The train ride resulted unexpectedly pleasant to the wounded changeling, who had the opportunity to rest, knowing that she would need her magic wherever the railway brought her.
The only problem she had was the occasionally passing conductor, easily avoided with invisibility spells.
Not having much to do, she started thinking about her choice to change life: she was sure that there weren't many alternatives that didn't involve being imprisoned or killed, yet she feared that she couldn't mingle with the ponies, having she little to no experience with their customs and lifestyle. In the end, she concluded that she would worry once that she had to.
The first stop was a great city, bigger than the empire capital and than the entire hive: Canterlot, home of the equestrian royalties.
Deciding that it was a very bad choice to start a new life for a weakened changeling like her, Ashley decided to stay on the train.
The next stop was much more promising.
"Ponyville, uh?" Ashley murmured eyeing the small city visible behind the station as the train came to a stop "Seems like a nice place, worth giving it a shot."
She left the train from the same window, being sure to keep herself invisible, and ducked in the nearest toilet.
There, once she made sure of being alone, she dropped the invisibility spell and disguised herself as a dark gray pegasus with long black mane and a compass as cutie mark; it would have been a nice disguise, even if a little beaten due to her many light injuries, if her wings weren't completely and visibly broken, the left almost torn away. Frowning, Ashley tried again, this time as an unicorn, getting a much more pleasant result.
She left the toilet trotting gingerly, excited for her new beginning.
Her bruised coat caught a pair of worried looks by a number of ponies, but none of them stopped her until she reached the city main plaza:
"Hey, are you all right?" asked a female voice behind her.
She turned to see a concerned pair of golden eyes, owned by a mint green unicorn with mane and tail of the same color with some streaks of white and a golden lyre as cutie mark.
"Yes, I simply had a long night," she answered offering a tired smile, hoping that the curious mare would leave her be.
"A long night? Sweet Celestia, what did you do? Did you got caught in a bar fight with a minotaur? Because you sure look like it," exclaimed the unknown mare wearing a disbelieving look "You really should go to the hospital."
"Uhm, I don't really like hospitals," lied the changeling, knowing that her disguise, for well done it was, wouldn't fool a diagnostic spell.
"Uh, I have to say that neither I like doctors very much..." conceded the green unicorn with a sigh before offering: "At least let me patch you up a bit at my house."
"We just met, and I don't want to impose," started saying the gray mare.
"Nonsense," said the other pushing Ashley towards a group of nearly identical two stories houses "I'm Lyra Heartstrings, by the way."
"I'm Ashley and I can walk on my own, miss Heatstrings," answered the changeling starting to walk next to the green mare.
"Drop the miss stuff, I'm no Canterlot noble," said the musician with a large smile "You have a fancy name you know? Very human-like."
"Human?" asked the confused 'grey unicorn'.
"Yes, they say that it's just a legend, but I know it's all true!" explained the other, flames burning in her golden eyes.
"Uh, yes, it's just... a nickname, yes, my name is... Ashen Sky?"
"Oh, what a pity... Anyway it's a pleasure to meet you Ashley," concluded the green unicorn nearing one particular house and opening the door with her magic.
"The pleasure is mine," replied Ashley letting herself in.
The first thing she noticed was the sweet fragrance of backed goods, which hit her nostrils like a tidal wave.
The main room, a living room, was clean and simply furnished, with a small wooden coffee table and a pair of identical sofas facing each other; on the walls were hung many photos, the majority featuring Lyra and a cream colored earth pony with blue and pink curly mane she didn't know.
The green unicorn had her wait while she fetched some bandages.
Ashley sat on her haunches, her attention focused on an antique looking grandfather clock, captivated by the pendulum rhythmic movement, until she heard a female voice asking:
"And who would you be? And while you're at it, do you mind telling me what are you doing in my living room?"
She turned to face the same mare in the photos, standing in what she supposed was the kitchen doorway, wearing a frown and a cyan apron.
"H-hello," said the 'unicorn' with a courteous bow "I'm Ashen Sky, Lyra's guest."
"Oh, all right, I didn't expect any guest," said the mare relaxing visibly and offering a smile "I'm Bon-Bon, Lyra's marefriend. I hope she's fetching some bandages for you: you look terrible, no offense,"
"None taken, and yes, we're here for that purpose," replied the gray mare with a light chuckle.
"I'd like to chat a little more, but I'm baking some cookies and I need to check on them," Bon-Bon excused herself, before proposing: "Are you familiar with baking?"
"To be absolutely sincere, I never approached a kitchen in my whole life," said Ashley smiling sheepishly.
"Oh, what a pity, I could have used some help..." said the baker turning around "We'll chat later then, ok?"
"Sure," answered the gray mare, happy of having found such a nice couple of friends.
She had just sat on a sofa as Lyra returned from her epic quest for the first aid kit, which was floating next to her head, encased in bright green aura.
"I found it!" announced the green unicorn with a triumphant smile, trotting towards her newest friend.
"Thank you Lyra, you're doing a lot for me and we just met," said Ashley smiling as she laid on her belly on the couch.
"Nah, it really isn't that much," she said waving a dismissive hoof while pouring some disinfectant on a wad of cotton "This might hurt a bit, stay still."
She started cleaning the smallest cuts and then slowly proceeding towards the worst looking ones, making her friend wince and even yelp in pain.
After having finished cleaning and bandaging all the other cuts, Lyra eyed the two largest wounds, placed where a pegasus would have wings; her first thought was that Ashen Sky was in reality an alicorn whose wings had been torn away, but she swiftly shelved the idea and took a syringe from the kit.