Chapters Twilight Sparkle begins to groan as she begins to waken from her slumber as the sunlight shines through the blinds from her window. She tossed away from it so she can get a few more minutes of sleep as she places the pillow over her head.
She kicks and moves her feet as she can feel her dog, Spike, beginning to lick her face.
“Okay, Spike. Okay, okay.” Twilight chuckles as she slowly begins to sit up. She begins to stretch as Spike did the same thing to his limbs.
“Okay, good morning to you too, Spike.” Twilight said, petting his head. As a response she gets from him is a bark as he starts to wag his tail.
Twilight begins to stand on her feet from her bed, with Spike following her. She starts to walk downstairs to see that her brother, Shining Armor is awake. Making breakfast.
“Hey, good morning, Twily.” He said, flipping a pancake.
“Good morning, Shining Armor.” Twilight takes a seat. “So what’s for breakfast?”
“Pancakes.” He replied, starting to get them on each plate. As well the syrup.
“Where’s Cadence?”
“She’s still in the bed, she’ll be down here in a minute.” Shining Armor replied as he sets the plates down. He hands Twilight a plate. Thanking him, she reaches out for the syrup, and starts to dig in.
It was not long until Cadence comes down from the stairs, with Flurry Heart in her arms. A yawn comes out of her mouth.
“Morning, honey.” She said to Shining Armor.
“Morning, Cadence.” Shining Armor replied as they both shared a small peck.
“Morning, Twilight.” Cadence sets Flurry Heart on her high chair.
“Good morning, Cadence, and good morning Flurry Heart.” Twilight said as she gives a tickle to her niece. Flurry Heart lets out a few giggles as she gets tickled by her aunt Twilight. “So cute.”
“Hey, Twilight. Don’t you have to work today?” Cadence asked. She starts to make coffee while fixing her own pancake on a plate.
“No, it’s my day off today. I tried to sleep in until the sun woke me up.” She said. She can hear whining from Spike. She can see that he’s scratching on the door that leads to the backyard.
“Okay, Spike. Go do your business.” Twilight gets out of her seat for one second to let Spike out to go do his thing, before going back to her morning breakfast, while continuing her conversation with Cadence. “But I have planning to hang out with some of my friends today, if they got time.”
“That’s good.” Said Cadence as she takes a seat beside her. With Shining Armor right beside Cadence, as they gave Flurry Heart a bowl of cereal without milk. Since she always makes a mess more when that happens.
Twilight’s phone begins to ring, knowing someone’s calling her. She grabs it out of her pocket, and looks at it. It’s her mother.
Twilight looks at it for only a second before shaking her head, and placing the phone back in her pocket, and continue eating.
“Mom and dad?” Shining Armor asked her.
“Yeah.” Was all Twilight could say once she’s finished her breakfast.
“Why won’t you just answer them, Twily? They are our parents. They’re probably worried about you since you moved out.” Shining Armor asked her.
“Yeah, but was you there when things start to go downhill that night?” She asked him as the room got silent, except for Flurry Heart’s mumbles and giggles. “Exactly.” Twilight takes her plate as she throws it in the sink and letting Spike back into the house. She starts to run upstairs to her room. “I’m gonna go get ready.”
***
Two hours have gone by as Twilight begins to brush her hair, as well as her hair straightener. As she is just almost done getting ready. She begins to grab her phone as she begins to call Rainbow Dash.
“Hello?” Rainbow Dash’s voice comes through.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash.”
“Oh hey, Twilight. What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash asked her friend.
“Eh, just...enjoying my day off from operating a train.” She said with a chuckle. “What are you up to?”
“Eh, I’m at work. I’m in the yard. Lightning Dust’s been blocking track D20 with a fucking cart.”
Man, that sucks.” Twilight begins to set everything aside as she begins to walk out on the front porch of her brother’s house, and sits on one of the chairs.
“Yeah, tell me about it. I hate working with her, to be honest. I swear, I don’t know if she even knows what she’s doing.” Rainbow Dash begins to talk through the radio. “Lightning, I thought I told you to keep that track clear! Another freight train’s coming in through there, you know.” Twilight can just hear Lightning Dust through her walkie talkie.
“Relax, Dashie, I’m just about to move it.” Lightning Dust said through the speaker.
“Like hell you are!” Rainbow Dash groans. “Just put that damn cart back at the building, we really need this track clear for another freight, please.”
“Okay, fine, I’ll move it.”
“Thank you.”
Twilight begins to giggle at the conversation that’s going on between the two. Until Rainbow Dash decides it’s finally time to call it.
“Hey, listen, I gotta go. Thanks for calling me, Twilight.”
“No problem, Rainbow Dash. I’ll see you around.” Said Twilight. They both hung up their phones. While Twilight begins to scroll down through her contacts. “Let’s see what Applejack’s up to.”
She clicks her name, as the phone starts to ring. Applejack’s voice comes through the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Applejack.”
“Oh, mornin’ Twi. How’ve ya’ll been?” Applejack asked.
"Pretty good. Just getting a day off from my job.” Twilight responded. “You doing anything lately? Wanna hang out?”
“That’s nice. Sure, I’d love to hang out. You can drop by my place sometime today, I could hang out.”
“Great! I’m on my way.” Twilight and Applejack both said their goodbyes, and hung up their phones.
She goes inside to grab the keys to her car. She tells Shining Armor and Cadence that she’ll be back after while, as Twilight begins to drive off to Applejack’s place.
***
It’s been two hours since Twilight arrived at Sweet Apple Acres while Twilight’s helping out with Applejack for a little bit by picking up the apples from the ground.
“Thanks for helping me with the apples, Twilight. As soon as I’m done with this batch, we can go grab a drink from somewhere, if you like.” Applejack said while her and Twilight pick the apples from the fallen tree.
“That sounds great, Applejack. I’m really happy to help.” Twilight said, with a smile on her face.
“Say, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Applejack said, picking up the basket and taking it to the barn while Twilight follows her.
“What is it, Applejack?”
“How’s workin’ at the train yard with Rainbow Dash?”
Applejack sets the last basket down near the other baskets filled with apples, while she takes her hat off, and wipes her forehead to get the sweat off of her.
“Oh, I don’t really work with her at Crystal yard. I just drive trains.” Twilight replied.
“Oh yeah, I forgot. My bad, sugarcube.” Said Applejack, patting her hand on her friend’s shoulder. Both her and Twilight soon got into Twilight’s car as they begin to head off to Sugarcube Corner.
“I forgot you don’t work at a train yard. How long have you been working for the train company?” Applejack asked.
“I’ve been working for Advanced, Northern & Equestrian Railway , or the A.N.E.R. for about eight months, and I’ve been out of training for six.” Twilight replied when she stops at a red light.
“Is it an interesting job, or…?” Applejack asked her.
“Well...it’s not the worse job. I’m actually starting to like it a little bit. I never knew that it’s not always a he when it comes to trains.”
Applejack and Twilight chuckle at the conversation when the light hits green, as they start to make their way.
“Yeah, I remember when I was young. When all them trains come by, I always see a guy driving it. No girls, just guys.” Applejack commented.
“Right? Until I noticed, Rainbow Dash’s been working in the yard for a little while, and I remember she told me that there’s literally females who operate trains. So...that’s when…” Twilight said as Applejack comes in with…
“Thought you could give it a shot?”
“Yeah, also to do something a little different.” Twilight finishes. They start to pull up in front of Sugarcube Corner.
“I feel ya, Twi.” Applejack replied. They got out of the car, and start to walk into the store. They both ordered themselves a milkshake, as they both paid for it.
They find a booth to sit at, while they drink their milkshakes.
“So how’s everything at Sweet Apple Acres lately?” Twilight asked, taking a sip of her shake.
“Great! The apples are doing good. Big Mac finally found someone special. It ain't Cheerliee this time after my sister and her friends made love potions, and Applebloom is...well, just Applebloom.” Applejack replied as the girls laughed at the conversation.
“How about you? You haven’t moved back in with your parents yet?”
This made Twilight look at Applejack. Not in anger, not sadness. It’s a different expression on her face.
“Well...No, I haven’t.” Twilight replied, as it made Applejack get the same expression on her face too.
“Oh, I see. You’ll get over it someday, Twi. I’m sure you will.” Applejack gives her a warm smile as it made Twilight just smile a little.
“Thanks, Applejack. I really appreciate it.”
The two gave each other friendly hugs as they sit back to enjoy their milkshakes once more.
“I have been living with Shining Armor and Cadence ever since I moved out two weeks ago. It’s been going well for a good while.”
“That’s good to hear, Twilight.” Applejack replied.
“So, I heard that you got some new cows too?” Twilight asked her.
“Yes ma’am, I do. I’m bringing them to Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow morning. I invited Fluttershy to come with me, since...haha, she’s really good with animals.” Applejack chuckles.
“Yeah, I have no idea how she does it. She’s really good at it.” Twilight replied as they finish their milkshakes. “Well, I got all day till tomorrow. Wanna hang out some more?”
“Sure, I’m down to it.” Applejack said, as her and Twilight head to Twilight’s car, and start driving off to the nearest places to shop.
***
6:00 PM has come by as Twilight opens the door to the house, and closes it behind her.
“Phew, what a day.” She said as she brings a couple of bags into the house from shopping with Applejack.
“Hey, Twilight.” Cadence greets her. “How was today?”
“It was great.” Twilight said, sitting beside her brother, with Cadence by Shining Armor.
“Let me guess. You went shopping with Applejack, did you?” Shining Armor asked her sister, as all three of them chuckle.
“Yeah, I did.” Was Twilight’s response. “Well, all I bought are mainly clothes.” She begins to pull out a shirt. “Look at how cute this one is.” She begins to pull out other different shirts and jeans that she got while shopping. Until she placed them in her room real quick, as she walks back downstairs with Shining Armor and Cadence while she start’s to feed Flurry Heart her formula before her bedtime.
Twilight sits down by her brother as he turns on the TV. “So, anything good about the weather before I leave work tomorrow?” Twilight asked as Shining Armor scrolls through the channels.
“Hmm, let’s see.” Shining Armor soon finds a news channel. As the weather just came on. Looks like it will be sunny all week.
“Good, just what I like to see.” Twilight sighed as she lays back on the couch.
“Why? Is it bad to drive trains in the rain?” Cadence asked, holding Flurry Heart.
“I wouldn’t say it is. I just hate rain...so much.” Twilight responded, making everyone in the room chuckle.
“I see.” Shining Armor pats his sister on the back as he chuckles as well.
Twilight begins to lift up to her feet, and stretch her limbs, as well as a yawn.
“Well, I think I better head onto bed then. I gotta wake up at seven in the morning to get ready.” Twilight begins to walk up the stairs.
“Okay, good night, Twily.” Shining Armor said to her. As Cadence said goodnight to her as well, with Spike by Twilight’s side.
“Come here you.” Twilight grabs Spike, and she carries him to the bedroom. As he gives Twilight some sloppy licks before heading to bed. “Okay, Spike. I love you too.”
Chapter 2 - 1,000,000 Tons of Steal
The next day comes by. Seven o’clock in the morning as Twilight’s alarm goes off. She slowly begins to sit up, and snoozes the alarm clock. She takes herself a quick shower, eat breakfast, and brushes her teeth.
Before putting on her A.N.E.R. railroad company jacket, and grabs her keys.
“Okay, I gotta go. I’ll see you guys this afternoon.” Twilight said, waving goodbye to her sister in law, and her brother.
“By, Twily. Have a great day.” Shining Armor said, hugging his younger sister.
“Thanks, big brother.” Twilight replied, hugging him back.
“Bye, Twilight.” Said Cadence, waving goodbye to her too.
“See ya.” Twilight then heads out the door to her car, as she sits in there for only a second. Before cranking it up, and heads to the northern Equestrian area.
***
After a good thirty minute long drive, she finally arrives there. She begins to look through the papers to see who she’s working with today.
It looks like she’s working with...Sunset Shimmer?
“Huh, who’s Sunset Shimmer?” She thinks to herself. When a man next to her is close by. Maybe he knows who Sunset Shimmer is.
“Excuse me, do you know where I can find Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight asked the man.
“Oh Sunset Shimmer? She’s right over there.” The man said, pointing at a girl with hair that has a mixture of orange, red, and yellow. “She’s the girl with in the black jacket.”
“Okay, thank you.” Twilight said, as she begins to walk to the girl. She’s talking to some of her friends at a table as Twilight approaches. “Excuse me, I’m looking for Sunset Shimmer.”
The orange and yellow mixed hair girl raises her hand.
“You found her. How can I help you?” Sunset Shimmer asked her.
“I’m Twilight Sparkle. We’re working together today, at training 1802.” Twilight said, placing a hand in front of hers for Sunset Shimmer to shake hands.
“1802?” Sunset Shimmer asked.
“Yup, that’s the one.” Twilight said, as she hands her the profile papers. Sunset Shimmer reads through them as she nods her head in agreement.
“Alright, let me finish my coffee, and I’ll meet you up front by the van.” Sunset Shimmer instructs.
“Sounds good, see you then.” Twilight said as she walks away, putting the papers back where she found them.
“Well, that went pretty well.” She thinks to herself, as she walks to the front door, waiting outside next to the A.N.E.R. van for Sunset Shimmer.
She takes a deep breath, as she is a little nervous.
“Okay, just stay calm, and you’ll be fine. I don’t know how long she’s been railroading, but I think I can ask her for some help...if she knows what the heck she’s doing.” Twilight thinks to herself.
Until it wasn’t long until Sunset Shimmer arrives at the front door.
“Ready to your train, hot shot?” Sunset Shimmer asked her.
“Let’s go.” Twilight replied as they both get in the back seat of the van. While a male employee is behind a steering wheel, as two more male employees come in, as well as two more female employees.
The trip to the A.N.E.R. train yard in southern Equestria is a thirty minute drive as Sunset Shimmer begins to ask Twilight.
“So what’s our cargo for today, Twilight?”
“Well…” Twilight begins to pull out a chart. “Let’s see. We’re suppose to pick up twenty cars from the Equestrian power plant, that’s just outside of Canterlot.” Twilight explained.
“No slow waters?” Sunset Shimmer asked, as Twilight looked at the chart again, and replied.
“Nope, nothing.”
“You sure? It should be highlighted in red.” Sunset Shimmer asked again, as Twilight double checks.
“No, no slow waters.”
“Alright.” That gave Sunset Shimmer a smile. Twilight looks out the window into the outside world. For what felt like several minutes for Twilight as the van makes it’s stop to a train yard.
Twilight and Sunset Shimmer gets out of the van along with everyone else. As Twilight sees the sign that reads “Rockfard Yard.” Located in southern Equestria. Twilight and Sunset Shimmer begin to walk to Twilight’s train.
“I got one rule, and one rule only.” Sunset Shimmer speaks up as they pass by some Locomotives in their sightings. “If you don’t know how to do anything, you better ask me. Likewise, this is your train, you’re the conductor, and I’m just the one driving.”
“Got it.” Twilight said once they stopped in front of the locomotive number 1802. An EMD SD40-2 diesel locomotive. This train has a black body, along with a red roof, not like the rest of the engines.
“So how long have you been out of training?” Sunset Shimmer asked her as she leans on one of the railings.
“About six months.” Was Twilight’s response.
“Wow. Six months? Geez. What you do before that?”
“Eh, a bunch of different jobs. I got a friend who works at a train yard up north, and she told me that I thought I might give trains a shot.” Twilight said as the girls laughed at her response. “So how long have you’ve been railroading?”
“I’ve been railroading for two years, my friend.” Sunset Shimmer said, climbing on the train. “How about you uncouple those trucks back there while I get the engine started?” She gets in the front door on the left side of the diesel engine, as Twilight puts on her safety glasses, as she begins to walk to the rear of the engine.
Sunset Shimmer starts up the train as Twilight begins to uncouple the two hopper cars, and disconnecting the air brakes. As she begins to get a phone call. It’s Shining Armor.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Twily.” Shining Armor said through the phone.
“Oh, hey, Shining Armor.”
“Hey, listen, you got a minute?”
“Yeah, but make it fast, Shining Armor, I’m working right now.”
“I know, I know. Listen, Twily, I’m a little worried.”
“About what? Mom and dad? Shining, don’t talk about this, please. We’ve been over this.” Twilight rolled her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Twi. I said this before, and I’ll say it again. Can you please just give them a call when you can? They’re worried about you.”
Twilight begins to pinch the bridge of her nose, as she takes a deep breath, and shakes her head.
“Listen, Shining Armor. I can’t talk right now, I gotta go. I’ll see you when I get home.” Twilight said as she hangs up the phone, with Sunset Shimmer coming through her talkie.
“We ready to pull out, or what?”
“Coming.” Twilight responded, as she quickly climbs on the train, and gets into the cab to get into her conductor seat. Sunset Shimmer begins to move one of the levers as it made the train move, as she blows the train horn too.
“Alright, what’s our fuel gauge?” Sunset Shimmer asked.
“Uh...twenty nine hu-”
“Twenty nine hundred?!?” Sunset Shimmer interrupts as if to mess with her a little bit.
“Uh, yeah, fuel’s twenty nine hundred, air brakes knocked off. Time tables sorted in, pick up those twenty cars from that power plant, we’re good to go.” Twilight explained, as it put a smile to Sunset Shimmer’s face. The sign that reads she knows what she’s doing.
“Good, alright.”
The train begins to leave the yard, and onto the line that take them to another yard that leads to the turn table. Which is where they need to go first.
***
A.N.E.R. Crystal Train Yard. Northern Equestria.
Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust are sitting in a cart that’s right next to Lightning Dust’s train, a double header, which is the A.N.E.R. locomotive number 115. A blue, and black AC4400CW diesel engine that is the leader of the massive freight train that’s in the sighting. Along with A.N.E.R. locomotive number 114. Also a AC4400CW diesel engine that’s coupled up behind 115 to help haul this massive train. It has a blue color all over the body, except it has red right on the roof.
Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust are enjoying some chicken biscuits while they sit in the cart. Until they get a call from Fleetfoot on their walkie talkies as one train passes by out of it’s sighting.
“Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust. What the hell’s one, one, five still doing on D16? I told you I need that track clear.”
“Relax, Fleetfoot. We’re just about to move it.” Said Lightning Dust to Fleetfoot as she rolled her eyes.
“Told you we need to move it.” Rainbow Dash said to her as best she can when the train ‘s freight cars makes the clickity clack noise while coming out of the sighting.
“Shut up, Dash.” Lightning Dust said, getting back at her.
“Like hell you are. I got a small passenger train from Appleloosa coming in on D16, I need that track clear. D10’s clear, you can set it there.”
“Ugh! Fine.” Lightning Dust said as she begins to climb onto her train. While Rainbow Dash goes to see if everything’s okay before the train makes its journey down the main line in just a few hours.
Rainbow Dash begins to walk beside the locomotives as she sees they are coupled up good. When Fleetfoot begins to talk to Lightning Dust.
“Lightning Dust, what the hell’s taking you so long?”
“It’s a forty five car train, Fleetfoot, the thing’s a half a mile long for crying out loud.” Lightning Dust said as she starts the engine, as the train starts to hum. “Rainbow Dash, can you check to see if everything’s good?”
“Copy.” She begins to check the couplings on the freight cars. “Good. Good.” It begins to go well, until she stops by one hopper car. She realizes something. The car’s coupled, but the air brakes are not attached. “Hold on, Lightning, you forgot to tie up the air from one of these cars.” Dash said through the talkie.
“Yeah, so?” Lightning Dust said. Dash rolls her eyes.
“SOOO, you don’t have any air brakes. They’re disconnected.”
“Hey, as soon as we get this train to D10, I’ll hook the air brakes on before I leave, I promise.” Rainbow Dash doesn't want to trust her. But she knows Lightning Dust screws up all the time. She looks at the front train, as she shakes her head. Because she knows if she tries to explain why she needs to do this now, instead of later. Lightning Dust can get very angry, and frustrated at time.
“Whatever you say.” Rainbow Dash replied as the train slowly begins to move out of the sighting along with it’s freight cars.
Rainbow Dash takes a deep breath as she watches several more cars come out of the sighting by the two diesel engines on the front, hauling this train.
“Okay, that’s twenty cars out of the sighting. Twenty-five more, you’re good to go.” Dash said to Lightning through the talkie as best she can, as the cars make the clickity clack noise.
“Hold your horses, Rainbow Dash.” Lightning Dust said, as several more cars come out of the sighting. Lightning Dust is coming up on two track switches. One is pointed at the other side of the yard, while the other’s on the main line. The other is reversed as it’s pointing at the train, and the other at the other sidings. Rainbow Dash replied back.
“What’s wrong?”
“The damn tracks are switched differently. It’s pointed to the other sightings.” Lightning Dust explained.
“What’s your stopping distance?” Dash asked her.
“At least twenty cars to a stop.”
“Okay, then stop the train and switch the track.” Dash doesn't get an answer from her for five seconds. Until Lightning Dust comes up with a very daring response.
“I’m hoping out.”
“What?!?” Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide. She begins to run up to the train as fast as she can while it’s still going slower then how fast Rainbow Dash runs. “Lightning, No! Do not get out of that cab!” Rainbow Dash screams as she runs as fast as she can.
“Don’t worry, Dash, I’ll set the independent.” Lightning said to Dash.
“Lightning, NO! Don’t do it!” Dash said to her as the train begins to slow down only a little bit. As she can now see Lightning Dust, literally climbing off the engine after she gets out of the door from the train’s nose. Rainbow Dash could not believe this.
“Lightning Dust, get back on!” Rainbow Dash said to her, trying to get her attention as she walks and runs a little bit to the switch track. “Lightning Dust, get back on, you asshole!”
“I’m on it, Dash. I’m on it.” Was Lightning Dust’s reply as she begins to walk to the switch now. Until...Rainbow Dash begins to notice something. Is the train...moving faster?
As soon as Lightning Dust was about to switch the track, she soon drops it as the switch directs to engine to the main line. Lightning Dust begins to run after it before it has a chance to get away.
“You better get back on, dick head.” Rainbow Dash said to her through the talkie. Lightning soon caught up with it. She only grabs the handle to climb back on, until she then trips, and falls to the ground. Rainbow’s eyes widen as she can’t believe what she just saw, as Lightning Dust stands on her feet. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME!” Rainbow Dash screams from the top of her lungs as the train begins to wonder off by itself on the main line. Lightning Dust begins to walk back to her as the train cars pass by. “God dammit! So now what the fuck do we do?”
Lightning Dust is now right in front of Rainbow Dash, as several more cars begin to pass by. “Hey, Dash, I had to throw the switch, ok-”
“Okay?!?” Rainbow Dash cuts her off. “Are you out of your mind? The train’s moving on it’s own...WITH NO AIR BRAKES! Why the fuck do you have to get out of the cab like that?!? You could've just used the fucking brakes, you idiot!” Rainbow Dash yells at Lightning Dust for what just happened.
“Well, it wasn’t my fault.”
“Uh, yes it is!”
“No it’s not, Rainbow Dash!”
“Oh, FUCK YOU!” Rainbow Dash screamed as she pushed her, as the last train car is now out of D16...and headed out to the main line with the rest of the train as it disappears behind the building. This is not good. “Great. We got a coaster going into the main with no air brakes. We’re fucked.”
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.
***
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.
***
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.”
***
“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.
Chapter 4 - The Runaway Train
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.
***
“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.
***
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.”
***
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?”
***
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.”
Chapter 5 - Stop the Runaway!
Back at the Crystal Yard, everybody begins to stay quiet. Fleetfoot turns up the volume on the TV so everyone can hear it much better, as a female news reporter in a helicopter begins to report.
“I’m high above central Equestria where the train got away. Emergency responders reported to halt all the activity near the line, and possibly evacuate all homes within a mile radius off the tracks. There’s thousands of gallons of fuel on board which is highly flammable. But we’re still waiting word on that.”
A next clip is shown as 115 begins to come around a bend. It appears from behind the trees at full speed, while the engine in front of it begins to pull out of a sighting.
“This is Celestia’s plan?!?” Spitfire yelled as the engine in front of 115 is speeding up as fast as it can, while 115 is almost past the news camera.
“Looks like they’re putting a train in front of 115 in an attempt to slow it down.” The male news reporter reported. They show a clip at the top left hand of the screen as 115 races past a news camera. “Now they’re sending a chopper with Shark Tooth, and the railroad company is still refusing to comment.”
115 begins to race pass the police, fire trucks and ambulances, as everyone is getting prepared to watch the runaway train being stopped.
“We just learned that twenty-two year rail company veteran, Solar Eclipse, is at the controls of the engine that is in front of the runaway train.” Said the female news producer. Spitfire and the others watch in shock that this is the only plan that Celestia can think of.
***
In Cloudsdale, Solar Eclipse is just one hundred to one hundred fifty feet in front of the runaway freight train, going the same speed as 115. He looks at the speed needle while radioing dispatch.
“Still holding at fifty-five.”
“Get her down to forty and keep breaking.”
“Copy that.”
Solar Eclipse begins to push buttons and jerk throttles as his train begins to apply the brakes. It does not take long for 115 to ram into him. Causing both him, and his engine to jerk forward a bit.
At sixty miles per hour, he tries again, this time, just barely getting it right. 115 begins to bump into him again as Solar Eclipse tries his best to slow the train down as he can just barely get it under fifty miles per hour, causing his engine to wheel slip.
“That’s it, keep going. Get her down to forty and we’ll set our boy down.” Dispatch replied. Solar Eclipse looks out his cab window to see that Shark Tooth is hovering above the runaway train, just half way down.
He begins to apply the brakes for the train as hard as he can, and as long as he can. He finally just gets 115 under forty as they go around a few bends.
“I’m under forty. Is he on yet?” He asked dispatch. He looks out his cab window. The chopper begins to take him down now. He lands on the roof of 115, but as soon as that happened. 115 bumps in front of Solar Eclipse’s engine, causing Shark Tooth to fly back, and crash into the windshield of 114, that’s coupled up right behind 115 to help haul this train in double heading.
“The helicopter lifts the now unconscious Shark Tooth out. Solar Eclipse can just hear the news and dispatch from the radio.
“Looks like employee, Shark Tooth’s been injured.”
“Damn, that’s a no-go.”
Solar Eclipse is now trying his best to slow down the runaway. He's on his own now.
“Slow down!” He yells, pulling the brake throttle.
“Just try and bring it to a sighting, try to get 115 off the main.” Dispatch replied, and response with. “Switch has been thrown.”
Solar Eclipse pulls throttles, and presses buttons. His train applies the brakes. 115 bumps into him, but it’s no use. He goes from fifty to sixty, then seventy miles per hour. The train’s speeding back up.
“Slow down, god dammit!”
After going around the last bend before reaching a sighting dispatch through the switch to. Solar Eclipse begins to enter the sighting, until with the last bump from 115, it causes Solar Eclipse to flip over on the left hand side as 115 begins to race down the main line. Free at last.
“BAIL! BAIL! BAIL!” Dispatch yells through the radio. Solar Eclipse’s train slides on the ground after derailing. The double headed diesel engine coupling breaks. As a massive fireball begins to shoot from the two derailed diesel’s into the sky, while 115 races down the main line.
***
“Wow, I can’t believe how crazy that was.” The news reporter begins to explain. A clip from a helicopter view is shown that Solar Eclipse’s train blows up. Now commenting that he was killed in the incident.
Spitfire watches in complete shock, just witnessing what just happened. Before finally letting out what she can’t hold in anymore.
“OH MY GOD! CELESTIA, YOU ASSHOLE!”
Spitfire screams as a few strains of tears run down her face. Everyone watches in complete shock.
***
“What was that?” Sunset Shimmer asked. Twilight still has he elbows rest in front of the windshield. She continues to look outside, and she can see a fireball that’s just several miles away from where they can see.
“I have no idea.” Was all Twilight can say. She looks back at Sunset Shimmer. They’re both puzzled on what that explosion was.
Twilight begins to think. But she doesn't like to have second thoughts, She begins to think of the one thing that may have happen to the runaway train that’s heading straight towards them.
“It didn't derail, did it?” Twilight asked, looking back at Sunset Shimmer. She looks at her, as she’s now hoping that she’s right. She takes a deep breath and grabs the radio, and changes the channel.
“Only one way to find out.” Was Sunset Shimmer’s reply. “Crystal yard, Crystal Yard, this is 1802. We’re just passing milepost fifty-two, headed north on main one.”
A voice comes through the radio.
“1802, who am I speaking with?”
“Sunset Shimmer, the engineer.”
“This is Spitfire speaking to you from Crystal yard, why are you still on the mainline?” Spitfire asked them.
“We were directed into a sighting, that’s a no-go, we’re heading to one that’s just past milepost fifty, and we need to know the location of your yard’s train.” Sunset Shimmer said to her. Until Spitfire brings a terrifying response.
“It just past milepost forty-seven.”
Twilight and Sunset Shimmer look at each other, froze up. Now they may know what happened from that explosion earlier.
“Holy shit.” Twilight's now nervous that the runaway train is not far from them at all.
“They decided to jump the switch, and it derailed one of the trains.” Spitfire said.
Sunset Shimmer begins to mumble to herself, until asking. “Who was driving?”
A silence comes in, until Spitfire replies. “Solar Eclipse.”
Sunset Shimmer’s eyes widen.
“Eclipse? You said Eclipse?”
“Solar Eclipse, the engineer from Canterlot.” Spitfire replied.
Sunset Shimmer stays quiet for a bit. Now they know what truly happened.
“You know him?” Twilight asked, but Sunset Shimmer doesn't reply.
“What’s your power on the point?” Spitfire asked.
“Five thousand horses, she’s uh...she’s not much but she’s still got some life left in her, over.” Sunset Shimmer replied, not keeping her eye off the train tracks at the small moment.
“Give her all you got.” Spitfire replied. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight get back to business. While Twilight begins to pull out her smart phone.
“I’m gonna make a phone call real quick.”
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.” Sunset Shimmer replied once they pass milepost fifty-one. Twilight begins to go to her contacts, as she sees Shining Armor’s name. She begins to call him.
“Hey Twilight.”
“Hey, Shining Armor.”
“What are you doing calling me?”
“Listen, I just wanted to call and tell you that I love you.”
A small silence has now taken over.
“Twily, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s just…” Twilight tries to explain, but couldn't. She looks at Sunset Shimmer before speaking again. “Just tell Cadence I love you both. Okay? I gotta go.”
She hangs up the phone after her and her brother said their goodbyes. Hopefully for right now. Twilight goes through the contacts one more time, to see someone who she hasn't talked to in two weeks. Her mother.
Twilight looks down the mainline real quick, before pressing her mom’s name in the contact list. She places the phone to her ear and waits for her to pick up. But it goes straight to voice mail.
The phone beeps, Twilight begins to speak.
“Hey, mom. I know it’s been two weeks since I talked to you. But I just wanted to call and tell you and dad that I love you. I already called Shining Armor. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
She hangs up the phone, and puts it back in her pocket. Milepost fifty shows up. They’re almost at the sighting. When Spitfire’s voice comes in through the radio.
“1802, how are you holding up?”
“About half a mile from the sighting. Over.” Sunset Shimmer replies.
“Chances are, you’re gonna see 115’s nose any minute now.”
“Affirmative.” Sunset Shimmer puts the radio back and immediately puts her hand on a throttle. They go around a bend as she gets ready. The sighting comes into full view. Sunset Shimmer pulls a throttle. They begin to slow down.
“Uh...why are we braking?” Twilight asked
“Trust me. We head in this hot, we’ll tear right off the track.” Sunset Shimmer replied. Twilight turns her head back to the mainline, and the sighting, until...115 comes around a bend right in front of them. Chills go down Twilight’s spine the moment soon as she sees the runaway freight train.
“Oh Jesus.” Twilight begins to get scared. They pull into the sighting and prepare for what comes next.
“Get her down to forty and brace yourself.” Dispatch said once they entered the sighting. “You need to get at least ten cars into the sighting.”
115 speeds past them as they got almost all of the freight cars into the sighting. Until the runaway blasted through the rear box car. Causing Sunset Shimmer and Twilight to jerk back a little as a train that size blasted through a freight car like that.
They finally come to a complete stop. They watch car after car speed past them, until the final one leaves them. Sunset Shimmer looks at the rear view mirror on the left side of the train, she gets up, and gets a closer look.
“What are you doing?” Twilight asked. Sunset Shimmer doesn't reply. She can just see on the rear view mirror that the rear knuckle on the train is left open. This gave her an idea to slow down the runaway train.
“Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer, can you read me?” Another voice calls in from dispatch. Sunset Shimmer quickly goes to the engineer seat, and picks up the radio. “This is Sunset Shimmer, go ahead.”
“They’re evacuating Ponyville.”
Twilight and Sunset Shimmer look at each other. This can only mean one thing.
“They’re gonna derail the train.” Twilight responded.
“What are they using?” Sunset Shimmer asked, which dispatch’s response.
“Standard D.R.E.”
“Yeah, portable derailer.”
The cab goes quiet for a minute, as for derailing 115 is now into plan. Sunset Shimmer begins to walk out of the cab with Twilight following her as the rear end of 115 begins to disappear into the distance.
“Wait, Sunset, what are you doing?”
“Got a look at that train’s last coupling knuckle that was open.” They begin to walk to the back of the train after climbing down the stairs. “We take off now, we can get back on the main and chase it down in reverse.”
Twilight’s eyes wide up in disbelief. “Hang on, wait a min-”
“The only way to stop that kind of power. Grab it by the tail, boom! Gun it in the opposite direction.”
“Wait a minute!” Twilight interrupts. “If it goes down like that, we’re gonna be a wreck on a wreck.”
Sunset Shimmer begins to uncouple the freight cars from the engine, and head back to the cab.
“Doesn't matter. The chance of the derailer won’t work.”
“It’s called a derailer for crying out loud, that’s what they do!” Twilight comes in with Sunset Shimmer interrupting.
“A train that size, going that fast will vaporize anything that gets in its way.”
“Oh that’s not true, they wouldn't use it if it didn't work! They’re derailing it!”
“They’re wrong. Alright! They’re wrong!” Sunset Shimmer said in Twilight’s ear. She climbs up back into the cab. “Are you in or are you out?”
“Hey, you wanna get yourself killed, you do it alone.” Sunset Shimmer opens the cab door.
“You know what? Ask your brother and see what he thinks!”
Before Sunset Shimmer enters the cab, Twilight stops her.
“Wait!” Sunset Shimmer looks at her dead in the eye, with Twilight asking. “If you’re right, and that derailer fails, what are the odds when it makes it to Canterlot?”
“You saw the train. What do you think?” Sunset Shimmer replied before going into the cab, and start up the engine again.
Twilight takes a deep breath. She probably does not have any other choice. She runs to the track switch and throws it so Sunset Shimmer can exit out of it.
Twilight throws it back on the mainline the moment Sunset Shimmer begins to run the engine in reverse as it begins to move. Twilight quickly jumps on, and gets back in the cab as the engine slowly begins to gain speed of sixty miles per hour in reverse.
The chase...is on.
“1802, you there?” Spitfire asked through the radio. Sunset Shimmer picks it up as she looks back to watch the tracks and speeds up the locomotive in reverse.
“1802, over.” Sunset Shimmer responded.
“Just wanna see how you girls are doing.” Spitfire replied. Sunset Shimmer looks at the speed.
“We’re going above sixty miles an hour, Spitfire.”
“I’m sorry?” Spitfire replied. “Sunset, I don’t...understand. What are you…?”
“We’re going after your train!”
“1802, I’m not hearing you.” Spitfire responded.
“The rear knuckle was left open. If we can catch up, we can attach it to our locomotive. Try and slow down 115.”
“Sunset Shimmer, you can’t!” Spitfire replied to her.
“We already are. Portable derailer’s not gonna cut it, Spitfire!”
“Wait, who the hell said anything about a derailer?”
“Dispatch. They said they’re evacuating Ponyville, they’re planning an attempt there.” Sunset Shimmer replied. Leaving Spitfire with a response.
“Sunset Shimmer, that train’s carrying thirty thousand gallons of toxic chemicals. That train’s going through highly populated areas, there’s no way they derail it now.”
This leaves a small silence between Sunset Shimmer and Spitfire. Until Sunset Shimmer asked.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Uh, look. Let me make some calls.”
“Make some calls, please.”
Sunset Shimmer puts the radio back as she focuses on keeping her eye on the track. They are now just at seventy miles per hour. Which is now the top speed of the runaway freight train.
***
“They’re going after it?”Fleetfoot asked Spitfire.
“Looks like they are. Fleetfoot, get me Celestia on the phone, now!” Was Spitfire’s response. She looks up at Black Light. “What do you think? You think they can catch up?”
“Possibly. But if they do, we’re talking about ten times the normal speed...in reverse. But I didn't know they’re planning a derailment-”
“Yeah yeah yeah yeah, I know, when they’re in the middle of nowhere. Not now, it’s just town after town out there.”
“Uh, Spitfire?” Fleetfoot said, getting her attention. “Celestia said she’ll have to call you back.”
“What? Give me that.” Spitfire said, snatching the phone out of Fleetfoot’s hand. But she didn't care. She now knows whatever this is, it is not making Spitfire happy. “This is Spitfire for Celestia. Then maybe you can tell me, the company plan to derail 115, last I heard, Celestia was dead against it!” Spitfire said in anger to the woman on the phone. “No, course you’re not, knew you wouldn't do shit.” Spitfire hangs up the phone. “Sunset Shimmer’s right.” As she takes a deep breath.
***
“So what’s the fastest you think a single engine like this can go?” Twilight asked as she also looks behind too with her facing the opposite direction of the seat.
“Unattached?”
“Yeah.”
“Uh fifty, fifty-five. Course that was going forward. It can go faster tan that for all I know.” Was Sunset Shimmer’s best response.
“1802, you there?”
“1802, over.”
“Sunset, you’re right about the derailment. They’re...they’re planning an attempt outside of Ponyville.” Spitfire answered.
“Tell them idiots it ain't gonna work. That portable derailer is worthless!”
“She already told us.” A voice comes in through the radio. Except it is not Celestia. It’s a male voice.
“Sunset Shimmer, this is Flash Sentry from headquarters. He is on at request, open mic.” Flash begins to start talking.
“Yeah we are derailing 115, Sunset. It’s a done decision. Like it or not it’s Celestia's best option at this state. An attempt is already planned outside of Ponyville. It’s already being evacuated, and we can’t let 115 make it to Canterlot.”
“Look, listen, Flash, I've been railroading for two years. I’m telling you, we got a real chance to stop this thing.”
“No we already tried!” Flash replied.
“That was from the front. We’re going for it from behind. We got more control now.” Sunset Shimmer replied.
“What if we cancel the derailer and you failed, Sunset? Huh? That train will be doing seventy miles an hour into that elevated S curve in Canterlot. The damage will be a hundred times worse.” Flash responded as Sunset Shimmer keeps talking.
“Right, I know, but I’m just telling you, and I’m telling you right now. That portable derailer’s worthless. You got too much train traveling entirely too fast.”
“Maybe 1802 should just stay on it as a backup.” Spitfire said, until Flash comes in in an angry voice.
“Look I am not gonna lose more personal and more property just because some girly engineer wants to play hero. End of discussion! That train is our property, it’s our decision!” He said angrily. “Now you stop your pursuit, or I will report you to Celestia to have her fire you.”
All Sunset Shimmer can do was laugh a little at that response.
“Aww, that’s too bad.” She said in a voice. A voice that sounds like a little kid being mean, but also means she’s not taking him seriously as if she knows what is going on.
“Excuse me?” Flash calls back through the radio.
“You heard me you son of a bitch! You can go ahead and try to pull that fucking joke off, but I'll let you know that Celestia won’t take you that way. I don’t give a shit what you say, we’re stopping this train. With...or without you.” Sunset Shimmer replied to him. A small silence has taken over for a few short seconds.
“So you’re gonna risk your life for us for...that?” He asked her, when Sunset Shimmer replied with…
“Not for you. Not doing it for you.”
“Sunset Shimmer.” Twilight grabs her attention. “Let me see that thing.” Sunset Shimmer hands Twilight the radio, as she begins to speak. “Flash Sentry, this is Twilight Sparkle, you conductor.” She said as she hopes that grabbed his attention. “We’re letting you know we’re gonna run this bitch down.”
“Well maybe you didn't hear what I just said, Ms. Sparkle. I will report you!” Flash said in anger at her. As Twilight begins to reply with the same response Sunset Shimmer gave him.
“That’s too bad. I was just starting to like this job. Who needs a fucking nut case threatening to report us working with this company anyway?” Twilight asked as the girls just giggled at her response.
“God dammit, you listen to me! Son of a bitch! I will report yo-”
“I don’t think so!” Another voice comes in through the radio. It’s non other than...Celestia. “That is it, Flash Sentry. I about had it with you!
“But-” Celestia interrupts him.
“No buts! After all of this is over, you can get your things...and get the hell out of here.”
A long silence fills the radio stations as Sunset continues the speed of the engine at seventy miles per hour. When all can be heard was Flash Sentry in a low toned voice.
“Yes ma’am.”
A few seconds later. Celestia is on the radio.
“I heard you girls are going after 115?”
“Yes ma’am, we are.” Was Sunset Shimmer’s response after Twilight handed back the radio to her. “Celestia, listen, that portable derailer’s worthless. We’re going after the train and slow it down before it reaches Ponyville, if not Canterlot.”
What's coming through the radio from Celestia was not anger. But was a little surprise that they did not see coming.
“I understand. But we can’t cancel the derailer now, Sunset Shimmer. Ponyville’s being evacuated already, but…I'll allow you two to go after it." She replied. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight both looked at each other, and smiled.
“Thank you, Celestia We’ll do what we can to slow this fucker down.” Sunset Shimmer replied.
“Okay then.” Celestia responded. “And Spitfire?”
“I’m here, Celestia.” Spitfire comes in through another channel.
“Listen, I’m sorry about earlier. Ever since this happened this morning, I just didn't want us to spend so much money on all of what’s going on, I…” Celestia could not finish her sentence, as another silence is passed.
“We understand.” Spitfire replied. “I forgive you.”
“Thank you.” Celestia replied. “Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer. I will be putting my faith in you. Good luck girls.”
“Thank you, Celestia. We’ll do what we can to slow this thing down.” Sunset Shimmer replied before putting down the radio.
***
Spitfire is still on while 1802 is now off the channel for now. Celestia begins to give Spitfire instructions on what to do through the mic.
“Okay, Spitfire. I’m counting on you to watch them. Keep them safe. Do whatever is necessary to keep an eye on them in case that derailer fails or not.”
“Yes ma’am. I’ll do what I can.” She said to her.
“Good. Signing out.”
Celestia hangs up the phone as Spitfire sits on the chair to watch the news. As a female reporter that is in Ponyville is now reporting the evacuation.
“Here we can see the evacuation that’s currently happening right here in the tiny town of Ponyville.” They begin to show clips of parents holding children, boyfriends holding girlfriends, brothers holding sisters, and kids holding teddy bears and blankets as police begins to escort them out of the town before 115 would even have a chance to reach the place once the derailer does the job.
All Spitfire could do was watch as she reaches for the mic.
***
“1802, you there?” Spitfire asked through the radio.
“1802, over.” Sunset Shimmer replied.
“Okay, how are you girls doing?” Spitfire asked her.
“We’re still doing fine. Listen, is Celestia off?”
“Yeah, she’s gone.” Spitfire responded.
“Okay, listen, I need you to do us a favor, I need you to keep us posted on the speed, and location of 115. Location and speed, over.” Sunset Shimmer replied, waiting for a response.
“Sunset Shimmer, 115’s nine miles out of Ponyville, you got some catching up to do.”
“Nine miles out of Ponyville, thank you, Spitfire.” She begins to speed up the engine a small bit as they’re now just above seventy miles per hour so they can catch up the the train much quicker, but not enough to derail the engine, as Sunset and Twilight wait for the update on the location and the speed of 115.
Sunset Shimmer than starts a conversation with Twilight.
“I remember you told me about your brother?”
“Yup.”
“So what was the story you probably didn't wanna talk about?”
Twilight finally begins to talk.
“I come home from work two weeks ago, and I went to hang out with my friends to go shopping. But we all came home late due to traffic, and this traffic was bad. Someone had a wreck. Can’t tell you how bad it really was.” She starts to demonstrate. “But I try to call my parents a bunch of times. Telling them I don’t know when I’ll be home, I’m gonna be home late, but they didn't answer. I came home at around two o’clock in the morning, and my parents were right at the door. Looking at me in pure anger. You know, they asked me where I've been, what the hell’s going on. I try to tell them I called them a bunch of times, and they didn't answer. They didn't believe me. They thought I was hanging out with other boys.”
“Boys?” Sunset Shimmer asked in surprised.
“Yup, boys.”
“1802, where are you?” Spitfire comes in through the radio.
“1802, we’re just passing milepost fifty-seven.”
“You’re about a mile and a half behind!”
“How far is 115 out of Ponyville?”
“Seven and a half miles, you pick up speed, you better step on it.”
“Stepping on it, in it, around it, and through it, Spitfire, thank you.” Sunset Shimmer said to Spitfire as she puts the radio back on the stand. “Continue.”
“My parents keep asking me which guy I was with, I keep saying no one, just my friends. We're on this about ten times. I start to walk away, my mother grabbed me.”
“She hit you?” Sunset Shimmer asked.
“No, oh no.” Twilight replied. “Well, I mean she scared me, but she...she didn't hit me.”
“Oh.” Was Sunset Shimmer’s only response.
“Yeah, so my dad and I, we drove to one of the guy’s house, he asked him to get in his truck, we’re going for a ride, and he was saying “You got it all wrong, we’re just friends. I wasn't with her that night. I don’t like her that way.” and he stops once he sees...the gun my dad’s got, sitting on the dash.”
“Whoa!” Sunset Shimmer said in shock.
“My dad looks him in the eye and says “She’s my daughter. Lay off of her.””
“Sunset? Sunset, 115 just past milepost sixty-one.” Spitfire reminded Sunset Shimmer.
“Thank you, Spitfire.”
“You wanna know what happened?” Twilight asked as Sunset Shimmer quickly replied with…
“What happened?”
“My dad asked my friends the very next day, and they finally believed I was telling the truth. Not only that...he also found out that the guy who he thought had a thing for me...is already married with a kid.” Sunset Shimmer takes her eye off the tracks to look back at her in shock. She would look back and forth from her and the train tracks to make sure they don’t hit anything. “So later one day I come home from work, and this guy and his wife was waiting with a restraining order, almost sued my dad for what he did.” There was a small silence. “I couldn't even look at my own parents.” Another silence comes in until Twilight broke it the last time. “So, I’m living with my brother and sister-in-law. My brother kept calling me and asked me if I ever talked to mom and dad. It’s like one day, everything’s gone okay, the next...everything’s falling apart then you could put it back together.”
“Yeah, never too late though.” Sunset Shimmer replied. She then picks up the radio to get in contact with Spitfire. “Spitfire, we’re just passing milepost sixty-two. Milepost sixty-two.” Sunset Shimmer repeats herself.
“Still a mile gap, maybe more.” Spitfire said through the radio, with Twilight coming in.
“We’re not gaining on it, Sunset!”
“Oh yes we are.”
***
A group of Equestrian troopers are all lined up at a level crossing as they wait for 115 to cross through with their guns locked and loaded. The leader begins to give them instructions.
“Okay, just like the shooting range. Here we go, boys, it’s game time!” The leader said as the train gets closer, and the thundering diesel from the engine gets louder as he begins to yell through the noise.
“And remember, we’re aiming for the small, red circular button!” 115 comes into full view from behind a house. He gives the signal and everyone of the troopers shoots at the red button near the fuel tank. But everyone of them missed as the train continues to move on.
“HOLD YOUR FIRE!! HOLD YOUR FIRE, GOD DAMMIT! HOLD YOUR FIRE!!” The instructor yells through the thundering diesels as the train passes the level crossing. Knowing that they failed for what they were supposed to do. Due to the fact that the target is far too small to shoot at, and the train is moving too fast.
***
Sunset Shimmer speeds up the engine more as it is now going almost seventy-five miles per hour.
"We're not gonna catch it before Ponyville." Twilight said to Sunset Shimmer. They just past mile post sixty-three. They're getting close.
"Sunset Shimmer, you copy? You should cut your speed. Allow yourself some stopping distance, just in case."
"No can do, Spitfire, we slow down now, we'll never catch it. Not before Canterlot, over." Sunset replied.
"It's your call."
Sunset Shimmer puts the radio down, and focuses on the tracks.
"You a hundred percent sure that derailer wont work?" Twilight asked Sunset Shimmer.
"Yes, a hundred percent. No."
"Which one is it?"
Sunset Shimmer takes her eyes off the track for a second to look Twilight dead in the eye.
"50/50."
"Pretty funny." Twilight replied. "And if it does?"
A small silence lasted no longer than ten seconds as Sunset Shimmer replies.
"If it does...then we're a wreck on a wreck."
***
News reporters, police officers, the fire department, and the paramedics are all at the sight where the runaway train is scheduled for a derailment. Everyone waits, as the object has been mounted onto the tracks. A female news reporter begins to ask a male railroad safety complain emplyee about it.
"I'm here with the railroad safety administrative, how does this thing work?" The female news reporter asked over helicopters flying over the scene.
"So basically, it works like a ramp. The train comes along, this piece here will lift the flange and pull it outside the rail. That'll cause the train to flip over on its right hand side. This thing wont even know what hit it."
"Thank you very much."
They stopped filming for a second as they're now going to a safer spot, further away from the tracks as the camera man starts rolling again. The police that are parked too close to the train tracks and the portable derailer are starting their cars to get out of there as quickly as possible.
They start yelling one another, telling each other that the train is four minutes away from being derailed as they're trying their best to get out of there. Unfortunately, the cars will not start. They are now stuck there due to engine failures.
Out of nowhere, 115 appears from behind the trees. It starts to come around a bend. Everyone runs out of the site as quickly as they can before the train can reach the derailer.
The train finally goes over it. However...it blasts through it like butter. debris from the portable derailer goes through police cars like missiles. As for the officers who could not get out of there in time have been injured as the ten million pound giant blasts through.
The train is still going, and it will not be long now until it reaches Canterlot.
***
"What? What the hell was that?" Celestia asked through the phone. Spitfire, and everyone else watches on TV.
"THAT?!? Was ten million pounds of train, Celestia, and this isn't the sound of just me saving your ass." She hangs up the phone, and quickly goes to the mic. "Sunset, you copy? Sunset?"
***
"I wonder how the derailer went." Twilight asked Sunset Shimmer. Until...
"Sunset, you copy? Sunset?" Spitfire comes in through the radio, as Sunset Shimmer quickly picks up it.
"This is 1802, over!" Sunset Shimmer replied. When Spitfire said...
"You were right. Barely bumped."
"Hahaha." Sunset Shimmer let out an 'I knew it' laugh, leaving Twilight surprised.
"Jesus Christ."
***
With half the citizens of Ponyville that did not make it out of the town in time, everyone is now watching 115 entering the town as a male news reporter begins to broadcast in front of a mainline crossing as 115 blasts through before the gates can even come down.
"We're bringing to you live coverage on what could well be one of the worst rail disasters in the history in the land of Equestria. Authorities are now expecting that there is a result that train 115, is going to derail in the town of Canterlot."
***
"Spitfire, we're almost in Ponyville, we're passing milepost seventy, milepost seventy, over." Sunset Shimmer said through the radio.
"Still a mile gap, Sunset." Spitfire replied.
"A mile gap, copy that." Sunset Shimmer puts the radio down. "So Twilight."
"Yeah?"
"Your mom answered the phone when you call her before we chased this train down?" Sunset Shimmer asked. Twilight takes a deep breath.
"No, she didn't. I don't know if she's still sleeping or what. But I don't know if I want to call her again."
"What about your dad?"
"What about him?"
"Well you should call him too, right?" Sunset Shimmer asked.
"I uh..." Twilight starts to think. "Yeah I haven't thought about calling him."
"I would." Sunset Shimmer replied. Twilight can barely look at her once she said that. "I get it's hard to forgive them for what they did. but they're your parents, Twi. You can't stay mad forever. They're just trying to protect you. I was the exact same way to my parents years ago, until I finally thought that they did it to protect me."
Twilight looked away. A small tear begins to run down her face. She wipes it off, and focuses back onto the mainline.
"Here we go." Sunset Shimmer said to herself.
"Here we go for what?" Twilight asked, until she saw that they've entered Ponyville. They're getting ready to pass through four crossings in a single straight line in town. Sunset Shimmer blows the engine's horn to warn everyone that a train is coming, and it's coming fast.
All the crossings ding loudly, lights flashing, as they pass through just before the gate goes all the way down. Everyone watches them go pass as half of the town may know what is going on. Or maybe everyone knows what's going on. Sunset Shimmer picks up the radio as they past the final mainline crossing in town.
"Spitfire, we just went through Ponyville, how far out's the gap between us and 115?"
"Still a mile, and it's eleven miles to Canterlot." Was Spitfire's response.
"Copy that." Sunset Shimmer replied, putting the radio back.
***
Saron speeds through the streets, still chasing 115 as him, and the police that is escorting him are right beside the two engines hauling this big train.
"Come on now! Lets do this!" He yells at himself, racing to chase the train. He cannot take his eyes off both the road, and the train. As he knows that the train is not far from it actually derailing.
***
Sunset Shimmer and Twilight are now a mile out of Ponyville. Still chasing down 115 at high speed. Spitfire comes in through the radio.
"Okay, you're getting close. Gap's now just less than a mile, and 115 is ten miles to Canterlot. You guys are doing good, keep up the good work."
"Thank you, Spitfire." Sunset Shimmer said once again. She speeds up the engine. "We're almost there."
"Lets hope." Twilight said to herself. She can now just see they're passing milepost seventy-three. A few minutes later, it was not long until they reached milepost seventy-six. Up ahead, they can just see the rear end of 115. They're close.
Sunset Shimmer immediately grabs the radio, and contacts Spitfire.
"Crystal yard, Crystal yard! We're passing milepost seven, six. Milepost seven, six, over."
"You're half a mile away." Spitfire replies.
"half a mile, out."
"Hey, Sunset, we're getting close, how do you control the gap distance?" Twilight asked. She gets up from her seat and walks to her. "I can go out there, and signal you by hand." Twilight hands her a radio as Sunset Shimmer looks up at her with a surprised look.
"At seventy miles an hour?"
"I'm asking you, will it help?" Twilight asked, interrupting Sunset Shimmer. She takes a deep breath, and takes the radio from Twilight.
"Okay. Radio, and hand signal, alright?"
"Got it." Twilight replied, putting her hair in a ponytail. She begins to go out the door, but before she takes a step out.
"And hey." Sunset Shimmer calls, making Twilight look back to grab her attention. Sunset Shimmer gets that worried look on her face. "Be careful." Twilight nods her head, and walks out the door. Walking down the walk way until she gets to the rear of the locomotive.
The rear end of the freight rain is just ahead, as they get closer and closer. Twilight waves her hand, telling Sunset to keep going closer.
"Ten cars, Sunset!"
"Affirmative, over!"
"That's it, keep it coming! Keep it coming!" Twilight directs, while she still waves her hand.
"Three cars?"
"Three cars steady, copy!" The engine gets much closer. "That's it. Come on, baby." Twilight says to herself. She keeps her hand on the railing, gripping it tight as the engine now slowly gets closer.
"Two cars?" Sunset Shimmer asked.
"Two cars, copy!" Twilight replied. "Steady! That's it!" The engine is now finally close enough. Twilight looks at the rear knuckle couplers. This may go well. Until...
*BANG*
Twilight jerks forward very quickly. Almost causing her to loose balance as the locomotive rams right into the rear of 115's train. Grain of sand like debris are now flying out of the grain car. Twilight shields her face the best she can, she can barely hear Sunset Shimmer through her radio.
"Twi, what was that?" Sunset Shimmer asked.
"The train car's pulled in two! We rammed it too hard!" Twilight said the best she can through the wind.
"Are we tied on?" Sunset Shimmer asked. Twilight couldn't answer for a few seconds as she takes a best look as she can at the coupling. The engine is just a foot away from it. "ARE WE TIED ON?!?" Sunset asked again through the wind to make sure Twilight can hear her better.
"No, Sunset, it didn't work. Our knuckle's not coupled!"
"Twi, use your hand signal!" Sunset replied.
Twilight climbs down the step latter for a step, waving her hand to tell her that Sunset needs to come back more. Sunset Shimmer gently pulls a throttle, the engine comes back as it makes another slamming noise. Twilight jerks again, but she made sure she held on tight. She gives her the hand signal, telling her she's good.
"We tied on?"
"We're good! We're good!" Twilight yelled as best she can.
"What?" Sunset couldn't understand her fully, so she gives her a thumbs up, telling her she's good. Sunset gives the thumbs up back. Twilight takes a look, and noticed something is not right.
"Aw shit." She radio's Sunset again. "Sunset, the pin's not falling!"
"Say again, what? Twi are we tied on?!?"
"It's not gonna work! The pin's not falling!"
"What?"
"Pin didn't fall! It's not locking!" Twilight said as she shakes her head at her, telling her no. Sunset Shimmer is now starting to get worried.
"Alright, look. Try to get down there and see what you can do. Be careful, Twi. Be careful!"
Twilight begins to climb down onto the knuckle coupler, even though it is as dangerous as it is. She can fall down between the train, or worse.
She holds onto the latter of the train car, and the handrail of the engine. As hard as she can, she kicks the pin into the knuckle coupler.
"Come on! Come on, god dammit!" Twi screams to herself, until she finally kicks the pin in. Now very carefully, she grabs a lever, and begins to thrust it up several times, as hard as she can to try and couple the train together. Her foot gets right in between the knuckle couplers, until the train joins together for a split second. Crushing Twilight's foot.
She screams in pain, as Sunset Shimmer keeps her hands on the controller, as she witnessed Twilight falling down. This does not look good.
Sunset Shimmer's eyes go wide in horror. She can't leave the controls, as all that is going through her head, is to make sure that Twilight's alright.
"Twilight, can you read me?!?" Sunset Shimmer tries to communicate. Nothing. "Twi, can you read me, over?!?" Still nothing.
She lifts herself off the seat for a second as two news helicopters are trying to find her. Can they find her?
Sunset Shimmer sees a hand climb onto the railing. Twilight, thankfully, begins to climb up, rolling on the ground in pain. Her foot bleeding out. This time, Sunset Shimmer had no other choice. She left the controls for one second to help her out.
She quickly runs to Twilight, and helps her up. "You okay?" Was all Sunset Shimmer can ask. Twilight nods her head as she groans in pain. Sunset helps her in the cab, and helps her down, before going back to her seat. "You alright?"
"I'm great." Twilight said as best she can, Sunset saw the wound. She grabs the duck tape, and tosses it to Twilight.
"Here, wrap this around it. Wrap it real tight, okay?"
"Okay." Twilight said through pain. She wraps the duck tape around her foot, while Sunset Shimmer, grabs the radio, and contacts Spitfire.
"Spitfire, how far we got? How far to Canterlot, over?"
"Four miles, you guys are doing great. Cutting it close though. How's Twilight, is she okay?" Spitfire asked, while Twilight wraps the final strand of duck tape.
"She's uh...she's okay. Over." Sunset Shimmer puts the radio back and puts her hand on the brake. "Ready for a little tug of war?"
"Yeah, lets do it." Twilight said, sitting back how she sat down last time.
Sunset Shimmer begins to gently pull the throttle.
"Match our speed. Here we go."
The needle starts to drop, the engine begins to apply its brakes with all twelve wheels as 115 is still going. The engine jerks as they are now being tugged by the runaway.
"Sunset, we're gonna snap right off!" Twilight said, getting worried.
"No we're not, we're just stretching, that's all. Just stretching.
Twilight looks out the window. She is now starting to get scared. What if the locomotive detaches? What happens if they reach the curve going at full speed? The thoughts racing through Twilight's head was all she can think of as Sunset Shimmer slows the engine down as good as she can.
When all Twilight can do was worry.
Chapter 7 - The Elevated Curve
Sunset Shimmer applies the brakes at the rear of 115. The engine screeches its wheels on the tracks as the runaway continues to pull them like nothing at all.
"We slowing down?" She mumbles to herself. The needle slowly begins to reach seventy miles per hour. "We're not. Shit." She starts to pull the brake lever, and disable the full throttle. "Come on, baby. You can do this." She whispers to herself more. She pulled one last lever.
The needle starts dropping from seventy, to sixty, to fifty.
"Aha." Sunset Shimmer grins. Twilight looks directly at her.
"What's our speed?"
"We're under fifty." Sunset Shimmer grabs the radio. "Spitfire! How far do we got?!?"
"Three miles, there's a man waiting and he's gonna hop on board as soon as you guys get there."
"Alright, tell him to be ready to hop, over!" Sunset Shimmer puts down the radio. Until the needle starts to rise. "Shit." It goes above fifty, fifty-five, then sixty.
"What's wrong?" Twilight asked.
"We're gaining speed. Constance is too heavy, we're being dragged." Sunset Shimmer said, the needle reaching above sixty-five. She grabs the radio again to call Spitfire.
"Spitfire?!?"
"I'm here, Sunset."
"We're gonna be coming in too hot. Let him know."
"Limit on that curve's fifteen, I don't know if you can take it much faster. Maybe twenty, twenty-five, max?"
"We may not have a choice. Just tell him it's gonna be real hot!" Sunset Shimmer puts down the radio. Twilight looks at her window, and looks at the train cars, and at the wheels. Until something hits her. She has an idea.
"What about the braking on the freight cars?"
Sunset Shimmer looks at her. A small silence comes through.
"Good. Good call, Twi." Sunset said. Twilight begins to stand up.
"Okay, I'll go out there."
"Whoa, no, wait." Sunset Shimmer stops her. "No, Twi, sit tight. You're in pain. I'll go out there. No, come here." She helps Twilight to the controls, and starts to tell her what she needs to do. "Okay, listen. Don't pull one of these levers. Keep your hand on the brake, okay?"
"Got it." Twilight responded. Sunset Shimmer puts her hair in a ponytail
"Okay, I'm going."
"Be careful."
Sunset Shimmer walks out the door, and onto the last freight car of the runaway train. She turns the wheel for the brakes on the freight car. The brakes from the car are working.
Sunset Shimmer climbs up the ladder,and runs across the rooftop of the freight cars. Turning each wheel on each one. Twilight looks at the speed. The needle begins to drop under fifty. It's working.
***
"Come on, Sunset." Spitfire and the others watch the TV. They watch Sunset Shimmer running on top of the freight cars. Watching 115 starting to slow down as Sunset Shimmer applies the brakes on the freight cars.
"Spitfire, you think it'll work?" Fleetfoot asks.
"I hope it is." Spitfire gets to the mic to contact Twilight.
***
"You're doing good, Sunset, keep it coming, we're dropping speed." The needle starts dropping to under forty miles per hour.
"Will do, Twilight."
Twilight can see through the rear view mirror as they go pass a level crossing. When Spitfire comes in.
"Twilight, how fast are you going?"
Twilight grabs the mic.
"Thirty-four!" The needle begins to drop a little bit quicker. "Alright, we're dropping. Thirty-three. We're almost at thirty miles an hour right now."
"Okay, keep it up, you're almost at the curve.
"Copy that." Twilight puts the mic down, and puts both of her hands on the brake lever as the needle slowly drops to twenty-five miles per hour. The train is starting to slow down really good.
"Come on, baby. That's it. Wait for it." Twilight talks to herself as the needle keeps going down slowly. "Now." She pulls the brake lever towards her a couple inches. The train is now at twenty miles per hour, and can just barely go any lower. "Perfect."
A loud humming can be heard. Twilight looks at the brake needle as it wobbles like crazy, until it suddenly rises. A big jerk comes in, followed by another one. She can just see flames come out from the front of 1802. That is not a good sign.
"Oh no." Twilight quickly picks up her walkie talkie. "Sunset!"
"Twilight, what happened?"
"We just lost our brakes!" Twilight looks at the speed. Instead of going down, it starts to quickly rise above thirty. She looks back as the front of 115 goes around a bend, and has just entered the bridge. It's almost at the curve.
"Sunset, you okay!?!"
"I'm here, Twi, what happened?"
"We're picking up speed again!"
"Can you still slow it down? We're almost at the curve."
"Sunset, our engine blocks over headed. I don't think the brakes on the cars are gonna be enough to stop this thing, we're gaining speed, fast!"
"Alright, just hold onto the independent brake. I'll tell you when." Twilight holds onto the independent brake. The red lever that's for an emergency. Twilight holds on for dear life to it.
"Twilight, you okay?" Spitfire comes in through the radio.
"We're alright, but we're picking up speed again!" Twilight quickly puts down the radio, and gets prepared. Here it goes.
115 begins to travel onto the elevated tight curve. Twilight waits on Sunset Shimmer's cue. She begins to get scared of what will happen if they didn't make it through.
"Twi! We're coming into the curve! Get ready!" Twilight heard Sunset's voice come through the walkie talkie. She looks at the left side of the engine's rear view mirror as she can just see 115 taking a good turn.
"Oh my god."
"Twi! Hit that independent! Hit that independent as hard as you can!"
Twilight throws the lever with all her strength. The engine applies its independent brakes. However, the train begins to lean on it's right hand side while being dragged, as 115 begins to lean on its left hand side while the train can barely slow down. Twilight, as scared as she is, grabs the walkie.
"Sunset, we're gonna rip right off!"
"We got no choice!"
The front, the rear, and the middle of the train starts to lift off the track a little due to 115's speed, as the brakes from 1802 is doing the very best it can to slow the train down so it won't derail.
On one of the flat cars filled with metal pipes strapped down begins to lose its strength, as all the pipes go plunging to the ground. The flanges scrapping the side of the tracks as the train is still leaning.
"Twi! Hang on!"
Twilight begins to hold on for dear life. Waiting for Sunset. "Hit it! Hit it again!" Twilight pulls the lever back. "NOW!!" And with another mighty throw to it, the engine applies its independent brake again.
"Come on, please make it!" Twilight said to herself. The train is almost off the tracks, until Twilight begins to throw the lever one last time. This time, the locomotives, and every single freight car on the train is now back on the tracks.
Twilight grabs the walkie.
"Sunset, you okay?"
"We made it! We made it, Twi! We're through the curve!"
***
"115 made it, and made it through the Canterlot curve. 115 made it through the Canterlot curve and is now out of trouble. 115 is gaining speed, out of control, and has to derail. Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer will be the victims of one of the biggest rail disasters in the history of Equestria."
***
"Sunset! We...we're at sixty, we're gonna hit eighty in no time." Twilight said through the radio to contact Sunset as she puts it down for one second. Until she gets a call from Sunset.
"Twi? We got a problem here!" Twilight looks at the walkie. "I don't think I can make it." Twi questioned herself on what she was talking about. She looks back. She can just see Sunset Shimmer on one of the tanker cars that is right in front of a flat car that use to have metal pipes on it.
A large gap is stopping her from going any further.
"Oh god. AAAHHH!" Twilight screams. "How the hell are we gonna stop this thing?!?"
***
"This isn't good." Spitfire looks at the TV. Sunset Shimmer is trapped from the gap in between cars. There is nothing she can do to go any further to get to the front, and stopping the train. Sunset Shimmer goes to the middle of the tanker car with handrails as she stands there.
"Spitfire, look, it's Soarin!" Fleetfoot points at the TV. She's right. Soarin is racing down the road beside the mainline with police escorting.
"No way. Unbelievable." Spitfire grabs her phone, and starts to call him.
"Hello?"
"Sorain, it's Spitfire!"
"I'm kinda busy right now, Spitfire, I'll call you back." Sorain hangs up the phone as Spitfire puts her phone in her pocket. Her eyes go straight back to the TV.
"What the hell is he doing?" Spitfire asks herself. She can now just see on the screen what he might do. "Unbelievable."
***
*HONK* *HONK*
Twilight looks up from her hands covering her face. She can see a red pick-up truck, honking at her.
"HEY! COME ON! HOP IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK!! HOP IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK, HURRY!!" *HONK* *HONK*
Twilight grabs the radio to contact Spitfire.
"Spitfire! Spitfire, that truck for us?"
"Yes it is, Twi, you can do this! You can do this Twilight!"
Twilight gets up from the seat, and limps to the door. Using the handrails to guide her, she gets on the edge, waiting for the truck to get level with the steps.
Twilight holds onto the handrails tight, and taking deep breaths.
"DO IT, HURRY! JUMP IN THE BACK!"
Twilight lets go, and uses her only foot to jump as good as she can. She lands on the bed of the truck, landing on both her feet. She screams in pain and can hear the driver cheering that she got on okay. He begins to race to the front of the train.
Twilight stands up, and grips the truck roof to hold on as tight as she can while the truck reaches eighty miles per hour. They get to a tanker car where Sunset Shimmer's standing, Soarin honks his horn at her.
"Sunset!"
Sunset looks down, and waves her hand to go to the front.
"Go! Go! Go! Go!"
Twilight bangs on the roof.
"Go! Go! Go!"
The truck begins to speed up to the front. There is not much time left until the road is gone as the train will be going somewhere else. They finally reach the very front of 115. Twilight climbs onto the edge of the truck bed, and holds on tight while Sorain tries his best to align the truck to the engine.
Until it is just perfect.
"THERE IT IS KID! DO IT! COME ON, JUMP! DO IT! GO! GO!"
Twilight closes her eyes, and makes the jump. The railings break her fall, until she grabs them just in time before her feet have a chance of touching the ground. She starts to slip, and finds another grip.
She takes one hand, then the other, then her foot, and starts to climb onto the cab of the locomotive. She uses parts of the broken handrail to help her to the cab door. She gets in, climbs onto the seat, and applies the brakes.
The speed on the computer is now dropping rapidly. From sixty, to fifty, to forty, to thirty. It did not take very long for the train to finally screech to a halt.
115 has finally stopped.
Twilight sighs in relief as she saw the speed monitor on the computer screen in the cab finally at zero. The train is moving no more. Her phone starts to vibrate. She grabs it out of her pocket, and sees that it's a text from her mom.
"Twilight, we're so proud of you for what you've done. We're really sorry. Can you forgive us?"
All Twilight can do was laugh a little. Not just the fact that her mom still loves her and cares for her. But the fact that 115 came to a complete halt. She begins to limp out of the cab, and takes a seat on the steps, as paramedics come to care for her wounded foot, as well as Sorain coming in.
"We did it! Oh man that was something, I didn't think you would make it. Good job, kid." Sorain begins to shake her hand, and pat her on the shoulder. Twilight looks over to see Sunset Shimmer still standing on the tanker car. She gives her a cheer, knowing they saved innocent lives.
Twilight can see a car parked right beside 115. Cadence, and Shining Armor come out with Flurry Heart. But that's not all. Her mom and dad race out of the car.
Twilight's eyes begin to tear up as she quickly stands up and hugs her parents, her brother, and sister-in-law.
"You okay?" Velvet asked, in tears.
"I'm okay." Twilight replied in tears as well.
"We thought we would never see you again after what we saw on the news."
"I know, dad, I thought I was a goner too." Twilight said in complete tears.
"We're really sorry about what happened two weeks ago, hon."
"It's okay. Forget about that. I'm just glad to see you." Twilight hugged her parents real tight.
"We promise we'll never make that mistake again."
***
Twilight and Sunset Shimmer stand on a stage at an outdoor stadium, waiting to be handed metals of saving lives. 115 is parked beside the bleachers on the tracks.
Twilight's family stands beside her, as Sunset Shimmer is just by herself.
"So what did they say about your job?" Twilight asked Sunset Shimmer.
"They said it's mine if I wanted it."
"Oh really?"
"Yup. I've been railroading for two years. I don't think I'm leaving this job quit yet."
"I don't think I will be either."
"What about your parents? You moving back in with them?"
Twilight turns to them as they stand right beside her. Being careful to not make her lose balance, due to fact she's on crutches after the knuckle coupler crushed her foot.
"Yeah, I think I will." Twilight said with a smile.
"Excuse me! Was wondering if you two can help me."
A lady gives Sunset and Twilight by surprise.
"Spitfire? That you?" Sunset asked.
"That's right. Congratulations you two."
"Thank you so much."
"Sunset Shimmer?!?" A male voice calls in. A voice that Sunset Shimmer can recognize. Until...
"Steel Blade? Is that you?"
Steel Blade climbs up on the stage, holds her close as Sunset Shimmer did the same. The two kiss as the speaker announced Twilight and Sunset's name.
"I'm so proud of you. I'm really sorry about what happened. Can we be together again?" Steel Blade asked, staring into her eyes.
"Of course we can." Sunset Shimmer replied as the crowd cheers.
"Mom, dad?" Twilight gets her parents attention. "I love you guys so much."
"We love you too, Twilight."
Twilight hugs her parents really tight as she was handed her metal of honor. Straight after all of this, she will be packing her bags, and move out of her brother's place, and back in with her mom and dad.
Everyone is now happy to be together again.
Author's Note
OC Steel Blade Belongs to Harms Way .
Finally, after six long months of working on this. It is finally out. I really hope you guys enjoyed this story, and I'm now nervous to see on how well this will go. I doubt it'll go as well as I thought it may go. Hope you guys enjoyed it.
