//------------------------------// // Together at Last // Story: Engines to the Rescue! // by The Blue EM2 //------------------------------// Scootaloo was faintly aware of a voice in her ear as she slowly came to her senses. All was a bit blurry. There was a fire in the distance, and a tree. There were some decorations as well, and lights, and the smoke hoods were...wait, smoke hoods? She sat up in bed, and was suddenly aware of a blue girl with prismatic hair sitting in front of her. “Mornin’ squirt!” Rainbow Dash called. Scootaloo shrieked and recoiled in her cot. “Don’t hurt me, please!” Rainbow laughed. “I’m not gonna hurt ya, kid. I wanted to welcome you to this most wonderful of days. And what better place to mark it than in Tidmouth Sheds, with friends.” As if on cue, the engines then launched into a hearty rendition of an old classic: Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new-born King! Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled." Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th' angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem." Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new-born King! This was enough to awaken Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, both of whom fell out of their bunks onto the floor. “Ah had a dream about escapin’ on Duck,” Apple Bloom commented. “What was that about running from a shadow?” Sweetie Belle murmured. “Ah must still be dreamin’,” Apple Bloom groaned, “as Ah can hear Sweetie Belle in the background.” Then, as her brain switched on, she saw her friend in front of her. “Are ya actually there?” “Just as sure as I’m on Sodor,” Sweetie Belle replied. The two friends ran to one another and hugged, which was promptly joined by Scootaloo. “The Crusaders are back together!” the chorused together. “Well, that’s all well and done,” said Rarity. “But aren’t you girls going to open your presents?” The three girls looked a little confused. “I know we loaded mine into the vans at Loughborough,” Sweetie Belle said. “Mine were thrown in a skip, and are probably in the waste dump.” Scootaloo sighed. “I kinda deserve it.” “Same here,” Apple Bloom nodded. “Ah saw Donald pullin’ them away.” “Well,” said the voice of Gordon, “we had a chat with Mr Cringle, and he’s solved that little issue.” “Look under the tree, and all shall be revealed,” Fluttershy smiled. The Crusaders stepped over to the tree nervously, and looked through the boxes. Scootaloo turned one over, to see it was to her, from Oliver! Opening it, she could see it was the rolling stock she’d requested for her layout. Thankfully, her aunts hadn’t trashed it as they couldn’t figure out how to get into the basement. “Thanks!” she called to Oliver. “No problem!” the tank engine called. Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle opened one of hers, to see it was a new laptop, to replace the one that had ‘died’ a few days ago. “Thanks Rarity!” she smiled. “I will admit that I was a little rash in taking a hammer to your old one,” Rarity nodded. “But this one has far more processing power than the last one. And it’s already linked to your Dropbox, so you’ll be able to access all of your old videos.” Apple Bloom slid open one of hers, and behold! The copy of BattleCry she’d requested. The engine who had sent it? Duck. She smiled at the Pannier Tank. “Thank ya kindly,” she grinned. “No problem,” Duck said. “After all, even with Christmas, there’s only two ways of doing things, the Great Western way, or the-” “WE KNOW!” everyone chorused. The group of them took their turns to open up everything at the bottom of the tree, and at last they were done. But then the girls took a more serious tone. “Why are you being nice to us, after what we did?” Scootaloo asked. Rainbow Dash sighed. “At the time we chose to punish you the way we did, our minds were still clouded with anger over what had happened.” “We didn’t stop to think about the consequences of our actions,” Sunset admitted. “And it was soon clear it wasn’t you who had lost the Christmas spirit, it was us,” Pinkie sighed. Rarity was next to speak. “After all, whilst it doesn’t justify what you did, we had neglected you in favour of our friends. And blood is truly thicker than water.” “For all the brutal treatment,” Rainbow sighed again, “We were the bullies.” “We simply did to you what you did to us,” Fluttershy added. “And two wrongs do not make a right,” Sunset admitted. “I suppose,” Rarity finished, “what we are trying to say is, we’re-” The shed door suddenly burst open. In stepped two creatures covered in snow. “It’s Krampus!” Scootaloo cried. Sweetie Belle shrieked and jumped into her sister’s arms. The creatures stepped forward, and shook the snow of them. It was Aunts Lofty and Holiday, and they looked cross. “What is the meaning of this, running off?” one of them boomed, and strode toward Scootaloo, suddenly seeing the box lying next to the tree. Lofty picked it up, and looked at it closely. “I swear I binned this!” she snapped. “Remember which engines oversee the waste dump,” Oliver observed. “And why are you covered in snow?” “The car crashed and we had to walk the rest of the way!” Holiday exclaimed. “But the snow won’t stop us reclaiming our niece!” Just as they stepped forward, Oliver rolled in the way. “No,” he said. “You shall not have her!” Another door flew open, and in stepped Applejack and Big Mac, utterly soaking. “Yer in fer a wippin’!” Applejack snapped. And finally, who else should enter, but the Shadow, with a broken arm. But everyone could see him clearly. “Well, well, well,” Thomas joked. “If it isn’t the brothers Grim! Smashed, broken, and sunk!” Applejack began to move forward with speed, before Rainbow Dash stepped in her way. “Get outta mah way,” Applejack snapped. “No,” Rainbow answered. “Stop and think for a moment.” “That girl ran away from home, ruined lives, and caused chaos on our island! Why do Ah need to stop and think?” Rainbow sighed. “Take a deep breath, count to 10, and repeat. This girl who you seem so determined to vilify, is your sister. And she, like human beings, makes mistakes.” “Are ya tryin’ ta justify what she did?” the farm girl demanded. The prismatic girl shook her head. “No. But how you treated her-WE TREATED THEM-was no better.” Applejack’s thoughts flooded through her mind. The times she had cursed Apple Bloom’s name. The times she had slapped her, or forced her into overwork. “Good God,” she whispered. “All this time, Ah was no better.” She turned to the Aunts. “Why does life have ta be so ironic?” “That’s what I was going to say!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. Everyone nodded in agreement. Then Rainbow finished from earlier. “As I was saying, we’re sorry/ Do you forgive us?” There was a moment’s pause. Then the Crusaders ran to their respective sibling’s arms. “Yer ma sister Applejack,” Apple Bloom said, “so of course Ah forgive ya. Ah just hope ya can find it in yer heart ta forgive me.” “All is forgiven,” Applejack replied. “But don’t think yer getting' outta this without punishment.” “Ah wouldn’t intend ta.” Scootaloo hugged Rainbow Dash tightly. “Why wouldn’t I forgive the most awesome big sister in the world?” she exclaimed. “But it doesn’t get away from the fact that what I did was wrong.” “Me too,” Sweetie Belle added. Aunt Lofty sighed. “Oh, the indignity.” “THAT’S MY LINE!” Gordon boomed. The embrace over, the engines spoke up. “We’ve done some negotiation, and we’ve got the terms of your grounding lifted,” said Edward. “Instead,” James said, “you will be joining the Snow Patrol with Donald and Douglas, which starts tomorrow.” “That doesn’t sound too bad,” Scootaloo admitted. “Oh, it isn’t,” Henry smiled. “You get to ride in a snowplough, and speed through the snowdrifts. But every now and then you’ll need shovels.” “That sounds like hard work if it’s just the three of us,” Sweetie Belle noted. “Who said it was just you three?” Percy asked. Then it dawned on them. “Yer sayin’ that-” Apple Bloom started. “That’s right!” Rainbow Dash smiled. “We’re joining ya!” “But why?” Scootaloo asked. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” “We did,” Rarity sighed. “We left you out of our lives when we should have been speaking to you. If that isn’t grounds for punishment, I don’t know what is.” “Besides,” Applejack grinned, “It’ll mean we get ta spend a lotta time together. That’s what ya wanted, right?” “If I may finish,” Gordon said suddenly, in spite of the fact he hadn’t been speaking. “You will also be receiving 6 months detention, between you.” “Ah’ve known worse,” Apple Bloom nodded. “It’s better than you think,” Stepney laughed. “6 months, split between you.” “Which means,” Scootaloo said slowly, as it dawned on her, “we only get 2 months total!” Thomas whistled happilly. “I think we’ve saved Christmas! Now it’s time for the big man himself!” “Santa?” everyone asked. “No!” Thomas replied. “The Fat Con-” “Sir Toppham Hatt to you!” snapped Duck. “Indeed,” said Sir Toppham Hatt. “Let’s get this party started!” The occasion was most festive, and the sight of Sir Toppham Hatt singing ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ would be one that wouldn’t be forgotten. In spite of the efforts of the engines, it was clear some wounds lingered. But none of that mattered. The road to redemption and trust is a long and difficult one, ridden with broken rails, leaves, and steep gradients. But the Crusaders knew, that with the engines and their sisters by their sides, they wouldn’t be making that journey alone.