Chapter 6: Railway Juniors
Three Days Later
As the sound of the school house bell rang out across town, parents all over Ponyville braced themselves for the flood of returning colts and fillies, free of the school house for a whole weekend. But instead of home, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were heading toward their tree house for a long afternoon of crusading and a sleep over. That was the plan at least until recess had rolled around, and left a dark cloud hanging over the three fillies moods. Nopony said it, but all three were thinking the same thing, until Sweetie Belle gave it voice.
“Diamond Tiara sure has been quiet.”
“She hardly left her seat at lunch,” Apple Bloom noted. “And she wasn’t much better yesterday neither.”
“I talked with Silver Spoon,” Sweetie added. “She said she’s the same at home.”
“Hope she’s alright,” Apple Bloom sighed as Scootaloo scoffed.
“She’s probably fine.” She wouldn’t admit it, but she was a little worried as well.
“Do you think we should tell Twilight?” the unicorn filly asked. “I mean, this does sound like a friendship problem.”
“Maybe,” Apple Bloom nodded. “But I really don’t think it’s our place ta interfere just yet. Like AJ says, some thangs ya just gotta keep in the family.”
Meanwhile, across town ….
“And that’s the basic outline of it,” Mr. Filthy Rich finished, adjusting one of the trio of maps now laid out in the main reception hall of the Castle of Friendship. The eponymous princess lifted one of the charts up in her magic, mulling over the stallions words as the meetings other member, the curly maned Mayor Mare, also eyed the maps.
“Your proposal is very interesting Mr. Rich,” Mayor Mare answered finally, still examining the map. “But it was my understanding that the authority zoning act restricted all corporate railway authority to that railways designated region.”
“That is true,” the stallion clarified, pointing toward another map with his hoof. “What you are looking at is a map of the current networks. This,” he said pushing the other map toward the grey maned mare, “is an older version.”
“Ah yes, now I see,” The mayor grinned, adjusting her spectacles as the alicorn beside her kept smiling at the new information in her bookish way. “And this would be the rail line your efforts would be based on?” she asked pointing to a hoof to a specific line marker.
“Yes Ma’am. My partners and I believe a subsequent renovation and expansion of the old line, which by all technicalities is still under the jurisdiction of the ENER, would provide Ponyville with all the economic gumption it needs to be a boom town again.”
He knew both mares were well read in the history of Ponyville, not least of which the boom times the town had enjoyed after the Apple Family discovered Zap Apples near the edge of the Everfree Forest. Since then though like Granny Smith the town had grown sleepy and slow, life ambling around in a rut worn by time. It broke a lot of older pony’s hearts, Mayor Mare’s included, to see younger mares and stallions leave to take their chances in the big cities, but Filthy Rich new if his plan worked, that would all start to change.
“Well Mr. Rich,” the Alicorn of Friendship smiled, “I think this is an excellent idea, and one that will help everypony.”
“Indeed,” the mayor nodded. “Though it will take some work convincing the shop owners on Manestreet their businesses won’t go belly up during construction, I think this could very well be just what the doctor ordered. It’s high time this town was known for something other than yet another monster attack, no offense of course Your Highness.”
“None taken,” The Purple alicorn smiled, standing from her seat. “I think I’ll mention this in my next letter to Princess Celestia.”
“Before you go,” Mr. Rich called quickly, and rather nervously. “I was wondering if I could ask you something.”
“Hm?” Twilight asked returning to her seat as Mayor Mare left, sensing a private matter.
“On the matters of friendship,” he elaborated, before explaining last week’s railway incident and the situation with his daughter.
“Hmmm,” Twilight hummed reclining into her throne, trying to look as calm as possible for the anxious parent’s sake. “It sounds to me like Diamond Tiara has found some unexpected friends.” Unexpected indeed, considering her and Silver Spoons history with the crusaders.
“From what I saw, she did get on with them surprisingly well. It’s just well …” Twilight decided not to push when the old stallion’s voice deserted him for a moment, and waited patiently.
“Diamond has always had a fascination with trains you see. When she was a foal her favorite toy was a little wooden train set. My business was less efficient in those days and I enrolled Diamond in a daycare center to be at the office more,” he mentioned with regret. “The other foals, well … they teased her for it. I was so busy in the office then that her only real friend was little Silver.” He didn’t go into details: how his little filly had come home crying from show and tell one day with a smashed train set in her saddlebag.
Twilight was already filling in the gaps herself: a young filly with a unique interest teased and tormented for it by the other foals, finding one friend to lean on through it.
“After Silver Spoon’s family said they were moving to Ponyville, I knew the bullying would only get worse for my little filly, so I made the decision to leave Canterlot as well. I had hoped a new start here would make her forget what happened but.” For Twilight the picture was clear now: despite her father’s best intentions the bullying in daycare had already left Diamond Tiara apprehensive about opening up to other ponies.
‘And now,’ The Princess of Friendship thought, realizing the scope of the irony. Now Diamond had found not one, but three fillies who didn’t think her love of trains was weird, and who she could actually get along pretty well with. The big question though, would she open up to them?
If studying under Princess Celestia had taught Twilight anything, it was that sometimes somepony needed a gentle nudge, or toss, in the right direction. With a plan fit for the Princess of the Sun, Twilight softly cleared her throat, just enough to get Mr. Rich’s full attention.
“I have a suggestion,” she started politely, and carefully explained her idea.
“But,” she cautioned, “she is your daughter, and I wouldn’t want her doing anything you’d be uncomfortable with.”
“No it’s quite alright, in fact,” Filthy Rich said as a smile grew across his muzzle. “I think that is an excellent idea. And I know just the stallion to make it happen.”
The next morning, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were trudging themselves through town early, all three still rubbing sleep from their eyes.
“How did that mailmare even find our tree house?” Scootaloo grumbled as she stretched her wings, feathered limbs stiff from a poor sleeping position.
“Crash into enough wrong houses,” Apple Bloom growled quoting her older sister, “And ventually you’re bound to hit the right one.” Sweetie Belle yawned and nodded.
“Even a broken clock is right twice a day. What’s really strange though,” She said levitating the envelope the wall eyed Pegasus had delivered. “Is that we all got the same letter.” Indeed, the crusaders had all received a copy of the same envelope, blue paper with yellow lettering, and each with clear instructions not to open them until they were at the Ponyville train station.
It was early on a Saturday morning, so Ponyville was both eerie and peaceful as the crusaders ambled through town toward the station. A thin mist hung low, blown in from Saddle Lake by the shifting winds of the unpredictable Everfree Forest. But being fillies, and lower to the ground than adult ponies, the fog was almost impossible to see through.
“Stick close,” Apple Bloom said as the fog became thicker, and Scootaloo tried and failed to hover high enough to push the fog away.
“Great,” She huffed settling back onto her hooves. “Where’s Rainbow Dash when you need her?”
“Sleeping probably,” came a condescending uppity voice somewhere to the crusaders left, which immediately put the three fillies on high alert.
“Wh, who’s there?” Sweetie Belle stammered as she tried to muster a light charm from her horn.
“Show yourself!” Scootaloo yelled, turning every which way to look for the voice. “Come out with your hooves, wings, or whatever the hay ya got up or I’ll!”
BONK!
Her twisting and turning landed her muzzle square in the path of the voices owner, leaving them to bowl each other over.
“Oh for neighing out loud, watch where you’re going you little … Oh, it’s you.” Scootaloo looked up only to find the pink muzzle of Diamond Tiara staring back at her, the rich filly hopping off as soon as Scootaloo tried to shove her off.
“Hello Princess,” The orange Pegasus glared, even as Sweetie Belle chimed in.
“Hey Silver!” She greeted as the grey filly appeared out of the fog, “What are you girls doing here?”
“Following directions,” she said matter of factly, holding up a blue envelope. “We got these letters in the mail just this morning.”
“Really?” Apple Bloom asked pulling out her own. “Huh, small world after all.”
“Or one with a bad sense of humor,” Diamond Tiara scowled in a venom-less tone. “See ya round. Come on Silver.”
“Wait,” Sweetie interrupted. “Do yours say not to open them until you’re.”
“At the train station?” Silver Spoon finished. “Yes they do actually.” Scootaloo groaned as Diamond did the same.
“Getting smaller,” she grumbled as the five filly’s trudged through the fog together. By the time they reached the station, Silver Spoon and Sweetie Belle were talking about the grey filly’s father’s latest business deal, and Apple Bloom listened closely as Silver mentioned a steady increase in fruit sales over the past few months. Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo said nothing, just picked out spots at opposite ends of the station and sat there. Neither filly did much of anything else until they heard Silver and Sweetie Belle’s conversation turn toward their letters, and a distinct difference.
“You didn’t get yours in the mail?” the white unicorn asked.
“No, Ms. Hooves doesn’t get to my dad’s house until about noon, and there wasn’t any mail yesterday.” Diamond Tiara scooted closer to hear better, an orange Pegasus filly doing the same as Apple Bloom tried to apply some common sense.
“Well it ain’t like it just walked in on its own right? Somepony had to deliver it.”
“What if it was sent by dragon magic?”
“Nah," Apple Bloom waved her hoof at the new voice's suggestion. "The only pony who sends letter that way is Prin, PRINCESS TWILIGHT!” The yellow filly jumped so high her bow nearly flew off her head, whipping around with its owner to quickly bow. Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon knelt down as well, but it only served to earn a tired groan from the Princess of Friendship.
“Please don’t,” Twilight Sparkle groaned. “I told you, I’m your friend not your Princess.”
“Sorry,” Sweetie Belle apologized getting back to her hooves. “But Mom say’s whenever you see a princess you have to bow no matter what.” Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon both nodded in agreement, and Twilight grumbled something about old uptight mares.
“It’s all right,” The purple alicorn said with a smile, one that only grew when she glanced around the station. “Oh good you’re all here.”
“Here for what?” Scootaloo asked, still irritable from the early hour. She wasn’t the only one.
“And what’s with these letters?” Diamond Tiara asked as she ambled up to the Princess, the purple alicorn’s smile turning knowing.
“Open them and find out.” The five filly’s looked at one another and swiftly tore open their envelopes, before reading aloud from their letters.
“Dear young prodigy,” Scootaloo began, reading slowly so as not to trip over the big words. “After showing great ingenuity and initiative.”
“You,” Sweetie Belle picked up, excitement growing as she read. “Have been selected to participate in the Equestria North Eastern Railway’s Junior Railponys!” Twilight’s smile only grew as Apple Bloom took her turn.
“Membership if accepted includes a personal ID badge that grants access to ENER facilities, free of charge train rides, as well as your merit record.”
“Merits,” Silver Spoon recited studiously, “are earned through participation in railway sponsored activities and projects. Based on the merits you earn, you will be awarded an honorary title.” Twilight suppressed a fit of giggles as Diamond Tiara’s eyes grew nearly as wide as her smile.
“Such titles, include honorary engineer, conductor, station master, switch pony, dispatcher, and etcetera!” She was nearly cheering, but then her eyes found something that confused the excitement right out of her. “Mandatory requirements include regular rail journeys with an assigned engine, one of which at the controls. What does that mean?”
“It means,” Twilight laughed knowingly, “That you’ll be assigned to one train to learn about and ride with often.” No sooner had she said that than a soft whistle echoed through the fog. “And here she comes now!” The five filly’s looked at each other confused until a second whistle chirp sounded out, growing closer as the tone became clearer. Scootaloo was the first to notice it.
“Is that?” She asked hesitantly trotting toward the edge of the platform, the other filly’s close behind. Two more peeps sounded out, and Sweetie Belle jumped for joy.
“It’s her!”
“Well I’ll be,” Apple Bloom smiled as grins appeared on Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara’s muzzles as well. Out of the morning fog appeared the two yellow headlamps of a bright green and white striped brake van, followed by a short train, and the almost silent hiss of a tiny tank engine’s cylinders. Mulberry paint, once spotted with railyard dust, was newly shined with shimmering brass trim that seemed to glow with its own light. But not even the new paint, or the trio of cars in front of her could prevent the crusaders from recognizing their friend.
“Lilly!” They cheered together, swarming the tank engine as an older earth pony stepped down from the small coach behind her brake van.
“Hi girls!” She whistled back, before a sharp cough drew their attention back to the platform, and to the now familiar top hat wearing earthy pony.
“I’ll assume from the shredded envelopes you all got my letters?” Five eager nods answered Top Hat’s question, earning a chuckle from the old stallion. “And what do you say?”
“Well Sir,” Apple Bloom started nervously rubbing her leg. “We’re mighty honored but, I’d really need to talk with mah sister about this first.”
“Don’t worry,” Twilight smiled walking up beside the farm filly. “I’ve already talked things over the AJ and Big Mac, and your parents too Sweetie Belle. They all agree this would be a great experience for you five to have together.”
“Together?” Diamond Tiara squeaked, swallowing hard when the implications fell into place in her mind.
“But of course,” Top Hat grinned matter of factly. “As the first members of the ENER’s Railway Juniors Ponyville chapter, you lot will have to work together to help Lilly here get the old line open again.”
“Old line?” Sweetie Belle asked, sitting down on Lilly’s buffer beam. The other fillies also took a seat, knowing enough from class to sense a story approaching.
“The Rambling Rock Branch Line to be specific,” the railway official explained. “It once ran from the gem mines in the Rambling Rock Ridge, through the forests, up along the edge of Saddle Lake, then back over the hills to the junction at Pithsburg. Our plan is to restore the line to operating condition, and extend the tracks until they connect with the mainline right here.” He looked around the station, his enthusiastic smile turning into a planner’s smirk. “That of course will require a new station to be built. These Southern Region shacks won’t do at all.”
“When can we start?” Scootaloo asked, nearly vibrating in place from excitement, but with a chance of go exploring, try new things for her cutie mark, all with an adults seal off approval, who could blame her?
“Well today if you wish,” Top Hat replied as Lilly let of a small puff of steam.
“We we’re just going to head over to Pithsburg to start the inspection,” she said proudly as the steam wafted back along her small train of one small passenger car, a flat car loaded with rail ties and steel rails in front of a frogger brake van. “Mr. Top Hat wants me to help the workers reopen the line.”
“That makes sense,” Diamond Tiara said rather quietly. “Since you’re so small it won’t be as dangerous going over any bridges or embankments.”
“Huh,” Apple Bloom grinned. “Looks like yer tiny size was an advantage all along.”
“So what are we waiting for?” Scootaloo smiled hopping up into the coach. “Come on, I smell a crusade coming on!”
“Really?” Sweetie Belle asked tilting her head and sniffing the air. “All I smell is smoke.”
“Sorry,” Lilly squeaked blushing as Top Hat held the coach’s other door open. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle hopped inside with Silver Spoon right behind her, but the grey filly paused when she saw Diamond still sitting on the platform. She was instantly torn between following her new friends and sticking with her best filly friend forever, when a certain farm filly poked her head out one of the car’s open windows.
“Well don’t jus sit der, ya’ll com’n or what?” Apple Bloom wouldn’t realize the kind of impact those words had until much later, all she saw was the smile that slowly grew over the pink filly’s face before she got off her haunches and bounded up into the coach.
With a chirp of her whistle Lilly started rolling backwards, pulling the short train back up the mainline towards Canterlot, leaving Twilight Sparkle having goodbye. They were nearly out of sight, and the Princess wondering if what she was feeling was the same as when Princess Celestia had sent her off the Ponyville, when the truth of the situation hit her like the proverbial train.
“Oh dear Faust,” she gasped, ears and wings dropping her eyes went wide. “What have I done?”
Too late Twilight realized she had unleashed the Cutie Mark Crusaders plus two on the rest of Equestria.
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I wonder if that's how Celestia felt when she sent Twilight to Ponyville?
6542647 i think your right
Feel bad I missed that Oct 2nd update. But happy to see I have more to enjoy this early morning. It's really nice to see a writer that commits to a story to its end. Honestly, you have my thanks. Feels sucky as a reader when you get into something nice. I may have mentioned it before, but thanks. This has been a fantastically adorable story and it's nice to see steady updates for this story.
Before I start my day and enjoy these two chapters I just have to say you got yourself a new follow. Long overdue I suppose.
It's a busy month, so might not be able to share my reaction to each chapter, though I'll still try. Just know this is not a story I'll be forgetting anytime soon. Also, might want to try making blog posts with each new update, just don't forget to tag the blog with this story. It helps people catch updates better. Also, you're free to and encouraged to promote the story in groups like Shameless Promotion Bureau, and The Diamond Cutters.
I can't speak for any other group's policy beyond ours and the Promotion Bureau's, but worth trying to toss out a promotion here and there and ask around if you can pitch in other relevant groups like CMC and others. I for one don't see why so many are letting this story pass them by, save for those who wait till a story is complete before reading I suppose. Oh well, keep up the good work.
Oh wow. I know this fic is about trains, but I was not expecting to get hit by the Gutpunch Feels Express in that last chapter. Oh, wow. That was just a darn good and all too relatable feels moment. I'm pretty excited to see what she has planned to help them out.
I don't know what spurred the train of Scootiara rivalry, but it's the cutest thing ever. I just love their competitive nature. Though I imagine her flanks must be pretty sore. These two grew adorably well in this episode. Can't wait to see what future episodes these ponies get up to next.
On a side note, Silver was super cute in 5th chapter. xD
Anyhow, sorry for all the spam. See you next episode!
EDIT: The part where I talk a lot for no real reason but to type more words apparently:
Trying to not spoil anything so avoiding all mentions of spoilers, but yeah. Way to set a good example of how not to ride on the coattails of canon, especially given the very fanfic and super specific way it needed to go for any of those ponies to get to that end point. I may have enjoyed the episode, it was only 22 minutes to do so much for Diamond, but I still felt the CMC at the very least got cheated a proper focus.
But this does Diamond Tiara in a way that's much more natural, and the way the CMC approach things is more child-like than what we see in the show. They switch far too often between slapstick goofs, to perfect do-no-wrong angels with spines of steel at the drop of a hat.
Wanted to avoid typing this but yeah, totally with you on how Fanfics need to do more to remain the ones who tackle the things the show can't tackle, to expand on the ideas they present rather then be tied to how they were executed. To create our own interpretation or flesh out these ideas. Fanfics don't have to follow the exact formulaic way the show writes their stories to fit a 22 minute episode. It's horribly limiting on the writer, comes off as really lazy, and above all why would someone want to read something that's just going to do what the canon already did? To write a fanfic based on an episode that basically copied the likes of every old redemption fics just don't make for good writing.
What we know is Diamond in the show is friends with the crusaders, they get their cutie marks, and it all ends. Fanfics are encouraged to EXPAND on those ideas, to reach their own conclusions to how they reach what amounts to the same ends, if only reached through another door, those are the parts that matter most.
The path least traveled often leads to the best rewards. Well, that or you get lost and hurt and end up missing to the world forever... *cough* Uh, yeah, no point in focusing on "This how I saw it" and put that more of "But this is how it could have been done better."
6549230 Thanks. It's nice to know I'm not being ostracized for foregoing the canon. My MLP storys aren't my first fanfics, but it is the first time I've started fics when the show was still going.
Here's hoping I can get thext chapters out in time for the Halloween/Nightmare Night special I already have in the works.
6549538
With there be an engine with Thomas' Class and please be him. The cheeky little blue tank engine we all love.