Dr. McNinja took a deep breath to prepare for the challenge before him. He and the other quest-goers were at the Ponyville train station, waiting for the next train to Canterlot. While everyone else had opted to gather at the wooden platform, he had decided the wait would not be wasted standing around. Once he felt he was mentally and physically prepared, he stuck his hand into the dispensing slot of the vending machine in front of him. With a deft flick of the wrist, he threw a throwing star straight up the inside. The projectile snagged a bag of cookies and lifted it further up into the machine before gravity took hold, bringing both snack and weapon down into his waiting palm.

"Ain't that stealing?" questioned Applejack, who had meandered over to see what he was doing.

"The vending machines in your reality don’t accept money from my reality," Dr. McNinja said, sticking his hand back through the slot for a repeat performance. "Way I see it, if I'm not distracted by hunger, I'll be able to help save your country better."

"So yer taking a bag of cookies as payment fer savin' all of Equestria," Applejack said.

"Probably closer to eight bags," Dr. McNinja said as another bag of cookies landed in his hand. "These bags are smaller than what I'm used to, and they most likely have a lot of air in them. I might grab some for Gordito too."

"Ya might also want to git some fer yer dinosaur," Applejack said, glancing at where everyone else was standing. "That critter has been eyin' Fluttershy something fierce since they've met."

"I'm not sure if Yoshi would go for anything out of this vending machine," Dr. McNinja said thoughtfully as bag number three landed in his hand. "I've never seen him eat anything but meat."

The minute the words were out of his mouth, Dr. McNinja wished he could lasso them back in. It was entirely possible that eating meat was horrifying to a world full of sapient ponies. Surely Applejack would be shocked. Surely she would—

"Oh, yeah, figures he would be a meat-eater," Applejack said nonchalantly. "Maybe we can find him something in the diner car when the train finally shows up."

Dr. McNinja was about to ask if ponies in this reality ate meat when he heard something from the boarding platform that caught his attention.

"I still think we should have taken the balloon," Rainbow Dash said. "I could have pulled us there five times over by now."

"We have to get there without attracting Sparklelord's attention," Twilight Sparkle replied. "It's the only way."

"But if the moon crashes into Equestria before the train even shows up, stealth isn't going to do us any good," Rainbow Dash said. "Besides, it's basically daytime forever right now, so being sneaky is pretty much out the window anyway."

"Remaining undetected may be harder during the day, but it's not impossible," Dr. McNinja said as he opened a bag of cookies and tossed some into his mouth.

Both Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle stared at him blankly.

"What?" Dr. McNinja said after a moment.

"You just ate some cookies..." Twilight Sparkle said slowly. "Without taking off your mask."

"Ish zat not curturly ashcepteble here?" Dr. McNinja wondered through a mouthful of cookies.

"Well... no... it's just.... how did you do that?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

Dr. McNinja waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, you know, ninja tricks."

"The train's here!" Pinkie Pie said abruptly, as if the approaching machine would otherwise go unnoticed.

"Really?" Gordito deadpanned when he saw the locomotive, his eyes looking up at the sky and his palms facing in the same direction.

Dr. McNinja observed the train, trying to discern what Gordito didn't like about it. Like Ponyville, the color pink and hearts were prominent. The engine was pink with heart shaped windows, and the steel cow catcher attached the front had hearts imprinted on it as well. Many of the cars were pink, purple, and cookie colored. What Dr. McNinja found especially amusing was the fact that the cars also looked edible. Each one possessed a roof that looked like it was made of frosting. Some were white, some were pink, and others were a light tan.

"That train looks good enough to eat, doesn't it Gordito?" Dr. McNinja said as he nudged his sidekick.

The one-liner proved itself to be successful, as it earned a glare from Gordito and faint smiles from Spike and the Bearers of Harmony. One by one the quest-goers boarded the train. As he entered, Dr. McNinja was slightly dismayed to find that he was too tall for the pony-sized car and had to stoop to fit through the doorway. For a moment he wondered how he would be able to sit, until he noticed a designated area for wheelchairs which was currently being occupied by Yoshi. Just as soon as Dr. McNinja got comfortable besides the raptor, a pony in an actual wheelchair rolled up. The unspoken problem was apparent. After some maneuvering that took an embarrassing amount of time, the wheelchair bound pony was in his proper location and Dr. McNinja and Yoshi were squeezed in the walkway between were Spike, Gordito, and the Bearers of Harmony sat.

Once everyone was aboard, the train began to pick up speed and was soon rumbling along at a brisk pace. Most of the other passengers paid little attention to Dr. McNinja, Gordito, or Yoshi, for they were far too busy looking out the windows at the incoming moon and chattering among themselves about it.

"Um, Gordito?" Fluttershy said softly.

"Hm?" said Gordito as he glanced at her. "What is it?"

"Do you... think you could get Yoshi something to eat from the food car?" I don't really like the way he's looking at me and I think he might stop if you feed him."

"Oh, sure," said Gordito as he got up from his seat. "Which way is the food car?"

"Ah think it's about three cars ahead," answered Applejack as she tilted her head towards the front of the car.

Gordito started to move in that direction, but then stopped as he realized that Yoshi and Dr. McNinja were blocking the walkway.

"You can stay seated Gordito, I'll fetch some food," Dr. McNinja said as he got up and went for the window.

"Isn't that dangerous?" wondered Fluttershy as the ninja doctor opened the window and started to climb out.

"Only if you're not a ninja," he replied right before deftly pulling himself onto the roof of the car.

Dr. McNinja stretched his arms and back, glad to be somewhere he could stand up straight. Hunching over was bad for posture, after all. As the winds whipped his lab coat and tie like crazy, Dr. McNinja stuck his hands in his pockets and calmly walked along the fake icing roof. He had only gone two cars before movement in the sky caught his attention. Dr. McNinja squinted. Four objects were flying out from the mountain where Canterlot was located. Suddenly they changed course, and started flying right for the train. As they got even closer, Dr. McNinja was able to see them better. Four pegasi, each wearing a light blue uniform adorned with yellow lightning bolts. Each one also wore a pair of flight goggles, which were filled by a sickly glowing green light that prevented Dr. McNinja from seeing their eyes even as they landed in front of him.

"Directive," one of them stated mechanically. "Locate the bodies of McNinja, Gordito, Celestia, Luna, and deliver them to the master."

"McNinja has been located," said the second pegasus. "Others likely to be close by."

"Obstacle. McNinja is not dead. Body of McNinja cannot be delivered to the master in current state," said the third with arguably sound logic.

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint you," said Dr. McNinja, who wasn't very sorry at all. "I would suggest a compromise, but I'm unreasonably attached to the idea of staying alive."

"Solution. Kill McNinja," the fourth pegasus suggested flatly.

"Kill McNinja," the rest agreed.

"So that's the game we're playing is it?" Dr. McNinja replied smoothly as he set a hand on the handle of the short sword strapped to his back. With practiced skill, he drew out the weapon and spun it a few times in one hand. A pointless maneuver to be sure, but it looked wickedly awesome as he stopped the spinning and pointed the blade at the pegasi. "Let the games begin, mother—"

"He said a bad word!" a random stallion interrupted loudly, his head sticking out the window of the train car Dr. McNinja stood on.

Dr. McNinja glared down at the pony. "Really?"

"Censorship is my talent," the stallion said sheepishly as he withdrew his head back into the train car.

Dr. McNinja sighed and turned his attention back to the pegasi just in time to receive a high-speed hoof to the face.