"Captain's report, Monday, February fourth, 2298. twelve years... That's how long we've been at war with Tri-Communist's. two hundred years after the 1st Nuclear War of 2098, those who survived lived on to rebuild the Unified States of America, having been broken down into hundreds of rivaling factions fighting over the scraps for the last two centuries. But we were not alone. On the other side of the world is the Tri-Communist alliance or the TCA as we refer it to. The Commies have risen from the ashes of Russia, China and North Korea and began a campaign for global dominance under a new communist banner.

Within three months of the uprising, the TCA launched an all out invasion on our redeveloping nation. The western states have been under hostile occupation for twelve years. But now, we were on the offence, pushing the TCA forces back to the west coast. Under the flag of the Unified States of America the people that call the wasteland their home have come together and established a stronger bond of brotherhood and vigilance against this common threat.

However, our push to rid the TCA from our soil came to a complete standstill. The TCA have reinforced and fortified the occupied city of Las Vegas, bringing the war to a complete stalemate. We are expecting reinforcements from Europe and our Navy along with our Pan-Pacific allies have the TCA Californian blockade suppressed.
We received word from our Commanders that we will be punching through the hostile positions this Friday, my War-train will be leading the charge. Tomorrow the first European assault battalions will arrive and my train will be receiving new tech, weapons and railcar upgrades today."

"And I guess that's all I have to give for this report. Until then, Homer out."

As Ryan logged off his battlelog, he takes a brief moment to take In the surroundings of his private quarters. The former luxury suite takes up two thirds of the observation car which is positioned at the very rear of the train. It had a basic layout, similar to a small apartment with some modifications to suit military demands. Ryan stood up from his chair, slipped on his captain's cap, flak coat, shades and places his .44 magnum revolver into it's holster. He gazes onto a mirror opposite of him and takes a moment to observe himself in the mirror. Fifteen years ago he was six years old when the TCA occupied Honolulu, Hawaii.

His mother gave her life to save Ryan as he along with several survivors fleed the archipelago with what was left of the Pacific fleet. Now, at the age of eighteen, Ryan is now the commanding officer of Americas iconic War-train, the "4-8-8-4" Railway Battleship. "4-8-8-4" is the flagship of the United States Railway Warfare Corps or known by the TCA as E.D (Engine of Destruction).

As he steps out of the observation car, Captain Ryan makes his way to the locomotive. He passes two sleeper cars with a dining car in between for the crew while a Fire Control car divides the rear passenger cars from the war trains weapons platforms. The first two cars after Fire Control are modified box cars that each holds four armoured boxes that each contains six tomahawk cruise missiles, the next car is a flat car outfitted with two sam launchers and two phalanx CWIS anti-aircraft gun emplacements. The next nine cars hold the big guns of the Railway Battleship, nine 300mm Railway Artillery Guns fixed onto modified turrets built into the heavily armoured cars with close range point defense gun platforms attached in between the artillery cars respectively. Upon passing the main batteries, Ryan passes another anti-aircraft and tomahawk platforms positioned in the opposite fashion as to the other platforms mentioned earlier at the rear. Another Fire Control car and a sleeper car is attached in front of the platforms while two baggage cars modified as magazine compartments are attached between the sleeper and the locomotive. After a straight three minute walk from the rear car, Ryan comes face-to-face with the legendary former Union Pacific "4-8-8-4" big boy locomotive 4014.

The locomotive measures an eye popping 85 feet (25m) in length, 11ft (3.4m) wide and measures 16ft (4.94m) tall. The locomotive's class was the only locomotives to have the 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement which the 4014 was named after, with two sets of eight driving wheels, a four-wheel leading truck for stability entering curves and a four-wheel trailing truck to support the large firebox. It's coal tender can hold up to 25 tonnes of coal and 25,000 galons of water.

The locomotive's body and hull plates were replaced with 150mm Depleted Uranium-Titanium armor plating. The plow that sat between the front body and leading truck was replaced with a 200mm composite armoured ram designed to counter the TCA's Mobile Derailers head on. mounted on top of the locomotive are four MK.18 dual purpose railguns placed in two two-gun turrets with a SAM Launcher in between. A 30mm C-RAM anti-aircraft gun placed on the front platform and six horizontal fixed railguns are placed on the sides in two three-gun turrets. The tender is outfitted with the same armor plating as the engine but the 25,000 galon tank was removed to make room for a custom built armoured box vertical missile launcher that will hold four tomahawk launchers while a 250,000 galon tank car will replace the 25,000 galon tank. Prior to coal shortages, military scientists have spent months developing a prototype atomic boiler that'll replace the "4-8-8-4"s aging boiler.

Ryan was always a rail enthusiast, steam locomotives were his favourites, and having the largest steam engine known to man outfitted the latest weapons and armor pull his train made his life complete. satisfied with his morning inspection, he approaches the locomotive and climbs the cab ladder into the cab.

"Mornin, Captain." an elder voice says as he saluted his superior.

"G'day, Cap!" An elder Australian followed suit.

"Gentlemen." Ryan returned a salute to the two engineers.

sitting in their assigned positions with the fire box being used as a temporary fireplace is 1st Engineer, Fred Hollows and 2nd Engineer, Steven Maxwell.

Fred was a former Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps before being transfered to the Railway Warfare Corps (RWC) prior to once operating historical trains in his past career and was well known for breaking the seige of Chicago.

Steve was a veteran who originated from an ANZAC detachment that was ambushed during the battle of Dallas, Texas. Steve was the only survivor. Two weeks after Chicago he was picked up by the "4-8-8-4" when it was en-route to Oklahoma City, he later requested a transfer to the crew of "4-8-8-4".

"A little cold for it to be in Nevada, lads?" Steve asked.

"yeah, the heat is enough to kill you in hours, but at night... the Nevada desert is the last place you wanna freeze to death in." Fred replied.

"Fair enough..." Steven shuddered at the thought.

Ryan pulled a stool from a storage crate bolted onto the tender and places it in front of the firebox.

"It"s gonna be a long week this one." Ryan says, his accent hinted with his mixed Greek/Ukrainian background. as he sits on the stool. "Our new gear arrives today, the Euros tomorrow, and we take back Vegas this friday."

"Bout' bloody time!" Steve nearly shouted. "Where the hell were they four years ago?"

"keeping the Russians from getting past Berlin." Fred joked.

"They had their own war to deal with. From what I've heard, the E.U had collapsed into civil war ten years prior to the Russians smashed through the Berlin Wall." Ryan added.

Throughout the next hour, Captain Ryan, Fred and Steve discused about the war in Europe and what they heard from the rumors circulating from the arriving European forces. Humanity was only beginning to rebuild the global telecommunications network since most of the old system was lost when the bombs fell in 2098. We then discussed about the upgrades the train will recieve and the odds of pushing the TCA out of Nevada by the end of the month before returning to our daily activities.

However, in a peaceful land called Equestria, Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasai from every corner of the kingdom are preparing to celebrate the first year since the Coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle. In a small quiet town called Ponyville, the streets are filled with banners, balloons, streamers and whole extra variety of decorations. All of which was done by one particular pink pony.

"Mornin, Pinkie." A familiar apple bucking pony greets.

"Hi, Applejack! Like how I decorated the whole town?" Pinkie replied.

"Wha-" was all a now dumbstruck Applejack could say before taking in the suroundings of the now highly decorated Ponyville. "Well shoot Pinks, ah've only just came down from the farm and you had just decorated this here town all by your self!"

"yep." was all that Pinkie said.

Applejack only stood in disbelief briefly before recomposing herself. "I don't recall you being able to decorate this town as quick as you just did."

"I can say the same thing darling!" A stunned seamstress says as she approached the group.

"Hi, Rarity!" Pinkie greets.

"Howdy, Rares." Applejack tipped her hat at the seamstress. "What's gotten you up this early in the morning?"

"Oh, about that. Spike sent me a letter yesterday saying to get everypony together for a town meeting, so i'm just passing through to town hall to pass it on to Mayor Mare." Rarity explained.

"Wait, why would Spike send you a letter if it was for the Mayor?"

"Hmm... You do have a point Applejack, he probably sent it to me by accident. Not that anypony can blame him for having a crush on me." Rarity shifted her mane to hide her slight blush.

"No arguement there, welp, I've gotta run now." Applejack tipped her hat once more before moving on.

"That time of the week again?" Rarity reminded Applejack.

"Eeyup" Applejack replied, almost replicating her brother's voice which caused the girls to burst into a fit of giggles breifly.

As the girls went their seperate ways, Pinkie pulls out her party cannon from nowhere and takes her aim at the Golden Oaks Library, the former home of Twilight Sparke which she saved for last. After taking her aim, she then pulls a cannon sized suppressor from behind her back and pluges it onto the cannon. And with a single tug of the cord, The cannon let off a surppressed *POOF* as the giant treehouse/library was consumed in a fine mist of confetti and streamers, before dying down to reveal a stunningly well decorated treehouse/library with streamers that had every colour of Twilight everywhere, while a few lavender banners that had Twilight's Cutie Mark on it, hang below off some of the tree branches while other banners had the Elements of Harmony on them.

Satisfied with the layout, Pinkie takes her party cannon and trots off back to Sugarcube Corner as everypony had awoken from their sleep, fresh and ready for a new day.