//------------------------------// // Aftermath // Story: Just an Everyday Princess // by Wages of Sin //------------------------------// "Wait!" The stallions turned to find their counterpart mares running up to the train platform. "Wait!" Soft huffed as she and the other out-of breath mares came up the ramp where three armored stallions and their still magically-induced sleeping escort were just about to enter their train. The stallions jumped to attention, "What's wrong? Where's the princess!" Dasher shouted. The mares shook their heads lightly as they fought for breath. Seeing that they were in a hurry but not alarmed, Dasher eased slightly before turning to Stonehoof. "Go ahead and load the captain into our cabin, we'll be right in." Stonehoof nodded and entered the train, levitating Blue Blazer's unconscious form in behind him. "What are you doing here?" Bastion asked, as he came forward to inspect the group "Shouldn't you be with the princess preparing for the wedding?" Soft had to catch her breath, before responding. "We were, but the princess said that after yesterday it would probably be best to see the happy couple off to their honeymoon and just move on to her next stop." "Ok, but why are you here?" "The princess's next stop is Fort Pileus and since we were already so close she said we should just go with you back to Canterlot and that she'll just fly over and pick us all up after her stop. She said it actually works out rather well since-" "Wait?" Dasher interrupted "The princess will be going on alone to her next appearance? We can't allow that!" "Didn't you hear me? Her next stop is Fort Pileus. Unless we happen to grow some wings, Fort Pileus is not exactly a place that we can follow. That's why she sent us ahead, she'll make her appearance there and then and pick us up in Canterlot right after she's done with her 'inspection'." "I guess that works..." Bastion said, his unease clear in his voice, "I just wish she would have told us sooner. I don't particularly like the idea of her being alone." Dasher gave Bastion a funny look, “It's Fort Pileus! She'll be fine!" "I hope you're right... It just seems like there was something-" "TWEEEEEEEE" The station whistle interrupted. "Oh! That's last call!" Bastion said as he prompted the bunch to onto the train. As Twilight trotted out of town she almost regretted deciding to leave Appaloosa so soon. It had been a crazy three days, but it had been a wonderful three days despite the misunderstandings and the incident with Blue Blazer. There was something calming though about knowing that despite everything that had happened the tough ponies and buffalo of the town were carrying on the same as if it had only rained or something else just as inconsequential had delayed them rather than potential regicide and war. It reminded her closely of Ponyville: one day an ursa attacks, and the next everyponys back to going about their business without qualm. Now that she thought about it though, she supposed that wasn't the only similarity that Appaloosa had to her favorite home town. The small town had a homey feel to it that was just like Ponyville in a way, and how it just drew you in with its charming people and somewhat archaic lifestyle was an unmistakably shared trait. It was a town where everyone knew everyone and truly wanted to support them. Even during the wedding there was a certain informality that just made the event a good time. Nods and winks from the audience tried to make the couple chuckle at inopportune times, and there had been some jeering from the audience when Braeburn had to lean up to reach his increasingly lanky spouse for the kiss. Even the traditional buffalo ceremony was littered with jokes, and even more jeering at the concessions of tradition that had to be made for Braeburn's comparative stature. The highlight had been Braeburn's traditional challenging of the Bride's father for her hoof. Chief Thunderhoof took a dive that made the no attempts to look real, and ended up delaying the ceremony when the audience couldn't handle the chief's overdramatic "death" scene. The uproarious laughter only intensified as the "dead" buffalo rolled over and jumped back over to his podium, carrying on with his chiefly role as if he hadn't just been slain by the groom. It could confidently be said that there wasn't a non-aching belly in the whole town after the ceremony so hard was the laughter. It really was a great time for everyone involved, and Twilight hated having to party and run, but with the ceremony out of the way and the bride and groom off on their honeymoon, she didn't feel like she needed do any more to have made her mark on the town. It was with that thought in mind that she left the border town towards her next stop, the "inspection" of Fort Pileus.