For the first 25 miles, the line from Silverton to Huckleberry ran inside a valley, although the ruling grade was indeed level. Protected from the elements by the mountains on either side, it was smooth sailing for M, Ironside, and Hippo despite the Decapod running faster than his comfort zone. Hippo was perfectly capable of holding 40 all day long, but it was a speed at which the Pennsy rarely if ever ran their I1’s. You see, steam engines’ drive wheels have large counterweights that balance the “hammer-blow” produced by the pistons and side rods. Hippo and his brethren were built with strong cylinders and rods, but their small drivers couldn’t allow for big enough counterweights. Hence, the Hippos gained a reputation for being rough at higher speeds; that is, they would rock back and forth and eventually warp the rails. Despite this, there didn’t seem to be much lateral motion on Hippo’s part. Most of it came from the less-than-desirable condition of the old track, and even then it wasn’t dangerous. The ride was definitely better than what the two engines on the main line were about to experience.
The weather of the area surrounding the Crystal Empire was not known for being calm and mild. In fact, the day the Mane 7 first came to the Empire there was a snow storm. Now, dark thunderheads loomed over the Empire as Hildegard raced away towards Silverton. Scootaloo looked up at the menacing sky. “Maybe getting out of the Empire in such a hurry wasn’t a good idea…” she said nervously. Hildegard and the other two Crusaders looked up at the sky as well. Fixing her gaze forward, Hildegard saw the dark shadowy curtains of rain looming ahead.
“There’s a tarpaulin inside the toolbox of my tender,” said Hildegard, “Take it out and fix it over the space between my cab and my tender.” Sweetie Belle wasted no time in doing just that.
The rain came down light at first, as it often does, but soon it was a torrential downpour. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue if one had wipers on hand, but being a locomotive (and an old one at that) Hildegard came equipped without that luxury. As a result, it was nigh impossible for the Crusaders to see out of the cab portholes at the front. Their only option for viewing the signals and ensuring their path was clear was sticking their heads out the windows into the pouring rain. When Scootaloo tried that for the first time, her head instantly became soaked and her eyes blinded by the cold rain. She tried again with her scooter goggles on, which worked better. She managed to catch a glimpse of the green signal as Hildegard zoomed past it. “All clear!” she called into the cab.
The further Hildegard traveled, the worse the storm became. Lightning shot across the sky and thunder echoed across the land. Several bolts from the blue struck the ground, one hitting uncomfortably close to the speeding engine and setting off a thunderclap that hurt the poor fillies’ ears. “I don’t feel safe anymore, Hildegard!” shouted Sweetie Belle, “We need to find shelter fast!”
“I concur,” the engine replied. Hildegard squinted into the sheets of rain, searching for anything that might provide cover for them until the storm passed. About half a mile up the line she found a tunnel. Figuring it was all they could afford for now, Hildegard chugged in. The signal at the entrance went from green to red, alerting any incoming trains that the tunnel was occupied and not safe to pass through.
The tunnel was curved and about two miles in length. It had a high roof and ventilation shafts spaced along its length to avoid the smoke asphyxiating passengers and crew. Hildegard stopped underneath one of the shafts about halfway along the tunnel. Normally, sunlight would provide natural lighting within the tunnel, but with the storm raging overhead it was very dark. The Crusaders disembarked from the cab and wandered down the tunnel for about 100 feet before returning to Hildegard. “Will we be safe here?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“We’ll be fine,” answered the engine, “The signal at the entrance is red. No trains will enter the tunnel until it turns green again.” A loud clap of thunder echoed through the tunnel. The fillies, scared, ran back into the cab. Hildegard chuckled. “It’s okay, children,” she soothed, “We’ll be fine.”
Unfortunately, Hildegard was wrong. That thunderclap from outside came from a lightning bolt that struck at the entrance to the tunnel. And what it had struck was the signal. Now, only a small flickering flame issued from where the light used to be. Soon enough, the pouring rain extinguished the flame, leaving only the charred frame of the signal and no indication that there was a train in the tunnel.
The storm was still going strong as 1015 raced across the main. He had made a temporary stop at the Crystal Empire to reload on coal and water, as well as to pick up a coach, which he was now pushing. Rarity had complained that 1015’s cab, spacious though it was, was too cramped for all the ponies to fit comfortably. And without a tarpaulin like Hildegard to cover the exposed backside of his cab, 1015 suggested they comply with Rarity’s suggestion of picking up a coach to provide some shelter for the extra crew. Now Rarity, Spike, Blitz, Sunshine, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack sat in the coach, scanning the tracks for obstacles and signals. Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy remained in the cab. Twilight drove, Fluttershy shoveled the coal, and Pinkie tended to the boiler’s water and steam levels. Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood on the observation deck of the coach.
Even with a roof over their heads, Dash and AJ still got pelted by raindrops, making it hard for them to keep a good eye on what was on the track ahead. They could just barely make out the signals, but each one they saw read “all clear.” “I do hope the girls found some shelter from this weather,” said Rarity in a worried voice.
“They’ve got Hildegard,” replied Spike, “I’m sure she’s all the shelter they need.”
“They can’t keep driving in this kind o’ storm, Spike,” said Applejack, “RD and I ain’t having much luck seeing through this wall o’ water.”
“Well, that tunnel up ahead should provide some shelter,” said Dash. Twilight stuck her head out 1015’s cab and saw the tunnel approaching. She blew his whistle as a warning that a train was entering the tunnel. Nothing responded to the whistle, so it seemed as though all was clear.
A rumbling noise echoed through the tunnel. “Thunder again?” asked Applebloom.
“Eh, maybe,” replied Scootaloo in a dull voice. Sweetie Belle listened to it too, but something wasn’t right.
“That can’t be thunder,” she said, “It is not changing volume and it’s really long and drawn out.”
“Well, what else could it be?” asked Scoot.
Sweetie Belle thought for a second, and then a horrified look appeared on her face. “We have to go now!” she exclaimed.
“Why?” asked Scootaloo.
Without the natural lighting from the sun, it was difficult for Dash and AJ to see into the tunnel. “Do we really need to keep looking at nothing but pitch black?” asked Rainbow.
“I guess not,” said Applejack, turning to her friend, “I mean, there’s nothing to indicate that there’s a…”
As Applejack turned her head back towards the tunnel, she saw something that made her jaw drop. Up ahead was a small red light. But this wasn’t just any small red light. It was the tail lamp of a locomotive! Applejack bolted across the vestibule and stuck her head out the back end of the coach. “Down brakes, down brakes!” she shouted as loud as she could.
Applebloom instantly recognized her sister’s voice. She jumped onto the top of the coal pile to see where the voice came from. As she reached the top, she heard the screeching of brakes. Looking over the coal, she saw a passenger coach barreling towards Hildegard with a locomotive coupled behind. Sparks were flying from all the wheels on the train, and as it got closer, Applebloom recognized the shocked face of Rainbow Dash, who was standing on the observation deck paralyzed in fear.
Recovering quickly, Rainbow shot across the vestibule and tackled her husband and daughter, knocking them out of the coach and onto 1015’s pilot, landing against his smokebox saddle. Applejack huddled with them on the pilot. Spike and Rarity also ran across the coach, but Rarity lost her footing and fell onto the floor. “Ooof!” she interjected as she landed on her chin.
“RARITY!” Spike shouted as he saw her fall.
“Spike, keep going; don’t worry about me!” she called out to him.
Sweetie Belle jumped into the driver’s seat and opened Hildegard’s throttle all the way. The Atlantic slipped on the wet rails, however, and didn’t move very far. “Sweetie Belle!” cried Scootaloo, “Get us out of here!”
“I’m trying, I’m trying!” responded Sweetie. Applebloom dove into the cab and reached for the sanding lever. Sand dropped onto the rails, and Hildegard finally got a grip. But it was too late.
“Twilight!” called out Spike, “Get Rarity off this coach!”
“Where is she?!” shouted Twilight.
“Sorry, my love,” Spike said softly to Rarity. Reaching underneath her, he lifted her up and dangled her head out the window.
“Spike, what the hell are you doing?!” she screamed, her head dangerously close to the tunnel wall. She didn’t get an answer from him, as she felt herself teleported onto the footplate of 1015.
“Spike!” called Twilight. Spike heard her, but he didn’t reply. Instead, he turned towards the observation deck to see Hildegard’s fast-approaching tender.
Hildegard had only moved about 500 feet when the coach smashed into her. It splintered instantly as 1015 plowed through it and slammed into Hildegard’s tender, knocking it off the rails along with its engine. Hildegard jackknifed and spun 135 degrees. Her wheels dug into the ground, acting as a brake on her and 1015. The engines skidded for another mile before stopping completely.
The force field surrounding the ponies on 1015’s pilot dissipated. Sunshine had her head buried in her mother’s chest and was weeping bitterly. Applejack held onto Blitz, his deep breaths interrupted by sobs. In the cab, another force field surrounding Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy also dissipated. Twilight’s horn ceased to glow and she lowered her head against the side of the cab. Hearing painful sobs from Hildegard’s cab, Rarity immediately ran over to the Atlantic in search of her sister and friends.
Sweetie Belle and her friends had been knocked hard when Hildegard was struck, but Sweetie ended up flung against the backhead of the boiler, burning her severely. It was her cries of pain that drew Rarity’s attention and prompted the older sister to bolt into the cab. “Oh…oh my darlings…” she gasped as she entered the cab. She was quickly joined by Rainbow Dash and Applejack, both of whom threw themselves upon Scootaloo and Applebloom and hugged them tightly. Rarity was more ginger with her injured sister, examining the burns on her body. She sobbed as she gazed upon Sweetie’s sorry state.
“We need to get them back to the Crystal Empire right away,” said Twilight as she entered the cab.
“Is 1015 alright?” asked Applejack.
“I’m okay, more or less,” answered his voice in Twilight’s head. She repeated his reply to Applejack.
“I’m not exactly in the best shape right now,” said Hildegard, “But I can still run.”
“How bad is it?” asked Rarity, directing Twilight to her injured sister. Twilight examined the burns.
“They’re not life-threatening, but she needs medical attention,” she answered. Rarity let out a small sigh of relief.
“Blitz and Sunshine are shaken up, but they’re not physically hurt,” said Fluttershy. Twilight nodded, and then looked over at Pinkie.
Pinkie’s eyes were wider than anyone had ever seen them before. Her hooves were clasped over her mouth, and she looked like she was going to cry. “Pinkie, what’s wrong?” asked Twilight. Pinkie removed one of the hooves from her mouth and pointed it at the pile of splintered wood under 1015’s drivers that used to be the coach body. And there, sticking out of the debris, under the drivers of 1015, was a small purple claw. Twilight’s eyes widened as much as Pinkie’s, she gasped, and…
“SPIKE!!”