The Box in the Everfree

by Jh5kPony

The Chaos has been Doubled!

Twilight noticed that the doors were closed on the train, and the train had begun moving. Twilight was now beginning to worry. She knew that the next train station was a long distance away. Even longer than the trip between Ponyville and Canterlot. Right now, however, is finding out what's going on with Fluttershy, and why she just randomly ran off. More importantly, however, is where Fluttershy ran off to.

Twilight Sparkle ran down the train, in spite of the conductor telling her to stop. Finally, after many cars, she finally found the yellow pegasus in the farthest back train car. She is curled up in a corner, sobbing to herself, while hiding behind several crates.

Twilight simply sat next to her, comforting her, while saying nothing at all, in a state of both worry and, ironically, calmness.

---

The train ride was unusually long, but by evening Twilight and Fluttershy stopped at the end of the Friendship Express train line. They stopped at the Trotonto Station. It was not a very stunning town. It resembled Appleloosa in a number of respects, except there are more woods around the area. It's not as vibrant as Ponyville, and noticeably smaller too.

"Excuse me, but this is the end of the line," said a conductor. "I'm afraid both of you will have to leave the train."

"Wait WHAT?!" Twilight Sparkle objected. "How are we supposed to get back?!"

"Well you should've done that before," the conductor said. "There won't be a train for a while."

"When is the next train coming?" Twilight asked.

"Next train will be leaving in..." the conductor said, as he reveals a train nearby.

"10 seconds flat."

As if on cue, the train headed for Canterlot already left. Twilight Sparkle stared in disbelief.

"Now get out."

---

Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all headed towards the Palace. Pinkie Pie, instead of her usual goofy expression on her face, she kept a look that looked like she was hurt and disillusioned. Rainbow Dash simply tried to stare away from everypony. Applejack constantly ended up staring into space. Only Rarity was able to keep the rest relatively unified.

Upon arrival at the palace's front gates, two guards "greeted" the three ponies with intimidating looks, blocking the three ponies with large wings. Rarity could swear she heard a clang of metal, as though the wings are made of metal itself. Rarity backed up in intimidation.

"Halt who goes there?" one of the guards demanded.

"So sorry to have bothered you, sir," Rarity said. "the Princess sent for us and-"

"Do you have any proof?" the second guard asked.

"Well I-er-um..." Rarity said, as she tried to come up with a lie as to cover up the fact that Twilight was her proof.

"No proof, no entrance."

"Well I never!" Rarity said. "I'll have you know I have made business deals with Fancy Pants!"

"No proof, no entrance."

Rarity paused to think for a moment. Meanwhile, three uninterested or otherwise oblivious ponies avoided eye contact with each other. Applejack was the only one to attempt to keep everypony unified, but bickering with them all the while. Meanwhile, as the ponies all argued, Spike snuck past the guards and into the castle courtyard.

Then Rarity had an idea.

Rarity approached the guard in a suggestive manner, with flirtatious eyes that, if done right and done by the right pony, could probably allow just about anypony to fall to her will. It worked with an asparagus vendor, after all. Only this time, she'd be going up against less awkward pony.

"Perhaps you'd make an exception for..." Rarity said seductively as she lightly smothered one of the guard's face with her tail. "...little ol' me?"

"No proof, no entrance."

To that, Rarity facehoofed. These guards are like blocks of wall. It was downright impossible to even MOVE these ponies. The guards still stood there, not even remotely aroused at all. Perhaps they were secretly gay, but most likely they were taught extreme discipline, which only a bird could fix.

Rarity sighed.

---

The wait for the train headed back towards Canterlot was a long one. At this time, there were not many ponies waiting for the train, save for Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, and a few other ponies. It was very quiet at the Train Station.

The silence was broken by a cloaked mare, who was pulling a carriage selling pine-scented candles. The cart looked rather hap-hazardly made, as if it were made of debris. Her tattered cloak indicated that she had little money to her name. Despite the fact that it appears as though most of the ponies here were earth ponies, this one seemed like a unicorn.

"Candles...get your candles..." the peddler-pony said, rather weakly.

A stallion approached the blue pony. The mare refused to look into his eyes, as the stallion gave a fairly smug smile. The stallion simply handed her a few bits, and the mare levitated a candle to the stallion.

"Thank you," the stallion said plainly. At that, the salesmare continued with her usual grind.

The mare then passed by Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle. That caused the mare to wince a bit. Twilight and Fluttershy looked back in confusion. There was a brief moment of silence, until she asked her usual question.

"Would you like to buy a candle?" she asked.

"Um...no thanks," Twilight responded.

Throughout the entire conversation, however short, she refrained from making eye contact. Meanwhile, Fluttershy pokes Twilight to get her attention, as she points towards an oncoming train. Meanwhile, the peddler mare, stopped at her place a fair distance away from Twilight and Fluttershy, to board the incoming train, unbeknownst to them.

---

Comments

[bahatumay]

In my experience, ponies in long tattered cloaks always spell trouble.