The engine of the locomotive was holding, the speed was more than satisfactory, so Twilight began to relax and closed her eyes for a second.
“Alright Twilight!” said Rainbow Dash’s voice behind her back. "You see that you are very smart!"
“Yeah, we knew you could do it from the very beginning. And you who doubted yourself.” added Applejack.
“Seriously, dear, you made quite a lot of drama back there. I mean, relatively speaking, but still.” almost complained Rarity.
Hearing those voices, Twilight used her magic to stop the locomotive.
“What are you doing?” asked Applejack. “It’s time to go back.”
But Twilight didn’t make any gesture.
“Hum… Twi’? Time to go back? Shouldn’t you make the locomotive move?”
“No.” she replied. "Look, I know all you did was to help. But you better stop right now speaking about it."
Her friends looked at each other without understanding.
"You just don't want to admit you acted like a drama queen back there." affirmed Rainbow Dash.
“Care to repeat what you just said?” asked Twilight.
“What, the part about the fact we knew you were able to repair the train all along and that you shouldn’t have made so much drama about it and that it was just a piece of cake for that huge intellect of yours?” asked Pinkie Pie with a huge smile and a weird tone of complicity. “I’m not sure if I remember, but I can try if you want.”
“Get off.” replied Twilight.
“What?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Why?”
“Just get off my train.” Twilight answered. “Now.”
Her friends obeyed and went off the locomotive, wondering about what was going to happen. Only Pinkie Pie seemed not to care so much.
“What now?” asked Applejack. “Surely you aren’t going to leave us here all alone… How would we go back home?”
“Well, I’m sure that, for a strong pony like you Applejack, and a fast pony like you Rainbow Dash, and a creative pony like you Rarity, it will just be, how did you say already? A piece of cake?”
“But, Twilight…” tried to say Rainbow Dash, understanding that the alicorn was serious.
“Make your own train. Don’t worry, I believe in you.” replied Twilight. “And use the journey to learn your lesson!”
Then the alicorn, princess of Equestria, put a few logs in the furnace a let the locomotive retrieve all of her speed, leaving her friends away with a feeling of deep satisfaction.
And shame yes.
But mostly satisfaction.
As she knew her journey had taken a new turn and that everything was going to be fine. And she was feeling free, at last.
THE END