Chapter 2

Early the next morning, in the cold light of dawn, Thomas and his friends waited at Brendam Docks for Diesel 10. Hector was there as well. They agreed to let him keep Thomas' Troublesome Trucks under control. The tracks were clear, and the freight was prepared.

But Diesel 10 seemed to be running a little late. The steam engines were hoping that he had forfeited.

Then, Salty the dockyard diesel rolled over. He was one of the few diesels on Sodor who liked steam engines. "Thar be a full moon tonight, me harties. I can feel it in me pistons. Best keep a sharp and cautious lookout for… Nightmare Moon."

Thomas' boiler bubbled. "Please, Salty," he asked. "Could you tell us the story of Nightmare Moon while we wait for Diesel 10?"

Salty smiled. He liked to tell his tales. "Aargh. It all began a long time ago; back before railways or cars or any of those were even thought of. Nightmare Moon was a powerful alicorn pony from a nearby land called Equestria. She was as black as the night itself and had magical control over the moon."

"Wait," interrupted James. "What's an alicorn?"

"Think unicorn with wings," Salty explained. "As I was saying, Nightmare Moon was really, really bad. Far worse than Diesel 10 will ever be. She was jealous because nobody stayed up long enough to admire the beauty of the night. So she swore to plunge the world in eternal night.

"Her elder sister, however, knew how to defeat her. She used a powerful magic called the 'Elements of Harmony,' and Nightmare Moon was sent away to the moon. They say when the moon is full and the stars are scarce, you can see her looking down at you. But nobody has ever seen her… not that I know of."

"I think I have," Henry jumped in. "…but that was a long time ago. I was puffing down the main line one night with the Flying Kipper. Then, I saw what looked like a horse in the moon. By the time I got back to my shed, she was gone. Perhaps she hid herself?"

"Aargh, perhaps, Henry. She be a tricky one, making us think the thousand years have passed."

"The thousand years?" Gordon asked.

Salty laughed. "Aye. It was said that on the longest day of the thousandth year of her banishment, the stars would let her leave the moon, making eternal night once again."

The engines' eyes were wide with wonder. They were all amazed at this amazing tale. All except Cranky the dockyard crane. "There's no such thing as Nightmare Moon. Salty's being silly."

This made the other engines cross. But before they could complain, they could see a shape race toward them and screech to a stop.

It was Diesel 10. "Well, well, well, I thought you weren't going to show up, Puffball. Ready to lose?"

Thomas was stern. "No, I'm ready to win! I always tell my friends, they should never give up! Neither should I!"

Thomas and Diesel 10 were both coupled up to their trains. Hiro puffed up to them. "You will both take different tracks around the island. You may not stop for any reason accept for a red signal. The engine to go for longer and further, or the first engine to the Search and Rescue Center wins," he explained. "Are you ready?"

Thomas puffed bravely. "I was made ready!"

Diesel 10's claw clanked. "I was ready before I was made!"

"On your mark… Get set…" Hiro blew his whistle. "GO!"

Thomas and Diesel 10 pumped their pistons. Slowly yet surely, they both pulled out of the docks with their heavy loads. The Diesel Duel had begun.

Thomas puffed off with a heave and a huff. "I know I can do it. I'll puff for longer. I'll show Diesel 10 I really am stronger."

Diesel 10 smiled as he slid away. "Silly little steamies, I'll be gone in a blur. While you're all distracted, I'll team up with her."

The other steam engines watched and worried. Then they blew their whistles long and hard. "Good luck, Thomas!" they shouted. And they took the faster route to the Search and Rescue Center.

Thomas and Diesel 10 raced around the island. They clickety-clacked along the tracks. They whooshed through woods and huffed up hills. Diesel 10 raced and roared. He thundered and rumbled. He watched as Thomas huffed and puffed and heaved and hauled. "This is so easy, I almost feel guilty." He thundered on and was quickly out of sight.

Thomas was certain that Diesel 10 was up to something, but he kept on puffing. "Never give up; that's what I have learned! I'll beat Diesel 10! I'll be strong and stern!"

Later, he was huffing up a steep hill. His firebox flared, and his axles ached. At last, he reached the top. Then there was trouble. There was the sound of a clang and a bang. Thomas gasped. His brakes broke. "Trembling tracks! Not again! Help!"

Thomas felt his wheels whir and wobble. He kept moving faster and faster down the hill. He wanted to slow down, but he couldn't. His heavy freight cars pushed him on and on.

Ahead, he could see Rocky the rail crane on a side track. He was lifting a large branch that fell on Thomas' line. "Fenders and funnels! How can I stop?" He couldn't. With a crunch and a smash, the branch hit Thomas' head.

"Whoa! Sorry, Thomas!" Rocky called out.

But Thomas didn't answer. The sharp hit on his head knocked him out. But he kept moving down the track.

"Oh, no!" Hector bellowed. LOOK OUT! RUNAWAY TRAIN!" Luckily, a signalman switched him onto a siding, and onto an old rickety track.

Ahead, he could see a set of rusty old buffers inside an unfinished tunnel. Hector closed his eyes, ready to crash. But he didn't see something big and colorful had appeared in front of the end of the line. Thomas ran through the color and disappeared. Instead of following them, Hector and the freight cars continued on and crashed into the buffers. Crates smashed and cargo bashed.

The Troublesome Trucks laughed after they stopped. "Let's do that again! Let's do that again!"

"Quiet! Thomas, are you alright?" asked Hector. But Thomas didn't answer, because Thomas wasn't there. "Thomas? Thomas, where are you?!"

Much later, the other engines had arrived at the Search and Rescue Center. They wanted to see who won the contest. But they still didn't see Thomas or Diesel 10.

Norman the diesel came over. "I have come on Diesel 10's behalf," he said. "He broke his fuel pump before reaching the first marked station. The others have taken him to the Diesel-works for repair. He has forfeited the contest. Repairman's orders." And Norman rolled away to meet the others.

Percy smiled. "Diesel 10 forfeited the contest, which must mean Thomas wins! Hurray!"

The other engines hooted and tooted with happiness.

"Thomas is really going to feel very proud!"

"I can't wait to hear Diesel 10 call Thomas the most really useful engine of all!"

"This is so wonderful! I'm going to find Thomas and congratulate him!" So, Hiro puffed away to find Thomas. "Thomas! Diesel 10 forfeited! You won!" But Hiro couldn't find Thomas at all.

Much later, he saw something. "That looks like… a crashed train!" Quickly thinking, Hiro coupled up to the far end and pulled it out. He saw lots of Troublesome Trucks, but no engine pulling the load. "Where's your engine? Who's your engine?"

Hector whimpered. "Thomas was our engine. But… I have no idea what happened to him!"

Hiro gasped. "Oh, no…"

Thomas slowly woke up. He had finally stopped, and he was relieved. He looked around. The number one engine was in a forest… one he had never seen before.

"Diesel 10 should be at the finish by now," he said, cross. "He'll be purring with pride, because he won the duel. And all my friends will be wondering where I am." Thomas looked around again. "I don't know where I am."

The little engine was worried. He didn't know what to do, or where to go. But something about him felt very strange… he felt smaller than before. He didn't know why though.

But then, he looked up and smiled. "Smoke! A chimney! I'm not far away from a house! I can whistle for help!" And so he tried to whistle as loud as he could… but he couldn't whistle at all. He didn't know why until he saw a lake at his side.

Thomas looked at his reflection and gasped. His eyes popped open with shock. He had completely changed. His six small wheels were now four legs with hooves. His short, stumpy funnel was now a short, pointy horn. His short, stumpy boiler and dome were now a smooth, furry back. And a brown, shaggy tail swayed where his cab once was. "Cinders and ashes! I'm... a pony?!" And he was. Thomas was now a blue unicorn pony. He puzzled and frightened. He wasn't sure what happened.

'One thing at a time, Thomas,' he thought to himself. 'First, I should find my way home. Then, I'll find a way to change back to a tank engine.' Thomas slowly got up on his legs and weakly walked over to the smoke. His knees were knocking and his hooves hurt. But that didn't stop him at all.

In seconds, Thomas had left the forest. Then, he saw there wasn't just a house nearby but a small town. Near a bridge to the way into town, there stood a large sign.

Welcome to Ponyville

Where Friendship is Magic

Thomas was curious. He had never heard of such a town before. By the time he had crossed the bridge into the town square, he was rather excited. But what he saw made him even more curious. There were no people inside the town. Instead, Thomas saw ponies here, ponies there, ponies almost everywhere. 'That would explain the town's name,' he thought to himself. 'Oh, well. At least there are railways. I'll wait here for an engine to pass by and ride to Knapford.'

An all-pink pony with a messy mane and tail cheerfully trotted along the path. Then, she saw Thomas and stopped. Thomas was worried. He didn't dare speak. Then, the pink pony gasped with a jump, and she galloped quickly away.

"Well, that was strange," the blue pony muttered as he continued on through the strange town.

'I've never seen a place that's quite like this.
Everything is turned around; my simple life is upside-down.
Getting up and going; it's the hooves that I can't stand.
Don't know how long I have with them; got to learn all that I can!'

So Thomas looked to and fro. He watched as different ponies were doing different things. He saw normal ponies carry saddlebags of goods, some Pegasus fly through the air, and unicorns lift large objects without touching them.

They don't use any steam, haul freight or shunt trucks.
I don't get this pony back, or why I don't need railroad tracks.
Everything's confusing when it seems so new,
But I look a little closer, and somehow, it feels familiar too.

The unicorn ponies are what worried him the most. Thomas saw they had some sort of magic in their horns. He was scared. He couldn't use magic at all.

'What a strange new world...
Trying to make heads or tails of this strange new world...
sorting through the small details of this strange new world.
What a strange new world...'

Not too far away, Twilight Sparkle and Spike were being escorted by two Pegasus ponies to Ponyville. They were so close that they could see the town below. Spike was excited. He had never been so far from home before. But Twilight was rather upset. She couldn't stop thinking of the letter she received from the princess the day before.

Spike knew this. "Look on the bright side," he tried. "The princess arranged for us to stay at the town library. Doesn't that make you feel happy?"

"Yes. Yes, it does. Do you know why?" Before Spike could answer, Twilight continued. "Because I'm right. I'll check on the preparations as fast as I can, then I'll get to the library to find some evidence on Nightmare Moon's return."

"Then, when will you make some friends like the princess said?"

"She said to check on preparations. I am her student, and I'll do my royal duty. But the fate of Equestria does not depend on me making friends."

Soon, the chariot arrived in Ponyville's town square. Twilight and Spike unloaded the carriage, and the two royal guard ponies flew away. Twilight was about to begin her job when Spike stepped in front of her. "The princess said you making friends was an even more essential task than preparations. I'm sure she has a good reason for that. We're not leaving this spot until you make at least one friend, got it?"

Twilight could see her dragon companion was serious. He did have at least one point. The princess had a reason for everything. "Fine," Twilight moaned.

"Good. And just so you don't do anything sneaky…" Spike took a ribbon from a street light and covered Twilight's eyes. "…I'll choose that friend for you. And don't worry. I'll choose wisely." The dragon looked around. He saw all sorts of ponies. But not one pony seemed right. Then, Spike saw Thomas. "Aha!" He pulled away the ribbon and pointed in his direction. "That one. The pony with the number one for a cutie mark."

Twilight looked at the pony in question. But she was rather worried. She had spent so much time studying and learning at the library, she wasn't sure if she knew how to make friends anymore.

Spike then started to push her over until she was in front of Thomas. "Come on. Just try."

Twilight looked at him, then at the blue pony, and she smiled nervously. "Uh… hello?"

Thomas wanted to smile back, but he was scared. He didn't know whether to speak, gallop away, or step backwards as slowly as he could. But Thomas didn't move. He couldn't take his eyes off the talking purple pony before him. "Hello," he finally said. "My name is Thomas."

The pony girl sighed, feeling very relieved. "My name is Twilight Sparkle."

Thomas wasn't sure what to say next. Nothing that has happened to him today has made any sense to him. "Oh! Maybe you could help me? I'm lost, and I don't know how I got here. Do you know where I am?"

"This is Ponyville Square, I believe," Twilight replied. Then she felt a little embarrassed. "Silly me. You must want to know where in Equestria that is?"

The blue pony's eyes widened. "Equestria?! This is Equestria?!"

"Oh? You're not from here, are you?"

"No. I came here from the Island of Sodor. I don't know how I got here, but I want to go home to my friends."

Twilight looked at Thomas. She could see he was lost, alone, and very unhappy. She felt sorry for him. Then, she had an idea. "I know! We can ask Princess Celestia! The princess is the most powerful pony I know, and she's coming here tomorrow. She'll be able to help you."

But Thomas was still worried. "What about my friends back home? Sir Topham Hatt will be upset if I don't get back to work soon."

Twilight already knew what to do. "Spike, take a note please. To Sir Topham Hatt." And Spike started writing down what Twilight said.

"Dear Sir,

'By the time you read this, I am sure you will be aware of Thomas' unprecedented absence. Rest assured, he is in good hooves. For you see, under unknown circumstances, Thomas was brought to Ponyville in Equestria.

"I will ensure that Thomas is returned safely to the Island of…" she paused for a moment. "What's your home called again?"

"Sodor," answered Thomas.

"…the Island of Sodor within the next twenty-four hours," continued Twilight. "However, this letter is also charmed to return to me if you wish to retrieve him yourself. You simply have to throw it into a fire.

'Sincerely yours,

'Twilight Sparkle of Canterlot"

Once Spike finished the letter, Twilight's horn glowed, and so did the paper. Then, Spike blew on the note, and it flew off. "There. It's on its way."

Thomas smiled at Twilight and Spike. "Thank you both. It's great to have friends in these problems, especially new ones."

Twilight shivered. She didn't want to be friends with Thomas. She wanted to get to the library as fast as she could. "Uh… come on, Spike. We have work to do." And she started down the path.

"Was it something I said?"

"No, it's not you, Thomas," Spike replied with a groan. "She… doesn't have any friends."

Thomas was surprised. "Why not?"

"She's the princess' personal student. She thinks doing what the princess wants her to do is more important. But the princess wants Twilight to make some friends more than anything. That's why we came here."

"That's not good. That not right. That shouldn't be happen to anyone." So Thomas made a decision. "I can help her make some friends. I have plenty of friends back on Sodor, and I can show her how to make some."

"Thomas," said Spike, "you don't have to do that."

"But I want to. You and Twilight helped me find a way to get back home. This is the very least I can do to be a really…" Thomas was about to say 'a really useful engine,' but he quickly corrected himself. "…a really good friend."

Spike smiled. "Gee, thanks!" So then, Spike hopped onto Thomas' back, and off they went to prepare for the Summer Sun Festival.

Author's Note: OH! One major detail I almost forgot. There will be no pairings between each series. In this story, Thomas and Twilight are friends and no more.