The Hot Springs-A Dinosaur Train Fanfic
The Dinosaur Train rattled down the tracks like it usually did. In the passenger car, Mr. Conductor was sitting down in one of the seats and sitting next to him was Erma Eoraptor, his beloved girlfriend. The two of them were going to Geyser Gulch Station to take a soak in the hot springs together. A few weeks ago while on a date, Mr. Conductor was shocked to hear that Erma had never been to the hot springs in Geyser Gulch before, or any other hot spring for that matter.
"Why?" Mr. Conductor asked.
"Well I'd never heard of those hot pools of water until after I met you, don't you know." Erma paused. "What's it like being in them?"
"Well, it's very warm at first, but you get used to the temperature. And then, oh Erma…" Mr. Conductor closed his eyes and sighed. "I can't even describe the feeling accurately to you, but it feels so wonderful. And by the time you get out and dry off, you feel years younger."
"Well, I reckon I'd like to take a lil' old dip in those hot springs, just to experience it, don't you know."
"Say, how about you and I take a trip to Geyser Gulch and take a dip in the springs together, how's that sound?"
Erma closed her eyes briefly and hummed with delight. 'Soaking in those hot springs with you, Mr. Conductor? Why, that'd be mighty fine, mighty great actually."
And so plans were made and the date was set.
Now here they were taking a ride to Geyser Gulch, after having lunch, and with Mr. Conductor taking the whole afternoon off so he and Erma could enjoy the springs together for a long while. Mrs. Conductor, Mr. Conductor's mother, would run the train while her son was off-duty. The train soon arrived at Geyser Gulch and the troodon/eoraptor couple ran out onto the platform and towards the hot springs, each of them carrying a towel.
"Have fun at the hot springs you two! And Sonny Boy, don't forget to be back here when the train arrives to pick you up at six!" Mrs. Conductor cried.
"Don't worry, Mother! We'll be both be back by then! Bye!" Mr. Conductor cried.
"See you later, Mrs. Conductor!" Erma cried as well. They waved and Mrs. Conductor waved back.
"Come on, Erma. I'll show you my favorite and private pool." Mr. Conductor said. He led her away from the geysers blowing up and the crowds of spectators standing close by at a safe distance, oohing and ahhing at the incredible sight. Eventually the two came to a pool in front of a tall, imposing rock. Holding her hand, Mr. Conductor led Erma around it and Erma gasped when she saw that the rock was hiding another pool from plain sight. It looked much bigger than the pool on the other side. Erma smiled, thinking that it looked very lovely.
"This is my private and secret pool." Mr. Conductor said.
"Does anyone else know about it? Well, besides me, who you've just shown it to."
"Well, the Pteranodon family and their friends and neighbors the Lambeosaurus family know about it. But I let them know that we'd be using it today and they've agreed to leave us alone. So we have the whole pool to ourselves." Mr. Conductor walked over to a dead tree that had fallen by the pool. He placed both his and Erma's towels on one end of the tree and walked over to the other end. Growing at the stump where the tree once stood were a group of big, pink flowers, flowers that Mr. Conductor used as bathing hats whenever he took a dip in the pool. He picked one and looked at Erma. "Would you like one as well, to use as a bathing hat?"
Erma smiled and shook her head at him. "No thanks, I'm just fine as is. But thanks for offering, you're such a sweetheart."
Mr. Conductor couldn't help smiling back. "Well, I'm going to get changed, be back in a few."
"And I'll be here waiting." Erma happily said.
Mr. Conductor turned and walked into a tall bush which sheltered him from the outside world and other prying eyes. Here within the bush he took off his uniform and put on his bathing hat. He placed his clothes under a rock where they would be safe. Smiling satisfactorily, he stood up straight and looked in the direction where he knew Erma was. Taking a deep breath, the conductor stepped out of the bush and Erma turned to face him. He stopped just a few feet away from her and stared at her, all while blushing. Even with the bathing hat on, he couldn't help feeling like he was standing completely naked before her. She wouldn't' be bothered by it, she was used to not wearing any clothes, but it was different for him. So he stood there, waiting for Erma to respond. He didn't have to wait long.
Erma stared at him before a smile broke out on her face. "My, you look so gorgeous with that flower bathing hat on. But then again, you always look gorgeous." Mr. Conductor's bashfulness and anxiety melted away thanks to that comment and he smiled back at her. "Thanks." He held out his left hand. "Shall we?"
Erma nodded. "Yes, we shall." She came over and gave her troodon boyfriend her hand and together they walked over and stood before the edge of the spring. It felt very warm where they stood and bubbles could be seen popping on the water's surface. Mr. Conductor looked down at Erma. "Ready? Erma looked up at him and happily nodded. "Ready." The two of them faced the pool.
"On the count of three, we'll both jump together. One…two…THREE!" Mr. Conductor cried. Hand in hand, they both jumped up into the air and landed into the water with a big splash. They burst up out of the surface and could feel the heat envelope them. They both momentarily closed their eyes and sighed pleasantly. The water felt perfect. Mr. Conductor rested his back against the wall of the pool behind him and hung his arms on top of the pool's edge. He closed his eyes and smiled, but then opened them when he felt Erma. He looked down to see her sitting right beside him with her arms wrapped around him, her right arm going across his back while her left was going across his stomach. She rested her head on his chest. Mr. Conductor couldn't help playfully smiling. "What are you doing, miss Erma?"
"What? I just want to be as close as I possibly can be to you. Can't I show my beloved troodon boyfriend such affection? Besides, I can't help it, you're just so attractive." Erma looked up at him. "You don't mind, do you?"
Mr. Conductor chuckled. "Oh no, not at all." In fact, he was very happy that Erma was holding on to him like that, he really liked it when she showed a lot of affection towards him. Wanting to do the same for her, the conductor lifted up his left hand and repeatedly brushed it down Erma's back. She felt this and sighed. "Oh, Mr. Conductor. That feels so nice, thank you."
"You're very welcome, Erma." For the next several minutes they just sat there in the spring while Mr. Conductor rubbed her back, listening to the peaceful sounds of birds calling and the wind blowing through the branches of the trees towering over them. But after a while those sounds were drowned out by new ones. The sounds of others creatures watching Old Reliable going off and splashing around in the neighboring hot springs. Mr. Conductor opened his eyes and stared disapprovingly in the direction where the sounds were coming from, a frown on his face.
"Oh, I swear. Too many dinosaurs and other creatures come to the hot springs these days, making so much noise that you can't even enjoy the peace and quiet while you're soaking."
Erma saw the frown on his face and wanted to comfort him. She smiled and began repeatedly brushing her hand down his chest. "Oh, don't let them bother you, Mr. Conductor. Just ignore them, shut them out. Let's enjoy this spring together. Enjoy it, Mr. Conductor. Enjoy this lovely and relaxing day with a creature…who really likes and cares about you…a lot." With that, Erma lifted herself up, closed her eyes, and softly kissed the conductor on the cheek. Mr. Conductor felt this and the kiss seemed to melt his anger away. He looked down at the eoraptor and placed his left hand over his cheek. Then he smiled. "Oh, you're right Erma. I should ignore them and enjoy spending this lovely day with you, the love of my life."
"Oh, Mr. Conductor, you're making me blush." Erma happily wrapped her arms around him again and Mr. Conductor wrapped his left arm around Erma, making her feel so happy and safe. They both shut out the sounds of the other creatures at the springs today and could barely hear them in their bliss. The sounds might as well have been coming from another planet.
So they just sat there in the pool, Mr. Conductor and Erma, soaking up that warm heat while they talked of sweet nothing between the two of them. "I would crawl across a huge desert to be with you." Mr. Conductor whispered into Erma's ear, causing her to giggle. "I'd swim across the largest ocean just to be with you." She said. "Oh, Erma." Mr. Conductor leaned down his head and kissed Erma on the cheek, causing her to giggle even more.
"I love you, you gorgeous eoraptor."
"And I love you too, you charming and handsome troodon, you."
The two happily kissed and Erma rested her head on Mr. Conductor's chest again. They both smiled and rested their eyes. When they opened them again, they were surprised to see that it was late afternoon. So they enjoyed the spring for a little while longer before Mr. Conductor said, "Well Erma, I'm sorry to be saying this, but I think it's time we dried off and left."
"Ah well, all good things must come to an end, I suppose. But I'm awfully glad to have spent this day here with you."
"I feel the exact same way, Erma." Mr. Conductor said. They both stood up and came out of the pool. They used their towels to dry themselves off and Mr. Conductor went within the bush to retrieve his clothes and change back into them. He threw the flower hat away now that it had done its duty, and walked out to take Erma's hand and lead her back to the station. There the train arrived and the two got on, depositing their used towels in a dirty towel bin. They sat down in the passenger car, Mr. Conductor by the window and Erma right next to him, and the train began to move.
Mrs. Conductor came over to see them and started talking to her son. "Say Sonny, you mind sitting here with Erma on the ride back to Eoraptor Ravine while I be conductor a little while longer? It's so fun that I want it to last a little longer, is that okay?"
"Oh, certainly Mother, enjoy yourself."
"Thanks, Sonny." She went over to another seat to punch someone's ticket.
Erma looked up at him. "That was so nice of you to do what you just did, Mr. Conductor."
Mr. Conductor looked down at her. "Oh, it was no bother. I know how much she misses being conductor from time to time. I'm happy to let her be happy."
Erma smiled. "You're so sweet, how about we enjoy the time we have left riding this train together before we must part, what do you say?"
"I'd say, Erma…" Mr. Conductor wrapped his arm around her before kissing her, causing Erma to giggle. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
THE END
Sorry for how it's so short, wanted it to be short and sweet. Happy Labor Day!
~DTF
