I'm an Inter-railer, this is my vacation. I had paid for a ticket to be on the train. Only as I woke up, I had apparently gotten lost. Soon to find Ponyville train station, where I jumped off.
I'm an experienced Inter-railer. I love going places by train and this vacation is no different. I had paid the ticket, and jumped the first train.
I had taken the night train. It's a good way to spend the night. I combine travel with sleep. Now I could arrive to where I wanted to go, just after breakfast?
This time should have been no different, but it proved me wrong. Maybe I shouldn't mind. I had arrived happily at the next stop, but this is the end of what was expected since it was the Ponyville train-station.
I had jumped on the night train, hoping to see the destination as I woke up. As an Inter-railer, I have paid for a ticket, trailing tickets paid for, for the specified period of time. I had chosen to Inter-rail for the duration of my vacation.
My bed is in the end of the train, should be no difference. The only important fact, for all I knew and cared, is the three other beds where my friends lie. We had had just enough time to have a late meal on the train, before hitting the sack I had fallen asleep fairly easily.
The night had gone by quietly, and very much unnoticed on my part. This is why I chose the night train in the first place. In hopes to reach the destination fresh after a good night's sleep. Why bother travelling in daytime, spending my time travelling?
I had chosen the bed close to the floor, and in the direction of movement, I guess I'm glad I chose it. My bed looks exactly like it had as I entered the room, but apparently, I don't. I had changed into a pony, during the night.
Looking around, I found my first friend in be bed on the other end of the room, she is a Unicorn by the looks of it. I can see her light pink head on the pillow. Her main is a golden yellow.
“You're a Unicorn, Golden Dawn!” I burst out.
“Morning. I am? You're a pony, Gingers!” Dawn responded.
“We could have been doing worse. I guess it is good we chose the lower beds. Would be a pain to climb down that spindly ladder as a pony!” I responded.
“I chose the lower bed, just like you. Strange how good I feel now. How would Cloud Ripper and Sun Shiny get down?” Dawn responded, without considering their names, or the hints she was slipping herself.
“Slept well, down there, Dawn and Gingers?” Sunny responded, as her name was mentioned.
“Like little fillies, how about you two up there in the clouds?” I responded.
“You better get down. I'm hungry as a horse, so I guess you would be too? Dawn pointed out, in a more impatient tone of voice.
Then I hear the sound of quilts pulled along the bed, wings flapping, just before my two Pegasi friends landed in the middle of the space of the room in which I had been sleeping.
“I hope they have a restaurant on the train. I know I checked before I hopped onto the train, but they may have dropped it while we were sleeping!” Dawn pondered.
“Only one way to find out!” I responded.
“I'm starved, now as you mentioned. I haven't eaten anything since we jumped onto the train!” Sunny pointed out, embarrassed, realising first now.
“Unless we are the only ponies on the train, they ought to have something good to eat!” Cloud suggested.
I had just opened the door, looking right and left, none I could see.
“We're apparently approaching the next station, and it is named 'Ponyville'!” Sunny pointed out.
“I guess you're not missing your hands so much, Dawn, since you can still open the doors, and such!” Cloud concluded.
“Yeah, I guess I don't miss them as much as I may have expected, Clouds!” I responded.
“You have wings to explore, Cloudy and Sunny!” Ginger pointed out with an envious grin on her face.
“Ponyville, you must be joking, Dawn?” Sunny pointed out with a crooked smile.
“What, Ponyville. I'm sure it isn't Fools Day, it is fourth of July, by my calendar!” Cloudy pondered.
“The village still looks lovely!” Ginger suggested.
Since I had been the one to open the door, I was the first to reach the door off of the train. I soon opened it, only to be greeted by bright sunshine. Guess it is mid summer in Ponyville too. However the train had taken us here, but I can still enjoy a few days here.
“Ponyville, here we come!” I exclaimed cheerfully.
Since I am the only Unicorn in our small group, I had been doing all the packing. They still get to carry their own saddle bags. They're still strong ponies, all the three of them.
I noticed my two Pegasi friends soon flew off, looking around, trying to see what the village is like. I didn't see much of where they went, or which went where.
I noticed them being back in a few minutes, though. Not that I had expected them to just leave us earthbound Ponies behind here, just like that.
“I found a little hotel, not too far from the station. I booked two double rooms for us, should be a place for all the four of us to sleep over the night!” Cloud announced, just as she was back from her short flight.
“The village may be fairly small, but we would enjoy exploring it. I think we need a week here. Besides, we're on vacation, not a camping trip!” Sunny pointed out.
“Yeah. We're here on vacation, even if at least I had never really planned to go to Ponyville. Even if the main reason is that I never knew it was here in the first place!” I responded with a whimsical laughter, grinning widely.
“I never heard of Ponyville before today. Even if I would love to stay here for a week, or more!” Cloud responded with a grin of her own.
“I guess I could get used to these wings. Besides, you're cute with a horn on your forehead too, Dawn!” Sunny pointed out.
“Would that by any chance be the hotel?” I said as I saw a building with a sign on it.
“Since the sign says 'Hotel', I guess it had to be, Dawn!” Ginger pronounced.
I opened the door and stepped in, followed by my friends. Then I walked up to the reception desk, finding a mare with a pleasant smile on her face.
“How may I help you? Do you have a reservation?” she asked.
“Yes, I booked rooms for four, just a few minutes before!” Cloud responded.
I got a room on the second floor together with Cloud. Dawn and Ginger got their room on the first floor. That's just right by me, they're not Pegasi, I guess they prefer the room on ground level.
The room has two Pegasi beds and a fairly large balcony. The balcony may be minimal, but there is also room to place our few belongings in. I guess this is our first sample of what it is like to be ponies, and in Ponyville.
Both beds were already neatly made, just as had been expected. Linen in a light sky blue. By the side of the bed, I found a night stand made out of local wood for all I could see. On it, I found a flyer, with a map of Ponyville on the one side, and a list of establishments I may enjoy seeing on the other.
It may be a small room, but we have ample room for the two beds, currently pushed together, the respective night stand on the opposite side of the bed.
Behind the beds, I could easily see the two sliding doors, looking easy enough to slide even for me as a Pegsus. Considering the weather, it could be very enjoyable to sit out on the balcony. Then I even found a few chairs made for ponies, just like us and there is a table on which a pony could place cups and have tea. Potted plants hanging from the walls inside of the balcony, and from all the way along the fence. I have to say, it is looking delightful too.
Apparently, they had already planted numerous Equestrian verities of what looks like the flowers from back home. I just don't know what they are called. Pansy, Pelargonium, Petunia, and Viola I recognised. Or at least I thought I recognised them, I can't say if these are what they actually are, this far from home.
Then I noticed we have a Mares room, complete with shower and all.
Naturally their room had to be the same. Only they're on ground level, the balcony wouldn't be a real balcony, since it is on the ground. They still would have the same potted plants, it wouldn't be right, if they didn't.
Strangely, it never occurred to me that if this had been back home, there would have been burglaries on the ground floor, but that would be on the second and third floor too.
It is strange, just how different things are here, compared with where we had been, just the other day. I'm not about to complain. Though what is odd, is how much we could just forget, or disregard how this interfere with how we react to everything around us.
Maybe I just like this easy-going mood of Ponyville. I can't complain. Just knowing nothing will be taken, just because I forgot to close the door, it is very appealing to me.
The freedom of knowing, it all made sense. Yet it wouldn't work, where we came from, which would merely confuse me thinking of it, here or at home, so I simply left it as it were, just enjoying it as it is.
First order of business, breakfast. There was this one place to go, and it was apparently called 'Sugar-Cube Corner'. Going there was a walk in the park, Ponies in Ponyville were more friendly than I had dared to hope. Any other day it would have been too much for my comfort, going my nerves on the first account, People were never this friendly, barely even if they had a hidden agenda. Apparently, this was a very different day, or is it the place and I who was changed? My old friends wouldn't have recognised me now, as a Pony and all that.
I think I closed the door, but who cares? Leaving the room where I had found it. Trotting off to the intended location. Apparently I even managed to find my way there.
As usual, Pinkie Pie, the pink mare stand behind the counter with a genuinely happy smile on her face, as if the sun had been shining through her eyes. This is just the kind of Pony she was known to be. The Café, owned by the Cakes, a nice and friendly pair of Ponies.
“Welcome to Ponyville!” she just beamed at me.
“Thanks, Pinkie Pie, was it?” I responded, looking at the available pastries, which seems to be a rich choice on me.
“You're quite welcome, thank you. That's me. It's a great place to see all new Ponies. A new Pony is a new friend to me. I hope you can find something to your taste!” she responded.
“Guess it is the perfect spot, since we all come to see you? Besides, you have the best Parties and Pony could wish for. Right now, I think I need three of these, some Orange juice with that would be great, too!” I pointed out.
“Yes, since every Pony come here, it is the best place, which is perfect by me. An excellent choice, coming right up. I take it you're eating here?” she enquired.
“Yes, that's the idea!” I responded as I watched as she picked out my choice of Pastries, the Blackberry Surprise Muffin and poured up the Juice, before she ticked in the price.
I poured the bits on the counter and she soon extracted them.
“Thanks, go right in and I'll serve you by the table!” she pointed out, pointing out the direction as she spoke, still with the excited smile all over her pink face.
“Thanks!” I responded, smiling back at her the widest I dared as I followed her direction to the table in the next room, then sitting down.
“Here you go. Bon Apetit!” she stated, as she served my breakfast, just as she had promised.
“Thanks!” I responded as I pick up the first of my Muffins, while she placed the glass on the table.
Pulling the paper off of it wasn't as easy as I'm used to, but I just have to get used to handling things with my own two hooves from now on. It feels strange, but not quite as unaccustomed as one may have thought. I guess it is more in my head, then in actual life.
I had followed her with my eyes as she walked from my table and back to her post behind the counter, awaiting the next customer, eager for a treat. I was almost feeling envious of all the Ponies who had been treated by her, and her employers, they had had the chance to have these any time, for years before I came here now. Only chance had graced me with this one chance, for as long as it would last?
Then another notion hit me, what if it is merely a dream. Not that I used to have this vivid dreams, or quite as pleasant either. This almost made me scold myself over the silly reaction of envy.
I had a bite into the Muffin, and everything was merely washed away by the joy she had hoofed me, a mere minute ago. Slowly chewing on it, savouring each and every bit of it.
I had noticed that several Ponies had been sitting by tables scattered all around the room, one by one they were filing out as they finished their breakfast, chatting vividly and discussion various topics. I did not listen to what they were saying since I found it rude, it simply isn't my thing to spy on them, or prey into their personal affairs. All the while, other Ponies were marching in with expectation in their eyes, just awaiting the treat they knew Pinkie Pie was about to serve them as she came to their respective tables. Exchanging words of greetings and cheers as she came by, serving what they chose to have for breakfast. It had been hard to impossible, not to notice, I couldn't just close my eyes, or fully ignore the mood of the room, now could I?
I didn't know any of these Ponies, but the mood is overly obvious, from a mere casual glance over. It is as much as I desired to afford them, knowing they had just about as much interest in me. Only Pinkie Pie had actually been interested, but it is more than merely her job to greet each and every Pony here. It's her call in life, spreading joy wherever she set her hooves. It had been obvious to me, just by the look of her.
Smiling to myself, I sit with half closed eyes, just chewing the Muffin I held in my hooves, enjoying it as if I never knew food before. Slowly swallowing and washing it down with a sip of juice. Little by little, consuming the joy I had before me. Doing my best to pace myself, in order not to run out of what little time I had with the Muffins she had so happily served me. Trying as best I could, pushing all conscious thought of time and anything outside of the room.
Only then the inevitable came to pass, the last of my Muffins had been eaten, washed down with the last of the juice. I smile at myself and the little attempt in escaping what I had known was to happen. Yet, still preserving the memory of the short moment in time.
Maybe it had been silly, every Pony know they can have another any time they want, just by stepping into the café and ask for one. I had not known this joy, just as I knew my time here may be shorter them I would like it to be.
Yes, now I had tasted it, knowing I wanted more. Only now, I have more pressing matters at hoof, so I walked out, waving a hoof towards the pink mare on my way out, drawing her smile in my direction.