Coupling Up
The passenger train clattered into San Fernando yard, and once it had stopped, the passengers got off and headed into the control building.
Applejack spoke up when they arrived in the control room. “Is everythin’ OK?”
Wind Rider looked back. “Please go to the rec room, we’re kinda busy here.”
The older girls ushered the younger ones into another room, and Rainbow Dash flicked on the TV.
“We are looking at the worst railroad disaster in the history of California. A speeding, out of control train, loaded with toxic chemicals, is bearing down on Canterlot.”
Sweetie Belle put her hand over her mouth. “Oh God,” she whispered.
“But we have just learned that another locomotive is chasing from the rear. A plan has been devised to stop the runaway train. The basic plan is to couple the engine to the rear, at speeds of around 70 miles an hour, and then bring it to a stop.”
Scootaloo looked stunned. “Hey, it’s just like that incident in Pennsylvania a few years ago. Ya know, the one they made a movie about?”
Apple Bloom simply stared at her.
“What?”
“Ah don’t think that was the most appropriate thing ta say, Scoots.”
“Keep it down!” Applejack exclaimed.
In the cab of 611, the radio flickered into life.
“Go ahead, over?” Lighting Dust said.
“This is Starry Night, FRA Inspector. I have some advice for stopping 76076.”
“Go ahead, over.”
There was a pause. "I know conventional wisdom says to simply reset the cutoff and run her in reverse, but you’d be wiser alternating between full throttle and full braking.”
“We’d lose counterthrust, over.”
“What you’d lose in counterthrust, you’d more than gain in tractive effort.”
Dust sighed. “Well, it’s better than doing nothing. I’ll try it.”
“Good luck.” The radio shut off.
Sunset glanced over. “Do you want me to call it from the front?”
Dust looked surprised. “You sure?”
“Look, it’s that or my hometown goes up in flames. I’ll climb over the running board and get to the front of 611 that way.”
Dust nodded. “I don’t like it, but it’s better than nothing.”
Sunset climbed forward, and swung out of the side of the cab. She reached for a grab handle mounted on the casing, and swung herself onto the running board. She then shuffled sideways along the running board, gripping the handrail running down 611’s casing. Eventually she reached the front of the engine, and grabbed one of the handles to stabilise herself.
“20 cars! Increase speed!”
“20 cars! Copy!”
Slowly the gap lessened, and they got closer to their target.
“10 cars!”
“10 cars! Copy!”
As they neared the runaway train, Sunset could hear the whine of the traction motors of the locomotives in front, straining as if they had been pushed beyond their limits.
“5 cars!”
“5 cars! Brace for impact!”
611 slammed into 76081 with a bang. The couplers collided, but didn’t hold. A jet of black, sticky fluid flew out of the engine and into the air. Sunset covered her face to avoid getting splashed.
Meanwhile, the girls were stunned at the news footage.
“Is that Sunset Shimmer?” asked Scootaloo.
“She’s either brave, or incredibly stupid, or possibly both,” Applejack remarked.
“Sunset! What’s going on?”
Sunset grabbed her radio. “Rear loco took a bad hit! It’s spewing hydraulic fluid all over the fucking place!”
Just then, Sunset felt a blast of pain through her chest. “What the?”
“I’m back to play,” said a voice in her head. "You’ve had a good run, but you’ve reached the end of the line.”
Sunset suddenly vanished from the news cameras.
“This is unlike anything we’ve ever seen! Sunset Shimmer, the conductor of the train, has just vanished into thin air.”
“Where’d she go?” asked Sweetie Belle. But nobody replied. She glanced behind her, and saw that Rainbow Dash and Applejack were gone too!
Sunset floated in a nondescript dimension. There was nothing. Nothing but her.
Then a laugh echoed through the air. “You can never control me!”
Sunset shouted back. “The Elements of Harmony helped me defeat you at the Fall Formal!”
“You mean defeated you?” her demon alter-ego laughed. “Time to retake control!”
Sunset screamed as indescribable agony tore through her body. Her hands sharpened into talons, and her teeth into fangs. Huge, leathery wings erupted from her back as her eyes glazed over.
It seemed that all was lost.
But Sunset was not alone.
“Sunset, can you hear us?” shouted Pinkie Pie.
“You are an absolute gem, a diamond in the rough!” Rarity added.
“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash cried. “You can whoop that She-Demon's butt!” She suddenly looked sheepish. “Eh, no offence.”
“We believe in you!” Fluttershy contributed.
“I’ll be honest to ya now,” Applejack added. “You are NOT a She-Demon!”
Sunset responded at those words, shaking her head. “No,” she said simply. “I am Sunset Shimmer, and I have a power greater than any of evil. The power of friendship!”
There was a bright flash, and Sunset found herself on the front bufferbeam of 611. But something was different. There was no doubt in her heart now, and that monster was banished.
“Sunset, are you there?” asked Lightning Dust.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Are we coupled?”
Sunset looked down. “The pin’s jammed. I need to get it free!”
“Roger that!”
Sunset jumped down, and grabbed the handle holding the pin in place. She pulled with all her might, and at long last it came free.
But her elation was short lived. Her foot exploded in pain as the coupler slammed onto it.
Sunset fell down, cursing at the top of her lungs, grabbing a railing to prevent herself from falling off. Pulling herself back up, she dragged herself along the side of 611, her face contorted in pain as she desperately faught off tears.
Back in San Fernando, the office staff cheered. But they weren’t done yet. Wind Rider grabbed the radio. “611, you’ve got 10 miles until you hit Canterlot station approaches. If you don’t get it down to 20, that train will derail.”
“You know Dad, you have a real knack for inspiring confidence.”
Wind Rider laughed. “Roger that.”
Sunset pulled herself back into the cab, groaning as she did so. She slammed herself into her chair and attempted to remove her boot.
“You don’t wanna do that!” Lighting Dust told her. “Wrap this tape around it, that’ll stop the bleeding.”
Sunset lay back, and did as she was told. God, it hurt.
Lighting looked over to her. “You ready? It’s time for a little tug of war.”
She took the regulator off, and began to apply the brakes. A loud bang echoed from the front of the locomotive.
“Dust, we’re gonna snap off!” Sunset shouted.
“We’re just stretching, this is to be expected.”
It took a few seconds to work, but the speedometer slowly crept downwards. First 65, then 60, then 55.
But then it began to go up. Lighting shook her head. “The train is too heavy. Those locos are dragging us.”
She began to apply the brakes more aggressively. This had a noticeable effect, as the speed began to drop once again.
“Good, we’re under 40. We’ll stop in no time at this rate.”
Sunset suddenly remembered. “What about the locomotive brakes?”
“Yeah?”
“In training, they told us that each engine has a brake that’s disconnected from the main system. Those locos are running in formation, so adjusting the throttle from the rear loco won’t work. But we can apply the locomotive brakes and brakes on the individual tanker cars.”
Lightning grinned. “Great idea!”
Sunset jumped up, but fell back again at the pain in her foot.
Lightning grabbed her, and helped her into the driver’s seat. “I need you to operate the brakes. Burn her out if you need to.”
Sunset nodded. “Understood.”
Lightning leaned out of the cab, and climbed along the side. She reached the front bufferbeam, and stepped over the coupler, grabbing a handle on 76081. She then crawled along the side, and opened the cab door, climbing in.
The loco brake came on, sparks shooting into the air as the brakeblocks and motor fought one another. The brake on 76059 slammed on, the light-show visible for miles around.
Dust climbed onto the rear tanker, and started to turn the brake wheel. The noise being produced by the brakes was deafening, sounding like the very screams of hell.
Wind Rider cheered. “It’s working!”
Starry Night nodded. “As long as 611’s brakes hold.”
Just then, a message came in. "This is Sunset Shimmer, we’ve got her down to 30.”
“Get ready to have somebody jump aboard.”
Sunset brought the brakes on again. The screech was awful. But then, the blocks gave way. A great jet of fire roared out of the driving wheels as the blocks came loose, falling onto the track.
The entire engine rocked. “Fuck!”
Spitfire echoed the sentiment back at San Fernando.
Lightning Dust was at the 15th tanker when suddenly she heard a loud bang. “What’s going on?”
“We just lost all brakes! Brakeblocks are gone completely!”
Dust cursed under her breath. She halted her progress, as the train was running into the station approaches.
The first set of points was approaching. Dust radioed again.
“Sunset, I’m gonna ask you to do something very, very stupid.”
“Go ahead?”
“You see that red lever? The Independent?”
“I see it!”
“Wait for my instruction.”
76076 roared into the first set of points, now doing 45. The wagons clattered over the pointwork, doing more than twice the authorised speed.
Sunset looked at the speed gauge, helplessly watching it creep up.
“Hit the Independent, as hard as you can!”
Sunset grabbed the lever, and slammed it from left to right. The entire train lurched backward, and suddenly started to tilt to the left.
A support seal came off one of the tankers, and it began to leak gasoline.
The engine was now in the station, charging through platform 2 and passing a Class 101. The driver was extremely surprised to see a 76 doing a wheelie!
“Brake off!”
Sunset brought the brake off, and kept her hand on it.
“Hit it again!”
Sunset slammed the brake on as hard as she could. The force of the braking brought the train back onto all four wheels, and it rolled safely through the station.
In the rec room, the girls cheered. “They did it!” the Crusaders chorused.
“The train is safely through the station, but there is no way it will hold the rails on the ascent to Cloudsdale,” the news said. "Sunset Shimmer and Lightning Dust will be the victims of the worst railroad disaster in the history of California.”
Dust tried to proceed forward, but couldn’t as a ladder had come off one of the tankers. The distance was too great for her to jump as well.
When suddenly, on the stretch of road parallel to the line...
...appeared a motorbike, with full police escort.
Wind Rider looked in disbelief. “Discord,” was all he said, before starting his phone.
Discord heard his phone go, and activated his hands-free. “My apologies Wind Rider, but I’m a little busy. Call you back!”
He pulled up alongside 611. “Come on!” he shouted to Sunset. “Jump in the back!”
Sunset grabbed the radio. “Wind Rider, is that bike for us?”
“Yes, it is. GO!”
Sunset moved to the cab steps (which wasn’t easy with her foot), and prepared to jump.
“Get a move on!” Discord shouted. “I’m running out of road!”
Sunset took a deep breath, and jumped. It wasn’t the most graceful of landings, but it did the job.
Discord pushed the engine as hard as it would go. The bike raced forward, past the rest of the train and right up alongside 76076. He moved closer in, and with an effort, reached out and opened the door of the electric engine.
“JUMP!” he called.
Sunset shakily stood up, and jumped for the railing. She made it. Pulling herself into the cab, she sat down, and pulled the throttle out of W.F.4.
The train slowed down, and came to a gentle stop.
Sunset sighed. “What a day.”
Everywhere, people cheered and rejoiced.
Sunset shakily pulled herself out of the cab, and leaned against the engine she had stopped.
Discord came over. “I believe you know me from legend, Sunset,” he said.
She looked surprised. “Discord?” she asked.
“That’s me,” he said. “I even post stories on FimFiction!”
“What’s FimFiction?” asked Sunset.
“Never mind. Only the readers will get that joke.” He tried to help her up, but saw her foot. “Let me fix that,” he said.
Sunset felt the magic wash over her, and removed her now-restored boot-to see a hoof.
“I would prefer a foot, thanks,” she said.
“Oopsie.” Discord tried again, and behold! A foot!
Suddenly, Dust came up alongside. “You did a damn fine job, Sunset. I wouldn’t be surprised if they promoted you.”
“Thanks,” Sunset replied.
A helicopter touched down nearby, and out jumped Rainbow Dash, Applejack, the Crusaders, and Wind Rider.
“You rock!” Rainbow called out.
“Fine work there!” Applejack echoed.
Wind Rider smiled. “Dust, I’ve convinced higher-ups to review your case. Hopefully it’ll end well.”
Sunset looked concerned. “But there’s all the people out there who still don’t believe I’ve changed.”
“Honestly darling!” said the voice of Rarity. “I believe that, after the sacrifice you made today, they will come to their senses.”
“That’s the second time you’ve saved Canterlot Sunset!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Or is it the third?”
Sunset laughed. “Thanks guys. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
That evening, Sunset was in her apartment, and looked out upon Canterlot. To think it would not be there now, were it not for the actions of two girls. Not surprisingly, the incident was dominating local TV.
Sunset sat back, and took out her journal. She started to write:
Dear Princess Twilight,
In the twelve hours or so since I contacted you, a lot has happened. Amongst other things, a runaway train threatened to blow up Canterlot. Thankfully, it was stopped. Turns out it was our old friends the Dazzlings again. They hijacked it in an effort to destroy us, and claim revenge for stopping Anon-a-Miss. Will they ever learn?
Something else happened today. Something more important. I was finally able to overcome the demon inside of me. She’s gone now, I know that now, and I can move on in the knowledge that my friends are by my side. I can say with certainty now that my past is not today.
I just hope that the Friendship Games aren’t as frantic.
Your friend,
Sunset Shimmer.
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2 things:
1.
Apparently Scootaloo saw the actual movie itself :D
2.
Nice reference to our buddy Discord the Narrator X3
9280827
1. I added that after watching some of the news footage of the original event:
Somewhere in the video the VO mentions it being 'like something out of a Hollywood action movie'. I thought it would be amusing to add the events of the original movie as a historical event in my EG continuity, which itself was adapted into a film.
2. This story was written, in part, as a thank you to both you and Discord, for all your support this past month or so.
She's doing it to save the people she loves!
Oh god!
That was too close!!!
https://m.I wonder how they escaped jail? And where are they now?