Equestria Girls: The Railway Stories

by friggin normie

Terence the Tractor

Author's Note:

So you're probably wondering why there's another double chapter update. Well, there's several reasons:

1. I wasn't satisfied with my Thomas Goes Fishing adaption. I can't put my finger on the reason why.

2. This is kind of embarrassing but I keep forgetting to update the story. Whenever I finish writing a chapter, I'll think that I published it and move on to the next one. As of typing this note, I'm at Paint Pots and Queens.

3. A lot of the chapters are shorter than I mean for them to be (The only bright side is that I've never dipped below 600 words), so I might as well post two at a time.

Autumn was coming to the Island of Sodor. Yellow stubble gave way to brown earth, and a tractor was hard at work plowing his fields. One morning, Thomas had to stop at a signal by the field.

"Hello," said the tractor, "I'm Terence and I'm plowing."

"I'm Thomas and I'm pulling a train. What ugly wheels you've got."

Twilight facepalmed. Sometimes she swore Thomas had all the tact of a rock.

Despite the insult, Terence's smile didn't let up. "They're not ugly. They're caterpillars! I can go anywhere at all. I don't need rails."

"Well, I don't want to go anywhere. I like my rails, thank you."

And as soon as the signal changed, Thomas left in a huff.

"Why did you insult him?" Twilight asked as they pulled off. She was asking more out of confusion than anger.

"I was being honest," he puffed. "Like Applejack!"

His driver almost facepalmed again. "Being honest doesn't mean spouting out your opinions whenever you want. That's called being rude."

---

Weeks later, winter came with dark clouds full of snow.

"I don't like it," said Twilight as she checked the weather reports. "A heavy fall is coming."

Thomas snorted. "Snow is silly soft stuff. We can handle it!"

The line was clear for most of the day, but once they reached the top station, large drifts had started covering the line.

"I was afraid of this," sighed Twilight. "You'll have to wear your snowplow for the next journey, Thomas."

The tank engine wheeshed indignantly. "I don't need that stupid old thing! We can just push through the snow! Isn't that right, Spike."

Spike didn't answer. He was busy helping Twilight drag the plow over to the tank engine.

"No!" he shouted. "I won't wear it and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Twilight laughed. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you can't do much of anything without a driver or a fireman. So what are you going to do to stop us?"

Thomas opened his mouth and quickly closed it. He hadn't thought of that.

---

For the rest of the day, Thomas traveled down the branchline with his snowplow. It was heavy and uncomfortable and it made Thomas very cross. He was so cross that he shook it and banged it and by the time they reached the sheds, it was in heavy need of repair.

"You're a very naughty engine!" Twilight said as she slammed the shed door shut.

The next morning, Twilight and Spike arrived early to fix the snowplow. But no matter what they did, they couldn't make it fit.

"Are there any spares lying around?" Spike asked.

"Afraid not. Looks like we'll have to hope for the best."

Thomas was very pleased with himself. "I shan't have to wear it, I shan't have to wear it!"

Annie rolled her eyes. "You're headed for trouble, Thomas. I just know it."

"I hope it's alright, I hope it's alright," Clarabel whispered as they left the yard.

Twilight was just as worried as the coaches. "It's been fine so far, but it's sure to be deep in the valley."

Thomas laughed to himself. "Snow is silly soft stuff. It can't stop me!"

And he raced into a tunnel thinking of how clever he was. But when he charged out the other side, he was horrified to see a massive snowdrift ahead! Thomas slammed into the mass of snow before he could stop.

"Cinder and ashes!" he cried. "I'm stuck!"

His driver glared and tried her hardest not to say 'I told you so.' Instead, she quietly opened the reverser to back Thomas out of the drift. But no matter how hard he tried, his wheels just spun helplessly.

"Bother," she sighed to herself.

Spike left to get help while everyone else tried to dig the snow away. But the faster they dug, the more snow fell on poor Thomas until he was nearly buried.

"Oh dear, I shall have to stay here until I've frozen over! What a silly engine I am!" And the little engine began to cry.

At last, a bus arrived to take the passengers, and then, who should come to Thomas' rescue but Terence. The tractor was still grinning like a loon as he was coupled to the coaches.

"Don't you worry, Thomas!" he said happily. "I'll take your coaches to the other side of the tunnel and then come back for you!"

And Terence was as good as his word. As soon as Annie and Clarabel were gone, he hurried back to pull Thomas out of the drift. Terence slipped and tugged and tugged and slipped until at last, Thomas was freed from his snowy prison.

"Thank you so much, Terence!" he puffed. "You were absolutely splendid!"

"I hope you'll be more sensible now, Thomas," Twilight said as she coupled Thomas back up to the coaches.

"Oh, I will!"

And with that, Thomas hurried back home.

Comments

[The Blue EM2]

Interesting the chapters are short. As a rule, I make sure my chapters are at least 1,000 words long, and I usually gun for 1,500-2,000.