The Fat Controller glared at James.
"I am not happy with you James. You took your teasing too far this time. Gordon may have made a mistake, but he has learned from it since. You on the other hand need to learn that all actions have consequences, so you are hereby banned from taking the Express."
James was upset. He liked taking the Express. Any engine with pride that exceeded their size and small funnel would.
He felt disappointed that he could no longer take the Express.
...
Later, to add insult to injury, James had to shunt coaches for Gordon's next train at Knapford.
"Bother, bother!" He huffed. "It's not fair! I want to pull the Express."
He banged the coaches crossly.
Edward was waiting with vans filled with supplies for M.C Bunn- a small bakery at Knapford.
He was appalled.
"James you should treat the coaches with respect! They travel on the same rails as you, so they deserve the same respect as you!"
Indeed sniffed the coaches.
One of them, Maya, was particularly miffed.
"Why you scarlet mouthed fit for nothing engine!" She shrieked. "How dare you treat me and my sisters with such vile contempt! I shall see you once Gordon comes back and we can discuss how you should improve your manners!"
Edward chuckled.
"Actually Maya, I think James is taking a goods train to Ballahoo at that time."
"Hmph!" Snorted the Express coach.
James was so busy glaring at Edward that he didn't notice that a little girl had snuck on board the coaches.
Her mother noticed though and panicked that she might get lost amidst a crowd of passengers, so she slipped on board to get her daughter back before something happened.
"Well, just because you're not allowed to pull the Express it doesn't give you a right to biff them so. It wasn't their fault that you're not allowed to do it- it's yours."
"But Gordon-"
"Don't blame Gordon!" Edward interrupted severely. "He learned a lesson on unpretentiousness and respect, but you have to learn that lesson yourself, it would seem. I shall see you later."
The old engine puffed away once his vans were uncoupled and unloading had preceded.
"Pah!" Snorted James. "Just who does he think he is, bossing me around like that? And why did he have to remind me that I can't pull the Express!" He added with a hiss.
He gave the coaches a final bump.
A bang was heard from the coaches, followed by a muffled and mild curse.
...
"...and the next thing I knew I'd banged my head on the table!" Huffed a woman of 32 years old. She held on to her little girl's hand, wanting to keep her from running off again.
"Ma'am Im sorry about-" Began the stationmaster, but he was rudely interrupted.
"Sorry? I had to get on board to avoid my Katie getting lost and then I get a bruise on my head from banging it on a table because that stupid locomotive can't stand still and that's all you can say? Come on Katie, we're going home."
James felt a bit guilty. But not by much- how dare she call him stupid!
But he had learned a lesson amidst all the mess...
...
That night, word got around about what had happened with James and the passenger. Edward was cross, as he hadn't been careful, but James insisted that he didn't know about the woman or her daughter being on board and that it was an accident.
"Well maybe I shouldn't feel so bad about not taking the Express." He mused. "I do have other jobs to do too!"
Everyone rolled their eyes.
So they were glad then Thomas stepped in.
"Well James in case you haven't noticed, we do know better than to think that you should do better things with your time rather than be moping over the Express. We Sodor engines are far too useful and sensible for that kind of thing!"
Edward agreed that that was how things should be.
And with James, it was.