//------------------------------//
// Ch 13: Arrival to the City of Canterlot 
// Story: My Little Dragon Ball: Icebound 
// by Tundricwolf 
//------------------------------//

The train car rocked and swayed slightly as it was dragged along by the steam locomotive. The rhythmic sound of its chuffing enough to bring a smile to any face. The car was empty, save for the bearers of harmony and the quartet. Each of them was beginning to get comfortable in their seats. Pinkie was animatedly talking with Rainbow, Fluttershy was chatting with Rarity, who was fussing over Fluttershy’s still dirty coat and mane. Applejack and Winter were talking to each other, discussing a random topic. Tundra was chatting with twilight, and Glacier and Arctic were sitting across from each other staring out the window.

“Well, that was something huh?” Glacier asked.

“What do you mean?” Asked Arctic, still looking out the window.

“I mean this whole thing with the Crystal Empire. The first thing we encounter when we leave home, is a war.”

Arctic thought for a moment before responding.

“I guess that was something. But Isn’t it also a good thing we ran into this war?” Asked Arctic.

“How is that a good thing?” Glacier asked looking over to Arctic.

“I mean, if we hadn’t shown up, maybe the war could’ve gotten to home. We did aid in stopping it and it didn’t get to our home.” Arctic said.

“I guess you’re right, but even if it did get to the kingdom, I’m pretty sure Miss Sunshine and the rest of the guard would’ve handled it. They are pretty strong. And even if they couldn’t stop them, Queen Snowblossom would’ve beaten them without breaking a sweat.” Glacier said with a chuckle.

While it was very rare, during the quartet’s trading with Sunshine, Queen Snowblossom would join in to demonstrate some of her skills. In fact, non of the inhabitants of the Blizzard Kingdom knew just how strong their Queen was. Or rather just a strong an Alicorn can be.

“I guess you’re right. But still, I’m glad we helped in ending the war.” Arctic said with a small smile.

“I am too. Though I wasn’t expecting to see the Oozaru form. That was one heck of a surprise.” Glacier said chuckling.

Arctic couldn’t help but chuckle as well. Rainbow, who had been listening to the last bit of their conversation, chimed in.

“Is that what that whole giant monkey thing is called?” 

This caught the attention of the others. Specifically Twilight, who was eager to learn more about the saiyan.

“Yeah, I wanna know more about it and your kind. You did say, you’d explain it to me.” Twilight said as she jumped onto the seat across from Arctic, next to Glacier.

“She ain’t the only one, Sugarcube. Ah seen a lot in mah days, but ah ain’t never seen somethin’ like that before.” Applejack said.

“Giant Monkey thing?” Asked Fluttershy. 

The others were confused for a moment, but all collectively registered the same thing. Fluttershy wasn’t there when it happened. She was down in the dungeon keeping out of harms way and also hiding out of fear, so she hadn’t seen the short skirmish between the Oozaru and the giant Crystal Sombra.

“Oh, oh! I wanna learn too!” Exclaimed Pinkie Pie.

The short pink Earth Pony hopped up and into Arctic’s lap looking up at him like a small foal ready to listen to a bedtime story. Arctic just chuckled and looked up to the others. 

“Are you sure you wanna know about the Saiyans?” Arctic asked.

“Of course!” Said Twilight, “It isn’t every day, one gets to learn about an alien race.” 

“She is right Darling. I must say, I’m also interested in learning about your kind.” Rarity said as she elegantly took a seat.

“Alright then. I guess I’ll explain the Oozaru transformation.” Arctic said.

Twilight, having rifled through her saddlebag, pulled out parchment, a quill, and some ink, eager to start documenting what she was gonna learn.

“So, you’ve seen me transform, but I should explain how. My memory may not be the best, the knowledge of the Saiyans I know are from stories my birth dad told me before I ended up in Equestria. Saiyan babies do develop faster than regular babies but even still some memories are a big hazy.” Arctic said.

The others just silently nodded, all of them interested in learning about the Saiyan race. Even Glacier, Tundra, and Winter were interested. Arctic never spoke much on what all he remembered about his race and the things he saw before appearing in Equestria.

“So, anyone with Saiyan blood and has a tail,” he said showing his own tail, “will be able to transform into an Oozaru, or Great ape as it’s sometimes called, when the moon is full. If I remember correctly, the sunlight bouncing off the moon’s surface creates some waves, that when absorbed by a Saiyan’s retina, will cause some bio chemical reaction produced in the tail making the Saiyan transform.”

After Arctic finished the bearers of harmony were pretty shocked. They didn’t exactly know how to respond to that. Though Twilight was shocked she was also ecstatic. 

“This is so fascinating! So any, uh, Saiyan was it?” Asked Twilight. Arctic nodded. “Can transform at a full moon because of waves the come from it thanks to the Sunlight reflecting off of it! I would love to see it again, if you don’t mind?” Twilight asked hopefully.

“Sure. I can show you again.” Arctic said with a smile.

Twilight giddily squeed in excitement. Rainbow soon spoke up.

“That sounds so awesome! Just being able to transform into something like that? Ugh, I wish I could do that!” Rainbow said, imagining what she would look like as an Oozaru.

“That does sound like fun!” Pinkie said. “Being all big and tall! You must be able to see for miles in the form!” 

Arctic let out a low chuckle.

“I suppose I can see a good distance away. Plus I get stronger in that form.” 

Silence soon fell over the group.

“That form makes you stronger too?” Asked Rainbow.

“Yeah. About 10x my normal strength.” Arctic said.

“That’s. So. Cool!” Rainbow exclaimed. 

“That is a mite interestin’. A form that makes yah bigger and stronger.” Applejack said.

“But, Darling, with all that fur, doesn’t it ever become a hassle.” Rarity asked.

“I suppose it does every now and then, but I’m hardly ever in the form so it doesn’t ever become much of a problem.” Arctic said.

Fluttershy soon spoke up.

“Could you tell us more about the Saiyans?” Fluttershy asked.

“Of course.” Arctic said, as Twilight ready herself to take down as many notes as she could.

“Well, the Saiyans are a race a warriors. Every saiyan adores a good battle and chowing down on as much food as they can get. From the stories I remember from my birth father, the Saiyans are also conquers. They travel throughout space in pods to different planets, taking them over for some tyrant they worked under.”

This brought everyone pause. Even Glacier, Tundra and Winter were unaware of this.

“They traveled through space?!” Asked an excited Twilight and an astonished Rainbow Dash, as well as a bewildered Pinkie Pie.

“They conquered other planets?” Asked the others.

“Yeah,” said Arctic. “Though it was for some tyrant they worked under. I don’t remember his name. Anyway, I remember my birth dad saying something about the Saiyan’ original homeworld being destroyed by that tyrant, taking most of the Saiyans with it, but not ll of them.”

Everyone was even more shocked to hear that. Arctic’s race’s homeworld was destroyed. How? They wanted to ask, but they didn’t want to interrupt, so they let him continue.

“Apparently, thanks to the warning of one saiyan, I believe my birth dad said his name was Bardock, a good handful of the saiyan’s escaped the planet before it was destroyed and settled into some new planet out of the tyrants radar and soon started the rebirth of the Saiyans. After years the Saiyans had grown in number and there were even more Saiyans than there were in the old world. The Saiyans began to mellow out, but still enjoyed fighting, Saiyans even began to evolve to better live in different regions of the planet. I only remember three of the saiyan tribes. The Original Saiyans, the Kazan Saiyans, and the Yuki Saiyans.”

“There are regional Saiyans?” Twilight asked.

“What exactly is the difference between those three Saiyans.” Fluttershy asked.

“Well, the Original Saiyans are the Saiyans who are much like the Saiyans from the older generation, before the original homeworld was destroyed. The Kazan Saiyans, are regional Saiyans who live in the harsh volcanic region I believe. And Yuki Saiyans are Saiyans regional Saiyans who live in the snowy region.” Arctic said.

Everyone was truly fascinated by this. All of them never believed that they would be learning this, especially Glacier, Tundra, and Winter.

“I didn’t think there was so much to your race.” Glacier said.

“We’ve lived together for so long, and never knew about any of this. Though, I’m glad we’re finally learning more bout your kind.” Tundra said.

“Yeah. I bet mom and dad would love to hear about this.” Winter said with a broad smile.

The rest of her siblings smiled as the bearers of harmony took everything in, with Twilight furiously writing away, a stack of parchment growing with almost every second that passed by.

“My, I didn’t think I’d be learning so much new things about a whole new race of beings.” Rarity said.

“Yah got that right. I never even thought ah’d be meetin’ a member of an alien race when ah got up this mornin’.” Said Applejack.

“Me neither, but it’s so much fun!” Exclaimed an excited pinkie.

“Not to mention, Awesome!” Blurted out Rainbow.

“Um, if you don’t mind me asking, which regional saiyan are you? Asked Fluttershy.

After a moment of thinking, Arctic found his answer.

“I believe I’m a Yuki Saiyanjin.” Arctic said.

“Saiyajin?” Asked Twilight as she looked up to Arctic. 

“It’s the technical term for saiyan.” Arctic said.

Twilight smiled wider than before as she began furiously writing again.

“Do you think you could tell us more?” Asked Rainbow, excited to learn more.

Arctic smiled as for the rest of the train ride, he began telling them lol more about the Saiyans from what he could remember. In what seemed like no time, the train had reached Canterlot station and the group were ready to disembark.

“Hoowee, sittin’ like that’s got me achin’. Ah sure do need a good long stretch.” Applejack said as she stood, stretching her now aching limbs.

“Tell me about it.” Said Winter as she too stretched letting some bones pop as she did.

“Are you sure you’re gonna carry all that to the castle Twilight?” Asked Rainbow.

Twilight, who was now standing, albeit, wobbling slightly, was wearing her saddlebags, which were fit to bursting, as they were full of parchment. Every last one of them filled completely with notes from Arctic’s tales.

“Of course I’ll carry it to the Castle. I’m not leaving all this behind. Plus, I wanna show it to Princess Celestia. She should know about all this amazing new information I got.” Twilight said. A strain present in her voice.

“Could just ask me to tell her about it, but suit yourself.” Arctic said. 

“By the way,” Tundra said, “you never told us anything about this Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. What are they like?” 

“Oh, I can tell you on the way to the castle.” Twilight said, happy to tell her new friends about her teacher.

As the group began exiting the train car, they noticed that the station had a good number of ponies on it all wanting to catch the train back to their homes or going to see family now that the war was over. As they saw the Bearers of Harmony, many of the ponies smiled and cheered for them. Seeing Tundra and Winter, the ponies assumed they were friends of the bearers, and so cheered and thanked them. However, Glacier and Arctic, was a different story. Once the ponies saw them, they instantly went silent, staring at them. After a few minutes ponies, all now sitting with growing fear, especially when the two smiled, inadvertently showing their sharp canines, the ponies ran away as quickly as they could.

“Monsters!”

“Stay Away!”

“Somepony get the Royal Guard!”

The group just stood there in shock. Non of them exactly knew what to do. And when they saw members of the Royal Guard charging their way in the distance, they all knew they were in trouble.