A light tapping on the door woke Sunset earlier than she would have liked. The plush bed she was sleeping in was warm and she was having one of her favorite dreams, in which she was playing intense rock music for a boisterous and energetic band in front of a crowd of screaming fans.
The maid pony looking in from the doorway sounded apologetic. "Sorry to wake you, Miss, but Sterling Honor requested that I ask you to join him in the North Gatehouse at your convenience."
Sunset looked towards the window and realized with some guilt that she had slept rather late. The sun was already climbing high in the sky, and they had a long way to go today if they were going to make it to the Crystal Empire.
"Thank you," mumbled Sunset softly. "I'll join him as soon as I can."
The maid closed the door, and Sunset yawned and stretched out her hooves. "He's going to taunt me all day about this," she thought to herself. "I wonder if Trixie left already? Celestia wanted me to invite her along…"
Sunset thought back to her last visit to the Crystal Empire. Princess Luna herself had flown her there. She smiled to herself. Despite all that trip had meant, it had worked out, and travel by Alicorn was certainly the fastest way to get around.
"I suppose we'll have to take the train, instead," she thought to herself. "I wonder when the last one leaves? I better not take too long to get ready. I'll just wash up and check in with Sterling. If I know him, he's already packed for both of us."
Canterlot Castle was well equipped to deal with guests, and Sunset knew her way around quite well. While the richer rooms reserved for dignitaries included private facilities, more common guests had to utilize the shared showers. Even this was quite pleasant, as Canterlot took every opportunity to flaunt luxury at anypony lucky enough to stay there.
As Sunset stepped into one of the enclosed shower stalls and turned on the water, she realized that the next shower was also running. Not only that, but the occupant was singing loudly.
"... and I captivate… 'cause I'm powerful and great!"
Sunset blinked for a moment, then realized why the voice had caught her attention. "Trixie? Is that you?"
"Of course it is!" came back the indignant response. "Who else would have such a strong and beautiful singing voice?"
Sunset laughed softly. "I… okay. I was kind of afraid that you might have left already. I slept in!"
Trixie snorted loudly. "Trixie was awake as Celestia raised the sun! She has helped Sterling Honor prepare for our journey and rewarded herself with this well-deserved luxury shower."
Sunset nodded. "Oh, good, cause I needed to ask… wait. You're coming with us?"
Trixie laughed derisively. "It's perfectly clear to Trixie that her brilliant insight and magical talent will be of utmost importance on your mission. And you will need Trixie's help in Las Pegasus."
"I don't really think the Weekly Whinny is a good source," began Sunset. "But all right, let's get going!"
"You go ahead," called Trixie in a sing-song voice. "Trixie is not finished soaking yet."
Sunset washed up quickly and then shut off her own water. As she hopped out of the stall she grabbed one of the oversized towels to dry herself off with. She cast a glance towards Trixie's shower and observed the massive plumes of steam leaking around the door… Trixie had been there for a while. She chuckled and made her way out as Trixie began singing once again.
"You better believe… I've got tricks up my sleeve…"
Sunset made her way quickly towards the North Gatehouse, and found Sterling deep in conversation with the guard on duty there. When he noticed her approaching, he thanked the guard and dismissed her, trotting quickly over to Sunset.
"You're finally awake!" he teased. "I thought I was going to have to send a pegasus in with a bucket of water!"
Sunset smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Sterling. I hope we aren't running too late?"
Sterling shook his head. "Well, we missed the early train. And.. we probably won't make the noon train either. But the good news is you should be awake when we arrive around midnight on the late train!"
Sunset cringed a bit, but Sterling shook his head again and smiled. "It's all right. It's a lot easier for Princess Luna to receive us in the evening anyway. And… as much as she never stops talking, Trixie did a good job helping to prepare for the trip. Turns out when you travel as much as she does, you do learn a skill or two."
Sunset managed a smile. "That's good to hear. I didn't think you liked her very much."
Sterling grimaced a bit. "She's a little self centered… and after we were done I sent her back into the castle just to get some quiet time. I do admit her organizational skills impressed me. I don't know how useful she'll be, but she seems to think she's coming along anyway."
Sunset nodded softly. "She's in the showers. Celestia thinks it's a good idea to take Trixie, anyway."
Sterling nodded as well. "If Princess Celestia says it, then that's enough for me." He tilted his head. "Trixie is still in the showers? I sent her into the castle almost two hours ago!"
Sunset chuckled. "Well, she seemed to be enjoying herself."
Sterling made a thinking sound, and then shook his head. "Well, we have about three hours till we need to be at the train station. All our supplies have been sent ahead, and I have the tickets. So we just need to show up. If you don't require my presence, I think I might put in some exercises with the guard until then?"
Sunset made a shooing motion with her hoof. "Go on. Get in all the running you can!" she teased.
***
The train station was a bustling, busy affair with ponies filing onto the train as it built up steam for the upcoming trip. It had already whistled twice, and Sunset pranced in place as she looked around nervously, stretching as the tried to look over and around ponies.
"Where is she?" she asked for the fifth time.
Sterling merely looked annoyed, and cast a glance towards the engine where the engineer was doing his final checks. "We really should get on board," he noted. "Trixie probably just changed her mind."
The conductor hopped on board the last car and shouted out, clearly heard above the noises of the engine and chattering ponies. "ALL ABOARD!"
Sunset pranced faster and was about to agree with Sterling when suddenly she spotted Trixie crossing the platform. She was taking her time, walking as if in a dream, and she still had one of the castle towels wrapped around her mane.
"TRIXIE, OVER HERE!!" shouted Sunset. Trixie saw her and turned towards them.
"Oh, Trixie had the best shower," she gushed.
Sunset's jaw dropped. "You just got out of the shower?"
"Oh yes," replied Trixie. "Oh, before we board, Trixie needs to pick up something to read…"
The train whistle blew, and a blast of steam shot from the engine.
"No time!" retorted Sterling. He got around Trixie and Sunset and hurridly pushed them towards the car. Sunset leapt onto the car as it slowly started to move, while Trixie daintily accepted the offered hoof of the conductor and stepped aboard as if it were nothing. She was followed by an agitated Sterling.
"You folks find a seat," offered the conductor. "I'll come by for tickets in a little while."
Trixie was still acting as if she were on a cloud. "Trixie will have to visit the castle every time she comes to Canterlot," she offered.
Sterling shook his head and led the two mares through the car, until they found a set of open bench seats. They sat, and for once Trixie was quiet, lost in her relaxation and looking out the window as the train slowly left the station and started to pick up speed.
"Well… I've never been very good at just waiting," muttered Sterling, looking around the car carefully. I think I'll just do a quick recon of the train."
"Don't interrogate anyone," teased Sunset. "But if you find a book vendor, send her back to us!"
The ride itself was rather uneventful. Over time, Trixie tired of looking out the window, and actually put on a simple magic show for some bored fillies. Her slight-of-hoof tricks were ideally suited to the small car, even if her boistrous voice wasn't, and the children seemed delighted to see "magic so great and powerful that Trixie doesn't even need to light her horn". She signed several autographs after the show, and returned to her seat.
For her part, Sunset had found that the vendor cart had a classic "model in a bottle" kit. It was dusty and had been there for a long time, but she was amusing herself by diligently aligning the tiny pieces of an ancient Equestrian sailing ship. It was delicate work that required some concentration to maneuver the tiny parts through glass, and at one point she had become so focused that she was shocked to realize that Trixie was watching from the other side of the bottle. But, after the initial shock faded, she realized Trixie was just watching, and appreciated it.
For his part, Sterling was relatively restless. He knew there was no threat on the train - he'd checked it end to end repeatedly. Some of the ponies were watching him with open annoyance when he trotted past yet again. At last, he dared to make his way to the engine. The greying old earth pony operating the train glared back at him.
"Git back to th' passenger car! Y'ain't s'posed to be up here! I'll… oh. Well, I'll be. It's you again. Y'here to take m' train again? We're already movin', there ain't much y'can do now!"
Sterling smiled. "Hello Mr. Hostler. I thought I recognized you boarding earlier."
"Ain't seen yah since that landslide last year. Y'never got back on the train!"
Sterling nodded. "I am sorry about that. I had… I was called ahead to help the Queen."
"Magic?" interrogated Mr Hostler.
Sterling nodded again. He thought back to the last time they did this. He had commandeered the train to take himself and his troops to the Frozen North, in order to support Princess Luna's attempt to stop a corrupted Celestia. The engineer had been unimpressed, but eventually warmed up, and the two of them had talked for an hour or so before being forced to stop to clear a landslide on the tracks.
During the clearing of the tracks, he'd been pulled away by a magic that even now he couldn't fully understand, but he had ended up in the newly restored Crystal Empire with Sunset Shimmer and the Princesses, working to help restore it.
"I don't trust magic, yet. I like my train. It's real, y' can feel it, and it goes when you tell it to go. Well, come in, grab a seat, and open the lockbox there. The cider's gotten better now that the trees are getting proper light. Ya can tell me your story, if it ain't all still secret?"
Sterling smiled. "I'd appreciate that. I'm not very good at just sitting and waiting." He sat down, and found the indicated lockbox. Inside were several bottles of Sweet Apple Acres cider. He offered one to the engineer, and took one for himself.
He mused that now he was heading back to the Crystal Empire once again, this time to just visit Princess Luna, and collect an Element of Harmony. No empire-threatening mission this time, and no complex moral drama either. Just a simple escort…
Mr Hostler opened his bottle, and the fragrant scent of carbonated apple flooded the cabin. He took a drink and then cast a glance towards Sterling. "So, what's the mission this time, Mister Captain of the Guard?"
"Call me Sterling," replied Sterling with a gentle smile. "I'm actually not the Captain right now. I'm just escorting somepony as we perform a retrieval mission."
"Retrieval?" asked Mr Hostler. "And what'cha retrieving then?"
Sterling tried to decide how much to share. Finally, he shrugged a bit… the mission wasn't confidential. "The Elements of Harmony."
Mr Hostler let out a low whistle. "Ya don't do a lot o' simple, easy missions, do ya? And ya figure there's one in the Crystal Empire, then?"
Sterling nodded. "We're picking it up from Princess Luna. Then… well, I'm not sure where we're looking next. I don't suppose you've heard anything?"
Mr Hostler shook his head. "Jus' lost, is all I've heard." He was quiet for a moment, then continued. "I have heard a bit 'bout Princess Luna, though."
Sterling tilted his head, and leaned forward a bit. "Oh?"
The engineer hmmed for a moment. "Y'remember I told you that I like Princess Luna, right? So don'cha be thinkin' I believe this for a moment."
"What have you heard?"
"Well… some of the crystal ponies are complaining. Saying she's no better than Nightmare Moon was, and shouldn't be in charge of the Empire."
Sterling was shocked. "What? That's madness. Without Princess Luna the crystal ponies would still be trapped in Sombra's spell."
"Oh, I know," repled Mr Hostler. "An' I hear it's not many ponies complain', but it's there. Any o' th' ones I've met been right grateful, though."
"So you've met some crystal ponies?" asked Sterling, interested.
"Oh, yea! Some o' them want t' travel. Really 'mazin' lookin' ponies."
"Still," muttered Sterling. "It's vexing that ponies who were not even there would have anything to say about Nightmare Moon."
Mr Hostler shook his head again. "Don' let it get t'ya. There's always somepony gotta complain, no matter how good they got it."
***
The late afternoon faded on to sunset, and then the stars came out and the moon rose as night followed them into the north. Outside the train, the warm weather faded and snow capped mountains rose up around them. As the train climbed, the snow caps became snow fields, and light flurries fell around the ever-advancing train.
The tracks had been extended since the return of the Crystal Empire, and soon the city lights rose up on the horizon, refracted and projected by the crystal structures that made up the city. Part of that light was powered by the Crystal Heart that spun underneath the castle in the center of the city - a beacon of love and hope that spread that message from here to all Equestria.
As Sunset looked out the window to admire this view, Sterling returned to the car.
"The engineer tells me we'll be at the station in about fifteen minutes. I trust all is well here?"
"Trixie wants a haycake," muttered Trixie, staring out the window again.
"We're fine," added Sunset.