He Was Number One

by Acoustic Pulse

Manehattan

Author's Note:

I was bullshitting with this one, trying to be funny. Hope it's well-received.

Rotten Core was actually excited about visiting Manehattan. He had family who lived there. His younger cousin, Babs Seed and her parents lived in an apartment downtown. He didn't want to leave the train because he wouldn't make it to Ponyville in time, but he wanted to speak to Babs one last time before his time came. He was now in a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. He didn't like it one bit.

Full Steam saw the conflicted look on Rotten Core's face, "Are you alright, buddy? Don't think too hard about your illness. I'm sorry to say that it isn't going anywhere. I wish it could because it has truly been a pleasure getting to know you, but we cannot delay the inevitable."

Rotten Core shook his head, "I ain't worried about that, I know I'm fixin' to die. My problem is, I have some family in Manehattan. I wanna visit them for a little while, but I don't want to delay the train and risk missing it before it makes its next stop. We still have a long way to go before we get to Ponyville."

"Well, check with the passengers to see if they're cool with it, I don't mind waiting a little while, but I don't have a whole lot of time, it's a bit of a tight schedule," Full Steam frowned sympathetically.

"I understand. Thank you for at least trying to help a brother out here," Rotten Core smiled for the first time in he didn't know how long.

"Least I can do, you've been a good friend to me in the short time I've known you," Full Steam replied.

---

Rotten Core headed toward the passenger side, he carefully crossed over to the other car, opening the door and poking his head through the threshold, "Hey, y'all, I have a request."

The remaining passengers looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"I have some family that lives in Manehattan, I was wondering if y'all got any time to wait for me to stop by for a little while to say my goodbyes," he asked, feeling a little desperate at this point.

Golden Harvest was the first to speak, "I ain't in no hurry, if you wanna go speak to your folks, I understand. Family is important to you and that's always a good quality in any stallion."

He breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, that's one down. What about the rest of you?"

Echo Chamber looked hesitant to answer, fearing a backlash. The other passengers stared, waiting for him to reply.

"I hate to break it to you, RC, but I have a deadline. I need to be back in the Crystal Empire at the exact time. Told the editors at my station that I'll have the story there and ready for them. They're even more uptight than I am, they'd probably fire me over something as simple as that," Echo Chamber sighed.

Krispy Kreme turned to Jolly Rancher, "Hey don't they have some big festival going on in Manehattan?"

Jolly Rancher looked up, "Uh, I think so. I honestly forgot I was even here."

Krispy Kreme laughed hysterically, "What do you mean you forgot?"

Jolly Rancher shrugged, "I don't know, everypony else did too. I haven't been mentioned since Chapter 4."

Krispy Kreme shook her head, "What the hay's a chapter?"

Jolly Rancher shrugged again, "You've never read a book? Don't worry about it, they'll get what I mean."

Krispy Kreme looked even more confused than she already was, "What do you mean they? Who's they?"

Jolly Rancher sighed, "Don't worry about it. This was just a poor attempt at a 4th wall break for comedic value and it's failing. I'll just go back to being quiet."

Krispy Kreme just shook her head, "You're so weird."

Pinkie Pie gave an approving nod to Jolly Rancher, "Every story needs one!"

Rotten Core was lost, "Okay, forget about visiting Manehattan, I'll just have Echo Chamber write a letter and I'll drop it in a mailbox."

Derpy spoke up, "OH. OH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO! I'm a mail carrier! I'll deliver it for you."

She jumped up and down happily, eager to be productive.

Rotten Core looked over at a wall, as if speaking to someone the others couldn't see, "Ain't that convenient?"

Echo Chamber got out his typewriter again, "Alright, RC, what do you want this letter to say?"

Rotten Core thought for a moment and began quoting his thoughts. The letter read as follows:

Dear Babs Seed,

I'm sorry I was never able to visit Manehattan. The last time I saw you was the Apple Family reunion, which was luckily held in Appleloosa and I didn't have to go anywhere. I've come down with a sickness I will not be able to recover from. Doctors say it is terminal and that I only have a month to live. That was two weeks ago. I was diagnosed with Stage IV Bile Duct cancer and cirrhosis in my Liver. The pancreas was ruled cancer free, so I dodged one bullet just to be hit with a stronger, heavier caliber.

I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I wanted to tell you directly so that you could see me one last time before my time runs out, but I'm stuck on a train. I'll stop in Manehattan, but only briefly, it won't be fast enough for you to receive this letter. I'll already be gone, headed toward the Crystal Empire once you read this. If you can make it to Ponyville, maybe we can shoot the breeze for a little while. I know how much you enjoy traveling, so I'm sure you'll be happy to arrange it.

If you can pull that off, feel free to stop by. I send you and your parents the sincerest love. Looking forward to hopefully seeing you soon.

Sincerely,

Rotten Core

Echo Chamber read it back to make sure he got it all down, "Will that work?"

Rotten Core nodded, "Perfect. Thanks for your help!"

Derpy held up an empty envelope, "You don't need a stamp, I'll just put it in here and deliver it when we stop. I have other deliveries to make in Manehattan, so I probably won't be getting back on the train."

"Well, I certainly appreciate it, it was nice meeting you, Ms. Hooves," Rotten Core added the send address and return address to the envelope

"You too, Rotten Core," she laughed, adding the letter to her heavily amassed collection.

---

Rotten Core looked out the window. A sign that said 'Are you ready to take Manehattan?' was posted with a smaller one that said 'Manehattan City limits'.

"That didn't take nearly as long as the Baltimare to Fillydelphia trip, that 2 hours felt like 2 days," he laughed.

The other passengers nodded in agreement. Quick Draw spoke up, "I know, I was wondering when the hay we'd get here."

Victory Lap stood with him, heading toward the door, "Well, Rotten Core, it was a pleasure meeting you and an honor defending you, my friend. I'm afraid this is the end of the line for Quick Draw and I. We live here and home is where the heart is."

Rotten Core nodded, "It was nice meeting you both as well. Thank you again for having my back when nopony else did."

"No problem. Enjoy the rest of your life, Rotten Core, I better get an invitation to your wake and memorial service. I'll be there to send you off to the other side. I already got my eulogy down, 'Rotten Core was the best Luna damned stallion I've ever met. That motherbucker has guts. Terminally ill and this fool's on a train with a bunch of random background characters that nopony's even heard of.' It's still a work in progress," Quick Draw laughed hysterically.

"Glad I got to hear it before I'm gone," Rotten Core cracked a smile.

The train pulled to a complete stop. The door opened. Derpy scrambled off, mailbag draped around her neck. Quick Draw and Victory Lap exited. Krispy Kreme saw the music festival she was referring to on a poster outside that read 'Autumn Wind: A Commitment To Musical Excellence.'

She dragged Jolly Rancher with her, "Come on, JR, this is gonna be fun!"

They both exited as well. All that was left onboard were Echo Chamber, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, True Grit, Golden Harvest, Lyra Heartstrings, Next Level, Octavia, Cherry Jubilee, Flash Sentry, High Caliber, and Maud Pie.

The doors closed. The next stop was the Crystal Empire, which would be a much longer ride.

"ALL ABOARD," Full Steam boomed. Nopony else boarded, so he pulled out of the station.

Rotten Core turned to the passengers, "Anypony else besides Echo Chamber getting out at the Crystal Empire?"

True Grit nodded, "Yeah, I run a logging mill up in Vanhoover, I'm taking another train out of the Crystal Empire to get back home."

"That sounds like a plan," Rotten Core retorted.

---

Echo Chamber, who frequents this train spoke, "It's starting to get dark. It'll be at least 9 hours before we get to the Crystal Empire, so it'll be around 5 in the morning when we finally get there. I dunno about you, but I'm taking a nap."

Maud, who had been staring at her rock the entire trip spoke up in her boring and monotonous voice, "I need to feed Boulder."

True Grit raised an eyebrow "Sweetheart, that there's just a rock. It don't eat nothin' cuz it ain't a living thing."

Maud Pie went from her normally quiet and reserved self to somepony completely different, "What in the unholy mother of buck did you just say?"

"I said it's just a rock," True Grit wasn't fazed by the outburst.

"CAN A ROCK DO THIS?" Maud Pie drew all the way back and conked True Grit upside the head with Boulder, knocking him to the floor.

Pinkie Pie immediately began scolding her sister, "MAUD! What in Equestria is wrong with you?!"

Maud took a breath and returned to her regular monotone, "He hurt Boulder's feelings."

True Grit lied motionless on the floor. Maud hit him with the flat end of her pet rock, so he may have been concussed, but he wasn't bleeding.

Rainbow Dash stared in total disbelief, "Is he--is he okay?"

True Grit stayed down. Moving his head in any direction caused it to hurt. The most he could do was sit up on his hind legs, leaning his head against the wall. Normally, his hat would have taken most of the blow, but he had removed it prior to the exchange.

"We need to do the concussion test," Rotten Core said.

"Oh, are you a doctor?" Pinkie asked curiously.

"No, not at all. I've just spent a lot of time in hospitals," Rotten Core sighed.

He approached True Grit who was having trouble keeping his eyes open, "Hey, look at me. Follow along, okay?"

True Grit looked up, his head hurting, "I'll try."

"Alright follow my hoof," Rotten Core moved it left, True Grit looked right. He moved right. True Grit was able to look left. He repeated for up and down, both were successful.

"Okay, how many hooves am I holding up?" Rotten Core asked.

"Just one," True Grit shook his head.

"Who are you?" Rotten Core asked.

"True Grit," he answered.

"Where are you?" Rotten Core continued.

"I'm on a train," True Grit sighed, getting annoyed with the test.

"Okay, I think he's good. Do you think you can stand?" Rotten Core asked.

True Grit stood up, but the dizzy feeling brought him back down, "Not for long," he concluded.

"Alright, just lay low. We'll care for you here until we can get you to the hospital in the Crystal Empire," Rotten Core said.

True Grit sighed, "I don't need no Doctor. I'll be fine."

"Suit yourself," Rotten Core sighed.

Maud Pie sat silently, watching this fiasco unfold. She finally decided to speak, "Boulder says he's sorry."

"Oh, shut up, you sentient piece of charcoal," True Grit hissed.

Pinkie Pie stepped in, "Look, I know what she did was wrong, but don't be talking to my sister that way."

"She smacked me upside the head with a rock," True Grit sighed.

"His name is Boulder," Maud hissed.

"I don't care what its name is. It's an inanimate object," True Grit laughed.

"YOU'RE AN INANIMATE BUCKING OBJECT!" Maud snapped.

"Yo, chill! Take it easy," Rainbow was holding her back, preventing Maud from hitting True Grit again.

Maud threw Boulder, intending to hit True Grit. True Grit reached up to knock it out of the air. It ricocheted off his hoof and landed on the floor.

He picked up the rock, waving it around in a taunting manner, "I got your rock. I'm gonna release him to the wild."

Maud sidestepped left, causing Rainbow Dash to go right. Maud spun out of her grasp and juked her out. She lunged at True Grit, who had opened the window.

"If you hurt Boulder, it's gon' be me and you," Maud warned.

Rainbow was still trying to accept the fact that the weirdest mare on the train just broke her ankles.

Pinkie Pie and Rotten Core, the two mediators, looked at each other helplessly. Finally, Rotten Core approached them.

"True Grit, give her that Luna damned rock before she flips and kills you," he commanded.

True Grit stood, attempting to oblige the request to return Boulder to his rightful owner. He was still dizzy and fell backwards. He put his hoof against the window, trying to balance himself. He left the window open, so all he did was fall back against the wall. This caused him to lose his grip of Boulder and the beloved pet rock vanished.

Everypony froze. It was complete silence in the passenger car. True Grit leaned out the window, looking for it, but the train was moving too fast. They were long gone.

Maud Pie was on the verge of tears. She looked desperately at her sister, "Boulder's gone, Pinkie, what am I gonna do?"

Pinkie Pie shrugged, "I dunno, Maud. Maybe Rainbow can fly back and look. She's really fast."

Rainbow sighed, "Why do I have to do everything?"

Pinkie Pie laughed, "You're the only one here who can fly. Duh."

"Fair enough," Rainbow replied. She flew out the window and disappeared, headed back to where True Grit dropped Boulder.

She looked around, desperately. Rocks were everywhere. All shapes, all sizes. She decided to scoop up a bunch of them and bring them all back.

The window was still opened when she got back. She entered it and True Grit closed it.

"Maud. I had no idea which one was Boulder, so I brought a bunch of his friends," Rainbow Dash dropped the pile of rocks on the floor.

Maud smiled, "OH! Camouflage. I love this game. It's like hide and seek---."

Rainbow Dash finished, "But way more intense, yeah, we get it."

Maud laughed, "I always win. Boulder is a 2000-year old piece of magnesium-rich basalt. I will know him when I see him!"

Maud and Rainbow Dash sifted through each rock individually. The more they looked, the more it dawned on them that Boulder was still nowhere to be found.

"Boulder picked a really good hiding spot. It's also really dark outside, we might not ever find him," Maud looked completely dejected.

Rainbow Dash held up one final rock, "Is this Boulder?"

Maud looked at Rainbow. Her look of disappointment turned into a look of surprise and joy, "YOU FOUND HIM! Beaten at my own game. You're something else, Ms. Dash, I appreciate your help."

"No problem. Your sister's one of my best friends. A family member of hers is surely a friend of mine," she smiled and turned to Rotten Core.

"That goes for you too. Applejack is the only mare I know who has an ego like mine, and she has the courage and strength to back it up. I can see that runs in her family," she said to him.

Rotten Core nodded, "Means a lot that you'd say that."

"Well, like Applejack says, I gotta say what I mean and mean what I say," Rainbow quoted.

"Good advice to follow," Rotten Core confirmed.

Echo Chamber somehow managed to sleep through this entire debacle. At this point, it was after midnight. The overhead lights of the passenger car went off, sending everypony into total darkness.

They decided to tuck in for the night and sleep on the seats. They still had a long way to go before they made it to the Crystal Empire.

End of Chapter 6!

Comments

[Even Evil Has Standards]

Do you what you want because a pirate is free. You are a pirate.

[Acoustic Pulse]

9219132
Yarr Harr feedly dee, being a pirate is alright with me!

[Skittlebug]

Pinkie Pie gave an approving nod to Jolly Rancher, "Every story needs one!"

Oh god. They're multiplying.

[Even Evil Has Standards]

What was that movie called? In Bruges? With Lord Voldemort and Mad-Eye Moody?