Twilight Sparkle Waits For A Trainby GeodesicDragonChaptersWaitingDaylight RobberyBreakdownScenic RouteThe Real ReasonWaitingCHAPTER ONE Waiting Amidst the hustle and bustle of Canterlot station, one pony stood out above the others who were making their way to and from the trains. Ruffling her majestic lavender wings she let out a small sigh, her eyes darting left and right as she waited on the platform. At her side stood a young dragon who rolled his eyes as he watched the mare before him tap her hoof impatiently on the stone floor. "Jeez, Twilight, would you relax a little?" he grumbled. "They'll be here as soon as possible, don't worry." Twilight turned to face him, her mouth turning into a thin line while one of her eyebrows slowly raised. "But the train is five minutes late, Spike!" she said worriedly. "How can I relax if there is a possibility that something bad has happened to my friends?" "You're overreacting, Twilight... yet again," Spike muttered. "What could possibly go wrong?" Twilight glared at him, her face showing signs of desperation and panic. Strands of her mane became loose as the alicorn's breathing slowly intensified. Spike swallowed a lump in his throat and mentally berated himself for sowing the seeds of doubt. "What could go wrong?" Twilight parroted. "Oh, Spike, there are plenty of things that could happen!" "Oh, really?" Spike folded his arms. "Okay then, Twilight, name one thing that could possibly go wrong." Twilight grinned at him. "I can do better than that," she replied. "I can think of three things which could go wrong!" Spike sighed, his palm colliding with his face as Twilight launched into an animated telling of her first story. Author's Note Written over the course of a few days to celebrate my 300th watcher. I hope you liked it! It seems a bit rushed in places to me, but that's for you, the readers, to decide. Fun Fact: I came up with the idea for this story while waiting for a bus. But since I've never seen buses in the show I decided to use a train instead. Daylight RobberyCHAPTER TWO Daylight Robbery The train sped along the tracks, the scenery passing by in a blaze of colours. In one of the many carriages sat five mares on plush chairs, talking excitedly amongst themselves. "I must say, girls," Rarity said. "I for one am really looking forward to our little trip to Canterlot. It has been so long since we have seen our dear friend Twilight." "I agree, Rarity," Fluttershy replied. "I just hope that we're not, um, interrupting her duties as Princess." "Of course we ain't, Fluttershy!" Applejack chortled, patting her on the back, "If Twilight was as busy as you think she is, do ya really think she'd be sendin' us letters askin' us ta come an' see her?" "You're right, Applejack." Fluttershy nodded. "It was silly of me to think that we'd be interrupting anything." "I can't wait to see Twilight!" Pinkie Pie squealed, bouncing in her seat. "We're going to have so much fun playing games, telling stories and eating lots of cakes and candy!" "Chill out, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash said. "We're not there yet." Her words did nothing to calm Pinkie, who only began to bounce even harder in her seat with unrestrained excitement. "But we will be there, Rainbow Dash," Pinkie said. "We'll be there soon, and I'm going to throw the biggest party ever!" As Rainbow Dash chuckled and rolled her eyes, a sudden grinding noise filled the air. The five mares flinched and covered their ears while the train slowed to a halt. "What in tarnation is goin' on?" Applejack asked. "Why has the train stopped all of a sudden?" The sound of breaking glass in the next carriage answered Applejack's question. She and her friends moved around in their seats and watched in silent horror as a group of ponies wearing coverings over their faces and carrying crossbows entered the train. "Oh, no," Fluttershy whispered. "The train is being robbed!" Rainbow Dash growled and pounded her forehooves together, flaring her wings and hovering a few inches above the floor. "Not on our watch, girls!" she snarled. "Come on, let's go and teach these bozos not to mess with us!" She attempted to fly away only to be held back by her friends, each of whom was shaking her head furiously. "Wait just a minute, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity scolded. "As much as I would like to show these ruffians a thing or two, the fact that they are armed should be more than enough to put us off." The door to the carriage opened and two of the bandits – a unicorn and a pegasus – entered, raising their crossbows at the group who proceeded to raise their forehooves above their heads. "Good girls," the unicorn sneered as he held out a bag. "Now then, put all of your money and valuables in here, and don't try anything funny if you value your lives." The girls nodded, tossing their bit pouches into the bag while looking nervously at their aggressors — though Rainbow Dash opted giving them an angry glare. "Thank you kindly, ladies," the pegasus said cheerfully. "Now stay there and don't follow us. Got it?" Five solemn nods were his answer as he entered the next carriage with his companion moving backwards while keeping his weapon aimed at the five, almost daring them to make a move. Once the two were out of sight, Fluttershy curled into a ball and wept. "That..." she squeaked. "That was scarier than the Changelings." The others patted her gently on the back as a loud whistle sounded throughout the train, followed by more breaking glass announcing the bandits departure. Rainbow Dash watched them leave through the window, a scowl prominent on her face. "Those punks deserve a flank-kicking," she snarled. "I hope they get what's coming to them soon!" "I can't believe it," Fluttershy whimpered. "I can't believe that there are ponies out there who are so keen to hurt others like this." Pinkie Pie nuzzled the stricken pegasus fondly. Her mane and tail had all but straightened out, and her voice was just as flat. "Not everypony wants to be happy," she mumbled. "That's something I can't believe. Why wouldn't you want to be happy?" Applejack sighed. "But this is makin' 'em happy, Pinkie," she said. "They get their happiness from the sufferin' of others. It ain't right, I know, but there's nothin' we can do about it." "We can hunt them down," Rainbow Dash growled. "Show them that not everypony is scared of them. If we work together—" Her words were cut off as Applejack put a forehoof on her shoulder and shook her head gently. "No, Rainbow Dash," she said. "If we do that then we'd get into trouble as well. It just ain't worth it but don't fret now — we'll report these bandits and let the Royal Guard handle it. Now just forget about 'em fer now, sugarcube, an' let us focus on the more important issue at hoof." Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head sheepishly and nodded. "You're right, Applejack," she murmured. "We need to alert the Royal Guard to what has happened here." Rarity giggled. "That's just one of the important issues at hoof," she said. "You're forgetting about something else." Her friends looked at her blankly, to which she sighed and rolled her eyes. "We need to find a way to tell Twilight we're going to be late," she said. "If we don't, then bandits will be the least of our worries." The five of them sat in silence for a moment before breaking into a fit of giggles, losing themselves in the moment and putting their recent trauma to the backs of their minds. *** "And that's just for starters!" Twilight said. Spike brought a hand to his forehead, a loud slap filling the air, and dragged it down his face with a loud groan. "What?" Twilight asked. "Was that a bit much? Okay then, Spike, what if something else happened?" "By all means, Twilight," Spike replied. "Enlighten me." BreakdownCHAPTER THREE Breakdown The train carriage was filled with the sounds of excited chatter from the various passengers. Some were excited about seeing family, others were excited about seeing a new city for the first time, and others were simply waiting for the chance to get off the train so that they could finally stretch their limbs. In one carriage sat the five bearers of the Elements of Harmony, talking amongst themselves about their plans for the day. "So the plan is this," Rainbow Dash said. "Arrive in Canterlot, meet up with Twilight, take a walk around the city, maybe do some shopping, and then go back to the castle so we can relax." She looked at the others expectantly. "Sound good?" "Sounds good ta me, Rainbow," Applejack replied. "Oh yes," Rarity said. "The idea of shopping in Canterlot is simply divine. I hope to find some wonderful new hats and formal attire, or maybe some exotic new fabric that I can use in my designs." "Relaxing sounds nice," Fluttershy added. "Especially since today sounds like it's going to be so busy. It's always nice to relax." "Heck yeah!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "I love relaxing." Applejack snorted and laughed. "Relaxin' is all ya ever seem ta do, Rainbow," she said jovially. "In fact, I reckon that eighty percent of yer day is spent takin' naps on clouds." Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes for a moment before making a sound of dismissal. "Actually, it's more like ninety," she said. "Busting clouds is harder than it looks, plus I've got my training..." Applejack scoffed. "Try buckin' hunners of apple trees in a day," she said. "Then ya will really appreciate yer little naps." The two mares glared at each other for a moment before Rainbow Dash lost her composure and fell over laughing, followed shortly by Applejack. Rarity watched the two with a raised eyebrow. "If you are quite finished, then we need to make sure that we are presentable," she said. "It simply will not do to walk around Canterlot looking like a bunch of scruffs." Applejack tutted while Rainbow Dash simply groaned loudly — sounds Rarity ignored as she opened a bag, levitating out a selection of beautification items. "If anypony needs me, then I will be in the restroom. I suggest you all take my advice and freshen up." As Rarity trotted towards the restroom the train began shaking violently from side to side, the five mares soon finding themselves sliding around the floor of the carriage. "What the heck is goin' on now?" Applejack snapped. "Did the driver suddenly decide he wanted ta be a stunt pony?" A series of bangs silenced any answer that would have followed as the train slowly ground to a halt. Looking out the window, the group saw smoke and steam billowing into the atmosphere. A crackling noise heralded the speaker above their heads bursting into life, the gravelly voice of the conductor filtering through. "Your attention, please," he said. "The train has developed a serious mechanical fault and has been forced to make an emergency stop. All passengers are advised to evacuate the train immediately through the nearest exit and assemble at the side of the tracks. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause." The train filled with the voices of concerned passengers as they followed the advice they were given, and soon a small crowd had gathered in a small field near the tracks — the midday sun beating down on them relentlessly. The only available shade was from a small tree, under which sat a few elderly ponies. Rarity let out a whimper as she stepped into the mud-filled field, looking wistfully back at the train. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both stifled laughter as they watched the fashionista, who proceeded to glare at them angrily. "This simply will not do!" she whined. "By the time a replacement train arrives, or they fix this one, I will be a sweaty mess! That may be all right for you two, but it is not all right for me!" Fluttershy came up to Rarity's side and patted her on the back gently before hugging her. "It's okay, Rarity," she said. "They'll fix it in no time at all, and then we can get to Canterlot to see Twilight. Then, maybe, you and I can go to the spa there... if that's all right with you." "Thank you, darling," Rarity let out a small sigh. "That would be very nice indeed. I guess that could help me get over the horror of being stuck in the mud for a few hours." Rainbow Dash coughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. Rarity glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "Actually," she said. "The Cloudsdale Weather Centre has ordered a period of heavy rain for this area, to help the local farmer." She pointed a hoof at the sky, where several pegasi were moving clouds of various shapes and sizes into position. Rarity's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "When is it due to start?" she asked, "Please tell me it's scheduled for tomorrow!" "It's..." Dash mumbled. "It's actually due to start n—" Her sentence was cut off as the heavens opened and doused the area, as well as the ponies occupying it, in a deluge of water. Rarity stood silent for a moment before choking out a small sob. "Better get comfortable, girls." Rainbow Dash sighed. "Because we're in for one heck of a wait." *** "There you go, Spike," Twilight said smugly. "How about that for an explanation? It's logical, and not as bad as the train being robbed. But either way, I still hope that neither are true." "It's possible," Spike replied. "But there would have been an announcement if that was the case. And since there hasn't been one... well, you can see where I'm going with this." "All right then, smart-flank," Twilight snapped. "How about this?" Scenic RouteCHAPTER FOUR Scenic Route "Come on, everypony," Rainbow Dash shouted as her friends raced along the platform to catch up to her. "We're gonna miss our train if you don't get your flanks in gear!" "Not all of us have the benefit of being as fast as you are, Rainbow Dash," Rarity panted. "Except maybe for Pinkie Pie." Pinkie Pie nodded gleefully. "Yeah," Rainbow Dash said dryly. "I've noticed. Now come on, the train isn't going to wait forever for us!" She pushed her friends onto the waiting train, closing the door behind them. They settled into a carriage and sighed contentedly as the train pulled away from the platform. The five sat in silence, content to watch Ponyville disappear into the horizon — before the blinding light of Celestia's sun forced them to shut the blinds. "Say, Rainbow Dash," Applejack said. "Since when were you so interested in gettin' anywhere on time? All I can recall is you bein' late fer things like work, our mornin' jogs and the few times when we all go to the spa together." Rainbow Dash regarded Applejack with narrowed eyes. The farm pony stared back intently as the rest of their friends watched in silence. Eventually, Rainbow Dash groaned. "It's Twilight Sparkle we're dealing with here," she replied. "You'd better believe that her very sanity depends on us being either early or on time — so, naturally, being late is not an option." The others giggled. "That is most certainly true," Rarity nodded. "I can only imagine how she would react if we were to be delayed." "She's a Princess now," Applejack replied. "So I reckon that she would send out the entire Royal Guard to look fer us." "Nah." Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I reckon that she would simply use some kind of location spell to find us, teleport into the train and then teleport us all to Canterlot." "Or," Fluttershy said timidly. "She might even fly out and look for us herself and then get everypony, except Rainbow Dash and myself, to climb on her back for the return journey." She thought for a moment. "Actually, that sounds really silly, forget I said anything." "All I know," Applejack chuckled. "Whatever she does, it's gonna have consequences for all of us... maybe even all of Equestria." Another round of giggling filled the carriage before the five mares managed to compose themselves. "Seriously though," Rainbow Dash said solemnly. "I just don't want her to worry about us — she's got enough on her plate now with her new duties without having to fret about where we are. All those times I was late in the past, I didn't think anything of it because I always thought I made up for it. Like with work, I stayed a bit longer. With our morning jogs, AJ, I made sure the weather was nice. And with our spa trips, I always paid the bill." She sighed and hung her head before continuing. "But how the heck do you make things up to a Princess?" she muttered. "Especially when that Princess is one of your best friends? Twilight's cool and all but she does tend to overreact a bit, which is why I was so keen for us to get to the train. That way we get to see Twilight, who is happy that we're on time — which in turn means we don't have to worry. It's a win-win situation!" Pinkie Pie draped a forehoof around Rainbow's neck in a hug, the smile on her face proving to be infectious. As Rainbow's lips turned upwards, Pinkie ruffled her mane. "Don't worry, Dashie, we know you mean well," she said. "Besides, even if Twilight does get upset about something, we'll be there to help her get through it — because we all know that nopony can be sad at a Pinkie Pie Party!" Rainbow Dash chuckled and returned Pinkie's hug. The others soon joined in and the carriage fell silent as the group enjoyed the moment, before a speaker crackled to life. "Good morning, passengers, this is your conductor speaking," a voice said. "Welcome aboard the ten past three express train, going directly to Appleoosa. Please have your tickets, or bits if you have no tickets, ready for me when I come through your carriage. Thank you for travelling on Equestrian Rail." The speaker fell silent as Rainbow Dash found herself on the receiving end of four angry pairs of eyes. "Uhh..." she said sheepishly. "Oops?" The conductor entered the carriage a few moments later to be confronted with the bizarre sight of four mares sitting on top of a hog-tied pegasus. Rarity lit her horn and took Rainbow's bit pouch, levitating the money to the stunned conductor. "Good morning," she said sweetly. "Would you be so kind as to give us five return tickets to Appleoosa from Ponyville, please?" No words were said as the conductor nodded, passing them the tickets and proceeding nervously into the next carriage — unsure of what surprises were lying in wait for him there. *** "There you go, Spike," Twilight beamed. "Maybe they got on the wrong train and ended up elsewhere." "And then they hog-tied Rainbow Dash?" Spike groaned. "Seriously, Twilight, do you really think that they would be that clueless?" Twilight flustered for a moment as she tried to find the right words to formulate a response. As she did, a piercing whistle cut through the air and a train appeared in the distance. Twilight's face lit up and she grinned from ear to ear, flapping her wings eagerly and hopping in place on the platform. "They're here!" she squealed. "They're twenty-five minutes late, which means we can't go for a walk around the city like I had planned, but they're finally here!" "Thank Celestia for that," Spike replied. "I thought for sure you were gonna talk me to death with more of your wild stories." The only response he got was a wing smacking him in the back of the head, sending him face-first into the station platform. The Real ReasonCHAPTER FIVE The Real Reason The train pulled into the station, a cloud of steam and a piercing whistle announcing its arrival. The doors opened and the passengers disembarked — among them being five mares, one of whom waved and shouted at Twilight as she approached. "Hi, girls!" Twilight said eagerly. "It's so good to see you all. It's been far too long since we last spent some time together." "I most certainly agree, darling," Rarity replied. "It has indeed been too long. We're sorry for being so dreadfully late, but things happened that were outside our control." "Yeah," Rainbow Dash said. "There were a lot of ponies getting off the train in Ponyville — no doubt they were tourists who wanted to see the home of Equestria's newest Princess." Twilight blinked in confusion. "Really?" she asked. "That's it?" Her friends all nodded. "Why?" Applejack queried. "Did ya think that somethin' else was keepin' us from gettin' here on time?" Before Twilight could respond, Spike spoke for her. "She sure did," he said. "In fact, she was even kind enough to share with me three possible reasons to explain your delay." Twilight grumbled as her friends regarded Spike curiously. Counting on his fingers he rattled off what Twilight had shared with him. "The first thing was that the train got robbed, the second was that the train broke down and the third was that Rainbow Dash ushered you all onto the wrong train and you ended up in Appleoosa — but that's not the best part." Rainbow Dash snorted. "As if I would do that," she grumbled. "And what do you mean by 'not the best part?'" "When the others found out they were on the wrong train..." Spike suppressed a laugh. "When the others found out they were on the wrong train, they tied you up and sat on you!" His composure failed and the young drake fell over laughing, clutching his sides as though they would literally split at any second. Rainbow Dash glared at him for a moment before she found herself joining in, followed by the rest. "Oh man," she said, wiping her eye with a wing. "You've gotta tell us these stories, Twilight. They all sound brilliant!" Twilight chuckled. "Maybe I will," she mused. "But I'm just glad you're all here — not to mention safe." "So are we, darling, so are we," Rarity replied. "Now, I believe you have a schedule you'd like to stick to so please, lead the way." Twilight gasped. "Blast!" she shouted. "We're now thirty minutes behind schedule. If we run we might make it to the castle in time for lunch, so let's double-time it, girls!" She took off as fast as her hooves would carry her, leaving her friends standing on the platform. They shared a glance before breaking into a run after her, Spike on Applejack's back as the five mares sped after the panicking alicorn. At the head of the pack, Twilight had a small smile on her face. Her friends were with her, and that made her happy. Yep, she thought. Life is good.
WaitingCHAPTER ONE Waiting Amidst the hustle and bustle of Canterlot station, one pony stood out above the others who were making their way to and from the trains. Ruffling her majestic lavender wings she let out a small sigh, her eyes darting left and right as she waited on the platform. At her side stood a young dragon who rolled his eyes as he watched the mare before him tap her hoof impatiently on the stone floor. "Jeez, Twilight, would you relax a little?" he grumbled. "They'll be here as soon as possible, don't worry." Twilight turned to face him, her mouth turning into a thin line while one of her eyebrows slowly raised. "But the train is five minutes late, Spike!" she said worriedly. "How can I relax if there is a possibility that something bad has happened to my friends?" "You're overreacting, Twilight... yet again," Spike muttered. "What could possibly go wrong?" Twilight glared at him, her face showing signs of desperation and panic. Strands of her mane became loose as the alicorn's breathing slowly intensified. Spike swallowed a lump in his throat and mentally berated himself for sowing the seeds of doubt. "What could go wrong?" Twilight parroted. "Oh, Spike, there are plenty of things that could happen!" "Oh, really?" Spike folded his arms. "Okay then, Twilight, name one thing that could possibly go wrong." Twilight grinned at him. "I can do better than that," she replied. "I can think of three things which could go wrong!" Spike sighed, his palm colliding with his face as Twilight launched into an animated telling of her first story. Author's Note Written over the course of a few days to celebrate my 300th watcher. I hope you liked it! It seems a bit rushed in places to me, but that's for you, the readers, to decide. Fun Fact: I came up with the idea for this story while waiting for a bus. But since I've never seen buses in the show I decided to use a train instead.
Daylight RobberyCHAPTER TWO Daylight Robbery The train sped along the tracks, the scenery passing by in a blaze of colours. In one of the many carriages sat five mares on plush chairs, talking excitedly amongst themselves. "I must say, girls," Rarity said. "I for one am really looking forward to our little trip to Canterlot. It has been so long since we have seen our dear friend Twilight." "I agree, Rarity," Fluttershy replied. "I just hope that we're not, um, interrupting her duties as Princess." "Of course we ain't, Fluttershy!" Applejack chortled, patting her on the back, "If Twilight was as busy as you think she is, do ya really think she'd be sendin' us letters askin' us ta come an' see her?" "You're right, Applejack." Fluttershy nodded. "It was silly of me to think that we'd be interrupting anything." "I can't wait to see Twilight!" Pinkie Pie squealed, bouncing in her seat. "We're going to have so much fun playing games, telling stories and eating lots of cakes and candy!" "Chill out, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash said. "We're not there yet." Her words did nothing to calm Pinkie, who only began to bounce even harder in her seat with unrestrained excitement. "But we will be there, Rainbow Dash," Pinkie said. "We'll be there soon, and I'm going to throw the biggest party ever!" As Rainbow Dash chuckled and rolled her eyes, a sudden grinding noise filled the air. The five mares flinched and covered their ears while the train slowed to a halt. "What in tarnation is goin' on?" Applejack asked. "Why has the train stopped all of a sudden?" The sound of breaking glass in the next carriage answered Applejack's question. She and her friends moved around in their seats and watched in silent horror as a group of ponies wearing coverings over their faces and carrying crossbows entered the train. "Oh, no," Fluttershy whispered. "The train is being robbed!" Rainbow Dash growled and pounded her forehooves together, flaring her wings and hovering a few inches above the floor. "Not on our watch, girls!" she snarled. "Come on, let's go and teach these bozos not to mess with us!" She attempted to fly away only to be held back by her friends, each of whom was shaking her head furiously. "Wait just a minute, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity scolded. "As much as I would like to show these ruffians a thing or two, the fact that they are armed should be more than enough to put us off." The door to the carriage opened and two of the bandits – a unicorn and a pegasus – entered, raising their crossbows at the group who proceeded to raise their forehooves above their heads. "Good girls," the unicorn sneered as he held out a bag. "Now then, put all of your money and valuables in here, and don't try anything funny if you value your lives." The girls nodded, tossing their bit pouches into the bag while looking nervously at their aggressors — though Rainbow Dash opted giving them an angry glare. "Thank you kindly, ladies," the pegasus said cheerfully. "Now stay there and don't follow us. Got it?" Five solemn nods were his answer as he entered the next carriage with his companion moving backwards while keeping his weapon aimed at the five, almost daring them to make a move. Once the two were out of sight, Fluttershy curled into a ball and wept. "That..." she squeaked. "That was scarier than the Changelings." The others patted her gently on the back as a loud whistle sounded throughout the train, followed by more breaking glass announcing the bandits departure. Rainbow Dash watched them leave through the window, a scowl prominent on her face. "Those punks deserve a flank-kicking," she snarled. "I hope they get what's coming to them soon!" "I can't believe it," Fluttershy whimpered. "I can't believe that there are ponies out there who are so keen to hurt others like this." Pinkie Pie nuzzled the stricken pegasus fondly. Her mane and tail had all but straightened out, and her voice was just as flat. "Not everypony wants to be happy," she mumbled. "That's something I can't believe. Why wouldn't you want to be happy?" Applejack sighed. "But this is makin' 'em happy, Pinkie," she said. "They get their happiness from the sufferin' of others. It ain't right, I know, but there's nothin' we can do about it." "We can hunt them down," Rainbow Dash growled. "Show them that not everypony is scared of them. If we work together—" Her words were cut off as Applejack put a forehoof on her shoulder and shook her head gently. "No, Rainbow Dash," she said. "If we do that then we'd get into trouble as well. It just ain't worth it but don't fret now — we'll report these bandits and let the Royal Guard handle it. Now just forget about 'em fer now, sugarcube, an' let us focus on the more important issue at hoof." Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head sheepishly and nodded. "You're right, Applejack," she murmured. "We need to alert the Royal Guard to what has happened here." Rarity giggled. "That's just one of the important issues at hoof," she said. "You're forgetting about something else." Her friends looked at her blankly, to which she sighed and rolled her eyes. "We need to find a way to tell Twilight we're going to be late," she said. "If we don't, then bandits will be the least of our worries." The five of them sat in silence for a moment before breaking into a fit of giggles, losing themselves in the moment and putting their recent trauma to the backs of their minds. *** "And that's just for starters!" Twilight said. Spike brought a hand to his forehead, a loud slap filling the air, and dragged it down his face with a loud groan. "What?" Twilight asked. "Was that a bit much? Okay then, Spike, what if something else happened?" "By all means, Twilight," Spike replied. "Enlighten me."
BreakdownCHAPTER THREE Breakdown The train carriage was filled with the sounds of excited chatter from the various passengers. Some were excited about seeing family, others were excited about seeing a new city for the first time, and others were simply waiting for the chance to get off the train so that they could finally stretch their limbs. In one carriage sat the five bearers of the Elements of Harmony, talking amongst themselves about their plans for the day. "So the plan is this," Rainbow Dash said. "Arrive in Canterlot, meet up with Twilight, take a walk around the city, maybe do some shopping, and then go back to the castle so we can relax." She looked at the others expectantly. "Sound good?" "Sounds good ta me, Rainbow," Applejack replied. "Oh yes," Rarity said. "The idea of shopping in Canterlot is simply divine. I hope to find some wonderful new hats and formal attire, or maybe some exotic new fabric that I can use in my designs." "Relaxing sounds nice," Fluttershy added. "Especially since today sounds like it's going to be so busy. It's always nice to relax." "Heck yeah!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "I love relaxing." Applejack snorted and laughed. "Relaxin' is all ya ever seem ta do, Rainbow," she said jovially. "In fact, I reckon that eighty percent of yer day is spent takin' naps on clouds." Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes for a moment before making a sound of dismissal. "Actually, it's more like ninety," she said. "Busting clouds is harder than it looks, plus I've got my training..." Applejack scoffed. "Try buckin' hunners of apple trees in a day," she said. "Then ya will really appreciate yer little naps." The two mares glared at each other for a moment before Rainbow Dash lost her composure and fell over laughing, followed shortly by Applejack. Rarity watched the two with a raised eyebrow. "If you are quite finished, then we need to make sure that we are presentable," she said. "It simply will not do to walk around Canterlot looking like a bunch of scruffs." Applejack tutted while Rainbow Dash simply groaned loudly — sounds Rarity ignored as she opened a bag, levitating out a selection of beautification items. "If anypony needs me, then I will be in the restroom. I suggest you all take my advice and freshen up." As Rarity trotted towards the restroom the train began shaking violently from side to side, the five mares soon finding themselves sliding around the floor of the carriage. "What the heck is goin' on now?" Applejack snapped. "Did the driver suddenly decide he wanted ta be a stunt pony?" A series of bangs silenced any answer that would have followed as the train slowly ground to a halt. Looking out the window, the group saw smoke and steam billowing into the atmosphere. A crackling noise heralded the speaker above their heads bursting into life, the gravelly voice of the conductor filtering through. "Your attention, please," he said. "The train has developed a serious mechanical fault and has been forced to make an emergency stop. All passengers are advised to evacuate the train immediately through the nearest exit and assemble at the side of the tracks. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause." The train filled with the voices of concerned passengers as they followed the advice they were given, and soon a small crowd had gathered in a small field near the tracks — the midday sun beating down on them relentlessly. The only available shade was from a small tree, under which sat a few elderly ponies. Rarity let out a whimper as she stepped into the mud-filled field, looking wistfully back at the train. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both stifled laughter as they watched the fashionista, who proceeded to glare at them angrily. "This simply will not do!" she whined. "By the time a replacement train arrives, or they fix this one, I will be a sweaty mess! That may be all right for you two, but it is not all right for me!" Fluttershy came up to Rarity's side and patted her on the back gently before hugging her. "It's okay, Rarity," she said. "They'll fix it in no time at all, and then we can get to Canterlot to see Twilight. Then, maybe, you and I can go to the spa there... if that's all right with you." "Thank you, darling," Rarity let out a small sigh. "That would be very nice indeed. I guess that could help me get over the horror of being stuck in the mud for a few hours." Rainbow Dash coughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. Rarity glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "Actually," she said. "The Cloudsdale Weather Centre has ordered a period of heavy rain for this area, to help the local farmer." She pointed a hoof at the sky, where several pegasi were moving clouds of various shapes and sizes into position. Rarity's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "When is it due to start?" she asked, "Please tell me it's scheduled for tomorrow!" "It's..." Dash mumbled. "It's actually due to start n—" Her sentence was cut off as the heavens opened and doused the area, as well as the ponies occupying it, in a deluge of water. Rarity stood silent for a moment before choking out a small sob. "Better get comfortable, girls." Rainbow Dash sighed. "Because we're in for one heck of a wait." *** "There you go, Spike," Twilight said smugly. "How about that for an explanation? It's logical, and not as bad as the train being robbed. But either way, I still hope that neither are true." "It's possible," Spike replied. "But there would have been an announcement if that was the case. And since there hasn't been one... well, you can see where I'm going with this." "All right then, smart-flank," Twilight snapped. "How about this?"
Scenic RouteCHAPTER FOUR Scenic Route "Come on, everypony," Rainbow Dash shouted as her friends raced along the platform to catch up to her. "We're gonna miss our train if you don't get your flanks in gear!" "Not all of us have the benefit of being as fast as you are, Rainbow Dash," Rarity panted. "Except maybe for Pinkie Pie." Pinkie Pie nodded gleefully. "Yeah," Rainbow Dash said dryly. "I've noticed. Now come on, the train isn't going to wait forever for us!" She pushed her friends onto the waiting train, closing the door behind them. They settled into a carriage and sighed contentedly as the train pulled away from the platform. The five sat in silence, content to watch Ponyville disappear into the horizon — before the blinding light of Celestia's sun forced them to shut the blinds. "Say, Rainbow Dash," Applejack said. "Since when were you so interested in gettin' anywhere on time? All I can recall is you bein' late fer things like work, our mornin' jogs and the few times when we all go to the spa together." Rainbow Dash regarded Applejack with narrowed eyes. The farm pony stared back intently as the rest of their friends watched in silence. Eventually, Rainbow Dash groaned. "It's Twilight Sparkle we're dealing with here," she replied. "You'd better believe that her very sanity depends on us being either early or on time — so, naturally, being late is not an option." The others giggled. "That is most certainly true," Rarity nodded. "I can only imagine how she would react if we were to be delayed." "She's a Princess now," Applejack replied. "So I reckon that she would send out the entire Royal Guard to look fer us." "Nah." Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I reckon that she would simply use some kind of location spell to find us, teleport into the train and then teleport us all to Canterlot." "Or," Fluttershy said timidly. "She might even fly out and look for us herself and then get everypony, except Rainbow Dash and myself, to climb on her back for the return journey." She thought for a moment. "Actually, that sounds really silly, forget I said anything." "All I know," Applejack chuckled. "Whatever she does, it's gonna have consequences for all of us... maybe even all of Equestria." Another round of giggling filled the carriage before the five mares managed to compose themselves. "Seriously though," Rainbow Dash said solemnly. "I just don't want her to worry about us — she's got enough on her plate now with her new duties without having to fret about where we are. All those times I was late in the past, I didn't think anything of it because I always thought I made up for it. Like with work, I stayed a bit longer. With our morning jogs, AJ, I made sure the weather was nice. And with our spa trips, I always paid the bill." She sighed and hung her head before continuing. "But how the heck do you make things up to a Princess?" she muttered. "Especially when that Princess is one of your best friends? Twilight's cool and all but she does tend to overreact a bit, which is why I was so keen for us to get to the train. That way we get to see Twilight, who is happy that we're on time — which in turn means we don't have to worry. It's a win-win situation!" Pinkie Pie draped a forehoof around Rainbow's neck in a hug, the smile on her face proving to be infectious. As Rainbow's lips turned upwards, Pinkie ruffled her mane. "Don't worry, Dashie, we know you mean well," she said. "Besides, even if Twilight does get upset about something, we'll be there to help her get through it — because we all know that nopony can be sad at a Pinkie Pie Party!" Rainbow Dash chuckled and returned Pinkie's hug. The others soon joined in and the carriage fell silent as the group enjoyed the moment, before a speaker crackled to life. "Good morning, passengers, this is your conductor speaking," a voice said. "Welcome aboard the ten past three express train, going directly to Appleoosa. Please have your tickets, or bits if you have no tickets, ready for me when I come through your carriage. Thank you for travelling on Equestrian Rail." The speaker fell silent as Rainbow Dash found herself on the receiving end of four angry pairs of eyes. "Uhh..." she said sheepishly. "Oops?" The conductor entered the carriage a few moments later to be confronted with the bizarre sight of four mares sitting on top of a hog-tied pegasus. Rarity lit her horn and took Rainbow's bit pouch, levitating the money to the stunned conductor. "Good morning," she said sweetly. "Would you be so kind as to give us five return tickets to Appleoosa from Ponyville, please?" No words were said as the conductor nodded, passing them the tickets and proceeding nervously into the next carriage — unsure of what surprises were lying in wait for him there. *** "There you go, Spike," Twilight beamed. "Maybe they got on the wrong train and ended up elsewhere." "And then they hog-tied Rainbow Dash?" Spike groaned. "Seriously, Twilight, do you really think that they would be that clueless?" Twilight flustered for a moment as she tried to find the right words to formulate a response. As she did, a piercing whistle cut through the air and a train appeared in the distance. Twilight's face lit up and she grinned from ear to ear, flapping her wings eagerly and hopping in place on the platform. "They're here!" she squealed. "They're twenty-five minutes late, which means we can't go for a walk around the city like I had planned, but they're finally here!" "Thank Celestia for that," Spike replied. "I thought for sure you were gonna talk me to death with more of your wild stories." The only response he got was a wing smacking him in the back of the head, sending him face-first into the station platform.
The Real ReasonCHAPTER FIVE The Real Reason The train pulled into the station, a cloud of steam and a piercing whistle announcing its arrival. The doors opened and the passengers disembarked — among them being five mares, one of whom waved and shouted at Twilight as she approached. "Hi, girls!" Twilight said eagerly. "It's so good to see you all. It's been far too long since we last spent some time together." "I most certainly agree, darling," Rarity replied. "It has indeed been too long. We're sorry for being so dreadfully late, but things happened that were outside our control." "Yeah," Rainbow Dash said. "There were a lot of ponies getting off the train in Ponyville — no doubt they were tourists who wanted to see the home of Equestria's newest Princess." Twilight blinked in confusion. "Really?" she asked. "That's it?" Her friends all nodded. "Why?" Applejack queried. "Did ya think that somethin' else was keepin' us from gettin' here on time?" Before Twilight could respond, Spike spoke for her. "She sure did," he said. "In fact, she was even kind enough to share with me three possible reasons to explain your delay." Twilight grumbled as her friends regarded Spike curiously. Counting on his fingers he rattled off what Twilight had shared with him. "The first thing was that the train got robbed, the second was that the train broke down and the third was that Rainbow Dash ushered you all onto the wrong train and you ended up in Appleoosa — but that's not the best part." Rainbow Dash snorted. "As if I would do that," she grumbled. "And what do you mean by 'not the best part?'" "When the others found out they were on the wrong train..." Spike suppressed a laugh. "When the others found out they were on the wrong train, they tied you up and sat on you!" His composure failed and the young drake fell over laughing, clutching his sides as though they would literally split at any second. Rainbow Dash glared at him for a moment before she found herself joining in, followed by the rest. "Oh man," she said, wiping her eye with a wing. "You've gotta tell us these stories, Twilight. They all sound brilliant!" Twilight chuckled. "Maybe I will," she mused. "But I'm just glad you're all here — not to mention safe." "So are we, darling, so are we," Rarity replied. "Now, I believe you have a schedule you'd like to stick to so please, lead the way." Twilight gasped. "Blast!" she shouted. "We're now thirty minutes behind schedule. If we run we might make it to the castle in time for lunch, so let's double-time it, girls!" She took off as fast as her hooves would carry her, leaving her friends standing on the platform. They shared a glance before breaking into a run after her, Spike on Applejack's back as the five mares sped after the panicking alicorn. At the head of the pack, Twilight had a small smile on her face. Her friends were with her, and that made her happy. Yep, she thought. Life is good.
