Almost as soon as they were on it, the train began to move. Twilight, Dash, and Thorax seemed to attract attention, but since their group had two princesses in it, they were left alone.

Eventually the group reached the last two cars. Thorax stopped at the first one, and put his belongings on one of the four beds, although he kept his ears perked up to hear the conversation in the other car. Since Thorax had been planning on staying in Ponyville for a few days, he’d packed. Therefore, he was really the only one who had any belongings, although since he traveled light, he only had: a toothbrush, sunscreen, some wire(and other assorted nick-nacks), a sweater, and a cardigan for cold weather. He also had five full vials, although he wasn’t going to talk about those. They were hidden in a secret pocket in the side of his bag. Thorax made a mandatory check on the vials–they were all still there, as they always were. There had once been a sixth one, but Thorax had cleverly discarded it.

Thorax winced. He hadn’t discarded it cleverly at all. It had ended up exploding, when the spill-off magic from Twilight and Theo’s fight in Cloudsdale had hit it.

Thorax turned his attention to his friends in the other car. They were all talking animatedly about the fight sequence in the post office. Thorax wasn’t worried about missing the conversation: he had a recorder attached to Dash’s sweater.

Thorax turned to his bag again. Certain that no one in the other car was watching, Thorax slipped closer to the wall on one side of his bed. Now invisible to the others, Thorax extracted one of the five vials from the secret pocket. It glowed bright golden.

Thorax stared intently at the vial and the precious liquid inside of it.

It was Felics Felix.

Liquid luck.

~~~~

“So d’you reckon Carron or whatever her name was survived?” asked Thorax over a cup of tea.

It was several hours later, and they were nearing the halfway point of their journey to Canterlot. Thorax had snagged the recorder back from Dash, and had studied up on the conversation. The Changeling’s natural ability to sense others' emotions was coming in rather useful. He was getting confident vibes from Dash and Smolder; worried vibes from Twilight, Cadence, and Fluttershy; and bored vibes from Gallus. Thorax himself was feeling rather lucky, in part due to the bottle of Felics Feilx in the pocket of his lime cardigan.

“It was Carrol,” said Twi, frowning. “And I sure hope she did.”

“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” said Dash, though she too seemed uncomfortable. “Carrol took a firework to the face when I blew up her firework-crossbow. And those rockets were throwing me and Twi around with indirect hits.”

Thorax sighed, looking out his window into the sunset. He was saddened and slightly disturbed by the fact that they’d only made it a day before somepony had died.

“So d’you think Carrot was with Theo?” asked Thorax sipping his tea.

“Carrol,” Cadence corrected, while most of the others laughed.

“I think she was,” said Twi. “She seemed mentally deranged enough to fit Theo’s style.”

“Um, do you think Carrot was alone?” asked Fluttershy quietly.

No one laughed this time, because Fluttershy’s words were the elephant in the room: what if Carrol had friends already on the train.

“Let’s hope so,” said Thorax worriedly. He absentmindedly reached for his bottle of luck, and took stock in the fact that if anything went very wrong, he could always take Felics Felix. He felt bad about his friends more than anything: They didn’t have Felics Felix, and were the active target of assassins.

“Thorax are going to eat?” asked Twilight, seeming concerned. “Or just drink tea?” Thorax glanced down at his plate of spaghetti with meatballs, a slice of pizza, and some baguette. He’d nibbled on his pizza and taken a bite of spaghetti with meatballs–in the last twenty minutes.

“Probably not,” said Fluttershy suddenly. “Changelings don’t get much nutritional value from solid foods. Just from water.”

Twi glanced at Fluttershy, then Thorax.

Thorax shrugged. “Changeling anatomy. I’m different from ponies.”

But I still get the benefits of Liquid luck, he thought. His hoof went back to the bottle. This time he thought he saw Fluttershy noticing the movement, but he assumed he must have imagined it, because when he checked again, she was looking the other way.

“I do hope Angel and the others are okay,” said Fluttershy again, “I asked Applejack to take care of them–I imagine she’s doing a good job.”

Thorax suddenly detected a new emotion: excitement. Glancing around the dining car, he saw all his friends seeming very un-excited. Since the car was empty besides them, Thorax came to the realization that someone was eavesdropping on them from behind the door.

“I’ll be right back,” said Thorax, standing. “Er–bathroom,” he added, because Gallus and Smolder were shooting him suspicious looks.

Thorax donned the disguise of a waiter, then opened the door. Not to much surprise, the door banged into somepony. Shutting the door behind him, Thorax said politely, “Excuse me sir, I didn’t notice you there!”

“Of course you didn’t,” lazily said the pony who’d been hit in a slightly griffish accent. He was gray with a red mane. For a second Thorax didn’t move. His eyes were locked on the pony.

“Whatchu’ lookin’ at scruffy?” growled the gray pony.

Thorax tore his eyes away from the pony who, for a moment, he’d thought was Theo, and glanced down at his beard. It was sort of scruffy.

“I guess my beard is sort of scruffy,” said Thorax, and under the safety of his disguise, he hurried away.

~~~~

After the meal, Twi finally cornered Cadence to ask her about Dash.

“Dash said it straight to my face that I should talk to you about it,” Twi explained. “So here I am.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know why Dash was acting strange,” Cadence said. “Although there are several reasons why she could have mentioned me.”

“I’m all ears.”

Cadence gave a soft chuckle. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you. Although what you just told me makes me certain that once you get it, you’ll be happy that I didn’t tell you now.”

Twi gave a groan. “Ugh! Why won’t anypony tell me what is happening with Dash! Have you all already figured it out?”

“I don’t believe all of us have–In fact I believe only me.” And with that, Cadence walked out of the compartment.

~~~~

Thorax had just entered his compartment, when the door he’d entered through slid shut. The lights flicked on.

Thorax spun around to see Fluttershy standing in front of him. He gave a yelp. “Fluttershy!”

“I was wondering why you kept reaching for your pocket, but never pulled anything out?” Fluttershy said. “Unless that’s rude, of course.”

“Can you keep a secret?” asked Thorax.

Fluttershy nodded.

Thorax reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial of Felics Felix. “This is Felics Felix–liquid luck.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “I won’t tell anyone,” she promised.

Thorax nodded. “Thanks.”

Thorax had just finished putting the vial back into his pocket, when the door rattled. There were hushed whispers on the other side of it.

“Who’s that?” asked Fluttershy in a whisper.

“I don’t know,” said Thorax, “but it might be time to give Felix a go.”

~~~~

Fluttershy accepted the half empty vial from Thorax, just as the door gave another ominous rattle. She’d just finished swallowing it, when somepony yelled on the other side of the door.

“Get out of my way!”

There was a bang, and the door was torn off its hinges. Raven was standing on the other side of the door, with two unicorns standing behind her. One of them was green, with a gold mane. The other was sky blue, with a white mane.

Fluttershy wasn’t sure what made her do it, but she suddenly felt an intense urge to do something reckless. She jumped forwards, and slammed into the blue unicorn, knocking the firework-crossbow out of his hooves. She rolled over, and moved her forelegs across her face to guard against a blow she never could have seen coming. She punched out and hit the blue pony in the jaw.

Thorax sent a spell at Raven, but she blocked it, accidentally sending it into her green friend. He stumbled, and Thorax had a brief moment to see Fluttershy lunging at the blue pony. Raven sent a spell at Thorax, but missed, and shattered a window. Thorax wasn’t sure how he knew who Raven was (just a lucky guess), but he assumed Felics was playing a role in his guesses.

Fluttershy floored the blue unicorn, at which point Raven suddenly yelled, “Felix!”

For a split second, Fluttershy thought their trick had been discovered, but then Raven continued.

“Deal with them, me and Blix can find and deal with the others!” Raven finished, and then she grabbed Blix in her magic, and dragged him into the next car.

Felix pulled out a firework-crossbow.

Thorax punched Felix down, but then he turned, and jumped out the shattered window. Changeling hooves each had special grippers on them, so Thorax was able to climb on the steel of the train. In a moment he was up, and then Fluttershy popped out of the window too, and using her wings, was up on the roof in a second.

“What now?” asked Fluttershy worriedly.

“We have to deal with Felix,” Thorax rationalized.

There was a sudden explosion and the roof behind them tore apart.

“Go!” yelled Thorax, grabbing Fluttershy and dragging her away from the newly made hole in the roof. A moment later Felix climbed out of it.

A firework streaked past Fluttershy, and exploded several cars ahead into green and gold. It wasn’t close enough to do fatal damage, but Fluttershy still felt the heat roll over her.

“It’s because of the train’s direction!” Thorax exclaimed. “So long as we get to Felix’s other side, his rockets won’t work anymore, and we can just tag-team him!”

Fluttershy gave a confident nod.

Thorax grabbed Fluttershy again, and began running down the train. It was against the wind, which made it slightly hard, but the bigger risk was the fireworks, which were constantly streaking by them. Thankfully they still had the effects of Felics Felix, so all of Felix’s rockets miraculously missed them.

It was like running through a light show. There were bright colors exploding all around them, although armed with the effects of luck, Fluttershy had no fear. She was feeling awfully brave, similar to the time back in the woods, talking with Thorax. Both situations had something in common.

But then Thorax stopped her and said, “Now’s our chance.”

Fluttershy glanced forwards, and realized why; the train was ending. One more car ahead was the engine.

Felix was sprinting towards them, a malicious smile upon his face. He thinks we’re cornered, Fluttershy thought.

She nodded at Thorax, who produced a length of wire. “Hold this,” he said, handing one end to her.

They both started running at Felix, who was doing the same. They passed by each other, and in the weak light of dawn, the wire between Thorax and Fluttershy was basically invisible.

Felix tripped, and Fluttershy felt herself getting slammed into Thorax. She heard some bangs, and Felix tumbled across the roof. She and Thorax got back up, just as a slightly battered and winded Felix aimed his crossbow at them. “The game ends now,” he gasped. Then he pulled the trigger.

The rocket burst from his crossbow, but it only made it so far, before the speed of the train overcame it, and Felix hit the firework. There was a massive explosion, and when it was over, Felix was nowhere to be seen. Thorax gave Fluttershy a high-five.

“Now we have to get down,” said Fluttershy.

The train turned, and a valley spanned by a bridge came into sight.

“Maybe we can get the view?” asked Thorax hopefully.

“Sure,” said Fluttershy.

The train pulled onto the bridge.

Fluttershy scooted closer to Thorax.

And then the train slowed and ground to a halt.

“Why are we stopping?” asked Fluttershy worriedly.

“I don’t know,” said Thorax, “but it can’t be good.”

~~~~

“Okay what’s going on?” asked Twilight, setting her fan of cards down, and staring at the roof. “Why are we stopping?”

“Think it’s related to the fireworks we were seeing just a moment ago?” asked Smolder.

Twi nodded. “I think so.” she paused a worried expression coming over her face. “You know,” she said finally, “I just can’t not remember that Carrol was trying to kill me and Dash using fireworks.”

“Okay,” said Dash, “let’s assume that Carrol had friends who are now attempting to get on the train from above. What’s the best option?”

The door to the game car burst open, and the gray stallion with a red mane entered.

But this time he wasn’t alone.

The pony who Twi immediately thought was Raven had a black coat and navy mane. She was standing next to the gray unicorn. Next to them was a light blue unicorn with a white mane. To Raven’s left was a yellow pegasus with a purple mane. He was holding a crossbow.

“Best option is considering that ‘Carrol’s friends’ might already be on board,” said the gray unicorn tauntingly.

“I wouldn’t expect it from you lot though,” said the yellow pegasus with a high pitched giggle.

“Shut up and just kill them, Carmon!” Raven yelled.

Carmon pulled the trigger on his crossbow, but as the firework left the shaft, Twi sniped it out of the air.

Carmon and Raven were thrown to the ground.

“Kill them, Radcliffe, Blix,” Raven growled.

Gallus suddenly shouted, “Hey! You! You’re the one who tried to kill me, back at the ravine!”

Raven’s eyes locked onto Gallus. Her lips curled into a smirk. “And I’ll finish you here.”

A knife flipped through the air towards Gallus, but Smolder tackled him to the floor, and the knife bounced harmlessly off her scales. Blix moved towards Cadence, who attempted to hit him with a curse, but missed when she took a shot from the gray unicorn (who must have been Radcliffe).

Twi sent a spell right at Radcliffe, but he deflected it up–before stumbling back and falling from the power of it. The roof tore open, and before Twi could react Carmon was back on stable hoofing, and aiming his crossbow at her.

Then Thorax dropped in through the hole in the roof. He sank his fangs into Carmon’s arm holding the crossbow. Carmon screamed, before Thorax slammed him against the wall. Carmon slid down, twitching.

Raven changed targets and nearly murdered Thorax, before she somehow tripped over Radcliffe, who was just getting up.

Thorax smiled, glad that he wasn't’ out of luck just yet.

Radcliffe moved towards Gallus and Smolder. Smolder tried to smoke him with her fire breath, but he grabbed a table and blocked it. Gallus lunged towards him, slamming him to the ground, before Radcliffe shot him in the chest with a curse. Gallus tumbled to the ground.

Smolder yelled, and breathed fire at Radcliffe, who wasn’t ready. He stumbled away, but not before sending a curse that tore through the wall and hit one of the bridge supports. It warped, and the train tilted slightly.

“Oh,” said Twilight softly.

Raven threw a knife at her.

Twilight staggered back, the knife protruding from her chest. Her lavender coat was already getting dark around her wound.

Twilight slipped, and fell to the ground.

“Swallow that you psycho,” Radcliffe growled. His face was burned, and most of the remaining fur was blackened.

Blix moved towards Twilight.

“Get away from my sister!” bellowed Cadence, and shot Blix in the chest. His body crumpled, before it was violently thrown from the car. It fell into the valley and out of sight.

Thorax was pale. He stared at Twilight, who was now lying in a pool of her own blood.

Raven lunged at Cadence, who slammed her out of the car. She hit a steel bar that was holding the bridge and slid down, half on the support girder, half off.

The bridge tilted ominously.

“Gallus,” said Smolder weakly, shaking her friend. “Gallus wake up.”

Thorax was shaking hard.

Even Felics Felix couldn’t save him from this situation.

~~~~

Fluttershy stumbled, as the train tilted another few degrees. She was almost at the engine car.

She crossed the last passenger car, and dropped onto the front of the train.

Felix’s crossbow was lying on the smokestack, perched precariously.

Fluttershy took the weapon, cautiously. Felix had dropped it before he was blown up, so it was still relatively intact.

The bridge warped a few more degrees.

Fluttershy gave the glass on the windshield a hard whack with the crossbow. It didn’t scratch. Not wanting to break her one weapon, Fluttershy turned her attention to the door. It was hanging open for an unknown reason, and Fluttershy thought that if she could make it, she’d be in the control car.

Then she could turn the train on, and get everyone out of their predicament.

Fluttershy clipped the crossbow to her yellow jumper (made by Rarity), and began scaling the side of the train, over to the door. She made the first part easily, but then she had to deal with the door.

The bridge warped a bit more.

Fluttershy jumped.

She caught the door, which swung in, before stopping halfway, leaving Fluttershy hanging over the void.

She slowly began inching her way around the door. It was much harder, because she couldn’t see the other side of the door.

Fluttershy felt around with her hoof.

She found purchase and spun around, now on the inside of the door.

Fluttershy triumphantly entered the control car.

Inside were many knobs and levers. Fluttershy randomly started flicking things. She turned one knob up all the way, which resulted in all the lights coming on super bright. Flicking a lever turned on a soft alarm, which Fluttershy thought appropriate for the situation. One button turned off all the power.

Fluttershy was suddenly pitched into darkness, as all the bright lights went off.

Barely illuminated in the moonlight, Fluttershy began punching every button and flicking every lever she could, as the bridge creaked, and several rivets popped out.

The lights flicked back on, as Fluttershy hit an orange button. She glanced at it in the light, and read above it: aux.

Fluttershy saw a large lever far off to the right and pulled down.

Propelled by magic, the train began to move.

Fluttershy let out a soft, “yay,” and pulled the lever down all the way.

The train began moving across the bridge.

~~~~

“We’re–moving!” exclaimed Thorax as the train began to pick up speed.

“Awesome,” murmured Gallus, who Cadence had just revived.

Twilight shakily got up, just in time to get bombarded by everyone asking her if she was alright.

“Yeah I’m–fine,” Twi mumbled, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs. “Hey where’s Radcliffe?”

“Teleported,” said Cadence spitefully. “I didn’t want to risk doing it with you, because of your weak state.”

All of a sudden, a loudspeaker activated. “All right everypony, we had a small delay, but we should be arriving in Canterlot tomorrow.”

“Hey I had an early appointment!” yelled a pony from a few cars up.

“Fluttershy?” asked Thorax.

“Lucky she got to the front in time,” said Smolder.

Thorax licked his lips nervously. He’d felt the effects of his lucky potion wear off before the train started moving, but he still felt bad about keeping it a secret.

“So,” said Thorax suddenly, wanting to change the subject, “Carrol died back on the platform, me and Fluttershy took out Felix, Cadence killed Blix, and Carmon never got an antidote, so he’s dead too….”

“Raven might have fallen,” said Dash, “which brings the possible death count up to five.”

Twilight stared at the ground, before looking up quickly at the sight of her own blood. “I never expected this many ponies to die,” she said softly.

Cadence sighed. “None of us did.”

Author's Note

Sorry for this chapter dragging so long, I had a lot I wanted to put in it