Wow.
Just…just wow.
When I arrived at the Ponyville train station early that next morning, accompanied by Pinkie, I guess I didn’t really know what to expect. What was I supposed to expect? But when I saw one of the trains pull up, on its way to Manehattan, as the schedule said, I felt myself cringe.
It was a steam locomotive, sure, and I did like antiquity over modernity sometimes, but…something about it just didn’t sit right. It was bright pink, with a huge heart for its front cabin window, and even had a heart inside its front lamp. The carriages were brightly colored, so I suppose if it was a train used for a circus, I’d find it excusable. But no! It was an express train, one of many of the same configuration, it seemed.
This was absurd! This train belonged on an electric toy track or in a little girl’s bedroom! I could understand fillies and mares admiring its colorful lovey-dovey-ness, but how could a colt, stallion, or in my case, man, ride this thing with any hope of keeping his dignity intact?…
So the two of us sat, waiting for Twilight and the others to arrive. A pair of saddlebags sat beside me, borrowed from Pinkie, to keep my clothes and toiletries in. My hat and cane wouldn’t fit, so I kept those in my lap, half because I didn’t want to ruin the phoenix feather on the hat by cramming it into a bag. I also had my train ticket in my pocket. Pinkie merely sat beside me without a word.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t really said much since yesterday. She came home mid-afternoon, while I was playing with Gummy. I’d asked her how her day went, and she merely said, “Ok”. She wasn’t grumpy or moody, but quiet. She had given me a small smile, but with a sigh, it turned to a look of faint disappointment. There had been a clang, and I saw a crumpled paper ball land into the wastepaper basket.
That told me all I needed to know. Pinkie had gone over her plans with her friends, and none of them had been encouraging about them. It was exactly what I had wanted to avoid by not getting involved, but it looked like the worst had already been done. I wanted to say something then, but I just didn’t have the words. She stayed quiet the rest of the night, probably trying to think of something else, so I let her be.
Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I ventured to speak,
“Pinkie?”
She said nothing.
“I know you’re upset about yesterday, and I’m really sorry. I know how important this was to you, and I think you were really creative with some of the stuff you came up with. Maybe it just wasn’t the time, though.”
She glanced up at me.
“Come on,” I said, in a comforting voice, “you’ll bounce back from this. You’re Pinkie Pie. This was just a minor setback. Use that to plan something easier, but equally special. Your family will still love it, because it came from you.”
I put my arm around her, hoping that would help. To my relief, it did the trick. Pinkie finally allowed herself a smile and nestled against me.
“You’re right, Davie,” she said. “I was being a silly frowny moody-pants. Maybe I did go a little coco-loco when I was writing those ideas up. But you’re right. I’m gonna rethink them while you’re gone, now that I know what not to do.”
“That’s my girl,” I said, giving her a squeeze. She giggled and rested her cheek against mine. It always felt good to have her back after these brief mood spells.
I glanced at my watch. It was nearing 8:45. I glanced out back toward Ponyville, and could see a collection of dots moving toward us on the horizon.
“Here comes the sendoff,” I told Pinkie.
“Already?” she asked. “Well, I guess I’d better go, then.”
“Go? Don’t you want to stick with me before I leave?” I asked, slightly hurt.
“I’d rather get started right away.”
“Pinkie, I’m sure-”
“Have a good trip, ok?” she asked, putting her forelegs around me in a hug. There was real sincerity in her voice as she said this, which was some comfort. “I’m sure Princess Celestia’s gonna really like you.”
“Still wish you could come with,” I said, patting the back of her mane. “Take care, Pinkie.”
“Bye.”
Pinkie let go and trotted away in the opposite direction from the others. A few minutes later, Twilight and Rainbow Dash arrived, followed by Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Derpy, Sparkler, Lyra, and the Crusaders. The first two were wearing saddlebags of their own.
“Morning, girls,” I greeted.
“Morning!” said Twilight. “What are you doing here all by yourself? I thought Pinkie would have waited with you.”
“She was with me for a while, but decided to head off. She said she was going to be busy and had to get a start on it.”
“Oh…I was hoping to talk to her. Actually, all five of us were.”
As she said this, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack stepped up beside her, all looking rather embarrassed or contrite.
“Was she mad at us?” asked Fluttershy. “I wouldn’t have minded arranging a bird choir, but I have to get them ready for migration to the south. Most of my good singers are part of the migration.”
“And Ah sure as hay wouldn’t have minded whipping up some vittles to bring with us,” said Applejack. “Ah was pleased as a worm in a tomater patch when she considered me, but with cider season, it might take some time to get something prepared.”
“Pinkie did come to me with a more detailed idea of her dress,” said Rarity, “but I’m still not sure I could manage it with everything else I have to get done.”
“And a teleporting Sonic Rainboom?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Don’t get me wrong, that sounds awesome, but I can’t just pull off a Rainboom like that.” She emphasized ‘that’ with a flick of her tail. “Twilight would have to have insane timing to get me there just as I’m about to pull it off.”
“Insane timing that just can’t exist,” said Twilight.
“Well,” I said, reluctantly, “I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: she was a little disappointed about her planning being punctured. It’s exactly what I was trying to prevent by not getting involved.”
“Oh no…” moaned Fluttershy, ears flattening.
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t hate any of you for it. She’s just a little upset that what she wants to pull off can’t be done so easily, and it’s probably mingling with the anxiety of seeing her folks again after such a long estrangement. Hopefully, she’ll understand that she needs to tone it down a bit.”
“Hopefully,” said Twilight.
There was a shrill whistle blast, and down the tracks, I could see a locomotive approaching.
“Is that it?” I asked.
“Yep,” said Twilight, “that’s the train for Canterlot.”
“I will say this: whoever designed these trains knew how to make them…noticeable.”
This earned a round of giggles from my female companions, and the train pulled up. A gray Earth pony stallion dressed like a conductor, with a black beard and mutton-chop sideburns stepped out of the front car, the other compartment doors opening after he had exited, and a stream of passengers exiting.
“Ponyville station stop!” he called. “Watch your step leaving the train! Next station stop will be Canterlot, departing in 10 minutes!”
“Guess that’s us,” I said, turning to Twilight and Rainbow. Putting my hat on my head, I took the strap of the saddlebags in my free hand, hauling it with me as the three of us approached the train, the others following.
“Have a wonderful time, Dave!” said Rarity. “You’ll love it in Canterlot!”
“Safe travels,” said Fluttershy.
“See ya back for cider season, big guy!” said Applejack.
“Show Princess Celestia what humans are really made of!” said Lyra.
“Good luck!” said Sparkler.
“Watch out for snooty ponies!” said Derpy.
“Cutie Mark Crusader Ambassador! Yay!” chorused Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
“Bring lots of cool stories about your visit back with you!” said Dinky.
“I’ll certainly try to make you all proud,” I said. “Here’s hoping. Take care, and keep an eye on Pinkie.”
“We will,” said Rarity.
“Say, Derpy,” said Rainbow Dash, looking furtively around and motioning for her to come closer.
“Yeah, Dash?” asked the mail mare, stepping forward.
“Do you think you and the girls can keep an eye on Tank for me?” she asked, in a hushed voice that I could just barely make out. “Just make sure he’s fed and that he gets out for his daily fly-bys. I don’t want the little guy slacking.”
“Of course, Dash. We’ll keep an eye on him,” said Derpy, with a smile.
“Awesome. I knew I could depend on ya,” said Rainbow, gratefully. She then said, in a louder voice, to Scootaloo, “And Scoot?”
“Yeah?”
“Keep up on your wing training. You can be sure I’m gonna quiz ya when I get back.”
“You got it!” said Scootaloo, buzzing her wings.
“All aboard!” called the conductor.
“Well, let’s get going,” said Twilight. “See you in a few days, girls.”
“See ya, gals!” said Rainbow. “And don’t forget about that barrel of cider, Applejack. I mean it.”
Amid a chorus of goodbyes, we approached the conductor and handed him our tickets. He looked up as I stepped up, most likely never having catered to a creature of my size or appearance before.
“First time on the express?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy the trip.”
“Thank you very much.”
Twilight led the way into an empty car, where we put our bags on the luggage rack and sat down, Twilight sitting across from Rainbow and me, the two of us sharing a seat.
A few minutes later, there was another blast on the whistle, and the conductor called,
“Next stop, Canterlot!”
With a jerk, the train started forward, picking up speed as it began to leave the platform. Out the window, I saw our group of friends galloping to keep alongside, and we waved to them as we soon left the platform and began speeding along toward Canterlot.
“So, how long does the trip usually last?” I asked Twilight.
“In good weather, roughly 3 hours.”
I gave a low whistle.
“It’ll pass in a flash, though,” said Rainbow. “Know why?”
“Why?”
“Cuz I brought something I think you’re gonna really like.”
With a flap of her wings, she floated up to the luggage rack, nosed around in one of her saddlebags, and pulled out a thick book with her teeth, floating back down beside me and placing it in my hands. The cover depicted a yellowish pegasus mare with a black and gray mane and tail oddly resembling Rainbow Dash’s cut. In fact, even the eyes were the same shade of rose-pink. She was dressed in a green khaki shirt and a pith helmet, and had a cutie mark resembling a compass. She was holding onto a jungle vine with one hoof, and clutched in her other hoof was a blue statue, resembling a two-headed jackal. She was hanging over a body of water full of alligators. The title read, as I said it aloud,
“‘Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone’…I remember seeing that title back when I visited the library.”
“Good choice, Dash!” said Twilight. “Dave says he’s an avid reader, and he’ll absolutely love the Daring Do series!”
“My thoughts exactly, Twi,” said Rainbow.
“It’s the first book in the series,” Twilight told me, “but not the first chronologically. Daring’s first adventure in the series’ continuity is actually in Daring Do and the Basilisk’s Eye, told through a really great flashback sequence as Daring’s life flashes before her eyes! Oh, I could go on for hours about it!”
“Well, save it for another time, Twilight,” said Rainbow, flatly. “Here, Dave, dive on in!”
“I most certainly will!” I said, and, opening the book, began to read.
***
Fascinating…utterly fascinating!
This book was undeniably, unquestionably, un-put-down-able!
Every paragraph, heck, nearly every sentence gave the reader a sense of suspense or danger. Whoever wrote this really knew how to keep readers on their toes.
In the book, Daring Do, intrepid explorer and treasure collector (AKA, Not-Indiana Jones), had crash-landed in a tropical, sweltering jungle, injuring her wing in the process. After a narrow-escape from savage jungle cats, she finally reached an ancient temple she had sought for, said to be the resting place of the legendary Sapphire Stone, colloquially known as the Sapphire Statue. Of course, the place was loaded with traps, including ceiling alligators, making me wonder why ancient tribes went to such ridiculous lengths to protect their stuff. Being not only dexterous but brilliant, however, Daring managed to evade these dangers and claim the statue as her own, before being blasted out of the temple by a lava trap. Unfortunately, her victory was short-lived, as she was captured by the monstrous but charismatic Ahuizotl, who was the master of those jungle cats Daring evaded at the start. So there it was: Daring was at the mercy of Ahuizotl and his army of ferocious felines, when-
The train’s whistle jarred me out of my reading stupor. Looking out the window, I saw that we were winding our way up a mountain, and there, up ahead, was the city of Canterlot.
From the outside, the entire city was an assortment of white towers and spires, all in a very medieval, Renaissance fashion. I was irresistibly reminded of Minas Tirith.
“Whoa…”
“Isn’t it amazing?” asked Twilight, who had come up to my side.
“Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it…It’s like every royal city I’ve ever heard of put together into one! You used to live here?”
“Yep! Born and raised in Canterlot, under Princess Celestia’s patronage.”
“Incredible…”
“Eh, it’s pretty cool,” said Rainbow, dismissively, “but it’s got nothing on Cloudsdale. We’ve gotta find a way to get you up there one of these days, Dave.”
“All in good time, Rainbow,” said Twilight.
“So, Dave, what do you think of the book so far?” asked Rainbow.
“What do I think?” I replied, turning back to her. “It’s unbelievable! I’ve read some pretty hair-raising stuff in my time, but this book packs it on like a feast to the senses! I haven’t even finished reading through it yet.” Then, I added, in a tone of surprised realization, “Has it been three hours already?”
“Time really flies when you read,” said Twilight, smiling.
“Well, wherever we’re staying in Canterlot, I’m gonna use my time there to finish this book!”
“That’s what I wanna hear!” said Rainbow, clapping me on the back.
The train gave a sudden jolt, the wheels outside screeching as the train pulled to a stop outside the train station. We heard the conductor call,
“Canterlot, folks! Station stop, Canterlot! Watch your step leaving the train!”
“Well, that’s us,” said Twilight, levitating the bags down from the rack. Rainbow stuffed the book into mine.
“Rainbow, that’s-”
“I know. Just so you don’t gotta ask for it when you wanna read it.”
“Aww, thanks.”
“No prob. Now, you ready?”
“More than ready!” I said, picking up my bags. “Lead the way, ladies!”
And, with Twilight leading, the three of us walked out of the train and onto the platform.
***
How do I begin to describe it?
Canterlot was sophistication personified. Every building was austere, clean, and new in appearance. It really was the kind of place where you’d have to wear a fancy suit just to step out into the main street. Thankfully, I had my hat and cane, and still had my suit in one of my bags.
If the buildings were fancy, that was nothing on the ponies. Back in Ponyville, nearly every pony went around without clothes. Fair enough. Up here, however, I didn’t see a single pony who wasn’t wearing some article of clothing: top hats, dresses, fancy saddles, tuxedos, monocles, pince-nez, etc.. As I said, I was a great admirer of antiquity, and always loved past styles of clothing or technology. It was a passing thought, but it would have been pretty cool if Rarity had made a hidden sword in my cane, not for excessive use, but just as a means of cautious protection against the unsavory. To me, swords were a lot better than guns; elegant, swift, made for prolonged and heated combat, not as clumsy or random as a pistol. But I digress.
As we walked along, as was to be expected, my presence turned a lot of heads. I was with my hat and cane, sure, but I was still wearing normal street clothes besides, so I must have presented a very bizarre combination, like John’s top hat and umbrella ensemble in Peter Pan. Some openly gawked with gaping jaws, while I picked up some mutters from others.
“Can you imagine?”
“The very idea!”
“Would you look at him?”
“If you ask me, animals should be kept on a leash at all times.”
Of all the nerve...! If I wasn't so eager to avoid confrontation, I'd have given them a piece of my mind. But if I was mad, Rainbow Dash seemed angrier.
“They’re making fun of him, Twi,” I heard her hiss in an annoyed singsong.
“Easy, Rainbow,” Twilight whispered back. “They’re just not used to humans.”
“Well, they’d still better back off, if they know what’s good for them.”
“It’s just until we can settle in and drop off our bags.”
“Where are we staying, anyway?” I asked.
“That’s the best part!” said Twilight, with a gleam in her eye. “When I received the confirmation of our visit with the princess, she allowed royal suites for our disposal.”
“Royal suites?? You mean we’ll actually be staying in the castle?”
“Yep!”
“And does she know Rainbow Dash is with us?”
“She said she would be prepared in the event of having travel companions.”
“Ah, good.”
“Well, it better be an awesome suite, then,” said Rainbow, puffing her chest out. “As awesome as I am!”
“I’m sure the Princess won’t disappoint you, Rainbow,” said Twilight, with an amused shake of the head.
Sure enough, Twilight’s steps were leading us right to the gates of the castle, a mass of spire-topped towers, all a gleaming white that seemed to shine like marble in the sun. The highest tower, especially, seemed a perfect spot to govern the rising and setting of the sun or the moon, as it looked like it could overlook the whole horizon of Equestria. I was tense for the chance I would have to finally meet this Princess Celestia.
As we approached, I also became aware of the guards. Everywhere I looked as we came toward the structure, there were white and gray stallions, all of which seemed to have been made in the same mold. They were buff, stoic, calm-eyed, and silent, wearing golden armor and Roman helmets. Besides their coat colors, the only thing that distinguished them were the fact that there were Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns among them.
“Wow,” I said to Twilight. “The princess really has one heck of a security team.”
“The finest soldiers in Equestria,” said Twilight. “I don’t want to brag, but that’s partly thanks to the leadership of Shining Armor.”
“Oh, that’s right! He was a Captain, wasn’t he?”
“Yep!”
“Where is he now, though?”
“I’m not sure, actually,” said Twilight, thoughtfully. “The last time I saw him was when he and Cadence left on their honeymoon. He’s written plenty of times, sure, but they seem to be all over the place.”
“Probably seeing the world?” I asked.
“That’s reasonable, I suppose. I still wish I knew where they’d settled permanently. I’d love for you to meet them.”
“Any family of yours, Twilight, must be a joy to get to know,” I said.
I saw her smile warmly up at me.
“Do you always know how to flatter ponies?” asked Rainbow, slyly.
“I have no idea what you’re implying,” I replied, rather embarrassed. “I’ve just always strived to be polite with whoever I speak to. Is it my fault if what I say is taken another way?”
“Aw, relax, dude, I’m only teasing,” said Rainbow.
“I should hope you were,” I muttered.
We approached the front gate, where two pegasus guards stood. All of a sudden, their wings sprang out to block the way, as swiftly as if they had been activated by a switch, and I could have sworn they made a sound like unsheathing swords. I felt my heart jump when it happened.
“Halt!” said one.
“Who goes there?” asked the other.
“Good afternoon, sirs,” said Twilight, approaching. “We’re here on a special request from Princess Celestia.”
“Miss Sparkle, Miss Dash,” said one of the guards, civilly. “Forgive us. We did not notice you at first.”
“The giant interrupted our view,” said the other.
(Giant? Oh, for Pete’s sake…)
“He’s with us,” said Twilight. “He has a meeting with Her Highness tomorrow, but we wished to stop in and leave our bags at our suites.”
I thought it only polite to doff my hat to them, smiling in a placating way.
“Very well,” said one of the guards. “Passage granted.”
They ‘sheathed’ their wings, allowing us to pass.
“‘Giant’,” I grumbled. “Of all the nerve…”
“Well, you are pretty tall,” said Rainbow.
“I’m barely the same size as Big Macintosh!”
“Yeah, which is giant by pony standards,” said Rainbow.
“…Touche.”
Twilight led us into the main foyer, a grand hall with rich wall tapestries and a red carpet with a sun symbol emblazoned where it diverged into separate tracks leading into other chambers. A staircase led further on, leading onto a pair of stained glass windows depicting the day and night skies. A pony was already striding up and down this landing, who brightened up as we approached.
I felt my heart jump in my chest as I recognized this pony.
It was Princess Luna!
“Princess Luna!” exclaimed Twilight, sharing my surprise. She bowed low to the ground, Rainbow Dash doing the same. I hastened to do as they did.
“Twilight Sparkle,” said Luna, smiling. “It is always good to see you, but please, you may call me Luna. And greetings to you too, Rainbow Dash.”
Her eyes then fell on me.
“Ah, so it is you again, Sir Dave. You’re looking well.”
“It’s good to see you in the physical world, Your Highness,” I said, though I wasn’t sure why she included ‘sir’. I wasn’t exactly a knight.
“You’ve met before?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“In a sense,” said Luna. “I stumbled across him as he was having a particularly bad nightmare, and I helped to alleviate his terror.”
“An action I’m still grateful for, Princess,” I said, humbly.
“Wow…” muttered Rainbow. “Princess Luna can do that?”
“Of course,” said Twilight. “It’s part of her duties as princess of the night.”
“Oh…”
For some reason, Rainbow looked rather uncomfortable or embarrassed. It made me wonder if, perhaps, she had some dreams that Luna had stepped into, the contents of which should never be spoken out loud unless you wanted your chest run through with a battering ram. I wouldn’t put it past Rainbow to be that desperate to protect her pride.
Luna, for her part, didn’t seem to notice this, and said,
“Celestia has asked me to guide you to your suites. I hope you do not mind, but she was able to save a single room for you, Twilight, but Rainbow Dash and Sir Dave will have to share a room.”
Rainbow Dash and I looked at each other, neither of us expecting to hear this. I was fine with having to share a room with Pinkie, but with another girl?…Then again, Rainbow did have a more boyish attitude. Maybe it wouldn’t be so embarrassing.
“Does that suit you?” asked Luna.
“Only if it suits Rainbow,” I said.
“Fine with me,” said Rainbow, with an indifferent shrug. “As long as he doesn’t snore.”
Oh boy. I’d been told back home that I snored, but that was only from outside observation. How do you really know if you snore if you’re unable to know yourself?
“Guess we’ll see,” I said, giving Rainbow as best of a placating smile as I could. To my relief, she returned it with a friendly smirk.
“Splendid,” said Luna. “Now, follow me, please.”
Luna led the way up one of the two staircases leading to the other hallways, and I and my two companions followed. I moved a little quicker to walk beside Luna, while Twilight and Rainbow seemed to be having a hushed conversation with each other.
“May I be so bold as to ask you a few things, Your Majesty?” I asked Luna.
“Certainly,” said Luna.
“If you’re the Princess of the Night, does that mean you sleep during the day?”
“During the afternoon, yes. When my sister sets the sun, she sends for me to raise the moon and stars. It is not such a bad system.”
“Cool. And, what’s she like, your sister? I hope to make a good impression when I see her tomorrow.”
“Oh, I believe you shall,” said Luna. “Celestia is one of the kindest of ponies, fair and just. I have never known her to make a wrong decision, even if it was banishing me while Nightmare Moon poisoned my senses.”
The way she said this struck me. It wasn’t completely off-hand, but it didn’t sound steeped with regret, either. It sounded as if all was forgiven in that affair.
“Take, for example, her tutoring of young Twilight,” she went on. “She’s had her eye on her ever since she was a filly, and she has proven her every conviction correct.”
“Wow…She sounds really wise.”
“She is. Even Star Swirl the Bearded, one of the wisest of unicorns, seemed a bit foalish when compared to Celestia. If I may say so, at the rate she is going, Twilight Sparkle shall catch up to her one day.”
“Heh, is that so?” I asked, glancing back at the unicorn. Twilight looked up, curious to know what we were speaking about, but I turned back to Luna.
“Twilight really is remarkable,” I said.
“I agree. If not for her, I know not where we’d all be...Now may I ask you something?”
“Of course, Princess.”
“How are you finding your stay in Equestria? I would have thought you would be beset with anxiety for your loved ones at home, yet you seem hale and hearty.”
“Well, I really have Twilight and her friends to thank for that. I will admit that, without them by my side, I would most likely have gone mad with grief at being stranded in another world. I do still greatly miss my folks back home, but with Twi and friends, I have hope for someday getting back. Equestria is full of wonderful ponies, Your Majesty.”
“You are very kind to say so,” said Luna, “though I do feel for you in your plight. To be suddenly seized away from your home into an unfamiliar land…I can sympathize.”
By this point, Luna had stopped outside a beautifully-carved wooden door. She flared up the glow of her horn onto the doorknob, and it swung open onto a richly-furnished circular room. I could see a door leading to a bathroom, a window leading onto a balcony, and two four-poster beds, laid with fresh sheets and pillows.
“What do you think?” Luna asked.
“Very posh,” I breathed, stepping in and looking about. “Now, this is what I call royal comfort.”
“Make yourselves at home, dear guests,” the princess went on, as Rainbow stepped in as well. “Twilight, if you will follow me, your suite is not much further on.”
Luna and Twilight exited the chamber, the former shutting the door as she did so. Rainbow Dash stretched like a cat, yawning rather obnoxiously as I faintly heard the crack of her joints, and she flopped unceremoniously onto one of the beds.
“Did ya want this one?” she asked. “Sorry, I kinda already claimed it.”
“Nah, that’s fine,” I said, unable to keep from smiling at her behavior. “I’ll just take this other one.”
I set my saddlebags down and carefully placed my hat and cane down on a nearby chair before sitting on the bed. The mattress yielded instantly, with the softness of a marshmallow.
“Are clouds this soft?” I asked Rainbow.
“Softer, but this is pretty close,” she answered. “I tell you, bud, nothing ever beats sleeping on a cloud. One of these days, I’ll find a way to show you, cuz you are seriously missing out.”
“I bet I am,” I said, kicking my shoes off and lying down fully on the bed. 3 hours was pretty tame for a train ride, but I still felt tired. “I almost don’t wanna have to get up, even if Twilight is gonna show me around Canterlot.”
“I know the feeling,” said Rainbow. “It’s like waking up on a weekend. You just don’t wanna get out of bed, but you gotta if you want breakfast.”
As soon as she said this, there came a loud growl from her vicinity. She sat up and put a hoof to her belly.
“Speaking of which, I’m getting hungry. As soon as Twi rounds us up, I’m making her grab us some lunch.”
“What’s eating and shopping like here?” I asked.
“Pretty ritzy. Lot of fancy stuff, but Canterlot’s the kind of place that has everything you’d want, except for less snooty ponies.”
“Are they that bad?”
“Eh, some are all right, but too many have a stick or two up their flanks.”
“Eesh…”
“Exactly.”
A few minutes later, the doors swung open again, and Twilight appeared, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
“No time for sleeping, you two!” she said. “Our tour of Canterlot starts now!”
“With lunch,” interjected Rainbow, leaving the bed with a flit of her wings.
“Of course with lunch,” said Twilight, with a roll of the eyes. “Coming, Dave?”
“On my way!” I called, doing my best to try and escape the heavenly softness of the bed. It sure as heck wasn’t easy, but finally, I managed to tear myself away, put my shoes back on, grabbed my hat and cane, and followed the two ponies out the door, all at once eager to see the rest of this royal capital.