Return Trip

by RunicTreetops


Computers, Concepts, and Cars

Much like the rest of the town, the library is very small. It consists of just two rooms. The first room, which is connected to the front door, is unsurprisingly covered wall to wall with bookshelves. On top of that, there is a single freestanding bookshelf on your left after you enter the room, upon which rests a display of books that are, according to the handmade sign, "The Librarian's Best Picks!" Though, judging by the dust collecting on the books, the display hasn't been updated in quite some time.

Apart from that, the first room is also home to the service desk, behind which sits a very old gentleman sleeping peacefully in his chair. The two of you decide against waking him up and instead move on to the second room, which is accessed by an old, creaky door on the right wall. Said room is much larger than the first, though still not particularly impressive. Perhaps 50 feet long and just as wide, the square-shaped room smells of old paper and dust. Much like the first room, the walls are absolutely covered in books, though there are many more freestanding bookshelves in this room than the first. As you give the room a quick once-around, you note that both the books and the shelves they are resting on are equally dusty. You're fairly certain this library doesn't see much use anymore.

Books aside, the second room also contains a couple of reading desks, some chairs, and a single office desk tucked away in a corner behind a few bookshelves with a PC resting on top of it. Tia walks right up to it and takes a seat in the small, rickety chair. Even with her illusion, you can tell that the chair is a bit uncomfortable for her alicorn form. While you wouldn't dare risking a laugh after your little spat outside, you are humored by Tia finally understanding how you've felt in almost every single chair you've sat down on in Equestria. You mosey over to her side and begin to teach her the basics of using a computer, like how a mouse works and what the keys on a keyboard do.

This is much easier said than done considering computers were designed with fingers in mind instead of hooves. It doesn't help that you're pretty sure this PC is from the mid 90's.

After initially struggling with typing, the two of you realize that there is little harm in just letting her use telekinesis to operate the machine. Unless the librarian wakes up sometime soon (which, let's face it, probably isn't happening), you're pretty confident that no one is coming in here. After she gets a good grasp of the controls, you help her get to an internet browser and show her how to surf the web. You know, like a gnarly techbro or something.

Did you really just think that? You have got to stop letting Tia's "old mare" mannerisms rub off on you.

Whatever tension was building between the two of you seems to evaporate as soon as she learns how to use a search engine. Her bright magenta eyes sparkle with wonderment as she frantically begins looking up all kinds of information. Heh, that's probably on you for only knowing so much about certain topics. She is a born researcher, after all. Twilight had to learn that from somepony. It's a good thing she's a speed-reader, too, because she is zooming through some of these. "Human anatomy," "how does the sun move," "human world ponies," "exciting ways to make your human husband-" yeah you're looking away for that one. She goes through many searches, some obvious for her, others less so. She even has her "baby's first internet access" moment and searches her own name, only to find some gothic lolita girl from a video game.

"Sunshine, this is incredible! How could you have so many hangups with the internet?!"

You really don't want to set her off again. At the very least, you would like to continue the discussion about your problems with humanity at a better time than this.

"That's a long conversation that requires a bit of background knowledge. That said, after being away from it for so long, it is jarring to realize just how much I took the internet for granted."

"Really, sunshine, I could be here all day!"

"Well, the sun is going to go down soon and we don't really have a place to sleep, so we should probably learn what we need to and get going."

"Ah, right! What should I look up? Transportation? Routes to your hometown?"

"Anything you can think of. I don't really have a plan yet, but having a library to brainstorm in will certainly help."

"Hehe, okay, so you're asking me to use the computer some more? Twist my arm, why don't ya?! Haha!"

Her amusement at having your permission to use the internet has certainly fixed her mood. You can't help but smile back at her.

"I'm going to skim a few books around here and see what comes to mind."

"Good luck!"

You're not sure what you expect to find, but you'd better get cracking. Even the smallest of libraries have a vast amount of books, after all.


At this point, the sun has set and you're fairly certain the library is supposed to be closed. Still, a glance through the door reveals that the librarian is still asleep and in no shape to kick you out.

Uh, is... is he breathing? Eh, you're sure he's fine.

Your search has mostly been fruitless, save for an old map showing the streets, towns, railroads, landmarks, and everything in-between for the county. You sigh as you glance over at Tia, whose enthusiasm has yet to fade even a little. You know for a fact that she's looking up unrelated stuff when she thinks you aren't looking, but you just can't bring yourself to stop her. Looking back around the room, you wonder if there is anything in here that could actually be worthwhile. Most of the stuff in here is a bunch of young adult fiction, anyway. Like, not even the classics? Really? You pick up a nearby book at random to prove a point to yourself. The cover depicts a couple of young men in a train car. Right, like the "No Home Boys" are going to help you get back ho-

Wait a minute.

You take another look at the map that you found. ...Yeah, those are heading the right direction, all right. The only question is if they're still in use.

"Hey, Tia?"

"Yes sunshine?"

"I think I have a really stupid idea."

"Ooo, those are my favorite kinds of ideas! Let's hear it!

"Well... are you okay with breaking the law a little bit?"

"...I suppose that depends. What do you have in mind?"


"This is not at all what I thought you had in mind."

The two of you crouch low to the ground in some shrubbery. You're concealed both by the darkness of the night and by the woods just outside Nowhere on the opposite side from where you came in. The trees are cleared for about 100 feet in front of you, and the clearing stretches far in both directions. In the middle of the clearing are train tracks. While the tracks look old, they don't appear overgrown, implying that they are still in use.

"According to the map and a quick Moogle search, a train heading to my home state should be passing by tonight. It's a cargo train, so passengers can't even get on it."

"I must say, train hopping is a much simpler solution than I was expecting. I don't exactly approve of the practice, but I concede that I don't have any better ideas."

"And I'll concede that I'm extremely nervous about doing it. I mean, I've never broken the law before! Plus, these trains tend to move pretty fast, and there's no guarantee that there will be a safe opening to get on!"

"Sunshine?"

"What if we get hit? What if we get spotted?"

"Darling?"

"What if we get into a train car and it's full of-"

"Anon!"

You awkwardly clear your throat as you realize your wife has been trying to get your attention.

"Y-yes, Tia?"

"I'm still an alicorn, dear. I can just teleport us into an unoccupied car."

"...Yeah, that would make things easier, I imagine."

As if on cue, you hear a quiet sound slowly begin to grow louder as the ground begins to rumble. Sure enough, a train is approaching from the direction you were hoping, right on time.

"Alright sunshine, let's wait until a good number of cars have passed by before making our move, that way whoever is driving won't spot us."

"Okay, I'll be on the lookout for an empty car."

A few tense minutes pass by as the train slowly rolls down the tracks. Eventually, you spot a red car approaching with a side door hanging half-open, seemingly lacking cargo. You point it out to Tia, who turns to look you in the eyes.

"We'll have to be quick, or the glow from my magic will give us away. Grab onto me!"

"A-alright!"

You hold on tight to the invisible form of her waist, and before you can blink, you're blinded by a flashing light. Then, just as quickly as the light came, it disappears, leaving you feeling nothing but your arms around Tia's waist and a rumbling beneath your feet. Looking around, you realize that the two of you successfully made it into the train car, with the half-open door being your only window into the outside world and providing a passing view of the moonlit Oregon woods.

"Phew~. Well sunshine, here we are. What next?"

"If the internet was right, we can expect to arrive at my home state in about a day and a half. Until then, I guess we just lay low in here and hope we aren't discovered."

"Very well. For now, I believe I would like to get some shut-eye. It has been... a long day."

"I'm right there with ya. Is there anything in here to sleep on?"

In an almost cliché fashion, the train car, which you had initially believed to be empty, does contain a few rectangular bales of hay of varying sizes. Seeing the opportunity, the two of you craft a somewhat itchy makeshift bed and find yourselves on the shaky floor of the train car. You wrap your arms around your wife, who takes the chance to finally drop her illusion. As you do so, she wraps her wings around you, giving you some warmth in what would otherwise be a very uncomfortable scenario. As you embrace, you both begin to feel your consciousness fade. Before you're completely out, you ponder the events that have transpired in the past few hours. Just before you fall asleep, you whisper into the darkness, unsure if Celestia is even awake to hear you.

"Tia... I promise I'll get you home. No matter what."