Thomas & the return of Green Arrow

Chapter 1: A day in the life on Sodor

Hey everybody, here is my first big adventure story for the Thomas collection. As stated in the title, this story will involve the return of Green Arrow, the famous pioneer V2. I'm a huge LNER fan and when I found out Green Arrow was withdrawn from service last year, I was just crushed = (. So about a week or so ago, I got the idea to write a story which would bring the old V2 back, considering he hasn't been seen in the Thomas world since Thomas and the Great Railway Show. And as far as I know, I haven't read any Thomas Fan fictions featuring Green Arrow. So enjoy the first chapter of my Thomas adventure story and feel free to leave a review. I want to know what you all think of it.

Thomas was on his branch line, pulling his last train of the day. The sun was setting on Sodor's horizon as he puffed up the valley to Ffarquar. His coaches, Annie and Clarabel, were filled with passengers going to the station. Thomas enjoyed running his evening train as the day slowly came to an end. The sky seemed so beautiful with streaks of pink and orange. After puffing his way through the tunnel, Ffarquar appeared up ahead and Thomas began to apply his breaks. He came to a gentle stop with his coaches at the platform.

The passengers left the carriages and walked towards the road for the trip home. The guard opened his door on Clarabel and walked to the station and clocked out. Just then, Bertie the bus drove up the road and stopped next to the station. "Hello, Thomas."

"Oh. Hello, Bertie. Lovely evening isn't it?"

"Of course," smiled Bertie. "So, how are things at the sheds?"

"Oh, couldn't be better, old friend." Thomas and Bertie didn't see each other much since Thomas and Rosie had been married and had children. He'd spent more time with them than being on his branch line. "What about you, Bertie?" he asked his friend.

Bertie smiled. "I'm fine, thank you. It hasn't been the same much since you and Rosie got married you know. I miss our friendly chats, and I miss racing."

"I know, Bertie. Times have changed for both of us, haven't they?" Bertie only smiled at Thomas and agreed. Just then, the last of Thomas' passengers boarded Bertie, and he had to go.

"Well goodbye, Thomas I must go. I have to get home to Lilith and my kids. She hates it when I'm late." And Bertie drove off down the road. Thomas felt sad at seeing his friend go. He really didn't see him that much anymore. But his thoughts were soon interrupted by a familiar voice. "Evening, Thomas." He looked ahead and saw Percy and Toby coming down the line from Anopha Quarry. At least Thomas still saw them. Thomas gave a cheerful whistle.

"Hello, you two. Ready to go back to the sheds then?"

"Yes," Percy smiled. "Just as soon as I take this stone to the harbor. If I don't, they can't start building the new quay."

"Well, all right, Percy. Just don't go for a swim like you did the last time you took stone trucks down there," Toby chuckled. Percy went red with embarrassment.

"It wasn't my fault that happened. The trucks pushed me for God's sake!"

Thomas and Toby exchanged glances. "Percy, we know what really happened. You told the trucks to push you past the danger sign and then you ended up staying in the sea 'till high tide. And then you went to Croven's Gate for repairs on Henry's goods train."

Percy snorted. "All right, it's true. But it won't happen again." He puffed crossly away toward Knapford Harbor. Thomas and Toby were left alone.

"Well, we might as well go to Tidmouth Sheds now," Toby said. But before they could, a loud horn stopped them.

"Andy, I told you that the rock hopper isn't a toy. You almost buried me in quarry dust!" Mavis pulled up alongside Toby with three smaller engines next to her. One looked like Toby, one looked like Mavis. And the last one looked like Toby and Mavis put together. The engine that looked like Toby was arguing with Mavis.

"But mommy, I only wanted to see how it worked. How was I supposed to know that tons of quarry dust would come pouring down and almost bury you alive?!" Mavis sighed.

"Well I can't keep an eye on you and your brother and sister. You should know better than to wander off while I'm still working," Mavis fumed.

Toby glared at the small tram engine. "Andy, I thought I told you to be good for mommy while Uncle Percy and I came down here." Andy looked at his buffers and sighed.

"Yes, daddy," he said in a small voice. "But I wanted to see what was in the big pipe. But all it had was a bunch of dust. And mommy was so mad at me she almost went as red as tomato."

Thomas smiled at Andy's mess up. He was quite the trouble maker indeed. But Toby knew how to keep him in check. He was impressed by the way Toby and Mavis could take care of their three children and still work. "Well you're going to be hauling tomatoes with me tomorrow as punishment," Toby said sternly.

"But daddy!"

"No buts! If you can't behave, then you have to help me with the harvest. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Andy sighed. Thomas felt sorry for him all the same.

"Cheer up," said Thomas. "Its time to go home to the sheds now. Come on." And they all puffed away toward Tidmouth Sheds.

At Tidmouth Sheds…

Tidmouth sheds had been home to the engines for years. At the time the Sodor Airport was being built, The Fat Controller had decided to rebuild it so there would be more space for his engines. As Thomas and the other branch line engines were returning from work, Rosie and the other mainline engines had already settled in for the night. Gordon was boasting about his express run to James as usual. "You don't understand James. The Fat Controller may allow you to pull the express sometimes, but I'm the only one fast enough to do it twice around the island. I'm the fastest engine in the world, next to my brother Flying Scotsman of course." James however, wasn't in the mood to argue with Gordon. He was having troubles of his own. His steam pressure wouldn't build up right lately, so workmen from Croven's Gate were trying to find the problem. But that wasn't easy when James' own children kept getting in the way.

"Billy, stop playing with that," James said trying to keep his oldest son out of the workmen's tools. Billy was the spitting image of James except his wheels were yellow like his mother Molly's. He was also vain and thought of himself as a fine engine.

"I just want to know what it is, daddy!" Billy seemed a very curious engine. Sometimes he was a bit too curious for his own good. He pulled out a wrench from one of the toolboxes and using his front wheel, swung it around a few times, trying to learn its purpose. But all he did was hit his fathers' shiny brass dome and made a large dent in it. James looked at his dented dome in utter shock. Billy put the wrench down and looked at the damage. "Oops. Sorry, daddy." James kept his eyes fixed on his once perfect dome. "Daddy?" Billy questioned his father's strange behavior.

"My s-shiny, sp-spotless, d-d-dome," James managed to say. Gordon smiled the biggest smile ever. For once, someone had been able to do the unthinkable. James was now hurt beyond belief.

"Well, James," he chuckled. "Your dome isn't so perfect now is it?" James was so torn up about the destruction of his dome he began to cry. Gordon fell about laughing at James' suffering. Rosie felt somewhat sorry for the red engine. But the sound of crying from one of her own children pulled her away from the scene of destruction. She puffed into the sheds and found the source of the crying. Just as she thought, two year old Cindy. Rosie tended to the small young one and went back outside. Gordon was still laughing hysterically at James' predicament. Rosie was about to interrupt, but the sound of Thomas' whistle stopped her.

"Hello, everyone. We're home." Rosie felt better now that Thomas was there. Things always seemed perfect when he was around. Thomas looked at the sobbing James with a puzzled look. "What's wrong with James?" Gordon took a moment from his laughing fit to reply.

"Billy dented his dome with a wrench. And now, he's heartbroken!" Gordon fell back into his laughter. Rosie sighed and let Thomas in.

"Glad you're back." Thomas smiled at her and kissed her cheek.

"Glad to be back. It's been a long day. Percy should be back soon, Emily," He called to Percy's wife. Emily heaved a sigh of relief.

"All right, Thomas. Thank you." She went back to tending her own children and listened to Edward tell Gordon off.

"Honestly, Gordon I can't believe you'd sink so low that you'd go and take advantage of James' suffering." Gordon was beginning to lose his patience with Edward's lectures. It was very annoying to hear old Edward go on and on about right and wrong. Instead of listening to Edward, Gordon thought back to his talk with his brother, Flying Scotsman the last time he came to Sodor….

1968, final year for mainline steam on British Railways

"So all the other A3s have been scrapped?!" Gordon asked in shock. Flying Scotsman only frowned at the repeat of his bad news. Gordon had never felt so miserable in his life.

"Well, cheer up, old boy," Scot smiled. "The others may be gone, but we're still here. This is our chance to survive in this quickly modernizing world. You and I, the pioneer A1/A3 and the fastest A3. Try and remember that. I'm going to leave soon, you know." Gordon looked somewhat puzzled.

"Where are you going, exactly?"

"My owner's taking me on tour to the United States and Canada."

"Can't I go with you?" Scot chuckled.

"I think you're better off here than you would be over in the U.S. But maybe someday soon, we'll meet up again."

End flashback…

2009 again

"… And now you make fun of James for his inability to control his own child! You really need to learn to consider others feelings, Gordon. Gordon are you even listening to me? Hello. Gordon, Gordon. Wake up you fool!" Gordon heard him that time and snapped out of his trance.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Edward. Did you say something?" Edward sighed in frustration. It was no use repeating what had been said.

Thomas and Rosie smiled at them. "How do you feel," asked Thomas. Rosie looked at him with innocence and smiled.

"I'm fine. A little discomfort in the boiler, but I'm fine." She looked at her bulging boiler and sighed. She and Thomas already had two kids and little engine number three was on the way. The sun by now had gone down and the moon rose, shining as a clear white orb in the dark sky. The engines were too tired to argue any longer, so one by one they all settled into their sheds for the night. Thomas noticed that Gordon seemed a bit distant from the others.

"Gordon, Gordon are you all right?" Thomas asked. But Gordon had already fallen asleep. Thomas sighed as the blue A3 snored. There was nothing he could do, with Gordon asleep. Trying to forget the matter, he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. But, no one knew of the news that awaited them in the morning.

So, what is up with Gordon? What's the bad news coming in the morning, and why does The Fat Controller have weight problems?!?! Well, the last question may never be answered but the first two will most likely be answered next chapter. Review please!

Somerset88.

P.S. Sorry for the long chapter, a good story takes time and effort you know.