The sun was at it's crest in the sky, baking the land like a pie in the oven. In this merciless heat, I sat on a wooden bench, restlessly awaiting my train, which was due to arrive in a half hour. There was a bit of shade in the station next to the ticketmaster, but it did nothing to cool the searing waves that washed down upon us. My ticket sat beside me, crackling gently in the hot wind as it rolled by. Beneath my bench was a half packed suitcase, containing only a few items. Some bits, a few changes of clothes, a small notebook, and a box of quills that I got from a very, very specialized store.
The station was littered with a few ponies of varying race. There was a Pegasus couple, a yellow unicorn, and an orange Earth Pony accompanying an elderly green one. Suddenly, I looked back to the Pegasus couple, and noticed the stallion looking over at me. I waved at him shyly, causing his face to light up and for him to wave back. Suddenly, the pony next to him - which I assume was his marefriend - turned over and poked him roughly in his side, causing him to blush as he looked back and forth between us guiltily. Then the mare looked around and shot me a dirty look. I know it's not a very nice thing to do, but I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. This new look was really something.
Once I finished giggling to myself, I realized a pony had sat down next to me.
"Hey there, Tradewind," said the voice with a tired tone.
I whipped my head around, and saw an exhausted Rainbow Dash looking at me with a tired smile. "Rainbow Dash!" I said, surprise in my voice. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Spitfire sent me another letter. She said she's want me in Canterlot immediately, because they, they," Dash let out a long, breathy yawn. "They want to talk to me, so here I am." She took a note out from behind her and held it for me to read, only it was upside down.
"You look exhausted, are you alright?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
"Well, I was training all night. I haven't slept since tomorrow,"
My face contorted in confusion. "You mean yesterday?"
"Yeah, that's what I said," she turned toward me, deep bags underneath her eyes. "Hey, you look different, like a lot different. What did you do with yourself?"
"Oh, this? I have to look nice for Canterlot, don't I?" I said, a coerced smile on my lips, hiding how much I really hated the urban cesspool.
"I don't know, I'm not all that much into fashion all that much." stated Rainbow Dash drowsily. She turned her head around and began examining the faces around the station, which was slowly starting to fill up. Her eyes seemed empty and distant, before she caught sight of the orange earth pony. "Oh, hey!" she said as she jumped from her seat and began trotting towards the pony. "Applejack! What are you doing here?"
The orange pony turned around, before her face lit up with a smile. "Rainbow Dash! I didn't see ya all day yesterday, where've you been?"
Dash waves her hoof dismissively. "Oh, I've just been training."
"For what exactly?" asked Applejack inquisitively.
Suddenly, Dash's face lit up with an excited smile. "Ok, it was supposed to be a surprise, but I can't hold it in anymore! I have to tell somepony!"
Applejack leaned in closer
"I'm a Wonderbolt now!" she was practically dancing in place.
Applejack leaned in with a sly face. "No way," she said, a smile stretching across her lips. "You ain't pulling mah leg or nuthin'?"
"Nope!" exclaimed Dash, who began to hop around like that pink mare from my dream. "This is for real! I'm finally gonna live the life! Everypony in Equestria is gonna know my name!" She could contain her happiness any longer. She began to jump around in drowsy circles, flapping her wings slowly as she lolloped about the platform.
She reminded me so much of myself that I had to smile. When I was young, I wanted fame and glory more that anypony else. I trained hard, I flew hard, and I pushed hard. Rainbow Dash was me, almost 13 years ago.
My daydream was broken by Dash, who was now walking toward me with Applejack.
"And this is Tradewind! She's a really good flyer too, and she saved Scootaloo."
"Oh yeah, I saw somethin' about that in the paper," said Applejack with a cordial smile. "Howdy there, Tradewind," she extended her hoof towards me. "Mighty fine to meet you,"
"Nice to meet you too," I responded with a smile. I don't know what it was about her, but she just seemed so friendly. "I take it that you're Applejack?"
"Ah sure am, and this here's my Granny Smith, " she motioned to the elderly green pony, who slowly walked forward.
"Pleasure ta make yer acquaintance," she said with a laxed smile. "What brings ya on yer way to Canterlot?"
"Just decided to have a change of scenery," I lied.
Applejack nodded her head. "Yeah, I know that Ponyville can seem so bland compared to the fancy ways they have up in the mountain,"
I nodded my head. "And what brings you to the Capitol?" I asked with a curious smile.
"Oh, I'm supposed to go talk to some business folk about a large delivery. There havin' some sort of party, and they need a bunch of apples taken up there for the dinner. I'm gonna head over and discuss the specifics,"
"Sounds like it's good for business," I added.
"Wonderful," she said with a hint of awe in her voice. "This'll just about clear up our expenses for the rest of the year, and we'll have plenty o' apples left over for cider season,"
Dash's tired eyes lit up. "How much cider are we talking here?" she asked with a wide smile,
"I don't know yet, but I doubt the party will be able to buy out our whole orchard," she said with a smirk. "Granny here's gonna be doing most the negotiation, I'm just here to help her along,"
Granny turned toward Applejack with a slightly irritated face. "Fer the last time, I can handle mah self. You don't need to help me with everythin' ya know,"
"I know Ganny, but just in case ya need me, I'm there,"
I smiled at their bickering. I could tell just from the way they talked that they meant no harm, but it was still entertaining nonetheless.
Dash decided to break the silence. "I think I'm gonna have to catch a few Z's on the train, I didn't get any sleep last night," her words were slightly slurred together. "I don't want to be tired when I see Spitfire,"
"You do that, Dash" said Applejack as she patted her drowsy friend on the back. "And congratulations on becoming a Wonderbolt,"
"Thanks Applejack," she said, her eyes almost drooping closed.
Suddenly, I felt the ground underneath me vibrate and the sound of screeching metal began ringing in the air. I stood up, grabbed my suitcase with my wing and grabbed the ticket in my mouth, before walking to the edge of the platform.
The train came to a stop in front of the wooden platform, and a teal pony in a blue uniform emerged from one of the cars. There were a few unicorns exiting the train, before the conductor stood in front of the car.
"All aboard!" He yelled to the sparse crowd, and immediately, a line formed in front of the door.
It took a couple minutes before everyone was on the train, and speeding towards Canterlot. I had been placed in a rather plain car, nothing particularly special. It was a little cramped, but still tolerable. The floor was decorated with a faint salmon color, and the chairs were a deep brown. Rainbow Dash was fast asleep a few seats down, and Applejack was chatting with Granny Smith. There were a few other ponies in the car, but no one of particular interest.
I laid my head back and began to close my eyes. I might as well get a little shut eye myself. I snuggled as comfortably as I could into my chair, before something caught my eye. A pure white stallion was seated inconspicuously a few chairs ahead, a newspaper hiding his face and eyes. Hmm, something about it seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite put my hoof on it.
I closed my eyes and disregarded him. Whatever, it didn't really matter.
the loud screech of metal on metal woke me as the train slowly crawled to a halt. My body lurched forward slightly, and I awoke groggily. I sat up stiffly in my chair and let a loud, gaping yawn to escape my lips. Everypony was standing up, grabbing their bags and exiting the train. I stood up and used my wing to lift my suitcase onto my back, and jumped into the sloppy line that had formed towards the exit. I breathed a heavy sigh as I thought about my next move.
Well, here I was in Canterlot. No matter where I ran, how how far I got, it always seemed like I ended up here. I stepped out into a beautiful train platform. Marble floors, crystal chandelier overhead... If their wasn't a train stopped at the edge of the closed room, it could be passed for a ballroom.
I've been in this train station many times. The Wonderbolts travelled quite a lot, and before you ask, no. We don't fly everywhere we go. Nopony does.
As I looked around this all too familiar room, I was greeted with an all too familiar face.
Oh no.
Just several feet away from me, a yellow and orange Pegasus with purple shades and blue jacket was fidgeting in place. She was looking around frantically, before she spotted Rainbow Dash hurrying off the train. She practically galloped towards her, much to Dash's surprise.
I could see Dash mouth the word "Spitfire?" Before my ex-teammate put her hoof to her mouth and began talking at a breakneck pace. I'm not sure what she was saying, but it seemed urgent. Spitfire ran off with Rainbow Dash, leaving Applejack and Granny Smith both dumbstruck and confused.
I saw them look at each other confusedly, before a snowy white figure walked by them, a folded newspaper in his teeth. I did a double take as I realized who it was.
Riko.
I stared at him in shock and anger. He followed me! First he breaks into my house and lets in a whole group of ponies, and now he's here to keep tabs on me, probably at Photo's request. Ugh I hated her. He looked over in my direction, before he froze like a deer in headlights. I began to march angrily toward him, only for his ears to lay flat against his head and his pupils to narrow down to bullets.
"You!" I said just under a yell. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Uhh," he said while practically shrinking beneath me. "I live he-"
"You better het back on the train and leave me alone," I said icily.
"I can't!" He said weakly. "My house is here in-"
"Nope! Not while I'm here on my 'mission',"
Suddenly, I heard a few hoof beats behind me, before I heard a sweet southern accent behind me. "Hey, is everything alright over here?"
I turned around and forced a smile to my lips. "Yeah, it's alright. I was just leaving."
Applejack looked curiously over at Riko.
"He ain't givin' you any trouble?"
"No, it's alright," I said with obvious disdain. "I can handle this," I narrowed my eyes at him before turning around and walking off.
Applejack looked between us with a little hint of confusion before she turned back toward Riko. I didn't stay to see what happened. I didn't care. I don't like that stallion, he's as slimy as Photo Finish, just like the stuff he spits up.
I made my way to the exit and was quickly greeted with bustling Canterlot air. I took a deep, queasy breath.
Poshly dressed ponies walked about the paved streets, their heads held high and their eyes as judgmental as ever. A few stallions looked over at me, but the looks were much different than the ones I got in Ponyville. These were far more... condescending, almost disapproving. I felt my skin crawl again as people looked at me.
Back in the lions den.