//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Accidents Happen // Story: MLP: The Equestrian Engines // by SuperSamYoshi //------------------------------// The Sun was shining in the sky as Twilight was waking up; she noticed that nearly everyone had left for work except Fluttershy, Pinkie and Colin. Just then Sir Lowham Hatt approached the sheds. He had jobs for the girls. “Good morning girls,” he greeted them with a smile. “Good morning sir,” the three replied at the same time. “Today, you jobs are as followed,” Lowham said, first turning to Twilight, “Twilight I what you to shunt coaches in the yard for the other engines, then take some work supplies up to the Culdee Fell Railway.” “Ok Sir,” Twilight responded with a toot of her whistle. Then Lowham turned to Fluttershy, “Fluttershy I want you to help Twilight with shunting trains for the other engines and then go to the fishing village and take some fish to the Docks.” “Alright Sir,” She shyly replied. “And Pinkie Pie I want you to take some empty trunks up to the quarry and then take them the docks, then shunt trucks in the yard”. “Yep-yep-yep Sir,” Pinkie cheerfully replied. “And when you finished your jobs,” Lowham said, “I want you three to go to Great Waterton to triple head a goods train back to your side of the island.” The three tooted their whistles in response. So Pinkie puffed off to get some trucks, while Twilight and Fluttershy made their way to the yard to shunt some couches for the bigger engines. In the station there were already two engines waiting for their couches. “Fluttershy I do the one on platform 2 if you can do the one on platform 1”, asked Twilight. “Ok,” Fluttershy replied. The engines where a dark green LMS Patriot class engine and a lime green LNER B12. After Twilight and Fluttershy shunted their couches, they went around to meet them. “Hello there,” Twilight greeted the engines. “Oh Hello,” the B12 replied she seemed really nice; “you two must be the engines that arrived yesterday with that big goods train I saw you bring. I’m Hazel and this is Reginald.” “Greetings there,” Reginald replied. “Hello, I’m Twilight and this is Fluttershy”, Twilight said. “Hello,” Fluttershy softly replied, she was so soft that Hazel and Reginald almost didn’t hear her. “What’s wrong?” Hazel asked. “Sorry Fluttershy’s a little shy when it comes to meeting new engines”, Twilight said. Suddenly the guards whistle went. “Oh that’s our whistle”, Reginald said, his piston pumping, “Come on Hazel these trains aren’t going to take themselves”. And with that, Reginald blow his whistle and started too puffed out the station followed by Hazel. “See ya soon you two,” Hazel whistle as she puffed out. “They seem friendly don’t they,” said Twilight. “Yes they do,” Fluttershy replied, “Reginald was very friendly, he looks so big and strong... and handsome”. “Urm, Fluttershy are you ok?” Twilight asked a little worried about her friend. “Oh, sorry”, Fluttershy quickly snapped out her trance, “Let’s get back to work”. *///* Pinkie had collected some trucks and was making her way up to the Coal Mining Co. Quarry. On the way, whistled to a big orange BR Standard Class 9F who was pulling a long goods train. “Hi There”, she tooted. “Good morning”, the engine replied as he thundered down the line. Later down the track she saw a blue railway traction engine pulling some trucks for of cement powder. “Hi there,” Pinkie called out as she sped down the line. “Slow down and do it right”, the traction engine called back. But Pinkie didn’t hear him. Soon Pinkie came to a red signal, she slowed down and stopped. Also waiting there was a yellow Moseley Road Kitson tram pulling a green Falcon double-decker carriage and a green Clayton Diesel-electric Type 1 diesel with trucks full of china clay. “Hello there,” the tram replied in a very sweet and cute voice. She reminded Pinkie of Fluttershy just not as shy. “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie”, Pinkie said enthusiastically, “what’s yours?” “I’m Flora”, the tram replied. “and I’m Derek,” the diesel replied, “where are you off to in such a hurry?” “The Coal Mining Co. Quarry”, Pinkie said, she looked down the line. There were some points, one track led up and the other went left. “Which way is it?” she asked. “Take the left track,” Derek said, “It’ll take you straight there”. “Thank you”, Pinkie said as her signal turned green and she headed down to left track. Soon Pinkie arrived at the quarry, once arriving she saw an engine working on their own. The engine resembled Lady but she was red rather than purple. “Hi there,” Pinkie called out. The engine stopped what she was doing and went to meet the newcomer. “Hello,” she replied, “You must be the engine who’s brought me those empty trucks”. “Yep”, Pinkie replied cheerfully, “I’m Pinkie Pie”. “Nice to meet you, I’m Kate,” the engine replied, “Now can you put the trucks under the coal-hoppers for me while I finish up here?” “Okie-dokie-lokie”, Pinkie said as she headed to the coal-hopper, while Kate went back to her job. Soon Pinkie’s trucks were full of coal and she started to make her way to the docks. However the journey to the docks wouldn’t be a smooth run. A maroon LMS Ivatt Class 2MT tank engine was stuck on the mainline, his brakes had locked on and the sudden stop caused a truck to brake and pipes spilled out on the tracks. “That’s just great”, he complained. “Yeah cheer up Arthur”, the brakevan, “It could be worse”. “How can it be worse Oscar?” Arthur asked. Oscar looked down the line to see a small pink engine rushing down the line. “Hey I see someone,” he remarked. “Is it Mickey?” Arthur asked. “No, their pink”, Oscar replied, “and their heading straight towards the pipes!” “What?!” Arthur shouted before whistling and yelling, “Stop!” Meanwhile Pinkie was enjoying herself, she was making great time, but she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. And she didn’t see the pipes until it was too Later. Pinkie braked hard but she crashed into the pipes and came off the rails. “Ow, that hurt”, Pinkie said. “That’s how”, Arthur said deadpanned. 30 minutes later… A rust coloured engine that resembled Edward and a A1X class 55 soon came to the rescue. “Arthur are you okay?” the K2 asked. “I’m fine chief, but I don’t know about her”, Arthur pointed out. “Hey, you there, pink engine,” the K2 called out to Pinkie. “Who me?” Pinkie asked. “You are pink are you”, he replied. “Yeah I’m okay,” Pinkie called back. “Stepany when I’m done, take Arthur’s train”, the K2 said to the A1X. “Okay Mickey,” the one called Stepany said. “Pinks, once we sort out the wreckage, you can go on your way”, Mickey called out to Pinkie. “Okay I can wait”, Pinkie called back, so she tried to be quiet but this to hear was like trying to keep a secret to herself. *///* Fluttershy had finished shunting with Twilight and was now heading to the fishing village. Sir Lowham Hatt said to her that she was meant to help two BR Class 08 diesels, GER D56 class and a SR Bulleid Q1. Once she got to the fishing village, she saw the four engines she was meant to work with. She also saw three long lines of trucks full of fish. “Ok,” said the foreman “As Neville and Molly are bigger and stronger than Splatter, Dodge and Fluttershy here, you two will take the longer trains”. “Come on Neville,” Molly said as she started to chuff away followed by Neville. “So Fluttershy, Splatter and Dodge, you three with have to work together”, the foreman said before turning away. Splatter and Dodge looked to Fluttershy in which she gave them a shy smile. “Hey Dodge look,” said the purple one, “We have to work with a sticky steamie”. “Shut in Splatter!” the green one snapped to his brother, “Sorry about him, he was built with a small battery. Anyway I’m Dodge and this is Splatter”. “Oh I’m Fluttershy,” the shy engine replied. “Right let’s take this train to the docks”, Dodge announced. So Fluttershy was hooked up to the front while Splatter and Dodge were at the back, and the train slowly moved out of the Fishing Village and on to the mainline. The journey was fairly calm, at times they would had to stop and it took awhile to start back up again, but apart from a few hiccups, the journey was smooth. Until they reach a massive hill. Normally Splatter and Dodge won’t have a problem but due to them pushing a long and heavy train, they tend to overheat and brake down. They just got half way up before the whole train came to a stop. “What happen?” Fluttershy asked, “Why have we stopped?” “Oh dreadfully sorry Fluttershy,” Dodge apologized, “But me and my brother here, tend to overheat and brake down if we over-do it.” “It’s all you fault, Dodge,” Splatter spluttered. “How is it my fault you buffoon!” Dodge retorted. “Urm guys...” Fluttershy quietly asked. “Because you know that we weren’t strong enough, you idiot!” Splatter shouted. “I thought young Fluttershy here would help us, you simpleton!” Dodge yelled, “You probably weren’t pushing hard enough”. “Guys...” Fluttershy said again slowly losing her patience. “I was too”, Splatter snapped. “You weren’t”, Dodge angry reply. “Was!” “Weren’t!” “Guys” Fluttershy called out dead-panned. “Was!” “Weren’t!” “WAS!” “WEREN’T!” “Ok that’s it”, Fluttershy uncoupled from the front and came down the track next to Splatter and Dodge and used her stare on them. Once Fluttershy’s eyes locked on to the diesel brothers, they shut up and were frozen by her stare. “Stop arguing you two”, she growled, Rule number one, is never get on Fluttershy’s bad side, “now that I have your attentions, you should realized that it not either of your faults but it’s because your engines are old. Now I’ll run on ahead to see if I can get some help.” Fluttershy then started to puffed up the track to find some help, leaving Splatter and Dodge to apologize to each other. Twilight made up to the Culdee railway and was now waiting to go as no soon as she got into a siding, the points jammed. But it wasn’t so bad as workmen were already fixing them. To passed time she was talking to a purple Snowdon Mountain engine. “May I ask a question Culdee?” Twilight asked her new friend. “Sure ask away, my cautious friend,” Culdee replied. “I heard from Murdoch that you had a number one engine, could you tell me about him?” Twilight asked with a hopeful smile. “Our number one was called Godred”, Culdee began, “and named after a king. Perhaps that went to his smokebox and made him conceited, he would never keep a good look out. He’ll roll down the line looking anywhere but the track. ‘You have an accident’ I told him. ‘Poo’ he said, ‘I’ve got automatic breaks haven’t I and driver’s got his air brake what more do you want’. ‘More sense from you’, I said, ‘no engine can stop at once, if he isn’t ready to obey his driver’s controls’.” “The first thing a young engine should learn,” agreed Twilight. “Godred never learnt since,” Culdee continued, “his driver and fireman and the manager all spoke to him, they even took him to pieces to see if anything was wrong. But he still went on in the same old way.” “What happens next?” Twilight asked. “One day I was going up and waited at a station for Godred coming down to pass me,” Culdee stated, before his face to one of grief, “as I waited, so It happened. One moment he was on the track, the next his driver and firemen jumped clear as he rolled over.” “Oh my,” Twilight said surprised. “No one was hurt,” Culdee clarified, “his couch stay on the rails and the guard braked her to a stop. They brought Godred home next morning, ‘we have no money to mend you’ said our manager, ‘so you’ll go to the back of the shed’. As time went on, poor Godred got smaller and smaller till nothing was left.” “What happened to him?” asked Twilight anxiously. “Our drivers used his parts to mend us,” said Culdee mournfully. “Ok Twilight you’re free to go,” called a workman. “And on that cheery note, I better get going,” Twilight said as she puffed out the siding, “See ya Culdee.” “Goodbye my friend,” Culdee called back, “She seems to be a nice girl.” Twilight, Pinkie and Fluttershy soon all arrived just outside Great Waterton, the three were telling each other what happened to them today. “Splatter and Dodge broke down on a hill, but Molly and Neville came back to help us,” Fluttershy said. “I crashed into a crash which caused a crash,” Pinkie stated. “The points jammed, and I was stuck in a siding,” Twilight pointed out, “But hey I made a new friend”. The three friends turned the corner and there was all their new friends waiting to say goodbye to the three tank engines. The engines all blow their whistles as Twilight, Pinkie and Fluttershy stopped and Sir Lowham Hatt spoke up. “Thank you so much for helping us out,” Lowham told them, “even thought one of you had an accident.” Pinkie blushed at that, “I hope someday you’ll come back to my part of the island and help once more”. The engines all whistled in agreement, “now be off you three”. The three tank engines buffed up to the goods train they brought with them, but it was empty now and puffed out of Great Waterton and head back to their side of the island. Soon Twilight began to sing. Everything we share We care for one another We're a team We like to help each other We all know We puff along together Everything just works out fine Soon Pinkie and Fluttershy joined in as the race thought the mile long tunnel. Everything we share We care for one another And that's why We try to help each other We all know We puff along together Everything just works out fine Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) The three engines shoot out the other end as the sun started to set. Everything we share We care for one another We're a team We like to help each other We all know We puff along together Everything just works out fine Everything we share We care for one another And that's why We try to help each other We all know We puff along together Everything just works out fine Everything we share We care for one another We're a team We like to help each other We all know We puff along together Everything just works out fine Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) Buffer up and share (We can do it! We can do it!) Everything just works out fine Everything we share We care for one another And that's why We try to help each other We all know We puff along together Everything just works out fine The girl delivered the empty trucks and made their way to Tidmouth Sheds. Everything we share We care for one another We're a team We like to help each other We all know We puff along together Everything just works out fine "Everything just works out fine" Sung Thomas as the girls chuffed up the Tidmouth Sheds. Twilight was so surprised, shocked and happy, she just wanted to cry, for she saw that all ten Steam Team members were in the births and what sat next to Emily on the right side was an empty birth. Above the entrance was a sign saying, ‘Welcome to the Steam Team Twilight’. Sir Topham Hatt walked up to Twilight, “I hope you like your new home Twilight,” he said, “It was Thomas idea to make you feel welcome to the island and the team.” “Oh Sir,” Twilight sniffed, “I don’t know what to say.” “Three cheers for Twilight!” Percy exclaimed, as all the engines blew their whistles for Twilight. The former unicorn could only let loose her tears as she puffed into her new shed. Later that night after Pinkie and Fluttershy went back to the Ffarquhar sheds, the Steam Team where telling Twilight their stories, like the time Thomas showed up for breakfast in the station master’s house and when Gordon took Henry’s special coal and tries to set a new record and he and Henry swapped tenders. Twilight was also telling them stories from when she was back in Equestria like how all her friends wanted to go to the Grand Galloping Gala and how she and her friends were infected by poison joke. But Soon they all grew tired, said their good nights to each other and one by one the Steam Team fell asleep with Twilight being the last. But before she closed her eyes she swear she saw a green LNER B12 rolling along the track and then just vanished into thin air. “I must be tired and seeing things which aren’t there”, she muttered to herself, as she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Little did she know was that the Island of Sodor had more mysteries than she thought.