The Small Controller had bought a new coach for the Arlesdale Railway. Her name was the Arlesdale Belle, or Bella for short. She was a long coach, painted in a beautiful royal claret livery with gold lining and she open verandas on either end so that her passengers could take in the lovely Arle Valley air. She was to be part of a new luxury train service, and because of this she was very vain and arrogant. She would constantly belittle the Small Engines for little mistakes, always complain that they were going too fast or too slow and boast about how grand she was. As a result, none of the engines liked her. Jock had just finished taking her for a trial run.
"Honestly Rock, how am I meant to give my passengers the luxurious experience they expect from me when you smallies constantly bump me around and disturb the view with your disgusting smog. You may not have high standards on this toy railway, but I do!" Bella complained.
Jock rolled his eyes. "I can't stop 'obscuring' the view with my steam because I am a steam engine. In order to move, I have to make STEAM. And I was not bumping you, I pulled you the same as I would any other coach."
"You're just making excuses!" Bella said indignantly. "I am a high class coach with high expectations, and I must be treated the way I deserve to be, not like 'any other coach' as you so plainly put it."
"You deserve to carry the rubbish that comes out of your mouth..." Jock muttered as he steamed away. Mike was nearby and had overhead their conversation.
"Now do you understand why I dislike passenger trains?" Mike laughed. "Condescending passengers and patronising coaches! Course, no coach would talk like that to me! I'd show them to respect an engine."
Jock was fed up, and went to the shed without a reply. The following day, the Small Controller gathered his engines in front of the shed for an important announcement. Much to their displeasure, Bella had also been invited and she was belittling the engines as usual. Her attitude, however, changed as soon the Small Controller turned up.
"Greetings, Bella!" He said. "How is the new pride of the line fitting in? I trust you are making me proud."
"Of course I am, sir. I was just having a delightful with your wonderful ltitle engines about how to properly handle coaches." Bella lied. Before anybody could say otherwise, the Small Controller spoke up again.
"Excellent! Now, I'm sure you've all guessed why I've called this little meeting. In exactly one week, we'll be holding a little celebration to properly welcome to Bella into our small family!" He declared. "The Chairman, Colonel Drixon will be attending, and has invited the Duke and Duchess of Boxford to conduct a formal naming ceremony and travel on her inaugural public train. I expect all of you to be on your best behaviour. The hardest working engine will be given the honour of pulling the train! Now, everybody get ready for work." And with that he walked away to his office. Once he was out of earshot, Bella spoke up.
"You hear that, boys? Be on your best behaviour around me and treat me right! One of you mites might just prove yourself worthy of pulling me!" She said haughtIily.
"Oh, do get off your high track!" Rex said. "He was talking generally, not just around you."
"My dear half-pint, he was talking about my big day, so of course he was talking about me! And I think you'll you're the one on the high track." She retorted.
Rex attempted to form a reply, but only ended up spluttering some incoherent words. Bert was the next to speak up.
"Why do you act like your so much better than everyone else? Your no more important than any other coach, and you call us small but you're the same gauge!"
Bella laughed him off. "I act better than everyone because I am better than everyone! I am a luxury coach, the cream of the crop, only suitable for those with high class, not one of those dull pink things you elfin things use for your bog standard trains. Just look at my livery, the royal colours. Why, I should be by engines with the stature of the Flying Scotsman, not the likes of you. Alas, a coach must tolerate what she can get. Now... Oof!"
Before anyone could do anything, Mike shoved Bella into the carriage shed with a bash. The other engines snickerd. Mike wasn't laughing.
"Well, let's get to work!" He ordered with a huff. And go to work they did, though with very little enthusiasm. They swiftly decided that to avoid being paired with Bella, they wouldn't work at their best. For the next week, the engines would deliberately come in late with their trains and cause minor derailments, much to the Small Controller's anguish. All except Mike.
"I pull freight trains, the Small Controller will be looking for engines who perform their passenger duties well." He reasoned.
The night before the big day, the Small Controller gathered his engines up for a stern talking to.
"I am ashamed of all of you. I don't know what's gotten into you lot, but your actions over the past week have caused more confusion and delay than in our railway's entire history! You wouldn't believe the amount of complaints I've recived! None of you have proven yourself worthy to pull Bella tomorrow..." The engines looked at each other in shame for disappointing their controller, but were happy they wouldn't have to pull Bella. "...Except Mike."
"Me, sir?!" Mike exclaimed in alarm.
"Yes, Mike, you. Your performance recently has been exemplary, especially compared to your colleagues." He said with a glare to the others. "There's no other engine on Sodor who's earned this special job more than you."
"But... But... Sir... I don't like passengers... And her... She's... She's..." Mike tried to explain.
"Now, now Mike. I know you're nervous, but you'll do fine. Stay in the works tonight so you can be polished first thing in the morning. As for the rest of you, to the sheds, and do be good tomorrow. Goodnight!" He said reassuringly before walking away to his car.
Mike went off in a huff to the works. The other engines just looked at each other.
"This will be disastrous!" Bert said. "Mike can barely keep his cool with a regular passenger train. Bella would drive him crazy... He'd..."
"Explode! Quite possibly literally." Jock added. The diesels murmured in agreement.
Rex just smiled. "Don't you lot see? They'll drive each other crazy! When the inevitable catastrophe happens, we back Mike up and show Bella for who she is to the Small Controller."
"Why do we need to show Bella for who she is?" Sigrid asked. "Surly if we just told the Small Controller about the things she's said, he'll listen."
"Have you seen the way he acts around her? No, we need to do do it this way. Best not to tell Mike. It'll make his reaction... More genuine. Now let's all go to sleep, tomorrow''s going to be an exciting day." Rex clarified.
The engines went to their sheds, eagerly awaiting what the following day would bring. Mike complained himself to sleep in the works, while Bella slept in the carriage shed, unaware of what the next day would bring.