An Infinite Loop

The 'Infinite Loop' bug was still going strong, so the transit agent printed out a blank ticket and hand-wrote my number on it in black marker before handing it to me. I said, "Thank you", and headed to the platform with my bags. The black iron steam train looked out of place on this side of the tunnel, but it reminded me of home, so far and yet so close.

Tempest Shadow was there, sticking out of the crowd slightly less than she usually did. She was also looking at her ticket. "Funny how, when their systems break, they're forced to do things the way ponies always do it."

"Yeah," I agreed, though I had something else on my mind. She'd been on her hooves for nearly ten years. And the way she told it, it didn't seem like her home village was much of an option. "Do you have somewhere to crash once you're back?"

"I'm sure I can figure something out," she said, without much concern. "Might have some friends in Ponyville."

"That's good," I said, trying to keep my smile down. "My parents are in Ponyville, so we might see each other again while we're there."

Tempest raised an eyebrow. "We might? In a town the size of Ponyville?"

"Okay, we will," I chuckled.

"That's right. It would be pretty hard not to see each other."

That was part of why I was so nervous.

When the conductor called for passengers to board, we went up to the train, and Tempest stepped up right away. I hesitated for a moment.

I remembered this moment in reverse. I had stepped off this train at this station over two years ago. And here I was again, unsure if I should step back on.

But I swallowed my fear, and followed Tempest's lead.

I was coming home.