The Unusual Tale of a Human Thief in Equestria

The Unusual Tale of a Human Thief in Equestria

An Unlikely Hero.

Chapter 8 - Premonitions and ambushes at the Friendship Express.

"You think she's gonna let that go anytime soon?" I asked the small unicorn filly riding on my shoulders.

"Not likely." Sweetie Belle answered, "But you could make her a present! Whenever I do something that bothers her I make her a drawing or something and she forgives me."

"Yeah, I don't think Rarity would want that."

"Why not?"

"Well, one: I can't draw." I said, "And two: it would be kinda weird for a grown man to giver her a crude drawing as an apology don't you think?"

"Oh! Yeah, you're right. Guess it's cuter when her ten-year-old little sister does it." She agreed.

I mumbled in agreement and kept walking. After I left Rarity's place we realized Sweetie Belle needed a place to stay, so I volunteered to take her to the Apple's farm so she could stay there until Rarity could come back. Of course, I only did that to get away from the pissed unicorn for a while, after all, Sweetie Belle is perfectly capable of making the trip on her own.

Thankfully the train station is pretty close to the farm, so it's not like I'll be going in the complete opposite direction, so I figured I'd give Rarity some time to cool off her head.

I also brought along her bags so she didn't need to carry it to the station. A little counterproductive I know, but after insulting her twice in the same day after she went through all the trouble to waste that much making me a whole bunch of clothes for free, I just felt like not antagonizing her any further.

As we reached the Sweet Apple Acre's gates, I spotted Big Mac leaving the barn pulling a cart full of farming equipment towards one of the fields. "Hey!" I called out to him. I would wave but the filly on my shoulders and the stuff I'm carrying prevented me from doing that. "Big Mac!" I called again when the stallion didn't see me.

This time, he caught sight of me and waved back in his calm and collected demeanor, the working stallion then turned around and returned to work. I had hoped to save some time and drop Sweetie off with him but I guess doing things properly and talking with Granny Smith directly wouldn't make me miss the train.

"Okay, that's enough piggy back riding for you." I dropped the bags and grabbed Sweetie Belle setting her down in front of me when she complained I added, "What? Are you heavier than you look you know? My shoulders are sore enough already, you had your fun."

"Wow, one sister isn't enough huh? You have to call her little sister fat too?" She shot back, "You want me to let you know when Mom and Dad come back home so you can call my whole family fat?"

I ignored that and took the saddlebag I was carrying on top of one of the bags and helped the filly put it on, despite her insistence that she could do it herself. I had seen her trying to get this thing right back at Rarity's and I wasn't about to waste forty-five minutes under the hot sun while she tried to repeat the feat. "C'mon, let's see if Mrs. Smith is inside so I can dump you on her." Sweetie Belle didn't say anything, this time, instead, she opted to tick her tongue out at me and raced to the front door of the Apple's home.

Ten-year old's are ten-year old's everywhere it seems. Seeing me still halfway to the front door when she had arrived was too much for her impatient self, and the filly began jumping in circles while yelling at me to hurry up. I guess the prospect of a sleepover was too much for her to handle.

"Calm down I'm coming," I said as I caught up with her. I gave the front door a couple of knocks and dropped the bags down again, to give my arms some rest. Some seconds passed by and no response came from the other side of the door. I shot a look at Sweetie Belle, hoping she knew what to do but she only raised her eyebrow at me and shrugged.

I knocked again, this time, a little harder. Still no response.

I huffed in annoyance and knocked again, this time pretty hard. The way a drug dealer would knock on the house of a guy that owns him a lot of money. "Mrs. Smith? You there?"

This time, I heard some mumbling coming from inside, I couldn't understand it but anyone could tell there was someone really annoyed in there.

After a few seconds, the door opened, revealing a very grumpy old mare. That was Granny Smith, Applejack's grandmother and matriarch of the Apple Family. As I just pointed out, she is a very old mare, how old? Apparently as old as this town, so yeah pretty old. She is a small mare, though that might just be the age making her seem smaller, of a light green coat and a mane and tail that one day might have had some color, today it was gray and messy.

"Who are you?" She asked, annoyed.

"It's me, Mrs. Smith." I tried to remind her, "Janos, Applejack's friend? I was here just earlier this week helping Applebloom with her chores." How the hell does this woman forget me? I would be offended if that wasn't such a relief after the way the rest of the town was treating me.

"Oh! Yes, I remember, you're the strapping young fellow Applejack brought home!" Oh dear god.

"Yes, sure. Let's go with that." I said, "Look, the girls and I have to go to Canterlot for a couple of days, no doubt Applejack already spoke with you about it." I paused to let her remember what I was talking about.

She nodded in a very sage manner. "Yes I know, go ahead, don't keep me waiting its time for my nap." She said suddenly shifting her mood back to annoyed.

"Rarity wanted to know if Sweetie Belle couldn't stay here until she came back." I went straight to the point. "I know it's a bit out of the blue, but the princesses didn't really give us a lot of time to prepare."

"Oh shush, Applebloom's friends are always welcome." She dismissed my attempt at an apology, "Come in, you can leave her things in Applebloom's room."

"I'm kind of in a hurry here." I turned to Sweetie Belle and knelt down so I could be at eye to eye with her. "I'm going to go now ok? Behave yourself and please try to take it easy with the crusading all right?"

"I'll try." She answered sheepishly. "When are you going to be back?" She asked me, suddenly looking very worried.

"Your sister should be back by tomorrow or the day after that." I answered, but that wasn't what she asked me. "I might be gone a little longer but don't worry, the princess just has a little something for me to do and then I'll come back."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, of course." Her condition was simply not getting better. What was worrying her so much? Oh, of course. "Rarity told you huh?"

"Yeah, she said you have to keep her and her friends safe and that sometimes the princesses will ask you to do something dangerous, kinda like a guard."

God dammit Rarity, you know better than to go spreading that around, especially to an impressionable young filly who most likely will tell her friends at school. Though I guess I can see how she didn't want to keep secrets from her little sister, even if that information would only confuse and worry her. "Look, Sweetie, I promise I'll be back all right? So you don't worry about a thing, just have fun with Applebloom and make sure to practice hard for the Equestrian Games presentation ok?"

"If we win..." She began, "Will you come see us at the games?"

"Absolutely, wouldn't dream of missing it. Don't know if I can make it to the try outs but I will definitely be there when you guys carry Ponyville's flag to the field."

"Remember! you promised!" She lightened up and gave me a tight hug before sprinting inside. "Bye Janos!"

"Bye kid!" I got up and turned to Granny Smith again. "I should be on my way."

She gave me a warm smile, nodded and closed the door.

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"Jay Jay! You're here!" A mass of pink tackled me from my left just as soon as I stepped into the train station, causing to drop the two cases I was carrying. I hit the floor with a pony latched onto my torso in what she probably thought was a caring hug but to me was more like an attempt to crush every rib in my chest at once. Trust me, I know how that feels.

"Pinkie Pie..." I breathed out, pushing through the pain of my collapsing rib cage.

"Pinkie Pie would you let the poor stallion go?" Applejack's sweet country voice came to my rescue from somewhere outside the mass of pink hair obscuring my vision. "Ah swear you gonna get somepony killed one of these days." I tried to ignore the ladylike giggles that no doubt came from Rarity as she enjoyed my suffering.

"Okay!" Pinkie Pie answered, getting up with surprising speed. "Hi, Jay Jay!"

"Hi, Pinkie Pie," I answered.

"Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy's voice ringed in my ears, letting me know that she and Rainbow had just arrived as well. "Janos! Are you ok?"

A yellow hoof got my arm and helped me up, then Fluttershy helped dust me off. "Pinkie Pie, I told you to be careful with him, his arm just healed! Do you want Janos to get hurt again?"

"Fluttershy relax, I'm not made of paper," I said.

"Yeah, you do realize the Princess didn't call him for a cup of tea right?" Rainbow said, agreeing with me. "He better be able to handle a hug otherwise we might not be have been so lucky in the bodyguard department."

"All the more reason we should be careful Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy argued. "This will be dangerous enough without Janos being hurt right from the start. What with all the monsters and bad ponies the Princess might want him to go after..." And as she spoke, the yellow pegasus got more and more worried about my continued safety, until her wing was protectively wrapped around me, squeezing me tight.

"Ahem." Applejack cleared her throat, snapping Fluttershy out of it. "Sugarcube? You might wanna... You know?." She motioned for me with her head.

Fluttershy followed her wing all the way to me and after blushing heavily the way she does whenever she does something even remotely awkward, she hastily removed her wing and took a few steps from me, muttering an apology beneath her mane while Rainbow and Pinkie snickered to the side.

"But Fluttershy does raise a valid point there." The country mare spoke again, "You should be careful Janos, who knows what the Princess wants with you."

"When have I not?" I asked her, but all she did was raise an eyebrow at me. "C'mon I'll be fine."

I quickly took to picking up the stuff that fell from Rarity's bag and putting it all back in place, while the girls talked among themselves awaiting Twilight I made myself busy hoping to avoid making Rarity any more mad at me. I mean it's all fun and games until I get a sewing needle in my good eye, you gotta know when to stop with these things.

"Sorry girls, I had to get some things done at the library." Twilight arrived just in time as the train was breaking to a stop in the station.

"You mean I had to get some things done." Spike corrected, dryly.

"I had work to finish Spike, stop complaining you can sleep on the train." The Princess replied angrily. Apparently, this was not an argument they had just begun.

"Hey, Spike." I greeted the dragon with a fist bump to which he reciprocated.

"Hey, Janos." He said. "Here's your stuff." He handed me my backpack which I promptly put on.

"Thanks, buddy."

"So shall we be going?" Rarity asked the group as the train came to a full stop. "We can continue chatting inside after all."

"What's up with Rares?" Rainbow asked me discreetly. I merely shrugged, picked up mine and Rarity's stuff and followed the pissed unicorn inside.

With everyone following behind me, we boarded the train, picked some seats up and got ready for the three-hour ride to Canterlot. I set Rarity's things up in the railing above the seats and, seeing as no else packed anything aside from saddlebags, sat down next to Fluttershy, getting myself comfortable.

Rainbow Dash laid down taking the entire seat next to us for herself, resting her head on her hooves and promptly falling asleep. Rarity sat down opposite to me with Spike who was wasting his time telling her all about his day while she stared daggers at me. Applejack and Twilight sat next to them, and being observant as ever Applejack noticed the look Rarity was giving me. Pinkie Pie sat down on the ground next to me, not wanting to be too far from her friends.

"So, what's up between you two?" Applejack asked me once we were all settled in.

"What are you talking about?" I asked her back, "You two who?" I feigned ignorance, hoping the cowgirl would drop the subject.

"You and Rarity silly!" Pinkie Pie answered for her friend. "She's been giving you looks like when a married couple has a fight but doesn't wanna keep it going in front of their friends, so the wife keeps giving the husband these looks so he knows she's still mad at him and them they fight some more but this time it's in front of his friends and-." Luckily she was interrupted by Applejack.

"Thank you sugar cube, but Ah think he got it."

Rarity huffed loudly and raised her nose at that. "Me? Married to that big oaf?" She asked, rhetorically. "Not in a million years."

"Jeez, what did you do to get her all worked up?" Applejack asked me.

"I made a joke and Rarity's not handling that very well."

"You called me fat!" Rarity yelled, "How else do you expect me to handle that?!"

"Technically I said you needed the exercise." I answered, "I could have been just implying that you're weak and need to work out a little more." Rarity just huffed and averted her eyes to the window, she didn't want to dignify that with a response, and honestly? Who can blame her?

"You called Rarity fat?" Applejack gasped in surprise, "How in darnation are you still alive?"

"Sweetie Belle was there." I explained, "Rarity wouldn't commit cold blooded murder with her little sister watching."

"Ooooh, crafty." Pinkie Pie gasped.

"He even refused to help me with my luggage! What kind of gentlecolt forces a lady to carry such weight?" Rarity continued ranting. "looks like I misjudged you after all." Apparently, she needed to vent a little. "I guess there are some stallions out there who do not know better than to mock a mare's opinions and are not familiar with the basics of good manners. Unfortunately, some people simply do not know better."

Oh, that did it.

"First of all I did help you, last I checked you didn't carry a thing here except your massive ego," I replied, the room fell silent and even Twilight, who up until now was stuffing her face in three different books, had turned to see what was going on. "And second, the only reason you had so much weight was because you were incapable of practicing a little self-control and decided to bring your whole bloody wardrobe in what would be a two-day trip at best."

She tried to reply but I cut her off. "But I don't blame you. After all, when you only need to bat an eyelash to have some poor desperate sod as your little servant it is easy to forget the world doesn't revolve around you. So just take that as a reminder, that there are some guys out there who would not take kindly to that blatant attempt at manipulation, hell they would even be a little offended by that." She was speechless, as was most of the ponies around me, with the exception of Rainbow Dash who had the biggest grin I've ever seen on her face. "I'm sorry about what I said back at the restaurant and the fat thing, it was uncalled for and I did not mean to hurt your feelings but do not to dare pretend you are the saint little thing you are making yourself out to be. At the moment, Rarity, you are being nothing more than a spoiled brat." I looked around and got up, I needed to cool down, I needed to not be around her right now.

"I'm gonna go secure the perimeter or some bullshit."

I quickly got up, grabbed my rifle and rushed out of the wagon.

God dammit I did it again. Why can't I keep my freaking mouth shut?! I know how these things work, confrontation will only make things worse, the best course of action is to let both parties cool down and then apologize and work it out. Hopefully, the other side will do the same, even if they don't then at least I was the bigger man and put an end to the pointless bickering.

I shook it off and started to move on since I'm here, I might as well take a look around, better to make sure there isn't anyone suspicious aboard, and if there is I need to know about it. The train hadn't left yet, so most of the ponies aboard were either new passengers getting their stuff sorted out, or people who had arrived with the train waiting for it to continue on its way. Everyone whose destination was Ponyville had pretty much left already.

As I walked through the wagons ignoring the occasional stares and gasps of surprise that some of the passengers let out, (mostly the ones from outside of Ponyville.) There is definitely something going on in my head, maybe I should talk to someone about it. I mean, I definitely should talk to someone about it, between the mood swings and the random weirdness going on with my head lately I really should have talked to someone. Guess I'm just scared of what it could mean, I don't know how much more bad news I can handle before I break. But they are supposed to be my friends right? If there's anyone I could depend on it should be them, right?

Whoa! Almost had a moment of personal growth there. Dodged that bullet!

As I passed through the second wagon, I noticed an older mare having some trouble with her luggage. She was a light blue Unicorn with a gray mane wrapped in a bun and a short tail. I couldn't see her cutie mark, partially because she was wearing a simple white dress, but mostly because I avoid that particular area of a pony's body when looking at them.

She was trying to levitate her bag to the overhead compartment but was struggling with it. I walked up to her and said hello.

"Hi, need some help your bag ma'am?" I asked her.

She turned around looking spent but wearing a friendly smile. "Oh thank you, my dear, that's very sweet of you." For a moment I was surprised at how well she took my appearance but when I saw her eyes I understood her lack of reaction. They were unfocused and staring at nowhere, the classic signs of blindness. No wonder she was having trouble with her bag.

She dropped her bag next to her gently and, feeling for the seat with a hoof, sat down. I picked up the bag and placed it in the compartment without any trouble. "There you go," I said to let her know I was done. "Can I help you anything else?"

"Oh no, it's quite alright dear." She replied, staring dead ahead. "Why don't you sit down with me for a moment? I asked for some tea a while ago and it should be coming any moment now."

"I don't want to be any trouble ma'am." I refused politely, "I really should get going."

"It's no trouble at all dear, just my way to thank you for your kindness."

I hesitated for a moment but in the end, decided to take her offer. I could use something to relax after all. "Sure, why not." I sat down beside her and placed my rifle on the seat in front of us. "I'm Janos by the way."

"Crystal Ball." She said in response. "So tell me, Janos, what brings you to Equestria?"

I blinked in surprise. How the hell does that woman know I'm not from around here? Do I have an accent? I don't think so, the only pony I know who sounded any different was Applejack, most of the Ponyville spoke with the same accent I did, as far as I knew. "How do you-" But she interrupted me.

"Please dear, I'm blind not stupid." She laughed, "You didn't use magic to lift my bags so you can't be a unicorn, I could hear no wings flapping so you can't be a pegasus and if you had simply balanced my bag on your front hooves I would have heard them hitting the ground once you were done." Huh, guess when you put it that way it makes sense. "And, going by how the whole wagon quieted down when you entered, I would guess you're quite a unique looking creature." She finished.

"Looks like I underestimated you," I said.

"Yes, you did." She agreed with a proud smile. "So what brings you here?"

"Nothing, in particular, you could say I just ended up in Ponyville." I answered her, "But if you want to know why I'm going to Canterlot then I'm afraid this is all purely work related."

"Ah, a traveler then?"

"You could say that." I smiled.

"Done that for a long time in my youth." She mentioned, "Nothing better than packing your things, strapping a wagon to your back and setting out for the unknown."

"Really? You some kind of traveling performer?" I joked, but her expression suddenly turned very serious.

"Not anymore." She said grimly. "Not for a very long time indeed."

"Sorry to hear that, sounds like you're not enjoying your retirement that much."

"It's just not in my blood I suppose. Settling down I mean." She quickly explained. "A gypsy's true home is on the road."

There's Gypsies here? Huh, go figure.

"Everyone gotta stop some day." I reasoned. "Can't stay on the road forever."

"Nah." She dismissed me, "Stopping is for the dead my dear, the living must go on. Life is too short to spend it all in one place doing only one thing."

"I guess you're right." I agreed with her, partly because I could see her point but also because there is no point in arguing with old people. "So, what exactly did you perform Ms. Crystal?" Though I already had a pretty good idea what the answer was.

"Please Janos, just Crystal will do fine." She waved off the courtesies and continued, "I was a clairvoyant, isn't it obvious?"

"I didn't want to assume. So can you tell me my future?"

"I wish I could dear, but that gift has left me a long time ago." She answered, once again taking on that grim and dark expression. "There is a price for seeing more than any pony should, my colt."

Wow, that's pretty harsh. Guess magic isn't as nice as I thought it was. If that was me, I would have a lot of trouble seeing such a thing as anything more than a curse. Then again, I do have a curse of my own.

I looked down at my wrist, pulled the sleeve down and stared at the mark branded on it. The Mark of Harmony. Everyone keeps telling me what an honor it is to be branded with it, but the only see it as a curse. As long as this thing is with me I have absolutely no hope of ever going home. It shackles me to a job I didn't ask for. A responsibility I'm not ready for. A responsibility I shouldn't be entrusted with. Not after what happened.

And for a moment it almost feels like I'm back there. The cold, frigid rain stabbing my face like shards of glass. The warm blood dripping from what used to be my eye. The smell of smoke and gunpowder filling my nose.

The warm blood staining my hands.

Her blood.

"Janos, dear? Something the matter?" Crystal voice pulled me away from my memories. To my great relief, I never want to go back there again. "It seems like I'm not the only one with something on my mind." She said, reading me like an open book. Pretty impressive feat for a blind mare too. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I.." I started speaking but didn't know what else to say. Did I? Should I share something like that with a complete stranger? I guess that's the best kind of person to share that with when I think about it. "I'm just struggling with something I guess."

"Hmm?" She made what I could only describe as a polite humming sound, something to let me know I could go on without fear.

"This job I've taken up." I began, "I don't know if I'm up to it."

"Then why did you take it?"

"Because I didn't really have another choice." She nodded, once again signaling me to go on. "I didn't come here because I wanted to. You see, I was brought here without my consent and through a chain of events that I'm not at liberty to divulge. I ended up 'shackled' to these mares. I can't go back home because if I do the shackle will only bring me back here, not to mention the fact that no one knows where my home is so I can't exactly walk back there."

"And these mares. Are they the ones who shackled you to them?"

"No, in fact, they have as much choice as I do in this matter. The only difference is that they see this as some sort of blessing or gift. Like it's an honor to be chosen to do this."

"And for you, it's no more than a curse, I see." She finished for me. "And this job, what is it exactly?"

"Keeping them safe," I answered. "But I don't know if I'm the right guy for the job."

"And why not? Whatever entity chose you seems to believe you are the right stallion." Crystal argued. "I understand you are not very willing to trust it, but whatever it is that chose you must have seen something in you."

I chuckled a bit, she couldn't understand how backward this whole situation was. Choosing a thief to be a guardian. A hero.

"I'm not a good guy Crystal, I'm not the kind of person you hire to protect something."

"Then what kind of person are you Janos?"

I almost told her I was the bad guy here. I almost told her I was the kind of person you hire if you want something and don't really care who gets hurt along the way. But for once, I settled for the truth. "I honestly couldn't tell you."

"At least you're honest." Crystal chuckled a bit, opened her mouth to speak but immediately closed it. Then she sat there, pondering something. And I sat beside her doing the same thing.

"It doesn't feel like that's all dear." She finally spoke again.

I was about to speak when the train started moving, the locomotive slowly picked up speed and a voice on the intercom announced: "Next stop: Canterlot City. Next stop: Canterlot City."

"I couldn't-" But I was once again interrupted when a young filly, a teen of sixteen or seventeen years by my guess, stepped in front of us looking rather peeved.

"Grandmother!" She yelled, "Where the hay have you been? I leave you for two minutes and you pick a completely different seat?" The young filly sounded out of breath and a little scared. Seemed like she had been running around the whole day.

"This seat felt better." Her grandmother answered with a sweet smile. "Far Sight, meet Janos." She motioned for me and then for her granddaughter, "This kind young stallion has been keeping this old mare some company."

"Nice to meet you." I forced a smile, but Far Sight didn't seem to notice. She was a pretty young thing, she shared her grandmother's light blue coat but her mane was bright pink giving which served as a nice contrast to her coat. She was unicorn as well and her cutie mark was a crystal ball with a single eye shining inside of it.

"Hi,but" She greeted me, not even bothering to look at me while doing so. "Grandmother you scared me to death! What was I supposed to say to mom if I lost you on the train home?"

"That I was back where I belong." The old mare shot back, "On the road, living my life, not dying on a bed."

"Enough with the drama Grandma!"

Eeyup, that's my cue. "Crystal, thanks a lot for the talk, I needed to get this off my chest, but I think I should be going now." I tried to get up but Crystal held my arm and pushed me down.

"Nonsense dear, you asked for a premonition and while I, myself, cannot give you one. My granddaughter most certainly can." Even if she had so much confidence in her grand-kid, it was pretty clear by the look of sheer terror on Far Sight's face that the young filly did not share her grandmother's feelings.

"Grandma Crystal you know I can't-" But whatever it was she was going to say I will never know. Crystal Ball shushed her granddaughter and told her to sit down next to her, motioning for me to take the seat opposite to them. "You know I don't like to-" The young filly protested, but quickly fell silent.

I don't know if I was afraid to go against the wishes of the old mare or if my curiosity got the better of me, so I obeyed and moved to the other seat.

I got up to let Far Sight sit down and the reality of what she was seeing finally hit her. As I dwarfed her by a couple of heads she stood there gawking at me, "Human, not offended, very far away." I said in a monotone as I picked my rifle off my seat and placed it on my lap.

Crystal chuckled and Far Sight simply shook her head to recover from the shock and sat down obediently. By her change of attitude, I could see she knew there was no use arguing at this point.

"Good.' Crystal praised us, "Now Janos hold my granddaughter's hooves on your own."

I did as she instructed and extended my hands towards the uncomfortable teenager she placed her hooves on my hands and I gave her an apologetic look. This wasn't my idea, I tried to tell her.

"Now Sight, do as I taught you. True premonition comes from within, not from within you but from him. Your talent is to see the paths written on his very magic not chanting nonsense and staring at nothing."

"You telling me my future is written in my magic?" I asked.

"In a way yes."

"You mean fate? My fate is set in stone or magic?"

"Of course not that's ridiculous! Only the path you're on right now." Crystal explained. "That can always change."

"I'm not sure that makes sense."

"Of course it does. How do you think our magic knows what our special talent is? Magic knows you young colt. But it can only know so much. Ultimately the choice is always yours to make. It's not the cutie mark that defines the pony it's the pony that defines the cutie mark. Magic will only tell you what you need to know to make your own choices, in the end, your fate is yours to carve."

That's certainly a different way to look at things. Definitely different than how the books and papers at Twilight's library talked about it. They had a much more fatalist point of view.

"But enough about that, Far Sight needs to focus." Crystal shut me up and proceeded to giver her granddaughter more advice that I could not understand and decided to ignore in order to no have to urge to ask any more questions.

Suddenly the filly's horn began to glow a fain yellow glow. I could feel a heat rising in my chest. A presence looming over my head. Strands of magic left Far Sight's horn and converged at the mark in my hand. They moved around, going up my arm towards my shoulder and down to my hand.

The magic tickled my skin, making my hairs stand up. Then she slowly opened her eyes. And staring at nothing she began to speak.

"I can see a crow, flying, it looks scared, desperate almost as if it's fleeing from something...No! It's chasing something, it's chasing a white dove, she's beautiful." I couldn't believe what I was seeing, Far Sight was no longer standing there in front of me. Instead, there was a light yellow mist, like a cloud of pure energy in the shape of a pony, it's mouth was moving together with Far Sight's voice but it couldn't be her.

I looked at Crystal Ball and she looked the same, a mist of light blue energy holding the shape of the old mare. All around me on the train were the misty representation of the different ponies that were sitting there a minute ago. There was something strange. Something alien to them.

Red, blue, green... All colors and shades standing out against the gray world around them as if they had drained the color from it. Some of the unicorns I could see had strands of magic leaving their horns, connected to objects or other ponies. One of the ponies even had a different colored mist mixed up with the main shade where her bellies were supposed to be, she was a mare and she was rubbing her stomach in a tender loving manner. Something was off.

I turned back to Far Sight and her eyes were now the brightest thing I had ever seen. Like two lighthouses focused on me, seeing through me. Those were not the eyes of a pony.

"They are flying in a dense and dark forest full of thorns and vines that try to grab and slash at them. The dove is flying gracefully through it all, as if she doesn't even notice the danger, but every time the vines get close to her, the crow throws himself at it, clawing and pecking the attacker with all his might. He is fending them off, but every time he defends the dove he acquires a new wound."

Holy shit. This is isn't happening. What are these things? These are no ponies. Where are the ponies?

"They are flying up now, towards the sun. But the trees don't want to let them go, they close in trying o catch them in their branches but the dove is too nimble for their clumsy efforts and the crow too fierce and wild for them to hold. So they break the tree line and greet the sun but while it's light feels warm and gentle to the dove, the crow burns under it. The sun forces the crow back down into the forest but he doesn't give up, he keeps trying to follow the dove. But the crow is too weak, his wounds weigh him down and the light is too powerful."

"He falls to the trees, to the darkness below." They took the ponies.

The light from her eyes vanishes and the thing that looks like Far Sight looks at me confused. "Mister?" She says. "Are you alright?"

"First timers..." The creature with Crystal Ball's voice says, shaking her head.

"I... I got to go." I clumsily get up, clutching my rifle close to my chest. I hear the two ponies getting up behind me and following me, yelling at me to sit down and drink something. I didn't even see the tea being served.

At that moment nothing mattered, the world was going insane around. the mist ponies were closing in on me. They wanted me to believe they were real ponies. But they couldn't be, ponies were made of fur and flesh, not mist and gas. One of them, a red big one, tried to hold me down. I punched him in the throat and he fell to the ground, another one took his place by grabbing my arm, I twisted his leg until I heard the crack of broken bone and let him go.

The one with a mist of a different color in her stomach was cowering in a corner, clutching her belly desperately. It almost fooled me.

"Who else wants to have a go at me?!' I shouted angrily to the crowd ahead of me. They all stopped dead in their tracks. "That's what I fucking thought!"

"Janos calm down." The thing pretending to be Crystal pleaded, standing in my way. "You're not thinking straight."

"You come to a step closer and I blow your fucking brains out!" I threatened the creature, pointing my rifle at its head. "Stay the fuck away from me! All of you! Whoever you are! I don't know what you want but you are not getting it, you fuckers!"

"Somepony get the Princess." One of them yelled. They wanted Twilight. They wanted the elements.

I leaped at the first pony to make move towards the door, but never managed to reach him

Dozens of strands rose from the group of fog ponies. They were made of the same mist-like substance, the fake ponies were composed off. They grabbed me, ripped the rifle from my hands. I pulled the trigger by instinct but the safety was on. Stupid! Always check the safety, independent of whether or not you intend to fire your gun.

Their fog chains wrapped around my arms and waist. One was on my leg and forced me to kneel, another grabbed my neck, trying to render me helpless. The ones on my arms pulled them away from me, extending my arms beside me. they had gotten me.

I could feel them. Snaking their way across my arms and legs, tightening around my throat. They are too close to me. Too fucking close to me! I can feel the heat coming from their bodies. I can feel the power dancing inside the mist and fog that they were made of. There was so much of it. Right there.

Right in front of me, taunting me. I felt like I could simply reach out and take it. Use it against them. Give them a taste of their own medicine.

But before I could make another move, the crowd between me and the door parted in the middle. In the end of the corridor stood six new fog ponies. And I knew I had failed. They had taken the elements from me.

A magenta fog pony, a pink one, a blue one, an orange one, a red one and a purple one. They had gotten to them. To the elements. My responsibility. I had failed again, just like I failed her, my only family.

I couldn't take it, the grief, the pain, the pounding of drums inside my head. The strands of fire tightening around my neck and arms. I yelled.

I howled in pain and anger.

"Janos?!" The pink impostor stepped forward, she looked like Fluttershy. But I knew she wasn't her. "Janos whats going on?" It asked me.

"Stay away." I could only muster enough strength to whisper.

"Janos please tell us what's going on." The one pretending to be Twilight asked me.

"He doesn't know Your Highness." The fake Crystal explained. "He couldn't tell you even if he wanted."

"My guess is he isn't recognizing us." It continued.

"Let me cast a basic diagnostic spell. Hopefully, I'll see what's wrong." The Twilight pretender said. "Fluttershy step away, we don't know what he's capable off right now."

The fake Fluttershy was good. Almost made me believe she felt sorry for me, almost made me believe that the moment of hesitation before stepping away was anything but a lie.

I had to get out. I had to free myself. The magenta strand was creeping closer and closer to me. I knew that was no diagnostic spell. That thing was death.

So I followed my instincts. I reached out to the strands of fog that were holding me down. I let them in. I took them for my own. The power in them rushed inside me. I had never felt so good in my entire life. I had never felt so powerful.

Shocked, the fog ponies that were holding me down let go of me. But I had taken enough. With a flick of my wrist, the fog ponies surrounding me have pushed away with a blast of hot air. But the ones pretending to be the elements protected themselves inside a shield of magenta mist.

The pretender shot her strand of magic at me again, this time much faster. But not fast enough.

I swiftly caught the strand inches away from my chest. "You think you can fuck me like that?! You think you can take the elements and I would just stand here and watch? You think you can kill me you fucking phonies fucks?!" I yelled and screamed. Rage was burning in my chest. A thirst for power was rising in my stomach and I had just gotten hold of the biggest source of it in the train. I began to drain the bastard. I would suck every last bit of magic out of them until they told me what happened to the elements.

The magenta one fell to her knees, and her 'friends' rushed to his aid. I laughed.

"Let's see how you manage without-"

A flash of red. What felt like a truck hit me in the chest. I fell to the ground and then nothing.