//------------------------------// // Tunnel Troubles // Story: Tales Of The Canterlot & Central Territory Railway // by CyberFan479 //------------------------------// It was a miserable, rainy day on the Canterlot & Central Territory Railway. Octavia puffed nervously along the line. Her driving wheels were old and worn-out which made it difficult for her to grip the slippery track. Everytime she started or stopped, she would slip and slide along the rails. Later, Octavia and Lyra were resting in the sheds, it had been raining all morning, Octavia wasn't happy about this. "I wish this rain would go away," she said to Lyra, "I don't feel safe slipping and sliding all over the place." "You should probably tell Celestia about getting you some new wheels," Lyra replied, "Or maybe you should go into skating championships!" Octavia didn't think her joke was funny at all. "Lighten up, Octavia! I was only trying to cheer you up," said Lyra. Just then, A car pulled up next to the sheds, Celestia climbed out and approached the two engines, "Octavia, I want you to go to the repair yard to be fitted with new driving wheels, your old ones are too worn-out to be safe." "Then what about my jobs then?" Octavia asked, concerned. "Rarity and Fluttershy will do your work until you come back," Celestia replied. Octavia chuffed off for the repair yard, "I hope they don't get into any sort of trouble," she muttered to herself. Rarity and Fluttershy looked after Octavia's trains, on top of their regular ones. Octavia's repairs were taking a lot longer than expected. Fluttershy was getting worried. One afternoon, Fluttershy was at Everfree station with a passenger train. Just then, she spotted a familiar person on the platform. "Excuse me, Luna?" Luna walked over to Rarity, "What is it, Fluttershy?" "Is Octavia going to come back soon?" she asked hopefully. Luna shook her head, "I've just spoken with the director of the repair yard, the order for her new driving wheels has been misplaced and they may not arrive until next week," Fluttershy's face fell. She was about to ask another question when the guard blew his whistle and she had to leave. Meanwhile, Rarity was puffing along the line with some coaches full of passengers. As she steamed along the line, it started raining again. She entered a tunnel but didn't emerge from the other side, instead she stayed inside and wouldn't come out. Her driver and fireman argued with her, but Rarity refused to move, "The rain might ruin my lovely white coat with indigo stripes!" she exclaimed. The guard blew his whistle several times until he ran out of breath, but all Rarity did was wheesh steam feebly. Celestia had to send Applejack to shunt Rarity out of the tunnel, "I'm not going anywhere!" exclaimed Rarity. "Yes, you are!" huffed Applejack as the train moved out of the tunnel. "Look," said Rarity's driver, "It's already stopped raining!" "Indeed, it has," puffed Rarity, "But it'll start again soon, I'm sure of it!" At Canterlot Union station, Celestia was waiting for her. She was not happy, she was stern. "If you cause any more trouble," she scolded, "I shall take away your white coat and have you repainted!" Rarity wasn't worried about the rain anymore, "I'm sorry, Celestia." Everyone had heard about Rarity's incident with the tunnel, even Lyra. She wouldn't stop teasing Rarity about it. "Hello, Rarity!" she whistled, "I heard it's going to rain today, you better find a tunnel to hide in!" she puffed off cheekily. Bon Bon was resting in a nearby siding, "It'll get old for her sooner or later. Just wait." Later, Lyra was taking a fast goods train to Canterlot. It began to rain once again. "Wow, sure is rainy these days," she said to no one in particular as she puffed into Ponyville station. "It sure is," replied Twilight, "You better mind that tunnel near Canterlot, it..." Lyra snorted, "Why? It's not like I'm worried about my paintwork," and she steamed away. "I was just trying to warn her about the soil erosion on the embankment near the tunnel," puffed Twilight. "She'll be in trouble soon," replied her driver. Twilight was right about the soil erosion. The heavy rain over the last few days have caused the embankment near the tunnel to become waterlogged and soggy. Suddenly, it gave way and slid onto the tracks. Lyra didn't know that there was now a large mound of mud blocking the main line. She steamed straight into the tunnel. "Fancy some shelter from the rain?" she exclaimed cheekily. Then there was trouble. Lyra plowed straight into the mound of mud. "Yuck!" she coughed. Luckily, no one was hurt. But, poor Lyra had derailed, and she didn't feel cheeky anymore. When Rarity arrived with the breakdown crane, she felt sorry for Lyra, but she still couldn't help it, and began to tease her. "I don't really see the point of hiding in a big pile of mud to stop the rain from spoiling your paintwork, darling." Lyra remained silent. The next day, Twilight was shunting in the goods yard as usual. She was being extra careful, there had been a big storm last night and the rails were very slippery. "Leave those trucks here, Twilight," said a voice, Twilight immediately recognised it as Celestia's, "There's a blockage in a tunnel near Canterlot, you must collect some workmen and equipment to investigate it." "Yes, Celestia," replied Twilight, and she steamed away as fast as she could. On the way, she met Fluttershy, she looked worried. "Hello, Fluttershy!" "Oh...hello, Twilight," she puffed sadly. "What's the matter, Fluttershy?" "A big tree was blown over last night, and it broke the fence surrounding the elephant enclosure at the Everfree Forest Zoo. The zookeeper says that an elephant had escaped, I do hope he's alright." "Don't worry, Fluttershy. I'll keep an eye out for the elephant." This cheered Fluttershy up, "You will?" "Of course I will! I promise!" replied Twilight as she puffed away. "Thank you, Twilight. Thank you so much!" exclaimed Fluttershy happily. Soon, Twilight had collected the workmen in one truck, and all their equipment in another one, and approached the tunnel. She shunted the two trucks into the tunnel and stopped just outside of it. Everything was quiet, but not for long. 'Erowrrh!' The workmen came running out of the tunnel. "There's something alive in there!" exclaimed one of the workmen. "Something alive, and big!" exclaimed another. "Rubbish!" shouted the foreman. But before he could say anything else, there was a loud trumpeting noise. 'Erowrrh!' Everyone jumped, including the foreman, "What was that?" he shouted. There was indeed, something big and alive inside the tunnel, and it was also very strong. Suddenly, Twilight began to roll backwards. Her driver applied the brakes, but her wheels simply slid on the slippery rails. Out of the tunnel came the first truck and the equipment, then the second truck, and finally a large, grey elephant. "There's our blockage!" joked a workman. "Well, I never!" cried the surprised foreman. The workmen fed the elephant with their lunches and gave it buckets of water to calm it down. "Fluttershy will be relieved," whistled Twilight. Later, Pinkie arrived with the zookeeper and a special truck for the elephant to ride in. The zookeeper guided the elephant into the truck. Then, Pinkie puffed away to bring the elephant back to the zoo, safe and sound. That night at the main shed, Twilight told the other engines all about the elephant. "First, Rarity and the tunnel. Then, Lyra and the embankment. Now, Twilight and the elephant. Whatever's going to happen next?" puffed Rainbow Dash. "One thing's for sure," added Twilight, "There's never a dull moment on this railway." "Indeed," said Rarity. "Pardon me, Rarity. What happened to Lyra?" Twilight asked. "Well, I'll tell you this. She never spoke a word about tunnels and rain again." And she was right.