Four days later, there was a lot of packing, unpacking and repacking going on in Claire's home. They had to catch the 11am train to Trottingham.
"Seriously?! Your mother is still not done. Claire! Have you never heard the phrase 'Travel light' in those books of yours. Honestly, I can't make out whether it is you or me who is going to conduct research!" her father admonished.
"Daaaaaaaad......please!!!" said Claire pouting.
"No ma'am. You can't take all those books with us. The puppy eyes won't take me in." replied her dad.
Claire sighed and removed her books from her travel bag. But as soon as her father's eyes wandered elsewhere she stuffed her books underneath other things.
"Swift, be a dear and fly to the railway station and check if our tickets have been confirmed." said his mom.
"Mom!!! This is about the fourth time you've asked me to do it and I've already told you that the tickets are confirmed." cried an irritated Swift. He wasn't at all keen on this journey and didn't see the necessity of all this fuss. And the way his mother got agitated only succeeded in making him grumpier. At last, at about quarter past ten, they were done with the packing. They had a hurried breakfast and set off to the railway station.
The train ride was extremely boring to everyone but Claire's mom, who adored sceneries. The others simply didn't see what was so very special about a clump of trees on a hill, speeding away. Claire produced one of her books from her bag, as soon as her father dozed off and prepared to get lost in her book. "Egghead" muttered her brother to himself as he idled on the seat opposite Claire.
As the journey dragged on and for the next couple of hours, all ponies on board the Trottingham bound train engrossed themselves in a pass-time of their choice.
As the train from Manehattan came into sight, Antique Varnish, an untidy-looking tan earth pony with a grey mane, gathered his newspapers and awaited the arrival of the famous archeologist, Antigua Relique. He had expected him to come alone, and was surprised to find a pale green pegasus mare with a deep blue mane, a teenage pegasus colt with a white coat and a purple mane, a little blue unicorn filly with a mane of a slightly darker shade. But the filly's eyes were really eerie. They were completely aquamarine, even the white part of it. The pupils were only slightly darker than the rest of the eye. Other than that she was an exact copy of her father. Relic approached Varnish with a wide smile and introduced his family to him.
"Mr. Varnish, this is my wife, Detail Delight, our son Swift Feather, and my daughter, Claire Sight. I suppose you are thinking about her eyes. Well, she is short-sighted, that's all. DD, Swift, Claire, this is Mr. Antique Varnish. He is to be our host during our stay here."
"Please call me Varnish." said Varnish,smiling at them.
"I'm really sorry that I didn't inform you that I was bringing my family along with me. It was a sudden decision. I bet I can get an extra room or two at any hotel." said Relic.
"Actually, you will all be staying in my house, since I'm a bachelor and have a house too big for one."said Varnish.
"Oh! Don't take the trouble." said Relic.
"Goodness no!!! In fact, it is so lonely out there that I welcome company." insisted Varnish.
Swift heard this and his heart sank. 'Shit! No company! I'm gonna go crazy if I don't get to see anyone else.'
Varnish laughed and said, reading Swift's thoughts "But don't worry son, we'll be coming into town every few days for a break from work."
Swift heaved a sigh of relief and smiled.