A few months later, Winter Wrap Up rolled around.
It was a shame to see all the snow go away. But I figure everyone and everypony has had about enough snow for one year.
So I was going to Canterlot for a month. It's gonna be weird not being with Rarity and Sweetie...
As I looked out the window, I saw plenty of happy ponies cleaning up winter. Singing their song.
Today just really wasn't my day for singing.
We all have those days, wasn't necessarily a bad day. Wasn't bad by any means, I was just content with being inside. I may go out later once I've finished packing.
I drag out my old duffle bag... How was I gonna jam a months worth of clothes into this medium-sized bag?
I start by unpacking what was already in there.
The first things out are my old running shoes.
They had long since run their life cycle. They had too many miles on them to be of any use.
Once the tread starts to fall off.. Well, they aren't that useful anymore.
I've basically been wearing sandals that Rarity crafted, not her forte. But they worked. Not like flip-flops, but like the kind that wrapped around your entire foot. Uh... Similar to like ancient people's shoes. I don't mind em though. World of ponies you can't really expect there to be a shoes store across the street.
I've had them wrapped in wool every time I went out in the snow. Hopefully I won't need those little, "booties" I've called them. Rarity hates them, but they're practical so I continue to use them.
I wonder if in Canterlot they have a shoemaker of some kind. I know ponies have shoes, but measuring and proportions would be completely... alien.
*ba dun tsst*
The next things out are my shorts... My original shorts, not the ones Rarity made for me.
Come to think of it... How many articles of clothing has she made me sofar?
I like those shorts. Not much special, but they do their job, they do it well.
I've taken many a run in these shorts. Ehh.. Not important though.
I toss those aside and pull out my track spikes. These are still good actually, haven't used them because I really hadn't needed to. I might take those. Never know when they could come in handy. I might need to kick something...
Ever been kicked by spikes? Imagine cleats, except with sharpened steel tips that cut like razors.. Yeah they hurt.
I set those aside for further use.
After that I dump out my old phone... Hasn't been much use since I got here. Even Verizon ain't got service out here.
I turn my bag over and shake it to make sure nothing else is in there hiding.
I hear a rattle somewhere in there.
Odd?
I shake it two or three more times and the object falls out.
A pen?
Where the heck has this been? Do you know how useful this could've been? I've gotten used to ink and quill! I've smacked myself so many times in the nose with those things!
I may keep this! Never know when a pen will come in handy!
With the duffle bag empty, I stand up and walk over to my closet. I call it my closet, it's technically Raritys but lord knows she has plenty.
I open it up and reveal my wardrobe!
My first priority... Is looking dayum sexy. So I naturally go with my suit. Plus, I've heard that with these Canterlot ponies, only the finest of attire is acceptable. That and I suppose I'm going to be living with royalty I'm going to need something formal.
Very carefully I fold that up and place it in the bottom of the bag.
Next, I need something durable, yet comfortable. I still have my original jeans that were with me on Earth. Rarity made me a second pair, modeled in the same fashion.
I stuff those two as far down as I can. I also add the pair of shorts for good measure.
Now... I need... The necessities... T-shirts... T-shirts everywhere.
I throw 3 pair in there. Plus a plaid, long sleeve button-up.
Casual, yet attractive.
Why?
Because even if I'm not going for mares. I want them to go for me anyway.
Why?
Because it boosts my ego! Get off my case man!
Anyway.. Where was I?
Oh yeah! Lets not forget the socks and such... Yada yada.
I've about stuffed all I can into the duffle bag. I finish by shoving the spikes in there.
So taking final inventory of the duffle bag, I have 2 pairs of jeans, 1 dress pant, 1 pair a shorts, plenty of T-shirts to choose from, and spikes.
Seems legit. I don't know how this is supposed to last me a month. I suppose with plenty of washes I could keep up. Providing they have a place for that at the castle. Surely they do. It's a freaking castle. I can see it from Raritys house and its hours away!
I move across the room and sit down on the bed next to my book bag. I have Twilight magic book in there, along with some ink and quills.
I slip the pen in there with them.
I take a look around the room. It's gonna be the first time actually out of this house in almost a year.
Seems weird. Seems strange. Going out into this pony world, meeting new ponies, seeing amazing sights.
I wonder what kinds of creatures I'll run into out there? Minotaur? Gryphons? Phoenix? Another dragon? A bigger one? Who knows?
I hear the front door open in the Boutique.
"Ben? BeeEEEeeeeen?" Shouts Rarity.
"YeeeEEEeees?" I reply back, mocking her emphasis.
"Can you come outside please? I need your help with something!" She says.
"Ok! Be right there!" I say.
The door shuts and I proceed to put my jacket and snow booties on.
As I walk out of "my" room, I notice its getting bright outside.
I take the first step outside.
It looks like a completely different Ponyville!
The whole time I've been inside the landscape itself has been altered.
Pegasus were cloud busting all over the sky. It was like watching an air show the way the ponies were in formation.
The snow was basically gone around the Boutique.
I noticed another thing. It was rather toasty.
I throw my booties off and slip off the jacket. A lot of good those did.
Rarity was standing over by the tree.
"Whatcha need Rarity?" I ask.
"Oh poor Opal has gotten herself stuck in the tree again. And I can't get him out without disturbing the nests I just put up there. I need somepony to climb up and get her down!"
"Ugh.. The demon- er I mean... Cat, got stuck? How'd she get up there in the first place?" I ask.
"I don't know! She did what all cats do I guess. Can you please get her down?"
I roll my eyes and jump up into the tree.
It's like one of those pines, so you really are never at a loss of a foothold.
"Here... Kitty kitty kitty... Come'ere , come'ere.."
Opal hisses at me as I reach for her.
"Hey! Now cat! We can do this the easy way! Or we can do this the hard way! What's it gonna be?" I ask.
The demon hisses at me again.
"Ok I see how it is... Use my face as a bed and don't come down from a tree when I ask you to... Very well... You've forced my hand!"
"Don't mess up her fur coat! I just had her groomed!" Calls up Rarity.
"Are you kidding me? This cat is going DOWN!" I say.
Opal jumps up another branch.
Oh it's on..
I leap up a couple more, edging my way closer.
Opal does the same.
It's a game of cat and mouse, except in this case. I'm the cat, not the cat.
"Opal... I swear. When we get down. I'm going to skin you alive."
*HIIISSS*
Pretty soon, we find ourselves at the top of the tree.
"HA! What you gonna do now, cat?"
She lets out another hiss.
I reach out and try to grab him.
Opal swipes at me! She nicks my hand.
"Ow! Why'd you go and do that you little motherf-!"
Then an idea forms in my head.
"Ok... You know what? You win. You can stay up in the tree. I won't bother you."
I climb down a couple branches. Opal goes quiet.
"Ben! Get back up there and get my poor little-!"
"Shhh!" I motion to Rarity.
She then gets what I'm doing.
Opals not good with heights.
As I climb down lower, she begins to take a look around.
She sees how high she is.
She begins to let out a low meow. You know the kind. When a cat wants something?
"Oh what's that? Now you want down from the BIG, TALL tree? Oh I don't know if I can do that. It would be just tooooo haaard..."
The meowing picks up.
I look at Rarity and wink for her to join in the fun.
Oh she let Opal have it!
"Oh Ben! That tree is soooo high! I wouldn't want you to climb up there again and hurt yourself! It looks like Opal is going to have to get down herself!" She calls.
Oh she's begging now! Her meows are starting to sound more like pleas for rescue.
I suppose she's had enough for one day.
"Ok Opal, I'll come get you." I call up the tree.
I climb my way back up and reach out a hand.
She crawls up my arm and sits on my shoulders, Pikachu style.
"Ow. Watch the claws!"
"Meow..." She replies.
Before we climb down I take a look at Ponyville, it's basically clean of snow. Looks like Winter is over.
In the distance I see the plowing teams putting away their sleds. The ponies pulling off their designated outfits.
Then I see Rainbow Dash chasing Derpy, who was busy chasing a very large bee, right into a brand new hive.
Luckily Rainbow catches her and turns her around in time to avoid a stinging frenzy.
Oh Derpy, I love that mailmare. She's so nice, she makes me laugh. Not in a bad way, I don't make fun of her. Her antics are just adorable sometimes.
I see Twilight reading off her checklist one final time before closing up shop.
I imagine she's all packed and ready to go.
Oh well... Better get Opal down before she claws my ear off.
As I climb down the branches I hear a small pop come from the bottom of the tree.
I hop down and let Opal off. She runs into the Boutique. Never to be heard from again.
I look up and see Twilight standing next to Rarity.
"Hola mi amiga" I say to Twilight. (Hello my friend)
"Since when do you speak Bison?" She asks
"¿Que?" (What?) I ask, "I'm speaking Spanish... That's about all I remember."
"Interesting. I wish you had crossed over with a world language book of some sort. I would love to see all the dialects. But I'm here to give you the plan! I've got to be in Canterlot asap. The Princess wants me there to brief me on various, princessy, type.. Stuff..."
"Alright, so I imagine we'll be getting there the same way we did last time?" I ask.
"I will, you however, I have scheduled for the train!" She says.
"Why am I on the train?" I ask.
"Because I want you to have time to read up on magic!"
"Everything is a learning experience isn't it?" I ask.
"Yup!" She says, "Now are you packed and ready?"
"As I'll ever be." I say, unsure really.
"Alrighty! Your train leaves in an hour! Make sure you get on there! They will leave without you!"
"Got it boss. So what are you gonna do?" I ask.
"I'm going back to the library to gather my things, then my chariot should be here! I will meet you at the station when you get there."
"Ok, sounds simple." I say, "Cya then, I guess."
"See you!" She chimes before teleporting away.
Man that's awesome. I wanna do that so badly.
--------
"Do you have your suit?" Calls Rarity from the main room of the Boutique
"Yes Rarity!" I call back.
"What about your pants? Surely you have your pants."
"Of course I have pants! Why wouldn't I have pants? Well actually..."
"Socks?"
"Check"
"Undergarments"
"Uh check?"
"Your good ones?"
"Che- what do you mean my good ones?"
"You know, the ones that... How do I put this... Have flair?"
"Why does it matter?"
"Well, suppose you meet a nice mare while you're there... And well... Say you like her alot, you take her to the castle and well... Go at it?"
"Go at it?! Wut the WUT? You sound like you've put THOUGHT into this?!"
"You are nearly fully grown! I can't very well control what you do in Canterlot."
"Rarity WHY?!"
"I was a filly once! I know what adolescence is like!"
Oh. My. God.
"This is wrong on so many levels..." I say.
"Did. You. Pack. Them?" She shouts.
"Sweet Celestia, YES I PACKED THEM, MOTHER!" I shout in my embarrassment.
A moment of silence fills the Boutique.
"I- I- mean uh..."
"I mean.. Mom..." I say quietly.
"..."
"Ben come here please..." She asks quietly.
I grab my bags and head into the main room.
Rarity is waiting by the door.
I'm about to choke up all over again...
I walk past her quickly. But stop.
"I'm... I'm sorry.. I just kinda.." I start.
Rarity grabs me from behind and squeezes me as hard as her little pony body can.
I drop my bags, turn around and grab her in the biggest hug I ever gave anyone, or anypony.
"Rarity... Can you... walk me to the train station?" I ask.
She looks up and smiles, "Of- of course, darling."
----
We make our way down to the station.
My bag hanging on one side, Rarity on the other.
We walk in and sit on one of the benches.
We mostly just stare off into the distance at the new Spring that has surfaced. No longer any need for boots and jackets.
Warmth fills the air.
In the distance we hear the iconic "chuga-chuga" of the train.
When the train reaches the platform, I don't know what I'm looking at.
I stand up, the first thing out of my mouth, I swear to God was, "That thing... Is GIIIIIR-ly."
Rarity laughs, "Well you didn't say that about Sugarcube Corner when you first saw it!"
"When I first saw Sugarcube Corner I was 98.4 percent sure none of it was real! And it's a freaking giant ginger bread house! I love ginger bread. It's awesome!"
"What makes the train so different?"
"Trains... The average train has about 4000 horsepower, 15 times the torque of your average semi truck, is basically a rolling, hauling, mother-trucking, big ten thousand ton tank... And this one is pink and has a freaking heart on the front of it." I say
"Well if you put it that way..." She says, "What's a semi truck?"
"A giant machine used to haul things in large quantities over long distances. It doesn't need tracks."
"That's pretty neat. Maybe I can get one to haul all my dresses?" She says.
"Maybe! With all those dresses you'd at least need three!" I joke.
"I don't have THAT many dresses."
"You have enough!" I continue.
The conductor pony steps off the train and shouts, "Tickets please! This train is bound for Canterlot! Please present your ticket before you enter the train! Thank you!"
"Well, that's me I guess." I say, turning to Rarity.
"You'd better be going then, dear." She says, looking at the ground.
I drop my bags and hug her one more time before leaving.
"Tell Sweetie Belle I said bye. And not to touch my jacket, or I'll kill her... Via pillow fight."
"Ok.. I will." Promises Rarity.
"Be safe! Promise me you won't go causing any trouble!" She says.
"I promise.."
"Goodbye Ben. Until next time, my little pony."
"Goodbye, Rari-... Well, Mom..."
Rarity lets me go, and smiles at me.
"Now that's more like it dear..." She says.
I turn around and board the train...
------
The next few hours are filled with me reading up on Amulets and the nature of magic itself.
Of course I wasn't alone in the car, there were a few other ponies aboard. Mostly all of them were Ponyville regulars so I had at least seem their faces.
At least once or twice I caught a mare staring at me from across the car.
I wonder what she's thinking?
Maybe, "What in Equestria is that?"
Or maybe, "Who is he?"
Or maybe, "Is that Iron Man?!"
Or most likely, "Dang he looks good." Haha, nah...
I set my book down and give her a warm friendly smile accompanied by a wave.
She returns the gesture and returns to her reading.
I return to mine.
Did you pack your good undergarments? Raritys voice resounds through my head.
Oh sweet Celestia... Why...
--------
Before I know it though, the great city comes into sight.
It's truly an amazing city. It's built on basically tiers up a mountain. Rather impressive.
The train pulls into the station, I wonder what's gonna happen when I step off this train.
Hopefully nopony freaks out.
As I get close to the door, the conductor looks at me, I look at him, he goes, "Good luck kid..."
"Thanks, I'm about gonna need it up here."
I take a deep breath and I step off the train.
I immediately am greeted with unsure glances and nervous behavior. But other than that society functions normally.
That's odd though... Twilight said she'd be here...?
"HALT! WHO GOES THERE?!" Shouts a voice from across the station.
I look up, I spy a soldier staring viciously, right at me.
I look around to see who he's talking to...
"Yes you! Two legs!"
I look at him kinda funny, two legs...
He struts right on up to me points his fancy spear into my chest.
"Who are you and what is your business here!"
I look down at the spear, look back up at my assailant.
Say... He's rather rude for a royal guard...
"Equestrian! Motherbucker! Do you speak it? Answer me! What is your business here?"
I don't really like that... Someone should teach him some manners...
I size him up really quickly, I set down my duffle bag and quietly reach into my book satchel, is what I call it, I feel for something to use against him. I feel the pen... Hmmm, idea forming.
Meanwhile the fellow guards just watch... Unsure of what their fellow guard is up to.
"You have exactly five seconds to answer me, or I swear to Celestia you are gonna spend the night in a dungeon!"
Lets see, he has a spear, a helmet, a set of wing-blades, and combat boots.
"Five, four!"
I have a ballpoint pen.
"Three! Two!"
Lets do this.
At speeds in which the Flash himself would've been proud of I swat the spear away from my chest and yank it out of his grip.
Thumbs motherbuckah!
He recovers and swipes at me with his wing blades, which I block with a *clang-clang*, and smack him in the hooves.
This causes him to trip to the ground.
By now his fellow guards are in hot pursuit to break this up... And most likely arrest me.
I quickly drop the spear, descend on the rude guard and pick him up in a choke hold.
I hold the guard in one hand, and hold my pen as high in the air I can.
"HEY! BACK UP! BACK UP! BACK UP!" I shout to the other guards.
They eye the pen, unsure of what it is... Or does.
"Take one more step and I release the awesome power held within this little device!"
"Look out! He's got a weapon!" Shouts one of the guards.
I had to stifle a bit of a laugh.
"You ponies don't even wanna know what this little thing can do!"
"Oh yeah?! What can that little thing do, two legs?" Shouts the guard in my choke hold.
"What can it do? Oh! I'll tell what it can do!"
"..."
"Well get on with it alien creature!" One of the guards shouts.
"Imagine this!" I shout, "Picture the worst thing you can think of! Times it by ten! That's what will happen when I press this little button!"
I hears gasps from the crowd.
"He's bluffing!" Comes a shout from the ponies in the station.
Shut up dude!
"Oh ho ho! I know! I mean... I KNOW. Somepony did not just say I'm bluffing! The amount of seriousness right now! It's scary!"
The same voice called back, "Then press it already!"
I'm totally bluffing...
"..."
The guards start to inch towards me, slowly wising up to my schemes.
"MAKE WAY FOR THE PRINCESSES!" Shouts somepony else.
Trumpets sound and ponies file away to clear a path that leads convientiently straight to me.
"Benjamin Michael Short! What in EQUESTRIA do you think you're doing?!" Shouts Twilight.
I turn to see Twilight, I'm sorry, Princess Twilight Sparkle standing next to a... Very tall, very regal looking pony.
"Oh I was simply teaching our friend here a little lesson in manners!"
I reach down and give the guard a noogie.
Then, from behind the very tall white pony, emerges a very well armored mare.
"Corporal Hot Shot! What the hay have you gotten yourself into, son?" Asks the military mare.
"Nothing, Captain Sunfire! Just about to whip his flank ma'am! Got him right where I- *GAK* want him!" He says through me choking him.
"Stand down, Corporal... Mr. Short, please release my sorry excuse for a soldier."
I drop the poor guard. He quickly stands up at attention. Poor guy.
I speak up a bit, "Ma'am no disrespect. But I don't think you give Mr. Hot Shot here enough credit. He's quick as the devil and got a pretty mean swing."
"While he's a good fighter, he lacks discipline, and needs to think before he goes and picks a fight with a stranger. Isn't that right, Corporal?"
"Yes ma'am!" Shouts Hot Shot
I turn back to Twilight, but can't help but stare at the pony standing next to her.
"So this is the Infamous Iron Man?" Asks the tall pony.
I hold out a hand to shake, "Benjamin Short at your service. And you must be..."
I keep staring up at her, I marvel at how tall she is...
"Princess Celestia, pleased to meet you." She says, returning the handshake with her hoof.