Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Smoke choked the azure as its spread left little of the blue sky. Thunder clapped and rumbled across the heavens above, and only the bravest of animals skittered across the earth. Thanks to Fluttershy's efforts, multiple woodland critters of the land and air dutifully performed recon on the terrain ahead as Dash remained within her cloud nest, eyes vigilant on the storms around. They widened at the sight of an airship and she called a warning down below.

With quick urgency, Thomas and Applejack dove to the side of the road, allowing the tree top and their personal cloud to provide cover as the airship lazily floated by. Not a single word was spoken as all held their breath. Once the ship had fully passed, Dash signaled the all-clear.

"That's the fifth one in the last hour, and all came from the direction of the train yard ahead. We should double back and find an alternate station." Sunset warned, heaving a sigh and wiping a trail of sweat away.

Psalms turned his head towards the receding airship, its figure shrinking by the second. "We're almost there, we can at least check it out before writing it off. Doubling back now is an unnecessary risk."

"I see the piled-up luggage and abandoned carts up ahead, Psalms," Thomas called from the front. "I'm parking this wagon to the side, let Fluttershy's friends finish their work."

"Roger." Psalms turned to the shy pegasus, who opted to hide amidst her mane, "How much longer till they come back, Shy?"

"Uh, erm," Fluttershy adopted a nervous mask. She looked this way and that, watching for any of her furry friends. She spotted movement along the bark of a tree and was happy to be pounced upon by a chipmunk. It crawled to her ear and whispered its report through its chittery tongue. "Uh-huh...uh-huh...*Gaps!* Oh no! There are ponies over by the station, but the beasts have them in chains! There's one airship docked, and they are almost done loading the prisoners!"

The chipmunk chittered some more before hopping off the pony and rushing back into the woods. "It's safe to move, just be careful."

They didn't need to be told twice. Applejack and Thomas resumed the trek. As they closed the distance, they could see the billowing of smoke from an airship that was obscured by the station itself. The duo settled for a forest alcove to hide the wagon.

Thomas was quick to unhitch himself. "Pslams with me. The rest of you stay here." Nopony offered any objections and the two humans were quick to reach the exterior of the ticket booths. Rounding the corner, they framed themselves against the wall as the enemy airship and its prisoners came within view.

Chained together and ushered in single file lines, multiple rows of ponies and a few other species were being led into the bowels of the gasbag. It would appear that the airships they had seen earlier had been ferrying prisoners as well, as the remaining prisoner columns held very few souls. Off to the duo's side was a docked train, one that wasn't there yesterday. Thomas found himself pleasantly surprised. "Looks like we got lucky. I honestly didn't think we'd find another train over here."

Psalms reflected his gaze back to the prisoners. "Lucky for us. Not for them, unfortunately."

"They brought this train to us, that's all that matters. Hmm, looks like we're extra lucky, they're almost done loading 'em up."

It took an additional five minutes before the last of the prisoners were finally loaded. The storm beasts meandered for a bit before they too started boarding the ship, but not before throwing a mild wrench into the ponies' plan.

"Ah, crap," Thomas cursed, "looks like they're leaving a garrison." Sure enough, the airship began to ascend, leaving a small retinue of twelve storm beasts. An elite unit by the looks of it, with each wielding a spear and magic-resistant shield. For whatever reason, they remained within the outer area with little care to move to the station. Yet. "Twelve. Armed, but lackluster. Not great, not terrible. If they stay right there, we could easily get the train moving before they know what hit them."

Sure enough, it did. "But, I doubt they're gonna stick around in the heat. Those things look built for winter conditions, they'll be moving into the shade any moment. If we're taking the train, we have to take them down. Can't risk them notifying the whole invasion fleet either." Psalms was in agreement and the two retreated back to the others.

"Good news and bad news. Which do you guys want first?" Psalms called out to them as they reached the wagon.

"Good news? Good news!? I like good news! oh goodie-goodie-goodie! What is it!?" Pinkie vibrantly requested.

"Good news is that there is a train docked within one of the ports. We can easily steer the wagon to its side and begin unloading the cargo, which is exactly what I need you, Fluttershy, and Spike to do in a moment. The rest of you will be helping deal with the bad news." Psalms informed.

"Twelve elite storm beasts. Each with an anti-magic shield and spears. Right now they're out in the open and in a perfect position for Dash to deliver a surprise attack." Thomas explained.

"A surprise attack? Now we're talking, what's the plan?" Dash asked, anticipation filling her eyes and itching her wings.

Thomas motioned for all participating members to gather around as he grabbed a stick with his magic and began making figures on the dirt floor. Pinkie and Fluttershy latched themselves to the wagon and strode towards the train, Spike in tow. "I need you to gather together a sizable storm cloud. Psalms saw fit to explain more of your abilities to me earlier so you'll be our shock and awe. Hover directly over their gathering and deliver as many lightning kicks as you can onto the group. If we're lucky, the lightning should knock them out and we'll be done in ten seconds flat. Your specialty, or so I have been told." Dash winked his direction.

"If not," Thomas resumed, "then we'll go for the tried and true approach. Overwhelm them with arcane and brute force. I've already seen Sunset in action but I'm not too sure about you two." Thomas indicated to Twilight and Rarity.

"I admit, combat is not my forte, but I still have a magic spell or two that will assist in the heat of the moment. If push comes to shove, I am not averse to getting my hooves dirty. And you need not worry about Twilight, darling. She is the Element of Magic after all, she can handle these brutes for sure."

Psalms and Thomas shared a look before nodding together, both satisfied with their team's qualifications. "Alright then. Applejack, Rarity, and I," Thomas called out as he drew their figures into the dirt, "we three will remain on the station's outer property, and hide along the exterior edge of the ticket booths; once the battle commences, our job is to ensure that none of the beasts retreat in our direction for cover." The two natives nodded in understanding. Thomas then drew a thin trail that circled around the beasts drawing, "Sunset, Twilight, and Psalms will flank through the trees and establish a semi-circle formation, cutting off any potential retreat into the forest and peppering them however they can. If all of this works out, we'll have them completely surrounded. Dash, the moment they break apart, you're free to engage whoever. Everyone know their stations? Any questions?"

Thomas reflected in his mind all the moments he had dealing with the creatures, compiling and sorting the information into brief notes. "They have exterior armor plating along the shoulders and chest and their mask or face or whatever is tough as nails. Their shields are anti-magic so watch your magic beams. They can take a beating too. Oh and watch out for ones hauling satchels, they carry those petrification grenades."

"What if they're too tough to defeat?" Twilight asked, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Then we buy Pinkie and the other two enough time to get the supplies onboard. You're the smartest among our group, supposedly, so you'll have to figure out how to get the train running."

"Maybe we should load the cargo and get the train prepped before going through with this attack?" Sunset suggested.

"No time," Thomas relayed with an added shake of his head, "they're in prime positioning for Dash's attack and the longer we wait the sooner they got off their as-er I mean flanks, and make for a greater defensible position. We strike fast and hard or not at all. Enough questions, get to your places, break!" With that, each pony was quick to maneuver to their designated areas.

Thomas, Applejack, and Rarity were the first in position, gaining confirmation that the group of beasts had yet to move and that the plan was still a go. It took a couple of minutes for the other three to reach their spots as the edge of the forest was farther away from the beasts than the station, but it worked out all the same as Dash finished her storm collecting just as they reached their designated areas.

Dash gave them an additional minute before making her move. Quick as her namesake, The storm cloud was positioned directly over the storm beasts who were slow to realize the coming danger. With a flap of her wings and a jolt of thrust, Dash came crashing down onto the cloud, all hooves pivoted against its electric surface.

The flash of lightning struck true as several of the beasts lit up like Christmas trees. The booming thunder was an added bonus, leaving various beasts to cusp their ears and drop their tools, something that each magic user capitalized on as they seized the shields and spears amidst the beginning chaos. Another strike of lightning landed amidst them, eliciting more grunts and roars of pain.

Before the third lightning strike commenced, the beasts grew wise and dispersed before the attack could be made. It came as an additional surprise when the few remaining beasts with spears aimed directly at the cloud and unleashed magic lasers of their own. Dash was quick to vacate as the storm cloud was punched full of holes.

And thus the ambush phase was completed. Seven of the beasts had been relieved of their tools, the other five fully armed, and all twelve dazed and bruised. From the forest, all three magic users emerged, closing the gap and unleashing all manners of magical might.

Witnessing an opportunity in the making, Thomas was quick to prevent Rarity or Applejack from emerging and joining the fight, at least not so soon. With all prominent magic users assaulting the beasts from one direction, they were quick to leave themselves exposed from the rear, all eyes fixated upon the forest. That was when the time to strike came. Applejack was the first to emerge, lasso flailing away, she hooked the rearmost beast around its neck and began to drag it away into the forest, its cohorts none the wise.

Hoisting one of their shields within his magical grasp, Thomas began his charge against another isolated member. With all his strength, Thomas flung the shield like Captain America against the beast's feet, toppling it to the ground where he immediately began pounding both front hooves repeatedly against its skull, not letting up until it was down for good. Only then did the creatures realize the true extent of their situation.

They were quick to reorganize against their assailants, prioritizing three of their armed forces to maintain a ranged conflict against the magic users as the rest focused on the weaker pony group. Sunset and Twilight were able to maintain their magical assault while withstanding the enemy's returned fire, but Psalms wasn't so well-versed in magical combat. Fatigue soon found itself within him and he was forced to retreat for cover from enemy fire. Twilight and Sunset tried to compensate for him, but with having to dodge incoming lasers and focus on their own targets, they could do nothing as the third armed beast advanced toward Psalms' position. It was then that Dash rejoined the fight, swooping and diving and distracting the beast however she could.

On the other side, Rarity was providing Thomas and herself with magic cover as the enemy bombarded their position with lasers. With both suppressed, The remaining unarmed beasts flanked the duo, arms stretched out and ready to capture additional prisoners... well that was the plan until they made contact with the enemy.

Bursting from the forest, Applejack remade her entrance as she hooked another beast around the feet and began dragging with all her strength. Her surprise attack startled her victim, who promptly latched onto another beast, leaving both to be dragged around through the dirt and muck. Applejack wasn't the only thing to burst from the forest as a large swarm of squirrels and chipmunks bum-rushed directly onto one of the beasts, leaving it flailing and screaming in a panic. Their initial plan shattered, the remaining two unarmed beasts began a hasty retreat but Thomas was having none of it.

"Rarity!" Catching her attention, he gestured his head towards the two beasts maintaining fire on them, "Keep those two occupied! These are mine." Hoisting another shield, he charged into the fray. One brave beast stepped up to the plate and met Thomas head-on. It latched onto the shield which Thomas relinquished upon contact, before turning towards the other one. Using his magic, he scooped up a handful of dirt and threw it straight into the beast's eyes. The thing let out a roar of pain and began to furiously rub at its face, delaying its intervention in the fight.

Turning back to his first foe, Thomas wasn't surprised to find himself on the back foot as the beast re-equipped the shield, using it to bash at him from every angle. The one drawback for the beast was the size of the shield that effectively left it blind whenever it commenced its bash attack, something Thomas was hoping to take advantage of. Ducking and dodging, bobbing and weaving, the beast went with another bash, but upon recovering, it was perplexed to find its opponent unaccounted for. Flanking to its right, Thomas delivered a swift kick to its knee joint, bringing the creature down. He was quick to pin himself against the beast and with all his magic might, yanked upon the arm holding the shield. Roars of pain filled the air and the creature relented soon enough. Heaving the shield into the air, Thomas brought it down with all remaining arcane strength, successfully conking it out.

Thomas was left in a lethargic state but had enough juice for one mighty kick to the groin upon the other assailant who had yet to recover from his dirty trick. With a shrill cry, it too fell for good. A cry from Rarity alerted Thomas to her failing state as her magic shield beheld many cracks, doomed to fall at any moment. With one last gust of energy, Thomas propelled himself before her, shield in tow, and began weathering the barrage as the last of her magic collapsed.

The two beasts rangled by Applejack had had enough as they fished within their pouches for grenades. One 'nade found purchase upon her lasso, that petrified it on the spot, ceasing her little round-up. The two beasts stumbled back onto their feet and soon enough began a barrage against Applejack as she struggled to evade their projectiles.

Rainbow Dash was a flurry of motion, delivering taunts and attacks equally as her foe was too slow to retaliate. As much endurance and speed as she had, she was lacking in strength and power as her moves did little against tough hide and armor. But that mattered little as her goal was to buy Psalms time to recover and finish the fight. It took Psalms a minute or two to fully capture his breath, but once he was ready, he primed his horn with all the magic he could muster into one mega-magic beam. He allowed his mana to reach critical levels, settled himself into the perfect firing position, and waited for Dash to give him his shot.

Dash swirled one last time around the creature before stopping directly in front of its face, blew a raspberry, then high-tailed away as Psalms took aim and fired. It tried in vain to raise its shield in time, but the magic struck before it could, leaving it flailing through the air and down onto the railroad tracks. Psalms slumped against a tree, all energy drained, and had only enough to barely remain conscious. His fight was over.

The remaining beasts began to waiver amidst their falling numbers and clever foes. Fear and desperation began to take hold as they struggled to maintain cohesion. As if things weren't bad enough for them, the magic spears from the two facing Twilight and Sunset ceased firing their laser, battery having been drained much to their panic. Driven to desperation, the remaining six combat-effective beasts regrouped into a tight circle formation, hoping to cover each other's flanks and weather the assault.

A distant boom echoed from the direction of the train station and a large shadow began to morph around the beast's last stand which grew darker by the second. Within a flash, a cake the size of a boulder landed a direct bullseye, ending the battle with a sugary finish.

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie!" Several called out, eliciting shouts and cheers from said pony, her signature party cannon smoking beside her.

The last remaining beast, the one who had remained completely covered in woodland critters the entire time, continued to flail and scream like a girl before he slammed himself cold upon the bark of a tree. No critters were harmed in the process.

Aside from fatigue and a few scrapes, the group had come out none the worse. "Tired, but ok," Sunset reassured. Her eyes surveyed the battlefield. "Is that all of them? Did we get them all?" She turned back to Applejack. "What happened to the first one?"

"I saw another one flying onto the tracks. I'll make sure it's down for good." Thomas called out, leaving the others as he ventured away.

Turns out he didn't have to stray too far as the beast barely managed to get back on its feet by the time he rounded the corner. Its senses were dulled and broken as it swayed from side to side drunkenly on its limp, wandering around aimlessly. It saw Thomas and lethargically equipped a blue potion within its claws, raised it as if to strike him down, then promptly collapsed onto its back, the blue potion broken and its contents spilled, blinking away before its luminescence darkened completely. Careful to avoid the unknown potion, Thomas sidestepped till he was by the creature's head and delivered one kick to the noggin, just to be sure. "Well...that's that."

Ponyville was a bust. Whether the reports were true or not, all three targets had managed to escape despite no exfiltration from the castle which suggested teleportation. Tempest couldn't help but *tsk* at her time being wasted. She spared one last glance at the petrified mirror before taking her leave.

There were no clues as to wherever they could have possibly gone and the magic needed to whip up a breadcrumb trail from the lingering teleport energy was beyond her skills or power. The journal on the pedestal was equally useless. From what she could gather, a pony or two tried to enlist the help of one of the princess's friends, the mirror before her being a portal of a sort. It's how they escaped no doubt, rigged one of the grenades to detonate once they crossed over denying further access. Equestria officially had guerilla fighters running amuck, and if they manage to reach the Princess and her group, well that was an additional headache she didn't need at the moment.

Teleporting back onto the deck of her command ship, another headache presented itself as Grubber waddled before her. "You find anything down there?"

Tempest treaded past him without sparing a glance. "Get the ship moving, we've wasted enough time."

"So, I take it that's a no?" Tempest was quick to flash her anger, sparks flying from her horn. Arms flying up, Grubber cowered before her might. "BecauseIjustrecievednewspleasedon'thurtme!"

Tempest's snarl lingered at the lowly creature for a moment more before her features visibly calmed as she released a heavy sigh, "Report!"

Grubber visibly gulped before responding back. "W-we just got a call from one of our forward groups but there was no connection established. We tried calling back, but we've received no response."

"The train station mentioned in the alicorn report. News is we just finished rounding up pony prisoners before leaving a contingent behind. No word from them since."

Tempest cast her gaze along the south. Airships dotted the sky and more were turning up by the second. "How long until we arrive?"

Grubber took a minute to count on his appendages. "...An hour, forty-ish minutes if we set engines to maximum overdri-"

"Ah- right, of course." Grubber turned to relay her orders but hesitated for a moment, then turned back to Tempest, "I-uh took the liberty of issuing the order for all nearby ships to condense onto their location."

"Oh, really now? Done stuffing yourself like a pig and finally flexing some command now, hmm? There may be hope for you yet." Tempest stated as she pushed past Grubber's flabbergasted expression and descended down the bowels of the airship.

The heavy cackles of the commander reverberated from beyond the dark entrance and her echoing words frazzled Grubber's nerves. "In your dreams. Know your place, rodent."

The hogtied beast, the first to go down, was thrown into the closet with the other eleven before the door slammed shut and was magically locked. "That's the last one. Gotta say, I'm impressed with your tactical skills. Were you part of the human army or what?" Sunset fished around as she and Thomas exited the interior of the train station building. The battle had finished roughly half an hour ago, and in that time all the cargo was successfully loaded, enemy tools confiscated, and final preparations for departure were underway.

"Heh, nah... I wish, but it takes a lot of... time and patience to get a job like that, and I'm also not cut out for that kind of stress. I play a lot of video games; military games, strategy games, and mil-sim games, enough that you could consider me an armchair general. I guess all that 'wasted time' is finally paying off, suck it, Dad." Thomas finished with a small grin.

"Well, I believe I speak for everypony when I say your experience is most appreciated." She flashed him a smile, one that he reciprocated a moment later.

The duo made their way toward a small gathering that lingered just outside the train's driver cabin. Thomas steered himself toward Applejack, "You guys manage to uncouple the excess cars?"

"Eyup," She confirmed, "Even managed to reattach the caboose onto the end. Train now consists of the driver's cabin, a single car, an' the caboose. Cargo's nice an' secure in the middle."

"Eh," Spike shook his claw in the air, "depends upon Twilight. She's got the controls sorted out for the most part, just need to figure how to get it started and we’ll be outta here."

Thomas set his sights along the train's exterior, "This is a steam train, right? Don't they use coal as fuel?"

"Yeah, we got that figured out." Spike thumbed behind him at the boiler compartment. "Pinkie volunteered as the shoveler. We're just having trouble with the start-up procedures, once she knows, we'll-" Interrupting his moment, several clangs and clicks echoed from the engine compartment which was followed by a slow build-up of train chugs. "-...be on our way."

The harsh cry of the train whistle filled the air as Pinkie stuck her head out the cabin window, "AAALLL ABOARD! NEXT STOP, APPLE LOOOOOSA!"

"Pinkie!" Applejack exclaimed, ready to give the party pony some words but was interrupted as several claps of thunder drowned out all sound, even the chugs from the train. Several members gasped as the sky cleared away to reveal several enemy airships at varying distances but each steadily making their way. Careening out of control from above, Rainbow made a crash landing against the train tracks. "Rainbow Dash!" Applejack exclaimed as she and the others rushed to her spot and helped the pegasus up off the ground.

Said pegasus hacked out a coughing fit before responding. "So many ships, they came outta nowhere! I tried to warn you guys but they shot me down before I could."

"Everypony on the train, now!" Sunset called from the main car. All the others were too eager to comply. Once everybody had successfully boarded, Sunset sealed the cabin doors shut and locked. "Everyponies accounted for!" She shouted towards the front, "Full steam ahead! ...Hah, I've always wanted to say that... Pinkie! Shovel duty, double-time!"

"Oki-doki-loki! Wee-hee! Just keep Shoveling, just keep shoveling..." The blasts of several more thunderclaps rocked the train's car.

"Those lightning guns are causing quite the racket! We are safe here in this car, right?" Rarity worried.

Stick around, they did not as the train picked up gradual speed, leaving the trainyard and their pursuers farther and farther behind, but they weren't out of the woods yet. Airships all across the southern area of Equestria had been ordered to their coordinates, but upon spotting the train and its smoke trail, each and every one of them diverted to intercept, most beyond reach, some perfectly positioned.

*CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP* The airships thundered away as the train passed them by. Their tesla cannons proved more than useless against the train's metal frame which absorbed the shocks. Seeing their failure, others tried using remote explosives, but that required them to position directly over the train and time their drops, something beyond the capabilities of the storms beasts as they time and again dropped their load too early or too late.

Nevertheless, the explosives posed a major threat to the train and its crew. One lucky hit and their train would be disabled for good. "We have to take those airships down! We can't risk having the engine damaged!" Thomas bellowed over the exploding chaos.

"How!?" Sunset cried out, "Dash is in no condition to go flying around! Why don't you go!? You got wings!"

Thomas took a moment to reflect upon his leathery wings before turning back to Sunset, frustration radiating from his face. "I can't! I don't know how to fly!"

Sunset blinked once, then twice, then her face exploded in a myriad of emotions. "What!? What do you mean you can't fly!? Are you kidding me right now!?"

"Can't you just shoot some lasers and pop them!?" Thomas tapped his hoof to Sunset's horn several times for added emphasis.

She was quick to swat his arm away, annoyance at clear display. "I already tried! Their fabric is tough as scales!"

Thomas's eyes brightened as an idea came forth. "What about overcharging your shots!? Like Psalms did back at the trainyard!"

Sunset made to argue but paused at the last second, leaned out a window, and primed her horn with an overcharging shot. She aimed for the one ship causing the most noise and fired away. Her overcharged magic was slightly slower than her regular shots, but its increased power made a world of difference as her target popped and began a hard descent off to the side.

Sunset turned back to Thomas with a wide smile but it was quickly replaced with worry. "Overcharging works, but I'll burn myself out with another shot or two, maybe three. You're free to give it a go with your own horn."

"Eh, not viable. I'm more a 'might' than 'magic' kind of guy... hey, what about the spears, think we can overcharge them?" Thomas asked as he and Sunset trotted over to the stockpile of enemy equipment. Hoisting one within his magic, Thomas surveyed every inch until spotting an internal spring switch along the interior of the rod body. Winding the spring until fully compressed, sparks started to emit from the head of the spear. Sharing a devilish look and grin with Sunset, he leaned out the car window and aimed ahead at the nearest airship. With a squeeze of the switch, the spear shot forth a fat laser rippling with arcane power that tore straight threw the airship's gasbag, leaving it to crash adjacent to the train tracks. Whoops and cheers sounded off within the car.

Tempest's flagship busted through the cloud cover obscuring the train station below. Already, several ships were docked with their troops out and about roaming every inch below. From so far up above, they looked like swarming ants, but Tempest had her sights focused elsewhere. Chugging away toward the south, the Princess was quick to make a speedy exit within her locomotive. Run, run, run, little princess. You'll trip on your dress soon enough.

*Crunch* *Munch* *Munch* *Munch* Grubber ruined the moment as he gorged himself upon a bag of chips. If it weren't for the fact the little weasel was the only one who could understand the storm beasts, Tempest would've ejected him off her ship years ago. Maneuvering to intercept, allied airships began bombarding the train with their tesla cannons. "Oh! We got them on the ropes now! Ha-ha-ha!" He took another fistful of chips and jammed them into his face-hole, eliciting an eye-roll from Tempest.

As the minutes passed, the effectiveness of the cannons proved inefficient. "Stupid beasts. Can't they see they're dealing no damage!? Switch to black powder barrels. Knock that train off its treads."

Grubber was quick to fish out the scrying spell and through a series of roars and grunts issued the new order. "Don't you think that's a little excessive?"

"If this princess wants to actually put up a fight, then I'm game. How long until they reach the next settlement?"

Grubber consulted with a nearby beast before answering back. "The thing is they're moving fast, too fast, so maybe... eight minutes?"

"Perfect. Get in contact with the next settlement's forces. We're going to rig them a surprise." Tempest finished with a growing grin.

Up in the driver's cabin, Twilight was hard at work eyeing each system and ensuring the engine ran in one piece all the while applying magic shields over the cabin whenever bombs strayed too close for comfort. Psalms was busy reading the map and pinpointing their exact location and estimating the time until they reached Apple Loosa. Spike stood upon the train's dashboard, keeping an eye for any airships ahead and providing calls outs whenever necessary. A bright flash lit up the entire cabin, and a moment later, one of the airships popped like a balloon, crashing into the earth and trees. Shouts and whoops echoed from the train car.

"Alright, we're making good time, great time actually. If my calculations are correct, we'll pass Apple Loosa, speed in between the Macintosh Hills, roll right along Rolling Rock Ridge, and reach the edge of the Badlands within fifteen minutes at the most. This train must be more advanced or efficient than the last because Apple Loosa is already directly ahead and we just barely left the station."

"That, or Pinkie is a really great shoveller," Spike thumbed at the posterior chamber.

Twilight examined the engine's readings, whispering to herself all the while before finally turning to the two. "We need to slow down, we're putting on too much steam. The boilers are reaching critical levels and if we push too far, we risk a complete shutdown or bypass all safety measures and leave the train speeding until it explodes."

"At the rate we're burning, five minutes. We have to hemorrhage steam now." Twilight reached one of the emergency valves and began twisting until she was interrupted by the cabin door exploding open.

"Twilight! Twilight!" Fluttershy cried out as she skitted to a halt before said alicorn, a falcon remain perched upon her mane. "You have to slow the train down! Up ahead in Apple Loosa, they've rigged the tracks to-" *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* Went the railroad in bright fiery mushroom clouds, "-...explode," Fluttershy squeaked.

Silence descended upon the cabin as each member slowly registered how dire the situation became. They...they blew up the train tracks? Disbelief flashed across Psalms' face, disbelief and growing dread. They blew the tracks... they blew the... how are we going to get past? How are we going to make it to the desert now...did I fuck us completely?

"Hey! What happened, what were those explosions?" Thomas asked as he and the rest of the ponies crowded into the cabin. The silence hung thick as their expected answer never came. Thomas flicked his eyes between Psalms and Twilight in increasing irritation. "...Well!?"

"Blew the tracks?" Thomas parroted. He scanned around the cabin until he found a pair of binoculars and ascended to the roof hatch. Popping it open, it took him a minute to focus the lens onto the town ahead. Sure enough, jagged metal and burning wood were all that was left of the tracks rapidly approaching. Having his fill, he descended back down to the cabin, was at a loss for words, and opted to fling the binocs against the floor, startling the others. Sweat began to drip down his face and his breath began to run wild as internal emotions warred against his calm facade. He reigned them all back as he turned to the only two who could provide answers. "Well... shit...now what?"

All eyes turned to Psalms and Twilight, both of which held their silence. "The train was my only plan. Unless we can all be teleported far enough away, we'll never escape on foot."

"A mass teleport of this large of a group is very much ill-advised. Unless you want to split us up and risk an easier capture, but that would require us to slow the train to a stop..." Sunset adorned a forlorn mask. "...but at this point, we don't have a choice, do we? Any other ideas?"

"We could...no.... oh-oh! We could....no...oh-oh! We could.... ah never mind." Pinkie tried in vain to brainstorm but eventually, her resolve fell along with her mane and tail, both drooping limply.

Nopony else was forthcoming with answers... that is until, "...Why don't we just...lift the train over the damaged tracks?"

All eyes turned toward Thomas. "I mean, we can lift shit with these things, right? We have three alicorns present and sure we don't have a lot of practice with magic, but me and Psalms have a good enough handle on telekinesis. With our combined magic and the train at top speed, we would only need to float the train for a few seconds at the most. ...It's not great and it's incredibly stupid, but it is a feasible plan... right? ...Guys?"

Scattered mutterings littered the cabin, draining Thomas's enthusiasm, but they were drowned out by the sputtering of steam from one of the valves. Twilight was quick to rectify the breach. She checked the gauges and sputtered a small yelp before redirecting her gaze to the blown tracks ahead, panic running rampant in her eyes. "There's no more time to plan! We'll just have to make it work!" She shifted her gaze between each pony as she called them out. "Thomas, Rarity, you two oversee the caboose! Sunset will take the main car and Psalms and I will handle the cabin! On my mark, we apply all magic to the train, don't hold back for a second, now go! Everypony else, hang on tight!"

Each member was quick to scramble to their places, panic having taken hold of everyone's minds... well except for Pinkie, who was having the time of her life shoveling more coal into the furnace... somebody probably should've told her to stop... ah well.

Sweat dripped down the face of Psalms as the first of Apple Loosa's buildings passed them by, broken tracks closing in by the mile. "You know, Twilight, I didn't think things would get this out of control."

"You're telling me, I never planned on being a Princess in all my life, but here I am!" Without warning, thunder and explosive barrels assaulted each side of the train as it reached ever close to imminent doom. The attack was sudden and without cohesion which crescendoed in a near instant, all the while their accuracy was literally all over the place.

Psalms couldn't hold in his laugh as the barrage reached its zenith. "Their attack screams desperation! They must've thought we'd be cowed to their bluff!"

A barrel that came way too close for comfort exploded just outside the front of the cabin, rocking the room and its occupants down to the floor. "I'm happy to prove them wrong!" Twilight blurted out, a near-manic smile on her face.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* Went the railroad in bright fiery mushroom clouds. Checkmate, Princess. Good game, better than the other three, but that isn't saying much. "All forces in that town are to converge onto the track and establish a perimeter immediately upon its stop. I want all airships on overwatch and have the Grenadiers prepped and ready for boarding action. The alicorns are mine, petrify all the rest."

Grubber was quick to issue her orders. "Huh, so that's it then, nowhere to go. Game over."

Tempest released a snort. "Even a blind you could see the writing on the wall, and they know this. They will slow down."

Tempest's eye twitched as her teeth slipped into a snarl and rage threatened to boil to the surface before it was simmered cool within an instant. She heaved a heavy breath and blew it very slowly, calming her singed nerves. "There is nowhere for them to go. Nowhere for them to run. They have no plan. They are completely surrounded and outnumbered. It. Is. Over. ....Any second now."

"RRRAAUUUGGGGHHH!" Tempest roared into the open air, broken horn flaring and sputtering, her inner rage manifested in uncontrolled mana strikes upon her deck. "FIRE EVERYTHING AT THEM! EVERYTHING! TOPPLE THAT TRAIN DOWN! THEY WILL NOT ESCAPE!"

Their window of time was drawing to a close. "Everypony Ready!?" Twilight screamed out amid the chaos. "Thomas, Rarity!?"

The caboose was distant and the raging exterior cacophony hampered their voices but the duo had heard them loud and clear and shouted their answer with all their might. "Ready!"

"Ready!" She responded, a small smirk of confidence at her mouth's edge. It did little to hide her inner nervousness.

Psalms was wide-eyed for a moment before he took her hoof and offered his own smile. "Ready."

"Alright, everypony!" Twilight reflected on the broken tracks ahead, her mind racing with running calculations and following formulas that would ensure their survival. "...Three!"

"Fire everything! Yes, everything! ...No! No, not the cake!" Grubber yelled into his scrying spell.

Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash reinforced themselves into the corner of the main car using several boxes and crates as a makeshift barricade. Spike locked himself into the furnace and Pinkie...Pinkie was living in the moment.

Under Tempest's direct orders, All of Apple Loosa's garrison was stationed on the tracks, waiting to surround the train that was reportedly slowing down. The bullet train before them didn't look the least bit slow, a fact the beasts were, for their sake, quick to pick up on. Chaos descended among the ranks and each beast was left to fend for itself as they trampled over one another.

"In case we somehow mess this all up, I wish to express my thanks, for being my gallant knight from the battle before. Thank you." Rarity cuffed a hoof to Thomas's cheek and brought him close to deliver a kiss upon it.

Upon being released, Thomas remained still for only a moment before stammering and sputtering his words, earning a giggle from Rarity. "...Uh...uh, yeah, yeah, no problem. A-any time...wait, this doesn't mean you're gonna give me some cutesy name, are you?"

"...What are you doing?" Tempest whispered to herself. Disbelief overpowered all rage within Tempest as she tried to comprehend the very scene playing before her eyes.

Twilight and Psalsm shared one last look and a squeeze between their hoofs. "...NOW!"

The screams of all magic users filled the air as they struggled to lift the thousand-ton hunks of iron and steel. Gravity punished them for every waking moment. Eyes bulged and veins were nearly popping, but continue the struggle, all did.

The sound of screeching metal verberated from the caboose, its angle at a noticeable incline, leaving it dragging across the earth.

"Thomas!" Rarity screeched, sweat dripping from every pore and mascara running down her face along with a fresh stream of tears, even a little dribble of blood leaked from her nostrils. Thomas fared no better. "We...can't...slack! ...Lift...harder!"

Never before had Thomas felt such strain on his body, mind, or soul. The weight was crushing, bone-breaking, soul-rending... but push harder he did, enough to pop a blood vessel or several, leaving his eyes to gain a whole new level of crimson. With another cry of pain and effort, The caboose shifted its position just enough to fix the crooked angle.

Back in the front cabin, Twilight stifled her cries and cleared away the tears from her face, allowing her a clear view of undamaged tracks ahead. She held her breath, counting down the seconds until the caboose would clear the last of the damage...then their moment finally came. Her voice was gone at that point so she simply released her hold of the train. With her support lost, the others lasted not a millisecond longer.

A slight screech from the wheels reconnecting and... blissful silence, train chugs aside.

Twilight was gulping breaths down like no tomorrow and her horn was literally ablaze. A few flaps of her wings and the fire was put out. Beside her, Psalms was sprawled across the floor, limp as a fish and... completely unmoving. Worry flooded her fiery veins as his chest failed to contract. She waited for a moment, then another, then panic overtook her as she rushed to his side. Sure enough, he wasn't breathing, and terror threatened to overtake her senses but she reigned it back in and recounted all her medical knowledge.

Following the basic procedure, she applied both hooves to his sternum and rigorously began pumping, calling his name out each time, hoping his eyes would fly open at the pain. Thirty chest compression, calling his name in whispers each time as her throat had nothing more to offer. She did not hesitate upon moving to the secondary motion. Leaning all the way down, she cupped his lips to hers, delivered two breaths, and waited a moment for a response. Nothing. Rinse and repeat.

Psalms was standing in an endless plain, spanning beyond the eye's view, a virtual endless field of wheat. It felt safe, it felt familiar, the Angel before him certainly was familiar. "Dismas. I must say, I didn't expect you so soon." An impish smile lay smothered across Sophia's features.

It took Psalms a moment for his brain to catch up with current events. "...I...I died? Again?"

"You are what they call 'clinically dead' but truthfully? No. Fear not, your flame is hard at work bringing you back."

"She has a most beautiful soul. Compassion... kindness... friendship... and so many more virtues. A being truly worthy of her gift."

Sophia gently cupped her hand to Psalms' cheek, bringing his eyes to bear upon hers. "Let doubt fester within your soul and fear will compel you away for good. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

A wave of air blasted through Psalms' corporeal form, then another, driving a breath into his lungs, leaving him gasping for more. "A little spark, conjoined between two hearts, may yet burn together for all eternity."

Psalms collapsed to the floor as more air flooded his lungs, His eyes grew dark and his mind turned foggy. "I wish you farewell and good luck, Little Light. Your journey has only just begun."

Twilight delivered a breath and as she cupped her lips to his once more his eyes flew open and he choked upon the air she delivered, racking a coughing fit as his lungs burned. Tears flowed freely from her face as she and Psalms embraced each other, neither having the voice to utter words.

There they sat for a minute as each gathered their strength and breath equally. With one last gulp, Psalms finally steadied his lungs. Nodded his appreciation to Twilight and both slowly pulled themselves off the ground, Hooves untangling as each braced themselves fully to the floor. Passing by the boiler compartment, Pinkie was back to shoveling away at the coal. She offered a mock nod and salute before giggling to herself and resumed her work.

Limping into the main car, The floor was a mess. Their supplies lay littered across the floor and a few boxes had broken open, scattering their contents to all corners. Applejack nursed a nasty bruise on her forehead while going around with Spike and tried in vain to clean the car. In one corner laid Rainbow Dash, and another with Sunset who sat drenched head to hoof in sweat and a little bile of which Fluttershy was hard at work cleaning her right up. The triumphant smile on her face was all they needed to know about her status. With each face they met, they could only offer a tilted head or quirked brows and in return received a variety of 'I'm good' body gestures.

The cabooses door was wide open, providing the two a clear view of Rarity, napkin in hoof and Thomas in her lap. She went to work smearing away the dirt and grime and other less savory stains as he drifted away into a deep slumber.

Twilight and Psalms shared a look before racking coughs afflicted the two. Coughs that soon turned into roaring laughter, that was joined in by the others one by one, until the train's own chugs were drowned out by their cackling. Whoops and cheers joined in, and the world soon was nothing but the sounds of celebration... until it wasn't.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* The impact of the tesla cannons drove away the good cheer and once again, it was action stations. "Aaahh! C'mon!" Dash cried out, much to the agreement of every other soul.

Twilight limped with all her might to the front cabin, taking a quick note at the ridge to their left. The Rolling Rocky Ridge, notoriously known for its rocky avalanches. Any disturbance was bound to bring down a boulder or two, and today would be no exception. She took note of the steam gauge and immediately blew out her spittle before rounding herself toward the boiler compartment. "Pinkie, stop! Stop! No more coal!"

Trudging back to the engine, she was quick to turn the emergency valves and bled the steam away. It was a miracle it hadn't shut down or blown up yet. As if there weren't enough problems, a great impact rattled the cabin which was followed by several blaring sirens. She and Psalms were quick to reach the dashboard, surveying the blinking lights and reading the warnings.

"Something damaged the interior of the engine." He scanned through the manual, quick to identify each flashing symbol and connect the dots, "A pipe's been ruptured... we're bleeding too much steam, if we don't fix this now we'll be dead on the tracks." Psalms relayed.

"Fix? Fix how!?" Twilight said in a panic as she checked, re-checked, and re-re-checked the engine and its steam gauges, indecision leaving her mind a muddy mess. "I barely understood the engine's manual, I'm not a mechanic!"

Psalms took a second to ponder his next move. Opening the interior engine crawl space, he was almost met with a blast of direct steam. Peering through, he could see the air visibly ripple and feel the scorching heat no doubt due to them overloading the system for so long. "...Spike! ...Spike!"

A moment later, Spike came clattering through the cabin, tripping himself over the many tools and items spilled from their brief flight. "I'm here! I'- oof... I'm here!"

Psalms motioned him over in quick succession, "You any good fixing things with a wrench and pipe?"

"Uh, erm, not really?" A shrug followed suit from the little forlorn lizard, but he was quick to brighten up, "Oh, actually yeah! I fixed a leak in a water main once! Even retrofitted a pipe! ...Well, actually I watched the repair pony retrofit the pipe, all I did was twist the screw tight. But other than that, I've never done maintenance."

"Well, what little experience you have is enough for me, and I have faith you're good at working and learning on the fly!" Psalms dug through the spare parts compartment and compared the pieces to those within the manual. Finding the one that looked ideal, he hefted the pipe and wrench into Spike's claws. "There's a ruptured pipe in the interior engine and it's leaking steam. You have to fix it or else we're doomed. No pressure." Psalms fixed him a weak smile.

*BOOM* *CRASH* "Because you're the only one who can stand the heat and a direct blast of steam! Because you're small enough to crawl through and install the part. Because you're our only hope now!" Psalms placed his hoof over the dragon's chest, giving him his biggest smile yet. "Because I believe in you. Everybody does, Ain't that right, Girls!?"

"I believe in you, Spike!" Twilight added her support, sharing a quick glance and smile despite her frazzled face and horrendous condition screaming otherwise. Voices from the main car and even as far as the caboose spilled their praises and cheers for the little guy.

Hearing the others add their support was enough to drive determination within his eyes. With a flick of his tail and a quick nod, Spike steeled himself and made a b-line for the interior engine hatch and soon disappeared behind a cloud of steam.

Taking a glance at the gauge, Psalms noted the quickly depleting power, even as the steam meter warned of its critical levels still. Not good, we need more power. Turning on his heel, Psalms made a dash for Pinkie, rounding himself to the boiler room, "Pinkie! We need more coal, start shoveling!"

In a flash, she straightened herself and offered a mock salute, an ever-increasing gesture the longer they spent on the train. "Oki-doki-loki!"

"No! Are you crazy!? Any more fuel and we risk blowing the engine! Pinkie, no more coal!" Twilight called from the cabin, too busy to leave her station.

Just as she was about to shove more fuel, Pinkie paused mid-haul and instead did a 180* and flung the coal back into the pile. "Ooki-doki-loki!"

Frustration boiled within Psalms, he applied a hoof to his face and began massaging it for a brief moment before calling out. "If we lose any more power we'll be sitting ducks!" Psalms redirected his gaze to his pink friend, "Pinkie, coal!"

Pinkie's mouth opened and closed several times, no doubt wishing to ask for clarification, before she shook her head away and plucked another shovel full of coal, "Oooki-dok-"

"Too much steam pressure and the engine emergency shutdown will kick in and we'll be guaranteed sitting ducks!" Twilight peaked her head into the cabin, sparing a moment to glare at the party pony. "No, Pinkie!" Her piece said, she ducked back out.

Irritation began to sprout on Pinkie as she once again dumped the load of coal onto the floor "Ok?"

"We don't have a choice!" Psalms climbed into the already cramped compartment and began heaving small clumps of coal into the furnace, desperation plastered upon his face as he turned to Pinkie. "Pinkie, please."

Pinkie turned her eyes to the entrance, then onto Psalms, then back again... before finally relenting. "Alrighty then!"

*Sprtz* *Sprtz* The discharge from the spears left a small cloud of smoke that left Applejack a coughing wreck. Heaving a gulp of air, she readjusted her aim and fired her overcharged spear once more. *Sprtz* Pop, pop, pop, went the airships as the ponies retaliated, sowing chaos among the sky and thinning their foe's numbers one by one.

But each time the tesla cannons opened fire upon the ridge, the threat of falling debris presented itself as chunks of stone pelted against the car's side, leaving dents and small holes. Glass lay spilled across the floor as multiple windows caved in.

"Dagnabbit!" Applejack cried out as she tripped upon a boulder fresh from the outside. "Varmint's gonna bring the whole dang ridge down on us. Keep firing everypony!" *Sprtz* *Sprtz*

"I'm out!" Thomas's cry echoed from the caboose, a second later he came rushing through, eyeing every edge of the car for more weapons. *Sprtz* *Sprtz* Desperately digging around in one corner, he failed to find nothing more than trash and debris. "Where're the spare spears!?" He roared over the laser shots.

"Ask Fluttershy! She's reorganizing our supplies!" Sunset called out as she rushed from one window to the next.

Smack dab in the middle of the car, Fluttershy struggled to single handily compile and secure the group's tools and resources. With the car bouncing and skipping this way and that from the explosions and rocks, the crates kept falling from their bundles, and the damaged ones spilled their contents once more.

*BOOM* *BOOM* Thomas nearly tripped his way over to the pile, scanning every angle trying to find another spear. No dice. "Fluttershy, do we have any spare spears!?"

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* The battle raging outside crescendoed, nearly deafening all on the train. "What!?" Fluttershy screamed out, but Thomas didn't hear a single word, opting to instead read her lips.

"Spears! Spears!" Thomas hefted his dead spear and began rigorously shaking it before the mare. "Spear-" *CRASH* *CRKT!*

Turning to his left, the crash of several rocks against the car wall, reverberated across the room, but it was what was coming yet that left Thomas scrambling over to Fluttershy, tackling her and driving out her breath as they skirted to one side of the car. All other ponies were warned of the coming danger and they too scrambled for the edge.

Not a moment later, A giant jagged boulder impacted through the already weakened car wall, tearing through glass and steel and, unfortunately, right through the group's gathered supplies before bursting through the other side of the car, leaving two gaping holes behind. The car became littered with broken wood, steel chunks, glass, and the remnants of their much-needed resources.

Rage overtook Rainbow Dash and she set her sights upon the one airship that had been tailing them the longest, one that had withstood all their overcharges while all the others fell with ease, one that had a magical shield that kept intercepting their attack. The one that had two jagged piercing blue eyes.

Without a moment of hesitation, Dash gripped her spear tightly and flung herself out the gaping hole, much to the panic and shouts of the others inside.

Ever since she was shot down back at the train station, she had been laid up recovering, practically useless throughout the train ride. Sure she nailed a ship or two, but anypony could do that with their eyes closed. Those gasbags were big, slow, and easy targets. No more, even if her wings and back were on fire, she was the only one who could strike a critical blow and get back in one piece, she had to, otherwise, it was game over.

Using the clouds and smoke as cover for above, She stuck close to the ground, allowing thermal soaring to do most of her flying work, and weaved through the trees to decrease the risk of exposure. Sporadically littered across the land for miles were the wrecks of multiple airships. The damage they took was practically nonexistent as shooting the gasbags usually entailed them slowly descending to the ground and wracking up scrapes against the hull from digging into the earth. Some were a bit on fire but for the most part, they had received little damage structurally.

As Dash settled onto a branch to regain her breath, the flagship floated by above, its cannons firing relentlessly. It was the same ship from before, the same one from Canterlot, carrying that traitor unicorn. Tempest. Oh, Dash had a bone to pick with her. Loyalty was her Element, and this mare was the physical manifestation of the exact opposite. That just won't do, time for them to get a taste of their own medicine.

With a mighty thrust, Dash launched herself high above, rocketing herself till she was directly behind the ship. The traitor had grown wise to their way of attacks and had magically reinforced their balloon. Dash was keen to find out if they considered the vulnerable engines as well. Time to find out. Revving up the magic, Dash unleashed all remaining power.

*Sprtz* *Sprtz* *Sprtz* *BOOM* Her aim struck true as fire crackled from the open wound. Several combustions sprang from the engine exhaust hole and smoke soon replaced the burning fuze from before, but after a minute or two, nothing else of note took place. Dash was disappointed at the lack of a fireworks display, expecting all engines to explode into a gushing fiery blaze, but alas, her work proved only to hamper the speed of the ship. Hearing the grunts and roars of several beasts, Dash dove back to the ground at break-neck speeds. She hoped to maintain her momentum as her train had yet to decrease its speed at all. From her position, she could see the end of the ridge and the great sand dunes beyond. Right as the ridge ended and the Badlands began, lay a high angled cliff of which the tracks took a sharp turn to the right, sharp for a train at their speed. They were beyond the event horizon.

Blaring sirens and ringing alarms plagued the driver's cabin as steam levels reached beyond critical. Twilight tried with all her knowledge to alleviate the levels, but they were past the point of no return. Spike appeared to be successful in his mission, too successful as the steam pressure proved too much. Pipes began to burst, and nuts and bolts were ejected at lethal speeds, bouncing all over the cabin, forcing her to shield herself. With one final spurt of steam, the engine's readings shorted and combusted into flames, followed by the dashboard and the steam gauge. The cabin was nothing more but fire and smoke, forcing Twilight from it for good.

Shutting the cabin door, Twilight was left gulping for air. Her wheezing alerted Psalms and he was quick to exit the boiler room and sat by her side. "Twilight, you alright? What happened?"

It took her a few more breaths before responding. "The engine is completely destroyed, we've overloaded the system. The emergency shutdown didn't kick in, we're on an ever-accelerating ticking bomb."

Psalms reflected onto the driver's cabin, then turned towards the rear two train cars. "... It's just the driver's cabin that's going to explode, right? We can move everyone to the caboose and brace for it. Summon a magic shield and hold." Twilight relented with a nod and Psalms made to inform the others but was stopped by one of Twilight's wings.

"Don't worry about him," Psalms reassured as he pulled Twilight along with him. "I've had time to go through most of the manual. Right now he's deep in the bowels of the steam pump which is virtually a steel bunker." Doubt still lingered on her face, which he was quick to remedy. "He's in a safer position than we are. Trust me." Twilight lingered on the cabin door a moment more before relenting with a nod.

Twilight headed into the main car while Psalms paused by the boiler room. "You are relieved of duty, Pinkie. The Equestrian Railway Public Transport Service Branch thanks you for your generous labor."

Pinkie flung the last of the fuel before planting the shovel deep into the coal mound. "They're gonna be hearing from my lawyer! I mean have you seen these working conditions?" Pinkie giggled away as she bounced into the next room followed by Psalms who was left slack-jawed upon seeing its condition.

An explosion rang out from the driver's cabin. The door's window imploded and fire cascaded out. Smoke began to leak from the breach. "Psalms! Over here! Hurry!" Twilight waved from the caboose, all other ponies looking over her shoulder.

Sparing a glance back, Psalms retreated toward the group, "What about the car!? Our supplies!? We have to secure them!"

"There's practically nothing left, darling! Not to mention there's no space left in here! Take a look ahead outside!" Rarity motioned Psalms to the open window. The whipping wind made it difficult for his eyes to focus, but growing closer by the second was a sharp curve along the tracks that were before a cliff that presented a grand view of the Badlands in all its sandy glory. There was no way they were escaping the coming flight. Psalms had seen enough as he ducked back into the caboose, window sealed shut. "We'll have to survive that first before worrying about our supplies." Rarity finished.

"We just can't catch a break, can we?" Thomas asked aloud, earning various forms of agreement from all present.

Another explosion rocked the front cabin and a fresh cloud of smoke surged forth toward the caboose. The door was sealed shut just as the smoke reached the entrance edge, successfully blotting the window's view. More explosions rocked the train caboose and a screech of grinding steel filled the air.

"We need to get off this fireball! Can one of you magic us all away!?" Thomas pleaded.

"Are you kidding!?" Sunset shot him a bewildering look. "After lifting a thousand-ton train!? I'm shocked we can even summon any magic at all!"

Twilight's horn flared as she settled herself in the direct center, A half bubble having morphed around her. "There's no time to brainstorm! Everypony in!"

Everyone was quick to cluster together leading to the bubble to completely sealing shut. All other magic users flared their horns and added what little reinforcement they could. The outside world flashed by at the speed of light and it wasn't long before a sinking feeling entered everyone's stomach. Gravity had reversed itself and they were left flailing around as the windows provided a view of the heavens on one side, and the rushing ground on the other.

Straight out of an action flick, the train barrelled past the curve, landed off the tracks, skidded through the rocky dirt, and hurled itself off the cliff and into the sky at full throttle and then some. It actually gained elevation for a brief moment before gravity asserted itself as the dominant power at play. And just like that, the train disappeared from view and Tempest was left holding her breath with anticipation. Actually, fearing the worst.

Nothing else happened. No great explosion, no fireball, no magically flying train again, just dead silence on the deck. There was a brief streak of a rainbow that had been following the train. It too disappeared, following the locomotive.

"...Wow... that... was a once-in-a-lifetime thing to see." *CRUNCH* *MUNCH* *MUNCH*

Tempest found herself agreeing with Grubber's assessment once again, a thing she hoped wouldn't be reoccurring anymore. "Engine status?"

Grubber conversed with one of the beasts before relaying it to Tempest. "A lot of internal damage. Several broken fuses and we're hemorrhaging fuel. All in all not too bad. Easily fixable...."

"...But, your ship isn't carrying enough spare parts." Grubber hitched himself onto the rail and scanned the many smoke trails dotting the land. "We can salvage from one of the airships, but they're all behind us. Repairs will take some time too."

Tempest flared her nostrils and turned back towards the Badlands. At her nod, Grubber went scurrying, issuing the order to turn back. So, the little princess has some drive in her. Let's just see how far she can get.

Life isn’t done with you

by Kibat Grenbuku

Chapter 5: An Adventure Already?! (Part 3: Runaway Train Troubles.)