> The lost Empire > by Q_The_Exile > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Walking along a pier to an aircraft carrier is a boy in a blue over coat and top hat. Looking back over his shoulder as he nears the ramp, he wonders if this new school will allow him to join sensha-do, or tankery. Thinking it's time to go, he turns around and begins walking up the plank to his dorm. This boy is me. My name is Alex Amunito and I have a secret, I don't belong in this world. Early last year, I was in my original world and learning to control my powers. You see, I'm an Exile child. Each Exile child is granted one special ability, but sometimes two, until all the powers are unlocked by a full Exile. I was granted with full powers though making me a rare and unique. Before I was five, when i got my abilities, my Grandfather had told me that he was once a ruler of an empire that was so large it stretched across dimensions. However as I grew older I realized that what he told me could not be possible as we had no technology that could transport things across dimensional boundaries. However, before I could ask my grandfather how he did it, he passed away, leaving me his prized steel top hat. Not your average top hat that is mad of leather and felt. Years passed and I eventual came to think that his story was nothing but the rambling of senile-ism. That is until my 16th birthday when I fall asleep in bed and was whisked through time and space to this world with my grandfathers top hat the the cloths i had on my back. So, I decided that for now, I'll go to normal school here and try to figure out how to get back home.. Not as easy as I thought, this is currently my third school and I'm in 11th grade, only two more years to go...yeah! So, with this new school, I'll try their sensha-do (tankery) class and see, maybe my powers will come in handy. Oh! I forgot to mention. My powers, besides the ability to fly which is given to all Exiles in the form of two huge bat like wings and a tail; I'm able to use any pair of swords as an expert swordsman; I am a master sharpshooter with anything that resembles a gun; And I can make or take the form of any thing i see for the most part; not to mention meany more abilities. I also have the ability of inventing, if I can think of it i can make anything i think of real with gears and other parts. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -beep-beep-beep- "Ugg, why do I have such a hard time getting up so early?" Alex moaned as he slapped the alarm clock, and accidentally broke the old thing to pieces. "Great! Now I have to repair it when I get back." he muttered again as he ran out the door after getting ready. As he arrived at the school, a large boom resounded from the back of the school. "OOP! They're already getting started!" Alex said aloud as he ran to the back field and saw seven tanks lined up in a single row in a large hanger. Suddenly a girl with ornge-ish brown hair saw him and waved him over to the group she was standing in. "So your the new recruit. You better be better than the last group." a sleepy girl with black hair said as she leaned heavily on the girl next to her. "Nice to meet you too." Alex said sarcastically, as he joined them. "My name is Miho. So, get into the panzer 4 and show us what you got." the orange haired girl told him as he saw the targets lined every 500 meters. Alex climbed into the driver's seat of the tank and clumsily maneuvered it into position at the beginning of the targets. "So you're not a driver, well, move back I want to sleep." The sleepy black haired girl said as she pointed him to the back. "My name is Yukari, and that is Mako." another girl said as Alex climbed to the loader's position and loaded a shell into the gun. "I'm Hana. Try sharp shooting." one of the group said as they took their positions. "Can I aim at any target I want?" Alex asked after they showed him the controls. "Yes." Miho replied as he shifted the barrel up and aimed at the farthest target at 3500 meters. "Good." Alex said as he pulled the trigger and a deafening boom rocked the tank and the target disappeared. "You-you hit it! From this range!" Hana gasped, shocked into silence. "Well, we'll put you as the new Anteater gunner." Miho said as they all climbed out of the tank. "Umm, if I have my own hanger, I can come up with something you can add to the team." Alex said kind of nervously, he knew he was treading on thin ice and could make a mistake very badly. "Ok, you can have the old shed behind the hanger." Miho told him after they blinked in surprise. "Thanks. I'll have it ready tomorrow." Alex replied as he turned away and walked around the hanger and spotted a rundown, old brick shed with four chimneys sprouting from the top, and two massive double doors next to each other. "Man what a dump." he thought when he opened the one of the massive double doors and a groan escaped from the building, followed by one of the chimneys keeling over to an odd angle. But still together. As he walked inside, he saw a large object covered over with a massive tarp. As he walked up to the covered object, Alex saw on a work bench next to it a large, oxidized brass whistle, and picked it up as he walked past. "What are you doing here little fella?" he mused as he reached the tarp, grabbed a corner, and threw back the cover in a cloud of dust. "And what are you doing here." he asked as the dust settled over a large steam engine with four large wheels and four smaller ones in the front and six at the rear. "Well, this will certainly help." he planned as the sun began to set. With a light blue light shinning through the crack in the door, and hammerings, banging, and clinking sounds resounded through out the school yard as everyone departed except Alex. Next morning: ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ -Ring-RRing- RRRing-RRRRin-Click!- "Hello? Yes this is the student president of Oarai High school. How may I help you?" "...." "Oh. So you challenge us huh? Well we never back down from a challenge! We accept!" "..." -Clack!- ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ "Mako!" Miho called off the list of attendance for the tankery team. "Hai." Mako replied tiredly as she slumped on the shoulder of the student next to her. "Alex!" Miho called out next as she checked the list. "..." "Alex?!" she called again, getting annoyed. "..." "Has anyone seen him?" she finally asked as the girls popped out of their tanks and looked at her. "Nope!" "Uh-uh!" "He might be in the shed." she finally concluded and walked around the corner of the tankery shed with the rest of them in tow. As they rounded the corner they saw smoke belching from the leaning chimney on the brick shed. "That has to be an really big fire to produce that much smoke." Hana observed as Miho grabbed the handle to one of the large doors and heaved it open before gasping at what she saw. A large, charcoal black, steam locomotive sat simmering at full pressure before them, with a large black tender and long boxcar behind it that matched. Then, Miho heard a groan and snore from the top of the engine. "Found him!" Mako called from the side and waved them to the side. Alex sat on the boiler with his hand wrapped around the shiny brass whistle, fast asleep. "Apparently he has been here all night. How are we going to wake him?" Miho wondered aloud as Mako climbed into the cab and stared in confusion at the wall of gauges and levers, before yelling, "We'll move him into the sun." As Mako looked at the bank in front of her, she spotted a red pull cord hanging from the ceiling and yanked it down. A deafening scream rang from the whistle, and Alex jolted awake. "Huh?! What-?! Is-?!" he stuttered as he Looked about wildly. "Is this the surprise you had for us?" Miho asked him as he slowly climbed down from his perch and she noticed the name stenciled onto the side: Dragon. "Yeah." he said with a hint of embarrassment. " A world war two armored train, named Dragon." he replied as he climbed into the cab and shoved one of the levers forward on the bank. Steam hissed from the sides as the engine slowly lumbered out into the sun and tow the line up of tanks. "How are you able to control where it goes, there is no track? " Miho asked him suspiciously when the train came to a stop and he climbed out. "That is a very good question, but I know a saying that will answer it. 'Don't question how it works, only know that it works.'" he answered as he walked over to the line of tank captains. Miho stared at him with a hint of annoyance and envy before explaining to them, "Today we are doing a mock elimination battle in preparation for a battle against St. Gloria school of tankery. We will be split up under two teams, one controlled by Erwin and the other by me." "When you here your tank called, get into it and move it to the appropriate starting point." Erwin told them. "Leopon, duck, and rabbit your with me, the rest are with Erwin." Miho said as they ran to their tanks. Twenty minutes later: Erwin's team Alex stopped beside the Aus. 111 and the other tanks with a quiet squeal. "Dragon in position." he radioed and bowed to begin the match. All the tanks lurched forward at full speed as Alex fell behind and turned in the opposite direction. "I'm good at long range sniping attacks, I'll go and find a spot to help you." he radioed back as Erwin asked through the set why he turned around. 'He better be good.' Erwin thought as they rumbled along and stopped on a low rise. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alex swiftly turned the armored train around and opened up the throttle as a large hill came into view with a pass splitting it in half. The train thundered up the road before he gently brought it to a halt at the crest of the pass. "This seems like a good spot." Alex said as he climbed out of the cab. Erwin sat in her tank as it idled quietly in a tree line as the others engaged Miho's team in the town below her. "Ug! I still can't find anglerfish team!" She cried as she put down a set of binoculars. "Dragon to hippo, Do you Copy?" she heard come over the radio. "This is Hippo, go Ahead Dragon." Erwin replied over the set. "I'm in position, give me a bearing on an enemy, over." Erwin picked up her field glasses and looked over the town. Suddenly, she spotted the Leopon team's Tiger and relayed it's position, "Hippo to dragon, Enemy bearing E-124, N-103, over." "Roger, Round inbound to E-124, N-103. estimated time one minute, over" came over the radio as Erwin sat in the commander's copula and watched the tiger in the town. Suddenly, the tiger exploded in a column of smoke and tipped over, followed by the pop of a white flag as the round hit the engine deck. Erwin sat back in her chair amazed at the power of the round. "Dragon to hippo, over. Where did the round hit the tank? I'm too far to see." came through the radio as Erwin's team sat in their tank, shocked by the effectiveness of the round. "Hippo to dragon, you hit their engine deck." Erwin said shakily over the radio. "Darn! I was aiming for their tracks." Erwin heard, before wondering where he was. "Hippo to dragon, what is your position?, Over" "I'm in a pass between two hills at roughly, E-10, and N-2, Over." he replied as Erwin sank back in her chair with amazement. Alex was hitting a target from 4 kilometers away. Miho sat in her tank thinking about where Erwin had put her forces, and the mysteriousness of the Leopon team's hit. All the while, Hanna browsed through channels, looking for the Anteater team's signal. Suddenly, Hanna heard through one of the channels the conversation between Erwin and Alex, She quickly relayed it to Miho. "So, he is the key element for them...Mako, head for point E-20, and N-10. Hanna, switch the radio so we all can here it as it browses through stations." Miho ordered them as she opened the top of the tank. Then, Miho heard Anteater team, "Miho! We can see dragon! He has a Paris g-!" as their radio died again. Ten, minutes later, Miho's team arrived at their point in the middle of a small clearing at the bottom of two hills and opened up all hatches, searching for Alex. Suddenly, a thunderous boom echoed through the small valley. "Did anyone see it?" She asked as she squinted along the trees. "Nope" they all replied as they slowly moved through the forest. Then, Miho realized something, 'Paris- that's a type of gun, Paris gun, and Dragon looked like a train...A Paris Rail Gun! Of course, why didn't I relies before! It's huge! Don't look down, Look up!' Miho looked up to the tree tops and saw a large black muzzle of a massive gun sticking out of the tree top between two hills. "Stop the tank!" She yelled as the Rail gun fired and the ground in front of them gave way to a massive crater. Suddenly, they heard a hydraulic groaning sound and Miho saw the muzzle disappear from the tree tops. "After him!" she ordered and the tank raced off to the hills. The tank thundered out of the trees just in time to see the back off the train lumber over the hill. Alex hammered down the throttle as the engine crested the hill. the reaction was instantaneous, the engine rocketed down the slope and barreled down an old trail in a clumping of trees. suddenly, the ground erupted next to the front wheel and Alex felt the engine shake as he tuned out into a large field before he heard the engine groan. Then, the side where the shell had hit burst into a cloud of steam as the engine slowly rolled to a stop. "Shoot they damaged the throttle line!" Alex cursed as he jumped down to fix the broken part. Suddenly he heard a tank burst through the trees and turned around to see Miho's tank stop at the other side of the field. Miho looked at the crippled train with triumph. as she ordered, "Fire!" Faster than the eye could blink, the gun erupted, followed by the tank rocking and the aria in front of them erupted in a cloud of smoke. "Yes! we did it!" the other girls cried as another shell was loaded and Miho looked expectantly through the smoke for the flag of surrender. What she saw instead shocked her, Alex stood in front of the tank holding the shell in front of him with a pair of swords, he suddenly dropped the shell and raced into the engine. Miho continued to stair in shock as the large gun rose out of the roof and pointed at them, the other girls suddenly stopped celebrating a Miho snapped out of her shock and ordered them to fire again. Both guns roared in report and both tanks disappeared in the pyrotechnics display. As the smoke cleared, Alex stared out at Miho's tank and saw the white flag and whooped in happiness until he looked at the side of the engine and saw the large hole in the side and fluttering flag on top. "Dam! you got me fair and square." he said as he hopped down off the engine and walked over to the tank and checked to see if the girls were all right. "So you wan to take our stuff back?" Miho asked as the others loaded the tanks onto the flatbed cars behind the train as it sat on the rails that headed into the nearby port. "Yeah, go back to the ship and rest I can take it from here," Alex replied to her as he climbed into the cab of the locomotive. "Just be back by sundown!" Miho shouted as as Alex eased the throttle open and took off down the tracks. An hour had passed since Alex had waved goodbye to Miho and he was making great time with his train, and was approaching an old iron trestle that crossed a fair sized canyon just outside the port. 'Hm, I should probably slow down,' he thought as he gently brought the train down from its past rate of speed. As his train crawled across the bridge he suddenly heard an agonizing wail of twisting metal. glancing out the window he saw the end of the bridge tear from its resting spot and began falling downward. 'Shit!' he realized at the train sped down the ever increasing slope of the tracks. Alex heard a loud crunch as the end of the bridge landed on a ledge that lined up to an old set of train tracks that ran into an abandoned mine. The train raced down the steep slope and raced onto the tracks, entering the old mine where it continued to speed up. realizing that his speed was only increasing, Alex applied the emergency break and was rewarded with the sound of snapping metal. 'crap! No breaks!' he thought as the train smashed through an old set of boards across the tracks, throwing him into the throttle; simultaneously pushing it open to full and snapping both pins off. He suddenly saw a sign ahead the read: Warning!! steep grade ahead! 270 degree grade "Crap!" he replied as the engine raced downward and he felt the G-forces lift him off the floor before slamming him down again. looking out the window of the engine he suddenly saw a mine cart racing on a parallel track with an old miner inside and heard from it, "Howdy partner! Right this way to Bufferville!" As they passed a pool of lava that illuminated the interior of the cart he saw that the miner was actually long dead and just a skeleton. "See yah! Little buckaroo! This is my stop!" he heard while thinking he had gone insane as he watched as the cart looped over his cab and disappeared down another tunnel. Tuning back forward he saw a set of buffers and the end of the tunnel coming up fast and braced for death. Hearing a whistle he shut his eyes as the locomotive touched the wall. ... ... ... Feeling no impact, he opened his eyes enough to see forest surrounding before he hard the groan of metal and was shoved over to the side as the engine tipped over on it's side before pain engulfed him and he fell into unconsciousness. > Chapter 4 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Celestia watched from her balcony as pony moved to and through in canterlot below her as the sun set. She suddenly felt a small disturbance in the flow of magic around her, looking back at her guards, she noticed that both unicorns didn't notice the disturbance as she did. turning back to the few she stretched her magical senses as far as she could before she felt the disturbance originate from the aria around the Everfree forest and Ponyville. 'I will have to inform my student tomorrow to keep an eye out for anything suspicious while she resides in Ponyville.' she thought as walked over to her bed and laid down for the night to sleep. Meanwhile in the Everfree forest... A figure walked out of a large cave opening in the middle of the forest, followed by two smaller copies of it carrying measuring scopes and surveying tools. if anyone had looked at this figure they would have noticed three things about it besides the look of utter annoyance on its face, four if they were a pony; One, it was heavily armed, wearing a large 50 cal. long barreled sniper rifle, two medium length broad swords, two twin heavily modified AGL Arms revolvers with 4 extra rounds contained in the brace above the barrel, a Bowie hunting knife slung accost his chest, three katanas strapped to his right hip, and one overly large 100 lb blue steel sledge hammer strapped accost his back diagonally with the head of the hammer just above the range of movement of the top hat; Second, the figure must have had a real love of the color blue since his cloths all had a shade of blue in them ranging from midnight blue for pants, to sky blue for his shirt. It should also be noted here that the figure itself was also a solid lightened blue. Thirdly, the figure also resembled that of a dragon with it's head the most distinct feature besides the wings and tail it had (for those of you who can't see it think of a blue dragon like a nightfury); Lastly they would have noticed it standing on two feet. 'I just had to use up the last of the trees in that underground cavern' the figure thought as he scanned his surroundings. "We are done here boss." one of the clones said as they packed up their equipment. "Ok, lets head back down and get the construction equipment up here immediately," the figure directed as he walked to the entrance of the cave and turned around. 'This is the first time I have been above ground since I have changed my name and buried myself a thousand years ago.' the figure thought as his gaze lingered on a stone tablet next to the cave that read: Here lies Alex Amunito "Died in a railroad accident" Berried by: Archenhaill Dimiraki Exile The figure tuned away and headed deeper into the cave as a rumble could be heard coming closer to the entrance. > Chapter 5 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Unkown Archenhaill, or better known to his clone and copies as Archy, walked along the route he had planed for his new logging railroad through the ever free forest. every few minutes the sound of a tree being felled echoed through the forest as his clones worked to clear a small track-age path through the forest. 'At this rate the track will be laid down in three days, then the real operation begins.' he thought as he paused a moment to wait for a steam tractor pulling three cars of logs towards the cave entrance, before continuing to survey the work going on around him as 100's of small clones worked at clearing timber and laying track. 'And to think, that over the last 1000 years I have built an amazing structure and and an entire civilization throughout this land that rivals almost any nation, and it has been kept secret from those above.' he mused as gravel wagons passed by him, being dumped along the new track-age right of way. Indeed, he had begun to realize that he should keep his location a secret to the native pony population as being a dragon and a omnivore, an unknown person, and out of the laws of the ruling lands had allowed Archy to build an empire reaching from the frozen north to the vast south, connecting it all together with magic railroads, ships that fly, and road ways. He had even gone as far as discovering a second world millions of miles, and dimensions for some, away and connecting them to his cities each one hidden under ground in the safe Edens of the caves. Of coarse; in order to do this he needed help, within a few years of first arriving after his accident, he had developed a way to clone himself each type of clone was different to the need they suited, and were all liked to him subconsciously so that if they died their memories would go to him. He had also copied himself and managed to create his own race of himself which made up his empire called: The Exiles 'I am quite surprised that no-one knows about my work by now, I thought when i had first started sending spies out among the nations that they had seen the signs,' he continued to ponder as he sat at the small freight station near the entrance to the cave tunnel. There had indeed been many signs throughout time that something was afoot underneath the feet of the ponies. It had been Archy who had been, at the time, digging for iron ore for the steel mills of his town when the tunnel his clones were in collapsed. Causing the crystal mining tunnel of the ponies above to collapse as well, revealing a dark and evil gem that quickly attached itself to the horn of the nearest unicorn, Sombra. Or when he had discovered oil under neath the palace of the two sisters and while drilling accidentally cracked a containment field around an entity that the mother of the two sisters had buried for fear of it attacking her youngest and turning her evil. Which had later leached enough to contaminate a foreign pony ambassador, turning him into a being of chaos and also slowly but surly compelled the youngest of the two sisters. indeed, he had made plenty of accidents, but had also done plenty of good as well such as dropping discreet anonymous notes to the two sisters in times of need to help them, along with advances of science and medics. 'But again, I fear I will become persecuted for my accidents that caused the greatest evils to haunt the lands than rather be accepted' Archy continue to muse as he monitored the link through his mind of all his clones, scanning for anything that could hurt them. Suddenly he felt the memories return from one of his clone as he was killed from the tunnel collapsing from the mines of Canterlot to his capital city Exile. 'Shit!' he thought as he raced into the station and yelled at the station master, "Call the yard dispatch! tell them I want the Canterlot main shut down now! There has been a collapse!" "Yes Sir!" the station master said as he raced into his office. 'Now I will have to find another way to get the crystals from the mines that I need for the airships, refinery's, and power plant,' he thought as a slow goods train pulled into the station. Suddenly, one of his clones from the advanced scouts came rushing up to him. "Archy, I just discovered a small town to the north-west!" "Were you spotted?" he asked the clone who he identified as T-1003, or T3. "No sir, but I did see that it's name is Ponyville, we cant speak their language in your current form but we can if we transform into their forms. They do also have a railroad that runs through the edge of the forest and up to Canterlot." T3 replied as the station master came out and yelled to them, "The inspection crews from both sides estimate that the collapse is 5 miles long and that was only one casualty!" Hearing this news, Archy turned to T3 and asked him, "What condition is their railroad like?" "I did not get a good look at their schedules but, their rails are of superior quality than our own, but their engines are way behind us. I did overhear though the engineer and firepony mention that they had to be back by nightfall since it was too risky to operate, leaving me at the conclusion that they don't operate at night. I would like your permission sir to scout the tracks from the forest to Canterlot." "..Hm.. Permission granted but switch to your pony form and stay hidden. I think that if we do this right, we can work on their railroads at nit and set up a set of buffers between the mines and a siding in Canterlot. the link is always stronger if they are closer to each other." Archy replied as the station master came back out and joined them. "I just received word that the crews estimate a month to clear, reinforce, and repair before the line is reopened." "And we only have a quarter of the stock need to keep operations going at that time," Archy mused before tuning to the station master and T3 and ordering to both," I want you message dispatch and tell them that wee need 14 more cars of tracks and gravel along with a steam dosser. T3 I need you to tell your foreman F-300, that he needs to divert the cutters to make a path to the equestrian tracks. we will run night OP's when there are no trains until the tunnel is cleared. both of you are dismissed." Both acknowledged him and ran to their respective jobs while he climbed aboard the engine that had turned around while he was talking and was preparing to head back underground. On the footplate of the engine was a anthropomorphic fox who had arrived in the capital for a job and joined the railway, and a muscular diamond dog who had run away from his pack seeking a life without slavery, who was firing the engine. "Well, look'e 'ere T-bone! We got's the big brass with us!" the fox replied to the identified diamond dog. "Well I'm sure there has to be a res'on, Finn." T-bone replied. "Indeed boys, I need you to accompany you to the yard and I need both of you to help me prepare a 59 wagon train for tonight." Archy replied to them as Finn opened the throttle of the engine and began the decent down into the cave system. "Sure just radio to dispatch for us and w'll get to work" T-bone replied as he dug coal from the tender, into the fire box of the locomotive. "just out of curiosity boss, but what engine are you taking?" Finn asked as he cracked the throttle a little more as they passed a green signal. "Big Boy," Shocked silence followed the name for a moment before it was broken by Finn. "Seriously? Don't you think that is a little over kill? I mean, come on, THE KING of the small mains. The ONLY engine that can haul more that three of the big mains cars at sufficient speed? That Big Boy?!" "Yes, I want to get to Canterlot with as big a train as possible and as fast as possible." Archy replied to both of them. The rest of the ride was done in silence to the yard. Celestia stat on her throne attending day court, utterly board out of her mind as the nobles rambled on about how she should give them money for some stupid reason to line their pockets. As she stood to give her declaration of indecisiveness for the thousandth time, she felt a rumbling from the ground for a moment. confused she turned to her captain of the guard, Iron sides, who had immediately began searching for threats. the doors suddenly opened and a day guard cam rushing in and over to Iron Sides before whispering something in his hear before stepping away. "Thank you cadet," he replied before saluting and dismissing the guard pony and turning to Celestia. "It appears your highness that a cave under ground has collapsed and has deformed the land just outside the city. nopony is hurt but their is now a straight trench for some ways." he reported. "Thank you captain. I want you to send a division out their to keep ponies away from the trench until it has been deemed safe." Celestia told the captain before turning to the day court. "Due to events out of our control, day court is closed until further notice, I am sorry for the inconvenience." before she turned and exited the throne room. > Chapter 6 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Ponyville station On the ponyville station platform stood a earth pony wearing a blue vest and hat with the insignia of the equestrian national railway stitched onto them and wearing a white undershirt. Signal Mast, the station master of the Ponyville station stood and watched as the semaphore signal to Canterlot dropped to clear as the last rain of the day exited out of the signal's block. He could not be any more glad to go back to his home and see both of his foals after his long day of work. However as he began to do his final checks he heard a deep moan from the direction of the forest. Curious, he stepped back out and onto the platform and looked down the rails. as he stood their he spotted a move ment beside the tracks and looked over at them, small pebles were beggining to vibrate on the sleepers as he began to feel a rummble under his hooves. going back inside, he chescked his schedual to see if there was suposed to be another train comming and was just late. 'That's odd, their shouldn't be another train.' he thought as he whent back outside as the rummbleing grew worse. A second later and he could see a light in the distance and was steadaly drawing closer to the station. Stepping back from the edge, he had to clench his jaw as he feared it would vibrate his teeth out as the vibration got worse. Steeling a glace over to the tracks he saw that they had started to vibrate enough that any loos spike danced out of the ties and the tracks danced on the track bead. glancing back at the train, he had to step back in suprise and awe for the sheer size and speed when it finaly got to within the lights of the town. With a thundering raor and bellowing whistle it thundered past the station and Signal could only watch in awe as car after car raced past him. after a second he realised that he had not seen a driver in the cab and raced inside the station to call the station in Canterlot. "Hello, this is Canterlot station how may i help you?" he heard over the line. "Coal Dust this is Signal Mast. You have a LARGE train thundering towards you. I Didn't see a driver inside the cab." Signal explained. "And How long is this train? he heard Coal ask. "I don't know it is still passing me currently but i estimate that it is between 30 to 40 cars, BIG cars." He explained as he watched the caboose on the train race past. "I'll get the princess and prepare down here, thank you Signal I'll give you a call when we get news.." he heard before the line went dead. Looking at the clock he sat down in his chair and waited for any news. A second later he heard a knocking on the door to the station. walking over to it he saw a purple unicorn standing at the gate with a little purple and green dragon. "Excuse me sir but are you the station master?" the unicorn asked as a cyan Pegasus and tan earth pony walked up to the gate along with a snow white mare and a meek looking Pegasus hovered behind and a pink earth pony sprung up out of no-ware. "Yes I am, my name is Signal Mast, what could I do for you?" "My name is twilight Sparkle, And me and my friends were wondering what that loud noise was." she asked as she gestured to her six friends and the dragon as they introduced themselves. "We just had a runaway train go by nothing to worry about." Signal told them. "Sounded mor' like a stampede than anything," Applejack commented to him. "Well the station master at Canter lot can stop the train, i am just waiting for news about whether it was stopped or not." he told them just as the phone rang in his office. "If you ladies could excuse me for a moment." he told ten and left them on the station platform. He returned a minute later and looked at the expectant girls. "They could not stop it, instead it dissipated onto a siding without a trace." He told them before the phone rang again. "Ooo! I bet it was a ghostie train!" Pinkie commented before rainbow dash started making ghost sounds, making them laugh. "No, No their has to be a logical explanation for this." twilight said before Signal mast came back out looking slightly nervous. "I just received word that the train is on it's way back with a full load of rock. I have been ordered to wait until it stalls on the hill between Ponyville and Canterlot before going up and seeing if i can stop it," he told them. "I heard it go by earlier, it sounded strong, are you sure it will work?" Fluttershy asked Signal as he grabbed a lantern from his office. "It should work. the grade is a 1% grade that even our strongest engine needs help on of it will stall on the hill. the chances of it making it up that hill with any speed at all is slim." Signal comforted them. "Well, I wouldn't count on that." Spike commented as he looked down the tracks. "Spike, why do you say that?" Twilight asked confused with the rest of them. "Because here it comes." he replied, pointing down the tracks. Looking down they could see the light and hear the chug from far off. They stood back as the engine raced up the hill and thundered by the station. the whole group looked amazed as the long and heavily loaded train raced past. "What was that?" Twilight asked dazedly as the last of the cars sped past and exited around a corner. "I don't know but i will let the rest of the station masters know." Signal said as he went back into the office and called before coming back and escorting the group out of the station and locking it down. > Chapter 7 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Everfree Forest, Some Where Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and sweetie bell, the cutie mark crusaders, or CMC for short, were curently lost after trying to explore the forest. "told you we should have not gone in," sweetie bell said as they continued to walk. "But at the time it seemed like a good idea." Scootaloo replied back before glancing at Apple Bloom,"back me up Apple Bloom!" "Guys it is getting realy late and you know we have to be back before dark," Apple Bloom replied, ignoring the other two for a moment as she climbed over a fallen tree. Suddenly a long wail sounded through the trees, making all the girls heads focus in that direction. "What was that?!" Sweetie bell asked nervously. "Lets find out!" Scootaloo replied as they began walking towads the sound. As they rounded a tree the three of them saw a set of train tracks and a slow 2-6-0 steam engine moving along the tracks with several flatcars. "Come on! we can hitch a ride to the nearest station then ask for a ticket to Ponyville!" Apple Bloom replied as the three raced along side the train and climbed aboard one of the empty cars. "So where do you think this train is going?" Sweetie belle asked as they relaxed on the bed of the car. "I don't know but we're heading for a tunnel." Scootaloo replied as they saw an opening to a cave ahead. "But there are no tunnels in either direction of ponyville!" sweetie belle exclaimed before they were engulfed in darkness. The CMC road in darkness for several minutes as the train picked up speed before bursting out into sunlight. All around them was a lush, forested canyon like cave with a river deep below. as they rounded a bend they saw a large trestle below, and ahead of them with a second train on it. As they made their way down the slope and onto the trestle they saw a bustling city in front of them with creatures from all walks of life, from dragons to penguins. All moving with a passion about them or a destination in mind. "Wow, I never new a city could be so big." Apple bloom marveled as the train slowly pulled into a train yard , surrounded by buildings rising several stories into the sky. "I think this city is larger than Canterlot." Scootaloo replied quietly as they continued to stair around. "Hey! Who are you's!" A griffon, wearing a firestoker's uniform yelled as he walked up onto the car they were on. "Sorry sir, we were lost in the forest and saw your train and thought we could hop a ride to the nearest station and head back to Ponyville," Sweetie bell answered to the fox. "You three got names?" the griffon asked as he disconected the car from the rest of the train. "I'm Scootaloo, She is sweetie bell, and that's Apple bloom. AND WE AR THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!!" Scootaloo replied as the other two joined in to the introduction. "And my name is Benny, I'm the engineer for the exile railway." He introduced before climbing up onto the car and looking down at the fillies. "Could you help us get home?" Sweetie Belle asked as Benny turned around and waved his hand over the side of the train. "No, me and my partner Butch have to do our jobs unfortunately." He replied as the engine whistled twice before slowly pulling the train away from the decoupled cars. "But, that doesn't mean that once we are done shunting the cars that we cant drop you off at the main yard office." He said with a smile as he turned back around and started climbing over the cars as the train rolled through junction and the CMC trying to keep up with him. "Can we help?" Sweetie belle asked as she hopped to the car Benny was on. Smileing at their enthusiasm, Benny tuned around and replied, "Sure." "Yeay! Archy was doing paperwork in pony form at his desk in the main office of the rail yard when he heard the door open. Looking up he say Benny and a griffon, Butch, walk in, followed by three small ponys. "Benny, Butch. What are you doing in here? I thought you had a train?" Archy inquired enthusiastically to them before leaning over and looking at the small ponies behind them and smiling, "And who are these three?" "Afternoon sir. We just came back after our last train and found these stow-away aboard after pulling in." Butch replied with a smile. "They say that they were lost and from Ponyville and that they hoped to catch a train back. We would like your permission to take them back to town before resuming our duties." Benny asked politely while Archy looked at both of them and raised a silent eyebrow at them. After a moment he put down the paperwork he had and clasped his hooves together and rested his chin on his hooves. "Benny, Butch, I'm sorry you can't take them back, your train is two important to repair the collapsed tunnel to Canterlot." Archy replied sadly and saw their faces drop at the statement. "However, I will take them back." he replied as he saw the grins return for a moment, before frowns replaced them on the fillies. "Does that mean we won't get to see Butch and Benny again?" Apple bloom asked sadly to Archy. "Sir, may I have a word with you?" Benny asked and Archy got up and walked out of the office and talked to him for a minute before returning back inside, both with grins on their faces. "We'll see, But for now follow me. Benny, Butch I want that train on time, Dismissed." Archy replied to them before leading the girls to an engine shed across the rail yard. Leading them behind the shed he pointed to odd looking tractor, it had wheels for the road but looked like a steam engine that had its wheels ripped off and placed on small tires. "That is a Ct&C road locomotive. we use it to haul wagons short distances across the city. Climb in girls." Archy said as he climbed up and sat down in the engineer's seat. With a push of the throttle the road locomotive lurched into motion, startling the three fillies, and making him laugh as he steered it towards the cave entrance. > Chapter 8 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archy brought the road locomotive to a smooth stop just at the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres and the three little fillies hurriedly climbed out of the cab. "Thank heavens!" Sweetie belle cried in relief. "Ground!, Sweet, sweet, solid ground!" Scootaloo cried as she kissed the ground. "Dramatic, Ar'n't they," Archy muttered to himself before spotting two vary angry mares coming towards them and silently changed his form to one of his friends. "Scootaloo!," "Apple Bloom!" Rarity, and Apple Jack exclaimed when they saw the little fillies before marching over to them. "Where have all of you been? It is four hours since we asked you to be back!" Rarity Asked them sternly as Applejack marched up to Apple Bloom and scolded the poor filly. "And you forgot that you were suppose to help Me and Big Mac' with canning Apples to store them." "But we got lost and-" "Up! I don't want to here it! get back to the house, you are going to have a lot of chores to do for punishment." Applejack ordered and practically frog marched Apple Bloom away. "Sweetie, Go home." Rarity ordered to sweetie. "You're not going to yell at me?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously. "Not here Where it is impolite." Rarity replied before turning to Scootaloo who was trying to edge away from the group. "And I have not forgotten you, Scootaloo. Go back to Mrs. Evergreen's. I'll have a word with her later about you as well." Rarity ordered and watched both of the two fillies walked towards town before starting that way herself, but was stopped by Archy, "Excuse me Miss? May I ask you some quick questions?" "Sure thing deary," She replied turning around. "Why do the Apple family have to Can their apples? And doesn't miss Scootaloo have a parent to look after her?" He asked, tilting his head to one side. "We don't have anything to keep our fruits and vegetables cold so all of our food goes bad after a few days unless we can it," she replied, smiling at his form's cuteness, before frowning slightly as she continued, "Scootaloo, lost her parents to a fire when she was younger. So, She has been in the orphanage since then and both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have been practically the high points of her life so far." "I see.. Thank you miss. you have given me something to ponder upon, have a good day," Archy replied, bowing slightly to Rarity. "Have a nice day as well," Rarity replied with a smile before turning away and walking towards town. Turning back to the locomotive, Archy through a shovel of coal into the fire box before releasing the breaks and heading back towards the caves. After he was out of sight from Ponyville, Archy turned to a little box above his head and turned a crank next to it, extending a radio wire above the cab, before heading on. Pushing down the button on the hand set he called up dispatch in Exile, "Archy to dispatch, over." "Dispatch here: Go ahead Archy." "Hey Sam, I need you to call the construction crews and order them to lay tracks to the edge of Ponyville tonight. And while they are there, to build a replica of the Cat and Moon station, over" he replied as he changed back to his original form and continued towards the cave entrance. "Any particular reason why you want that? over." "Let's just say that I have found a new market for Ice, and I think that the Cat and Moon's station master would like it where she could get more activity. over" "..." "Ok, I have just sent out you request, see you when you get back. over" "Ok, Archy over and out" > Chapter 9 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next morning The citizens of Ponyville awoke and started going bout their daily routines. Slowly, they became more and more aware at a huge building that had appeared in the night at the edge of the Everfree forest. Slowly they began to congregate at the edge of the town and stared at the building. "Ok, What is all the Hubbub about?" A cyan Pony asked as she pushed her way to the front and saw the huge building. "Rainbow, what are you doing-wow." twilight said as she walked up next to rainbow dash with the rest of their friends and saw the building for the first time. "Spike? Can you-" "Already drafted and sent the letter to her highness." Spike asked as he suddenly belched out a letter and Twilight grabbed it in her magic and read it. A flash of a teleportation spell went off next to them a moment later and Celestia and Luna with a small contingent of solar guards stood next to them. "we came as soon as we could, now what's this about a building apear-.. oh my." Celestia asked before noticing the building. "By my Moon! It cant be!" Luna said excitedly before tuning to the others who looked at her questioningly. She slowly walked up to the front of the building and looked up at the hanging sign: The Cat and the Moon Pub, Inn, & Station OPEN The others walked up next to her before she turned to them, "Come, this is not dangerous, follow me I want to show you something glorious," and approached the door. Walking in they saw that their were several customers inside the bar already, some of which they recognized, ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, and others who they didn't, and all the waiters and waitresses along with the musicians looked the same as the pony behind the counter. "GOOD EVENING GENTLEMEN!" Luna yelled into the bar, shocking her sister and the other six at her outburst. "Hey look! If it ain't the moon!" a diamond dog shouted from his table. "Who's the fairest of them all?!" Luna cried out. "THE MOON! THE MOON!" all the servers and several of the customers shouted, while the bar tender disappeared behind the bar. "And Who's the Merriest of them all?" was shouted out just behind the cry, before a cat jumped onto the counter and the barkeeper stood back up, but was noticeably shorter, having to stand on a stool to reach his original height. "THE CAT! THE CAT!" the group yelled out before the cat pulled out a blue fiddle and bow and began to play. Playing a few notes, the cat began singing softly. ”There's an inn of old renown, where they brew a beer so brown.” He jumped down the counter and began taking steps towards Luna, playing all the while. The crowd cheered and whooped in excitement for what was about to go down. “Moon came rolling down the hill, one hevensday night to drink her fill.” Luna took a few steps closer to the cat and began singing as well, backed by a few of the guests and staff. “On a three-stringed fiddle there, played the Ostler's Cat so fair. The horned cow that night was seen, to dance a jig upon the green.” They sang as a diamond dog and pony stood up from their tables and danced. Standing towards each other, Luna and the cat sang together, and Luna bowed to the cat as the Cat did the same time and began dancing. “Called by the fiddle to the middle of the muddle where the Cow with a caper sent the Small dog squealing. Moon in a fuddle went to Huddle by the griddle but she slipped in a puddle and the World went reeling.” Several more customers stood up and joined the song as they sang, “Downsides went up- Hey! Outsides went wide As the fiddle Played a twiddle And the moon slept till Sterrenday Upsides went west- hey! Broadsides went boom. With a twiddle on the fiddle In the middle by the griddle And the Moon slept till Sterrenday.” Putting even more effort into his playing, the cat jumped onto one of the tables and played to his heart’s content. The cat then pointed to one of the tables for them to continue the song. “Dish from off the dresser pranced, Found a spoon and gaily danced.” Sang Griffon who sat at the table. “Horses neighed and champed their bits For the bloodshot moon had lost her wits.” It came from a Pegasus who clapped his hooves as he sang. “Well, cow jumped over, Dog barked wild,” an old diamond dog sang and put his paws under his head, while blinking flirtingly. “Moon lay prone and sweetly smiled.” The griffon seated at the table pointed to the smiling bartender. “Ostler cried,” to which the man cried, "Play faster Cat!” as he pointed to the Fiddler cat. “Because we all want to dance like that." The whole table sang together. The crowd all began singing and dancing. “Gambol and totter till you're hotter than a hatter and you Spin all akimbo Like a windmill flailing Whirl with a clatter till you Scatter every cotter and the Strings start a-pinging as the World goes sailing.” As they sang, they slowly came to the floor in the center of the room. “Downsides go up- hey!" as several of the patrons jumped on the seats sending several of the staff up to swing from the chandelier. "Outsides go wide. With a twiddle on the fiddle In the middle by the griddle And the Moon slept till Sterrenday. Upsides go west- hey! Broadsides go boom. With a batter and a clatter You can shatter every platter But the Moon slept till Sterrenday.” Standing in two rows, the lunar princess and the fiddle player took position in between, facing each other. And thus began the greatest sing-off that Equestria had ever seen. “Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle,” it came from the Fiddler’s side. “Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle,” Luna’s side repeated. “Hey-yey-yey-yey-oh-ho.” “Hey-yey-yey-yey-oh-ho.” “Hey-hey-din-gen-do.” “Hey-hey-din-gen-do.” “Hoo-rye-and-hott-a-cott-a ho.” “Hoo-rye-and-hott-a-cott-a ho ho.” “Hott-a-cott-a-hotta-ko.” “Hott-a-cott-a-ko-cotta-ko-ho.” “Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle-hi-ho.” “Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle-hi-ho.” “Ho fiddlee-ding-galli-do.” “Ho fiddlee-ding-galli-do.” “Hoo-rye-hoo-rye oops-oops- ay!” “Hoo-rye-hoo-rye oops-oops- ay!” “Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo!” “Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo!” “Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo!” Both sides babbled. The entire room broke into cheers and dance as they came out from the lines, everyone began to sing in chorus as more people were flung up and over the chandelier into the balconies as people landed on the benches. “Downsides go up- hey! Outsides go wide. With a twiddle on the fiddle In the middle by the griddle And the Moon slept till Sterrenday. Upsides go west- hey! Broadsides go boom. With a batter and a clatter You can shatter every platter But the Moon slept till Sterrenday.” People laughed at the silliness and gave a last few cat-calls towards Luna before heading back to their seats and drinks. Luna winked at the cat-callers and hugged the Fiddler briefly. "Welcome back Lu'!" the cat replied as he turned in Archy in pony form, and gave Luna a bear hug that lifted her off her feet. "Good to be back, Dim'." Luna replied happily with a giggle as Archy set her back down to the floor. "We missed you, y'a know," Archy replied with a smile, "And everyone missed their favorite station master and co-pub owner." Archy pulled out a blue station master's hat labeled: Lunar Stationand put it atop her head and several of the customers hooted and hollered in approval. While Luna looked on and smiled. "Lu', Who is this?" Celestia asked once she had snapped out of her shock of her sister. "This, sister is the founder of the Exile Empire, Archenhail Dimiraki Exile. He invented a locomotive that can travel to space and found me on the moon after I had regained my sanity." she replied as she chuckled a little at twilight and her friends still shocked faces. "What do you mean by regained your sanity?" Celestia quizzed them. "We found that as long as Luna stayed on her moon Nightmare Moon had no control over her and was dormant, but as soon as she left Nightmare awakened. To remedy her loneliness of staying up there alone I made a station and bar up on the moon, This very one in fact, and put her in charge of it." Archy explained as he gestured for them to sit at a table. "Once all my employees and citizens found out about it, it became the most popular place on the railroad." Archy continued to explained as everyone sat down at the table. "When Lu' left suddenly, everyone was disappointed and the place lost the happiness that was in it and I had to shut it down due to no-one going up any more." "So then why did you move it here After all this time," Twilight asked with confusion after she got over her shock. "Because, I over head some ponies about the fact that they can't store food for long periods of time and thanks to a mountain range in my lands I have an abundance of ice and can transport it here to make refrigerators to sell to the ponies. I had also planed to open my lands, goods, services, and attractions to the ponies after hiding from them for all this time." Archy explained before turning to Luna with a smile, "So Lu'; will y'a take back the station?" "I want to so much," she replied to him with a smile before turning sad, "But alas, I can't. I have to help Co-rule with my sister." "Lu'! why don't you do the trick i showed you all that time ago to help you with paper work. That way you can do both!" Archy exclaimed to her. "Pardon me I forgot all about that spell." She said as she looked away in embarrassment. "Excuse me young pony, but where is your empire?" Celestia asked as she remembered that detail. "Your sitting in it, or, rather on top of it. as the three little foals who I dropped off at Sweet apple acres will attest to, it is hidden deep underground and is very vast in size. practically where ever you ponies have a big major city, deep beneath or in Cloudsdale's case, high above it is one of mine. i even have cities under the Griffon kingdom and the badlands." Archy replied to her question while Twilight choked on her drink of water she had gotten just moments before, when she heard about the size. "And what are your opinion of us above you?" Celestia quizzed him suspiciously. "Tia! be nice! he would never harm us," Luna defended him as did the reply from several of the customers. "Lu, she has a right to be nervous when a force so large has escaped notice for so long," Archy said calmly to Luna before tuning to Celestia, "as for my place, my empire will be neutral towards you and all other nations unless they provoke us." "And if you were provoked?" "May Tartarus have mercy on them, I do not make idle risk, or needlessly risk my citizens lives. I will gladly lay down my life if it means they are safe." he replied gravely to her. "I see." Celestia replied evenly, slightly startled by his comment and tone. "Bah!, away with the doom and gloom already!" Luna replied before standing up and heading for the door. "Oh, and Luna, I need to speak with you for a moment." Archy replied as he ushered everyone away. "Yes?" she asked as she walked over to him. "Do you mind helping me with something?" he asked with a smile. > Chapter 10 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day evening Location: Ponyville Train Station "I can't believe this!" Apple bloom chattered excitedly with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, "We got a summons from princess Luna herself, asking us to meet her at the station!" "Yeah, I can't believe it either. I wonder if it has anything to due with the construction that popped up overnight on the railroad. I mean, they are being connected to that mysterious building near the Everfree with two sets of track." Sweetie bell chattered as they watched as a 4-4-0 with, Exile Railroad painted on the tender, pulled in to the station from the finished side of the two tracks with three loaded flatbeds covered by tarps in front of the normal coaches. They waited excitedly as Luna stepped onto the platform in a full station master regalia, followed by Archy in pony form, Applejack, Rarity, and Sir Top Hat, the owner of the equestrian central railway. "Sis? what are you doing here?" Sweetie belle asked nervously as they all stood in front of the tree fillies. "I came deary, to speak with Mr. Exile about your punishment that you'll be shearing with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom." She told her with a smirk as the three fillies' smiles simultaneously drooped to frowns of dread. "So, then why is the princess here if your giving us punishments?" Scootaloo asked questioningly. "I am merely here to be a witness for my old boss." She said with a smile as she gestured to Archy. "Speaking of which-ahem-.. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, you are being charge with the actions of causing confusion and delay on my railroad. To repay these damages you three shall work as engineers on my railroad until this day next year." He said before walking over to the canvases and pulled them off, revealing three new engines sitting on each car. "Apple bloom you shall be working with Apple Bell." Archy told her as he gestured to a green and red 4-6-0 with a shield with an apple in the center painted just under the cab window. "Sweetie belle you'll be working with Emerald Star." And moved to the middle 4-2-2 engine painted green and black with a shield and star with a music note painted under the window. "Last but not least, Scootaloo; you'll be working with this 4-4-0." He finished gesturing to the final blue and red engine with a shield with a wing in the center painted under the window, sitting on the flatbed. "Please show up tomorrow in the afternoon, at the Cat and Moon station for your first lessons on how to take care of these engines." he ordered them with a slight smile on his face as he saw their shocked faces. "Can we go and look at them?" sweetie bell asked him with puppy dog eyes, with the other two joining her. 'Must.. ignore.. cuteness.. for.. a.. single.. minute..' Archy thought to himself. "In a minute, there is one other thing that needs to be done" Luna told them, taking pity on Archy. "Right! Ahem.. Scootaloo;" he said as she got worried as he singled her out with a stern expression. "Congratulations! you've been adopted!" he told her with a smile that would rival Pinkie's. "Wh- What! Who?! Who?! Please tell me who!" She begged him, just holding her tears back in happiness of having one of her dreams given to her. "Welcome to the family!" he told her with a smile. "THANK YOU!" she cried happily as she raced over and bear hugged him with tears of happiness. "Well, With everything done here. I'll be heading back to Canterlot." Luna replied happily a moment after they had separated, and teleported away from them. "Well, I think that we should be heading home now, A.B. since it sounds like you'll be h'ven' a busy day tomorrow." Applejack told apple bloom. "And we sweetie need to get back home. We don't want to be out late tonight." Rarity told sweetie belle and excused themselves. "I'll have a crew drop off your refrigerators tomorrow afternoon at your houses." Archy replied with a smile before turning to Scootaloo. Scooping her up suddenly, earning a peal of surprise and laughter from her, and deposited her into the cab of the locomotive. He decoupled the locomotive and ran around the train before coupling up and heading home. The whole time smiling as Scootaloo sat in the fire-pony's seat. The Next Morning Location: Paradise station - Private station owned by Archy. "Scoot', Time to wake up." Archy whispered into Scootaloo's ear as he gently nudged her shoulder to get her to wake up from her bed. "Mhm.. 'k I'll be up in five min'ts." She replied half asleep, making Archy chuckle before heading down stairs. a few minutes later, Scootaloo came running down the stairs of his house and into the dining room, just as he came pout with a heaping pile of pancakes and sat down across from her and began eating with her. "So, this morning," he said between bites to her, "we will get you initiated, so that you will really be my daughter, and can successfully take up my empire when I retire of do your own thing when you wish." "Wait, I thought that I was already your daughter?" She asked confused as she picked up a glass of orange juice. "Legally, you are. But the process I will put you through will pass to you all of my abilities and none of my short-comings. I'm not actually in my original form, and i won't be in this form all the time, the problem is that you cant understand me in that for currently. After the initiation you will be able to, and any other language currently known or dead." he explained as he got up and poured himself some green tea from a pot on the stove. "oh, cool. what else will i get?" She quizzed as she got up and put her dishes in the sink. "I don't know for certain, but i guess that you will receive my ability to transform into anyone I touch or anything I build. I also guess you will also get my ability to absorb and transmute any material touched at whim, and that your body will harden and strengthen so that it will match steel if someone attacks you." Archy theorized as he cleaned up the table and began washing dishes with Scootaloo drying them and staking them neatly on the counter next to her. "Cool~," She said as Archy finished and picked up the stack of dishes in each hand, before a blue flame flashed along his back before two wire like appendages unraveled from his back. Scootaloo watched intrigued as the wires reached up and opened a pantry above the sink, before coiling and picking up one stack of dishes each and placed them away before closing the doors. "oh yeah, you could also get wires too." he said with a chuckle at her expression as he gestured to the appendages. Leading her out the door and to a three bay train shed behind his house that connected to the train tracks with a small turntable in front of the door. On the small siding next to the shed sat her engine with it's tender full of fuel and water, along with Apple bloom's, and Sweetie Bell's engine. Archy opened the door and as she walked in she saw above her, hanging from a crane sat a red, streamlined and tender-less 0-8-0, and on the wall across from her was a poster of the engine and another engine racing. At the opposite side from the engine shed doors she saw a round object in a metal case surrounded by several pipes and pressure gauges, all of which were moving wildly and some pipes quietly hissed steam. "Morning Arrow." Archy called out as he shut the door, confusing Scootaloo as she looked around for another being and found none. "She's Scootaloo, I just adopted her and have to go through the initiation." Archy called out again as if hearing some question. "Who are you talking to?" Scoot' asked confused. "Ah, Red Arrow. She's hanging above you," he answered her as he pointed to the red locomotive. "I hat to be rude or mean offence, but as far as engines go, they cant talk." Scoot' said to Archy as he pulled up to chairs and gestured to her to sit in one, which she did. "It will all make sense in a second." he replied before focusing on her," Now, are you ready to do this, and do you want to do this?" he asked her seriously. "yes." she replied in the same tone as him. "Good." he said with a smile before turning into his original anthropomorphic dragon form. Scoot' looked nervous as he seemed to reach into his chest and pulled out a small, blue ball like object that was similar to the one in the metal case and cradled it gently in his hands. Taking a deep breath he suddenly thrust-ed the blue metal ball like object to her chest and she watched it disappear into her skin before suddenly passing out. > Chapter 11 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scootaloo woke to the sound of a female voice calling out to her. "Scootaloo! earth to Scootaloo!" "Ug, give me a second." she said before slowly opening her eyes and saw her new father passed out in the chair across from her. She suddenly sat upright as she remembered what happened and looked down at her chest to see what happened to the blue ball like object that had entered her chest. 'what happened to me?' she thought as she looked down and saw that her fur had been replaced by dark pink scales and that her hooves had been replaced by paws with sharp claws. "You might want to think about waking up Archy, dear." she heard again and swiveled her ears and noticed that they were more sensitive and that the sound seemed to come from behind and above her. 'But the only thing their is an engine.... What? she thought confusedly as she stared up at the locomotive. "Well don't just stare at me, wake the poor man up" She heard distinctly come from the locomotive. Having enough of being confused she walked awkwardly over to Archy and nudged him on the shoulder. He muttered something indistinguishable but otherwise didn't react. " sorry for this." She muttered before smacking him hard and soundly on the cheek. -SMACK- "Ouch, remind me not to get on your bad side girl."She heard from the locomotive as Archy woke up and held his cheek. "you didn't have to be so hard." he wined nursing the small bruise that was beginning to form. "Well you weren't waking up and i only have a few more minutes before i go insane with the second voice in my head!" Scoot' replied with a bit of annoyance. "Arrow, enough with antagonizing her." Archy spoke as he looked towards the locomotive, making Scootaloo begin to realize that the engine was actually the one talking. "And before you ask; yes all engines besides the ones we are connected to can talk as they are living being since they eat and drink and age as well, Arrow here is not just an exception." he replied as she whirled around to ask. "I suppose I owe you an explanation." he replied as he sat down in the chair and gestured her to do so in the other. "Now, as part of the abilities I, and now you, possess we merged with an engine. the starting size is a 4-2-0 tank and it slowly grows with you as you age and grow unless it has been specially built like yours. Now, when you merge with an engine you can control any part of it like you do your own body. Because of this you are liked with it on a soul level, if you were to die your engine would too. if your engine is destroyed you don't die but will be severely wounded, so take good care of it." he explained to her, emphasizing the last point. "Most other engine when they have a fire lit in their firebox for the first time will develop personalities even as others drive them. If the bond between crew and engine gets strong enough they will be able to hear their engines talk and within a short time therein will stat being able to here the others as well. once they start hearing them they can for the rest of their lives." As for your form, which I am sure you are confused about and scared, don't be. to switch between forms all you have to do is concentrate on that form, like a memory." he explained to her before a red flame encompassed Scootaloo before she changed back to her pony form. "I see you already got that down." Archy replied as he pulled out his pocked watch and looked at the time. "I also see that it is time to meet the others as well," he told her before closing his watch and standing. "So Scoot', do you think you can drive your locomotive with your friend's coupled on to the back up to the Cat and moon?" he asked with a smile as her face lit up. walking outside, she saw that her engine had her name for the nameplate and was already steamed up and ready to go. "The other ability is that as long as your breathing and fine your engine has a fire and has steam pressure, to raise the pressure though you have to through more coal onto the fire." he explained as they climbed into the cab and Scoot' pulled the loco to the first signal on the main line and waited for it to turn green. Sitting on the tender, Archy pulled out a harmonica and banjo and began playing as the signal dropped and showed green. (Play Music) Pulling out the throttle slightly Scoot' started off slowly. after a second she pulled it out more and picked up more speed, suddenly she yanked it up full and they shot down the line while Archy continued playing. racing over the trestle and hardly slowing as they climbed the hill and exited the cave they raced through the trees, she suddenly applied the breaks and brought the train to a stop at the platform where her friends were standing. (End music) "How come she get's to drive her locomotive first?" Apple bloom complained to Archy when they approached the cab of Scoot's engine. "It was a special case, besides she still has to learn the same things you do." he replied as he exited the cab and began to teach them how to properly care for their engines. > Chapter 12 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- two weeks later Location: Cat and moon station stub-end yard Archy watched as Scootaloo, Sweetie belle, and Apple bloom shunted cars in the small yard in preparation for them to be taken away to the main yard in Canterlot or in Exile. between the tree of them he was impressed, they took to their training with their full efforts and were succeeding so far. Although Apple Bloom was having a hard time with the lingo, orders and slang used on the two railways, but one of the other two fillies would be there to help her if she needed it. "There you go dad, that's the last of them." Scoot' told him as the tree fillies parked their engines together in front of the single engine shed that housed the engine he gave to Luna years ago. "Ok! Go get lunch then, it's on me and you have visitors!" he yelled to them as he walked up the platform and into the office section of the station to battle more of his bane: paperwork. As the fillies walked into the bar section of the station, they saw the mane six sitting at the counter and Luna serving them drinks. "Hey guys!" Scoot' called out to them as they walked over and joined them at the counter as Luna set in front of them three sodas. "Hey Scoot's. Rainbow replied with a smile. "We were just talking to Luna and realized that we have not actually watched or seen you three working before. And we were wondering if we can tag along with you three for the day." Pinkie told them as she popped up behind them from nowhere. "Sure, we don't mind-," Sweetie belle started to say but was interrupted from a commotion from the office section of the station before a door opened on the balcony above them and slammed closed hard as Archy stomped his way to behind the bar and grabbed a moon shine bottle and a beer mug, filled it, and downed it within seconds. before relaxing with a small sigh. "Whats wrong Dim'" Luna asked as she came over to him after he poured himself another glass and stole the bottle from him before setting it back on the shelf. "There was another attack at the ice mine. Three workers were killed and two severely wounded as the monster tipped over the train as it left the yard in the mine." he replied sadly, "It's the third one this week. If there is another attack I will have to shut down the line and loose my ice business and cripple the railroads ability to transport perishable goods." "How horrible." Rarity gasped. "I'm sure I can take that Monster down. Yeah, that's what we'll do. We'll help you take down that mean old monster." Dash replied confidently. "No, I can't let you help me for your safety. you six are the bearers of harmony. if you get hurt or die Equestria will fall to its enemys." "That is why I will come to protect them." Luna replied to him as the mane six turned and smiled at him. "...*sigh*... Fine. I guess you can help." he reluctantly replied. "Yea! We're going Monster hunting!" Pinkie cheered. "What about the station?" Scoot' asked him. "hm... I think that you three can take care of it for two weeks." He said as he turned to them. "Really?" Apple Bloom asked excitedly. "Sure, Call it an experience exercise." He told them with a smile. "Yes!" the tree fillies cried out together. "Now, let's meet at the Ponyville station, Twilight I have to ask a favor of you." He said as he smiled at the tree fillies enthusiasm before tuning to Twilight. "yes?" "Can you warn the citizens of Ponyvill that tomorrow they will be having armed forces march through town? I wouldn't normally march them through but all of our stations besides this one and Ponyville will be full of tourists since there is an expo going on in Exile." he replied before continuing to explain, "It will take at least two stations to load the troops and equipment up in order to have a big enough force to defend the Arctic station from attack." "I'll let them know, don't worry." She reassured him. "Thanks. If that is all, then I will see you tomorrow, Come along scoot's we have to be getting home." He said as he rose from his seat and headed for the door. "Oh yeah, one last thing; Dress for weather colder than the coldest place you have ever been." he warned them before he exited the building and headed for home. The next morning Location: Ponyville meany of the citizens woke up to their normal routine and started their day out like they normally would have. Today was the day for market and meany of the farmers and craftsponies had set up their stalls already and had their goods out that they were selling. "-she's the sweetest little rosebud, that Texas ever knew.. they slowly began to hear singing from the road to the Everfree forest. Meany of the towns ponies turned and looked and saw a four row column of ponies come marching out of the woods on the road, all singing together. (Drums and Flutes come into hearing as the troops approach) "There's a yellow rose in Texas, I'm going there to see, No other Feller knows her, Nobody known to me. She cried so when I left her, It's like to broke my heart, And if we ever meet again, We'd never walk apart." "She's the sweetest little rosebud, That Texas ever knew, Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew; You may talk about your Clementine, And sing of Rosalee, But the Yellow Rose of Texas, Is the only gal for me." (flutes and drum solo) "When the Rio Grande is flowing, The stars are shining bright, She walked along the river, On a quiet summer night: She said if you'll remember, We parted long ago, I promised to come back again, And not to leave her so." (troops chorus together) "She's the sweetest little rosebud, That Texas ever knew, Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew; You may talk about your Clementine, And sing of Rosalee, But the Yellow Rose of Texas, Is the only gal for me." (Instrument solo) "Now I'm going back to find her, My heart is full of woe, We'll sing the songs together, We sang so long ago I'll play my bango gaily, And sing the songs of yore, the Yellow Rose of Texas, will be mine forevermore." (Troops choruse together) "She's the sweetest little rosebud, That Texas ever knew, Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew; You may talk about your Clementine, And sing of Rosalee, But the Yellow Rose of Texas, Is the only gal for me" The towns-ponies watched and listen as the troops continued to match and sing as they headed to the station before the citizens heard another group coming from the edge of town, before tuning and seeing a double wide line of large metal machines moving down the road with a red star painted on the towers on top of them with girls sitting with their heads out of hatches singing together, (English translation of words) "Apple and pear trees were blooming, O'er the river the fog merrily rolled. On the steep banks walked Katyusha, On the high bank she slowly strode. On the steep banks walked Katyusha, On the high bank she slowly strode. As she walked, she sang a sweet song Of her silver eagle of the steppe, Of the one she loved she loved so dearly, And the one whose letters she had kept. Of the one she loved she loved so dearly, And the one whose letters she had kept." Another coulomb of metal machines with a black cross on the towers and the last machine looked like a small moving building, was behind it with this group singing a different song, (English translation) "Whether it storms or snows, or the sun smiles on us, The day burning hot, or ice cold the night. Dusty are the faces, but our spirits are high, yes, spirits are high. Our tank bursts through there in the stormwind [of the assault]. Whether it storms or snows, or the sun smiles on us, The day burning hot, or ice cold the night. Dusty are the faces, but our spirits are high, yes, spirits are high. Our tank bursts through there in the stormwind [of the assault]. With thundering engines, as fast as lightning, Towards the enemy, sheltered in the tank, Ahead of our comrades, In the fight we stand alone, yes stand alone. So we push deep into the enemy [lines]! With thundering engines, as fast as lightning, Towards the enemy, sheltered in the tank, Ahead of our comrades, In the fight we stand alone, yes stand alone. So we push deep into the enemy [lines]! When before us a hostile tank appears, Full throttle is given and we close with the enemy. What does our life matter for the Reich's army? Yes, Reich's army. To die for Germany is our highest honor. When before us a hostile tank appears, Full throttle is given and we close with the enemy. What does our life matter for the Reich's army? Yes, Reich's army. To die for Germany is our highest honor. With obstacles and mines the foe slows us down, We laugh about it and don't drive on them. And cannons threaten hidden in the yellow sand, yes, yellow sand We search for ways, that no one else found. With obstacles and mines the foe slows us down, We laugh about it and don't drive on them. And cannons threaten hidden in the yellow sand, yes, yellow sand We search for ways, that no one else found. And if we are abandoned by treacherous luck, And if we don't return home again, If death's bullet finds us, and fate calls us away, yes, us away. Then our tank shall become an iron grave! And if we are abandoned by treacherous luck, And if we don't return home again, If death's bullet finds us, and fate calls us away, yes, us away. Then our tank shall become an iron grave! " A smaller column of smaller machines that looked like a combination of the two followed after that with a total of only 12 of the smaller machines with a female from each machine playing an instrument as they rolled along to the sound of their music. Several of the females bobbed their heads to the song while others danced on top of the machines if they had a wide and flat enough spot. Suddenly the ground began to rumble as a truly massive tank rolled behind at the end of the strange procession with a group of people playing on it's towers and decks. The machine's shape reminded several of the ponies of the new warships that the navy had produced with two towers with two long pipes sticking out in each turret, with a taller tower in the center that had a bunch of windows and a smoke stack, and had two identical towers behind. The front two towers sat on tracked unit with a hinge to another set of tracks supporting the middle and another set at the rear after another hinge. The whole thing left the town's ponies in shock and awe as they watched them move down to the train station and begin loading onto a long train waiting there, leaving who was fighting and needed a force that large and for what. Before going back to their business, with some humming various tunes they heard.