The entire train car jerked backwards. Frosty and Echo strafed with the car as it moved while PW instinctively opened his wings.

“Guess the rest of the train’s here!” He said.

In a few minutes the stewardess came through, introduced herself, and took three pages of lunch orders. In a few minutes the car’s air lines were hooked up, the passengers boarded at Arimaspi, and the train was rolling northwards.

Echo sat down at the sofa in the rear.

“Ahhh!” She sighed, looking around the room until she made eye contact with PW. “Windy-chan. Come sit on my lap!”

“I’m not a colt! Or a toy!” Barked PW.

“Aw… Echo-sama wants somepony to talk to…” She moped, lowering her head in despair.

PW could see floating hearts around her, but they had all popped. PW gazed at the large blue-eyed mare and, as he did so, he could see horrors in her eyes that didn’t belong in her head.

He frowned and approached. “Alright Echo, lean back so I have a seat! You’re getting a visitor.”

“Aw, Windy-chan yay!” Echo smiled, bouncing right back to herself.

PW pushed himself up and gently sat on the enormous seat that was the smallest Night-Mare’s thighs.

“You did great on the mission, Windy-chan!” Echo complimented.

“Thanks, Echo. I really do enjoy working with you girls.” He smirked. “I try as hard as I can to do a great job.”

Unfortunately PW did not connect the dots on the silence coming from Frosty.

“You both are so cute.” Muttered Frosty, peeping out from behind a nearby booth.

PW turned to face her and was blinded. The sound of a printing page filled the car as PW’s vision returned.

“Gotcha, Windy-chan!” Echo sang, announcing her prize.

“Seriously?!” Shouted PW.

“Echo-sama wanted a picture.” She beamed.

“Yeah, well I want to see that!” Shouted PW, leaping from his seat into a gliding fall. Frosty read him and pulled the camera away just in time.

“You really want to go up against two Night-Mares, Polaris Wind?” Frosty challenged, rearing up.

The train car was only so high and she banged her head before she could reach full height.

“Fine. Whatever.” PW spat.

“You know, in this job, it’s not always what you want. You’re supporting Night-Mares.” Frosty stated.

PW sighed, feeling betrayed by himself.

“... you’re right.” He admitted.

“Windy-chan? Echo-sama still wants you to sit with her! That is no joke!” Cried Echo.

“Support the Night-Mare.” Said a voice from within PW’s head.

“Okay Echo!” He replied, returning to her lap.

“Sometimes stuff like this just comes with the job, right PW? Night-Mare support can look different – depending on who and when.” Frosty explained.

“Right.” PW agreed.

“Echo needs you, PW.”

“Alright Echo. You wanna hug?” Asked PW, turning sideways and throwing his forelegs and wings around the enormous mare.

“Aw, Windy-chan…” Echo cried, embracing the small stallion and stroking his mane and feathers.

Her large eyes produced tears as she held him. “Holding a small pega like this, Windy-chan… helps Echo-sama know that she is not a monster for killing creatures.”

“Oh?” Replied PW, remembering he was in the embrace of a lethal weapons platform.

“Mhm!” She hummed, nuzzling her cheeks against PW’s ears. “Echo-sama’s no monster… right Windy-chan?”

PW frowned. “You are an angel, Echo! You save lives. And you do that by any means necessary. You are a hero. And heroes make sacrifices, like you sacrificed your friendliness. And you are a mare. A wonderful mare that tries to find ways out of killing others, and it weighs heavily on her- when there’s no other way out.”

“Oh, Windy-chaaan! You’re gonna make me cry!” Echo squeezed PW as he offered his wing for Echo to wipe her tears up. “Windy-chan also helps Echo-sama feel safe.”

“Wha-? I help you feel safe?” PW scoffed.

“Mm!” She hummed. “You find help if we get in trouble. Because you love Night-Mares.”

“Not to interrupt your therapy session, but I think I hear lunch coming.” Warned Frosty.

“Off, Windy-chan! We cannot be seen like this!” Echo all but shoved him away.

As soon as the mare’s lap was free she ran to the bar counter and wiped her eyes with a napkin just before the door opened, spilling appetizing aromas into the car.

Unlike Frosty, Echo shared a lot of the same excitement PW had when he first slept over with Frosty. Upon seeing Windy open up his bed to sleep (which did not get stuck this time), Echo opened hers just feet away. She dropped her head onto the mattress and started nuzzling the bedspread.

“Windy-chan’s gonna have a sleepover with Echo-sama?” She asked, lifting her head off her resting jaw like a puppet as she spoke.

“I hope you don’t sleep loudly.” He chuckled.

“O’bachan says you have earplugs Windy-chan!” She smiled back.

“Please don’t tackle me in the night, Echo.” PW begged as he laid down onto his bed.

She tipped her head still atop the mattress left and right and swished her tail.

“Windy-chan! Such a dirty mind you have! Hmf!” Rebuked Echo, leaping onto her bed.

The poor metal frame exceeded its design load several times over and a loud *CLANG! rang around the car. Echo then sunk into the now sagging mattress, leaving a pair of huge legs sticking out of the bed-taco.

“Uh-oh. Echo-sama made a boo-boo…” She muttered, bringing a hoof to her mouth.

By now Frosty had come over to inspect the bed.

“You snapped it clean. No fixing that.” She muttered, walking back to her side of the car. “And keep it down! I’m going to sleep.”

“Do you want to trade, Echo? That doesn’t look very comfortable.” Offered PW.

“Aww, thanks Windy-chan! It’ll be ok!” She said. “Nighty-night!”

“Nighty-night, Echo!” Responded PW.

“Nighty-night, Frosty!” Shouted Echo.

“GO TO SLEEP ALREADY!” Frosty gruffed from the other side of the room.

Polaris woke to a vast pastureland. They had stopped at Appleloosa overnight and Frosty was in the midst of doing her exercises. He saw Echo laying in the same position she fell asleep in, still fast asleep. He also found breakfast had already been delivered and was sitting on the bar counter. He was in the middle of eating it when Frosty finished her exercises and walked over.

“Hey.” She nodded, winking at him with a pillow in her claws.

PW turned around and watched her approach her comrade, winding up her hooves with the pillow. She brought it down upon Echo’s face with a rush of wind and the room was suddenly filled with a thunderous clap as well as hundreds of feathers.

“Aaagh!” Echo bolted upright.

“Get up, already!” Frosty shouted. “Get your exercises started!” She added, storming off.

“Mmm-mmm!” Echo groaned, flopping back into bed and rolling her head left and right.

After a good minute she rolled onto her side and opened her eyes, immediately making eye contact with PW.

“Win-dee-chan…” She mouthed.

“Hugh?” Came PW’s confused response.

“Win-dee-chan. Echo sa-ma wants a morn-ing hug!” Echo rolled onto her back, exposing an almost-plump belly. “Windy-chan. Please! Echo-sama feels friendly. With smol cud-dully pega. Makes Echo-sama feel safe.”

“Alright but ONLY a hug!” Warned PW, getting up and climbing onto the giant mare’s belly.

“You are cra-zee Windy-chan. Echo-sama wants a hug. No fro-lick!” She clarified.

PW settled prone on the mare and she enveloped him in an embrace.

“Thank you Windy-chan. Small feathery pegas are so soft and warm!” Cried Echo, stroking his wing with her fingers. PW could hear hoofsteps behind him.

“Echo, I think I hear them coming to clean breakfast!” Frosty lied.

“Aw!” Echo whined.

“Snuggle time over.” Frosty added, pulling the pegasus off of her and squeezing him just ever so slightly before setting him gently onto the ground.

“O’bachan!” Echo complained.

“He is a shared asset, Echo.” Frosty reminded her teammate.

“But you don’t cuddle with him anyway! Hmf!” Echo pouted, crossing her forehooves.

“I have differing needs from him, Echo.” Frosty explained.

“Like what? Hmf?” Echo thrust her snout to the sky.

“None of your business.”

“Ooh, I get it, O’bachan!” Smiled Echo, winking in a cheeky way.

Frosty was now visibly agitated.

“PW, go to the café car and bring me back a pepperoni sub... Darn-it Southern Line! Hay sub!” Frosty barked.

“Yes, ma'am!” PW declared with force, immediately walking out.

PW returned a few minutes later to find Echo’s mane somehow messier than when she woke up. Frosty’s tail looked a bit messier than normal as well. PW took the sub to Frosty. “How’s this?” He asked, offering it up to her on a paper plate.

“Splendid. Thank you.” Said the mare, taking the plate in her fingered hooves. "That's one reason why I need him, Echo." She added.

“Attention fillies and gentlecolts, we’ll be making an extended stop at Ghastly Gorge to take on extra provisions of food… apparently two of you are very hungry eaters!” The agitated conductor announced. “You will have time to step off but this will make the train’s arrival in Canterlot late by twenty minutes.”

“I don’t care, this train car runs through!” Frosty responded in open air to the PA.

“He must mean you and me, O’bachan.” Echo muttered.

“He can complain all he wants but if this train comes under a hijacking we’re all safe with you both!” Complimented PW.

“Aww!” Echo sighed.

Frosty popped her fingers in her sockets. “Well said, PW. Well said.”

At the stop, PW stood outside near the Night-Mares the whole time, ready to tear apart anypony that dared to make a mention of their dietary needs.

“ALL ABOARD!” Called the conductor.

“They’re all afraid of me…” PW smiled in fantasy.

Though in reality, they were more afraid of the Night-Mares.

It was just after midnight when the train pulled into Norfilly. “You gonna take me home with you Windy-chan?” Asked Echo as they walked down the platforms.

“Ugh… I don’t think Frosty would like that…” PW said, trying to make up some excuse.

“Good thing, Windy-chan! Echo-sama might break all the tiny pega furniture.”

“I don’t care, PW. For the record. Take her to a petting party for all I care.” Teased Frosty.

Author's Note

For those unfamiliar with 1920's slang: Petting party = a 1920's rave with kissing and touching.

Sorry this one broke the usual Friday night cadence! Was out celebrating my Freedom to write about Night-Mares!