This Day Arrival

>What.

>The fuck.

>Was that?

>I was trying to get a good night's sleep for work tomorrow, but I guess that's not happening anymore...

>I thought the bright light was to take you to Paradise?

>Well I guess for most of these guys, sure, but come on...

>As of now, I'm standing on the platform to the train.

>Taking a look around, most of these other people-turned-ponies are overjoyed.

>Others, myself included, are either sad or pissed off.

>I guess they had something to live for, too.

 

>Customs here were a real bitch.

>It's like the DMV.

>Lines, lines, more lines, and hours of waiting to wait.

>It was finally my turn to speak to the immigration officer.

>"Name?"

"Jeffrey."

>"What's your pony name?" he asked with obvious animosity.

"... Jeffrey," I repeated.

>"You need to choose an Equestrian name or we will choose one for you," he said.

>What is this, 18th century America?

>God damn it...

>I think hard about any random thing that comes to mind.

>And not a damn thing comes to mind.

>I look myself over for anything that might help come up with something.

>My flank is blank, so that's no help.

>I have wings, so that's cool.

>Rubbing a hoof on my head reveals no horn.

>The fur on my leg is a light blue and my tail is a slightly darker blue.

>I run it through my mind once or twice and just shrug.

>Fuck it.

"How about Blue?"

>The officer before me raised an eyebrow with an unimpressed face that said, "Really?".

>Apparently I'm not the only one to come up with something stupid.

>Up yours, you put me on the spot.

>He shook his head and wrote it down along with the rest of the information that I didn't need to tell him.

>He set my form aside and handed me a ticket.

>"You have 10 minutes before the train leaves," he said.

"And where are we going, exactly? Fresno? Hobokin?"

>"Just get out of here," he said as he motioned for the next one in line.

>Yeah, fuck you too, buddy.

 

>The next station handed me a tent and some basic survival gear in a pack.

>My first thought was, "What the hell is this?"

>My thought soon afterwards was, "Hell yeah, we're going camping!"

>I followed the crowd of ponies to the train station where I now stand.

>Only a few minutes passed before the train finally arrived.

>A massive yawn escapes my mouth as the doors open and the crowd files inside.

>Checking my ticket shows there's no assigned seating.

>It just says that I can get onto the train.

>And so I do.

>Step in, look left and right.

>Ponies are hefting their packs into the racks above the seats and talking amongst each other.

>I spot a free space near the center of the car and work my way towards it.

>Arriving at the spot, the one at the window is also a pegasus.

>He stairs out of the window and I can see his face reflected in the glass.

"Hey, mind if I sit here?" I ask.

>He turns his head at the sound of my voice and sees that I am directing the question at himself.

>"Yeah, go ahead," he says as he scoots a bit closer to the glass.

>I nod and work on slipping my pack off of my back.

>Finally managing to do so, I stick my forehooves in the loops of the straps and rise onto my back legs to place it into the baggage rack.

>I almost fall back onto the ponies in the seat across from me, but I catch my balance.

>Man, this crap is hard.

>It was only then I realized there's no space available for my pack and tent.

>Looking up and down the rows like an idiot, I decide to say "Screw it".

>The tent goes under my seat and my pack rests in my lap.

>The pegasus beside me looks at me once more, then up at the baggage racks.

>"No room?" he asks.

"Nope."

>He nods and goes back to looking at the guards on the train platform.

 

>I rest my head against the back of the seat and mull over just what the hell is going on.

>It's a forced mass-exodus after we just got... kidnapped(?) from our own world.

>And now we're being sent to what I imagine to be some kind of concentration camp.

>This could be cool or end up really bad.

>Whatever the case, humans aren't allowed to be in the city.

>Can we even call ourselves human anymore?

>Our bodies have changed, but our minds are the same.

>Thank God for that, but now it's baby steps all over again until I figure out how to work with hooves and... these...

>I run my right hoof over the feathery appendage attached to the side of my chest.

>Flying has always been a dream of mine.

>But not even in my dreams was I able to take flight completely.

>But now...

>I can't hold back my smile and a soft chuckle.

>The guy next to me hears me and see the smile on my face.

>Apparently my eyes have closed and I hadn't even realized I'd been day dreaming.

>"What?" he asked.

>I open my eyes and face him.

"What?"

>"What's funny?"

"Oh. Nothing. Just... Just thought of something."

>I rest your head against the seat again and shut my eyes with another long yawn.

>So much for sleep last night, but at least I'll be able to catch up on a bit before we reach... wherever the hell we're going.

 

>The train departs at last and we get moving.

>After what seems like 30 minutes, I groan and just decide to watch out the window with my companion.

>I'll sleep later.

>Looking at the horizon, I notice the sun is coming up.

>Judging by the position and knowing absolutely nothing about the time here, I'd say it was about... 10 o'clock.

>It looked as if he was trying to sleep as well, what with his head rest right on the glass.

>The only thing was his eyes were open and he stared off into the countryside.

>"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he asked to seemingly no one in particular.

>I look past him and spot the rolling hills and fields of wild flowers.

>A range of snow-capped mountains in the distance add a nice backdrop.

"It really is," I comment.

>He turned away from the passing scenery and asked me, "So how do you feel about all of this?"

>Well that was unexpected.

"I don't know," I state with a shrug of my shoulders. "A little pissed off that I just got teleported out of my bed to be here. And not even in human form, might I add."

>"At least you got wings," he said. "The next best thing."

"I was thinking the same thing. Although I figure magic would make living life a hell of a lot easier."

>He let out a short laugh.

>"You're telling me."

>A few seconds tick by.

"So how do you feel about all of this?"

 

>He thinks for a moment and shrugs.

>"Mixed emotions, really. On on hand... er, hoof, I really miss my hands. Even just trying to hold something is rediculous with hooves or you mouth. However..."

>A huge smile comes over his face.

>"Wings, baby."

>He turns his body slightly to emphasize his new appendages.

>"Sure it'll take a while to even learn how to get off the ground, but practice is key to success."

"I heard they'e like fingers too"

>"Exactly! And furthermore, there's a TON of new things to learn about! The opportunity to start a new life is intoxicating though, and I plan on making the most of this fleeting chance."

>I'm starting to like this guy.

>Very optimistic despite losing everything.

>I can respect that.

>He held a hoof out to me.

>"I'm Ragnano. How do you do?"

>I extend my leg as well so as to shake his hand.

>How much of an idiot I felt like when I realized we don't have hands.

>Without the ability to do a handshake, I settle for brofisting him.

>Hoof.

>What the hell ever.

"My name's Blue. Nice to meet you, too."

>We share a bit of info on ourselves.

>Where we came from, our families, our jobs, interests.

>I'll need a friend to buddy with.

>Better now than never.

 

>Somewhere along the ride, I eventually pass out into a dreamless sleep.

>Some time later, the train pulls into another train station.

>A nudge on my shoulder from Ragnano rouses me from my nap.

>"Hey Blue. I think we're here."

>Checking the sign out of the window with my groggy eyes, I see "Welcome to Four Cannon!".

>Checking my ticket shows "Destination: Four Cannon".

"Damn, man... What time is it?"

>"I'm not sure. The sun moved out of my view a while ago. It's past noon, that's for sure."

"What...?"

>The doors open to the train and everyone stands to fetch their gear from the baggage racks.

>Good thing I already have mine.

>With Ragnano's help, I get my pack back on, reach under my seat, grab my tent, and wait.

>Everyone files off the train and onto the platform.

>I lost my new friend in the commotion, but hopefully we'll meet up later.

>A few wander off, but most just hang around the platform with their bags.

>"So what do we do now?" someone asks.

>I decided to step off the platform as well and look behind the station.

 

>A small town has already been established.

>It's mostly Tent City, but there are a few permanent buildings already.

>A thick wooded forest lied off to the left of the station and massive mountain range beyond the town.

>A commotion on the station platform drew my attentino back.

>A pony was there to round up the newcomers and herd us to the meeting hall for a brief.

>Everyone shuffles around in the group and has trouble coordinating to get off the platform and down the road.

>We're like freakin' cattle.

"Moooo," I call as we move through town, eliciting a laugh from a few nearby.

>There were already ponies wandering around and working.

>A small guard force appears to have been establish already as well.

>Town hall, post office... a freakin' bar.

>A growl in the pit of my stomach stops me in my tracks.

>I wiggle my backpack off and unhook the flap to peer inside.

>Digging around with a hoof, I fail to find any kind of chocolate bar or something.

>What a jip.

>I worm my backpack back on and race to catch up with the others.

 

>At the meeting hall, the so called "Council" laid down a list of rules and regulations.

>They also provided us with a couple of maps in which to navigate around and the local area.

>Most of the map was fairly vague or light in detail, such as the large forest to the east and mountains to the north.

>Are we our own country?

>Because the border to Equestria was darkly drawn across the south portion of the page.

>Well, shit.

>We really were outcasted.

>According to the Council, everyone needs to pick a job based on their individual skill sets to help further this new community.

>There will be no freeloaders.

>Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but with the lack of hands, I'm not entrirely sure how that will even work out.

>Apparently well, as they got this far already.

>This is gonna suck...

 

>With the brief over, the new arrivals are free to do as they will, save for return to Equestria.

>Any who do will be met with dire consequences.

>It's obvious people will try anyways for the simple fact they were told not to.

>Less mouths to feed I suppose.

>I grab my pack and tent and walk through what I have personally designated as Tent City.

>The area was filled with little ranshackle sheds and tents.

>Apparently building a bar was more important than their own homes.

>It's like a slum.

>It's actually very depressing.

>Instead, I drop the map from my mouth and unroll it in the grass.

>The town hall is there...

>I turned left from there...

>There's an intersection there...

>So I must be... Here!

>You pinpoint your location on the map and study the surrounding countryside.

>Forest, mountains, big ass river, plains.

>I think I get it.

>Rolling the map up, I gingerly take it back in my mouth and start walking back along the road I came from.

>Upon reaching the town hall once more, I take a right and follow the road all the way down.

>There's some random tower up on a small ridge to the south of the road.

>The forest lies ahead.

>And eventually, the road just kind of... stops.

>I check the map once more and, sure enough, the road just cuts off.

"Well, fuck," I said outloud.

>I roll the map up and place it back into my bag.

>Taking a deep breath, I start walking.