//------------------------------// // CH3: Switching Trains // Story: Escape from Madness // by Templar22 //------------------------------// Noteworthy stood alone in a mist of swirling darkness. He struggled to recall where he was, or how he got there. Taking a few tentative steps into the unknown, Noteworthy was pleased to find the pain in his flank was gone. The smile on his face however, disappeared just as fast as it had come. ”Am I dead?” As a response, a shadowy figure appeared out of the darkness. Striking up his magic, Noteworthy issued his challenge. “Stand and be recognized!” The stranger, his face obscured by the darkness, slowly made his way forward. “I am warning you!” said Noteworthy, his horn aglow. The personage made no sign of stopping, or even slowing. Noteworthy fired a bolt of energy several feet above the on comer’s head. As his horn flashed blue, the blackness suddenly cleared. As if somepony had turned a light on. The stranger was suddenly revealed to Noteworthy, who with a gasp of surprise, disengaged his horn. “Mr. Pen!?” Noteworthy stammered out, taking an involuntary step back. Sure enough, it was the gray whiskered old gentlecolt that kept the library at Cairnhoof. Noteworthy smiled in greeting, Gray Pen however didn’t seem to notice. He just stood there, looking strangely disappointed. Noteworthy quickly closed the gap between them, “What happ-“ His question was cut off by his old friend punching him roughly in the shoulder. Noteworthy jerked back, more in surprise than pain. Gray Pen pulled his foreleg back to strike him again. Instinctively, Noteworthy went down into a half crouch. Recharging his horn. Even as the old stallion prepared to swing at him again, Noteworthy couldn’t bring himself to retaliate against the once kindly librarian. Burning with embarrassment, he turned to flee from the ancient pony. Only to be confronted by a small blue filly, a filly who was looking at him as if he had just stolen her candy. “What the bu-“ She smacked him. Logic failing him, Noteworthy tried to back away, only to walk into Gray Pen, who promptly hit him again. Turning again, trying desperately to find a way out, he found to his horror that he was surrounded by ponies of all ages. All of them wearing that same upset look. He recognized many of them as fellow guard. Several he had seen around the castle, but many more were strangers to him. As they closed in on him, Noteworthy suddenly felt very, very afraid. * * * The rolling grasslands interrupted only by patches of forest slid idly past out the crack in the door of the train car. Song took no notice of the enchanting scenery. She sat staring at the still form of Noteworthy. Her writing slate was tucked back securely in her scarf. The peacefulness of the scene was only interrupted by the two empty glass vials lazily rolling around the floor. After using one on him, her brother had thankfully stopped thrashing about in his sleep. Sighing deeply, she leaned her back against one of the many crates and allowed her mind to drift back towards happier times. She had just sung her first solo, as a member of the Tevachian National Youth choir. She was backstage with several of her friends, when her brother had walked in. It was technically against the rules but nopony seemed to mind, least of all Noteworthy. Supportive as ever he quickly swept her up in a large hug. “Song, you were amazing! Makes me wonder why you need all these backup singers.” He said sweeping one hoof over the whole choir. Several of whom gave him angry glances. “You shameless flatter” However Songbreeze did stand a bit taller with the compliment. “Is Father here?” she asked. Eyes full of hope, she quickly scanned the crowd. “He couldn’t make it Song, I’m sorry.” He never could make it. “Mom would’ve come... do you think she would’ve been pro-“ “Now hold it right there, we both know Mom’s proud of us, you especially.” Noteworthy seemed to realize her ill mood had prevailed. “How about this, I’m heading to basic next week so why not use the last of my bits and have a night out on the town?” “You really mean it?” “Of course, just me and you and that colt in the tenor section you’ve been making eyes at all night.” Song remembered laughing and hitting him in the shoulder. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d really laughed. Come to think of it, Song couldn’t remember the name of that tenor either. Funny how some things begin to feel less important. Song was interrupted from her nostalgia by the train’s sharp whistle, alerting them that they were nearing Galloptown. Loathe to awaken her brother, she began repacking her bag. Making sure to bury the empty vial deep in the bags, she happened to glance out the crack in the door. What she saw had her rousing Noteworthy with a not so gentle shock spell. “A-“ She quickly clamped his mouth shut with her magic. Pulling him towards the wall, she held him up so he could see what she had seen. Outside, standing on the train platform, were at least half a dozen uniformed guards. After he nodded his understanding, Song released him from her magical grasp. She held up her writing slate. ”Stay silent, stay close” Her horn began to glow brighter. Realizing what she meant to do, Noteworthy stepped in and tried to add his own magic to her spell. All he felt was head splitting pain coming from his horn. Falling to his knees, he moved a hoof to his horn. Song quickly stopped him from reaching his forehead with her magic. Shaking her head, she continued with her spell as they heard shouting from outside. With a loud bang, she teleported both of them out of the car. Strangely enough, Noteworthy could’ve sworn he had felt some of his own magic in the spell. * * * “Sergeant! I thought I ordered you to have your men out of uniform!” Back Track said irritably, landing near the platform. Every stallion on the platform suddenly took great interest in the sky, none of them wishing to feel the captain’s wrath. “Now we’ve lost the element of su-“ He was cut off by what appeared to be a small explosion in the train car. …Cursed unicorns “Find them! They couldn’t have gone far.” Back Track split up the guards and soon they were fanned out, searching Galloptown from top to bottom. * * * Sometime later, with the moon still high in the sky, two guards, a unicorn and an earth pony were searching the south western perimeter of Galloptown, conversing in low tones. They nervously glanced around corners and into windows. “Do you think they’re around here Steel?” the earth pony asked his companion. “Doubt it, this place has already been checked… twice.” Replied the unicorn as he opened a dumpster and peered inside. “Well, that train they’re supposed to take leaves any minute now.” The street lamp above them flickered and died. The two stallions instinctively grouped closer together as the darkness closed in on them. “That’s odd, must need more charge,” said Steel sounding more annoyed than scared. He fired a small burst of orange magic into the lamp. Nothing happened. The lamp managed to briefly flicker before going dark again. “Well buck.” A strangled yelp could be heard farther back in the shadows. “What in Tar-…” He suddenly realized he was alone. “Stone? Stone you there?” he inquired of the darkness. Steel’s horn flared to life once more. “Stone, if you’re messing with me I’ll have your hide…” he squinted into the dark of the night. Trying to see through the heavy shadows, He thought he saw movement down an alleyway. The only illumination being the light from his horn, he slowly advanced down the alley. Suddenly a large shadow danced before him. He realized it was his own. Turning a quick 180, the guard found himself face to face with Stone Wall, who was at the moment being choked out by a very desperate looking blue earth pony. Following standard Tevachian guard doctrine, he aimed his horn and offered his ultimatum. “Drop him or I’ll give you a third e-“ A blast of pink energy came out of the shadows like lightning, striking him in his side. He could feel the strength in his legs give out under him. As he fell, the blue stallion under the lamppost released Stone who dropped like a sack of rocks. Mustering his remaining strength, Steel managed to raise his head. The blue stallion didn’t seem to notice as he conversed with a pink mare who stepped out of the shadows. With a snarl of defiance, Steel released a bolt of magic into the air. After flying over the rooftops, it exploded with a loud BANG. “Rot in Tarta-“ he was cut off by another bolt of pink magic to the head. The last thing he heard before blacking out was the blue pony commenting to the one that shot him, “Well, so much for stealth.” * * * “Song we need to move. Now!” The mare in question didn’t move a muscle. She was busy staring at the downed guard lying at her hooves. Noteworthy grabbed her and forced her to look into his eyes. “Song, listen to me, you didn’t kill him. I know a stunner when I see it.” Her mouth moved but no sound came forth. Cursing under his breath, he started physically pulling his sister up the alleyway. ‘We need to move, this place’ll be swarming with guards.” Turning the corner they managed to crash into two such guards. It was unclear as to who was more surprised, but unfortunately for the two hapless guards, Noteworthy had a quicker reaction time. Slamming a hoof to the side of the first guard’s helmeted head, he managed to reduce the second guard’s deadly stab with a short sword into a painful graze. Tripping the guard in the process, Noteworthy continued, thankful that his sister had recovered enough to follow him. Hearing the shouts of more approaching guards he tried to charge up his horn. The head splitting pain ricocheted within his skull. Gasping for breath, he leaned against a wall and put a hoof to his forehead. He ignored the small squeak of protest from behind, and felt around his horn, or where it should have been. He still felt the pain but his mind had gone numb. He suddenly felt a little weak. ”It’s gone?” His horn was gone, and where it should have been there was nothing but a stump a few meager inches tall. Just tapping it sent shockwaves through his head. Brain going into autopilot, he moved once again in the direction of the train. He could see it now, the train, not much farther. Some diluted part of his mind told to just get to the train and all would be made well. Strangely enough that small part of his mind sounded like his sister. “Come on Song! It’s not much farther!” he shouted triumphantly over his shoulder, as he shouldered a guard out of his way. He felt oddly elated, like there was no power in the universe that could stop him. The train wasn’t far at all now. Only a few guards stood in his path. A pink bolt streaked over his shoulder dispatching another oncoming guard. ”Good old Song” Three more guards tried to encircle him. Baring his teeth Noteworthy launched himself at them, all signs of weariness gone. He did however, fail to notice the faint pink aura surrounding him. * * * I over did it. Song thought to herself, as she watched her brother take on half a dozen guards single hooved. She had only meant to inspire him, not send him into a rampage. She fired a bolt at an earth pony trying to swing around her brothers back. * * * Captain Back Track heard the signal blast, though to his ire it was on the other side of town. He, Courser, and two other pegasi had been checking farther down the tracks, in case the fugitives had teleported out of town all together with the intention of getting on the train down rail. Cursing savagely under his breath he turned to the two rank and file pegasi with him. “You stay here with the lieutenant, you’re with me. Lieutenant, if that train makes it past me, stop them at all costs. Understood?” “Yes sir, they won’t get away this time.” “Make sure of it, Courser.”