There's a saying that most people who commit suicide by jumping immediately regret the decision after the fact.
For the first ten seconds of his freefall, James did just that.
Plummeting through the sky towards the floor of the earth he could barely make out, James felt the wind against his chest and face, watching as the mountain city of Canterlot whipped past him in a frantic blur. In the first ten seconds of his descent, he got worried that his theory was wrong, which would mean he had condemned himself to death. However, as he flipped himself around in midair and saw the diving forms of pegasi guards, his fears melted away. He was right. Celestia, for whatever reason, wanted or needed him alive. He could use that to his advantage in this situation, but he had to time it just right.
Tucking in his arms and straightening out, James pulled into a dive, accelerating his fall. He couldn't let them catch him, not yet. The closer he got to the ground, the more likely he would survive his crazy stupid plan.
A sudden voice screamed James back into reality. Dusk Helm, by the sound of it, but he wasn't sure exactly.
"Brilliant plan!" he called. "Just what did you think would happen at this point, exactly?"
James twisted in midair to dodge his attempt to catch him between his front hooves. He had to keep him talking, keep him from noticing how close they were to the ground.
"What can I say?" James called back. "I get antsy when I'm out of mortal danger for more than an hour! And hey, you know, free skydiving lessons, so why not?"
The ground was rushing up to meet the both of them fast. Just a few more seconds.
"Okay," Dusk said. "No more fooling around! I think it's time that we ended this!"
James whirled around another attempt to capture him. A few more seconds in this game of chicken and he'll manage to put his idea into effect. He just hoped that he had timed it right; a millisecond less and he would be back in the prison cell, and a millisecond more and he would be paste.
"Are you INSANE!?" Dusk screamed at him.
"Maybe!" James screamed back between fits of laughter. "Haven't had time to see a professional!"
They were about thirty feet from the earth…
'Now!'
Dusk made a last-ditch attempt to catch him, and this time James didn't evade. In fact, he lifted out of his dive and flew right up into his arms. At the very last second, Dusk clumsily pulled up, missing certain death by scant feet and taking James with him.
"Ha! Got you!" he said. "Now, did you really think that you would survive that?"
They were level, and flying smoothly and gently, and Dusk hadn't begun to pull into the sky yet. The trees of the forest were so close that James could brush them with his toes. So he answered honestly.
"No, not really." James looked up and, grinning all the while, said "so thanks for helping me."
With that, he swung his full weight forward, causing the pegasus to pitch downward and lose his grip.
James fell beneath the trees, uncomfortably landing on every branch on the way down. Of course, James's dirty trick had karmic feedback, as just before he hit solid ground a log protruding from the earth greeted a particularly soft spot.
It was a few seconds before James could recover.
"Okay," James said as he stumbled to his feet, his voice an octave higher than it should be, "that hurt. But it could have been a lot worse, right? So just… just keep going, Jim. The pain will subside momentarily. Come on. Waddle… your crippled ass away… from this depressing foundation as fast as you can manage…"
And so he did.
When Dusk Helm finally reached the top of the mountain and returned to the tower from which James had jumped, he found a worried princess waiting for him.
"Oh, no," Celestia said as he landed, her expression changing from worry to horror. "Don't tell me he—"
"No," Dusk said immediately. "No, nothing like that. He survived… it's hard to explain…"
"Well," Celestia replied, "just take your time."
And so Dusk told them exactly what happened; how James had taken advantage of their attempt to save his life and used it to escape.
"Monstrous," was all Feather Wind could say after he had finished.
"I can't believe that there wasn't more to it than that," Celestia denied. "He had to have had some reason. He said that he thought I was the one trying to communicate to him in his dreams. He must have been scared for his life."
"…And what makes you think that?" Dusk asked.
"Also," Feather added, "communicating through dreams?"
Celestia avoided the subject Feather had brought up. Instead, she answered Dusk's question. "If you were alone in a strange world surrounded by people who fear and misunderstand you, how would you feel?"
The area fell silent. It was quiet for a few seconds, and then Dusk Helm asked the question that nopony would dare ask Celestia, yet would think about for a long while.
"Why are you defending him?"
Celestia regarded Dusk with concern. "James may be stubborn and bold, to the point of irrational recklessness. But he's not the enemy here. There's something worse… something far worse."
There was another pause.
Finally, Feather Wind broke the silence. "What would you have us do?"
Celestia took time to think about it. "Send out a few of your colts. Have them canvass the area for as much information as possible. He couldn't have gone too far."
"And when we find him?"
"Don't provoke him. Just… keep your distance, like before. Do not, under any circumstances, let him out of your sight, even for a minute. Interfere only if he attempts to harm innocent lives. Do you understand?"
Dusk opened his mouth to object, but Feather wind silenced him by replying.
"Understood, milady."
Celestia smiled at him. "Please don't call me that."
Once again, James found himself at home in the darkness of the woods, clouds above giving an even deeper darkness to the area. There was constant 'shushing' sound from above, and the trees dripped clear water from above. It had begun to rain.
James clambered over rocks and fallen trees, slipped under overhangs and kept to the darkness. He had escaped from the dungeons of Canterlot with rations that would last him at least a week, a proper weapon that would aid him well, and a few other things that would come in handy during his travels.
So why did he feel so unsure of his choices so far?
Since he had gotten here, he had stolen from two different places, attacked an innocent mare, refused to cooperate, and generally acted unwise, stubborn, and unreasonable. Had all of his actions been wrong?
James shook his head. 'No,' he thought to himself. 'I can't afford to doubt myself, not now. My actions may have been wrong, but I was unsure what would happen to me. I felt confused…'
He paused, hearing a noise above him. Aiming his spear upwards at the sky, he waited for a full minute before going to move again.
'Oh, who am I kidding? I felt afraid. Desperate.'
James felt the anger he felt at this world subside. He could have done many things differently, but what's past is past, and besides, it wasn't like he was evil. He wasn't motivated by greed or ambition, merely the need for survival. What happened to him happened because of an event he couldn't control. It was beyond his power to change it, so he should simply keep pushing forward.
James continued to wander aimlessly, arguing with himself about the merits of his choices. He was exhausted from the events of the day, sweating even in the cold, damp forest, and his head was pounding. He eventually found a stone overhang to lie under for the night, and dropped off to sleep once again. No dreams came to him.
When James woke up, the sun had not yet risen into the sky. The rain, however, had stopped, meaning that the patrols would be searching for him soon. The rest had done him good; the pounding in his head had subsided for now, and he felt stronger than he did a few days ago. The clarity of his mind had returned as well, giving James the opportunity to contemplate how to move past a new problem as he began to hike towards the south.
When James was running around castle Canterlot he found a very interesting sight. The telescope he found at the top of the tower. When James looked into it, he could see the entire kingdom from it; Ponyville, the woods, the railroad that interconnected the lands. By some magical or perhaps even technical miracle, James could see it like he was hovering close by, even seeing people from over 200 clicks of his position. A curious sight, but it brought up a very big problem; how was he going to get beyond the forest without being seen?
The forest surrounding the mountain that housed Canterlot only went so far before fading away into plains. Cover would lessen until there would be nothing to conceal his movements. Which meant that, no matter what, he would eventually be found, no matter how far away he was or how fast he was traveling. He could attempt to circle around the mountain and continue his path to the north, but he would run the risk of being found by patrols; after all, he couldn't hide forever, especially not here. In fact, there was only one place he could hide, one place where he was certain no sane pony would go in a prolonged attempt to find him.
He had to get back to the Everfree. There was something about that place that had everyone in this world scared stiff. At first glance, James thought it was simply the beasts, and they certainly contributed, but it didn't quite make sense; why would a pony capable of flight or with reality itself at their beck and call be afraid of a mere monster? It was something else, something about the forest that was repellant. Unnatural. As he moved over uneven ground, he considered what would be so unsettling about the place. Some kind of spell? Legends or myths that told of misfortune to anyone that entered, saying that they never returned?
James suddenly got an idea. Yet another risk in a brief time chock full of them, but it was a good way to get out unnoticed. After all, who would think to search a place meant for objects?
Doubling back, James moved in the direction he believed it to be. It looked like he had a train to catch.
When James found the tracks, they were deserted. The risk in this action came from multiple angles; it would be unsafe and unwise to sneak aboard the train when it was at the station, so James would have to catch up to the train in motion and climb on. From there, he could stowaway in a cargo or luggage compartment and remain hidden from the all-seeing eye on the mountain. The problem was, Celestia would know the path he took regardless of what he chose to do; if he made the trip on foot, he would be seen, and if he hid on the train, someone would catch wind of the trick and, worst case scenario, stop the train mid-journey to search it.
There didn't seem to be a solution until James thought back to his conversation with Lyra.
Green branches don't burn as easily, he had told her while they attempted to build a fire for the night. But they smoke like crazy, which can be noticed anywhere by anyone.
'That's it!' James thought. 'A diversion!'
The trick would have to grab as much attention as possible, something big and loud in order to draw as many eyes towards it, and away from him. The best part of his plan was that it had rained recently, meaning that most wood that he could gather would smoke, but not burn. If he were to gather enough of it, he could create a controlled fire that would appear as a spectacular blaze. Forces would be drawn up to contain an already contained fire, clamour would increase, and the system would be disrupted. And, all the while, James would sneak out aboard a train while the Canterlot forces were in disarray.
Rising to his feet, James turned and bent to his task. He'd need to act swiftly; every hour here was another risk taken.
All morning, the skies above the forest surrounding Canterlot was searched. Hidden above in the clouds, pegasus guards monitored the ground below, keeping a sharp eye out for the fugitive. Yet there was no sign of him yet.
For about an hour, Feather Wind feared that James had somehow managed to slip past them without their noticing. However, his fears were eliminated when the creature was spotted moving towards the railway tracks almost twenty minutes ago. As a precaution, Feather had sent Dusk Helm ahead towards Ponyville. He had a feeling what the creature's plan was.
And yet, another hour passed and there were still no sightings. Perhaps he was wrong. The thought of that made his skin itch under his armour, a feeling that hadn't occurred to him since he first wore it in the training camps. This creature was smart, of that there was no doubt, and if he slipped up now it would only invite more disaster. He did not fear reprimand or punishment from his superiors, but what he did fear was the failure to do what he was trained to do; protect his homeland at any cost.
A sudden cry of alarm alerted Feather to a new and terrifying development.
"Commander!"
One of the guards, young and inexperienced by the look of him, had spotted a thick column of black smoke rising from the forest treeline. The massive smoke cloud, which would be clearly visible even from Canterlot, could only mean one thing; forest fire. Worse still, the blaze would have been spotted from the palace by now. There would be a lot of people with questions as to what was going on.
On one hoof, this was almost certainly a diversion by James to mask his true strategy. On the other hoof, there was the chance that the fire wasn't controlled properly, and that could result in a massive inferno and the loss of a large forest area full of life. It forced Feather to make a choice; risk lives by continuing his pursuit or let the fugitive get away by stopping the fire now.
"What is your order?" The guard asked after he neglected to answer.
"…Take your colts and try to contain that fire!" he commanded after a short delay.
"But sir, the fugitive—"
"The fugitive will not get away this time," he reassured his comrade. "That is a promise."
As the guards-ponies lifted from their cloud perches and sailed off into the sky towards the column of smoke, Feather repeated the phrase to himself.
"That is a promise."
As soon as that fire was lit, off into the woods James raced.
He had taken the risk of carrying mossy firewood into a clearing, and taking multiple trips at that, but he was able to create a sizably large bonfire at the centre. After taking the time to gather stones to surround the pit as an extra precaution, James turned back towards the tracks and hit the ground running.
It was only when he was halfway back to the tracks that he realized that he had no way of knowing when the next train would come. This problem only speeded James along, giving him the extra amount of steam he needed. He hoped that he wasn't too late, or for that matter, too early. As he sprinted through the uneven terrain, hurtling over stones and fallen trees, he assured himself that he would plan things out next time, no matter what.
As he broke out of the treeline, luck was with him at that very moment; by convenience, a train was just ahead of him on the tracks, just beginning its departure and only starting to gain speed. There would be no time to slow down and no room for error. James burst out, tearing towards the train for all he was worth. The caboose of the train got closer and closer… and started to pull away.
"No! NO, you friggin' ASS!" James cursed, pouring on the speed. His legs began to ache.
With that burst of speed, James was at a manageable pace with the train. Time slowed down for him; he'd have to take yet another stupid risk.
'Don't you dare mess this up,' James threatened himself. 'Don't you DARE mess this up…'
With that, James leapt, nay, he flew, and his hand gripped the back railing of the caboose of the train. With his legs dragging painfully against the ground for only a moment, James pulled himself up, collapsed onto the deck of the caboose's back platform, and sat breathlessly. He was tired, sore, and generally irritable. But one thing was certain.
He absolutely nailed that escape.
After a few minutes of rest, James took the time to assess the situation. He had just escaped from quite possibly the most secure place in this land in, depending on one's point of view, either the craziest or most badass way possible. He had the government on his heels, believing he was the herald for some kind of interdimensional force. He was on the bad side of the pinnacle of aristocratic power in these parts, and he had gotten literally nowhere in his plans to get back home.
In the short term, however, he was solid. He had gained the food that he needed for the long road ahead, he was on a train bound for the Everfree, hidden in a baggage car he had snuck into after regaining his bearings, and he had only accumulated a few scrapes and bruises. As James moved over to the side door of the car, he opened ever so slightly to check on the aftermath. Sure enough, the column of smoke had turned from black to white; a sign that the burning had ceased. That notion comforted him slightly, but only added to the list of crimes he had committed since he got here. As it stood, he had three counts of theft, resisting arrest, assault and now arson. He wondered how many other crimes he could add to that list.
Closing the door, James moved back to his original position behind some wooden storage crates bound for some place called 'Manehattan', a name that made James feel a sense of familiarity. Once more, he was alone with his thoughts, and whatever presence that was hovering over him. James didn't realize it until now, but the feeling of constantly being watched was coming to him while he was awake, something that was definitely not a good sign.
Eventually, James came across a rolled-up rug and laid it out as best he could in the cramped car, and had a small meal of two carrots, half a loaf of bread and a banana. Finding nothing else to do, he rummaged around in his pack and retrieved the blank notebook he 'appropriated' from castle Canterlot along with an ink pen. He had an evening to go, and the sun hadn't even set yet. On the bright side, at least he didn't have to go on foot.
It was high time he started documenting his travels. Opening the book to the first page, he began to write down everything he knew, about Twilight and her company, about Celestia, about the beasts he had encountered and the memories he could bring to mind. Most importantly, he wrote whatever he could about the presence in his dreams.
It would seem some of his priorities had to be set straight.