Linkin Pony Recharge: Chasing the Sun

by Kaciekk

Chapter XIII: Setting Out on a Journey

Aboard the train a landscape glided past much faster than I can run. I had been in the train before, but it had been a while. BlazingFlair studied out the front window and operated the controls. HyperBlitz and JumpingJolt sat on a bench that was aligned against the wall.

I heard hooves approach me with a couple clops and a clank.

“This is cool huh? We’re finally going,” Dad said as he watched out the window. “These trains use t go faster. This actually is pretty slow, but we have to keep it that way to be safe. We don’t know if there is something wrong with the track or the energy running the train.”

“Also since we are not going far there is no need to speed up,” BlazingFlair added.

“The ride to the city isn’t that long,” Dad confirmed.

“Oh gosh, we’ve had some crazy experiences on train rides,” HyperBlitz brought up as he crossed his legs.

“Like what?” JumpingJolt asked, enthusiastically.

“I’m sure I’ve told you about them before-”

“I think we should leave the stories for the next ride, since it will be much longer,” Dad suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea,” HyperBlitz affirmed.

We had arrived at the Los Pegasus station. When we got out, BlazingFlair placed the extra luggage on the ground.

“Okay, you guys stay here. I’m gonna go talk with some ponies and see what track you should take,” The Earth-pony announced

I stood on the platform adjacent to the engine we had just been on. It was partially rusted, but a section that was not reflected the light blue of my coat. My mother told me I am the color of the sky beyond the clouds. She describe this in a memory of when she was a filly on a clear summer day. It was a color much more beautiful than the sky today. But I have never seen the true color of the sky. Even when there was a break in the clouds, the sky appeared as dull blue. For this reason, I could never call my fur “sky blue”. I preferred to call it light blue or as an artist, pale cyan.

When I looked back I noticed JumpingJolt had left to do his own thing. I brought this to the stallions’ attention, “Um, JumpingJolt just ran away.”

“Yeah, I told him it was okay to look around,” HyperBlitz informed.

I repositioned myself next to Dad. I was considering to ask if I could explore with Jolt, but I did not feel brave enough. Instead, I listened in on the friends’ conversation.

“So we have to talk to ponies in Haythorn,” Dad started, “Figure out the problem and… talk to the rogues?” He eyed HyperBlitz

“I guess so.” The yellow stallion said.

“We don’t know if the camp is close to Haythorn or in Haythorn.”

“I can do a fly over.”

“And what if the rogues are hostile?”

“I dunno. I’m just gonna ‘wing’ it.” The Pegasus raised his left wing.

Dad stared at him, a tad irritated.

“What, you don’t like my pun? I bet GentleSketch likes it.” Hyper’s head swooped to me. “You like my pun?” I smiled. “Yeah, he likes my pun.”

“You’ve always been full of bad puns,” Dad stated.

“Don’t pretend like you haven’t made a few bad puns.”

It made me happy to see the two older stallions were able to act as if they were twenty years younger. They have such a strong friendship. But now I felt lonely not having a friend to talk to.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Yeah, bud?”

“Can I go see what Jolt is doing?”

“Sure.”

I gazed to the section where I had seen the colt before, but I did not find hi, I scanned around until I spotted him, much farther away. I headed towards there, but I did not run for the bags on my sides would hop around if I did.I realizing Jolt was speaking with a young mare.

After the rose colored Pegasus glanced at me, Jolt turned around and exclaimed, “Hey GentleSketch! This is AutumnWind. I just met her.”

“Hello,” I mumbled, feeling awkward.

“Greetings.” AutumnWind waved.

JumpingJolt continued. “So, you live around here?”

“Um, yeah, sort of. I live in the suburbs, not really far into the city.” She pushed her rust red mane out of her face.

“Do you have a Hybrid problem?”

“Sometimes, but it’s not as bad as you think.”

“Are you at the station often?” Geez, Jolt asks a lot of questions(then again, so do I).

“Yep. My dad works here. Well, most of the time. He does a lot of different jobs but is here most of the time. It’s getting more difficult because he is loosing his eyesight.”

“Oh that stinks. My mom is half blind, like her one eye, she can’t see out of it. She can kinda see shadows. But since is like half blind she has good hearing. Like this one time, we were walking and she heard a Hybrid but nobody else could. And we were able to find the Hybrid and kill it because she could hear it.”

“Wow, that’s neat.”

How the heck is JumpingJolt good at keeping a conversation (without making it awkward). He had no trouble bringing up a topic and making his words interesting. I want him to teach me! I need to know!

“So what are you doing here?” AutumnWind asked.

Jolt seemed a bit started having a question directed at him. “Me? Well, I- I’m here with my dad and his friend and GentleSketch,” He glimpsed at me, “So we can ride the train to Haythorn because we have a mission there.

“For the reason I am standing here right now, in front of you, is because I am looking for more friends. I need to talk to more ponies than just the ones in my camp.”

“I really have no friends of my own,” AutumnWind murmured unhappily.

“I could be your friend! GentleSketch too!”

“That sounds great!” She was just a ecstatic as he was.

“See, you’re the first pony who actually let me talk to them,” Jolt clarified, “Everyone else is asocial.”

“I understand.” The young mare paused. “You said you have a mission and are from a camp. Are you a part of the Resistance?”

“Yes! Are you not?”

“No, I’ve never really been a part of it. It’s just-”

Just then we heard HyperBlitz’s voice. “Boys!” His call carried across the air and echoed. “It’s time to go!” I imagined he had no problem yelling like that.

“Oh, I have to go. Maybe we’ll meet again some time.”

“Yeah, maybe, I hope. Bye!

“Bye!”

“Bye,” I said, moderately quieter.

We started to trot away although out trot was more of a speed walk. I noticed how I, as a smaller pony, had to take larger steps than JumpingJolt to keep up with him.

“Do you like her?” I asked, peculiarly confused.

“What? No! I just want to be her friend. Why, was I acting like I like her?”

“I don’t know,” I disclosed. “ I really have no idea about how liking ponies works. I’ve only read about it in books.”

“I don’t need anypony to like-like. I just want friends.”

“Hmm,” I suppose I agree. At least while I’m young.

Returning, I saw BlazingFlair putting the baggage back into our original train. “Are we using the same one?”

“Yeah. It’s better that way,” Dad justified. “We don’t have to pay for another train.”

HyperBlitz grumbled, “We’ll probably have to pay for service.”

Dad continued, not on the behalf of Hyper, “We just need to turn on the right track. We’ll get a good view of Los Pegasus on this route.”

“Alright dudes,” BlazingFlair hailed as he jumped out of the car. “I think you’re all set to go! I’ll help direct you to the right track. I can pay if they want to charge for service.”

“Thanks Blaze, you’ve been a big help.” Dad patted the orange stallion’s shoulder.

Blazing closed in and gave him a hug. The Earth-pony beamed and then hugged the rest of us.

Back on the train, I looked at the ponies on the platform below. They waved and called to each other. One pony ran up metal stairs which I pondered where they might go. I heard and felt the locomotive startup and rumble. The car shifted forward and the ponies I saw moved backwards. Among the ponies was BlazingFlair, who spoke casually with others. My comrade then followed alongside the train.

Dad had his hooves on the board in the front of the train. He attentively watched the signals from outside. HyperBlitz shifted levers. Dad commanded to him what to do.

We turned out of the station. I could feel our altitude ascending. I peered out the window as we climbed upon the hills. We began to take a wide turn.I was in awe as I witnessed the city skyline appeared. Los Pegasus is so much larger that I imagined. So many buildings reached into the sky. It seemed impossible that this was all built by ponies. I saw way in the distance a faint image of an ocean that bled into the sky.

I dug out a sketchpad and pencil from my bag. I glanced back and forth between my paper and the city. I made a quick sketch of how the skyline was. I knew I couldn’t copy the entirety, for I had no time. I took my moments to enjoy the view. Too bad this city is not in the shape it was years ago.

All of the sudden, Dad was next to me. “Pretty awesome, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Trying to draw the city? I doubt you have enough time,” He observed, repeating my thoughts.

“I have good visual memory.” That is a gift I have.

“Whatever do you want to use your talent for?” Dad asked. What a strange time for such a deep question.

“I don’t know. I just draw.”

“Would you like to inspire ponies?”

“That would be nice, but I doubt I could.”

“Sure you can.” The Unicorn wrapped his mechanical hoof around my back, feeling cold. “I’ve always thought it would be awesome to just draw pictures and give them to random ponies. Would you like want to do that?”

“That sounds cool.”

“Definitely need to brighten up the ponies in that city.” He pointed with his blue hoof. “I thought about painting on walls. People can pass by and see artwork. Maybe we could make a mural together. Would you like to do that?

“That sounds so fun!”

“I think that’s for another time.”

“CharmingRhythm,” HyperBlitz confronted Dad, “We’re going to have to keep on on the track and where we are We need to find where the track split and make sure it turns the right way.”

“Also check that the track isn’t out,” Dad included, “We can take turns on that.”

The grayish blue stallion situated himself in front of the extra bags. “Alright guys, listen: Do not use any food or water out of your bags yet. If you want anything, that it from these, they are for the train. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir!” JumpingJolt smacked his forehoof to his head as a salute. My eyes darted from the colt then to Dad again. I copied his salute.

“You boys are funny,” He smiled.

“So what about those train stories, Dad?” JumpingJolt incited.

“You want them already? Geez, be a little more patience JJ. We’ll start them in a bit.”

My attention swayed back to the window. I watched as the city of Los Pegasus slowly faded away.