7 Unwelcome to the family.

Apple picked at her enchilada. The others in the car had already finished theirs. Mosquito was sitting next to a sheet draped body. The Dredd pony was talking with the other guard while Mantis was apparently coordinating something with somepony invisible. The two rifle ponies had gone up further into the train. There was only basic security on her, a set of hobbles on her forehooves. They knew she wasn't going to try to escape with the others being held captive.

“Do you always wear that hat?”

“What?” Mantis turned to the other mare.

“That hat, do you always wear it?”

She felt for her fedora. “What's wrong with it?”

“Well, it makes you look like one of those old jazz singers.” The stallions in the room started to snicker.

“Zappa dip dap datta wap, schoobiedoowup, bezow!” laughed Dredd.

Mantis glared back at him.

“Yes, I like my hat. I wear it often.” She pushed her hat forward and huffed at her. To Tartartus with her if she liked it or not. After all, she was going to just kill her anyway.

“So, what am I in for anyway?”

“Treason,” answered Mantis bluntly.

Apple Rhubarb looked around. Did they know? How much did they know? What did they think she knew.? Was Yards lying to her about what and or who he was working for? “Can you be more specific?”

Mantis walked up to her. “We know all about your plans to destroy the economy and starve everypony.”

“What?”

“It's quite obvious, really. First your unicorn overlords crash the economy in the civil war. Next you drive down the cost of food to the point that the other farms can't compete. All this done by using unicorn magic powered machines you sell to other unicorns so you can drive more and more earth ponies and their farms out of business.”

“That's absurd!”

“No! What's absurd is that you're being subsidized by the government to destroy so many lives!”

“Princess Luna reimburses us for our research costs. We spent the money from the companies to get Sweet Apple out of a crippling debt. Without it the Apple family would have lost our farm.”

“So, you sold out your own kind for money?”

“I didn't sell out anypony! Yards and I are trying to save everypony!”

Mantis's eyes narrowed. “Oh, that's it, is it?” She trotted around Apple giving her a hard look. “So, it's not money, but love?”

“Wha?”

“Is Yards still playing the bumbling idiot? Is that what's attracting you? That bumbling inoffensiveness?”

“How do you know him?”

“Why would a high and mighty unicorn bother with a lowly earth pony? Do you know why they call us that? Earth pony? Because we're nothing but dirt under their hooves. He doesn't care about our kind.”

“That's not true!” Her tone was sharper than she'd meant to be. She needed to dial it back. This mare was getting to her and she knew it.

“So you think he cares about you? Really cares? What makes you think he could possibly care about you?”

“I know he does.”

“Has he said he loves you?'

Her silence answered the question, and an angry blush filled her whole face.

“Does he hold your hoof regularly?”

“...Sometimes.”

The green mare laughed. “Has he even kissed you?”

“That's none of your business.”

She stopped and looked at her. “Okay, but he's not gone past first base with you? How long have you been around each other?”

“A...a little over a year.”

She nodded. “I know he's shy, but, really a year and he's not even holding your hoof in public? Do you know why? He's embarrassed of you. You're a lowly earth pony. He doesn't love you, he's just using you.”

Tears were starting to flow. The green mare's smile wasn't one of gloating, but of growing sorrow. “It's okay. I know how he is.” She tried to wrap her hoof around Apple's shoulders, but the farmer bucked her off.

“You don't know anything about him.”

“I don't?” She held her hoof to her chest in mock surprise. “We are talking about Yards, right? Yards McCanter. I've known him for a very long time. One could almost say most of his life. I've seen how thoughtless he is. How callow he can be to others. It wasn't the military that did that to him. He always looked at other ponies like they were bugs in his collection.” She nuzzled the fellow farmer. Apple pulled away, but not nearly as fast as she would had before the conversation.
“Did you know he didn't even show up for his Nan-Nan's funeral? Earth ponies mean that little to him.” Apple looked down.

“Who is she?” the terrorist asked. “Is it the pegasus mare you were sitting with? He's always had a thing about their wings.”

Her head hung low but she looked up at her captor. “She's smarter than me. They get to talk about the things he wants to with her. When he does it makes him happy. He doesn't sound like he's a professor lecturing students.” Mantis came along side her. “She doesn't have children, either.”

Mantis only nodded.

“And she's who he's really interested in, isn't he?”

She closed her eyes. “No,” she whispered. That seemed to catch Mantis's attention. “It's my best friend.”

“Is she interested in somepony else?”

Apple shrugged. “Chuck Wagon.”

“Well, that I can understand. What's her name?”

“Delta. She's magical, enigmatic, and, well, very...amorous.”

Mantis shook her head. “A slutty unicorn. I'm kind of surprised he fell for that kind of mare. You would have made a much better addition to the family.” She walked away. “Provided you'd survived this weekend. If it's any consolation, I'm sorry.”

Apple picked at her last meal. It wasn't what she'd hope for. It seemed like nothing since she got on this train was what she wanted.

“Has anypony heard from Chigger, Louse, Silverfish or Rock Lobster?” Dredd asked.

Suddenly the car exploded in activity.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Delta yawned. Ah, that nap was just what she needed. She had digested the power she'd gotten from him. Absently she wondered what physical changes it'd wrote to her form. Well, she'd slip inside and find out. She crawled through the damaged air vent into the overhead luggage compartment area and transformed into her true form. She immediately knocked over a suitcase as her legs were now much longer and gangly than they were before. Hmm, she was growing quickly now, but she was still nowhere near as powerful as Chrysalis.

“Who's up there?” There was the sliding of a gun bolt. Crap on a tortilla. Quickly she converted back to her pegasus form. Whipping up changeling tears she stumbled out.

“Please don't hurt me!” She held her hooves in the air.

“Who are you?”

“I was the third stewardess!”

“What's your name?”

“He, he attacked me!” Crap, she was having to think back. What name was that she was using? She looked around and found her shredded coat. The tag was for a “Sunny Daze.” She clung to her jacket, miming shock.

“What is your name?”

“Sunny,” she said, unfocusing her eyes while turning to the mare. This might work. She looked at the torn jacket and at the still obvious bites on Delta's neck.

“What happened to the others? Where are they?”

“He, he attacked me on my way back. He made me do things...” the shudder of revulsion wasn't faked.

The mare scowled. “Where is he?”

“He went back into the room after and I pulled the pin. He went away.”

The mare sighed and put her hoof to the ear the other two had their mini horns in. “Silverfish to Mantis. Yes. I found the missing waitress. She was hiding in a luggage rack. It looks like Louse raped her. She pulled the coupling pin and they're apparently in a valley somewhere.” She paused. “They don't have long range transmitters...Yeah.” The mare paused again and turned away. “Well, is that necessary? I mean, we all know what Louse was, right. I'd have done worse to him if he'd done that to me. Bite marks all down her neck. Okay. Okay.” Silverfish looked over at Delta. “They want to see you up front. Come on.” She put a hoof under Delta's elbow. Her voice was firm, but understanding.

Delta allowed herself to be escorted. They made their way through the passenger car, where she kept her head low, clutching her jacket as if ashamed. There was a murmur from the passengers. There were even some horrified looks from some of the terrorists. They made their way past the kitchenette. Delta made a motion as if to stop and grab another of Star's jackets but Silver kept her moving.

They made it into the car where it had all started. The sun was setting through the mountains and in the western facing windows. It seemed like months since they'd first gotten on this thing. Toffee smiled at her with obvious relief. She tried to walk by without giving too much away, but she was pretty sure the long glances were noticed.

A forgotten voice spoke up, breaking the silence.

“And here's the part we've all been waiting for! The drawing for the dream date with the actor playing Brilliant Lance, the talented and handsome Chuck Wagon!” There was a rustling sound. “The number is #863432. That's #863432. If you've got ticket number 863432 then you've got ninety six minutes and eight seconds to come on by and claim your prize.”

Delta stopped. No. No, it couldn't be. Cover be damned. She spun around and grabbed her saddlebags, pulling out all her tickets. She slammed down ticket after ticket, until she found the one she was looking for. The winning one. The others fell from her dead hooves. Her lower lip quivered. A single, honest tear rolled down her cheek.

“You, you foalnapped my friend.” She turned to look at Yellow Jacket. “You killed innocent ponies.” A wind began to churn around the car, and small objects began to float. “You've terrorized countless ponies on this train!” Green fire surrounded her and began to roar around her. “But now you've done something truly unforgivable! You made me miss my chance to have a date with CHUCK WAGON!” Her hair flew up in the breeze as her eyes blazed with power. The halo flashed around her. In her place was a great bronze bull that was very angry.

The other ponies all looked on in disbelief. Cutter was the first to react, his sword drawn, and he was standing next to her. He took a great double hoofed swing right where Delta's neck would have been. The blade bounced of the hot metal hide.

Delta's long horns speared him through his chest. The heat of her new body cauterized the wound, filling the air with the sick smell of grilled meat. His sword slipped from his hooves right before Delta twisted her neck and flung the dead body into Silverfish. She pawed the ground, setting the carpet on fire, as she charged Yellow Jacket. He bit down on the control bit and the barrels began to spin. Three seconds later bullets began to pelt into her new metal hide. One second later she collided with him sending him flying through the door into the next room. She continued after him.

The doorway caught flame as she rubbed her massive shoulders through. She roared a challenge to the occupants of the car. Yellow Jacket collapsed into a heap in the far side wall. A gout of flame covered his body. His scream was long and agonizing as his hair burned away, filling the room with the stench.

Somepony came up behind Delta, but she was so filled with rage that she no longer cared. Bronze hooves planted through a body and sent something flying. Delta charged Yellow Jacket again. His ammo cooked off and she was hit by a huge volley. She wasn't the only one though. The round ripped through Mosquito and one of the rifle stallions, shredding their bodies and the one under the sheet.

Delta stayed on the floor. There were a few penetrations, but the damage was minimal. Dredd pony grabbed Mantis and shoved her past Jacket's charred form.

“GO!” he shoved her into the next car.

“But-”

“Forget her! Just save yourself and the others! She's not worth your life.” Delta began to breathe in as she stood. Two pegasi raced into the room. Toffee and Starfall began untying Apple's bonds.

“Delta, NO! They're running, you don't have to!” Apple shouted.

Mantis looked at Apple, then to the Khalkotauroi. “Delta? That's no illusion, and that's no unicorn!” She turned to run just as Delta began to breathe again. The flames engulfed the officer. He screamed, but stumbled foreword, grasping the connector pin and pulled it out. The engine pulled away, significantly lightened. Dredd fell under the train. There was a heavy “Kchunk!” as the momentum of the cars crunched him under the wheels. Delta, her rage spent and no threats left, collapsed. With the last of her consciousness she reverted back to pegasi form.

“Apple, are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Great. Make sure Toffee 'n' Star are okay too. I'm going to take a nap now. Kinda tired.”