Equestrian Girls: A very Steaming Christmas

Chapter 3

As Sunset got out of the Coach, she was surprised. Normally, A gangway out of rubber would be between Coaches so that the Conductor and the Passengers could get from Coach to Coach. But here, the only thing between the Coaches was the knuckle Cuppler. She hesitated for a Moment, but that was all the Wind would need to blow the Ticket out of her Hand. She tried to grab it, but the Ticket flew in the Air, always out of the Way of her Hand. It flew away, in the Direction of the Train. She got back into the Coach and past her Friends to the front, where the Ticket was Stuck between two Windows. She opened it, but the Ticket flew away. Sunset looked after it and saw after the Ticket, flying further and further away from the Train. She walked slowly back to her friends, who looked at her with puzzled faces. Rainbow Dash was the first to ask her.

RD:(puzzled) What, was that about ?

Sunset:(sadly) The Ticket blew out of my Hand. I've tried to catch it, but it always flew away.

Fluttershy:(quietly) Oh no, what will happen when the Guard finds out ?

No one knew, but they didn't wanted to find it out. Much to soon, Pinkie and the Conductor came back into the Coach. Pinkie sat back in her place, when the Conductor came up to her.

Conductor: Excuse me Miss, but it seams that I missed to Punch you Ticket. Could I see it ?

Pinkie looked at her Seat, but was surprised to see that the Ticket wasn't there.

Pinkie: That's strange, I left the Ticket on my seat, but it isn't her.

Conductor:(loudly) You mean, that you lost your Ticket ?

Then, there came a third Voice.

Voice: She didn't lost it. I did.

The two of them turned to see Sunset walking over to them.

Sunset: I saw you Ticket on the Seat and thought that you lost it. I wanted to bring it back to you, but the Wind blew it out of my Hand.(Pulling out her own Ticket) You can take mine if you want.

She extended her Arm, only to be stopped by the Conductor.

Conductor: AH! These Tickets, are not transferable. Miss Pie, you will go with me.

And he walked away, with Pinkie following him.

Sunset walked sadly back. No one of them said a Word, till Rainbow Dash broke the Silence.

RD: Twilight, do you by any Chance know what happens to someone who doesn’t have a Ticket one an Express Train ?

Twilight: actually, I do. When someone doesn't have a Ticket, they will be thrown out of the Train. On an local Train, they do that at the next Station. On an Express Train however, they will throw them out of the last Coach, right on the Tracks. They normally slow the Train down so that the Person doesn't gets under the Wheels.

After she finished her Explaining, all Six of them had their Eyes opened wide with Shock.

Applejack: We need to do something.

Rarity: But what, Darling ?

Sunset: We need to stop the Train! We can't let him throw Pinkie out of the Train!

The other girls protested but Sunset didn't listened to them. When she nearly Pulled the Lever, she saw something in the Air Ventilation. She grabbed it and Pulled the Ticket out! The other saw it, and looked at each other in Shock. All of them Raced to the Door. Sunset pulled it open and she and the others Jumped over the Gap. They walked through the Saloon Coach and to the Balcony at the end of it. But there was nothing there. They looked around, but they couldn't find Pinkie or the Conductor. They ran inside where the Boy sat in the same spot as earlier.

RD: Where are they ?

Twilight: What happened to them ?

Sunset: Please, you must help us!

The Boy said nothing, but looked out of the Window. The Girls followed his glance, to see that, in the Glow of an Lantern, a Shadow of an Man and a Girl walked along. They quickly walked back outside, and looked around for a ladder to get on top of the Train. Rainbow found one, on the side of the Train, next to a Mountain side. They climbed up the ladder and onto the roof of the Train, which was covered in snow. They could see a fainting light, going further and further away from them. They called out to it as they walked across the snow covered Roof top. The light vanished, only to reappear a few moments later. They walked closer to the light, and saw a Man, plaining a Guitar at a bonfire. Over the Fire was a Pot, in which coffee brew. The Man stopped playing and looked at the girls in front of him.

Man: Well, what do we have here ?

Sunset: Were searching a Friend of ours. Did you see her ?

Man: Maybe, but first of all, take a seat and warm yourself up, its cold tonight. You can have a Coffee too.

The girls sat across from the Man and each got a small cup, in which the man let the hot liquid. After he gave them the Coffee, he pulled his socks out of the Pot. The girls spat the Coffee out and gave him the cups back.

Man: I've seen a Man with a Girl walking past here, a few Minutes ago, but I don't understand why she was still on the Train. She didn't had a Ticket, and so she shouldn't ride the Train.

Sunset: She has a Ticket.

And to Prove it, she pulled out the Golden Ticket and showed it the Man.

Man: Well, that is a Real Polar Express Round Trip Ticket! If I were you, I would put it somewhere safe. I always have my valuable stuff in my shoes. That’s the safest place I know of. I don't need such a thing, I mean a Ticket. I jump on the Train whenever I want. You could say I own this thing. Yes, I'm the Owner of the Polar Express, you could even say that I'm the owner of the North Pole!

The last part was screamed out as if he wanted that the whole World would know it.

Fluttershy: And what's with Santa ? Doesn't he own the North Pole ?

Man: Santa ? You mean the Big one with the Hat ? (Pulls out a Santa Hat and putts it on) Ho Ho Ho! Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho.(Takes the Hat of) Do you really belief in that one?

The Girls said nothing and the Man let out a brief chuckle.

Man: I thought so. Well, I follow a simple Rule: Seeing is Believing. But enough of that(Takes the Pot of Coffee and spills it over the fire, extinguishing it.) lets find your Friend.(beginning to walk away but stops) One last question: Do you believe in Ghosts?

The Girls shook their Heads

Man: Interesting.

And with that, he grabbed his belongings and began to walk through the Snow. The girls tried to keep up with him, but he was soon out of sight. They called out to him, but he didn't answered back. There was an loud Whistle as the Engine warned the Wildlife that the Train was coming. They then heard a Shout, and a lamp was flickering through the snow. The Man came back, he had a Lamp around his head and was taking skiers with him.

Man:HEY!!! THERE IS NO SLEEPWALKING ON THE POLAR EXPRESS! We need to jump the Cupplers. Take the skiers and walk with me, we must go to the Big Bertha.

RD: Big Bertha ?

Man: To the Engine. We must reach the Engine before we reach the Tunnel.

Twilight: Why ?

Man: Questions over Questions. Between the Tunnel, and the roof of this Choo Choo, is only 1inch Air. Got it?

As their looked at him, they saw how the Train started to climb a Hill. He gave each of them some Skiers and they walked forward, until the Coach started to go over the Hill too. They Crossed the skiers to slow them down. The Man looked back, just to see that some Part of the snow on the Roof broke away. Sunset, who was at the end of the cavalcade, tried to grip the handle on the roof, but missed it and fell of the End of the Train! She grabbed the Tail Lamp, and hold to it with her live. The Man fell back and held one of the ski sticks to her.

Man:Common, grab the ski stick! Get back onto your feet!

And with that he pulled her back onto the Train, throwing her through the air in the process. She landed on the Roof again, just as the Train crested the Top of the Hill. They Glided down the Hill, jumping over Cupplings and racing against Time. The Train raced down the Rails, nearly flying as it speed down. As they got closer to the Engine, the Man spoke again.

Man: All right, when you get to the last part of the first Coach, and the Funnel of the Engine is in view, Jump into the Ten...

But the last part was drowned in the scream of the Whistle. The Engine roared into the Tunnel, and the Entrance let the steam of the Funnel out, letting it look like it was a Monster. The Girls Jumped into the Tender, just in time.