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// Chapter 34 - Trains, Hooves and Teleports 
// Story: My Family and Other Equestrians 
// by Blade Star 
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The pair of us began galloping as fast as we could back toward Sweet Apple Acres. I had to grab my bags, check for the last time I had everything and then gallop back to Ponyville to the train station. And I had to do all of this in half an hour. The clock adorning Ponyville Tower was easily visible as we ran and I could see the hands steadily creeping round. At six o’clock the train would depart for Canterlot, whether I was aboard or not. 

For every tick of the clock I began to pile on more speed, touching a pace I knew that neither of us could keep up. It took a half hour at a normal trot to get just from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville; I now had to do double the distance in half the time. Even at a gallop this seemed impossible.  

Still, with Celestia’s sun well below the horizon and a crescent moon hanging high in the darkened sky, it was cooler at the very least. I would not ruin my newly attained ‘clean’ condition by my exertions. Rarity would undoubtedly kill me where I stood were I to turn up to the station sweating after a full gallop. 

Finally, we reached the entrance to the farm. Blasting through the fields, the farmhouse quickly came into view along with the barn and the other outbuildings. The two us all but flew through the front door, almost scaring the life out of Granny Smith, who had until then been peacefully napping in her rocking chair.

“What in tarnation is goin’ on here?!” she exclaimed. But we had already rushed up the stairs to my room. Hurriedly, I checked that I had the train ticket and Bits. AJ then quickly threw my saddlebags onto my back, causing my legs to buckle slightly under the weight. I then encased the small suitcase that held my other possessions in my magic and pulled it two my side. 

We then turned about, all but slamming the door behind us and hurtled back downstairs. Granny Smith, who was now out of her rocking chair tried to work out what the hay was going on.

“Applejack, what are y’all doin’?!” The mare in question hurriedly shouted a response back to her.

“Takin’ Blade Star to the station, Granny! Back Soon!” And with that we were out the door.





Running was now significantly more of a chore than on the way here. I had a fair few more pounds to carry, plus the strain on my magic. You try concentrating on keeping a spell active whist galloping with extra weight holding you down. It’s not easy that’s for sure. Both of us were beginning to show the strain from exerting ourselves so much. 

When we emerged from the orchards and the Ponyville Tower re-entered our view, my heart sank. The clock read ten minutes to six. It had taken us twenty minutes, when we were fresh and unburdened to get to the farm, now we had a mere ten minutes. It was impossible. I brought myself to a halt, with Applejack quickly joining me.

“’Jack, it’s no good. We can’t make it,” I said bitterly. My sides were heaving and my breath came in painful gasps. 

AJ’s expression on the other hand was one of inspiration. She’d come up with a plan. A plan that should have entered my mind from the moment we exited the spa. 

“Not to be rude, Sugarcube. But, ain’t you a unicorn? Last time I looked Twi taught ya to teleport.” I facehoofed. I was such a bucking idiot. While I was low on physical reserves, I had only been carrying one, comparatively light, case since we left the farm. I had more than enough for a mid-range teleport. But then, a thought dawned on me.

“But, you won’t be able to see me off at the station,” I replied. Everypony and everyone else said they would be there to wave me and Rarity off. It would be strange for Applejack not to be there.

“Ah’m here ain’t I?” she countered. “’Sides, you’re only gone for a couple days. You go on, and ah’ll head back to the house to explain everythin’ to Granny. Now go on, don’t keep Rarity waitin’.”

“Sure?” I asked. She lightly smacked me round the head in response, laughing kindly.

“Go on with ya. Ah’ll see ya Saturday,” she briefly hugged me as I prepared the necessary spell.

With that I charged my horn and weaved the complex spell. Visualising the station in my mind as the destination, I let the magic build up. Finally, with its signature flash and pop, I found myself on the platform. 

Everypony was there in addition to my own family. Pinkie had already placed a ‘Come Back Soon’ banner, along with a multitude of balloons on the platform. Twilight asked me to pass on my greetings to Celestia if we had a chance to talk and I told my father that I’d possibly drop by and see him too if I got the chance. They all asked after Applejack and I explained her absence as well as my sudden arrival. Now that I think about it, it was the first time any of my family had seen me teleport. That might explain my mother’s unusually pale complexion. 

Before anything else could be said though, I was set upon by Rarity. After briefly chastising me for cutting my arrival time so finely, she insisted that we both board the train immediately as departure was in a matter of moments. So bidding one final farewell to my friends and family, I followed Rarity up the steps and into the first class sleeper car. Moments later, the conductor slammed the doors shut and signalled the engine with his lantern. The train whistled in reply, before steadily setting off.  





As the train pulled out of the station, Rarity and I opened a couple of the carriage’s windows to wave and everypony we were leaving behind on the platform. Pinkie, in her characteristic way chased us all the way to the end of the platform, desperately pleading that we not forget her or Ponyville. 

As we cleared Ponyville we closed the windows to keep the heat in. The car in which we found ourselves was quite opulent. It was not Canterlot Castle by any stretch of the imagination, but it was certainly more than I would have expected on a train, even an overnight service. There were four beds, two on each side of the aisle each large enough to accommodate a pony easily. Further down towards the end were two sofas to relax in, complete with an attendant coffee table. 

Heading further up the train through the door out of our car was the Dining Car, where we would have our dinner tonight and breakfast on the morrow. From what I could see through the window, it too looked as opulent as our current surroundings. 

We quickly stowed all our luggage in the overhead racks above us. While I had just one suitcase and my saddlebags, Rarity had arrived with no less than a dozen different bags. To be fair, some of these contained the new designs that she would be showing off at the show. Nevertheless at least eight of the bags contained what she described as ‘basic necessities’. Settling down on her berth, the alabaster mare struck up conversation with me. 

“I must say Blade Star, I am so glad you chose to accompany me to Canterlot,” she began. 

“It would be nice to head on up there again, Rarity,” I replied. “Been a while since Ah’ve seen the princesses or anythin’.” Rarity looked off to her left, nervously.

“Erm, Blade Star, please don’t take this the wrong way but…” she trailed off.

“But?”

“Well, do you think you could try and drop your new accent whilst we are in the capital? It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that some ponies might give you a less than warm reception.” I smiled kindly, hoping to relax her.

“Well, back on my world, this sort of accent could be seen as quite gentlecolt-like.” I offered. “I thought while I was there ah might try and pull off the ‘honourable southern gentleman’ act.”

“The what?” Rarity asked incredulously.

“Well, let me explain.” I went into a brief explanation of the idea of the ‘southern gentleman’. Whilst it may be nowadays more fiction than fact, it did crop up every now and again. This inevitably led to an explanation of the American Civil War. This in turn led to me spinning a few tales of CSA cavalry officers and stories of the many Partisan Rangers groups. I might have romanticised the whole thing. 

Just a little. 

Okay, a lot. 

After I ended my explanation Rarity seemed to take a very rapid liking to my accent and its supposed connotations. She insisted that I retell a few of the stories I had to both the nobility we would meet and to perhaps a few of the guards. It was a shame I didn’t have a copy of ‘Gone with the Wind’ on me. Given that she had unknowingly referenced it once, I figured she’d probably enjoy it.  

We then adjourned to the dining car for dinner. 





Given that we were on a relatively small overnight train, in a world which was only beginning to reach a technological level similar to Earth, I was surprised at the quality of the food on offer. I’d taken overnight trains before, the last one being up to Scotland to visit relatives there. In most cases though, the food had either been fairly basic, or horribly similar to airline meals. Here though, Rarity and myself were treated to an excellent pasta dish with a from scratch tomato sauce along with onions and courgettes. All in all, a very nice meal, and all included in our ticket, though to be fair, we were riding first class to Equestria’s opulent capital. 

I could not help but feel slightly awkward though. Rarity and I were seated at a small dining table across from each other. The restaurant quality food, combined with the interior decoration of the dining car and the ambient piano coming from some unseen gramophone gave the whole scenario a very date like feel. I did my best to hide my minor discomfort as Rarity seemed to be entirely oblivious anyway. 

We continued to chat about history; she had certainly taken to my various stories. Perhaps there is something to be said for vanquished hero after all. My mother had frequently joked that I should have taken to wearing a medallion of St Jude her mother gave her; St Jude being the patron saint of the lost cause, and also policemen if memory serves. As the train continued to press on through the night, our discussion moved toward Canterlot and the fashion show and ball we would be attending. 

“Accent or not, Blade Star, at least I know you will be able to maintain the proper decorum at this event,” she said. “While the girls are my closest friends, sometimes….Well, sometimes the nobility do not take kindly to them, in spite of everything we’ve done.” This gave me an opportunity to ask a question I had been meaning to for ages.

“Speaking of all you’ve done, Rarity, I’m quite surprised by the lack of recognition y’all sometimes get. Ah would have thought that as the wielders of the Elements, you’d be all but celebrities.” Rarity smiled.

“Oh we are not that important really, darling," she replied, much to my confusion. “The incident with Discord was confined to Ponyville, and we were merely part of the many in Canterlot during the wedding,” I unconsciously scowled at the mention of that event. “And the Crystal Empire was protected by Princess Cadence. As for those horrid plants, it was all really over and done with before news got out. The only real time we were recognised was when we all first met; but even then, we were overshadowed by the return of Princess Luna.” Concluding her speech, she returned to her pasta.

“Well, I guess that makes sense,” I said, my mind struggling to apply this new information.

Finishing up our respective dinners, Rarity had herself a small coffee, whilst I had a cup of hot chocolate. I have never understood why ponies, or humans for that matter, insist on having coffee at the end of an evening meal. Nevertheless, when we returned to our car, to find the beds turned down, Rarity quickly settled herself down and fell asleep. 

As for me, I stayed up a little while longer. I briefly went to the rear of the train to sit on the guard platform to stargaze. However, the speed and rocking motion only served to agitate my stomach, so I returned to my berth. Lying down in the, surprisingly comfy bed, I briefly considered a certain Agatha Christie novel that would be apt to have on hand. The evening had been a pleasant one, reminding me of a bygone era as well as giving me a chance to catch up with Rarity and converse away from that infernal spa. And with that, sleep claimed me.