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400 MILES TRAVELED
2000 MILES REMAIN
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The Friendship Express rolled steadily along the tracks as the first four hours had passed. Trixie had tried to get the attention of every single other passenger at least twice. Luckily, everypony saw through her facade and ignored her boasting.
Applejack had struck up a conversation with Sheen about the land he had been mapping. Applejack was interested in learning about the countryside that surrounded her hometown. It was one of the most gorgeous pieces of art she’d ever seen, despite it just being a map for reference purposes. It was obvious that Sheen had put a lot of love and care in making it. She was especially interested in the woodland that swallowed a good portion of the upper-right corner of the parchment.
"Sweet Celestia,” Applejack said with astonishment while looking at the map, “The Everfree Forest is a might bigger than I reckoned!”
“Yeah, and this only shows a little less than a third of the thing!” Said Sheen, pointing at an area about a quarter of the way into the forest, “This is the furthest I ever went in, though. It’s too wild out there, even for a dragon like me. I stopped here because there was a zebra there that turned me back. She let me stay the night, though. Can you believe that? A bloody Zebra! And this far from home! I bet she had a story to tell. Of course, she wouldn’t tell, but I can respect that . . .”
He must be talkin’ ‘bout Zecora, Applejack thought, She’s so hospitable to everypony! The orange earth pony reminisced about her memories of the kind zebra who resided in the Everfree Forest. Zecora certainly was a lot more patient than Applejack, what with her tolerance of all the racism that followed her before Twilight and Applebloom had revealed the truth to Ponyville. Applejack knew that if she were in such a situation, her pony tormentors would be bucked in the face at the first rude remark. Trailing back from her tangent, she realized that Sheen was still talking and tuned back in to the dragon’s monologue.
“. . . Can you believe that? Oatmeal, of all things! If I didn’t know better, would have thought the mare was loony!” Sheen chortled at his own joke, and Applejack stifled a laugh to make it look as though she was paying attention.
As their laughter died down a few moments later, something occurred to Applejack concerning Sheen's situation. “Say,” She thought aloud, “If you were livin’ all on your own for so long, and you’ve never come to Ponyville to make money, how did you manage to buy the train ticket?”
“Oh, the princess sent one just recently,” Said Sheen, “She seemed to know exactly when I was done. It was just a wee bit weird, to be honest, but she’s the princess. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation behind it.”
Applejack didn’t have much time to think the black dragon's explanation over. Her thoughts were cut short by Rainbow Dash’s sharp voice from the other car. “WOULD YOU LEAVE US ALL ALONE ALREADY!?” Rainbow Dash shouted angrily at somepony, “WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING ON THIS TRAIN, ANYWAYS!?”
“Trixie does not have to answer your trivial questions, you hotheaded pegasus, you!” Came Trixie’s heated response, “Trixie is a showmare of the greatest skills! She is above you! You should be grateful that you have the privilege of bearing witness to The Great and Powerful Trixie’s practice for her performance at the Rodeo!”
Applejack and Sheen exchanged curious looks and walked towards the other car each of them pressing an ear to the wall to hear the conversation better. “Why would you of all ponies want to perform at the Canterlot Rodeo?” Apple Crumble retorted, “From what little I know about you; and trust me, it’s more than I’d ever want to know about you; you look down on the ponies that compete at such an event!”
There was a short pause before Trixie responded, as though she was gathering her thoughts after being verbally assaulted by the two ponies. “This . . . Is true,” Trixie admitted, “but Trixie has been asked by Princess Celestia herself to attend, and Trixie would never disobey the word of royalty. The princess is one of the few ponies who stands above Trixie in both power and greatness!”
“Now why would Princess Celestia ask YOU to attend? I didn’t even know she knows you!” Said Spike, sounding flustered and frustrated.
"No," Trixie admitted, "the princess has not been graced with my actual presence before, but I am sure she has known of The Great and Powerful Trixie's name and many deeds."
“Trixie does not know, and Trixie does not care,” Said Trixie shortly as the car door opened and the feud's participants walked into the car where Applejack and Sheen were. Rainbow Dash saw that Applejack and Sheen were staring at her and asked, “You two could hear that, huh?” The light blue pegasus sighed as Applejack and Sheen nodded. “She drives me bonkers!" She complained as Trixie exited the car and entered a third, "I still don’t trust her, and neither should anypony else!”
Spike nodded in agreement as he tossed an uneaten muffin in his hand. “She was already super sketchy last time,” He said, “what with the bluff about the Ursa Major and everything, but she really seems to be up to something bad this time. Why else would she be carrying around so much stuff with her and refuse to show any of it to anypony?”
Sheen scratched his chin slowly. “She certainly has a lot of luggage with her," He said in agreement, "I wonder what it’s all for."
“She told me that it was all props for her big show in Canterlot,” Amethyst Star said as she and Dinky Doo trotted over from the other end of the car, overhearing the conversation the others were having, “Seems like a feather-ton of props if you ask me.”
Rainbow Dash nodded. "She did use a lot of props for the show she did in Ponyville, but I'm pretty sure she also knows at least a few shrinky-dinky, 'make-it-bigger-on-the-inside' spells, like the one she enchanted her caravan with," She argued.
Dinky eyed the muffin Spike was holding. “MUFFIN!” She cheered excitedly as she snatched the muffin in her mouth right out of Spike’s claws and wolfed it down before anypony could do anything to stop her.
“Aw, come on!” Said Spike sadly, “That was for Twilight!”
“Sorry,” Amethyst apologized, “She . . . really likes muffins.”
“Lemme guess,” Said Rainbow Dash, “Derpy’s kid?”
“Her name is Ditzy!” Amethyst defended her friend, “Derpy is just a cruel nickname that some bully made up! I won’t let you call her that, even if she isn’t here to know you said it!”
“Cruel?” Apple Crumble repeated with a bit of a chuckle, “’Derpy Hooves’ don’t sound even slightly mean to me! In fact, it's kinda endearin'."
"Do you even know the meaning of the term 'derp?'" Accused Amethyst.
"Course I do. It means somepony who's klutzy or accident-prone. That ain't a bad thing!" Apple Crumble answered, causing several others to nod their head in agreement.
"It's also derogatory slang that can be used to refer to somepony who is mentally challenged, which I can assure you Miss Doo is not!" Amethyst huffed.
"Pfff! That's just a rumor!" Rainbow Dash butted in, "Nopony actually uses that to mean retard!"
"It's just as bad as you saying 'retard!' In fact, in a way, it's -"
“DROP IT!” Boomed Sheen. Everyone instantly fell silent, looking fearfully at the black dragon, who was emanating a soft red glow and slightly heating up the car. Sheen let out a heavy sigh and forced his body to relax as he calmly said, “We were getting off track. This is a stupid thing to fight over, is it not? We’re going to be sharing these train cars for the next twenty or so hours. We might as well be friends rather than enemies. Anyways, what were you saying about the showmare’s luggage, miss?” He turned to Amethyst.
“Um . . . Oh, yeah! She said that it was all props for her act at the Rodeo,” Said Amethyst, “She really wants to go all-out, it seems.”
“Maybe she’s plotting to take over the Rodeo!” Said Rainbow Dash, “Maybe all that stuff is equipment for a big machine that will hypnotize everypony at the Rodeo into being her adoring fans!”
“Why should we be concerned with what she does?” Applejack asked, “Trixie may not be the most pleasant of ponies, but like Sheen here just said, it’s better to be friends than enemies. Besides, she hasn’t done anythin’. Shouldn’t we give her the benefit of the doubt like mature, civilized ponies?”
“Applejack’s right, you guys,” Said Spike, “We shouldn’t meddle in business right after telling her to stop meddling in ours.”
“Maybe we just need a break from each other,” Apple Crumble suggested, “If we all go back to our cabins and catch up on the shuteye we missed from gettin’ up so early, maybe we’ll be able to behave better.”
Everypony exchanged mumurs of agreement and headed off to their cabin. On the way, Applejack said to Rainbow Dash, “Hypnotize everypony? I reckon you’ve been reading a bit too much Daring Do, pardner.”
Rainbow Dash shook a hoof at Applejack as the orange earth pony trotted away and shouted, “It’s possible! You don’t know it won’t happen!”
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REVIEW THE FACTS
There were thirteen ponies and two dragons on the train when it left Ponyville Station. Nopony exited or entered the train at any time, as it was in motion the entire time.
The passengers on board were:
Pinkie Pie, who was delivering and going to sell 500 cupcakes at the Canterlot Rodeo. She boarded with the cupcakes.
Twilight Sparkle, who was going to do some shopping for magic supplies not found in Ponyville and to see the Rodeo. She boarded with a book on advanced magic recipes to help her find what she needed, and two tickets to the Rodeo.
Applejack, who was going to compete in the Canterlot Rodeo. She boarded with a bushel of apples, her hat and her lucky rope.
Rainbow Dash, who was going to a book convention in Canterlot where the author of the Daring Do series was to make an appearance. She boarded with a Daring Do book for the author to sign and a costume for the convention, as well as her pet tortoise Tank.
Rarity, who had been asked to be at Canterlot during the Rodeo by Sapphire Shores so that she could be part of her new fashion line. She boarded with several outfits for the fashion line.
Fluttershy, who claimed she wanted to see the Rodeo. She boarded with a small box, whose contents are unknown, and a ticket to the Rodeo.
Spike, who was tagging along with Twilight Sparkle and Rarity. He boarded with a blueberry muffin and a field guide for rocks and minerals.
Dinky Doo, who had gotten two tickets to see the Rodeo, courtesy of her mother, Ditzy Doo. She boarded with the tickets as well as her favorite teddy bear.
Amethyst Star, who was foalsitting Dinky Doo while Ditzy stayed back to work. Amethyst had taken Dinky's extra ticket and was going to see the Rodeo with her. She boarded with a note she was instructed to send to Ditzy Doo when they got to Canterlot.
Bon Bon, who was working alongside Pinkie Pie. She boarded with a Moxipower Shake to help her stay awake during the train ride.
Sheen, a mapmaker from Canterlot who had just finished mapping out the land around Ponyville and was headed home. He boarded with his finished notes, which took several long months to complete, as well as his knapsack, whose contents are unknown.
Trixie, whose reason for boarding was unknown. She boarded with several large bags, whose contents are unknown but said to be her acting materials.
Apple Crumble, who was going to compete in the Canterlot Rodeo. She boarded with a necklace that had family heirloom.
Irwin Ranglem, an animal wrangler who was off to a swamp where an elusive species he was hunting lived. Canterlot was the closest stop to the swamp. He boarded with his equipment for catching the animal he was hunting, but he did not say what kind of animal it was.
Steamer, the engineer and owner of the Friendship Express.
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[[[A/N: This and most of the following chapters are a lot shorter than the first one, and I apologize for that. Don't worry, though, there will be a lot of chapters to look forward to!]]]
[[[Also, I would like to thank my pre-reader Yukito. Check out his stuff!]]]