//------------------------------//
// Stranded in the middle of nowhere 
// Story: You can't 
// by TwiwnB 
//------------------------------//

« Okay Twilight », the alicorn told herself. « It can’t be that complicated. It’s all just a matter of boiling water, producing steam and then using the pressure to make the wheels move. No big deal. »

She breathed, came near the hood of the locomotive and, after a slight hesitation, opened it.

Her whole face turned from purple to white, and she went a few steps back as she discovered the internal engine. It was clearly not steam powered. There were some magic catalysts, runes, a very complex mechanical construction, and altogether not the slightest thing that could seem even remotely familiar.

“I’m screwed…” bluntly stated Twilight as she was contemplating the technical marvel that is an equestrian locomotive.

Only the sound of the desert all around witnessed her statement and disarray. And it seemed as the equestrian princess had become part of that desert, as she was just standing there, completely stunned.

Of course, putting the locomotive back on the tracks after the derailment had been almost a piece of cake. Her magic was, after all, quite strong. But when she had realized that burning wood wasn’t making the locomotive move would it even be by an inch, she had understood the engine had broken during the fall.
Needless to say, she had realized repairs would be way more difficult than expected.

When her mind finally accepted the fact that she was stranded in the middle of nowhere, without any way to escape than the train itself, Twilight shut the hood off, took the help manual from the driver’s cockpit and went back to the camp. She sat under her tent, which was just two pieces of tissue pieced together heightened with two sticks and a few strings, and began to read said manual without even seeing the words, like in some sort of weird quiet nightmare.

“So, Twi’, how do you do?” asked a very familiar voice.

The alicorn raised her head and saw Applejack looking at her with her everlasting comforting smile.

“I’m doing okay I think.” she replied, before suddenly realizing and adding: “Actually, I’m not so sure I’m doing that well, but under those circumstances, I guess it doesn’t really matter.”

“Wait, what?” asked Rainbow Dash’s worried voice. “What is going on? How can we help you? What can we do? Is there some enemy around here? ‘Cause I would totally own his face!”

The princess couldn’t prevent a little smile to form around her mouth, but still quickly replied:

“No, no enemy. But I wouldn’t mind if you had any knowledge in engineering, because I sure haven’t.”

Her five friends looked at each other, at the exception of Fluttershy who looked at the ground. Of course they had no skills when it came to engines, and technical stuff. Applejack could have easily repaired a broken wheel, or a wall, or such things, but certainly not work on a very complex and highly advanced engine.

“Oh… yeah, that…” said Rainbow Dash. “I don’t think I can help you with that.”

“I’m deeply sorry, dear.” Rarity added. “But I’m certain that a pony as talented and smart as you will without any doubt find the solution and repair that locomotive in no time. For you, it's a piece of cake!”

All the others immediately agreed with Rarity. There was, after all, no pony they knew that was better at handling complicated stuff than Twilight and now that she was a princess, there was no doubt she would find a way to make everything okay in the end.

“Don’t you worry that silly brilliant head of yours!” joyfully said Pinkie pie. “We may be unable to directly help you, but we will cheer for you all the way!” she explained. “Right girls?”

Once again, they all confirmed what had been said. They had the upmost confidence in Twilight’s capabilities to solve the problem at hand. Only the alicorn herself seemed to really doubt that belief. And for good reasons. Still, the cheering did make her feel a little better.

“We better let Twilight focus on her book. Come on you all.” Applejack said to the others. “But don’t hesitate to come to us if you need anything whatsoever.” she added for Twilight.

The princess smiled and quickly went back to the manual. There was no way she would let her friends down. And no way she could fail. She was, after all, Twilight, the smart one, the bookworm, the scientific pony, and even more than that she was a princess. They were counting on her and it was her duty to reward their trust in her.

She spent hours that way, reading chapters after chapters of the manual, and then reading those chapters again as it wasn’t making the slightest bit of sense in her mind. Still, she was persevering. But the sun soon began to disappear. Twilight kept on reading for a while with the help of a candle taken from all the supplies she had packed for the big journey, but eventually fell asleep, her face directly into the pages of the book.