Unstoppable

Ten minutes have passed as Twilight and Sunset Shimmer are now at a turntable to turn around so they can go pick up their cargo that’s right outside of Canterlot.

Twilight is at the turntable house while Sunset Shimmer is still at the controls of the engine. She looks at the clipboard to see the cargo that they have to pick up.

Sunset Shimmer begins to mumble to herself. “Okay, good. Good” She sets the clipboard down as she looks at Twilight in the rear view mirror, as she begins to flip a switch to turn off the turntable, and unlock the train so they can move again. Before Twilight gets back on, she radio’s Sunset Shimmer.

“Sunset Shimmer, I got the turntable around. Is there a problem?”

“No, there’s no problem, except you got it backwards.” Sunset Shimmer radio’s back. “Turntable house goes on my end, you’re on the ballast. On MY end. Other than that, no problem. No problem at all.”

“Copy.” Twilight said quietly as she then fixes the turntable to turn it back around. After the turntable house is now on the other end, Twilight gets back on the train, and into her seat while Sunset Shimmer starts up the train again, as they begin to move out of the yard, and on their way to pick up their cargo.

“Like I told you. You don’t know something, just ask, that’s all.” Sunset Shimmer reminds Twilight.

“I got it.” Twilight quietly responds. Leaving Sunset Shimmer with a reply.

“I hope so.”

It goes quiet for a few seconds. Until…

“Yeah, whatever.” Twilight negatively reply. Sunset Shimmer turns her head to her.

“Excuse me?”

“This crap, just make the new girl prove herself like nothing. I tell ya, I heard it before, it gets old real fast.”

“Well that’s how it is at other jobs, hot shot.” Sunset Shimmer replied as Twilight rests her head on her hand on the arm of the chair. “Listen, Twi.” Sunset Shimmer gets her attention. “I don’t blame you for it. Really, I don’t. But just don’t think of it like that, okay? A lot of people don’t see it that way.”

“Okay.” twilight replied as she opened the cab window a little bit to catch the spring breeze.

***
Back At Crystal Yard.

Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust are chilling by the building, as Lightning Dust is completely shaking. Rainbow Dash doesn't say anything to her as she sits on a picnic table. All she can do, is look straight at her for letting the train go on its own like that.

A familiar truck begins to pull into the parking lot, as it stops in front of the building. Rainbow Dash gets Lightning Dust’s attention, as they go to the truck, as Spitfire is the one that was driving it.

Spitfire begins to get a call on her phone. “I’m here, I’m walking in right now. I’m sorry I’m late, it’s-” Spitfire stops as she soon gets interrupted while talking to the person on the phone. “A coaster, what train?” Spitfire is now in complete shock.

“Spitfire?” Lightning Dust comes in. Spitfire hangs up her phone.

“How the hell did this happen?” Spitfire asked, in anger. As Lightning Dust tries to respond.

“It just...got away from me-”

“It got away from you?!?” Spitfire yells at Lightning Dust. They walk into the building. “It’s a train, Lightning Dust, not a squirrel, okay?!”

“I had to leave the cab to throw the switch!”

Spitfire looks at Lightning Dust with that face. Both anger, and surprising.

“You left the cab?”

“Yeah, and, uh...it gets worse.” Rainbow Dash comes in, as she begins to explain. “The air brakes weren't tied on. Uh, they aren't tied on...still.”

Spitfire looks at the two girls with surprise. Lightning Dust has that face of nervousness. While Rainbow Dash has the same look on her face.

“We got an unman train rolling into a posing traffic, and into highly populated areas...with no air brakes?” Spitfire asked, while Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust replied with a simple, but scary answer.

“Yeah.”

Spitfire turns around, as she lets out a frustrating sigh. As Lightning Dust then speaks up.

“Look, Spitfire, I set the independent breaks so it’ll go slow, but-”

“Never mind that, Lightning Dust.” Spitfire interrupts. “How fast is it going?”

“About no more than ten miles per hour.” Rainbow Dash replies.

“Okay, jump on the hi-rail, and go after it.” Spitfire said as the girls looked at each other while she walks to her desk. “Now!”

“Okay, okay.” They reply. They begin to walk to the truck, that is also known as a hi-rail, which is a special truck to drive on the train tracks. Lightning Dust sits on the driver’s side, while rainbow Dash sits on the passenger side.

They both begin to go after the train together.

Spitfire runs to her desk as she sits down to look at the cargo information it’s carrying, before going over to the map to look at the map of Equestria where the main line is. She looks at the mainline where 115’s going, after it passes through the countryside.

“Spitfire!” Fleetfoot said, getting Spitfire’s attention. “Is everything okay? I heard we got a coaster.”

“No, Fleetfoot, everything’s not okay.” Spitfire said to her as she looks at the map one more time. “Fleetfoot, get me one, one, five’s cargo information. I have to call Celestia to report this.” Fleetfoot begins to do just that, before Spitfire talks to herself. “Okay, Lightning Dust said she applied the independent, so she should be able to stop the damn thing after a few miles. We need to alert every northbound train on the main line. First twenty miles of track, take priority.” Spitfire demonstrates to Fleetfoot.

“Got it!” Was Fleetfoot’s response as she begins to get to work.

“Okay.” Spitfire said to herself again, as she takes out her phone, and begins to call Soarin.

***

“Now I’m not trying to be a complete lunatic. I always thought some of my friends were crazy.” Soarin said to the waitress while she serves him coffee.

“Oh really?”

“Yup, and to think of that-” Soarin is soon interrupted by his phone ringing. “Oh, excuse me.” He begins to answer it. “Hello?”

“Soarin, where are you?”

“Oh, Spitfire, I’m uh...I’m just driving in now.” He said as he whispers to the waitress. “I gotta go.”

“Okay, how far are you from the county road?”

“Roughly six minutes, include traffic. Why, what’s up?” Soarin asked, paying for his food.

“Great, I need you to haul ass over there and throw the sighting switch, we got a coaster.” Spitfire demonstrates.

“A coaster? Really?” Soarin begins to be surprised.

“Yeah, it should be on it’s way over there in a slow speed, there should be enough time for you to get down there, and throw the sighting switch.”

“Oh you want me to climb on board and stop it?”

“What, oh no, no, no, we got someone else to take care of it, you just throw that switch, Soarin.”

“Roger that.”

They both hang up, as Soarin grabs his jacket from the hanger. “I’ll see you later.” The waitress waves him goodbye.

Soarin quickly gets into his truck, and begins to race down the road.

“Okay, this shouldn't be too bad. Hopefully.” He said to himself, driving as fast as he can to go throw the sighting switch.

***

“I could always count on him.” Spitfire said to herself, She places her phone back in her pocket. She looks at the map again, to see that there are several red signals in the countryside, which must mean that 115’s already made through them.

***
Canterlot, Equestria. Elevated Curve.

Not long has passed as the sun rises over the mountain of Canterlot. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight are now at the elevated curve in Canterlot. Sunset Shimmer slows down the engine as the speed is restricted to fifteen miles per hour. Any faster than that would result in the train flying off the tracks, and into the oil towers which do not take much to blow up when something big hits it.

“You from Canterlot?” Sunset Shimmer asked Twilight. They begin to go around the very tight bend of the elevated curve.

“Born and raised.” Was Twilight’s response.

“Really?”

“Yup. My whole family’s from Canterlot.”

“Hey, mine are too.” Sunset Shimmer replied to her. “You married?”

“Huh? Oh, no, no, I’m not married at all.” Twilight responded.

“Ah, alright then.” Sunset Shimmer replied once they pass the curve as they begin to cross a straight bridge.

“How about you? Are you married?” Twilight asked.

“Me? Nah, I’m not married either. I dated guys here and there. But they never proposed to me or anything.” Sunset Shimmer replied. “I remember this one time. Before I got this job. I dated this guy who was a complete nub, but he was hilarious.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, him and I made a bet on a game that we played. Loser has to pure really cold water on them...in their underwear, with dry ice.”

“My goodness.” Twilight said laughing as Sunset Shimmer joined in too. “Isn't that torture?”

“To him? Yes. But to me? My god, I couldn't stop laughing. His friends, and even my friends filmed it too.”

They both start laughing out loud as they’re almost at the end of the bridge, as the main line begins to take them almost outside of Canterlot, as Sunset Shimmer radios dispatch to throw the switch to the power plant.

“Dispatch to 1802, over.”

“1802 to dispatch. What’s your location?”

“We just got out of the elevated curve in Canterlot. I need you to throw the switch that leads us to the power plant, and that’s right off the main line so we can pick up our cargo.”

“Affirmative, 1802. Over and out.”

“He wouldn't talk to you for weeks, would he?” Twilight asked, with giggles she’s trying to hold back from how funny it is.

“Eh, he wouldn't talked to me here and there. Until he finally forgave me for everything.”

“What did you do?”

“I got him ice cream.”

They both laughed at Sunset Shimmer’s answer.

“Yeah, but he turned to be a complete dick after that.” Sunset Shimmer comes in.

“Really? What happened?”

“A couple months later, he wouldn't show up at my house, at all. He wouldn't talk to me, text me. Nothing.”

“Oh wow.” Twilight said in complete shock.

“That’s not all. I called him over and over, and text him so many times for days. Until he finally said he wanted to break up with me.”

“Oh wow. I’m really sorry.” Twilight said to her.

“Yeah me too.” Sunset Shimmer mumbled to herself. "But I did go to one relationship after another.”

“That’s good.” Twilight responded.

“Yeah. It’s not the best. But it’s alright in my book.”

***
Back at Crystal Yard.

“Spitfire! I got the information you need for the train’s cargo.” Fleetfoot said, handing her the clipboard.

“Thank you, Fleetfoot.” Spitfire said as she walks to her desk. Until she begins to get a call.

“Spitfire, you got a call on line two.”

Spitfire grabs the phone.

“This is Spitfire from Crystal yard yo-. *Sigh* I’ll hold.” Some music starts to play while Spitfire waits to get someone on the phone.

A knock soon appears on her door, as someone comes in.

“I heard we have a coaster?”

Spitfire looks to see that an inspector is here. He has a Navy blue hair, five foot, six, and appears to be in his mid twenties.

“Um, yeah, this sorta thing happened, we’re on it.” Spitfire said to him.

“I’m sorry?” Spitfire holds up her finger as she finally has a hold of someone.

“Yeah, listen, I need to speak with Celestia, right away. I see, uh can you have her call me then? No I’m about to reveal the cargo shipping myse-” The person on the phone soon hangs up, as Spitfire, in a bit of frustration, hangs up the phone. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m here for the railroad safety campaign, my name is Black Light.”

“Okay.” Spitfire said as she gets up. “Hey, Fleetfoot! Fleetfoot, can you help me out here?” She said, getting Fleetfoot’s attention, Spitfire direct’s the inspector to her. “You see that girl right there? She’s gonna tell you what you need to know.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“Thank you so much, everyone’s gonna love that, that’s great.” Spitfire then closes the door after he walks away, as she leans on the door frame for a second to take a deep breath.

Before taking her seat, and look at the cargo information on the clipboard. She begins to mumble to herself.

“Okay, let’s see what you’re carrying.”

She can see that cars one through six are hopper cars. Cars seven through ten and sixteen through nineteen are...molten phenol. A hazardous chemical that is highly flammable.

“Oh great.” Spitfire get’s Fleetfoot through the office phone. “Fleetfoot, I need to know exactly what’s in cars seven to ten, get a hold of the shipper please?”

***

Soarin begins to walk around, and look at his watch as he waits for the coaster to come into the sighting. While continuously mumble to himself.

“God dammit, where the hell is this thing?”

However, it wasn't long until he hears...a car? He looks down the line where the train was suppose to come in, as a hi-rail came into view around the bend from behind the trees. This can't be a good sign.

Soarin gets out his phone and begins to call Spitfire. “Are you kidding me?”

The hi-rail soon stops in front of the switch. With rainbow Dash on the passenger side, and Lightning Dust on the driver side. They’re going after the coaster.

“Soarin, the train’s not here?” Rainbow Dash said, quickly rolling down her window.

“No, Dash, it isn't.” Soarin answered. Until Lightning Dust gets an attitude.

“Then where’s the train?”

"Where does it look like the goddamn train is, jackass!?!” Soarin argued, him and Lightning Dust are now arguing back and forth, while Lightning gives him the middle finger.

“You know, you’re the one who always screws up, Lightning Dust!” Soarin said to her.

“Just through the fucking switch, you retard!”

Spitfire finally answers the phone.

“Yeah, Spitfire, it’s me.”

“Soarin, did you throw that switch yet?”

“Yeah, ten minutes ago, but your train? It’s not here. I thought it might be going a little slower than you thought, but Rainbow Dash and the little dumb nut here showed up, they haven’t seen it either.” Soarin explained.

“Are you saying that train’s already passed?”

“Yes ma’am, that’d be my guess.”

A small silence comes by, as Spitfire than speaks again.

“It’s not a coaster, that train’s under power.”

"That’d be my guess too.”

“Okay, that’s it. Put Lightning Dust on the phone. Now!”

“Sure, she wants to talk to you, asshole.” Soarin said to Lightning Dust, handing her the phone.

“Yeah.”

“I need you to rally every cell in that fucking brain of yours. When you applied the independent, was the throttle in the forward position?” Spitfire asked Lightning Dust.

“Yeah, I had to get it moving, Spitfire!”

“In what position what the throttle set?” Spitfire asked again as Lightning Dust begins to think. Wasting time to try and remember what she did. “Dammit, Lightning, what position!?!”

It wasn't long before Lightning Dust replied with a small answer.

“Spitfire, the throttle was in knot eight, full power, okay? It was forty-five cars!!” Silence comes one more. Lightning Dust didn't answer part of Spitfire’s question. Until she realize they may not have much time, as the train is now traveling at speed, almost out of the countryside, where Appleloosa would be.

“Okay, take the southbound track. Catch up, see if it’s still going slow enough for one of you to climb on. You got until...milepost thirteen before the track splits. Let me talk to Soarin again.”

Lightning Dust throws Soarin his phone back and steps on the gas as soon as he drops it. She gives him the middle finger again, before Soarin picks up a rock, and throws it. “NICE JOB, ASSHOLE!” As the rock hits a part of the truck when Soarin places the phone in his ear.

“Soarin, I want you to get back in your truck, and follow the main line, okay? I want a set of eyes on that train.” Spitfire ordered him.

“You got it. I won’t have that train out of my sight.” He hangs up his phone, and gets in his truck as fast as he can, and begins to race down the road to follow the main line.

***

Spitfire is back at her desk and is now on the office phone, calling the police department.

“Hello?”

“Hi, how are you doing?” Spitfire asked who appears to be the sheriff.

“Oh, Spitfire, I didn't expect you to call. How are things?” He asked her.

“Not too great. We got a train that’s under power, rolling into highly populated areas.”

“Uh oh, that’s not good.”

“No sir, it’s not.” She looks at the chart. “It’s definitely under power, but we’re not sure the exact speed yet.”

“Wait, isn't there a safety dead man switch on the side of the train?” The sheriff asked.

“There’s a button on the side where the engineer hit’s periodically, so the air brakes are automatically applied. Unfortunately, this train’s air brakes are disconnected. Sir, I would be very thankful for service if we have time. But right now, I really need your assistant to have officers on all the mainline crossings. “ Spitfire asked.

“Okay, we’ll do it. But one question. How do you all planned to stop it?”

Spitfire lets out a nervous chuckle.

“We’re working on it.”

***

Lightning Dust is speeding at over seventy miles per hour on the hi-rail to catch up to the train as they haven’t gotten there yet. The train should be just near Appleloosa by the time they catch up before milepost thirteen, as they just past milepost eleven.

“You sure you can’t remember what you did?” Rainbow Dash asked Lightning Dust.

“Rainbow Dash, I just Spitfire back there, I applied the throttle in knot eight, full power!”

“Well it’s not like what Spitfire said.” Rainbow Dash crosses her arms.

“Listen, Dash! I don’t know what happened, okay?!? All I know is that I set the independent throttle and…” Lightning Dust stops as she then remembers what she did.

“And what?” Lightning Dust can’t say what she was about to say. “Dammit, Lightning Dust, what?!?”

“I must've set the speed throttle by mistake.”

Rainbow Dash face palms. “Great! That’s just fucking great! Nice going, dip shit!” Lightning Dust ignore Rainbow Dash’s reply. Until they just past milepost twelve, as they can see something up ahead after they went through a small bend as they begins to enter a part of Appleloosa. It looks like a train car. “Hold on, what’s that?”

“It’s…” Lightning Dust also gets a closer look, until… “*Gasp* That’s our train, that’s our train!”

“Step on it! Go! GO! GO!”

Lightning Dust steps on the gas as they begin to hit above eighty miles per hour. The last hopper car at the rear end of the train is definitely what they recognize. It is definitely their train.

Lightning Dust then slows down as they begin to stop in front of a track switch. Rainbow Dash quickly gets out, throws it, and gets back in the truck, and Lightning Dust floors it as she begins to hit ninety as they’re about to catch up to the train as it’s going full speed.

“Go, go go! The split’s coming up!”

Rainbow Dash yelled as they past several cars. She puts her hand on the handle, getting ready to open the door.

“Dash, you sure you can do this?”

“Just get along side of the cab!” Dash opens the door, and stands up, waiting for her cue as they’re just getting closer to 115. “We have to go aside of it!” Rainbow Dash yells through the wind.

“I’m trying!” Lightning Dust begins to hit the gas as she’s going about eighty-five miles per hour. As they are now closer to locomotive number 114. Just one more until they’re at the front of 115.

Finally, they reach the very front of the train. Rainbow Dash tries to grab the handrail, as Lightning Dust tries to angle it.

“You got it! Do it, go!”

“It’s too fast, step on it. Come on, Lightning Dust!” The train begins to speed up. “Hurry, we don’t have a lot of track!”

Rainbow Dash looks to what’s ahead of them. She’s right. There’s not much track left. Lightning Dust finally gets it right. The hi-rail is right beside the handrails to the cab. Rainbow Dash begins to reach for it. Until she finally grabs the handrail. But can she jump? She begins to get in position as good as she can, as the tracks begin to slowly split up as they’re almost at a bend.

“Jump, Dash! Do it!” Lightning Dust looks ahead, as a signal is coming up. Very fast. She quickly grabs Rainbow Dash. “RAINBOW, WATCH OUT!” Lightning Dust pulls Rainbow Dash in the truck just in time before they pass the signal, as the door that was open breaks off.

Rainbow Dash looks back as the track begins to split as they go through a bend, as the runaway train disappears behind the trees. Rainbow Dash hits her head on the headrest in frustration. There’s no way to stop the train now.

“You okay?” Lightning Dust asked her. When all Rainbow Dash could ask.

“So now what the hell do we do?”

***

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight are slowly backing up to their cargo that they need to pick up at the power plant.

Sunset Shimmer activates the diesel’s bell, to signal that the train is approaching as it’s moving slow.

Twilight get’s out of the cab, and goes to the freight cars to direct Sunset Shimmer. Twilight begins to radio her.

“Keep coming, you’re good. Keep coming fifty.” The engine begins to get closer and closer to its cars. “Twenty feet. Okay slow down.” Sunset Shimmer applies the throttle to slow the train down, as Twilight waves at her before the train makes contact to the knuckle coupling. “Alright, you’re good.”

Twilight begins to do her work by coupling up the cars, and locking in the knuckle coupling, while she gets a phone call. It’s from Shining Armor. She looks to check on Sunset Shimmer in the cab, when she answers it. “Yeah, what’s going on?”

“Got a minute?” Shining Armor asked through the phone. “Well, yeah, what’s up?”

“Mom and dad just called me. They wanted me to check on you.”

Twilight sighs. “You gotta be kidding me.”

“Listen, Twily, they keep doing this ever since you moved in with me, why won’t you give them another chance?”

“Another chance? What will that chance do? Will it make it worth anything at all for what they did?” Twilight asked in frustration.

“Twi, just...please?”

A silence has came by, before Sunset Shimmer interrupts through the radio.

“What’s taking you so long, Twilight?”

“Listen, call them, and tell them I'm working. I gotta go.” Twilight hangs up the phone, leaving Sunset Shimmer on the radio while Twilight connects the air brakes.

“Twi, pick up the radio. Twi! Pick up the radio, over! Are you there?”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah, get off the phone, knock on the air brakes it’s time to go, we got work to do.”

Twilight rolls her eyes. “Copy.” Was her only reply as she then hits the lever one more time to make sure everything is in place before climbing back onto the cab, and getting into her seat, as Sunset Shimmer begins to operate the locomotive, and they begin to pull out.

“Okay, time to move out.” She pulls a lever, the train begins to pull out of the sighting in the power plant. As soon as they reached the first switch that they are exiting out of. Sunset Shimmer looks through the rear view mirror. She notices something.

“How many cars we suppose to pull?”

“Twenty, why?” Twilight asked, leaving Sunset Shimmer a bit frustrated.

“Twenty cars. Okay. See that switch there up ahead of us? Switch right there, see it?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, take a look at the rear view mirror. You see the one behind us? Way back there, you see it?” A black hopper car comes to Twilight's view.

“Uh-huh?”

“That’s exactly twenty one cars between the two stands. Don’t ask me how I know. So why is it that there’s still more than four cars that are yet to clear?” Sunset Shimmer asked. As Twilight begins to speak.

“‘Cause I…”

“Excuse me?” Sunset Shimmer asked, as Twilight tries to answer, while Sunset Shimmer kept interrupting her with that question. Until Twilight finally answers.

“I cut in too many cars!”

“Cut in too many cars, huh?” Sunset Shimmer asked her.

“Well maybe if you weren't on my tail the whole time, I might be able to think straight and do my job.” Twilight tries to explain.

“I wasn't on you the whole time, if you weren't on the phone the whole time-”

“It’s on the whole trip. I’m saying pick a stupid job before you-”

“I already picked a stupid job. Pulling the pins isn't that hard to do, Twilight.”

“I had my training, alright?!?” Twilight said, in frustration.

“Yeah, we’re out here in the real world, this isn't training. In training they just give you an F. Out here, you get killed." Sunset Shimmer reminded her, as They entered the main line.

“I screwed up, oka-?”

“Yes you did.”

“Look, we’ll take those cars back, and don’t worry about it.” Twilight said as she looks out the windshield, as they’re already a mile out of the power plant.

“Oh my god. We can’t stop out here on the main, not more than a mile out. You don’t take a good size, that distance in reverse.” Twilight rolled her eyes once she heard that. She feels like she's getting annoyed.

“Fine, then we’ll make a stop on the next sighting.”

“Next sighting isn't for ten miles.” Sunset Shimmer demonstrates. “We do that, we’re late, I can’t be late. Just green sheet it an-.”

“Green sheet it? It’s on me, okay? I screwed up!” Twilight begins to get even more frustrated.

“Hey, of course it’s on you, you’re a Sparkle-”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight is starting to get angry.

“It means you can call your brother!”

“Is that what this is about?!?”

“No, it’s about the five cars!”

“I already told you we can stop and cut those air brakes! You know what, this may be you’re fucking engine, but it’s my goddamn train, alright! I’m the goddamn conductor!” Twilight yells at Sunset Shimmer.

“Yes, that’s true. It’s your train, you’re the conductor.”

“Okay, how about you green sheet your ass, how bout that?” Twilight said in anger as the radio comes in, calling for them.

“Twilight, listen. Just...calm down, okay? Please.” Sunset Shimmer asked her before she answered the radio. “Yeah, this is 1802. We’re two miles out of Canterlot, and forty miles out of Crystal yard.

“Negative 1802, clear your train at the next sighting until further instructed, over.”

“What’s up?”

“There’s an unmanned train out of Crystal on the northbound track, over.”

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight looked at each other in disbelief as shivers begin to run up their spines. An unmanned train? That is not a good sign.

“Uh, I’m sorry, you’re saying we have a runaway? On our track? A coaster?” Sunset Shimmer asked, turning up the volume.

“1802, we don’t have all the details yet, just proceed to the next sighting and hold tight, over.”

“Next sighting isn't for ten miles.” Sunset Shimmer demonstrates.

“Affirmative 1802, just get in that sighting, and hold tight, over.”

“Affirmative.” Sunset Shimmer puts the walkie back into it’s place. Her and Twilight kept looking at each other.

“It’s coming right at us.” Twilight responded. She gets up, looks out the window as a helicopter flies right over them.

There is no telling how far that runaway train is far from them.