In spite of the extra weight she was carrying, Rainbow Dash arrived at Sugarcube Corner within only a few minutes of leaving her house. Pinkie Pie's window was open, so she decided to go straight in and see how she was doing.
“Pinkie?” she called softly as she drifted into the room. “You awake?”
There was no reply. A quick scan of her surroundings revealed that Pinkie Pie's bed was unoccupied, and the only other presence in the room was her pet alligator Gummy. Clearly, then, she was awake – probably taste testing and doing odd jobs around the bakery, Rainbow Dash decided. But before she could even begin to head downstairs...
“Hi!!” squeaked a chirpy voice from immediately in front of her. Startled, Rainbow Dash staggered backwards and fell flat on her haunches, clutching a hoof to her chest as Pinkie Pie hung from what the gravid mare could only assume must be some sort of invisible trapeze bar.
“Jeez, you really got me there, Pinks!” she exclaimed.
Pinkie Pie giggled heartily as she set herself down on the floor. “Sorry about that, Dashie!” she chirped. “I guess I'm just so over the moon to be seeing Braeburn again – or at least over where the Cakes are working, anyway.”
At this point, Rainbow Dash could only smile. “Ah well – at least you've got your old spark back,” she mused. “You all ready to go?”
“Ready since last night,” the pink party pony affirmed, stretching out an arm over an impossible length and reaching for her saddlebag. “I've got my brush, my alarm clock, my face paints, my funny masks, my party cannon, my welcome wagon...”
Rainbow Dash stifled a chuckle as she watched Pinkie Pie pull the aforementioned items out of her saddlebag briefly before stuffing them back in again. Some of the belongings she had packed, most notable of which was her trademark “party cannon”, were so big that they shouldn't have fitted inside a relatively small saddlebag – but this is Pinkie Pie we're talking about!
“Yep – I'm just about ready to go,” finished Pinkie Pie at last. “I'm just gonna go say goodbye to the Cakes, and then we can get going.”
“Okay then, Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash paused to allow Pinkie Pie to slip on her saddlebag (which actually seemed surprisingly light, given all the stuff she had crammed into it), and the two of them headed downstairs. As usual, Mr and Mrs Cake were busy baking fresh goods and placing it on the display shelf ready for sale, and their twin foals Pound and Pumpkin were playing happily on the far side of the lobby, Pound with a toy dragon while Pumpkin was playing dress-up with her favourite doll.
As chance would have it, Fluttershy was at the bakery too. She had arrived only a few minutes ahead of Rainbow Dash, and was now waiting patiently by the counter with a picnic basket perched on her back.
“Hey there, Fluttershy,” called Rainbow Dash cheerfully.
“Hi, Flutters', how ya doin'?” chipped in Pinkie Pie.
Fluttershy looked up with a soft smile. “Hullo, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash,” she replied.
“Good morning, Pinkie Pie. Good to see you up and about again.” This came from Mrs Cake, who was just bringing a batch of cupcakes over to the counter. “You asked for two of each, Fluttershy dear?”
“Yes, that's right,” affirmed Fluttershy with a slow nod.
Rainbow Dash smirked knowingly as she watched Mrs Cake set a total of six cupcakes aside for Fluttershy. She didn't need to guess what the canary-yellow Pegasus mare was up to that day. “This another of your picnic dates with Big Mac?”
Fluttershy blushed madly, but smiled and nodded all the same. “Um...yes, you could say that.”
“Don't worry, 'Shy,” chuckled Rainbow Dash, “I'm not gonna joke about it, and neither is Pinkie – not least because she's joining me and Soarin and Scootaloo for our vacation,” she added, trying not to laugh at the memory of how Pinkie Pie had once intruded on the timid mare's time with the red draft stallion when they had only been dating for a year. Although they had been taking their relationship slowly as per both their wishes, some ponies, Rarity and Pinkie Pie in particular, had been disappointed to find that they hadn't yet locked lips with each other; and one day, as Fluttershy and Big Macintosh were taking a quiet walk around the park, the latter had lain in wait beneath a bush until she caught them staring into each other's eyes. Then, before they knew what was going on, she had leaped up and yelled out “NOW KISS!!!” at the top of her voice, causing them both to stare in flustered confusion.
“Vacation, huh?” remarked Fluttershy, interested. “Where are you headed?”
“AAAAPPLELOOSA!” proclaimed Pinkie Pie, joyously echoing the way Braeburn often pronounced the name. “We're gonna go see the buffalo, take part in a Wild West dance – and that's not all...” she took a deep breath and paused dramatically, “...we're gonna be seeing Applejack's cousin Braeburn too!”
“Um...what about Braeburn?” Fluttershy looked perplexed.
Mr Cake promptly joined in at this point, having just left the kitchen with some strawberry tarts; “Pinkie was telling me yesterday evening that she...correct me if I'm wrong, Pinkie, but didn't you say you were developing feelings for him?”
“I sure am, Mr Cake!” replied Pinkie Pie emphatically. “True, I don't know that guy as well as Applejack might, but I like him – LIKE HIM, I TELL YOU!!!”
“That's why Soarin and I decided to take our vacation in Appleloosa and bring Pinkie along with us,” chipped in Rainbow Dash. “That way, we can get our time off, and Pinkie can get her time with Braeburn.”
“Oh? When are you leaving then?” inquired Fluttershy.
“Right now,” answered Pinkie Pie, “which is why I thought I'd come and say goodbye before we go.”
Mrs Cake smiled warmly and wrapped a motherly hoof around the mare who, over the years, she and her husband had come to love as a surrogate daughter. “Goodbye, Pinkie dear,” she said softly. “I hope you enjoy yourselves.”
“Thanks, Mrs Cake,” smiled Pinkie Pie, returning the hug. “I'll see you in two weeks.”
“Pound? Pumpkin?”
“Yes, Mommy?” called Pumpkin from across the lobby. Pound didn't say anything, but turned to look at his mother.
“Pinkie's just leaving now. You want to say goodbye?”
Neither of the two youngsters needed to be asked twice. “Bye, Pinkie!” they chimed. “Have a good time!”
“Bye, kids!” replied Pinkie Pie, waving as she neared the front door. “I'll see you when I come back!”
“Take care, Pinkie,” added Fluttershy with a soft smile.
“I will, Fluttershy. So long!” and with Rainbow Dash by her side, the pink-furred party pony skipped merrily down the road.
By this time, Soarin and Scootaloo had arrived at Ponyville Central, and were now waiting patiently for Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash to join them. As Soarin stood under the awning in front of the main station building, keeping his eyes open for the two mares, Scootaloo decided to have a wander around the platform.
The train on which they would be travelling was the Appleloosan, a transcontinental express that linked Manehattan, on the Eastern Seaboard, with San Franciscolt on the West Coast. As with most other expresses, this train generally stops here for fresh provisions and a change of engines and crew, occasionally picking up extra coaches or dropping off any surplus should the need arise, and today was no exception; the engine that had been pulling the express had gone over to the shed for a rest, and two extra sleeping cars had just been added.
In order to add extra coaches, head-end vehicles such as luggage vans and travelling post offices have to be removed from the train first since, as their collective classification suggests, they must always travel at the front of the train. The two sleeping cars having been attached, the shunting engine was now moving the two luggage vans back onto the front of the train. Scootaloo watched with interest as the shunting engine, under the guidance of the railway's youngest employee Locomotion, gently buffered the vans up to the front sleeping car.
The red-furred unicorn colt noticed the orange-furred filly out of the corner of his eye, and as soon as he had coupled the vans to the rest of the train (which, even with a levitation spell, isn't an easy job for a pre-teen colt!), he promptly turned his full attention to her. “Hullo, Scootaloo,” he called cheerfully.
“Hey, Loco,” smiled Scootaloo. “How's it going?”
“Not too bad,” answered Locomotion. “Extra trains here, crippled engine there – it's all good. How about you? How's the whole Cutie Mark Crusader business?”
Scootaloo grinned sheepishly. “Uh...no new ones turned up yet,” she admitted, “but we're working on it.”
Locomotion chuckled in reply, shifting his attention to the saddlebag she was carrying. “So...you off somewhere then?”
“Aw, you bet I am!” replied Scootaloo eagerly. “Me and Soarin and Rainbow Dash are off to Appleloosa today – and we're taking Pinkie Pie with us too!”
“Oh right? Any special reason?”
“Yeah – Braeburn!”
This caught the young railway enthusiast completely by surprise. “What?” he exclaimed in disbelief. “As in...Applejack's cousin?”
“Well, duh!” retorted Scootaloo. “Who else could it be?”
Locomotion paused, still staring incredulously at the younger Pegasus filly. “But...why Pinkie Pie? I mean...if it's one of Applejack's kin, then surely she would be the one making this visit.”
“Wrong again, Loco,” smirked Scootaloo. “Did nopony ever...” she paused momentarily as another train came roaring through the station at full speed, and promptly resumed as soon as it had gone, “...ever tell tell you that Pinkie has a crush on him?”
“Not really, but......oh!” exclaimed Locomotion, finally beginning to understand. “That makes loads more sense. How long has this been going on, then?”
“Since that fallout with the buffalo five years ago,” Scootaloo clarified. “She hasn't had that many chances to see him since then, and it's really getting to her now – matter of fact, Rainbow Dash was saying just yesterday how gloomy she was when she went to see her.”
“Wow,” mused Locomotion. “Not every day you hear of Pinkie feeling anything other than chirpy or bouncy or whatever.”
“That's partly why we're taking this trip,” explained Scootaloo. “We were already due for a vacation, so we offered to take it in Appleloosa; that way, Pinkie could come with us and get her time with Braeburn.”
Locomotion smiled appreciatively. “That's very thoughtful of you guys,” he observed. “I hope you enjoy yourselves out there.”
Scootaloo returned the smile in kind; but before she could reply, they heard the driver of the shunting engine call out to Locomotion. “Come on, Loco, we've got them reefers to shunt for Applejack!”
“Ah – duty calls,” remarked Locomotion. “Sorry I can't stop and chat, Scoot – must keep the trains running, after all. Have a nice vacation.”
“So long, Loco,” Scootaloo called back. Locomotion replied with a succinct nod, and trotted briskly along the platform.
With a shrill whistle, the little tank engine clanked away towards the goods yard taking Locomotion with it. Scootaloo watched until it was out of sight before turning back towards the station building, where she saw Soarin trotting into view with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash close behind.
“Hey there, Scoot!” said Rainbow Dash. “Still looking forward to seeing a real live Western?”
“I sure am!” replied Scootaloo eagerly.
“Me too!” added Pinkie Pie ecstatically. “I can't wait to see Braeburn again – in fact, scratch that; I've been waiting alright – waiting for far too long!!”
Rainbow Dash laughed heartily. “Well, you won't need to wait much longer, Pinks – train should be leaving soon enough.”
With that, the four ponies plus one unborn foal entered the first coach and began searching for their reserved compartments...
Over at Sweet Apple Acres, Caramel and Applejack were preparing to head down to the station themselves, this time with several cartloads of apples. As Ponyville's main source of income, the orchard generated a significant amount of agricultural traffic on the main railway route between Canterlot and Manehattan; and at least once a week during the apple harvest, Applejack, Big Macintosh and Caramel would each bring a consignment of their produce to the goods yard at Ponyville Central, where it would be loaded into special “reefer vans” for transportation to all corners of Equestria. Today, as Big Macintosh would shortly be heading off for his date with Fluttershy, Applejack and Caramel had to manage the apple shipment alone, but neither pony minded too much; all it meant was that they would each have to make a second trip later on.
“Right, that ought to do it,” said Caramel, hoisting the last crate of apples onto the rearmost of the three carts he would be pulling. “So how many is that? One, two, three...”
“Eighty-six, Ah make it,” cut in Big Macintosh.
Caramel paused, checking to make sure the red-furred draft pony had counted correctly. “Yep, eighty-six definitely,” he confirmed, visibly impressed. “I tell you what though, Mac, your arithmetic skills never fail to amaze me.”
Big Macintosh grinned modestly. “Just a knack, Ah guess,” he replied. “Then again, Ah did put a hay of a load o' focus into mah maths lessons at school – not that mah li'l sis would understand...”
This prompted an indignant glare from Applejack. “Yo' a fine one ta talk, Big Mac!” she shot back sourly. “Who was it that overloaded our cart when we took Pinkie to see Goldie Delicious?!”
“Well, at least Ah don't willingly overwork mahself if one o' y'all is unavailable,” Big Macintosh pointed out with a broad smirk.
Applejack opened her mouth in an attempt to make a snide comeback, but nothing came to her. In the end, she simply narrowed her eyes and muttered, “Did Ah ever tell ya how much Ah hate y'all?”
“Nope,” chortled Big Macintosh, pretending not to notice. Caramel, on the other hoof, was trying his level best not to laugh as he hitched up to his front cart's traces.
Applejack merely brushed the two stallions off with a light snort as she continued to load her own carts; but at that moment, she noticed none other than Ponyville's resident animal caretaker trotting blissfully up to them carrying a picnic hamper between her teeth. Forgetting to be annoyed, she set down the crate she had in her front hooves and turned to greet the canary-yellow Pegasus.
“Hey there, Fluttershy,” she called.
“Morning, Applejack,” replied Fluttershy, setting her hamper down and smiling fondly upon her red-furred coltfriend. “Hullo, Mackie.”
“Howdy, sugarcube,” said Big Macintosh, warmly returning the smile.
“Good morning, Fluttershy,” said Caramel politely. “How's the animal care business going?”
“Um...not too bad. One of the mice in my cottage has just had a new litter, but I've also had to treat an owl for a broken wing.”
Caramel winced uncomfortably. “Ouch,” he remarked, “that sounds pretty painful.”
“Not Owlowiscious, Ah hope,” muttered Applejack, referring to Twilight Sparkle's pet bird.
“Oh no, he's absolutely fine,” Fluttershy hastily reassured her. “This one was a barn owl that had nested in my cottage roof. Besides, it's only a hairline fracture; it should be healed in a few days.”
“Well...if you say so,” murmured Caramel doubtfully.
“How about the rest of you?” went on Fluttershy. “Has everything been okay at Sweet Apple Acres?”
“Yeah, it's been good,” replied Applejack with a smile. “We've managed ta get nearly a quarter o' this first apple harvest done so far, an' not a single slip-up on Caramel's part – yet. Seems we've managed ta defeat that there clumsy streak o' his once an' fo' all!”
Fluttershy was most impressed. She didn't know Caramel as well as Applejack or Big Macintosh did, but as with most other ponies who knew him, she was all too aware of how unfortunate he could be. “Goodness,” she mused, “that sounds like a huge achievement, Caramel.”
“Sure does,” chuckled Caramel. “I just hope it doesn't turn out to be in vain, what with Applejack's cousin coming over from Appleloosa.”
“Nah, don't y'all worry none, Caramel – Ah ain't gonna let that happen,” soothed Applejack, giving the tan-coated stallion a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Braeburn may be a better apple farmer, but there's no way in heck that Ah'd wanna let ya go, 'specially not after what ya went through back in Manehattan. Speakin' o' whom,” she went on, “did ya happen ta meet Pinkie on yo' way up here, 'Shy? There's somethin' Ah wanna speak to her about later today.”
At the mention of Braeburn, Fluttershy's expression changed from cheery to perturbed. “Um...well...I did see her,” she affirmed uneasily, “but...I'm afraid she won't be available at any time today......”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “How come?”
Fluttershy looked away nervously and started pawing at the ground. “Well...please don't be mad at me for saying this, but...um......” she paused, fearing the worst, “...she's off to Appleloosa with Soarin and Rainbow Dash.”
“Oh, well that's nice to......WHAT?!?!” blurted out Applejack in alarm. “When are they goin'?!”
“This morning,” explained Fluttershy meekly. “She and Rainbow Dash were just leaving Sugarcube Corner as I was buying cupcakes for Mackie and me.”
“Well, Applejack,” said Big Macintosh in a stern voice, raising a dubious eyebrow at his sister, “what was that y'all were sayin' about 'Pinkie Pie ain't goin' anywhere any time soon'?”
Only then did Applejack fully realise the dreadful mistake she had made; by procrastinating over her news to Pinkie Pie about Braeburn's impending arrival, she had inadvertently jeopardised their long overdue reunion. “Dang nab it,” she exclaimed loudly, “Ah gotta stop 'em!” and before anypony else could even think of anything to say, she bolted away from the barn and darted across the fields, leaving Fluttershy, Caramel and Big Macintosh staring in confusion and suspense.
As Applejack streaked through the farm gate and into the streets of Ponyville, she glanced anxiously up at the town clock. To say she was perturbed to see what time it was would be putting it rather mildly; the minute hand had only just overtaken the half-hour mark, leaving her less than five minutes to reach the station.
“Okay,” she thought aloud, trying in vain to calm herself down, “so maybe Ah've gone an' messed up – big time – an' the train's due out any minute, but there's still time ta get there an' tell Dash an' Pinkie not ta go to Appleloosa after all. But dang it, Applejack,” she added severely, “whatever ya do, don't y'all dare stop fo' anythin'!”
But no matter how fast Applejack ran, her chances of reaching the train in time had already fallen through. Just as she was approaching the station, she could hear the train announcement over the speakers;
“The train about to depart from Platform One is the 10:35 Appleloosan service for San Franciscolt, calling at Trottingham, Lancanter Central, Dodge Junction, Appleloosa, Wyomane, Blenheim, Neighvada City, Applewood and San Franciscolt. Will passengers for the Appleloosan please join the train.”
Applejack's eyes widened in horror. “No!” she blustered, quickening her pace still further. “Don't leave, please! Not now!”
But no matter how hard she ran, she knew that it would only be a matter of seconds before the train did leave, and time – and top-link express passenger trains – wait for nopony. At the far end of the platform, she could just about make out Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie boarding the train, with Soarin and Scootaloo close behind. Gritting her teeth, she summoned up her strength again and made a final, desperate dash towards the express.
“C'mon!” she muttered breathlessly. “Get off of that train! Stay in Ponyville, fo' ponies' sake!”
The station building came closer and closer, and for a while, it seemed as though Applejack was going to make it. But then came the sounds that she least wanted to hear – the call of “ALL ABOARD!” followed by the guard blowing his whistle. To further the farm pony's horror, the express engine responded with a cheery, booming whistle of its own, and steam burst forth from its drain-cocks as the train began to move out of the station.
Applejack darted up the steps, through the station building and onto the platform. “STOP! STOP!!” she yelled frantically, but it was no use; the loud hissing of the engine and the rumbling of the wheels drowned out the sound of her voice, and by the time she or anypony else could hear a word of what she was saying, the last coach of the express had already cleared the station throat. The orange-coated mare watched forlornly as the train rounded the bend and disappeared from view.
“How am Ah gonna tell Braeburn about this?” she groaned.