One day, at around noon, Shadow was at the railway junction, filling his steam engine's tender with a fresh load of coal. Knuckles pulled up to him in his engine.
"That's the third load of coal you're helping yourself to today, Shadow!" he noticed. "You sure you're not being too greedy? We all need that coal too, y'know!"
Shadow didn't seem to care. "I'm an important driver." He replied. "I do enough work around here to get as many refills as I need! Though I doubt someone less significant than me, like you, would understand."
Knuckles snorted, and drove away without answering back.
Later, Shadow was refilling his engine's water tank by a nearby pump, because the water tower was undergoing repairs.
Tails noticed him while passing by. "I wouldn't fill you tank up with too much of that pump water, Shadow. It might cause your engine's boiler to rust!"
Shadow looked annoyed. "Sheesh! What is this? Educate Your Peers Day or something? First Knuckles and now you, Tails! My engine needs water, and I'm not going to get caught with a dry tank!"
"Don't say I didn't warn you…" said Tails as he pulled away.
That evening at dusk, Shadow was making his last delivery at the harbor yard. He was about to leave, until something caught his eye.
"That's what I need!" he said to himself. There, sitting on a siding area, were two identical tenders.
"Now if my engine had TWO tenders instead of one, I wouldn't have to make as many refueling as usual." Shadow thought. "And, I wouldn't have to listen to the stupid advice those guys have been putting on me!"
Sonic overheard him and pulled his engine up next to him. "Those tenders belong to a visitor, Shadow. They are pretty nice, aren't they?"
Just then, a man driving a diesel engine pulled up to the two hedgehogs.
"I couldn't help but overhear you, Shadow." The man said curiously. "I understand you believe a second tender for yourself would make you more, superior maybe? But I'm afraid no amount of tenders will help you in the future! Diesel engines such as mine here will be taking over eventually, and we don't need something like tenders to make them look important!"
Shadow became very upset. Soon, he and Sonic took off for home.
The next day, Shadow didn't feel any better. "I'm not feeling to well today, guys." He told everyone during breakfast.
"I know!" Tails said suddenly. "Your engine's got boiler rust, right?"
"It's NOT boiler rust!" Shadow insisted. "It's-it's-"
"Of course it is!" interrupted Rouge. "That pump water must've been bad! Give your engine a good wash out Shadow, and it will look good as new! Your engine's boiler must be filled with sludge!"
Shadow gave Rouge a strong look of disgust! "Don't be so VULGAR!" he said. He then stormed out to get to work.
Later, Shadow backed his engine into the main station to take a passenger train.
Sonic was standing on the platform, and saw how down he looked. "Hey! Cheer up, buddy!" he said to him.
"I can't, Sonic." He answered back. "Is it true what that diesel driver said yesterday?"
"What did he say, Shadow? I guess I didn't listen."
"That diesels will be taking over the railway soon."
"Don't worry, pal! The station masters say that will NEVER happen on this railway!" Sonic answered proudly.
"One more thing, Sonic. How come that visitor's engine had two tenders anyway?"
Sonic looked embarrassed. "Whoops! Ha, ha. I guess I never did tell you yesterday, did I? It's because he lives near a different railway that has great distances between fueling depots."
Shadow felt much better, after hearing that. "Thanks for clearing that up for me!" And he got back to work feeling fine again.
But later that day, Rouge began to complain! She used her engine to bump against freight cars hard! Tails and Knuckles were watching her.
"I do enough work around here for two!" she said to herself. "I deserve at least another tender!"
The two of them noticed she was sounding like Shadow. Tails then whispered something to Knuckles. They were going to play a trick on Rouge, for saying that Shadow's engine had sludge.
Tails spoke up. "Rouge? Would you like to have MY tenders?"
She didn't look interested. "YOURS? What would you know about tenders? You only drive a tank engine!"
"Alright, alright!" Tails answered. "The deal's off. Would YOU like them, Knuckles?"
"I wouldn't want to deprive you of the honor!" he said joining in.
"It IS a great honor, isn't it?" Tails said. "But like you said, Rouge. I only drive a tank engine, and have no need for them anyway. Hmmmm…Perhaps Amy or Cream would-"
"Wait!" Rouge spoke up. "I'm sorry I was rude, Tails. I'll accept your offer. So, how many do you have, and when can I have them?"
Tails paused for a moment. "Umm………I have six, and you can have them this evening."
"Wow! Six brand new tenders!" Rouge said happily. "My engine will look gorgeous!"
Rouge felt excided about it all day long. She got her work done without a fuss. She was too busy looking forward to getting her six new tenders.
Finally, the sun was beginning to set. "Are you sure it's okay, Tails?" she asked for the umpteenth time. "Of course it is." Tails answered. "They're all ready now.
Ten minutes later, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, and Shadow all waited outside the main station for Rouge to come by. She drove her engine by the station, but she had a very disappointing frown on her face. And just then, everyone saw why! She wasn't a sight for sore eyes at all! Her six new tenders were old, dirty, oily, and filled with boiler sludge! Everyone burst out laughing!
"Give your engine a good wash out, Rouge!" said a voice from the crowd. "And it will look good as new! Ha, ha, ha!"
Rouge wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that the voice was Shadow's.
R&R! Thanks!