Returning home
Twilight galloped away from them as fast as her hooves can carry. She wanted to get away from Canterlot, from her friends, her brother, and her mentor. The unicorn bopped and weaved away the passing ponies in the streets. At the same time, the voice beckons her inside her mind.
Where will you go?
“Back to Ponyville,” Twilight replied, “To the library, where nopony will ever bother me again! I will only go outside for shopping or whatever’s necessary for me to leave, but certainly not for them!”
And then what? Suppose you do stay cooped in the library, the other will return eventually.
“I will figure out the way,” She said, “And besides, I was the only one who bothered to check what was going on at the wedding.”
Do you think the others will give up that easily? Or will they actually honor your wish to leave you alone?
She then stopped dead in her tracks, before treading to a nearby alleyway as to not get hit by the pedestrians, and thought for a moment. Twilight made sure that no one was around within earshot, lest someone see her as going insane.
“Well, I didn’t thought about that until now,” She quietly admitted, after checking that the coast is clear. “But will I do if that ever happens?”
Do whatever you decide is best for you first and for Equestria second.
Before Twilight thought of a reply, she was interrupted by somepony calling her.
“Excuse me, miss,” The voice said, sounding female and mature. “But are you in a need of any assistance?”
Twilight Sparkle turned around and saw a unicorn mare. The said mare was around Twilight’s Velvet’s age, with faint blue coat with eyes matching the same color. Her mane was straight and unkempt in a sickly blueish gray.
“Oh, nothing,” The younger unicorn replied, “I’m just, well, shaken up on what just happened in Canterlot.”
“I do not blame you,” the older mare replied, nodding sympathetically. “I was fortunate enough to be out of town, and never witnessed those horrid changelings. Could not imagine, how hard it is for a young filly such as yourself witnessing such an incident.”
How will you reply?
Twilight thought for a moment, before answering to the unicorn:
“Well, you can say that. Though I’ve faced some personal experiences that are just as traumatic.” she said, “Thank you for your concern, but the train to Ponyville is leaving soon, and I must be going.”
Before the older unicorn got a chance to react, Twilight galloped off.
“TAKE CARE AND PLEASE BE SAFE!” The older mare called out from the distance. But the younger mare was too busy to reply back.
“I hope she heard me,” The older unicorn replied, before trotting off.
Twilight managed to reach the train station on time, but as she went to the ticket booth only to see there is a long line. As she approached the line, she heard the chattering becoming clearer, and angrier.
“Everypony, please calm down!” The ticket booth cashier called through the intercom, “If you all just line up in an orderly fashion, you will have your chance!”
“How can we calm down?!” One agitated voice in the line called back, “I need to go back to Manehattan to see my family is safe!”
“I’ve been waiting for an hour myself!” a second voice yelled, “Who knows when those bugs return?!”
“We just don’t have time to wait any longer then!” the third voice screamed angrily. “My family’s in danger!”
“Your family’s not the only one who’s in danger pal!” the fourth voice shouted, “What makes yours so special?!”
“ENOUGH OF THIS SQUABBLING AT ONCE!”
the fifth voice bellowed, echoing across the station, as the ground underneath their hooves shook like a tremor. The sounds continued to ring everypony’s ears as they turned their heads at the source.
“Princess Luna, thank the creator you are here,” The cashier said relieved, “All of us were doing our best for everyone.”
“At ease, my subject,” Princess Luna said, this time not in the Royal Canterlot voice as she gained the line’s attention. “Here I am, returning from my diplomatic trip in Griffonstone, and what do I see? Canterlot invaded, my niece replaced by the Changeling Queen, and fully grown ponies fighting like foals.”
The crowd lowered their heads in shame, ever since panic and anarchy spread like wildfire in the city. Emotions taken over their judgement, before the alicorn of the moon continued.
“However, I do understand your concerns, and thus, I shall pay for everypony’s trip as compensation for what happened earlier.” she said, much to the growing cheer of the crowd, including the lavender unicorn.
Princess Luna turned her head to the conductor and asked, “Where is the next train heading off to?”
“To Ponyville, your highness,” The conductor replied, “But I’m not sure if there’s room for everypony.”
She then turned to the crowd and called out in her Royal Canterlot Voice.
“RAISE YOUR HOOVES FOR THOSE WHO ARE HEADING TO PONYVILLE!”
Twilight Sparkle is the one of the 12 who raised their hooves in the air. Finally, she can get some peace and quiet after all. That is until, the voice calls to her.
This is great and all, but what if Princess Luna sees you? How do you think she will react?
Twilight’s joy suddenly turned to concern, what will she react if she sees me? I’ve said so many horrible things to Princess Celestia, my brother, and my friends. Does she know what happened?
Suddenly, Twilight raised her head when she heard the conductor’s voice.
“Everypony heading to Ponyville, please enter the gate carefully, one step at a time!”
All of the passengers who are heading to the said destination, followed the conductor’s instructions, with the conductor himself happy that order is at least restored in the train station. One by one, the ponies lined up at the gates with Princess Luna herself escorting them to the train. When the line to Ponyville is dying down, it was Twilight’s turn. She lowered her head, and hid her cutie mark with her saddlebags in hopes not to gain Luna’s attention.
Finally, Twilight felt Princess Luna’s presence coming close to her. Her heart pounded rapidly as she quietly cursed to herself as to think such rushed and weak attempts will be enough hide from Princess Luna. Then her heart finally stopped as she heard…
“Wait, there is something familiar with this pony…”