Author's Note

Since the release of K-12, I had the idea of taking one of the songs from the album and incorporating it into this chapter. Sorry for the video being virtual, it was the only one I could find on such short notice. If I do come across the music video I'll replace it as soon possible.

Chapter 2: My experience on the Friendship Express and 'The Dream'.

"Welcome to the Friendship Express, may I interest you with some freshly squeezed orange juice?"

A stewardess asked as she looked at me with a smile on her face, I looked up at her while sitting on one of the many seats in the train car on the massive train. Let me explain how I got on in this position in the first place. After being teleported into Equestria and after waking up from a two-week coma in a local hospital, I received a letter from who was described to be the princess of this land, in the letter it said I was invited to attend a morning breakfast with said princess to discuss my citizenship and I will be inspected to make sure I wasn't in any way shape or form a threat to this land. After fully recovering from my injuries, practicing my posture and mannerisms, and having the privilege of banging, one of the hospital's nurses in secret I was finally ready to meet the princess. Now how I got on the train in the first place was nothing short of a miracle. She must really be interested in meeting me because what came along with the letter was a first-class ticket on the Friendship Express; And let me just tell you, you get what you pay for when you're in first class. When you first look at the first-class cart, you'd be pretty disappointed thinking it was a complete rip off considering that it looked a lot like the coach carts. But after a while of being in the first-class cart, I started to see the perks of getting that come with getting a first-class ticket, some of the perks include reclining chairs, a window view of every train stop and complimentary meals, drinks and what they call a hoof message. Being raised in a household that lived off a minimum wage lifestyle, I immediately took advantage of everything that was practically given to me in the first class cart, and you do get your money's worth when traveling in this cart. That mare not only broke every bone in my body, but she also rubbed my whole back with all four hooves. Never in my life have I ever been happier to lay on the floor until I got that message, I felt so comfortable that for a portion of the trip I was napping on the floor. Now I was on a chair as I looked up at the train mare smiling at me before consulting with the mare.

"Yes, I would love some orange juice, about your menu options…"

I said as I looked at the menu that was given to me by the stewardess, seeing mostly vegetarian options on it. This was one of the many problems I was going to face being an omnivorous human. I understood that the equines of Equestria were mostly vegetarians so asking for something like a cheeseburger was going to be very uncomfortable for them. After another brief view of the menu, I would see something that I knew I was going to enjoy as I closed the menu looking back at the mare seeing her patient waiting for me to make a decision as I continued speaking.

"...never mind, I'll have some of that orange juice you offered and a yogurt parfait by instead of almonds could I get oats and berries please?"

I asked smiling at her I knew I was going to have breakfast waiting for me at the Royal castle so I didn't want to ruin it by eating a huge meal on the train. By picking the parfait I wasn't going to be eating too much so I could leave room for some of the food that'll be offered at the castle as I gave the menu back to the mare, she gave me a friendly smile taking the menu off my hands holding it in between her blue vest, giving me a smile before saying.

"Absolutely sir, before I leave, I would like to say it's an honor to be serving you, sir. It's not every day I could go home and say I serviced a completely different species to my kids, anyway I'll be back with your meal, sir."

She said giving me a small bow as she looked forward trotting away while making her way towards the next cart I could see a little sway in her step, why I was staring in the first place was beyond me. I mean it's right there, clearly displayed right in front of me and it didn't help that she would stop almost reaching the door to the next cart as she looked back at me, winking at me before walking out the door and into the next cart, chuckling nervously after she left. I lean against my hand as I stared out the window, watching as I noticed the green grass on the ground and the leaves on the trees looking so beautiful as the wind would blow through them. Living on earth for so many years I get so used to seeing dead plants and trees being so lifeless, so it was literally a breath of fresh air that I get to see the trees looking so healthy and beautiful. It was weird being the only one in the cart, being completely empty, alone and quiet. Which meant I didn't get wondering eyes and mad dogging glares as I relaxed my head against my hand, enjoying the sounds of silence. I started to become sleepy as my eyes would slowly start to close taking one last look at the empty cart as I eyes closed. After what seemed to be a thirty-minute nap I would wake up to the sound of the voice over announces from the train conductor hearing a very soothing beep before hearing the conductor speak.

"Mares and Gentlecolts, we hope that you're enjoying your experience on the Friendship Express. We will be arriving on our next stop 'Canterlot Castle' in the next hour. Please make sure to have all of your belongings before exiting the train, please keep your children seated until the train comes to a complete stop. Once again I would like to thank you for riding with us on the Friendship Express."

After hearing the announcement being over as the soothing beep came back indicating that it was over as I yawned stretching on my chair. My arms extending wide as I felt my back cracking, all of my nervous going away. Until I was met with someone yelling next to me.

"Hey! Ever heard of personal space?!?"

I jumped seeing a random mare sitting next to me, where did she come from? She wasn't there before I took my nap, so how did she appear next to me. I used my hands to rub my eyes, wondering if I was seeing things or she was still there as I opened my eyes again. This time seeing the once empty cart now full of ponies talking to each other minding their own business as I sat there, confused as all hell. Sitting on the chair I would lay my head, wondering what happened to the silence. Hearing the train conductor's microphone was on as a melody started to play, I looked up confused at to what was happening before noticing the mare next to me putting whatever she was doing down as she moved her hooves in a circle soon seeing the rest of the equines in the cart doing the same thing, moving their hooves in a circular motion over each other. It was as if they were in some sort is trance, and I wasn't far from it myself.

After that random musical number, everyone just looked down as if they went to sleep. I would do the same as I laid my head back on my hand as I leaned it against the window, being put back to sleep. Once again I hear the beep coming from the ceiling of the train, this time I jumped up in my seat opening my eyes as I saw the train cart being empty again hearing the conductor talk as he repeated the same thing he said earlier.

"Mares and Gentlecolts, we hope that you're enjoying your experience on the Friendship Express. We will be arriving on our next stop 'Canterlot Castle' in the next hour. Please make sure to have all of your belongings before exiting the train, please keep your children seated until the train comes to a complete stop. Once again I would like to thank you for riding with us on the Friendship Express."

Once he finished I would take one more look around as I was met with the empty train cart and complete silence. I sat back down on my seat rubbing my eyes with my hands getting rid of any eye boogers, that was some weird dream I had, it was as if it really happened and I was just being pranked. Once I got rid of all my eye boogers I looked up as I noticed the mare that tended to me earlier today this time she had with her a tray on her back as she balanced a bowl and a fancy looking glass of orange juice. She looked at me as she smiles seeing that I was awake, trotting up to me as she spoke.

"Oh good you're awake, I came back earlier to see if you were okay but I saw you were taking a nap and I didn't want to disturb you."

She said giving me a very cute smile as she trotted up close to me, showing me the tray she was balancing on her back. I could see the bowl of yogurt seeing the berries and oats displayed in a very cute fashion making the yogurt look too pretty to eat. I stared at it for a moment, I was having a moment for a while thinking to myself wondering what was going on with me. My thoughts were interrupted as I heard the train mare speak.

"Is everything okay sir?"

Hearing her speak made me come back to reality as I blinked shaking my head gently taking the bowl and the glass off the tray from her back as I placed the glass next to me. I looked back at the mare giving her a gentle smile as I nodded.

"Everything is perfect ma'am, I was ...it's just I had this weird dream where I participated in some musical number."

I explained as I took then a plastic spoon from the small pocket on the armrest of my chair as I would open it taking the white plastic spoon out of the wrapping, using it to scoop out some of the yogurt, oats, and berries as I moved it towards my mouth. I could taste the sweet yogurt mixed with the crunchy oats and delicious berries smiling happily before hearing the mare giggling as I looked at her eating my yogurt as I asked.

"What is it?"

"Oh...oh it's just...the way you explained your dream, it's just so silly how you humans dream."

She said giggling, I chuckled realizing how ridiculous the dream sounded as I shook my head. Soon the mare moved back out into the aisle before she left she looked back at me as he used her hoof to blow a kiss at me while eating my yogurt I smiled softly blushing from the cute gesture. She giggled before trotting towards and out the door leading her to the next cart, leaving me alone as I ate my yogurt taking a small sip of the orange juice smiling at the sweet and natural taste of orange juice coming out of the glass and onto my tongue. After finishing both the yogurt and the glass is orange juice I would place both empty bowl and glass on the seat next to me, being instructed by the train mare to leave the dishes on the chair next to me, that way when she came back she could just take them off my hands as I sighed happily. So far me staying here wasn't so bad, to think I was going to be discriminated for being a different species. But it was quite the opposite actually, everypony I've talked to was nothing more than nice towards me. Once again, I leaned my head back on my hand as I looked out the window enjoying the view of the outside world. Being both a victim of discrimination and a school shooter, it was nice being treated differently for once. Hopefully, the princess herself was just as sweet at the rest but only time will tell.