private A New Life: Manehattan Story

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

She slumped down on the floor and started crying into her hooves. "Mama..."

 

 

Fender was no father, not yet, anyway...but he just did whatever he thought might be appropriate behavior, given the circumstances. Fender simply got down on the floor at eye level with the filly, "What's wrong, dear?" he said, as he lead her into the car by a hoof. It was getting dark by this point in the day, and it was rather cold in the hallway of the car. He closed the door to the car. "Now tell us, what's wrong?"

[Starshine 16,333]

Winterglade almost panicked when the filly dropped and broke into tears. She knew she had to do something, but she had no idea what to actually do. Luckily Fender moved faster and picked the filly inside. Winterglade checked the car once more before joining Fender with the filly. Awkwardly she placed a hoof on the filly's shoulder. "Sssh... It's okay. You're safe now."

 

The filly hiccuped. The grey stallion looked nice enough. He didn't mind her when she, a nopony, cried in front of him. He even picked her inside. She quickly clung to the stallion's hoof as if it was her lifeline. The white mare was also nice. By now she had noticed that both of them were pegasus.

 

 

 

"Now tell us, what's wrong?"

 

"I... I lost my mama. We are supposed to be going for Ponyville, but I lost her," the filly stuttered. Her eyes locked onto Fender's and then looked between the stallion and the mare next to him. "Help me look for my mama, please?" she asked, her voice hopeful. It might be a bit too much for her to ask, but then again she didn't want to spend the night alone.

 

Winterglade smiled uneasily. The train had started moving a moment ago, and the sky was almost dark. If the filly's mother was left behind in the Fillydelphia, reuniting them would be a massive task. But there was a good possibility that the mother was somewhere in the train further behind their car. She couldn't left the filly alone and afraid like that. She nodded in confidence. "We will help you. You said that you were going to the Ponyville, right? She must be somewhere further back on the train. We can also ask the conductor for her. Uhm, Fender?" She looked at Fender for confirmation.

[Fender 1,283]

Fender listened to the filly with interest, and felt quite bad for her.

 

 

 

"We will help you. You said that you were going to the Ponyville, right? She must be somewhere further back on the train. We can also ask the conductor for her. Uhm, Fender?

 

 

Fender smiled and nodded, "Of course. We'd better get on it," He said, sure of himself. He was also quite hopeful that they would find the filly's mother for sure. If she wasn't on the train, they had quite a flight to make.

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

Fender smiled and nodded, "Of course. We'd better get on it," He said, sure of himself.

 

"All right then!" Winterglade cheered. The snuggly time can wait until later, now they had a filly to rescue. Gently she nipped the filly's scruff and lifted her onto her back and trotted out of the cabin. She looked around for a bit. There should be a conductor somewhere around here... "Ah, there he is!" She bounced to the patrolling conductor in the next car, the filly clung to her neck. "Excuse me, sir. This filly lost her mother, and she said that they were going to Ponyville from Fillydelphia station. So, if I may ask, can you tell me on which train do the newest passengers sit?" she asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

 

The filly tried to hide behind Winterglade. The conductor in front of her was staring at her, as if she was an illegal stowaway of some sort, but he didn't say anything, the mare and the stallion had VIP tickets. The filly silently cheered when the conductor stepped aside and said, "They should be somewhere between the third and the sixth passenger car. Beyond that you will only find the caboose and cargo cars."

 

Winterglade smiled. "Thank you!" She quickly trotted past the conductor and made her way to the third passenger car, confident that Fender would be right behind her. She tried knocking the first door. No answer. She kept trying with the rest of the cabin, only two opened and none of them had the filly's mother. The filly herself started whimpering. Winterglade turned back and kissed her forehead. "Sssh... Don't worry. We will find your mother."

[Fender 1,283]

"All right then!" Winterglade cheered. The snuggly time can wait until later, now they had a filly to rescue. Gently she nipped the filly's scruff and lifted her onto her back and trotted out of the cabin. She looked around for a bit. There should be a conductor somewhere around here... "Ah, there he is!" She bounced to the patrolling conductor in the next car, the filly clung to her neck. "Excuse me, sir. This filly lost her mother, and she said that they were going to Ponyville from Fillydelphia station. So, if I may ask, can you tell me on which train do the newest passengers sit?" she asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

 

The filly tried to hide behind Winterglade. The conductor in front of her was staring at her, as if she was an illegal stowaway of some sort, but he didn't say anything, the mare and the stallion had VIP tickets. The filly silently cheered when the conductor stepped aside and said, "They should be somewhere between the third and the sixth passenger car. Beyond that you will only find the caboose and cargo cars."

 

Winterglade smiled. "Thank you!" She quickly trotted past the conductor and made her way to the third passenger car, confident that Fender would be right behind her. She tried knocking the first door. No answer. She kept trying with the rest of the cabin, only two opened and none of them had the filly's mother. The filly herself started whimpering. Winterglade turned back and kissed her forehead. "Sssh... Don't worry. We will find your mother."

 

 

Fender simply followed along, he was disappointed when they didn't find the filly's mother right away, but he felt at certain pride when he saw Winterglade trying to comfort the filly. He joined in, "We'll find her, just give it a bit of time, alright?" He couldn't help leaning in and whispering to Winterglade, "Wow. You're making a good mother already." He leaned back out and smiled at her.

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

"We'll find her, just give it a bit of time, alright?" He couldn't help leaning in and whispering to Winterglade, "Wow. You're making a good mother already." He leaned back out and smiled at her.

 

Winterglade squeaked in surprise, her cheeks blushing. "Aw... Fender! We have a filly in here," she whined. She would hate it if she had to be the one who should explain 'the bird and the bees' to her. Nevertheless, she gave the stallion a quick peck to the kiss and trotted to the next car. The filly on her back only stared in mild confusion on what had just happened.

 

Knock knock. The door opened. "Good evening, sir! I apologize for the intrusion, but I'm here looking for this filly's family. Yes, sir, she lost her mother, and I just can't leave her hanging. I'm sorry? You don't know this filly? Ah, yes, I'll try searching deeper into the train. Thank you for your time!"

 

The same thing pretty much repeated for at least seven times, Winterglade had lost count. She started losing hope, the eagerness from before had escaped her gait. The filly on her back also started to feel the same way. They had run out of cabins to knock, the only cars left was the cargo area and the caboose, it seemed rather impossible to find the lost mother in there. When Fender trotted closer, Winterglade backtrotted and slumped onto a wall, the filly quickly jumped onto Fender's back. "What should we do?" she sighed. "We can't just... go back to Fillydelphia. Well, we can, but then there is no saying that her parents wouldn't go on the next train to catch up with her. If we decided to wait on Ponyville station, there is also a possibility that her parents are still searching for her back there Fillydelphia. Oh celestia." Winterglade buried her face in her hooves. This was a bit too confusing.

 

Not to far away from the saddened mare, behind the door that lead to the cargo area, a pair of eyes could be seen glittering in the darkness. The doorknob twitched several times, but it was locked from the outside. A muffled scream could be heard, calling a name. The filly perked up. "Mama...?"

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"We can't just... go back to Fillydelphia. Well, we can, but then there is no saying that her parents wouldn't go on the next train to catch up with her. If we decided to wait on Ponyville station, there is also a possibility that her parents are still searching for her back there Fillydelphia. Oh celestia." Winterglade buried her face in her hooves. This was a bit too confusing.

 

 

Fender started rubbing Winterglade's back with one hoof. "We'll figure it ou-"

 

 

 

Not to far away from the saddened mare, behind the door that lead to the cargo area, a pair of eyes could be seen glittering in the darkness. The doorknob twitched several times, but it was locked from the outside. A muffled scream could be heard, calling a name. The filly perked up. "Mama...?"

 

Fender nearly jumped at what was happening, he was very confused as well. He looked to Winterglade, some alarm in his eyes. "Is that...?" He approached the door slowly. His eyes widened a bit, "Hello?"

[Starshine 16,333]

Winterglade froze. She could hear somepony was calling, but who? She looked at the cargo door before looking at Fender and nodded. There was somepony in the cargo area. The filly jumped down and pawed at the door. Yes, that voice was familiar to her. Winterglade looked back and forth between the pony in the cargo area and the filly. Was that her mother in there?

 

 

 

"Hello?"

 

Behind the door, the eyes beamed. "H-Hello? Springsteps, my dear? Are you there?" The voice was definitely a mare's, and she was struggling to open the door. Winterglade fumbled around with the doorknob for a moment before finally unlocking it. The mare behind it wasted no time to flung it open and embraced her daughter. "Springsteps! Oh Celestia I'm so worried about you."

 

The mare was a yellow unicorn, wearing some sort of intricately-patterned green robe and a hood. On her back was a saddlebag, filled to the brim with various glass trinkets and what seemed to be sweet incense. Winterglade almost thought that the mare was a displaced fortune teller from a carnival somewhere. She sighed in content, at least they had found the mother. "I guess... Her name is Springsteps?" she asked.

 

"Yes, Springsteps. Thank you, dear strangers. I have no idea where would I go without my dear baby." The mare answered, her snout still wouldn't stop showering her filly with kisses. She hugged her daughter close. "Again, thank you so much. I've been searching for her everywhere, my foresights are clouded on moving vehicles, I can't see any future without a steady ground." Winterglade's eyes widened. She was right on the fortune teller part. The mare stood and continued. "Oh, let me introduce myself. My name is Wonder Shrine of the Greehoof clan. May I ask the name of my heroes today?"

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Yes, Springsteps. Thank you, dear strangers. I have no idea where would I go without my dear baby." The mare answered, her snout still wouldn't stop showering her filly with kisses. She hugged her daughter close. "Again, thank you so much. I've been searching for her everywhere, my foresights are clouded on moving vehicles, I can't see any future without a steady ground." Winterglade's eyes widened. She was right on the fortune teller part. The mare stood and continued. "Oh, let me introduce myself. My name is Wonder Shrine of the Greehoof clan. May I ask the name of my heroes today?"

 

 

Fender had to admit he was surprised, and a little bit intrigued. Clan? That wasn't something he often...or really...ever heard. 

 

"I'm Fender, and this is my wife, Winterglade." While he didn't always like to introduce Winterglade for her, it seemed slightly rude, he had to admit, it felt rather good to call her his wife in public. "Good to meet you, and we're glad to have helped."

[Starshine 16,333]

Greenhoof clan? It was certainly the first time Winterglade had ever heard about anything like that. She assumed that the clan was something that was reserved for diamond dogs or buffaloes. She grinned widely when Fender introduced her to the unicorn family.  "Nice to meet you!" she exclaimed happily. Now the missing filly was taken care of, there was still something that bothered her. "Uh, what are you doing in the cargo area? If you don't mind me asking of course."

 

Wonder Shrine smiled weakly, her hooves were cradling her daughter in their embrace. "Of course I don't mind. We were separated from others on our way to the station. The rest of the clan had taken the earlier train to Ponyville, I and Springsteps here were left with no bits of our own. We had no choice but to sneak onto the cargo area to catch up with the clan. My foresights had revealed to me that we would be reunited with them before the week ends."

 

Winterglade raised an eyebrow on the foresight part. She had her doubts on how the fortune telling works, but then again she was no unicorn. "That's nice to hear. But..." she trailed off. It wouldn't do them good to left the unicorns sleeping in the cargo area. She poked Fender and whispered, "Would you be okay with sharing our cabin with them?" She motioned at the filly, who was now busy playing with her mother's mane.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Would you be okay with sharing our cabin with them?"

 

"Of course not." Fender smiled, then turned to the mare and filly, "Would you like to join us in our cabin, for the night?" He wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of strangers staying with them, but he had to give them a chance. "We should have enough room for you two, if you want."

[Starshine 16,333]

"Would you like to join us in our cabin, for the night?" He wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of strangers staying with them, but he had to give them a chance. "We should have enough room for you two, if you want."

 

Wonder Shrine hesitated. She could feel Fender's discomfort of Winterglade's offer. Judging from the pair, they were on a vacation to somewhere. She smiled and started to answer. "It was very kind of you, but I would rather not trouble you with my own predicament." Her words trailed. She looked at the dark cargo area, and to her daughter. "But... there is another way. Miss Winterglade, could you please lead me to your cabin?"

 

Winterglade looked unsure for a moment. "Um, sure. This way." She trotted to her cabin, three cars further at the front. Wonder Shrine followed, Springsteps now perched on her back. The filly purred happily, being so close with her mother. Winterglade chuckled. Maybe... one day she would have her own filly sitting on her back like that? The group soon reached the cabin. "Here we are! There are two seats, should be enough for everypony."

 

"There is no need for that, I'm afraid," Wonder Shrine said. Before Winterglade could ask what that mean, Wonder Shrine trotted in and started to channel a spell through her horn. An eerie neon line poured out and scanned the room. Winterglade squeaked when the scanner went over her. It felt like something was touching her all over. "Ah, I apologize for that, it is something I've made for occasions like this. We will be in our room next door, you should not worry about us interrupting you," said Wonder Shrine while giving a knowing smile to Winterglade and Fender. She then disappeared behind a wooden door on the wall that wasn't there before and locked it from within.

 

"Uh... What?" Winterglade blinked twice, her face blushed on the implications behind Wonder Shrine's words. Flustered she was, behind that wall was outside the train, walking through that should lead them to the forest. Gingerly she knocked the door, it then opened and Wonder Shrine peeked her head through.

 

"Yes? Can I help you?" The unicorn asked. Springsteps waved a hoof to Winterglade happily

 

Winterglade stared at the room behind the door. It was a nearly perfect replica of her cabin, only that everything was flipped on its left and right. "Uhm, nothing! Good night, both of you," she stammered out. Wonder Shrine giggled and excused herself back into her room. Tad confused, Winterglade leaned on Fender for support. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing here...?"

Edited August 14, 2013 by Starshine

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

Tad confused, Winterglade leaned on Fender for support. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing here...?"

 

 

Fender was nearly speechless for awhile while he witnessed the events happen, he eventually managed, "Uhhhhhh..." he cleared his throat, "I d- I- I-...I really don't know what just happened. I saw it, but I'm not sure I believe it." He rolled his eyes, "We'll ask later." He said as he sat them down on their seat.

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

He rolled his eyes, "We'll ask later." He said as he sat them down on their seat.

 

Winterglade openly giggled when Fender shared her confusion. She had to ask Wonder Shrine what was all that about in the morning. She locked both doors in the room before jumped onto the seat with Fender. She rested her head on top of his.

 

"You know, I've been wondering on something," Winterglade said. Her eyes wandered across the room, there was a lingering doubt whether she should talk about this or not, but she decided to go with it. She hoped that Fender wouldn't be upset at her. "I heard the train would have to stop for a while in Ponyville. Do you think... we can pay your parents a visit? If you're okay with it, I would like to talk with them for a bit."

[Fender 1,283]

"I heard the train would have to stop for a while in Ponyville. Do you think... we can pay your parents a visit? If you're okay with it, I would like to talk with them for a bit."

 

 

"If you want to. We may wanna check on the houses while we're there...and ask if someone will take care of them as well. Just...not Ditzy Doo. That's asking to lose property value." He chuckled. In truth, Winterglade's question made him think though. He hadn't ever visited those graves. He knew they were there, because somepony in Cloudsdale had let him know. He never knew why he didn't visit the graves though...his mother, father, and sister all lay just outside of Ponyville, yet Fender had never gone there.

 

"By the way...why didn't you just say the word 'graves?' I almost didn't understand the question." He smiled.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Becker (Fender)

[Starshine 16,333]

"If you want to. We may wanna check on the houses while we're there...and ask if someone will take care of them as well. Just...not Ditzy Doo. That's asking to lose property value." He chuckled.

 

"Pfft..." Winterglade nearly lost her breath when Fender mentioned Ditzy Doo. She smacked Fender's snout. She was about to berate him for making fun of the blonde mare when she noticed the tinge of sadness in his eyes. Why was he sad again? She slid closer to Fender, pressing herself close to the stallion, and nuzzled his cheek. Was it something she said?

 

"By the way...why didn't you just say the word 'graves?' I almost didn't understand the question." He smiled.

 

Winterglade bit her lips. She had left out the word 'graves' out of her earlier question to lessen the pain, but it seemed it did the exact opposite. Now she was the one who stuck between rock and a hard place. "Well, about that..." she trailed. For a moment she almost contemplated on diverting the conversation to something else, but it wouldn't do her any good. "You know about my dreams? Sometimes I dream about something nice, but most of the times it's something else. I've been dreaming about some sort of a... tombstone for quite a while now. Mentioning the word seemed to bring back the shock to the surface." She buried her face in Fender's shoulder. She had avoided the accursed word, but the knot behind her throat betrayed her attempt and kept choking her from the inside.

 

"And... I'm sorry for mentioning your parents," Winterglade said, apologetically. She gulped. The next sentence of hers was nearly intelligible. "I just don't want to leave them out of the loop."

Edited August 16, 2013 by Starshine

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

Mentioning the word seemed to bring back the shock to the surface." She buried her face in Fender's shoulder. She had avoided the accursed word, but the knot behind her throat betrayed her attempt and kept choking her from the inside.   "And... I'm sorry for mentioning your parents," Winterglade said, apologetically. She gulped. The next sentence of hers was nearly intelligible. "I just don't want to leave them out of the loop."

 

 

"Shhh...shhh..." He hugged her tightly and rubbed her back to try to calm her. "If you want to talk about it, I'll listen. If you don't, then you don't have to. And you're completely okay to mention my parents...any of my family. You're my wife. You have every right to want to visit their...resting place."

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

"Shhh...shhh..." He hugged her tightly and rubbed her back to try to calm her. "If you want to talk about it, I'll listen. If you don't, then you don't have to. And you're completely okay to mention my parents...any of my family. You're my wife. You have every right to want to visit their...resting place."

 

Winterglade chuckled. She returned the hug, fighting back an urge to let herself cry and be done with it. It was weird, she was supposed to be the one who cheered Fender up, not the other way around. With a sigh she kissed him in the lips. "Thanks. I love you too, big boy." She rested her head on him. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow, when the sun is up, if that's okay with you."

 

The night grew late. In silence Winterglade enjoyed her husband's company, savoring his unique scent. There had been no sign of anything from Wonder Shrine's room, and she was very grateful about that. She yawned. "Fender, can I sleep now?" she asked, one of her hindhooves twitched involuntarily.

 

 

 

OOC: gotta go now. You can do the timeskip now if you want to. The train will have to stop in Ponyville's station for a while, so tehre won't be much noises. See you tomorrow :3

 

 

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

She yawned. "Fender, can I sleep now?" she asked, one of her hindhooves twitched involuntarily.

 

Fender chuckled, "Yes-" He responded a moment too late. She was already asleep...the next morning would be interesting, that's for sure. He soon leaned against his wife, and fell asleep as well.

 

When the train arrived in Ponyville the next morning, the feeling of it's stopping woke Fender, he immediately turned to Winterglade. "We're here, love."

[Starshine 16,333]

That night, Winterglade slept more peaceful than usual. But that was not to speak that she was not dreaming. In her sleep, she found herself sitting alone on a barren meadow. There was nothing else with her but dead grass and the starry night sky above her. It was a rather welcome change, being alone under such a breathtaking sights. Thousands of glimmering stars twinkled. Winterglade laid down and tried to enjoy the atmosphere, but something nagged behind her mind. After a few minutes she stood up, a bit confused, it certainly felt like something was watching her.

 

 

 

"We're here, love."

 

"Ah!" Winterglade yelped. She quickly snapped to attention. "Where's the...! Um..." She finally took a good hard look at Fender. It took her more than ten seconds to fully realize where she was. She sighed in relief and bopped her husband in the snout. "By gods, Fender, you scared me back there."

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Ah!" Winterglade yelped. She quickly snapped to attention. "Where's the...! Um..." She finally took a good hard look at Fender. It took her more than ten seconds to fully realize where she was. She sighed in relief and bopped her husband in the snout. "By gods, Fender, you scared me back there."

 

 

Fender watched his wife's slightly odd behavior upon her awakening. He didn't speak a word, just watched. After a moment passed, he raised an eyebrow, and in a genuinely confused tone, uttered "What'd I do?" He chuckled, still unsure. He hadn't seen her behave like this before.

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

After a moment passed, he raised an eyebrow, and in a genuinely confused tone, uttered "What'd I do?" He chuckled, still unsure.

 

Winterglade laughed awkwardly; her face blushed. It looked like she had weirded Fender out. "Sorry, I'm just getting all fuzzy and dizzy and... I seriously almost thought I was still a filly with my mum on the snowy meadow somewhere." She spun her hoof around her own head and giggled. "Maybe I need to drink a coffee. And, did you see Wonder Shrine and Springsteps anywhere?"

 

The magic door from last night was nowhere to be found, only a sticky note could be seen on where it was, a piece of gratitude could be seen on it.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

She spun her hoof around her own head and giggled. "Maybe I need to drink a coffee. And, did you see Wonder Shrine and Springsteps anywhere?"   The magic door from last night was nowhere to be found, only a sticky note could be seen on where it was, a piece of gratitude could be seen on it.

 

 

Fender couldn't help but to smile pleasantly at her giggle. He loved her laugh. At the sound of her question, he looked around, but the two ponies from the previous night had disappeared. Fender got down to retrieve the note, and handed it to Winterglade, thinking it may be more addressed to her. "Where'd they go?"

[Starshine 16,333]

Fender got down to retrieve the note, and handed it to Winterglade, thinking it may be more addressed to her. "Where'd they go?"

 

Winterglade narrowed her eyes on the note. The hoofwriting was a heck lot smaller that what she's used to read. "It says something about a... carnival of some sort. The carnival's name is unreadable." She shrugged. "It's already snowing in this town, holding a carnival in this weather would only cause trouble."

 

Behind the window, outside the train and multitude of engineers swarmed on its engine, a delicate snowfall blanketed the entire town with a serene whiteness. Only a couple of foals and their mother could be seen in the park, all were wearing layers of clothes to block the cold away. Winterglade shivered. There was a knock at the door and somepony spoke, "Apologies for the intrusion, Sir and Ma'am, but the train's engine broke down to a railing mishap. We will have to stop here for at least two hours. You can see around Ponyville until then."

 

Winterglade grinned. She hadn't heard wrong from the last night. "Thank you for telling us!" The station attendant excused himself and moved to the next cabin. Winterglade turned at Fender. "Since we are already here, would you...?" she asked hesitantly. She knew that Fender had agreed to let her visit his parents, but she didn't want to push him to do so.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Starshine

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

Winterglade turned at Fender. "Since we are already here, would you...?" she asked hesitantly. She knew that Fender had agreed to let her visit his parents, but she didn't want to push him to do so.

 

 

"Let's take a few minutes, first. I mean, we still gotta check our houses and find a house sitter." He said lazily, almost not wanting to get up. "Hm...Applejack? Nah, she has enough work on the farm. Bon Bon? Roseluck?" He wasn't quite sure who to pick. "What do you think?"