Somewhere between home and Manehatten.

by Phoenix Quill

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Original Character, Braeburn, Slice of Life
Length: 7699

Braeburn has a conversation with a stranger on the train to Manehatten.

Braeburn has been farming in Appleoosa for a long time, so long that he's decided that it's time for him to get away from it all for a week in Manehatten before Hearths Warming Eve.

But on the train, he has to share his dinner with a stranger who's very opinionated, and gives him a strange feeling. There's something off in the way he talks, and what he says. Is he trying to sway Braeburn's decision on how to live his life?

Published 2013-12-25 07:30:04 UTC
Last updated 2013-12-25 07:30:04 UTC

Waiting.

Braeburn stood alone at the train station on the edge of Apploosa and gave a small sigh. He'd been standing on the small depots platrorm for nearly an hour. An hour of patient waiting as a light snow continued to fall across the desert plains. He shivered slightly as he pulled his hat down lower, and wrapped his scarf up around his muzzle before looking down the line again. What am I doing? I could go home now if I wanted to, but... no, I gotta leave. But where do I think I'm going anyway?

He continued to stand as close to the edge of the platform as he dared to without coming out from under the shelter provided by the roof. He kept a vigil watch down the line for the first sign of the coming train, and was greeted by nothing. Not a puff of smoke, nor a gleam of lights, let alone the low rumble of its approach. He looked at the station's clock, and sure enough the time for it's arrival had come and gone already. Darned snow, they probably had to get a crew to pull the thing again because of the weather.

He looked through the window of the depot and felt a deep longing to be inside. In there it was warm, and the stationmaster was chatting idly with the telegraph operator while minding the ticket booth. They both had cups of hot apple cider, and he could see the steam rising into the air before it would dissipate. Suddenly the telegraph operator held up a hoof to get the stationmaster's attention, he then pointed at Braeburn through the window, and the stationmaster turned around to look outside. He saw Braeburn, and gave him a friendly smile, and waved for him to come inside.

Braeburn smiled out of habit as he turned away from the window and walked inside the station. The warmth inside wrapped up around him like a blanket, embracing him like an old friend. He made his way across the room with the same practiced smile that he'd been giving everypony for some time now before letting himself into the back with the others. "Hey there, Linewire, Timely, what's up?"

The stationmaster, Timely, smiled wide as he patted the empty seat next to him. "Braeburn! It's freezing cold out there! Sit sit, would you like some hot cider? Or maybe you're in the mood for something else?"

Braeburn thought about it for a few moments before shaking his head. "No, no cider please. You got any tea?"

The other two stallions looked at each other before shrugging. Timely got up and began to prepare the drink, leaving Linewire to speak with him. "So, you headed to Manehatten huh?"

Braeburn froze in his seat, not from any source of cold, but because of the question itself. "Well, ah... where are you really going? yeah I am."

Linewire and Braeburn sat quietly for a few minutes, neither sure of what to say next as Timely came up and hoofed him his cup of tea. Braeburn sat and stared at the cup for several moments before finally taking a sip. The tea was perfect, not too sweet, or too bitter. No milk of any sort, and not too hot that it burnt his tongue, it was perfectly warm. The three of them sat in relative silence, sipping their drinks as Linewire would occasionally tap out a message on the telegraph, or write down a receiving message and pass it to Timely.

Braeburn sipped slowly on his drink a few more times before putting the cup down and looking out the window again. "You know," Timely said with a sly grin. "Looking at the window or clock isn't going to make the train come any faster."

"I know, but I just want to get going already."

"What for?" The question was asked out of curriosity, but he couldn't help but feel as if Linewire was attacking him.

"I just need a bit of time to myself is all. I've been here since before we broke ground on this here town, and I need some time to myself."

"Well, didn't you go to your family reunion last year?" Linewire paused to sip from his cider and sighing with content before continuing. "I mean, I know you work hard here, but you must'a had some alone time then."

Braeburn looked at him with a cold, distant glance before shaking his head. "Not really, my cousin AJ kept us all so busy, that I couldn't give second thought to what I need to do." He frowned as he drained down the last of his tea and looked at the clock. "Besides, with winter settling in I can take some time off now."

"Hm, you gonna see your relatives in Manehatten?" Timely asked with a smile.

"Maybe," Braeburn replied back as he looked at his empty tea cup. "I have a week before I come back, I'll probably stop by."

Timely smiled as he sipped on his cider and leaned back in his seat. He looked at a clock up above and watched the pendulum sway back and forth, filling the room with it's soft click. "Well, everypony needs time. Will you be back in time for Hearths Warming Eve?"

Braeburn smiled back at him before wrapping his coat a little more. "Sure thing. Like I said, it's only a week, and I wouldn't miss Hearths Warming Eve with my friends and family for all the bits in the bank. Besides, the mayor wouldn't be able to host a decent shindig without my planning."

Linewire suddenly pressed a hoof against one side of his headphones to listen to the incoming message over the wire, and quickly wrote down marks for the several clicks that made up the coded message, and passed it to Timely. Timely stared at it through his reading glasses and smiled softly. "Well good news, your train just passed an outpost just a little ways outside of town from the south. It should be here any minute now."

Braeburn smiled and nodded slightly before standing up. "Well then, I'd better get going. I'll see you all in a week." He walked out into the lobby, and looked at the big clock on the wall and shook his head. Only an hour late. Not too bad I guess. He continued to the door to the platform, and adjusted his hat, scarf, and coat a few times before opening it to the cold.

He walked to near the edge of the platform and waited, keeping an eye down the line as he watched the puff of smoke grow closer, bringing with it an audible growl as the rails sang with it's approach. He turned and looked at the town and gave a small smile. I'll be back in a week, by then I'll know for sure. The engine of the train passed the station, brakes screaming into the cold air and steam blasting Braeburn from the pistons as it ground to a halt. The hot steam condensed back into water, and felt as if it would freeze on his face from the cold weather.

He shivered slightly as the train stopped, and reached into his coat to find his ticket. As he did, the conductor hopped out of a car and looked at his watch. "Attention passengers! All off for Apploosa! Next stops are Dodge Junction, Ponyville, Baltimare, Fillydelphia, Manehatten, and the Crystal Empire! All aboard!" Braeburn walked over to the conductor and passed him his ticket. The other pony looked at it for a few moments before punching a few holes into it and passing it back to Braeburn. "Okay, you've got your own private cabin, coach eight, on the right. Enjoy your trip on the Northern Flyer."

He nodded back to him before entering the train's car. It took him a little while to find the right room, but as soon as he did, Braeburn entered and shut the door behind himself quickly. He looked around for a moment before he shook his saddlebags off, and let himself relax on the cushioned bench. This is it, time enough at last.

A dinner with Adumbrantum

The train was speeding northeast so quickly, that the trees that lined either side of the tracks were a mere blur. Because of this, the light of the setting sun shone weakly through Braeburn's window, and was mostly obscured by the constant strobing effect of the tree's shadows. He lifted his hat away from his eyes as the setting sun was finally lost entirely to the nearby mountain range, and gave a week smile. Best go get some chow before all the seats are taken.

He stood with a stretch and opened his door to look down the hall. Already there were hungry ponies headed to the dinning car in the rear, with the same thought in mind. He quickly ran into the hall, and begged his pardon as he slid into the thin crowd and followed the herd to the last car of the train.

Boy howdy, trains sure have come a long way since I've seen them last. Braeburn smiled slightly as the memory of riding the train out to where Apploosa would some day be. The cars were practically giant crates on wheels with benches to sit on along the walls, and no real windows or lighting. Only five years ago, the best meal you might expect on the rails was a stale sandwich, now he was headed off to get almost anything his heart desired from a star rated restaurant on the go. He passed through the lounge car with little care, when he came to the end of the line. "Hey! What's happened?"

The mare in front of him sighed before turning around and giving him one of the most deadpan expressions he had ever had the misfortune to gaze upon. "Don't you know?" She then pulled a pair of spectacles on a stick out from her small purse and looked him up and down with disapproval. "Hmm, I doubt that you do. Anyhow, there's a bottleneck up ahead. You know, too many ponies and only so many tables, and not enough waiters to see us to seats. You may as well give up and go back to your cabin."

Braeburn tried his best to not look confused, but the look somehow wound up on his face anyway. "Why should I go back to my cabin?"

"Well, I'm sure you would understand, but there's several ponies on this train from a select stock, as they put it." She then folded up the spectacles and placed them back into her purse before giving, what Braeburn suspected was the closest she got to a friendly smile. "These noble ponies tend to raise a fuss if they have to dine with us common folk, or are served after us, so they tend to get them in and out of the way."

Braeburn leaned to his left to look past the crowd, and hopefully see what was going on better. "Well how many nobles can really be in there right now?"

"Just the one, but it's-"

"No no no! I said I wanted brandy soaked hay with a side of bite sized daisies!" A slam echoed from the back of the train, making several ponies scatter to either side of the car to make a clear path. "This is unexceptable, I demand my bits back!" It was Prince Blueblood and his entourage of followers. With noses in the air, they marched past the common ponies and proceeded to sit at the bar. "And you can forget about the tip!"

A waiter came up behind the small group, holding a menu in his magic as he tried desperately to talk to the prince. "Your majesty, if I may be so bold, the meal was complimentary, you haven't paid a thing! Please, we can try this again, but our kitchens are so small, and we are limited in resources. Perhaps you would care for one of our lotus horderves?"

The prince scrunched up his face as he waved a hoof at the bartender. "No, just... forget it." He then sighed as a glass of champagne was given to him. "Look, I'm trying not to lose my temper, but I'm under a lot of stress right now, what with this Everfree business. Send my estate the bill, and I'll be sure it's payed." He paused and sipped casually from the glass and giving a sigh of satisfaction. "If you can make a decent potato soup and send it to my cabin, I'll be done with you."

The waiter bowed down and trotted back out of the lounge and into the dining car to shout some orders about. As he did, the line began to move forward once again, letting the rest of the ponies find a table on their own. Braeburn however, was still unsure of what to say or do, even as he got closer to his goal. "I don't know if I even want to go eat in the diner car now."

"Well what would you do then?" The mare in front of him asked.

"I don't know, get a meal to go like he did?"

"Oh but you must dine in the diner car at least once, you never know what will happen on the train! Why, I met my future husband on board this very line."

"Well congratulations!" Braeburn smiled as he held his hoof out to shake hers. "Where is that lucky stallion!"

"Why, he's right in front of me." The mare suddenly blinked and gave him some soft bedroom eyes as she leaned into him. "My name's Wild Oats by the way." She then giggled in a very natural way that surprised Braeburn.

"Uhh, nice to meet you properly ma'am." She suddenly leaned against him expecting an embrace and he panicked. He looked up and saw that the line ahead had cleared as several ponies turned back, while a few more went in. "Excuse me, but I think my friend is expecting me." He then backed away so quickly, that Wild Oats fell to her side as Braeburn ran for it.

She lay on the floor for a few moments fuming before getting up and holding a hoof out. "Write me!"

He ignored her, and let himself into the dining car, there were no empty tables to be seen. Gotta blend in, uhh now what? He looked around for a waiter, and after finding one tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, when will a table open up?"

"Not for a while I'm afraid. But, if you are in a hurry, I can seat you with somepony else."

Braeburn was about to decline when he looked back, and saw the mare begin to walk towards him, waving a hoof and smiling slyly. "YES! I mean, yes, seat me with another pony, any pony. As soon as you can, please."

The waiter rolled his eyes before passing a menu to Braeburn. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to a seat." They walked down the aisle together, looking both on the left, and right side tables, but all seats were packed. "I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid you'll have to come back later."

"Hey!" The two looked up, near the back of the car, and older stallion sat alone at the table. "If that colt needs a place to park, I've got a space." The waiter looked at Braeburn for a second, and he nodded eagerly. The waiter at least had the decency to turn around and lead the way before rolling his eyes.

As soon as Braeburn sat down, the waiter pulled out a pad and started to write things down. "So, is there anything I can get you?"

Braeburn opened the menu and began searching through it for a few moments. "Aw gee, I got no clue mister. I 'aint even heard of most o' this fancy food here."

"Might I suggest the lotus hordervs as a starter before you make your final decision?"

Braeburn looked at the picture and nodded slightly before folding his menu. "Yeah, and a cup o' coffee too please." The waiter nodded as he scooted away to the small kitchen to take care of the order. Braeburn sat in his chair silently, watching the water in the glass sway with the train car for a short while before staring out the window, barely paying attention to the moon rise through the trees.

"Quiet one, aren't ya' kid."

Braeburn looked back at the stallion and gave a silly sort of half smile. "Not really, I just got a lot on my plate is all."

"Oh I see," the stallion said with a nod. "I've been there a few times myself." A silence settled between the two of them as Braeburn continued to stare out the window. Finally, the older stallion spoke up again. "My name's Adumbrantum. Adum for short, what's yours son?"

Braeburn looked back at Adumbrantum and quickly assessed him. He was a little older than him, not quite old enough that time had robbed him of his youth, but clearly it had done a number on his face in a few spots. He was a rather plain looking earth pony, his coat had the color of butter cream, and he wore his dark mane in a slicked back style. Simple, yet suave and elegant.

But what got his attention was the eyes. Adumbrantum's eyes were such a pale electric blue color that Braeburn almost felt the coldness and energy behind them. As if there was lightning flashes in a blizzard within those eyes, and with a look he could strike him down. Braeburn suppressed his desire to shake the feelings away and simply smiled while putting a hoof forward. "Braeburn, my name's Braeburn sir."

"Ah! Another Apple I take it. I've run into your relatives in the past. Good folk, hard workers. You a farmer son?"

Braeburn nodded at him as he tilted his hat back. "Well yessir I am. This here hat ain't just a decorative piece ya know."

Adumbrantum smiled as he put his forehooves together before his face and leaned forward. "Well that's good. Equestria needs more ponies like you."

Braeburn frowned slightly before nodding at this, not quite sure how to respond. "I guess so." He leaned back in his chair unsure of what to say next. Finally, after several moments a good way to continue the subject came to him. "Well, what do you do for a living?"

"Ah well," the stallion smiled as he ran a hoof through his mane. "Nothing too great. I'm more like a big run away colt than anything else."

Braeburn tilted his head in question at this, and was about to ask what that meant. However, before he could properly conduct the question, a hoof entered his field of vision. "Sirs, I have your drinks, and hordervs." The waiter expertly placed the coffee before Braeburn, who smiled politely back at him as he passed a tall glass to Adumbrantum. Afterwards, he then placed two plates of Lotuses.

The waiter smiled at the two stallions as he pulled his pad out once again. "Now gentlecolts, I do believe that neither of you had ordered a main course yet. If I may suggest, we have a special on spinach quiche, and a simply marvelous butternut and apple harvest soup."

Adumbrantum nodded at the waiter, and he wrote it down before turning to Braeburn. He looked at the waiter and felt his stomach flip at the thought of anything apple related, and felt slightly green. "That sounds, great. But, not that soup. Perhaps a tomato soup, if you got it."

The waiter nodded before writing everything down. "That soup will cost extra as a substitution." Braeburn simply nodded as the waiter took off to give the orders to the chef.

"Avoiding apples, are we?"

Braeburn looked at the older stallion and frowned. He felt like saying something to defend himself, but couldn't. Adumbrantum simply gave him a calm and simple smile as he waited for a response. And as Braeburn looked into his eyes, he suddenly felt compelled to tell the truth, and simply nodded.

"Unusual for you don't ya think?" He then sipped on his drink, and Braeburn actually saw what it was. The drink was a dark brown color on the bottom, and gradually faded to a clean white as it got closer to the top. It was packed with ice, but there were also short green things throughout the entirety of the liquid.

"Sir, not to be bothering you, but what are you drinking?"

Adumbrantum stopped sipping long enough to chew on the green things he took in on his sip before smiling. "This? It's cendol. A drink from south eastern Draconian islands that I've grown fond of in my travels."

Braeburn nodded as he sipped on his coffee, pretending that answered everything. "And those green things, they aren't-"

"Worms? As a mater of fact that is what they are called." Braeburn looked as if he was going to become as green as the worms when he heard this. Adumbrantum just smiled at this and waved his hoof in a care free manner. "They aren't really worms, it's just a starch jelly. Would you like some?"

Braeburn shook his head at this before sticking his tongue out, trying not to gag. "No thanks, that don't sound too good."

The older stallion simply shrugged and continued to slurp down his drink. "Your loss. I'm willing to pay for your glass."

"No, it's fine. I don't think I could get past the worms if I tried."

The two of them sat in silence for a few seconds as Adumbrantum slurped on his drink. Braeburn however was too busy looking around for any sign of the mare he was avoiding. He turned around and saw that she had moved on to another stallion that seemed more interested in her. That's good, keep her off my back. The older stallion chewed on the starchy worms for a few moments before grinning to himself. He watched Braeburn and began to laugh silently, but just hard enough that he couldn't hide that he was shaking in his seat. Braeburn looked back at him and raised an eyebrow as he took another sip of his coffee. "What?"

"Nothing," he said with the same smile. "It's just that you've got this twitch every time you look at that mare. She been a bother to you son?"

Braeburn tried not to laugh while drinking his coffee, and as a result snorted some out his nose and covered his face with a napkin. "Sorry," he said with a trace of a laugh as he wiped himself off. "Yeah, she kind of is, but it's alright. I just don't really feel like meeting somepony like that."

"Right right," Adumbrantum said with a dismissive look. "I take it that you've got a mare back at home then?"

Braeburn sipped politely on his coffee while staring at the painted pattern around the window. "Not really, I need to make sure that my life is ready for that before I start really looking."

"Now now lad," the older stallion said with a shake of his head. "That's not how it works. You should know better than that."

"Oh I know, but I just want to be prepared for everything."

Adumbrantum harrumphed slightly as he drained the last of his cendol. Braeburn continued to stare at the painted pattern, watching as the lines would cross over each other in angles, twists, and turns. Up close, or even far away they looked like a mess. However, from the right perspective, he could see that they built up to make diamonds, circles, knots and other shapes.

His eyes followed the lines around the window, and would smile as he saw the design intersect with the next window's own pattern, making complex designs with each other in the columns between. He let himself get lost in the design while staring, forgetting entirely about the lotuses he was given to eat while waiting for his real food. Braeburn's concentration was suddenly broken by the loud clanging of bells from a level crossing's wig-wag sign. As soon as the lights and bells caught his attention, Braeburn jumped in his seat and turned to focus on something else.

"Why are you so jumpy? You gotta learn to relax once in a while," Adumbrantum said as he pointed a hoof at him. "So tell me young stallion," he paused to polish a spoon briefly before continuing. "With you being a farmer, what are you doing here on the train at this time of the year? Isn't money usually tight this season for ponies in your position?"

Braeburn smiled and gave a shrug as he reached forward and grabbed one of the lotuses. "A bit, but there isn't much for me to do back home. The harvest is all done, and we made enough bits to get us through the winter. I live alone, and thought a vacation would be good for me."

Adumbrantum nodded at this as he sipped from a glass of water. "Must be tough living alone. Out there, in the desert. Most Apples I know are tight knit with their family, never heard of a lone Apple before."

Braeburn frowned as he chewed on the small flowery treat. "That's part of the reason why I left home for the week. I'm going to see some family in Manehatten, but I also need to think about things."

"Oh? What kind of things?"

Braeburn was about to give a non-answer, when suddenly he heard somepony giving a polite cough. He looked up to his right and saw the waiter had returned with a tray. "Gentlecolts, I have your meals, and fresh drinks for you." He simply nodded back at the waiter, and moved his plate of lotuses aside for him to lay down the main dishes. "So you both have the quiche and you have the tomato soup substitute sir?" Braeburn nodded to him as he was passed the red soup. "Now please be careful with everything, it's very hot. Bon appetit." With that said, he quickly shuffled away to take care of some other guests.

The two stallions looked at their meals, and each had different reactions. While Adumbrantum dug into his butternut and apple harvest soup with gusto, Braeburn simply stared at what had to be the smallest meal he had ever been presented with. "That's it? Twenty bits for a snack?"

"Don't be so disappointed," Adumbrantum said as he pointed his spoon at him. "Do you know how hard it is to cook any amount of food on a moving train?"

"Well, I can't imagine it's easy, but its still pretty pricey."

Adumbrantum grunted in reply as he kept eating his soup. Braeburn scrunched his nose as he looked at the meal with dissatisfaction for a moment more, but finally gave in and took a bite. I probably could have made better if I stayed at home.

The two ate in relative silence, neither one talked, or made a move to do so. Instead, Braeburn concentrated on his tomato soup, and listened to the sounds of idle chatter around him, and the rattling of utensils. The room was alive with activity, and the warm soft glow of gas lamps in the walls gave the whole car a certain air that he couldn't quite put his hoof on.

"So tell me," Adum paused to wipe his mouth before continuing. "What is it you are looking for?"

Braeburn almost spit out his soup. The question had come so far out of left field that he never saw it coming. "Well, ah.. I don't really know what you're talking about," he stammered.

"Come come now," the other pony said as he reached for his drink. "We're both adults here, and I know as well as you do that there's something going on for you to be making this trip." Braeburn stared blankly at him, and watched as Adumbrantum calmly spooned another bite of soup into his mouth before continuing. "So tell me, what is it that you are really looking for?"

Braeburn looked at the table for several moments in silence before he took his napkin and placed it over his half eaten bowl of soup. "I think that I'm looking to go back to my cabin. I wasn't expecting some sort of inquisition." He then stood up to leave the table.

"Nopony should go though life expecting anything, yet here we are." Adumbrantum said in a level, yet commanding voice. "I'm just trying to see if I can help. Please, sit down and lets talk."

"There's nothing more to talk about," Braeburn said as he started to walk away. "I'm sorry to say it, but maybe I just wanted to be alone."

"You can never be alone," Adumbrantum said with a dark tone in his voice. Braeburn stopped, unsure of how to respond to that.

He turned around and looked at him. After several seconds of thought, he finally sat back down. "Alright, you've got my attention. Now what exactly does that mean?"

The older pony simply smiled as he used his fork to cut himself a bite out of the quiche. "Oh, whatever you wish to take away from it," he said with a hint of a smile.

"That's some, interesting words," Braeburn said before taking a bite of his quiche.

"Just a bit's worth of free advice. I think I'll let you think about that for a moment." Adumbrantum took another bite of his food and leaned back in his seat. "I also think I'll just let you drive this conversation forward."

Braeburn tilted his head at the older stallion. Curious, but unsure on how to progress. Look at him, he's just sitting there, waiting for you to say something Braeburn. Adumbrantum smiled casually as he bit into one of his spare lotus hordervs, then took a taste of his soup and wiped the dribble from his mouth. Clearly we are dealing with a mastermind Braeburn.

He gave his practiced smile to the older pony across the table from him. "Well, why don't you just tell me about yourself. You travel a lot?"

"Oh yes," Adum said with a nod of his head. "I've been everywhere. I've seen the Zebra Nation, the Great Gryphonian continent, and almost all of the Draconian Empire."

Braeburn whistled in amazement at this, and tilted his hat back before eating the last lotus on his plate. "Well partner, you have seen big chunks of what's across the great sea out east. Was that all for vacation or business?"

"Mostly business, I'll admit. But I gotta say that I adore Germaneigh most out of all of Gryphonia. But, Draconia is such an interesting continent. There are hardly any ponies out there you know."

Braeburn shook his head while taking another sip of his soup. "No, I didn't really know that. But I guess it makes sense, being a nation of dragons."

"Nations of dragons," Adumbrantum corrected. "Unlike Gryphonia, where there's a few countries with ponies and dragons as well, almost all of the Draconian continent is just dragons. I tell you, the culture there is so vastly different from our own it would make your head spin."

"Like the food for example," Braeburn commented as he pointed at the empty glass of cendol.

Adumbrantum smiled slyly as he tapped the edge of the glass. "Surprisingly this was made as a pony food. Back when ponies actually did more exploring, the dragons made this to please pony officials in an attempt to show good will to us herbivores."

Braeburn gave a nod like he understood. As he did, a question ran through the back of his mind as he grabbed his coffee for another sip. "And they had a tradition before I assume?"

"Oh yes, they would slaughter a cow and roast it encrusted in jewels for a feast. I'll tell you, that made for an awkward first encounter with Celestia."

Braeburn tried not to spit out his drink, and fought to swallow down the hot liquid. As soon as he did, the drink kept trying to make another break for freedom from his stomach, along with it's fellow contents. His face turned green with nausea for a few moments as he tried to compose himself. "I'll bet it was..."

As Braeburn recovered, a buspony swiftly came to the table to clear out the empty plates. As he did, the waiter gave Adumbrantum a fresh glass of Cendol, and refilled Braeburn's coffee. "Will there be anything else for this evening?"

"No, I think we're good here," Adumbrantum said with a polite smile. The waiter bowed and took off, as the buspony took off to clear dishes from another table. "Are you alright son? You seem to be shocked."

Braeburn shook his head to clear away the last lingering traces of nausea before answering. "No, it's fine. I just got a pretty nasty image on what those cows looked like."

The older pony looked at his hooves for a few moments before running one through his hair, and taking a sip from his drink. "Come now, you shouldn't be so intolerant to other cultures. Dragons are omnivores, and eat almost anything."

Braeburn gave the best smile that he could before taking a sip of his coffee. "I know, it's just how casually you say it. It's like-"

"I was there," Adumbrantum finished with a frown. "Don't be incredulous. That was almost two hundred years ago, My great great gran'dad was still in diapers."

Braeburn pushed away his empty bowl of soup and took a bite out of his quiche. He felt desperate to carry on like everything was normal, despite the flips his stomach was making. "Sorry for assumin' but you never did tell me what you do for a living."

The older stallion smiled, showing off every single one of his teeth to Braeburn. It wasn't the normal smile of any other pony Braeburn had seen before, there was a malice in the eyes as he did it. It was the smile of a predator, directed at his next meal. "Like I said, I travel. My business takes me all around the world, and what's their business is my business."

"Like a spy?"

Adumbrantum frowned suddenly as he dug into his quiche. "A spy? Where did you get such a strange idea Braeburn. I'm a pony of business, nothing more. Observing others however, that should be apart of anypony's job."

Braeburn watched as Adumbrantum sipped casually from his drink, and wiped the corners of his mouth before exhaling in contentment. Another silence settled between the two ponies as Braeburn decided to slowly pick away at his meal.

As he ate the remains of his meal, Braeburn watched the waitstaff walk up and down the aisle of the dining car. They moved at a swift pace from table to table, running from the small kitchen or off into the lounge car once in a while. "There's a sort of symphony with how they move, isn't there?"

Braeburn nodded as he watched them. "Yeah, there is."

Adumbrantum nodded as he kept looking at Braeburn. He paid him no mind as he did so, but continued to instead just pony watch, even as the older pony stared at him. "So, what are you running from?"

Braeburn jumped slightly at the question, and briefly thanked Celestia that he wasn't drinking anything at the moment. He turned back to look at Adumbrantum and tried to give his most cool and collected face that he could. "What do you mean running away? Haven't we been over this?"

"No, I asked you what you were looking for, now I'm asking what you're running away from," he said, rather matter of factually. "Now come on, why don't you just relax. I know how it is, small town, everypony knows everyone's business. Can't have a moment to yourself to think."

Braeburn frowned as he rubbed a hoof through his mane a little. "It's not like that, well not really."

"Go on, you can tell me. Ain't nopony listening except me." He waived down a waiter and whispered something to him. The waiter nodded and dashed off in a second to do whatever it was that he was asked of, leaving Braeburn to face Adumbrantum.

"Well, I don't know where to start."

"Start at the beginning," Adumbrantum said as he leaned back in his seat. "And when you get to the end, stop."

The two of them looked at each other for several seconds, leaving Braeburn unsure of what to say or do. Adumbrantum kept his face straight and serious. Not a hint of malice or threat behind him, but almost like a counselor of some sort. He gave off a certain aura, lulling Braeburn into a state of ease. "Alright, it's not really running away from anything." He stopped, and looked at the cream stallion across from him, waiting for him to interrupt again. Instead he found him still in the same calm pose, with a look of intense concentration. "Well," Braeburn continued, "I guess I'm not so sure about my future anymore."

"An Apple unsure of his future?" Adumbrantum queried aloud. "That is unusual."

"What? Oh, no no no, not like that," he defended while waving his hooves back and forth. "I love farming, don't take it that way. It's just that, how do I put it."

"You just, tell it like it is, and everything will work out," Adumbrantum said with a reassuring smile.

"Well, I grew up on a farm outside of Manehatten, the Grand Apple Orchard. When I was a colt, I would travel to the city with my Ma and Pa to sell our wares. You know, get some extra bits outside of wholesale. Well, it was really prosperous, and nopony in my household went without. But I wanted more out of life than stability."

"Of course you did, you wanted excitement, the open road!"

Braeburn nodded at him before sipping down some of his coffee. "That's right, I did. I joined the Royal Surveyors Society as soon as I was old enough, and spent my time scouting the land for good places to start settlements. When I was sent to where Appleoosa is today, I thought that there was no way an orchard could ever take root in that desert, but they all stuck to their guns, and it was my job to help them."

"So you plowed the first apple orchard, correct?"

"That's right, for the last four years I've watched that speck of dirt in the middle of nowhere grow into a boom town! A place where you can raise your foals, and don't have to worry about the crime found in the cities." He smiled wide at the thought of his accomplishments before looking back down at the table.

"So," Adumbrantum said in a calm voice. "What you are really telling me, is simply that the thrill is gone, and you're thinking of moving on. Is that it?"

Braeburn nodded before taking the last bite of his meal and folding his napkin. "Well, I guess that's really it right there. Part of me wants to stay, but part of me feels like it's time to start again." He looked at his coffee cup and took the last few sips out of it before placing it down upon it's saucer. "What do you think?"

"I think," the older stallion replied. "That your youth is giving you cold hooves now that the place is becoming a place worth living at."

Braeburn looked at Adumbrantum like he'd just been slapped across the face. He tilted his hat back and leaned forward, ready to pounce on the pony before him. "What did you say?"

"Nothing you could really begin to understand," he replied with some snap in his voice. "You haven't lived a long enough life to know anything about what I mean. With age, comes experience with these matters."

Braeburn looked at the older pony as he casually bit into a spoonful of quiche with a smug look upon his face. It was as if the fact that he was simply older than him, and not by very much at that matter, that he could justify talking down to him. "Now listen here mister A-dum-brain-tum! I don't know who you think you are, but I don't let nopony talk to me that way!"

"Don't you even bother to think that you're Tornado here, you aren't like that."

"And how would you know, sir," Braeburn spat back across the table.

Adumbrantum gently placed his spoon down next to the fork and serrated spread knife. After a few moments of silently looking at Braeburn, his grin grew wider. "Go ahead colt. Make your point, here and now. I know you want to, I can see it in your eyes. Prove I'm wrong, prove to me that a small town colt like you has more life experience than me."

Braeburn felt himself shrink down slightly in his seat, and opened his mouth to say something. It however was cut off before a single syllable could come out. "However, I want you to be aware of an old saying we have in my profession before you do." He then held out one of his forelegs showing off his shod hoof, and neatly trimmed fetlocks. "As you can see, nothing up my sleeves. In fact, there aren't even sleeves to hide something in there."

He lowered the hoof down and gave Braeburn a stern look. Braeburn couldn't help but be magnetized to the face of the stallion, and he saw malice and excitement behind those eyes. "But I warn you, I know things that you would give your legs to learn about if you had an inkling to what I've seen and done. Now please, strike me. I invite you."

Braeburn stood up and looked down at the other stallion. He shook with excitement, ready to fight at the drop of a hat. Braeburn could see a grin spreading across Adumbrantum's face as he stood there. "Well, defend your honor Apple."

He stared at the pony for a second longer before lowering his hat. "Mister, you're trouble. An' if there's one thing I know, is that if you can walk away from trouble with no regrets, then do it." With that said, he made his way into the aisle and walked to the front of the car.

"Aha! I knew it!" Adumbrantum shouted as Braeburn walked away. "A coward till the end, afraid of what his family thinks, and now afraid of his kingdom growing out of control. You think that you can run away from your problems? You think that you can just take time to be alone? Remember what I said, you are never alone! Just when you are most alone, you're not!" Braeburn rolled his eyes as he walked away, past the staring ponies and entering the lounge. He passed through it, dancing around the drunken ponies staggering about the car as it pitched and rolled with it's natural rhythm.

That fool, all he has is a death wish. He quickly made his way into his private cabin and locked himself in. "How dare he insult me, and my family! Small town colt... If it weren't for me, that town wouldn't even be there! I charted the land, I planted the first hundred trees! I was one of the first ones out there founding that town, and..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say next, or even why he was ranting at all.

The silence grew uncomfortable as Braeburn thought about it all. As much of the conversation as he could think of, and at the end of it all he realized something. That guy's insane. But, he knew a lot of things. He began to pace the small room as thoughts flooded his mind. I don't know much about him, but if there's one thing that I can take away from this, I think that I know what to do with my life.

He smiled at last as he realized that his mind was made up about Appleoosa, about the next step in his life, and what he was going to do when he got home. Yes, I'll prove that crazy stallion wrong, I can tough it out. Like he said, when I think I'm the most alone is when I'll find I'm not. There's friends back there that I can rely on, some family too. Yeah, I'm not alone, and I don't have to leave. I can stay in Appleoosa, and make that orchard grow into one of the biggest and best in Equestria!

He looked out the window of his cabin, and watched the fields fly by as the train rocketed towards Manehatten. A part of him knew that he'd been manipulated into his decision, but another part of him was alright with it. After all, he's never alone.

Except for right now. Right now, he was all alone, in a cabin speeding east, farther and farther away from home, and closer to relatives and sights he hadn't seen in years. A feeling of comfort fell over Braeburn as he thought about it, and he looked back at the old stallion with more respect. With everything put in perspective, it was because of him he knew just what to do, and how to do it. He smiled even as settled into the pullout bed of his cabin.

That's when something else suddenly dawned on him, about what was really just said. "When you think are most alone... you aren't." He then shuddered as the thought played through his mind, and the implementations of what it meant. Braeburn looked around suspiciously, but saw nothing, and it terrified him.

The End.

Author's Note

Adumbrantum.
Translation: Shadowing.

Shadowing
Adjective: to follow someone. Keeping close tabs on people and things.
Alt, To spy.