//------------------------------// // Grand Reopening // Story: Tales Of The Canterlot & Central Territory Railway // by CyberFan479 //------------------------------// Early one morning, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were waiting in their sheds when Celestia came to see them. "Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo," she began, "With your help, the restoration of this railway is nearly complete." "Does this mean we would be in...in...full...avenue service?" Scootaloo asked. "It's full revenue service, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle corrected. "Why, yes Scootaloo. Before, we've been importing slate from other railways. Now, when this railway is completely restored and opened. It will be the Canterlot & Central Territory Railway's main provider of slate." "Slate?" asked Apple Bloom, puzzled. "Yes. During the construction project, the workmen have discovered various disused slate mines in Ghastly Gorge. They literally dug another five feet and discovered large amounts of slate deposits still inside the mines. The E.N. Slate Company has decided to start mining there as soon as the railway opens," Celestia explained. "So, we're going to handle slate trucks, along with passenger trains?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You're right, Sweetie Belle," Celestia replied, "The grand opening will be in a week's time, the remaining restoration work should be finished in short order. Sweetie Belle, I want you take some new steel supports for the mine tunnels. Apple Bloom, I want you to take some construction supplies down to the tracks near the viaduct." "And what will I do?" asked Scootaloo eagerly. Celestia turned to Scootaloo, "You'll be on yard duties, arranging empties and helping the workmen conduct tests on the track and equipment." with that, Celestia left. Scootaloo pouted, "Empties? And tests?" those were the two things that she didn't really like. "Don't worry, Scootaloo. At least the trucks and the workmen will keep you company!" teased Apple Bloom, and she puffed cheekily away. Later, Scootaloo was still unhappy as she shunted some trucks loaded with dummy weights to test the hopper's maximum load limit. She wasn't paying attention and forgot to watch where she was going as she shunted the trucks onto the transloading hopper. "Slow down, Scootaloo!" cried her driver, but it was too late. The buffers on the end of the hopper wasn't secured properly and it simply bounced out of the way as Scootaloo's trucks biffed into it. Scootaloo tried to stop, but the first truck ran off the end of the track and toppled onto Twilight's tender, who was parked underneath. "Ouch!" exclaimed Twilight, "That hurt!" It took the workmen a few hours to clean up the mess and rerail the truck that had come off the end of the hopper, Twilight shot Scootaloo an angry look as she steamed pass. "In case you didn't know, you're supposed to dump the load inside the trucks and not the trucks themselves," before Scootaloo could reply, Twilight had already gone into the distance. A few moments later, Apple Bloom puffed alongside Scootaloo to collect her train. She glanced over at the battered trucks and the workmen still trying to clean up the mess. It was easy enough for her to put two and two together. "Had an accident, Scootaloo?" "Well...I sort of wasn't paying attention..." "I wonder what Celestia's going to say," Apple Bloom puffed as she steamed away. Scootaloo found out soon enough. "I am quite disappointed with you, Scootaloo. This railway cannot afford to have careless behavior like that," Celestia said sternly, "I will give you some time to think, in your shed, until you are needed." "Yes, Celestia," replied Scootaloo. Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle was returning from her first job and was heading back to the yard when she heard an engine whistling in distress. "Help!" cried a voice, Apple Bloom came rushing through much too fast. She was panicking. Her wooden brake blocks were on fire, and she couldn't slow down. "Somebody help me!" Poor Apple Bloom disappeared into the distance. "We have to go help her!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle. Her driver shook his head, "We'll never catch her in time. We have to go to the main yard to get help," and Sweetie Belle agreed, and she steamed away as fast as she could. Back at the yard, Scootaloo was feeling very sorry for herself. She didn't like sitting alone in the sheds and was beginning to feel a little left out. Just then, Sweetie Belle chuffed alongside, panting, "Uh-hu, uh-hu. Scoo-Scootaloo, uh-hu, Apple Bloom...trouble...fire...uh-hu..." "Woah, woah, woah. Slow down, Sweetie Belle!" Sweetie Belle paused for a moment to catch her breath, "Apple Bloom's in trouble! Her brakes on on fire, and she's out of control!" "Then, what do you want me to do? Celestia told me to stay in my shed until I'm needed." "But you're needed now! It's an emergency!" Scootaloo knew she had to help her friend, "Well if it put it that way, I'm not going to leave Apple Bloom hanging!" and she steamed off as fast as she could. She soon found Apple Bloom, derailed at a section of unballasted track. Luckily, she had stopped just inches from the edge of the gorge. Scootaloo brought some workmen and they tethered Apple Bloom to the ground. Scootaloo immediately set to work, pulling the rerailed trucks away. She was hard at work all afternoon. Soon, all the trucks were cleared and with sturdy chains, Scootaloo pulled Apple Bloom back onto the tracks. She was glad to be on the rails again, "Thank you, Scootaloo!" Scootaloo was coupled up to help her back to the yard, "No problem, Apple Bloom! That's what friends are for!" and together, the two engines chuffed away. Back at the yard, waiting for them was Celestia herself, "Well, Scootaloo, I've heard all about it and I'm very pleased with you. You're a Really Useful Engine. Apple Bloom, you shall have some proper brakes and a new undercarriage. As for you Scootaloo, I don't see why you can't be at the grand opening next week." "Thank you, Celestia!" puffed Scootaloo excitedly. The restoration took a slightly longer than expected, since Apple Bloom was at the repair yard. Nevertheless, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle worked hard and managed the complete the remaining restoration work in the nick of time. It was beautiful weather on the day of the grand opening, the engines from the Canterlot & Central Territory Railway brought special trains filled with passengers and tourists, eager to see the reopening of the railway. Fluttershy could her the music of a brass band playing as she approached the 'transfer station', where passengers disembark from standard gauge trains and board narrow gauge trains, and vice versa. She looked around, taking in the sights before her and stopped next to a small white saddle tank engine, whose nameplate read 'Sweetie Belle' "Hello there!" greeted the small engine. "Oh! Hello!" replied Fluttershy. "I'm Sweetie Belle! And you must be Fluttershy!" "How did you know?" asked Fluttershy, surprised. "You're friends told me about you, they said you like being with nature and the animals that live there." "Yes, that's right," Fluttershy frowned slightly, "Weren't there...um...three of you?" "Well, there is. Scootaloo's taking some more passengers down the line, and Apple Bloom..." a loud whistle interrupted her. A familiar yellow engine came into view, Sweetie Belle smiled as the engine pulled in next to her. "Good to have you back, Apple Bloom! We were worried you might miss the grand reopening!" "Me too! I told the workmen to hurry up, but they said that replacement work took time! Can you believe that?" "Er, I guess so," replied Sweetie Belle, a little unsure of what to say. "Oh well, it's great to be on real tracks again!" whistled Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle grinned "Yes," she replied, "It is great to be on real tracks again."