Getting There is Twice the Fun

Hooftober, Three Days Before Nightmare Night

"This is the song that never ends! It just goes on and on my friends!"

"Pinkie! Please! Stop singing that song!"

Rainbow Dash slumped in her seat after her outburst directed at Pinkie Pie who, for the past hour, had been singing "The Song that Never Ends." She, Pinkie Pie, and the rest of the Mane Six had been huddled together on the train on their trip to a nearby amusement park which nopony had ever heard of before. Well, actually, there is one exception to that - there is one pony who knew of it. Twilight Sparkle.

"It's a strange and mysteeeerious amusement park, which only opens once every year, on the weekend before... Nightmare Night!" Twilight had said, not two hours ago before boarding the train, and honestly, the very description of the park enough should have tipped everypony else off to the possibility that this was going to be a bad idea. Yes, there are certain festivities which only take place around the time of Nightmare Night, but anypony who knows common sense would usually consider that a "strange and mysterious amusement park" - which nopony has ever heard of before - which is far, far away from any civilization - may not be the first thing on the to do list for 'must visits'.

And yet, there they were, the Mane Six, going forth where nopony had gone before, riding the train through the dank, dark, forbidding everfree forest on their way to exactly that kind of amusement park.

Well, who knows - maybe they're not the crazy ones after all. Besides, what could possibly go wrong? What could possibly go wrong at a strange and mysterious amusement park which only opens on the weekend before Nightmare Night which nopony has ever heard of before and is miles and miles away from civilization?

- - -

"Well, it looks like we're finally here!" chimed Twilight.

The six all hopped off the train, waved a hoof at the conductor, and made their way along the dirt path set before them, which was decorated with various oil lanterns.

"Such a dreary place..." Rarity commented, eying the swamp-like flora and fauna surrounding the dirt path, "what did you say this place was called again, Twilight?"

"Oh, well, that's easy, it's... it's... huh, come to think of it, I can't remember what this place was ca-"

"Welcome everypony!"

"GAH!" Fluttershy cried, as she immediately hid behind a nearby tree.

Fluttershy wasn't alone - everypony else nearly jumped out of their skin also. Twilight quickly glanced at the source of the new voice to see what appeared to be a skeleton-pony, with the goofiest smile imaginable, wearing a top hat, which was emanating soft, quiet, white noise. To his left, a black cane was leaning up against his left shoulder.

Twilight quickly determined that this "Mr. Bones" was some kind of automaton, left here by somepony some time ago. Probably recently, considering that this "park" had just opened again for the year.

"My name is Missssster Bones!" the skeleton-pony-thing continued in a carny's accent. The top hat on the skeleton-pony's head tilted forward on its own, then settled back down on the skeleton-pony's head.

To say that Rainbow, Applejack, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie looked bemused could possibly be taken as an understatement. Especially for Fluttershy - she was still hiding behind that tree.

All was quiet for a moment.

"So... uh-"

"Right this way to see the one and only Mr. Bone's Wild Ride!" Mr. Bones said, interrupting Rainbow Dash. He mechanically lifted one hoof and motioned to a location some ways a little behind him, where there appeared to be a small, wooden car with - wouldn't you know it - six seats in it.

"Yeah, uhm... Are you sure this is a good idea, Twi?" Applejack inquired.

Applejack, element of honesty in action. In action, because honestly this should obviously have been a red flag to see a mysterious mechanical skele-pony automaton motioning towards a small wooden car with exactly six seats in it in the middle of nowhere. But I digress.

"Pfft, what's wrong with one wooden car on a track in the middle of nowhere?" Twilight replied.

"Oh, well, I don't know Twi - maybe because nopony has ever heard of this place before?" Applejack deadpanned.

"Besides, it probably just leads to the park - wherever that is."

"Ah have a feeling that this is the park." Applejack mentioned.

"How did you find out about this place anyway, darling?" Rarity intervened.

"Oh, Princess Celestia clued me in on it. She said she was originally going to send Nightmare Moon here one thousand years ago, but..." Twilight shrugged, "she didn't explain why. She just said that we might get a kick out of it, is all."

"Huh... well, if the Princess herself thinks it's alright..." Applejack thought out loud.

Pinkie Pie didn't wait a second longer, as she had been looking at the ride in front of her with big eyes for the entire time this was all taking place. In one moment, she dove straight for the car, taking a spot in the front. "Yippee!" she shouted.

Rainbow Dash followed, getting right into the middle seat. "C'mon, what're you waiting for?"

Fluttershy finally came out from the bushes and looked around at the other ponies. "So... are we going to try it then?"

Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, back at Fluttershy, then back at everypony else.

"Alrighty then, who's up for giving it a try?" she finally declared.

After some uncertain glances to each other, everypony decided, against all reason, to give "Mr. Bone's Wild Ride" a ride. Very soon, it would be a decision which each of them would regret. Cabin fever will take over; sanity will be lost; hope of any inkling of salvation from this wretched monstrosity which they were about to board would be snatched away in the most agonizing and terrible way imaginable.

So sit back, relax (you're going to be here for a long time), and try to enjoy as your brains will be reverted to mush by the demonic plague that is "Mr. Bone's Wild Ride."

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mapu

mapu #1 · Nov 5th, 2013 · · 1 ·

You should have written this as a one shot. Riding train to a place doesn't make for good first impression to the story. Cliffhangers work only if there is a cliff from witch to hang.

mapu