Chapter 4
Manehattan
November 5, 2012
Promontory woke the next morning in the cabin he and Colonel Warspite were sharing on the Manehattan bound train. Spooking himself, he sat up sharply not remembering where he was. But then as his memory returned he flopped himself back down on to his bunk. He lay there on his back staring at the ceiling of the cabin as the ultra modern train glided seamlessly down the tracks. As his eyes began to wander around the dark cabin he could at least see that the Colonel was not in his bunk. Probably went to breakfast, he thought to himself.
Feeling a bit hungry himself Promontory decided breakfast might be a good idea. After willing himself to leave the comfort of his bunk he sat up again and swung his legs over the side of the bunk. He then yawned loudly and stretched. Slouching slightly, he rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof. Just as he was about to hop up out of bed the cabin door slid open pouring in the morning light from the hall window, Promontory lifted a hoof to shield his eyes from the bright light. Colonel Warspite then strode in whistling a martial tune as he slid the door shut behind him. "Ah, good morning son!"
Promontory still in an early morning haze mumbled back "Mornin'."
Colonel Warspite pulled his large oversized trunk out from underneath his bunk with his teeth and threw it on top of his bunk with a heavy thud. Promontory watched as he popped the lid of the trunk open revealing dozens upon dozens of different ties, shirts, suit jackets, and sports coats that could potentially form hundreds of combinations. As the Colonel tried to match a red tie with little palm trees on it with a shirt he asked glancing slightly over his shoulder, "Did you have a goodnight's sleep last night son?"
Promontory shook his head, "No sir, can't sleep in no strange bed."
"Really?" he said in mock surprise.
"Because somepony was in here snoring up a storm last night!"
Waving him off dismissively with a hoof Promontory said "Oh hush up, I don't snore!"
The Colonel began to laugh, “Then there must have been a buffalo in his death throws in the next cabin! That's the only plausible explanation left!"
Promontory replied sarcastically "Oh! Ha-ha! You’re a laugh a minute Colonel."
"I try my best son."
Promontory flopped back down on his bunk and said, "Say Colonel, let me know when we get there will ya'? I wanna get a good first look at Manehattan."
"You can get a good look now."
Promontory sat straight up, "What'd you just say?"
The Colonel motioned his head toward the window with a smirk while he was tying his tie, "Go take a look."
Promontory sprang up off his bunk, scrambled to the cabin window and lifted the shade. It took a few moments for him to take in the multitude of different things he was seeing. The train was moving slowly on an elevated railway above the city streets, massive art deco skyscrapers and buildings made of concrete, glass, and steel rose high into the air all around them. The buildings were covered with bright, flashy, colorful advertisements and the sidewalks and streets below were crowded with thousands of ponies, carts, and carriages. More than Promontory had ever seen in one place his whole life. He stood there staring slack jawed at all this moving past his window, it was amazing.
Colonel Warspite moved alongside him, "I know, that's the same look I had the first time I saw this town. It's a great place. Tell me what do you think?"
"Well sir, Dodge Junction it is definitely not."
Colonel Warspite laughed, "Well we'll probably be pulling in to Grand Hoofton Terminal in the next fifteen minutes or so, so get your kit together."
A few minutes later the train pulled into the terminal and the pair hopped down onto the platform. The platform was crowded with hundreds of ponies; Promontory struggled to keep up with Colonel Warspite's pace as he maneuvered around pony after pony, "Colonel! Would ya' mind slowin' up a bit!"
The Colonel hollered something back at him over his shoulder but because of the loud commotion all around him he couldn't make out what he said. He finally managed to catch up to the Colonel in the main concourse; he was talking to an attractive looking mare behind the information counter. Not wanting to interrupt Promontory moved off a bit to the side and stared again all around the massive concourse. Staring straight up through the massive skylight he could make out skyscrapers rising up all around the terminal. His focus was broken when he heard a gruff male voice call out over the indistinguishable roar of the crowds, "Hey!"
As his eyes came back down to ground level he found himself being looked at uncertainly by two uniformed police officers who were nearby. One called out "You alright mac?"
Realizing what an idiot he must have looked like standing their gaping at the ceiling Promontory sputtered incoherently, "Ah, well- I, I'm, yeah..."
The two cops looked at each other realizing he wasn't a threat and smirked, the other called out and said, "Stay off the sauce son! It's no good for you!"
The two laughing then strode off disappearing back into the crowds. Thoroughly embarrassed Promontory sulked back and took a seat on a bench near to the information desk. On his left sat an old fat stallion in a two piece suit and fedora who had his face buried in that day's edition of the Manehattan Times, and on his right was a younger stallion wearing a flat cap and tweed suit, he had pulled his hat down slightly over his eyes and had somehow managed to fall into a blissful sleep with all the racket around him.
Watching stallions in tailored suits and hats and mares in bright, colorful dresses going by him and moving all around him Promontory was now becoming painfully aware of how shabby he must have looked in his dusty hat and jacket. This realization caused him to sink lower in his seat with his knapsack on his lap. He was starting to regret coming to Manehattan in first place. What I am I doing here? He thought to himself. Following some stupid dream? Some stupid hope I could be somepony? This city ain't no place for an Appleloosa Bumpkin like me...
His depressing train of thought was broken when he heard Colonel Warspite call out to him, he was never so glad to see him. "Ready to head out son?"
"Oh yes sir!" he said sounding more relieved than intended.
"We'll head out through the east exit that'll put us on East 42nd Street we can catch a taxi to the hotel from there."
Promontory nodded in agreement “Okay, lead the way Colonel."
The pair trotted off side by side toward the exit when Colonel Warspite spoke up, "How are you enjoying Manehattan so far?"
Promontory cracked a fake smile, "I'm havin' the time of my little ol' life Colonel!"
The colonel smiled back then looked forward again. As the two trotted out of the terminal despite being surrounded by more ponies than he had ever been in his whole life Promontory had never felt so alone.