//------------------------------//
// 3: Awake 
// Story: Hidden Prisoner 
// by MoonlitHaze225 
//------------------------------//

	I stood there. I guess all they saw was my coat color and eye color and decided to charge. On the inside I was panicking, on the outside I tried to look calm. I slowly turned towards the woods to nowhere, and slip into them. A few seconds later I go stand near a tree, slipping the hood, cape, and my satchel off and kick some leaves over it with my hooves. I thought of a plan in a matter of seconds, I plopped onto the ground and rolled in the dirt, using my hooves and wings to pile dirt upon me. I stand up and walk forward a little bit. "HALT!" somepony shouted from behind. I looked over my right shoulder, stopped, and turned around quickly so they could not recognize my cutie mark if they knew it.
"Yes? Sir...?" It was the dark blue stallion. He stood in front with the grey ones at ease behind him. They looked like regular pegasi, but I knew way better. 
"I am Dark Beam, and these are my assistants," he raised his hoof and swung it to the right then the left, "Fanged and Thunder," he stood their for a quick second and then added on, "We are looking for a pegasus, gray coat, with a black mane. Have you seen her?" Dark Beam looked straight at me looking suspicious. I looked up, and I looked off to the right and left. I shook my head, "Nope. But I did hear something running that a way." I raised mt left hoof and directed it outwards, looking that way to make it look as if I wasn't suspicious, I smiled awkwardly. There was an awkward pause while the guards exchanged looks.
"Alright. Thank you." Dark Beam said with a smile and they flew in the direction I showed them, since flying is quicker. I watched them go for a little bit, until I recalled that I lied, and that they would be back to question me. I ran over to the tree  and uncovered my cape and satchel. I hurried to stuff the cape inside the satchel and then attached and tightened the satchel under my wings. I then prepared myself full speed down the wide dirt path with trees on either side.
I looked at the ground, closing my eyes, my wings raised upward. They began to slam down and pop back up, gaining speed each time. My back hooves floated off of the ground. My front hooves dug into the dirt, I wouldn't let them leave the ground until I said so. My wings were buzzing now, anxious to fly, the time was right. I brought my front hooves into my chest, and I whizzed past the trees and fallen leaves, causing most of them to fly up. I continued to flap remaining a constant speed. Speeding down this forest it reminded me of the days I tried to race my good old friend Rainbow, before I knew her true self. She always beat me but barely. I knew if she chased after me, I'd be dead. 
Even though I had no idea where I was going, I continued going straight. 

~

Eventually I came to a fork in the road. Two out of four had leveled stone paths, one continued to be dirt, the other looked like a path filled with twigs and leaves. The only sign pointed down one of the stone paths, reading "Apploosa" I thought this would be the right way to Canterlot, but even if it didn't I would be a town away and able to ask somepony for directions. I looked behind me finding the guards nowhere to be seen, so I saved my energy and trotted to town. 

~

I could see the small town up ahead, past the train tracks in front of my hooves. Looking both ways I jumped over the tracks and up the stairs of the train station. There was a map on the wooden wall above a bench. I walked up to it and examined it. I found Apploosa on it, then Canterlot. I stamped the floor board in frustration, gaining me a few looks. Canterlot was north of Ponyville, Apploosa was south of Ponyville. The good thing is I escaped the guards. I need to get a train to Canterlot, I doubt they would check a train when I could fly. "Train for Canterlot will be arriving in 10 minutes!" a voice shouted from a speaker nearby, so I hopped in line to get a ticket. This blue pony in front of me was taking forever, it's not that hard to get a ticket. After about 5 minutes I could see the train approaching on the horizon, the blue pony got out of line nearly bumping me. "One ticket to Canterlot." I tell the mare behind the window as I step forward and start to get the bits from my satchel. "20 bits." I push them through the hole at the bottom of the window. She counts them real quick and slips the tickets to me "Here you go. Have a nice trip." I smile, take my ticket, and go sit on the bench. I can hear my stomach growling, wanting proper food and water. The blue pony comes and sits on the bench next to me. I scoot over slightly, I notice he has headphones in, and two music notes as his cutie mark, explains it. It's blaring music, pretty sure the whole train station could hear it. 
The train arrives, coming to a stop. The ponies exit the train, while the ones waiting become anxious to get on, even me. "All aboard!" he conductor shouted signaling us to pile on. I get on the third cart, taking a seat near the back of it. There's a seat facing me in front of me, I hope nopony will sit there. I look out the window for awhile, watching all the ponies load the train excited for their family trips, but not me. "Anypony sitting here?" somepony asks, I shake my head without looking, "Alright, cool." I look up to find out its the headphone pony sitting down. I couldn't stop him now. "Since it's going to be a long ride might as well get to know each other. The name's Noteworthy Beat, yours?" he pulled his headphones down and rested them around his neck, I thought of a fake name, "Um, Cloudy. Cloudy Bass." probably the worst name I could think of. "Cool, cool" he replied followed by awkward silence. "FINAL CALL!" the conductor shouted from outside, I cleared my throat "So, where are you from?" I asked trying to seem normal. "Cloudsdale, but I travel, helping my sis out with her Djing." he responds. "Oh. Wait a minute, you're an Earth pony." I exclaim. "Got ya! I'm really from Ponyville, you?" he asks. Making up something again "Los Pegasus." he nods. The train blows the whistle and we slowly pull out of the station then gaining speed.
I look out the window, I can see an apple orchard in the distance, a few happy ponies harvesting the apples. Now that I think of it, it sounded as if Vinyl was his sister. "Who is your sister?" I faced him now. "Oh, um Vinyl Scratch. You know her?" he asks. "Oh no, think I saw her at a club one time." I respond looking behind him off into space. I saw a unicorn mare with a cart enter the front of the cart. My stomach growled loud enough that Noteworthy looked at me. I could smell baked goods from here. "Anyone!" the mare shouted throughout the cart. My hoof shot up, Noteworthy slowly raised his hoof, plus a few other ponies. The mare slowly made her way to the back, my mouth watered. She finally made it to Noteworthy and I. She had cupcakes cookies, fruits, apple cider, water and more. I looked at the cart while Noteworthy ordered. I pulled my satchel around getting some bits out. "I'll have cupcake, cider, a cookie, an apple, two mini muffins, an apple fritter, an eclair, some strawberries, um. And some gummies." I smiled handing her 8 bits, I gathered my food and put it next to me on my seat. I waited for her to leave. Once she did, I picked up the apple and took a big bite out of it, chewing and swallowing, I could barely remember what apples tasted like. I soon dug into the chocolate chip cookie. Continuing to eat and eat, while Noteworthy stares at me. He looks startled. "Sorry, I haven't eaten in a long time." I smiled, and wiped my mouth with my hoof. "Ah." he says and takes a bite into his apple fritter, then sipping from the mug of apple cider. I slowed down a little bit. My first actual food since I escaped, all they served was about two cups of mush twice a day. The food was delicious. Noteworthy was already done, he put the empty mug on the floor near the aisle. "Alright, I'm going to hit the sack." he yawned covering his mouth with his hoof, he put headphones back on, turned up his music, but not too loud this time, "Night." I noticed it was sunset. I decided to save my apple fritter, muffins and eclair for later. I yawned and lied down on my seat.

~

I lied there for a few hours, wide awake. I was unable to sleep since a lot was on my mind. I stared out the window watching the train pass by the stars, the few trees, and occasionally an old building. I could hide in there, but it would be a long way for supplies to live. Hearing my stomach rumble some more, I got up slowly trying not to wake up Noteworthy. He mumbles a little bit, so I froze, waiting for him to stop. He seemed to sort of say something, but it was unclear, so I ignored. Making my way up to the second cart I probably woke up about three other ponies in the process. The train map was on the wall next to the sliding door, noticing the food cart was cart four. I turned around, and trotted to the food cart, waking more ponies. I used my wing to pull the door open, another trick I did when I was free. The fourth cart was barely lit from the moon and flaming stars. It had so much food, everything from before, but more for the food cart ponies. Nopony was in there, there were 4 of the little carts so I ate at least one of everything from each food cart trying to make it look like nopony took food. I only had 2 mugs of apple cider, when I was finished I took the mugs back to my cart and placed them next to other ponies. I was stuffed, I went back to my seat to lie down. "Hey...." I nearly jumped out of my coat, only to find Noteworthy taking off his headphones and waking up a little. "Goodness! You scared me!" I quietly shouted across the small table between us. "Sorry, music shut off. I wake up when that happens." he whispered. "Oh. well. I-" he cut me off. "Nice trick with your wing." he smiled slightly, making me kind of feel terrible about sneaking for food, I lied down with my head up so I could see him over the table. "Oh. Thanks. Some time of night snack. When does the train arrive?" I asked, but by then his headphones were back on and he was asleep. I sighed, and rested my head on my hoofs.