The "In the Middle" Chapter
Hi everyone! I'm back! Sorry about the wait. Don't you hate it when you want to write but you don't have the motivation? Yeah, that sucks. I will hopefully make another PEitK chapter soon and how SatCBR will work is once I get at least two reviews I'll make a new chapter. It's more of a whenever-I-feel-like-updating story.
My first One-shot is about one point in the four months after TaFAJ. Thomas and the gang haven't seen Amber since her departure from the party. This One-shot will just show you their lives after she left. It will also foreshadow for Amber and how certain engines are on the island for the new story. Enough rambling. Let's start shall we?
The Vicarstown Bridge lowered down after the boat passed through. On the Mainland side, a silver LNER Class A4 4468 waited impatiently for the boom gates to lift up. This engine was none other than Spencer, the proud and sometimes arrogant private engine of the Duke and Duchess of Boxford. He was grumbling to himself as he finally set off with a long line of trucks following behind him.
"Why? Why do I have to take trucks to Sodor? I am too important to be pulling trucks. If Gordon saw me pulling these, I would never hear the end of it."
He sped towards Knapford Station at top speeds. He knew he would pass Gordon or another engine at some point. He was on the main line after all. Sure enough as he passed through Henry's Tunnel he was spotted by a small green engine that was going in the same direction. The engine grinned as Spencer passed him.
"Wow Spencer. I never would have thought you'd be pulling trucks to Sodor on your own."
"Stow it Percy. You saw nothing." Percy laughed.
Spencer raced through Whispering Woods and onto the right track to go past Cronk Station. He passed several engines on his way to Knapford Station including Gordon. Gordon laughed at Spencer as he rushed past. Spencer growled to himself.
The sun was high in the sky when Spencer finally rolled into Knapford. He was very embarrassed. Sir Topham Hatt stepped out of his office and tipped his hat to Spencer.
"Hello Spencer. Thank you for delivering these engine parts for me. Victor needs them over at the Steamworks. I'll have Thomas take the trucks now." Spencer was relieved.
"Yes sir. Can I sit in a siding for a while?" Topham nodded.
"Of course. Get some rest." Spencer rolled off to find a quiet siding to sleep in while Topham made his way to his car.
Thomas sat in his birth at Tidmouth Sheds, waiting for a job. He didn't mind though. He was busy talking to Lady, who was sitting on his front buffer. Over the last month or so he and Lady had been chatting about his adventures that he had had during the sixteen years that Lady had been sleeping.
"…And then, Skiff used a wave to overturn himself over which made Sailor John and the treasure chest fall overboard. Sailor John was arrested and the treasure was recovered and put in the museum." Lady grinned.
"Wow. That's some story. I can't even top that. All I was doing was sleeping." Thomas chuckled.
Just then, Topham pulled up in his car. He stepped out and made his way over to Thomas and Lady.
"Hello Thomas. Hello Lady. The parts that Victor needed have come in and I need you to take them to the Steamworks." Thomas raised an eyebrow.
"Why didn't Spencer just drop them off on his way through? It would have saved him the trouble of using so much coal."
The gears in Topham's head turned. He then realized the logic in it. He gulped.
"Uhh… well… I… Uh…" Thomas sighed.
"Don't worry. I'll take them there. I figured that Spencer wouldn't use his brain." He said rudely.
Thomas puffed out of the shed after Lady had jumped off. She walked up to Topham, who was watching him with an open mouth.
"Sorry sir. He's been like this ever since Amber left. I don't know why he's being so rude though." Topham pulled himself together and turned to Lady.
"It's alright. Most of the engines were upset when Amber left. Just… I don't understand why Thomas is being so rude." Lady sighed.
"I'll give him a hand with the parts. I'll see you later sir." Lady ran after Thomas and changed into her engine form. Topham wiped his brow.
"Right. Back to the office."
Thomas clattered along with the trucks filled with engine parts following behind him. Lady was buffered up at the back of the train to stop any tricks the trucks tried to pull. Thomas' mind was wandering about. He kept thinking of Amber. He wondered what the two were up to at the moment.
Over the last month, Thomas' mind had wondered around a lot more than it did now. And every time it did, he always stuffed up. Not long ago, he was at the Blue Mountain Quarry and his mind had wondered. He ended up crashing into Rheneas' train of slate that was crossing the crossroad. There was another time when he was working at the Wharf. Once again his mind wondered and he ended up in the quay.
This time was no different. Thomas didn't realize that that he and Lady had climbed Gordon's hill and were now crossing the top. The trucks saw their chance to muck up and they took it.
"On, On, On!" they cried as they pushed Thomas over the hill. Lady hadn't been coupled up so you can guess what happened next.
Thomas snapped back into reality when he felt the forceful shove hit him from behind.
"Whoa! Hey! I thought you said that you understood my feelings back in the first story!" the trucks giggled.
"Nah. We lied." Thomas' pupils shrank.
"Shit!" Thomas took off down the hill as Lady tried to catch him.
"Thomas! Language! This is a K+ One-shot!
"Oops. Sorry!" Thomas called as he disappeared around a bend. Lady, who realized that it was hopeless to try and catch him, came to a stop.
"Fizzleboxes. I have to call runaway."
Thomas was indeed a runaway. He raced through Maron station and was switched onto the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre Main Line branch. His brakes squealed on the rails and were doing nothing in the sort to try and stop him. Thomas swerved passed Duck, Oliver and Toad who were taking a goods train up the line. Thomas was gone before they even realized that he'd passed them.
"I say Duck. What was that?"
"I don't know Oliver. It was going awfully fast."
"I think it was Mr. Thomas Mr. Duck."
Thomas went up a hill and lost some speed.
"Perfect! I can stop us here."
Unfortunately he had too much speed and he flew over the hill. He started to go back down again with even more speed. There was no stopping him now.
Before he even realized it, he had passed the Sodor Airport and the Repair Yard. He shot dangerously around the corner, steamed straight through the Search and Rescue Centre and was gone in seconds. Rocky squinted.
"Was that Thomas?"
Thomas was growing tired. The trucks were still pushing him and he had passed Killaban Station, the Sodor Grain Windmill, the abandoned mines and the Sodor Flourmill. He was almost at the Maritime museum and was showing no signs of stopping. He spotted the museum in the distance and was horrified to see Ryan pulling out of the station and coming in his direction. He whistled franticly.
"Ryan! Look out!" Ryan looked up and saw Thomas rushing toward him. He gasped. There was no way he would get out of the way in time…
That was until Thomas was switched onto the Kirk Ronan Branch Line just in time. Thomas swerved to the right and disappeared down the branch line. Ryan tried to catch his breath after the near accident.
"Whoa. That was close."
Then he crashed into some buffers.
Thomas meanwhile was beginning to win. There were no more hills on this branch line and the trucks were tiring out. Thomas grinned.
"Not so tough now are ya?" the trucks responded to this by bumping Thomas one more time. The bump itself was rather hard and Thomas lurched forward. He felt his wheels leave the rails and he slid into the bushes. He skidded for a quick moment before finally stopping. Thomas gasped for air. He sighed.
"You just love derailing engines don't you?"
"Yep."
"It's fun!"
We aren't called the Troublesome Trucks for nothing!"
Thomas had a look around. He was at a familiar place. A place where he hadn't been in sixteen years.
It was the Sodor Wishing Well. It was where Mr. C, Junior, Burnet Stone, Patch, Lily and Mutt had discovered the secret of the Gold Dust after a dangerous chase with Diesel 10. Thomas smiled at the memory.
"Remember something nice Thomas?" Thomas jumped when he heard the voice. He glanced to his left and saw Lady in here human form sitting on a rock. He grinned.
"Yeah. I'm just remembering the event that happened sixteen years ago. I'm guessing that you're the one who directed me here?" She nodded.
"You were heading this way so I thought that it would be nice to relive a great memory." She then got up and walked over to him, her blonde hair swishing side to side against her back. She stood in-front of him.
"Thomas. I want to know why you've been so rude to your friends lately. Everyone's worried about you." Thomas sighed. He had a feeling that she was going to ask him about it sooner or later.
"I miss Amber. When's she coming back?" Lady shrugged.
"I don't know Thomas. She'll come back when she's ready. I told Mr. C to move the Magic Buffers in Burnet Stone's workshop to her house, but that's all I know." Thomas sighed.
"What about Matt?"
Lady twitched. She laughed nervously.
"Hehehehe… about that…"
Matt sneezed. Goomy looked down to him.
"Gooommyyy?" Matt laughed.
"It's nothing Goomy. I just have the feeling that someone was talking about me."
"YOU SENT HIM TO ANOTHER WORLD?" Lady tried unsuccessfully to cover his mouth.
"Yes I did! Now shush! It was an accident. I didn't mean to." Thomas sighed.
"Hopefully we can bring him back." Lady smiled.
"I sent him a letter not long after the party. He should have gotten it by now. Worst come worst, I can go find him myself." Thomas raised an eyebrow.
"You can jump between other worlds? How?" Lady winked.
"Woman's secret!" She glanced at the trucks behind Thomas which were still giggling.
"I think we should get these trucks to the Steamworks now. Don't you?" Thomas nodded.
"Yeah. But I need to get back onto the rails first." Lady grinned.
"Leave it to me." She flicked her hand and Thomas disappeared in a shower of gold dust. He reappeared instantly on the tracks next to the wishing well. Lady hopped into Thomas' cab and they puffed to the Steamworks.
Victor was happy to see Thomas with the parts that he ordered.
"Thomas my friend! You've done it again. I need one of these parts to repair Rusty here." Kevin rolled up and slowly pulled out the part they needed from one of the trucks. He turned to go to Rusty but slipped on some oil on the ground.
"Whoa!" he fell onto his side and the part went flying. Lady saw it coming and made a jump for it from Thomas' cab. She caught it and landed gracefully on the turntable. The workmen in the room gave her a loud applaud. Victor sighed with relief.
"Good catch Lady!" Rusty called from where he was sitting. Lady grinned.
"Thanks. Here you go Rus… Whoa!" this time, Lady slipped on the oil and landed on her butt. The part clattered to the floor next to her. Thomas snorted before laughing. Lady, Victor, Kevin and Rusty joined in too and soon the Steamworks was filled with laughter. Lady was just glad that Thomas was back to his normal self.
Topham sat in his office filling in some paperwork when the door was flung open. He jumped with surprise sending papers everywhere. A dark skinned man with a black suit and a gold sun on a gold chain strode in. He stopped to see Topham picking up his papers. He sighed.
"Topham." Topham looked up and jumped again. It was the mayor of Sodor. He smiled.
"Mr. Mayor. It's a pleasure to see you again. What's the occasion?" The mayor grinned.
"I have been asked by the Railway Association if I would like to hold the Great Railway Show this year here on Sodor. I wanted to clarify with you before I said yes." Topham's jaw dropped. The Great Railway Show was the biggest railway show on the planet. The Association wanted to hold it here on Sodor. It would attract lots and lots of tourists. This was a dream come true to Topham.
"Are you crazy!? Why haven't you said yes yet?" The mayor smiled.
"I thought you might say that. I'll have it confirmed right away." The mayor walked out of the room and back towards the town hall. Topham jumped for joy.
"YAHOO!"
Night had fallen as Diesel purred along the coastal line toward Brendam Docks. He was pulling a train of supplies for a new shed in Brendam Docks for Porter. He was sulking about the extra work.
"Why do I have to bring supplies for a shed for a steamie? It just isn't right. Porter should be bringing his own… Hello. What's this?" he had spotted a dark shape on the beach. As he moved closer to it, he heard growling. He was slightly afraid but didn't want to show it. At last he was close enough to make out the shape. It looked like a lump of steel in a dingy. Diesel squinted.
"Hello? What are you doing in there?" The shape moved and Diesel jumped. A groggy voice came from the shape.
"Oooh… what time is it? Wait… WHERE AM I?" Diesel didn't need any more explanation to know whose voice that was.
"Diesel 10? What are you doing in a boat?" Diesel 10 growled again.
"Diesel? Is that you? If I'm hearing you than that must mean I'm back on Sodor! Took me a while but I'm back! I am going to destroy you Amber! Lady too! Arrgh!" there was silence for a moment before Diesel spoke.
"Would you like me to get you back on the rails Diesel 10?"
"Yes. That would be nice."
Finished! This One-shot has come to an end. What did ya think? I hope you enjoyed it. Took me all afternoon to create the whole thing from scratch but I did it! Look out for Amber around August because that is when it's out at the movies here in Australia. I'll try to get another PEitK chapter up soon but no promises. So please Read, Review (It's a good idea. For this story, I'm allowing you to ask me questions about Amber without leaving a review for it. It would be nice if you could but still…) and wait for Amber. I'll see you then! BlueTornado3275 signing off!