//------------------------------//
// 5: Night Run 
// Story: Old Iron 
// by Fujimi200SX 
//------------------------------//

Once everypony left, me and and Thomas looked at each other.

"Alrght Edward, I've seen that look before. What is it?"

"I wanted ask, in private, what you would do if we were stuck here for the rest of our lives," I replied.

I watched Thomas deflate.

"Well, if that were to happen... I guess I'd just try and live life as normal as I can. I'd stay as your driver, hopefully get a good bird and have children. Honestly, the biggest issue would be getting used to the lack of cars. I may be able to fly, but having a car would be handy. Would be more normal as well."

"Understandable."

Thomas scoffed. "I didn't have that car for a month before getting sent here," he muttered before sighing. "What about you?" he asked. "What would you do?"

"... Do what I've done my whole life. Work. Not much I can do besides that."

"Good point."

"Thing is, unless we find that tunnel we popped out of - which mind you may not even exist anymore - we may very well be stuck here. I don't doubt Twilight's skills in magical spellmaking, but Luna said that very few inter-dimensional spells exist, all of which are very dangerous. Then there's the factor of finding the right universe."

Thomas' ears flattened.

"I'm not throwing in the towel on us getting home. I'm just making an observation."

"Right, right. You being an ex-military commander, you would be the kind to do that." He sighed, turned away, and began pacing.

"Oh, and I'm not waiting days to begin working again. That's not what I do."

Thomas looked at me. "What? Edward, you heard the princesses. You can't work until they're sure we can't go home."

"And you heard Twilight! She said it might take her months. I'm not waiting that long. Especially with how shoddy the railways are."

"Edward! They're princesses! With magic, no less! You can't disobey a princess, let alone four!"

"Two. Neither Twilight or Cadance said anything about me working."

Thomas groaned as he turned away. "You wanted them to leave because why? To ask me about us being stuck here forever? What, did you not want to scare them?"

"That was one of the reasons, yes. But also because of the next question."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

A devilish grin made its way onto my face. "What were those looks I saw on your face when you were looking at Fluttershy?"

My grin broadened as Thomas' ears flattened.

"Oh bollocks, I should have known you'd notice..."

I chuckled. "She your type?"

Thomas chuckled. "Yes, she most certainly is," he said as he turned back towards me. "Don't tell anyone, alright?"

"I won't. Mum's the word. But if I were you, I'd ask how old she is, just in case. I can't tell their ages from looks alone, but my guess is that they're all in their early twenties."

"And I'm in my mid-thirties. Right. I'll remember to do that."

There was silence between the two of us as we sifted through our thoughts. After a moment, we heard a knock at one of the shed doors.

"Well, that does it," I grumbled. "Come in!"

The door creaked open and Princess Luna peered inside.

"Can we come back in?" she asked.

"Yes, you can," I replied.

Luna opened the door further and made her way towards me and Thomas.

"I would like to confess that I was listening in on that conversation between you two," she stated.

I scowled at the princess.

"I apologize. I could not help it."

I rolled my eyes. "It's fine. Was it just you listening?"

"No. I too was listening," Celestia added as she stepped inside. "We were quietly talking about what to do with you two."

I raised a brow. "You were?"

"Specifically, you, Edward," Luna said. "We understand your concerns about not working for an extended period of time and conjured a solution. Tonight, you will perform various freight runs throughout Equestria. I will accompany you and Thomas. This will be to familiarize you with Equestria's rails."

I pursed my lips. "Please tell me I'll be running in the day as well."

Luna nodded. "We require time to discuss that, but so far we are leaning towards revealing you to the public tomorrow."

I took in a deep breath as the rest of the ponies filed in.

To be honest, though I've handled publicity just fine in the past, I was more nervous then I had ever been before. I was going to become the first non-faceless vehicle in this entire world. From what Clive told me back when he was revealed, he was more excited than anything. And in a sense, yes. It was exciting. But it was just as much exciting as it was nerveracking.

"Edward? Is something wrong?" Luna asked.

"Sorry, it's just that me being revealed to this world as the first ever non-faceless vehicle has me nervous."

Luna nodded. "I understand what that is like. But we do not need to dwell on it if you do not want to do so. In fact, there is something Thomas mentioned that greatly interests me."

Celestia tilted her head. "There is?"

"What is it?" Thomas asked.

Luna turned towards my driver, but kept her eyes on me. "Did you say that Edward was a Military Commander?"

Thomas laughed. "Yes, I did!"

Luna grinned. "One that has served in battle?"

"Many."

Luna let out a mewl as she looked at me. "It has been ages since I have met a fellow commander who has served in battle!"

I smiled. "Has it now?"

"Yes. Equestria has not seen any true battles in centuries."

My smile faded. "When were you a commander?"

"Over a thousand years ago. I served in twenty-two hard-fought battles."

"..."

"What about you? How many have you served in?"

"How the hay can a steam locomotive be a military commander?" Twilight asked.

"They just can," Thomas replied.

I sighed. "On the front lines? ... Seventeen."

Luna smiled. "What were they like?"

I closed my eyes, envisioning a few scenes from my time as a commander. "Horrible. Absolutely dreadful. Worse than anything any of you have ever seen."

I opened my eyes and looked at Luna, whose smile had begun to fade.

"Edward, the battles I have fought in were far worse than what you could imagine."

I scowled. "No. They weren't," I snapped in a condescending tone. "I have a good idea of what kinds of battles you might have fought, and I can assure you that mine were far worse."

Luna scowled back. "How could you be so sure?"

"Because I doubt you served in not one, but two World Wars."

Everypony froze.

Celestia took a step away. "What do you mean... World Wars?"

"Exactly as it sounds. All of my world's major powers butting heads with one another. World War One, otherwise known as The Great War, and World War Two. Otherwise known as the second war to end all wars. But millions of people fighting each other isn't why it's worse. It was the technology."

It was at this point I had noticed three more ponies that had entered the room. A white unicorn stallion with blue hair the same height as Cadance, and two pegasi mares. One yellow with orange hair, the other a light shade of blue with white hair.

"While you may have had bows and arrows, swords, and above all, magical spells, we had guns. To give a visualization, think of a small handheld cannon that fires metal shots at well past the speed of sound. And not just once every ten seconds or so. Dozens of shots within seconds. Sometimes even hundreds."

"And... you had to deal with these-... guns?" Celestia asked.

"Not just what I described. Explosive rifles, cannons, and airstrikes are among the many things me and my platoon had to face. Tanks, planes, giant warships, all were powerful machines. Far more powerful than whatever you lot have here, I'm sure."

I scoffed.

"Yet even with all these technologies, with all the changes and differing factors from your world, there is still one thing similar about the wars I've heard of and fought in and whatever wars you had."

Luna gulped. "What is that?"

"War never changes in its essence. It only changes in its means."

For the rest of the day, I told them my stories of war. What we did on Sodor, and then my time as commanding officer of what is known as the 110th Platoon of the Steam Core. AKA, the Wild Nor'Westers.

Everypony was both frightened and amazed by what I told them. To hear them tell it, they had never thought such technology could or would be used in such a horrid way. They couldn't fathom how a single species could be at war with each other. I could only tell them that the reason for war back on Earth was more than likely the same reason for war here. 

Power.

There was a point where Celestia had excused herself for a time to go send a notice to towns and businesses throughout Equestria about a new night train she was "testing". Though it seemed like a valid reason, judging by the fact that I was about to explain the atrocities the second World War created, I doubted it was the main reason.

Before we knew it, Celestia and Luna had to go and lower the sun, then raise the moon. We bid-...

"Wait a minute," I said, staring at them. "You need to go do what?"

"Go lower the sun and raise the moon," Celestia replied.

"How... Actually, no. I'm not even going to question it. You two go do that."

This world is literally the stuff of fantasy.

"Now, my little ponies," Celestia began, looking at the small crowd. "I trust that you all will keep Edward a secret until we give the word?"

With a resounding yes from everypony, the sisters left. I asked the rest of the ponies if they could kindly leave so I could get a bit of rest before my nightly run, to which they obliged.

My thoughts on this entire thing were mixed. On one hand, yes. This was all rather exciting. Especially since I had rarely traveled outside of Sodor in my life. Sure, Sodor was a very lovely island, and Sir Topham Hatt sometimes rotated us engines around to give us something new to do, but having been on that island for the better part of sixty years, it got repetitive. So I'd be able to see new places.

But then again, I was in a different world. No, a difference universe. That was the most terrifying. At least this was a good world that hadn't seen wars in centuries, but still. And the thought that I would never get to see my friends, Sodor, or another non-faceless vehicle? The thought made me feel nauseous.

"Edward? You alright?"

I looked at Thomas. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking, is all."

"Mm. Well, I'm gonna go back to the castle. I gotta say, living in one is way better then I expected."

I chuckled. "I'm sure it is."

"Anyway, see you in a few hours."

"Bye."

Clunk

My smile faded as Thomas closed the shed door. I once again found myself staring at my faceless friends that were City of Truro and Lode Star. Two Great Western Railway engines that had somehow found their way into Equestria. Without their drivers or fireman.

"I wonder if more engines will come here. To Equestria."

I yawned.

"I just hope a few of them are non-faceless."





The chuffing of my pistons filled the air as I approached a run down shed. It had brick walls and a wooden roof with several piles of logs and lumber scattered about. Towards the left, I saw a sign with German words on it.

Schuppen
Siebzehn

I scowled as I slowed to a stop.

"Oh no. I know what's happening. There is no way- WHAT?!"

Suddenly, I was inside. Surrounding me on all sides were piles of emaciated corpses, dozens of train cars filled with badly decomposed human remains.

"No."

From man to woman, from the elderly to children.

"NO."

All were splayed out and asphyxiated among the heavy machinery. By far the luckiest were those who were shot anywhere that killed them instantly.

"NOOOO!"





"HUH!"

My vision was suddenly filled with the shed. In front of me stood my driver. For a few seconds I just sat there, taking in deep breaths before fixing my gaze on Thomas.

“Edward? Edward are you alright?” he asked with a panicked tone.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just an old nightmare that resurfaced.”

“What old nightmare?”

“Bulbrick.”

Thomas shuddered.  “Not that place. How did that resurface?”

“Probably because I talked about such atrocities. I even tried to leave out the gory details, but that clearly didn’t help.”

“Well. Before I suddenly start having nightmares about that place, I came to wake you up. Your train is ready.”

I sighed. “Good. I’ve been hoping to get to work.”

Thomas unhooked the three coaches from my tender. Then, under the cover of night with my headlamp illuminating the tracks ahead, I made my way to the abysmally small yard where I saw my train. It was nothing special, but surprised me. A long line of “BR Standard” vans, or Boxcars as some call them, lined up with a British Railways Brakevan running up the rear. The vans were just steel boxes sitting on two axles with the brakevan being just about the same, just with two tiny platforms at either end. The train was a bit longer than what I normally pulled, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

What surprised me was the fact that this BR rolling stock were here at all. I wasn’t complaining, since I was used to vans like these, but I was expecting rolling stock from this world. Something more colorful, perhaps.

“Oh wait, if City of Truro was found with those coaches behind it, Lode Star was likely found with these vans behind it.”

Thomas smiled. “Not behind it,” he replied. “Just scattered about the yard Lode Star was found in. Luna told me. Speaking of, there she is now.”

Up ahead, Luna was readying the train. The moment she saw us, she smiled and wave. Next to her was Celestia, who also gave a polite wave. Both myself and Thomas smiled as we passed over a set of points. Thomas trotted over and switched them, and I backed up to the train.

“This is certainly longer than what I typically pull,” I remarked.

“Will that be a problem?” Celestia asked.

“No, not at all. It’ll give me a chance to put my upgrades through their pacers.”

“I’m also excited,” Thomas said.

"Now. Is the train ready?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes."

"And everything is properly secured?"

"Yes."

"Alright then. When do we leave?”

“Right now,” Luna stated before looking at Celestia. “Sister? Are you sure you do not want to join us on this run? You could certainly help me explain the goings on of Equestria.”

“Why would you need help?”

“Because you have been around Equestria for millenia. I have only been around for a few years. Plus, you have not traveled much in the years I have been back. Would it not be nice to get out of the castle?”

...

...

...

“I don’t see why not.”

Over the next few minutes, I was refueled with both coal and water by the sisters with their magic. I mentioned that they should install water towers and coal hoppers to speed up the refueling process. To my surprise, they had never heard of such concepts. The practice was that ponies would manually refill the engines when they stopped at the stations via buckets of water and wagons of coal.

I swear, this has to be the most dysfunctional railway ever conceived.

After refueling, Thomas began shoveling the new coal into my firebox. Suddenly, a large puff of fire shot out of my funnel.

“Woah! Now that’s got some kick!” I exclaimed.

“It sure does!” Thomas replied as he shoveled more coal in. “This coal makes the coal back in Britain look like sawdust! And British coal is supposed to be the best!”

“Well, I’m glad you think so highly of Equestria’s coal,” Celestia said as she sat down in my cab. It was hard for her considering her size. And since Luna wasn’t small herself, it made for a rather crampt cab.

“Alright, here we go!” I said.

With two toots of the whistle, I began to pump my pistons. The couplings tightened as the first van helped to start the second van, which helped to start the third, and so on down the train, building the jolt until it all hit the brakevan.

Despite the size and weight of the train, we were underway and leaving the yard within a minute. I felt invigorated with newfound power. Like a fresh Furness build. I very well could have taken the whole train on a single cylinder if I wanted to.

“Time to explore Equestria,” I happily said, forcing a smile. “My new home...”

“What was that, Edward?” Thomas asked.

“Nothing, nothing,” I quickly replied.

The next several hours were largely uneventful. We delivered freight throughout Equestria in a timely manner, both myself and Thomas marveling at the sights, sounds, and NOT the way the stations and ‘yards’ were designed.

The yards for every single town consisted of a single siding, if that. In fact, the only town that had any sort of proper yard was a town called Dodge Junction. It was about what one would expect when thinking of an "Old Western" American town. Shoddy wooden buildings, a saloon, a Sheriff station, etcetera.

But even then, it was only three tracks beside the main line, plus an extra track for storing engines. While this yard would likely have serviced this town well with proper engines and rolling stock, such things did not exist, rendering the yard useless.

I began explaining the importance of proper rail infrastructure to the sisters, who listened intently. I explained why longer platforms for longer trains were needed, and why proper marshalling yards were essential. Not to mention the need to double-track more lines throughout Equestria to allow for smoother running.

I also introduced them to the concept of a shunting engine. Like the name suggests, such an engine is designed to work in and around a yard, marshalling trains and shunting cars for loading and unloading. While it isn't unheard of for a regular engine, be it mixed traffic, heavy goods, or express, to perform shunting around yards, having an on-site shunter greatly streamlined operations.

As for us making deliveries between stations, Luna and Celestia made sure everypony stayed quiet about me. The vans were loaded and unloaded faster than I had ever seen largely due to the princesses helping via their magic, and we departed early every time. As an aside, the ponies working the station said that they were grateful for the service, further proving my point that the small towns and villages of Equestria would benefit greatly from proper infrastructure and services.

"Edward? Can I ask you a question about Lode Star?" Luna asked.

I smiled. "Of course, my dear. What is it?"

"My original plan for Lode Star was to put it on express runs, seeing as that is what it seems to be designed for. But now that I have seen how benefiting it would be for extra freight services to be established, should I put Lode Star on such services?"

"Hmm... Until you can get more engines, I'd say yes. Since it is a 4-6-0, it will have plenty of pulling power. And given the fact that this coal you have me running on is in a totally different league compared to British coal, and Lode Star was designed for British coal, any freight you have it pull will more than likely be a fast one because of how well Lode Star will be able to steam."

Luna smiled. "In that case, it be beneficial to put Lode Star into service tomorrow?"

"Absolutely."

"I will keep that in mind."

"You know, Luna," Celestia began. "I never thought you would be so interested in railways. I thought you would be interested in more proper tasks."

Luna chuckled. "You can blame Truro for that, sister. Lightly managing the railways has given me a true daytime purpose in Equestria."

"Lightly?"

"And as for you Edward," Luna began as she rubbed the side of my cab with a hoof. "You are helping me bring Equestria into a new, modernized age."

"I..." I paused, processing the information. "...never even thought about that."

"And to think the so-called 'old-fashioned princess' is the one working to modernize Equestria," Thomas joked.

Luna rolled her eyes. "Did Cadance tell you stories about me?"

"Yes she did. How did you know?"

"Because nopony else would have."

"Ah."

"Now, onto a different matter," Celestia said. "Edward, what is your opinion on being... 'revealed' tomorrow?"

I looked down at my buffers. "...I'm not sure."

"Do you think we're being too hasty with this? It is only your third day in Equestria."

“Again, I’m not sure. On one hand, it would be good to start working during daylight hours. No offense Luna but I don’t fancy seeing myself as a night runner.”

“None taken,” Luna said.

“But on the other hand, it does seem a little rushed. Another day would be nice, but I don’t want to stay in the shed telling stories all the time. I may be good at it but that doesn’t mean I like doing it all day.”

“...”

We stopped at the Ponyville station. It took a few minutes to unload and load cargo, the men- sorry, ponies working the station once again grateful for the service. They locked up the vans in a timely manner, and we departed likewise.

“You know,” I began. “Even though you’re telling all the ponies who see us to keep quiet, rumors are going to spread.”

Celestia pursed her lips. “Yes... Rumors have already begun to spread throughout Canterlot of a so-called ‘strange blue locomotive with a face on the front’.”

I smiled. “Then I say we do it. I can get some sleep, and we can reveal me sometime in the afternoon. What time were you two thinking?”

Celestia and Luna looked at each other, surprised at my enthusiasm.

“Well, we were thinking noon,” Luna said.

“Then we’ll do it at noon.”

“...Are you absolutely sure?” Celestia asked.

“I’m positive,” I replied.

“Only fools are positive.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive! Wai- I FELL FOR IT! I should have known!”

Luna burst out laughing, which contagiously made Thomas laugh. “That is the first time anyone has gotten that response correct!”

I chuckled as I began to climb the steep grade up to Canterlot. “In all seriousness, yes. I’m sure. Let’s do it.”

“Then let us get some sleep and prepare for your unveiling,” Luna said.

To be honest, I was just hoping this unveiling thing wasn’t going to take too long. I wanted to get to work. These towns needed freight services. And both Lode Star and myself were going to have to provide them with them.