As I walked through the forest, I listened to the sounds of birds and wind around me. Ever since I was little, taking walks through the forest was always one of my favorite pass times. I always went for one whenever I could, in almost any weather. If I could fit one in before work, I would. If I had the energy after work, I'd go for another. It was just my thing.

But today, I had found something very special. Or, someone. But, it's probably best to start from the beginning...

My alarm clock pierced the peaceful silence of my bedroom. I cracked open my eyes, and saw the sunlight trying to force its way through the curtains. I sighed, and hit the snooze button on the clock. I lay there for a few minutes, just trying to force myself to get up, but it was harder than it looked. After all, the bed was very soft and warm, and it was a chilly day.

Finally, I managed to sit up and stretch. Cracking every bone I could, I swung my legs over to the side of the bed, and slowly stood. It was eight in the morning, but I didn't have to go to work for a few hours yet. Plenty of time to get all my morning activities done, and maybe have time left over for a walk.

Living on Sodor wasn't always super interesting. It was a small island, filled to the brim with railroad tracks, and sentient trains. I worked as an engine mechanic for steam locomotives. Specifically the oddly designed ones that most weren't familiar with. I enjoyed the job, but it was very laborious.

I slowly got dressed, and combed my hair. Once I had won the battle of bedhead, I went into the bathroom to take a shower.

Once that was finished, I walked downstairs into the kitchen and flipped on the radio. As the quiet music filled the room, I popped a few slices of toast into the toaster, and poured myself a cup of tea.

Nothing was better than tea in the morning.

I opened the front door to find the paper waiting for me. Picking it up, I heard the toaster pop, signaling that the toast was finished.

I buttered the toast, and sat down to read the paper while I ate. Not much in the way of interesting news. Just typical things, like an occasional train crash, and confusion and delay. Sir Topham Hat, the owner of the railway, ran a very tight ship, but mistakes still happened.

Once I finished with my breakfast, I tossed the dirty dishes into the sink, and glanced at the clock again. It was nine thirty. I didn't have to be at the Steam Works until noon, so I had plenty of time to go for a walk.

I put on a light coat, since there was a slight chill in the air, even though it was Spring, and exited my house.

I felt my entire body wake up the second I took a breath of fresh air. I loved Nature, and everything about it.

As I headed the usual direction I went on my walks, I decided to change things up a little, and walked the other way instead. My house was nearly surrounded by an abundance of trees, so there was plenty of nature for me to enjoy. After a few minutes, trees surrounded me on all sides. I slowed, to listen to the sounds of the animals.

A frog croak here.

A bird twittering there.

Nothing was more relaxing.

As I turned to look up at the sky, I tripped over something, and fell forwards, before landing in the grass, thankfully, and rolling over onto my back.

"Clumsy me. Have to keep a better eye on where I'm going." I said to myself, standing back up. I looked at what I had tripped over, and raised an eyebrow.

A very old set of train tracks cut directly through this particular area of the forest. I looked each direction they went, but found that most of the track was overgrown with grass and weeds.

"I've never seen this here before. But I've never gone this direction, either." I muttered, heading west along the track. The wooden ties looked rotted, and the rails were rusty. This track was surely abandoned quite some time ago. As I slashed my way through a particularly thick section of grass and vines, I stopped.

In front of me, sitting on the tracks, was an engine. A very small steam engine, to be precise. It was covered in rust, and had many missing pieces. The funnel was crooked, with weeds growing around it. The boiler dome was gone, and the front bumper had partially fallen off. Grass surrounded its wheels, and the roof was rotting. But the engine's face was fine. And was looking directly at me in surprise.

"H-Hello." the engine said quietly. I nearly balked. It was a girl engine! I slowly raised a hand, and waved.

"H-Hi." I replied, slowly walking closer to the engine. In the small rays of sunlight, I could see an extremely faded purple paint job, and the occasional gold highlight. I stopped about five feet away.

"It's been a long time since I've seen anyone. Who are you?" the engine quietly asked.

"My name is Anon." I replied. The engine offered a small smile.

"Hello Anon. My name is Lady." she replied. My eyes widened.

"You mean... you're Lady... the Magic Engine?" I asked in shock. The engine seemed quite surprised that I knew about her.

"You know of me?" she asked. I gave her in incredulous look.

"Everyone knows about you Lady. You're the Golden Engine of Sodor! The stories I hear about you claim you're the most beautiful, most special engine on the island!" I said. Lady blushed.

"I once would have claimed that title, but that was long ago. As you can see, things have changed." she said sadly.

"What happened to you?" I asked. Lady sighed.

"My driver, Burnett Stone, died nineteen years ago. He parked me here one day, planning to return the next day, but he died that night. I've been here since, the trees and plants growing around me. I'm sick Anon. I've been here so long, my insides are deteriorating. I'm dying. Most don't know it's possible for engines to do so, but it is, and I am. All I need now is someone to pass on my magic to, then I can fade away from Sodor, and become the legend you know." she said sadly.

A tear threatened to fall from my eye. It was the most depressing thing I'd heard all year.

"Lady... I... I don't know what to say." I said, sitting on the ground in front of her. Lady forced a smile.

"Don't say anything. I've accepted my fate. Everything will die eventually, and my time is approaching. I used to have hope that Burnett would come back, but I overheard people talking about his death a few weeks after I was abandoned. I realized then that I would never be found." she said. I was silent for a while.

"How have you been here nineteen years? How have you not gone insane from loneliness?" I finally asked. I couldn't even imagine being stuck in one spot, by myself, for that long. It would drive me mad!

"There are times I cannot stand it, Anon. But most days, I just relive my life through my memories. I'm a very old engine, so I have many." she said. I stood, and looked closely at her rusting bodywork, and falling apart frame.

"I can't let you rot here. I have to do something. I can't let you just die." I whispered. Lady closed her eyes, and smiled.

"I appreciate your concern, but there is nothing anyone can do for me now. I've already begun the process. As I said, my insides are rotting, pieces are missing, and my magic is weakening. I need to pass it on before it's to late. Once I do that, I'll be free." she said. I stomped my foot into the ground.

"Don't say things like that! I can't stand it. I can't... no, I won't let you die, Lady. You are an engine, and engine's can be fixed! I'm a train repairman, I should know!" I said with determination. Lady's expression was still one of sorrow.

"And tell me, Anon. How do you plan to fix me? How do you plan to get parts to me? How do you plan to get me out of here? The brush is to thick, and I am to old. You move me, and I'll far apart. I'm barely supporting my own weight as it is." she said. My shoulders slumped. She was right. It would be almost impossible to get anything to her. I had an idea.

"If I could tell Sir Topham Hat..." I began.

"NO!" Lady yelled. I looked at her with an alarmed expression.

"Do not tell anyone about me being here. I want to leave this world as a legend, and my final resting place is here. I want Burnett Stone to be the final one to have command over me. I want to go peacefully, and alone." she said.

That was it. Tears started streaming down my face. It broke my heart to hear that Lady had essentially just given up, and was accepting her demise of loneliness and death.

"I'm here for you, Lady. I'll visit you everyday. I won't let you be alone. I... I just can't." I said, shakily standing up. Lady smiled kindly.

"I know it's hard for you to understand, but my wishes are my wishes. Please do not come back." she requested.

I choked on my tears. I started to walk away, and turned to look back at her. Lady was looking at me with a kind smile.

"Forget about me Anon. Everyone else has. And soon enough, I'll be a happy memory for everyone to tell their children about." she said. I growled at her words, but forced myself to walk away, and not look back.

Of course, I had no intention of not coming back. Lady may not agree with me, but she needed help, and she needed a friend.

. . .

I quietly arrived at the Steam Works, and went to my station without uttering a word to anyone. My mood was sour, and even my friends thought it best to leave me alone. Throughout the day, engines in need of repair came and went, but it was all a blur to me. My mind was on Lady the entire time.

When it was time for my lunch break, I went to my usual spot, and sat in silence. I looked up, and saw a pile of abandoned steam engine parts.

Lady was an engine. Engines can always be repaired, if someone is willing to fix them. I would do anything to fix Lady. Besides the fact that she was a special engine, I considered her a friend, and she needed help. I stood up, and walked over to the pile.

Old wheels, pressure boxes, piston rods, and even control valves were piled there. I looked towards Victor, the head engine of the Steam Works.

"Victor, are these parts going to be scrapped?" I called. Victor puffed over to me on his small track.

"Yes, my friend, they are. They are too old to be useful to us when we can get new ones. If you'd like anything from the pile, feel free to help yourself." he said. A spark of happiness ignited inside my heart. This was how I could help Lady.

It would be hard, and it would be challenging, but I knew what I would have to do.

I was going to fix Lady myself.

. . .

The workday had finally ended, and I was exhausted. But, I still had enough energy to stuff all the old parts I could fit into the bed of my truck. I wiped my brow, and drove home.

Once I arrived, I got out, and headed inside to make myself dinner.

As I turned on the stove, I pulled some food out of the refrigerator, and unwrapped it. As soon as it was cooking, I went out to the garage to get my spare set of tools. I had a variety, ranging from normal size wrenches to massive locomotive tools. Between everything, I figured I had most of the things I would need to start helping Lady.

After I ate, I immediately went back into the forest, and finally found the abandoned track again. I followed it back to Lady, who was quietly sitting there, looking around at the trees. Moonlight shone through the branches, shining onto her and the ground around her. I was still in the dark, but her eyes seemed to find me in the shadows.

"Back so soon?" she asked. I stepped forward into the moonlight.

"I'm sorry Lady. I know you want to be alone, but I just can't do that. I think I can help you. I have tools, and I have parts. The least you can do is let me try. I will do everything in my power to get you back onto the rails." I said. Lady sighed quietly.

"Do as you wish. It will do no good, but if it satisfies you, then I'll allow it." she said, watching me as I drew closer.

"I need to inspect your entire body and frame. It will take a bit." I said. Lady stayed silent, so I slowly and carefully looked her over. Her frame and chassis was badly rusted and cracked, her wheel pistons were rusted together, her boiler dome was gone, plants had taken over her cab, several bolts and nuts had rusted away into nothing, her firebox had a hole in the bottom, and her paint was faded and peeling. The only thing that was still in good shape was her whistle. It was still a bright, sparkling gold, and looked brand new.

Lady must have noticed me looking at it.

"My whistle is where my magic resides. It cannot be damaged. If my whistle is removed, I will be gone. That is why I cannot die until I pass it on to another engine." she said. I was intrigued by her explanation.

"So, how do you give it to another engine?" I asked as I continued inspecting Lady's damage.

"I would need to have someone remove my whistle, and put it onto the new engine. Once the new engine accepts the whistle, they will have the magic, and replace me and my duties." Lady explained. I furrowed my brow.

"But nobody even knows you're here anymore. Who would transport the whistle?" I asked. Lady silently looked at me with pleading eyes. My eyes widened in realization.

"You want me to do it?" I asked. Lady smiled.

"You are the first to find me in almost twenty years. It must be you." she said. I stepped back, and looked at Lady as a whole. She was in need of great repair, but I thought, with a little time, it could be done.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me try to fix you first. If I can't, I'll do whatever you say." I said. Lady closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them.

"If that is what it takes, I will go along with it. You have my word." she said. I smiled happily, knowing that Lady was now going along with my plan.

"You will fail, and my whistle will be passed along as planned." she added. My smile vanished.

"Why do you so firmly believe that you can't be fixed? Don't you want to get out of here, and be speeding along the countryside again?" I asked. Lady smiled sorrowfully.

"As I keep saying Anon, it has been too long. There are parts of a steamie that cannot be repaired, and won't need to be as long as the steamie stays running. I haven't run in twenty years, and those parts are to far gone. Most things can be replaced, but some cannot. I have had plenty of time to think it over Anon. I'm very old, and I am just waiting to go at this point." she said.

Man, Lady was a real downer. Every time I talked with her, my mood got worse.

"I don't even know why I try." I muttered to myself, walking away from Lady into the brush back to my house.

Unknown to me at that time, Lady had something happen that she hadn't felt in twenty years. She felt something.

She was sad to be alone again.