for a moment before looking back up to Luna. “So about what we were talking about earlier…before everything happened?” Luna kept looking forward as she leaned back a little more. “Yes?” Twilight swallowed. “I remember back at the Castle of the Two Sisters. What you said…about Celestia.” Sunset looked up a little at this, although she said nothing. “What about her?” “Was it true what you said? About her being…well…” Luna sighed and closed her eyes. “Yes,” she stated flatly. “It was all true. That’s why my sister and I didn’t really see eye-to-eye toward the end. We both saw the way the world was turning. I advocated for one way while my sister advocated for another—a way that I sharply disagreed with. It didn’t matter, though. She was the eldest and it was her judgment to make. My opinion…” Her jawline tightened as she frowned slightly. “…was irrelevant.” “So you left Canterlot?” “I had left Canterlot some time ago. I no longer cared for how things went there, nor in sitting around waiting for a chance to become useful. I came back briefly to talk with her and, when my counsel went ignored, there was nothing left for me there. I decided to retire and wait for the end.” Twilight looked at her a little more intently. “But then Celestia disappeared. So you came back.” Luna said nothing. A somewhat uneasy silence passed, and at length Sunset spoke up, changing the subject. “You weren’t that intimidated by that thing that was on the train last night. I don’t suppose you know what it was, do you?” Luna opened her eyes again. For a few brief moments, a change came over her. Her gaze grew faraway, as if she was considering something or thinking of some possibility. A very serious one, based on the look that came over her face. Yet just as soon as it came, she blinked a few times. She leaned her head up, and looked at both women together. She ended up staring for quite a while, enough to make both of them uncomfortable. She glanced between the two several times. Finally, she looked at Twilight. She glanced down at her hand bearing the Promethian Sigil. After staring a few seconds more, she leaned back again. “No one. Probably no one.” Sunset couldn’t help but notice the choice of words. “Probably?” “I just had a thought for a moment, but it’s passed. The armor that the figure wore. It reminded me of Canterlot.” Both Twilight and Sunset looked up at that. “Canterlot?” “But…does that mean?” She sighed and shook her head. “It’s been seven years since I brought night to half of Greater Everfree. Any number of possibilities could have happened. There’s no telling how many secrets were lost or scavenged. After all, both of you knew my identity, didn’t you?” The two ladies hesitated. Neither of them seemed entirely satisfied with that answer, but Luna didn’t seem to be ready to offer any more than that. Twilight finally spoke up again. “I didn’t have the chance to finish asking you in Trottingham, but how do you know…” She swallowed. “How do you know that…it…is loose?” Luna sighed. “How do you know night is going to fall? Or the seasons are going to change in the next month? Or even that you’re going to get hungry ever again? It…is inevitable. It’s like the passage of time or the way of nature. Nothing can stop it.” “You don’t believe that.” She looked at her crossly. “I don’t, do I?” “If you did, you wouldn’t have become Nightmare Moon.” Luna’s crossness disappeared. She sat there caught for a moment, before she exhaled again. “That was misguided on my part. A snap decision…made out of emotion. Yet you saw the result. I just slowed things down. The end would have been the same.” “I don’t think Celestia believed it either,” Twilight went on. “In fact, I think that was the main reason she opened that academy. She wanted it to be stopped one day.” Luna closed her eyes and snorted. “Celestia had six Anima Viris, the ability to see inside everyone, and the power of a god, and even she couldn’t change fate. Your fire-haired friend over here proved to be more than enough for her.” Sunset grimaced, looking to one side, but said nothing. “Then she ended up being killed by goodness-knows-who. That was always her problem. Ever since we were little she always refused to see things the way they were. And it looks like she passed that on to her students.” Twilight frowned. “It’s not so wrong to try and find a way to stop…that thing without hurting more people, is it?” Luna was quiet for a short time. Then she opened her eyes again. “You’re both former students of Celestia. If you are, then I assume she told you the story of the Town of Sinamity.” Twilight looked puzzled. She turned to Sunset, who looked up, but she had no other change. “Apparently not,” Luna sighed. “The Town of Sinamity is a utopia. Wealthy, prosperous, clean, and peaceful. There is neither pollution nor crime. There is neither prejudice nor classism. Everyone is equal and everyone’s needs are met. There is good food and water in abundance, comfortable living for everyone, and plenty of time and surplus wealth for parties, carnivals, and festivals. The education the children receive is immaculate. The businesses are all successful and produce the highest quality goods. The government is fair, just, and equitable. There is no poverty there. No want. No disease. No sadness. No father ever lies awake wondering how he will get his family through the next year. No mother ever has to cradle their dead child against their bosom due to famine and illness. No child is ever beaten, abused, or left an orphan. It is, for all purposes, the perfect kingdom. A paradise. “There is only condition that must be fulfilled—one rule that needs to be kept. There is an oubliette in Sinamity. And at the bottom of it, kept in eternal gloom and darkness, there is a single, solitary child. The child must never be allowed to see the sun or to walk on the grass. The child must never be given any relief from heat or warmth from the cold. What little food is given to the child must be bland or terrible, and only enough to keep them alive. None must ever smile at the child, or say a kind word or even a word of greeting, or show the slightest hint of pity, sympathy, or care for the child. The child must be left there in constant neglect, misery, and anguish forever. “Because the very second, the very moment, the very instant that the slightest act of compassion or mercy is given to this child…the paradise will be broken. All the horrors of the world…war, pestilence, famine, disease, poverty, pollution, injustice…all of it will come upon the city. Sadness, misery, and fear will once again reign. Everything that’s good and great that ensures such prosperity and peace for the multitude there will be gone forever.” She took a deep breath. “Now…I ask you the same question that my own teacher once asked Celestia and I. What do you do in that situation, if you are a resident of Sinamity, and tasked with feeding the child?” Twilight and Sunset were quiet. Twilight almost opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself, rethinking what she was about to say almost immediately. She nearly spoke again, but ended up bowing her head. After a few moments of silence, Luna leaned back again. “I know what you want to answer. At first, you’d answer the same as most students normally do. You want to care for the child. You want to show mercy and you don’t believe exploiting anyone for personal gain is right. However, I can also see you thought harder about that before you decided to speak. Perhaps you even thought about the way the world works now. How it’s not so different from Sinamity after all.” Sunset finally looked at her. “What did you answer?” Twilight looked up at Sunset, a bit surprised she was saying something, yet Luna responded without hesitation. “I said I would do exactly as I was supposed to. I would feed the child the same bland food without so much as a word or a smile. There’s no argument to be made here. An entire town of thousands…including many innocent children and loved ones…versus a single life. Eternal peace and prosperity for them versus the misery of one individual. If you think that sounds callous or heartless, that’s only because you don’t stop to think of how many poor farmers grow your food and harvest the textiles for your clothes. You don’t think about how many mothers and babies are turned into food for the birds when your country goes to war…how the very land you or your family lived on is yours by virtue of the fact that your ancestors once killed someone for it, regardless of where you come from. You don’t even think of what the commanding officers in Trottingham are going to do to those soldiers you knocked out escaping from their country, and how they were likely just fighting to support their own starving, impoverished families. If I can live with myself in the face of all of those lives I ruin or make miserable, surely I can live with myself if I only end up tormenting a single person.” That dark note left both Twilight and Sunset mute. They stared back with somewhat hollow expressions. “That’s what it means to be a pragmatist. No one ever says anything good about it, even as they consent to it every day of their lives.” The two ladies were quiet for some time after that. Even Spike’s ears were slicked back as he lay on the ground. Twilight, very uncomfortable now, looked around for a few moments, before her eyes looked at her hand again. She glanced up to Luna once more. “Just one last question.” She held up her hand. “Do you know what this symbol says? The language is too old. I can’t read it. It came from your Promethian Sigil, though.” Luna simply shook her head and sighed. “I’m sorry. That script is too old even for me.” Sunset looked a bit confused. “But…you could use the Anima Viri, couldn’t you?” “I knew the names, not what went with what symbol,” she answered. “I can’t help you.” Twilight slumped and sighed. Sunset stared on at Luna, however, yet she simply closed her eyes and said no more. The train was back at full speed when Twilight, Sunset, and Spike stepped out on the junction between cars to move back to the first. The dog, not wanting to hang around long, quickly passed through and whined and pawed at the door to the adjoining car. Twilight quickly moved across to let him in and nearly followed after. Before she could, however, Sunset called out. “Twilight.” She stopped where she was, turning back to her. “Are you going to tell the others about Luna? About who she really is?” The mage hesitated. She looked to one side, but then sighed. “I think I have to at one point, but…I’m going to try and keep it quiet for now. Not while we’re all stuck on this train starving, sore, and tired. We don’t need any more trouble.” Sunset grimaced but shrugged. “Can’t argue there.” A pause, before she looked more anxious. “And…about…that thing.” Twilight looked uneasy. “You think what she’s saying is true? That…well…what she said?” “I don’t know. It seems too ridiculous to believe. I know things are bad, but…none of it seems as bad as what she’s saying. Then again, seven years ago I would have said you were crazy to suggest someone like Nightmare Moon could exist…” “If she’s telling the truth, then that symbol on your hand…” “What about it?” “She said that it needed to collect Anima Viris just like I was trying to do. And once an Anima Viri is bound to someone, the only way to unbind it is if they give it up, if someone uses an orichalcum dagger, or if they…” Twilight turned a little pale. She clenched her hands uncomfortably as she clearly began to look nervous. “That person last night was looking over Promethian Sigils. They found something with yours, and then they tried to kill you…” Twilight sighed. “I think Luna would have reached the same conclusion if that person had been…you know what. Besides, she said that even alone that thing would be stronger than any military force. That person was strong but if it had trouble with a freight train, I’m not sure it’s who she was talking about.” “Then who was she? I get the feeling Luna knew a bit more than she was saying.” The mage winced. “I kind of do too, but she’s not talking right now. Hopefully she’ll open up later, but for now let’s just focus on Mount Aris.” She turned to go back in again, only to hear a snicker from behind her. She looked back and saw Sunset was wistfully smiling. “What is it?” She snickered as she ran a hand through her hair. “Never thought I’d be confining in you of all people. When we first met up again after the Castle of the Two Sisters I thought you’d throttle me in my sleep. Now I think you’re the only person I don’t feel nervous around.” In spite of herself, Twilight actually found herself smiling ever so slightly before turning back and going inside. The door to the front of the first car opened, prompting the ladies to look up. They saw Starlight poke her head in, but they immediately knew something was wrong the moment they spotted the look on her face. “We…might have a problem up ahead.” Twilight took a moment to process this as she leaned up. She frowned a bit as she felt her stomach grumble again, but even more from how sore she was from lying on the bare floor of a train car for three days now. Everyone else was much the same. While they had been fortunate not to run afoul of any more soldiers from Trottingham and had reason to believe they had outstripped their front line, now that they were well into Appleloosa, the trip had been long and as unpleasant as riding in a freight car on a train could be. They had finally thought there was a bit of relief on the horizon when Starlight had popped out not fifteen minutes ago to tell them they saw the first sign alerting of the Mount Aris border, and had begun to slow the train down as a result. That was…until she walked in just now. “What kind of problem?” Starlight pulled through the door a bit more. “Well, we’re nearly to the border switching station and it looks like the Mount Aris army has taken up residence…and that they don’t want anyone coming through.” She turned to Pinkie Pie, who herself was slowly looking up from the floor. “If you have any clout with the princess, we could probably use it pretty soon.” “Oh, no problem!” she chirped, immediately hopping up. However, she stumbled a little as she did before balancing herself. “Uh, heh…a day without food kind of makes me lose the spring in my step…” Twilight wasn’t nearly as optimistic. She glanced to the others, and they began to rise as well only to look at her uncomfortably. The refugees that were in the car, on the other hand, looked even more uneasy and a little fearful. The Huntsman that had rode the car with them began to tighten up as well. Finally, she held out a hand to them. “Ok, no need for us all to get out there. Pinkie, I’ll come up with you to the engine. Everyone else, spread the word that we made it to Mount Aris to the others.” As Twilight began to stand up, Spike readily stood to follow after her. Sunset began to rise as well. “Twilight…” “It’ll be fine,” she cut off. “Just stay put. I’ll be right back.” “Yeah…” Applejack muttered. “Ya’ already got us in thick enough back in Trottingham. Don’t try for two countries, now.” Sunset frowned a little, but after holding for a few seconds she sighed and let herself slump down. She looked up and around a little uneasily, but in the end she pulled her knees up to her chest and reluctantly sat there looking at least a little calm. By now, Pinkie was up as well and at Twilight’s side, so after casting one last glance back to Sunset she turned and went for the front of the car. Pinkie and Spike followed, and soon they were accompanying Starlight back outside and around the railing leading to the engine. The sun was out and things were clearly visible, but it wasn’t the most wholesome of sights. Most of it was open countryside that had been either ranches or farms until late, but it had a large amount of traffic across it. Like a number of people had been camped in the area and had frequently been moving to and fro across it. None of them were there now, however, and the area was practically deserted. More fields stretched to the south while forests stretched to the north, and as they came around the side of the engine they were able to look west to see the looming Hyperborean mountains. Unfortunately, that wasn’t all that was there. Sure enough, the switching station on the border was just up ahead, and the train was slowing down rapidly so it could halt just before reaching it. On the opposite side of the border was close to a hundred Mount Aris soldiers. Many of them were the infamous “hippogriff” class in full battle array. There were also two artillery pieces in mounted areas pointed at the tracks and at any train coming down them. Lastly, the rails themselves were piled up with a roadblock made not only of palisade but heavy stones as well. Twilight only had to take one look at it to realize that even if Pinkie could get them inside, there was no way the train was going across. Yet she doubted they would have put that up if they intended to let people in… The train finally chugged to a stop a good 30 yards from the nearest soldier, and still a good way from the switching track. As it stopped, Starlight, Twilight, Pinkie, and Spike all made their way to the railing on the front of the engine. With it stopped, it was easy for them all to move in front of the cow catcher. It was also easy to see the cold and unfriendly glares of the soldiers facing them. Twilight and Starlight looked to one another. Starlight looked particularly nervous, and Twilight couldn’t help but soon look the same. She looked forward and, not knowing what else to do, held up her hand. “Um…hello! We were, uh…well…wondering…if we could get into Mount Aris? Please?” She wasn’t even sure if her voice carried far enough for them to hear that. However, she got a response regardless. One of the soldiers had a megaphone. He held it up and yelled inside. “By executive order, the border of Mount Aris is closed indefinitely. Switch off here.” Starlight and Twilight both stared back wide-eyed. Their jaws hung a little. After a pause, Starlight cleared her throat and ventured a small smile of her own. “Um, excuse me? I don’t want to tell anyone how to do their job or seem argumentative, but we’re not normal freight carriers or tourists. We’re a train loaded with refugees all the way from Trottingham, and I was wondering if-” “Mount Aris is closed indefinitely. If you approach, we will open fire.” Starlight blanched as she was cut off, before shutting her mouth. “Ok…” “Uh, Pinkie…?” Twilight called out hopefully. “Wait everyone!” she piped up, crying out and waving her hands. “It’s ok! We have permission! See?” At that, she reached into her hair, fished around a bit, and emerged with an envelope. It was a bit battered and worn, but it was still intact and sealed. She waved it furiously above her. “We have a letter from Princess Skystar! She knows we’re coming!” That caused a reaction from the soldiers. The one with the megaphone lowered it, looking a bit puzzled, and turned and began to talk with the others. A few more spoke before they all turned to one of the hippogriffs. They spoke back and forth for a few moments before he nodded. He began to walk forward, past the soldiers, up to the border itself. He was flanked by four other soldiers, who continued to look cold, but kept their weapons shouldered. On reaching the border, he cupped a hand to his mouth and yelled. “Bring the letter over!” Pinkie grinned and immediately hopped off the train, before either Starlight or Twilight could stop her. Soon, she was bounding up to the border herself. Sighing, Twilight quickly climbed down, with Spike following on her heels. Starlight nearly moved, but then looked back to the engine, trying to decide what was appropriate, and finally electing to remain there. The two ladies and the dog were free to walk along the tracks up to the switching station and toward the gathering of soldiers. Once they came close, one of the soldiers walked toe-to-toe with the border, but no nearer, and held out her hand. The three approached and Pinkie readily extended it out and gave it to her. After she had it, she turned around and walked up to the hippogriff while Twilight, Pinkie, and Spike stopped and waited. The soldier passed the letter off, and the hippogriff reached into his pocket for a pair of glasses. On putting them on, he held up the letter, examined it, and flipped it over the study the seal. After a few moments to validate it, he moved his thumb out to break it, opened it up, and then pulled out the letter inside. He read it over, especially the part on the bottom where Twilight assumed there was a signature. He took about a minute to do all of this, as the three patiently waited. At last, however, still holding it in both hands, he looked up to the two ladies. Then, without a word, he promptly tore the letter into pieces and threw them away. Pinkie’s jaw dropped as she let out an exaggerated gasp, but Twilight wasn’t much better. “Wha…wha…wha…?” “The contents of this letter mean nothing now,” he stated simply. “The date on it shows it was written some time ago when we were in a different situation. Since then, Mount Aris is now under wartime conditions and orders like these are, effectively, obsolete.” Twilight was still flabbergasted. “Wartime…?” “I suppose that you all haven’t gotten the news in Trottingham, but two days ago an assassination attempt was made on the heir apparent. A bomb was planted that killed eight people. I am not at liberty to reveal the details as investigation is ongoing, but suffice to say the suspects are all non-residents of Mount Aris. As a precautionary measure, the princess is being relocated to safer areas and the commander-in-chief has ordered the borders closed. No one is to enter, especially from the eastern border given the current political situation.” “But…but…Princess Skystar invited me!” Pinkie protested. “That note said so and everything!” “Sir,” Twilight insisted, “I don’t know how much that note told you, but we just fled Trottingham with a whole trainload of people we smuggled out from under their government’s nose. They had to leave their homes and everything behind and they’re now political refugees. We can’t go back, especially now that Trottingham is taking over Appleloosa. These people need political asylum-” “The order stands,” the man coldly cut off. “The borders remain shut. No admittance. You can go south from here and try your luck at the Griffonstone border or you go north to the roundabout and return to Appleloosa. None of you are setting foot in Mount Aris.” Twilight let out an exhale, running a hand through her hair in growing frustration. “Sir…I don’t know if you’re too familiar with the term ‘political refugee’, but we can’t go back into Appleloosa now. We came this far because we were guaranteed asylum in Mount Aris-” “You were never ‘guaranteed’ anything, and if it wasn’t for that letter I wouldn’t even have had any reason to believe you. You’re not getting into the country.” “Can I talk to Princess Skystar real quick?” Pinkie suggested hopefully. “I’m sure we could sort out this whole mix-up if I could just pop in.” “Or could we at least speak with a higher authority and present our case?” Twilight asked, beginning to sound more desperate. “I am the only authority that need concern you,” he flatly retorted. “Now are you going to switch off or do I need to threaten you with artillery fire?” Twilight froze, going a bit rigid at how sharp that threat was. Pinkie slumped as her hair appeared to sag a bit. There were a few moments of silence between the two. Finally, Twilight sighed. “Sir…we’ve gone with very little food and water for a few days now and no decent place to sleep. We have children with us. Could we at least get a little relief?” “You’re not Mount Aris citizens and so, frankly, none of that is our problem,” he answered as he reached into his pocket. Emerging with a watch, he glanced at it a moment, and then back up to them. “The only thing we’ll give you is fifteen minutes before we start firing warning shots.” Pinkie continued to look at him imploringly. “Can you at least write her a note?” Seeing that was useless, Twilight sighed as she reached out and took Pinkie’s arm. She practically drug her away from the border as she continued to look at the hippogriff with quivering lips and big eyes. Spike, whining a little, followed behind. Once all of them were a short distance away, they turned their backs and kept walking. On reaching the engine, Starlight could guess the reaction based on the looks on their faces. “So…what now?” Twilight sighed. “We need to get the others together. The other ladies, Shining Armor…maybe we can wait on the Apple family and the Huntsmen. We’ve got to think of our next move. Hopefully pretty quickly because the clock’s ticking and we’re already down to fourteen minutes…” “You mean all of that running around that we did back in Trottingham was for nothing?!” Twilight winced as Dash shouted loud enough to be heard in the adjoining car. Nevertheless, she was the only one who looked too sore about being overheard. Applejack had thrown down her hat and was cursing up a storm. Rarity had thrown herself on a crate on one of her drama queen reactions. Fluttershy was clutching Angel and sniffling as the latter seemed to be trying in vain to comfort her. Shining Armor was holding his hand to his head. Double Diamond was slumped in a corner. Big Macintosh, the only one of the Apple family to be brought in, sighed tiredly. Celaeno, representing the Huntsmen, was pacing about before she kicked one of the crates with her intact leg. Lastly, leaning against a wall with her cane, stood Luna. Twilight had tried to leave her out but she said if she had been drug this far she wanted to be in on this. Celaeno turned to Dash angrily after a moment. “Why did I listen to you, Rainboom? I should have known all along this would be another bust…” “Aw, can it!” Applejack retorted. “All you’re losin’ out on is a bunch o’ junk! My family ain’t go nowhere to go but right back to Trottingham gun barrels!” “I’m never going to see a beignet again! Or even a bar of soap!” Rarity cried, throwing a hand over her face. “I’m really, really sorry, everyone!” Pinkie apologized. “Princess Skystar said her letter would let us all come in! And I didn’t have a newspaper around to check to see if it had an expiration date!” Twilight, recovering from Dash’s yell, sighed. “It’s not your fault, Pinkie. You couldn’t have known this was going to happen… None of us could have. Now we’re stuck, though…” “I can’t really blame them though,” Fluttershy spoke up meekly. “They might be scared of what happened to Cloudsdale, now that Trottingham is moving up to their border…” “Forget Cloudsdale,” Dash sighed. “We need to go somewhere else.” “That’s a big problem,” Starlight chimed in. “The only other country that borders Mount Aris is Griffonstone, and they’re friendly to Trottingham. My guess is they’re not going to be any happier to let political refugees in than Mount Aris is…” “Could we go by boat?” Shining Armor suggested. “This track should take us right by the port, shouldn’t it?” “Assuming the port isn’t already under Trottingham control and, if it isn’t, that it isn’t mobbed by people trying to escape?” Starlight answered. “We would still have no money for a toll and we’re smuggling on top of that.” “I guess not…” Shining Armor muttered. “We have no choice, we’ll have to chance it.” Twilight sighed. “We can’t go back to Trottingham and Appleloosa is under their control. It’s our only shot even if it’s a longshot.” “Not to try and add bad news on top of bad news, but I don’t know if we can make it that long,” Sunset spoke up, earning a number of stares. It made her recoil slightly. “I mean…I don’t want to sound like ‘that person’, but this whole trip was made with the idea that we could get off in Mount Aris and, presumably, have a place to rest and eat. None of us have had more than a couple bites in three days. We’re out of water. The kids in the back are starting to get more miserable and the adults are going to be with them soon. If you’re thinking we’re going to go around the Hyperborean Mountains and up into Manehattan, that’s going to be close to a week. Not to mention we’re on a Trottingham train and any country along the way might turn us away as soon as we get near.” Rarity let out another moan. Dash eyed Sunset crossly. “Are you sure you weren’t trying to add bad news on top of bad news?” Twilight let out a moan of her own as she grasped the bridge of her nose. “That’s not true.” This time, everyone looked up to who had spoken. Luna hadn’t moved from the wall, and was still leaning on it and staring to one side, but she had clearly been the one who said something. Sunset blinked. “Excuse me?” “What you said about Griffonstone being your only shot. That’s not true,” Luna answered, not looking up. “There’s another country’s border nearby, and you should be able to reach it in this train.” The group looked rather confused at that, more so than the fact Luna had spoken up to begin with. Twilight ended up looking uncertain. “Um…did another country split off to form its own nation while we were in Trottingham? Because I don’t know of any…” “What about Equestria?” The chamber went silent. Now everyone was staring at Luna with wide-eyed surprise. “Er…beg yer pardon?” Applejack asked. “Did…did you say…Equestria?” Fluttershy nearly whispered. “I recognize this track. We take it another forty miles north and there’s an old switching station that goes up all the way to the old boundary of Appleloosa. From there, I know of a private route that we can switch on that will take us all the way to former Canterlot.” Rarity let her hand fall. She blinked and leaned her head up. “How do you know that?” “That’s impossible,” Celaeno spoke up. “The Huntsman’s Guild has been reporting on the progress of reclamation of Equestria. Even if they had gone nearly far enough north to clear the tracks to get someone to the old rail lines in Equestria, there’s no route from here.” “I said it was private, did I not?” Luna answered, finally looking up and turning to the others. “And it’s not guaranteed, but there’s an excellent chance that it’s still clear even after seven years.” “That’s crazy,” Dash retorted. “Even if that city is still there, it’s got to be overgrown, eaten out, and torn to bits by the first batches of Nighttouched that ran through.” “Perhaps, perhaps not. Canterlot itself was walled, and the Nighttouched would have no reason to attack the plumbing. I’d guarantee you could get water there at least. If the old gardens are still there, there’s a good chance for food as well. And some shelter. Lastly, there’s a roundabout station up there. We should be able to get on a track that could get us all the way to Manehattan or at least Fillydelphia.” “Uh, yeah, along with swarms of every last Nighttouched that’s been squatting there for seven years.” “We can’t go up there,” Shining Armor spoke up. “Canterlot’s too far north. There’s no telling if that shadow we ran into is around it. Or more of those swarms of Nighttouched. Even if we made it that far, what then? What if that station is overrun or the tracks are blocked?” “Well, we seem pretty well ‘trapped’ ourselves at the moment,” Luna answered. “And we’re already surrounded by people who want us dead. I’ll say we have a better chance of making it if we go to Canterlot from here. Not the best, mind you, and there’s still a risk involved. I’m merely giving another possibility. It’s up to all of you if you want to take it. If we go there, however, I can get us inside. And I guarantee we’ll be safe from Trottingham, or any other country, if nothing else.” Starlight raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?” “Are we going to Canterlot? Because if we aren’t, there’s no point in me explaining why.” Starlight frowned but said no more. The others turned back and looked to one another. For a few brief seconds there was silence, as each person waited for the other to say something. At last, it was broken. “I think we should try it.” Yet another surprise went through the car, this time because both Twilight and Sunset had spoken at the same time. They both looked the most surprised of all, however, and looked to one another curiously. After a moment, Sunset blanched and coughed. “I mean…I know I probably don’t get much of a vote, but I think it might be a good idea. What place could be safer than a place where no one can find us? Or wants to risk getting to us? No one even knows a train track goes that way, do they?” She turned to Twilight. “Was that what you were thinking?” Twilight hesitated, looking put on the spot, before she shook her head. “Um…yeah, yes! Of course! I mean, well…” She grimaced a moment, looking around at the people in the room, before she swallowed. “Those of you who know me…know that Canterlot isn’t exactly an easy place to get to. Based on what I told you before, you should know that it’s safer than you think. Sure, we may still have the Nighttouched to deal with, but…there’s a good chance we might not. And if we stay out here, we’re going to have to deal with the Trottingham army. Besides, we’ll only be there long enough to get situated. See if we can find any food from the abandoned farms and water. Then we’ll be on our way again and finding a way back to Manehattan.” “You sure about this, Twily?” Shining Armor asked. “Those things we ran into and that shadow…it wasn’t fooling around. But you know the area better than any of us. Do you think it’s safe?” She continued to look uneasy. “Well…I can’t guarantee it…but I think there’s a good chance it’s the safest place we can be right now. Especially if we move out fast.” He looked at her for a moment more, but then exhaled. “Alright then. I’m for it. I know enough to know Twilight’s smarter than me about these things, so I’ll go with her judgment.” “If it can avoid having to try and make a trip through Griffonstone or over the Hyperboreans, I’m willing to risk it,” Celaeno shrugged. “It can’t be any more dangerous than that. Just so long as there really is a train track we can take.” “That’s four so far,” Starlight exhaled. “Anyone else? Because I don’t think we have much time left on that limit Mount Aris gave us…” “Now just a minute, darling,” Rarity spoke up, fully rising into a seated position and looking at Twilight uncertainly. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but you’re having us going on an awfully large amount of faith right now.” “Really,” Dash threw in, jabbing her thumb at Luna. “Who is she, anyway? And you told us all that everything in Equestria was a big secret. So how does she know about any secret train tracks in and out of it when the Huntsmen don’t?” The rest of the ladies began to look at Twilight as well. She swallowed again. Sunset herself winced, realizing the time had come. After a moment or so, Twilight straightened herself up, took a deep breath, and turned to the others. “Starlight…could you, Double Diamond, Big Mac, and my brother work on getting the tracks switched so that they know we’re leaving? And Celaeno and Luna? Could you step out into the next car for a moment? Tell everyone else what we’re doing real fast?” The Huntsman didn’t look like she liked the idea of being ordered around, but she turned to go do as she was told. Luna flashed Twilight a single look, indicating she knew what this was about, before she followed. Starlight, a little hapless at all this, nevertheless resigned herself. The others still looked a bit curious, but got up and moved out as well. In a few moments, the train car was shut again, and it left only Twilight, Spike, Sunset, and the rest of the ladies. She took another deep breath to steady herself. “What I’m about to tell you all…just…try and keep an open mind and not yell too much or do anything drastic. Please?”