//------------------------------//
// Bonus Chapter: Fleeting Tranquility 
// Story: A Nightmare in Equestria 
// by Imperium Bedlam 
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"All aboard!" The conductor was as loud as ever, though that could probably be excused thanks to all the noise generated by the train station. The train itself was loud when it got going, but when it was still all you could hear was the chattering of ponies walking about, either gawking  at the train or saying goodbye to loved ones.

Many of them had tears in their eyes, and why wouldn't they? Nopony wants to go to war. We've been doing it long enough that we've gotten used to it but it doesn't mean we like it, it just means we know what to expect. There were no faces full of pride like my grandfather had once told me was an abundant feature seen on the faces of most every pony to head out.

The new technology hadn't helped either, especially the printing press. The new Princess' were very forthcoming with the details of war, not promoting it in any way, just telling everyone that it had to happen for one reason or another. I really couldn't help but let a yawn escape from just thinking about the things they taught in schools nowadays.

Still, I was one of the lucky ones. I managed to avoid being drafted thanks to a few connections and was instead being dropped off at the half-way point to help in the exportation of Equestrian fashion to the Crystal Empire. Of course, it would mean I'd have to adapt a new style to fit their... unique physiology, but I was determined to prove myself.

I was brought out of my daze as about fourty Earth ponies walked towards the front of the train. They were called runners and their absolutely built bodies helped show this off. Pretty much all of them were covered in muscles they must've developed over years of pulling these big hunks of shoddy metalwork across the uneven tracks.

Without much of a thought my mind turned to their uniforms, dirty and torn from years of hard work. Really though the hems could have been done a little better and the area around their withers should have been made looser to help with movement.

The train started off, abruptly pulling forwards at the call of the conductor while the inertia of fthe start-off pulled me back into my seat. Funny word inertia, up until twenty years ago it was the name of a drink. It still is, but Starswirl had dubbed it a new meaning because he found the word 'fitting'. Poor guy, heard he died of a heart-attack a few years back, really hit both the magical and the non-magical community pretty hard. Even Princess Celestia shed a few tears before calmly walking back into the castle.

Celestia, all this thinking is just the worst. I should be thinking about some new designs! Not old gossip. I let out another yawn as the landscape zoomed past the window. Maybe I should get some rest? It was going to be quite a while before we even reached the North. I leaned my head against the window, listening to the vibrations of the train, tuning out the conversations around me. I'd barely noticed my eyelids drooping, further and further, until finally they sh-

SCREECH

I cursed as my head clanged with the back of the seat, not giving me nearly enough time to wake up before forcing me back into the waking world. I held a hoof to the back of my head for a while, nursing the injury, before moving my hoof back into sight.

Blood. Just great. Well at least I could probably sue them for this, preferably before any other passengers could. I sat back up in my seat, looking around the train. I ignored the red tint that now covered everything, deciding to better ask the question of "Where is everypony?"

I looked out my window, noting that all I could see was a rocky, red landscape expanding into forever. I tried to open the window but gave up when it wouldn't budge. I wouldv'e tried bucking it but I didn't want to injure myself.

Cautiously, I got out of my seat and headed to the front of the train. Hopefully the conductor would have some answers. As soon as I reached for the door connecting this compartment to the next I felt something was... off. I couldn't describe it, but I felt compelled to turn around.

Apparently my instincts were of a kind nature as I noticed something I'd missed before, a frightened filly curled up near the back seats. I steeled myself and walked to the other end of the carriage, putting on my most reassuring smile before clearing my throat just next to the seat.

The filly whimpered a bit and I waited a while until she finally decided to poke her head out past her wings. "Are you okay?" It took some time for her to reply, even then it was only a gesture. her eyes scannedover me for a while, probably worried I meant to harm her, before giving a slight shake of her head.

"I didn't think so, you wouldn't happen to know what's going on would you?" Another shake of the head. Not that I expected her to know something, but it was worth a shot. "Do you have a parent or guardian with you?" Left, right, left again. I really don't know why I'd decided on pointless questions. "Alright then, how about we go see the conductor and hopefully we'll find someone who knows you on the way."

She lay there, still inspecting me with her huge eyes, before giving a slight nod and crawling off of the seat. I gave her a smile as I headed back to the door, making sure the filly was close by in case something were to happen. I gripped the handle in my magic andslowly pulled open the door. What I'd expected to see was another empty cabin as we were three from the front, what I hadn't expected was the hallway made of corrugated iron.

What I expected least of all though was the shriek of the filly as she dove past me and into the hallway. I only had a few seconds to look back and notice the train carriage was crumbling and falling into nothingness piece by piece before I'd jumped as well.

I lay there, trying to catch my breath as I tried to comprehend what'd just occured. It mostly just translated to 'Trains don't have doors that leads to hallways' and 'Trains don't fall when you leave'. I shakily got to my hooves and chanced a peek into the doorframe. Yep, nothing.

I sighed and pulled my head back in before going to comfort the filly I must've forgotten about in the past few seconds. I gently placed a hoof on her head and pet her mane for a while until she stopped trembling. Her wings had loosened up a little until the door slammed shut and they immediately covered her again.

It took forever until she'd finally stopped shaking enough to stand. To be fair though, I had no idea why I wasn't shaking. Maybe I was just putting on a facade for the little one. Whatever it was, it lent towards a newfound determination to get her out of here.

"Can you tell me your name?" I don't know why I hadn't asked earlier, that was a fundamental thing in meeting new ponies right? Oh well, right now I just had to think on what is important, like finding a way out of this place.

"M-my name is B-b-butter" BZZT ", sir." I chuckled a bit at the honorific. It wasn't very common nowadays for colts and fillies to use such formal language, usually they just settled with grandpa, but hopefully this one was a sign of change in that aspect.

"Pleasure to meet you Butter, my name is Dashing " BZZT ", though you can just call me -- if you'd like." I'd somehow managed to get a small smile out of her as she nodded before I turned my sights back towards the hallway.

'Right Dashing,' I assured myself, 'time to get some answers, and maybe a new coat as this one clashes so much with the decor around here.