We made it to the train station in time. Barely.
With heavy application of Sparks teleporting. If we had gone via the river, we would never have made it. Buck, I bet I would have been late even flying.
We arrived in a sphere of magical energy that deposited us onto the platform with a quiet pop and sparkles of lights.
Twilight stumbled slightly and I quickly stepped up, supporting her with my shoulder,
“You okay there, Sparks?”
Twilight nodded, “I-I’m fine,” she said and gave me a small smile, “Just not used to teleporting so many ponies.”
Many ponies indeed. Me, Sunset, Twilight herself and a dozen guards. Flower Rain.
“You,” I said quietly, “have no idea how powerful you are compared to normal ponies, do you?”
Twilight blushed slightly and then stood up straighter as the train started to come around the bend and into view.
Sunset gave her a small quick nuzzle, “You sure you are okay?”
“I’m good, Kitten, “ Twilight said and kissed her cheek in turn.
I took a deep breath and looked at Moon Glow, giving the pegasus a nod. For somepony with the same sleeping schedule that I have, she looked disgustingly awake and got everypony into an honor guard formation.
The train huffed and puffed, the breaks starting to squeal as the large machine started to slowly come to a halt. Most of the carriages were standard box or lumber carriages, but two towards the rear of the train were Royal Canterlot Train Wagons.
In the traditional Canterlot colors of pink, white and gold.
They came to a halt before us as the train stopped. There were several moments before the doors opened and a troop of royal guards moved out to stand on each side, forming a hallway between them.
Then Celestia stepped out into the bright sunshine.
That bitch! I talked to her last night! She could have told me she was co-
Luna followed her out of the carriage and I lost my train of thought, then Cadence and Shining Armor, a stroller with Flurry Heart being pushed along by another unicorn with dark orange mane and beard, white and orange coat. What’s his name again?
I felt my jaw start to drop in surprise before I flicked one ear and stepped up, “Princesses. Prince Shining Armor. Archmage Sunburst,” I said and nodded in greeting, “Welcome to Nocturnis.”
“Prince Blank Page,” Celestia said seriously with a nod in turn, “Thank you for your hospitality.”
I looked at them regally for a long moment before I grinned and stepped forward, pulling Luna into a kiss. She smiled into the kiss, returning it as she sat down and I could feel her wings and forelegs slip around me, pulling me tight.
We stayed like that for a long moment before I broke the kiss and looked into her eyes, “Not that I’m complaining, but what the buck?”
Luna smiled playfully, “You didn't detect that we were close?” she teased.
“No!” I exclaimed and frowned, “Wait, why didn’t I? Your dreams felt like they were still in Canterlot.”
Luna smiled, “You may be strong in the dream realm, My Page. But I still have some tricks you don’t know yet.”
I leaned against her, resting my head against the side of her neck, looking back to find Twilight, Shining Armor, Cadence and Celestia in a four way hug.
Unable to suppress a smile of my own, I looked up at Luna, “What are you doing here, My Sky?”
She bumped her nose softly against mine, “Hearths Warming.”
“Oh. But that’s… still weeks out.”
Luna nodded, “And we need to be in Canterlot for that. And you, Twilight and Midnight need to be here. So we figured we’d come early.”
“With time to get back,” Celestia agreed as she moved over to us, smiling at me, “We can’t stay long, four days, five at the most.”
I got up and gave her a quick hug in turn, “Thank you,” I said softly before I turned back to Luna, “Was this your idea?”
Luna got up and moved up to give my ear a small kiss, “As much as I would like to claim credit for the idea, it was my sisters.”
I glanced up at Celestia, “Thank you.”
She nodded with a smile before I turned to lean against Luna, giving her another small kiss with a small soft sigh, “I missed you.”
“Missed you too,” Luna said softly, her wing slipping around me again, resting her forehead against mine, our horns crossed at the base before she smiled, “...And I’m looking forward to seeing Nocturnis for real instead of just in dreams.”
“I think you’ll like it,” I said and then reluctantly pulled away before I looked around. With this many ponies, there would be no way for us to travel back the same way we got here, “Speaking of which…” I said and located Moon Glow, “Lieutenant?”
She trotted over and saluted, “Sir.”
“You know what to do.”
The pegasus nodded firmly, “Yes, sir,” and trotted off.
“Page?” Luna asked with a questioning look at me.
I shook my head, “Just organizing the journey to the village. It’s a couple of hours from here by river, the barge is the only real way of getting people from the station. Almost everypony can fly, so we’re not really set up for personnel transport,” I said before I glanced towards the jungle, “And Alicorns or not, we really shouldn’t have these many ponies around on the ground without any real protection.”
Celestia frowned slightly and looked in the direction I was looking, “We did bring thirty guards.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, nodding, “Like I said, we really should get moving.”
Usually when the train gets loaded or unloaded, we have the guard here in force mareing heavy weapons, the train operators taking cover in an underground shelter until they arrive.