//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Taming Egos // Story: Rails Of Wonder // by Sanguine Blade //------------------------------// It was a bright, and early morning. Fluttershy was shunting with Laurie, and Spike was working with papers in the yard office. He hated being couped up for too long, but with Ms. Conductor still away, he had to work overtime with the paperwork in the office. "How do you feel Fluttershy." Laurie asked as they shunted about. "Terrific. I feels nice to be moving around so much again." Fluttershy replied. The two were having a good time until. "pe~eeeeeeep" Rang a chime whistle throughout the yard. Laurie and Flutters looked to se a light blue locomotive with rainbow streaks running across the middle of its entire body. On its side was a plate reading Rainbow Dash on name boards attached to the boiler. "Hello everyone I'm back from Manehattan!" She proclaimed loudly. Fluttershy smiled quietly while Laurie look angry. "Hi Rainbow. Glad you're back." Fluttershy replied. Rainbow looked over and smiled broadly. "Fluttershy its so good to see you running again. It's a shame though that Pinkie is in repair. I heard about that on my way back. Still nice to see you old friend." RD said. Laurie stepped out of the cab and in front of Rainbow. "So your the one who woke up half the yard. You could be a little more considerate." Laurie said pointing to Rainbow. "Uhh...What?" Rd replied confused. "I was sleeping to be ready for my first day on the job yesterday only to woken up by that whistle. You could at least give a warning." Laurie said. "Whoa whoa, calm down there that's not my fault!" Rainbow said then paused thinking what to say next. "I know what its like to have sleep interrupted and I didn't know someone was still in the workman's hut. I usually wake up after all the workers are out and about so I didn't know about you." RD said slightly embarrassed. Laurie just smiled. "Well you apologized so let's start over. I'm Lauren or Laurie for short. Ms. Conductor brought me here to give me a fresh start." Laurie said holding her hand out. "I'm Rainbow Dash the fastest express engine around. I hope you get to see me in action sometime." Rainbow said letting out a quieter whistle as a friendly greeting. Then she rolled away. "She seems nicer than I expected. Though I can tell she has an ego problem. Reminds me of a story." Laurie said. Fluttershy was puzzled. "Could you tell me the story?" Flutters said. "I'll tell of of you tonight. Its a story my grandparents told me the one time I saw 'em" Laurie replied. Then, the two got back to work. It was going well until a voice rang through the yard. "Filthy trucks! My paint is going to be ruined." Shouted the posh voice. The two stopped and pulled up to the voice from the depot. Sitting their was Rarity bieng spoken to by Spike. "Look I don't want to give you the job, but WE have no spare engine anymore with Pinkie out of action so you have to pull the train." Spike said. "I will not. I will not have my paint ruined, or be bullied around by those ruffians." Rarity snapped back rudely. "We'll pull it Sir." Laurie said. Spike turned to them. "Are you sure?" Spike asked. "Yes, but if we take the train then Rarity must take over the shunting." Laurie said smirking at the last bit. Rarity turned cold. "Actually sir, I'll pull the train. Fluttershy darling could you please get my train ready? Ill be at the platform." Rarity quickly said before rolling towards the platform. The trio just chuckled and got back to work. Later that night, Rarity rolled in complaining about her job and her paint. Laurie had enough and spoke. "Listen here Rarity, if you don't change that mood of yours bad things could happen." Laurie snapped. "Oh? What could be worse than the ruining of my paint." Rarity said. "First, Fluttershy nearly got scrapped so that's one thing. Second, I'll tell you a story of an engine and its crew who didn't work." Laurie said pulling up a box for her to sit on in front of all the engines. "This is the story of The Midnight Banshee." Laurie started and this is the story she told. Decades ago there was an small line called the Canyon Railway.The line was run by two engines. Max, the small goods tank locomotive. Then there was the snobbish, egotistical Jezebel. Jezebel was painted in bright paint and patterns unlike the mat black Max had. She was always rude and careless because of the praise the passengers gave her. The controller was just as bad because he showered her with praise for being reliable, profitable, and whenever she did mess up, she convinced the manager it was Max's fault for not being quick enough. What's worse is that the railway regulations were hardly enforced and that meant she was racing along at ridiculous speeds with her equally vain crew. "Fate always punishes those who show no respect and she won't tolerate you much longer." said Max. "Fate isn't real you little black water cart. I do what I want." She replied and puffed off for her lat night train. She was coupled up and it started to rain. "Oh stupid sky ruining my paint." She grumbled puffing down the line. Canary Canyon Pass was made to bring trainloads of coal from one end of the line to the other. Jezebel puffed was puffing through when a rock banged against her boiler followed by others. "Oh you little...oof! No one ruins my paintwork like this!" She said as she picked up speed to get away from the falling rocks. What she didn't know was that rocks had scattered on the line further down where the line hugged a cliff since there was a lake that ran below. Jezebel was running recklessly in the rain and more rocks fell from the cliffs denting her. "Grr. You will show me some respect! I'm the pride of the line and you are in my way!" She yelled out to the rain and rocks. Suddenly her wheels started slipping. The driver applied the brakes but she kept slipping. Her sandboxes were empty and she skidded down the line. The crew saw the blocked line and fought hard but it was no good. Jezebel flew off the rails smashing into the canyon side as she plummeted to the bottom of the Canyon. She was found the next morning by some rock climbers in the canyon. Her boiler was broken in half and her tender was squashed. The controller had her parts melted down and used the metal for repairs on Max. One year later people saw a white ghost and its train racing down the line to hear screeches of sheer agony then a boom! The line was forced to close after three years of this happening. Some say that if you go to the spot of the reck you'll see the train race along them plummet. Disappearing before it hits the ground. Rarity was scared after hearing that. Rainbow Dash, while having not done any showboating today had been told to not show off several times that month. the two were pale. "Well I must go off to bed, but remember that fate always catches up to those like Jezebel if the don't change their ways" Laurie finished and walked to the workmen's hut. After she was far enough away she luahged. She knew the story wasn't real...but they didn't.