The dawn of a new day

“After speaking to Mr. Emerald, I entered the doorway of the locomotive (along  with Slit) to find myself on board a rather fancy-looking boxcar. It was, for instance, a lot more spacious than would be expected from an external look. Its row of cherry-red wood planks between seats were wider than the stagecoach that I had used to ride to the train station, and would allow a pony to be able to move without touching another passenger trotting the other way. Great for the germaphobes ain’t it?” wrote Humble in his journal with a chuckle.

"Where was I? Oh yeah! The train’s windows had a unique look to them: they had small stained glass squares on the outside of the windows. The pictures seemed to have been made to look like they were spiraling white oak wood that filled the glass to the edges making it look like the window was framed. The seats looked like a bed to lay one’s body on, with a blue-painted wood back covered in stars that made a dip on the sides before making a hill in the center. I then went over to a seat on the left side of the train and started a process called sitting while Slit started a process known as standing still. It was a comfortable lay; at the very least, far more comfortable than the subway at home with all the not-having-to-be-squeezed-until-one's-face-looks-purple. I put my right hoof over the window to feel the heat of the sunny day being absorbed by the glass.” Humble wrote down with his mouth.

“Sir, your ticket?” said a female voice.

“Huh?” said Humble, looking up from his journal to see an orange-colored mare in a red velvet-like suit standing before him and holding out her hoof with an expectant look.

“Your ticket, sir, if you would,” stated the mare with no cracks of emotion showing upon her face.

“Oh! You mean this ticket?” said Humble, pulling out from his pocket a blue card with the words “Equestrian Railways” printed on it. “What do you need it for?” he asked with a puzzled tone.

"I need to punch it,” said the mare.

“But why, miss, um,” said Humble forgetting that he does not know this mare.

“Railrunner,” said the mare.

“Well, miss Railrunner, why would you want to punch an innocent ticket like this one?" he asked with a grin.

“Sir—,” she stopped, noticing for the first time the alligator below her. “Ahhhh! Why is there an alligator aboard the train!?”

“Well, I believe he's doing the dance move, standing and being offended by your reaction," snarked Humble.

“Sir, why do you have an alligator with you!?” she asked with a loud, unamused voice.

“Because he does my taxes,” Humble replied, seeing if his horseshoe was loose.

“Sir, this is not the time to joke, or I will throw you and your alligator off the train," she said in a scolding tone.

“No, really, he does my taxes. The little guy is great with a calculator," he said with a puzzled look and a shrug.

“Little guy!” Railrunner shouted. “He is as long as two seats!”

“Just more to love,” said Humble picking up Slit’s torso and hugging him. “Who's my little Slitty? You are, yes, you are,” he said affectionately to the blank alligator.

“Sir, I’m afraid I must take your 'Slitty' and put him in a cage in the back,” she said.

Looking at the train employee with puppy eyes Humble said, “Must you?”

“I assure you, sir, he will be well taken care of," Railrunner said.

With a sigh, Humble looked at Slit and said with a sad look, “Ok boy, go with the nice mare. I’ll see you when we arrive."

The Alligator proceeded to be taken away by another attendant. For a second, a sad look appeared in it’s eyes.

“Well, now that has been taken care of, can I please have your ticket now?” asked Railrunner with her hoof out.

“But why do you wanna punch an in—” said Humble before being interrupted.

“Sir, I have to punch more tickets so we can leave. If you would please stop joking and just hand me the ticket," she said with a roll of her eyes.

“Fine, fine, here ya go,” Humble said handing the blue card over to her.

“Thank you,” she replied before pulling out a paper puncher, punching a hole into the card, and then handing it back to Humble.

“Thanks,” he said to the already-punching-other-holes mare. “I guess.”

After waiting ten minutes, the conductor’s voice was heard.

“All passengers onboard, starting train!” the conductor bellowed.

A second later Humble, felt a jolt that caused him to fall forward.

Picking himself up and sitting back on the seat he said, “Always hated falling from glory.” Looking out the window, he saw the train station going past the stained glass corners. Soon, the town of New Fleurens was out of his sight and into it came the swamps and lagoons.

Slit would’ve loved the view, a chance to see his ancestral home deprived of him, thought Humble with a sad groan. Pulling the window cover down so that the landscape would stop reminding of his green friend, he surveyed his surroundings and looked at the other passengers. He saw that there were only five other passenger in the boxcar with him: first was a dark chestnut stallion earth pony with a scar on his muzzle that sat four seats behind him looking out a window, and a bright yellow unicorn stallion with an eyepatch was two seats behind the first stallion. For a second Humble could’ve swore he glanced at him with his good eye.

Looking at the last three passengers, he saw a family of earth ponies sat on the other side of the train three seats behind him. A light, grass-colored mare with a calculator for a cutie mark nuzzling with a purple, brownish-colored stallion with glasses and a clipboard for a cutie mark, and snuggling against the two in the middle was a whitish-blue filly, sleeping soundly with the mare rubbing her back as she cooed with relaxation. The way the couple looked so content made Humble feel a familiar emotion for a moment, but he shook it off as something not worth remembering. Seeing as he might get some writing down, he decided to write a little bit of a comedy book that he had been putting off he called “Random Sayings.” He decided to start writing like how a good writer always does by capturing the audience in a wise way. Clearing his his mind and pulling out a blank piece of paper and pen he began writing.

“It's not how big your plow is that’s important, it's how long it can be used…. ” wrote Humble.

As he wrote these words of wisdom, the two stallions behind him got up together and walked out of the boxcar, hopping over to the Bubble cart. The cart smelled like that of Mr. Pike’s waiting room. Soap, cider, and the color red. It was empty save the two gentlecolts. With a groan, Stale Crumbs dropped down on a chair “So, that’s the stallion? An alligator-carrying author?”

“Apparently,” said Lemon Squeeze, looking out the door window the had come through. “So, whats the deal with this guy? Why does Pike want him anyway?”

“Hey, we’re just the nappers; we get paid for taking, not hearing,” stated Stale taking, out a bottle of hard cider and a pipe. Lighting it, he looked back at Lemon, who was still looking through the window. “Will you please stop looking out that damn window? I need your eye if something goes wrong."

“Well excuse me for wanting to keep us covert," said Lemon.

“Oh, yeah, because there's nothing more covert than a unicorn in an eyepatch looking out a window," chuckled Stale blowing a bunch of little bubbles.

“Yeah yeah, keep laughing, scarface," said Lemon back out of the window. “Still, do you think it's a good idea to kidnap this guy? I mean, he’s related to an element of harmony.”

“It ain’t him we have to worry about, it's the other one,” said Stale taking a swig of cider.

“Yeah, I guess you're right,” replied Lemon. “Hey, what you do think he’s writing about?

“Probably something to do with a Prance whore," said Stale with a laugh.

In truth Humble had fallen asleep and was dreaming about a certain somepony whom he knew. In his dream, there in southern Manehattan's south central park area, was a young eight-year-old, grey coated, red maned, blank flanked colt who sat watching his only and best friend (not counting his little alligator) chase pigeons. This grey colt was a child of a rock merchant and a comedian, the two of whom were spending time with the family here. His best friend was a light-brown, blank flanked colt who had been brought with them so his mother might get better while she laid ill in bed at home.

“Coil why do you chase pigeons?” asked the grey colt while taking out his pet alligator from his pocket for its daily brushing.

“To hug them!” said his serponian friend like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I will hug them all di da,” sung his friend, prancing towards them.

“Yeah, well, be careful. You remember what happened last time,” said the colt, scrubbing a particular hard-to-get-off piece of artificial lion meat on his gator's tooth.

“How was I supposed to know that mama Pigeons hate it when you try to pet their babies?” said Coil now trying to see what it was like to eat bread like a pigeon.

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe when it squawks at you to frighten you off?” said the grey colt, putting the alligator back in his pocket for it’s nap.

“Oh, that was just a suggestion which I did not follow,” said Coil walking over to his friend. “Besides, the baby birds and mother were alright.” Just then, Coil’s stomach growled. “I’m hungry.”

“Well, I gotta use the little colt’s room before we can get something to eat. Can ya wait here for a bit?” asked the grey colt.

“Sure, I can, but please hurry,” whined Coil holding his belly.

“I’m going, I’m going,” said the grey colt, hopping off the bench and trotting in the direction of the restrooms. After using the restroom, the grey colt headed over to the sinks, and after washing his hands he went back to Coil. “Ya ready?” asked the colt to Coil, who was sitting upside down.

“Eeyup—whoah!” yelled Coil before falling over on his face when the bench tipped over.

“Coil!” said the colt rushing to his friends aid. “You alright?” he said helping his friend up.

“Is it the pigeons attacking us?” said a blood-rushed Coil, wobbling in his friends arms.

“Hahahah, looks like the blank flank babies been having too much hard milk," said a gruff voice.

Looking up the colts saw before them two other colts, one a peach-colored pegasus the other a dark green earth pony. The pegasus had a cloud that appeared to be raining as a cutie mark, while the earth pony had a hammer as a cutie mark.

“Who are you two?” said the colt putting his dizzy friend behind him.

“My name’s Rain Day,” said the pegasus with a smirk.

“And mine’s Pipeline,” said the earth pony who also was smirking.

“Well, what do you want?” said the grey colt nervously.

“Oh, nothing, just those bits you got,” said Rain Day with a step forward.

“What makes you think we got bits?” said Coil having recovered from his head rush.

“Come on, we heard you say you’re going to get lunch and I don’t see no adults around to provide bits," said Pipeline bumping his hooves together.

“O-okay, we don’t want no trouble. Here’s all our bits," said the colt handing over their money.

“Will you please leave us alone now?” asked Coil nervously.

“Oh, sure, once you hand over that lizard of yours!” shouted Rain Day, pointing at the alligator in the grey colt’s pocket. It was poking its head out, having been woken up from its nap due to the shouting.

“Slit?” asked the grey colt.

“Yeah, hand him over” said Pipeline holding his left hoof up in a violent manner.

“N-no!” shouted the grey colt.

“What did you say?” replied a ticked off Rain Day.

“You can't have Slit, he’s my friend!” shouted the grey colt. Just then, he remembered Coil. “And Coil’s pal, too!”

“Aww, ain’t that sweet. Now give me that bucking lizard!” shouted Rain Day pushing the grey colt down but not before grabbing Slit.

“Hey, give him back!” shouted the grey colt and Coil, getting back up before running towards the pair of bullies. Unfortunately, due to the size of the two smaller colts, they were quickly both pinned by Pipeline.

“Hahaha what wim—ahhh!” screamed Rain looking at Slit seeing that he bit his hoof.

“Why you little bucking lizard!” spat Rain before looking at the grey colt. “Just for that, I’m gonna make lizard splat,” he yelled holding up Slit by his tail.

“NOOO!” yelled the grey colt, struggling to get unpinned.

“Say goodbye to your liza—” said Rain day with a grin before being interrupted by a voice.

“Hey, dung brain!” said a sweet and angelic, yet harsh voice.

Looking up from his trap was when the grey colt saw… her. A heavenly being stood on top of a hill a few feet away. This being of pure beauty took the form of a beautiful dark yellow pegasus filly with a black as midnight mane, wearing a green vest and a cute little safari hat. On her side was a ball of thick-looking yarn, and while looking at her side, he saw that she too was a blank flank. Staring before this being, the grey colt could only say one thing.

“H-hi,” said the grey colt, gasping it out due to the weight on him.

“What do you want, girl!” shouted Rain Day at the filly, with Slit still trying to get out of his grasp.

“Put the alligator down and back away from the fellow blank flanks!” shouted the filly.

“Or else what, girl?” said Pipeline in a mocking tone.

“Yeah, you gonna throw your dolls at us?!” said Rain Day preparing to throw Slit down.

“Something like that if you don’t give up," said the filly with a smirk.

“Ha, I ain’t afraid to fight no girl," said Rain Day.

“And we aren’t giving up, either. Now get the buck outta here, blank flank," snarled Pipeline.

“I’m giving you to the count of three to stop what you're doing," said the filly. “One… two”

She would have said three, if not for the account of Rain Day throwing Slit in the air.

“Slit!” cried the grey colt.

And just before the alligator became part of the ground, a flash of yellow grabbed him in its arms and landed safely before putting him in a sand bucket.

“I told you to drop him, not to throw him in the air,” growled the filly.

The grey colt could not believe what he saw next as Rain Day ran towards her. As it looked like his hoof was about to make contact, a Princess Celestia doll hit him in the gut, causing him to fall down. Seeing this commotion Pipeline got off the colt and Coil to help track the filly, quickly getting up, the two ran to help the filly, but by the time they got there, they couldn’t even move. For when Pipeline had gone to attack her, she dodged his punches and was able to trip him before flying like a flash and wrapping them up in her yarn. Seeing that they were trapped, the pair looked down up at the flying filly.

“Please, don’t hurt us anymore!” cried the bullies.

“Start hoppin’,” growled the filly.

“Yes, madam,” they said in unison before hopping away, tied up.

Once they were gone, the filly looked back into the bucket, grabbed it by the handle, and brought it to the colt.

“Here ya go, mister,” said the filly before getting a good look at the grey colt before her. Her heart raced; the cause? The handsome creature before her with his dark, cherry wood-colored hair and his moon-grey coat that surrounded his twinkling eyes, and beneath him were pink hooves. And he had a nice flank, too. Blushing at the last thought the filly said the only thing she could.

“Here’s your alligator,” she said with a stunned look, handing the bucket over to the equally-stunned colt.

“Thanks…. Coil, take Slit over to the food cart. I’ll be there shortly, I just want to thank this cu—I mean brave filly,” said the colt, blushing hard.

“Okay. Thanks again, ma’am,” said Coil with a smile and a wave, taking the pail with Slit in it over to the hay dog cart on the other side of the park.

For the next few seconds, the two foals said nothing, the wind being the only sound while they stared at one another in equally-great curiosity.

Speaking up with dry lips, the grey colt was able to finally say something.

“Um, th-thanks for saving Slit,” stammered the grey colt.

“Your we-welcome,” replied the filly. “Wait, the gator, you mean, right?”

The colt nodded quickly. It was silent for another few seconds, neither foal knowing what to say and absolutely terrified of the other.

“So,” spoke the colt. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

The filly giggled; the cutest thing that the grey colt ever heard.

“My grandpa taught me...” said the filly. “I live with him in New Fleureans. We’re visiting here to see a museum.”

“Really? I live in New Fleureans, too, I'm just visiting family with my friend Coil,” replied the grey colt.

“Really? Maybe I'll see you there when I get back?” said the filly.

“Umm, yeah I’d like that,” replied the colt.

“Well, I ,um, better get going; grandpa’s probably worried,” the filly said, starting to get off the ground.

“Wait!” yelled the colt causing the filly to hover back down. “Um, how old are you?”

“Hey, you should never ask a lady her age,” said the filly with a grin.

“Well, are you older than seven?” said the grey colt blushing.

“Ugh, yes. Eight and a half, you? asked the filly.

“Eight and three quarters,” replied the grey colt before saying something that he found odd. "Say, you said you live with your grandpa. What about your parents?"

The filly turned sad for a second before looking back up at Humble with a sigh. "My dad and mom disappeared when I was three, leaving me and my older brother and sister in the care of my grandpa."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you sad," said the grey colt, looking away.

"Its alright," said the filly with a shrug. "I don't even remember them much, except this hat they gave me,” she said giving the safari hat a tap. "Well, I really gotta go. Maybe I'll see you around Fleureans?" she said, turning around.

“Wait! Um, listen would you like to, umm, maybe go get some lunch with me?” asked the grey colt. “And my friend, I mean, also. Slit my pet alligator,” said The colt blushing so hard it made his hair look grey.

“I don’t know,” said the filly with doubt.

“I’d be paying of course,” said the grey colt quickly.

“Well, why not. I never say no to a free meal,” chuckled the filly. “I suppose my grandpa can wait a few moments, but before we go, can you tell me your name?” asked the filly.

“Only if you tell yours me first,” said the colt with a smirk.

“Ugh, fine,” said the filly. “But don’t laugh.”

“I promise I will not laugh,” said the colt, giving a salute.

“Okay, my name's Artemis,” mumbled the filly.

"Sorry, didn't hear that can you speak up?" asked the grey colt leaning in.

"My names Artemis," mumbled again the filly.

"I'm sorry, can you say it one more time?" asked the grey colt putting a hoof to his ear.

"My names Artemis!" shouted the filly causing the grey colt to tumble over.

After a few seconds the grey colt started laughing on the ground while the filly blushed hard.

“Hahahahah,” laughed the colt before looking up to a hurt filly. “I’m sorry, I promised not to laugh, and I broke it,” said the grey colt in an ashamed tone.

“Its alright,” said the filly with a sad look. “My friends call me by my mothers maiden name, anyway.”

“What's that?” asked The colt with a curious look.

“Dazzle,” said the filly with a smile.

“Well, Dazzle, my names Humble,” said the grey colt, “Humble Pie.”

“That’s a nice name—sir wake up!” yelled Dazzle.

“Wait, what?” asked Humble.

“Sir, wake up!" yelled Dazzle.

“What do you mean?” asked Humble.

“Wake up!” repeated Dazzle before vanishing.

“No, Dazzle don’t go, don’t leave!” yelled Humble as the ground under him cracked open, swallowing him whole.

“Don’t go.”

“Sir, wake up!” yelled Railrunner.

“Huh!?” said Humble, waking right up. He looked around for Dazzle, but could only see the train and Railrunner. Putting the dream in the back of his mind, Humble said “What's wrong?”

“Sir, we are almost arriving in Ponyville,” said Railrunner.

“Oh, how long was I asleep?” Humble asked.

“About 4 hours,” said Railrunner, trotting away to see if any other passengers were sleeping.

Humble looked out the window to see the rushing Everfree forest pass by and, in the distance, the town of Ponyville.