//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 | Train to Somewhere 
// Story: Power Trip: Destiny is Magic 
// by Cinnamon Swirl 
//------------------------------//

"Whe'e ya headed off to strangah?" Sitting across from Power Trip was an earth pony with a yellow coat and a purple mane, tied up in a fancy bun. She wore a suit and tie, some kind of business-mare, Trip assumed. 

"Oh, um, I uh..." Trip fumbled over her words nervously. Not only was this her first time on a train, this was her first time ever leaving Canterlot by herself. Somehow the rumbling of the car was more nerve-racking than being in a balloon miles above the ground. Now add a stranger asking questions to the mix? How could things get any worse?

"Oh, whe'e a'e my mannahs? Name's Cha'treuse Shade, and befo'e ya ask, yes, my fathah is colahblind! Oh ho ho ho!" The accent this pony spoke with was unlike anything Trip had heard before. Maybe from Manehattan? Though she herself had never been there. Her sense of humor was also... unique. That's for sure. 

Trip laughed along, more out of politeness than anything else. "Well, I'm Power Trip. Nice to meet you?" There was no hiding the fact she had phrased it like a question, and certainly no way to recover from it. She never did have the best manners when it came to conversations, but was always aware of when she made a mistake.

Chartreuse didn't seem to notice or mind. "Well, it's nice to meetcha too, dahling. I can tell by the way ya hooves is rattlin' ya not usedta trains, a'e ya?" 

Trip looked down. Her right hoof had been tapping against the seat of the bench throughout the entire conversation without her notice. It was as natural as breathing, and took effort on her part to make it stop. "Uhhh, yep. First time." She cleared her throat, now putting her whole focus on the conversation itself. "Anyways, back to your original question, I'm going to the Everfree School of Advanced Magic Studies. Ponyville is the closest station to it, so that's where I'll be getting off."

"Oh, I've hea'd about that one." The mare looked Trip over. Her tail had started swishing about under her cape, no doubt another of her nervous ticks. "You're not the type I woulda expected to be goin' inta a place like that. Ne'vous about train rides, but think ya can brave the Evahfree Forest?" This would get the attention of a few other passengers. The Everfree Forest is infamously dangerous, after all. 

Home to all sorts of creatures and plants, uneven terrain making it difficult to navigate, and unpredictable weather. Worst of all, the school itself isn't on any map. Anypony who wants to attend would be going in totally blind. Only the bravest sorcerers with the greatest potential can even reach the front door to take the entrance exam. In a way, the forest itself is the first part of the exam. 

"Well, the Everfree Forest doesn't have any trains, so I think I'll be fine." Trip was starting to speak with more confidence in her voice. Somehow, thinking about the dangers she'd face at her destination had taken her mind off of the fact she was still on a rumbling train. 

"Well, if ya sure, don't let me change ya mind, dahling." She leaned back and flipped open a magazine. "Just be ca'eful out the'e is all." 

Things went quiet after that, letting Trip's mind wander. She still hadn't quite figured out a plan for finding the school once she reached the forest. A bridge to cross once come to, she thought, but that bridge was getting closer. Even more taxing was the actual exam itself. Her mom knew one of the headmasters of the school, so she knew there was an entrance exam of some kind, but knew nothing of what it would actually require. What if the books she had memorized weren't the right ones? What if there was a specific spell that she hadn't learned that was a prerequisite for even getting in? Worst yet, what if they reject her outright for not having her Cutie Mark yet? The whole purpose for her going in the first place might be her greatest obstacle. Her tail started swishing about faster and more loudly as the number of possible obstacles increased.

Finally, her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden jolt of the train stopping. She sprang up and, towing her belongings behind her, galloped for the door. Her traveling partner probably said something to the effect of a 'goodbye', but she was laser focused on getting off the train, and hopefully, never boarding one again. Next stop: The Everfree Forest.