//------------------------------//
// A Train Ride 
// Story: A conflicting family 
// by Diana8651 
//------------------------------//

The four fillies eagerly pushed their mother down the street. "Whatever you're taking me to," Flare Jumper said, "It better be good! I didn't allow you to blindfold me and lead me down the street just for a candy store!"

"It is good!" Sunset Climber quietly handed the tickets to the ticket master and did a shushing motion towards him. She signaled for the other children to lead their mother farther down. 

Flare perked her ears. "Is that the train I hear? I thought I said we weren't going."

"No, mom. You're just hearing things. See?" Lunar Eclipse had researched sound muting spells the night before, so performed the spell. Soon all Flare could hear was her children's voices. Still, she felt a slight ping where her hoof hit metal on the train. Must have been a drainage pipe, she thought. 

Lightning Dancer giggled when her mother stepped onto the train. "Almost there!" she called out, holding out a hoof to support her mother. She seated her mother and proceeded to tell her that they would have to wait a bit for it to start movin- I mean, opening.

The train started soon after, and Flare felt her seat jilt. Immediately she knew where she was. She yanked off the blindfold to discover she was on the Canterlot Express. It was too late to get off. The train had already pulled out of the station. All she could do was ground the fillies and sit back to enjoy First Class.
                                  ————

Moonlight Dancer was staring out the window. What would would Thunderlane look like? Would he be evil? Images of scary-looking stallions with gnarled hooves and black coats filled her mind and danced around, laughing sinister laughs. 

Then she caught sight of the Ponyville station. "We're here! We're here!" she cried, startling the others awake. Her mother looked out as well and quickly turned away. All four fillies were excited, and pulled their mother along to go look for Thunderlane. Each one would point at a stallion and shout, "It's him!" only to be corrected by Flare. 

Finally, not looking where she was walking, Flare bumped into a stallion with a sea green mane and grey coat. She took one look and gasped. "You." 

"Me." 

The fillies stopped and all pointed at him. "He's Thunderlane!"

Thunderlane took one glimpse at the children and smiled a big smile. He knelt down and said, 

"Yes, it's me. Your father."