Rose paced around her room impatiently. The rhythmic clatter of the train did little to settle her beating heart. Joe had been gone for several minutes now. The look on his face when the conductor collected him was like nothing she had seen before. Although at first, Rose wasn't sure what to do with this surely stallion and his rough words, she then saw the soft center that hid beneath Joe’s hard exterior. She felt her courtship with Con Mane was no longer a job. She dreamed of the life that awaited her with Donut Joe and she believed that she could mend the mental injuries that she saw plaguing the handsome stallion. But the eyes she had seen a moment ago did not belong to her portly prince. They were just like Griffon’s eyes, and they frightened her.
Rose jumped at the three rapid knocks on the door. As quickly as she could, she opened the door and, before the door was even halfway opened, Joe barged through and practically ran her over. His aura was imposing. He looked twice as tall as before and his chest twice as wide. He still had the eyes of a Griffon, judging her with loathing remorse. Just the sight alone was almost enough to drive Rose to tears.
“Joe,” she whimpered, “what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Cloak Daggers is dead.” Joe’s words were as sharp as an executioner’s ax. He talked quietly, but his words roared with anger. Rose’s lips were dumbstruck. She stared at Joe and desperately wanted to say something but no words came out. All she could do was shake her head in wild disbelief. “Now I want the truth!”
The veins in Joe’s head pulsed hot with blood. He charged his horn and Rose was surrounded with emerald light. She couldn't move against the syrupy pool of magic. The spell tightened its grip around Rose’s chest. It levitated her just off the ground and squeezed tighter and tighter. It felt like a great Buffalo was standing on her chest. Tears streaked from her eyes as she struggled to breath.
“Joe, let go! You’re scaring me!” she cried in panic. Joe approached her and placed her muzzle against hers. His pupils quivered in anger and his breath was hot and sticky.
“I’ll do worse than that if you don’t tell me!” he raised his voice. “You’re doing this under orders, I know. Now what are they!?”
Rose broke down into a torrent of sobs at Joe’s booming rage. “I don’t know what you mean!”
“LIAR!” Joe raised his left hoof on which he wore his watch and smacked the face of the watch square across Rose’s cheek. The impact broke Rose free of Joe’s magic and she sailed across the room and into the closed doors of the closet. She collapsed into a heap on the floor and rubbed her cheek which was now swollen and purple. She wailed and hiccuped and her face was soaking with tears and snot.
The regret and fear she felt vanished and were replaced with hatred and disgust. The stallion before her was no longer the same stallion who bedded her and caressed her. Through her puffy eyes all she could see standing before her was a monster, the same as any Griffon.
“If you kill me I can say nothing!” she shrieked at him in spite, “I didn't know anything like Daggers’ death would happen! I promise I’ll tell you everything when we get to Equestria!”
“No,” the Joe monster growled, “you tell me now!” Joe pulled Rose up off the ground and shook her. Rose struggled against him and in her desperate flailing she picked up the hoof mirror on the table with the intent of using it as a weapon. Joe dodged the swipe and backed away. Rose held the mirror out in front of her as a measly shield.
And that’s when Joe saw the monster. The eyes of a raving lunatic glared back at Joe. saliva dripped from the creature’s clenched jaw. His mane was as disheveled as his suit and bow-tie. Joe’s lips shook as he recognized the reflection. He looked down at the pathetic, sobbing creature on the floor and the disgusting bruise on her cheek. Joe looked down at his own hoof. His watch was out of place on his wrist, off centered by the strike. A whole quarry of stones weighed down in Joe’s stomach. A massive ball of guilt choked his throat. As the color faded from his face and tears formed in his own eyes, he took of series of deep breaths.
Every ounce of Joe’s conscience desired to turn his head and shut his eyes to what he had done. Instead, with a heavy heart, Joe bent down a hoof and tried to gently pick Rose up from the floor. The second he touched her, she flinched in fear and yanked her hoof away. And so Joe left her there. He sat on his haunches and talked to her instead.
“Listen,” He told her remorsefully, “Rose…. I’m sorry. I shouldn't of… Dammit, Rose, I’m sorry. But you do need to tell me, Rose. Maybe they didn't let you in on all of it, but what you do know, tell me.” Rose glanced up and looked at Joe. He tightly clenched his foreleg with his hoof. His chest was being crushed by the weight of his own regret.
“I know I love you, Joe.” she managed to sob out, “I love you.”
Joe’s heart was completely flattened. “Just tell me.” his own words choked him and he could barely speak them.
However, Rose just kept on chanting, “I love you, I love you, It’s true.” like a mantra.
Joe cursed loudly and turned his back on the filly. The hate in his heart swirled and mixed with his regret and rage like blood swirling in water. Unable to trust his own words, Joe solemnly slipped into the bedroom and locked the door in order to clear his muddled mind. Rose eventually made her way to the couch and sobbed herself into a restless sleep.
“Now arriving at Buffalo’s Roam!” The conductor called out. The night was pitch black and freezing. The hissing steam of the breaking train commingled with the crystallized breath of the ponies at the station. Joe slowly meandered through the biting mist with his head held low. He sighed and stared up into the night sky and saw, for the first time in what seemed to be forever, the stars and moon. There were no artificial lights in Buffalo’s Roam and so the entire ocean of stars and their myriad of colors were on full display.
Firefly lamps lined the platform. All the ponies looked like zombies, half asleep and cursing having to be out this late. Several of them held cups of coffee that swirled into the sky along with the steam and breath. The gossamer trail of the coffee steam chilled Joe even more and he clutched at his jacket.
“Excuse me!” a stallion’s voice sounded from behind Joe. Joe turned around and saw a chocolate colored Pegasus wearing a purple tuxedo and a bit symbol Cutie Mark. Behind the pony, Joe could see the backdrop of where the train had originally departed. The distant black shape of the Great Storm Cloud blotted out the stars on the far horizon. It gave the amazingly odd sense of having come so far and not far enough all at the same time.
“Yeah?” Joe asked the colt in a disillusioned husk. His voice lingered at the end of the word so he could amuse himself with his own breath.
“I’m hungry.” The colt said, “Do you have a muffin?”
“I prefer donuts myself.” Joe mumbled.
“Better still.”
“Until they go stale.” Joe sounded particularly irritated.
With the formalities out of the way, Cloak Daggers’ son spoke with rapid interest, “I received the message from my brother! Why did the train not stop?”
Joe looked at the young colt with hard eyes. “I got some bad news for you, son.” Joe’s voice was hard and cold. “Your father’s dead.
The Pegasus’ face twisted with disbelief. Joe could see the fire in his eye. Joe recognized the fire as the same one that burned within himself. “Who did it? Tell me?” the colt demanded.
Joe put a firm hoof on the colt’s shoulder and tightened it as a stern warning. “Well he took care of that himself.” Joe explained, “The other pony, er Griffon, died first. Now listen carefully. I’m going to need some help getting across the border between Buffalo’s Roam and Equestria. Now send a message to MARE in Canterlot. Tell him to send somepony from Station B to meet me in Zebreburg.”
“I will” he said determinedly.
“Thank you.” Joe started walking back towards the train but stopped himself. “Oh! I think you’ll want these.” Joe reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a black cape with red lining and a black wide brimmed hat with a red feather stuck in it, both of which were badly damaged and torn. The realization hit the colt hard as he held the mementos in his hooves. Wrapped inside the cape was an unopened bar of chocolate.
“Thank you.” was all the colt was able to say.
Joe said, “You’re welcome.” as if he were about to continue leaving, but he just stood there in silence until the conductor yelled out from the train’s entrance.
“Mr. Cake! The train is leaving.”
Joe took one final look at Daggers’ son, unsure if the colt was going to be alright. The train hissed Joe into action and he hopped back on board.
Joe returned to the room. Rose was awake and spread out on the couch. She took one glance at Joe and then laid her head on her hooves staring at nothing in despondency. Joe said nothing and returned to the bedroom until the train stopped at Zebreburg.
As the Friendship Express rolled into Zebreburg Station, a scrawny, orange-red Pegasus with thin, straw colored hair danced on his hooves impatiently. He had been constantly checking his watch nervously for the past hour and a half. When the train did finally arrive, he wiped the relief from his brow. His nervous anticipation had caused him to sweat profusely and most of the other passengers on the platform were starting to get offended by his odor.
As the ponies filed out of the train, the Pegasus painstakingly stared at each one in hope of somehow recognizing Con Mane. All he knew of Mane was that he was apparently the best of the best in terms of Mane6 field agents. He was positively squirming at the idea of meeting such a legendary icon of the intelligence business. Out of the crowd of ponies, on Earth Pony in particular approached the Pegasus. He was massive, even by Earth Pony standards. His coat, mane and eyes were all a dull monochrome grey color. That had to be him, the Pegasus decided. A massive girth to take on any foe and a dull color scheme to blend in with the crowd. The Pegasus’ wings erupted with joy when the grey pony silently signaled him to follow him into the bathroom.
Joe was finally able to get off the train. He found himself being blocked in the corridor by a rather rude family of Zebras that were more interested in conversation then letting others pass. Knowing he had little time before the train took off again, Joe frantically scoured the platform for the courier that was assigned by the Station B Chief. According to the chief’s description, which arrived on board via Dragonfire, Captain Dart was a Pegasus, red with gold, and marked with three throwing darts. Joe figured somepony like that would be easy to find, but he didn't see any ponies of any shade of red.
Inside the washroom, Captain Dart went on and on about how much he had heard of and admired Con Mane’s exploits while the pony he assumed to be Con Mane patiently washed his hooves. The grey pony then, still ignoring the constant blabbering of the Pegasus, closed the bathroom door and locked it so that they were alone. The grey pony’s massive frame towered over the scrawny civil servant. The long shadow completely enveloped his skinny frame. Just as the Pegasus was about to go into his own opinions on Con Mane’s retirement, the grey pony shoved him mid-sentence and pinned him to the dirty tile floor. Captain Dart wailed in panicked confusion. The grey pony leaned in and looked closely into the Pegasus’ eyes. Dart found that he couldn't close his eyelids. His eyes were stuck staring intently into the grey abyss that was the Earth Pony’s eyes. Then the grey pony started to change. A flush of color appeared in his cheeks. A sparkle of life twinkled in his eyes. The flush of color spread throughout the grey pony’s body until the pony’s entire coat became orange-red. His grey hair turned into a straw like gold. Most disturbing of all, a pair of grotesque bulges formed on the pony’s sides. The disgusting tumors grew and grew until they popped out of the pony’s body. A myriad of red feathers protruded from the bizarre growths and Dart realized they were Pegasus wings. And finally the pony’s flank, which Dart hadn't noticed until now was blank, shimmered and swirled. The image of three throwing darts adorned the massive pony’s sides. This surreal transformation was the last thing Dart saw as his image faded to black. The grey pony, no longer grey, exited the washroom and left behind the lifeless corpse of Captain Dart, whose colors were bleached grey and his Cutie Mark gone.
Joe was getting impatient. The Friendship express was ready to leave and the conductor couldn't stall any longer. With one final desperate scan of the platform, Joe just managed to spot a red Pegasus with a straw mane exit the washroom. Joe peered in closer and he could clearly make out the darts on his flank.
Not wanting to waste any time, Joe called out, “Hey! Muffins! Donuts! Stale! Over Here!”
The Pegasus heard him and quickly galloped over. Both he and Joe just barely managed to get on the train as it rolled away. After they caught their breaths and shook hooves, Joe was surprised at just how massive the Pegasus was. His build was highly irregular for the typically slim athleticism of the Pegasi. Joe assumed that, like himself, he was probably descended from a healthy Earth Pony line.
“Dart. Captain Dart.” the red Pegasus introduced himself with a surprisingly nasally voice.
“Con Mane, travelling as ‘Cake’.” Joe answered.politely.
“”My card.” Joe took Captain Dart’s business card which he pulled out of a pair of black saddlebags that were strapped tightly to his sides. The card was adorned with Dart’s name and Cutie Mark and read ‘Equestrian Shipping and Handling Services’ at the bottom.
“What kept you?” Joe tutted.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Dart said with a meek but sophisticated voice, “Only got here an hour ago. I must have busted every flight record getting here.”
“What were MARE’s orders?
Captain dart hesitated slightly as he scoured his recollection. “Only to contact you and the filly on the train.”
“Good. Follow me.” Joe led Captain Dart through the train to the car with the blue carpet. Along the way he had to pass by the green car and he couldn't help but shudder slightly as he passed the final door. Daggers body had been secretly moved while in Buffalo’s roam, but still Joe couldn't help but imagine Daggers still lying on the floor in a bloody heap.
When Joe got to his own door he hesitated. He had not spoken to Roseluck since their earlier incident and Joe was unsure if the introduction of another agent would further complicate things. Still he drummed up his nerves and knocked three times on the door. Nearly a minute passed before Rose finally opened the door to let Joe and Dart in. Her face was devoid of any emotion and she still did not look Joe in the eye. The bruise on her cheek thankfully had gotten better, but it was still discolored and swollen.
“This is my wife.” Joe tried to sound cheerful, “Mrs. Cake? Captain Dart.”
“How do you do?” Dart bowed with sophisticated elegance, “I’m so please to meet you.” Dart attempted to take Rose’s hoof to kiss it but she withdrew with a barely inaudible ‘hmph’ and returned to her spot on the couch to look out the window.
Joe chuckled in embarrassment. “Don’t mind her. She’s just… tired. Have a seat through there.” Joe led Captain Dart into the bedroom and they made themselves comfortable on the folded up couch. “So how long have you been stuck working in Buffalo’s Roam?” Joe asked.
“Oh about three years.” Dart asked after some thought.
“Must be boring as all hell.”
“Oh it can get busy sometimes. You know how it is, Old Horse.”
Old Horse? Joe had to shake his head in disbelief after hearing such archaic lingo. As far as Joe understood, that phrase hadn't been popular in over seventy years and Captain Dart, as fit as he was, couldn't be anywhere near that age. But with the oddities of ponies that Joe had met in his travels, he didn't give it any further thought.
“You’re very fit, Dart.” he commented, “Bit beefier than most Pegasi I've met.”
“Yes, I like to keep in shape.” Dart was obviously embarrassed and quickly changed the subject, “So what’s our problem, sir?”
Joe grabbed the saddlebags that were hanging on a hook on a nearby wall and pulled out the impossibly large leather book from within. “Well I can’t risk taking the Griffon’s Grimoire through customs.”
Dart stopped to admire the book. He held out his hoof in hopes of examining it but Joe shook his head and put it back in the bags. Dart seemed to understand. “Yes I know, regulations and all that, Old Horse. Well, there are no more stops until Equestria. We’ll have to jump off.”
“Can you get us across?”
Dart leaned in cautiously. “How much do the Griffons know?”
“We left them out to dry.” Joe chuckled proudly, “They aint gonna be a problem.”
Dart nodded, satisfied with the answer. “We’ll make it. I know this territory like the back of my hoof. That said, do you mind if we get a bite to eat first? I've been on the go since breakfast.”
Joe’s stomach growl in agreement and he hoped that Dart didn't hear it. “Nah, of course not. Leave your saddlebags here and we’ll go to the restaurant car.” Dart dropped his bags and they joined Rose in the sitting room. “Mrs. Cake you go on ahead with Captain Dart to the restaurant car.” he told her, “I’ll join you there in a few minutes.”
“Whatever you say, Old Horse.” replied Dart happily. Rose solemnly obeyed and walked out with Dart. Joe went back into the bedroom and examined Dart’’s saddlebags. He could tell at a glance that they were exactly like Joe’s except with Darts CM embroidered on the side. Joe made sure that Dart and Rose weren't coming back and then he flipped the catch on one of the bags upside down as per The Doctor’s instructions. Joe opened the bag and noticed the tin of hoof polished magically attached to the side. Joe dug deep within the magic bags and found Dart’s identification. Colors and Cutie Mark matched. Further in the bag, Joe felt the sack that contained the pre-Equestrian coins. It seemed Dart’s bag lacked a catapult.
Satisfied, Joe closed the bag, turning the catch back to normal, and left it where he found it.
When Joe entered the restaurant car, Dart enthusiastically waved his hoof in the air. “Oh there you are, Old Horse! I was worried something had happened to you. The waiter is here to take our orders.”
Rose and Dart sat across from each other. Rose sat so that her bruised cheek faced the window away from the other customers. The window faced the eastern horizon and the blinds were closed to block out the morning sun. When Joe sat down beside her, she turned her head and stared out the sightless window, her chin resting on a single hoof. Next to her, Joe could feel her loathing radiating from her body.
“Right.” Joe did his best to show a good face, “I’ll have an old fashioned, extra glaze. How about you, Mrs. Cake?” Rose turned her head just slightly and merely shrugged her shoulders. “Alright, one for her as well.”
“Yes that sounds very nice!” Dart said with extra pep, “Make that three of those will you? Except could you rustle some jimmies onto mine?”
The maitre d’hotel wrote down the orders and left the table. He came back with the oven fresh donuts and three cups of rather disappointing apple cider. The donuts smelled delicious and Dart wasted no time in digging into his donut, which was liberally decorated with candy sprinkles of every color.
“I hope you enjoy your meal, Old Horse!” Dart exclaimed as he tapped Joe’s mug in a cheers. He took a bite of his donut and spoke through a full mouth, “I think I have the answer to our problems! Pretty simple really!”
“Good.” Joe said as he enjoyed the donut.
“We shall reach the border in about an hour and--” Dart quickly waved his hoof to point out a direction but as he did so, his hoof smacked straight into Rose’s untouched glass. The cider spilled over with an amazing clatter, leaving her untouched donut swimming in a pool of yellow fizz. “Oh I’m so sorry, Mrs. Cake! How clumsy of me!” Dart futilely tried to soak up the spilled cider with his napkin, while Rose was distressed over the drink splashing onto her silk dress.
Joe called out for the waiter who politely cleaned up the mess with his own rag, took away Rose’s plate and left behind an entire bottle of cider to make up for the trouble.
“I’ll pour you some more.” Dart offered politely. Dart filled up the mug until a healthy head of foam bubbled at the rim. Rose drank the cider with lackadaisical disinterest. “Now then, I think you’ll find Appleloosa quite interesting. Of course it’s not Canterlot. Anyway, here’s to Harmony!” Dart raised his third and mostly empty glass of cider high.
Joe decided to indulge the Pegasus and raised his mug as well. They both exclaimed “Cheers!” and slammed the mugs together.
After they had all finished breakfast, they immediately returned to the room. Rose was leaning heavily against Dart and stumbled over her hooves. “I don’t feel very well…” she swooned, “My head…”
Rose’s head gave in to gravity but Joe helped Dart to catch her. “The filly’s come over faint.” said Dart.
“Put her on the couch.” Joe and Dart lifted Rose up and gently placed her on the couch. Joe slipped the stained dress off of her body and threw it in the corner. Her Cutie Mark was bare, but Joe figured it hardly mattered at this point.
“What’s wrong with…” Rose started to say until she drifted away again. She had fallen completely asleep and Joe noted how precious she truly looked. Joe stole a blanket from the bedroom and wrapped it comfortably around her. Joe and Dart then retired into the bedroom.
“Exhaustion, I’d say.” Dart commented. Joe looked at him with a stern eye.
“What was it?” he asked, “That stuff you put in her drink?”
Dart smiled innocently. “It’s called ‘Hush Now, Quiet Now’. A Zebra herb. Quick but mild. She’ll wake up tomorrow with a slight headache and some memory loss.”
“And!?” Joe charged his horn and pointed it at Dart. Dart raised his hooves in the air but continued to smile confidently.
“Take it easy, Con Mane. My escape route’s only for one. What are you after, the filly for the Grimoire?”
Joe glared down the Pegasus. “Alright… Well what is your plan?”
While keeping one hoof in the air, Dart pointed his other hoof at the railway map pamphlets that hung in a cubby on the wall. “I can explain it better on a map, alright?”
Joe turned his horn off and passed a map to Dart. Dart unfurled the pamphlet and pointed out the railway that connected the Griffon Nest with Canterlot.
“Now, we’re here you see? In Buffalo’s Roam. The train crosses the border into Equestria at Appleoosa. When we reach these mountains, the steep grade causes the train to slow down. At that point I’ll have a carriage ‘stuck’ on the tracks that the train will have to wait for. To the side will be a flower cart. Hide the book in the flowers. Head through the main road to the sea. There will be a small power boat waiting for you there which you can take all the way to Manehattan.”
Joe leaned in and examined the map more closely. “hm, this jump off point seems to be about twenty miles from here… But wait, how did you arrange something this elaborate in only a single day?”
A loud thud was Joe’s answer. The blow to the back of Joe’s head was powerful enough to also knock the breath out of him. Joe lost all control of his muscles and collapsed onto the ground. He stared up and as his vision failed him, he saw a red pony with a crooked, sinister smile. And then everything went black.