An excerpt from The Ultimate Expeditioner's Handbook:
An expedition, as defined by The Canterlot Equestrian Dictionary, is: A journey undertaken by a group of ponies with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, scientific research, or war.
As far as this handbook is concerned, that more or less sums up the question of what an expedition is. The rest of this handbook strives to address the how and why of expeditions. That is to say, “How are expeditions conducted?” and “Why are expeditions conducted?”
• • ❖ • •
Three distinct knocks shattered the silence within the Golden Oak Library. Its only waking occupant, a lavender alicorn, just so happened to be very ill, and consequently, not very happy.
“Go away! We’re closed!” shouted a irritated and sickly-sounding voice from the top floor of the library. Twilight Sparkle, the ailing pony in question, had discovered over the course of the previous day that living in a public library made getting any amount of quality bed-rest nearly impossible. Though why that should be the case, she didn't know; she'd already put up a 'closed' sign. Why did everypony still feel the need to knock? Were the ponies visiting her library illiterate?
“Oh… Um, okay then. I’ll come back tomorrow, Twilight. If you’re feeling better, that is,” came a quiet, muffled, voice through the wooden door. Quiet not so much because it was muffled but more so because of the pony it was coming from.
“Fluttershy?” Twilight croaked, her ears perking up to hear more clearly.
“Um, yes?”
Twilight reluctantly sat up in her bed. She was groggy and felt sick to her stomach. Her throat was sore, she had an intense headache, and any time she tried to walk she was overcome with intense dizziness. “Just a minute,” she called back. The volume she was having to speak at to make sure Fluttershy could hear her through the door only served worsen her headache, eliciting a groan from Twilight.
Abandoning the comfort her bed brought her, she slid out from under the covers and planted her hooves on the floor. She glanced over at a mirror across the room and could see that her mane was as far from well-kempt as it had ever been. She quickly levitated over a brush, and began working it through her bird's-nest of a mane as she made her way down the steps, hoping to achieve at least a modicum of presentability before anypony had to see her.
“You can come in,“ Twilight said as she approached the door. “I thought you were just somepony coming to use the library.”
The old hinges creaked as Fluttershy pushed open the door and popped her head in. “Actually, Twilight,” Fluttershy began, stepping into the library, a pair of saddlebags adorning her sides, “If it’s all the same to you, I did come to use the library.”
“Oh, well, since you're already here... go right ahead, I suppose.” Twilight was really trying to not sound annoyed, but she hadn't had much control over her tone for the past few days.
“I just need a few books and I’ll leave right away, Twilight. You’re obviously very sick, and I wouldn't want to be a bother.”
“What exactly are you looking for? Is there anything I can help you with?” Twilight inquired, beginning to adopt a more friendly demeanor. If there was anything that could make Twilight forget about her current physical state, it was books.
“Honestly, I feel like I should be the one asking you if you need anything.” Fluttershy said. “You really don’t look so well. Would you like me to get you a glass of water? Is there any medication you're taking that I could get for you?”
“I think I’ll be fine.” Twilight said, raising a hoof to her forehead, slowly rubbing circles at the base of her horn, before moving down to rub her eyes. The incessant headache really was the absolute worst symptom of her illness. “I just tend to get a little moody when I’m sick.”
“I can tell.”
“Watch it.” Twilight growled.
“Oops... sorry. I didn't mean to...” Fluttershy trailed off, withdrawing behind her draping mane. “Anyway, I was just looking for some maps, maybe some books on nature expeditions, and, well, everything you have on the Crystal Forest.”
Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed as she pondered why Fluttershy would need such an odd selection of books, but eventually she gave up, finding that thinking was much too difficult in her current state.
“I have absolutely no clue why you’d need those, but, since you asked: Maps,” Twilight pointed a hoof at a section of the library, “are over there. I think... Probably.” Twilight's hoof shifted to another set of shelves. “Books written by and about famous explorers are over there. And… What did you say about the Crystal Empire? Or forests? Or... what was it?”
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll be able to find everything just fine, Twilight. You should really just go back to bed and get some rest. And are you sure you don’t need anything from me while I’m here?” Fluttershy urged, trying her best to be as kind as possible to her sickly friend.
“I’m fine. Thanks.” Twilight said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. The first time she’d smiled since she’d woken up. “If you need any help, you can wake up Spike. He’s pretty good at finding things. Just watch out, he isn't much of morning-dragon.”
“Thank you for all your help, Twilight. I think I can manage things from here.” Fluttershy said with a gentle, reassuring smile.
• • ❖ • •
Fluttershy floated leisurely from shelf to shelf, taking her time to carefully examine each book. She moved quietly and deliberately in much the same way a stampeding elephant doesn't. Considering her circumstances though, Fluttershy's calmness was actually quite odd.
Fluttershy had been, for quite some time, faced with a decision. Either she could go to the Crystal Forest by herself, or she could take two friends. Strictly two because that was the number of extra train tickets contained within the letter Fluttershy had received from the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures. The E.S.P.R.C. had also mentioned in their correspondences that they could mail Fluttershy extra tickets if she had more than two other ponies she wanted to take along with her, but the time for that had already passed. The date of departure was in just two days, leaving Fluttershy her with her current choices: bring two friends, or go alone.
Until now, Fluttershy hadn't found the decision even remotely difficult. She'd decided to go alone, just as she had when she went to see the breezies. But now, with the deadline looming, Fluttershy felt much more uncertain about her choice.
Her last expedition had been so great partly because she had been alone for the entire trip. That meant that she could take things as slow as she wanted to, do whatever she wanted, and most importantly, not do anything she didn’t want to. Everything went according to her plan on that trip. Something she enjoyed immensely, but couldn't see happening with other ponies in the mix.
However, what hadn't been so great was having all of those amazing experiences but not having anypony to share them with. Fluttershy had told her friends what the experience had been like, but there was nothing she could do to make them feel what she'd felt. No matter how she worded it, she couldn't evoke those same emotions she'd felt in other ponies just by telling them about it. The giddiness, the awe, the beauty, it was all lost on them because none of those things could really be put into words. And to keep another opportunity like that to herself... Fluttershy felt like that was selfish, especially because she already had two extra tickets.
Fluttershy’s hoof scanned across a row of books until it came across Tips for Traversing Treacherous Terrain. She removed it from it’s spot on the shelf and placed it on the pile of books she’d found so far, atop which sat The Ultimate Expeditioner's Handbook. The pile had grown more than she’d realised but not so large that she wouldn’t be able to fit all of the books into her saddlebags. Her absent-minded mulling had allowed her to get a lot done in a perceivedly short amount of time which was nice and all, but it didn’t bring her any closer to a solution to her predicament.
• • ❖ • •
As Fluttershy made her way home, she contemplated what she would do about her situation. Twilight was in no shape to be going anywhere for the time being, so that excluded her as an option. And just as well too, considering Twilight's penchant for taking charge around other ponies, not that Fluttershy would ever wish discomfort upon anypony, but she did want it to be her expedition.
A sign swaying in the breeze drew Fluttershy’s attention. Sugarcube Corner, it read. Fluttershy’s heart sank a bit as she read the sign. She liked having Pinkie Pie around as much as anypony else but there was absolutely no way she could let Pinkie come with her. One of the things that made her last trip enjoyable was how peaceful it was. She loved all the little sounds of nature she could hear. From the sound of the wind blowing through the trees to the little hum of insects flying around. It was all so… serene. But as far as she knew, Pinkie Pie was incapable of sitting still. (unless she found herself at the wrong end of Twilight's horn in a room full of two dozen clones of herself.)
Fluttershy let her head drop disheartenedly. Excluding Twilight had been easy, fate had made that decision for her, but who was she to tell Pinkie she didn't want her to go. What would Pinkie do if she found out that Fluttershy had chose two of her other friends over her? Would she beg? Fluttershy didn't have the heart to say no to other ponies when the asked for mundane, everyday favours. If Pinkie begged her to go, how could she possibly tell her no then?
Unable to come to a conclusive decision regarding Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy shifted to a new train of thought. Ignoring Pinkie and Twilight, tat left her with Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. Applejack stood out the most as the least likely to be able to go. Applejack was well-known for her strong work ethic and her tendency to take on more work than she could handle, and for Fluttershy right now, that was actually a good thing. Applejack could usually make time for a day with her friends, but a week away from the farm? Unless the fate of Equestria was hanging in the balance, that was almost certainly out of the question. To even tempt Applejack with the offer, it seemed downright irresponsible to Fluttershy.
The appearance of a door in Fluttershy's path took her by surprise, until she realized that it was the door to her cottage and she'd already made it home. She sighed before pushing open the door, saying aloud to herself. “I guess that leaves Rainbow and Rarity.”
• • ❖ • •
A small bell chimed as the door to Carousel Boutique opened, signaling Fluttershy's entrance.
“Just a minute!” came Rarity’s customary sing-song reply. The thud of hooves against wooden stairs could be heard as Rarity made her way down to the main floor. “Fluttershy, dear, its so nice to see you,” she said as she reached to bottom of the stairs. “What brings you by?”
“Well,” Fluttershy began, ready to get straight to business. She was nervously rubbing one hoof against her other leg. “I was planning on going on a trip to the Crystal Forest and I was wondering if you would like you to come with me.”
“A trip?” Rarity raised a hoof to her chin as she pondered the prospect.
“Well, it's more of an expedition really. I've been asked by the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures to document the animal life on the island, and I thought maybe you wanted to go.”
“Hmm.” Rarity hummed. “Who else would be going? Also, more importantly, when were you planning on going?”
“The train we'd take is scheduled to arrive first thing in the morning two days from now. We—”
“Wait, wait, wait. Just two days!?” Rarity stumbled back as if the words had physically struck her. “That’s a little last-minute, Fluttershy. I-I suppose it could be arranged, but...” Rarity sighed. “You really haven't given me much notice.”
“Well, you see,” Fluttershy started, hurt in her eyes from having caused her friend such distress. “I wasn't given that much time to prepare for this myself, and until today I thought that I was just going to go alone, but then I thought that maybe it would be nice to have somepony else to share the experience with... And… I’m sorry this is so sudden. I didn't want to be a bother, I was just really hoping you would go.” Fluttershy allowed herself to breath and tried to calm herself down.
Rarity stepped closer and raised a hoof to Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Would you like to explain to me what exactly it is that's really bothering you so much?” Rarity’s lips curved into a sincere smile.
Fluttershy conceded and began into a drawn-out and slightly rambling explanation. Rarity sat with her chin rested on a hoof. She listened attentively to everything Fluttershy had to say and only spoke up when Fluttershy had finished.
“From what I’ve gathered,” Rarity said. “The real issue you have here, Fluttershy, is that you don't want to have to choose anypony over Pinkie Pie, Is that right?”
“I-I suppose.” Fluttershy felt like that was a bit of an oversimplification, but it wasn't definitely the biggest issue.
“Alright then, If that’s what’s bothering you, then I’ll take care of it,” Rarity said. “Also, should you choose to have me along, I promise to not interfere with whatever plans you have for your expedition, and I’ll also make sure the same goes for Rainbow Dash,” she added. “Assuming you're planning the remaining ticket to Rainbow, that is.”
“If you really mean that then I would be glad to have you along. Oh, and um, you weren't wrong in assuming it was Rainbow Dash”
“Excellent. Then there you have it.” Rarity stated with a smug grin.
“But what about Pinkie? You haven't said what you plan to do.”
“I’ll figure something,” she said. “I promise.”
• • ❖ • •
Fluttershy touched down at the front door to Rainbow Dash's cloud-house. She raised a hoof to knock, then lowered it again, suddenly feeling nervous about what she was doing. It hadn't even occurred to Fluttershy before now that Rainbow Dash might not want to accompany her on her expedition. Rainbow Dash certainly hadn't enjoyed going with her to see the butterfly migration...
Fluttershy took a deep breath, then let it out. She'd let her anxieties rule her thoughts enough for one day. It was just Rainbow Dash she was going to be talking to. Nothing to worry about.
Without a moment’s consideration further, Fluttershy knocked on the door, but the only sound it emitted was a quiet poof noise. Fluttershy felt slightly foolish for having knocked on a cloud, especially since she was a pegasus, but luckily nopony had been around to see her embarrass herself. She looked around for a bell to ring instead, but there wasn't one.
"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy called out.
No response.
"Rainbow, are you in there!?" She must have been. It was still too early in the morning for Rainbow Dash to be out and about. Rainbow Dash never was one to wake up early and certainly wasn't one to wake up early and do things.
Fluttershy flew over to a window and peered through it. She couldn't see Rainbow Dash anywhere but she could see her pet tortoise.
Fluttershy knocked on the window. "Tank, is Rainbow in there?"
Tank slowly nodded.
"She isn't still sleeping, is she?"
Again, Tank slowly nodded.
Fluttershy flew up one floor and around to the opposite side of the cloud-house to find a window to Rainbow Dash’s bedroom. Looking through it, she saw Rainbow Dash sprawled out on her bed.
Fluttershy alighted on the ledge of the window then knocked on the glass three times.
Rainbow Dash fidgeted then turned her head to face the window. Slowly, she opened one eye. An expression of confusion ran over Rainbow Dash’s face but she swiftly shrugged it off.
Rainbow Dash sat up on her bed and stretched her wings. “Come in,” she said, shaking her head to wake herself up more fully.
Fluttershy hesitated for a moment before pulling open the window which swung open on a pair of hinges. “It’s not everyday I use a window as a door,” she remarked.
“It is for me,” Rainbow Dash said. “You should try it. Pretty useful if you ask me.”
“I’ll think about that,” Fluttershy said, but she had no intention of doing so.
There was an awkward pause in the conversation that went on a little too long for comfort, so Rainbow Dash broke the silence by being the first to speak up.
“You must really like small talk if you came all the way to my house to wake me up for it.”
“Oh, right... actually, I did have something I needed to ask you about.” Fluttershy’s expression lit up at the thought of it. “I was planning on going on an expedition to the Crystal Forest and I’d like you to come with me,” she stated. “And, um, Rarity's coming too.”
Rainbow cocked her head sideways and stared off into nothing as she thought about the offer. “Yeah, I’m down.” She said after a moment.
Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash as if she were waiting for her to continue. “Really?” She said. “You don’t even know when it is. Or how long we’ll be gone.”
Rainbow Dash scoffed dismissively. “I can make time whenever. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Fluttershy did a mental roll of her eyes. It was blatantly obvious that Rainbow Dash trying to act cool. Even so, Fluttershy still found that very aspect of Rainbow Dash's personality to be a little endearing.
Fluttershy took the time to explain to her new companion everything she would need to know ahead of time, such as where and when they would be meeting up beforehand, and what Rainbow Dash would need to bring with her.
“That’s all okay with you, right?” Fluttershy inquired.
“Yeah, sounds good.” Rainbow Dash said with a yawn. “Now can I get back to my nap?”
Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash a stern look. “You were napping? Rainbow, it’s not even lunch time yet.”
“I know. It's just that eating breakfast this morning really wiped me out.”
Fluttershy rolled her eyes. “Well, in that case, I’ll leave you to your napping.”
As she made her way out the window, Fluttershy turned around to shut it. “I’ll be by here tomorrow to wake you up.” She said with a cheery grin before she closed the window.
“Hey! I can manage a simple task like waking myself up, y’know!” Rainbow Dash shouted through the glass.
Fluttershy maintained her grin. “I'm sure you can.”
• • ❖ • •
Two ponies, one yellow, one white, made their way onto the train platform and took a seat on a bench adjacent to the station wall. They removed the saddlebags they were carrying and placed them beside the bench. The two busied themselves with small talk as they waited for the train that would take them to the first stop on their trip. A clock fixed to a wall on the outside of the train station displayed the current time: 7:32. Two minutes past the time that Fluttershy had told Rainbow Dash to meet her there. She had already stopped by Rainbow Dash’s house earlier to make sure the mare was up which she wasn’t at the time, so Fluttershy had woken her up, but now thinking back on it, there really wasn’t anything keeping her from going back to bed, which wouldn't be an entirely un-Rainbow Dash thing to do either.
“If you don’t mind waiting here by yourself for a minute, I’d like to go make sure Rainbow Dash is getting ready,” Fluttershy said, interrupting Rarity. Rarity had been explaining the travesty that was her latest fashion line. She had been going on and on to no end since they had left Carousel Boutique about how she didn’t know what come over her to choose such a hideous colour palette and how the whole ensemble looked like something her mother would wear. (no offense intended to her mother.)
Rarity glanced at the clock. “Normally I would protest the notion of checking up on somepony who's only two minutes late, but... well, this is Rainbow Dash we're talking about,” Rarity said. “Go ahead. I'll be waiting right here.”
Fluttershy flashed Rarity an appreciative smile. “I promise I’ll be quick. Oh, and would you watch my things while I'm gone?”
“Certainly.” Rarity said with a nod. And with that, Fluttershy took to the skies, heading in the direction of a certain blue pegasus’s residence.
Arriving at the illustrious cloud-house, Fluttershy made straight for Rainbow Dash’s bedroom window, and looking through, there was Rainbow Dash herself, snuggled up under the covers, fast asleep. Fluttershy entered through the window for the third time, as of recently, and made her way over to the side of Rainbow’s bed. She leaned down and spoke directly into Rainbow Dash’s ear.
“Wakey-wakey Dashie! You-”
“NGH-NYEGH!” shouted Rainbow Dash, making no effort whatsoever to articulate. She brought the covers above her head and buried her face in a pillow.
Fluttershy’s voice took on a rigid tone. “Rainbow, you’ve already overslept. Get up or we’ll miss the train.”
“I’ve got an alarm clock so quit worrying.” Rainbow said, eyes still closed.
Fluttershy picked up the clock sitting on the nightstand. “This clock is broken Rainbow,” she said, “That explains why you've never woken up on time for anything before, but more importantly, we only have ten minutes. Now get up.”
“I can make it there in under five!” Rainbow retorted quickly.
Fluttershy scowled, she wouldn’t be making any progress through diplomacy. “If that’s the way you’re going to act, then so be it.” Fluttershy grabbed hold on the blanket in her mouth and, with a swift tug, tore it from Rainbow Dash’s clutches. “There. Now I didn’t want to do that but you made me.”
Rainbow Dash, however, wasn’t particularly perturbed. She pulled her legs close to her chest and used her wings to cover her body. At this point, she was just trying to be stubborn, made evident by the way she peeked open one eye for just a moment to get a look at Fluttershy's reaction.
“Rainbow Dash! Get up!”
“I will. Just give me one more minute.” Rainbow pleaded, amused with herself for being such a nuisance. The grin on her face said it all. “Pleeeeease!”
“We don’t have a minute.” Fluttershy insisted, but Rainbow Dash was more insistent on staying put. “Fine then. You leave me no other choice.” Fluttershy said with a devious grin of her own. She reached out a hoof and gently ran it along the underside of Rainbow’s wing.
“Hey! Stop it!” Rainbow Dash instinctively retracted her wing from the tickling sensation, but Fluttershy kept at it, going for the sensitive spots on the other, unretracted wing. “Quit... heheHaHA... tickling my wings!”
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and she went in for the kill. “Stop! Hehe!” Rainbow giggled. “Okayokayokay! I’ll get up! I'll get up!” But Fluttershy continued, and she had no plans of stopping until Rainbow Dash was out of the bed. “Alright! I’m getting up! Stop!” Rainbow Dash begged, rolling off the bed, laughing hysterically. Fluttershy wasn't going to let her prey get away that easily though. She pounced on the troublesome pony, going for her neck, then her sides, and then the crooks of her legs. Rainbow Dash kicked uncontrollably as she squirmed around on the floor. Eventually Rainbow Dash found herself in the position to end the barrage of tickles by rolling Fluttershy off of her and herself onto Fluttershy, pinning Fluttershy to the floor, and diffusing the tickle frenzy.
“If we weren’t in such a rush I’d return the favour,” Rainbow said, out of breath, but with a cocky grin. She got to her hooves and stepped over Fluttershy.
Fluttershy then got to her hooves as well, still smiling widely. “You were a lot easier to wake up earlier.”
“That’s because I knew I was going to go back to bed when you left.”
“You really shouldn’t have done that. We might not make it to the train station in time.”
“Oh, we'll make it. Even if it means I have to fly you there myself,” Rainbow Dash said. “I didn't wake up, then go back to sleep, then wake up again to miss this train.”
“Did you pack last night like I told you to?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it right here.” Rainbow Dash said as she darted over to a pair of large saddlebags thrown carelessly into the corner the previous night. She adorned them and made her way for the window. “You ready?” She said turning her head to call back to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy nodded.
“Then let’s go!”
• • ❖ • •
“All aboard!” shouted the conductor in a loud, bellowing voice.
Uh oh. This was bad. Fluttershy hadn’t yet made it back with Rainbow Dash, and Rarity was beginning to panic.
Rarity was standing in the middle of the platform trying to think of the best course of action. She looked to the sky, trying to spot any signs of Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash but they were nowhere in sight. Ponies passed by Rarity as they filed onto the train.
“Aaaaall aboard!” the conductors voice rang out again.
The conductor! She would simply convince the conductor to hold up the train for just a few short minutes until her friends arrived. Easy enough. She would put on her ladylike charm and get exactly what she wanted, just like she had done so many times before. She adjusted her mane, making sure that it was at maximum fabulosity, then trotted over to the conductor.
“Hello!” She raised a hoof to her chest. “I, am Rarity. And it appears that some friends of mine aren’t going to make it on time. I was just wondering if you wouldn’t mind waiting for just a few moments as they arrived. Would you be so kind as to do that for me?” Rarity finished her request with a few flutters of her eyelashes.
“Not gonna happen, Miss,” the conductor replied while rubbing his large, puffy mustache. He hadn’t even bothered to look at Rarity. His only concern was with making sure that the ponies at the station were on board.
“Whyever not? I’m sure they won’t be long.”
The conductor looked down to Rarity instead of over her head like he had been doing earlier. “Listen. We run a tight schedule, and if I held up the train for every pony that couldn’t be bothered to make it on time, I’d be out of the job. Now either you can get on the train, or you can stay here. It doesn’t matter to me.” All of the ponies at the station were now on the train and, if it weren’t for Rarity, it would have been ready to depart.
“I’m not asking you to hold up the train for every late pony. I’m asking you to hold it up for me,” Rarity shot back.
The conductor sighed in agitation. “You see this?” He held up a pocket watch. “It’s a pocket watch in case you couldn't figure that out on your own, which wouldn't surprise me since you don't seem to have a concept of time. Now tell me, what time does this pocket watch say?”
Rarity examined the watch. “Sev—”
“Seven forty-five. That is absolutely right.” He said. The pace at which he talk had increased noticeably. “Would you like to tell me when it is you think this train is supposed to leave here?
“Sev—”
“Seven forty-five. Right again!” the conductor interrupted for a second time. “You may have already noticed this, but those times are exactly the same, and they’re going to stay the same, so either get on the train, or stay here!” His voice had raised substantially in volume for the last part. He was now staring down Rarity, seething at her with clenched teeth.
Rarity hadn’t liked his tone in the slightest. Nor did she particularly enjoy being interrupted. “Listen here, you!” she spat. “That is no way to talk to a lady!”
The conductor, having had just about enough of listening to Rarity, decided she was no longer worthy of his consideration. He spun around and made straight for the train, leaving Rarity red-faced with anger.
“Get back here!”
The conductor, though he undoubtedly heard Rarity, gave no indication that he did.
“I am demanding that you hold up this train!”
The door to the train slid closed as the conductor boarded.
The panic that Rarity felt earlier kicked in again. It looked like the train would be leaving without her, but, as a successful fashion designer, Rarity knew a thing or two about not giving up, and she certainly didn’t plan on giving up that easily. She ran to the front of the train to speak to the pony in charge of driving the train. The engineer was a cream pony wearing a red neckerchief and an engineer’s hat. He had an apathetic look about him in his posture and his eyes, and was slouched over with one of his front hooves hanging out the window. Rarity continued her tirade with him.
“You will not be leaving this station until I say so! Do I make myself clear!?”
The engineer looked over to Rarity. His glance lingered for a moment but he otherwise didn’t acknowledge her demand. Before another moment further could even pass, orders to set off then reached the engineer, so, with as much apathy as his appearance indicated he possessed, he reached for the controls to set the train in motion.
Rarity used her magic to grab him by the neckerchief and pulled him back away from the controls. The engineer's eyes went wide at this in the first display of emotion Rarity had yet seen him make. The conductor had been watching Rarity through a window to make sure she hadn’t planned to cause anymore trouble, but what he could see (Rarity's horn glowing and the train still not moving) suggested otherwise. He stormed back off of the train to confront the problematic unicorn.
“Hey! Hey! HEY! What do you think you’re doing!” called out the conductor.
Just then Rainbow Dash forcefully landed on the train platform next to Rarity. “Whoa now! Easy girl, or they’ll make us keep you on a leash!” Rainbow Dash said to Rarity with a grin. Fluttershy touched down not long after and Rarity sighed with relief at the sight of her companions.
“Thank Celestia!” Rarity said. She turned to the conductor and levitated three tickets over and into a pocket on the front of his uniform. She said nothing more to him and simply walked by him over to the entrance of the train.
“Fluttershy your bags are over by the bench. Do be sure to get them,” Rarity chimed, giving no impression of the agitated state she had just been in. The conductor, however, was still fuming, and was even considering not letting Rarity on the train, but having just witnessed how well that worked out the first time, decided against it.