Runaway Engines

by The Blue EM2

The Runaway

One day Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were hanging around at the lake station. The last train of the day had gone, and the engines had been allowed to go and enjoy themselves in the glorious summer sun.

They were also aware of dramatic changes that were occurring. Sandbar was now a regular sight on the railway, although his noisy engine remained a problem.

“What a lovely day!” exclaimed Scootaloo.

“What do you propose we do?” asked Apple Bloom.

Suddenly, the sound of sobbing could be heard nearby.

“Crying?” asked Sweetie Belle. “How is that a productive activity in the summer sun?”

“I’m not crying!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “It’s coming from over there!”

Nearby, was an old railway line. On the track was an engine. An engine unlike any they had ever seen before.

Her wheelbase was longer than Scootaloo’s or Apple Bloom’s, but shorter than Rumble or Pipsqueak. She had a massive boiler which looked like a standard-gauge boiler had been put on a narrow-gauge frame. She had not one dome, but three! She had a large cab, with sliding cab windows, and a bunker hanging off the back. Her cylinders were situated on the outside of the locomotive, and she had double frames. She also had a leading and trailing axle, and a cowcatcher at either end.

“Hi, are you OK?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Thank you for asking, but no,” she replied.

“Whatever’s wrong?”

“I’m escaping.”

“From whom?” Apple Bloom enquired.

The tank engine puffed forward, and stopped next to them. She was painted pink, with blue and white lining. But on her tanks, 3 words were barely visible; Tartarus Mining Corporation.

“You’re escaping from Tartarus?" Asked Scootaloo. “I’m not surprised.”

“They’re horrible,” the engine said. “They never overhauled us, and simply forced us to work until our boilers gave out.”

“How does this not breach any laws?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“What’s your name?” asked Scootaloo.

“I’m Cozy Glow, it’s very nice to meet you,” she replied. “But you’ve got to promise not to sell me for scrap, because I’m not going back there!”

The three engines took their new friend down to the shed, where Cheerilee was waiting.

“Hello girls,” she said. “Who’s the new engine?”

“Her name’s Cozy Glow,” said Scootaloo. “She’s escaping from Tartarus.”

“Tartarus?” Cheerilee was shocked. “Isn’t that the deep mine near Rock Farm?”

“Yeah,” added Apple Bloom. “Numerous counts of engine cruelty. Ah’m amazed they haven’t been shut down yet.”

“If that’s the case, we need to get her in for repairs, pronto!” Cheerilee said. “What class are you, Cozy?”

Suddenly, a loud, harsh whistle echoed over the terrain. Applejack approached on a heavy goods train, consisting of 40 hoppers loaded with coal. A purple J94 was banking her up the hill. Applejack paused for a breather outside the yard.

“Howdy, ya’ll!” she exclaimed. Her expression fell when she saw the new engine.

“Um, hi?” Cozy ventured.

“Ya can drop the act, Cozy Glow!” Applejack snapped. “Ah know yer true colours.” And with that, she puffed away angrily.

The J94 rolled to a stop at the wharf. “I need to warn you; Cozy Glow is nothing but trouble.”

Cheerilee swung around. “May I remind you Twilight that this is MY railway, and I give the orders?”

“Just warning you,” Twilight said, puffing away.

This, unfortunately, left more questions than answers. Cheerilee looked at the new engine. “Is there something you’re not telling us?” she asked.

Cozy looked worried. “They thought I was bad, OK but it wasn’t my fault!”

“Do tell.”

“Back in the old days, I worked on a railway far north of here. Problem was, I was too large for the track, so I frequently came off. This was a problem for the management, as they though I did it on purpose.”

“So, they sold me to Tartarus. It’s the locomotive equivalent of Hell. Boiling hot, 24 hour working days, and no repairs or overhauls. There was one engine who was cobbled together from 3 others. We called him Cerberus.” Cozy gulped, before continuing.

“But the nastiest was Tirek. He was unlike any other engine I’ve seen before or since. He was so aggressive, he had to be confined and only worked in the deepest part of the mine.”

“One night, I was working the night shift, and saw the exit to the mine was unlocked. So, I ran for it. I just kept going, until I ran out of coal and water. I wound up here.”

Cheerilee looked at her with pity. “It sounds like you simply had a hard life. We will repair you, and give you a better life here in Ponyville.”

Cozy smiled. “Thank you, Miss-?”

“Cheerilee.”

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