Everyone except Lame found it fairly simple to come up with some sort of way to hide his or her abnormalities. Hats proved to be a blessing to hide ears and tails could be hidden behind heavy shirts or jackets. Ren didn't have to do anything since he had nothing external to hide and neither did Annie. She had long since gotten rid of the feathers on her back and the ones in her hair looked like an intentional decoration.

"Hey, Lame. These might help you."

Brody and Mark had fixed up a makeshift 'slipper' to go over his hooves to muffle the clomp, clomp that isn't easy to ignore. After much thinking the group pitched in to make a pair of really baggy sweatpants so Lame could comfortably fit both legs through. I'm sure you can understand this was quite the ordeal since the horse anatomy wasn't meant to wear clothes.

"Everyone ready?" Al asked.

The question was kinda've irrelevant since who could honestly be ready for something in which you had no idea of the outcome? Ready or not everyone waved a sad good-bye to Brody and the others and followed Ed who was in the lead to the station.

Half way to Naunting

"Dixie, you have to keep that on."

"KUN!" (I don't like it!)

Ren had been trying his hardest to make Dixie keep her hat on but when he put it on she'd take it off if his back was turned.

"Do you want people to poke fun at your ears?"

"Kun." She shook her head.

"Then keep the hat on."

"Kun, kun, kun!" (But I don't like it)

"I'm about ready to tie it to your head."

"KUN!" she stuck out her tongue.

"Does anyone have any ideas?" Ren asked desperately. "I'm out of 'em."

Chanticleer put a hand behind his back and gently pulled out one of his longer feathers, slipped it out and handed it to Dixie. In a heartbeat she forgot about the hat and giggled with delight as she played with the feather.

"Totally beside the point but I really don't like train rides." Gox said.

"Why's that?" Annie asked him.

"Because I can feel that I'm moving but at this point sound can't tell me what's going on."

"Relax, all you have to do is sit and do nothing." Ed encouraged. "You'll only have to endure this for maybe a few more hours."

"That's the part I don't like."

For quite a while no one said anything. Part of that was because half of them had fallen asleep. Dixie had curled up between her brother and Al and snuzzled her precious feather. Al looked down at her and felt sad over the fact that she looked so innocent like Nina. Out the window lush fields had changed into stretches of grass that eventually ebbed away into sand.

Please let nothing bad happen to them. Al thought to himself. They've been through too much for it to end here.

They'd never been to Naunting before and Al could only hope they could find everything all right. Since they would arrive early they'd need to stay at the local hotel…if they could find it since directions were a little vague.

"Wanna play cards?"

Startled, Al looked away from Dixie. Chanty had just been resting his eyes but was still awake.

"Do ya wanna play cards?" He repeated.

"With you? No way."

"Checkers?"

Al thought for a moment.

"Are you as good at that as you are at cards?"

"If it helps Lucus has beaten me a few times."

"Ok, I'll play."

The Dawn transmuted a piece of paper into a board and Al transmuted the dust bunnies in the windowsills to the pieces. Turns out Chanty was as good if not better at checkers than he was at cards. Nine wins went by with him having nearly all his pieces and leaving Al with only one or two.

"And you weren't lying about Lucus beating you right?"

"No, he beat me countless times…when I was six."

"Hey that doesn't…"

"I told the truth. You never asked for an age limit."

"I'm going to get you this time."

Trying extra hard Al did manage to make a comeback. The game looked like it was going to end in a tie but Ed sneezed loudly in his sleep that made Chanticleer jump and made the pieces clatter to the floor. This woke everyone up, turned a few heads of other passengers and made Al quite upset.

A simple explanation and brief apology to the other passengers was given and to spare picking up the pieces they were just turned back into dust.

"Why'd ya have to go and sneeze, Ed?" Clen scolded. "I was having such a nice dream."

"Did it involve a fake mouse on a string and a bell decorated collar with your name on it?" Ren teased. "Or a nice fluffy pillow next to the fireplace and someone scratching behind your ears while…"

"Ren shut up." Clen growled. (He actually did have a cat growl in his voice but no one really noticed it because they were too busy holding back laughter) "Unless you have any desire to be turned into bug juice."

Dixie thought that was funny and started giggling hysterically.

The argument between the two and their animal sides might have lasted but the train was slowing down.

"If anyone finds a pile of freshly dug earth after we get to our destination and Ren's missing don't be surprised."

"No one will have to worry about that…I'll just have a big dog handy."

"Comments like that only increase the likelihood of you taking a dirt nap. Then you won't have to worry about Caradon."

"Ohhhh! Scary kitty!"

Annie rolled her eyes. "Something has to be done about you two."

After getting off the train finding their hotel didn't take as long as Al thought but he did have to stand between Clen and Ren. Thinking they'd better enjoy their stay at Naunting without worrying too much about Caradon the group went to explore the town.

Except for the reason for them being there this was the perfect time to visit Naunting. The entire town was bustling with excitement because they were in the middle…of a county fair.

Chibi me – Ta air iea ame fom or for ahhch air tis eek idnt iht?

Me – I think what it said was, 'the fair idea came from your 4-H fair this week didn't it?' Actually it did. But who cares? I love fair, its fun. ELEPHANT EARS!

Chibi me- oh om ohn. Oo ont ust oh ta da air or da ood.

Me – (ignores) The next chapter is just the fun stuff on fair day. And (squeal) I've been waiting to do this for forever! What is 'this' you ask? Keep reading to find out.

Chibi me – or tatetic.