Pacifica and Monty stood in place, clueless as to what to do next.
The train station must have been a TARDIS in order to fit everypony inside, that is bigger on the inside because there’s no way it could fit that many and yet, it did.
This posed a problem for Pacifica’s plans, not only because its going to be nearly impossible to go inside but there also wouldn't be any room in the train anyway.
“What do we do now Pacifica?”
“Let me go”
Monty dismounted his cousin.
Pacifica had forgotten just how much pain her body was in until she actually stood up on her own, but luckily she wasn’t in critical condition.
Pacifica’s head began to go through a spider-diagram of things they could do right now and how they could reach uncle Discord… going by train was out of the question because its most likely full, and even if they would manage to board it, they didn’t have any bits for the tickets.
The one best option was to go to Ponyville, at least there she had some friends, and knew ponies who might tell her about the whereabouts of her uncle, however getting there was another thing.
“Pacifica?”
“…”
“Pacifica?”
“…”
“PACIFICA!”
“I’m thinking!”
The only solution was the most tedious one… they had to travel to Ponyville by hoof… but how?
Follow the tracks, that would be a good start.
But what about the areas where the tracks split? How will they know which track to take?
They’re going to need a map.
If they’re going to need a map they might as well get a compass, just in case, after all they won’t be able to stick to the railroad tracks the entire time, they’d stick out too much and that would be dangerous.
A (barely) safer solution would be to follow the tracks until they’re out of the city and then map out their own route, cutting straight through the forests the tracks go around.
“We need to get a map and a compass”
“But I don’t have any bits, I left my backpack…” Monty didn’t finish the sentence; he didn’t want to mention what had just happened to them.
“We’ll have to steal them”
“W-what? No! stealing is wrong!”
Pacifica sighed, they didn't have time for a conscience
“So what do we do?”
“I don’t know”
“You don’t know…”
Pacifica shook her head.
The two stood there for a moment doing nothing.
“Alright, fine! We get what we need but it’s going to be your fault!” scoffed Monty
But Pacifica wasn’t listening anymore, she was already on her way to the local souvenir store located just outside the station, Monty caught up with her.
They entered the store.
They just realized that stealing something only sounded easy in theory, it felt like they were glowing red and attracting attention.
Pacifica had never been so glad to be a changeling, right now she could taste everypony’s emotions in the store including the store clerks’, letting her keep tabs on everypony at the same time.
Pacifica and Monty awkwardly went their own ways, occasionally their eyes glancing at the store clerk whilst pretending to observe a product only to put it back in its place.
A customer approached the store clerk
Pacifica was a changeling of opportunity.
There was one less Compass on the shelf.
The store clerk didn't notice, he was far too busy dealing with the current customer, besides 2 ponies like them wouldn't steal anything, would they?
Pacifica was onto her next target, the Maps that were conveniently located next to the snow globes, which gave an excuse for a pony her age to be next to the maps and not seem conspicuous.
Pacifica grabbed the map and just noticed why the map is going to be a bit more tricky…
Where the heck is she going to hide that big paper thing?
The clerk just finished dealing with the customer and he was already looking at Pacifica.
Pacifica tensed up, she wasn't going to just put back that map, but she already got the salespony’s attention.
The customer pony left the shop, closing the door with a ding.
The salespony was still focused on Pacifica who had no idea what to do now but to stand in place
Suddenly Pacifica heard Monty shout loudly
“Dad just left! Come on Pacifica!”
The salespony looked away from the thief and towards the accomplice.
A second was more than enough; Pacifica quickly put back an invisible pretend map on the shelf whilst holding on to the real one, she turned her back towards the salespony so that he couldn't see what she was holding onto and rushed out the door to catch up with Monty.
As soon as they were onto the street the two stopped for a breather, they needed to see where to go from now.
Pacifica looked around for an entrance to the railroad tracks.
The whole area around the tracks was guarded by a wire net fence.
“Why don’t we fly in?”
Pacifica pointed at where his and her wings would normally be, unfortunately they changed into earth ponies without thinking and changing into pegasi wasn’t a good idea when they’re so close to so many ponies.
“I have an idea” Monty broke the silence
“We get to a platform with a train that’s about to go, when everypony is going inside, we jump down on the tracks behind the train and stay low out of sight and we run after the train when it leaves, that way nopony will see us!”
Pacifica thought about this possibility… it was stupid and dangerous but right now it was the only thing they could think of
“All right, follow me and don’t let go of my hoof no matter what happens”
The crowd packed inside the train station created a mist of all sorts of emotions, though fear and worry were dominating.
Squeezing into any of the platforms was as hard as cutting butter straight from the fridge… with a fork.
It was especially hard for Monty to hold on to Pacifica, they were both at that annoying height where they weren't tall enough to be able to see what is going on through the sea of all those adult ponies but they weren't quite small enough enough to crawl their way through that sea of hooves…
Finally after some trial and error, they reached to the very edge of the platform, right behind the train, and as Monty said, everypony was far too busy to be the first in the train to notice them jump down on the tracks and disappear far below.
Now they had to wait for the train to make its way towards its next destination, both cousins, plastered to the side wall of the platform so that nopony sees them.
A minute or two of shuffling later, everypony was squashed inside the wagon.
A loud whistle cut through the air.
The wagon began to gradually accelerate, so did Pacifica and Monty.
It didn't take long for the train to outrun the ponies but it didn’t matter, they were already out of the Train station at this point and they could take it easy from here.
“It’s done… finally, it's done!”
Mark looked down upon the blueprints of the machine.
The machine was a giant glass dome stood on three stubby fat legs, within the glass bubble, a complicated mechanism, comparable to that of a clock to an untrained eye.
The rustling of the blueprints echoed in the secret dungeon room that was lent to Mark by Celestia.
This was it, this was the machine that was going to solve the problem, once and for all, everypony will finally be happy living together, both ponies and changelings alike, and who knows, maybe even the dragons and griffons.
All that Mark had to do now was to get the parts, and that isn't a problem for a stallion that is fully being supported by a pony deity.
Suddenly out of nowhere a thick pin of pain hit Mark’s head.
Pacifica was in danger, he could feel it, her pain growing.
Mark held on to the table in order not to fall onto the ground… he wasn't in pain but he would've preferred that over what he was feeling right now.
Mark’s body gave up and he fell to the ground.
He had to hurry up with the machine, something was wrong with Pacifica but he can only do so much at a time.
It was high time that Celestia did her part for the plan just as she promised.