Canterlot & Everfree: The Early Years

by Smokey_Cinders

Chapter 11: The Royal Tour

Smokey smiled as he admired his work, the somewhat ramshackle train was far from in good shape, but it would do for the time being. He turned to Crosby as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “Well, I got 109 ready! How's The Empress?”

“She’s dressed to impress!” Crosby said with a grin as he finished polishing the safety railing. “When they see this, they can’t say no!” The brass colored Pegasus said as he started to head back inside. “Let’s get the interior ready!”

“Right!” Smokey said as he boarded the other end of the car, first walking by the kitchen area. In its prime, The Empress was the Crown Jewel of the Baltimare & Ohayo. A being a presidential business car, hosted the top officials, important VIP’s, and even carried Princess Celestia on occasion. It was truly a palace on rails, with every furnishing and need met.

Smokey walked over the imported carpet and gazed at the fine wood moldings and gold leaf which adorned the walls and the ceiling. Antique light fixtures lined the walls along with a chandelier which hung over the solid mahogany dining table. China cabinets surrounded the table, fine China proudly displayed inside, not a speck to ruin the look.

Opening a door, Smokey found the first drawing room, a decent sized bed sat on one side, plush satin sheets sat atop it. Across from the bed sat a massive dresser and mirror. Next was the washroom, which while small, had all the necessities, including a shower. Next came two more drawing rooms. Finally Smokey walked out to the Lounge at the rear of the car, fine chairs lining the wall, accompanied by stools and tables. A shiny coffee and tea set perched in a corner.

Crosby smiled as he looked over to Smokey, as he sat up a record player, humming to himself as a jazzy tune began to crackle. “Like it?” He asked with a smirk. “Figured some period music would help really set the mood!” He said as he looked to Smokey. “A beauty, ain’t she?” He asked as he looked around.

“Yep! We’re bound to impress Twilight and her friends now!” The ashy gray earth pony said as he looked out of a window, seeing Twilight and Applejack approaching. “We ain’t got much time, go get brass” he said as he and Crosby exited the car, smiling as he walked to greet Twilight. “Ah! Hello Princess! You're early!”

“Hello, Smokey!… and please, it’s just Twilight” Twilight said with a smile before she looked up. “What’s this? I thought you said your engine broke down”

“It did, but my friend Turbo came through and got it running! And not just that, but we have a private car to take you on your tour!” Smokey said with a calm smile, trying to hide his nerves.

“Oh? I thought we’d be walking” Twilight said, a bit perplexed.

“Well, once we knew that 109 would be working, me and Crosby went and inspected the bridge early this morning! And it’s safer than we thought!” Smokey said with a shrug.

“Uhh… Smokey… there’s something I need to talk to ya about…” Applejack said, shuffling uncomfortably. “Last night… I uh…” she sighed. “I think I saw a ghost train”

Smokey’s face fell, his brow furrowing as he swore in his mind as he raised an eyebrow. “Really? What’d it look like?”

“It was a steam engine! It was big and rusty, and it’s cab was lit with so much fire! It rocketed by the farm heading towards town like a bat outta Tartarus!” Applejack said, shivering as she recounted her experience with the Ghost Train.

“A steam train?… huh… well when we went to the bridge this morning, we saw no such thing” Smokey said casually.

“That’s odd… but I know what I saw!” Applejack said sternly. “Somethin screwy is goin on!”

“Well…” Smokey started before Crosby called out, Smokey mentally sighing in relief.

“Ah! Princess! Applejack! You're early!” Crosby said as he and Brass approached, Crosby now wearing a car attendant uniform.

“Your back quick!” Smokey said with a smile. “Well, Twilight, once the rest of your friends get here, we’ll depart!”

“That sounds like a plan” Twilight said with a smile.

---

It didn’t take long for the remaining four to arrive at the station, brass giving the six a tour of The Empress, the six were impressed, Rarity surprisingly was the most impressed by the President Car, even jotting down notes.

Brass smirked as they finished the tour. “Oh! And ladies, it may be interesting to you to know that Princess Celestia herself rode in this car several times!” He said as he reached into a closet, pulling out a framed photo of Celestia delivering a speech from the rear platform.

“109 to conductor, do you copy?” Smokey’s voice crackled over the radio on Brass’ jacket.

“I copy 109, ready to depart?” Brass asked as he looked to see Crosby climb aboard the car again, carrying a cooler and stashing it in the fridge of the car’s kitchen.

“Correct, awaiting signal” Smokey replied as he checked the gauges in the cab of the Rs-1.

“Copy, 109, drop the Three Step, departure granted” Brass said with a smile as he took a seat in the crew compartment.

“Roger, engine 109, dropping ramp flag and Three Step, departing now, over” Smokey said as he gave two blasts of the horn, released the brakes, set the engine into forward, and opened the throttle.

109’s engine slowly revved up, taking up the slack from the coupler between it and The Empress, carefully departing into the woods.

“Hey y’all, you can tell the gals if they want, one of them can ride up here, they just have to be careful crossing between the cars” Smokey said as 109 slowly accelerated.

---

“Are you sure about this?” An employee said as he looked to a shipment form, stating 13 was to be transported elsewhere for restoration.

“Hey man, I don’t make the waybills, I just pull the loads” a husky unicorn said as he took the clipboard.

“Ah… well… if Smokey signed for it…” the employee said as he watched a flatcar slowly enter the warehouse, coupling to 13.

“Yeah… he did” the unicorn said as he looked to the slick cursive signature that only magic could make.

“So… where you from again? This engines a bit… rugged for the EUR” the employee asked as the unicorn got down and coupled to 13.

“…uh… I’m from a shortline down south” he said as he climbed aboard the ragged looking SD40-2, the company name on the side having been sprayed over in temporary paint.

“Ah… alright…” the employee said as he watched 13 slowly be pulled out of the warehouse.

---

“So, how fast will this puppy go?” Rainbow Dash asked as Smokey watched the track ahead, glancing to the rainbow Pegasus.

“109 here’s a road switcher, it was built to be more for freight hauling and yard work, the speedometer says 65, but I’d say she’d do a little better, I wouldn’t knock 80 if she was running light and in good condition” Smokey explained before he smirked, tapping the rope which dangled from the ceiling. “Wanna make’er sing?”

Rainbow dash smirked as she zipped over, grabbing the cord with her hoof and pulling it, 109’s air horn calling out as they went through a valley, the sound echoing around. “That’s definitely twenty percent cooler!”

Fluttershy winced a bit at the sound of the horn, looking back to Brass, who was recounting his experience of overseeing Celestia’s ride on The Empress.

“Her personal chef even came along, he nearly wore the oven out making pastries for her! It was something to see!” He said as he sighed. “A baking a cake while going ninety miles per hour, that’s something” he said with a smile.

“It’s so incredible to think that I’m riding in a carriage that Celestia herself once graced!” Rarity said with a squee. “Oh to have been there for the glory days of rail travel” she said before the radio crackled.

“HANG ON!” Smokey screamed as the car jolted roughly, a loud hiss sounding out as the brakes were thrown into emergency, the short train coming to a grinding halt, startling all aboard.

“Goodness!” Twilight yelped as she steadied herself. “Is this a normal hazard of rail travel?” She asked as Brass quickly went to the engine.

“Smokey! What in the blazes are you doing braking like that!?” Brass called as he entered the engine, Smokey grimacing.

“That.” Smokey said as he pointed to a massive bear asleep on the tracks. “I didn’t wanna hit it, but it’s gonna have to move its big fuzzy butt!” He said as he grabbed the horn cord and began sounding a flurry of short blasts. “Get a move on!” The bear raised its head, looking to the train before it laid its head back down, Smokey snarling. “Big Stubborn…” he grumbled as Brass went back to the car to explain why they’d stopped so roughly.

“Oh?” Fluttershy asked after Brass explained, leaning out to look at the bear before she smiled. “He’s probably just taking a nap, I’ll go talk to him” she said with a smile, wincing again as she heard another flurry of angry horn blasts from Smokey, followed by several choice shouts. “B-but can you tell Smokey to calm down?”

“Of course!” Crosby said with a smile as he quickly went to the cab to politely tell Smokey to calm down. “Hey, we’re a few minutes late, stop having a tantrum” he said as he peaked his head in the door.

Smokey looked back with an embarrassed expression. “I ain’t havin a tantrum! I’m just tryna get this big stankin’ animal off the tracks so we can keep-“

“And tell the other creatures to be safe around the tracks, it’s not always safe to cross” Fluttershy said calmly as she flew to the cab and poked her head in, the bear having lumbered off into the woods. “We can go now, he just needed asked politely” the yellow Pegasus said sternly, Smokey looking down to the cab floor like a foal being scolded.

“Yes, Fluttershy” he said nervously as he began to charge the air lines, waiting till Fluttershy boarded again before departing.

---

The trip went very smoothly, surprising the three-pony crew, even when crossing the Everclear trestle. They soon entered the town of Everfree, the six gawking as the abandoned town came into view. Once the train was stopped, Brass and Crosby helped the six off while Smokey shut down 109, to keep from idling and using up fuel.

“Wow…” Twilight said as she took in the abandoned and overgrown town. “It’s been dormant for so long…” she said as she walked off the station platform. “It’s like everyone just left one day…”

“Apparently that’s exactly what happened, after the mining company, outpost and lumber mill closed, the town didn’t have a purpose” Smokey said as he looked around. “It’s a bit sad… and eerie too” he said as he turned and smiled. “So! You wanted a tour?”

“Of course! Ooo it’s so spooky, it would be perfect for a Nightmare Night party!” Pinkie began to ramble off party ideas as they began towards the engine shed and backshop.

“Well, here’s the engine house! Once we get opened and have more locomotives, we’ll make this our main base for operations” Smokey explained as he unlocked a door and opened it. “Mares first!” He said with a polite smile.

“Thank you, Smokey,” Twilight said with a soft smile as she entered. She was sure that the steam engine was here, and she was determined to find it, why else would they want to keep this a secret?

Rarity scrunched her nose up at the scent of oil, soot and general filth which had accumulated inside the engine shed. “Well, I do hope you give this place a good cleaning, it’s dreadfully smelly” she said with a slight cringe.

“Of course!” Smokey said as he led them around the shed, explaining the function of everything from the inspection pits to the tools.

After a while, they exited the empty engine shed, Twilight eyeing the large brick engine shop. “What’s that?” She asked as she pointed with a hoof.

“Ah! That’s the backshop, it’s where an engine or car would go if it needs heavy repairs like overhauls” Smokey said with a smile.

“Can I see it?” Twilight asked eagerly.

“Of course!” Smokey said with a smirk as he walked to the backshop and entered.

A large crane sat dormant from the ceiling, around the two tracks were dozens of huge machines, all instrumental in repairing and machining new parts for locomotives, Steam locomotives. Twilight's eyes lit up a bit as she saw a tender, quickly being disappointed to see it lacked a locomotive. According to the faded number on the back, it once belonged to the railway’s No.26.

After this, and walking around a little more, the nine ponies headed back to 109, Smokey firing up the engine and turning around on the Wye track which led into the engine shed. Once turned around, they set off again for Ponyville.

---

“Thank you, Smokey! That was a wonderful ride! I can see that you and your friends are putting a lot of effort into this… you certainly seem passionate!” Twilight said with a soft smile as Smokey blushed, rubbing the back of his head, facing Smokey as she stood on the Ponyville station platform.

“Well it ain’t nothin! Hehe… so… Twilight… I need to speak with ya later today about somethin… ya see…” Smokey began, only to be cut off by Steam galloping into the yard and up the ramp to the platform.

“SMOKEY! SMOKEY! IT'S GONE! SOMEPONY HAS STOLEN IT!” He shrieked as he reached Smokey.

---

13 sat on a cold, somewhat overgrown siding. Nearby, an older-model Diesel rocked violently as a large crane with a grabber claw slammed down onto it, tearing through its metal shell with ease and exposing its engine. Nearby, two scrappers worked with acetylene torches, cutting a boxcar apart.

A bit of condensation had formed on 13’s headlight lens, running down slowly and dripping to the ground like a tear as the flames of the blast furnace glinted off it.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

With time of the essence and the scrappers torch an ever looming threat, hop aboard for an express run to adventure!

In that case, why is there a slice of life tag, but not an adventure tag?

[Prince Jules Moonshade]

Reeeeee how dare they touch 13! Anyway enjoying the rework still. Now gimmie the next chapter. :P

[Christopher J]

Really am enjoying this story.

I hope that nothing bad will happen to old 13 right now or ever.