Shadow sighed deeply and stared at the tickets he held. Haliflanks was very out of the way from the direction he wanted to head. He'd be forced to catch another train from there to bypass Derbyshire and head to Stalliongrad.
Looking up at his new companion he smiled softly at her. "So how long have you worked for the agency?"
The look of surprise on her face was understandable. Most agents never met one another. Not because of some fanciful idea that they couldn't work well together, but because most of their duties held them in very different parts of the world. Shadow had picked up on the subtle indicators of her status as she had dealt with the soldier in the cafe.
"H-How did you..?"
"Your Germaneish needs work for one. Second, you'd be surprised what I notice that no one else ever would." Shadow tried to sound reassuring, but she seemed more shaken than anything.
"Wow. Maybe I'm not cut out for this, after all." She stared at her hooves as she spoke.
"I don't see why you wouldn't be cut out for this. You passed the training, you implanted in Germaney easily enough, and you seem to know how to handle yourself."
"Yea, I just can't control my mouth." She looked up and her eyes met his.
"Well, if that was something we had to do then I'd never have even been considered."
Her smile betrayed her mood. "Name's Cherish."
"Shadow."
"Whoa," her voice suddenly turned to that of a fan meeting a celebrity. "The Shadow?"
"Uhh.. That depends. How many Shadows are in the agency?" Her reaction to his name was a very unexpected one.
"Shadow Chaser, right?" Shadow nodded in the affirmative. "Wow. Never thought I'd have the pleasure of meeting you."
"What are you talking about? How do you know me like that?"
"In the training facility they have pictures of some senior agents. Most of whom have died in the line of duty, but your name is listed on the wall, next to all of those pictures as the founding agent and the very best."
Shadow cocked an eyebrow. They must have changed the layout of the training facility since he was last there, because he remembered it as a shack in the middle of a field. He made a note to tell Luna to take his name down. Once he died or retired he'd be happy to have his name displayed but he didn't need fans who were also fellow agents.
"Well, then, yes, I am the Shadow. But don't let it get to you. I went through the same training you did. So what can you tell me about Germaney?"
"Nice looking country. Mostly good people. Could use some work in the culinary department," Cherish said flatly.
"I meant about their plans."
"I know what you meant, sir. It was a joke. Their army is moving out soon but they've been planning this for a while. Gathering supplies, training soldiers, I think they've been trying to recruit allies, as well."
"They have. They're working with the griffins."
"The griffins? I'd been hearing things about the Xiao ponies."
"The Xiao have been our allies for a long time and we stand on good terms with them. I find it hard to believe they would attack Equestria."
"I bet you would've said the same thing about Germaney a week ago."
Shadow nodded in concession. He had not expected a war when he went out for a routine rescue mission. "Still, it's hard to believe they'd turn on us. Any of them. What do they have against us?"
"That's an easy one, sir. Land. The Germaneish have been bitter for a long time that Equestria is nearly five times the size of their country. I imagine the Xiao and griffins are the same," she paused considering other motives. "Then again, they might just be in it for the fight. The griffins, especially."
Shadow sat quiet, considering her words. He knew the griffins might only be in it for the fight and if the Xiao were really in it for the land then it would certainly be a long fight. But with the odds stacked against Equestria, he had to wonder how long they could hold before they would finally be overwhelmed. They were well trained and plentiful, but great numbers could overwhelm any army.
"Alright, I'm going to report in. You might as well try to grab some shut eye. You're not going back to Germaney and we're leaving Haliflanks as soon as we arrive."
Cherish nodded her understanding and Shadow stepped out of the cabin, heading for the tail end of the train once more.
A cold wind met him as he stepped onto the decking and he pressed his neck gently. "Shimmer, I'm on a train headed to Haliflanks."
Her voice crackled in his ear. "Haliflanks? What's out there?"
"Nothing. I ran into a complication in Germaney and had to get out quick."
"What kind of complication?"
"It's not important. Listen, tell Luna and Armor to rally the troops. Head to Stalliongrad. Germaney is getting set to make their assault. Make sure they know the Germaneish will have griffin support, so they're going to need the combat flyers. We're going to catch a ride there as soon as we get to Haliflanks."
"We? Who's we?"
"Like I said, I ran into some complications. Just make sure the army is ready."
"Will do, Shadow."
Shadow stood silent for a moment on the end of the train, watching the tracks fade behind them in the distance. The night sky was full of stars and only a tiny sliver of the moon could be seen. For a moment he wished he could be free of the pressures of his current position. Free to spend time with his family and make new memories with them. Leaning on the railing, feeling the wind ruffle his mane, Shadow made a promise to himself and to his family.
"This is the last one, girls. I'm coming home after this." He spoke to the sky, to the stars themselves. He watched them twinkle, as if to cheer at his decision. He would finish this task and forever more just be a husband and a father.
Smiling at the sky he saw the faintest hint of orange among the blackness, "Good morning to you too, Celestia." Shadow's mood soured, however, when he noticed the moon was only halfway through it's journey across the sky.
He leaned to the side of the train, squinting against the unobstructed wind now assaulting his face. He could see a town in the distance. The orange glow originated not from a magical source inside the town but from the town itself. The buildings were on fire.
Ducking back inside the train, Shadow ran to the cabin he now shared with Cherish. "We've got a problem. Come with me."