Authors note-
Hey. It's me. The author.
Decided to burn some time writing, I'm happy with most of the chapter. But towards the end I got a little less happy. Anyway, comment, review, like, favorite, follow.
Seriously, I say it every chapter. We have damn near 3k reads and only 9 reviews. The last chapter had over 100 reads. But one review. Come on guys. Show a man a little love.
The Fallen Soldier
Chapter 7 - A Warm Welcome
Cold. The only thing running through my mind right now, was the word
'cold'.
I had left the castle grounds after showing my passing through several guard checkpoints. My stroll through the city itself was uneventful, due to the poor weather conditions keeping practically all the civies inside. The only life I encountered outside the castle was the occasional wagon hauling something, and some guard patrols. Most of the guards I saw were walking, wearing a warm looking outfit, the rest were on horseback. Likely a higher ranked guard, though I could be wrong.
After finding myself lost for a brief moment, I asked a winged women sitting outside a building. Which seemed to be a cafe, a quick glance through the windows showed patrons sitting at booths sipping on mugs. The name of the establishment was written in a language I and my suit did not recognize.
Approaching the middle-aged woman, I aimed for her attention. "Excuse me ma'am."
She looked at my face, then my suit, her look said it all. "Yes? What do you need . . Sir?" She added after a quick pause.
Forgive me for looking past her expensive looking coat and the giant ring on her finger. I was just trying to have a conversation. Still, I smiled and politely asked, "Can you give me some directions to the train station?"
She was quick to inform me, then send me on my way without so much as a 'goodbye' in return. To my unfortunate surprise, the station was only a couple streets away.
I cut through an alleyway and shortened the walk by a couple minutes. No more than 6 minutes later, did I find myself standing outside a large building. The train station.
The large analog clock above the front door had several strange factors and symbols that made it unreadable, I made an educated guess and figured it was around 8 or 9 in the morning. Time is different here, and I don't exactly know how to read the clocks.
My train of thought was destroyed the second someone walked out from inside the station. I looked like a retard, standing out in the cold, staring at a clock I couldn't even read. Ignoring the mans look as he walked past, I entered the station and welcomed the shelter from the cold.
It was moderately busy, lines were over 13-17 people long. And most of the seats lined along the wall were occupied with waiting train goers. Two tracks ran inside the building and then out, both were parallel to one another. It was a wonder as to how the 4 giant holes didn't affect the temperature of the room.
I assumed some kind of 'magic' barrier was covering the two entrances and the two exits. Allowing the trains and it's passengers to go and come as they please, while keeping the cold and heat out. A terrific idea, if you asked me.
Separate signs swayed gently above their designated tracks. One read 'Philadelphia', the other 'Ponyville'. Each had a designated arrival and departure time written beneath them. I had plenty of time to catch the train.
Several booths on one side of building had different names fixated above them. I ignored all expect the one selling tickets to Ponyville. Quickly jumping in line, I had to wait for 6 different people to buy their tickets. And expecting the purchase of tickets to be strange, I paid attention to the man in front of me as he bought his ticket.
It was simple. They ask for a name, what accommodations you want, and if you has some kind of membership within the train services. I would have to look into it later, it seemed okay enough.
Now it was my turn.
Stepping forward as the man in front stepped aside, I was greeted with a bright smile and a happy, "How may I help you today?"
I replied, "What's the difference between the first class and second class tickets?"
"First class tickets allow you access to the dining cart and several other benefits such as a toilet, reclining chairs, seat warmers, and complimentary crackers."
"And second class?"
The station clerk smiled, "it has seats!"
I tilted my head and looked at her, then looked up at the board above the booth. The price for a 1st class ticket was 16 bits. 2nd class was 11 bits.
I reached in my pouch and pulled out two of the 10 bit coins I had. I slid them through the little hole in the bars separating us, saying, "I'll take a ticket for first class."
The Clerk nodded and grabbed the coins, he opened the register and dropped them inside. Fishing out four little coins the size of a American quarter. He laid them before me and then slid over a small things of papers.
At the top of each little paper, FIRST-CLASS was written.
"May I have your name sir?"
"Scott."
He looked at me funny, like he could talk though. His name was probably Butterscotch or something.
"Do you have a Year-Pass with us . . Scott?"
"No."
"Would you li-"
"No." I cut him off.
He frowned and filled the rest of the card out. "Your train will arrive in a hour. Please enjoy your ride and do come again."
I took the card and thanked him before leaving to find a seat near where my train would arrive. I had an hour to burn so I decided to do some thinking.
What if I'm stuck here forever? This place obviously hasn't traveled beyond its own planet. So what if I recover what I can from my crashed ship and that's it? No way off this god forsaken hellhole. And why did I have to arrive during the winter?
Speaking of winter, I noticed some civilians holding wrapped presents. Does this place have its own version of Christmas? Is it close to this Christmas? How fucking long is the winter here anyway? Why is it so goddamn cold? My suit says it's 38 degrees Fahrenheit outside for fucks sake. (Little over 3 degrees Celsius)
I was startled by a rather loud argument between a well-dressed man and his wife. I listened for a brief moment, they were arguing over something their daughter did. Not my business.
The hour passed slowly, I spent most of it staring at the giant 4-way clock hovering in the middle of the room. I tried to figure what from what and taught myself how to tell if a hour passed. Then the train arrived.
I boarded after filtering through a large crowd of people. I discovered that most of these folks weren't even going to Ponyville, but the stops after. Finding my way to the 1st-class wagon, I was seated in a comfortable chair next to a attractive women and her kid.
We didn't talk, and she didn't so much as acknowledge me.
After about 10 or so minutes, the train departed and we were on our way.
- [hr]
The kid was annoying, the second he realized I was sitting near him. He started asking questions about my armor. His mom apologized and told him to stop, but he'd only do so momentarily. I even gave him my crackers as a peace-treaty.
Once 45 minutes passed, I got tired of the kid and left to find the dining wagon. Turns out it was this kickass open-air cart with tables and more comfortable chairs. It had the same magic barriers from the station keeping the cold air from freezing everyone to death.
I found an empty table and sat down, basking in the wonderful view of snow and more snow as we sped through the meadows. A waitress found herself at my table, asking, "Would you like a menu?"
My mouth opened to ask for coffee, but instead said, "Do you have hot chocolate?"
She smiled and nodded, "Would you like some? A 10oz mug is 3 bits."
Handing her the money, she said she'd return in a moment. And so I waited, enjoying the calming sound of the train speeding down the tracks. My time of peace was interrupted by the same couple from before. Though the argument was different, and over a much worse topic.
"You what!?" The man cried out, standing up fast enough to send his chair falling back.
"I'm sorry!" The women replied, cupping her face in her hands.
"You're Sorry!?" He scoffed, "sorry doesn't fix what you did!" He was now towering over the still seated woman, he was pointing at her face and nearly jabbing her with his finger.
I was tempted to butt-in.
"Do you even realize how that makes me feel?" He spat in her face, stuttering on his next word. "Y-Y-you fucking WHORE!"
His hand began to glow a faint blue. I felt it necessary to interfere now.
"Hey! How about we all calm down now eh?" I announced my presence, standing from my chair, and approaching the couple.
The man stepped back from the woman, he took a look at me and then returned focus to his girl. He pointed an arm at me and shouted, "I bet you'd fuck him too huh!? He looks a lot like my brother!"
By now, most of the others folks that were out here had left already. I hoped this train had some kind of security system in place for Mages who go crazy. Otherwise I couldn't really do anything about the situation. Especially since I still don't fully understand the laws here. Me interfering could be considered escalating the situation!
I decided to take a gamble, by moving around a table between me and the mage. He immediately noticed this and raised a glowing hand at me. I never liked having a gun pointed at me, and I sure as hell didn't like some magical freak threatening to kill me with his mind of all things.
But I didn't do anything, a gut feeling told me his 'magic' would win.
My arms found themselves in the air, faking a surrender. The man bought it and turned to his girl. In the heat of the moment, I grabbed a nearby mug and rushed to hit the man with it.
I wasn't quick enough.
A powerful force hit me square in the chest. . . And sent me flying off the wagon.
Why? Why is it always me?
I couldn't help but ask myself as I was barreling through the air. There was nothing I could do to stop this turn of events. And that angered me beyond belief, instead I found myself with a natural hate for mages that day.
Before my body hit the ground, I managed to raise my helmet. It helped protect my head, but didn't do much once I started rolling fast enough to almost lose my breakfast. Being ejected from a train going at least 60mph does that to a man.
Everything was sore once the rolling stopped. Moving in general hurt. Why me? Why did I have to be laun- The train!
I sat up with a burst of adrenaline and watched the faint shape of my ride speeding away down the tracks. I wasn't even on that train for an hour! God-fucking-dammit. My luck always finds a way of resetting itself. Perhaps this is how it balances the good luck I tend to have so much of.
Regardless of this, walking was necessary at the moment. The sooner I started, the sooner I can get out of this godforsaken cold. Thankfully, I could rely on my suit to keep me warm. But it wasn't built for this, so it won't last long and I'm already burning enough energy healing from the forced ejection. Maintaining my body heat and fending off this cold isn't gonna be good for me or my suit in the long run.
Forcing myself onto my feet, a sharp pain shot through my hip. The suit beeped and a screen appeared on my HUD. Accompanied by a stoic female voice.
—
Scanning User. . . . Scanning done.
Detected several problems. Displaying results.
Muscle Damage causing a slight delay in Left Mechanical Arm by 19 milliseconds.
Sudden impact has caused a Hairline Fracture in the hip.
Malfunctioning rotor in Finger 3 on left arm mechanical hand.
In the time since the results displayed, over 24 different problems were solved.
Results end.
—
A fracture? Damn. On the bright side, at least the tracks are enchanted to stay warm enough to melt snow off it. It essentially gave me a never ending sidewalk. And so I walked. And walked. And walked. And walked. Walk. Walking. Wanking. Walking? Walking! I'm just hiking at this point.
I hiked for what seemed like 40 or so miles before something came barreling down from the skies. As it got closer, it revealed itself to be a woman with wings. And odd rainbow colored hair.
Her wings stretched from her back, slowing her descent and making her look like some angelic creature sent from the heavens to relieve me of my suffering. The crazy haired woman landed before me on the tracks, she was wearing a light jacket and yoga pants. How she wasn't freezing was beyond me.
"Are you… Scott?" She hesitantly asked.
My helmet lowered and I replied, "Yes."
She examined my face and stuck a hand out, "I'm Rainbow Dash." She said.
I shook it and replied, "Pleasure is all mine. You my rescue party?"
She nodded.
Her lack of extra hands had me confused, I asked, "So are you gonna... carry me or something?"
