"What do you mean I can't the use the railway?" the monstrous pony thing glared at the clearly terrified train attendant.
"I'm sorry s-sir," the attendant stood his ground, though Train Wreck suspected the poor stallion might wet himself at any time, "By order of Princess Luna's warlocks, I can't allow you to board this train. Even if you did the train wouldn't leave the station with you on board."
"But we were supposed to go to the Crystal Empire!" Diane stomped her little hooves in protest, "Uncle Train Wreck didn't do anything wrong!"
"Is there a problem here?" two burly lunar guards approached the family, "If you want to cause trouble, we can have the whole lot of you freaks locked up!"
"T-that hardly seems necessary sir," the attendant interjected, "They weren't causing trouble and their frustration is quite understandable!"
"You wanna tell us how to do our job, sunshine?" the larger lunar pegasus leaned in and flashed his teeth, "Cause we can drag you in right along with the freaks!"
"Do you honestly think you could drag me anywhere against my will?" Train Wreck raised a brow, "The two of you literally couldn't drag my weight without help. There's no trouble here. Flap off before you start something you can't finish."
The larger guard looked like he was going to say something, so Train Wreck let his lower mandible slip open just enough for his snakes to peek out. The guard quickly turned to the attendant, "I'm gonna remember you, sunshine!"
With that both guards flew off in a huff, the larger glaring back.
"I really am sorry sir," the attendant shrunk back before the massive beast, "I can offer you a refund on your tickets if you'd like?"
"Not your fault," the tazzle-pony sighed, "Look, let me talk this over with my family."
The family of oddities drew into a close huddle, with Surprise being the first to speak her displeasure, “I can’t believe this. I’ve got half a mind to march right up to the castle and give that meany-pants Luna a good talking to!”
“Calm down,” Train Wreck interjected, “It’s not as bad is it sounds. And I can see their point. I am a giant monster named Train Wreck. You and the girls go on and see the Chrystaling, and I’ll stay home and watch the fort.”
“There’s no way!” Diane argued hotly, “If Uncle Train Wreck’s not going I’m not going!”
“Z-978 will not go without her sister!” the older changeling chimed in.
“Diane,” Train Wreck turned to the adorable little shark toothed abomination, “I really don’t want you to miss this. And I know you don’t want your sister to miss this. It’s a Royal Chrystaling. There’s probably lasers made of magic love or something. Besides, there’s probably not gonna be another one for a really long time, so if you don’t go who’s gonna tell me about it?”
The changeling’s face scrunched up as she tried to find a hole in the reasoning, before she finally blurted out, “But you'll be lonely all alone with the bakery shut down… and bored! You hate being bored!”
“I’ll be fine,” one of the monster’s tazzle snakes darted out and gave the little changeling a kiss on the cheek.
“We can take pictures at all our stops,” Surprise suggested brightly, “And we can mail them all back from each stop and when we get home, we can have a super-fun ‘Welcome Home Party’ and tell Train Wreck about everything that happened.”
“I guess that would be alright,” Diane agreed dubiously, then turned to Train Wreck, “But only if you promise you won’t get too lonely.”
“I’ll be fine,” Train Wreck laughed sadly and before speaking to each of his partners, “I’m gonna miss you two, Z, help Surprise keep an eye on Diane.”
Goodbyes were said, tears were shed, ending in a massive group hug. It was only a slight surprise when some pony on the far end of the platform shouted, “That monster's attacking that mare and those two changelings!”
It was quickly answered by another pony shouting back, “Give it rest, can’t you see they’re just hugging?”
Only to draw the response, “Well, it’s hard to tell, he has snakes in his mouth!”
-=-=-=-=-
“The crown will now hear the petition of Train Wreck Pastel for redress of grievances,” Celestia was unsure what to expect from this audience. As trying as Discord could be, his newest protege seemed by all accounts she had heard to be a fairly reasonable pony. Indeed he was well liked in the Changeling Court, despite, or perhaps because of his initial brawl with the royal guards.
“I’d just like to know why the warlocks put me on a list forbidding me from using the railway,” the massive beast said plainly without preamble.
Celestia was not at all surprised, though a little disappointed when a heckler in the back shouted, “Oh come on you’re a giant monster named Train Wreck!”
“I can see why this would be of concern to you,” Celestia said thoughtfully, “But the warlocks are under my sister’s command. Perhaps you should be bringing this petition before her court.”
“Yes,” the winged tazzle pony mused, worked his lower mandibles in frustration, “That would be the thing to do, except every time I try to schedule an audience her suicidal Night Guard try to pick a fight with me. I mean, between the warlocks forbidding me to leave the city and the Night Guard trying to run me out of town I’m getting really mixed signals. It wouldn’t be half as bad if I hadn’t found out about this travel ban when I got to the train station with my family to leave for vacation this morning.”
“That IS rather unfortunate,” Celestia nodded with genuine sympathy, “I had heard about your domestic union with my friend Surprise, and that you had adopted two changelings from Princess Fast Change’s hive. I hear nothing but good things about you from that front. Congratulations on your new family Mr. Pastel.”
“Thank you your majesty. I’m just glad they weren’t included in the travel ban,” Train Wrecks stance softened considerably, “This would be an angrier conversation if Diane had to miss the Royal Chrystalling. It’s all she’s been talking about since we decided to take the trip.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow slightly at the news, before smiling warmly, “Well, perhaps I’ll see them there. It’s seems like ages since I last spoke with Surprise. I am truly sorry for this inconvenience, and I can promise you that I will bring all the issues you have raised to my sister’s attention. Was there anything else Mr. Pastel?”
“Thank you your majesty, and no,” Train Wreck smiled at the diarch and bowed slightly.
“Then you are excused,” the Princess of the Sun politely dismissed her subject, “And please feel welcome to address this court with any future issue which may arrive. It is why we hold these proceedings, after all.”