All Aboard…Not
If there was only thing about this city that stood out, it would be the curious way in which nearly everypony was pointing their snouts up at the sky.
This meant one of two things. Either their chiropractors were conning the buck out of them…or they were merely unbelievably snobbish.
Twenty quid on the latter.
Though the first one did have a rather amusing sound to it. In any case, let's get back to me.
To put what had recently occurred simply, I'd awoken from a rather creepy dream, escaped from crazy castle, leaving an even crazier mare in my wake and in the end was coming to the realization that I needed a disguise.
Okay, so according to…Twilight was it? Yes, according to Twilight I am currently one of five Alicorns that inhabit this world. This in turn means that going into this city undisguised would be a foolish move, especially if I am to avoid Crazy Mc Nutjob and her surprisingly intimidating alabaster friend.
Putting a hoof to my muzzle, I pondered on just what to get in order to do so. Though thankfully, luck was on my side for once!
For as I leaned against the dark alleyway wall I'd managed to sneak into, my eyes just so happened to spy a clothing line not a few feet above me, as well as the unexpectedly small shirt that was hung upon it.
It might have shrunk in the wash?
It was simple for me to climb up and get it, if not annoyingly slow given my small stature. Still in the end I managed to obtain the shirt and land back down in the alleyway, my even smaller wings spreading out of their own violation so as to perform a sort of glide.
I can't exactly fly yet, but it'll do for now.
Putting on the shirt was slightly more difficult than I'd anticipated, but I eventually managed to force my unfamiliar limbs into it. Thankfully my wings were small enough so as not to stand out, or even be majorly uncomfortable.
And so with my disguise comfortably on, I made my way out of the alleyway and into the heart of the city itself.
Canterlot, as I learned from a large sign hanging on what appeared to be a barrage balloon, was obviously a city for the upper class, or at the least, the ponies who worked their asses off to get where they were.
…
I can say ass? I can SAY ASS?
…
This world is so bucking racist.
Ignoring that particular thought, I continued to walk through the great city, admiring its archaic design. Well, archaic when compared to back home in any case.
It was still rather colorful however, which to my surprise seemed to leave a somewhat soothing sensation upon my new form.
Guess ponies like their colors…heh; I wonder if I can find a coloring book of some sort. Oooh! Maybe I can find one with lots of crayons, blue, orange, yellow, silver and…and…and I'm going to stop thinking about that now.
Correction, these ponies bucking LOVE their colors.
And apparently so did my rather new, yet entirely unwelcome childish instincts.
Shaking my head somewhat, I smiled as I reached what appeared to be a train station of all things. One that, to my unease, seemed to be filled with mares and their children.
I'd already had enough of mares, and these ones were ACTUAL mothers. So who knew what would happen if I were to-
"Aww, well aren't you just precious!"
Buck.
Turning my head slightly, I looked up cautiously into the face of a widely smiling mare. Her coat was a light cream colour and her hair…or was it mane? Bah, her mane was brown and hung loose down to her withers.
And to top it all off, her light hazel eyes were currently lidded and gleaming somewhat as they stared down at me.
"Now why's an adorable little colt like you standing all alone in a busy city?" she asked curiously. Her smile wasn't anywhere near as spine-chilling as she who will not be named, but it still gave off a varying creep factor.
Then again…if this mare was standing by the train station then chances were that she'd be catching said train. And if the train just so happened to take me as far from here as possible, then convincing this mare to…take me along for the ride would most certainly be in my best interests.
Plan A, play the lost, frightened child to manipulate others…begin!
Blinking quickly, I sat down on my rump and looked up at the mare with wide, watery eyes. I then let my bottom lip tremble ever so slightly, if only for a little extra dose of lethal adorability.
"My m-mommy…I-I think I missed the t-train," I whimpered tearfully.
The mare, whoever she was, reacted just as planned. Her eyes narrowed sadly and her hooves reached out, pulling me to her barrel with one and rubbing my hair with the other.
"Oh you poor thing," cooed the mare, nuzzling my hair lightly. "Do you remember where she was heading?"
All good so far…now I guess it's time to improvise.
"I-I don't know," I hiccuped miserably, deliberately nuzzling the mare so as to affirm her belief. "M-Mommy said that we were moving far away from here…but I d-don't know w-where that is."
The mare hummed sympathetically before pulling a leaflet out of…her mane?
What the…never mind!
"Take a look at this sweetheart," she said softly, her left hoof wiping away my tears as she handed it over to me. "See if you can spot the name of where they were heading."
I was quite aware of the sudden crowd of mares beginning to swarm around me, various questions and eventual dawing drew the conclusion that the mare had informed them of my unfortunate predicament.
"Is the little one okay?"
"His mother caught the train without him, he's all alone."
"Oh my, the poor darling."
"I agree! What a terrible crime it is to leave such an endearing foal alone."
"Does he need someplace to stay?"
"Does he need a hug?"
"I'll give him one!"
"No I will!"
"No, I will first!
"Me first!"
"Me!"
"ME!"
As you can see, it quickly got out of hand.
Thought thankfully their arguing gave me plenty of time to look through the leaflet uninterrupted. Thus finding the furthest stop from Canterlot was rather easy.
Though all happiness soon vanished as I noticed just how costly it appeared to be.
"Have you found it sweetheart?" the mare from before asked, her face looming over my shoulder in a friendly, if not comforting manner.
Time to turn on with the waterworks.
Sniffling slightly, I pointed at the stop in question and let out a little whimper, much to the pleasure of the various mares that were now ALL looking at the leaflet.
"I remember m-mommy saying it was there," I said shyly, subtly making myself as small as possible. "But I don't have any money."
"Manehattan?" the mare asked. "That's a good four hour train journey…I don't know if I could let such a young colt go all on their own."
No, I needed to go. I couldn't stay anywhere near here!
Damnit, think of something Oliver!
"B-But," I sobbed. "I want my mommy!"
Every single pair of eyes I could see rapidly dissolved into warm, caring pools of kindness. Hooves and wings all but pulled me into a mass group embrace, followed up with enough assurances to placate every child alive.
Or just me apparently.
"Okay, okay," soothed the mare. "We can pay for it, right girls?"
Mumbling seemed to be the only answer to this…hah, money and snobs do go hand in hand…or would it be hoof in hoof?
In any case, I let out a little whimper and unleashed my best version of the puppy dog eyes.
"I said," shouted the mare. "There's a frightened little colt that needs his mother. And we're going to supply the means to get him to her, RIGHT GIRLS?!"
"YEAH!"
"That's more like it!"
And so after many, many nuzzles, heartfelt goodbyes and kisses later, I was sitting in the first class department with enough bits, as I learned money was called here, in a bought bit bag to last me for quite some time.
It's good to be king.
And with that, I closed my eyes and fell into a hopefully light sleep.
…
Only to suddenly jerk awake as the train began to screech horribly, the jerking sensation all but throwing my head out of my open window.
Blinking somewhat to alleviate the oncoming tears, I shimmied around and looked as far out of the window as was safe. This in turn allowed me to look down to the very front of the train, thus granting me the knowledge of why the train was stopping.
…
Ho-ly straw…
An undoubtedly familiar alicorn was PUSHING her forehooves against the train. Her hind legs were scrapping against the train tracks, and were physically destroying them as she slid back.
Though she didn't do so for long. Eventually her incredible strength won out and the train stopped, allowing me to see the face behind her wind struck mane.
I withdrew my own back into the train swiftly, and before she could see me.
And especially with good reason.
Because the expression on her face…was one of a tearful, furious mare.
"WHERE. IS. MY. SON!"
She's speaking in the modern tongue?
…
If she finds me, I am so bucked.