Rescue Engines

by The Blue EM2

The Great Rescue-Part 1

Whilst this was going on, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had gone down the old branch line from which Cozy had emerged. They followed it along, before it suddenly dived into a cave in the ground!

Before they knew what was happening, they were descending at high speed into the very depths of the Earth.

They soared over bridges built of crystal, and through canyons of glass. But what awaited them was horrifying.

They found a vast cavern, with railway lines snaking everywhere. There were engines of a multitude of builds and era shunting trucks around, all of them looking to be in a very poor state. Suddenly, they saw Cozy Glow amongst them, her paintwork smudged and the text on her tanks reapplied, although in such a haphazard way a blind monkey could have done a better job.

Scootaloo noticed a sign, and read it out. “You are now entering Tartarus Mining Corporation property.” She looked shocked. “I didn’t believe it until now, but those engines are really poorly treated.”

In the centre, a standard-gauge line was visible, with Cerberus hauling a long heavy train.

“Move along, my little tank engines,” said a voice behind them.

Two diesel engines rudely shoved the three tank engines along the track, to a set of points before a turntable. There was a large red Beyer-Garratt positioned on this turntable.

The deck of the turntable slowly rotated round, to reveal the engine in all his horror.

“Hello,” he said. “I was expecting you.”

“What do ya want with Cozy?” Apple Bloom demanded.

“Asking questions of me, how extremely bold,” laughed the engine. “I think some introductions are in order. My name...is Tirek.”

The three Hunslets shuddered. “Tirek!” they chorused.

“The very same. I have authority courtesy of the manager of the company down here. My word is law. Now then, about your friend.”

“Will you give her back?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“No.”

“Why?” Scootaloo asked.

“Because she is property of the Tartarus Mining Corporation until the Manager decides otherwise!” Tirek laughed. “That is how economics works, you know.”

“But you never sell engines!” Apple Bloom protested. “You work them until they wear out and then scrap them!”

“Because they are machines, and when a machine is no longer of use, you break it down,” Tirek explained. “That’s how Cerberus was created. True, he has no intellect, having the personalities of 3 engines mashed together, but nonetheless he is a very good worker.”

“But Cozy Glow is staying, no matter what. But seeing as you are so desperate to see her, you will stay here as well.”