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Two days before...
Appleloosa.

0400 Hours.

Moonlight spreads a pattern of shadows across all in the room. The shadow of Venetian blinds coats everything inside. The only audible sound, is that of the quietly squeaking ceiling fan lazily rotating above the bed. Two ponies lay under the covers, snuggling contently.

That was however, completely destroyed compliments of the pained scream of a trains whistle. The window was left open when the couple went to bed, and now they both regretted that decision. A glance to the clock hanging on the wall across from the bed shows that the time is five past four in the morning. She turns to her partner. "Theres no trains scheduled for four in the morning? What could that be?" Her partner simply shrugged his shoulders. With a sigh the mare goes to get up, but a red foreleg pulls her back to the bed shortly after her attempted departure.

She turns and meets the sleepy, deep brown eyes of her husband. A warm smile spreads across his muzzle as he leans in and kisses her. After a few moments they separate. "Don't worry about it Sweetheart. Just come back to bed..."

With a pained smile she shakes her head, as she leaves her loves embrace she quickly makes her side of the bed. The sound of four hooves meeting the wooden floor notifies her of her partners departure from their bed. She turns and sees him in the midst of a long stretch. Once he finished he stands back up and reached for a pair of safety glasses that sat on the bedside drawer. After placing the safety glasses atop his head, Axel turns to his wife. Just in time to miss her adorning her light brown dress. It was a simple tunic design, however she had personally requested the towns tailor add lace frills around the bottom, just for a more feminine touch. Her red kerchief already bore her six pointed golden star. The badge of the town sheriff. He was, however, in time for her to adorn her belt and secure her saddlebags to it. Its brass buckle dazzled Axel for a few moments, catching the light of the bedside lantern as she lights it.

Axel's lover caught sight his squinted eyes and pained expression. "Is everything alright hun?" She asked with a very concerned tone.

Axel just smiled and swiped his white mane out from his eyes. "Heh. I'm fine. Its just, your brilliant radiance blinded me love." His mare smiles and prowls around the bed to her husband with a coy smile. She stopped just short of her slightly taller husband. And wrapped him in an embrace.

"Your flattery is most noted, dear." She says as she plants a kiss on his nose. "But you've already treated me to so much. And i must say, dinner was surprise. The silver necklace took my breath away a second time.-" She leans in whilst slowly closing her eyes, her voice dropping to a whisper. "-And that romantic bath and massage you gave me was truly divine sweetie." Once their kiss ended, they broke their embrace and both moved into the kitchen. Passing the many photos of the two's fondest moments hanging proudly on display all over the cream coloured walls. The house wasn't large by any stretch of the imagination. It was your average Appleloosian home. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, And one massive backyard that was mostly sand and cracked earth. Since the two had no foals yet, they used the remaining two bedrooms as a small study, a guest room.

Axel opened the ice box and retrieved a chilled canteen. After a short jog to the front door he passed the canteen over to his mare as she walked through the threshold. Realization twinkles in her eyes as she sees Axel with the canteens cord in his mouth. She smiles affectionately. "Thank you my 'Gentle-colt', I completely forgot about that. What would i do without you." As she takes the canteen Axel smirks.

"Dehydrate in the blistering sun. Before slipping into the pub and breaking up several bar fights that you started yourse- Ow Hey!" Axel said in his best 'Rich snob' Canterlot accent, however his thick western accent made that a rather difficult and odd sounding endeavor. He was cut off by the smiling Sheriff whacking him with her hat.

"Har-Har. Thats enough from you, your such a kid sometimes. And your always so impossibly cute and innocent! Its like your a plush!" she said giving him yet another bear hug. She was cut off by the sounds of doors opening across the dirt street. "I've got to hurry and see whats going on... See you at lunch. I'll come by the shop." With a happy nod, Axel released his wife from his embrace and they both parted ways, heading opposite ways. Axel, heading for his wagon shop. And the sheriff heading for the town train station. She paused for a moment looking back at her lovers figure disappearing into the early morning darkness.

She was snapped back into reality when her deputy slid to a halt off to her left. After a short period of ragged breathing from his bolt over from the other side of the town he addressed and briefed her. "Sheriff Pinto! The train that has arrived at the station is flying under a flag I've never seen before! I Asked the trains guards-pony for a manifest and his trains purpose for arriving in town and his words were 'Sorry colt, its a private matter i'm afraid. We're operating on decree of the crown. So no worries'. And he just ignored me after that!"

She looked at the many curious and worried faces poking out of the many doors of the buildings lining both sides of the street. She addressed all of them in a calm, but authoritative tone, a thing she learned from the former sheriff. "Don't worry everypony. We'll attend this matter. Return to your beds and sleep soundly till' morning." She and her deputy, A still fairly young stallion of royal purple colouring with a chalk white mane and two Enormously expressive deep green eyes, stood and began making their way to the towns train station.

The sheriffs expression was borderline fury, as she advanced on the station with a mission. To not only her surprise, but that of her deputy. The platform was empty. After looking around confused for several seconds she was caught off guard by a rich cultured voice from behind her.

"You must be the Law enforcement for this area. We're here on important business, a sort of... mission if you will." Rolling her eyes and forcing herself to swallow her scoff, the sheriff turned to address the Canterlot snob whom just rolled into her town on the morning breeze and was already acting like he owned the place.

"Yeah, And the last thing i need around here is you Canterlot folk causing your usual amount of trou-...blllllllle...." Turning around. Her expectations of a well groomed and manicured pony noble were promptly shattered as eyes eyes met the apparent crotch of someponys Really red pants. Looking up she suddenly felt a shiver fly down her spine and make her coat stand on end. Her eyes trailed up the strange creature before her. Finally coming to a stop on his face, at least she assumed it was a 'He' by the masculine tone of his voice.

His mane was long and seemed to have partial curls, it was a really blonde colour which seemed to nearly glow in the flickering yellow light offered by the many lanterns space around the platform. His attire was completely red, save for the ornate yellow trimming and decorated his sleeves, collar and buttons. The creatures eyes here small and beedy. Their positioning on the front of its head seeming to mean that this creatures species is or was predatory in nature. And the sheer amount of detached wariness that his seemingly pure, yet simultaneously cold eyes portrayed helped not in making her feel comfortable around his presence. Sheriff Pinto was by no means a shy mare, nor was she a push over, but this creatures sheer height, being almost double that of her own, was impressive and would make even the most masculine stallion caution his actions around this creature, But his expression and eyes seemed to drill a hole through her very soul.

His posture was strange, his forelegs were behind his back. 'I don't like this... is he hiding something... spaced...hooves? Taking up as much space in his posture as possible? He;s acting like he owns the place... And to be honest he would if it weren't for me and Just Wind here... I doubt anypony else would stand up to such a strange creature...'

The creature spoke once more. " I Beg your pardon Ma'am. But are you not this towns law enforcement officer?" He said calmly yet in a strangely quiet tone. Pinto was snapped back to reality once she noticed he had pointed a claw in her direction. She was about to drop into a defensive stance but held herself steady as she noticed his claws didn't, in fact, end in talons or anything sharp of any kind. to her surprise the creatures... paw... ended in rounded fingers, much like those of a dragon, but strangely different, they were thin, almost frail looking by comparison...

Giving her head a slight shake the brown pinto mare regained her derailed train of thought. Taking the offered paw she shook it politely. "Yes, I'm Serenity, Although around these parts ponies just call me 'Sheriff Pinto'. So. What brings you to my town?" Serenity inquires.

"Allow me to act upon your comment from earlier. I, And those in this train-" He paused to point to the siding just out of sight of the platform that the train was currently parked in. "- are here on official business of the crown, So rest assured in knowing that we mean you and our fellow townsfolk no trouble. If you have any questions or concerns, please locate and talk to me, and i shall personally deal with the problems. If any of my people cause you any trouble or heartache, then you have my express permission to arrest them and notify me of the reason for your doing so."

Serenity mentally kicked herself for letting her deep rooted disgust for nobles get the better of her actions. "And what would that business on the crowns permission be?" She asked with a raised brow. The creature looked to her deputy with an expression that was making the young stallion increasingly nervous. He placed his partially clenched paw on the guard of the rather alarmingly long sword that hung from a leather belt around his hips, this made Just Wind twitch, as he suppressed his urge to take a step back. And i cant blame him either, The creatures sword was on the ridiculously thin side, but it was slightly longer than that of a full grown pony. 'The reach from the weapon would be impressive alone, but with design like that, its clear that this swords made for quick, agile movements, and due to a lack of weight it would be most effective in the thrust...' . However it was clear to the seasoned sheriff that attacking or intentionally being imposing or threatening wasn't his intention. The manner in which this creature casually placed his partially clenched paw on his weapons hilt suggested that he did this out of habit. 'So, This creatures nervous twitch may be to place his paw preemptively on his weapon... Rather defensive of you, for such a large and imposing creature... It may be frail... if its paws are of any indication.' . Serenity Promptly snapped her train of thought onto the cause of this creatures sealed lips. "My deputy stays. He's to know what i know, its the best course of action to avoid confusion and thus conflict. Don't worry, hes trustworthy, i have yet to hear a single secret slip form his muzzle."

"Very well, Time is of the essence in this matter. I'm Char. Armaments minister for the Covenant of Twelve. And our objective is your shipment of coal and those whom signed their signatures off on the towns notice. In two days from now. We're having two rather expensive aircraft arriving in this town to transport those whom signed on. As well as transport the coal."

The sheriff was awestruck and almost unable to contain herself. "You have an Airship capable to transporting THAT much coal?!" The strange creature smiled.

"We have many more than that. And thats all your going to hear on the subject. At least until we're in a secure location. We've had quite a number of alarmingly dangerous and expensive items and equipment go missing lately. And i fear that sabotage may be the next possible step for whomever is doing this. Rest Assured. I Trust you. Thats why I'm informing you of all this. Your skills must be of exceptional consideration. Both your empires Diarchs recommended you as the first choice."

The two tone brown pinto sheriff sudden froze up at the sudden information bombardment. She moved no discernible muscle to any in her presence. Char tilted his head in confusion. "Did i break her?" Leaning down to her eye level he lifted her voluminous mane and was greeted by a frozen thousand yard stare. Waving a hand in front of her face she didn't blink nor even bat an eyelash. "Hello? Mad'am?" Char turned to the now obviously panicking deputy. But the human kept his polite culture rich tone. "Do i have you permission to move her to my personal car on the train? You may join us, And don't worry, this train in neutral soil for The Covenant of Twel-" Char was cut off by a heavy thud against wooden floorboards. Both he and the deputy turned to the source of the sound to see the sheriff has fainted.

She was incoherently mumbling. "P-Princess-esss-s R-R-recommen-ded... MeeeEeee...He.He.He... Dream...come...true..."

Char looked dumbfounded. "Well, look at that... I Did break her... Opps..." Char and the deputy blinked at each other for a moment before Just Wind just shrugged and lifted his boss onto his back. 'If we're in neutral territory then attacking us is considered a declaration of war... at least it was back in the history books...' .

"Well... L-lead the way..." With a smile char lead the way to the rear of the train. helped the deputy left the sleeping mare onto the caboose, then walked through three cars to their destination.

The inside of the car was painted light grey. Panels with cream colored fabric that was trimmed in gold thread and stuffed with some sort of insulation lined the lower half of the wall, and the same cream colored stuffed fabric lined the entire roof of the car. Chestnut furniture was spread around the car. To the front of the space was a rather large bed with black sheets and thick blankets. A thick black curtain that when drawn, would completely enclose the beds space, currently sat against the wall. A cast iron Potbelly stove sat on the right wall next to what could only be a kitchen counter top. Continuing his visual exploration his earlier assumption was confirmed once he spotted the icebox and many cupboards.

Just Wind was about to place Serenity on a wooden bench when Char raised his hands. "No, No, No. Put her on my bed and place the top quilt over her." Just Wind shot char a look that would make a Minotaur nervous. After a split second of confusion Char laughed loudly. "Don't worry. I Don't intend on doing anything to her, you have my word as a gentleman. Its just that a bed is far more comfortable than sleeping on a hardwood bench yes? Besides. What kind of man would i be to be so rude." Char moved into the cars miniature kitchen and set about pulling out a glass bottle of milk, a jar of biscuits and cookies, a cast iron kettle and a handful of coal. Looking at the perplexed stallion he spoke casually. "Tea? or coffee?"