//------------------------------// // Scenic Route // Story: Twilight Sparkle Waits For A Train // by GeodesicDragon //------------------------------// CHAPTER FOUR Scenic Route "Come on, everypony," Rainbow Dash shouted as her friends raced along the platform to catch up to her. "We're gonna miss our train if you don't get your flanks in gear!" "Not all of us have the benefit of being as fast as you are, Rainbow Dash," Rarity panted. "Except maybe for Pinkie Pie." Pinkie Pie nodded gleefully. "Yeah," Rainbow Dash said dryly. "I've noticed. Now come on, the train isn't going to wait forever for us!" She pushed her friends onto the waiting train, closing the door behind them. They settled into a carriage and sighed contentedly as the train pulled away from the platform. The five sat in silence, content to watch Ponyville disappear into the horizon — before the blinding light of Celestia's sun forced them to shut the blinds. "Say, Rainbow Dash," Applejack said. "Since when were you so interested in gettin' anywhere on time? All I can recall is you bein' late fer things like work, our mornin' jogs and the few times when we all go to the spa together." Rainbow Dash regarded Applejack with narrowed eyes. The farm pony stared back intently as the rest of their friends watched in silence. Eventually, Rainbow Dash groaned. "It's Twilight Sparkle we're dealing with here," she replied. "You'd better believe that her very sanity depends on us being either early or on time — so, naturally, being late is not an option." The others giggled. "That is most certainly true," Rarity nodded. "I can only imagine how she would react if we were to be delayed." "She's a Princess now," Applejack replied. "So I reckon that she would send out the entire Royal Guard to look fer us." "Nah." Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I reckon that she would simply use some kind of location spell to find us, teleport into the train and then teleport us all to Canterlot." "Or," Fluttershy said timidly. "She might even fly out and look for us herself and then get everypony, except Rainbow Dash and myself, to climb on her back for the return journey." She thought for a moment. "Actually, that sounds really silly, forget I said anything." "All I know," Applejack chuckled. "Whatever she does, it's gonna have consequences for all of us... maybe even all of Equestria." Another round of giggling filled the carriage before the five mares managed to compose themselves. "Seriously though," Rainbow Dash said solemnly. "I just don't want her to worry about us — she's got enough on her plate now with her new duties without having to fret about where we are. All those times I was late in the past, I didn't think anything of it because I always thought I made up for it. Like with work, I stayed a bit longer. With our morning jogs, AJ, I made sure the weather was nice. And with our spa trips, I always paid the bill." She sighed and hung her head before continuing. "But how the heck do you make things up to a Princess?" she muttered. "Especially when that Princess is one of your best friends? Twilight's cool and all but she does tend to overreact a bit, which is why I was so keen for us to get to the train. That way we get to see Twilight, who is happy that we're on time — which in turn means we don't have to worry. It's a win-win situation!" Pinkie Pie draped a forehoof around Rainbow's neck in a hug, the smile on her face proving to be infectious. As Rainbow's lips turned upwards, Pinkie ruffled her mane. "Don't worry, Dashie, we know you mean well," she said. "Besides, even if Twilight does get upset about something, we'll be there to help her get through it — because we all know that nopony can be sad at a Pinkie Pie Party!" Rainbow Dash chuckled and returned Pinkie's hug. The others soon joined in and the carriage fell silent as the group enjoyed the moment, before a speaker crackled to life. "Good morning, passengers, this is your conductor speaking," a voice said. "Welcome aboard the ten past three express train, going directly to Appleoosa. Please have your tickets, or bits if you have no tickets, ready for me when I come through your carriage. Thank you for travelling on Equestrian Rail." The speaker fell silent as Rainbow Dash found herself on the receiving end of four angry pairs of eyes. "Uhh..." she said sheepishly. "Oops?" The conductor entered the carriage a few moments later to be confronted with the bizarre sight of four mares sitting on top of a hog-tied pegasus. Rarity lit her horn and took Rainbow's bit pouch, levitating the money to the stunned conductor. "Good morning," she said sweetly. "Would you be so kind as to give us five return tickets to Appleoosa from Ponyville, please?" No words were said as the conductor nodded, passing them the tickets and proceeding nervously into the next carriage — unsure of what surprises were lying in wait for him there. *** "There you go, Spike," Twilight beamed. "Maybe they got on the wrong train and ended up elsewhere." "And then they hog-tied Rainbow Dash?" Spike groaned. "Seriously, Twilight, do you really think that they would be that clueless?" Twilight flustered for a moment as she tried to find the right words to formulate a response. As she did, a piercing whistle cut through the air and a train appeared in the distance. Twilight's face lit up and she grinned from ear to ear, flapping her wings eagerly and hopping in place on the platform. "They're here!" she squealed. "They're twenty-five minutes late, which means we can't go for a walk around the city like I had planned, but they're finally here!" "Thank Celestia for that," Spike replied. "I thought for sure you were gonna talk me to death with more of your wild stories." The only response he got was a wing smacking him in the back of the head, sending him face-first into the station platform.