//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Meet and Greet UPDATED // Story: Railway Crusaders // by Unnamedwriter //------------------------------// Diamond Tiara dashed out across the coach’s deck and carefully hopped to the ground, wincing and scowling as she felt loose ballast on her carefully manicured hooves. Making a silent promise to take her revenge out of each of the Crusader’s pride, she looked around for any sign of Silver Spoon or the blank flank brigade. There wasn’t much to see though, being sandwiched between her Daddy’s railcar and the engine shed’s dirty outer wall. She felt a lump of panic start welling up her throat at the idea of being alone, before she recognized a tuft of purple tail hair sticking out around a corner ahead. “Hey!” She yelled running up and around into the open air shed, nearly bowling over Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Silver Spoon. “What’s the big idea running off like that?! Do you three dunderheads have any idea just how easy it is to get lost in a railyard?” “Oh do stop yelling,” The tender engine in the shed groaned, closing her eyes tight. “Can’t an engine have some peace?” “Sorry Miss,” Sweetie Belle apologized looking up at the massive steamer. Her black painted boiler was wider than the rails she sat on, the hoof rails on the side nearly touching the shed wall. She had a short squat funnel, and two low rounded domes behind it. Just below her silver-grey smokebox was an odd barrel sat across her running hoofplate. A pair of small guiding wheels sat in front of eight medium sized drivers, with two more small wheels trailing under her firebox and high riding cab. Just below the cab windows the number 4116 was written in dark yellow-gold, standing out proud against her shining but in many places very dirty black paint. “It’s all right,” the big tender engine sighed, her voice tired but still carrying a crisp northern tone. “It’s just been a while since I had much company.” Apple Bloom couldn’t close her mouth, bottom jaw hanging limp as she looked up and down the massive locomotive’s frame, from knuckle coupler to tender. “I din’t know they made engines so darn big,” she gasped, her bow flopping backward as she craned her neck to look the steamer in the eyes. “You’re three times the size of any train ever comes to Ponyville!” The engine ‘s face dropped, not unlike Mrs. Cake when Scootaloo accused the mare of one too many taste tests. But before the big engine could even defend herself, Diamond scoffed down her snout.  “Please. A Pransylvania L1 Mikado is barely any larger than a standard pacific, and they’re much better on tractive effort.” Diamond cracked a victor’s smirk as the big engine beamed in gratitude, but withered when she realized the crusaders were all giving her the same incredulous look. “Um, uh, not that I would know of course but, uhh ...” The snobbish filly rubbed her neck, nervous enough to make Sweetie Belle look like a royal guardsmare. Just as Diamond had saved the big engine though, so did she return the favor. “I can’t say I’ve ever been to Ponyville,” The big engine said thoughtfully, drawing the other filly’s attention off Diamond. “Oh but where are my manners? My name’s Mikaela, but most of my friends call me Mickey.” “Nice to meet ya Mickey. I’m Apple Bloom.” “Sweetie Belle.” “Scootaloo’s the name, awesome is my game!” The big engine had to force her smile a little at the little pegasus’ intro, a complete contrast to the timid grey earth pony filly beside her. “Um, my name’s Silver Spoon,” she finally squeaked out, earning a sudden look from Mikaela. “Wait, is your Uncle Mr. Top Hat?” Silver nodded yes, earning a bright smile from the dusty mikado. “I thought you looked familiar! You rode the Fillydelphia Flyer with him a few months ago, didn’t you?” It took a moment, but Silver Spoon’s eyes soon lit up with recognition. “Oh yeah! You were helping pull the train that day weren’t you? Wait,” she paused as another detail suddenly surfaced in her mind, one that only confused the little filly. “That was on the Ohayo and Alppacchan Mountain part of the line. What are you doing all the way up here near Hollow Shades?” “Banking duty,” Mikaela groaned, ignoring the immature snort from two of the fillies arrayed around her knuckle. “Same fate as much of my class unfortunately. These ENER ponies do good work, but they’re just not quite up to the old Pransy Standards,” she sighed longingly. “So rather than keep testing my old parts with mainline runs, they’ve put me here helping other engines summit the hill. Not terribly exciting work, but better here than shut up in a tunnel somewhere.”  “Like how mah sister’n brother do with Granny Smith?” Apple Bloom asked with a tilt of her head. “AJ’s always tell’n her te take it easy so she don’t end up need’n another new hip.” Mikaela smiled, impressed by the filly’s young but quick mind.  “Something like that. I would like to be let out for mainline running again, but it’s probably best I enjoy the rest here for a bit. At least until head office lets me have some time in the shops. Wouldn’t want to run, myself … ” The mikado’s voice trailed off as her gaze left the five fillies, and the crusaders plus two followed the big engine’s gaze back to the sight of Lilly pushing their train's engine back into the sheds. “Into the rails,” she finished meekly as Lilly brought the older tender engine on her buffers to a gentle stop in the shed. “Gracious me,” Mikaela winced, looking the old steamer over. “They’ve certainly gotten their mileage out of you.” Lilly responded with a hiss of steam. “Shhh,” she whispered as the conductor stallion climbed down from her cab. “Don’t be mean Mickey. Mr. Jefferson’s had a long day, and he deserves a good rest.” “Old don’t always mean deaf you know,” The ancient looking amareican type groaned. A four wheel pilot truck creaked in front of four tall driving wheels, each moaning and clanking under the weight of his old stove pipe boiler. He still had most of his brass rail and trimming, but it was tarnished and weathered with age. His paint, the same black as Lilly, was mired in layer upon layer of dust, grime, and pock marked with more than a few spots of rusty red. Even his tender clanked, but it seemed nothing could quench the fire in the old steamer's heart. “Sorry for the delay Sir,” he said looking at the conductor. “Just a little hitch in the ole chug along, nothing to fear. A few minutes rest and I’ll be right as rain on a summer sunset.” He let off steam, but what should have been a confident whoosh came out as a feeble wheeze. The conductor smiled at the old steamer's refusal to admit his age. “Sorry Jeff, not today. I don’t doubt you could get the passengers to Hollow Shades, but we don’t want them worried the whole way there.” Jefferson couldn’t help but agree and cast an understanding but dejected look down, a complete contrast to the sudden look of hope on Lilly’s smokebox. “Does … does that mean?” “Clint will be along shortly to collect your train,” he finished without letting Lilly, the little black tank engine’s face falling like a stone. “He was already headed up with a load of timber for Neighagra. It’ll cause a slight delay, but with Mikaela being too heavy for the bridges east of the station, it’s our best option.” He turned on his front hooves to face the little tank engine still buffered up to Jefferson’s cowcatcher. “Lilly, there are a number of empties sitting in the yard: two fruit vans, three coal trucks, and a pair of tankers. Please collect these and arrange them on the ready track for pick up when Mike arrives with the goods connection.” “Yes sir,” She muttered dejectedly, eyes never leaving her sleepers as the conductor ambled back to the station. “Aw cheer up Kid,” Jeff smiled, trying to comfort the little tank engine. “You’ll get your chance one day, just wait and see. Why, I’ll bet ya Mr. Conductor asks you to take Clint’s empties back to Hollow Shades tonight.” “Why should he?,” Lilly sighed. “I’d probably run out of water before the bridge.” She slowly puffed away to shunt more cars, leaving five very confused filly’s behind. Scootaloo watched her leave, then looked up at the old steamer. “What’s up with her?” “Lilly’s never really been outside a yard on her own,” Jefferson sighed. “All she wants is to pull a train down the line, but nopony in management will let her out of the yard. Her tanks are small you see, and don’t hold much coal or water. She can only go so far before she needs to fill up again.” “Please,” Mikaela scoffed. “That’s poor pessimist logic at best. Terrance is always pulling trains between the mines on Foal Mountain and the Junction on his branch line, and he’s not much bigger than Lilly at all.” The freight engines' words surprised Jefferson. “Well now, since when did you start singing the praises of the little engines? Why just last week you and those Manehattan pacific friends of yours said letting tank engines down the line was a waste of coal.” “I respect useful engines that’s all,” she defended. “And since Lilly started working here as pilot, not one train has been late. She deserves to be rewarded, even if it’s only a short run.” Jefferson hummed an agreement, knowing Mikaela would never openly admit to growing fond of the little tank engine. Then however, the old steamer noticed something, or rather a few someone's, missing. “Um, excuse me dear,” he said looking at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, “But weren’t there three other fillies with you just a moment ago?” The rich filly’s twirled around, finding only faint hoof prints where the crusaders had been just a second prior. “Oh no, not again.” Lilly said nothing as she backed down on the sweet apple fruit vans, stopping as soon as she felt her buffers hit those on the freight cars. Once her firepony had hooked them together, she slowly pulled out of the siding, whistling to make sure the switchpony knew she was on the move. A quick stop, another whistle and she reversed back into the main departure siding just beside the line of coaches still resting in the station platform. As the vans clunked into the tank cars, Lilly uncoupled and went to fetch the next set of cars. She found them on a dirty siding at the far end of the yard, the kind with weeds and tall grass grown up between the rails. She stopped in front of the siding and whistled, but the points remained against her. Her driver and firepony scratched their heads and were about to go to the signal box when Lilly heard the points groan and clank into place behind her. She looked left as she reversed onto the siding, and there were the crusaders, waving at her has she passed. Her driver slowly backed her into the siding, and as they passed she saw just how rusted the switch was. “Thank you,” she smiled as she backed down and coupled up to the trio of rusty coal cars. “I don’t think the switchpony could’ve gotten that from his box.” “No problem,” Scootaloo smiled back as she hopped up on Lilly’s front buffer beam even as her driver and firepony stepped down to inspect the cars. “Little gal’s gotta stick together right?” Apple Bloom nodded her head and bow when the orange filly’s words only earned confusion from the black tank engine, and Sweetie Belle could help but giggle at her expression. "Mr. Jeff told us why the big ponies won’t let you pull a train, and we don’t think it’s fair.” “But they’re probably right,” The little engine sighed, only to find an orange filly staring up at her defiantly. “Horsefeathers! Even little ponies can do big things if they work together. You just have to prove to them that you’ve got what it takes. And the Cutie Mark Crusaders are gonna help you do that!” Lilly’s crew chuckled to themselves but said nothing and went about their work. The trio of coal cars had clearly not been touched in months, and they were taking no chances with the old brakes. “But how? I already shunt everything they ask me to, and I’m never late. I never even so much as bump a single truck” She let off steam and resumed sulking. “I just don’t know what else I can do.” “Hmmm.” Apple Bloom looked around, trying to think of ideas, but the crusaders had never helped a steam engine before, so not much of their experience, if one could call it that, translated very well. But then, Sweetie Belle spotted something. “What’s that over there?” She asked and pointed with a hoof toward a set of cars sat on a long run around loop near the shed. Two long bogie flat cars sat between a pair of tall iron rail cranes, their booms nearly touching where they hung low over the cars between them. “Mr. Jeff calls it the crane gang,” Lilly explained. “It’s supposed to help clean up accidents and get engines back on the rails, but all it really does is sit there.” Apple Bloom was already brainstorming ideas for how to use the cranes to help Lilly when the two last filly’s she wanted to see came running toward them. “Aw crabapples,” She groaned and turned to face Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “There you are,” the tiara wearing filly yelled. “Just who do you think you are, running off and leaving us like that?” Scootaloo scoffed and sat down on Lilly’s buffer beam as Apple Bloom kept glaring at the pink filly. “Not yer babysitters that’s fer sure.” “Pah, as if we need you to look after us. I’m simply trying to keep you blank bunglers from causing any chaos for Mr. Conductor or the engines.” All this earned was an eye roll from the yellow filly and her fellow crusaders. “Wow,” Scootaloo mocked with sarcasm thicker than tar. “And here I actually thought you cared about us.” “Train yards are dangerous places,” Diamond said sternly. “Any number of things could go wrong if you’re not careful.” “Oh yeah?” The orange Pegasus asked, leaping down from Lilly’s buffer beam and walking up to Diamond. “Like what?” “I beg your pardon?” The pink filly asked with more steel than her eyes showed. Scootaloo smirked in a way Sweetie Belle wasn’t sure she liked, and jabbed a hoof toward the spoiled filly. “Silver Spoon I get being a smarty pants. She’s got the look for it down to a capital geek.” “Umm, thank you?” The grey filly answered hesitantly even as Scootaloo stepped even closer to Diamond. “She knew we were going to stop here and that branch line name. But you.” Diamond’s knees started to wobble and sweat appeared beneath her tiara as a lump grew in her throat. “You knew exactly what kinda engine Mickey was the moment you saw her, what kinda coach we were riding in, and to top it all off you knew the station name when Silver didn’t even know exactly where it was.” The Pink Filly’s eyes grew with every word, her ears flattened back, and she only took a breath when the orange Pegasus had stopped. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you were a great. Big! Train loving ner!” The sudden whistle cut everypony off, and snapped the attention of Lilly and her crew up toward the station and mainline. Another long blast shrieked out and Lilly gasped. “That sounds like Mike!” The next blast was much closer, and the next one sounded dangerously so. Thinking quickly, the pony in the switch tower yanked back on her levers, flipping the switches away from the yard and back onto the mainline. Not even a moment later, a black engine came screeching and tearing through the station, smoke pouring from his funnel and sparks flying from his wheels as a long line of freight cars thundered behind him. The engine and his brakes screamed all the way through and past the station, and even all the way across the yard Sweetie Belle could hear pony’s on the platform shouting at the rush of wind from the speeding train, the gust blowing some clean over. As quickly as he appeared Mike and his train were gone, vanished around the bend and into the distance. “What the hay was that?!” Apple Bloom asked, ducking out from where she and a startled Silver Spoon had taken refuge from the noise behind Lilly, the tank engine anxious and worried. “That was Mike and his freight train!” “You mean the one Mr. Conductor warned us about?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Yep,” Lilly's driver grimaced. “And it looks like those silly cars are up to their old tricks again. They love making trouble for no reason. Must have surprised him on the downhill grade after Canterlot.” Sweetie Belle looked toward the station then to the trail of smoke wafting through the air and tracing where the speeding train had just been. “He’s going to be okay right?” She asked looking back at Lilly’s firepony, who put on his most confident smile. “Mike? Well sure he’s young but he’s got a good head of steam in his boiler if you know what I,” He stopped when the confusion on the white filly’s face told him she didn’t, so he cleared his throat. “He’ll be fine. All he has to do is keep those little draconeqquus spawn behind him and on the tracks until Split’s Hill, and the grade will do the rest.” Not three seconds later though, the sharp shrieking tone of an alarm rang across the yard from the switchpony’s tower. Lilly’s driver turned his head, and gave his firepony a look that asked and accused at the same time.