Considering she spent the vast majority of her time standing on a platform watching three Pegasus hurtle around a small track, the two weeks between Vanhoover and Dodge Junction passed surprisingly quickly to Maffett.
In the few months since moving to Ponyville she’d gotten herself well acquainted to the place quite well. She knew quite a number of the population by name and had become a regular at Pinkie’s bi-weekly comedy nights. They were all very friendly and welcoming ponies and she was getting used to life in the town.
The only thing that bothered her was the occasional assumption she and Concorde were more than friends. They were best friends, unofficially siblings, but she couldn’t see him as anything else. They knew all there was to know about each other after knowing each other their entire lives, though Maffett did joke she enjoyed four months of peace before Concorde turned up.
Still, she’d rarely seen him work so hard that he hardly even cracked a smile. She’d seen him collapse from exhaustion and even in the depth of depression, but never working so hard he barely acknowledged anyone like Lightning Dust did. Even now as they waited at the Ponyville train station for their train to Dodge Junction, he was neck deep in notes when he’d usually be trying to calm his rampant nerves with a French comic.
“Has there been any update?” Fleetfoot asked one of the station staff as he passed. Their train had been delayed leaving Canterlot.
“The train to Dodge Junction should arrive in the next ten minutes.” He said, surprisingly chirpy considering he’d been harangued by Fleetfoot for the last half an hour before carrying on his way.
“I hate trains.” Fleet announced to no one in particular.
“Never would have guessed.” Dash remarked, which drew an irritated look from Fleetfoot that encouraged Dash to go back to her conversation with Applejack and Pinkie Pie, who were accompanying them.
Maffett dangled a magazine in front of Concorde to show him an advert for one of their favourite comedian’s new tour. Even that somehow didn’t seem to get his attention, so she figured it was time for her to get the big guns out as she checked to ensure no one was listening.
“You know, somepony told me there’s a squid living in Froggy Bottom Bog.” She stated before glancing at her friend. He returned a look that somehow seemed to combine not being amused, contempt and sheer fear at the idea of a squid being even vaguely nearby.
“I hate you.” He stated simply in response.
“I know you do, but you’re getting a bit lost in those notes.”
“I need to do something to get faster.”
“Point zero three of a second is the best those notes have done for you and Dash and Dust are still a hell of a lot faster than you in a straight line.”
“You’re not helping.”
“I’m just saying you need to look elsewhere and not knock yourself about so much over this. Don’t forget you set the fastest time in the first sector at Vanhoover in qualifying and that’s all long corners, so you’re still great somewhere.”
“I know, but I’m not going to win any races if I’m haemorrhaging speed down the straights.”
“I think you should do a bit more wing weight training, that’s more likely to do something for you, but even then I doubt you’ll ever be fastest in a straight line, so you may as well keep up with your main strengths.”
Concorde looked at Maffett for a moment before closing his note book and casting it in his bag.
“Alright, I’ll put it down if it makes you happy.”
“Oh I’m over joyed.”
“So when was Bailey coming to Ponyville?” He asked, referring to the advert Maffett had been trying to wave in his face.
“Three months.”
“In time for your birthday. I’m guessing you want me to get you tickets?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to ask but seeing as you’re offering.”
Concorde sighed and shook his head, smirking as he grabbed the magazine to see the ticket prices.
“Attention please;” Someone said over the tannoy “The ten twenty train to Dodge Junction is now arriving on Platform one.”
“About damn time.” Fleetfoot sighed, still annoyed as she and her team got their stuff together and headed for the platform in time to see the train pulling in, vaguely noticing the local train spotters at the end of the platform.
The team boarded the first class carriage, expecting to find it empty as few travelled first class in the direction they were going. However, it looked like they would be sharing the carriage as one pony was sat by the window reading a newspaper with the headline ‘Manehatten Vigilantes Bust Crime Boss’.
With no warning what so ever, Pinkie bounded past everyone up to the poor unfortunate reading the newspaper and practically squealed “Hi!” at them.
The pony leapt clean out of her seat, throwing the newspaper aside to reveal herself to be Mercedes, screeching “Was zum Teufel!” in response.
“Hi Mercedes!” Pinkie said chirpily, as if nothing was wrong.
“Oh, it’s you, the Wonderhawks’ fan.”
“Plus the hawks.” Dash added.
“Oh, I didn’t know you were here.” Mercedes said as she calmed down from the surprise.
“Aye, we live here.” Maffett added as she helped Concorde, Ratchett and Spanner stow their bags.
“I didn’t realize. It seems to be a nice place from what I could see as the train came in.”
“It’s the best town in the whole of Equestria.” Both Pinkie and Dash said in prideful unison, to the amusement of the others.
“Then I will have to visit when I have the opportunity.” Mercedes smiled.
“What are you even doing in Ponyville, anyway?” Fleetfoot found herself asking as Dust got on with her usual routine of weight lifting.
“I was just in Canterlot discussing the end of year video with the EBC.”
“The what?” Dash asked, looking at Concorde as he usually knew about the weird ins and outs of Cloud Racing.
“The EBC have a tradition of ending their final Cloud Race broadcast of the year with a music video inspired by the previous year’s champion.”
“Yes, precisely.” Mercedes smiled. “I wanted to do a video with all the racers and it is fortunate we have met her as I can ask you.” She added excitedly.
“Well, I rent them out for ten bob an hour.” Fleet smirked as the train started to pull out of the station.
“I know a Robert, would he be suitable?” Mercedes replied with a knowing smile.
“I don’t think we’d have the change for that.” Concorde remarked.
“What would you have them do?” Applejack asked, curious.
“It would just be dancing around and having fun. We might torment Nicki as well.”
“I’m in.” Concorde said almost instantly, everyone looking slightly surprised at how quickly he replied.
“I say might. He usually does not join in with these projects.”
“All the more reason to annoy that prat.” Concorde continued, his anger still quite clear.
“So where are you staying?” Mercedes asked after a moment, changing the subject.
“A friend of mine named Cherry Jubliee has offered use some rooms at her farm house.” Applejack answered.
“I’m actually surprised you don’t have any relatives there.”
“Oh I do, but Cherry offered first. I hope y’all like cherries because they won’t be in short supply.” Applejack said. Concorde gave her an amused sideways look that confused her. “What is it?”
“Oh nothing.”
“It’s clearly something.”
“Such filth, Corde.” Maffett laughed.
“She left the goal wide open, I just tapped it in.” Concorde chuckled. Applejack explosively sighed before heading off towards the buffet carriage with a giggling Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.
***
The train journey to Dodge Junction took much of the day, the sun even setting over the horizon as the town came into view. Not far outside it they saw the track, a huge cloud structure reaching quite a distance into the sky with its twin interlocking loops in the middle. Many of the corners were long and ran into tight hairpins or chicanes, which would encourage a lot of overtaking, though most of the work would be in climbing the vertical track and controlling their decent.
“I hope the local weather controllers are better prepared this year.” Mercedes remarked before she went to get her suitcases.
“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“A dust storm came in during practice and blew the track away. By the time the storm was under control, there wasn’t time to repair the track and the event was cancelled.”
“Not the best debut.” Spanner remarked.
“Incredibly poor planning.” Ratchett added.
“Let’s hope we don’t have that problem, then.” Concorde injected as the train pulled into the station.
There weren’t many ponies on the platform at this time of evening, but even the mare in the middle of the platform would have stood out anywhere. She had cherry red curly mane that was partially stood up in a bee hive style and matching tail. Her body was a light tan colour and she wore a pink neck bow and yellow hair band.
As the team got off the train, led by Applejack, the mare trotted over to them.
“Applejack, it’s mighty good to see you again.” She said.
“Same to you too Cherry Jubilee.”
“I see these fine ponies are the dandy Wonderhawks you’ve told me all about.”
“They are. Want me to introduce them all to you.”
“Oh you don’t need to. You must be Concorde.” Cherry said, stepping up to Concorde with interest.
“I am, ma’am.”
“Why, you’re every bit as handsome as Applejack said.”
“You what?” Concorde said, taken aback. Dash, Dust, Maffett, Fleetfoot and Mercedes burst out laughing at his awkwardness, not noticing Applejack blush.
“Oh, you’re quite modest aren’t you? It’s rare to see such a fine young stallion.”
The Dash, Dust, Fleetfoot and Mercedes continued laughing as Concorde looked completely lost at what to say or do. Maffett, despite being highly amused, decided to go to his rescue.
“Miss Jubliee, Applejack’s told us a lot about you on the way.” She said, taking Cherry’s attention away from Concorde.
“Oh I imagine that didn’t take too long. But I think that’s enough standing around on a platform, let me take you to my house and get y’all settled. I’ll have the boys carry your luggage.”
“I will have to leave you all here as I am to meet my team at the Inn. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Mercedes said before hefting her suitcase and leaving.
As Cherry’s boys loaded the team’s gear into their carriage, Concorde tried to calm his embarrassment.
“I think you’re in, there.” Fleetfoot winked at him on her way past, not helping.
Concorde just sighed, not looking forwards to looking a complete fool.