TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL

0:00 AM

"Well, this is certainly troubling."

They stood around the table, observing the documents they've received.

"How did those two even end up there?" the Chairmare asked.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know." the Director mumbled.

"There was no restriction or restraining order placed on D20, so, technically, he may have just easily volunteered on a whim, knowing his brother, and his driver's cousin is there." elaborated the Controller.

"And go to stir up trouble?" asked the Grand Designer.

"Seems so." the Controller replied "His behavior on our railway has been, up until now, spotless. And my sources tell he had a tendency to get out of trouble whenever he caused any. Which he did. A lot."

"And the other?" inquired the Chairmare.

"No records." replied the Director "But he had certainly gained notoriety among engines of British origin, especially late, Standard class steam locomotives and early generation mainline diesels."

"Trouble, indeed." the Controller exclaimed, sighing "Anything else?"

"Ponyville Marshalling Yard had filed a request for a shunter or two, seeing that they're running low on them, as the Iron Twins - and Dodge and Splatter for that matter - are constantly away, and Diesel has to pull Derek's local mixed goods train until his overhaul is complete."

"Oh. Well, that's easy." sighed the Controller, visibly relieved "The Trottingham Powerstation has recently informed me that they have enough shunters, so, if necessary, they could offer one to any yard-in-need."

"Anything else?" the Chairmare asked "What about Kestrel?"

"Her trials are complete, and she's ready to report to the Canterlot Yards. This, however, leaves an empty space in the Trottingham-Gaslight Branchline's fleet."

"And I had already told you my proposal." the Grand Designer chimed in.

"I don't know..." the Chairmare mused "A fork in the main line?"

"It would have that level of traffic eventually."

"Wow, Discord having foresight." the Director chuckled "Who would've thought."

"Anyways..." the Controller spoke, raising his voice to stop the blossoming argument before it even started "I've looked into the inquiries, and we're in luck. A Class 37, number 37000, called "Debo" by his colleagues, applied to the position, claiming that his friend, Class 31, D701, "Rhodders" works there. Another engine, a Class 06, 06011, "Matt", also wishes to join the new branchline. We could temporarily send him as backup for the new shunter in Ponyville."

"Right. I'll contact the Powerstation." said the Director, then paused "What about the four engines on trial?"

"Will just have to figure out who is the weakest link."

6:00 AM

"Ah, morning already?"

She blinked profusely, as her eyes grew accustomed to the light. It was summer, and the sun came up earlier. Glancing around, she saw that the yard was still empty.

She sighed. On a lazy summer's day morning such as this, she really wished that she would be working at a bigger yard.

But for now, she had to wait.

Soon enough, ponies began to appear, rushing after their work in the power plant's small yards. She even saw the others get up to work. It wasn't long before two small diesels, a Janus-type shunter and a Romanian LDH45 diesel-hydraulic. The two of them backed down on to the two lines next to her.

"Bună dimineața!" said the red engine.

"Morning!" she replied in kind, yawning "What brings you two here?"

"Management has called us here." the Janus explained "We don't know why."

"Only the three of us?" she asked.

"Da."

"Perhaps they're finally giving you that overhaul, Darius!"

"Dat would be good." the Romanian shunter sighed, looking over his friends "Berhaps dey're giving you a new coat of pain."

"I wish."

"Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you, Patwin?" she asked, teasingly.

"Oh, be quiet, you." he said, loftily.

Just then, they saw the yard manager, walking up to them... Along with her driver and fitter.

"I have some important news for you." the mare began "As you all may now, I had recently notified Equestrian Railways that we have an abundance of shunters in our yard..."

"No kidding." Patwin snorted "We could hardly fit into the damn communal shed!"

"Quiet, Patwin." the mare said sharply "Anyways, members of the board visited yesterday night."

"Yesterday night?" Darius asked "When we were sleeping?"

"Yes. They came to inspect you."

"In our sleep?" the Janus asked "That's totally not creepy at all."

"Be quiet, Patwin. Anyways, they especially surveyed your three, and made their decision this morning."

The three engines all looked at her, anticipating that she would say one of their name.

Finally, she smiled, and called out:

"02077, Gwennol!"

The Class 02 rolled forward.

"The railway leaderboard, comprised of the Chairmare, the Director, the Controller, the Grand Designer, and the Royal Industrial Inspector, had selected you. Half an hour from now, Tedz will arrive to take you to your new home."

"...Thank you, ma'am." Gwendolyn replied, excitedly. She then thought for a moment "Where will I be going?"

"Just down the line. To Ponyville Marshalling Yard." her fitter explained "They're short on shunters, so I'd expect that there will be other shunting engines there as well."

But she didn't mind. She had always liked working in company. She waited anxiously for Tedz to arrive.

Finally, the big Class 14 pulled into the yard, honking merrily to her.

"Hello, Gwen!" he greeted her "Ready for the big move?"

"Oh, yes I am!" the small shunter replied, blushing slightly as Tedz was coupled up to her. Her driver and fitter got on board, and she said bid her friends farewell.

As they were pulling out from the yard, she could hear the yard manager speaking to her friends:

"Darius, tomorrow, you'll be going to Manehattan for your overhaul. Afterwards, you'll be pulling a local passenger train to gather the workforce of the plant each morning, and take them home at night. Also, Patwin?"

The yellow shunter looked up.

"Go to the workshed, you're being repainted."

"Ma'am...! But...!"

"It's the board's orders! Now, hurry along!"

Gwen smiled. It seemed like this would be her lucky day.

Tedz parked her down next to the fuel depot, then left for Trottingham. As she was being refueled, Gwen gazed around the yard. It was much larger than the yards of the power plant, even when put together, perhaps. It was filled with various sorts of assorted freight trucks, and vintage, two-axle mixed goods trucks, along with coaches and carriages of various eras. Most line of wagons was already in order, but some were still unconnected, and there were sidings with random trucks on them, placed around haphazardly.

After refueling, Gwen waited.

She didn't have to wait long, though, as, with a hoot of his droning horn, a jet-black Class 08 shunter (and a particularly boxy one at that) arrived. He looked at her, nonchalantly.

"Are you Gwennol?" he asked, neglecting to greet her. Gwen didn't take offense, replied in kind:

"Yes, yes I am. And please, just call me Gwen."

"Well then, Gwen, please, come along. The others are waiting." and with that, the shunter reversed back down the siding.

"Wait... Others?"

She then remembered what the manager had said, and took off after the Class 08, eager to meet his new colleagues.

Across the yard, there were two other engines along with the 08 shunter (who had introduced himself as 'Diesel', leading to momentary fangasm from Gwen's side, which, in turn, lead to Diesel's justified presumption that she was, in fact, a post-production model). One of them was Matt, a Class 06, painted BR Blue like herself, but he didn't seem to have the crankshaft of his class, simply being an 0-4-0 design. Gwen suspected that he was either post-production, or modified to be a diesel-electric. The other one was a dark green G.W.R. 0-4-0ST tank engine named Jonsey. Apparently, the two of them had known each other from before, but were only acquaintances at best.

As their chatter settled, the Gronk returned again.

"Alright, you lot." he said sharply "I'll make this quick. I've already arranged a number of trains here, and I'm due to pull a local goods trains, due to one my... Associate's extended wellness holiday, so to speak. Now... Matt, Jonsey, I know you two are trained for this sort of work, so I won't waste my breath on informing you. You two won't be staying for long, anyways. Just haul ass over to the freight yard, and assemble the mineral trains. If you have a question, don't bother returning to me, ask the shunting assistants or the yard manager. We have another engine there. 0-6-0. Hunslet Austerity tank engine. Eyesore-green. Smiles too much. His name is Steamie. Unless it is absolutely necessary, avoid him at all cost. He'll be up and about, but you shouldn't concern yourselves about him, he'll be doing his own job. Just... Don't make eye contact, and don't reply to him. If you happen to catch his driver and firemare alone, you could talk with her, but I wouldn't advise it."

"Why not?" asked Matt.

"Because she's an annoying pink twerp, now bugger off!" Diesel snapped, turning his gaze to the small Class 02, as the two engines rolled away, grumbling under their breath.

Gwen shrunk slightly under the Class 08's gaze. Diesel's expression was unreadable, his engine purring as it idled. He looked over the small shunter, back to front, top to bottom. A lavender unicorn mare, with a dark crest and tail, climbed out from his cab, and made her way towards her. Gwen suddenly felt her driver stepping out from her cab, her own engine turned off.

Startled, she watched as her driver hoofed the starting lever to the lavender mare, informing her about the small shunter's performance. Finally, their conversation finished, the two saluted one another, and the lavender mare began to make her way to Gwen's cab, while her driver stopped in front of her.

The stallion sighed, then smiled.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye..." he said.

Gwen was surprised.

"You're leaving?"

"I'm afraid so." he replied "Your fitter and I will be returning to the power plant. It's where we're based at, after all."

"But... Who will be driving me, then?" Gwen asked, distraught "Who will look after me?"

"He's informing the local fitter about you as we speak." her driver replied "You're based here now. The fitters of this yard will look after you, and yard management will assign a new driver for you."

"Do you really have to leave?"

"I'm afraid so." the stallion replied, smiling sadly "I'm assigned to the power plant's yards, and both me and your fitter will still be needed there. You'll just have to manage here."

Gwen remained silent for a few moments, digesting what she had heard.

"But..." she asked, sounding hopeful "I can come back... To the yards, can't I?"

Her driver shook his head.

"You're assigned to this yard now, Gwen." he said softly "You'll be living here, from now on."

"...I see..." sighed the little shunter. Her driver gave her a pat on the buffer beam, they said their goodbyes, and he trotted off towards the station, soon joined by the fitter.

Gwen sighed again, a single tear slipping down from her eyes.

Hearing a soft cough, she turned her attention towards the Class 08 again.

"So... You're Diesel, right?" she asked, her voice still cracking a bit.

"Yes." the jet black shunter replied "My name is Diesel. Creative, I know. Now, the mare in your cab is my own driver, Twilight Sparkle. She'll be testing your controls, to see if there's anything noteworthy, and by that, I mean, anything wrong with your mechanical performance. I shall see to it that your work efforts is the best you can manage. I understand that you've not worked in any station's yard before."

"Well, unless you count the Power station." Gwen muttered. The mare in her cab chuckled bit.

"I see. Well, from what I heard, you have enough work experience with trucks, so I won't have to start from scratch. However, as a humble shunter, you'll still need to learn the yard layout, and all the trains and the rolling stock that's based here. Unlike Matt and Jonsey, you'll be staying here, after all."

"Staying here?" she asked "Wouldn't I be taking trains?"

Diesel gave her another, much more quicker once-over.

"02077." he read her number "You're a post-production model, aren't you?"

"Yes, I was built in Vic Berry's works, based on the original Class 02 shunters, and... Is there something wrong?"

Both she, and Twilight noticed that he winced upon the middle of her sentence.

"You were built in Vic Berry's scrapyard." Diesel muttered, a cold shiver running through his crankshaft.

"Umm... Yes..." Gwen mused, with the innocence of ignorance "I was built using spare engine parts..."

"Cannibalized from dead locomotives..." the jet-black shunter uttered under his breath, as a shake ran through his body.

Finally, after that bit of disturbia, he calmed down, and spoke to the little engine once more:

"You're a diesel-hydraulic, aren't you?" he grumbled "Seems like we're getting the package deal..."

"What?"

"Nevermind Diesel." said Twilight from inside her cab "Anyways, we better get going."

"True. Come along." the shunter added, rolling off. Eager to learn, Gwen followed him.

She proved to be a quick learner. Following the Gronk's advice, she quickly arranged the last few trucks, and moved the organized trains into their right sidings. The trucks dared not mess with her on her first day, of course, this was mainly due to both Diesel and Twilight standing by, the former with engine revving to the point where it bellowed fire from his exhausts, the latter with a coupling rod at hoof to whack their eyes out if they tried anything funny.

She had a few questions, but, in general, the training went like this: Diesel proposed a problem, she came up with a solution, which was then promptly put to the test when she faced the described problem in front of her. They made good time, and by noon, the yard had been completely cleaned up. Other trains have arrived during this time, and the small shunter (with a bit of help from the bigger one) reacted quickly, arranging the new trucks immediately. As the clock hit twelve, three of the yard's present five shunters were huddled together at the fuel depot.

"So... Heard ya were doin' fine, Gwen." Matt smiled, chugging his beer-laced fuel "I don't suppose you could help us out at the mineral department?"

"Not yet." she replied, sipping her own, sarsaparilla-flavored oil "Diesel hasn't taught me about passenger coaches yet."

"So he's actu'lly teachin' you?" the Class 06 asked, incredulously "Well, he's definitely doin' be'er than with 'is last temp..." and he shot a discomforted glance at the green Austerity tank engine beside Jonsey.

"What was that supposed to mean?"

"Nevermind that." Diesel replied, rather hastily "Anyways, after we're done with the passenger trains, you WILL be moving the trucks on the other side of the yard. The mineral hoppers are usually better behaved than the old two-axle, four-to-eight plank ones we use for mixed goods. Still, they like to teach engines who they felt had mistreated them a lesson. And by lesson, I mean the most disproportionate punishment you'll ever experience for having a bad day and being a bit careless."

"He's right." Twilight added "Those hoppers are heavier than your average freight truck, and know how to throw their weight around. We nearly had an accident with them on the very first day I started to work."

"Really?" the Class 02 asked "What happened?"

"They rolled off from the mine yards atop a hill nearby." Diesel muttered "We tried to stop them, but they pushed us onto the express line. If it wasn't for Twilight's quick thinking, we would've crashed, cab first, into the evening high-speed shuttle service."

"Instead, we discovered an old siding leading straight from the express line to the back of the carriage works." the lavender mare added, glancing at the upper mentioned building, located across the yard "It was supposed to be an 'Out-of-Use' siding, but we found it rather convenient to avoid certain doom."

"And a crowning moment of awesome for both of you..." said Rainbow Dash. She was called in from the Ironworks to help with Matt's trial. And considering how absurdly fast the little shunter was (much like the Hornby models based on his class), it should come as no surprise that she enjoyed working with him immensely.

"Yes, quite a tale, and other preppy rubbish." Diesel grunted. He didn't liked to be reminded of his accidents, regardless of how fortunate they may have been in the end "As I said, you'll be working the hoppers. You'll have to arrange a train of twelve or thirteen of them for me. I'll be taking them to mines."

"I know! You'll be bringing coal to the plant!" smiled Gwen.

"Yes, I will. In the evening." the Gronk replied, perplexed "How did you know?"

"I couldn't sleep one night, and saw you bring in the coal hoppers to the conveyor belt." she explained "I wondered who you were, as I had never seen an engine like you before. I mean, I heard about the Class 08s, they are quite famous."

Diesel smirked knowingly.

"But I never really met any before you. I was pretty much relegated to my line."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Before I came to this world, I worked on a small industrial line in Cornwall. I worked with an old electric mining locomotive called Elowen. She was much to old to give me any real advice, because whenever I asked her about trucks, coaches, and whatnot, she would always remember something from her younger years... Eventually, I gave up."

"So, you're from Cornwall?" Diesel asked. He was mildly intrigued "Should've guessed from the name... I probably know what comes after this little exposition, but please, do tell me: what happened?"

"The line shut down."

Gwen sighed.

"Elowen was given to a local museum the day they declared that they'll be shutting down the line. Businesses around us went bankrupt during the '80s and early '90s, but privatization was the last nail in the coffin. I was forced to help the workmen tear up the tracks that I ran on, and then sent up the mainline. Back towards Vic Berry's..."

She shuddered here, and the ponies present found, to their deepest surprise, that the other two diesels looked at her with a sorrow sympathy.

"At the yards, the workmen who originally built me had me hidden from management, so I wasn't cut up." Gwen continued "But I saw what they did to other diesels for a living..."

Suddenly, a very nasty shadow of a thought crossed Twilight's mind, and, going weak in the legs, she had to reach out for Diesel's traction rod to support herself. She didn't want to, but she knew she'll ask her engine about this later on.

"I stayed there for a few years. Only allowed to come out from hiding during the night, to work the graveyards shift."

"Quite literally, I'd presume." Matt mused. The only thing Gwen could be doing in Vic Berry's was to move the withdrawn engines unto the sidings where they would meet their fate.

"Yes. I tried to give them my condolences. To... Prepare them..." again, she shuddered, and sighed "They would just brush me off, demanding to be left in peace. Some of them, who had been there for a long time, gave me a nickname... Josephine..."

After a few moments of perplexed wonder, the two other diesels' eyes widened into a stare, frozen in horror, upon hearing the name. Interestingly, so was Rainbow Dash, who looked the most dismayed.

"I don't get it..." said Twilight, after a considerable time has passed.

"I presume..." Diesel began, getting a grip on himself "Some where a bit more straightforward..."

"They also called me Ilse, Irma, or Augustine..." Gwen muttered, frowning "But yes, some where more straight with me, calling me an angel of death.

"Thorough. Very thorough." the Class 08 said, with a low, grumbling voice.

"When I heard about the Exodus, I stowed away on a freight train heading north. A signalman spotted me, however, and I was taken to the nearest yard available. It turned out that I overshot my destination, because I ended up in Sellafield."

"That must've been unpleasant." the Class 02 muttered.

"What do you mean by "overshot"?" Rainbow asked.

"I was meant to got to place called the Barrow Regional Transit, a rather disreputable private railway working on a portion of the mainline that lead to the Island of Sodor."

Rainbow was about to say something, but, as if she was reading her engine and mentor's mind, Twilight quickly shoved a hoof into the polychromatic mare's mouth. Diesel maintained his disinterested pokerface, though one with an observant eye (such as Celestia's star pupil) could see the corner of his mouth twitch slightly.

"I arrived there just in time. I was the last one to cross over, and after I came through, the portals closed for good." Gwen stated, wrapping it up "I never got a chance to say goodbye to my creators, but, with all honesty, knowing where I came from, and what would've become of me, I don't really mind."

"Can't blame ya." said the blue pegasus, once she managed to peel off Twilight's hoof from her face.

The sound of a horn blasted across the yard, as a big, green Class 40 with yellow "hazard" panels on each end, and a gray face, purred into the station. The shunters and the two mares all looked on, as Gwen's driver and fitter climbed aboard one of Bowler's passenger coaches. With another hoot of his horn, the snooty engine departed from the station.

Gwen sighed, her fate now seemingly final. She had to admit it to herself: being the yard pilot of a mainline yard wasn't all that she hoped. She was in a completely new environment, without any friends. Friends?

She suddenly jolted, realizing that she probably wouldn't see her friends again. This threw her into a momentary panic, but then she remembered something.

"Wait... You're a yard shunter as well, aren't you?" she asked, directing her question to Diesel.

"I am." the Gronk replied "What of it?"

"But you said you'll take a train of hoppers up to the mines!" the little shunter inquired.

"Ah. That." Diesel could see where she was going "Yes, well, I have been modified with a shift gear box, along with the other Class 08 shunters and derivatives assigned to this yard, enabling me to pull smaller goods trains, and travel relatively fast."

"Derivatives?" the two mares asked. Besides Diesel, the Iron Twins, 'Arry and Bert, and Diesel 10's former henchmen, Splatter and Dodge were also based here (even if they were in contract with the Ironworks). But as far as they knew, they were all Class 08 shunters, like Diesel himself.

"The Iron Bros are Class 08s." he explained "But Dodge and Splatter are actually our cousins. They're Class 09s. That version of the original, L.M.S.-built shunters, later Class 11s, were designed to have a higher to speed, at the cost of lower tractive effort."

"What does that mean?" Rainbow asked, puzzled.

"Pah. Some fitter you are." Diesel sneered "To put it in "laymare's" term, it means that they can't grip the rails as well as we do. However, they do have a higher top speed. They can go 53 miles per hour, or 85 kilometers per hour, while we can only do 47 miles, or 75 kilometers per hour."

"Get of my wings, I've only been taking care of those two for..."

"A year?" Diesel snickered "Hmh. Not a quick learner, are you, Rainbow Dash?"

The pegasus just growled, crossing her forelegs sulkily. They knew by now, as they had to suffer from it upon every wrong turn, that the shunter was somehow capable of using not a disparaging moniker or nickname, but rather, their full names, to create the most caustic of insults.

Later that day, after Diesel had left to the mines with Twilight on board, Gwen was shunting in the yard, when she saw a big, blue, but very dirty and scruffy diesel roll into the yard.

He had a thick stubble, a dent nose, and a crooked BR "double arrow" on his sides, among the scratches, rust spots, splashed-up mud and graffiti, his number being 'D199'. He introduced himself as Spamcan, and asked about his train, a local, mixed freight which they had organized a couple of hours ago.

The gruff goods engine coupled up to his trucks, and grumbled his "than' you", but as he was about to depart, a rather similar looking dark green engine rolled into the yard, pulling the empty trucks of a cross-country freight train. He was much more cleaner than the blue one, but had an air of unnatural cleanliness around him. Gwen squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze, as he, with what can only be described as a slasher smile, asked her to sort his trucks out, lest the local goods will be delayed - as it turned out, his long train had blocked the switches leading out onto the main line, thus trapping Spamcan in his siding. The goods engine was fuming, and his driver, an orange, cowmare-like character, jumped out of his cab, and stormed off towards the fuel depot where the engine, "Sulzer", has parked himself. She quickly engaged in banter with the big, green engine, only to be answered by it's driver, another orange mare who looked hauntingly similar to her. Gwen wasn't really paying them any attention, though, as she tried, with all her might, to move the long line of trucks.

Eventually, she pulled them clear off the points, and Spamcan could finally leave. He and his driver left the yard looking very frumpy indeed. Meanwhile, Sulzer rumbled and roared in delight. Gwen decided not to speak with him, and just took his train apart, so that the trucks may be rearranged into other trains later on.

It was evening by the time Diesel had returned from the mine, shuffling into the yard, feeling very tired, and very irritated. Enduring the trollish nature of the mining locos at Pyker's Peak All-Mineral Mine was something not many diesel could manage, well, not without murdering one of them.

Twilight was likewise exhausted, staggering out from the cab like she hadn't slept or eaten in days (which could easily be true, considering her work-a-holic nature, and the rather jumpy schedules). After filling up her engine's tank with the strongest ethanol-based fuel available, she collapsed, and had to be carried to the workers' residence above the main shed's berths.

Joining the other shunters at the fuel depot, they discussed their day. Matt and Jonsey did well in the other side of the yard. Oddly enough, Steamie was nowhere to be seen all day, so they had to manage without him.

"It wasn't really a challenge." Jonsey mused "The little prat must be a real wimp if he couldn't manage the yards alone."

"Oh, he could." Diesel muttered. He was too tired to even insult the psychotic tank engine "Just not fast enough."

"Oh?" the G.W.R. shunter asked, snickering "Well, he certainly was quick to leave the yard once we showed up."

"Wait... He actively ran away from you?" Diesel asked "That's... Rather suspicious."

"Didn't you say that he was a kook?" Matt asked.

"Yes, yes, but even so... Running away from new engine he hasn't even met yet... It's not like him..."

"O' loi'e 'is droive'..." 'Arry added. He and his brother had returned from the Ironworks for the night.

"With all the ongoing feuds we have now, we really can't afford another screw-up..." the black Class 08 sighed "However, due to said feuds and the increased workload, there's nothing we can do about it right now. We have more pressing matters at hand."

"Wait... Ongoing feuds?" Gwen asked, remembering the conflict between the two goods engines from during the day.

"Haven't you noticed?"

The others were surprised.

"There's some serious bad blood between many of the big engines." Jonsey explained "Growler has built up quite a disreputable reputation the last time he visited the Other Railway. Well, at least I assume so, considering that he received the glamorous nickname, "Young Fuck-up"."

"And that's just one of the milder ones." Diesel added "Napier's doing fine, I guess, but I can already tell there's a forming grudge between Legion and Old Stuck-Up."

"Why is that?" the Class 02 asked.

"Well, Stuck-Up is like the rest of 'em." Matt explained "Snooty. Haughty. An utter posh twat. But, being an engine, he knows his labour."

"Ya coul' call 'im a lef' win' nati'nalisht." Bert added "Many o' th' big lu's ar'."

"For all his arrogance and upperclass twittery, both he and Bowler have a sense of rationality." the jet black shunter went on "Legion on the other hand... Is a bleeding heart."

"A what?"

"An, overly sensitive little liberal, and he hides it very badly." replied Jonsey "He's... Attentive towards others, but, being a passenger engine, and a Class 55 at that, he refuses to show any signs of philanthropy."

"Why not?" asked the little shunter.

"He fears, rightfully, that the others would chew him out for this." answered Diesel "If anything, British Railways had taught us that exposing your weaknesses equals suicide."

"All the same..." Jonsey continued, shuddering at the Class 08's dark comment "Faking your identity, no matter how light it is, creates ambiguity, especially if you're pulling it off as shoddily as Legion."

"An' 'mbegu'ty 's sum'in' th' bi' 'ngi'es ca't tolera'e..." said 'Arry, thoughtfully, remembering how the others reacted to Cromwell initially, after they saved him from Sodor.

"What about that grey and blue engine?"

"The Class 59?" Matt asked "He's a meek sort, no problem with him."

"He should start pulling his weight, though." Jonsey added " Being meek is one thing, but he's so silent with his work that he teeters towards visually workshy..."

Gwen found this comment rather confusing, so she let it slip.

"What about the others?"

"Well, you could say that the family relations of the resident Peaks had gone sour." the Class 06 muttered "Talk about sibling rivalry..."

"Tell me about it..." Gwen mused.

"Oh. So you got into a bit of an... Interaction with them, I presume?" Matt asked back, with a cheesy grin.

"Get. Your mind. Out. Of the gutter." Jonsey droned, before turning to her "But anyways... You've already met them, then?"

"Yeah..." and she explained what has happened during the day. The others didn't seem surprised.

"That's nothing compared to what they usually get up to." Diesel sneered.

"Whatever caused their fallout?"

The three Class 08s present exchanged looks.

"We... Don' tal' 'bou' i'..." Bert admitted, after a long pause.

And the conversation ended there. Painfully awkwardly, and discomforting.

11:27 PM

It was getting close to midnight. In order to make sure that the new shunters learned the yard layout, Dr. Whooves gave them the night shift as well, promising to let them sleep in the day after. Steamie and Pinkie Pie were still absent, and the brown stallion was getting worried. He had called every yard and station in the vicinity, and was in the midst of organizing a search party, consisting of him, the Brakefather, Derpy, and Vac. Spike also volunteered, along with BoZo, but Twilight sent him to bed promptly, and BoZo was deemed too leaky.

That night, the mares gathered in the sleeping quarters above the engine berths.
Trixie and Gilda were still wide awake, and didn't mind the company. Appleblack was absent, having gone to visit her family in town, now that Applejack wasn't around them.

"This simply can't go on." Rarity mused. Her usual speech mannerism was almost forgotten, as she exhaled. The others nodded in agreement.

"These sheds have become unbearable in the past couple of days." added Twilight "Spamcan and Sulzer won't stop taking stabs at each other, Growler and Legion are constantly driving all the engines up the walls, and with Derek and Fluttershy gone, there's no-one to pacify any of them."

"That may be for the better." put in Gilda "From what I've heard from CoBo, Sulzer was a complete monster towards Derek, and I don't think Appleblack would be any different towards Fluttershy."

"Or worse, drag 'er down with her... Habits." Applejack muttered. She looked exhausted, with dark circles around her eyes, and blood-shot sclera. The past couple of days have taken a toll on her.

"We won't be able to help you guys, either. We've been ordered back to the Works, up until next Tuesday." Rainbow Dash added.

"Oh? Why is that?" asked Trixie.

"A full order of steel girders have been trashed by a train crash at Neigh York Central." replied the blue pegasus "There have been no casualties, but the staff discovered that many of the girders were defective. Some of them shattered like glass during the crash. Bloody bio-gas furnaces. The heck's the problem with charcoal, anyway?"

"We also have Crusher to deal with." Rarity added "That engine is just... Sinister."

"He gives me the creeps." Gilda admitted, shocking the others "I wonder how he slipped in."

"Well, Doc Whooves told me that the line was under a 24-7 watch after he heard the bad news. The Board also ordered him to be on the watch for some other mystery engine." said Rainbow.

"Ah, so the midnight phantom IS real!" the ivory unicorn exclaimed.

"Ugh... Is that how it's been called? Seriously?"

The griffon was not impressed.

"Yeah, besides that, we have a couple of nice guys on our hands, as well." said the lavender unicorn.

"Agreed." Rainbow mused "Gwen's nice and all, but Matt and Jonsey won't be for long."

She paused for a moment.

"I really hope we find Pinkie and Steamy."

"Me too. They've been acting a bit aloof this last couple of days." Twilight added "I hope they're alright. I'm worried that..."

"Yeah?"

"They may have gotten into something. Something bad."

After pondering for a few moments, Gilda's eyes widened. But she said nothing.

"There's also this bad blood between you and your cousin, AJ." Rainbow muttered "Its really getting to you."

"Don't... Call i' that." the applefarmer yawned "Anyways. Napier and that other engine seem nice."

"Yeah, although, I barely hear from the poor thing." said Rarity "I'm worried if we're alienating him."

"We probably are." mused Gilda, still not quite there after her recent thoughts.

"I guess..." Trixie muttered, glancing out into the storm "All we can do now is wait, and... Hope for the best."

The others, albeit uneasily, agreed.

Author's Notes:

AAAAaaaaaand, we're back on track!