//------------------------------//
// Stopping in Rockville 
// Story: Society as We Know It 
// by Comma Typer 
//------------------------------//

The beautiful hills and its lush greenery portrayed a wonderful landscape. Birds flew through the air, humming their melodic songs. The trees swayed by the wind, creating a subtle yet noticeable movement that would comfort the eyes that would look upon them. The bushes and the flowers gave the place a quiet and nice feel. The dirt path that ran beside the train tracks had a few ponies walking by, talking to each other as they carried bags with them, travelling to wherever they were going to.
The sun in the sky brought its sunlight, shining upon all the land. It penetrated the windows of the train as it chugged and moved along the railroad, giving its bright light to the ponies and the changelings who were inside, most of them sitting while a few of them were walking down the middle of the carriage.
A pony in blue uniform swept the floor, cleaning it from all trash and garbage that was left there.
Out the window, the wonderful landscape was rushing by, rolling by as the train moved fast.
"Fifteen minutes," Nastic said. "We have fifteen minutes to Appleloosa, thirty minutes to Rockville, next stop—I forgot." He looked at the pony who was reading a newspaper beside him.
The stallion looked back at him.
Nastic looked away, having a neutral face.
He looked out the window, beholding the scenic outside that was passing by him quickly.
He looked at the changeling beside him. Long Winded was sleeping, his head resting on the window.
"It really is more exciting when Long Winded's awake," Nastic commented. "It's also more irritating and more chaotic when he's awake. All the ponies around us getting angry, getting frustrated at his acts and at his attitude." Then, he smiled. "At least he can improve." He looked at the sleeping changeling, quietly snoozing away the minutes as the train went on.
Nastic looked at the stallion beside him. "What's the news?"
The stallion adjusted his glasses. "We've got Princess Twilight Sparkle going to the Dragon Lands for another time—that's the headline." He arched his eyebrow, looking at the changeling with a curious look. "Are you interested in borrowing my newspaper?"
"Why not?" Nastic replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. "I love being updated about everything."
"Here you go." The stallion hoofed the newspaper to him. "I've read this newspaper a few times already. It's beginning to get boring."
Nastic eagerly opened up the newspaper.
On the front page, a colored picture of Princess Twilight Sparkle shaking the claw of Dragon Lord Ember on rocky brown ground and in front of a backdrop of a brown sky and several mountains with no grass or other greenery was there. Beside the picture were the words in big, bold letters, "Princess Twilight Sparkle Visits Dragon Lands for Friendship Talks Another Time."
There were also other news. "Wonderbolt Performances in Ponyville a Great Time." "The Princesses have Scheduled Meeting Regarding Changelings Next Week." "A.K. Yearling Talks About The Writing of Daring Do Books."
"Twilight Sparkle has been out a lot lately," the stallion commented. "She's been going everywhere in Equestria and out of Equestria. Then, the Cutie Map sends her out sometimes to friendship problems. Then, she's also having to help the process of giving help to your kingdom. My foal would love to be a Princess someday, but, I wonder what she's going to tell me if I tell her about all the actual royal duties and other Princess things that a Princess has to do." He sighed, wiping his glasses.
Nastic did not say anything. He just looked at the stallion wipe his glasses.
The stallion placed the glasses back on. "My filly is a great filly—she's full of energy, excited to meet lots of ponies around the neighborhood. We live in Manehattan."
"So, how's the life there?" Nastic asked. "I've heard that it's quite busy being there and that the tourists are the ones having it easy, having all the time to explore Manehattan."
"You're somewhat right," the stallion replied. "However, the situation's improving. Ponies are getting friendlier and more considerate, thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her friends." He sighed again. "And, my filly and my wife—they're wonderful. I have to work five days of the week, and it's a ferocious task—having to handle the ponies and the work that they do is my work. That's why I take the few free days that I have very dearly."
"And, where's your family?" Nastic asked, tilting his head in concern.
"They've already went ahead to Rockville to buy some of the rocks there. Actually, I'm late." He smiled.
"So, they're going to be waiting for you for thirty minutes?" Nastic said. "That's going to try their patience."
"Oh, they're very patient," the stallion answered, his smile becoming more sincere. "Besides, Rockville is a nice place to be in. My wife's talent is related to rocks, so a place like Rockville would surely attract her. My filly—she has no cutie mark, yet. We actually went to Ponyville to visit the Cutie Mark Crusaders to see what they have to tell us—they haven't fully solved it, yet. We plan to go back to Ponyville before the end of the day. Maybe, by then, they will have solved the problem."
Nastic snickered, covering his mouth.
The stallion glared at him, his face becoming painted with emotion. "What's so funny about that?!"
"Sorry!" Nastic said, holding out a hoof in defense. "Sorry, I was just thinking about, well, that ponies from around Equestria are going to Ponyville to visit three fillies! It sounds ridiculous, to be honest with you!"
"Learning the destiny of your foal is not ridiculous, changeling!" the stallion yelled. Then, he calmed down, adjusting his glasses. "Of course, you're a changeling and we're ponies—only ponies have cutie marks. It's understandable that you wouldn't be able to fully understand what a cutie mark means to us."
"Don't worry about it," Nastic said.
The stallion looked at him, then he looked out the window.
There was less grass, less lush greenery now outside. The ground was becoming more arid, more dry. It was becoming more like a desert.
"That means we're getting closer to Appleloosa," the stallion said. He looked at the changeling. "Do you plan to visit Appleloosa?"
"I'm considering Rockville," Nastic said. "It would be nice to spend time with you and your family."
The stallion smiled. "Really?" he said, surprised and excited and elated.
"It would be nice for us and for you," Nastic replied.
"How would your friend think about it?" the stallion asked, pointing at the sleeping changeling.
"We've been there before," Nastic said. "Or, at least a part of it. He was quite happy to be there."



The train stopped.
The ponies and the changelings exited the train. Several ponies were carrying bags and baggages and luggage. Some were in a hurry, rushing to wherever they were headed towards. Others took a slow walk, looking around to relish in the unique landscape of the area.
The ground around them was mostly dry. There were rocks and stones. There were some trees, but they stood out in contrast to the surroundings.
A line of ponies was there, right in front of a wooden stall.
An assertive, young gray Earth pony mare eyed the pony at the front of the line with sharp, glaring eyes. "So, what do you want from here?! A souvenir? You look like a tourist!"
"Uh, why, I am a tourist," the scared pony said, shaking a little. He quickly looked at the selection of rocks in front of him: small rocks, big rocks, special rocks, crystals. "How much does that crystal cost?" He pointed at one of the shining pink crystals on the stall.
"That would be ten bits," the mare said.
The stallion gulped, backing away a little.
"Ten bits or you won't get your crystal!"
"OK!" the pony yelled as he threw ten bits towards the stall, grabbed the crystal, and hurried towards the train.
"Next in line!" the mare yelled behind the stall, eyeing the next pony.
The train closed its doors and left the stone train station.
"That's Limestone Pie!" Long Winded said, pointing at the mare now trying to sell the rocks to the next pony. "Why are we here again?"
"Because I'm trying to get to know some of the ponies," Nastic replied, looking at the stallion beside him. "Where's your family?"
The stallion looked at the line and at the ponies around the line and at the ponies going here and there. "They don't seem to be near here. They must've moved to somewhere else already! They didn't get to choose their Rockville rocks without me!"
"Let's at least try to see if they're here," Nastic said, patting the stallion on the head. "We need to have one more look at the premises. You probably overlooked a few areas."
"You're right," the stallion said. He walked towards the line, looking left and right and around.
Then, a filly pointed at him. "Daddy!"
She ran.
"Well Read!" he yelled.
Then, he hugged the filly.
"Where have you been, Hard Business?" a mare said, walking towards him.
"Well, Rock Eager," Hard Business said, "I just didn't catch the train on time."
And the ponies hugged each other.
"Can you just get in line?!" Limestone Pie yelled. "Do you want to buy anything?!"
The stallion walked towards the line with his family. He looked at the two changelings. "Do you want to buy some Rockville rocks?"



"So, what do you want?" Limestone Pie asked gruffly.
The ponies looked at the selection of rocks.
"What about that one?!" Well Read yelled, pointing at a particular rock.
Limestone held up the rock. "That would be three bits!"
Rock Eager smiled and gave Limestone Pie three bits.
Limestone hoofed the rock to the filly.
"Yeah! I got myself a rock!" Well Read yelled. "Then, I can research about the rock, ask where it came from, see what else the rock has, what properties it has—"
"Looks like she's very interested in rocks," Limestone said, smiling a little.
"Yeah," Hard Business said, "she's interested in lots of—"
"Then get moving!" she yelled, slamming the stall with her front hooves. "We've got more ponies waiting in line! Unless, you want to buy some more rocks, that is."
"Uh, no, let's get moving!"
And the family quickly rushed away from the stall.
"And, what about you?!" Limestone yelled, looking at the two changelings in front of her. "Wait, I recognize you!"
"Yeah, we're the changelings that visited you!" Long Winded shouted in response.
"We've had a few changelings visit us other than you," Limestone said. "Anyway, what do you want to buy?"
"I would want some of these rocks," Long Winded said, pointing to some rocks, "and some of these rocks." He pointed towards another group of rocks. "A few crystals would be nice!"
"Any in particular?" Limestone asked.
"They're all nice!"
Limestone groaned while grabbing several rocks and a few crystals from the stall and placed them into a bag. Then, she placed it on to the stall. "Fifty bits!"
"That's a lot of money," Nastic commented.
"Well, you pay or you don't get your rocks!"
Long Winded brought out fifty bits and gave them to Limestone. Then, he grabbed the bag and carried it on his body.
"Now, next in line!"



The changelings were inside another train. The landscape of Rockville passed by them as the train moved.
Long Winded opened his bag on the seat. Inside, there were lots of rocks and a few crystals that shone under the train's lights.
"I don't get it," Nastic said. "They're rocks!"
"They're good rocks, great rocks!" Long Winded replied. He brought out a rock. "Here! Try to see what's special about the rock!"
Nastic grabbed it from his friend's hoof and turned it around, looking at it closely. Then, he gave it back to Long Winded. "I don't see what's interesting about this rock other than that it's a rock!"
"But, they're rocks from the Pie family!" Long Winded said. "And, guess who is the pony who lives in Ponyville that is also part of the Pie family?"
"Pinkie Pie," Nastic replied.
"And, that's amazing!" Long Winded said. "We have rocks and crystals that are from the rock farm that she grew up in! Isn't that awesome and amazing and cool?! It's neat!"
"What else are we going to do with those rocks?" Nastic asked. "Decorate our rooms with them?"
"Maybe!"
"OK, what else are we going to do with those rocks? They cannot be toys for long."
"Unless you have an imgination that is as cool as mine!"
"I should've expected that from you," Nastic remarked.
"And, we could have the entire Pie family visit Ponyville and then we can tell Pinkie Pie about the rocks and the crystals we bought from them. Wait, Maud Pie also lives in Ponyville now! Then, that means we have two members of the Pie family in Ponyville! Maud Pie, one of the experts in the field of rocks, in the field of geology—maybe we should go to Ponyville again and show her these rocks! She can tell us all about the rocks and the crystals we have!"
Nastic groaned. He sighed angrily. "What about we wait for the next trip to Ponyville?"