Sunburst and The Shadow Pony

by Miner

Ponyville

The train conductor had just left the storage cart when he ran into a mare. "Sorry, Miss."

"It is alright," Crystine said. The conductor moves around Crystine with she spoke up. "Oh, Mr. Conductor."

"Yes?" He said, looking back at her.

"When are we to arrive at Las Pegasus?"

"Las Pegasus? We are due to arrive at PonyVille, Mam."

"What!" Crystine said, putting a hoof to her mouth. "Oh dear, I must have gotten on the wrong train. Thank you for your help, sir."

"No problem. Now if you will excuse me. I got a rat to take care of." The Conductor said, leaving Crystine there not noticing the train ticket that she took from his coat. She smiles as she waves goodbye at the Conductor before she enters the Storage cart.

---

Back inside the Storage cart.

The little filly is having a hard time thinking of an excuse for her reason for being there. "Oh, I... I... I got lost looking for the restroom Sir." She said, slowly backing away from Sunburst who look at her unconvinced.

"Really?" Sunburst said. "Because it didn't look like that to me with the Conductor chasing after you entered this cart."

"You saw that." Sunburst nodded. "Well, I just pulled a prank on him. Hehe."

"I thought you said that you were looking for the restroom."

"I was, and then once I got lost trying to find the restroom. I wanted to have some fun playing with the Conductor."

"Where are your parents?"

"That is why I was going to the restroom. Because that is where they went. I get lonely." She smiles at him, hoping he would buy her excuse while sweating bullets.

"And you couldn't stay in your seat for them. Why?"

"Is this Twenty Question Mister?" Before he could answer the door to the cart open. Fearing it was the conductor the filly hide behind Sunburst grabbing his leg, "I didn't do anything, wrong mister, I was only waiting for my dad, and I found him here, so there is nothing to worry about a filly being alone in a room on a train." she said quickly not looking to see the pony entering the cart. There was a moment of silence before Crystine spoke up,

"Sunburst?" she picks up Max and making her way to them. "Who is your friend?"

"A little filly who ran away from home." He said, moving away from the filly and joining Crystine looking at their new friend.

The filly looks up at Sunburst in shock. "How did you know that?!"

"You just told him," Crystine said she as the little filly law drops at being discovered.

The filly looks back at the adults in defeat. There is no way she can get away from two unicorns. "You are not going to turn me in, are you?"

Sunburst was going to answer, but Crystine silences him with a hoof, "That depends."

"Depends on what?" the Filly asked confused to what is going on,

"How good are you at acting?"

---

"Where are you, vermin!?" The conductor said, entering the storage cart with a small bag that is filled with anti-rat products.

"Excuse me?" Crystine said, looking offended at the Conductor's outburst of words.

"Huh?" The Conductor looks to the middle of the room to see two ponies there. One was a mare that he met earlier, and the other was a stallion. "Oh! Not you mam. There was a rat that is running loose in this cart, and it attacked me."

"Oh, dear, he did." Crystine looks sad at the Conductor. "I must apologize for that. You see. The rat is mine. He got loose from his cage. My husband and I went looking for him shortly afterward."

"Really?" The conductor calms down, "Then you must be more careful with your pets in the future Miss."

"We will take care of it," Sunburst said.

"Now that has been taken care of. I must get back to the other problem."

"That wouldn't happen to be a little filly now, would it?" Crystine asked.

"How did you know?"

"Melody," Crystine called out into the cart, and the little filly came out from behind some boxes. "Do you have something to say to the nice Conductor?"

She sighs, "I am sorry for tricking you earlier, sir. I was bored and thought that I could have a little fun before we get to Las Pegasus."

"That is right. I am sorry for whatever my little girl had pulled on you, sir," Sunburst said, "She normally doesn't act like this."

"It is alright. I have a little filly myself. You will be surprised at the lengths they will go through to get your attention."

"I know, right." The adult in the room shared a small laugh. "By the way, sir. When are we due to make it to the next Station?"

"In a day. This is a non-stop train to Ponyville."

"Ponyville." Sunburst spoked up before look at his wife, "I thought we were going to Las Pegasus."

"We were," Crystine said before looking angry at Sunburst. "But somepony got us on the wrong train."

"What do you mean that?"

"I mean if you went looking at mares flank in ManeHatten, you would have noticed that we boarded the wrong train."

Even though they were pretending to be fighting with each other, the idea of starring at a mare's flank got a heavy blush from Sunburst, "I was not looking at any mares flanks!"

"Don't even try it. I saw you. Even Melody saw you, but she is too young to understand."

"Dad is in trouble," Melody said smiling as Sunburst,

"No, I am not. And if it is anything you should have noticed that we were on the wrong train and said something." Sunburst and Crystine continue arguing with each other as they left the storage cart with Melody right behind them. Leaving behind a very confused conductor in the storage cart.

---

"Thank you, You two," Melody said to Sunburst and Crystine as they settle into one of the empty room of the passenger cart.

"No Problem," Crystine said hopping into one of the bunk beds in the room.

"Why are we helping her again?" Sunburst asks Crystine.

"Because we need a reason to stay on this train and she was willing to play along with us."

"But she is a runaway. Her parents are probably worried sick about her."

"Not our problem Sunburst. Need I remind you of our own problem?"

Sunburst was going to talk but looked away instead. "No."

"Are you two okay?" Melody asked.

"For now yes. But if we don't get help soon. Well, I am not sure, but it won't be good."

"Is there anything I can do to help you two?"

"Unless you are a Princess. I don't think so. Now rest you two. We have a day journey until we get to Ponyville."

---

Later on that night.

Sunburst shakes Crystine awake. "Crystine may I talk with you?" Sunburst whispers to her. Crystine rubs her eye and looks at Sunburst with annoyance.

"What is up?" she whispers back to him.

"What will happen once we get to Twilight?"

"She and her friends will use their magic of harmony to expel the dark magic within us. And since the Crystal of Dark Magic is no more. The magic will either find a new place to dwell or faded away into nothing. It is a very simple procedure, and these girls have done it many times before. Everything should turn out alright."

"Okay. I guess you are right."

"I am always right. Now go back to sleep. As for me, I need to go for a walk." Crystine said, getting out bed.

"Sorry and good night Crystine."

"Goodnight." Crystine left the room and went back to the storage cart to change back into her changeling form. *Agh* "That feels good." Chrysalis said, stretching. "I hate pretending to be one of these ponies. But I don't have much choice. I can go so some love right about now." Chrysalis hears somepony coming and hid behind some boxes and sees the conductor entering the cart. "Well, speak of me."

---

Morning dawns on Equestria as a train pulls on into Ponyville's station. Our three travelers exit the train before the train comes to a complete stop. Once inside Ponyville, Crystine and Sunburst started making their way to Twilight's castle but notice that they are not alone.

"Melody, why are you still here?" Crystine said.

"I was wondering if we could stop by somewhere and get breakfast?"

Sunburst and Crystine look at each other and back at Melody who is currently making a cute pout face. Sunburst is weakening. Crystine notices this, "Sunburst. No." Crystine started. "She is not our responsibility. She brought this upon herself when she ran away from home."

"But the least we can do is get her something to eat before we say goodbye to her."

"No, we can't. Because if you feed her, she will follow you everywhere and want more."

"I am not a dog," Melody said.

"Then don't act like one."

Melody response with big eyes and a small smile. "Please?"

'Girl if only I can get your love right now.' Crystine thought to herself. She then looks at Sunburst. "I am not paying."

"Then I will," Sunburst said as Melody jumps with joy. Crystine looks at Melody and starts coming up with a use for her later if she chooses to hang out with them.

After Melody had her fill, they made their way to Castle friendship. Crystine looks at the castle with annoyance before it was replaced with worry. There are changelings guards at the entrance to the castle.

Sunburst notice is as well and is confused. "Since when does Princess Twilight has guards in her castle?"

"And aren't they changelings?" Melody added. "I didn't think that Changelings could serve as guards for ponies."

"Well, nopony said that they couldn't. But I want to know why Twilight has guards now. She never needed for them before. I wonder what has changed. Well, let us get going." Sunburst and Melody started walking closer to the castle but notice that Crystine didn't move. "Crystine?"

Thinking fast, she went with the first thing that came to her head, "I am... I am not very comfortable with changelings." Crystine said, looking away. "Bad experience with them at the Canterlot invasion."

Sunburst moves close to her. "It is alright. They are good now. Just stick close to me if it makes you feel better."

"Okay," Crystine said, moving close to Sunburst.

'What are my children doing here!?' Chrysalis thought to herself. 'Thorax! He must be here. Calm down Chrysalis. Now is not the time for revenge. There will be plenty of time for that after I get Sombra magic. But what is this uneasy feeling I am getting from the castle.'

Inside the castle, Twilight's lifts her head from her bed looking to the entrance of her castle with concern.