//------------------------------// // Traincapades // Story: Apple Bloom's Solo Adventure // by SugarTwirl //------------------------------// Chapter 2 – Traincapades The warm rays of the sun waked Apple Bloom from her slumber. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with her hooves and wondered where she was. “That’s right…I ran away from home last night.” She smiled to herself in a barely awake daze for about five seconds before her eyes grew wider. “SWEET APPLES! I RAN AWAY FROM HOME LAST NIGHT!” Those words had finally sunk in and she started having a little panic attack in her carriage. What will I do for money? It’s not like I had that much to begin with. What if some homeless pony tries to rob me? What if I’m sold to a factory and made to work under the evil rule of an evil mare Mistress named Madame Mirage?!... She calmed down after she realised that she did have a plan in mind and things were already set in motion. She was on her way to HollyHooves! Her Aunt and Uncle Orange had moved there from Manehattan about 2 years ago after they retired. Having acquired a reasonable amount of wealth from their business, they wanted a change of scenery and HollyHooves was the perfect choice. Being the home of the rich and elite ponies of entertainment, it still had the glamour and sophistication they adored. The bonus was that they had less neighbours to deal with. “Gosh darn it! This is booooorrrrrriiiinnnngggg. I’m gonna have a look around this train.” And with that Apple Bloom got out of her carriage. The first carriage that she found was the dining carriage. It was decorated in a Victorian style with chandeliers and velvet cushioned seats with tasteful flowers arranged on each dining table. “Wow, this is where everypony eats? Sure is fancy.” She was so enamoured by everything as she exited the carriage that she absentmindedly bumped into the pony in front of her. “AAAAAAAHHHHHH! My new dress!!! It’s ruuuuu-ined!” The pony immediately whipped around her black mane at Apple Bloom furiously. She pointed at her dress with her hoof, “This is a brand new designer Gallopuci dress from Canterlot and it is now ruined!” True enough, she was holding a cup in one hoof and there was now a brown splodge on her sheer white dress. “I-I’m awfully sorry, ma’am. It was an accident…” “Sorry isn’t going to fix my dress, you brat!” Suddenly, a pair of hooves grabbed Apple Bloom. They belonged to an elderly unicorn gentleman with kind green eyes. “So this is where you were my dear! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” HUH?! Is this old pony crazy? I don’t know him! Miss Angry Mane (as Apple Bloom had deemed her) looked at the old pony and asked, “Do. You. Know. This. Filly?” “Indeed I do. She is my poor grandchild. Is a bit dumb sadly. Dropped on the noggin one too many times as a young one. Sad thing indeed.”, the old pony replied in a strange but somewhat familiar accent. Apple Bloom was about to respond when he smiled and winked at her. She played along and turned to the gentleman, “Grandpa! Your cloud is talking to low! The apples need to be picked tonight! Tonight, dang nab it!” Miss Angry Mane stood there stunned. Using this to their advantage, the elder pony said, “I’ll just take her back to the carriage now, poor dear.” So, he pushed Apple Bloom along as she continued to speak. “I used to be somepony till I took an arrow to the knee! Cats don’t fart rainbows! Chickens eat candy!” When they arrived at his carriage, they burst into laughter. Another elderly unicorn merely smiled at them. She had eyes the colour of butterscotch and her mane was a deep green. “What sort of silly games are you playing now, dear?” she asked with curiosity. He smiled cheekily and replied, “Well, my queen, I happened to have saved this adorable little filly from the clutches of a seemingly angry pony. Of course, we had a bit of fun along the way.” Realising that she had not yet even introduced herself, Apple Bloom held her right hoof out to him. “I appreciate what you did back there, Mister. My name is Apple Bloom.” “Mister Puck at your service.”, he replied shaking her hoof. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZIIIINNNGGGGGG! Apple Bloom stood there stunned by the shock that she felt. Laughter erupted from both unicorns. Mr.Puck held out his hoof and Apple Bloom saw the buzzer strapped onto it. “Oh…my….dear. Look what you’ve done. The poor thing is speechless. Come and sit here by me”, the lady said to her as she tried to control her chuckling. She did just that and caught a reflection of herself in the carriage window and she too burst out laughing for her hair was so poufy that she could pass for a mini version of Pinkie Pie! The unicorn with butterscotch eyes introduced herself as Merry. However, she told Apple Bloom to just call her Nan and to regard Puck as Pop. “Even the little ones from the neighbourhood call us Nan and Pop.” “The both of you aren’t from around here, are ya?” she inquired curiously. Pop sat down in front of her with a twinkle in his eye. “You are a smart one, aren’t you? Indeed. We’re actually from Trottingham. My wife and I are on the way to meet somepony. And what about you?” “I’m…uh…well, I’m on the way to go and stay with my aunty and uncle.” I’m not lying. I’m just telling em my main reason for going. Which is the truth.