It was morning in Ponyville and almost everypony were just starting to wake up. Applejack however, was up since the crack of dawn to get ready for her chores around
Sweet Apple Acres. She stopped at the hardware store for some farming supplies when she noticed Rainbow Dash diving towards her. The Pegasus stopped abruptly in from
of Applejack, looking somewhere between tired and eager. "Mornin' Dash!" Applejack said. She then noticed that Rainbow Dash was covered in oily black soot. "Gosh darn!
what happened to ya?" Dash began to cough and clear the soot from her mouth to speak. "I don't know. I got up early to do some wing stretches and workouts," she
explained. "until I flew into some black oily cloud. I thought it was that big red dragon again, but the realized the smoke was coming from below. I went to investigate to find a
blur of black and silver racing into the 3-mile tunnel. It looked like some sort of train! But that's not all, it was being chased by a smaller engine!" Dash was tired and panting.
Applejack looked curiously at her. Suddenly, the ground began to shake and rumble causing all of the town's ponies to look out their windows. "What's all this racket?" asked
one. "Is it an earthquake?" asked another. Later, Rarity ran over to Rainbow and A.J. looking very annoyed. "I cant stand this ruckus!" she said. "It's interfering with my dress
detailing, and I need this done by tomorrow!" Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes. "We're all wondering sugar cube." said Applejack calmly. "Rainbow Dash witnessed
something strange that might connect to this. Rarity looked over to the soot-covered Pegasus in shock.
"Goodness darling, you look dreadful!"
"Thank you, I try." she said sarcastically.
Pinkie Pie rushed over with Fluttershy right behind her. Applejack answered before the two could ask. "We don't know either, but it's big and I think we should head over
to the train station to find out." The four nodded and rushed over to the station to see what's up. Along the way, they weren't the only ones to go investigate. Several
others, actually the whole town were wondering what was happening. As soon as they got there, they heard the welded rails beginning to hiss and Rainbow Dash shouted
out, "Look!" Everypony looked where she was pointing and sure enough, black smoke began to rise over the horizon. Then, there was a low tuned moan of a whistle followed
by a voice. "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Fluttershy was looking confused as much as the others. "What kind of whistle was that?" she asked timidly.
Rainbow Dash shrugged her wings. Just then, Pinkie Pie turned around to find Twilight Sparkle and Spike running towards her.
"Twilight! Twilight!" shed called. "Twilight, you'll never guess what's happening. Something BIG."
"Well, what is it?"
"Biggest thing ever happening in Ponyville! Real big! BIG! Big big!
"Well tell me what's so..........." shed was interrupted when she saw the smoke. Now she began to make out the engines details. Quickly approaching the station platform, the
ponies began to back away. They then noticed a smaller engine following behind it. The chugging was intense as the giant steam locomotive rolled into the station, it's wheels
squealing to a halt. It gave a tall and loud spout of steam from the top and a familiar face of an earth pony peaked out of the cab window.
"B-B-Braeburn?" shouted Applejack. He jumped out of the cab and walked up to his cousin. Applejack noticed that he was covered in the black oily soot and had a couple of
bruises and a bloody scar across his face. Though he was in rough condition and was tired, he looked confident.
The earth ponies looked at each other for a few seconds. Braeburn was giving her that big grin he always did every time he saw her. He finally spoke.
"Howdy cuz. Wasn't expectin' to visit you like this."
"Braeburn! How-what is-how is this-look at you........." she couldn't finish. Instead she ran up and tackled him in a loving hug. She had tears in her eyes.
"It's okay Applejack. I'm okay. My friend T-Rail is involved in this too." Sure enough, from behind the big black engine, T-Rail walked up. "Hey Little A.J." he said.
Applejack knew him in her fillyhood too. He was a little older than her and Braeburn and she ran over and gave him a warm hug too. "So," she said finally, "what it this all
about?"
The two stallions explained to her and the rest of Ponyville about how they saw the engine, randomly appear out of the tunnel in Appleloosa,, how they were chasing it
down in the tiny pony engine, and how Braeburn made a suicidal jump to the 4460 to tried and stop it from the cab. Applejack, now stunned in surprise along with the others
slapped her cousin across the face with her hoof. "Ya darn idiot Braeburn! Ah seen some stupid stuff from you before, but this was the stupidest thing ever! Ya could've been
killed! I oughta'......." she didn't finish, again giving him a loving hug. "I'm just glad ya here cousin."
Finally Twilight butted in. "Sorry to break up this family reunion, but we still need to find out about this steam engine. "The 3 ponies nodded in agreement and the others
cautiously approached 4460. Twilight examined it closely, walking along the massive drive wheels with white stars in the middle, in front, and the other side until finally, she
came across the name and number on the locomotive's tender. "Southern Pacific 4460." she pronounced. "Well what does that mean?" asked Fluttershy. "Maybe that's the
train's name!" said Pinkie Pie assuring. "Super-dupper strange, but who am I to judge?" she said proudly. She ran in front of 4460 and grinned at it. "Hi Southern Pacific
4460!" she exclaimed, "Welcome to Ponyville!" 4460 said nothing, but instead spat some steam from her cylinders. Pinkie looked around at everypony else who were staring
at her like she was nuts (well, since when isn't she?). The pink pony blushed in embarrassment and moved out of the way. "I'm not the type for trains," said Rainbow Dash,
"but this one looks like it's made for speed. After all I did see it first and it was flying. Not literally." Rarity walked up to the engine next. "I don't mind its style or the silver and
white trim, but the color black makes it look so depressing." Twilight then returned to the station platform and called for Spike the dragon. The unicorn's assistant rushed up
to her as quickly as possible.
"Alright Spike, get ready to write a report to Princess Celestia."
"I'm on it." he boomed. He randomly reached behind his back and pulled out a paper and quill. Twilight began.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today, Ponyville has received an unexpected visitor, a steam locomotive. I know they are very common around here, but this one is like no other we've seen before.
It's nearly twice the height, and twice the length of our own. It's wheels are as large as an Alicorn such as yourself, the engine is black with a silver front and has unusual
white markings on it. The driver's cab is marked 4460 and the tender is marked Southern Pacific. Nopony knows where it came from or why it's here. We hoped that you
would come as soon as possible to see, and hopefully have some ideas on what this is about.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Spike rolled up the letter and blew it into the green fire. Then Fluttershy came up to Twilight. "How long do you think it'll take?" she asked.
"I don't know Fluttershy." she said. "But I hope it's soon."