Before long, Doc had arrived on the scene, and hooked up his stethoscope to Georgia's boiler. Rolo, the goose, Chippers, and the ponies all stood outside and watched, waiting to hear if Georgia was okay.
"Say 'toot!'" he commanded.
Georgia let out a long toot, which sounded like a moan, as a weak puff of smoke rose from her funnel before dispersing.
Doc listened intently, for a moment, thinking, before he finally shook his head and smiled.
"Well, you'll be alright," he said warmly. "It's just a bit of build-up in the boiler. But there won't be any mountain-climbing for a few days."
Georgia sadly looked at the ground, as did most of the others, as Doc said that last statement. Rolo was the first to panic.
"But Doc!" He exclaimed urgently, running up to face Doc. "We gotta get the birthday train over-uh, over-the... the thing! That big-uh lump! That-that moutain! T-t-t-today!"
"Yeah!" Pinkie added as she joined Rolo. "And the pirates! We gotta get away from the pirates! They're crazy I tells ya! CRAZY!"
Outside the dome, the pirates were all sitting on their ledge in a circle, playing a card game. They were prepared to stay as long as they needed to.
"I'm sorry," Doc replied to the two hysterical figures before him. "I can't help. I've got to get Georgia back to the round house."
"But-But-But-" Rolo tried to protest, but failed. Doc interrupted him though with a suggestion.
"Why not just try to flag down another engine?"
"Yeah," Georgia added as she smiled. "Farnsworth and Pete will be along soon enough."
A smile spread across Rolo's face. "Right! Of course! That's what we'll do!"
"Wait a minute," Twilight snapped stepping up. "We still have to think this through. We still can't leave the dome as long as the pirates are out there!"
"Then let's go out there and beat the cud out of them!" Rainbow hissed.
"We're not doing that, Rainbow!" Twilight groaned.
"What we need here is a plan!" Applejack said. "Every pony huddle up!"
At her command, the six ponies swamped up together in a huddle. Spike, Rolo, and Chippers tried to listen in, but not very well.
"This is kinda dumb," Rainbow started. "I mean do you guys really think any other train is going to stop to help us? I mean go out of their way THIS much?"
"It's worth a try," Pinkie replied. "I mean it's all we got right now, right?"
Twilight began, "We should split into two groups. Half of us stay with the train. The others go with Rollo to flag down another engine."
"Great idea," Fluttershy nodded. "But who does what?"
"Well, I need to stay in here to keep the force-field up," Twilight continued.
"But without your magic," Pinkie sputtered out, "the pirates will swarm us!"
"Right, that's the thing," Twilight muttered. "There's gotta be another way to keep them off our tail."
Every pony was silent for a moment as they thought of an answer.
Rarity thought hard. And finally, she thought of something.
"I've got it!" She exclaimed. The other five turned to her. "We'll use a little something I like to call... intimidation!"
"What do you mean, Rarity?" Rainbow asked.
"Let us break, and I'll show you," She smiled.
"Okay," Twilight nodded. "Break!"
The six ponies slapped a six-way brohoof in the middle as they broke apart.
Rarity faced the rock wall. Her horn glowed blue as she focused on her levitation spell on four boulders that stood out to her.
With a grunt and a few strong pulls, squinting her eyes to focus more, she wrenched the four boulders from the wall, each one about the size of a desk, and levitated them around her.
Lifting the rocks was a little difficult for Rarity at first, not being use to carrying such heavy things, but she adjusted to the weight and held them up.
"I'll go out carrying these," Rarity said turning back to her friends as she explained. "Even Gutt won't be foolish enough to attack me while I'm carrying these!"
"That's a great idea, Rarity!" Spike said enthusiastically.
"Yeah! Great!" Twilight nodded. "Are you sure you can handle them though?"
"Of course," Rarity nodded. "You've seen me in action, dear. I can muster the strength I need when the time rises."
"Great!" Rolo exclaimed. "Sounds like we're covered here!"
Twilight turned to Applejack quick. "Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie," she said, "Think you three can go out there too and back her up?"
"You got it, sugarcube!" Applejack saluted.
"Oh, I'll go get my party cannon!" Pinkie squeaked. "I think I'm gonna need it!" She slid on back to the box cars.
Rarity was a little taken-back by the sudden order.
"Twilight, do you not think I can handle this?"
"Huh? Oh, no it's not that, Rarity," Twilight shook her head. "It's just- remember, this is Captain Gutt we're dealing with. It'll probably take more than one of us to hold him back, you know..."
"Ah, yes," Rarity nodded. "Good point." She was relieved that Twilight seemed to still have faith in her. This could be her chance that she and Fluttershy were talking about. She was NOT going to mess this up! She was going to show that she could be just as competent and useful as Twilight!
"Alright!" Rolo exclaimed a second time. "So we're all set up and ready to go?"
"Yep. Looks like it," Applejack answered.
"So all that's left to do now is wait!" A smile was on his face as he readjusted his overalls. He was clearly confident that these ponies would protect him, another train would come, and everything would work out okay.
"I know an engine will come along! I'm sure it will!" After a moment, his confidence left him. "I think... maybe... please?" He held his hands up in a prayer.
And after a moment, his prayer it seemed was answered. He heard the loud horn of a diesel engine. Everyone's faces lightened up as they heard it too.
"See?" Rolo smiled. "I told you guys so! Uh-Did I know or what?"
"You're lucky, that's what," grumbled the goose.
"Come on, let's go flag him down!" Pinkie shouted as she pulled up, pushing her party cannon.
Rollo headed for the edge of the dome, Chippers, the goose, and the four ponies following suite. Rainbow and Spike stayed with Twilight.
"You sure you can handle those rocks, Rarity?" Rainbow asked as she walked passed Rarity towards Twilight.
"I think I can!" Rarity replied confidently.
At first, Rolo was nervous about leaving the dome. He stepped his foot out, passing through just as easily as Gutt had earlier. He stepped out of the dome finally as the others followed.
The pirates were still on their game when Squint looked over his shoulder and noticed their victims coming out from the dome.
"Hey, look!" Squint exclaimed, jumping up and grabbing his knife. "They're comin' out of the dome! Let's get 'em!"
"No! Squint! Wait!" Raz shouted. Too late.
Squint went charging down the ledge toward his enemies, screaming like the mighty warrior he clearly was not.
"Yikes!" Rolo yelped as he jumped into Chipper's arms.
The ponies all stood their ground, watching as the rabbit approached them.
"I'll handle this, girls," Rarity said as she took a step forward, still glaring as Squint rapidly approached them. She still held her rocks at the ready.
Squint was really close now.
Focusing on the earth before her, Rarity pushed up a stump of Earth.
Smack! Squint hit the stump head-on. He lay against the rock as though plastered there, twitching.
Gutt groaned at his crewman's arrogance, and where it landed him, as did many of the others.
"Great shot, Rarity!" Applejack said to her friend, slapping her a brohoof.
"Why thank you, Applejack," Rarity smiled back.
"Gupta," Gutt grunted at his flag boy, "Go get him."
"Aye, sir," Gupta muttered as he waddled down towards Squint as the ponies and playthings continued on their way.
As he did so, Gutt looked over the ponies. He did indeed notice the massive boulders that Rarity was levitating with her, as his entire crew did... besides Squint.
"So what should we do, captain?" Shira asked. "Should we engage?"
"Negative," Gutt answered. "Rarity's got them boulders there. Attacking them head-on would be suicide!"
"Come on, Captain," Raz begged, "it's just Rarity. Ya know she ain't all that!"
"Rarity may not be as powerful as Twilight," Gutt responded, "But she's still a force to be reckoned with."
"I'm watching you, you barbarians!" Rarity called out to them, her voice stern.
"If you ask me," Silas spoke up, "those rocks are a bit threatening. Still, the only reason I say we don't rush them now is because of the three others."
"Yeah," Flynn added. "Especially Fluttershy! She's scary when she's mad! Remember that time she blew a fuse and beat the crud out of Shira?"
Shira growled at her crew mate, trying to hint him to shut up. Fat chance that would happen.
Gupta waddled back up to the group, dragging Squint by the ears behind him. Once they were back, Gupta slapped Squint, bringing him back to his senses. Both stood at attention.
"They're probably going to flag down another engine," Gutt observed. "We need to keep an eye on both groups here." After a moment of thinking and stroking his beard, he turned back to his crew and started pointing them out.
"Shira, Silas, you two are with me! Raz, take everyone else, and go watch the flagger-party!"
"Aye-aye, Captain Gutt!" Everyone shouted in unison.
"Raz, you're in charge here," Gutt continued. "Just keep an eye on them. Keep your distance. Only strike if you see an opening and they drop their guard!"
"Sure thing, boss!" Raz nodded.
This comment irked Squint. He would have loved to be in charge.
Raz hopped off after the good guys, with Flynn, Squint and Gupta in tow. The bird and the tiger stayed with the captain, sitting back down on the grass, getting ready to shuffle up their cards again.
On the other side of the rock wall, with a red flag in his hand, Rolo stepped onto the tracks, and started waving it to alert the oncoming blue diesel engine to stop. The ponies and toys all stood by on the side of the tracks as the engine in the distance started to get closer. A few other toys have gotten off the train to try and help flag down a train as well.
And then Fluttershy noticed Raz and her team approaching them from the side.
"Oh my!" she squeaked, suddenly horrified.
Rarity noticed this and raised her boulders to throw at them. They all stopped when they saw her glare at them. They all stepped back until they were at a safe distance away from the good guys.
"Never mind them," Rarity announced to everyone. "They won't be coming near US anytime soon. I won't let them!"
"Stop! Oh please, Stop!" Rollo was screaming out towards the blue diesel as he approached.
The diesel, actually named Farnsworth, soon noticed him, and urgently slammed on his breaks, making the wheels screech as they started to come to a stop. He was coming up fast though. Rolo just stood there, suddenly scared to move.
"What are you doing?" Pinkie shouted at him. "Get out of the way, dummy!"
Rarity turned to Rolo. Thinking fast, she focused a little more on him, gripping him with levitation, and pulled off to the side of the tracks before Farnsworth could hit him, just as he was finally came to a stop.
"Woah. Th-thanks Rariy," Rolo stuttered.
"You're quite welcome," Rarity smiled back.
"What do you think you're doing?" Farnswroth asked impatiently.
"Well-I-uh-uh-she-they... uh, we-we-uh-" Rolo kept stuttering, trying to think of what to say. The toys and ponies alike all shook their heads at Rollo's stammering.
At last, Applejack stepped up and placed a hoof on Rolo's shoulder, stopping him.
"I'll handle this, sugar cube," she smiled. She turned to Farnsworth. "Ya see, sir, our engine's gone n' broken down. N' the boys n' girls on the other side of the mountain won't have any toys to play with or good food to eat unless you're willin' ta help us."
"Yes," the goose added. "And also, we're being held hostage by pirates, and we need a quick escape."
"Does that about sum-up what you were tryin' ta say, Rolo?" Applejack asked the clown.
"Well, I-uh... yeah!"
"So, whaddaya say, sugarcube?" Applejack asked Farnsworth.
"I? Pull YOU?" Farnsworth repeated. He sounded quite offended by the idea. "I have just pulled a fine passenger train over the mountain. All along pulling very smoothly. So fine people can enjoy the view. And so other FINE people can sleep comfortable. And so other FINE people in the dining car can eat!
"I pull the likes of you? Huh! Indeed! Indeed!" He started puffing away.
"Wait!" Pinkie cried after him. "The pirates! They're-"
"Not my concern!" Farnsworth hissed as he pulled off around the corner, out of sight, puffing around the bend, snorting his horn snobbishly as he did so.