My Little Pony Equinox - Falling further from Friendship

Chapter 1, Trains

Skypaint, out of breath yet relived, took a seat on the train. It was packed to the brim with ponies getting on and off. She knew she was due for a long ride. She sat her suitcase down next to her, then took her custom backpack off with her wing and sat it on top of her suitcase. She reached into the bag and pulled out a piece of paper. She dug around the backpack for another second before finding the pink pen she was searching for.

She held the pen and began writing down a 'to-do' list. She reminded herself to be careful in what she chose to do with her time.

She decided on estimating how much time she was going to be spending on this train or how much sight seeing she'd be able to do.

She shook her head and flicked her ear, putting the list back. She looked out the window, internally goodbye-ing her home. The cityscape in the background, the train station right in front of her; she'd miss it. But she needed to get out of this place. She wasn't 100% honest with Sugar on why she was leaving. See, she originally planned on investigating her, 'condition', in manehattan at Sugar's side, but unfortunately it didn't look like that was going to happen. They were losing wildlife, which was what she suspected may be a part of it, as she hadn't done anything particularly remarkable in her life, and she knew it wasn't a princess who'd done this to her.

The princess was too busy to even imagine Sky existed. Twilight was way older than her. Maybe even a thousand, which Sky could hardly imagine herself. Twilight was a real alicorn. She had come after the sun and moon goddesses, at least that's what they were rumored to be. They'd come from mysterious origins, rose up when they were most needed to ponykind. Sky had liked to joke to herself that maybe the same thing was happening to her.

Twilight had worked so hard to keep

a safe world, she always seemed closed off from her kingdom. Working herself into a corner almost. Her title was "Princess of Friendship" but she didn't have any friends. At least no as far as Sky knew.

Sky recalled the first time she saw twilight, in a chariot flying out to the same place she was headed, the annual trading post in Rainbow falls.

Speaking of, Rainbow Falls had always been Sky's absolute favorite destination to visit. It was so beautiful there, the endless places to fly around, caves and waterfall filled sights, even the cute little villages that glittered around the plains were worth visiting.

But above all, there was a local book shop that anypony could donate and buy books. Maybe there was something there that could help her figure out why.

"Ello lass! Would you like a fresh lotus bloom cake?" A pony suddenly caught Sky out of her thoughts, waving a pathetic little cake in her face. Sky awkwardly waved her hoof, trying to indicate she didn't want the cake.

"Oh, no thank you, I ate before I got on the train." She explained, attempting to avoid confrontation.

The pony continued pressing, "I mean you don't need to eat et' now, I got chocolate, zebra, any kind ya want!" He rambled.

Sky pulled herself away from the guy, closer to the window. " No, I'm okay I don't one please."

Suddenly he dropped his Irish accent and bowed his head. "I'm sorry. But I really need to get these cakes off of my hooves and no one will take them. I'll find someone else to give them to." He said sorrowfully trotting away.

Sky watched as he trailed away, slightly concerned. She then reminded herself that whatever he was dealing with was not her issue.

She sighed and readjusted herself to look out the window. She levitated her bags open and reached into the luggage to pull out a pillow and took it into the air via her horn. She closed the bag and set it in the luggage rack above the window.