Dawn Rising

Train Ride Discovery

Dawn stepped hoof onto the train’s passenger car and took a quick look around the carriage for a seat. There seemed to only be a few ponies in this car, with most of them sitting towards the front, giving him plenty of seats to choose from.

Dawn trotted on the hard metal floor to a seat towards the back of the car, and sat down on the dark brown synthetic leather seat, and leaned towards the window starring out at his family and smiling as they wave their hooves at him.

He lifted his hoof and began to wave as the train whistle went off, signalling the departure to Ponyville and other various stops along the way. Dawn settled in as the train pulled away from his home town and unclipped his saddlebag, reaching in and pulling out one of his favourite books, “History of the Ancient Pegasi.”

He clipped his saddlebag back up before flipping open to the first page in his book and began to read intently. Dawn always admired the book for its insights into the lives of the ancient pegasi who lived in Equestria and the way they taught young colts and fillies to fly.

As he began to read the book,getting lost within the words, another pony approached him and took a seat across from Dawn, who almost immediately noticed this and looked up from his book to see a cream coloured unicorn with a cyan blue mane that draped down either sides of her neck sitting across from him.

Dawn found himself starring at her as she smiled to him before speaking in a beautiful foreign accent, that he took for Saddle-Arabian.

“Hello there. My names Cyra Short” She said, and smiled politely at Dawn as he sat across from her starring into her beautiful Emerald eyes.

Dawn quickly realised he was starring after a few awkward seconds and spoke up, blushing slightly.

“Oh, uh sorry the names Dawn Rider” He said, extending his hoof to his new acquaintance.

She gently took his hoof and shook it slightly, smiling at Dawn.

“So where exactly are you heading to Dawn Rider?” She asked in softly, still holding the smile from before.

“I’m heading to Ponyville, Rainbow Dash is helping me train in a few techniques so I can teach my weather team back in my home town Coltsville” He replied with a slight smirk on his face.

He closed his book and undid the clip on his saddlebag, sliding the book back into its home while listening for Cyra’s response.

“Oh, that’s wonderful then; I’m going to Ponyville myself to visit my sister. Perhaps we can sit together until we arrive” She said, almost as if Dawn would prefer anything else.

“Yes! Uh, I mean of course we can” Blushed Dawn as he rubbed his neck with his hoof, realising he came off as rather desperate for company, which in truth, he was.

Cyra blushed and giggled before she answered. “That’s great, I’m sure you and I will be great friends” she smiled.

Dawn returned the smile as his mind wandered to what lay ahead for him. His trip had only recently been planned after Rainbow Dash asked if Dawn would like to visit her and train in a few techniques that would speed up his own weather team’s cloud clearing. How could he turn it down?

“So, tell me about yourself Dawn” Asked Cyra after a few moments of silence.

“Oh, sorry I was lost in my train of thought. Well, you obviously already know my name; I was born in Coltsville and lived there my whole life really. Quite early on I joined the weather team and when the team leader transferred to Stableton, I took over his position. I’ve been leading Coltsville’s weather team ever since” Dawn said proudly.

“That sounds like so much fun actually. Leading an entire team of Pegasi as they change the weather. Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Cyra asked with a questioningly look in her eyes.

“I have a younger sister named Amber Rose, she means alot to me” Dawn smiled as he looked down, thinking of his sister.

Cyra noticed this and she felt warm at her new acquaintances love for his sister.

“You seem like such a caring older brother. My sister means alot to me also, the only difference being that I’m the younger sibling” She smiled as she spoke to Dawn.

“Thank you, that means alot Cyra. What’s your sisters name, If I may ask?” Dawn inquired as he stretched his back hooves out, since they were beginning to get cramped.

“Her names Cosmic Silent.”

“That’s a beautiful name” Dawn remarked looking at Cyra warmly.

"I always thought that too" She agreed before gazing out the window to the trains surroundings.

"Hey, it looks like were almost there" Dawn said, noticing Ponyville coming up in the distance, just around a slight curve in the tracks. Cyra spotted what Dawn was looking at and simply nodded before sitting back in her seat.

Dawn followed suit and leaned back against the wall, waiting for the train to finally reach its destination.

The train, roaring across the tracks began to slow down, matching its speed with that of the signs on the side of the track just outside of Ponyville. It continued to slow until it reached the correct speed to stop just in time to come to a halt in the Ponyville Train Station, which at this time of day was bustling with ponies, both residents of Ponyville itself, and from surrounding towns.

The conductor of the train slid down the break lever gently, allowing the long metal train to slow down further, inching its way to the station which was now only a few feet ahead. The train whistle blew and the train rolled to a gentle stop at the platform, allowing the ticket master to step off.

"Looks like we're here" Said Dawn, preparing himself for the long days ahead.