Chapter 11: Arrival in Canterlot
"IT'S ARRIVED! IT'S ARRIVED!" sung Pinkie, happily hopping through the car.
"We know darling," said Rarity, "The conductor announced it a little ways back."
"I'm not talking about Canterlot," said Pinkie and disappeared into the next car.
Rarity shrugged and picked up Michael who was still paying attention to Rainbow.
Lucas had been thinking mostly about the monster and the prophesy during the trip. That is until Rarity came over and started talking to him.
For a fashion designing, snooty type she wasn't actually that bad. In Lucas's view she did read a little too much romance but then again she probably would have thought he played too many video games.
They had talked about a couple mystery novels that she had read that didn't sound too bad to Lucas and then they got into fabrics. Lucas never expected Rarity to be so knowledgeable when it came to the chemistry of textiles. Lucas's one favorite subject in school had always been chemistry. He loved to learn about how the building blocks of the world around him worked, how different chemicals added together and through chemical formula the product of these reactions could be calculated.
Twilight had put in her two cents every now and then but she had spent most of the trip talking to Mira.
From what Lucas could make out, those two were practically planning out an evacuation plan for an entire nation!
This is going a little too far to be just a little girl's show, he thought to himself.
Then he started thinking about their newest member.
He's Mira's brother, so I think we can trust him. Besides it's not like he would betray us or anything just because it's a little girl's TV show. Plus he wants to get home just as much as we do.
But he couldn't shake the feeling that Michael was carrying this hatred of MLP just a little too far.
Lucas had always considered himself an open-minded person so he had tried not to judge his friend when he had told him about My Little Pony. However he'd be lying if he said he hadn't felt just the least bit weird when he had promised to give the show a shot.
What's it about this show that could make somebody like Thomas love it and somebody like Michael hate it?
Lucas's train of thought was interrupted as the train came to a stop at the Canterlot platform.
Disembarking from the train carriage was just as hard for Thomas as boarding had been. He had to moved cautiously because his weight would cause the train to rock back and forth, and he had to take one gigantic step off the train to the platform so that he didn't break the steps on the carriage.
Maud followed and encouraged him.
O.K. I'm really beginning to doubt that Maud is this nice. he said to himself, Could Michael be right? Is she ... Naw!"
As his foot touched the platform the world came back into focus around him and he was aware that the Canterlot station was much more crowded than Ponyville's.
He placed his other foot on the platform and waited for the screaming to start.
One mare standing with another somewhat older stallion suddenly let out an ear-piercing shriek.
Here we go again, thought Tom to himself, then he had an idea and quickly wrote something on his chalkboard.
MONSTERS! NOW TRAVELING BY TRAIN. EVERYPONY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
He heard a snicker to his left and, turning his focus, saw Pinkie with a big grin on her face. Standing next to her was Twilight with a less than pleased expression.
"That's not funny Tom!" she said.
"Sure it was Twilight," said Pinkie, patting Twilight on the head, "Nice one Tommy."
The older stallion stepped cautiously around Thomas and towards the main six.
"Greetings Ms. Rarity," he said in a refined voice, and Thomas immediately recognized Fancypants, "Am I to assume that this ... fellow is with you?"
"Hello Fancypants. Yes, Thomas is with us. He is a wonderfully polite young gentlecolt who's been sent here to defeat some horrible monster and save us all."
While that technically was why he and the others had been sent here, Thomas felt awkward when he heard Rarity put it that way.
"How noble of him. However, no offense intended, I thought that was what you and your friends normally do."
"So did I," said Rainbow sarcastically.
"Apparently this monster is immune to all pony magic," said Twilight, "So Thomas and his friends have agreed to help stop it."
Thomas couldn't see it but he could feel Fancypants gulp hesitantly and say, "There are more like him?"
"Not exactly," said Twilight, gesturing to AJ and Fluttershy who were carrying Lucas and Michael in their containers, "The others are in less... conspicuous forms."
"Well I take it you are here to introduce them to our benevolent princesses... including you of course my dear," said Fancypants, almost forgetting about Twilight.
"Actually," said Mira, breaking into the conversation and confounding Fancypants, "We came to go over the evacuation plan with the princesses before we head out to Manehattan.
Fancypants looked around wildly for a second before his gaze stopped on Thomas and he said hesitantly, "One of your friends?"
Thomas nodded.
"That's Mira," said Twilight, "She is composed of air, AJ's carrying Lucas in that flask, and Mira's brother is in the carbide lamp Fluttershy's carrying."
"I see. So they're all of an elemental nature," said Fancypants, "Well I wish you all the best of luck... In fact, may I escort you to the Castle?"
"You certainly may," said Rarity politely, "Lead the way Fancypants."
Before anypony could move though, Thomas walked over to Applejack and, picking up her rope, wrapped it a couple of times around his hands before handed the other end back to AJ.
"What in the hay are ye doin' sugarcube?" said Applejack, looking at the end of rope Tom was offering her.
"He's trying to appear less intimidating," said Twilight, "I commend your effort Thomas. But I don't think that will be necessary."
Thomas, however, didn't let go of the rope.
"I ain't leadin' a friend of mine like he's some kind'a fellon," said AJ, glaring at Thomas.
Thomas didn't even blink; he couldn't. Instead he turned to Rainbow.
"Now that's just insulting," said Rainbow, "We're pals, buster. I'm not tyin' you up and you can't make me."
Pinkie jumped onto Thomas's back, grabbing the rope in her left hoof as she did so and screamed, "HI-HO TOMMY. AWAY!"
As she leaned back, Pinkie pulled the rope (and Thomas's hands with it) up, connecting with his jaw and knocking them both over onto the ground.
AJ groaned and rolled her eyes, "You ain't droppin' this are ya sugarcube?"
Thomas shook his head and, pulling the rope out of Pinkie's grasp, held it out to AJ again.
"Ok, fine!" she said, grumpily, "But just this once... Fer you... An I ain't doin' it again..."
AJ took the end of the rope in her mouth and they started walking towards Canterlot Castle.
She shuddered and said through the rope in her mouth, "This just feels so... wrong!"
Can't argue there, thought Thomas to himself, A pony leading a human on a rope... The irony is not lost on me.
Ponies were everywhere. Most didn't pay them any attention... that is until they say Thomas.
Several mothers stood in front of their children and many ponies stepped back in alarm. Luckily, when they saw AJ with the rope in her mouth, they seemed to calm down.
As they made their way through Canterlot, Rarity walked along next to Thomas.
"This is really way too much darling," she said, "Do you really think this is necessary?"
As they rounded a corner they met a older stallion who, upon seeing Thomas fell against the wall and clutched at his heart, his breathing labored. Then he saw AJ with the rope in her mouth and and his pupils expanded back to their normal size.
"Woooh, for a minute there I thought we were bein' invaded again," he said.
"No sir," said Applejack, "This here's Thomas an' he's a good friend'o mine."
The older pony laughed creakily and said, "Right... keep yer friends close, and yer enemies closer. Heh-heh-heh."
He wandered off laughing to himself as AJ looked after him and then turned to glare at Thomas.
"I'm never gonna live this down," she said.
Thomas would have loved to say something to calm her down, however he wasn't able to write with the rope around his hands. Luckily Rarity stepped in to defend him.
"Well how do you think he feels? He's the one who's putting aside his personal dignity in order to avoid a panic."
Why does Rarity keep overstating my actions like that? It was just the logical thing to do; it's not like I'm trying to be some big hero or something.
AJ's glare softened and she apologized, "Sorry Tom. I just don't like people treat'n ya like yer some kinda monster. It ain't right!"
All Thomas could do was shrug.
The guards let Twilight and her friends into Canterlot Castle, after Thomas had been cleared with them, and they made their way to the throne room.
As they approached the throne room door, Mira thought about what she was about to do.
So I'll have to do most of the talking for us. Don't panic. Twilight and I went over this on the train. If you can't think of something to say I'm sure Thomas can help me out.
Just to make sure of this she brushed up against his mind and he assured her he would give her any help she needed.
At last the doors opened and they stood in the throne room of the rulers of Equestria. Both celestia princesses were there.
"Welcome," said Celestia, getting up from her throne and walking towards them.
...
Silence.
...
Celestia looked at Twilight. Twilight looked at Thomas. Thomas looked at Lucas. Lucas had no idea anybody was looking at him.
At last a small 'squee!' echoed through the chamber.
Everypony (and body) looked around trying to figure out where it had come from.
"I-i-it's LUNA!" came the joyous voice from behind Celestia, and Princess Luna backpedaled furiously from the sudden voice yelling in her ear.
Thomas smacked himself in the face and tried to convince himself he hadn't heard that.
Then he heard a gasp and turned his gaze to see that when Applejack had bowed to the two rulers the flask around her neck had tipped over on the ground and some of Lucas had spilled out on the floor. AJ was hastily trying to figure out how to get Lucas back into the flask without spilling any more of him.
Thomas bent down and tried to cup some of Lucas in his hands, but they were to large. All he could do was listen to Lucas.
"I'm out of the flask! I'm on a tiled floor so I'm not getting absorbed, but I can't see a thing; I don't know where I am. Oh, hey Thomas, thanks for the assistance. I-"
He stopped as Thomas felt some of the water trickle up his stone fingers and soak into whatever the center of his hand was made of.
"Thomas. I'm in your hand!"
"Yeah, I can feel that."
"No, I mean... I can see, and hear a lot better and you can move me around. Get me out of that flask! You can absorb the rest of me and..."
He trailed off as he realized what he was asking.
"Oh... uh, I mean, only if you want to, I guess."
"What's goin' on," interrupted Applejack, "Where did tha' puddle uh' Lucas get to?"
Thomas lifted his hand off the floor and held it out to AJ. Both he and Lucas tried as hard as they could and separated a little. AJ's eyebrow went up as she saw Lucas pool a little in Thomas's hand.
"Yah mean y'all can carry 'im all this time an yah ain't said nothin? Here."
AJ handed Tom the flask from around her neck, and he dipped his finger into it. He had expected a cool rush or something, but instead he got a kind of slow trickle.
"This is going to take awhile," he said to Lucas.
Luckily in all this excitement Mira reeled herself in and brought her voice to a much more manageable level.
"I really liked your night skies when I was flying to Ponyville. They were beautiful!"
Luna's eyes darted from her sister to Twilight and back to where the voice was coming from and then said, hesitantly, "I... thank... thee...?"
Thomas pulled his fingers out of the flask snapped them three times (which sounded like a rifle). This got Mira's attention and reminded her why they were there.
"My friends and I were sent here to stop some monster. Twilight and I figured out the best plan of evacuation for Manehattan on the train and..."
Celestia interrupted Mira with a raised hoof and said, "Yes, I know. Twilight sent me a letter towards the end of the train ride and I understand what needs to be done."
"Oooh! Good one No One," said Pinkie, smiling up towards a large stained glass window, "Skip the exposition and jump to the action. Show don't te-"
Meanwhile Celestia kept talking without missing a beat.
"I've already send out messages to evacuate Manehattan as we speak. By the time you get there it should be empty."
WHEN WILL THAT BE?
Princess Luna stepped forward and said, "Now that the citizens of Manehattan are safe, and you shall thus be able to fight this monster on thine own terms.... We should start thine training."