The day was a typical thursday in Trottingham and Princess Luna was rudely awaken by the sound of a knock at her door. Noticing that her room was more brightly lit then usual she deduced that it was well past the time of her wake up call. The princess decided, reluctantly to get up from her bed and answer the door. As she made her way to the front of the room she looked at the mirror and saw how much of a rats nest her hair was from her sleep. Usually she would be upset by this but because she got such a grand night of sleep she decided to pay little mind to it. Using her magic she fixed herself up just enough to be presentable for the pony behind her door. Clearing her throat the princess opened the door and greeted the bell hop. "Good morning a pleasant day to you." she said with a slight bow of her head.

The bell hop who was pulling a tray of assorted containers replied to the princess with a slight chuckle. "Good afternoon you mean your majesty. Why its almost one oclock" Luna not wanting to show the young stallion her newly found state of panic quickly laughed it off, gave the young stallion a few bits as tip and proceeded to eat her brunch in a matter almost un-lady like for one such as her. She had no need for formalities when she was alone so hurried her eating was. Normally she would not be eating in such hast but she had an agenda to keep today. She along with Twilight Sparkle, her sisters favorite student, were visiting Trottingham for political reasons. Princess Celestia was worried that the sudden changes in trade routes were effecting the cities economy negatively. It was Lunas job to talk to the mayor to see if anyones busyness needed aid. She was relieved to hear the mayor say that not a single soul had sent in a request for aid. The mayor then proceeded to tell the princess that the people of Trottingham are strong in will and that they are quick to adapt. Princess Luna was sure to make a note of that in her letter to her sister she sent.

Princess Luna, while still chewing the last of her meal when she summoned her magic to gather to aid in her packing. She had been staying the classiest hotel that Trottingham had to offer. Though having three stars being there best the hotel had to hire more staff once they heard that they were to house a princess and one of the elements of harmony. Nevertheless Lunas and Twilights stay was a pleasant one. Luna glancing at the clock noticed that it was almost one-thirty. She had better check out before Twilight had gotten back from reading to the fillies at there school. Twilights mission in this city was to visit all of the local elementary schools and say few words to the young ones. The elements of harmony were admired like real life heros so it was no surprise that the children would be delighted to see her.

Packing her things into here saddle bag she walked down to the front counter and asked the Maitra d to carry a message to her companion when she came back. "But of cource your highness." The Maitra d said while grabbing a pen and paper.

"Thank you. Please tell her that I will be taking a later Train tomorrow morning and that I shall see her in Canterlot on Saturday. Also tell her that I have my sisters blessing so she should not worry." The Princess said waiting for pen to come to a stop.

"Very good princess might I inquire to what you are doing and be so bold to make a recommendation?" Luna thought the Maitra d`s request to be refreshing.

"I am running a few errands as well as picking up a souvenir or two. Tell me are there any bakeries in these parts?" She asked thinking of Tia in mind.

"Why yes there is a grand bakery over near the capital building, gourmet delights fit for or a queen!" he said with a hoof in the air. "Or in your case a princess."

The princess and her sister had been raised on gourmet food and she did not think getting more of the same old thing sounded appealing as a gift. "Are there not any more...inexpensive locations to purchase sweets?" she asked.

The Maitra d quickly understanding thought long and hard about this question. "Well if you dont mind going into the more shady parts of the downtown area there is one place that has the best banana cream pie I have ever tasted."

"Perfect, I thank you for your information." She said with a smile. This was the part of the trip she had looked forward too. She had heard many things about Trottingham like how it was the second largest city in Equestria or how Its second mayor had discovered steam power, but the thing that caught her attention most was the fact that the downtown area was supposedly filled to the brim with steam. She had been uptown where it was prim and proper like most of Cantrelot so she became very bored very quick. Now she could go see the hustle and bustle of a downtown city! She would get a disguise so that no one would temper the tongues or attitudes around her like the pony before her. She didn't mind the politeness so much as the daily routine it held. a bow before and after speaking, plastered smiles during the whole conversation, such a dull time. The Maitra d however had been making a valiant effort to keep the conversation and for it she would personally see to it that this hotel would become no less then a four star establishment.

She thanked him and went on her way. She was beaming with excitement that of a young filly. she would need to get a change of clothes to fit in with the locals

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'Another typical Thursday.' Thought one stallion while walking through the streets of his home city. "Eleven o`clock and I already want a break." He laughed aloud. "I haven't even gotten to work and- Horseapples! Im going to be late!" The realization of his tardiness gave him an adrenaline boost that he was far too familiar with. Now at a full gallop he ducked and weaved through ally ways and shops grabbing a bit of food from his favorite bakery The Bread and Butter.

The young stallion snatched a piping hot plate of cheery pie from the counter and proceeded to the back door only to be stopped by Sour Dough the owner. "Cought`cha this time you little thief!" He proclaimed as he smacked a wooden spoon against his other hoof sneering at his freshly caught pray.

"Hehe, looks like you got me this time Mr. Dough I guess ill give this back and be on my way." He said as he tried to squeeze by his capture.

"Oh no ya don`t!" Mr. Dough grabbed him by the collar. "Your going to pay for the other four you stole! Then I might let you off the hook."

Holding his arms up the young stallion tried to compromise. Mr. Dough be reasonable here, how could I NOT be tempted to grab a bite or two of your delicious bake goods." Now resting his hooves on Mr. Dough`s arms. Mr. Dough wanted to see where he was going with this so he let him down not realizing he had picked him up. "The smell, the aroma, of these things could make a king steal!"

Realizing his flattery Mr. Dough interrupted. "But a king has money!"

"That may very be the case but you know what a king DOSENT have that you do?" Mr. Dough was silent waiting for the answer. What could he a middle-aged baker have that a king didn't? The young stallion seeing the old stallion bewildered by his question smiled knowing he was as good as free. "Talent!" He said swiftly. "A king can only ask for something as wonderfully tasting as one of your cakes or pies. But YOU are the only one in the whole of Equestria-no, the world who can make something so sinfully good." he said taking a bite of the pie he had recently stolen. He looked like he had just experienced eating for the first time.

Mr. Dough, having customers who only had nothing but critique for his creations found renewed hope in his bakery. "Well, when ya put it like that!" He said with a puffed out chest. "I guess I can let this one slide. But you still have to pay for the other four!" He yelled remembering to not let him off the hook so easily.

"How bout I sweep up for free a couple of days after work? You must be so tired after perfecting these baked goods everyday you don`t have time to sweep! Let me do that and you take a load off!"

Mr. Dough didnt see the harm and set an arrangement and let the young stallion on his way. "Ill never know how he gets me to agree to such a deal." He said to himself shaking his head.

"Its because your a big softy." His wife ridiculed. Knowing his wife to be right he let it go and went back to his oven.
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"Darnit! That took way too long!" He said slowing his pace as he walked into the building. He picked up his time card and looked at the clock. the clock read a a quarter to twelve. he sighed as he punched his card. "Frostjack your late. Again!" He heard his boss yell over the intercom.

"How can he see me be late?" He said to himself.

"Because I`m the boss! Thats how!" The intercom said.

"Your office is on the other side of the building!" Frostjack yelled in a fit of frustration. It was the same thing every day, arrive at work just to be yelled at by his boss. Frostjack worked at the Stacks Brothers and company Steam powered plant, or The Stacks as it was refereed to. He had been working as the resident "clean up boy" for the whole facility ever since the safety regulations were changed. The Stacks was already short changing its employees as it was so the manager in charge of the building hired Frostjack. Just turning sixteen he thought he could short change him even more by letting him work for free and saying that he would 'write him a recommendation.' Frostjack hadn`t been raised to be a fool so he negotiated a minor salary of thirty bits a month. Just enough to keep up his rent. And so the routine went for two years.

As the lunch bell rang it was his duty to clear out all the trash bags so as his co-workers were eating he was setting up the court. He always did his job but that never stopped him from having fun at it. As lunch was beginning to end and the workers leaving the cafeteria they passed Frostjack and a small basketball court with a large trash can at the edge. The workers would then get there jollies out of trying to make baskets and when missing the whole work force would boo them out of the cafeteria. Everyone took it well as it was all in good fun and so the rest of the day went with ease.

The workers would usually make jokes about the smallfrys and in every conversation Frostjacks name would always come up what with him being the newest and all. Most of there jokes were crude and distasteful but Frostjack always shrugged them off. In his mind he thought that if they didn't mock him theyd probably mock someone who would get upset and start a fight then the whole building would be a terrible place to work. His first few months there Frostjack realized that most of the workers came to work early and left late because they either had no one to go home to or that the ones they had to go home to didn't want them there. He made his mind up to make sure that they could work there problems out at work with there friends then at home by themselves. Even if it was at his expense.

Today was especially rough for him because while cleaning the tables off one of the workers by the name of Brick Builder, whom everyone knew was having hard times having ends meet, found one of Frostjack`s books. Frostjack still being a colt at heart was in the middle of reading one of his favorite graphic novels. Trick or Twirl. A story about a city colt who lies his way into kingdom of never ending whirlwinds only to make himself the new king. It wasn't his favorite but he liked the idea of someone like him becoming royalty. His sister used to tell him stories as such before she ran away leaving him to fend for himself. Stories like this reminded him of simpler times that he longed for. Unfortunately he could not reminisce for long because Brick Builder was tearing up his novel saying that he should grow up and act like a Stallion. He could smell the alcohol on his breath from here. He only felt contempt for Brick as he was throwing the book around. He couldn't let this go on because someone else would see and report him. Brick Builder wasn't a mean pony he was just in a hard time in his life. Frostjack retrieved the book only to be shoved by Brick. Swearing to himself he walked out of the cafeteria. Later his boss came by. "So Frostjack, anything interesting happen today?" He said as a father would say to there son.

Not wanting to get him in trouble he feigned ignorance. "Same old same old. Why did I miss something cool?" He asked with a grin.

Not wanting to pry the information out of him he let it be. "No just rumors." He said as he trotted away. "Just... if anyone bothers you you come to me understand?"

Saluting his bosses back he replied. "Yes sir!" Leaving him alone his boss went to check on the other part of the rumor he heard.

The clock rang nine and the workers who had a place to go went. The workers who didn't stayed for a little while longer and nopony questioned it. Frostjack`s nightly duty was to make sure the bathrooms and floors were spotless. He was always the second to last to leave around eleven. The last being the Mr. Hardware the boss. After putting his cleaning supplies away. Hardware was lecturing him about being late. "Yeah yeah it wont happen again." Frostjack said shrugging it off. Hard ware about to blow a fuse noticed that a light was still on from the janitors closet.

"I have a dinner arrangement tonight. Go and turn off that light for me will ya?" He asked while walking away.

"Sure but this counts as overtime right?" Hardware said nothing as he continued walking not wanting to justify that question with an answer. "Right okay!" Frostjack said answering his own question. As he continued down to see where the light was coming from he heard a large clang like metal crashing against metal. "That sounded like it came from the bosses office." he thought as he quickened his pace. peaking his head through the open door he saw or should he say smelled a drunken Brick Builder hitting the safe in the bosses office with a crowbar.

"Stupid jerk!" Builder said with a slur of his speech. "This`ll teach him! Fire me?ME!?" he shouted as he swung at the safe cracking it open. As the bits started falling out one rolled over to the door where Frostjack was. "Whozzat? Ill kill ya!" Brick started to chase Frostjack around the facility swinging the crow bar like a madpony. Frostjack being severely less intoxicated escaped the drunkard. Being too dark to see Brick Builder turned on all the lights as well as the machinery.

Frostjack hiding in between a two large oil tanks yelped at the sudden noise they made. "There you are!" said Brick as he threw his crowbar missing him by a slim margin but tearing open the tank instead. As the oil was spreading threw the floor Frostjack tried running for the door but slipped . Being dazed slightly he was slow to get up. By the time he did Brick made his way down and picked up his crowbar getting ready to deliver the finishing blow. Fortunate for Frostjack the crowbar was covered in oil as well and slipped out of Bricks hooves as he went to swing. The crowbar hit a light bulb and caused sparks over the oil soaked floor.

With the floor catching ablaze Brick Builder decided to jump over Frostjack dropping a bag of bits as he did. Frostjack swiftly followed but not before grabbing the money left next to him as a way of trying to save some profit.

With the pair out of the burning building the police and fire fighters were on the scene in a matter of moments. As the police arrived Brick Builder started making a spectacle of himself. "Officer officer quick! Arrest that thief!" Brick pointed to the blue earth pony holding a bag of what looked like contained bits. "Freeze! Drop the bag and lie down on the ground!" The officer ordered. Frostjack regaining some of his mental facilities realized how the situation looked. Unfortunately he did not regain enough to remain calm. He was panicking he didn't want to go to jail but the thought of him being blamed for burning down The Stacks was way worse to him. A crowed was starting to appear and in this crowed he saw Mr. Hardware. The two made eye contact and just as Frostjack was about to speak, Hardware shook his head sadly and turned away. Struck with grief he did any young stallion in his position would do. He ran

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The police searched early into the morning looking for him. With Brick Builder nowhere to be found Frostjack was the primary suspect. They searched high and low, in every ally way and gutter, from bookstores to bakeries they searched. All but one. The Bread and Butters doors remained closed long after the morning had started. Having nowhere else to go he sought refuge in the Doughs bakery. Mr. Dough was about ready to go out and find Brick Builder himself but his wife calmed him down. There solution was for him to get out of town for a little while until the whole thing blew over. Apparently Brick Builder was in debt to the gangsters that rule Downtown Trottingham and he was to get the cash and vandalize the building so that The Stacks would have to close so that a new business would move in. One owned by the mob. At least this is what Mrs. Dough had heard from the other bakers wives and anyone from Trorttingham could vouch that what went through there channels was true. There had been an APB look out for him.

"Hmph! Fastest i`ve ever seen the cops here work." Said Mr. Dough. "The must have been bought. You need to disappear for a while, take a train ride to Manehattan wire me when you get there alright? Ill let you know when its safe to come back so you can sweep my floors." He gave Frostjack a clap on the back trying to cheer him up.

"Now dont you worry dearie." Said Mrs. Dough. "Well hold down the fort here and we wont say a word." She gave him a scarf and a coat to cover himself up and a saddlebag with a few snacks and bits as well as his book. The scarf and bag both belonged to Mr. Dough when he was younger. The coat was a gift for there son but his birthday was along time from now and they could just save up for another.

"Thank you, both of you I-I don`t know where id be right now without you two." He was starting to tear up. He had always been abandoned first by his father who left him and his older sister then his sister who left him. He was glad that he meet these two and he hoped to see them again.The three hugged and Mr. Dough quickly pushed him out the back door as they heard some one come in.

"Get a move on or you`ll miss the train!" He whispered through the door.

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As he reached the train station he noticed the one headed for Manehattan was teeming with police ponies. All of the trains were. He didn't know what to do he needed to escape but where? He took a few deep breaths to get a calm head and assessed the situation. There was a train that had significantly less officers then the others though there were some royal guards. Probably because of all the rich ponies riding it he thought. He decided that the guards were not looking for him so he could just sneak on as one of the bag boys. It was all going according to plan till he got on the train. He paused "I guess I didn't think this far." he said laughing nervously to himself. As he saw the porter come by asking for tickets he did the only thing he could think of. He panicked! He ducked into the cabin nearest him and closed the door tightly. He then slid back to the far end of his seat and shut his eyes hoping to become invisible.

"Can I help you?" a feminine voice across from him asked. The voice belonged to non other then princess luna who had just finished a cup of tea. She was adorned in her 'street clothes' still from her earlier shenanigans and did not feel like changing back into her regular crown.

Being as smooth as ever he yelped with a most attractive "Eeep! Ah ha, sorry miss is this your cabin? I guess I got in he wrong one. Ill just be leaving now sorry to disturb." He said quickly, started to stand he noticed the stallion asking for tickets. "On second thought," he started to say as he sat back down. "The more the merrier right?"

There was a long awkward pause while he was thinking up an excuse for being here but non came to mind. Finally relenting in the silence he spoke. "My name is Frostjack, whats yours?"

Astonished that one of her subjects could not recognize her the princess was at a loss for words. Princess Luna was amazed that her disguise had worked so well! As she opened her mouth to tell him of her true identity a sudden thought hit her. The thought was so out of the ordinary that she couldn't fathom the idea that it came from her own mind. Instead of telling him that she was a princess and end up startling him what with the whole Nightmare Moon business and all that, she would say that she was like him. Just your average everyday mare taking a train ride. She would be able to have a nice civil conversation with somepony. Something she hadn't had in ages. It would be good therapy to get back in touch with her subjects even if it was undercover. They would get off the train and go there separate ways and none would be the wiser. "Ah yes my name is... Moon... beam. Yes Moonbeam!" She said all to excitedly. "Back to the point, why are you in my cabin? Are you hiding from somepony?" She had noticed the police around the train station and wondered if anything was the matter. She thought it had something to do with the fire see heard about while in the downtown area.

Frostjack wanted to lie to save himself the trouble, nut something about this mare would make him feel... guilty about not opening up to her. "Um... before I tell you anything I just want you to know that Im not a bad guy, I just had some bad luck thats all." He waited for Moonbeam to respond. She did with a raised eyebrow and a slight nod. He sighed and began to tell her all about the last twenty or so hours. All starting when he arrived late at work to when he sought shelter at the Dough`s bakery.

"I was at that bakery!" Luna shouted with a look of shock on her face.

"Shhh! Not so loud!" He whispered at her. "Im not supposed to be on this train so if they find me I`m done for." Just as he finished his sentence the door opened up and the words he was relenting hear ran through his ears.

"Tickets please." Frostjack`s face turned a ghostly shade of white.

"I ah..Um..." He darted from the porter to luna and back again not knowing what to say, his words trying to keep in time with his brain. The porter was becoming impatient and was looking for an officer to escort him out. Luna not wanting to reveal her status nor see her new acquaintance be arrested tried something, once again she could not fathom coming from her mind.

"Oh darling did you leave your tickets in your other coat again?" She said as sweetly as possible. "I am terribly sorry about this he so forgetful at times. Are you not, darling?" She said more at him then to him.

Never had been called 'darling' before Frostjack was more a loss for words then before. all he could do was nod slowly. "I have my ticket but I could never leave him. Do you think you can overlook this just this once?" She asked while putting a small bag filled with bits on the table closest to the porter.

Taking the bag and putting it in his pocket he replied with a big smile. "Well I don`t see why we cant fudge the rules a little bit every once and a while. You two enjoy your ride and if you need any champagne just feel free to ask." As the door shut the two looked at each other in silence. It was broken by a sudden fit of laughter from them both.

"I cant believe you did that! You could have gone to jail for stuff like that!"

The princess settling down from her laughing gave it a thought. "And setting a building a blaze it perfectly legal im sure." She said with a snicker.

Hey! thats...pfft thats totally different!. He tried to defend himself but the laughing was coming back in force between the two. The laughing becoming contagious for them they couldn't stop even if they wanted to. They laughed for a good five minutes with pause causing quite a ruckus and certainly becoming a nucince to the other passengers. When they calmed down long enough to catch there breath there conversation resumed. "Why, if I may ask, are you leaving town?" Luna inquired.

Frostjack feeling much more comfortable with the topic now that he was almost in the clear decided to think about that himself. "Its because I don`t want to get thrown in jail. Yeah that seems like a good reason to skip town. That and Ive always wanted to travel!" He said jokingly.

"Are you not innocent?" she asked.

"Well, yeah but-"

"Then inform the officers and let justice take its course." she said with out an ounce of reserve.

Not wanting to insult his strange new friend he explained the fact that most of Trottingham, as well as the 'justice' was owned by Three Horns and his cronies. Princess Luna`s look of shock made Frostjack feel like he had said something distasteful. "Im sure the princesses would put a stop to it if they had known." she said as if trying to convince herself.

"Gazing out the window he replied. "I think even if they knew about it they wouldn't be able to do much." Luna asked him why he thought that while trying to hold back the venom from her words. "You take down one bad guy another shoots up to take his place. At least with Three horns he provides the rest of the city wit revenue even if it is dirty money." Luna was astonished. Not so much the fact that he said the princess were powerless to stop such vile acts but that he was right. Her and her sister never payed much attention to Trottingham because they always seem to solve there own problems. "I hated it there." Fighting the urge to change the topic she inquired as to why he carried such negativity for his hometown. "Ive got nothing but bad memories. A few good ones but none that made my time there meaningful. "My sister and I were abandoned by our father when were young my sister took care of me for a few years and then poof! She left me too, " He paused "she didn't even say good by." He noticed himself starting to tear up and wiped his eyes on his sleeves.

Luna starting to tear up herself from hearing such tale of abandonment was reminded of her time on the moon. She remembered feeling alone and unloved. She knew what he was feeling and so she put a hoof on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. Seeing her upset over his life story made him him breakdown. looking into those sad eyes of hers, those deep blue eyes, looking so sad, so lonely he couldn't bare it. He reached out for her and her for him and they held each other as they started to cry, in the same spot where they had been busting there guts not ten minutes ago. They had an understanding of one another. Frostjacks understanding that he was not alone in his strife and Lunas understanding that she truly felt for this pony and him being sad made her sad. She had never had such an emotion towards any creature besides her sister.

They held each other for what seemed like most of the train ride, sniffling all the way. Finally Frostjack pulled away with a soft smile. "How `bout I go get us some of that champaign to lighten the mood eh?" Luna only nodded as he got up and opened the door. "Moonbeam?" He asked before he left. Moonbeam looked his way. "Thank you for crying with me. It helps to cry with a friend" Luna started to tear to again at the thought of being called a friend. She had been noponies friend in ages. He chuckled "That kind of sounds lame now that I think about it." and he left.

Moonbeam was left by herself filled with guilt. She wish she had not lied to him and told her who she was. She wanted to hear him call her by her name. But she knew that if she had done that he might have not told her as much as he had. Wouldn't he? Anyway she felt like a hypocrite for not telling him the truth after he had told her nothing but. She decided to tell him when he came back with the drinks. But what was this? She felt something rise in the pit of her stomach. It was an emotion she was all to familiar with. Fear. She was fearful of his reaction. Would he feel betrayed? Would he hate her for lying to his face? Or worse would he be scared of her? Would he treat her with every ounce of reserve her subjects normally did when she was out and about? These questions plagued her mind. But she was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. "Whoops! My bad." she heard Frostjacks voice say from the cabin next to her. Even though she was extremely worried her giggles could not be contained. "Moonbeam? he whispered. "Moonbeam where are you?

"I am here." she whispered back though her giggles. All of her uneasiness had disappeared for some reason. She had to guess it was because of him. Her mind was made up. She would tell him.

Author's Note

So, I didn't intend to make this chapter super long so don`t get used to it! Unless you guys like long chapters like this. Then Ill see what i can do! Tell me what you think, bare in mind ive been writing these at like midnight to two am so if something does not make sense to you let me know cuz I might have forgotten to fix it.