//------------------------------// // Chapter 38: Twilight Sparkle the Magic Engine // Story: MLP: The Equestrian Engines // by SuperSamYoshi //------------------------------// Twilight the Magic Engine was ill. Workmen had tried to make her better, but it was no use. “Sunset must take you to the works,” said the Fat Controller. Twilight felt very miserable. As Sunset pulled Twilight to the works, the Fat Controller spoke to Fluttershy. “I want you to help Percy and Toby while Twilight is away. Fluttershy was delighted. She already knew Percy, Toby, and the others on the branchline. Terence the Tractor gave her a big welcome too. “Take care of Twilight’s coaches and Spike,” he advised, “she's sure to miss them while she's away.” Fluttershy was very gentle with the coaches. Victoria, Helena, and Spike were impressed. “Such nice manners,” the coaches told each other, “It really is a pleasure to go out with her.” “Of course,” Spike said to them, “Fluttershy takes great care in the things she does.” Fluttershy blushed at their comments. When Twilight came back, Victoria, Helena, and Spike told her how well Fluttershy had managed. Twilight was so pleased to be home and was grateful that Fluttershy took over her jobs. The works have left Twilight’s handbrake very stiff. It made her brakes seen they were on, when in fact they were not. As a result, she and her coaches often overran the platform. Twilight found this most embarrassing. Gradually, her driver and fireman learned to be extra careful. But one day, Twilight’s fireman was ill, and a relief man took his place. The fireman had fastened the coupling and joined the driver and stationmaster on the platform to wait for Applejack's passengers. The fireman had forgot all about Twilight’s handbrake. Twilight simmered happily. “Not long now,” she thought. As she saw Applejack slowly approaching. But Twilight’s brakes were not on and suddenly she felt her wheels begin to move. She tried to stop, but she couldn't without her driver and fireman. She tried to whistle a warning, but she couldn't do that either. The Conductor, driver, fireman and passengers were all stranded on the platform. “Stop! Stop!” shrieked Victoria, Helena, and Spike. But Twilight, with plenty of steam, kept on going. The alarm went down the line. “Stop the runaway!” called a signalman. There ready for action was Harold the Helicopter. The inspector had made a plan and together they took off into the sky. At last Twilight was tiring. “I need to stop, I need to stop,” she panted wearily. As they neared the next station Twilight saw Harold land. They entered the platform slowly enough for the inspector to act. Judging his moment the inspector scrambled into the cab and screwed the brakes on with all his strength. At last Twilight stopped. Both she and the inspector were very relieved. Then they thanked Harold. Think nothing of it,” he replied, “glad to be at service anytime.” “Twilight,” remarked The inspector, “we must never let this happen again.” Wearily, Twilight agreed with him. It was summer on the Island of Sodor. All the engines were very busy. They were looking forward to the start of the holiday season. One morning, the Fat Controller came to the sheds. “It's time to get the seaside station ready for the summer visitors,” he said, “Twilight, you ought to pick up the deck chairs and windbreaks and take them to the beach. “Yes, sir!” tooted Twilight. And she hurried off happily. “You're looking very cheerful, Twilight,” oiled Gilda. Twilight told Gilda all about her exciting job. “Haven't you heard about the curse of the cliffs?” oiled Gilda. “No,” tooted Twilight nervously. Gilda snorted. “Whenever the first engine of the holiday season goes around the headland. A terrible fog comes down over the cliffs,” Gilda spoke hauntingly. Twilight did like the sound of that at all. “The engine loses its way, and nobody knows where it goes,” Gilda chuckled as she chugged away leaving Twilight unhappy indeed. She wished that she didn't have to go to the beach after all. Twilight dread her wheels slowly along the track. She was very worried. Finally, Twilight reached the supply shed. Workers had loaded her trucks with windbreaks and deck chairs. Twilight puffed slowly on her way. She was thinking about the curse of the cliffs. Suddenly, she saw Harold the Helicopter. Harold had bad news. “Thick fog rolling in on the headland!” Harold shouted, “Puff carefully, Twilight!” And Harold whirred away over the treetops. Twilight was very scared now. “What if Gilda said about the curse of the cliffs is true?” tooted Twilight, “I could get lost in the fog and never be seen again.” Twilight puffed fearfully towards the cliffs. Twilight was approaching the tunnel when she saw Sonata. She looked unhappy. “What's the matter?” asked Twilight kindly. “I was enjoying myself until I met Gilda,” said Sonata unhappily, “she told me a monster lives in the tunnel. Now I'm too scared to go through.” “I'm sure Gilda can't be right about the monster,” Twilight said, “why don't I go in to the tunnel first? Then you can follow me.” Twilight puffed slowly into the tunnel. She heard a strange noise. “Must be brave, must be brave,” she told herself. Twilight was determined not to show Sonata she was frightened. She screwed up her courage and puffed slowly on. Then the noise grew louder and louder. Suddenly, Twilight saw two eyes peering on her. Now she knew that Gilda was right. “Bust my buffers!” wheeshed Twilight, “there is a monster.” Twilight wanted to go back, but she couldn't. She had to help Sonata. “Must be brave, must be brave,” she chuffed. Twilight had to go forward. But when the smoke started to clear, Twilight saw that the eyes weren't eyes at all. They were lights. And the thud-thud-thud wasn't the noise made by a monster. It came from the machine beside the track. It was a generator to power the lights. Then Twilight saw picks and shovels. She realized the workmen must be working there. Gilda was wrong. There's no monster in the tunnel after all. Soon Twilight came across the workers making tea. Twilight tooted the workmen happily. Sonata was also very relieved. “You are a very brave engine,” said Sonata, “now I can finish my job.” And she puffed away. Twilight was happy to help Sonata. Then she remembered that she still had to get to the beach. And she remembered Gilda's warning about the curse of the cliffs. Twilight felt very nervous as she puffed towards the headline. So nervous that she stopped. “I can't go any further,” Twilight tooted. She began to reverse away from the cliffs. Then, she had an idea, “If Gilda was wrong about the monster in the tunnel, maybe she'll be wrong about the curse of the cliffs,” she puffed. She started to go forward again. “I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid,” she chuffed as she steamed carefully towards the mist. Suddenly, the mist rolled away, and the sun came out. Twilight saw that the cliffs were beautiful. “Gilda just wanted to frighten me,” Twilight whistled. Soon the seaside station was up ahead. At last, Twilight reached the station on the other side of the headland. Twilight knew that soon the beach would be filled with happy vacations “I should not have believe what Gilda said about the curse of the cliffs,” wheeshed Twilight. In future, Twilights decide she would believe in herself. Twilight the Magic Engine loves working on Thomas’ branch line. One day, when she stopped at a small station, some children looked sad. “They closed our playground and our favourite sand pit,” said a girl. “Teacher said the sand is soil and too dirty play in,” said a boy. “Please help us Twilight,” said the children. “I'll see what I can do,” replied Twilight kindly. Twilight hoped things weren't quite as bad as the children had made them out to be. But as she passed their playground, a large sign read: Playground Closed Until Further Notice. “The Children were right,” thought Twilight sadly. She puffed into the yards and was just about to tell the other engines about the playground when Pinkie rushed in. “You look glum, little Pinkie,” said Rainbow. “The Fat Controller told driver that he's using Harold to show a visitor the island instead of using any of us engines,” Pinkie said. “Despicable!” said Rainbow. “Disgusting!” snorted Aria. “Engines are meant to take visitors around our island not that whirlybird thing,” Adagio exclaimed. Rainbow was the first to see Harold. “Harold thinks he can go faster than me. I'll show him,” Rainbow said to herself. Next, it was Applejack's turn. “The Fat Controller has chosen Harold because he thinks he's more important than me. Well he's not. Harold can't fly through tunnels,” she commented as she went through a tunnel. Pinkie stopped by a signal on the branch line near a field were sheep were grazing. Harold hovered for a while then buzzed away. “I know what's he's doing,” she said, “he's just counting sheep.” And Pinkie puffed along her line, feeling much better about her things. That evening, the engines talked about the situation. “Harold wants to get rid of us,” said Rainbow. “He doesn't need tunnels,” added Applejack. “Don't worry, he's just counting sheep,” said Pinkie. “Counting sheep? Pah!” snorted Aria, “he's counting how many engines he can get rid of. He'll see how useful I am tomorrow.” Twilight wanted to mention the children's playground but solving the mystery of Harold and the visitor came first. The next day, Adagio was traveling to collect her train. “We'll show that whirlybird just how fast you can go, Adagio,” said her driver. But because they were watching Harold, they missed a signal and went onto the wrong line. Adagio was traveling to trouble. Ahead was a tunnel under repair. Her driver reduced steam and braked hard, but it was too late. Adagio crashed into the tunnel, as a great dust cloud burst out the entrance. Later, Twilight pulled Adagio clear with the breakdown train. The Fat Controller spoke severely to Adagio's Driver. “Will Adagio be scrapped, sir?” asked Twilight sadly. “What makes you think that?” said the Fat Controller. Twilight decided to pluck up courage. “Because the engines think the visitor is here to see if we can be replaced by Harold,” Twilight said. The Fat Controller laughed, “Well the engines are wrong, and you shouldn't listened to rumours, Twilight. This gentleman is making a new playground for the children. It was easy to find a suitable site from up in the air,” “And what's more,” said the visitor, “that tunnel sand would be perfect for the playground. Sand we found by accident you might say.” The Fat Controller still uses Harold to fly above the island. But all the engines know that Harold isn't spying on them. He is just being very useful. Although it was still summer on the Island of Sodor, the weather said that snow was on its way. One chilly morning, the Fat Controller came to Ponyville Sheds. He had a special announcement to make. “A statue is to be put up at Canterlot Station,” he said, “It will celebrate the Sodor Railway.” The engines were very excited. Twilight was to collect the statue from Brendam Docks. “I wonder what it will be?” peeped Pinkie. “as soon as I find out,” puffed Twilight, “I'll come back and tell you.” And she steamed away. But when Twilight arrived at the docks, Cranky was still unloading the statue. “Hurry up, Cranky,” said Twilight, “I wanna be the first to see it.” Cranky didn't like being rushed. “Why are so excited to see the statue? You think it's gonna be of you?!” He scoffed. Twilight didn't say anything. She was too busy watching the workmen open the crate. The statue was covered by a large waterproof sheet. It had a very familiar look. There was a tall funnel shape at the front and then a wide shape at the back. The shape was just like Twilight's shape. Suddenly, Twilight was very excited. “Perhaps...” she whistled, “It really could be of me.” That night, Twilight couldn't wait to tell the other engines about her statue. But when she arrived at the sheds, all the engines were asleep. Twilight was too excited to sleep. She peeped her whistle to wake Sunset up. “Sunset, Sunset! I think this statue was of me,” boasted Twilight. “Really, Twilight?” yawned Sunset, “That's nice.” “It will be wonderful to have my very own statue,” tooted Twilight. She couldn't wait for morning to come. The following day, the Fat Controller told the engines they were go to the washdown. All except Twilight. She was to collect more things for the statue. First Twilight went to Wellsworth Station. She was to collect the special block for the statue to stand on. “Are you looking forward to seeing my statue?” she called to Trixie. “It might not be your statue. huffed Trixie. But Twilight wasn't listening. Twilight arrived at Maithwaite Station. She had to collect to special podium for the Fat Controller to stand on. “Look!” Twilight cried to Starlight, “the Fat Controller will make a speech when they uncover my statue.” “Who says it's going to be your statue?” Starlight huffed. “You'll see,” said Twilight and she wheeshed away. Celestia arrived with a passenger train as Twilight’s trucks were being unloaded. Twilight started to talk to Celestia about ‘her’ statue again. “Please stop talking about your statue,” tooted Celestia. Twilight was surprised. “No one wants to hear about it anymore. No one wants to talk to you anymore,” Celestia added crossly, “and neither do I.” Twilight was left all alone. No one was talking to her. Twilight felt very sad. Twilight steamed toward Ponyville Sheds. It had started to snow heavenly. But Twilight kept going as fast as she could. She had to try to put things right with her friends. But when she arrived at Ponyville, the Fat Controller was there. He looked worried. “The tracks at Canterlot Station are blocked. None of you will be able to get to the ceremony,” he said sternly. “I'll clear the tracks,” tooted Twilight, “I don't want any of you to miss the party.” The other engines were very surprised. They knew Twilight didn't like her snowplough and clearing the tracks would make Twilight late to see her statue. But the Fat Controller was pleased. “You must work very hard, Twilight,” he boomed, “There's a lot to do.” Twilight steamed off. She could not let them down. Twilight felt silly for showing off. No wonder no one was talking to her. There was still a lot of tracks to clear. Thanks to Twilight, everyone was able to get to Canterlot Station. They gathered nearby. The statue was covered in snow. But the sun had started to shine, and the snow began to melt. The Fat Controller told everyone how proud he was of all his engines. But the engines were still thinking about Twilight. And they were still cross. Just then, there was a loud swooshing noise. A big patches of snow slid off the statue. Then another. Then another. The last of the snow fell to the ground. The engines were so surprised. “That's not Twilight,” gasped Rainbow. “No, it's of all of us!” peeped Pinkie. Everyone was very excited. The Statue had everyone in pony form, with Twilight standing in the middle, on her left were Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, and Sunset with Celestia and Luna behind them On her right were Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Sci-Twi, Starlight and Trixie with Cadence and Shining Armour behind them, the CMC were down at her hooves and even Gilda was flying above Cadence. Then, Twilight rolled up. She was very surprised when she saw the statue. “It's not of me at all!” she cried. Twilight was very relieved and very happy. “I'm sorry that I made you all cross,” she puffed, “I think this statue of us all is the best statue that could ever be.” And all the engines agreed.