This is the Last Train Car

by Unwhole Hole

Chapter 7: The Third

The night had not been easy, but in the light of the day things were better. Berry Punch had indeed had dreams, but she could not remember them. They had not involved trains, exactly, but something else. Darkness, and sounds that could not be heard in a place where there was no air to breathe. She had been surrounded by cataclysmic silence- -and within that noiseless and soul-crushing sound that was almost a voice but that never could be.

The darkness had subsided at Celestia’s will, and Berry had awoken much later with half a bottle of punch to stabilize herself, followed by a breakfast of various fruits. Sparkler had, as normal, awoken early and already called out of work. She sat mostly without speaking, waiting.

The two departed later in the day after the supplies had been packed. Both of them wore coats, but the town was so much warmer when the sun was high in the sky. It was the same town as at night, when the only source of illumination came from the arc lights of the train station and the strange glow of the train itself. It was a pleasant day, and Berry was happy- -but in a hollow way. She was so glad, and at the same time so afraid- -which only made her savor the sane and well-lit aspect of the world even more.

As they ascended the hill toward the Ponyville schoolhouse, Berry turned to Sparkler.

“Don’t tell her,” she said.

“Tell her what?”

“What I saw. What I told you.”

“Why?”

“She’ll think I’m insane.”

“I think you’re insane.”

“Yes, but you’re not my sister.” Berry Punch turned and looked down. “I’m not an idiot. I know she worries about me. Just, please. Don’t tell her. Not the specifics.”

“I don’t know how we’re going to ask for her help if we can’t tell her what’s wrong. Besides, she’s Cheerilee! No pony is more understanding and patient. I should know, I was in her class when she was student-teaching.”

“Come on, Sparks. I already feel terrible. Now I feel really, really old.”

“If you call me ‘Sparks’ one more time, I will slap you.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would. And not lightly. Hard. The way I slap Rainbow Dash.”

Berry stopped. “When have you slapped Rainbow Dash?”

“Surprisingly often,” sighed Sparkler. “Cider makes her hoofsie.”

“I don’t want to know.” Berry started walking again up the familiar hill. It was not something she relished. Even if her sister was in charge of the entire town’s education, she still recollected back to the era when Hickory Paddle had been the town teacher.

The students were just being dismissed. It was Friday, and most of the students were ecstatic to be free for a time. All of them were adorable, but Berry Punch did not really know their names. That would have been weird. Some, though, she did know.

“Oh, look, there’s your sister.”

“What?” said Sparkler. “Oh! There!” She raised her hoof and waved to the small purplish-gray unicorn, and Dinky- -looking mortified and strangely pale- -lifted a book to shield her face.

“Oh. Oop. She’s embarrassed now,” said Sparkler. She sighed. “Sometimes sisters are confusing.”

“You have no idea,” muttered Berry.

Some of the students had not yet left the schoolhouse. Specifically, a number of colts and Scootaloo. Berry Punch very easily recognized the look in their eyes. It was the look that most ponies look at Cheerilee but never her when they were together.

Cheerilee, of course, was happy to speak to them. As soon as she saw her sister, though, her expression fell. “Students,” she said. “Why don’t you go outside? I need to have a chat with my sister.”

“Sister?” A pair of small unicorns looked to Cheerilee, and then Berry Punch. The slower of the two looked again, but the smaller- -a fat, bluish being- -stared at Berry Punch. “A sister? You have a sister?”

“Can teachers have sisters?” asked the taller slow one. “Is that even possible?”

“Who cares? What matters is if SHE has a cheerleading costume too!” Berry glared at the colt, and he winced. “On second thought, I need to go and do the thing.”

“Wait,” said the slow one, “what thing?” He paused for a long time. “Are we wearing the cheerleading costumes now? Again?”

Cheerilee sighed and ground her teeth, and then shooed the various children out of the room. Within a matter of seconds, the only ponies there amongst the smell of chalk and paste were the three violet mares.

“I can’t believe you,” said Berry, angrily. “That’s MY cheerleading uniform! You were never even on the team!”

“It’s not like you fit in it anymore anyway!” hissed Cheerilee. She sighed. She did that a lot. “Why are you here, Berry? I highly doubt you’re here to finish your education.”

“I don’t need to finish it. I know enough math to do our family’s orders. Alone.”

“Clearly. With an emphasis on importing punch, no doubt.” She rolled her eyes.

“You little- -you hypocrite- -”

“Ms. Cheerilee,” said Sparkler, trying to break the tension.

“Sparkler,” said Cheerilee, seeming a bit more cheerful. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Have you been keeping up with your studies?”

“I’m afraid I can’t afford the special education.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, if I can help- -”

“Oh, no! I’m doing quite well. I’m working with the mayor on her reelection.”

“I can tell.” Cheerilee pointed. “You have some gray hair dye on your collar.”

Sparkler’s eyes widened and her face darkened by several shades of red. She immediately started trying to rub it out, and Cheerilee turned to Berry Punch.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I do love these students, but you know how children can be.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Cheerilee’s jaw clenched. “Not everything is a dig, Berry.”

Berry glared at her, and then took a breath. “I know. I know.”

“You two are worse than Dinky and myself,” said Sparkler, having cleaned the hair dye off her lapel. “It’s kind of weird seeing my old teacher and my roommate like this.”

Cheerilee looked at her and sighed. “I may be a teacher, but I’m also a pony. Just like you. And Dinky loves you. But to be honest, I do have concerns with you living with…her.”

“Oh, come on!”

“You’re a thirty year old mare living with a teenager!”

“And you’re a thirty five year old mare living ALONE!”

Both Cheerilee and Sparkler gasped. “Berry!” whispered Sparkler. “You went too far that time! Please, you’re sisters!” She turned to Cheerilee and lightly pushed Berry aside. “And this is not conducive to our purpose coming here.”

“Purpose?”

“We came to ask for your help.”

“Help? From me?”

Sparkler nodded. “Your sister, Ms. Berry, thinks that she found a safety hazard on the new night train.”

“There’s a night train? I didn’t know that.” Cheerilee’s eyes widened. “A safety hazard? Sparkler, I’m just a teacher, if you think there is a danger, you should report it to the proper authorities!”

“It’s not that kind of emergency,” said Sparkler. “At least not yet. We’re not sure. But Berry is really concerned, and she wanted to get out opinion on it before we cause a panic.”

“You too?”

“Yes. But as organized as I am, I’m not as learned as you.”

“Well, I would hardly say I’m learned. Twilight would be far superior. And she would be in keeping with the color theme.”

“It’s not about color,” said Berry.

“Twilight is very busy,” said Sparkler, “and she and I…don’t mesh well. Berry recommended asking you.”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened as she looked to her sister. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” said Sparkler.

Berry looked up, and then down at the floor. “We don’t get along sometimes,” she grumbled, “but I don’t trust any pony more than I trust you. You’re my sister.”

Cheerilee looked at her for a long time, and then sighed. “You really want my help?”

“We both do,” said Sparkler. “It would really help. And I don’t like to see sisters fighting. It makes me sad.”

There was a moment of pause, and then Cheerilee looked at her sister. “I do have lesson plans to write, and I have to clean this place…but I’ll do it.”

Berry actually looked surprised. “You- -you will?”

“Of course. We may not like get along. Often.”

“Or ever.”

“Or ever. But you ARE my sister. If you ask for help, I’m not going to say no.”

“Thank you,” said Sparkler.

“Let’s just hope this mysterious ‘hazard’ isn’t as dangerous as you two seem to think it is.”

Berry looked at her sister, and at Sparkler. “I hope so too…”

Comments

[Skulljack17]

I must say, beyond the potential dread that is filling in how things are going, I am loving the back and forth and sass that is coming at times. The dialogue is really putting a grin on my face. Let us see if it stays in place as the train moves along!