The door slides open and an earth pony walks into the train car bringing a trolley filled with baked goods. She walks in and announces
“BAKED GOODS! BAKED GOOD FOR SALE, GOOD FOR YOUR HEAD, BAD FOR YOUR TAIL!” she shouted waking Spike up.
Spike wakes up startled by the earth pony mare. The earth pony hybrid looks over to the now wake Spike and says.
“You there! How abouta cupcake?” she leans over to the new potential client.
“Wha- what? No.” Spike says confused. the girl looks disappointed but looks over to the magenta coated passenger with who has her legs crossed.
“Do yoooou want a cupcake?” the trolley woman asked with a little too much smile on her face.
“no.” she said not looking up from her paper.
The trolley girl blinks waiting for a further reply. When none is given she droops a little and walks on down the aisle way. Along the way she knocks over Spike’s bag as she turns and struggles to push the cart down the aisle. the man in the leather duds gets up his ‘duds’ look like a jean jacket made out of leather and he has a broken compass around his neck. He walks over to the trolley to get some food.
“I’ll take a cupcake ma’am.” he says blocking her path.
“That’ll be three bits.” she said regaining some of her energy.
“Three bits?! That’s robbery! I’ll give you two.” he retorts
“Three bits and I can't go lower than three.” she states
“Fine, you win. Three bits.” he says handing over the money. As he walks by her with his cupcake, he bumps into her.
“Sorry ma’am.” he says. She turns back around
“No problem.” with a smile a bit more real.
The man walks over and sits down next to Spike. The man looks around and says
“Heeeeey, chuck.” looking around for Celestia only knows what.
“What?” Spike says dumbfounded
“So chuck been a long time.” the man bites into his cupcake.
“I don't know who you are.” Spike says the man chokes on his cupcake and starts coughing.
“You know it’s me. Carter.” he leans in real close and says “ya know leather duds.” He emphasizes the last two words with an eyebrow wiggle.
“Ummm, I think you have the wrong drake here. my names Spike, not chuck.”
“Ahhh good. Well then Spike, you're the first dragon I’ve ever met.” Spike looks extremely confused at the man’s contradiction.
“Do you need something?” asks Spike
“Only to give you your bits back.” he whispers
“Back? What do you mean back?” Spike says confused.
The man passes the bits back to Spike and says.
“You should really keep your bits on the inside of your bag there. The times are tough and the trolleys don’t make much money.”
“Thanks. Why did you help me?” he asks
“You look new.”
“New?” Spike asks
“New.” the strange man says.
“New to what?” Spike asks putting his bits in his bag
“Trains.” he says flatly.
“I’ve been on trains before. Just never alone.” he says looking down
Leather duds leans back in his seat next to Spike and lets out a knowing “ahhh”
“Ahhh? What do you mean ahhh?” Spike says
“Ahhh is a sound of understanding. Like mmhm, but unlike mmm which is a lovely dessert.”
Spike squints at the man and nods hesitantly.
“So where are you from stranger?” Carter asks
“I'm from … Nowhere.” Spike says
“Well I hear Nowhere is a lovely place this time of year, I hear that Nothing is in bloom. Where are you headed?” Carter asks
“Nowhere.” Spike says
“Homesick?”
“No, it’s the opposite. I’m trying to get away. Go somewhere new.”
Carter looks back confused at Spike.
“Then wouldn’t you want to know where you're going to avoid going where you’ve been?” Spike slumps in his seat, defeated.
“Yeah. Maybe I’ll head to Canterlot to find out where I’ve been.” Spike says
“Why Canterlot?” Carter asks. Spike begins with a long explanation that would take at least two full episodes to complete as to his mysterious origins. Spike feels better about saying this to someone, even if they were just a loon on a train.
“Wow,” says Carter “quite a story. This train is going the wrong way for you then.”
“So this train isn’t going to Appleoosa?” Spike nearly shouts.
“No, it is. But you're going to Canterlot.”
“No I’m not.” Spike says
“You should be.” Carter says
Spike sits in silence for so long that the train arrives at the connecting station to Appleoosa, Ponyville, Manehatten, Glascow, and canterlot. Carter stands brushing his jeans and leather jacket.
“Well I’m going to canterlot myself if you want to join me.” he says
Time to make a choice Spike thinks, do I go to canterlot with him, or do I go to Appleoosa.
“There’s nothing for me in Appleoosa, I’m with you.” Spike says
“Well alright then. Let’s go get some new tickets.” Carter smiles
They get off the train and walk toward the large one story building that holds the ticket booths. The building is run down and in need of restoration. There is a food court on the inside and upon seeing this Spike realizes just how hungry he is.
“Here” Spike says handing Carter the bits for a ticket. “You buy the tickets and I’ll get some food. Do you want anything?”
“Nah I’m good. Meet back out front in ten.”
Spike returns with a muffin and a banana and waits on a bench for Carter to show. He shows up hurriedly rushing onto the train.
“What’s wrong Carter?” Spike asks
“The train is leaving. soon.” Carter says dragging Spike onto the train.
Once on the train Carter takes Spike to an empty train car and sits him down.
“Try and get some sleep.” Carter says.
Spike takes the duffel bag off of his shoulder and sets it down on one of the few benches in the train car. He lies down against it and uses it as a pillow. Spike lies down on his side and lets his tail stick out into the open.
“So Carter, where are you from?” Spike asks.
“I….. Lived in a lot of places.” he asks dodging the question
“Fine let’s not talk then.” Spike says
“Fine” Carter says looking out of the window.
Spike fell asleep and when he woke up the train had stopped. He got off the train with Carter and looked up at the tall buildings around him.
“Carter. Where are we?” Spike asked
“Manehatten.” he says
“I wanted to go to canterlot.” Spike states
“Yes.” he says
“Can we go to Canterlot?” he asks
“Yes.” he says
“When can we go?” Spike asks impatiently.
“Next train leaves in two days.” Carter says as he starts to walk off.
“What should I do for two days.” Spike asks
“Beats me.” he says “meet you here in exactly 48 hours. I’ll even buy you the ticket.”
With that Carter rounds the corner of the train building and walks off leaving Spike very much so alone.