//------------------------------//
// Flight 
// Story: Night Train to New York 
// by jz1 
//------------------------------//

It was a freeing feeling, flying. Celestia couldn't tell how long it had been since she had just gone out for the sake of flying. Maybe it had been with Luna - when she had first returned? And even then she had been so damned tired from everything that had just happened that she’d almost fallen asleep on a cloud on the way back. 

Before then? She couldn’t remember. Certainly not in this century, she realized with a blink. If she was flying, it was for transportation, not leisure. 

In fact, when was the last time she’d done something for leisure? Just leisure? With no hidden motives or another purpose tacked onto it? She couldn’t remember. 

Maybe it was when she last went flying for fun, she thought sardonically. 

She spent a while circling above Philadelphia’s downtown, formulating a plan: She was going to do something for fun. What that something was, she hadn’t yet determined. She’d made her jailbreak quite late at night, if the clock on the side of one the buildings - Independence Hall, she remembered - was accurate. Most museums and other cultural sites would be closed at this hour, and it didn’t make sense to go to all this effort just to go to a park or walk around the city. She just knew somehow that she wasn’t going to be able to do this again - so every moment had to count. 

Then an audible gurgling sound emanated from her barrel, and the plan crystalized in her mind. I should go out for dinner. She thought to herself. I should go get pizza. 

Where does one get pizza? she thought to herself as she soared over massive office buildings. Does anywhere other than New York City even have pizza? 

She remembered what she had been told by the mayor of New York City when they’d met at the United Nations. The balding human had declared with gusto that: ‘Only New York has real pizza - everywhere else just serves up a cheese covered lie!

I suppose that means I’m going to New York City, she thought finally.

Of course, this was easier thought than done. There were some problems with this plan: trivialities like not being in New York City, and more important issues, like not knowing how to get there. 

Celestia, as the most important member of the Equestrian diplomatic mission, had obviously not been issued with something plebeian like a street map - after all, when would Her Majesty go off alone? - so she had no idea how to leave Philadelphia, let alone find New York City. 

She was willing to fly there, but her transportation to and from the locations had been somewhat lacking in the visual sense. She had been bundled into first an elevator, then an armored passenger car at the underground train station in New York, which had promptly whisked her to Philadelphia at a speed fast enough to render the lineside a blur. All she knew is that Philadelphia was to the southwest of New York City, but seeing as she didn’t even know which way was north, she was out of luck. 

Settling down on a cloud above the river to plan her next move, she was scared back into the air when a loud HONK pierced the otherwise relatively silent night. Peering over the side of the cloud, she saw another train, its passenger cars lit up like a Hearth’s Warming Day tree, roll across the bridge below, bound for - “The Train Station!”

Jumping off of the cloud, she winged her way towards the covered platforms of the station. Surely there must be a train for New York City here!





In terms of ‘easier said than done’, finding a train to New York City seemed to rank up there with “I can wake up early in the morning and do this” and “Of course I’ll stick to my diet.” 

The station was massive, with two levels and a gargantuan station building putting even Canterlot’s ornate Central Terminus to shame. Most of the trains that were running at this late hour were commuter trains, running to the outskirts of Philadelphia and going no further. Several bewildered looking humans in official looking uniforms assured her that a train would be leaving for New York at some point, but had been unsure as to where it would leave from, other than the Lower Platforms. 

The lower platforms were no easier to navigate, a subterranean network of tracks, stairs, and ramps that were quiet at this point in the night. There were only a few platforms currently occupied with a train, but if the garbled announcement was any indication, the only train currently leaving was: “Train number *ksssh*, departing platform *ksssh* bound for *kssh*mington and Washington D.C.”

Washington was in the wrong direction - Celestia knew that much, as she trotted through the passenger areas, her gold shoes clicking loudly on the marble. 

Back and forth she went, through the concourse, looking for a train. The massive rolling signboard told her that trains were departing for cities she hadn’t heard of - Trenton, Atlantic City, Boston, and Harrisburg - but none for New York City. 

Eventually, after much more pacing, an announcement was made - “Tra*kssssssssh*, now departing plat*kssssh* for *kssssssh* and  New York City. 

She was standing on the furthest platform from the entrance. She could only see one train, sitting two tracks away. It was here! 

Looking to make sure no other trains were coming, and careful of the strange wires strung above the tracks, she glided across two platforms to the train, not wanting to risk missing it by taking the stairs up and over. 

It was a motley collection of cars, nothing like the colorful trains in Equestria. Here the cars were silver with red and blue stripes, but different shades - some were bare metal, some painted to match. They didn’t look like they all belonged to the same train either - the Friendship Express’s coaches all had the same visual identity to make finding the train easier in crowded stations, but this train had cars of all different shapes - some square and boxy, and some tubular with fluted steel. The engine, far off at the front of the train, was curvy and aerodynamic, but painted a depressing allover black, its paint clearly applied haphazardly and without much care at all. 

More importantly to Celestia, the train was also empty. This didn’t mean that the train had only a few people on it, but that the train was void of people entirely. The lights in the carriages were off, and the engine silent - with not even a wisp of smoke coming out of it. Isn’t this the train to New York? She thought to herself as she trotted up towards the locomotive, intent on finding a conductor or somehuman who could help her. 

Moving forwards along the train, she heard a voice, but didn’t see the speaker. 

“Alright Joey, it’s loose. You’re good to go!”

A loud horn sounded from the opposite end of the platform, and Celestia jumped as the coaches shuddered, before they slowly rolled away without her. Her confusion grew as she noticed that the coaches also seemed to be rolling away without the locomotive, before she looked down to the far end of the platform, and was just able to make out a much smaller locomotive laboriously hauling the heavy train away. 

Oh. She realized. It’s being put away. But if this isn’t the train to New York, where is it?

Then she saw it. As the train cars were pulled away, she could very clearly see that on the opposite end of the station - far away from where she was, that a second train was waiting. It even looked right - a shiny and uniform silver, filled with people, with a conductor in a blue uniform stood by the door. And, as she stood and looked at it, the conductor blew his whistle, stepped on board, closed the door, and the train began to move. 

Towards New York City. 

Without her. 

There was only one thing to do when one fell just short of their goal: Celestia slumped to the surface of the platform, a defeated and disappointed mare. 

“Ma’am? Are you alright?”





Celestia blinked at the words. In front of her was another human, a bit older than most of the ones she’d met thus far. He was standing on the trackbed, which meant that he was at eye level with her on the platform. 

“Hmm?” She didn’t feel like talking. I was so close!

“I said, are you okay?” He asked again, concern in his eyes. 

“In a manner of speaking.” She murmured, slowly returning to a standing position, but keeping her gaze in line with his. “I just missed my train.” She pointed to where the last car of the New York train was rolling out of sight. 

“That’s a shame,” He said. “But it happens. I take it you thought that this was the train you were looking for?”

“How’d you guess?”

“It happens from time to time, usually when someone really needs to be on a different train. Might I ask why a pretty, uh, lady like you needs the train at all?” He motioned to her wings. “I saw on the news that your lot could fly.” 

She smiled at him - she liked this human. He wasn’t trying to put on airs for her, which made him better than most of the human diplomats she’d met. “I can fly, but I still need to know how to get somewhere.” 

“And you’re lost in the big city without a map, is that about the size of it?” He said, putting a giant lantern on the platform edge. 

“Yes, that’s about it.” She said. 

“I figured.” He then placed a heavy looking metal lunch pail on the platform. “I was the same way, my first time in the City. I didn’t know where I was, how I got there, or -” He paused for dramatic effect. “How to get home. Now excuse me for just a moment.” He said, putting both hands on the platform edge to lever himself up. 

Celestia watched for a moment, before she grabbed him in her magic and hoisted him up onto the platform. He blinked at the sudden change in elevation. “Mighty kind of you.” He said finally, collecting his lunch pail and lantern. 

“Not a problem.” 

“So, whereabouts are you trying to head without a map?” He asked, beginning to walk towards the locomotive, still sitting silently at the end of the platform. “New Haven? Boston? Newark?”

“New York City.” She replied, her shoes clip-clopping off the concrete platform. “I want a pizza.” 

That made him stop. “That is a mighty looong way for some pizza, young lady.” He said, putting emphasis on the word ‘long’. “Especially at this time of night.”

“I’m trying to be spontaneous. And I am older than you.” 

“Well, here’s some advice from a youngster then,” He said, sitting down at a bench opposite the locomotive. “If you want to be spontaneous - you’ve gotta do it before the last train leaves.” 

Celestia’s heart sank. “That was the last train?” 

“Yep - that was the 10:20 - the Betsy Ross - leaving exactly on time at five past 11:00.” He said slowly. “Of course, there would have been another one at 12:30, but naturally the damn Metroliner farted out - again - so they just stuck the broken one onto the rear of the 10:30 so it had more seats, held it back a bit, and called it a day.” 

“Oh.” Said Celestia, again feeling defeated. “So there’s no way to get to New York City then?”

“Not unless you’re willing to walk - or fly, in your case.”

“Oh.” She sank down onto the platform surface again. 

“Now now, there’s no need for hysterics. What’s so important about the pizza?” The railroader looked at the sad pony princess. 

“It’s- It’s not the pizza,” She said, looking up at him from the platform. “It’s just that I needed to go out and do something, and now I’ve just squandered my opportunity.” 

“That sounds like it’s gonna need some explaining.” He said, patting the seat of the bench next to him. “Why don’t you get up off that dirty platform and tell old Charlie exactly what’s the matter.”

And so she did, the entire story spilling out as she told the man - Charlie - about the trip, and her escape, and her decision to go out for pizza. 

“So, if I’m understanding this correctly,” He said as Celestia’s story came to a close. “The pizza itself isn’t as important - but it's a way for you to gain a bit of control over your whole situation, right?” 

“Yes!” She nodded, not expecting anypony to understand - but then again, he isn’t a pony, she thought. 

“Thought so. My daughter was the same way when she was young. She planned everything out to a tee, and if something went wrong she’d go to pieces.” 

“I have somepony like that back home.” Celestia imagined that Charlie’s daughter would get along quite well with Twilight. “Does she like books?”

“Does she ever! The girl practically lived in the public library until she went to college. Wild dogs couldn’t drag her away.” Charlie laughed, before continuing. “But, as I was saying - it’s not that she was upset over the thing going wrong, but she was upset over not being in control anymore. And I think that’s what is going on up in your noggin right now.” 

“So what do you think I should do about it?” Celestia looked up at the man. She suddenly understood how Twilight must feel some days. That particular horseshoe felt very wrong on the other hoof. 

“Well, I always say to my wife that I’m gonna let that girl figure it out for herself, that she’s a big girl and can take care of her own problems.” He looked up at the ceiling, trying to compose his expression. “And then I look at the blasted girl, who is going to pieces over some small amount of nothin’, and then I have to help her fix it, ‘cause she’s my daughter and I can’t do any different.” 

“Huh?” Celestia was now confused. Did that mean he could help her? How could he help her? They weren’t even in the same city as the pizza.

Charlie picked up something - it was a box that had been strapped to his hip the entire time. He extended a part of it, before twisting a knob at the top. 

It’s a radio, Celestia realized. She’d seen humans use these before.

“Hey dispatch, come in.” Charlie spoke into the box. 

A few moments later, a tinny and distorted voice responded. “What’s up Charlie?”

“Has my brakeman showed up yet, or am I supposed to push this thing to Sunnyside?”

“He’s not there?!”

“No he is not. I have been sitting on 5 for almost twenty minutes, waiting for him to show up. If I knew he was gonna be this late  I’d’ve told Joey to leave the coaches where they were and just run the last Clocker.” Charlie looked disgusted - clearly someone was not doing their job properly.

“Uh… Lemme get back to you on that - the extra board’s looking real slim tonight. You might be pushing after all.”

“Not with my back I won’t. Tell you what - just line me up for the main and I’ll go up there by myself.”

This gave the voice on the other end some pause. “You sure? It’s your ass if you get caught.”

“If there is an inspector at two in the goddamn morning I will hand myself over to him on a silver platter.” Charlie gathered his things and stood up, motioning for Celestia to follow. 

“All right. You’re gonna have a green all the way to Trenton.” The voice warbled. “If you can pass 186 at Metropark or Princeton you’ll be good all the way to Sunnyside - otherwise you’ll be stuck behind him going into Newark Penn. You’ll have a signal in a few.”

“Roger that. Call me when it's ready.” Charlie stowed the radio and turned to Celestia. “Well Miss, I think I have a solution to your problem.”

“What?” Celestia furrowed her brows in confusion. 

Charlie smiled and motioned to the locomotive behind him. “Just because the last scheduled service has left don’t mean that there aren’t any trains going your way.” He chuckled at Celestia’s visible confusion. “ I have been sitting here with you because I have been waiting on my very tardy brakeman - he and I have got to bring this old beast back to Sunnyside Yard - in Queens.”

“I don’t follow.” 

Charlie’s eyebrows disappeared underneath his striped hat. “You’re some kinda Royalty aren’t ya? And nobody told ya that one of the boroughs is named Queens?”

“I’m actually a Princess. Equestria hasn’t had a Queen in -” Wait. Isn’t New York City made of boroughs?! Celestia’s eyes shot open as she realized exactly what Charlie was saying. “You can take me to New York?!”

“Now she gets it!” crowed the man as he clambered up the ladder to the locomotive’s cab. “Get in!”

Celestia did not need any further encouragement. With a strong flap of her wings, she leapt from the platform, following the human into the locomotive.