As the train sped down its tracks Aurora stared out her window. The evening after they received the letters had gone smoothly, the next thing Aurora had know she had snapped out of her thoughts to find herself in her bed. This was not the first time she had snapped back to reality to find herself somewhere drastically different from where she had been when she had started thinking.
She had quickly woken her brother and they had begun seriously discussing their decision. They had talked for hours and had eventually come to the same conclusion, there was no choice. They either stayed at the orphanage sitting through lectures and avoiding separation, or they took the unique offer they had been given.
They had each checked “YES” and Sprocket had snuck down to the mailbox. Now two weeks later their belongings were sitting next to them as they sped towards their destination. Technically they were headed to a dead end stop where they would then catch a ride to their destination, but same difference.
Aurora looked around her surroundings, the car had been reserved for the foals that would be joining her at this colony. They had been picking them up for the past hour, but finally it had been announced that they were no longer stopping to pick up anyone new.
There were twenty-two foals in the car, twenty if you ignored Aurora and her brother. Aurora took tabs in her head. 12 girls, 10 boys, seven earth ponies, five unicorns, and eight pegusi.
When they had announced that no one knew would be joining them Sprocket had begun to go around introducing himself. She knew he was also introducing her, as she kept seeing the colts and fillies looking at her. She would introduce herself later, there would be plenty of time to make friends later. She only had a handful of hours to think.
Aurora was nervous, she would admit to it, there was no shame in it especially when you were a ten year old orphan, on your way to what is probably going to be the oddest place that she had ever seen. However her nervousness was not all about the move and the strange lifestyle she was about to start. It was the princess, she had never been fond of the rulers. It wasn’t that she hated them, they made day and night and that was a
good thing. It was just that she had always thought them weak, no that wasn’t the word. Any pony that could raise and lower the sun and moon was not weak at least not in the physical sense, no that wasn’t the word she was looking for.
“Frivolous” Aurora muttered having found the word she had been looking for. Those alicorns who were supposed to be so kind and powerful spent all their power on frivolous things, such as the gala and fancy buildings, all the while ponies were in need of actual help. She wasn’t thinking of herself or the other orphans, no that wouldn’t be fair. The princesses were powerful but they had no power over life and death, the orphans may not have had the cushiest lives but they were cared for.
No, Aurora was thinking of the ponies she had seen in Clipcrest, ponies begging from alley ways for stray bits, sick ponies being turned away from the hospital because they could not afford the service they needed. So while the princess brought forth night and day, they were not in Aurora’s book more important than the ponies that grew food or built houses or provided the other necessities of life.
Luna paced back and forth in the square, the foals were due to show up at midnight. “Two more minutes your highness.” Said a Lunar mare, who was also waiting for the foals. Luna stopped pacing and planted her rear onto the bricks. She was trying not to be nervous but it was hard, she was about to greet the first ponies ever to be fully immersed in the night. Luna had been disappointed when only twenty-two of the fifty odd some foals replied with a yes.
She had hoped for more but had consoled herself with the fact that now each foal would get more attention. As Luna waited she began to think over what she was going to say, however she was interrupted as a long coach was pulled into the square by two lunar pegusi.
Luna stood tall flaring out her mane so as to look as impressive as possible. As the fillies and colts filled out of the coach they looked at their surroundings in the bright moonlight. When they saw the princess some froze others bowed while the others just looked unsure.
They varied in age from three to eleven and varied extremely in color. When one of the fillies spotted the lunar pegusi she gave a small squeal and backed away from them quickly. Once they had all filled out Luna quickly took control.
“We welcome you to our colony. We hope that you shall enjoy your stay and flourish in our beautiful night.” Luna said this loudly but was careful not to use the power of the royal canterlot voice. She was unsure whether or not to include the lunar pegusi staff in her greeting and so decided to use ‘we’ and let the children decide if they thought she was using the royal ‘we’ or not.
Some of the foals just gawked around them, others just stared at their hooves. Only a small handful looked at Luna and their reactions varied from scared to indifferent.
“We wish to let you settle in before we show you around, adjusting to night will be a challenge. So you will be given a week to adjust you sleep schedule and to settle into your knew homes.” Luna turned to the Lunar mare beside her. “The lunar pegusi are here to help feed and care for you. This is Matron Ransi, she shall be charged with your care. If you need anything or have any questions she will be available.”
The foals stared at the Matron, she wasn’t as intimidating as the guards, but she still had leathery wings and fangs. Several tried to hide behind each other.
“Now you must be anxious after such a long trip, the matron shall take you to the dormitory where you will each be given a room that will be your new home.” Luna watched as the matron lead the children off followed by two guards pulling baggage carts.
As they entered the dormitories they were greeted by a cozy room with a fire burning in a beautiful fireplace. Comfy chairs and piles of cushions lay about along with tables and a bookcase filled with board games.
As Aurora and her brother entered the Matron turned to the foals. “Upstairs are the rooms, each of you may select one and unpack. After you are finished you may come back down to get a snack., the dinning hall is through their.” The lunar pegusi gestured towards a door near a flight of stairs.
“Should we make a fuss about sharing a room?” Sprocket asked unsure. At the orphanage they had had to share a room or else be paired with another orphan, here they were being offered their own rooms. “Let’s hurry and grab ones next to each other.” Aurora told her brother grabbing her small duffel bag and running up the stairs with her brother on her heels.
They took two rooms a few doors down from the stairs and right next to a pair of doors marked “Fillies” and “Colts”. As Aurora entered her new room she was surprised, her old room had been 5 feet long and eight feet across. It had been just large enough for two beds and a desk.
This room was much larger. She had a large round bed with a curtain surrounding it, several feet from it was a table with a pile of cushions next to it. She also had an armoire and a floor to ceiling mirror and as she opened the armoire it had a variety of coats and jackets.
As Aurora unpacked her few possessions all she could think was that they had chosen right.