I was dressed for umm success? I'm not sure if wearing a shirt from some distant relative in Ireland and a pair of jeans count or not, but as the saying goes 'I am but a simple man'. I wasn't sure if I should bring my luggage with me, something that I consider to be extremely important was not added in a certain purple unicorns's play by play plan. Worse case scenario is I grab it before we leave or something, I wasn't planning on leaving here empty handed, mostly because I didn't come here empty handed.
I stepped out, ready to go home and do something there, the one million dollar question is where is the dining room? Was it on this level? Or was it up one? No down one or is this the ground floor? Is there a basement in here? Is Darth Vader really Luke's father? I stood there trying to answer the questions that bothered me the most when I noticed a cart that would be used by maids, except pony sized. I went over to the room that they were cleaning and knocked on the side of the door.
"Yes sir?" The pony maid asked, in a French maid outfit, which still bothered me to no end.
"Can you point me in the direction of the dining hall?"
"Of course. Go down to the end of the hall, go up the flight of stairs and it's the third door on the left." She directed me, waving her foreleg around almost like making a mental map. I was freaked about how their legs can move like a elbow.
"Thank you very much."
"Of course sir. Have a good day."
"You too."
While I was walking down the hall, I had another item to had to my list of things to wear to the meetings. Those uniforms that Andrew Jackson would wear. I couldn't help but laugh a little to my self at that.
I successfully made it, but than again it wasn't all that hard. But anything to improve my nonexistent self-confidence. I opened the doors and noticed a certain pink pony princess standing waiting for me. I quickly closed the doors slightly, enough to block her from me.
"How long as she been there for?" I asked no one in particular. Cadence just lets out an annoyed groan.
"How did you see me?" She asked, giving a look of both anger and hurt
"I hate to rain on your parade but-"
"Now that's just rude!" Pinkie said "What did she do for you to rain on her parade like that? You should be ash-UMPPH!!" She continued before a cyan hoof cut her off.
"Like I was saying, you kinda stick out against a white wall, being pink and all." I explained
"So I should paint this wall pink?" She asked me
"I hope you don't plan on painting my walls, Cadence." Celestia said. Cadence paled a little at that
"Of c-course not-t Auntie Tia." She stumbled out, but I could've sworn she muttered 'Sunbutt' at the end. I wrote it off as hearing things. I walked over to one of two empty seats, I took my chances being next to Pinkie Pie because life needs a little spicing up.
"So what's the agenda? I mean after we all leave and go home?"
"What's the matter? We aren't fun enough?" Luna asked with mock hurt in her voice
"Considering I live in the same town as the 'Premier Party Pony' you have some stiff competition." I retorted "But even than, no one else is awake at 2am, I don't think."
"Why are you up so late?" Twilight asked, I shrugged.
"Then surely you wouldn't mind a little visit than?" Luna asked
"Mi casa es su casa." I said
"What did you say?" Twilight asked
"He said 'My house is your house.'" Cadence said
"You speak Spanish?"
"I grew up in the Spaneighish region of Equestria." She admitted, I mentally slammed my head into the table. Thankfully a waiter walked in and dropped off some menus for us.
"What other regions are there and which are we in?" I asked
"We're currently in the Central region, there's also Spaneigh, Prance and Saddle Arabia, although the Saddle Arabians have been pushing for independence." Celestia said
"So they'll be their own country?" I asked
"Yes."
"Do they even have a leader set up, or is it just they want to be independent and something like Somalia will happen?" I asked
"They have a leader all set up, right now it's just smoothing out the details. What happened in Somalia?" Celestial asked, I was a little bit surprised that she was causally talking about this is front of the girls, who weren't involved with in politics.
"Somalia is a country in East Africa that had its government topple in the early 1990s or maybe the late 1980s. Ever since its been clans and warlords fighting to take over the whole country."
"And no has bothered to step in?!" Twilight asked
"We tried. Back in '93 or so, a massive famine hit and killed about 300,000 or so." I began, they all gasped at that.
"Oh my, that must've been the worst disaster ever!" Fluttershy said
"It wasn't. Anyway the UN went in to distribute food and the U.S. sent some troops in to find some big warlord. Long story short, nineteen American troops died and caused us to leave." I explained
A waiter came out and took our orders. We talked about more about the regions of Equestria, as I suspected, they were similar to the countries they shared a similar name to back on Earth.
"So pretty much, everyone on the planet, speaks the SAME LANGUAGE, but these three places have their own languages?" I asked trying to make sense of this conversation.
"Not quite." Luna said "Griffons and Minotaurs have their own dialects and dragons have their own language, although some speak Equestrian." Several waiters came out along with our meals.
Shining and I stood next to the deuce, ready to head out. I did a quick check of my stuff: Suitcase, gun and the ammo for it. We said our goodbyes and climbed in, Shining had a little trouble climbing in, but he figured it out.
"So which why do I go to get out of here?" I asked, noticing a distinct lack of entrances and exits
"There's a gate around the side." He said pointing towards the east side
"Alright." We drove off and began our drive to the base.
"So Shining, how did you become a Captain? You seem a little young for that high of a rank. I'm pretty sure Captain is a high rank." I asked
"It's up there, a few under having stars on my chest. I am on the younger side, but that's because I've seen a little combat." He admitted
"Correct me if I'm wrong but Equestria has been in a war in 100 years or something like that."
"MAJOR wars." He corrected "I fought against some Diamond Dogs and had some run ins with changelings. Not many soldiers can claim to have combat experience."
"Never heard of those. What are they?"
"Diamond dogs are bipedal dogs, almost look like you. Anyway, they live underground mostly and mine for gems, but occasionally come to the surface to kidnap ponies and occasionally griffons." Shining explained "Changelings look similar to ponies, but look more insect-like. They have solid colored eyes, fangs, their wings are more like an insect's than a bird's and their legs have holes in them." He continued "But their main ability is being able to disguise themselves. For all you know I could be one."
"You better not be or I'll blow your head off Shining." I said "Trust me, at this range my trenchgun will take your head clean off."
The drive was pretty uneventful, the path to and from the city and base wasn't cleared, so there were some snow drifts but nothing I couldn't handle. I saw a stone wall and some guard towers come into view, plumes of smoke lazliy glided away. I pulled up in front of a gate and Shining climbed out, I sat there mentally playing some Hendrix. Shining talked to one of the sentries at the gate, the other sentry left to get something. Shining and the other sentry kept talking, they probably know each other I assumed.
The gate opened and Shining climbed back in.
"Let's go." He ordered
"Ay Ay Captain."
"Ha-ha, follow Corporal Gale there to the train." He told me, I followed the pegasus guard. All around me guards stopped what they were doing and stared at me, some saluted Shining. We finally reached the train, it was a simple train, not that one made of gingerbread I see occasionally chug by the town. It had a passenger car and a flat bed car, with the ramp lowered. Instead having two 'prongs' stick out like a forklift, it was just one massive ramp. Makes my job easier.
The deuce was on board and chained in place and my stuff was tucked away in the passenger car.
"You coming aboard or you walking home?" I asked Shining
"I'm coming with you, but Canterlot Station is my stop."
"Fine by me, but I'm taking a nap on the way there. Im not a morning person."
"You and me both." He said, as we settled in as the train began to roll down the tracks. I began to feel sleepy as the train gently rocked from side to side.
I woke up with a start, liking you feel like you're falling, but your not. I looked around, still on the train with Shining passed out across the table from me, mouth wide open, some of his hair in his mouth that he would occasionally lick with his tongue. I couldn't resist and silently took a picture with my phone. I looked out the window, we were pulling into the station, perfect timing. The doors slid open and six ponies walked in, I motioned for them to be quiet and pointed at Shining. They all stifled their giggles, except for Fluttershy who smiled at the scene.
"I wish I had my camera with me!" Twilight whispered "I would hold this over his head."
"Already ahead of you." I said pulling out my phone and showing them the picture. They all laughed a little louder at the immortalized moment.
"Wow! That picture is so clear! How is that possible?" Twilight asked, eyes widening out of curiosity
"Well uhhhhh, I'm not really sure, but if helps when I get home I can print you a picture of this." I said, her ears folded a little from my lack of an answer, but perked up with giving her a copy of this.
"You would? Really!" She half-yelled causing the sleeping stallion to wake.
"Huh? Wha?" He looked around frantically before realizing where he was.
"Glad to see your awake hun." Cadence said, poking her head in the car. Shining stood up and shook his head to remove any last bits of sleep and said his goodbyes.
"Now what?" Dash asked
"Beats me." I said "But I'm going to make sure the deuce is secured nice and tight." I decided I had to come up with a name for it eventually.
"Boy howdy!" Applejack exclaimed "Ya sure do love that contraption of your's don't ya?"
"You bet your hat. Yoink!" I said as I snagged her hat and ran off, laughing away. It was a little tight, but it sat well.
"Come back here ya varmint!" She yelled and followed me out the car.
A small crowd surrounded the truck, talking about it. I cleared my throat and they opened up a path for me and by default, Applejack. I tossed her hat to her and she took off. The crowd began to talk about me instead, fine by me I'll never see them again. I did a quick look over of the chains, giving them a quick tug to make sure they were tight. The crowd had shrunk by quite a lot, it some still lingered.
"I still don't think THAT CREATURE should work on the railroads!" A stallion exclaimed to his friends, he was slightly overweight and had an all white coat and hair with a similar color of Rarity's, but had a lighter shade mixed in. The weirdest part of him was is outfit, it looked like he was wearing a jogging suit, but only the top.
"I disagree with you old sport, he's certainly more nimble than either of us, besides those claws of his are quite a sight." Said his friend, he was all white with a well styled mane and French mustache. His clothing screamed class; the top part of a tux, a monocle and a top hat.
"Perhaps, I still think it's weird they use bald monkeys for that kind of work. I'm afraid I have to leave you know Fancy Pants." His fat friend said, I ducked my head in the back to let out a snort at his name.
"You too Mr. Stripes." Fancy said, I couldn't tell if his first name was Mr. or not. How would that even work? He walked over to a bench and took a seat, maybe he was waiting on someone from another train? I checked the time real quick, 8:28 plenty of time to say thanks to him or something like that.
On second thought I really don't know how to start that conversation. 'Thanks for dealing with your asshole friend for me. By the way, I can talk!'. I kept tinkering with the truck, I really needed to name it. Amber will do, after the girl I had a crush on.
"Are you ready darling?" Rarity called out
"In a minute, but the train can start rolling if necessary!" I called out poking on the back of it. I stood a glance at Fancy Pants from the corner of my eye, he had a look of recognition and surprise.
"Rarity?"
"Fancy Pants?" They looked at each other with each other with surprise.
"All aboard!" Someone called out
"I'm sorry Fancy Pants, but I'm afraid we'll have to catch up at a later date." Rarity said
"That's alright Miss Rarity." He said, bid her good day and walked off. Rarity and I began to walk back to the car.
"Who was that?" I asked
"An old friend, he's the pony to know in Canterlot!" She replied
"I don't know him, but I know the Princesses. How far does that get me?" I asked her
She giggled at my remark "I'm afraid you'll have to do better than that here darling." She said as we got on the train and left.
