“And that is how you came to be like this?” Shining Armor asked me.

“Yes. Now can my question be answered?”

“Sure.” he said unwavering.

“Why am I wanted dead or alive? I have done nothing wrong.”

He was silent for a moment. Starring into my eyes searching for something. “Do you remember the events that lead up to this?” he finally asked me.

“Yes.”

Two years, I have been gone for two years. One of those years have been dedicated to my legs and six months of this year have been used up on what I am carrying on my back. I don’t think I’ll be ready to test it without having rested for a year back in Canterlot. I bid a fond goodbye to the town if White Tail, and begin my long trek back home. My compass told me I was heading east. I wasn’t completely sure, without my map, if I was going the right direction. If memory served correctly, I could either follow the river to Canterlot or the railroads. Either way I would have to go through a town south west of Canterlot.

Going directly east would take me through the mountains and take longer, the river was a good idea, but that meant being out in the open for anything hostile to attack me. The rails would be more of a crows line to the Canterlot mountain. Then there is the issue of getting into Canterlot. I don’t want to attract attention to myself. Sure, the cloak I got from the towns tailor was good for outdoors and keeping my legs hidden, but I didn’t want anyone I know seeing me. If I could get lucky and catch a eastward train from Las Pegasus, but that would mean stopping in that town.

The people of White Tail accepted me because they saw me create my legs, I don’t even want to imagine somepony’s reaction to seeing something this radically different. I could go around the main gate and hope to Luna that no guards think I’m a Changeling. But that begs the question as to how I get up the mountain in the first place. I could use the mechanical marvel on my back. But again, it’s too risky without full testing; something I haven’t had nearly enough time to do. I was only able to test my legs fully because I was able to get work in the farms at White Tail.

I have to take the train up. I doubt they will let me on. I could stow away in the coal car. It was only an hours travel up to Canterlot. Problem being, how would I know if the train was going to Canterlot. Most of the trains go through the mountain and continue east towards Fillydelphia and Baltemare. I’m going to have to stay in that town for at least a day and find out what train is going to Canterlot. Perfect. Rail road it is. Just have to hitch a ride as I goes past and hope that it doesn’t detour south to Appleloosa. I start moving a slightly north east as I continue. The way I see it, I hit mountain, I will have to just start going north until I see rail ties.

I didn’t have to wait long. Near dusk, I found railway ties. Now was the problem of getting on a train when it speeds by. The conversional idea would be to use magnets, something I couldn’t get my hands on. I had rubber soled hoofs, but I don’t think that will provide sufficient grip. Stow away in the caboose? Doubtful anyone will be back there. Now to hope there is a midnight train running through.

Sure enough, a train is roaring down the tracks this late at night. Seems there are some things that just can’t wait till morning. As the train starts to pass, I see that there are not passenger cars. Perfect, this means I can just get onto the roof and make my way to the rear. It’s almost past; now or never. I rear back on my hind legs, ready to jump. I may not be able to feel the pressure in the pistons, but I am sure that they are begging for release. I don’t give them any reason to hold in their power any longer. As my legs fully extend, the pistons jet out and push me further with greater force then anypony could hope to muster. I soar up about six feet higher then the cars before starting to return to earth. I turn my body so that I am facing towards the front of the train. I extend the pistons out a foot before I make contact with the locomotive.

I hear the metal roof of the car buckle as my hoofs strike the surface. I nearly fall backwards head over hoofs as I instantly accelerate with the train. Once all four of my legs are on stable ground, I take a look back. I landed dead center on the train car and I’m about four cars from the caboose. At these speeds, just trotting down there isn’t an option. I float up a grappling hook tied to a long extension of rope. I expected to use this for climbing the mountain, but repelling to the back of a speeding train was good to.

I hammer the hook through the metal roof and wrap the rope around my leg. Not so tight that it won’t move and lose enough to let the rope slide. I take the rope in my teeth and I hop a foot off of the train. The wind catches me easily and throws me back. The rope slides through my teeth and burns my tongue as I fly back to the third to last car. I repeat this two more times before slowly backing my way to the gap between the last car and the caboose. Just as I start to descend into the space. I look up and see a tunnel fast approaching, with not space for me. I panic and let the rope fall from my mouth. I tumbled form the top of the eight foot high car and hit the coupling just as the caboose enters the tunnel.

A grunt escapes my mouth as I bounce off the coupling and start to fall to the tracks. I reach out into the darkens and hear my left foreleg hit something metallic. I quickly latch onto it and feel my body swing around underneath it. My right legs scrape the railway ties as I swing around under the object. The second my chest makes contact with it, I wrap my legs around the object as best I can and hold on for dear life.

A light shines through the window of the caboose. I look up and see a yellow earth pony holding a flashlight in their teeth open the door and start crossing the railway couplings. I hold my breath and hope the sound of the wind and tracks would cover the flapping of my cloak in the wind. Once on the other side, he opened the door to the next car and stepped in, leaving the door to shut behind him. It takes all my strength to pull myself up to the coupling. With, who I assume was the guard gone, I was free to hop in the caboose and hide on the top bunk of one of the beds. The caboose was thankfully void of anypony for the time being.

Once comfortably hidden, I slide my bags from my back and light my horn on fire. Not the best idea, but it was the only light spell I knew. The light was dim but more then enough for me to check my gear. I first check the large bag that was on my back. The inside is filled with gears and wires in a massive tangle, but that is how I left it. Closing it and moving it off to the side, I sift through my tattered saddle bags to be sure nothing fell out. Lucky me, my schematics, books and rations are still here. I sigh and let the flame on my horn flicker out. I scoot as far back into the space as I can and lay my head on my saddle bags. If I can’t sleep here, then I may as well, jump out and hoof it.

The loud squealing of the train’s brakes against its wheels awaken me. The guard was on his way out and thankfully there wasn’t a single pony at the station other then two night guards. With a light hoof, I step out of the back of the caboose and start towards the south east; towards the main station. I avoid the to maintenance ponies on the other side of the tracks bickering about a dent in one of the cars. The sign on the side of the building read, Welcome to Ponyville. Good, town didn’t ring a bell, but a quick glance to the north east and I could see Canterlot jutting from the side of the mountain. Now I just had to wait until I could get into the station for a schedule.

I follow the road down into Ponyville, and found it quiet. (might be because it was just sunrise, but that’s just me) Market street was empty and I could guess that there wasn’t a motel open that would take somepony in a tattered cloak. Crap! I don’t have any money. That has to be my biggest over sight. I have more then enough provisions to last me a week if need be, but I don’t have a place to sleep. I didn’t even pack a tent. I start racking my brain for what I can do. All I have that I can sell are a few books. There has to be a library around here somewhere. After an hours trot through town, I go past everything but a library. There was a pastry shop, a boutique, miles upon miles of housing and even a spa but still no library. I groan in frustration as I just plop down onto a bench next to a large oak tree.

“Are you lost?” a voice asked me.

Looking to my right I see a gray Pegasus with a blonde mane and a fairly odd cutie mark of bubbles flying lazily next to me.

“Uh, yes. I am lost.” I reply hoping she can’t see my legs.

“What ya lookin’ for?” her speech pattern sounded very forced and challenging. Then one of her dandelion yellow eyes slid up and to the right. I wasn’t sure how to react to this.

“I-I’m looking for the library. I have a few books that I would like to sell.”

“What’d ya mean. You’re sitting right in front of it.” she pointed a hoof at the oak tree.

I wanted to tell her she was being foolish, but after getting a full view of the tree, I noticed that; not only did it have a door, but several windows and balconies. Either the library was built with the tree or inside the tree. I stared up into the branches, trying to contemplate how this happened when the Pegasus interrupted my thoughts.

“You okay mister?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you, um…”

“Derpy.”

“What?”

“What’s your name?”

I was taken back by the sudden switch in conversation. “Nexus. Thanks again…Derpy?”

“No problem. Have a muffin!” she said handing me one from her saddle bag. It was nicely wrapped in plastic as not to leave crumbs in the bag. “Made just this mornin’.”

“Thanks.” I say hesitantly as she flies off.

(Can things get any stranger today?)

I slip the muffin into my saddle bag and walk up to the library door. Before I can even knock, the door swings open and smacks me right on the snout. I stumbled back and nearly fell flat on my tail as a light purple unicorn ran past shouting a quick apology as she went. Then a small purple dragon carrying a large tub of ice cream (or at least large compared to him) walked out and waved goodbye to the unicorn. He looked up at me and smiled.

“Hey. Need something?”

“Yeah. Where’s the librarian?”

“Just took off. I’m Spike; you must be new around here.”

“Not for long I hope. Look, do you buy slightly used books?”

“I guess. How many and how much do you want?”

“I have two books on technical mechanics, one on macabre magic, and one on dark magic. How much can you give me?”

“Let me see ‘em.” he said holding out his hand.

“You sure, they’re pretty big books.”

“Hand ‘em over.”

I levitate all four of them out of my saddle bags and drop the massive books in his palm. He nearly dropped his tub of ice cream, but held them well enough.

“They look fine. I can give ya… two hundred bits.”

“That’s fine and if it’s not any bother, could you get me a map of Equestria?”

“Make that one fifty.”

“Still more then enough. Please hurry.”

After laying the books on the center table, he came back with a rolled up map and bag of coins. With a nod, I put them in my saddle bag and trot off to the train station again. By this time, the sun had risen fully. The clock tower showed eight o’clock in the morning. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to go back through market street. The library was on the west side of town and north of market street. And from just a quick glance, it was packed. At the station, I bought a schedule and, reluctantly, a ticket. I have had enough sneaking around, but I still need to keep my legs hidden. Meaning I have to use my teeth and telekinesis for most everything.

The first train going to Canterlot would be here around noon and leave five minutes later. That meant I had four hours that needed killing. There were a few outdoor restaurants in town, but they all looked vegetarian. Mother of Celestia, what I wouldn’t give for a good steak right about now. I know it’s not in the nature of ponies to eat meat, but it was a rare luxury for me growing up. Besides, I needed something to get my energy up. With no other option, I head south, back into town to find something to eat.

Well, the menu was as expected, all vegan. The waiter didn’t like that I was just sitting around and only ordering a sandwich and an apple. Luckily, he didn’t realize it until I had been there for four hours. Now on the train as it leaves for Canterlot, I start wondering what I’m going to do when I get there. No doubt they would have thought I was dead and had a grave already made for me. Was I suppose to just go up to Celestia herself and just say, “Yeah, I know I’m suppose to be dead but I got better!”?

That might be a little odd. What about Brand Fire? His first reaction would be drop and give him twenty for not coming back sooner. I could stay at Lea’s, but she had been talking about moving a few days before I received the letter of acceptance. Smoke n’ Mirrors never could hold down a place, much less a job. Mother and father? What would they say if they saw me? What would I say? What would the rest of my family say?! I groan and slouch back into my seat at the back of the coach car. I have been gone for more then four years and for all they know I’m dead. ‘This’ll be fun…’