Flash took off as gently as he could so as to not shake Twilight too much. He moved his wings in a circular motion, building a strong rhythm to hold up the extra weight. He could tell that she was she was nervous, as her grip had tightened around his neck sufficiently once they'd taken off. he flew through the window with ease, swiftly making his way high enough into the air until he could see the past the tall buildings of Canterlot. "Okay, see over there just beyond that pancake restaurant?" Twilight nodded, "Good, thats where our train car is. It should only take a minute to get there."

Twilight was getting antsy being so high up in the air even when Flash began to glide downwards again. This stupid flying thing was really pissing her off. Already three months had passed since she'd become a princess and still hadn't been able to get more than two feet off the ground. She hadnt exactly made it her immediate goal to begin flying but someone as magically equipped as her should have flying come easily. Many of the books she'd read had stated that she need to find the right mindset, the right rhythm, and most importantly the skill. Maybe Twilight didnt have skill. Maybe she was never going to fly or she wasnt cut out for it. She didnt even know how to focus her pegusus magic and magic was her talent! Rainbowdash and Fluttershy had given her a lesson one day. Theyd talked about it being something you had to "feel" and you couldnt force it. Twilight couldnt "feel" anything except more weight on her back and an uncomfortable lump when she tried to sleep at night. When she'd told them that theyd reassured her that these things took time. Teaching someone to fly when they'd used legs all their life is like teaching a cat to walk backwards. Seriously, how much time did she need?

Twilight decided she could worry about that later as the wind kissed her face and ruffled through her mane. The air was warm, but the movement made her slightly chilly. Feeling the air currents calmed her down, lulling her into a half sleep while she thought of less stressful things. Things like the cupcakes she had at home waiting for her or the new fiction novel she'd been reading. The novel really was interesting in her eyes, it was about a unicorn queen named Frigga who'd left her family and home for the greater good of her people. An evil wizard had taken control of her kingdom and was going to kill her subjects one by one unless Frigga gave up her throne. An earth pony (who Twilight secretly thought was Friggas "dead" husband) helped Frigga on her journey to reclaim her kingdom. Twilight was only half way through the book but she was pretty confident about what she thought was going to happen, thought the conclusion wasnt why she read it. The real reason she was reading the book was for the character development, which had really perked her interest. She was anxious to get all this assassin nonsense over with. It didnt worry her so much now as she laid comfortable in between pegasus wings. Her friends were safe, and in Twilights eyes, thats all that mattered. Right now all she focused on was the wisps of Flash's hair tickling her face and the rocking of his body that was slowly ensuring her sleep. She was so exhausted.. and the air felt so nice...

"We're here princess," Twilight jumped awake at the abrupt sound of Flash's voice. She suspected he knew she'd been drifting off and he'd spoken louder to keep her fully awake. "Find a seat that comforts you and i'll be there in a minute. I'm off to have a word with the conductor." Twilight shuffled off his back, nearly falling on the way down but Flash caught her with his wing putting her upright before trotting off in the opposite direction, not even giving a second thought to catching her. She looked at him until he disappeared behind the next cabin slightly amazed at how effortless that'd been for him. Really, did every pony need to be so elegant? Even Pinkie Pie with her jumpy state wasn't as clumsy as Twilight. She mentally cringed at the thought that a guard of all things could be so much smoother than her. Well gee, some graceful princess she was.

Twilight gave up her jealous thought and continued to board the train, but as she trotted up each cold, metal step an eerie chill crept up her spine.

She froze.

Twilight could feel a dark presence beyond the conclusions of paranoia crawling through her bones. It snaked around her body, slithered up her neck. She felt it within and around her, filling every crevice of her being forcing images into he brain, moving pictures and scenes and-

Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow dash, Flutter shy, and Pinkie Pie laid out in the grass beside a shaded forest. It was a beautiful place really, their coats sparkled in the summer heat depicting each their own sign of beauty. They gleamed in the sun, flipping their manes like goddesses as if they were nothing short. Each one of her friends laughed and giggled looking warm and content, dripping with childlike happiness. Twilight recognized this spot, it was where they held their picnics every so often her and her friends had one. Why was she here? ...Twilight wracked her brain trying to remember but couldn't.. she remembered something urgent.. she was going somewhere..

"Ugh what are youdoing here, Twilight?" Pinkie sneered.

"What?" She was confused, Pinkies voice was like venom.

"Didn't you hear? Or are you too stupid to understand English?" Rarity said with an even harsher tone. Twilight gaped, her mouth hanging open in shock. "Oh look she can't even speak, the poor darling."

Giggles erupted around the circles. Not giggles of happiness, no, they were like tiny daggers to Twilights chest. Leaving her without breath as tears were stinging her eyes.

"Heh, no wonder Celestia dropped her as a student, she can't even speak!" Hearing Fluttershy's icy tone nearly split Twilights heart in two, sending the girls in a fit of full on laughter.

"But-I thought-" The purple mare struggled with her words before Rainbow Dash cut her off.

"No, you didn't think. You betrayed us all, how could we ever be your friends?" Dash said getting in Twilights face making her back away, ears folded downwards. At that moment her friends, family, all gathered around her. But something was wrong, terribly wrong.

The sneers on their faces started to bleed, teeth showing through their flesh. A dribble of blood would run down their chins and onto their bruised and battered bodies. Bones could be seen jutting out in random areas. Their manes were ruffled, uneven and broken, having lost their sheen. Wings and hooves were bent at awkward angles and random gashes leaked bodily fluids, some even showed organs.

"This is what you've done to us, Twilight. This is our Future." They said. "This is what you've done."

They were the image of death.

And it was all Twilights fault.

She ran away, but they didn't bother to follow. She kept running, on and on, not taking a break to breathe but just ran. There wasn't a destination she was trying to get to, just a void of emptiness.

Lonely, dark emptiness..

"PRINCESS!"

"HEY! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Flash screamed for the fifth time. Twilights blank, empty eyes regained their former light, out of her vision and back to reality. Soon after she came back though, her eyes started to burn and before long they started to leak. Small tears and quiet sobs. "Oh thank Celestia your'e okay, you had me worried there for a sec," He said unaware of her tears. Twilight noticed he was holding her, hugging her. He was warm and soft, and safe. She was vaguely aware that this was strange. That he was her guard and shouldn't be holding her like this. But she couldn't care less at the moment, all she could see was white, and feel a raging headache pumping in her ears. She felt blinded, and still, fear dwelled within her even after the cold darkness had left. And before long Flash could tell she was sobbing, the second time that night. "Twilight?"

"I saw them-they were dying-or already dead-the darkness came, it-it crept on me, i could hear its whisper-my friend h-hated me," Twilight said between sobs and shaky breaths. It was almost embarrassing had it not been for the fact she barely felt anything but sadness and fear. The blinding feeling was still raging as ever and the only thing she thought to do was cry. Pathetic, heart wrenched sobs to fill the ears of anyone who would listen. All that mattered was to get each cry louder and longer. It was that silly thing you'd do as a child when your mother made you mad. Where all you wanted was to cry your little heart out until it became dry and your mind became numb.

"Shh, its okay now, it isn't real. You're okay, its gonna be okay," Flash repeated over and over until Twilight couldn't cry anymore. She was tired and stressed and he could ask her questions later. Her red puffy eyes lay across his front hooves, and his wings was draped around her. He knew she wouldn't remember much in the morning, just tears and whatever horrible vision she must've had. Earlier, after Flash noticed she'd started crying, he'd pulled her into the train car and sat with her on one of the seats. His armor had come off and he'd let her lay in his lap until the tears wouldn't come. When nothing but hiccups and dry sobs came from her throat and she fell into a stress induced sleep. Even though her mane was tangled, her eyes puffy and face scrunched up in a tingling grimace, he could still admire her beauty, she was still stunning in his eyes and it tugged at his heart to see her in such a state of distress. He hoped she would have good dreams, or rather not dream at all, thats usually best for situations like these. Gladly she was calm and sleeping now, snoring ever so faintly in a cute kinda way. Flash admired that she was real, she didn't put up a silly girl act or wear a face full of makeup. Her expressions were real and he could easily assume her emotions. He hadn't known her for long, but he knew she was different.

She meant something.

Flash awoke to the sun gleaming unforgivably into his eyes through the curtain. The train was still moving, rocking their compartment slightly. He yawned not fully awake yet and snuggled deeper into his seat. Hmm... so warm.. Rays of sunlight danced around the train cabin through the light yellow curtains Flash's brain was momentarily out of it, he thought of nothing except about how good it felt to stretch his torso and front hooves. Taking a moment to bask in the beautiful morning he looked outside. He saw the rolling hills of Equestria slowly become prairies perfect for farming. They were definitely close to Ponyville by now, only an hour away.

Flash looked down at his lap, acknowledging the lavender mare sleeping there for the first time this morning. She'd changed since her tearful debut from last night. Her mane was still tangled, yes, but it surrounded her in an almost angelic way. Her eyes were no longer puffy and red, they held content and serenity in their closed form. Her mouth had closed, ceasing her slight snoring and it, along with the rest of her muzzle, was buried deep into Flash's stomach. Soft, warm breaths tickled his belly. Her cheeks were slightly rosy and her lashes long and dark as ever. The best thing though, he had to admit, was the way the sun glistened off her figure. She practically glowed there before his eyes, emitting the perfect vision of beauty.

Flash stared for what felt like a long time, though it was probably only minutes. It might have been weird, y'know, watching her sleep. He didn't want to seem creepy, he just couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Slowly, Twilights eyes fluttered open, then closed. She was awake, but not yet ready to get up. It was unbelievably comfortable in the bed she was sleeping on, it felt so warm and soft. She moved a little and smiled into her pillow, sinking deeper into its fluffiness. The pillow moved a little and let out a small laugh. Twilight flipped her mane back a-Wait. What?
Pillows don't giggle.

Twilight's eyes snapped open for the second time, but she didn't see a pillow. She saw orange fur. Twilight immediately popped up from her "pillow" and sat on the seat next to it, her face burning bright red.

"I.. uhm.. I'm sorry.. " she said, "I didn't mean to.. uh.." Why was she being so nervous? Had Fluttershy started to rub off on her? Twilight was never at a loss for words. It was one of the few-and-far-between moments she had when she felt little.

"You don't need to be sorry, Princess," Flash smiled at her letting her know she wasn't in the wrong, "Considering what you've been through this past night and the event of retrieving your crown, you had to be tired. I can't imagine what kind of stress that would put you through." Twilight eased. It was nice to have someone understand without her having to explain it. She wondered why he would even care so much. It must've been uncomfortable for him having her crying and making obscene noises 'till she fell asleep.

"Thanks, Flash.. I really appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it, Princess." He said, "I don't mind." Words that made Twilight blush harder. Flash resisted the urge to put his wing around her as they sat on the train car's bench.