The Traveller

by LavenderRain24

Chapter 10 - Going to Canterlot

Ponies at the station made a quick glance at Twilight Sparkle as she led the others to the main desk in order to buy their group ticket. "Hello how can I he-help you? OH!" the female pony with a lime green coat and yellow hair tied up in a loose bun looked rather stunned. "Forgive me Princess! I didn't mean to be so rude when I got surprised you were here." She smiled hesitantly obviously feeling a little embarrassed at her own reaction.

"Oh it's not a problem! We're here to catch a train to Canterlot please." Twilight said boldly as she watched the desk pony type a few things on their computer system.

"Alright then is that for seperate tickets or a group ticket?"

"Group Ticket please. It's a group of 3." Suddenly a sound came from the back.

"Aww... we don't get to come?" The Cutie Mark Crusader fillies whined in unison. Sapphire giggled silently to herself in amusement. Twilight turned round quickly and looked down at the ponies.

"Sorry girls, it's going to get a little dangerous for you guys on this trip. Maybe next time." The fillies sat on the floor and pouted at the princess as she turned back to the mare behind the desk that began printing out the white and gold ticket. Sapphire felt kinda bad so she leaned over to the fillies.

"Tell you girls what, I'll give you the best story of your lives when we return. Perhaps I'll even bring something back for you all?" The fillies jumped up from the ground and gasped with joy. They nodded excitedly making Sapphire smile both on the inside and out. She looked over at the zebra mare standing on her right who was grinning at her. "What?"

"Oh nothing, I just like how you cheered the girls up, it was like you were giving a treat to a pup. So sweet." Sapphire blushed at the compliment and then noticed that Twilight had finished paying for the ticket.

"Right girls lets go. The trains already here and will leave in 3 minutes!"
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On the train ride to the city... Sapphire Stone stared out the window as the trees, fields and buildings flew by. "Wow this is the best way to see this world for the first time!" Sapphire said aloud to Twilight, when she realised the some ponies on the train cart they were assigned to turned their heads and began staring at the mare with black hair and a white head scarf. She suddenly felt very dumb for saying that so loud in public; especially when it was rather quiet in the cart in the first place. "Oops..." She whispered and looked away from onlookers.

"Probably not the best to talk about it in places like this with lots of ponies Sapphire."

"I agree Princess Twilight, we should be the only ones to know about your origins until the time is right." Zecora backed up the mare's judgement on the situation and Sapphire slumped slightly on the soft bench and nodded her agreement as well.

"You're right, I guess I just wasn't thinking when looking at all the pretty sights. I've never seen so much green!" She lowered her voice as she spoke more carefully this time. The two ponies looked confused at Sapphire's interest in the fields of green pasture they passed 10 minutes earlier.

"Hang on, doesn't your 'world' have fields of green as well? Surely..." Twilight asked feeling puzzled. Sapphire realised she sounded a little silly in the way she reacted to the fields. No wonder they thought they didn't have any green at home.

"Oh of course we do but I live near a large desert so it's not very green where I'm from anyway. But in other countries there's heaps of green hills, fields, mountains; all sorts. I just haven't been to anywhere outside of Egypt."

"Egypt?" Twilight asked and Sapphire explained that it was an area of land next to other countries in part of her world called Earth. The princess seemed fascinated with the world described by the strange mare she'd just met the other night. "OH ok. We have similar masses of land around Equestria but we haven't travelled to them yet."

"Look now Sapphire my friend, the train has reached its journey's end." Zecora announced tapping the lavender coloured mare on her shoulder that wasn't wounded. She adjusted her bandage slightly as it started to irritate her coat.

Her blue eyes widened in wonder, "Wow, it's big." She could see straight past the station main building and had a partial view of the streets ahead. Many ponies walking about their day some had shopping bags and some laughed and chatted with their families. Tall white curved buildings stood along the streets with some being shops ranging in different sizes and heights. "Reminds me a little bit of Cairo..." She said with a slightly saddened voice.

"You ok Sapphire?" Twilight asked looking at her as she got up from the seat.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just starting to miss home more than I thought. Not to mention my dad." She felt worse saying that word 'dad' and all she could picture in her mind was him staring down at her with a worried look through that hole she had fallen through. She'd never seen him so worried before.

"Don't worry, we'll help you get home. I promise." Twilight meant what she said, she felt that she was suppose to help the mare get back home to her family in her human world. Something nagging at her heart told her it was her mission now to see it through.

Sapphire sniffed and regained her composure to sound more confident, "Well, what are we waiting for?" she jumped up from her side of the seat and began to head for the door of the cart when she stopped. "Um maybe you guys should lead... I have NO idea where to go!" the other mares laughed and went ahead of her. She followed her new friends off the train and showed the conductor at the door her part of the group ticket. The stallion nodded his approval and let her out onto the station. She took a deep breath of fresh air and sighed at how good it felt to be back outside. "Where to now... Princess?"

The purple alicorn giggled, "Just call me Twilight. And now we'll head down the main street towards the royal courtyard at the entrance of the castle. Which is just over there." She pointed her hoof towards the white marble tiled courtyard that was just 10 minutes away with a large white and gold double door gate that was guarded by four white pegasus guards in gold armour and spears for defence.

"Haha they look just as blank as the guards at Buckingham Palace!"

"Bucking..ham Palace?" Zecora asked sounding completely puzzled. "What is that place?"

"Oh right... um, it's one of if not the biggest palace in my world in a country called 'England' where the royal family lives but most people and the news focuses on the Queen herself. She's known as Queen Elizabeth the 2nd. Oh and the term 'news' is just what we call tv shows that talk about things that happen around the world such as disasters and updates on them and the weather forecast and important news about famous people such as Her Majesty the Queen. That's how we address our queen at home. She's very nice... I heard she even loves horses and ponies as she goes riding when she can. Though she's about 90 years old now so probably not so much anymore."

"Hu... interesting! You'll have to share some things about your world and maybe I can write a book about it! I love research projects!" Twilight said excitedly but still keeping herself from not being TOO excited. "Well... we're almost there. I'll talk to the guards and let them know why you two are going to the castle." Zecora and Sapphire nodded in unison then the zebra suddenly thought of something.

"Oh it might be best not to share that she's from another land. Especially to the guards, they might find it a threat and try to get her banned." Zecora warned them and Twilight seemed to agree. Sapphire thought it was a good idea too, especially for safety reasons. They reached the gate and the guards instantly turned their gaze to Sapphire, Zecora, then the Princess.

"Good morning sirs, I'd like an audience with my mentor Princess Celestia." The one with a tuff of silver mane sticking out of the golden roman styled helmet looked at the mares and nodded his approval. He let Twilight and Zecora walk past them but then swiftly put the spear against her lavender fur of her chest. It didn't pierce her but it laid flat against her coat startling her.

"Not you, I do not recognise this pony." The royal guard said with a stern voice.

"Hm? Is there a problem sir?" Twilight turned round to see what the fuss was about. The guard looked at the princess not phased by how he reacted.

"I'm sorry princess, but I've never seen this mare before and I know every pony." he stood his ground even against royalty. Twilight stared at him for a minute.

"Really? Surely a friend of the princess can be invited to the castle if the princess invites her herself?" He almost jumped back a step, stunned by her response as he tried to work out the logic behind her question. Confused he gave in,

"Very well, if she's a friend of yours then she may pass as well. BUT if she causes ANY trouble, I'll be there to sort it out."

"Is that right? What's your name sir?" surprised, he answered,

"Oh it's Silvershot Your Highness." He saluted the newly crowned princess.

"Well, Silvershot, I'll be sure to let Princess Celestia know of your kindness when letting us into the castle. And that you'll be available if any trouble arises during our visit. Thank you sir." and with that she motioned Sapphire to continue ahead and so she walked past Silvershot and the other guards who tried their best not to laugh at the captain's reaction to her response.

Sapphire rushed up beside the princess and breathed a sigh of relief once she caught up. "Thank you Twilight. You didn't have to do that for me. I could've just waited at the gate." she smiled at the mare who turned to look at Sapphire.

"Nonsense! I consider every pony a friend unless they give me a reason not to trust them or to even be a friend. But you are definitely a new friend I'm happy to have, if you'll accept me as your friend?" Sapphire was slightly stunned she even asked that but grinned,

"Of course! I don't have many friends at home so it's nice to make a new friend... or 2!" she added looking at Zecora who was on Twilight's right side. The 3 ponies smiled and talked as they walked their way up the stairs to the castle entrance.

Author's Note:

Headed for the castle to meet the Princess of the Sun! Will they get permission to leave the boarders of Equestria in search of an old foe for answers?