Percy was pulling the mail train later that night, when he spotted the entrance to the Sodor Ironworks. "The Ironworks?" he said. Then, wheel turn by wheel turn, Percy entered the Sodor Ironworks. He peered around. It was messy. There were oily old engine parts and metal everywhere. "I don't think I should be here." Then, before he could even leave, Percy saw Diesel 10 with Splatter and Dodge. He gasped. "Bust my buffers!" he cried.

Diesel 10 and Splodge were talking about Thomas and his so-called "secret".

"What do you two think this blue puffball is hiding from me?" said Diesel 10.

"Ehm, I think it was probably just a trophy for really useful engines," said Splatter.

"It's not a trophy, Splatter," replied Diesel 10, "because the last time I saw him, I heard a high-pitched noise from his cab."

"Then maybe it's just your imagination," answered Dodge.

"It's not my imagination!" yelled Diesel 10. "I never imagine silly things like those steamies!"

Percy wheeshed with worry.

"Well, whatever that silly blue puffball is hiding, I will uncover it and show it off to everyone on Sodor! Then, if I have the chance, I could kill Thomas off for good!" Diesel 10 announced as he crashed his claw.

Percy huffed. "I must leave now." And he puffed away quickly, undetected.

Meanwhile, back at Tidmouth Sheds, Twilight and her friends were outside of the sheds. They seemed to be planning something.

"So, everypony is here, right?" asked Twilight.

"Yes," answered the Mane Five.

"Okay. So later in the afternoon, when Thomas is done with his jobs, we'll ask him to go to Morgan's Mine. He should be able to, and if he does, we'll be home in no time!" Twilight pulled out a newspaper.

"What is this?" asked Rainbow.

"The newspaper says that Morgan's Mine has a special type of water underground that can activate portals to dimensions unknown," said Twilight, "and then we'll be home safe and sound."

The other ponies agreed with this plan, but had some concerns. Fluttershy's concern was the most important of all. "Wouldn't we be blackmailing Thomas for doing this? We've just become friends with the tank engine!"

"Don't worry," Twilight replied. "I'll explain it to him before we leave."

The next morning, in the cold light of dawn, Thomas and Gordon were at Knapford. Since the truck the ponies rode on had to be abandoned under Sir Topham Hatt's orders, the Mane Six had to ride on Thomas's cab again.

"Hurry up, Thomas!" called Gordon. "The Express doesn't have all day!"

Thomas laughed. "You really do have to shunt your own coaches like 'silly little tank engines'."

"Ugh, the indignity." Gordon was coupled up with his coaches and left the station in a hurry.

"Wait! I bet him to a race!" yelled Rainbow.

"Rainbow Dash, remember what Thomas said," called Twilight. "We can't be exposed to anyone outside of the Steam Team, or else havoc might ensue. So let it go."

"Fine," Rainbow Dash said, she was upset that Gordon didn't call her out.

Thomas was coupled up with his coaches Annie and Clarabel and set off on his branch line.

On Thomas' branch line, Twilight was about to tell Thomas about the plan. "Hey, Thomas?"

"Yes?" Thomas replied.

"When you're done with your jobs, can we go to Morgan's Mine later?"

Thomas had nearly popped a piston upon hearing that and screeched to a halt. Annie and Clarabel yelped. "How do you know what Morgan's Mine is?"

"We saw from a newspaper," Pinkie said.

"Umm, I am off for the rest of the day, so I don't see why not. Let's do that."

The Mane Six were excited to hear that. "Thank you, Thomas!" said Twilight.

"No problem," said Thomas.

"Uh, Thomas?" asked Annie. "I think you should keep going."

"Yeah," said Clarabel, "the passengers are already late."

"Oh! Sorry about that!" Thomas jolted quickly forward.

"Oh, and who were you talking to?" asked Annie.

"Nothing," said Thomas.

"You're hiding something from us, are you?" Clarabel told Thomas.

"No, I'm not!" yelled Thomas.

Annie and Clarabel took suspicion upon Thomas. Then, they dismissed it.

"Okay, Thomas," said Clarabel.

"If you're ready to tell us, just let us know," Annie said.

"Thank you." Thomas continued his journey on his branch line.

A few hours later, by the time the plan was in motion, cloudy weather had swept across the island. Thomas and the Mane Six had arrived at Morgan's Mine. The mine looked abandoned. Thomas was unsure about going in. "Are you sure about this, guys?" he asked worriedly. "Last time I was here, I got lost."

"Don't worry about this, Tom!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Yeah! Maybe it's all changed!" Pinkie added.

Thomas still didn't know whether or not he shall continue. But he didn't want to let his friends down either. Then, he made a decision. "I'm going in. There's no turning back now." And Thomas and the Mane Six disappeared into the mine.

The mine was very steep, and it had been a long time since Thomas had used it when he tried to shunt some trucks away after an incident. It was very dark, and even though Thomas had his headlamp on, he still couldn't see where he was going. "Do any of you have some kind of brighter light that I could use so that I could see better?"

Twilight made another spell that could help Thomas guide wherever he had to go. The track was loose, but Thomas had no problem going over it. The mine itself was a bit of a roller coaster ride for Thomas. Then came the junction. This time, instead of making the left turn, which led him to a pool of water, Thomas went through the right, avoiding the same incident that happened the last time he was there.

Thomas had arrived at an underground lake, which glowed in the darkness. "Well, this is the farthest I can go."

"Thanks, Thomas," Twilight said. "This is where we have to go."

The Mane Six jumped out of Thomas' cab and went over to the lake.

"Does anyone have an eyedropper?" Twilight asked.

"Don't worry, darling," said Rarity. "I have one with me." Rarity gave Twilight the eyedropper, and Twilight placed it on the lake.

Thomas was looking around the mine. "It sure does look different since I was here."

Then there was trouble. After the ponies finished with the lake, Thomas felt something hit his boiler. "Ow! What the?" A small rock had hit Thomas. "Oh no. The mine's beginning to collapse! Twilight! You ponies! We have to get out of here!"

"Why?" asked Rainbow.

Another rock bigger than the last one splashed into the lake. Now they knew why they had to go.

"The mine's collapsing!" yelled Fluttershy.

"Come on, everyone! Into Thomas!" yelled Twilight. Everypony jumped into Thomas' cab and Thomas reversed, but the rocks fell and blocked that part of the track.

"Oh no! We're trapped!" called Fluttershy.

"Don't worry," puffed Thomas, "there's another way!"

Thomas went forward, and he approached another junction. The track in front of him was blocked too. So that only left him with one option: taking the left track.

"Hurry up!" Thomas cried. His driver got out of the cab and switched the points to the left track. He got back in and Thomas whirred like the wind.

The track had become very bumpy, as more rocks showered down on Thomas. There were more junctions up ahead, and many of the tracks got blocked by falling rocks.

"Ahh, I don't like this!" cried Fluttershy.

"Faster, Thomas!" yelled Twilight.

Thomas puffed as fast as his wheels could carry him. They were only mere seconds behind from getting out. Then, Thomas approached a loose wooden bridge and stopped, as a chunk of the bridge had collapsed from falling rocks.

"We're trapped!" cried Thomas.

"What are we gonna do?" yelled Twilight.

Thomas looked ahead and saw that the gap wasn't as big as he thought. "Hang on, everyone!"

Thomas backed up and pumped his pistons as never before. He raced down the line and took the leap of faith by jumping the gap. The ponies held onto him inside his cab. As he landed, he puffed out of there as quickly as he could, as the bridge collapsed into the deep ravine. Then, Thomas and the Mane Six escaped from the mine. They were scratched and covered in dust, especially Thomas, who had severe scratches on his paint, but they were okay.

"We really must stop doing that." Thomas was relieved they got out. He puffed away from the mine, just as a big rock fell and covered the track that led to the mine.

A couple of minutes later, Thomas and the Mane Six arrived at the forest the latter arrived in. The ponies jumped out of Thomas' cab.

"Thank you, Thomas," Twilight beamed, "for all the things you've done, trying to keep us safe, and now we're ready to go back home to Equestria."

Then, Thomas finally realized why they had to go with them: just to get home as quickly as possible. He was crossed by the time he realized this.

"Hold on a minute, you six," Thomas huffed to the ponies. "Don't even think you're going anywhere without me knowing this. I think I know why you all wanted to go with me in the first place. It was because you were just using me for transport so that you could go back to your 'magical world' or something like that!"

Twilight turned to Thomas. "Thomas, I only did this because I promised my friends the hour we first came here that I'd bring them back home as quickly as possible! I didn't do this so that I, and by extension, my friends, could use you!"

"Look, I understand you want to go back home fast," explained Thomas. "I get that. Whenever I leave Sodor, I'd want to go home fast. But not like this! How come you never told me about your plan the first time we met? Or back at Tidmouth? Friends never turn their backs on each other!"

"Not everything has to be kept a promise," said Twilight. "Most of the time, they shall be broken."

The other ponies and Thomas' driver and fireman listened to their conversation, distraught at what Thomas and Twilight are saying to each other.

"So this is it? After all we've been through together, this is how you're going to let it all end?" Thomas huffed crossly. "You're all just going to ditch me like this and leave me here on the island?!"

Twilight got even more cross by the second and flew over to Thomas in anger. "You know what, Thomas? I wish I hadn't become friends with you, you useless heap of scrap!"

The other ponies gasped. Thomas was taken aback by those harsh words Twilight had just said to him. Twilight finally realizes the words she just said.

"Thomas..." Twilight said quietly.

Thomas puffed away without saying a single word to them.

"Hey, sugar cube." Applejack and company walked over to Twilight, who felt terrible after what she had done to Thomas.

"I just want to be alone right now." Twilight walked away, leaving the rest of the Mane
Five feeling left out.

Twilight sat on a rock by the tracks. She started crying.

"Thomas," Twilight said to herself, "I'm really sorry for what I did. I wish I could just take it all back. If I had one wish, it would be to see you again."

The Mane Five came to check on Twilight.

"Twilight, are you okay?" Fluttershy asked. "We're feeling worried about you."

"And also feeling sorry for Thomas," Rainbow said. "He doesn't deserve that."

"I'm fine, girls," Twilight said. "I just, don't feel like the Princess of Friendship anymore. I feel like the Princess of Hostility."

"Hey, hey," said Applejack. "It's not just your fault, Twi. It's ours too."

"How is that?" Twilight wiped the tear from her eye.

"Think about it. We've never thought of telling Thomas the truth." Applejack walked next to Twilight.

"Well, it was similar to what we've done before," replied Rarity. "And what we'd do is —" Before Rarity could finish her sentence, a claw grabbed her and dropped her into a cage on a flatbed. It was Diesel 10!

"Diesel 10?!" yelled the Mane Six.

"Ha, ha! That's right," said Diesel 10. "You all must be the 'secret' Thomas was hiding. Where is that blue puffball now?"

"We don't know!" yelled Applejack.

"Well, if you don't know, I suppose that he could come and save you. Once I grab you all with Pinchy!" Diesel 10 lowered his claw and grabbed Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. He dropped them into the cage with Rarity.

"Let them go!" Twilight yelled.

"We'll see once Thomas comes to save you."

"Just go without us!" called the Mane Five. Twilight attempted to escape, but Diesel 10 already grabbed her and dropped her into the cage.

Diesel 10 accelerated away. "Off to the Ironworks!"

Author's Note

I am not shipping Thomas and Twilight together. That's just weird.