Midnight Station - Part 01: Twilight faces the Dark Martial March

by Khampostel

The old friendship train I

It was a sunny and radiant day in Ponyville, a charming village inhabited by a variety of magical creatures such as pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies. But this was a special day, as the much-awaited 'Two Sisters' Festival' was being celebrated. The atmosphere was filled with enthusiasm and joy, and the excitement could be felt in the air. Previously, this day had been known as the 'Summer Sun Celebration', although it had changed its name three years ago, the feeling it produced in the hearts of all ponies was the same.

And no one could be more certain of this than Pinkie Pie. With her characteristic agile and energetic trot, she hurriedly made her way to the train station.

"Be careful, Pinkie Pie, don't drop your good spirits," Matilda cheerfully said, walking with her husband Cranky along the path.

"Never, Matilda, but if I don't hurry, I'll miss the train of punctuality. YEEP!" With a short whinny, Pinkie Pie continued on her way, picking up her speed and leaving the couple behind.

It was no joke, Pinkie Pie was running late and failing a promise that bore her name was the last thing she would have wanted to do that day.

Like a pink blur, she arrived at the station where she was promptly greeted. There were no ponies waiting outside, everyone was already inside the train, waiting for the next departure.

Inside, there was a crowd of ponies. Among friends and familiar faces, Pinkie Pie made her way through, greeting everyone she could recognize. Finally, she arrived at a special carriage reserved only for important travelers.

Taking a deep breath, Pinkie Pie opened the doors of the carriage where Applejack and Rarity were already sitting. With overflowing joy, she launched herself at her other friend that she had just recognized.

"FLUTTERSHY, I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" exclaimed Pinkie between sobs and tears.

"Okay, okay Pinkie, Ughh!" Fluttershy felt the tight embrace of Pinkie all over her back.

"A whole week in Mount Aris was too much. I know the baby dolphins needed you, but WE NEEDED YOU HERE TOO!" Pinkie continued shedding even more tears.

"I'm sorry, really. I'm sorry. Ughh!" said Fluttershy, and now her skin was starting to change color from the intense hug.

Meanwhile, her friends just watched the scene with smiles. Fluttershy was the last to arrive at the meeting, the others had already met at the train station that morning, it was not until a little later that Pinkie Pie suddenly left that Fluttershy had arrived.

"Well, now we just need Rainbow Dash and we'll all be here."

"Wait Applejack. Rainbow still hasn't arrived?" asked Pinkie, who looked surprised and dropped a squeezed Fluttershy.

"Nope."

"Has something happened to her?" asked Pinkie, who now looked worried.

"I don't think so, she..." replied Applejack.

"She could have had an accident. They could have gotten lost in a storm. She could..."

"Or she could simply be running late," said Rarity delicately. "You see, dear, Rainbow Dash left a letter for Fluttershy when she was on her way to the train station."

"Uh?" Pinkie Pie's fluctuating mood was now confused, and she wasn't the only one.

"That seems strange to me too. She hardly ever writes letters," said Applejack, who was helping a disoriented Fluttershy up from the floor of the train car. At that moment, she passed Pinkie a crumpled piece of paper.

Pinkie Pie opened it and inside was her friend's sloppy handwriting with a single message: "Running late."

"Hmm, suspicious..." said Pinkie Pie with an intrigued look.

"That's not the only 'suspicious' thing today, darling," responded Rarity, who had noticed the bulky saddlebags Pinkie was carrying.

Pinkie noticed her gaze and replied, "It's not suspicious, it's a surprise."

"Is that why you bolted off the train when we asked what surprise you had planned for Twilight today?" asked Applejack, recalling the moment when Pinkie Pie had left the car without any explanation.

"No," Pinkie Pie replied confidently, "It's because I needed these trivia game rule books for all of you," she said as she pulled out a bulky copy of the 'Official Equestrian Trivia Rulebook. 35th Edition,' handing one to each of her friends with a smile.

Rarity and Applejack exchanged a brief eye roll of exhaustion. Although all of Twilight's friends gathered on her coronation day to help her with any friendship problems that might arise in the kingdom, they also took advantage of holidays like this to enjoy each other's company without any particular responsibilities. For this reason, they had agreed that each day of the "Festival of the Two Sisters," one of them would organize a special activity dedicated to their good friend and princess Twilight. The friend chosen by lottery would have the task of making the gathering the most memorable and exciting of the year.

The turns of Applejack and Rarity had already passed, so only the other three were left.

"Darling, I know Twilight will love for you to organize a trivia competition between us, but I think you should wait until after the draw to start with the, um...preparations," said Rarity, setting aside the trivia manual.

"Also, we haven't heard the ideas of the other ponies yet, right Fluttershy?" asked Applejack, trying to include Fluttershy in the conversation.

"Y-yes," responded Fluttershy timidly, seeming to have recovered from Pinkie's "friendly" hug.

"You have something prepared too, don't you Fluttershy?" asked Pinkie, getting closer to Fluttershy.

"Y-yes..." Fluttershy responded even more timidly.

"Will you tell us NOW?" asked Pinkie, even closer.

"N-no. I mean, I think I'll wait until after the draw, if you don't mind," responded Fluttershy with sudden confidence.

"I agree. We have plenty of time to talk during the trip, and I'd also like to hear everything that happened on your trip to Mount Aris, dear Fluttershy," said Rarity.

Suddenly, the characteristic sound of the train whistle sounded, announcing its departure from the station.

"Oh, goodness! Rainbow Dash hasn't arrived yet. Do you think the train conductor will accept to wait a little longer?" asked Fluttershy.

"I don't know, dear. The train has already been delayed quite a bit today," replied Rarity.

"That pony, where could she be?" said Applejack, looking out the window.

"Maybe she's upstairs," said Pinkie Pie as her tail started to wag.

A dull thud resounded on the roof of the carriage. All the ponies looked up and shortly after they heard some quick steps heading towards the roof hatch. It opened and a blue pony with a rainbow mane fell out of it.

It was Rainbow Dash herself, in a combat stance, nervously looking in all directions.

"Rainbow Dash, what do you think you're...?" Before Applejack finished her question, Rainbow Dash covered her mouth with her helmet.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but you have to close all the doors and windows. NOW!" said Rainbow seriously as she hid under one of the train carriage seats. After looking surprised at each other, her friends quickly followed her request. Soon, the whole carriage was secured from end to end.

"Okay, Rainbow, what is...?" Once again, Applejack was interrupted by another thud on the roof. But this time, it was accompanied by a clear sniffing sound. Some stealthy steps could be heard slowly heading towards the roof hatch they had forgotten to close.

The ponies watched with concern as a pony's nose that wouldn't stop sniffing started to peek through the hatch.

The train whistled once more and set off.

The mysterious presence seemed to lose interest and quickly left.

After a moment of silence, it was Rarity who asked the obvious question. "WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?"

Applejack and the others turned to look at Rainbow Dash, who was in an uncomfortable position under a seat.

"It's a bit of a long story. Can I have a cushion?" said Rainbow Dash with a fake smile.

Author's Note:

the train left late, believe me.

Upss, I almost forgot, the hint of the next chapter