An Expedition to the Crystal Forest

by Seeds of Doubt

Sponsored by the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity travel to an uninhabited island in the name of exploration. While there, they find history buried in time, new and exotic creatures, and, for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, emerging feelings for each other. (Note: takes place before the season 4 finale)

1. Chapter 1

An excerpt from The Ultimate Expeditioner's Handbook:

An expedition is defined by The Canterlot Equestrian Dictionary as: A journey undertaken by a group of ponies with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, scientific research, or war.

As far as this handbook is concerned, that more or less sums up the question of what an expedition is. The rest of this handbook strives to address the how and why of expeditions. That is to say, "How are expeditions conducted?" and "Why are expeditions conducted?"

Three distinct knocks shattered the once-pervasive silence that had enveloped the library's interior. Its only waking occupant, a lavender alicorn, just so happened to be very ill, and consequently, very unhappy.

"Go away! We're closed!" shouted a sickly voice from the top floor of the library. Twilight Sparkle, the ailing pony in question, didn't care who was behind the door, only that they left as soon as possible.

Anypony who has ever done so can attest that living in a public library makes getting bed-rest... difficult, to say the least. Twilight, being no exception to that exceptional minority of ponies, had grown rather keen on this concept, especially over the course of the previous day.

Now that it was morning again though, and the the sun was up, skipping its warm, jovial rays across the surface of Equestria like stones across the surface of a pond, Twilight felt like cheering at the top of her lungs that she felt no better than the day before and just wanted some peace and quiet so she could get some sleep.

"Oh… Um, okay then. I'll come back tomorrow, Twilight, if you're feeling better, that is," came a quiet and muffled, voice through the wooden door. Quiet not so much because it was muffled but more so because of the pony it was coming from.

"Fluttershy?" Twilight croaked, her ears perking up to hear more clearly.

"Um, yes?"

Twilight reluctantly rose from her bed. She was groggy and felt sick to her stomach. Her throat was sore, she had an intense headache, and any time she tried to walk she was overcome with intense dizziness. "Just a minute," she called back. The volume at which she had had to speak to make sure Fluttershy could hear her through the door did nothing but worsen her headache, eliciting a groan from Twilight.

Abandoning the comfort her bed brought her, she slid out from under the covers and planted all four hooves on the wooden floor. She glanced over at a mirror across the room and could see that her mane was as far from well-kempt as it had ever been. She levitated a comb over to her head to brush her mane in the hopes that she could achieve at least a modicum of presentability. After she finished, she placed comb back in its designated spot next to the mirror and made her way to the stairs, shouting down to Fluttershy who was still waiting outside.

"You can come in. I thought you were just somepony coming to use the library. I'll be down in a minute."

The old hinges creaked as Fluttershy pushed open the door. "Actually, Twilight," Fluttershy began, stepping into the library, a pair of saddlebags adorning her sides, "If it's all the same to you, I did come to use the library. I just need a few books and I'll leave you be. If you want me to go, I understand. You're obviously very sick."

"What exactly are you looking for? Is there anything I can help you with?" Twilight inquired from the top of the stairs. If there was anything that could make Twilight forget about her current physical state, it was books.

"Honestly, I feel like I should be the one asking you if you need anything. You really don't look so well. Would you like me to get you a glass of water? Is there any medication you're taking that I could get for you?" Fluttershy said. She was concerned, but her tone sounded almost frantic.

"I think I'll be fine." Twilight said, raising a hoof to her forehead, slowly rubbing in a circular motion at the base of her horn and then over her closed eyes. The worst symptoms of her illness was the incessant headache. "I just tend to get moody when I'm sick."

"I can tell."

"Watch it." Twilight growled.

"Oops... sorry. I wasn't trying to..." Fluttershy trailed off, withdrawing behind her draping mane. "Anyway, I was just looking for some maps, maybe some books on expeditioning, and, well, everything you have on the Crystal Forest."

Twilight's eyebrows furrowed as she pondered why Fluttershy would need such an odd selection of books, but eventually gave up, finding that thinking was much too difficult in her current state.

"I have absolutely no clue why you'd need those, but, since you asked: Maps," Twilight pointed a hoof at a section of the library, "are over there. I think... Probably. Books written by famous explorers are over there." Twilight's hoof shifted to another set of shelves. "And… What did you say about the Crystal Empire? Or forests? Or... What was it that you said?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to find everything just fine, Twilight. You should really just go back to bed and get some rest. And are you sure you don't need anything from me while I'm here?" Fluttershy urged, trying her best to be as kind as possible to her sickly friend.

"I'm fine. Thanks." Twilight said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. The first time she'd smiled since she'd woken up. "If you need any help, you can wake up Spike. He's pretty good at finding things. Just watch out, he isn't much of morning-dragon."

"Thank you for all your help, Twilight. I think I can manage things from here." Fluttershy said with a gentle, reassuring smile.

• • ❖ • •

Fluttershy floated leisurely from shelf to shelf, taking her time to carefully examine each book. She moved quietly and deliberately in much the same way a stampeding elephant doesn't. Considering her circumstances though, the calm demeanor Fluttershy possessed was actually quite odd.

Fluttershy had been, for quite some time, faced with a decision. Either she could go to the Crystal Forest by herself, or she could take two friends. Strictly two because that was the number of extra train tickets the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures had sent her. The ESPRC had even said in their correspondences that, should Fluttershy have more than two other ponies she'd like to take along with her, they would mail her extra tickets. That option though, was no longer, in fact, an option anymore. The date of departure was in two days, not enough time to send and then receive a letter. Thus leaving her with her current choices: bring two friends, or go alone.

Until now, Fluttershy hadn't found the decision even remotely difficult, she would go alone, just as she had when she went to see the breezies. But now, deadline looming overhead, Fluttershy felt substantially more uncertain about her choice.

Her last expedition was so great in part because she was alone for the entire trip. That meant that she could take things as slow as she wanted to, do whatever she wanted, and most importantly, not doanything she didn't want to. Everything went according to her plan on that trip. Something she enjoyed immensely, but couldn't see happening with other ponies in the mix.

What hadn't been so great was having all of those great experiences but not sharing them with anypony. Primarily because every time she would try to explain to somepony just how great her last trip had been and inevitably have them not quite grasp how lovely it all was, she felt lonely. No matter how she worded it, she couldn't seem to evoke the same emotions she had felt in other ponies by just telling them about it. The giddiness, the awe, the beauty, none of it could be put into words.

The other problem was that going somewhere as great as the Crystal Forest and not asking anypony if they wanted to tag along made her feel like she was being just a teensy bit greedy. This greedy feeling wasn't helped by the fact that she had two extra tickets either.

Fluttershy's hoof scanned across a row of books until it came across Tips for Traversing Treacherous Terrain Triumphantly. She removed it from it's spot on the shelf and placed it on the pile of books she'd found so far, atop which sat The Ultimate Expeditioner's Handbook. The pile had grown more than she'd realised but not so large that she wouldn't be able to fit all of the books into her saddlebags. Her absent-minded mulling had allowed her to get a lot done in a perceivedly short amount of time which was nice and all, but it didn't bring her any closer to a solution to her predicament.

• • ❖ • •

As Fluttershy made her way out the door, heading back home, she contemplated what she would do about her situation. Twilight definitely can't go so that narrows it down to five. She usually takes the leader role too, so, as sad as it is that she won't be able to be there, at least I know that it will by my trip. Is it wrong for me to think that? It's not like I want her to be—No, stop worrying. Twilight can't go and that's all that matters.

So far, things were mostly looking up. Though there was the slight problem—and most mathematicians agree on the fact—that five still does not equal two.

A sign swaying in the breeze drew Fluttershy's attention. Sugarcube Corner, it read. Fluttershy's heart sank a bit as she read the sign. She liked having Pinkie Pie around as much as anypony else but there was absolutely no way she could let Pinkie come with her. One of the things that made her last trip enjoyable was how peaceful it was. She loved all the little sounds of nature she could hear. From the sound of the wind blowing the leaves to the little hum of insects flying around. It was all so… Serene. But as far as she knew, Pinkie Pie was incapable of calmness (unless she found herself at the wrong end of Twilight's horn in a room full of two dozen clones of herself).

I guess that means I can't take Pinkie, Fluttershy thought, but what would she do if she finds out that I'm taking two of our other friends? Would she beg? I don't think I could say no to her then. Who am I kidding, I know I couldn't say no to that.

I don't even have an excuse to not take her like I do for Twilight. Am I really that selfish to not take Pinkie so I can have what I want?

Unable to make headway on the topic of Pinkie Pie, she shifted to a new train of thought. Who's left? Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. Applejack stood out the most as the least likely to be able to go.

Applejack was well known for her strong work ethic. Although, what choice did she have? She always took on more work than she could handle and this simple fact meant that there was always something that needed doing. Whether it be bucking apples, or doing chores that she'd neglected because she'd been bucking so many apples. In Fluttershy's case, this was actually a good thing. Applejack could usually make time for a day with her friends but a week away from the farm was almost certainly out of the question. It would almost be downright irresponsible for Fluttershy to tempt Applejack with the offer. It would certainly harm Applejack in the long-run.

The appearance of the door to Fluttershy's cottage took her rather by surprise and she would have run in to it too if her train of thought hadn't happened to end just as it did. She sighed before saying aloud to herself. "I guess that leaves Rainbow and Rarity."

• • ❖ • •

A small bell chimed as the door to Carousel Boutique opened, signaling Fluttershy's entrance.

"Just a minute!" came Rarity's customary sing-song reply.

The thud of hooves against wooden stairs could be heard as Rarity made her way down to the main floor.

"Fluttershy, dear, its so nice to see you," Rarity said as she reached to bottom of the stairs. "What brings you by?"

"Well," Fluttershy began, ready to get straight to business. She was nervously rubbing one hoof against her other leg. "I was planning on going on a trip to the Crystal Forest and I was wondering if you would like you to come with me."

"A trip?" Rarity raised a hoof to her chin as she pondered the prospect. "Who else would be going? More importantly, when were you planning on going?"

"The train we would take is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, first thing in the morning. We—"

"Wait, wait, wait. The day after tomorrow? As in just two days from now!?" Rarity stumbled back as if the words had physically struck her. "That's a little last-minute, dear. I-I suppose it could be arranged, but..." Rarity sighed. "You really haven't given me all that much time."

"Well, you see," Fluttershy started, hurt in her eyes from having distressed her friend. "I haven't been planning this for very long, a-and I thought that I was just going to go by myself until just today when I thought that maybe it would be nice to have somepony else to share the experience with. And… I'm sorry this is so sudden. I didn't mean to cause you any stress, I was just really hoping you would go." Fluttershy took a deep breath and allowed herself to calm down.

Rarity stepped closer and raised a hoof to Fluttershy's shoulder. "Would you like to explain to me what exactly it is that's bothering you so much?" Rarity's lips curved into a sincere smile.

Fluttershy conceded and gave Rarity a summary of her predicament. She explained how sharing her trip could mean losing some of the aspects she enjoyed the most, but how not sharing felt not only like she'd be missing out on a great time with her friends but that not doing so would be greedy. She told her of Twilight's condition and how no matter what not everyone could go since she only had two extra tickets. And finally she explained that there wasn't any real reason she couldn't take Pinkie and she felt bad for not choosing her. The thought of coming back to and seeing Pinkie Pie waiting there, silently judging her with cold demonizing eyes, it yanked at her conscience in ways she couldn't even fully articulate.

Rarity sat with her chin rested on a hoof. She listened attentively to everything Fluttershy had to say and only chose to speak up when she had finished. "Let me reword things and tell me if I've got everything right. From what I've gathered, Fluttershy, you have two problems. You don't want to have to choose somepony over Pinkie Pie, and on this trip, you want to be the one to 'call the shots,' so to speak. Is that right?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"Okay then. Now, what if Pinkie couldn't go? Would you feel better about not taking her then?"

Fluttershy stared at Rarity in bepuzzlement. "I suppose..." If only that were the case, Fluttershy remarked internally.

"Then say no more. I'll make quick work of your little Pinkie-problem," Rarity said. "Also, should you choose to have me along, I promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are the one calling the shots, and that Rainbow and I will just be guests," she added. "Unless I'm wrong in assuming you're planning on giving the remaining ticket to Rainbow."

"If you really mean that then I wouldn't have any problems having you along at all. Oh, and um, no, you weren't wrong in assuming it was Rainbow Dash"

"Excellent. Then there you have it." Rarity stated with a smug grin.

"But what about Pinkie. You can't just tell her that she's not invited!"

"I won't. I'll figure something out to clear up this whole Pinkie mess for you," she said. "I promise."

• • ❖ • •

Fluttershy arrived at the door to Rainbow Dash's cloud-house. She knocked at the door but it only elicited a quite poof noise as if she had knocked on a pillow. Fluttershy felt slightly foolish for knocking on the cloud door but, luckily, nopony had been around to see her embarrass herself. She looked around for a bell of some sort but there wasn't one.

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy called out.

No response.

"Rainbow, are you in there!?" She must have been. It was still too early in the morning for Rainbow Dash to be out and about. Rainbow Dash never was one to wake up early and certainly wasn't one to wake up early and do things.

Fluttershy flew over to a window and peered through it. She couldn't see Rainbow Dash anywhere but she could see her pet tortoise.

Fluttershy knocked on the window. "Tank, is Rainbow in there?"

Tank slowly nodded.

"She isn't still sleeping, is she?"

Tank slowly nodded.

Fluttershy flew up one floor and around to the opposite side of the cloud-house to find a window to Rainbow Dash's bedroom. Looking through it, she saw Rainbow Dash sprawled out on her bed.

Fluttershy alighted on the ledge of the window then knocked on the glass three times.

Rainbow Dash fidgeted then turned her head to face the window. Slowly, she opened one eye. An expression of confusion ran over Rainbow Dash's face but she swiftly shrugged it off.

Rainbow Dash sat up on her bed and stretched her wings. "Come in," she said, shaking her head to wake herself up more fully.

Fluttershy hesitated for a moment before pulling open the window which swung open on a pair of hinges. "It's not everyday I use a window as a door," she remarked.

"It is for me," Rainbow Dash said. "You should try it. Pretty useful if you ask me."

"I'll think about that," Fluttershy said, but she probably wouldn't.

There was a pause in the conversation that Rainbow Dash found to be a little too long for comfort so she broke it by being the first to speak up.

"You must really like small talk if you came all the way to my house to wake me up for it."

"Oh, right... actually, I did have something I needed to ask you about." Fluttershy's expression lit up at the thought of it. "I was planning on going on an expedition to the Crystal Forest and I'd like you to come with me." Fluttershy had chosen to call it an expedition specifically because it made it sound more adventurous and the pony in front of her was more adventurously inclined. "Rarity is coming too."

Rainbow cocked her head sideways and stared off into nothing as she thought about the offer. "Yeah, I'm down." She said after a moment.

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash as if she were waiting for her to continue. "Really?" She said. "You don't even know when it is. Or how long we'll be gone."

Rainbow Dash scoffed dismissively. "I can make time whenever. It doesn't matter to me."

Fluttershy did a mental roll of her eyes. Sometimes she tries too hard to be cool, she thought to herself. Even so, Fluttershy still found that same aspect of Rainbow Dash to be a little endearing.

Fluttershy took the time to explain to her new companion everything she would need to know ahead of time, such as where and when they would be meeting up beforehand, and what Rainbow Dash would need to bring with her.

"That's all okay with you, right?" Fluttershy inquired.

"Yeah, sounds good." Rainbow Dash said with a yawn. "Now can I get back to my nap?"

Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash a stern look. "You were napping? Rainbow, it's not even lunch time yet."

"I know. It's just that eating breakfast this morning really wiped me out."

Fluttershy rolled her eyes. "Well, in that case, I'll leave you to your napping."

As she made her out the window, Fluttershy turned around to shut it. "I'll be by here tomorrow to wake you up." She said with a cheery grin before she closed the window.

"Hey! I can manage a simple task like waking myself up, y'know!" Rainbow Dash shouted through the glass.

Fluttershy maintained her grin. "I'm sure you can."

• • ❖ • •

Two ponies, one yellow, one white, made there way onto the train platform and took a seat on a bench adjacent to the station wall. They removed the saddlebags they were carrying and placed them beside the bench. The two busied themselves with small talk as they waited for the train that would take them to the first stop on their trip. A clock fixed to a wall on the outside of the train station displayed the current time: 7:32. Two minutes past the time that Fluttershy had told Rainbow Dash to meet her there. She had already stopped by Rainbow Dash's house earlier to make sure the mare was up which she wasn't at the time, so Fluttershy had woken her up, but now thinking back on it, there really wasn't anything keeping her from going back to bed, which wouldn't be an entirely un-Rainbow Dash thing to do either.

"If you don't mind waiting here by yourself for a minute, I'd like to go make sure Rainbow Dash is getting ready," Fluttershy said, interrupting Rarity. Rarity had been explaining the travesty that was her latest fashion line. She had been going on and on to no end since they had left Carousel Boutique about how she didn't know what come over her to choose such a hideous colour palette and how the whole ensemble looked like something her mother would wear. (no offense intended to her mother.)

Rarity glanced at the clocked. "Normally I would protest the notion of checking up on somepony who's only two minutes late, but... well, this is Rainbow Dash we're talking about," Rarity said. "Go ahead. I'll be waiting right here."

Fluttershy flashed Rarity an appreciative smile. "I promise I'll be quick. Oh, and would you watch my things while I'm gone?"

"Certainly." Rarity said with a nod. And with that, Fluttershy took to the skies, heading in the direction of a certain blue pegasus's residence.

Arriving at the illustrious cloud-house, Fluttershy made straight for Rainbow Dash's bedroom window, and looking through, there was Rainbow Dash herself, snuggled up under the covers, fast asleep. Fluttershy entered through the window for the third time, as of recently, and made her way over to the side of Rainbow's bed. She leaned down and spoke directly into Rainbow Dash's ear.

"Wakey-wakey Dashie! You-"

"NGH-BLEGH!" shouted Rainbow Dash, making no effort whatsoever to articulate. She brought the covers above her head and buried her face in a pillow.

Fluttershy's voice took on a rigid tone. "Rainbow, you've already overslept. Get up or we'll miss the train."

"I've got an alarm clock so quit worrying." Rainbow said, eyes still closed.

Fluttershy picked up the clock sitting on the nightstand. "This clock is broken Rainbow," she said, "That explains why you've never woken up on time for anything before, but more importantly, we only have ten minutes. Now get up."

"I can make it there in under five!" Rainbow retorted quickly.

Fluttershy scowled, she wouldn't be making any progress through diplomacy. "If that's the way you're going to act, then so be it." Fluttershy grabbed hold on the blanket in her mouth and, with a swift tug, tore it from Rainbow Dash's clutches. "There. Now I didn't want to do that but you made me."

Rainbow Dash, however, wasn't particularly perturbed. She pulled her legs close to her chest and used her wings to cover her body. At this point, she was just trying to be stubborn, made evident by the way she peeked open one eye for just a moment to get a look at Fluttershy's reaction.

"Rainbow Dash! Get up!"

"I will. Just give me one more minute." Rainbow pleaded, amused with herself for being such a nuisance. The grin on her face said it all. "Pleeeeease!"

"We don't have a minute." Fluttershy insisted, but Rainbow Dash was more insistent on staying put. "Fine then. You leave me no other choice." Fluttershy said with devious grin of her own. She reached out a hoof and gently ran it along the underside of Rainbow's wing.

"Hey! Stop it!" Rainbow Dash instinctively retracted her wing from the tickling sensation, but Fluttershy kept at it, going for the sensitive spots on the other, unretracted wing. "Quit... heheHaHA... tickling my wings!"

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and she went in for the kill. "Stop! Hehe!" Rainbow giggled. "Okayokayokay! I'll get up! I'll get up!" But Fluttershy continued, and she had no plans of stopping until Rainbow Dash was out of the bed. "Alright! I'm getting up! Stop!" Rainbow Dash begged, rolling off the bed, laughing hysterically. Fluttershy wasn't going to let her prey get away that easily though. She pounced on the troublesome pony, going for her neck, then her sides, and then crooks of her legs. Rainbow Dash kicked uncontrollably as she squirmed around on the floor. Eventually Rainbow Dash found herself in the position to end the barrage of tickles by rolling Fluttershy off of her and herself onto Fluttershy, pinning Fluttershy to the floor, and diffusing the tickle frenzy.

"If we weren't in such a rush I'd return the favour," Rainbow said, out of breath, but with a cocky grin. She got to her hooves and stepped over Fluttershy.

Fluttershy then got to her hooves as well, still smiling widely. "You were a lot easier to wake up earlier."

"That's because I knew I was going to go back to bed when you left."

"You really shouldn't have done that. We might not make it to the train station in time."

"Oh, we'll make it. Even if it means I have to fly you there myself," Rainbow Dash said. "I didn't wake up, then go back to sleep, then wake up again to miss this train."

"Did you pack last night like I told you to?"

"Yeah, I've got it right here." Rainbow Dash said as she darted over to a pair of large saddlebags thrown carelessly into the corner the previous night. She adorned them and made her way for the window. "You ready?" She said turning her head to call back to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy nodded.

"Then let's go!"

• • ❖ • •

"All aboard!" shouted the conductor in a loud, bellowing voice.

Uh oh. This was bad. Fluttershy hadn't yet made it back with Rainbow Dash, and Rarity was beginning to panic.

Rarity was standing in the middle of the platform trying to think of the best course of action. She looked to the sky, trying to spot any signs of Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash but they were nowhere in sight. Ponies passed by Rarity as they filed onto the train.

"Aaaaall aboard!" the conductors voice rang out again.

The conductor! She would simply convince the conductor to hold up the train for just a few short minutes until her friends arrived. Easy enough. She would put on her ladylike charm and get exactly what she wanted, just like she had done so many times before. She adjusted her mane, making sure that it was at maximum fabulosity, then trotted over to the conductor.

"Hello!" She raised a hoof to her chest. "I, am Rarity. And it appears that some friends of mine aren't going to make it on time. I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind waiting for just a few moments as they arrived. Would you be so kind as to to that for me?" Rarity finished her request with a few flutters of her eyelashes.

"Not gonna happen, Miss," the conductor replied while rubbing his large, puffy mustache. He hadn't even bothered to look at Rarity. His only concern was with making sure that the ponies at the station were on board.

"Whyever not? I'm sure they won't be long."

The conductor looked down to Rarity instead of over her head like he had been doing earlier. "Listen. We run a tight schedule, and if I held up the train for every pony that couldn't be bothered to make it on time, I'd be out of the job. Now either you can get on the train, or you can stay here. It doesn't matter to me." All of the ponies at the station were now on the train and, if it weren't for Rarity, it would have been ready to depart.

"I'm not asking you to hold up the train for every late pony. I'm asking you to hold it up for me," Rarity shot back.

The conductor sighed in agitation. "You see this?" He held up a pocket watch. "It's a pocket watch in case you couldn't figure that out on your own, which wouldn't surprise me since you don't seem to have a concept of time. Now tell me, what time does this pocket watch say?"

Rarity examined the watch. "Sev—"

"Seven forty-five. That is absolutely right." He said. The pace at which he talk had increased noticeably. "Would you like to tell me when it is you think this train is supposed to leave here?

"Sev—"

"Seven forty-five. Right again!" the conductor interrupted for a second time. "You may have already noticed this, but those times are exactly the same, and they're going to stay the same, so either get on the train, or stay here!" His voice had raised substantially in volume toward the end. He was now staring down Rarity, seething at her with clenched teeth.

Rarity hadn't liked his tone in the slightest. Nor did she particularly enjoy being interrupted. "Listen here, you!" she spat. "That is no way to talk to a lady!"

The conductor, having had just about enough of listening Rarity, decided she was no longer worthy of his consideration. He spun around and made straight for the train, leaving Rarity red-faced with anger.

"Get back here!"

The conductor, though he undoubtedly heard Rarity, gave no signs that he did.

"I am demanding that you hold up this train!"

The door to the train slid closed as the conductor boarded.

The panic that Rarity felt earlier kicked in again. It looked like the train would be leaving without her, but, as a successful fashion designer, Rarity knew a thing or two about not giving up, and she certainly didn't plan on giving up that easily. She ran to the front of the train to speak to the pony in charge of driving the train. The engineer was a cream pony wearing a red neckerchief and an engineer's hat. He had an apathetic look about him in his posture and his eyes, and was slouched over with one of his front hooves hanging out the window. Rarity continued her tirade she had been having with the conductor with the engineer.

"You will not be leaving this station until I say so! Do I make myself clear!?"

The engineer looked over to Rarity. His glance lingered for a moment but he otherwise didn't acknowledge her demand. Before another moment further could even pass, orders to set off then reached the engineer, so, with as much apathy as his appearance indicated he possessed, he reached for the controls to set the train in motion.

Rarity used her magic to grab him by the neckerchief and pulled him back away from the controls. The engineers eyes went wide at this in the first display of emotion Rarity had yet seen him make. The conductor had been watching Rarity through a window to make sure she hadn't planned to cause anymore trouble, but what he could see (Rarity's horn glowing and the train still not moving) suggested otherwise. He stormed back off of the train to confront the problematic unicorn.

"Hey! Hey! HEY! What do you think you're doing!" called out the conductor.

Just then Rainbow Dash forcefully landed on the train platform next to Rarity. "Whoa now! Easy girl, or they'll make us keep you on a leash!" Rainbow Dash said to Rarity with a grin. Fluttershy touched down not long after and Rarity sighed with relief at the sight of her companions.

"Thank Celestia!" Rarity said. She turned to the conductor and levitated three tickets over and into a pocket on the front of his uniform. She said nothing more to him and simply walked by him over to the entrance of the train.

"Fluttershy your bags are over by the bench. Do be sure to get them," Rarity chimed, giving no impression of the agitated state she had just been in. The conductor, however, was still fuming and was even considering not letting Rarity on the train, but having just witnessed how well that worked out the first time, decided against it.