Chapter 8

     Fluttershy pressed her forehead against the cold glass window. She felt the Hogwarts Express's smooth vibrations as it glided along the barren country side.

Suddenly, she heard the compartment door slide open.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Asked the filly with the cowgirl hat and the thick southern accent. "Everywhere else is full."

"Go right ahead," Fluttershy said.

     She took the seat across from Fluttershy, then held out her hoof in greeting.

"I'm Applejack by the way."

Fluttershy shook her hoof.

"I'm Fluttershy."

Applejack's eyes went wide.

     "S-so it's true then," she stuttered. "I mean, d-do ya really have the cutie mark?"

Fluttershy smiled and twisted herself around to show her cutie mark.

The compartment door slid open yet again. This time, an older mare with an apron stood pushing a cart of sweets.

"Anything off the trolly dears?"

     Applejack forced a smile and held up a ripe red apple. "No thanks. I'm all set."

Fluttershy reached into her burlap sack and pulled out a few gold coins, or "Galleons" as Rarity had called them. "We'll take the lot!"

***************

     Fluttershy had never heard of Pumpkin Pasties or Birdie Botts Beans, but she decided that The sweets special ponies were accustom to was worlds better than what Diamond Tiara ate.

"Those are Chocolate Frogs," Applejack explained.

Fluttershy gasped. "They aren't real frogs, are they?"

"Of course not. It's just a unicorn spell. Besides, it's the cards you want. Each one has a famous mare or stallion."

      Fluttershy opened the miniature cardboard wrapping and out popped a chocolate frog. It leapt onto the window, and before Fluttershy could do anything about it, out the window.

"That's lousy luck," Applejack said. "I reckon they only got one good jump to start with."

Fluttershy reached into the box and pulled out the card that came with the frog.

On it was a picture of a tall white Alicorn with a rainbow mane.

"I got Celestia," Fluttershy exclaimed.

"I have 'bout six of her," Applejack said.

     Fluttershy noticed a small cage on top of Applejack's luggage.

"That's Winona," Applejack said, pointing towards the small brown and white dog sitting inside. "She's sorta a family pet. This is my first year taking care of him. Pinkie and Dashie say he can roll over, but I've never seen it."

     Applejack pulled the dog out of the cage and set him on top.

Once again, the compartment door slid open. A purple unicorn with a dark violet mane stood there. She wore long black robes with blue lining. She was about the same age as Applejack and Fluttershy.

      "Excuse me?" She said. "Have either of you seen a toad? A filly named Ditzy lost one."

Fluttershy and Applejack shook their heads.

"Oh, is that your dog? Is caring for animals your special talent?"

"As a matter of fact," Applejack said. "My special talent is apple bucking."

"That sounds nice," she said without too much enthusiasm. She turned to look at Fluttershy. "Holy cricket! You're Fluttershy! I'm Twilight Sparkle."

     She turned back to Applejack. "And you are?"

"Applejack," Applejack said with a mouthful of pumpkin pastie.

"Charmed," she said. "You two should change into your robes. I suspect we'll be arriving soon."

She walked out of the compartment.

Applejack began mumbling something as she pulled some long tattered robes out of her suitcase.

     "She seemed nice," Fluttershy said as she threw on her custom made black and green robes.

"Nice?" Applejack spat. "Smug is more like it."

The train screeched to a halt and Applejack looked at all the remaining sweets.

"Whadd'ya reckon we should do with these?" Applejack asked.

"You can keep them," Fluttershy said. "I've never had much of a sweet tooth anyways."

     Applejack started scooping the candies into her suitcase. "Y'know, you're a really nice gal Fluttershy. Some ponies who are famous get big heads."

Fluttershy smiled.

     The two of them stepped off the train together with loads of other fillies and colts. Most of them were older than Fluttershy and Applejack. They were standing on a boarded walkway under the night sky. A few feet away, Fluttershy could see the chilly black surface of a lake. There were too many trees in the way for Fluttershy to see further than that.

     "First years follow me!"

Fluttershy instantly recognized Rarity's voice.

     "Oh, there you are Fluttershy darling," Rarity said. She looked at Applejack and bit her lip. She clearly didn't approve of the cowgirl hat or the hand me down robes. "And your friend. How wonderful."

Rarity lead the first years down a wooden walkway towards the lake.

     "Wait til ya see the school," Applejack whispered. "I hear it's really somethin!"

Fluttershy wasn't sure how much more "somethin" she could take in one day.