Unstoppable

Back at the yard with everyone else. Spitfire begins to see what’s on the TV. It’s now beginning to say something about that runaway freight train that left the yard earlier this morning.

“Oh great. Fleetfoot, turn the TV up!”

“On it!”

Fleetfoot begins to turn up the TV volume, a lady on the news begins to speak as she’s right in front of one of the train car’s in a shed. As they also begin to show clips of the train that left the yard as well. Everyone stays quiet.

“More word on that runaway freight train in Northern Equestria. The train, A.N.E.R. one, one, five, also known as one fifteen, left Crystal Yard in Northern Equestria, sometime before 8:00 AM this morning, no one was on board.”

And finally, a man begins to come on the news.

“The employees at Crystal yard said they had no idea what this engineer was doing. Before leaving the locomotive, she was meant to apply the independent brakes, until by the time she realized her mistake about the air brakes being disconnected, and applying the wrong throttle. The train was going too fast for her to climb back on. We’re now being told by a utility commission, that this employee will be held accountable.”

They showed a picture of Lightning Dust on the news. Spitfire places her face in her hands. She goes to the ladies room, and slams the door shut in anger.

She keeps laying her head on her hands in frustration. There is now no way to stop this train from going into highly populated areas.

Spitfire takes a deep breath, and tells herself to calm down. She goes to the sink, and rinses her face out with water to calm herself.

A knock appears at the door. Fleetfoot’s voice comes in.

“Spitfire?”

“Yeah.”

“Headquarters is on the phone. It’s Celestia.”

Spitfire’s eyes widen the moment she heard that name. She takes another deep breath. Possibly that she knows about the runaway train incident.

“Great.” She said to herself as she quickly gets out of the ladies restroom. Fleetfire hands Spitfire the phone.

“Celestia, how are you?” Spitfire asked kindly as she can.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me. How could this happen?” Celestia asked in disappointment.

“Well, I’m afraid it could be caused by human error, and...bad luck?” Spitfire said.

“Luck? I was a manager for this company for years, Spitfire. Like there’s no business in a railroad yard. What are we worried about terms of cargo that it’s carrying?” Celestia asked, while Spitfire looks at the TV, they show a clip of 115 speeding through the countryside.

“Well, cars seven through ten, and sixteen through nineteen are carrying a chemical called molten phenol, we've been trying to get to contact with the customer about it.”

“It’s used in a manufacture of glue.” Black Light mentioned.

“Um...can you hold on one moment, please?” Spitfire asked Celestia, she begins to whisper to him. “You know about molten phenol?”

“Yes.” He nods his head to her.

“Celestia, we have a railroad safety inspector here. May I put you on speaker?” Spitfire begins to set the phone down. She presses the speaker button. Spitfire gives him a signal for him to talk.

“Hi, my name is Black Light from the railroad safety commissioner. How can I help?”

“Just tell me what you know about molten phenol, please?” Celestia asked him.

“Oh, well it’s serious stuff. Um...very toxic, highly combustible.” He said to her.

“Okay. Spitfire, what I need you to do is call the team, and asked them to get a spotter chopper over 115, we have a very limited window here. You closed off all the mainline crossings?”

“On our end, yes, Celestia...how are we gonna handle this? I mean, this train is passing through to some highly populated areas.” Spitfire said to her.

“We’re having a strategy call in about...two minutes.” Celestia responded.

“Okay, I’ll be re-”

“I’m putting you on call, Spitfire.”

“Excuse me?” Spitfire asked Celestia.

“You’ll be advised. We’re now contacting local authorities. God knows we gotta have over a hundred crossings that need to be secured.”

“One hundred seventy three railroad crossings." Black Light comes in. "Between here and A.N.E.R. sub station outside of Canterlot.” Spitfire begins to speak up.

“Okay, uh...listen Celestia. This train is half a mile long, and is traveling at speed into population with eight freight cars full of hazardous chemicals, and five thousand gallons of diesel fuel, were not just talking about a train here. We’re talking about a missile...the size of a skyscraper.”

“So what is your point, Spitfire?” Celestia asked, while Spitfire begins to go to the map of the A.N.E.R. tracks.

“My point is, after it passes our yard, there’s about twelve to thirteen miles of the entire countryside, but after that, it’s nothing but town after town all the way to Canterlot. We have a very limited window here.”

“So what are you suggesting me to do, derail it?” Celestia asked. Spitfire leaves a very deadly response. She sighs.

“Yes ma’am, I am. While we still can.” A silence is now around the entire room, as Spitfire takes a deep breath. She takes the phone off speaker, and places it to her ear to talk to her in private. “Celestia, I know that’s gonna cost the company a lot of money, bu-”

“Do you think?!? Spitfire, we are not gonna eventually destroy one of our own trains. Not when we can still stop it!”

“Celestia, listen, we can avoid any-”

“Now I’m gonna take my last ounce of good will, and pretend this conversation never happened! Good day!” Celestia hangs up the phone. Spitfire hangs up the phone in anger, and talks to the phone, but mainly at Celestia.

“Well fuck you too.” She begins to walk to her desk. She passes Black Light. “She think’s I’m worried about my fucking job.” Spitfire then sits at her desk in frustration, as Black Light watched as there was nothing he can do at the moment.

***
Appaloosa, Town Square.

“I don’t get it. Why is it that every crossing we go to, they’re all closed! I don’t get the whole thing!” Applejack said, in anger while driving her truck, with a trailer full of the new pigs she got for the farm.

“Oh, Applejack, darling, cheer up a bit.” Rarity said, patting Applejack’s shoulder to calm her down. “I’m sure there’s just some small problem to the train tracks.”

“Train tracks?” Fluttershy comes in from the back seat. “What about the train tracks? I couldn't see any problem with them.”

“Me neither.” Pinkie Pie comes in.

“Well, whatever it is, I hope they can get it under control. ‘Cause I need to get these two new pigs home before Big Mac pitches a fit. Same with Granny Smith.” Applejack takes a deep sigh. “Hopefully this shortcut will take us back to Ponyville. It’s the only one I know.”

But Applejack is dead wrong. More police men from every railroad crossing she’s been through, is blocking this one too. A crossing with no tail gates, but with flashing lights. Is there a train coming on this one too? Applejack begins to get annoyed, as she stops in front of a police man, right in front of a crossing.

“That’s it.” Applejack unbuckles her seat belt.

“Applejack, where are you going?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“I’m gonna see what’s going on. I’m tired of them telling me nuthin’!” Applejack gets out of the truck, with everyone else. While Fluttershy puts Angel in the truck while it’s still running.

“Okay, Angel. You stay right here. I’ll be right back, I promise.” She said to the little bunny. She kissed him on the head before closing the door. Applejack walks up to the officer in anger.

“Girls. Please stay in the truck.” He asked, politely.

“Okay, can someone please tell me what’s going on?” Applejack asked him. But the officer ignores her.

“Ma’am, for your safety, please get back into your truck.”

“I’m sorry, but I like to know what’s going on first. Every crossing I go to are closed, and no one won’t tell me why!”

“We’re not gonna be stuck here for a while, are we?” Rarity asked, leaning against the truck.

“I hope not.” Fluttershy said, twirling her hair. “I gotta get home too. I haven’t fed all of my animals since we left. What about you, Pinkie?”

“Truck.” Pinkie said to Fluttershy.

“Huh?”

“TRUCK!” Fluttershy turns around as a big truck is coming in at full speed. An officer tries to stop, but they slammed the brakes, as the girls got out of the way.

The big truck hits Applejack’s trailer, and the truck. Causing it to skim on the road, knocking off a crossing signal, as both the trailer, and Applejack’s truck is on the train tracks.

The people responsible for it, known as the Flimflam brothers get out and inspect the damage. “Is everyone okay?” They asked.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!” Applejack screamed. “MY BROTHER’S GONNA FLIP, BIG TIME!”

“Fluttershy, you okay, dear?” Rarity asked, helping her up. Pinkie gets up herself, wiping the dust off of her.

“I’m fine, but...I gotta check on Angel.” She begins to walk over to the scene. With Applejack and the Flimflam brothers arguing.

Fluttershy gets closer to the truck, when...she sees a light in the distance. Three lights? And they’re on the train tracks. Until she sees it, she can just make out that...a train is coming their way, and it's coming Fast. Oh no.

“Um...Applejack?” Fluttershy asked in a panic. Trying to get Applejack’s attention.

“Not now, Fluttershy.” Applejack responded, but Fluttershy can see that the train is getting awfully close. It’s not blasting its horn.

“Applejack?!?”

“Not now, Fluttersh-”

“THE TRAAAAAAAAAIN!” Fluttershy screamed, finally getting everyone’s attention.

“Oh no. Guys, help me with the pigs! The train’s coming!” Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and the Flimflam brothers get to work on getting the pigs out. As Fluttershy can see the train getting closer and closer...she sees Angel in the truck, on the door window.

“AAAAANGEEEEEEEL!” Fluttershy races to the truck. She tries to get it open. It won’t. From the crash, it shut the doors tight.

“FLUTTERSHY! GET OUT OF THE WAY!” Applejack yelled, until Fluttershy finally got one of the doors open.

“Come here, Angel.” Angel immediately hopped into her arms. “It’s oka-AAAAAAAA”

Applejack immediately grabbed her friend, and got her out of the way just in the nick of time, right before the train crashed into the trailer and the truck. Knocking them out of the way, and the train is still going super fast. Not a slight derailment.

Fluttershy, on the ground with Angel in her arms, as well as Applejack, now shocked that they can’t take there eyes off of the train that’s moving frightfully fast.

“Fluttershy! Are you okay?” Rarity asked, comforting her friend, along with Pinkie Pie. Applejack looks at the fast moving freight cars.

With the train not blasting its horn as a warning, or signaling that it’s coming. Something is not right.

***

Ten miles have finally passed as Sunset Shimmer and Twilight are headed to a sighting that’s just up ahead.

“Hey, what’s that?” Twilight asked Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer begins to squint her eyes, as she can just see two signal posts, from one end to another.

“A sighting, good call, Twilight!” Sunset Shimmer said, but it wasn't until she begins to look closer when she begins to talk to herself, and call dispatch. “Oh no. 1802 to dispatch, over.”

Twilight looks at her.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? We’re not gonna fit in the sighting, that’s what’s wrong.” Sunset Shimmer demonstrates. Before calling dispatch again. “1802 to dispatch!”

“1802, are you in the sighting yet? What’s your location?” Dispatch responds.

“No, we’re not in the whole, we’re not gonna make it. Can’t do it. Too much train. I’m gonna need you to reline the switch so we can proceed to the next sighting.”

“1802, you have to get off the mainline, over.”

“I understand that, but you gotta understand this. We’re not gonna fit!” Sunset Shimmer said again.

“1802, stand by.” Dispatch responded. Twilight grabs a clip board, and looks at it.

“That sighting’s a good three thousand feet, end to end.”

“Check your time tables, it’s gonna tell you the sighting’s four thousand one hundred eleven feet. But that’s signal to signal. In reality, that’s more like twenty five hundred feet. We add those five cars that you picked up-”

“We can fit."

“No we won’t fit.” Sunset Shimmer said, before grabbing the radio. “Dispatch, how far is the nearest sighting?”

“1802, there’s one in six point two miles. How fast are you going?”

“Fifty-five miles an hour.”

“1802, go faster, over.”

“Why, is that coaster still on the main?”

“1802, one, one, five is not a coaster. I repeat, is not a coaster, over.”

Sunset Shimmer’s eyes begin to widen up.

“You telling me it’s under power?” She asked nervously.

“Get in the goddamn sighting.” Was Twilight’s response as she gets out of her seat, and looks out the windshield.

“1802, stand by.” Dispatch responded. The switch is not far from them as the train is getting closer to it. “1802, if you’re going for it. That sighting is confirmed. It’s your call, Sunset Shimmer. We need to throw the switch if you’re staying on.”

“What? No! We’re not staying on! Pull the brake, Sunset!”

“You pull the brake while heading to that switch, I crash, I know what the hell I’m doing.”

“Bullshit!” Twilight grabs the emergency brakes. “You’re gonna get us killed!”

“HEY!” Sunset Shimmer yells at her to stop her. They both look at each other. Sunset Shimmer looks at her in the eye in anger, while Twilight just looks at her with a different look.

“1802, I need an answer, over.” Dispatch responds. Sunset Shimmer begins to say slowly while never taking her angry eye off of Twilight.

“Reline...the switch. Over.”

Sunset Shimmer puts the radio down. Twilight looks ahead. She saw the switch reline from entering the sighting, to the mainline.

They past the first signal, as it wasn't long until they past the second signal.

Twilight takes a deep breath. No turning back now.

***
A.N.E.R. Headquarters.

Celestia, and the other employees at headquarters are watching the news, as three school girls begin to pop up. Talking about the runaway freight train may be headed to their town, possibly at their school.

On the left of the screen, a little girl with short purple hair, a black and orange jacket, and skinny jeans. The other has purple and pink hair, and has a bushy feel to it as she’s wearing a white shirt, with a purple jacket. The last one has red hair with a bow, as she’s wearing a yellow shirt.

The news reporter begins to ask the girls.

“Can you three tell me what’s going on here, please?”

The one with the purple hair begins to talk first.

“My sister says she’s coming to get me, because I heard there’s a runaway train coming through this way.”

“Yeah, my sister’s doing the same to me. Se told me that she saw the train with her own eyes.” The pink and purple haired girl said, when the last one spoke, as she has a bit of an accent.

“It could be coming our town next, and the high school’s right next to those train tracks.”

The screen then shows a small level crossing on the main line, with lights flashing, as well as both a truck, and a trailer. A girl is on the tracks, trying to get something out, while another girl pulled her out of the way right as soon as the runaway train crashed into it, and still kept going at full speed, as the news reporter narrates.

“Just a few moments ago, a train came bearing down these tracks. As well as one of the girls tried to save her bunny, while one of her friends grabbed her right before the train crashed into the truck and trailer.”

However, One of Celestia’s employees, Flash Sentry, has someone on the phone. It’s Celestia’s sister, Luna, on speaker, so everyone can hear her. Flash starts to speak.

“We could call authorities. But, should one, one, five derail? We’re looking at a major disaster. If either one of those gas cars blow, it could easily designate an entire town. That train is tearing several of them.” He demonstrates. “We need to make a decision as fast as possible before that train hits the elevated curve in Canterlot. We’re looking at cars and locomotive lost. The damage to the engine can cost easily over a hundred million dollars.”

“So what’s the range we’re talking about?” Luna asked through the phone. The news shows the same clip of the runaway train crashing into the truck and trailer at the same crossing.

“Our biggest guest is that it may be at the….thirty to forty percent range.” Flash responds.

“I say we go with my sister’s option. Celestia, what do you think? You’re the CEO.” Everyone looks at Celestia dead in the eye. The room grows silent, and she takes a deep breath. Looks like she has no other choice.

“I've already prepped a substation outside of Canterlot, they just need to go ahead.” Celestia responded.

“You have my word then. Derail the train.” Luna hangs up the phone.

“Okay, everybody out. I need a minute.” Celestia said. “Flash, I need you to stay here. I may need your help on this.”

“Yes ma’am.”

***
Back at Crystal Yard.

Black Light looks at the map of the train tracks to A.N.E.R. He noticed there’s red halfway down the mainline.

“So the red means…”

“115 blew through signals. Everything in red means trouble on the mainline.” Fleetfoot explains. While Black Light responds.

“That’s a lot of red.”

Spitfire is watching the news of 115 crashing through the trailer and truck at a level crossing, when a voice from the phone gets Spitfire’s attention.

“Spitfire, Celestia on line two.”

Spitfire immediately grabs the phone, and answers.

“This is Spitfire from Crystal.”

“Are all the mainline crossings closed?” Celestia asked.

“Yes, we've contacted Equestria police for it.” Spitfire responds.

“Good. We have a plan to stop 115.”

“Really? What’s your strategy?”

***
Cloudsdale.

In a small yard that is just outside of Cloudsdale. A news reporter is beginning to broadcast of the evidence to stop the runaway freight train.

A double header diesel, SD40-2 from the A.N.E.R. engines is waiting on a sighting to stop the runaway freight train, as the front engine is A.N.E.R. engine number 5357, while the one behind it which should help slow 115 down is engine number 5316. As another A.N.E.R. employee boarding a helicopter as it just landed.

“From the activity level behind me. It is evidence of a plan to stop the runaway train is on the way. But still, A.N.E.R. is not commenting.” He said. “We’re just witnessing A.N.E.R. employee, Shark Tooth, boarding one of the rescue helicopters. He is a twenty-two year old employee from Canterlot, and still no comment from the railroad company.”

***

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle are still on the mainline. They go as fast as they can, while they get a call from dispatch.

“1802 this is dispatch. 1802 we did the math. Another two thousand, you wouldn't of fit. Good call, over.”

Sunset Shimmer grabs the radio, and speaks.

“Thank you, but I need to know where that oncoming train is coming from. How far away is it?” She asked.

“1802, we’re not exactly sure.”

This makes Sunset Shimmer roll her eyes.

“You’re not sure, well find out, please!” She said in anger, putting the radio back. “They should know where the train is. How can they not know?”

“I have no idea.” Twilight said to her. “I hate to admit it, but...I’m really nervous.”

“About that train coming in on us?” Sunset Shimmer asked her. All Twilight can do was nod her head, saying yes. Sunset Shimmer takes a deep breath.

“It’s okay, Twilight. I’m nervous too. You’re not the only one. We’ll get out of this together. I promise we will.”

This made Twilight feel a little bit better.

“I hope you’re right.”