The train wheels rumbled against the tracks as the colorful train took off from the station that night. Spike felt no regret in leaving, as he knew he had valid reasoning for his behavior.

An older stallion stood up on the other side of the train, as he was on a train to Manehattan, visiting family. He was reading the newspaper, holding it up with a magical field that levitated the paper, turning the page occasionally.

Spike reached into his small backpack.

Inside was his bit bag, which held 300 bits he saved over the years, his train pass, some colored gems, and finally, a diamond. The diamond was a beautiful gem he found when he took up a job in mining for a few weeks. He sneaked it out, and had it cleaned up and made it very valuable, worth about 450 bits, to be exact. But he wanted to make sure he kept it, in case he needed money.

Hiding a small diamond is easier than hiding almost 500 bits.

Not much was happening on the train car he was in, so Spike got up and moved to the next car casually. The golden coins in his bit bag created a quiet jingling noise as he switched to the next car, which was the dining car.

A mare unicorn stood at the counter, levitating a rag to clean out the few glasses and plates she had left. She looked up and smiled as Spike walked up and sat on a stool in front of the bar. She began to speak. "What brings you here, hun?"

Spike sighed. "I'm just...going on a trip."

She nodded and looked around. "Well, you're the only one here, so what can I get you?"

Spike thought for a moment.

"Do you...have any...gems?" Spike asked, a little unsure.

A look of confusion covered her face as she thought.

"Uh, I'm not sure, but I'll check." She walked over to a back room, dropping the rag.

She comes back with a jar that contained a large amount of gems of all colors.

"So how much for it?" Spike asked, anticipated.

She looked down at the charge board, and down at the very bottom stated, "Gems - Complementary with any purchase of the Gem Cake."

"Looks like you need to buy the Gem Cake to get them," she said. Spike looked up and saw the pricing for a Gem Cake. The board read, "Gem Cake - 10 bits. One extra bit for every gem requested."

Spike looked back down at the mare. "I'd like a Gem Cake with all the gems you have. But leave them in the jar, please." The mare's eyes widened but continued to calculate his final total. "That'll be...147 bits, please."

Spike was now in the 'hotel' part of the train, which had several rooms you could rent as the train was on it's way.

He set his stuff on the nightstand and slowly fell unconscious with the moonlight shining down through his window and on his face.

Author's Note

This has some small attention but I'm hoping it'll turn into much more. Spike is a few hours away from Manehattan, and he is preparing for the ride of his life that is the real world outside the library back in Ponyville.