Diana walked through the Canterlot streets trying her best not to draw attention, a few ponies had greeted her and she naturally said hello back. But she never gave them reason to follow her as she walked. Eventually she found her way back to the abandoned house where she’d first found the book. She swallowed the lump in her throat nervous about about getting caught or worse. She walked into the house same as before squeezing between the boards that covered the front door. The house was better lit this time since it was the daytime, but it only made the dust and cobwebs of the interior all the more obvious. She walked around began to search for something that could give her a clue as to where the purple mare she’d been told about was at. She looked through the different pieces of furniture and cabinets but it was mostly books, papers, and a few sets of clothes. Whoever this pony was she obviously loved to read and study she thought, when the first floor didn’t reveal anything useful Diana went back up to the second floor. The crushed present was still in the middle of the floor, the cracked and broken windows now having the morning sun shining through the dust that covered them. She walked over and started to search the nearby desk for more clues.
“Didn’t she have journal or something? At least everything’s organized, it makes it a little easier...” She mumbled to herself. Diana had searched for almost an hour, she plopped down on to the floor frustrated that she couldn’t find anything that gave her a clue to where she had gone. As she got up to leave though she noticed a crumpled up piece of paper underneath the desk, she walked over and picked it up unfolding it and reading what it said.
1. Pack things
2. Arrange transportation to Ponyville
3. Check with local ponies about festival preperations
4. Discuss prophecy with Princess Celestia after festival
Diana smiled brightly once she finished reading the note, the checklist wasn’t much to go on but it did give her starting point and that was enough she thought. Diana quickly searched through all the books in the library eventually finding an atlas, she dropped it on the floor and opened it up to one of the local maps of Canterlot.
“Let’s see...Ponyville is...right here! It’s actually pretty close, I can get there quick and be back before any pony knows that I’m gone.” she said with a smile. A moment later though Diana stopped to think about how she would get there though, she couldn’t take a Pegasus chariot the guards would tell her others where she was going. She also knew she wasn’t old enough to fly a hot air balloon on her own. Looking over the atlas again checking for roads that would lead there, the roads went almost anywhere in Equestria but more important the trains ran right through Ponyville.
“A train! That’s perfect! I can get some bits from my room and take a train there! I shouldn’t be gone for too long, Momma won’t be worried one bit.” Diana said happily as she eagerly tucked the atlas and the checklist into her saddle bag and rushed back to the castle.
As Diana made her way through the castle the staff greeted her as usual, she was in a bit of a hurry though and tried not to get too distracted. As she hurried around the next corner she suddenly bumped into some pony, she looked up and saw a gorgeous white mare with her regal purple tail and mane braided up standing before her. She wore blue hoof covers and a sleek elegant black coat. Diana quickly dusted herself off and apologized to the mare,
“I’m sorry Ms. Rarity, I didn’t see you there. I was just trying to get back to my room is all.” Diana said. Rarity turned and politely fixed Diana’s regalia and mane with a smile,
“Oh don’t you worry about it one bit your majesty. I understand completely, after all your young and quite energetic. But it is important to make sure you look your best, darling.” Rarity replied. Diana liked Rarity a lot, she’d only been working at the castle for a little over a year now. She’d impressed the queen some time ago with her clothing designs and shortly afterward was given a job in the castle as the interior decorator, which was a dream come true for Rarity being able to not only be among the Canterlot elite but also work for the Queen herself.
“If you don’t mind my asking your majesty, what were you in such a hurry for exactly?” Rarity asked as she finished fixing Diana’s appearance.
“Oh, I was...going to get something from my room. Something I needed, once I had it I was gonna go back out.” Diana answered. Rarity took a few steps to the side giving Diana space to walk by,
“Well by all means, don’t let me stop you darling. We both have work to do after all.” Diana smiled and trot past Rarity in a hurry,
“Thanks Ms. Rarity! I like your new coat by the way! It’s really nice!” Diana shouted as she moved. Rarity giggled happy to see the little mare trotting off in such good spirits. Diana returned to her room and went through her dresser, she’d been given money by her mother to buy things she might like while in town and quickly put it in her saddle bag. As she went to leave her room though she paused and looked at her reflection in the large mirror she had on the wall. She was very well dressed, and stood out a lot in her current appearance, getting to the train station wouldn’t happen looking the way she did. She sat and thought for a moment but then went to her dresser taking off her tiara and necklace and putting them away. She managed to find her rain coat, which was made of a nice material but also drew less attention she thought. She threw it over shoulder and buttoned up the front before pulling the hood over her head. She looked at her reflection in the mirror again she was confident this would be a more subtle way to move through the city. Diana was much more cautious moving through the castle as she left, she kept her rain coat tucked into her saddle bag as she walked knowing wearing it in the castle would draw more attention then she wanted. A few guards and servants took notice of her but none tried to stop her progress, when she was outside the castle she disguised herself again and made her way to the train station.
Diana kept her hood pulled up over her head and tried not to look directly at any pony nearby, her heart was pounding the entire time she was so scared of getting caught. She wasn’t sure how her mother or any guards would react to her trying to leave the city like this. When she got to the counter the stallion on the others side looked down,
"Where to little miss? Are your parents nearby?" he asked.
“Um...Ponyville please. I’d like one ticket...I’m, meeting family there. That’s why I’m all alone.” Diana said. The stallion didn’t think much of it and he had no reason to not believe her story, he tallied up the cost and then turned back to her.
“That’ll be 32 bits then little miss.” he replied, Diana took the money from her coin purse and used her magic to place it on the counter getting a ticket in exchange.
“There you go now, the boarding platform is just down the hall. Its engine 12 that you're looking for, just show your ticket to the conductor and then find an empty seat once your on board. All right?” he asked Diana. She smiled happy to see that he hadn’t figured out who she was,
“Thank you sir.” Diana answered as she trot off to the train, she waited in line until she gave the conductor her ticket and got back the ticket stub before walking onto the train. Diana looked around and found an empty seat near the back of the train car where no pony was sitting. The next few minutes were unnerving for her, a few guards were on board the train as well as many other ponies. She was so scared that some pony would recognize her, she kept the hood for her coat pulled over her head and tried to remain discreet. Then, suddenly she felt an older pony sit down next to her and her heart almost stopped,
“Had she been found out? Was her plan over before it began!?!” her panicked thoughts began to race through her mind but then the pony spoke up.
“Hi there! Are you going to Ponyville too? That’s I’m where I’m from! I just came to Canterlot to visit my old friend Rarity, my name’s Pinkie Pie! What’s your name?”