//------------------------------// // Elysia // Story: Arcadia // by Sir Alexander Wolfgang //------------------------------// All his life Spike had disliked people. But there was something about children that didn't set him off like the more grown of people. If someone asked him he would say, "They just haven't had enough time to piss me off yet." He had to thank the princesses that was the case. He had to thank them because the young girl next to him was pestering him to no end. But really the coach car annoyed him all together. The service was lousy, the bench's were hard, and there was far too many people. "Why's your teeth so pointy?" Asked the redheaded girl next to Spike. "Just is." He answered. "Is that jacket warm?" "Yup." "Can I try it on?" "Nope." "Why? "I said do," Spike said clenching his teeth. Spike began to, finally drown the drawling voice of the girl out, giving him the ability to hear his own thoughts. He thought of the contact, and his rude nature towards himself. Why was he so hateful towards him that he would force him into coach, and let the girls share 1st class? Spike blamed it on a sex-drive decades younger than the man. A new noise assaulted Spikes ears, the screech of the train coming to a halt. "It was a pleasure meetin' ya' mister, uh," the girl stuck her hand out, a quizzical look on her face. "Call me Weseluck," Spike said, ignoring her hand and standing as the train finally stopped. The train stopped and Spike hurried to the exit, being refreshed by the coolness of the fresh air. The first thing he noticed was that the train station, was placed far away from, anywhere near. It seemed to be placed in a random location in the middle of a bowl-like field. Spike reminded himself, that he needed to find the girls, and made his way through the crowds of people leaving the train. He stopped in front of the white haired man, who seemed to be stretching, and saw past him to see the meek Fluttershy, holding her bag, and the studious Twilight, searching for him. "Over here," he called approaching the trio. "Think, goodness you're here Spike, I was beginning to get worried," Twilight hugged him. Spike endured the warmness, maintaining a preference cold emotionless. "Welcome to Elysia, young man," the Old man said, almost reluctantly. Spike looked at him and nodded, then turned back to his companions, sticking his hand out for their bags, always remembering his place, as their assistant. "No, Spike, We'll get it from here." Twilights words surprised him. "Don't be silly, I'm assisting you. It's my job." "No, I can handle it, Spike." "Suit your self." Danial had seemingly vanished, when the conversation ended. Spike and Twilight both turned to face Fluttershy, who's attention was still at the ground, and asked her where he had found himself off to. "I-I don't know." "Well why would he just leave?" Spike asked the obvious question. "He is pretty weird," Fluttershy said, face to the ground still. Just as she said that Danial appeared behind her, a black cloud dispersing as he did. Fluttershy gasped, almost fainting, at the surprise. "Oh, am I," he began, "well I'm sorry I don't fit your expectations as to how a man, should act, when uprooted from his home, and put in a far away, land that he only had the slightest clue about when your oh so righteous monarchs placed me here." Fluttershy's eyes began to water, her back still facing the man. "Mr. Eris, please she didn't mean it," Twilight pleaded. "Oh, no it's true. I'm weird, and your friend sought only to voice her opinion. I've been there before. Now, come along, we've still a far way to go. Bu-" "How far?" Spike interrupted. "Over the hills, boy. But rest assured boy, when we arrive, the people will treat you with the utmost hospitality." "Well maybe we should hurry then. I'm getting tired." After a brief moment of stretching, the group set out to find the farm. When they finally made it to the small separation in the peaks of the tall, almost mountain like hills on the edge of the bowl-like field they stood in pure awe. The landscape before them was an expansive plain of hills. Trees at the base of the mountains, and to the right, between the distant grasslands, and the rolling green hills. Just beyond them lay mountains that reached high into the sky. They seemed to go on forever. Even Spike stood staring. But of course the silence, and feeling grandeur can not last forever. It was broken, by the tall lanky Danial. "That," he paused, "Is were the Varangian live. Those mountains are harsh, snowy, and shape the most merciless people I've ever seen." Fluttershy glanced nervously at him. "Well, lets get going, we must get to the farm before night." Twilight spent most of the way filling Spike in, and Spike spent most of the way pretending to listen. The first sign of civilization, aside from the worn dirt road that cut through the hills, was an old and beaten fence. The walk it self had taken almost two hours. The sky was now a bright blue. Clouds were over head dancing their perpetual waltz with each other. "I trust you all can make it from here," Danial yawned putting a hand on the fence post, "Just follow the path, and you'll find yourself at an old farm." "I thought we were suppose to be helping the Mycenaean?" Twilight asked, almost perplexed. "By helping these farmers, you help the Mycenaean." Danial said. Danial stared at Twilight, a faint grin on his face. Twilight felt as if the burn on her back was on fire. It certainly felt as if it were. Her face, contorted into a smile that was forced through pain. Danial nodded. "Here," he produced a small slip of paper, "Recite these words once you have done, what you feel you've done your job." Twilight nodded, taking it in her hand, feeling relieved that once his gaze left her so did the burning sensation on her back. She looked down at the slip. On it's pure white surface she silently read the words 'et in Arcadia ego'. She looked back up and Danial was gone, only a black smoke dispersing in the wind. Twilight stood a moment. She looked at the slip of paper. She didn't recognize the language. The only word she knew was Arcadia. Twilight looked at the spot where Danial was, then looked to Fluttershy, and Spike. "Well I-I guess we better get going," she said, concealing the slip in her bag. "Yep," Spike said, beginning the final leg of their journey to the farm. Fluttershy followed him, and Twilight her, still going over the phrase in her mind. She was almost frightened by it. It seemed to hold an ominous cloud over her mind that sought to destroy what little sanctity she had left in her mind. Everything in this land felt almost surreal, and now this single sentence was added to the mental strain it gave. The trees, previously few, became many. Soon there was not a glance not filled with the vegetation. Then they reached a final wooden gate, leading to a clearing surrounded by trees filled with apples. They opened it and walked in. They were finally at this farm. The air was soaked in silence, that they dare not disturb. To do so would feel unnatural. Still keeping the awkward silence that pulsed through out this stead, they approached the house in the center of the clearing, a single step at a time. For the longest time the only sound they heard was the crunch of dirt beneath them. If not for her fear of flight Fluttershy would have taken to her wings to avoid this. Her eyes were speaking the anxiety she felt. Spikes eyes flickered between his two companions, while Twilight kept a face relatively blank. Finally they had made it to the door, only to wait for something to happen. Nothing happened. Spike, fed up with waiting, knocked on the door. A moment passed. Nothing happened, save for a breeze pulling the decrepit old wind mills blades into motion. He knocked again, and a stir from inside was heard. Fluttershy felt as if they were being watched. For once she felt it a good idea for her voice to break the silence. "Spike do you really t-think that's a g-good plan?" Spike pressed his ear to the door, "Yep, best one I've had all day," he replied, sarcastically. Fluttershy opened her mouth to retort, but found no words. "Besides," he glanced back while knocking, "how else should we let 'em know we're he-" The door opened quickly, then shut again, slamming into Spikes face, sending him to the ground, and pulling a slew of vulgarities from his mouth. Just as the two girls joined his side to help him up, a figure that looked like death to them group, emerged from the side of the house, wielding a rifle that looked to be fitted with a revolvers cylinder. Fluttershy was already crying, her eyes clenched shut, Twilight holding her close. Spike fought a war in his head, debating whether or not to draw his gun. The man stepped forward, his black boots bringing back that crunching of the dirt. Spike looked at his face, but met only a faded scarf covering his mouth and nose, and an eye patch over his left eye. His right carried no color, and a look that could kill, as it contorted to an expression that could be a synonym for hate. Atop his head was a black flat brimmed hat, that cast a shadow over his face, and supernatural aura as it blocked out the sun from Spikes view. "What da' you want?!" a voice called from the house, a thick drawl surrounding it. Spike found no words he could share, that he thought would keep them from death, he only lay in a, cold, sweating mess. "I said what the fuck do you want?!" the voicing called again, distinguishing a feminine tone. Twilight found the words Spike so desperately sought, "W-we're here, f-from the o-order of pacification!" she yelled back. Silence was her response. The only noise was Fluttershys muffled prayers to the princesses. After what felt like an hour Twilight heard footsteps approach the door. When they reached the door, there was a pause. They waited for the next action. The door swung open violently to reveal a blonde, stetson wearing, woman in severely worn attire. She held a revolver, older than Spikes that she dropped to her side in relief as she saw Twilights patch on her shoulder. "Thank the twins," she uttered, motioning for the man to lower his weapon as well.