Engines of a revolution

The night sky above canterlot was particularly glorious as I walked through the city towards the castle, I’d been invited to a formal event at the castle called the grand galloping Gala. One thing about Equestria that I preferred over earth was the night sky, it was like those photos you can find of the internet when you search up “night sky”. I’d made sure to put on my very best clothes, I’d even convinced Twilight to let me borrow a top hat deserving of my apparent status, back on earth in the 18 hundreds the status of a man was depicted by the size of his top hat. T e=he same applied here, and individuals such as mechanical engineers were pretty high up, though I had yet to “mingle”. I’d also managed to dig out a walking stick

I made my way up the steps leading to the entrance, there were ponies making their way in, each one being announced by a doorpony with a trumpet. I waited a moment to make sure there was no one else waiting to enter before approaching. I showed my invitation to the door pony and he blasted on a trumpet.

“Announcing the assistant mechanical engineer of the Equestrian National Railroad…Luke Vasington!” my eye twitched as he mispronounced my name, but I quickly shook the feeling off and entered the foyer. The first thing that struck me was the various ponies muttered and glancing my way.

“Good evening everyone” I called “I admit my form is something odd to you all, but I’m simply here to socialise like the rest of you.” That seemed to put them at ease and they went back to their own little conversations, I nodded to Princess Celestia ad Twilight before I followed the red carpet and found myself entering a large hall. Inside all sorts of upper-class ponies were milling about talking about this and that in small groups, I knew that Emerald was meant to be here tonight so I grabbed a glass of what looked, smelled, and tasted like Irish cream from a butler as they walked past with a tray held in their magic aura. I sipped it every so often as I searched for her, I never liked big social events, but the fact I was invited by loyalty, coupled with the fact I needed to get in the nobles graces if I was to succeed as Assistant CME meant I was compelled to attend. Plus I felt the need to prove that someone who was essentially country boy could socialise with high society just as well as the next sapient life form.

I spotted Emerald talking with a white stallion with a blue mane, I got the feeling I’d seen him before on my walks to and from Canterlot station but I don’t remember ever actually meeting him in person. I walked over and Emerald noticed me.

“Oh, Luke” she said in surprise “This is Fancy Pants. Fancy Pants, this is my new assistant at Canterlot works”

“I don’t believe we’ve ever met” the stallion said, regarding me with mild curiosity.

“We haven’t” I said, holding a hand out, which he promptly shook with a forehoof “I’m the one responsible for the changes that are soon to sweep the railway network”

“You must have quite the intellect then, good chap”

“I cannot claim full responsibility for these ideas” I said “I’m simply…how do you say?…sort of like a carer”

“Custodian?” Emerald asked I snapped my fingers.

“That works” I said “You’ll have to forgive me, Fancy Pants, Equestrian isn’t my mother-tongue”

“No problem at all” he said “I must say you are rather well spoken for somepony who only speaks Equestrian as a second language”

“It is difficult at times, sometimes my accent will slip and I’ll talk like this” I said, adding a more British sounding inflection to their language.

“You certainly have an intriguing accent” He said, before putting his hoof to his chin in thought “One I can’t say I’ve ever heard”

“I’m not surprised” I said “The total number of individuals on this planet that speak this language including me is two”

“And who would the other individual be?” He asked “a mate or a relation perhaps?” I chuckled.

“I wish” I said “But no, the only other person that can speak English is Twilight Sparkle, and I’m the only one who speaks it naturally, I’m unique”

“Well, I certainly hope you the best” he said, before turning to Emerald “I’m afraid I must leave you now” Emerald nodded and Fancy Pants promptly walked off into the crowd.

“You’ve made a good impression on him” Emerald said, as we watched him disappear into the crowd “Fancy pants has a considerable amount of political power amongst the nobles of Canterlot” she then leaned in and whispered “and if you ask me he’s one of the few who isn’t a self-obsessed stuck-up ponce out only for themselves”

“Believe me, I know” I said. at that moment I noticed Twilight walking towards us “Good evening, your majesty”

“[Luke, it is good to see you tonight]” she said in English, she had a thick accent, but it was understandable

“[you’re getting there]” I said “[though you sound a little too formal and wooden]”

“[I still have much to learn]” she responded.

“[True]” I admitted “[you still learnt English faster than I learnt Equestrian]”

“[Our languages share a lot of features, such as the sentence structure]” she said “[some words could also be classed as loan words]”

“I’m sorry” Emerald interjected “But I have no idea what you two are saying”

“We are conversing in my language” I said “In truth it is good to be able to converse in my first language”

“So, Luke” Twilight said “how has working on the railway been?”

*Flashback*

I’d just returned to Canterlot shed after firing on a pick up goods from the outer suburbs of Canterlot to the city center. This was what my job as an engineman involved; a suburban passenger here, a goods train there, I’d be doing the firing until Autumn, one of the senior crewmembers at “top shed”, felt I was ready to progress to firing on expresses and long distance freights, before moving on to driving. Canterlot shed, or “top Shed as it was known by the railway ponies, was one of the largest sheds on the network, rivalled only by the likes of Manehatten, Dodge City, The Crystal Empire, Vanhoover, Las Pegasus, Fillydelphia and Baltimare. I drew the “Four hoofer” 2-6-0 onto the turntable whilst the driver went to clock us in and note down working times, load taken and any problems with the locomotive or route that might have occurred during the journey. As I signalled to the Turntable operator to turn the engine around there was a loud commotion. I walked across the cab and looked out to see one of the 0-4-0 shunters arse up in the turntable well. I sighed in annoyance, it was most likely one of the new engine ponies. Before I had the chance to give the driver a bollocking I heard wing beats and looked over to see Autumn flying over, red in the face with rage. She landed next to the engine and dragged the dazed driver out.

“Wha' t' fuk eur theur lakin' a'!?” she thundered, her southern Griffish isle accent coming out extremely thick. “Did theur av permission ta proceed ontoa t' turntable!? Theur dooant even need ta use t' turntable, Thas eur fookin' shunta, theur daft cunt!” the earth pony cowered, shaking with fear. Even I felt intimidated, despite the fact I didn’t understand a single word of what she said.

*end flashback*

“…it’s…interesting” I said “some days I wake up at 6 in the morning and wonder what the hell I’m doing, but it’s the days when I’ve got perfect weather, a route with beautiful scenery and a well maintained engine that I look forward to.” At that moment a blue & spectrum blur filled my vision. Said blur tured out to be the last pony I had been wanting to meet.

“And just what do you think you’re doing here!?” Rainbow Dash said, jabbing my chest with her hoof and ignoring Twilight’s protests

“I happen to be invited as a guest” I said, brushing her hoof away “unlike other individuals I don’t just go barging into events” Emerald snickered at that.

“You actually speak Equestrian!?” she asked in surprise.

“yes” I said crossing my arms “I wouldn’t get very far if I didn’t bother to learn the language now would I?”

“Whatever” she said “I still don’t trust you” she jabbed me in the chest again, once again I brushed her hoof away.

“Don’t touch me again” I said.

“Or what?” she asked, getting in my face and once again ignoring Twilight, who was at this point trying to pull her away with her magic without trying to attract too much attention

“Or I will seriously make you regret it” I growled, before lowering my voice “because unlike your fellow ponies I will not hesitate to rip your leg off and shove it so far up your arse you’ll be coughing up hoof shavings for months” this was just a bluff in an attempt to make her back off, more than any real threat. She baulked at that and I took the opportunity to back away.

“W…well you’re a freak” she stammered out, trying to save face. I chuckled and looked back towards her over my shoulder.

“Bitch, I’m the apex predator on my planet” I said, I shook my head and began to walk towards the balcony “besides, I’m not the one with the ridiculous hair” as I got to the door I heard Emerald shout and I barely had to turn to look before something hit me I the back…hard. I flew forward and hit the balcony wall with an Audible thud, I also heard a crack and felt pain shoot through my chest.

“Say that one more time”

“You…Bitch” I gasped out, clutching my chest

“What’s the matter?” she scoffed “can’t insult ponies to their face?” she then walked back inside, I struggled to get into a more comfortable position.

“Shit, I should know better than to go picking fights” I winced in pain as something shifted that shouldn’t “especially if I’m at an event that can drastically impact the public’s perception of me, I’ve probably got a broken rib or two”

“Luke?” I heard Emerald call.

“Here” I gasped out. Emerald looked over and gasped.

“What in the name of Celestia happened to you!?” she exclaimed.

“Take…a…” I began to gasp out.

“save your breath” she said “I’m sorry I have to do this”

“wha…?” she then levelled her horn at me and a bolt of magic hit me in the head, my vision then went black.