“This is not how I thought this day would go!” a gray stallion yelled as he galloped through a crowded city street. He was being pursued by a number of guards, all too eager to see him captured.

“Stop, thief!” one of them commanded.

Heh, you're wasting your breath, the pony thought, why should I stop? He weaved around a stall, made a turn around a corner, and continued on. The stallion spotted the train station up ahead. Aha, perfect.

As he drew closer to the station, he saw smoke billowing from the engine's chimney and a pony standing on the platform, staring intently at a ticket. He maintained his gallop, and in a flash he rushed past them, taking their luggage and ticket. The unicorn on the platform stood bemused, and when it dawned on him that his things had been stolen, his gaze shot over to the train's doors, which had just closed.

The train rumbled to life and began to leave. The gray stallion took a glance out the window and watched the guards' stares as the train left the station. “Looks like you just made it,” a voice said. “May I see your ticket?” It took him a second to process the request.

“O-oh, he you go” he said as he gave the pony the stolen ticket.
He punched a hole in the ticket and remarked, “Ah, another one, huh? I'll show you to your seat.” This comment struck the stallion as odd, but he quickly dismissed it, glad to have escaped the guards. The pony led him back a few cars and said “here you are, sir. Enjoy the ride”. He took a glance around the car.

They were all unicorns, and they all had the same uniform on. This struck him as odd, making him feel a bit out-of-place amongst the others. At least he too was a unicorn, so his presence there wouldn't be too suspicious. The stallion spotted an empty seat and walked over to it. “Ah, a fellow newbie I see,” spoke the unicorn sitting in the window seat.

“I-is it that obvious?” he asked, putting on a nervous face in an effort to maintain his ruse.

The pony let out a laugh. “Yeah, though you might want to change into your uniform before we get there. You'll be judged quite harshly if you show up without it on. There's a room in the back that you can use to change.” The stallion nodded and thanked the unicorn, and headed into the room.

Once inside, he opened the suitcase and scanned its contents. A pair of uniforms matching the ones the other unicorns in the car were wearing, and a few other things. Books mostly, but there were a few items that might be significant to the pony they belonged to. No bits to speak of, though. He sighed at this. Money and I are infrequent company, it seems. He turned his attention to the uniform. The outfit consisted of a white undershirt, a powder-blue jacket and a red tie. The stallion put it on and admired himself in the mirror. The jacket seemed to compliment his gray coat and mane quite nicely. After he was finished looking himself over, he closed the suitcase and went back to his seat.

“How do I look?” he asked the pony at the window.

“Like it was made for you.”

He smiled and took his seat.

“Say, I didn't catch your name earlier, may I ask what it is?” the pony asked as he sat down.

“Quicksilver, and yours?”

“Star Chaser,” the unicorn at the window replied. “So, are you excited to start working?”

“Uh...” Quicksilver mumbles, trying to come up with a good answer. Work? he thought, these are employees? Where is this train headed?

“Nervous, huh? I can see why, I've heard it can be quite intimidating for some.” The two engaged in idle conversation for the next few hours to pass the time. Their conversation broke as the train was nearing a corner. “Ooh, we're almost there! Take a look!” Star Chaser had an excited expression on her face, and gestured for Quicksilver to come to the window. The train clears the bend, and off in the distance was an enormous complex built on top of a mountain range. The building was certainly an impressive structure to behold, an air of elegance and grandeur in its architecture. He stared in awe of its magnificence.

The front car door opened and a female earth pony walked out. “In a few minutes, we will be arriving at the Equestrian Grand Resort, the most luxurious resort in all of Equestria,” she said. His jaw dropped when he heard this. Not only were they heading to the most elegant and luxurious place in Equestria, but they were going to be working there? If this is a dream, he thought, I don't ever want to wake up.

“As you all know, this resort is the result of the richest ponies in Equestria coming together to create a resort to match their own wealth. Some of the finest artisans and brightest minds were brought in to make this dream a reality. It boasts accommodations for ponies in the thousands. Each room so lavish, you’ll feel like royalty. Several large swimming pools, a recreation area filled with many different kinds of activities, a library with a collection of books to rival the Canterlot Library, and that barely scratches the surface.” as she concluded her speech, the train slowed to a stop.

“Now, normally, this is where we would begin orientation, but unfortunately due to the celebration of the five year anniversary of its opening, we need all the help we can get, so we have to throw you into the thick of things.” The train ground to a halt, the doors opened, and ponies start to file out of the car.

Quicksilver grabbed “his” luggage from the rack above and filed out with the rest of the unicorns. As he emerged from the train car, the building's facade came into view. Seeing it from the train was one thing, But now that it was right in front of him, it was an even more amazing sight to behold. Large, ornate Corinthian pilasters decorated its facade, and tall, arched windows framed the space inbetween. A large stone archway with ornately carved pillars lead to a pair of large wooden doors. Could this be my second chance at life? he thought. Only one way to find out.

Author's Note

Hmm, this chapter doesn't seem too bad, but I think it could use a little improvement. I'm just not sure how.