Chapter 1: A Dangerous Game
Fluttershy stood outside her door gazing into the dark abyss of the Everfree Forest. Two identical lanterns swung lazily over her head in the sweet night breeze. She meticulously scanned the path leading towards Ponyville for any traces of movement. The sun had long since set over Equestria, leaving the earth to be caressed by the pale beams of the moon. How it danced and flitted a top the water of the stream cutting before her house, or the way it outlined the silhouettes of the leafy trees. Fluttershy didn’t notice these things, for nights weren’t the same for her anymore. The soft whisper of the night breeze sounded more like the roar of a hurricane to her. The soft light of the moon seemed to shine down upon her with the intensity of a million suns. She was playing a very dangerous game, one with serious consequences for failure.
*clank* Fluttershy jumped at the obtrusive sound that dared disturb such a peaceful night. Hurriedly she scanned around in hopes that no one had figured her out. Was the guard here to take her away? Had somepony told them what she was doing? *clank* The sound came from overhead. This time she looked up to discover it was only the lanterns knocking into each other. Fluttershy thought of separating them a bit more, but then reminded herself about the strict directions about signals she had to follow.
It had been over a month and a half since she first participated in it, and still the same constricting fear she first had was still evident. She breathed softly, afraid that even her gentle inhales would awaken the town she lived so far away from. Steeling herself for the umpteenth time that night she turned around to head back inside her dimly lit cottage. As much as she was fearful of the dangerous game she played, she knew this was the right thing to do. She played a vital role in it, nopony else was in such a strategically well placed position as she.
Heading back inside she took a faint whiff of her abode. The smell of nature, the smell of her cute little animal friends safely snoring in their snug little beds enlightened her senses. It was all familiar to her, a reminder of her life only a few short lunar cycles ago. In a way it was still her life, during the day that was. Could a cover up even be considered a life? She still cared for her animals, they were the world to her, but right now there were much more pressing matters. She was part of something bigger, the fate of Equestria, and as much as she denied it she played an important role.
Chancing one last glance out her front door she was surprised to spy a rustling in the bushes near the dirt path running up to her home. Her eyes bulged and her heart rate soared as she quickly turned around and stood inside her door frame. There it was again, that tight constricting fear prevalent in her chest, all she could do now was painstakingly wait for a signal.
*Clop Clop Clop-clop Clop*
(Shave and a haircut)
An immense wave of relief washed over Fluttershy as she stomped the last motif to the jingle. Peering more intensely at the bush she realized that half of it was actually a mane, a very frizzy poofy one at that. Sure enough Pinkie Pie crept out of her cover, motioning towards something behind her. Cleverly disguised by Luna’s pallid moonlight, the shockingly heart racing bright pink that was Pinkie’s mane seemed to melt into the dark muted silhouettes of the forest brush.
Pinkie didn’t look at all nervous, not even when they first started this business did she appear in anyway shape or form anxious. In fact she seemed to be having a hard time containing her excitement, for behind her crawled two humans, a man and a woman clutching a bundle of blankets in her arms. Fluttershy could see the fear in their eyes, and she sympathized with them; If they were to be caught her punishment would not be as bad as theirs. Turning around Pinkie Pie signaled for them to follow. Stealthily hopping along she bounded towards Fluttershy’s cottage with the two scurrying humans in tow.
Pinkie excitedly bounced up to Fluttershy, eye’s shining with the reflection of the moon. “Got em here safe and sound!” She whispered in an ecstatic tone. “It took most of the night but we didn’t disturb a single thing! Smooth sailing to here from the farm!”
That was a relief for Fluttershy, luckily very little escaped Pinkie Pie’s astoundingly hyperactive gaze. She would have known if somepony was following them. Fluttershy gently motioned for the humans to enter her house. The woman did so, but the man stayed and turned back to Pinkie Pie. He dropped down to one knee and took her hoof in his hands.
“Thank you, thank you so much for all you’ve done for me and mah family, Miss Pie. And I know it goes against all your upbringings to help someone like me. But maybe me and my family can finally have a future together.” He dared not look her in the eye for old habits die hard. Fluttershy was inspired by it. This was why she did this, for hope; hope of a better future of equality. And with that the man gently kissed the pink ponies hoof and tipped his pathetic excuse for a straw hat.
“Heehee, if only half the colts I knew were as gentle as you!” She teased back. Then her face softened as she spoke to him, not as a master, but as an equal. “This isn’t goodbye, you better be sure to come back with your whole family when this is all over! I’ll throw the biggest welcome back party this side of Maressissippi! Oh there’ll be streamers everywhere and a giant central cake, and we should hold it outside in Ponyville Square and –“ She was interrupted by a rather impatient cough from Fluttershy, a rather bold move in the company of strangers. “Oh right, time constraints, sorry.” She looked back up at the now standing man, he stood around a foot and a half taller than most ponies. His dark chestnut eyes shined with a new passion, a startling contrast to his otherwise dirty rugged features. He crept back towards his wife with a gentle smile.
Finally it was Fluttershy’s turn to speak up, this was touching and all but the longer this took the more danger it presented. “You know Applejack won’t like this one bit?” Fluttershy whispered to Pinkie.
“Oh she definitely won’t! Serves her right though, for being a meanie pants!”
“Oh… well I’m just worried about the others, you know her, she’s going to work them harder now.”
Pinkie scrunched up her face in thought; this was obviously something she had not expected. Suddenly her face brightened up as the proverbial light bulb lit up in a very audible ding. “I know just the thing, don’t worry! Twilight and I can go help her out tomorrow at the farm!” Fluttershy shot Pinkie a skeptical look, how she was going to get Twilight to help with manual labor she had no idea, but leave it to Pinkie to make the impossible possible.
“Well, all right then, Umm… thanks for getting them here safe, I’ll uhh… take over now.” Fluttershy put on her most disarming smile, why she still acted this way towards friends not even I know.
Grinning from ear to ear Pinkie Pie bounded down the path with the stealth of a prowling cat, “Okey dokey lokey, swing by my place tomorrow! Luna just sent us a message that I think you should read!” Pinkie exclaimed a little too loudly for Fluttershy’s liking. But it was harmless enough since they were so far away from town. After watching Pinkie skip around the bend Fluttershy turned back to her cottage to see the human family standing in the doorway. Trotting quickly towards the door she extinguished the first lantern before taking the second one in her mouth and shutting the door tight.
It was dark inside the cottage. The shadows of perfectly normal appliances became warped and distorted in the warm light of the lantern; her own home a veritable playground of horrors. She turned to face the two humans, the lantern eerily illuminating their faces. Not daring to meet their gaze she asked them to follow her.
“The hideout’s umm… right over here.” She whispered, pointing towards the center of her living room. A large coffee table sat atop a brightly colored rug. “I just need to move this out of the way.”
“Uhh, please, allow me, miss.” Came the man’s dark voice, he dare not look at her either.
“Oh, okay go right ahead… I mean if you want to.” Fluttershy peeped.
Powerful weathered arms descended down upon the table and hoisted it into the air and altogether away from the rug. Dropping the lantern Fluttershy pulled the rug away to reveal a cleverly hidden trap door. Opening it she motioned for the humans to descend the sturdy wooden ladder into the dark abyss. Grabbing the lantern once more she too descended to light their way.
They entered a small room; it was no bigger than her bathroom. A couple mattresses and blankets were laid out upon the cold damp floor while an icebox containing some fruits and vegetables was tucked against the far corner.
“I’m terribly sorry; it’s not much to look at.” Fluttershy apologized.
That’s when the woman spoke up, “Why hon, it’s more than we could hope for.” She said in a very soft relaxing voice.
Completely disarmed by the soothing voice she could only hover there and smile. Then looking to break the silence she pointed over to the far left wall. “Oh I almost forget, there’s a map over there showing the routes to take.” The three gathered around the small dimly lit room to view a thoroughly detailed map that almost spanned the entire wall. A bright yellow star indicated their current position while lines drawn in red marker indicated paths to take. “When I take you tomorrow we’ll follow this path into the woods. It won’t be far to the next stop, which is Zecora’s hut.” She indicated by pointing to a blue X on the map. “You’ll be staying with her for a couple days until we can get more of you there. Then she’ll take a group of you to the next stop at the opposite edge of the forest.”
Both the humans nodded slowly in acknowledgement. It was more than likely they had no idea how to read maps. “So umm… sleep nice and tight tonight, I mean if you want to.”
Fluttershy was about to ascend the ladder when the man spoke up. “Thank you so much Miss…”
“F-Fluttershy.”
“Miss Fluttershy.” The man solemnly said after removing his hat.
With one last look back she flew up the ladder towards the living room. Carefully closing the door she replaced the rug and coffee table before silently heading upstairs. It had been a long and tiresome night. And yet she still wasn’t done, no doubt the authorities would be patrolling around in the morning.
But she couldn’t complain, thus is the life of a conductor on the Underground Express.
