6:00 AM

"Ladies, gentlemen!" the figure spoke "We have a dilemma at our hands..."

The others exchanged puzzled looks.

"Please, elaborate." the Chairmare replied. The Controller nodded, and rolled out a large blueprint onto the table. It displayed the line and yard set up of the region with great detail.

"With the branch line to Gaslight City nearing it's completion, the management of the plantations and factories in the area - the Powerplant's directorate, to be specific - had asked us to enable a contact with the city."

"I see." the Chairmare muttered, musing "But what's the dilemma, then?"

"As it turned out..." the Controller continued "The far eastern section of the railway has already made trackways into the city, and several minor, but large-in-length industrial lines in the area surrounding it. However..." he paused with a frown "As it turned out, our colleges at the eastern ends couldn't really handle the additional loads, so they had to shut down all traffic there, and forced workers to leave the yards and lines. They also left behind a great number of rolling stock and equipment, practically wasting all the money they squeezed out from the taxpayers to open those lines."

His frown was shared by his colleges.

"The Hungerian government at it's finest." the Grand Designer muttered.

"Anyways..." the figure went on "The leaders of the City asked us to make the branch line it's own section, with one yard there, and another one here, near the Canterlot section."

"Seems reasonable." the Director declared "What's the issue?"

"The branch line is directly connected to Trottingham Junction." the figure explained "We'll need to expand the small yard there, and also, it's engine fleet and rolling stock can no longer be used to "back up" the Marshalling Yard in Ponyville.

"Ah. I see." the Director replied "Which engines are located at the yard?"

"Number 98462, an L.N.E.R. B12, number 84576, a B17, a heritage steam engine named "Eagle", number 47666, "Brush", number 33102, "Burbock", an unnumbered Class 08 shunter, called "Mute", and another one, an industrial shunter, "Cross". His number is "X"."

"Surprise, surprise." the Grand Designer muttered, sounding quite bemused.

"Wasn't Vac also located there?" the Chairmare asked.

"Upon the request of station manager Dr. Whooves, he was transferred to Ponyville Marshalling Yard." the Director replied.

"Also located here are D701, "Rhodders", D1074, "Western Pathfinder" or "Matthias", D782, "Brock", an unnamed-unnumbered engine with the headcode '10751', and an L.N.E.R. D16, number 8783, "Phoenix". A recent addition to the yard was D9999, "Tedz", a Class 14."

"I think I heard that name before..." the Chairmare pondered.

"He's been diagnosed with a minor case of A.S.P.D.." the figure replied "Anyways, he's glad of the change."

There was a short pause in the discussion.

"So... What happens next?" the Designer asked.

"Well, Trottingham Junction needs be expanded and upgraded to fulfill it's new role as section terminal, the branch line needs another set of tracks and perhaps interval stations, and we need to crack down on the tie-necks who messed up the railway on the far east.

"Lovely..." the Chairmare muttered "Nothing more rejuvenating than listening to the sycophantic sucking-up of Hungerian politicians, while they blabber blunt nationalist propaganda on the other end."

She took a deep sigh.

"Give it a month. The trials are still on. The Canterlot Yards don't have their fleet yet, let alone rolling stock."

"It would be much easier if you girls wouldn't be so picky..." the Controller commented. The two mares gave him a tired glare. The Designer chortled.

"Better make it TWO months." the Director sighed "We'll also have to order an engine from the other end to help them out. They said they need two more shunters. And a main-line diesel."

"Any candidates?"

"Well, there are shunters on trial, but there's one, distinct engine that has signed up for the job voluntarily."

"Who?"

"A MÁV M46, diesel-hydraulic multi-purpose branchline engine, named "Hunk" by the station master who took up on his offer."

"What? You mean...?"

"Yes, he's already on his way to Trottingham."

"...Eager, isn't he."

"Indeed."

"...And... What about the other engine."

"We'll pick one after the trials are done."

"No, I mean, the main line engine."

The Controller thought for a moment.

"Well, there's one candidate: Kestrel."

"She's still having her trial in Ponyville, isn't she?"

"Indeed, but she can't stay there, they already have a great abundance of engines."

"So, Kestrel it shall be!" the Chairmare decided.

"Wait, wasn't she ordered by our yard?" the Controller asked.

"She can stay there until we find a more "local" engine to do the job."

"I'll start with the yard's design right away!" the Desinger declared.

"Right, but if you'll place four turntables beside each other again, we'll nail the first rail spike in with your head!" the Director warned him.

"Oh, Luna, you should learn to trust me!"

"I do trust you, Discord, because I know you. That's why I'm warning you."

"How kind."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, that's all." Alexei replied, rolling up the blueprint, and handing it over to the draconequus "I trust that you know what to do."

"Of course!" Discord replied cheerily, before swatting Celestia's flank with the roll "Missed! Darn fly!"

The elder princess neighed and chased after the chimera, while the younger alicorn and the stickly figure rolled their eyes.

6:30 AM

"Seems like an easy enough job."

Derek seemed optimistic.

The others weren't.

"YOU'LL have to go all the way to Manehattan!" Stuck-Up exclaimed.

"Derek, you can't go any further than the nearest junction without breaking down!" Pip spoke up.

"AND you'll be carrying a considerable load!" Emma added.

"Oh, don't worry about me!" the Class 17 smiled, happy about (what he thought to be) the genuine concern of his colleagues "I'll be fine!"

"Famous last words..." Bowler sighed.

6:45 AM

After some preparations and a quick check-up from Angel Bunny, Derek was rumbling comfortably... Well, as comfortable as he could get on a good day. His load consisted of mixed light-to-heavy-industrial freight: aluminum compartments, three flatbeds worth of steel girders, a tanker filled with latex, and some slag waiting to be recycled.

At 6:50 sharp, he departed on the westbound junction, leaving the yard in a strained silence.

"He's going to fail." Bowler uttered grimly.

"We'll have to send someone after him." Emma added, again.

"Aw, c'mon, lads... An' lasses..." Spamcan muttered.

"Yeah, can' y'all put sum' trust inta 'im fer a change?" Applejack pondered, deliberately at a more than audible volume.

"Instead of replying to that sappy request, let me ask you this: HOW many times did YOU TWO had to rescue him in the past week?" Old Stuck-Up inquired.

"...Twelve times?" the mare replied.

"Well then!" the express engine sniffed, and rumbled off to the fuel depot, his gin awaiting him, with the feeling being more than just 'mutual'.

"Arse." Diesel grumbled.

"Exactly." Twilight grumbled with him, eliciting a smirk from the Class 08, when he rearranged the snooty diesel's hind headcode into "ARSE".

"It's funny because it's on his REAR cab!" Steamie grinned, while his own driver giggled, but their only response was a disappointed look from his colleague and his driver.

"Well, since he brought that undersized, furry quick-fix with him, he should be alright for..." Bowler thought for a moment "Let's give him three hours."

"Two." thus Spamcan.

"One and a half." thus Applejack.

"One." thus Emma.

"One half." thus Pip.

"A quarter." thus Spike.

"A fucking headstone." thus Diesel, right before leaving the whole stupid conversation to join a (hopefully) inebriated Stuck-Up at the depot. Twilight herself was practically dying for a cider, and knew full well that Rarity had taken out her pick-me-up coltch the moment the arrogant express engine stopped beside the tanks.

7:30 AM

Derek trundled down the line, feeling confident.

His motor was far from overheating, he wasn't out of breath, the trucks were coming along nicely, and the lack of impatient, aggravated stomping of tiny paws on his control panel told him that he wasn't just imagining it.

"Seems like things are finally going to be alright..." said a voice.

"Huh?" Derek asked, before something fuzzy lunged over his hood.

"AH!" he cried, his brakes slipping on. With an ear-splitting screech, the entire train to a stop, and a loud "PLONK!" from behind told him that either his driver, or his fitter, or both, had made close acquaintances with the windscreen. Interestingly enough, the wail of pain didn't came from them...

"OW, MY EARS!"

Derek looked up, as a familiar, elongated figure was flung from the top of his engineblock onto the rails in front of him - having lost his grip after covering up his ears. The Class 17 instantly realized who he was.

"Discord?" he asked "What were you doing on top of me?"

The draconequus got back on his feet, leaned back to crack his spine, then turned to the engine.

"Well, for your information..." he said, without a hint of disdain "I had a meeting arranged with Fluttershy." he explained, struggling to relocate his jaw, and ending up dislocating it in the other way.

The diesel cringed, and gently opened his door, allowing the prepared pegasus to exit his cab.

"Is Angel alright?" he asked.

"He received a nasty bump, but he's fine, otherwise." the mare replied, before flying over to Discord, and, with a motion both gentle and forceful, she jerked his jaw back into it's original position "There..."

"Thank you!" Discord smiled, which Fluttershy returned, as she got back into Derek's cab. The Spirit of Chaos followed her, squeezing himself into the metal box awkwardly, before slapping a talon across his forehead, snapping his fingers, and shrinking down into a more compact size, suitable for the dimensions of the cab.

"Heh. Discord.rar." Derek mused, chuckling to himself, as he roared up the next hill.

"So, what did you want to talk about" the mare asked "Ummm, if you don't mind me asking..."

"Nah, nah, it's fine." Discord responded "Actually, I was about to ask myself."

"Well... Go ahead then..." she replied.

"OK. How do you do it?"

"...Pardon?"

"How do you do it?"

"Do... What, exactly?"

The chimera sighed.

"How do you deal with... Them?" he asked "The diesels, I mean... No offence, Derek!"

"None taken!" he replied.

"How do you deal with them? Especially Diesel!" the spirit went on "I mean, I know that you're the Element of Kindness and all, but I can't understand how anypony - anyone- could like that black block of negation."

"What?"

"What 'what'?"

"Black block of...?"

"Negation."

"Oh."

"Why negation?" Derek asked.

"I... Have no other words that could describe just WHAT his powers originate from."

""Powers"?" Derek chuckled "What do you mean by "powers"? He's just good at convincing people, that is all."

"But this good?" Discord mused, moving a hand over himself.

"Heh. You may be right." the diesel responded.

"So?" the chimera asked, turning to the pegasus.

"Well..." she began "Derek and I get along very well, though, he and I are very much alike..."

Discord nodded, agreeing - and if he could've do it, so would Derek.

"As for the rest of the diesels..." she pondered "Well, you need to get used to them, that's for sure... But they're not that bad... Bowler, as... Well, snooty he can be, he's also very caring. Old Stuck-Up is just as wise as he is... Admittedly arrogant. Spamcan, even though he's quite... Brutish, is still a just and helpful engine. Steamie IS a bit weird... But also, just as cheerful as Pinkie Pie. 'Arry & Bert, although they seem... Scary, and... Dim at first, are actually very clever, and their hearts are warm as, well, the furnaces they work around."

"And Diesel?"

Fluttershy didn't answer... Well, not immediately.

"Diesel is... Well... I can't feel angry towards him..." she said, finally "But as hard as it is to believe... I know he's alright..."

"Huh? How so?"

"Well... When I used the stare on him, he didn't even flinch. But as I looked into his eyes, I saw something..."

Discord looked at her incredulously.

"Anything other than pure, pitch black hatred?"

"Indeed." she smiled "I saw a tingle, though, just a tingle, of... Well, light..."

"Light?" the chimera sounded even more bemused "That's all? It could've just been the reflection of sunlight."

"Maybe..." she replied, thoughtfully "But this light... Is what threw off my concentration. And it wasn't because I was scared..."

"Wasn't it?" Derek asked, truly surprised.

"Oh, I WAS scared when I noticed how close I flew to his face, but... The light was... Different. Comforting, in a way..."

"Huh..." was all Discord said, pondering to himself. Then, he turned to Fluttershy for one last time "Thank you, Fluttershy. I'm glad you shared this with me."

And with that, he teleported away.

"Well, that was..."

"Interesting?"

"Yeah."

11:17

"Oooh... Well... That could've went... *cough* Better..."

The delivered trucks were already being rearranged, as Derek sat on siding near the engine sheds, sizzling away. The day hadn't turned particularly hot yet, but on the way, his rear motor failed on a steeper incline, leaving the frontal block to power both bogies. By the time they reached the Manehattan yards, the mix-traffic diesel was practically hard-boiled. With several packs, cubes, and sacks brought from the local refrigeration plant, and all stacked around, and on Derek, he was still in the midst of cooling off.

After a couple minutes of poking in and out of the motor blocks, Angel bunny shook his head, and made a few explanatory gestures.

"Oh, sorry, Derek, but it seems you'll have to stay here for the night." Fluttershy explained to him, once Angel wrapped it up "The local engineers will have a look at you later today, but there's nothing we..." the rapid tapping of small paws interrupted her "...Or rather, Angel, could do right now."

"It's... *cough* OK... I understand..." Derek replied, sounding quite bemused, as his engines continued to splutter. Fluttershy looked aside. She knew he wanted to see Kestrel again. The two of them had bonded well, meeting each other again after so many decades, and their sibling-like relationship had been rekindled.

It broke Fluttershy's heart a little to just leave him there (the same thing made Angel anxious about what "hodge-podge" job the local mechanics will do on him), but she had to return to Ponyville.

15:54

After being shunted into the works by Andrew, a sky blue G.W.R. 5600 working as one of the Manehattan Yards many shunters, the workponies immediately set out to fix whatever problems he had, once and for all. By now, Manehattan Central and it's engine works had gained a reputation as being one of, if not the best in the region. Intent on keeping this prestigious position, they were determined to fix "whatever further damage the lowly mechanics of Ponyville M.Y. has caused".

However, by the end of the afternoon, they've bumped into more and more difficulties. Evening came, and they decided it was best to give up.

"We'll continue tomorrow!" the forecolt declared "I'm afraid you'll have to spend the night here, Derek. There's another engine coming to stay here for the night, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Derek replied. He knew the workponies tried their best, but there was little they could do - he was just a bad design. If it wasn't his cooling system, that most frequently failed altogether, it was one of his engines, or his traction motors. Drivers complained that they couldn't see what was immediately in front of the train because of the long hoods on both sides of the cab, and he was prone to wheel-slipping.

The mix-traffic engine sighed. Alone in the darkening sheds, he let his mind wander onto unpleasant thoughts.

"Perhaps they were right..." he thought to himself "I'm just a failed design. A lost cause."

He gave a deep sigh.

"I should've been scrapped long ago, along with my brothers."

"Nonsense!"

Derek jumped a bit, as an unfamiliar voice interrupted him. Then he heard the sound of a diesel engine. A long shape reversed into the siding next to him, and stopped with a hiss, engines turning off, and headlamps going dark.

"You really shouldn't think like that, chap!" the newcomer said to him. He had a chassis similar in shape to that of Derek's, but he was somewhat larger and longer. Painted in a classic B.R. maroon livery with a cream white cab, and two, slightly diagonal exhaust pipes going around a middle windscreen on both sides of his cab, unlike Derek's dual windscreen with the single exhaust funnel in the middle. He had a headcode signal above his face on the front, currently displaying the standard pre-setting code "0000".

The Class 17 gasped, as he recognized the engine.

"Y-You're one of my class!" he said "Bu-But how...?"

"Ohoho, yes, and no, dear chap." the diesel laughed "You're a British Rail Class 17, a "Paxton", right?"

"Y-Yes, I was built with twin Paxton engines, but they frequently broke down, so they were replaced with Rolls Royce engines." Derek admitted "Our old controller neglected to fix my other problems. Thankfully, I have an excellent fitter here, and he keeps me in tip-top shape."

"Good for you." the other diesel replied "Oh, where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Clayton."

"Clayton? After our building company?" Derek chuckled. However, as he took another glance at him, he noticed something.

His number, "DHP1".

"Hang on a minute!" Derek cried "You're...!"

"Clayton." smiled the engine "I've already told you."

"But... You're the 'Super-Clayton'! The engine that our designing company, Clayton Equipment had built to show off it's prowess in engine designing."

"And they failed at it, quite spectacularly, if I may say so." Clayton murmured "I was broken up in the very yard that I was built it."

"Then... How can you be here?" Derek asked.

"The same way Kestrel, Falcon, Lion, and a lot others are: time trickery."

"Time trickery?"

"You are aware that your Controller is also a time-, AND dimension-travelling deity of sorts, right?"

"Alexei?" Derek pondered "Yes, I believe so."

"Well, he recently used his abilities to bring some of us prototypes into this world, and escape oblivion, as he stated." Clayton explained "He bought Lion from Vicker's before he was completely stripped of his innards, and, ehhem, "reclaimed" his electronics from the Sulzer company's workshop."

The Class 17 chuckled at this, as Clayton continued:

"He flat out stole Falcon from the breakers yard before the day of his scrapping, and repaired him personally. He replaced Kestrel with an updated version of her built by Soviet engineers, that was made to be more fitting for the Soviet Railways, and bought her from them for double the price they paid for her."

"That's very generous of him."

"The railway's head leaderboard didn't even notice that Kestrel was replaced, and considered her "replacement" a success, as she was built to be more suitable for the broad-gauge Russian rails. But he came almost to late for me."

"What do you mean?"

"He missed the date I was cut up, and arrived when I was already in pieces. He offered a generous sum for my parts, but management figured out what his true intentions were. Well, aside from the dimension-hopping part."

"And...?" Derek asked anxiously "What did they do?"

"They quickly put me back together the best they could, and sold me for the price of a new engine, rather than a lump of scrap." Clayton laughed.

"I see..." Derek replied, bemused "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on trial here. I'll be running the mixed goods service on the new branchline at Trottingham Yards."

"Trottingham Yards?" the smaller diesel was confused "I only know of Trottingham Junction. And what is this new branchline you're talking about?"

"The Trottingham-Gaslight branch. It was initially planned to be a heavy-duty industrial line, but due to a... Misunderstanding with the ministry responsible of the Hungerian railways, the railway yards and terminal over near Gaslight City are now under the joint supervision of the Hungerian State Railway and Equestrian Rail. Primarily Equestrian Rail."

"Oh yeah, I remember. I help built that branch line." Derek mused "Wasn't a pleasant experience."

He recalled his "accident", after wandering off down an unused siding within the Everfree Forest and ending up in Sunnytown. Luckily, and unbeknownst to them at the time, Vincent, or Diesel 10, as he was more commonly known, came to their rescue, and spared him, and Fluttershy and Angel bunny from a horrible end at the decomposing hooves of the accursed residents of the dark little town.

"Did you? Well, I bet you'll be happy to hear the engines of the former junction yard will have their own line to work on." Clayton remarked.

"Oh I am." the green engine replied "It just that we'll have no back-up for the Ponyville Marshalling Yard now."

"Don't worry, I'm sure the leaderboard will figure out something. Perhaps they'll expand the yard's fleet."

"I sure hope so." Derek remarked "Oh, I'm Derek, by the way. I'm stuck here until I'm repaired."

"Ah. Teething troubles?" Clayton asked.

"Worse. Years of neglect and mistreatment by the "repair crew" of Sir Wyatt Fronts made my engine practically useless. It was only here that I was given a proper overhaul. Still, my cooling system keeps failing me, and because of that, my engines as well, along with my traction motors sometimes."

"Hmmm... That's unusual. The Class 17s were know for camshaft and piston issues. And you already had your Paxman engines replaced."

"Yeah. Matter of fact, I was almost named Paxman, but the actor and the company threatened to sue the TV Series' old crew, so I was named Derek instead." Derek explained "It's seems to be a common theme with those guys, naming diesel engines with a name starting with 'D'. First Diesel, then Daisy, then me! Well, I guess they made an exception with BoCo, 'Arry and Bert. And they never named Bowler in the TV series, or the original books."

"I see..." Clayton replied, after some awkward silence. He didn't understood half of what Derek said, but he sympathized with him, anyway.

Then, he realized something.

"Wait. Did you say, traction motors?"

"Why, yes..." Derek replied "I'm just a regular Class 17. I'm diesel-electric, unlike you."

"I always thought the Class 17s were hydraulics as well." Clayton mumbled "Anyways, you said that your cooling system is at the root of your problems."

"It is. It's crammed in tightly within my engine rooms, and my designers at Clayton Co. couldn't set it up properly around my motors."

"... I think I know the solution to your dilemma." the prototype engine smirked. He explained it to Derek, which cheered the kindly twerp right up.

Next morning, they explained their idea to the workponies. At first, they looked at the two engines as if they had gone completely insane, but then, after a more thorough explanation, complete with diagrams, pie-charts, and actual pies as rudimentary bribery, they agreed, and informed the yard management, who then informed the railway leaderboard.

The Flat Controller, the Blue Director, and the White Chairmare all agreed, and made the necessary arrangements. Derek was scheduled to have an overhaul a week later, and until that, he was to work as a shunting-, and utility engine in, and around the Manehattan Yards. The crew put him back into working order the best they could, and, with Fluttershy and Angel joining him around noon, he set off to find work around the yard.

He also informed his small crew about the planned "changes", and they were excited. Well, Fluttershy was, because she had no idea what Derek meant, while Angel just groaned, imagining how long it would take him to grow accustomed to the changes in his engine's layout.

The afternoon went by smoothly, with no break-downs or Derek's typical self-destruction (he once managed to simultaneously blow up both of his engines, and thus save his old controller from a new rival in the cheap merchandise department). As he was resting in a siding, a big red engine screeched to halt next to him, sending Fluttershy into a cowering frenzy underneath the seat in his cab.

The engine panted, out of breath, and gazed at the perturbed Derek.

"Are you... *huff* One oh-off... *huff* Th-The Other Railway's... *wheeze* Diesels?"

"...Yes?"

"I... *huff* Must warn you!" he wheeshed.

Derek was all ears (which was ironic, because, well... You know what? Nevermind.), but then, he remembered something.

He looked at the tender engine carefully. He remembered who he was.

"What do you want, Conrad?" he asked, sharply. The red LMS Jubilee Class engine looked at him desperately.

"Please, I have to warn you! You're all in danger!"

"Who are?" Derek asked, suspiciously.

"The Other Railway!" Conrad declared.

Now, Derek was paying attention.

"Why?"

"A number of diesel locomotives will be sent on trial to your yard!" Conrad explained "And, from what I heard, Head Office is planning to keep some of them there to extend the fleet, but that's beside the point!"

"So? We've had visiting engines before." Derek replied, before noticing something "Wait, where did you heard all this?"

"That's not important right now!" the red engine wheeshed with a hushed voice "You're in great danger!"

"But why..."

Conrad was about to reply, but then, he noticed something a few sidings away. His face went pale.

"There!" he yelped, looking at a line of diesels.

"Them?" Derek asked "What's so special about the--?"

He went silent, as he examined the engines more thoroughly.

One of them was a dark green and light gray Class 45 "Peak", whom Derek instantly recognized.

"That's... That's Sulzer!" he exclaimed "He'll be sent to our yard? Well, he is a trouble-maker, I don't know why you would be so..."

"It's not just him!" Conrad hissed.

"What, you mean, all of them are coming?"

Derek observed the line again.

Besides Sulzer, there was also an familiar-looking Class 37, a B.R. Rail Blue Class 55 "Deltic", a Brunswick green Class 23 "Baby Deltic" with cream-colored cabs, a silver and blue Class 59, and a Class 52 in class' original, desert sand livery... He also had a brass nameplate.

Derek's eyes went wide, as he read the name of the engine...

"You see?" Conrad asked.

"Oh dear... This is very bad... This is very, very bad!" Derek mumbled.

"What is?" Fluttershy asked, having climbed out from under the seat.

"I must warn the others!" Derek said, starting his own engines.

"But Derek, we're stuck in the yard!" Fluttershy exclaimed "Your overhaul...!"

Derek looked pleadingly at Conrad.

"I'm sorry..." the red engine groaned "I'm forbidden to go your yard after the way I acted last time."

"We have to find someone!" Derek was getting desperate. He spotted a workcolt reading a clipboard nearby "YOU, SIR!"

The stallion jumped.

"Who, me?"

"Do you know of any train heading to the Ponyville Marshalling Yard?"

"Uuuhhh..." he flipped through his clipboard "A slow goods train will be heading to Canterlot, stopping there along the way... Why?"

"Who'll be taking that train?!"

"Clayton."

"Good. C'mon, Fluttershy, we must find Clayton!" Derek declared, deaf to the workcolt telling him that he had a job to do.

The row of engines, Sulzer's visage, Conrad's words, and the name on that brass nameplate was all that was going through his head.

"I MUST find Clayton, and tell him to warn the others! he thought to himself "Otherwise, this'll hit them with gale force!"