Canterlot & Everfree: The Early Years

by Smokey_Cinders

Chapter 10: Night Run

Luna’s moon had begun to rise as the trio made their way up the line, Smokey and Crosby pumping the hoofcar up the track and towards the Everfree yard, it took nearly an hour and a half to get there, mostly due to having to stop to catch their breath every mile or so. Nevertheless, they made it and headed for the shed to fire up 13, Steam had stayed behind to be ready to receive 13 into his warehouse.

As minutes turned to hours, they slowly built pressure in the boiler, bringing it to operating pressure. Smokey was up on the Pilot, polishing the number plate, climbing into the walkways to do the same to the builders plates.

“I really hope this works y’all… I don’t think I could forgive myself if somethin’ happened to this old thang," Smokey said as he applied more polish to the rag.

“Don’t worry Smokey, I’m sure this will go just fine!” Brass said as he held a hose into the tender tank, filling it to the brim with water.

“How are we gonna sneak it through town anyway?” Crosby asked as he looked to Smokey.

“Simple, when we get outside town, dampen down the fire to decrease smoke and just coast through on what pressure we have at that time, if we do it right, we shouldn’t be seen,” Smokey said as he climbed off the locomotive.

“Sounds like it a plan,” Crosby agreed as he shut off the pump filling the tank.

Once the engine was ready, Crosby and Brass swung the shed doors open and Smokey tugged the throttle, inching 13 out under its own power, saying a prayer with every chuff from the smokestack. It was striking midnight when they started off for Ponyville, a set of eyes watching them from the darkness as they departed.

Smokey kept a hoof on the throttle and a hoof on the brake, in case he saw something or somepony. Crosby was firing as sparingly as he could as to keep down smoke, and to keep from the light of the fire being seen. Brass was riding on the tender, the old conductor's sharp eyes searching around for anything that could compromise the trip.

Crosby threw a shovel's worth of coal into the firebox and sat across from Smokey, leaning out to look around. “So far so good, we’re through the horseshoe curve and just passed the old mine, once we get across the old trestle, we’ll be able to put this ordeal to bed,” he said with a yawn.

“I hope so, I really do,” Smokey said as he took a sip of coffee from his thermos, offering it to Crosby.

“Thanks.” Crosby yawned as he took a long sip of the hot caffeinated beverage.

Smokey slowed 13 to a crawl as they approached the trestle, taking great care as 13 weighed much more than 109. The bridge creaked and groaned unhealthily as they made their way, the three could have sworn they even heard splashing from rotten supports falling. Nevertheless, they reached the other side, Smokey pulling the throttle open again and proceeding at a brisk pace, rocking side to side as 13 traversed its rickety tracks.

Up ahead, at the farm, Applebloom was still wide awake, the filly still having trouble sleeping after her encounter with the Ghost Train. She’d been counting sheep until she picked up the labored chugging of an engine fast approaching. She sat up and glanced out of her window, sure enough… a headlight was fast approaching.

“Applejack!” The filly shouted as she sprang from her bed, bolting down stairs.

Applejack had fallen asleep outside the farmhouse, it had been a beautiful evening and the orange earth pony had fallen asleep on the porch. Her eyes cracked open as Applebloom flew outside. “The ghost trains a’comin!” She shouted.

“Applebloom there ain’t no ghost train” Applejack said, annoyed as she tried to shake off sleep.

“There is! Look!” Applebloom said, pointing Applejack to the train… Applejack’s eyes widened as she saw the rusty steam engine hurtling along the rails, passing by the farm belching smoke, the cab illuminated by fire.

“What in tarnation is that!?” Applejack yelped as she grabbed Applebloom and ran inside, watching the train heading towards town.

---

Another fifteen minutes had passed and they rumbled over the old trestle and through the Alicorn Ridge tunnel, they could almost see Ponyville coming up.

“Finally, just a little farther” Smokey sighed in relief as he adjusted the throttle.

“Yup!” Crosby said as he started banking the fire as to reduce as much smoke and heat as he could.

Steam had been waiting at the beginning of the portion of track which ran through main street to watch for the engine, the white unicorn smiling when he saw the engine approaching, waving at them with a flashlight to proceed.

At a steady five miles per hour, Smokey guided 13 through town, keeping a keen eye into the darkness, having turned the headlight to its dimmest setting.

A tired Mayor Mare walked out of the town hall, gasping as she saw 13, the four on the engine staring back in panic. The mayor chuckled to herself as she turned. “My my… I need to stop having tea before bed, this is a weird dream” she said sleepily as she headed back into town hall.

The four breathed a collective sigh of relief before continuing on, cautiously crossing the mainline, by some miracle going undetected by the dispatchers. With its lack of radio equipment, 13 was almost invisible to anyone working in the switch tower that night, aside from seeing that a rather heavy car was being moved.

---

“Almost there” Steam said as he rode on the back of the tender, guiding them to the warehouse. “I guess we should start shutting down now”

“I agree” Smokey said as he opened the blowdown valves as Crosby rocked the grates into the ashpan, they would have to figure out a way to clean the ashpan of ashes and cinders later. “Let’s do what we have to outside as fast as possible and get it put away”

“Two of us need to stay and watch the boiler while it cools down to make sure it stays stable,” Crosby said as he checked several valves and gauges, watching 13’s pressure fall as the boiler began to cool.

“I agree” Smokey said as looked to Brass, who was waving them back. “Ready for a long night?” He asked with a chuckle as he released the brakes and let 13 coast into the warehouse to finish cooling down and losing pressure.

“I guess! But please… let me have at least a couple hour nap” Crosby said with a small laugh.

Smokey and Crosby took shifts to watch 13 while the other slept, the boiler cooling off slowly. Steam and Brass had gone home for the night, having fancied their beds over sleeping on the engine. Little did the four know that they had been noticed much more than they realized.

---

Smokey awoke, icy cold air blowing into the cab, rain drizzling as Smokey stood, he was alone in 13’s. He looked out to see they weren’t in the warehouse anymore…. Rusting locomotives sat lined up on sidings as far as the eye could see. “W-what?… how did we get here?…”

“Smokey?” A voice spoke… Smokey jumped and turned, started, seeing Twilight. “Why are you here?” She asked with a disapproving expression.

“I-I… where am I?” Smokey asked before he heard the sound of a torch igniting.

“You know where we are, now come on” Twilight said as she lifted Smokey with her magic. “We need to leave so they can start”

“No! No, let me go!” Smokey sounded as the sound of the flames cutting through 13’s metal body rang out deafeningly. “13!!!” Smokey screamed as he was ripped from the cab and pulled out of the yard with incredible speed, the last glimpse of 13 being it’s boiler being cut open as the scrapyards large iron gates slammed shut.

---

Smokey gasped, awaking with a start from his nightmare, checking the time to see morning had came sooner than he cared for, climbing off the now-cold 13, Smokey grabbed an oil can, being careful to lubricate the engine, his mind reeling from the nightmare.

Once he was satisfied, he climbed back into the cab and snuck up on Crosby, smirking deviously. “… CROSBY! THERE'S A TRAIN AHEAD! BAIL OUT!” He screamed, causing Crosby to awake in panic, jumping out of the cab through the window and landing with a yelp onto a stack of boxes.

“Smokey… if you do that again… I’ll throw you in the firebox next!” Crosby yelled as he caught his breath, shaking a hoof at Smokey as he climbed down, howling with laughter as he joined his friend.

“You do that” Smokey said with a smirk as he put a foreleg around his hand. “While you're tryna figure out how to make Smokey Sausages, I’m gonna go get some breakfast, wanna join me?”

Crosby rolled his eyes. “Sure…” he said as the two walked out of the warehouse, locking the door behind them, 13 letting out a small, soft murmur as the metal finished cooling down.

---

With 13 hidden away, Smokey’s mind was at ease, and he was far less anxious about giving her a tour of the track to the Everfree yard. Though while going to pull out a spare handcar, they had two very pleasant surprises at the station.

109 sat in the station, The Empress coupled behind, Turbo smirking when she saw Smokey. “Heya! I managed to get your engine fixed this morning! This came in for you, so I figured I’d move it over for you!”

Smokey smiled widely as he walked up. “Thank you so much! This is terrific!” Smokey said as he looked to Turbo. “You helped us big time! What do I owe you?”

“It was no trouble, Smokey! And you don’t owe me anything! The parts we used were going to be thrown out anyway, so you helped us get rid of them and put them to good use!…” Turbo trailed off as she gained a concerned expression. “But I found something while digging in your engine… the Turbo was old and on the way out… but…” she paused before she pulled out a bag and showed Smokey where somepony had dropped stones and sand down the stack and into the turbocharger, and also stuck a wrench into the mechanism of the turbo. “I think somepony tampered with your engine”

Smokey’s eyes widened. “I’ll be… that explains what they did when they were here…” he said as he sighed. “Thank you, Turbo, I’ll forever be in debt to you for this, if you ever need anything, let me know” he said with a smile.

“It was no trouble at all, Smokey! I have to get back to work now, take it easy!… and be careful with who’s poking around the railway” Turbo said as she took off, flying back to the Equestrian United’s yard, and her Genset.

Smokey and Crosby smiled as they quickly set to work, polishing the floors and brass of The Empress, cleaning the floors, making sure the furniture was ready, they had a few hours before Twilight arrived, and they intended to seize every second.

---

“I’m tellin ya, Twilight! A ghost train tore through the farm last night! It was big, blowing out smoke, and the cab was filled with a fiery glow! It rushed by like a twister makin’ an awful racket!” Applejack said, recounting the night’s fright.

“Surely there has to be some explanation, Applejack” Twilight said calmly as Spike struggled to drag her saddlebags over.

“H-here… Twilight…” he panted before sitting on the floor.

“Shoot, Twi, Whatcha got in there? The whole royal guard?” Applejack asked, amused.

“Just a few things for the trip, some provisions and other supplies, you can’t be too careful when in the Everfree Forest” Twilight said with a smile as she glanced out of the window, her eyes immediately catching the repaired 109 at the station, Smokey running a soapy mop over the filthy diesel to try and make it presentable. “I thought Smokey said the engine caught fire yesterday”

“Musta got it fixed?” Applejack asked as she looked down to see the engine.

“Hmm… I’m going down to see what’s going on, want to come with me and see about that ghost engine?” Twilight asked as she started outside, applejack following close behind.

Comments

[Golden-Gale]

More chapters? I wanna see the chapter with them revealing the train and such

[Golden-Gale]

I mean, I dont want that immediately, I just wanna see if you'll post more

[Smokey_Cinders]

11800387
Don’t worry! The reveal of 13 to everyone is coming soon! And I’m posting what I’ve written, I have two more chapters to release soon before there might be a small delay

[Golden-Gale]

11800401
Cool! Anyways, uh, I have a question.

Maybe you have some pointers for a current story Im writing? I just came back after a long break and I was getting back into my story. Maybe you could help me out?

Also, can't wait for more chapters... :)

[IndianaSeth]

Ah, so their escape succeeded this time around. Nice. And it seems the Burke and Blair knockoffs are using the Flim Flam Brothers method of acquisition: If you want something, take it by any means necessary.