Black Knight

"Do I have to go?" Flurry Heart shuffled on her hooves uncomfortably.

"Yes, you have to go." Cadence rolled her eyes in amusement.

"But why?"

"Because, when I had a lot of doubts about myself, and specifically my destiny, no one helped me better than Aunt Celestia."

"I don't have any issue working out what my destiny is!" Flurry pouted.

"Yes, and because of that, you lock yourself in your room and avoid all contact with other ponies." Cadence frowned.

"Mom, I am a natural disaster!"

"Yes, I know you believe you're a natural-"

"You named me after a natural disaster!"

"I named you after a event that brought us all closer."

"A disaster that I caused!"

"Then it wouldn't be a natural disaster now would it?" Cadence smirked.

Flurry stopped to consider that logic.

"Look, you only have to stay there for a week." Cadence put a comforting wing around her daughter. "Or longer, if you find yourself enjoying her company, or possibly, learning something."

"Mom, I'm probably going to cause a trainwreck on the ride over."

"Sweetheart, if you cause a train-wreck, I'll work on getting you that little brother you always wanted." Cadence sang.

"Mom, if I actually cause a train-wreck, you'll probably have to get me that little brother I always wanted just so you could have an heir to the throne." Flurry sang back.

"You're only 9, when did you get so sassy?"

"At 9, obviously." Flurry mono-toned.

Cadence her gave daughter a stern frown.

"Sorry," Flurry mumbled.

"Look, just because you've been..." Cadence paused.

"Causing disasters."

"In a few unfortunate accidents," Cadence once again gave her a stern look. "doesn't mean your destiny is to cause disasters."

"Mom, you named me after the blizzard that almost killed you."

"Sweetheart, Flurry Heart is a beautiful name, and I don't regret it in the slightest!" Cadence said with cheer.

"Well that makes one of us at least."

Before Cadence could scold her daughter, her husband opened the bedroom door.

"Hey, how are my two favorite ladies?"

"Great!" Cadence smiled.

"Great." Flurry snarked.

"Is she still upset?" Shining asked.

"She is, I just don't know why she's so afraid to ride the train, she's never had issues with the train before." Cadence sighed.

"Oh cool, just talk to each other like I'm not here." Flurry rolled her eyes.

"First off, don't talk to your parents that way," Shining scolded her, "second, Flurry, why are you so afraid of taking the train?"

"Because there's going to be a train-wreck!" Flurry pouted.

Flurry stared in her parents eyes with a pleading look on her face.

"Mom, Dad, I'm serious. I know something's gonna happen. I always do, I can feel it!"

"Yes, just like the time you were sure the Crystal Heart was going to be stolen?" Cadence raised an eyebrow.

"Mom! I stayed up all night near that thing to prevent that! I knew something was going to happen, I swear!"

"Flurry, listen to me." Shining cooed.

Flurry stared at her hooves, refusing to look up.

"I get a bit nervous sometimes too sweetie, with all the things that happened."

"Shiny!" Cadence whined.

"Hey, let me finish." Shining trotted over to Flurry and laid a hoof on her shoulder. "Flurry, I know your nervous about the train, and with everything that's happened to you, I don't blame you. I'd be a nervous wreck too. Heck, as your Father, I already kinda am a nervous wreck about it."

"Shining, I am not seeing how this is filling her with confidence."

"I put ten of my best guards on the train to accompany you," Shining continued, "and, I had the train checked over three times yesterday just to make sure nothing was wrong with it. I promise Flurry, nothing's gonna happen to you."

"You promise?" Flurry said in a small, meek tone.

"I promise." Shining nuzzled her.

Flurry was pensive. She nervously watched a chef bring in a cart of pastries. The train ride was going smoothly, inside a (steel plated) compartment, Flurry Heart as safe as she could be in the train. The ten guards Shining sent with her weren't the best, but she quickly understood why he picked them. All ten of them were fully alert. Not once did anypony yawn, or scratch an itch, or make small talk. All of them were watching everything around them, and one of them had their eyes glued on her. Despite all this, Flurry was still scared.

She pulled her black leather jacket tighter around her. Ponies are omnivorous to a degree, but many had the mindset of a judgemental herbivore. Although their species can easily digest small frogs and bugs, unicorns usually took it out of their diet completely due to negative stigma. Earth ponies and pegasi were less picky, usually having jobs that required to frequently be on the road or do heavy manual labor. Still, even those ponies were uncomfortable with the idea of wearing leather. Flurry couldn't care less, she would wear armor everywhere if her parents would let her. It was one of the few pieces of clothing that actually functioned as armor, and that was more important to her than the comfort of other ponies.

She absentmindedly rubbed the handle of the knife in her pocket. She stole that knife, it was the only thing she had ever stolen. A Royal Guard Survival Knife. Something she kept sharpened, hidden, and always on hoof. Flurry didn't really have any friends, but as far as she was concerned, that knife was her best friend. She had never used it, she didn't even know if she had the courage to. She clutched the knife closer as she did another sweep of her surroundings. It wasn't herself she was worried about.

This train was full of fat, unresponsive civilians.

"How much longer till we get there?" She asked.

"We're almost at the three-way train-track between the Crystal Empire, Vanhoover, and Canterlot," answered the guard who watched the left window.

Flurry shuddered, only halfway there. The track ran right between Galloping Gorge's forest and the Unicorn Range. Dangerous beasts lived in both places, because dangerous beasts lived everywhere practically, much to her dismay. She couldn't fathom why not one, but two towns were built next to dangerous forests. At least Ponyville had Aunt Twilight living in it. She had no clue what Galloping Gorge did to keep itself safe.

I hate Equestria. Flurry suppressed an eye twitch. I hate how dangerous this world is. I hate how nopony cares. I hate how my parents don't care. How Aunt Luna and Celestia and Twilight don't care. Happy go lucky idiots. Anything could happen at any mome-

A large shockwave ran throughout the train, knocking Flurry's head into her seat. She watched in horror as the front of the compartment bent in towards her. The guard who kept his eye on her quickly grabbed her and-

Flurry's body ached all over. A horrific smell filled the room.

She coughed, trying to clear out her throat. Rubbing her eyes, she... saw nothing but darkness. The whole compartment was pitch black. Something sticky was poured all over her stomach. Groaning, she tried to push whatever (presumably the pastry cart) was on top of her off, but it seemed she was squished between it and a wall. Wiggling about, she manage to push her way up, or at least she thought it was up, gravity was fighting against her at least. She stumbled around in the dark bumping into squishy and dark things until she became sticky all over. She felt something similar to the door. Flurry growled in frustration as it didn't open, and started pounding against it.

"Hello, is anypony there?" She called out.

No response.

Sighing, Flurry starting feeling around the room again, gasping as she stepped on glass occasionally, until she found... What is this? Flurry thought. She brought a small amount to mouth, it tasted like dirt. The train was knocked on its side! Dirt pushed the window inward and it broke, that's why I can't see anything!

Flurry started digging down into the dirt. After making a little distance, she turned 90 degrees up, and tried to dig about three feet in that direction. Her hooves were cut and sore at this point, but fear pushed her onward. Please, please just let me get out of here... She turned one more time, going completely up now. Flurry really hoped that going against gravity would lead to the outside of the train. She almost cried in relief when she saw light. Flurry poked her head out of the ground.

And came face first with a pony's head laying on the ground, the left half of it ripped off.

"Haa aa aaa... ahh..."

Flurry recoiled and fell back into the hole. Shivering, she stared at her hooves.

Her red hooves.

Her red, sticky hooves.

"Aaa, aa, aaah... aaa..."

Tears started to form in Flurry's eyes as she whimpered.

"I- I..."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."