//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: An Empty World 
// by The_Unnamed_Pawn 
//------------------------------//

Wisp was getting ready for a race that morning. If he was to be believed, this was doubtlessly his year; the year he would take home a blue ribbon from the annual Equestria Rodeo. He had been training nonstop all month for both the hurdle event and the barrel race, and this year he was sure that he would be able to not only beat Applejack, but also every other pony that stood in his way.

Wisp took a deep breath and looked into his mirror. Staring back at him through fiery blue eyes was a pale yellow stallion with a hair of blue fire. “You can do this,” he encouraged the reflection, and the reflection was kind enough to encourage him right back. With that said, Wisp took a step toward the door, then another step, and another, and soon enough he was out in the coliseum.

Everypony was geared up for the next event by the time that Wisp entered. The hurdle jump was next in the schedule, so all of Wisps opponents were lined up at the starting line. Applejack was among them of course. Wisp decided to shoot her an intimidating glare while he got into his proper place, but the mare didn’t even seem to notice him. No matter, she would notice his dust.

“Everypony on your marks.” Wisp took a deep breath and readied himself for the dash. “Get set.” He focused himself. No blinders were necessary for him, he had his own. “Go!” That was it! With the speed of his namesake Will O’ Wisp vanished from the starting line and only reappeared for each jump. Nopony was even close to them. He couldn’t even hear their hoofsteps.

Each hurtle was practically non-existent for Wisp as he leaped over them. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw the finish line inches away. Confident in his victory, Wisp decided to do his signature float toward the end. A quick turn and a hop and, bam, the blue haired stallion was moving on air. It was a shame the officials hadn’t allowed him to bring any of his special flame powder to the event. The crowd would’ve been in for quite a show if they had. 

The tape was torn and Wisp had won. Silently, but with a grin that said it all, he let go of his focus and turned to face the cheering crowd.

But there was no cheering crowd.

Confused, Wisp looked all around the stands. Nopony was there, and, come to think of it, nopony had crossed the finish line yet either. Curious, Wisp turned to face the race track. Nopony was there. What did that mean? Had he really won? Was this all just a dream? He was sure he’d woken up this morning. Once again Wisp looked to the stands.

This time he saw something frightening. Not only was the crowd still missing, but the stadium was beginning to disappear. It was as if it was just fading out of existence, and it was fading fast. 

Upon seeing that the fade-away was moving towards him, Wisp did the only thing he could think of. He ran. And boy did he run fast. The adrenaline from the race hadn’t worn off just yet, and he was still able to move at top speed once he’d gotten started.  The city whizzed straight past him as he ran. Never once did Wisp turn back while he was moving. He didn’t think he’d like what he saw anyway. He already wasn’t enjoying what he saw in front of him. 

Whatever it was that was making the town fade away wasn’t just coming from one direction. The gray sky and missing desert in front of Wisp was enough to prove that. Still, there wasn’t much Wisp could do but run and hope to find someplace safe.

Eventually, Wisp’s eyes settled on the train at the end of the town. It wasn’t fading like all of the other buildings appeared to be, and it was a straight shot from where he was. Just a few seconds more and he would be able to jump for it.

“5…4” Wisp counted in his head, “3…2…” almost there, “1!” Wisp leapt with all his might into the open car. He made it of course; it wasn’t as if the train was moving. In fact, after smashing into the back wall and finding himself covered in a large amount of luggage, Wisp realized that a full speed leap was probably ill-advised in addition to unnecessary. That wasn’t a mistake he planned on making again.

Wisp rubbed his head while he unburied himself and looked around. Somehow the stallion had managed to jump into the train’s luggage compartment; the back car. The train didn’t appear to be moving, so he would have to walk all the way to the front. That was annoying at best considering how long this thing probably was. 

The good news was that it did appear to be safe though. The fade-away had clearly overtaken it by this point, but the train was still here. Wisp let out a sigh. The trail of destruction must have been just behind him if it had already overtaken the train. If he hadn’t been lucky enough to land in just the right place, he’d have been gone along with everypony else.

Wisp looked away from the open car door once he heard the connecting door slide open. The pony that walked in was a dark brown stallion sporting a blonde handlebar mustache and a black ten-gallon hat. Wisp couldn’t help but think that he looked like a villain from an old western show. “Is somepony there?” the cowpony asked.

“Right over here,” Wisp said with a wave from the pile of suitcases he was now seated on. The pony didn’t approach, but he did return the wave. Seeing that it would be in his duty to move closer, Wisp pulled himself off of the case pile and trotted toward the door. “So is anypony else still here?” he asked the stallion.

“Not as far as I saw,” the stallion responded with a tip of his hat. “Ah’m Aces Low by the way. Who might ah’ ask are you young sir?” He spoke very politely with a deep voice and a thick southern accent. Wisp assumed he must’ve been from around town.

“Will O’ Wisp,” Wisp responded. He extended a hoof for a shake, but by then Aces Low had already turned around and headed back to the next car, though he did motion for the other pony to follow him. Wisp followed and took the opportunity to get a look at his guide’s cutie mark. It was an ace of spades to match his name. He also couldn’t help but notice the very thin mane and tail that the stallion had. The mane was buzz-cut, and the tail was one of the trimmest Wisp had ever seen. That struck him as odd for somepony from a town like this.

“So Mr. Wisp,” Low began as he moved into the next car, “Mind if ah’ ask what you are doing in the luggage compartment of this train?”

Wisp nodded and followed along, speaking as he did, “I was just trying to find someplace safe.” The next car was a bedroom area. No doubt Low had been staying here before the whole disaster started. 

“Safe from what exactly?” Low asked while he pried open the next door. This one didn’t simply slide off like the others. For some reason it appeared to be locked.

Wisp was too thrown by Low’s question to notice his struggle though. Just to be safe, he took another look out the window. Everything was still gray, so it wasn’t all just a dream. “I was running from that,” Wisp said pointing outside.

The door finally gave way and Aces Low turned back to Wisp with a grin. “Ah’ guess that makes some sense,” he said noticing what Wisp was pointing to, “Course Ah’ didn’t think that was the kinda thing you could run from. To be frank, ah’m not sure what we’re doing here still.” Low let out a hearty laugh and moved onward to the next door. 

Wisp paused before following along this time. Low seemed weirdly cheerful for somepony who’d just seen what he’d seen. Sure some ponies handled grief differently, but this pony was so spry it was actually confusing. “Is that really something to laugh about, Low?” Wisp asked.

Low didn’t turn back, he was too busy trying to get through the second locked door, but he did respond. “Getting upset just slows you down son, and we’ve got a goal we need to reach.” With that, the stallion pulled once more, and the door flew open. 

“What do you mean?” Wisp asked as he followed Low into the next car. The next car was filled with a few more assorted beds, one of which Low took a seat on rather than continue. Wisp stopped to stare at his guide for a moment before it became clear that Low was gesturing for him to sit along with him. Wisp did, but on a bed on the opposite side of the car.

Low sighed in disappointment, but started talking nonetheless. “Listen, boy,” he started rather rudely, “If this train’s still here than that means that the tracks are still here right.” Wisp didn’t nod or shake his head in response. To be honest it seemed like a bit of a leap to him. “So if we follow those tracks, it might just take us to the source of this here problem right,” Low continued. It was another leap to be sure.

“How could you possibly know that?” Wisp asked.

Again Low sighed. “Ah’ don’t boy, but do you have a better idea? Ah’ mean it’s not like we’re loaded with options here.”

Wisp continued staring for a moment, but eventually he did nod in response. Low was right, it’s not like they had much else to go on. “So you’re saying we need to start the train right?” Low nodded. This time the smile returned when he did. “Then let’s get going I guess.” Wisp shot the pony across from him a smile of his own and got to his feet. 

This time Wisp made the move to open the door, and found that it was, of course, locked. Still if that old guy could handle it, so could he. Wisp wrapped his hooves around the handle as tightly as he could and pulled. The thing didn’t even budge though. Whatever lock was holding it in place was tough. “You should let me handle that, boy,” Low said from his seat on the bed. 

Wisp shook his head and continued pulling. “I can’t force you to do everything. Don’t worry I’m an athlete. This should be-” he paused for a grunt and another tug, “Easy!”

Low sighed again from his seat, and wisp noticed a brief flash of white light from the lock. Then suddenly he was thrown onto his back as the door slid effortlessly inward. Wisp recovered quickly and flung himself back to a stand. “What the hay did you do that for? I had it!”

Low stared at Wisp with a look of confusion for a moment before shaking his head and laughing. “Ah’ didn’t do anything boy. You got that door open all by yourself,” he said. With that he climbed back to his feet and proceeded through the now open door. Wisp paused again before following. Something about what Low had just said didn’t strike him as right. It sounded…dishonestly sarcastic…was that even a thing?

“So why didn’t you mention you were a unicorn anyway?” Wisp asked while he craned his head into the doorway. Low was once more tugging on the door. That was weird considering what he’d just done, but Wisp didn’t bother questioning it. He wanted his other question answered first. “I mean, that would’ve been the kind of thing I’d like to know,” he said once Low failed to respond.

Low sighed and threw the door open. “It’s not somethin’ ah’ usually have to say,” the unicorn said with a tip of his hat before moving through the now open doorway. Wisp followed along without hesitation this time. It was just another passenger car.

“So what’s with the pulling then? Couldn’t you just magic the door open?” 

Low nodded and moved to the next door. “Sure ah’ could. But that takes more effort. It’s just easier to do it the ol’ fashioned way.” Wisp shrugged. He didn’t know anything about magic, so he didn’t really have a response. He just waited for Low to pull open the door. 

Once Low did manage to pry this one open, the pair was surprised to find an apple roll out from the next car. Both of their eyes followed the fruit as it rolled into the center of the cabin. Nopony had been behind the door when they were opening it. Wisp took another look inside. Nopony was there now either, but one of the further doors was open. He must not have noticed that before.

Cautiously the pair ventured forward into the next car. It was just as Wisp placed his first hoof into the cabin that the apple exploded.

Both of the stallions were hurled forward by the force of the explosion. Wisp managed to roll all the way into the opposite wall, but Low managed to catch himself on one of the beds.

“Who the hay loads an apple with a bomb!” Somepony was screaming, but Wisp couldn’t see who it was through the spots in his eyes. It didn’t sound like Low though. The accent was all wrong. It sounded way more northern. “I mean, for cripe’s sake. That thing could’a killed us.”

“Is that you Low?” Wisp rubbed his eyes and took another look around the room. Sure enough, the only ponies in there were him and a very perturbed Aces Low. At least, he assumed it was the same Aces Low as before. During the explosion he had lost his hat and, somehow, his mustache.

“Aw hayseed,” the pony cursed as he lifted himself off of the bed. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag huh?”

Wisp shook his head and got to a stand. “The hay’s up with the accent, Low?!” he asked. Unfortunately he didn’t get his answer just yet. Another apple rolled into the room before Low could respond.

Low glanced briefly toward the apple. “Sorry, but I don’t think we got time for that just now, kid,” the unicorn chuckled, “Next car?” With that Low hopped upward and dashed straight through the closest door. Wisp didn’t hesitate to follow. In fact, he ended up overtaking Low by the time the bomb went off. He probably would have even moved on into the following car had a white light not slammed the next door in his face.

“Oww…” Wisp complained and rubbed his head. 

“Quit whinin’.” Low said jokingly, “No way that hurt more than bein’ blown into a wall.”

”Why’d you do that?” 

Wisp looked at Low through the corner of his eye. The unicorn’s horn was glowing in an effort to hold the car doors closed. It was clearly working too. The bomb in the last car had to have exploded by now after all. “If you’da kept runnin’ ya’ would just run into more bombs,” Low commented with a cocky grin. 

“Not that,” Wisp said as coolly as he could. The door was what he’d been referring to, but he did have something else to discuss with Low. Asking this way made him sound like less of a moron. “Why did you fake the accent? And what was with the mustache.” 

Low chuckled. “Hey would you trust this accent? It was best if ya’ thought I was from around here.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Wisp turned to stare Low face to face. “What are you hiding? Do you know what happened here? Or are you some kind of criminal?”

Again Low laughed and shook his head. “Already you’re accusin’ me of crime and bein’ behind the apocalypse, and ya’ say my fear’s unfounded.” Wisp was momentarily stunned by this nonsensical accusation, and tried to stutter out a response. However, before the stallion could get past the first word, Low had started up again. “Anyhow, I already told ya’ that I don’t know what’s goin’ on here. I didn’t lie about that.”

Wisp again attempted to respond, but this time he was cut off by a sudden shaking from the cabin ahead of them. Both ponies turned to look at the door. A cloud of smoke had formed just beyond the glass, but Wisp could still see through it. There were more apples rolling this way, at least three of them.

“I think that’s all the time we have for now, kid.” Low turned and shot Wisp another smirk. “You trust me enough to go along with a plan?”

Wisp shook his head and took another look at low through the corner of his eye. “But I do get the feeling you’re brighter than I am, so I don’t think I’ve got much of a choice.” 

Wisp noticed Low’s smirk change slightly. Suddenly it looked like a normal smile. “Alright pal. You said you’re an athlete right?”