Arcadia

by Sir Alexander Wolfgang

Arrival

Twilight was having a most splendid dream. She dreamed she was somewhere away. Alone, in a field of green. Under a tree that had been a product of time. She looked up to the sky. It was gray, and cloudy, but it was how she liked the sky. The dullness was beautiful to her.Clouds looked as if they were painted gently with brush strokes of pure elegance. The air here was vividly cool, and crisp. How is this real? She asked herself. She took her place under the tree, opening a nameless book that felt weightless in her dark hands.

Suddenly she felt the ground shake, she gasped, she looked around herself, and then woke. She rose straight up from her bunk, with lightening speed, earning a startled 'eep' from her friend Fluttershy. She breathed heavily a moment. No earthquake. Just being waken by her, very shy friend.

"I-I'm sorry Twi, I didn't mean-" the timid one started.

"It's okay shy, what do you need?" Twilight ended her apology.

"We're here." Fluttershy said, quickly.

"Oh okay well, give me some time to get dressed," she paused looking at Fluttershy, "I uh, I'd like privacy for that."

Fluttershy nodded with an apologetic face , leaving the room, as fast as she could, yet maintaining her bashful nature. Now alone in the room Twilight could stand, comfortably wearing only her under wear stretching her muscles for the day ahead. As the woolen blanket left her form it revealed a sight most appalling. Between her shoulder blades there lay a burn, that took the shape of a star. She did her best to keep this from others eyes. The only other person who knew of it (to her knowledge) was Fluttershy. It was an embarrassment in her own. It marked a day of shame.

She dressed herself in the same attire she adorned the previous day, grabbed her pack of clothes, and hurried out to be met by her companions. Amidst the commotion of bringing a boat into harbor Spike, leaned against the rail facing the door, holding two grey backpacks. Fluttershy, stood in her usual stance, head down, hands in each others embrace.

"Well," she began,"are we all ready?"

"I just n-need to ch-check," Fluttershy went back into the dim room to retrieve said item.

Spike left the rail, for Twilights side taking her bag. A moment passed before Fluttershy had found them again, nodding. Now they could finally leave this horrible tub, and set foot on dry, stable, unmoving land.

---

A man stood not far from the docks, watching all of the people pass by. Young, old, male, and female. He stood straight up, staring past his white hair, eyes scanning for those in which he sought. His eyes found a woman, beautiful purple, and curly volumous hair. But she was not the one he was to find, as her skin was far too fair. Another woman, this one fitting the skin color, only this one had neon blue hair. His eyes met another set of eyes, heading his direction, past the swarm of people. Two more pairs of eyes accompanied this set.

They now stood not but three feet away. The man let his eyes view the rest of her. Yes this was the woman he was meant to meet. He stepped forward putting his aged hand out to greet the woman. She accepted his hand, shaking it with a tight grip before, speaking.

"Danial Eris?"

"That is I. Please, come I will show you to the train." His voice was smooth, strong, and overbearingly gruff.

"Train?" Spike asked.

"Yes boy, a train. Now, please miss Sparkle, come."

He turned to Fluttershy who, as always, kept quiet. She garnered fear for the man, that grew by each passing second. He took one of her hands in his own.

"Please don't be afraid. Fear is an unnecessary thing."

Fluttershy searched for words, but only blushed at his kindness. He was still, undoubtedly strange though.

"Now come along. The train will be leaving soon," he glanced at Spike before turning back to Twilight, "Is the boy coming too?"

"Yes, and his name is Spike," Twilight corrected his rudeness, giving a stern look.

"Yes. Come along now 'Spike', your're a member of this party too it would seem. So don't fall behind," Danial said, politely but with clear traces of malice.

They began their walk, Twilight next to Danial, discussing the near future. Fluttershy slightly behind, and even farther back, Spike walked still holding the bags, scowling. He wished to leave this town at once, but kept quiet. Patient and silent.

"Now, I suppose you're wondering just where it is you're going."

"Yeah, that'd be great," Twilight said, keeping her eyes on the dirt road they walked on.

"Well there's a small village of native's that live off of the apples grown by a farm, not far from where they live. That farm is suffering a drastic reduction in productivity, and they'll need your help."

"I see. And why don't we just take a carriage straight to the farm?"

"Oh no. Here any equine, no matter which territory you may find yourself in is found to be 'sacred'. Personally I hate horses."

"That's interesting. All of them feel this way?"

"How should I know. I'm no historian."

Spike eavesdropped as best he could. But soon found the strain too much. He turned his attention to the people around him. Or as he, saw them, the endless crowds of wasted skin. He began to notice, what felt like, faceless people, staring back through the crowd. He couldn't tell if what he saw was true, or not but it enough to catch his attention. It caught all of his attention. He soon began to feel, that loneliness again.

The group had found the station, save for Spike. He bumped in to Fluttershy who, in fear, spread her wings, knocking the three bags from his arms. Twilight turned, her hand wrapped in an aura, that soon wrapped the three bags before they could find a landing. Several people looked on at this, as anyone who knew magic was of course more rare as someone with wings. Spike took each bag all levitating, getting an electrifying rush as he came into contact with the aura.

"So you know magic? Isn't that spectacular." Danial said, sounding genuinely amazed.

"Y-yes, I graduated top of uh, my class." Twilight said, not wanting to boast.

"Why, I do as well. But lets not linger. As I've stressed we've a train to catch."

Danial bought four tickets from the booth. That's three tickets for first class, one for coach. None were too pleased. But Spike took his ticket happily knowing he wouldn't have to ride near this man. They walked along the wooden boarding platform, waiting for the train to arrive. It finally did, it sounding like thunder.

"Are you sure you'll be okay in first class, Spike?" Twilight asked, concerned for the teenager.

"Yeah, of course I'll be fine, Twi. It's just going to be a little more crowded, and a little more shitty."

"Okay, Spike," she hugged him.

"Any moment now," Danial called out soiling the mood of the moment.

Spike and Twilight parted heading for opposite ends of the train, losing each other in the crowds. Twilight boarded her train car along side Fluttershy, searching for the booth that the eager Danial had already commandeered for their ride. They sat, on the smooth wooden, and cushioned bench, Twilight closer to the window to keep Fluttershy from nearly dying of a heart attack. Danial sat, fingers entwined on the table separating the trio, and gaze upon the two girls.

"So," he began, " Do either of you know a thing of all the different people here?"

The girls looked at each other, a moment before facing him again.

"Well?"

"That, they're indigenous?" Twilight said, embarrassed at the lack of research she had done.

"Well I suppose we have our topic, for the ride. There are several groups of natives. The ones we are off to visit, are of the Mycenaean. They are under some hard times at the moment, what with this farm going under. Many have lend their hand to the farmers, but it would appear as if they're new to apple farming."

"They're new but they decided to let an entire tribe of people, depend on them?"

"Well you see it was either that or die. They're given revenue for giving 75% of their harvest to the Mycenaean. This revenue is what sustains them."

"Why don't they just eat the apples they grow. If they can grow enough to feed a village then I'm sure they can feed a family," Twilight said, a matter of factly.

"You don't understand. The revenue comes from the Mycenaean. Ether they hand over the apples, or they will be slaughtered," he said coldly.

Fluttershy went completely white.

"S-slaughtered?" she stuttered quizzically.

"Exterminated," Danial replied plainly, frightening the woman further.

"S-so lets hear about the rest of the people, please." Twilight tried saving her friend from embarrassment.

"Gladly," the cryptic man cleared his throat, "There are also the Var-"

A loud clang of metal, striking a wooden surface, interrupted him. To his left, and the ladies right, a servant had tripped splashing an elegantly dressed young woman, with the liquid aboard his dish. Her eyes closed, her nose scrunched. As Danial looked closer, he found that this was the same woman, he saw leaving the same boat as Twilight. Danial had to fight back a sudden need to laugh, as the boy carrying the tray of refreshments tried to apologize. That only earned him a scowl, that would make Celestia her self uncomfortable. Danial chuckled, turning back to the two women, "Madness," he said smiling.

" Anyway, as I was saying," the two girls turned to face him again, "The varangians are another group of natives. Personally I find them to be the most interesting. They live in the most northern part of the province all along the Valhallen mountain range. I will warn you however, they are a violent group of people, and they don't take kindly to those they consider invaders."

Fluttershy was almost terrified, shaking in her seat. She felt foolish for coming along now.

"Next we have the Seneca people. They live in the desert, and the grasslands far to the East. Compared to the other tribes here in Arcadia, they are a generally peaceful people. Just stay polite, and they won't put your head on the end of a stick."

Twilight held Fluttershys hand under the table, completely aware of the fear striking the other woman's being.

"There's the flamboyant Demimonde, in Nirvana.

Fluttershy's tenseness lessened for a moment. Then Danial spoke again.

"Lastly there's the Zahhak people, to the south in tartarus. Almost wiped from existence, after a war with the Varangian. The Varangian don't take prisoners you see. These people worshiped dragons, hoping they would be granted gifts to aid them. Unfortunately for them, that was not enough."

"I-I'm sorry, I-I n-need to use to bathroom," Fluttershy stood, wiping a tear from her cheek, and racing off to the door marked restroom.

Danial looked to looked to Twilight, "I think I may have scared her."

Author's Note:

Second chapter. Honestly not too happy with this one but, meh. It's shorter than I wanted but that's no ones fault but mine. Any way it may be a while before I update again, because I have another story that requires attention. So like last time, please leave you criticism and questions below.