Chapter 8: All Aboard!
The Ponyville Train Station was surprisingly quiet when the pets arrived. It wasn't completely empty, but it lacked the frantic, crowded atmosphere that it usually had during daytime hours. In its place was a slightly unsettling atmosphere of tranquility that was occasionally broken by the chugging and whistling of an oncoming train. Tank was hoping that the place would be crowded enough for them to blend in, but alas, they would have to make an effort to keep a low profile. Not that there was anyone on the platform for them to hide from, save a young stallion on a bench working intently on a sudoku puzzle and a couple of grey- maned old mares leaning against the wall, gossiping idly.
Still, Tank wasn't willing to take any chances, so he insisted that they all take cover under an empty bench until the train arrived.
"So how are we going to get on this thing, again?" whispered Angel.
"We'll just have to improvise, I suppose," said Owlowiscious.
"This bench is filthy," griped Opal. "Whose bright idea was it to hide under here, again?"
"Mine," Tank said apologetically. "I'm sorry, Opal, but-"
"Oh, there's no need to apologize!" said Opal, beaming at the tortoise. "You know, I think Rarity once said that a thin layer of dust is good for a cat's coat."
Angel rolled his eyes. Could she BE any more transparent?
"Besides," said Opal, "Gummy certainly doesn't seem to mind." Gummy was squirreled away in a corner, making origami swans out of discarded candy wrappers.
"Opal, I don't think Gummy has ever minded anything," said Angel.
"Point taken."
*SCREECH*
In the midst of their conversation, the six had failed to notice the train pulling into the station. If the whistle didn't get their attention, then the ear- splitting wail of the train braking to a stop certainly did.
"And there's our ride!" exclaimed Winona. "Come on, fellas, let's go!"
"Hold it," said Tank. "How do we know that the train's going to take us to Manehattan? It could be going anywhere, for all we know.
"Winona, do me a favor. The train schedules are posted on the bulletin board right next to this bench. Would you mind running out and taking a peek at them?"
"Not at all!" chimed Winona, taking off in a flash. After a moment, she returned.
"So what'd it say?" asked Tank.
"Ah dunno," Winona replied with a shrug.
"You don't know? What do you mean, you don't know?"
"Ah can't read."
Angel let out an exasperated groan and buried his face into the palm of his paw.
"Don't worry about it," Tank said with a sigh. "I think at this point it would just be best to wait until... hold on a second. Where's Gummy?"
The other five nervously checked their immediate surroundings, only to find that Gummy was, indeed, not with them.
"The hell did he go?!" cried Angel, only to have his question answered moments later. He caught a glimpse of Gummy inside the train, resting comfortably under one of the seats.
"Oh, for the love of..." Angel muttered under his breath, hopping across the platform to retrieve his wayward friend. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to avoid the gaze of the ticket stallion before hopping through the door.
"Eh?" the stallion grunted. "What in the name of-"
He was cut off as soon as he saw Winona, Opal and Owlowiscious rush in after him. Last of all was Tank, who barreled through the stallion's legs and sent him crashing face first onto the platform. Before he could even realize what hit him, the other five were safely inside.
"Gummy, what the hell is wrong with you?!" Angel hissed. "None of us know where this train is going. For all we know, it could be going to-"
"THIS IS AN APPALOOSA-BOUND R TRAIN," called a feminine but oddly robotic voice over the intercom. "THE NEXT STOP IS... FILLYDELPHIA."
Before the pets could even react, the train's automatic doors locked themselves shut and the train set itself in motion.
"Well, that's just wonderful," Angel said acidly. "Thanks to you, we're going to be spending the night in Appal-friggin'-Loosa of all places. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Gummy said nothing. Instead, he quietly walked out from under the seat and started scaling the wall of the train.
"What do you think you're doing?!" cried Angel. "Get down from there!"
Again, Gummy paid him no heed. He continued walking up the train until he came to the electronic sign hanging on the ceiling of the car. It read, 'NEXT STOP: FILLYDELPHIA' in bright neon letters.
Gummy dislodged one his feet from the ceiling (while still hanging on with the other three), reached down his gullet and pulled out a black sharpie pen. He quickly scribbled out the word 'FILLYDELPHIA' and wrote 'MANEHATTAN' above it. With that, he capped the pen, popped it back into his mouth and let go of the ceiling, landing right onto his feet.
Angel crossed his arms at him, sporting a contempt- laden glare. "Very cute, Gummy, but that's not actually going to-"
"THIS IS AN APPALOOSA-BOUND R TRAIN. THE NEXT STOP IS... MANEHATTAN."
Gummy's five friends all stared at him in complete and utter shock as their jaws all dropped open simultaneously.
"I...wha...how is that even..." babbled Angel, too baffled to be angry anymore. "...forget it. Might as well not question it. I mean, at least we're going to Manehattan now, right, guys?"
The other five nodded in agreement as they all huddled under the seat, eagerly anticipating the journey that awaited them.