Thomas went onto a siding off the mainline, and then I, Spike and Luna jumped off.

"Hello, sister," said Luna, "enjoying the sun?"

"No, Luna, I am not," said Miss Celestia firmly, "in fact, I just landed her after escaping a heavy metal monster and his equally crazy driver! Where have you been?"

"Er, is your sparkle back, Miss Celestia?" asked Thomas.

"No, Thomas, it isn't," said Miss Celestia, "however, I found the clue… but I can't remember it…"

"Bother."

"I say, sister, you look terrible," said Luna, "why don't we get more gold dust, since I used yours up, and then we can go home?"

"Listen to me, Luna; I've got bad news…"

But before Miss Celestia could continue, there was the sound of a telephone ringing.

"I'll go get it," she said, but Luna got to the bellflower first.

"Hello?"

"Is Miss Celestia there?"

"Er, no. This is her sister, Luna."

"Oh, I see."

"Who is this?"

"This is Sir Topham Hatt."

"Oh, hello, Hattie…"

Miss Celestia winced. Spike snickered at Luna's nickname for the Fat Controller until I glared at him to stop.

"What?! Now is Miss Celestia there? I need to speak to her!"

"Don't worry; she's around here somewhere."

Luna chuckled as she handed Miss Celestia the bellflower, the older sister squirming with embarrassment.

"Yes, Sir Topham Hatt, sir?"

"I hadn't seen Luna since Christmas years ago. Now why is she such a smart-aleck?"

"Oh, no, sir, she was just trying to be friendly."

"You call that friendly? She seemed to act like a dog!"

"No, she's not a dog. Er… well, let's just say she's an unruly puppy in need of a good trainer."

Miss Celestia gave her sister a stern glare; Luna shrugged innocently.

"I see. Should I be concerned about the safety of my railway?"

"No, nothing to worry about, sir. Everything is fine."

"Very well. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, sir."

With that, Miss Celestia hung the bellflower up.

"Ah, sister," said Luna, "this is Twilight Sparkle and her adopted brother Spike. They're staying with their older brother Shining Armor and our niece Cadance."

Miss Celestia seemed pleased to meet us.

"Hello, Twilight," she said, "hello, Spike."

While we were talking, Luna grabbed onto one of the windmill's sails, leaving the box near us.

"Luna? Luna?"

Suddenly, we looked up and saw Luna on the windmill's sails having fun.

"Luna, what are you doing up here?" asked Miss Celestia, "Come down! It's too windy!"

"This is just like the funfair!" called Luna, "Give me two seconds! Whoo-hoo!"

"Two seconds is all it takes for you to land in trouble!" Miss Celestia called back.

How right she was. Suddenly, the wind picked up causing the sails to spin faster and faster until Luna was flung clean off!"

"Aaaahh!"

"LUNA!"

We watched helplessly as Luna was flung through the air and landed onto the roof of Diesel 10!

"Aha!" he said deviously, "Twinkle Toes' baby sister!"

"What a surprise," Discord said, "we may have lost Celestia, but now we have her sister!"

"I demand that you stop and let me off at once!" commanded Luna.

"You're in no position of making demands, missy," said Diesel 10, "so just enjoy the ride and hang on tight!"

"Oh dear," said Thomas, "Diesel 10 has highjacked her!"

"What's gonna happen to Luna now?" asked Spike with worry.

"Well, my family is pretty good at getting out of trouble," said Miss Celestia, "eventually."

"I don't know what eventually means," said Thomas, "but it sounds very, very long."

"Eventually means that something will happen sooner or later," I explained.

Spike then noticed the box Luna had left behind.

"What's in there?" he asked.

Miss Celestia saw the box and picked it up.

"This box," she said, "contains the Elements of Harmony."

"Elements of Harmony?" asked Thomas. His question was also what I was thinking, and I reflected on what Cadance told me last night.

"My sister-in-law Cadance told me about them," I said, "they're six supernatural artifacts representing subjective aspects of harmony; Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty and Magic."

"I've never heard of them until now," said Thomas.

"I suggest we find somewhere to camp out for the night," said Miss Celestia, climbing into Thomas' cab.

Spike and I climbed aboard as well and Thomas puffed away. Soon we had to stop at a signal to let another train pass. There, I could see the other five girls. I leaned out and waved.

"Twilight?" asked Fluttershy, "What are you doing here in Thomas' cab?"

"We were looking for Miss Celestia," explained Thomas, "but we've found her and ended up losing Luna."

"Luna? The woman Twilight and I met yesterday?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"The very same," said Spike. He blushed a bit when he noticed Rarity.

"She's also my sister," explained Miss Celestia, "now we need a place to camp out for the night."

"Ah think Ah know a place," said Applejack, "Ah'll get Big Macintosh to give us a lift there."

Back at Muffle Mountain, the sun had already begun to set. Flash Sentry came up by himself. Shining Armor and Cadance were looking out at the valley and saw him.

"Where's Twilight and Spike?" Shining Armor asked.

"I wish I knew," sighed Flash, sounding defeated, "I'm sorry, but they weren't at the station when I went back for them…"

There was silence before Cadance spoke up.

"It's not your fault," she said in an assuring way, "we'll find them."

Flash felt reassured hearing this. As the couple headed back to the house, he gained courage.

"Last night, I heard an engine's whistle around here," he said.

"You heard wrong, Flash," Shining Armor said quickly.

Flash was surprised. "But Twilight heard it too…" But he was alone… or so he thought. Suddenly, he heard a whisper.

"You don't hear wrong, do you?" it hissed, "Where exactly did you hear that whistle?"

Flash knew this voice was trouble, and his instincts were right. Without hesitation, he ran towards his horse, jumped on, and raced away as Chrysalis jumped out of the bushes and started chasing him, but the horse was much faster.

"You can run, but you can't hide, boy!" she sneered as Flash and his horse galloped into the distance.

Flash's horse didn't stop galloping until they arrived safely at Vicarstown. Henry was there with his last passenger train of the day.

"What's the rush, Flash?" he asked.

"Oh, Henry, thank goodness I found you," the teenage boy panted, "I'm sure Shining Armor and Cadance know the secret of Muffle Mountain. There's an engine in there, but now – because of me – Chrysalis knows it too, and she's putting us all in great danger. And I don't know where Twilight is!"

"Oh my!" said Henry, "This is very serious. Thank you for telling me."

Later that evening, Percy was making his way to the magic buffers.

"I am brave, I am brave," he said to himself, "Thomas says I'm brave, so I'm brave."

The nighttime fog made everything seem spookier, but Percy remembered what Pinkie Pie had told him…

"When life gets you down, all you gotta do is just laugh it off and you'll feel better…"

So Percy decided to laugh at the spooky scenery. He was beginning to feel better. But as he got closer to the buffers, his smile dropped.

"Shiver my pistons!" he cried, "There's Splatter and Dodge."

"Sunset Shimmer and George are with them," added his driver.

"And they've found the buffers," said the fireman.

"What are they doing here?" wondered Percy, "And why is Sunset driving George?" The little green engine could also see a new road covering old tracks, and it was dangerously close to the buffers.

"See those buffers?" said Splatter, "They're next."

"The boss wants the job done fast," added Dodge, "start now."

"And if I refuse?" asked George.

"I'll tell Diesel 10 and he'll personally rip you to a pile of scrap!" Sunset scowled.

"Uh, does she mean that?" asked Splatter.

"I think so," said Dodge.

"Alright, George," said Sunset, "smash those buffers!" She then began to drive George towards the buffers, but the steamroller stopped.

"No!" he said firmly.

"What?!"

"I don't want a roller rink anymore," snapped George, "and I don't want to hurt innocent people!" Then he turned to Splatter and Dodge. "If you want to destroy those buffers so badly, then do it yourselves!"

With that he began to trundle away. Sunset tried to stop him, but George's will was too strong.

"Who needs him anyway?" said Splatter.

"Yeah," said Dodge, "let's do it."

But suddenly an owl hooted, startling the two diesels.

"Er, let's do it tomorrow," said Dodge.

"Yeah, tomorrow's good," agreed Splatter.

"We must warn Thomas," gasped Percy and he puffed away, having heard and seen quite enough.

Meanwhile, we had set up at Crovan's Gate for our little camp out. Spike was sitting by Rarity and was hugged by Fluttershy who still thought he was cute. Miss Celestia was doing her best to keep me cheerful. She could tell I was worried about being late for my brother and sister-in-law.

"Miss Celestia," I said, looking at the nighttime sky, "I was supposed to be back by sunset."

"You know, Twilight," she replied, "perhaps Shining Armor can guess where you are."

"He can?"

"Maybe," said Miss Celestia, "because I think he's been all around Sodor himself long ago. And if he can help, I wish he'd hurry. I haven't told Luna this, but soon, she'll grow as weak as I am."

"That sounds terrible," said Fluttershy.

"Luna said there used to be an engine that traveled on the Magic Railway," said Spike, "if we could find it, maybe it can help."

"Oh, that engine disappeared," sighed Miss Celestia, "never to be seen or heard from again."

"What a bummer," groaned Rainbow Dash.

"Aw, let's not be all gloomy," said Pinkie Pie, "who wants another cupcake?"

"Actually, something just came to me," I said, "Miss Celestia, I heard a train whistle last night, and it sounded like it was coming from Muffle Mountain near my brother's cottage."

"Mountain?" Miss Celestia wondered, then she perked up, "I've just remembered a part of the clue; Stoke up the Magic in the Mountain and the Lady will smile…"

But her smile didn't last.

"But that's not the entire clue, Twilight," she said, "and I know your brother can help if he would just believe that he could…"

I looked down, and the word "Lady" slipped into my mind. "Lady…?"

Meanwhile, back at Muffle Mountain, Shining Armor and Cadance were going back into the workshop. Instead of last time, they went a little further.

"Well Lady," sighed Shining Armor, "what are we to do?"

Cadance flipped a light switch and now everything was visible, including what he was talking to. It was a reddish-purple tank engine with four wheels and gold head lamps on the front footplate. The engine also had buffers, smokebox and funnel top, dome and whistles, side rods, lining and her name on each side all in gold. Its cab roof, lower funnel section and footplate were also painted a very dark purple.

Unlike the engines on the North Western and Skarloey Railways, this engine had no face on its smokebox. Known only to Shining Armor and Cadance, the engine was vital to the magic that kept Sodor's spirit alive.

As the two looked at the engine, they heard voices from their past.

"One day, Cadance, I'm going to drive this engine, and I'll take you with me."

"Promise you will, Shining Armor. Promise?"

"I promise…"

Then suddenly, they heard a scuffle. They hoped it wouldn't be Chrysalis, but when they turned, much to their relief and surprise, the person coming in was…

"Flash?"

"How did you find us?" asked Cadance.

"I found the entrance ages ago," admitted Flash, "but I would never tell anybody."

Shining Armor felt relieved. Then Flash spotted the engine.

"So it is true," he said in awe, "we did hear an engine in the mountain."

"All mountains have their secrets," said Shining Armor, "that wouldn't surprise someone like you."

Flash walked around the engine, looking at it in wonderment.

"You can help dust her off," said Cadance, tossing him a rag. As he polished the engine, he read the name on its side.

"Lady…"

"That's her name," said Shining Armor.

"Why is she locked up?" asked Flash.

"She's not," said Shining Armor, "she's safe from harm… or was."

"Why does Chrysalis want to harm her?" asked Flash.

"When we were in secondary school," began Cadance. "Quinn Chryssa was angry because she didn't want to believe in magic and she was jealous that Shining Armor and I were in love. So she took revenge."

"She and a friend of hers, Kingsley Sombra," Shining Armor said, continuing from where his wife left off, "they found Lady and Quinn, now going by Chrysalis, threatened to destroy her if I didn't let them driver her. I gave in to bullies. They drove her, used up all her coal, then they made her go too fast, and Lady crashed. Chrysalis and I survived with degree of injury, but Sombra…"

"He was killed in the crash," Cadance finished, "after Sombra's death, Chrysalis ran away, vowing revenge on Shining Armor for taking him away from her."

"And then we brought Lady here to a new hiding spot," said Shining Armor, "I tried my best to fix her up, but I was never able to make up for the mistake I made." He gently reached his hand out to the engine. "She's as precious as gold, Flash…"

"Well, she can whistle," said a puzzled Flash, "I've heard her."

"So have we," said Cadance, "it's because she's magic."

"Nothing, sadly, has changed," added Shining Armor, "Chrysalis has no compassion and no imagination. It's the same with Sombra when he was alive."

On the wall behind Lady, Flash could see a map of a railway line running from Peel Godred to Vicarstown, and realized it was in the same configuration as those appearing on shadowy lines on his map of Sodor.

"This must be the map of the magic railway," he remarked, "but the energy is fading away… Twilight, Spike and I were traveling on the ground right above it!"

"The railway needs Lady," said Shining Armor, "but we don't know her special secret. And we need to know it now more than ever."

"Because of Twilight and Spike?"

"Yes, because of Twilight and Spike."

Diesel 10 was racing through the countryside with Luna on his roof. She was treating this like fun. Diesel 10 tried to grab her with his claw, but she kept ducking out of the way. This also happened when he went through Henry's tunnel. Diesel 10 began to yell in annoyance as he was switched onto the track leading to Norramby.

"Not enjoying the exercise, Diesel 10?" Luna chuckled, "Maybe you should take up surfing. It's much more relaxing!"

Diesel 10 shrieked angrily again as he hurtled past Ballahoo onto the track leading to Norramby.

Back at Crovan's Gate, Percy had arrived to tell Thomas what he saw and heard. Edward was passing by and noticed the commotion. So did the Skarloey engines and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"So Thomas," said Percy, "we have to get Twilight and Spike back to their brother now in case Diesel 10 gets ride of the magic railway!"

"But how can they go without gold dust?" asked Thomas.

"There is the route from Killdane to Peel Godred," said Applejack, "but that line's only run by electric engines and Ah don't think the line runs at night."

"So there's no other way for them to get back?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"There is," said Miss Celestia, "but only in the lost engine."

"It is a shame too," added Skarloey, "that the lost engine has disappeared."

"Indeed," agreed Edward, "and without her, the magic railway will eventually fade away."

"And then Sodor might fade away too," said Rheneas, "but that's only if something bad were to happen to her."

"We're all goners!" panicked Sir Handel, "No more, ceased to be, gone to meet our makers, stiff, bereft of life, run down the curtain and-!"

"Sir Handel!" the other little engines scolded.

"That panicking would never suit his grace," said Duke.

"Granpuff's right," said Peter Sam, "we have to remain calm."

"How can we stay calm when we're in danger of disappearing?" asked Duncan.

"Y'all can't disappear," protested Apple Bloom.

"Yeah!" said Scootaloo, "You're tough engines."

"So not only is Sodor in danger," said Applejack, "but Twilight and Spike can't get home?"

"I'm afraid so," said Miss Celestia, "unless…"

"Unless?" Thomas asked nervously. He had a bad feeling what Miss Celestia was about to say.

"Thomas, can you take Twilight and Spike?"

"Through the magic buffers?!" Thomas asked, an appalled expression on his face, "Why don't you do it, Edward? You're much wiser than me…"

"Oh, no thank you," said Edward politely, "it would be a good idea for you to do it, Thomas."

"Why me?" asked Thomas.

"Because you're a brave engine," replied Edward, "and after all, you're always saying little engines can do big things."

"But what if I go on the railway and my wheels don't work?"

"And if they do?" asked Miss Celestia.

"What if… erm…?"

"Yes?"

"What if it's dark and cold? How will I be able to get back again?"

"It will be bumpy, but you'll be able to make it back here, because you're a really useful engine and you'll find a way."

"Miss Celestia is right, Thomas," agreed Skarloey, "you'll be fine. You've always been encouraging to us, and now it's our turn."

"Come on, Thomas," said Percy, "you're always saying little engines can do big things – so can you!"

"You can do it, Thomas!" cheered Pinkie.

"We believe in ya," said Applejack.

"Um, go Thomas," Fluttershy said shyly, "we have faith in you…"

"Show them how awesome steam engines can be!" said Rainbow Dash, "Ah, no offense, Rusty."

"None taken," said the little orange diesel, "but seriously, teach those bad diesels what you steam engines are made of, anyway!"

"Show them what a really useful engine such as yourself can do," encouraged Rarity.

Thomas looked around him. Everyone was counting on him, even me and Spike. He was rather nervous and worried that something bad would happen. He was just a simple tank engine, and now, he possibly had the fate of Sodor on his buffers. After what felt like ages, he made his decision.

"I'll try…" he said bravely. Before long, Thomas set off with Spike and I in his cab.

It was quiet and dark as Thomas puffed along the Sudrian countryside light engine. He chuffed through Henry's tunnel and past Vicarstown station to the where the magic buffers stood.

"I promise I'll get you two back to your brother," he said to Spike and me.

The magic buffers were right ahead of us now. Thomas had been told that in order to go through them, he had to just charge through without braking.

"Little engines can do big things!" he said, charging towards the buffers and shut his eyes!

Whoosh!

"It is dark," remarked Thomas, "and cold and bumpy… but I'm not afraid!"

Then we began to pass the coal truck from earlier.

"Hey!" cried Thomas, "There's the missing coal truck! I'll have to remember to bring it back for Henry later."

"It's about time someone showed up!" remarked the truck, "I've been in here for hours!"

"Oh, sorry," said Thomas, "we didn't know where you were until now. But we'll come back for you for sure!"

"Don't hurry!" the truck called, "I wasn't planning on going anywhere!"

Soon we came to a fork in the path.

"Aw, man, which way do we go?" asked Spike.

"I'll look this way," I said, "Spike, you look that way."

So we headed off, Thomas left behind with only his driver and fireman… or so he thought. There was the sound of an engine approaching.

"Hello?" Thomas called nervously, "Who's there?"

Suddenly, from out of the darkness came Lady. She looked just like she did in Shining Armor's workshop, only she had a face.

"Wh-who are you?" Thomas asked anxiously, "Can you possibly be…?"

"Yes," said Lady kindly, "I am the lost engine of the magic railway."

"You are the engine lost from long ago!" exclaimed Thomas, "But I've never seen you before…"

"That's because I've been hidden for years," explained Lady, "I would only go out if I was certain it was safe."

"But why have you come to me?" Thomas asked, "Everyone's been wondering where you were."

But before Lady could answer, she began to disappear.

"Wait, don't go!" called Thomas.

"Who were you talking to?" Spike and I had just returned. He had looked at the right track and I had looked at the left track.

"Erm, my driver and fireman?" said Thomas sheepishly.

"Right," I said.

"Which way can we go?" asked the tank engine's driver.

"Let's take the left track," I suggested, "what do you think, Spike?"

"Yeah, I agree with Twilight," said Spike, "the track I went down seems to go on for miles."

We climbed back into Thomas and set off down the left track. As he chuffed along the magic railway, on either side of him appeared to be dark caverns and ahead of us seemed to be a huge wall of granite.

"Now what?" asked Spike.

But before anyone could respond, the wall melted at the center, big enough to let an engine through into the light, and suddenly, Thomas' wheels began to spin faster and faster!

"Whoa!" he cried, "Here we go!" And he shut his eyes tightly, the rest of us following suit.