//------------------------------// // Ladybug, Chaoter 22: Ghost Train Boarding Blues // Story: Rag Doll // by No one is home //------------------------------// I studied all the oldest books. I studied all the freshest meme’s, undersqueaks. I was ready to go to the surface.  I really believed that. And then something happened.  And then,I fell into the sky and now I’m starting to understand that there never really was a surface.  Because this is the station.  And no mater how high you climb, or how deep you dig, there’s always more. -=-=-=-=- “Is she really going to do this the whole time?” The severed crystal head rolled it’s eyes in a huff.  “Thank you Charlie, you insufferable, moralistic, jackass for changing the narrative tense, at least.” “That wasn’t me.” The ragdoll quipped uninterested.  “I personally think it’s cute when she blogs her narration.” “Oh, in that case, thanks for nothing…” The Nopony remnant grumbled. “Watch yourself, OC.”  Ragdoll’s boneless head practically spun on a swivel.  “We are not safe here.  The fragmentaries are the borderlands between our quarantined universe and the multiverse at large.  The ghost train connects the fragments of the universes that were collapsed to maintain the canon timeline.  Everyone knows some version of everyone else down here, and we’re traveling in bad company.” “Just be glad most of me are dead.  A thousand moons ago, this would be a very different journey.”  The fragment sneered, brushing its visceral aura across the doll's head.  “Now we just have to look out for creatures that want to kill me.  For once I’m not the threat.  It’s refreshing.” The doll emitted a sigh-like sound, turning his button gaze to the Nopony.  “I had 20 years, an entire foal hood to prepare Gloomy for this fight.  And I can only hope that she escaped what we’re walking back into.” “And you're still using her.”  The crystal head cackled gleefully, trailing has arcane  tendrils down the little changeling’s back.  “Who is the doll, Ladybug?  Who is the master and who is the servant?  And just who is granting who’s wishes?” -=-=-=-=- An aqua-marine pegasus filly’s phone suddenly chimed, mid class.  “Oh my gosh!  They found Ladybug!  She was lost in some caves under the city!  She’s going to be okay!” “She’s alright?!” The teacher abandoned all decorum quickly fumbling for her own device, as incoming message alerts resounded through out the school.  “Oh my, she’s been trying to send messages this whole time…” -=-=-=-=- “What are you in for?” A pink earthpony filly with a red mane, a too-wide smile, and a rainbow cupcake cutie mark asked the Ladybug from across the room. “Where am I?”  Ocellia hopped up on her hospital bed, her feathered wings and four equine hooves jittering in alarm.  “Where are my other legs!?!?  And my elytra! My elytra have weird scales!  Are those feathers?!?!” “You gotta love the dysmorphia, am I right?”  The filly across the room giggled.  “This one time I ended up as this twiggy little monkey girl with no fur… like at all.  But the less you talk about that the better, doll.  It takes three days.  But good news, you’ve made a friend, so you still got me.”