Barrelling unhindered across the expansive rough terrain of the Griffin Territories was a train known only as the Grey Feather Express. The Express was collaboration project made from the efforts of the past peaceful rulers of the Griffin Lands, years before their successors tore up the peace treaties over a supposed case of lost honor. During the resulting conflict the train was the only sure-fire safe way to travel through the connecting Griffin Empires, and it continued to be the number one way of travel years after the conflict had died down.
The Express was a old depressing looking thing compared to the bright colourful locomotives that graced Equestria's landscape. Its sharply molded exterior was painted as black as the coal that poured out of its sole smoke stack. Its wheels clanked loudly against the steel beams that guided the train across the once hotly contested landscape making a horrible screeching noise that melded with the coughing gasps of the thick coal smoke. At night the sole beam of light that shone from the locomotive's dirty lamp warned anycreature that didn't hear the ungodly noise of its approach of the danger that the fast moving train brought with it. Unaware or uncaring of its appearance, the ancient train diligently continued its current task of transporting its passengers to the ship ports of Griffin-Equestrian Sea.
Alone in one of the Grey Feather Express's cabins was what could be argued was one of the strangest passengers that the Express had ever carried. Zachery blearily looked out of the cabin's window watching as the interior of the Griffin Lands whizzed past.
To him the Grey Feather Express was not the metal monster that the Griffins raved about, but the last train transfer before he had to board a one way boat to Equestria. Land of Ponies and Pony Royalty.
For the indefinite time that day he was glad that there was no one in the cabin to see him shiver. He couldn't believe himself. Here he was a few day's journey away from entering into Equestria and now, when he could almost see the pony filled streets, he was starting to freeze up.
Pathetic. Honestly, he knew it was. One of the reason's he was chosen for this mission was his ability to think and act under stress. Or rather his ability to lie and high pain tolerance. The strange and heavily unnerving ability to fight after having his bones strategically broken and being essentially crippled. An ability that no amount of training could completely perfect. Something that had to mercilessly breed into a person's very genes to perfection, by a program whose side effects still screwed over its test subject's descendants thousands of years after the fact.
With his own corrupted genes and the Mage's spell clouding his mind he should not feel anything other than cool indifference at the thought of entering Equestria. Yet here he was, acting brave was simultaneously breaking down at every bump, every turn, every shutter the train made as it propelled itself farther.
The Mage’s spell should have kept him in a near cationic state. His mind should have been blocked from knowing the larger dangers that ponies brought, while allowing him to know enough to realize the urgency of his mission. The perfect steel backbone to his carefully put together act. Something to stop him from realizing exactly how damning his mission truly was. Making him the perfect blank slate to given up for the greater good of humanity. Then barely a day after he strengthened his resolve and came to a shaky agreement with Twilight, the unthinkable happened.
He remembered Standing Refuge, he remembered Dissimulare.
The unending farmland of Fare, the chaotic winding streets of Fusion, the constant movement of Pulse, and the quiet peacefulness of Paragon. Everything. It wasn’t until Zachery began to remember the cool calculating look that Commander Atwood gave him when she read out his mission did he face facts. The Mage’s spell was running out, and without it his composure was starting to weaken. After that he spent the worst part of a day hidden away on the first train trying to figure out what went wrong.
The spell was supposed to last longer than it was needed for him to complete his mission. He didn't understand why the spell was failing until it broke down enough for him to remember exactly how mind bending spells worked, and what the Mage had casted over him.
No matter how simple Captain Blake had made it sound the spell was complicated. The Mage erased carefully selected parts of his mind, over wrote it with new information, and gave him a trigger phrase to tie the spell together. For a spell with that many layers casted by one person in such a short amount of time to hold, an aspect of said spell had to be sacrificed.
With a certain dread it had dawned on him that the Mage sacrificed duration for complexity, and the spell was unraveling because he lived longer than the what the Mage and Dissimulare's counsel believe that he would.
That was a sobering thought at the least and an absolutely terrifying one at the most. Which didn't help him with the constant flow of memories forcefully entering his mind. He quickly came to the conclusion that he needed time to create a new mental foothold to cling to before he broke down. This became more apparent as he got flashbacks to the more detailed history lessons from when he was a trainee every time a pony so much as coughed. His sudden apprehension was starting to make his personal convoy suspicious.
‘No Pinkie Pie I didn’t flinch when you raised your hoof because I hate you, I flinched because it reminded me a particular gruesome way that ponies executed unruly human slaves in the past. Did you know that if you crush a body well enough it starts to foam?’
He needed to distance himself from them, which was why he asked to have cabin to himself. Getting the cabin was easy. All he said was that he was feeling sick from the constant travel/change in atmosphere/whatever else condition that he could pull from his backside, and needed space. So they gave him space, and he was free to shiver at the thought of some of the stupider things that the Mage’s spell had allowed him to do.
It was amazing how quickly the idea of him freely taking food from Applejack changed from a stupid amateur mistake and became an absolutely horrifying event with the smallest amount of context thrown in. At least it was still easy for him to fake outward composure when he had time to prepare.
As he was pondering this he heard the train cabin door open and slow hesitant hoof steps approach him from behind. With annoyance he found himself trying to calm his suddenly accelerating heartbeat. He knew it was nothing, just a worried mare checking up on him.
“Fluttershy,” He said not bothering to look away from the train window, as he repeated a sentence for what seemed like the hundredth time, “I appreciate that you want to help me, but what I really need now is some rest.”
“I’m not Fluttershy.” A naturally rough but distinctly feminine voice replied.
“Rainbow Dash that doesn't change anything, I still need to rest.” Zachery adjusting his gaze to use the reflection from the glass to indirectly look at the cyan pegasus.
Right after he gave Twilight the option of telling someone about the decision he had made, Rainbow Dash had taken to silently following him whenever Fluttershy, Rarity or Pinkie Pie wasn’t around. It seems that Twilight had taken his little test to heart and had been strategically placing Rainbow Dash in his path in the hopes that his indifference to her would one day become friendship. Thankfully, Rainbow Dash took a different path than Twilight, and had barely said anything other then a quick 'hi' while keeping her distance. In turn he was starting to get use to his silent shadow, and the comfortable distance that she took care to place between them.
Zachery face dropped as his silent shadow brazenly sat across from him. He keep his gaze forward out the window as his eyes shifted to look at Rainbow Dash and the shaky, yet determined look she was giving him. Their small battle of wills lasted a breath longer before he asked, “What are you doing?”
“Sitting by the window. I like the view.” Rainbow Dash said with a strange hitch that made her reply sound more a question then a statement.
Zachery turned fully away from the window to the interior of the cabin. The very empty cabin that had more the enough seats to allow a group of twenty to comfortably look out the windows and have more then enough space left over. “So you chose this booth?”
“It’s a nice booth.” Rainbow Dash said as she tried to get comfortable on a seat that he knew from experience had lost its back and bottom support years ago. “So…how are you liking the Griffin Lands?” Rainbow Dash said a wide uneasy smile slowly expanding on her face.
Zachery ran a hand through his ever growing hair hoping to throw Rainbow Dash off long enough to forced his unease of going to Equestria down and his mask back up, “They’re okay.”
“Just okay?” Rainbow Dash asked, carefully pressuring him to open up a little more.
“They’re pretty flat, except for the mountains.” Zachery said looking directly at the pegasus little off put by the inexplicable length of their conversation and Rainbow Dash's light gorging.
“Yeah they are!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed her face lighting up at Zachery's answer, "You should see the mountains in Emperor Surnia’s Territory. I heard from a friend that they are the biggest in all the Griffin Lands. Like one mountain is so big-!” Stunned Zachery could only watch as Rainbow Dash expelled all her knowledge of the Griffin Empire to him, while excitedly moving her hooves with each hill and valley she described.
Zachery interrupted when she began going into the various river systems. “And you're telling me this, why?”
“I thought you like knowing about The Griffin Lands." Rainbow Dash pointed out, "I mean all you do is look out the window.”
“Is there anything else for me to do?” Zachery asked crossing his arms and giving her a critical look.
“Um, talk to me and,” Rainbow Dash briefly glanced at the underside of her hoof trying and failing to hide the white edge of paper from view, “build a construction over the broken gap of friendship by fastening the lines of trust and well-being with common interests?” Rainbow Dash finished awkwardly smiling at him as a few weak chuckles escaping her mouth.
“The princess told you to say that didn’t she?” Zachery said, his voice reaching the flattest of deadpans.
“…no?” She wavered at Zachery’s steady look, “Okay yes. I kinda what to get somewhere before we get Equestria, and I don't know how to exactly start.”
“You know if you really want to-” He reached over the table and with slightest of hesitation gently grabbed Rainbow Dash’s hoof, and pulled the note from it. Staring at the slip of paper he looked over the writing, “I have no idea why I took this, I can’t read.” He said looking at the completely indecipherable scribbles, “Anyways, if you want to do, whatever you said is on this thing, you probably shouldn't take the princess's advice.”
Rainbow Dash gapped at him before looking down at the scratched wood of the table between them. Taking a steading breath she slowly looked up and with an uneasy smile and said, “So, I see that you have a black mane or is it hair? Anyways, it's growing back! That's great after you know, all of that..." Her smile grew painfully tight and she quickly redirected her approach, "How’s that going for you? You know the hair and stuff!”
Zachery stared at Rainbow Dash and her rapidly twitching smile as she tried to keep a pleasant air around her, "That was, wow. You know what? Forget what I just said, use the cards.”
Rainbow Dash cough awkwardly into her hoof while pulling a card from her mane, “Ok so the card say's, ‘To start on the path of fellowship and familiarity we must first introduce ourselves. Use this time to reveal information between both parties that are irate or undesirable to bring up. Make an agreement of what should not be talked about'.” Rainbow Dash finished lowering the card, “So what things you don’t want to bring up?”
“Family.” The word was out his mouth before he knew it.
Rainbow Dash looked away rubbing the back of her head, “Yeah I think I could see why. Not to tread on a bad topic, but what Applejack said really crossed some deep lines didn’t it?”
“Very deep lines.” Zachery responded balling his fists against his lap as he remembered the somewhat disgusted accusing look that Applejack gave him as she insulted the very memory of his father.
Zachery was shaken out of his thoughts as a waded up piece of paper lightly bounced off his face. He looked up to see that Rainbow Dash’s forearm was still outstretched from its earlier actions. Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof accusingly at him while seemingly undecided if it should be worried or interested and said, “You were growling."
"Oh," Zachery said flicking the paper ball back to Rainbow Dash, "Like I said what Applejack said was very offensive. Don't take it personally, but I rather not bring up family again."
Rainbow Dash nodded shifting in her broken seat, “That's fair, but for my thing I don't want you to growl. Like at all.” At the look he gave her she quickly continued, “You can’t back away from this one, do you even know how scary you sound when you do that? Seriously you sound like something that crawled out of deepest pits of Tarturus.”
Zachary eyebrow raised at this, “I scare you?”
“Well duh,” Rainbow Dash said exaggeratedly rolling her eyes and then she saw Zachery's still confused face. "Wait didn’t you know that? How could you not know? I mean with all the growling and low hisses and…” Rainbow Dash trailed off her eyes growing wide with realization, “You’re scared of us!”
“What?” Zachery exclaimed pulling away from Rainbow Dash who in her exclamation rose out of her seat and across the table, “How did you even get to a conclusion like that?”
“Well Fluttershy said that most creatures who growl and hiss do it in defense because they’re afraid so, why are you afraid of us?” Rainbow Dash said pointing to him.
With annoyance and mild trepidation radiating from his form he pointed towards his neck, or rather to the loose bandages that acted as a barrier for his still re-growing skin. “I'm wouldn't say that I'm scared of you, just rightfully cautious.”
“Oh…” Rainbow Dash said as she lowered her hoof and sat back in her seat, “I never got to ask, but how are you healing?”
“Pretty good," Zachery said tensely, he still didn’t like how close he came to dying. He rubbed his wrists cringing as his skin pulled, "Still sore though.”
Rainbow Dash blanked at the pain that slipped on to his face. She focused her eyes to the grain in the chipped wood of the table dividing them and whispered more so to the dark wood then him, “I’m sorry, for asking and everything really.”
Zachery stared Rainbow Dash how she stubbornly avoided his gaze. “You’re sorry?” He said his voice holding no small amount of disbelief.
“Look I know. I have no right or whatever to say sorry, but I am." Rainbow Dash said raising her head to look into his crystal blue eyes, "I don’t care I you accept my apology or not but I have to say it. I am sorry. What happen was more than just bad, it was horrible and should never have happened. I should have said something, anything, but I didn’t so I’m sorry.” Rainbow Dash ended her apology huffing.
“Let me rephrase." Zachery said catching her off guard with the calmness in his voice, "Why are you sorry?”
“Why I’m I sorry?” Rainbow Dash asked taken aback, “If I did something this," she pointed to the bandages that still covered him. "wouldn't have happened."
“If you didn’t do something after we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Zachery pointed out. “Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that you shouldn’t apologize, but shouldn’t you be the last one to do so?”
Rainbow Dash rubbed her shoulder, “One of us has to properly apologize. You know the situation you put Twilight in, and Applejack…” She trailed off her teeth grating against each other. “I don’t know what’s up with Applejack but it’s like she’s sorry because we're upset and you got injured, and not sorry about the hoof she had in upsetting us and getting you injured. I don’t understand it.”
“I can’t help you with that. I can’t read her mind.” Zachery shrugged, “If you want to know you’ll have to ask her.”
"I guess I do." Rainbow Dash said tracing the old scratches in the table with her hoof, “I’m still sorry that I didn’t stop it.”
“I know you are.” Zachery answered back the small smile gracing his face encouraging Rainbow Dash to make her own.
The serenity in the cabin was sharply broken as the loud speaker that hanged like an tired old bat in the corner of the car crackled violently to life, “We are now nearing our final stop Talon Point. Please take this time to gather your belongings as the train will stop shortly. Thank you for traveling The Grey Feather Express.” The loud speaker died as painfully as it came to life.
“Ugh I know its painful right?” Rainbow Dash said lightly laughing at Zachery’s distressed expression taking it as a reaction to the painful pitches that the speaker reached, “But you have to admit it’s pretty awesome. A way to talk to everycreature on the train without having to leave a room. Can you believe that something that cool can exist?”
Zachery’s head snapped to Rainbow Dash, “What.”
“The Radio System on the train. Equestria doesn’t have anything like it but I heard that the Griffins are going to help us make what we do have better.” Rainbow Dash smiled ruefully at him, “You wouldn’t know how awesome this is. You know since you pretty much lived in The Everfree Forest's angry brother, but it’s a pretty big step in technology, well at least that's what Twilight said.” A playful conspiring looked adorned Rainbow Dash’s face as in a moment of braveness she leaned close to him and pretended to whisper into his ear, “Don’t tell her I said this but I kinda found what Twilight said about radios cool. Think about it, using small amounts of lightening to talk to people in different rooms. How cool is that!”
Zachery’s mouth opened and closed dumbly as his mind tried to work through what Rainbow Dash was telling him. Unable to comprehend what she was saying he whispered, “That’s impossible.”
“I said the same thing when Twilight told me!” Rainbow Dash said excitedly. Her expression abruptly changed when she saw the dumbfounded look on Zachery’s face, “Shoot I didn’t want to confusion you. I forgot how confusing this can seem to somepo- sorry someone who never heard about it before.” She smiled widely, “I could try and tell explain it to you, ya know, if you want me to too?”
Zachery forced a natural smile on his face as a new sort of dread boiled within him. He couldn’t be sure if what he thought was real, not yet and especially not only on one pony’s word.
He need more information, he needed to be sure, because the conclusion that his startled mind was piecing together was more terrifying then dying alone in what humanity collectively agreed was hell.
He did not give his life away for an unnecessary cause. He did not.
In a voice that was more relaxed then what he had felt in weeks he replied, “I would appreciate that, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash’s face lit up and she instantly started her explanation.
“Well, Zachery to know how radios work you gotta know what electricity is. Think of a large lightening storm, you know what a lightening storm is right? Okay think of that. Now imagine that it is powered by somepony or griffin riding a bike really, really fast, or running in a wheel connected to a box filled with string-like copper really, really fast…”
“Rainbow Dash what did you do!” Fluttershy yelled as Rainbow Dash and Zachery exited the train and joined the waiting elements.
“What I didn’t do anything!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“Then explain that!” Fluttershy said angrily pointing to Zachery who's face had a distinctively clammy texture to it and had a certain death grip on his sole bag, “Why is he so pale?”
“Isn’t he always pale?”
“Rainbow Dash!”
“I did nothing I swear!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, "All I did was talk to him about electricity. Though he did start acting weird when I told him how modern radios have a pretty good chance of bursting into flames if jostled too much. I tried to calm him by saying that I could just make rain water to put any flames out.” Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, “I think I just made it worse…”
“You confused him!” Fluttershy angrily huffed, before flying up to talk to Zachery face to face, “You poor dear." She said moving his slightly damp hair aside to check his temperature, "Are you okay?”
“I’m,” Zachery said a small smile spreading across his face even as his body stiffened as Fluttershy's hoof pressed gently against his face, “I am fine. I’m just shocked. Really, really shocked.”
“I know it is amazing isn’t it!” Rainbow Dash said momentarily forgetting about the distrustful looks that Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie gave her as she slightly danced on her hooves in excitement, “Think about it! With how easy it is to move a bike we could have portable power one day! Imagine what we could do with that!”
“Imagine.” Zachery muttered under his breath before tightening his drawstring bag. Taking a deep breath that seemed to cause the stiffness in his limbs to ease up he asked Twilight, “Where to next?”
Slightly taken aback the abrupt change of subject Twilight stuttered out, “W-well we have to get to the docks. In five hours the yacht will depart we should get there early to make sure that everything is sorted out."
“Well then," Zachery said, "Led the way.”
“R-right!” Twilight said realizing that she was the only one who knew where the yacht they were supposed to take was, “Follow me, you guys are going to love the rooms I got for us.”
It didn't take Twilight long to figure out her latest mistake.
She forgot.
Plain and horribly simple.
“Please we need seven executive cabins.” Twilight begged the yacht’s greeter.
“I am sorry Princess but you paid for six executive cabins and one space for transporting a dangerous animal. I can’t change the order now.” The stallion said blocking their passage.
She could feel her friend’s angry stares on her, how could she have forgotten the arrangements she made, and it was going so well.
“Look there was a mistake. If you we can't change the arrangements can you at least let two of us share a room and have Zachery take one of ours?” Twilight begged.
“Who's Zachery?” The stallion asked taken aback by seeing the Princess of Magic asking so desperately for something.
"Um, this is Zachery." Twilight said stepping out of the stallion's gaze and allowing him to see the tall human behind them.
“Hey.” Twilight heard Zachery say as she saw the greeters eyes widened and jaw drop.
“Who are you? Actually scratch that, how did I not see you?” The stallion said his eyes traveling up and down Zachery's form stopping at the cloth warped around his neck and arms. Twilight's ears laid flat as she saw that questioning looked that blossomed on the stallion's face as his mouth slowly opened to voice his concern.
“He’s a-a diplomat from a faraway land!” Twilight quickly supplied bringing the greeter's attention back to her, “There was a mix up and he, uh, got the short end of the stick, and then some things happened..." Twilight started as the greeter got more skeptical with each word she said. Desperate she pulled out her triumph card that was looking more and more decrypted with each use, "For the sake of Equestria can you just let this slide?”
The greeter stood up straighter and started to stutter at her declaration, “W-well if it’s for Equestria I guess I can let it go,” The greeter said however he kept Twilight's ticket just out of reach, “but no more changes after this. I am just a stallion I can't fix all your problems."
“Thank you,” Twilight said gratefully as she took hold of her ticket, “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“I suspect it means more to Mister Zachery over there. He could have found himself in a fancy cage in the brig of the ship.” The greeter then chuckled ruefully to himself missing the collective winch of the group, “I wish I could say that I was surprized that such a mistake was made, but with how Equestria is doing now I can’t really say that I am.”
“What’s happing in Equestria?” Applejack roughly spoke up her narrowed eyes casting Zachery a leery look.
“I guess you wouldn’t have heard of it since you’ve being doing Equestria’s work in who knows where, but,” The greeter looked left and right at the relatively empty dockyard before leaning in and whispering, “It seems that everypony is freaking out about these human creatures.”
“What!” Twilight exclaimed causing the few ponies in hearing range to glance over at them. She casted the bystanders a fake smile before quickly lowered her voice to a quiet hiss, “What!”
“Humans. Rumour has it that they are creatures from before Discord’s rule and they're impersonating ponies and taking foal’s away in the night!" The greeter shivered, "Isn’t that horrible? I'm so glad that my family lives here and I barely spend anytime in Equestria as it is, imagine how terrifying living there is now?”
"Ouch!"
Both Twilight and the greeter quickly turned back at a painful yelp that erupted from behind them.
Zachery stood at the back of the group a large but twitching grin plastered on his face, as he had one arm holding Applejack close to his chest across her barrel, with his free hand clamp tightly over the murderous looking mare’s mouth. Twilight realized with growing worry that Zachery had two dirty hoof prints on his stomach that where revealed with each random thrash Applejack made.
“Don’t mind us,” Zachery said the painful hitch in his voice weakly covered by forced joy, “we were just-By the dying pits of ole!” Zachery hissed out as Applejack managed to struggle out of his grasp long enough to bite his hand.
“Princess,” The greeter asked causing Twilight to freeze as Zachery and Applejack continued to struggle against each other, “Why is the Barer of Honesty biting the diplomat of a new nation?”
“Well you she, she’s um,” Twilight blinked turning back to the thoroughly confused greeter, “You don’t know what Zachery is?”
“No I don’t and what does that have to do with her biting him?” The greeter eyes narrowed as he took in Zachery’s annoyed form, “If you don’t mind me asking, Mister Zachery, what exactly are you?”
Somehow Zachery’s face relaxed into a pleasant smile even when Applejack started grinding her teeth against the bones in his hand. “The name that my people gave ourselves would be impossible for you, who is not a native speaker, to repeat.”
The greeter huffed his stance becoming wider physically and mentally taking up Zachery's challenge, “Try me. What do your people call themselves?”
“လူ့”
The accompanying silence was deafening as Twilight watched the respectively angry and worried faces of her friends turn to absolute astonishment at the collection of sounds and tones that escape Zachery's mouth.
“Um I didn’t get that.” The greeter said eyes wide at the impossibility he just heard, “Can you say that again?”
“လူ့”
Zachery smile widened as he took his bruised hand from Applejack’s mouth after the apple farmer let go in shock.
Twilight looked on her mind trying to connect the words that Zachery produced to any conceivable sounds she had ever heard before, and found that she couldn't make a match.
This time Rarity spoke up, “Maybe if you divide the sounds into something easier?”
Zachery grin somehow became larger as he slowly enounced a new string of sounds, “H ကို - ဦး - ဎ - ယ”
The greeter could only gape, “By the brightest curve of Celestia’s flank…”
“Hey!”
“Sorry for the vulgarity Princess, and no offense to Mister Zachery, but how did you manage to translate Equestrian from such a Discorded tongue?” The greeter asked.
“With the magic of friendship?” Twilight replied weakly hoping that the falseness of her smile outshone the hostilely that clouded their small group.
“Well I’ll be. I guess what they say about the elements are true. You girls are cosier than peas in a pod.” The greeter said chuckling completely missing the heavy cloud that sat over them, “Well I shouldn’t take up any more of your time. Welcome to Equestrian-Griffin Cruises I hope you enjoy your stay.”
“Wait, I have one last question,” Twilight said reaching out to the greeter. She needed to know how badly the information on humans had spread. If she was lucky the source was not credible or possibly false and easily disproved, “What do you know about humans?”
“Oh that’s easy.” The greeter said, “They are mysterious, big and lanky creatures that take on the shapes of other creatures. They can do this because they are a bastardized mix of a changeling and a chupacabra and can copy different forms or at least try to, so that they can sneak up on ponies and lay their parasitic eggs in their intestines. Everypony knows that!” The greeter put on an apologetic smile as he saw horror on their faces, “I know it is pretty gruesome stuff, but that’s what they are. At least it’s better then what we had before, ‘There are no such things as humans’ please. If it wasn’t for the Ponyville Knights we wouldn’t even know that much.” The greeter laughed loudly a brilliant smile stretching across his face, “I don’t know who this Sir Macintosh is or where got his information, but I sure am glad for it.”