A Stranding by Rail

As Twilight Boarded the train for Canterlot, there was only one thing concerning her. Would the costume fit over her wings? She hadn't had them the last time she had been in the pageant with the girls. No matter, if anyone could make the needed adjustments, it was Rarity... Or perhaps Fluttershy. Twilight never had figured out how she had learned to sew like that. Sitting in the rear coach with the others, she relaxed, joining in the conversation as the train started with a jerk.

Half an hour later, the train was climbing the Canterhorn. By now the conversation had moved from local gossip to last years Pageant. Just as they were reaching the argument over who was going to close the windows however, Applejack paused. "Uh... Girls? Ya'll hear that?"

One by one, the others stopped talking, listening to a strange creaking sound. "That sounds a lot like-" Twilight began. Then, suddenly, there was a snap, and the coach slowed to a halt. "-Metal stretching..." And then the coach was going downhill. "Oh snap!" Everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs as the coach careened the mountain, even as they scrambled to find the emergency brake. It was Spike who found it... Outside, on the rear platform where it was exposed to the full force of the wind. At this speed, not even Rainbow Dash was willing to risk doing that- If she could even open the door.

There was nothing the passengers could do, but other ponies could help. With a clank, a set of points changed, sending the coach into an unused siding, ending in a set of buffers after a small climb. As the coach started to slow, everypony- except Fluttershy , naturally- sighed in relief. "I thought we were going to crashie-washie..." Then the the coach hit the buffers, and was gone from Equestria.

Twilight had been braced for impact, and was surprised when it never came. She looked up. The others were still braced, but were slowly starting to look around. Confused, she walked over to a window. What she saw made her gasp. No longer were they on the the Canterhorn, but instead careening across a grassy plain. This barely managed to register however before there was a flash of blue light and the sound of bells.

Twilight moaned as she picked herself up off the floor. All around her, Spike and the girls were doing the same. The coach was tilted slightly to one side, several windows were cracked, and Twilight could have sworn one of the axles had snapped. This coach was not going anywhere any time soon. "What happened..." Rarity moaned.

"I don't know, but I don't think we're in Equestria anymore... " Groaned Twilight, "Lets get out of here before the coach tips over or something."

As the group descended the steps, Fluttershy happened to look at the track. "Um... Twilight? Uh... The wheels are off the tracks... But... Um... Only on this side..."

"What?"

"Now how in Luna's name did that happen?"

"Well that's so not cool..."

"The gauge broke? But Why?" Twilight wondered, "Where are we anyway?"

Looking around, it rapidly became clear that they they had come to rest in a rail-yard of some kind. Coaches and trucks were scattered all about, some of which contained what looked like slate. There were only around a dozen tracks, but that seemed to be more than enough. There were several wooden structures nearby. The coaches were rather bland by Equestrian standards, all blue and white, with little variation, but still rather handsome. The only things they didn't see were the engines.

That was soon to change.

Skarloey hurried towards where he had heard the derailment. He had just been going to sleep when it happened, and was still a bit groggy, but if someone crashed, you helped. It was a bit odd that it had happened now though. Normally, everyone was already asleep. Skarloey's confusion only grew when the coach came into view. Nobody that he had ever heard of (apart from one american inter-urban, and that had been more of a salmon color) used pink for their coaches. The fact it was standard gauge only added to the oddness. Still, someone could be hurt.

Skarloey called out. "Is everyone all right"

It was a rather soft voice that responded, and one that felt somehow familiar. "I- I think so..."

A pause, then another voice. "Where are ya anyhow?"

"The other side of the coach by the look of it. How did that get here anyway? The gauge is all... wrong..."

Skarloey trailed off. The people who had been in the crash had just come around the coach, and everything was suddenly starting to make perfect sense. For the moment however, all he could do was stare. The ponies (and dragon) were all doing the same.

It was all Twilight could do to not drop her jaw on the ground. I must have hit my head pretty hard... She glanced at her friends, only to see they were all having the same problem she was. She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the apparent hallucination. However, the engine was still there... and it was still staring. Or perhaps this is all real... Somehow...

"There's no way," muttered Applejack, breaking the silence, "that this is Equestria..."

It was the engine who spoke next. "In all my years... I have never met any talking horses..."

"If I may," ventured Rarity, "Where are we? And who are you?"

The engine chuckled. "Of course you may. Welcome to the Island of Sodor, Crovans Gate to be exact. My name is Skarloey." He paused. "And you are?"

Twilight indicated each of her friends in turn. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. My friends are Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and-"

"Don't tell me... Spike?"

Twilight could only stammer, and her pupils shrank to pinpricks. "H- h- h- h..." "I think ya broke her." Applejack paused. "How'd ya know that anyway?" She glanced at Spike, who was trying to get Twilight fixed.

Skarloey chuckled nervously. "It's... a long story."