Scarred

by TheGentlecoltAlex

The Beginning of a Nightmare

The shrill whistle of the train cut through the air like a knife, interrupting most conversations taking place on the platform and gaining the attention of the ponies milling about in anticipation. The whistle blew once more as the screeching of train wheels on tracks signaled that the locomotive had finally arrived, raising the heartbeat of more than a few mares anxiously staring at the train as it pulled up next to the platform.

It lurched a few times before coming to a complete stop, the smoke and steam releasing from the train like a great fog, blanketing the area with a thick white that almost none could see through. Murmuring was heard throughout the gathered crowd as the white gas slowly faded away, revealing the sight of many stallions closely packed together in the open windows, staring at the waiting families on the platform.

The murmuring of the crowd ceased as the two groups stared at each in total silence, neither knowing why the moment was unfolding in such a fashion. The sliding of metal broke the tension filled silence as a single stallion stepped from the train with his satchel and gear. Looking around, his gaze wandered from side to side, eyes alert and searching. Years of fighting may have caused psychological decline but her face still stood out clearly in his mind.

He continued to look, a small amount of worry worming it's way into his thoughts, worry that was born of this thought: what if they hadn't come to see him? He pushed that worry as far back into his mind as he could but it still persisted. It had been almost fifteen years since they had last seen him, could they have truly forgotten him? The soldier killed that thought, though another rose to take it's place: even if they did come to see him, what would they think of him now, after all the carnage of war had taken its toll?

The soldier's thoughts were interrupted as the clattering of hooves striking hardwood rang out across the platform. Two mares pushed through the crowd of anxious onlookers, tears beginning to form in their eyes. They pushed and weaved through the confused ponies, who had yet to grasp what was about to unravel before them. Finally breaking through the front of those gathered, the younger of the two stepped forward and stared into the soldier's eyes. "Daddy," she choked out, "is that really you?"

The soldier, who had only moments before hardened his resolve to leave alone, stared back into the his daughter's eyes, his own beginning to glisten as he realized that they hadn't forgotten him. As relief washed through him like a cleansing water, the soldier examined the mare before him. She had been barely five years old when he had left; a little filly crying for her father to stay as he climbed onto a train very much like the one he had rode in on.

Now, though, he saw that she had grown into a fine young mare, full of vibrant life and energy, welcoming her father back to her and her mother. The soldier, these thoughts in mind, opened his mouth to speak but could find no words to say, emotion had impaired his ability of speech. His message, however, was carried across the whole crowd as if he had shouted it with all his might and it was carried by a very simple thing.

Tears began to spill over his cheeks as he silently began to sob, just as his family rushed towards him and embraced him in vice like grips that threatened to never release from the stallion. The building tension was abruptly broken as the onlookers broke into thunderous applause, watching as the small family exited the platform on which they were gathered.

With the once thick tension gone, the rest of the stallions packed into the long train began streaming out from the locomotive, fanning out among the civilians who had rushed forward to meet them. Cheers, sobbing, and exclamations of shock and excitement were heard as, slowly, the reuniting families made their way out of the train station and back into the once small town.

One group, however, was still standing by the train, waiting for the stallion that they thought would have met them by this time.

"Did the letter not say he would be on this train?" asked Rarity, turning her to look at the two mares who stood next to her.

Fluttershy did not answer her friend but deemed to simply stand silently as she watched the now almost completely vacant passenger cars. Applejack, hearing the brief silence that followed, replied without looking away from the train, "That's what it said."

Rarity pursed her lips for a moment before putting on a smile and stating, "Twilight's never led us wrong before, I'm sure he's simply sleeping and nopony has seen it necessary to awaken him yet."

Her optimism was met with nothing but the occasional sound of steam hissing from the cooling train engine. The mare quickly fell silent once more, a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth as she looked at the their small gathering. Fluttershy and Applejack stood side-by-side, gazes unwavering from the machine in front of them. Off to the right a little stood Applebloom, with Spike, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo around her. The four were almost in their mid-twenties. Rarity herself stood with Rainbow Dash and Pinky Pie, who were to the left of Applejack and Fluttershy.

Surprisingly, Pinky had said barely a word for almost twenty minutes, after she had tried bringing Fluttershy from her strange mood. Her usual cheery spirit had vanished by simply looking into a Fluttershy's eyes and seeing the worry that had begun to fester within her friend. It was enough to drain the party mare for some time.

As her eyes rested again on Fluttershy, Rarity felt, not for the first time, sympathy for the quiet mare. It had been almost fifteen years since she had last seen Big Mac, as the Equestrian National Army hadn't been able to afford giving even one soldier leave. The zebras and griffons had kept the ponies hard pressed to maintain and keep their borders intact, almost overwhelming the tiring army on more than one occasion.

The situation had looked very grim until the dragons had decided to enter the conflict, offering their adolescence to fight alongside the weary E.N.A. in exchange for extra land after the war was over. The princesses had no choice but to accept, seeing as they would gain nothing by refusing simply because of pride and arrogance. With the new stream of soldiers, the tide of the war had slowly begun to turn in Equestria's favor.

That had been five years ago. It had taken more time then the different species had ever thought possible but finally, the war was blessedly over for everyone. The soldiers were home now, families were reunited and all would be perfect once again.

At least, in a perfect world that's how it would be.

This, unfortunately, was far from a perfect world and the point was only driven home by the absence of Big Mac, which was beginning to take it's toll on Fluttershy. Her head had since dropped and was now hanging low as she sniffed quietly as Applejack put a hoof around her.

"Ahm sure he'll show up eventually 'Shy, maybe we jus' missed him and he's walkin' the town lookin' for us raight now."

Fluttershy smiled weakly as she replied, "Thank you Applejack but I don't think we'll be seeing my husband today. Come on, we can all go to the library, I'm sure that Spike would appreciate it if we didn't waste the food he worked so hard to prepare."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, as Spike smiled and tried to lighten the mood with a few jokes, leading the way towards the library with the ever present limp of his right leg. As the small group took their leave from the darkening platform, Fluttershy took one last fleeting look at the empty train, which had long since before been left to sit for the night, after the engineers and staff had swept it for any and all items. She sighed one last time before turning around and disappearing into the closing train station.

A few moments passed as silence once again took over the platform. Lights began to dim as a lone worker made his final rounds for the night, sleepily checking here and there for any oddities. Resolving that nothing was out of the ordinary, the night guard groggily made his way back into the main building, where he collapsed into a chair and promptly fell asleep.

Hours passed and as night descended upon the land, all seemed well in the grown town of Ponyville. However, not two miles deep into the Everfree Forest, in the abandoned hut that once belonged to a zebra named Zecora, something was unfolding that would change the face of Equestria as everypony knew it.