Out of the City, and Into the Wild

Chapter 1 - A Train Ride Gone Wrong

It stared just like an ordinary day, Autumn Ski getting up way too early, heading over to Pumpkin Swirl's house, and waking her up in the most obnoxious ways. After Autumn went through that routine, she sat on Swirl's bed to talk.

"…So that's why I think we should do something different today… Swirl! Are you dozing off on me again?" She exclaimed angrily.

"I can't help it!" Swirl explained, "You always make me wake up up too early!"

There in the city of Manehattan, it was 5 in the morning, and Swirl liked sleeping in.

"But there's so much to do! We've got to make the most of the day. Come on!"

Autumn managed to get Swirl outside, and on the streets.

Swirl yawned. "The sun isn't even out, why are we here instead of being in our nice cozy beds?"

"Swirl, you just don't understand! Here in Manehattan, the possibilities are endless! We can do anything! But then again…" There was a hint of sadness in Autumn's usually cheerful voice.

"Is something wrong?" Swirl asked.

"We can do anything, but we don't. We never do anything!"

It was true. The fillies did the same thing every morning: Wake up early, watch the sunrise, plan what they're going to do that day, watch the sunset, realize they didn't do anything on the list.

"But today," Autumn began, "we're going to change that!"

Swirl sighed. "Yeah, just like we did yesterday, right?"

"Well…"

"And the day before? And the day before that? And the day before the day before-"

"Okay I get it!" A tear began to slip from Autumn's eye. "I just want to be different. I want to have a different life! I don't want to be a slave to routine!"

"It's okay Autumn, I understand."

"Really?" Autumn sniffled. "But you never understand!"

Swirl laughed. "But I do! I know how you feel! How about today, we'll take a trip. We'll get out of town! I heard there's a particularly adventurous Everfree Forest in Ponyville!"

A smile appeared on Autumn's muzzle, only to disappear again. "But how would we convince out parents to let us go?"

"Well… Since that would be almost impossible, we won't! Well go on our own!"

Autumn gasped. "You mean, run away?"

"Well, adventure has to start somewhere, and if our parents don't let us, then we have to let ourselves! Come on!"

Swirl got a taxi to the train station, and when they got there, both fillies hopped on the train.

"This is going to be so awesome!" Swirl exclaimed.

"I don't know… What will our parents do when they find us missing?"

"We'll worry about that later, for now, it's adventure!"

At first, the fillies were filled with excitement about the journey, but after a few hours on the train, they began to get doubtful.

"So, Swirl, you did get us on the train to Ponyville, right?"

"Uh, I forgot to check… But it doesn't really matter, right?"

Autumn gasped. "You forgot to check? That's extremely important!"

"Oh… Whoops." Swirl grinned sheepishly. "I'll go ask the conductor where we're going."

While Swirl went to go talk to the conductor, Autumn peeked out the window to see if she could make out where they were, but nothing looked familiar! After a bit, Swirl came back with a terrified look.

"So? Where are we heading?" Autumn asked, with a bit of concern.

"So? What did the conductor say?" Autumn asked, with a bit of concern.

"Th- there is no conductor..."

"What? So we're on an abandoned train?"

Swirl nodded her head. "This must be an old train, heading out to the middle of nowhere!"

"But how will we get back?"

The fillies looked at each other. Autumn showed panic in her eyes, while Swirl grinned.

"What are you grinning about?" Autumn asked in terror, her eyes wide. "We're going to die out here!"

"But we got what you wanted! We've changed our lives!"

"But… This isn't how I wanted it to be…"

TO BE CONTINUED...