Could Be a...

Chapter 14 – Training your eyes

It's been about two and a half hours since you and Twilight left Canterlot, sure you know Vanhoover was far but you never rode there from Canterlot. And the worst part is that there's really nothing to look at out side of the window, most the fields of flowers that surround Ponyville to the north and east toward Canterlot are all covered with snow and the stuff around the outskirts of Vanhoover are just tall barren pine trees.

Sure, there's not as much snow as when the pegasus bring it in but the fields of green and multicolored fall trees are all absent.

Your drawn from the window as Spike's voice rings out with the same question he asked only a few minutes ago, "So it's not as far as the Crystal empire right?"

Twilight gives a little sigh as she looks up from the book she had packed, "Yes Spike..." She turns her head towards the window as she notices the treeline starting to thicken, "...In fact I think we're almost there."

"Actually you're correct."

The cheerful but deep sounding stallion's voice takes you and Twilight's attention as you look to the older train conductor pony as he nods with a slightly lower voice, "Just wonder, seeing as how the last time you two road the rails for a long time there we're rumors of King Sombra and Discord returning..." The stallion pokes his head a little closer as he continues, "There's nothing anypony should know right?"

Twilight waves to the comment as she shakes her head, "No, not at all."

The stallion nods his head as he takes his head up with his voice a little louder as he trots towards the front of the train car, "Approaching Vanhoover, next stop Vanhoover."

His words flick your ear as you sigh and bend down to grab the bag you had set down, however you spark up a faint chuckle as you start to bring the satchel's strap around you, "Twilight why is this bag so heavy?"

The lavender mare folds the page she's on as she closes the book to her voice, "Oh nothing really." She floats the book next to her as she casually waves her hoof, "It's just some stuff I thought we might wear in case we need to dress formal."

You drift your eyes back to the heavy bag, but before you can speak up Spike runs his comment out, "Hey Twilight, do you think Celestia might ask us to stay at Vanhoover if there's no pony suited for it?"

Twilight pauses for a moment as she drifts her eyes to you, "Well...I don't think she would."

You don't bring your voice up as you just squint to the idea of possibly becoming some kind of lord or whatever. Hm... Alien shape shifter fire-bending wizard library badass lord of Vanhoover number one superpony. A dumb smile comes to your face as you just stare off into space with the thought in mind.

Spike and Twilight now just stare to your strange and dopey stare as you snap from it, "I like Ponyville."

Twilight nods to the comment as she turns back to Spike, "Ya, I mean all of our friends are there and it's where Violet and Aerolight were born. There would be no reason to leave it..."

The squeal of the train's wheels comes up and ends the conversation as you all just look to the dark cobblestone train station you now cross into. The tall fall colored trees the you remembered covering the city's skyline no longer have a prominent leaf cover and the light of the sky now shines in like streams of gold through the tree branches.

"Vanhoover station!" The stallion's voice comes up as the door opens.

You, Twilight and Spike quickly bring yourselves up as you all move to the door, this time you're the first ones out... But it's really no contest seeing as how you're the only ones out. Your guess would be that the realization that Changeling’s ruled the city probably scared off the tours.

As you take your first step into the open cobblestone station you're hit with something unexpected, the weather under the tall trees that wrap around the city actually have blocked all of the cool wind. Making the feeling outside actually pretty nice, and the warm golden light that pours from the tree's cover gives an added bonus to the windless city.

However, your enjoyment of the city's uniqueness is brought to an end as a young feminine but proper voice comes up, "Welcome to Vanhoover can I help you with..."

The young tan coated mare with curly orangy and fall like yellow mane cocks her head for a moment as a smile starts to come to her face, "Twilight Sparkle..." Her wide eyes turn to you as she calls you by name, which is pretty surprising seeing as how you have no idea who the young mare really is. "...Welcome back."

Twilight gives a slight giggle as she squints to the warm welcome, "You remember us?"

The young mare happily nods her head as she continues, "Oh yes, ever since the old Countess left everypony's been feeling well rested and are no longer as drained as we all were." The mare points her hoof down the cobblestone road as she continues, "...The city even asked for Princess Celestia to erect a statue in your honor right next to the Vanhoover Falls where Tall Tail forest meets the city."

You and Twilight are silent as you both just blink wide eyed to the comment.

The mare does not change her tone as she continues, "...It's not finished yet but it's started." Her comment stops as she widens her eyes, "Have you two been selected as Vanhoover's new rulers?"

Twilight snaps back to reality from the comment as she gives a little laugh, "No, we're here to select the new ruler."

The young mare pauses to the comment but she nods as she speaks up, "Princess Celestia must really trust your judgement... and so does our city." The mare holds her hoof out as she gives a friendly smile, "I was asked to escort all new arrivals to the city to the castle."

You and Twilight nod to the comment as you follow after the now trotting mare, Spike on the other hoof has just snapped from his stunned state as he now quickly follows after you and Twilight with an excited voice, "Whoa... You got a statue?! Celestia only gave me a dumb old piece of glass in the throne room for vanquishing Sombra."

You give a little chuckle to the comment as you start to swing your eyes around the older but nice looking predominantly dark cobblestone city.

The trot to the city and the hard to forget long staircase up to the castle have come to their end as you pant a little hard to the last stair you step from.

The large dark stoned older style castle now lays only a short gallop away as the young mare's voice comes up, "Here you are." The mare gives a little nod as she waits for you and Twilight to trot forward.

But you wait a few seconds as you both wait for the wheezing little purple dragon who finally reaches the last step, "W-oah *pant* that is a really long staircase..."

The mare gives a little giggle as Spike comes next to you and Twilight as you start your trot towards the castle.

However as you reach just halfway into the courtyard the large elegant doors of the castle open up to a white and gold armored dark blue stallion with light and dark purple mane.

The stallion brings a smile to Twilight's face however as she speaks up, "StoneGem!"

You blink to the name as you watch the stallion happily nodding his head, "Hello Twilight, hows your brother doing?"

You slow your trot as Twilight turns her head to you, "This is StoneGem, he and Shining we're best friends when we-..."

The stallion gives a friendly chuckle as he speaks up, "Were? Twilight he did make me captain of the guard when he left Canterlot."

A little giggle comes from Twilight as the stallion continues, "Of course a lot of good i'm doing for Canterlot when Celestia sends me to Vanhoover with no notice."

I like this guy, you hold your smile as you continue to listen to him, "...But hopefully my four day stay here won't be for nothing."

Twilight holds her hoof to you as she introduces you. However just as she finishes Spike brings his voice up, "Hi StoneGem."

The stallion nods to both comments as he speaks up to you, "Ya I remember you, not everyday somepony gets married at Canterlot castle and then is late for there own wedding."

You blink to the comment as a thought runs through your mind, why is everypony talking about our wedding today?

Before you can bring your voice up the stallion bows his head as he continues, "But, that's not the only thing you're known for..." He turns his head to Twilight as he holds his hoof out, "Some of the would be rulers have been here since I got here, but the guard stationed here has been doing all the deeds so far."

As you three start into the castle StoneGem follows in next to Twilight as he continues, ".. Truthfully I hope you're able to pick somepony soon, i'm not the political type." A faint chuckle comes from the stallion as he nods his head to the two stallions standing in front of the closed throne room doors.

They open as he shells out one last comment, "But I understand if you're not..."

Twilight nods to the comment as she speaks up, "Well I'm sure we'll do our best."

You would dwell on the fact Twilight just said we, but at the moment your eyes lock to the empty regal gold and red throne as a sharp chill runs through your spine with the memory of this place.

"You two will be staying in the lord and lady's room while you stay here."

With StoneGem's voice you blankly follow after Twilight as you pass by the empty throne towards the door that sits directly behind it hidden from the rest of the throne room.

StoneGem stops next to the door as he speaks up, "What will you be needing?"

Twilight pause for the moment as she taps her hoof to her mouth, "Could we get a survey from the city's ponies stating what their concerns are for a new ruler?"

StoneGem nods his head as he speaks up, "Anything else?"

"Hmm..." Twilight slowly brings her voice up as she squints hard to her own thought, "How many ponies are there again?"

"TrottingHam's lord and lady, and Rain-VerFall's lord ... Celestia said there were going to be four and I do believe that included you two." StoneGem's comment turns you and Twilight's heads but the lavender mare quickly waves it off as she speaks up, "Okay, well then tell everypony there will be a dinner party tonight, that way we can meet everypony."

StoneGem nods to Twilight's words as he turns to Spike, "Alright Spike i'll show you to your room."

As the stallion trots away with the little dragon following behind you and Twilight turn your attention back to the room as you open the door. However you both pause as you look over the incredibly large and lavishly furnished room.

You both stop at the threshold of the door as you both just look over the room, but it doesn't stay a quite stare for long as you bring up a chuckle, "Huh... So this is why Celestia never leaves her room to do anything."

The comment brings a giggle from the mare as you both trot in, however as you close the door you bring your voice back up, "So, a dinner with a bunch of snooty ponies huh?"

Twilight sheepishly lowers her head as she speaks up, "Well it should help us figure out who is the most suited..." She sparks her head up high as you start to move the bag from around you, "...Celestia always had test about leadership, a leader should be calm, respectful, ready and able to do whats best for everypony, but above all else they have to be understanding of everyponies needs."

You give a little chuckle as you shift your eyes to the few bookshelves that sit to one side of the room near a fireplace, "Celestia said a leader should be ready and able to do things?"

Twilight rolls her eyes to the comment as she trots to the bag were you rested it, "So, do you want to see what I packed?"

End of chapter 14