//------------------------------// // Chapter 26: The Diseasel // Story: Thomas & Equestria Girls 2: Adventures From Sodor // by LPFanFic //------------------------------// Thomas & Equestria Girls 2: Adventures From Sodor! Chapter 26: The Diseasel Visitors to the Island of Sodor arrived at Ulfstead Castle for a sneak preview of the Earl's upcoming Railway Museum, which they were pleased to be invited for. Glynn the coffee pot engine pulled up along a platform with open topped carriages and waited for passengers to board. There were easels along the station platform with promotional posters for the upcoming Railway Museum, and a picture of Thomas's basis and numbered emblem printed centre first. Some people murmured among one another as they took their seats. "Do you suppose those funny looking steam engines running a muck are here to promote the Earl's new museum?" Said a passenger. "I would like to see them up close if that's the case." "Did you hear that he plans to open his museum in the fall?" Said another. "I heard Thomas the Tank Engine is said to be the star attraction!" Another chimed. "Oh, I do appreciate the Earl for preserving all these old relics." "Indeed. It'll be a shame if some have already been lost to scrap." Glynn overheard this with a fallen face and thought about all the engines who were sent away for that very reason. He tired to chipper up when reminding himself of those rogue steam engines the passengers mentioned. Perhaps their fate can be preserved after all if their intentions were indeed true. Inside the Castle itself, Duck was frantically roaming around estate grounds looking for his friends. Duck had quickly found that Oliver, Toad, Donald and Douglas were nowhere to be seen. He hadn't seen either engine since Adagio arrived under suspect that they were providing Twilight Sparkle and her friend's a place to hide out. "Oliver?!" he called. He searched all over Ulfstead Castle, from the drawbridge, to the turntable, and the station inside. "Donald?! Douglas?!" He curved along the tracks outside, looking out to the broader landscapes surrounding the estate for a better view. "Toad?" Duck began to worry even more as he pulled up along one of the station platforms outside. How could they all just disappear like that? What if Adagio told Gisborne what they were doing and took them away to be scrapped? This sent a worrying shiver through Duck's boiler. "Oh. Where on earth could they be? Do either of you know of what happened to them?" He asked the older engines. "I'd hate to think they've been sent away." Stephen puffed up next to Glynn and his platform across the junction. Both him and Glynn weren't sure about telling Duck what Oliver and the rest told to keep secret. But Glynn and Stephen could tell Duck was upset by their sudden disappearance. "I think you'll find, Duck, that they're well on their way to aid those girls again," Stephen commented. Duck gazed at the castle gates exiting the estate and its descending hill. He gasped deeply with bulging eyes. "They left?! But we're not allowed to leave estate grounds. It's against the Great Western way." Glynn chuckled, "That's not stopping them, lad!" "They wanted to help their friends," Stephen said. "Unlike a certain Great Western who forbid them from doing so." Duck was insulted a bit but was more concerned about his friends. He groaned with worry. "I've got to find them, or we'll all be in huge trouble!" Hissing steam and blowing his whistle, Duck set off towards the Castle gates. But upon reaching them, Duck immediately stopped in his place inches from the exit. "Oh. What am I thinking? I can't leave either. A Great Western engine stays where he's needed." But the more Duck peered at the slope ahead of him, the more he thought about what kind of danger his friends might be in. They could've been derailed, smashed, or sunk. Have they already been caught? Have they been sent away? The Girls very likely have no idea that they were out now out in about; no doubt causing a ruckus to Gerard Gisborne's Railway. Duck gulped nervously. "Err, then again, I can't just sit here and let something bad happen to my friends." So, Duck began puffing through the gates, only to come back up again. "No! I can't risk running off again! I shan't!" But the temptations were too much for Duck. He knew he had to stay where he was told, but he couldn't help leaving his friends to get into trouble. Duck set off again, but kept on returning to the gates with more denial and second guesses. "Great Westerns do as they're told. No, I must help my friend! But then I'll get in trouble too. But they may need me! No. Yes. No! Yes! Oooh." He cycled through his indecision while exiting through and returning to the gates again. Stephen and Glynn watched from afar, with both sharing unamused glances over Duck's constant indecisive trips backwards and forwards. "What if they come back? Someone will have to stay put and see to it that they do if that's-" Suddenly, cutting himself off, a surprised Duck felt someone jolt him from behind. "Ohw!" Stephen had pulled up behind Duck with an open carriage train full of visitors. "Off you go now, Duck!" Stephen smiled. "Go on, get!" The abrupt but small jolt baffled Duck for a brief second. He didn't say anything more and simply took Stephen's advice without another second thought. Duck tooted his whistle and took off towards the estate's hill. "That's it, Duck! That is it!" Stephen laughed. "Some old stuck up has to teach those diesels how its done! And our friends could use an extra set of buffers to boot! Keep going! You got it!" Duck kept on puffing while a chuckling Stephen slowly traveled from behind, watching him quickly reach and descend its slope in a reluctant pace. The Girls had just escaped Ffarquhar Quarry after Mavis, now charmed by the Siren's magic, ambushed them in an attempt to capture them and Bill & Ben. But during their risky scuffle, a diesel nearly derailed Twilight, Pinkie and the twins, which forced them to split off from the group. Sir Topham Hatt and the rest had to keep going to avoid capture themselves. They have been separated. Neither group knew of each others whereabouts or their status. Both sides could be in much more danger or safe and sound as far as anyone knew. Now, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie were hurrying through an enclosed line with Bill & Ben still coupled up facing Pinkie. They brushed past thickets of overgrown trees, never stopping to check if they were still being followed by any diesel until emerging from the siding and back onto the Mainline again. All seemed clear. No diesel was in sight. Twilight and Pinkie soon slowed their chuffing while they and the saddle tank twins, and wondered what their next objective should be. "So, what now, Twilight?" Ben asked. "Yeah!" Bill chimed. "What now, huh?" "You'll Be Staying With Us At The Steamworks," Pinkie Pie said. "There's Lots Of Space For Us To Hang Around And Have Fun. And I Mean Literally Hang Around." The Twins did like the sounds of Pinkie's pitch. Pinkie hoped this would cheer them up a little. "We Can Spin Until We're Dizzy On A Turntable, Swing On Tall Chains, And Goof Around Till You Forget Your Ups And Downs!" "That does sound fun!" Bill said. "Sounds more comforting than Mavis' cooped up shed," Ben added. "Hey, yeah!" Bill realized. "What about Mavis? The diseasel's gotten to her now too! How do we save her, Twilight?" "I don't know," Twilight Sparkle said, somberly. "What do you mean you don't know?!" Ben said, thoughtlessly. "Then how did you deal with the Siren before?" Bill added. "With Our Band The Rainbooms!" Pinkie Pie beamed. "We Used Our Instruments To Pony Up And Make Music Magic-!" "Is that what you girls were up to before?" Bill interrupted while chuckling. "I thought you were only rehearsing a little jingle." "And what's singing suppose to do; put her to sleep?" Ben joked. "You're saying a song is what's going to save Sodor? Hah!" "This shouldn't be a shock considering her singing is why we're in this mess!" Twilight said. "And what happens when she wakes up from her nap, eh?" Ben asked. "Bet you didn't think that far ahead either." "Honestly. Just stick to exploding sweets and floating magic," Bill said. "It's the only useful magic you seem to have." Twilight Sparkle was feeling frustrated. Bill & Ben's laughing and teasing didn't ease her stress either. Their abrupt separation from her friends had shaken her up a little, especially when she had no idea if Spike or the others made it out themselves. Even Pinkie Pie wasn't so sure what they found so funny until Twilight finally snapped. "We're doing everything we can, alright! I would love for the Siren to make things easier, but that's not up to me! Now, let's drop you two off at the Steamworks so me and Pinkie Pie can find the others!" Was all she commanded. Pinkie Pie and the twins went quiet, realizing they have said enough. They peeved Twilight a little more than they unintentionally did. She was beginning to feel underappreciated for helping them and her friends evade the diesels. Nobody said another word, even as the four engines continued chuffing on. It wasn't long until they arrived back at the Steamworks. But what they found upon arrival stopped both Twilight and Pinkie in their tracks. "What?" Bill asked. "What is it?" Ben also asked. Twilight and Pinkie were horrified. From across the site were diesel locomotives surrounding the entire building and causing a loud racket both from within and out. They had invaded the Steamworks. Word had spread quickly about their hide out, and the diesels soon made do with and cutting off the rogue steamie's resources. Skinhead, Western, and Whistler shunted and dumped their coal trucks straight into the transfer table's well from the Steamworks entrance. Diesel shunters from along a siding next to the building were biffing and bashing their water tankers, toppling them over to their sides and letting water spill out everywhere. "Oh no! Our fuel!" Twilight cried. Their reverberating diesel horns and revving engines alerted Bill & Ben to what was going on. All the diesels were having fun dumping and derailing their water tankers and coal trucks while laughing and chortling with delight. Skinhead and Western then quickly spotted the four steam engines. "Sorry, steamies!" Skinhead taunted. "This site's officially off limits!" "In fact," Western called, "the whole railway's a no steamie zone. Time for yous to book it!" The four engines gasped. "EVERYBOBY, RUN!" Pinkie cried. Twilight and Pinkie Pie started up and pushed Bill & Ben along the tracks. Many diesel shunters abandoned their fun and took off after the four steamies. Skinhead, Western and Whistler wanted to join but were obstructed by an unforeseen problem on their end. "Hey, uh, how do we get out?" Whistler asked. The coal trucks they dumped into the transfer table well hindered and wedged the transfer table itself from moving and lining up along their tracks. They were stuck. The three diesels shared looks, realizing their foolish mess-up but failing to admit it aloud. Twilight, Pinkie, and the twins chuffed down the mainline once again with their wheels clanking and turning in a speedy pace. They were far enough away, but a group of diesel shunters were still making haste from afar. Along the way, they heard a familiar whistle echo from across their line. Their train slowed a bit when Twilight gasped in realization. "That's Sunset!" Puffing through an abandoned branchline was Sunset Shimmer, struggling to keep her wheels moving. She breezed along the tracks with a brigade of diesel locomotives chasing after her. The branchline was obstructed with overgrown trees shading the entire line. Barely any sunlight seeped through, forcing her to carry on in the darkness. Sunset couldn't shake off her persisting diesels or their headlamps. She was beginning to fear the outcome of this chase the more blurred her path ahead became. At last, Sunset came across a set of point which took her down a line with a light near the end of a darkened railway line. Sunset was relieved until a silhouette of an unfamiliar coal bunker came into view. She quickly applied her brakes but was too late to stop herself from biffing against the engine. "Och! Ow!" Both Twins say. "What'd you do that for?!" Ben said. "Sunset?!" Twilight called. "Is that you?" "Other way!" Sunset repeated, urgently. "Go back the way you came!" Sunset pushed against Ben's bunker as her, Twilight, Pinkie, and Bill receded back the other way. The group successfully emerged from the branchline and back on the mainline again. Twilight quickly instruct Sunset to keep going as they too were still being pursued by a pack of diesels. The five engines took off with four rows of diesel engines from afar just now coming into view. It took them quite a while, but after finding a siding to hid in, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Bill & Ben had finally evaded their enemies. They remained hidden, out of sight from any patrolling diesel through an old signal box, and a train of old box vans shunted along the inclined siding. "I think we lost them," Sunset assured. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I'm so glad you're back, Sunset. It feels like things keep getting worse by the minute." "Tell me about it. I came through the Magic Buffers and there was a whole bunch of diesels just waiting for me." "Did you have to battle your way past any?" The two paused as they and the other three gazed to the sky and saw a sparkling green mist stream over their funnels. Bill & Ben were a little fascinated by the flowing energy, not knowing fully that this was the very substance refueling Adagio's pendant. "I didn't have a choice," Sunset admitted, shamefully. "They had me surrounded. I couldn't lose them." "The Siren's magic must be getting stronger," Twilight deduced. "Her spell has reached just about every diesel on Sodor." "Even Mavis," Bill said, somberly. Sunset looked over to Bill & Ben and their downcast faces. They weren't in Mavis' shed anymore, and were now accompanying Twilight and Pinkie Pie, which could only make Twilight's hypothesis true. Twilight then briefly explained what had just happened while Sunset was away. This made Sunset angrily grit her teeth and hiss steam. A part of Sunset was beating herself down for not being here when Mavis and a bunch of diesels ambushed her friends. "She'll pay for this!" "But What About Bill & Ben?" Pinkie asked. "They Still Need Someplace Safe To Hide." "There is no place safe, Pinkie," Twilight said, sternly. "The Steamworks is gone, Ulfstead is too risky, and there are hyper enchanted diesels everywhere forcing magic out of us. Face it; She has us out numbered, out sourced, out of alternative options that don't benefit her!" The group fell silent, letting Twilight's rant sink in the more the thought of it. Things did not look so good at all the more they did. Sunset wanted to say something to elevate tension, but could sense Twilight was under a lot of stress. She decided to leave things as they were for now, and for everyone to process their predicament. Ben sighed, sadly. "I miss our quarry, Bill." "Me too," Bill agreed. "I miss playing tricks on Timothy, and bumping trucks about when we're suppose to be working." "And having workmen give you silly paint work without you knowing." Bill gasped, "You told me it was the painting fairy!" Ben giggled sheepishly. But then sighed while reminiscing their time at their quarry. "If only we can stay in our own sheds again. We wouldn't be such a burden then." Twilight was surprised from overhearing what he said. She could clearly see the dejected looks on Bill & Ben's faces. Did they really think this? Despite some agreement to their comment, Twilight didn't want the twins thinking this badly about themselves, especially when she knew another friend or two who felt the same, herself being one of the two at one point. Pinkie Pie inhaled after thinking of an idea. "Great Idea, Ben! Why Not Stay In Your Own Sheds?" "Because there are diesels in the China Clay Pits, duh!" Bill said. "So? Maybe There's A Way To Clear Them Out And Make It Safer For You To Stay?" "But we can't fight them, Pinkie," Sunset Shimmer reminded. "Not unless we wanna give away where we're hiding or feed the Siren more power." After thinking it over, Bill & Ben gasped and looking at each other, then back to the Girls. "We might know a way!" Both say in unison. Twilight, Sunset and Pinkie Pie responded, with Pinkie Pie being the only one beaming out of the three. "You do?" "An old trick we pulled on BoCo after he stole our trucks during his first visit," Ben grinned, mischievously. Bill chuckled, "I know that one. Can we try it, Twilight?" "How exactly do you expect to vacate an entire quarry? Even diesels aren't that gullible." "I Know I Have A Few Ways!" Pinkie had suddenly appeared between Bill & Ben out of nowhere and gave them a shock. "If The Twins And I Are Thinking Of Thinking The Same Thinky Dinky Idea!" But Twilight was still unsure. Both Twins held their grin. Pinkie Pie grinned even wider. Sunset Shimmer smirked and looked to Twilight Sparkle looking back at her for answers. But Sunset was allowing Twilight to decide instead. She gazed over at the two twins facing her with innocent grins. Twilight was still highly reluctant and doubtful of their odds, but knew they at least had to do something to make their objective that much easier. At last, Twilight Sparkle exhaled a heavy sigh, and agreed to their notion. "Oh, alright." Pinkie Pie and the twins were exited. Sunset and Twilight then went over contingency plans if anything goes wrong, but both twins and Pinkie Pie assured them otherwise. "Now, follow us, girls," Ben said. "And we'll take you," Bill added. "To the China Clay Pits!" Both say in unison. Bill & Ben tooted their whistles one at a time then left the siding, with an eager Pinkie Pie, Sunset, then Twilight following suit. Puffing proudly, the Twins guided the Girls to Sodor's China Clay Pits. Bill & Ben told stories to Pinkie Pie along the way about their many antics and escapades, including the one they're hoping to pull off. This made Pinkie Pie laugh, knowing half of it from watching Thomas' Adventures On Sodor. The group then came across Wellsworth Station. Bill and Pinkie zoomed through the station while Bill tooted his whistle. Ben caught up and did the same, while Sunset and Twilight still tailed behind. Not a single diesel was in sight so far, which was very fortunate for them. But some passengers were present to witness the steaming engines trundling by without a care in the world. After a lengthy trek, they arrived at the Sodor China Clay Company, located on the south side of Sodor. The China Clay Pits was a massive, expansive mining quarry that extended into two different quarters, from regular opened sites to ones leading into mining tunnels where china clay is dug up and collected in red, open wagon trucks. There were several buildings and a watermill established too. One was near a large, overshot water wheel connected to a long, wooden flume that reached over a mountain and hung above some tracks. Another was situated near a small body of water where clay is farmed and formed into softer molds to make different objects like paper, pottery, and even toothpaste. A factory stood along the mountain ridges looking over the Quarry, and the many work shelters and huts that took up space too. Sunset, Twilight, Pinkie and the Twins tried chuffing quietly through the site, hoping no diesel was around just yet. They first saw a three-track opened shed where Bill & Ben used to sleep upon entrance. To their right was an escalating coal dispenser which can be loaded from on top of a cliff side, and water towers stationed near one of many mining tunnels located throughout. There were wooden scaffoldings lined up with tracks that traveled from one side of an overhead railway line to another above the quarry. Twilight, Sunset and Pinkie stopped in a startling halt when a red, class 08 diesel with yellow stripes far a head shunted into some empty trucks and carried them towards a mining tunnel. Everyone's domes nearly flipped from their boilers. Luckily, the diesel didn't hear or spot them. The Girls continued following Bill & Ben as they quietly lead them towards that very tunnel the diesel took, one that traversed to the other section of the Clay Pits where the actual clay itself was harvest and loaded into trucks. They chuffed through a darkened tunnel and emerged to a line with narrowed clay walls. Everyone then came across and parked above a high ridge to survey the area for any diesels. There were plenty to be had, some lazily laid about or toyed with trucks, but there were none that they couldn't handle. One diesel there in particular, however, made even Bill & Ben gasp when catching their attention. "Look, Ben," Bill said. "Is that-" "It is…" "BoCo!" Both say. Parked far along over at the main digging path was BoCo. He had a long load of trucks filled with cobbled china clay. Bill & Ben were a bit nervous. This was their first time seeing BoCo in many years. But the Twins knew well enough that he wouldn't be the same friendly but bossy diesel they knew him as. And they had to keep reminding themselves of this to avoid any unwanted confrontation. "Alright, what did you two have in mind?" Twilight asked. "Ah, yes," Bill said, cheekily. "Twilight, could you remove Ben and I's name plates for us?" "Okay?" Twilight used her telekinesis to remove their name plates and tucked them away into their cabs. "Everybody else knows their objectives?" Sunset evaluated. "I'll Handle BoCo, Bill & Ben Will Tackle The Rest, And You And Twilight Will," Pinkie Pie's tone turned aggressive with fiery eyes, "FINISH OFF WHAT'S LEFT OF THEM!" Then she switched back to her normal, bubbly tone. "Peacefully," She giggled. "We do realize Gisborne is going to immediately suspect something fishy when the Clay Pits stop producing clay, right?" Twilight said. Ben scoffed. "That's on him, then. Because the Clay Pits don't have any fish." "It's not like we'll be staying here long," Sunset Shimmer assured. "Besides, I'm positive we'll overcome whatever odds thrown at us." "Do you really think we got this, Sunset?" Bill asked. Sunset smiled. "If we come out of this still intact, then yeah, absolutely." Bill & Ben were pleased, even if Twilight still showed some weary hesitance. Twilight examined the Clay Pits once more and all the diesels occupying the hugely open space. There was a lot of track, and plenty of ways to escape, but none enough places to avoid being spotted, and plenty more were they can be easily cornered if not careful. Once they set out, the whole yard will be on top of them. All Twilight could do was depend on Pinkie Pie and the twins to pull through with whatever they had planned. "Good luck, Pinkie Pie," Twilight said, looking a head of her. "And remember our training. Don't get too carried away when you're doing, well, what you normally do." Pinkie Pie chuckled. "Oh, Twilight. How Else Am I Suppose To Have This Much Fun IF I'm Not Giving It 100%?" "That's not-But that's not what we-" Tooting their whistles, Pinkie Pie and the twins then puffed off determinedly down the slope while Sunset and Twilight waited for their signal. Bill & Ben went their separate ways along different sidings while Pinkie Pie crept her way towards BoCo's train. Pinkie Pie snuck up along side BoCo's fairly long train of trucks, examining them and her surroundings in case any diesel spotted and tried sneaking up on her. When BoCo finally came into view, Pinkie beamed with excitement and hurried forward with her tongue sticking out to the top corner of her mouth. She parked right next to him, startling BoCo a bit when her screeching brakes halted herself and hissed a chipper steam. "Hi!" She greeted. "I'm Pinkie Pie!" He looked over to his right to see a small, pink steam engine of a NS, 7742 "Bello" type. BoCo immediately recognized her after panting and looking cross from her presence alone. "I know who you are. Sir Topham Hatt sent you to cause us even more trouble, didn't he?" "Nope! I Sent My Self Sent Me To Send Myself On A Top Secret Mission Of Self Epic, World Shattering Proportions! One That Could Fall Apart Instantly If Even The Slightest Set Path Doesn't Go Accordingly To What I Set Myself Out To Accomplish." "Which is what, exactly?" "To Become Instant Besties!" She grinned immensely with a squee. BoCo was daftly confused. "Well, you're not welcomed here, steamie. So, make like a bee and buzz off before I make you." Pinkie felt a little disheartened. "Aw, But I'm Just Trying To Be Nice. Mavis Said You Used To Be The Friendliest Diesel Ever Until Her And A Bunch Of Other Diesels Eventually Stole That Title. Though, I Suppose They're Not So Friendly Anymore Either What With The-" "There's no need for such nonsense in this day in age," He interjected, already getting annoyed. "Just like how there's certainty no room for your like to be trespassing on our Island." Pinkie Pie steamed. "Ugh! You Really Are A Big Meanie!" "Not my concern," BoCo said, rudely. "Now, I'm giving you a chance to slip my sights, little steamie. I'd suggest you take advantage if you know what's good for you." "Okay. I Tried Playing Nice, Buster, But You Asked For It!" Pinkie then scuttled back the way she came, leaving a mildly perplexed BoCo to wonder what exactly she was up to. He quickly caught on, however, when Pinkie Pie puffed up to him again, this time parking on his left. She tooted her whistle and backed away again. Then appeared on his right, tooting her whistle and chuckling a silly giggle before reversing away to pull up on BoCo's left side. Then his right, then his left again. BoCo was not impressed. He had a pretty good idea what kind of trick Pinkie was playing based on past experience. "Huh. Nice try. I know there's really two of you." "Yoo-Hoo!" Her voice came much further away. He gazed far up to the railway along the mountain ridge. There, situated at the very top was Pinkie Pie looking over him and the entire Clay Pits. "What in the…?" BoCo was so flabbergasted he wasn't paying attention as he purred forward a bit. Just how many of the same looking engines were there? "Hi!" Pinkie Pie was now suddenly right in front of BoCo, beaming her perky grin. This made BoCo yell and jerk back in complete shock. "Huah! That's-That's not possible!" "What's Not Possible?" Pinkie asked, pulling up to his left. BoCo and his bulging eyes couldn't handle her anymore. The surrealness sent BoCo into a shrieking fright as he took off, leaving his trucks behind. "Where're You Going?!" Pinkie started chasing after him. "Oh, That Looks Fun! Here I Come!" But all BoCo did was scream again when he heard her chuffing getting closer. No engine can or should be able to move from one track to another like she did. Nothing spiralling out of control through his rational thoughts could explain the utter absurdity of this engine and her antics. This could not at all be the work of two or three engines. It was all one engine. Meanwhile, a few diesel shunters could hear all the commotion going on. They stood together and lazily watched BoCo running and screaming far in the distance. The perplexed diesel shunters hadn't noticed Pinkie Pie, so they had no clue what BoCo was running from. "Hello, fellas!" Ben greeted with his whistle. They all gazed up at where the tunnel connecting both quarters of the Clay Pits lead. Ben stood before it along the ridge, shooting everyone a taunting smirk. "Hey!" One diesel called, "It's a steamie!" "Get 'em!" They revved their engines, honked their horns, and made their way after Ben, who had already descended back into the tunnel. One diesel after another caught up and entered the tunnel with reverberating horns echoing throughout. The diesel pack emerged and searched their surroundings. A peep from Bill's whistle alerted them to the line above. Bill rode along the mountain's cliffside railway with a few diesels already chasing after the chuckling engine. "How'd he get up there so quick?" One diesel asked. "Nowhere for him to run now at least!" Grumbled another. Even more shunters joined in. But before they could make their way up to Bill, Ben called them again with his taunting whistle which stopped each diesel in their tracks. They looked over and saw Ben disappearing back within another tunnel while laughing cheekily. The shunters were overtly confused. "Uhhh. He's in those tunnels now?" "But how?" "Hey, less asking, more chasing!" Commanded one. The diesels, despite complete bemusement, charged towards Ben with battle cries and entered his tunnel. BoCo wouldn't dare stop and look to see if the little pink engine was still following him. Anywhere he turned, wherever he looked, Pinkie Pie was always right in his sights no matter how far he got. She would chuff in front of, beside of, on top of, or behind him. "This Is Fun! You Know What'll Be Even Funner?" She said, appearing to his left and his right back and forth. "If I Started Running And Now You Had To Find Random Spots To Pop Up And Surprise Me! Guess You'd Be Too Big For That, Huh? Oooh, I Know!" She fell behind BoCo, who still couldn't comprehend anything going on. When Pinkie rolled up to his right side, it only complicated his astounded fathoming even more, especially when she became even more nosier than she let on. Pinkie Pie had reappeared, now with two bass drums hung from her cab, cymbals attached to her side rods, a trombone and tuba on her footplate, a harmonica positioned near her mouth, and an accordion on her buffers. She played each instrument she could while some played on their own such as the bass drums, cymbals, and accordion. "C'mon, BoCo!" She encouraged. "Shake A Radiator And Let Loosie Your Inner Goosie!" "Just get away from me!" This made him build more speed in a frantic attempt to get further away from Pinkie Pie and her abnormal, engine sized, musical instruments, which echoed all over the Clay Pits. The pack of diesels following Ben into the tunnels had lost track of the little yellow and red saddle tank engine. They were now in the dark, wondering where he could've gone. Then, Bill's whistle echoed all around them. Suddenly, a reverberating racket of crumbling dirt and rocks could be heard falling further down their path. A little light that lead back outside became dimmer and dimmer. "That weasel is trying to trap us!" A diesel said. Honking their horns, they started trundling a head only to find their exit completely blocked off by piles of dirt and clay rocks. From outside, Twilight Sparkle was using her telekinesis to lift an entire truck off its tracks, tilt it over, and dump its clay rocks in front of their path to cut off access. Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer was chasing after more diesel shunters who were following Bill earlier. She herded them all into the other tunnel entrance then backed out of its way while signalling Twilight, who collected more clay trucks and quickly got to work by repeating the same process again. More diesel shunters entered the tunnel but were soon backed up and bumped into their fellow shunters with one biffing and bashing another from each collision. "What are you doing?!" One called. "He'll have us all caved in now! Go back!" But it was too late. Twilight Sparkle had already finished closing off their last exit with more clay rocks, completely trapping every diesel shunter inside the darkened tunnels, much to their worries and frustration. Stacked on top of said clay piles were red, open wagon trucks that left only a minuscule gap of light between the ceiling and dirt pile. The diesel pack couldn't barge the dense assemblage no matter how much effort was put into pushing one another. The front diesel's wheels began dangling off dangerously from pressing too much force against their inert blockade. They could not go anywhere until all exits have been cleared. Twilight and Sunset chuckled then chuffed away, finding Bill & Ben already waiting on separate switched tracks. Twilight had been extra worried that Pinkie and the twins wouldn't stick to her training, but was pleasantly surprised to see both still intact. Then, an unfamiliar scream startled them all. BoCo came stammering out from another, unblocked tunnel with Pinkie Pie giggling and chuffing from behind. "Forget you crazy steamies!" BoCo cried. "I'm taking this up with Mr. Gisbrone." BoCo panted and charged towards the main entrance to escape. But to his shock, Sunset Shimmer had already backed into and parked in his way, standing her ground and bracing herself for any impact. Gasping, BoCo braked and tried backing away to take another exit, only to bump into Twilight Sparkle and her beaming smirk. He tried finding more ways out, but Bill and Ben blocked them off just as well and wouldn't move, forcing BoCo to move on. Finally, when BoCo thought he found a way out, Pinkie Pie came puffing up in front of him. "You Don't Wanna Go Down There, Silly!" Pinkie Pie chuckled. "That's The Way You Came!" A disoriented BoCo had lost his sense of direction. Without paying attention, he throttled over a set of points facing the wrong line, and came off the tracks, skidding and clanking against the course ground until BoCo was finally derailed from his track. Dirt and clay dust fogged all over him. BoCo's eyes swirled until he regained consciousness again. When the fog cleared, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Bill, Ben, and Pinkie Pie, who had forgone her instruments earlier, were all stand over him with unintimated frowns. BoCo coughed out some dust. He wasn't afraid anymore. Staring back at everyone, he was now cross. "Look what you've done," He berated. "You've caused more damage to this railway than any steamie has during it's service! You think you're making a difference here? You're only holding everyone back!" This managed to discourage Twilight a little. Her motives for her friend's and their home still remained positive, but the way BoCo phrased his argument made it seem like he was referring to her. But none of what he said fazed Sunset or Pinkie. "Sir Topham Hatt won't win. None of you will work a day again. Because the days of steam have come to an end." Bill & Ben steamed with worry, and attempted to speak with him. "BoCo?" Ben said. "It's us." "Bill & Ben?" Bill said. BoCo saw the twins and glared with disdain. "Don't you remember being our friend?" Bill asked, innocently. "I remember you lot being a real nuisance." "But Ben and I miss you, BoCo." "We're not as troublesome as we used to be anymore," Ben added. "Only a little bit," Bill admitted with a sheepish grin. But all BoCo did was shy away with even more contempt. He wanted nothing to do with them. This broke Bill & Ben's hearts, who returned his resentment with their own as they too shied away and pouted. "Sorry not sorry, BoCo," Sunset said. "None of us are leaving until Thomas and our friends are happily working on Sodor again. Which means you won't be going anywhere either." Just then, two birds flew into the China Clay Pits and came swooping down towards the engines. It was Fluttershy's birds, Mr. and Mrs. Birdie. They flapped in front of Twilight and Sunset while tweeting a relaxed harmony. BoCo arched a confused brow. "They don't seem too alarmed," Sunset said. "Our friends must be alright." "Tell Fluttershy and the rest that we're okay," Twilight informed, "and that we've acquired the China Clay Pits as our temporary hideout." The two birds saluted proudly then flew back up into the skies with their cheerful chirping. "It won't be long until another diesel shows up and discovers your little operation," BoCo said. "Then we'll just have to prep ourselves in case they do," Sunset smirked, bodily. "Time For A Decoration Montage!" Pinkie announced. "You two can help Sunset and Pinkie Pie clean up," Twilight instructed the twins. "I'll keep a watch on BoCo." But the twins had something to say. Seeing the Girl's magic in action back at Ffarquhar Quarry and now at the China Clay Pits, on top of the many things Twilight and her friends have done to keep them safe made the twins reevaluate their previous judgments against the Girls, especially to Twilight and her continuing efforts to help her them and their friends. Sunset and Pinkie didn't go anywhere when Bill & Ben shared a shameful glance, and began speaking. "Um, Twilight," Ben started, meekly. "We just wanted to say… eh… What we meant to say earlier was-" "Thank you," Bill finally said, appreciatively. "We're sorry for ever doubting you." "And thank you for rescuing us at Ffarquhar." "And, well, for helping us all out, really." The Twins grinned innocent smiles in hope of receiving any form of forgiveness. Twilight was touched by their gratitude. She hadn't felt this appreciative in a while. But her face soon fell again as she sighed. "I'm the one who should apologize. We should never forget to depend our friends for anything. Not just ones we know, but ones recently made, to achieve the impossible with their own special talents. It's essential when working together as a team after all." She looked to Pinkie Pie specifically who smiled back in return. Bill & Ben agreed and were happy that she now considered them her friends too. Twilight thought about what she said and began drawing some conclusions regarding their predicaments, their engine forms, and their current methods for coping as engines on Sodor. "Guess there's still more to being a leader than I thought. You won't have to worry long. I'll have the answers figured out soon, and become a leader everyone can count on." This made Sunset Shimmer think about the burden she might've placed on her; for encouraging Twilight to help their friends adapt to their new forms in the first place. She never meant for Twilight to put this much responsibility onto herself. She only wanted Twilight to help keep everyone together by lending her knowledge, encouragement, and problem solving skills. She never meant to put so much on her. "We didn't exactly make things easier for you girls, ourselves," Bill admitted. "From now on, you can save Sodor with whatever kooky magic powers you have," Ben agreed. "Yes. Singing lullaby and Exploding Cupcakes galore!" "Did Somebody Say A Dozen, Exploding Cupcakes?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. Twilight barred a warm smile. "You two may be maddening, but that doesn't make you any less worth the trouble of helping a friend in need." BoCo scoffed. "Maddening is the word." To Be Continued.