//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 More New Friends and Deadly News // Story: Thomas goes to Equestria // by Even Evil Has Standards //------------------------------// FRIENDSHIP CASTLE Twilight sat at the table, deep in thought. She wondered what Thomas was up to. She had come down to see Spike in the kitchen by himself. When she asked where Thomas had gone, Spike had replied that Thomas had went out and would only say that he had asked Thomas a question too personal. Now Twilight was waiting for him to return when Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash burst in with Percy. "We have a problem." LATER The princess was stunned by this revelation. "So Thomas is from a world where trains talk?" "Yup," said Applejack, "it explains why Discord called him a tank engine." "And he came here by accident because he was running away?" "Sounds like it," said Rainbow Dash. "But why would he run away?" Percy told her about all the events that led up to Thomas' disappearance. "Wow," she said again. "Reminds me of the time when the Changeling queen posed as Cadance and convinced my friends that I was the bad one." "We've got to find him." sobbed Percy. "The island needs him. The morale is crumbling. Everything is gray. Even the trees are starting to lose the will to live." "Oh my," whispered Fluttershy, "that does sound dreadful. It sounds like Thomas is connected to this island more than he knows." "I just want my best friend back," sniffled Percy and he buried his head in his forelegs and sobbed. Pinkie Pie felt sorry for the poor lad, so she walked over to her and wrapped her hooves around him. "There there, Percy-wercy." Percy buried his face into her chest, shaking while he shed tears. That was enough for Twilight. "Spike! Take this down and send it to Celestia." CANTERLOT TOWERTOWER Celestia was equally surprised by a what she just heard. Then she left the room and returned with a circular mirror. "This isn't the mirror you are familiar with, Twilight. This is a message mirror. We use it to send messages to other worlds and still remain here. Since Thomas is from this Sodor, it is best that we try to contact there." Her horn glowed an yellow aura and she touched the mirror. It too glowed yellow and shook violently. Pinkie Pie placed a protective hoof around Percy as it raised into the air and showed images from Sodor. "Home." said Percy. The mirror then showed an image of Tidmouth Sheds. The rest of the Steam Team (save Toby) were in their berths. They looked dull, gray, and depressed. Apparently, they hadn't rested since Thomas had disappeared. "Speak to them Percy." said Celestia. "Hello?" The engines stirred. "I thought I heard Percy's voice," said Henry. "Rubbish," snorted James. "You probably imagined it Henry," rasped Edward who now looked and sounded as old as they said he was. Percy spotted a familiar whistle lying a few feet away. He picked up and blew as hard as he could. What followed was what sounded like Percy's own whistle with a blocked valve. Every pony covered their ears and the engines groaned in pain. "Alright Percy!" yelled Gordon. "We believe that you're here!" "I'm not really there Gordon. I'm passing a message from Equestria." "Equestria? Where's that?" asked Emily. "Just head to some buffers in the woods in the west countryside. Thomas is here somewhere." "In that case Percy, we'll head first thing tomorrow." said Edward. The aura vanished and so did the connection. Every pony was silent, though it was because of Percy's whistle. Finally, Pinkie Pie broke the silence with her party cannon. "AWESOME! We get to have more new friends! We can have TWO parties: one for meeting new friends and one for when we find Thomas! "If we find him," sighed Percy. "I don't think he wants to be found." "We will find him," growled Twilight, "and I will not rest until he's found." With grim determination, she set off for the buffers to meet the rest of the Steam Team. "Someone's in love," whispered Rainbow Dash. "I AM NOT!" "Sheesh, only joking.' CHAOSVILLE Nothing much happened here...except that Discord was being drained of his magic...again. It wasn't Tirek, he was in Tartarus. It wasn't Twivine either. She was standing nearby with a look of utter shock on her face. "(Did not expect that.) Come on," she called to the (off-screen) creature, "on to Manehattan." EQUESTRIA Percy and the Mane 6 were standing nearby the buffers, waiting for Percy's friends...with Twilight in a shaky fit. "Twilight dear, are you alright?" asked Rarity. "It's...her," rasped Twilight. Before anything else was said, there were 6 separate glows. The first caused the buffers to omit a blue unicorn with a 2 cutie mark and Harold Lloyd glasses named Edward; followed by a green Pegasus with a 3 cutie mark and a poofy mane that ended in a curl; next came a bulky blue Pegasus with a 4 cutie mark and was strong enough to rival Big Macintosh; followed by a red Pegasus with a 5 cutie mark and fur so sleek that it immediately caught Rarity's attention; next came a brown earth pony with a 7 cutie mark and a Stetson; finally came a beautiful emerald green unicorn with a (possibly) 12 cutie mark and a long black mane. Introductions were made and the steam ponies (save Percy) were about to look over their new bodies when Twilight's tingling sensation got the better of her and rushed in the direction to Manehattan, screaming. "What on earth is wrong with her?" asked Toby. "She's just starting to act like that," fretted Applejack, and they all raced after her. "It's Twivine Sparkle," thought Twilight. "I can feel it in the water. I can smell it in the air. I can taste it in the trough." MANEHATTAN The protagonists arrived and were horrified by what they saw. Plunderseeds were everywhere, entangling trapping buildings and all living things. Ponies were laying in the streets, gray, wrinkled, and looking lifeless. Twilight spotted her draining an unicorn's soul. "TWIVINE SPARKLE!" shouted Twilight. Twivine heard her and teleported inches from her. "Hello sister. It seems that we meet as we were destined to." "Where's Thomas?" demanded Twilight. "Ooh, missing your boyfriend?" "Why does every...? HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" "Then you don't mind that I took care of him?" "YOU KILLED HIM?!?" shrieked Percy. Twivine grinned like a mad man. "Oh he's worse than that, colt. Much MUCH worse than that." "Show us Thomas, witch!" ordered Gordon. "They're asking for you dearie," sang Twivine. A stallion stepped out of an alley. He looked like Thomas, but he wasn't. He had dull silver fur, a 0 cutie mark, a wrinkled face, and angry red eyes. Worst of all, his body seemed to be bleeding yet he didn't seem to notice nor did he track anything. "Thomas?" whispered a terrified Emily. He heard her. "I am...Timothy."