Thomas & Friends: Southern Charm
Chapter 2: Make it Happen, Marina
It was a beautiful sunny day on the Island of Sodor. All of the engines were hooting and tooting, and clickety-clackiting on the Fat Controller's railway. That morning, Marina was at Brendham Docks to pick up her trucks. James was there as well to pick up his special. The Fat Controller soon arrived, "Marina, James, you both have specials to work with,"
"Marina, a new town hall is being built at the Norramby Fishing Village, I need for you to take these trucks of cement and steel piping to the work site, and while you are on the way, I need you to pick up trucks of gravel from the Ffarquhar Quarry, be careful now, these trucks will be heavy and you may need a backing engine to help you," he instructed.
"Thank you, Boss, I'll get up on it," Marina beamed,
"That's the spirit, Marina!" praised the Fat Controller,
"Will you be my backing engine, James?" she asked,
"Ha! And lower myself to an engine like you!" He huffed,
James puffed snootily away, "A simple 'no' would've worked,"
Marina puffed out of Brendham Docks with a chuff of steam, and a ring of her brass bell. Just then, an idea flew into James's funnel as he traveled along the Main Line, "You may have your nameplates, Marina, but you will never be as useful as a Sodor engine," he puffed to himself and saw Percy at a siding, "Percy, I need to warn you, don't trust Marina,"
"Don't trust an engine with black wheels," James added,
"That means we shouldn't trust you, James," said Percy,
"I'm an exception to that," said James, defending himself,
"Besides, Marina is kind and hardworking," replied Percy,
"Don't be fooled, she's trying to take our jobs," puffed James,
James's plan worked as the word began to spread from engine to engine along all the branch-lines. Where ever Marina went on the line to pick up her trucks, she was always turned down when she asked for a backing engine even if they had no other tasks to do, "Someone's putting wood in my firebox when I run on coal," Marina puffed to herself.
When Marina got to Ffarquhar Quarry to pick up the trucks of gravel, her train began to get heavy even for a tank engine when her strength. Her wheels began to strain as she pulled the train of steel pipes, cement, and now gravel, but she was on the move. Mavis saw Marina moving a little slow out of the quarry, "Are you in need of some assistance?"
"Oh no, I can handle it!" Marina called back to the diesel,
Mavis was not convinced, but let her go, "Alright," said Mavis,
Marina was huffing and puffing her hardest, "This is...tough,"
Still no engine would help her, "Not far now," she willed herself,
She stopped at a siding for a drink, "I do need some backup,"
Edward came to Tidmouth Sheds. He was cross with James, "This is ridiculous, just because Marina is different from us does not mean she isn't to be trusted, if she's going to make it to the site, she'll have to go up Gordon's Hill...she won't make it, If you're not going to help her I will, just you try and stop me!" Edward proclaimed, leaving the sheds.
"She's a tank engine too, and she needs help," Edward puffed,
Marina was having trouble going up the hill until, "Edward?!"
"C'mon Marina, pull! I'll be your backing engine!" groaned Edward,
"Much obliged!" Marina called back, and pulled with all her might,
"C'mon Marina, we can do it!" puffed Edward pushing behind her,
The heavy goods train went up and down Gordon's Hill thanks to the combined effort of Edward and Marina. Although they were a little late, the train of steel pipes, gravel, and cement made it to the work site at the fishing village. The Fat Controller spoke severely to James, "James you have caused confusion and delay, how can you do that to Marina?"
"But Sir, she's not like the other engines on Sodor," said James,
"Yes she is, she's can be really useful like all the others!" he snapped,
James felt silly for doing what he did, "I'm sorry," he apologized,
"I'm not the one you should apologize to," Sir Topham Hatt reminded him,
Marina puffed in to see James, "I'm sorry, Marina, for all I've done,"
"I'm an engine just like you, James, I wanna work hard and be really useful in anyway I can, just like you and your friends, I'm not here to replace any of you, in fact, if it weren't for Mr. Controller here, I'd be scrap iron," Marina explained, "I forgive you, James and Edward, thank you for helping me on Gordon's Hill, that was sugar sweet of you"
Edward blushed, but smiled thankfully to Marina, "And as for you, James, you're lucky that Marina did get herself hurt on the rails today, for that Marina will sleep in your shed tonight while you get to sleep outside," said the Fat Controller, all the engines remained respectfully silent to Marina. They all knew that Edward is right. Marina is just like them.
The next day, Marina went to the Quarry, "Another day, another train,"
Thomas came in to his trucks as well, "I'm sorry about what James did to you,"
"It's alright, what's passed has passed, best tah keep on puffin'," she replied,
This line of trucks was not as long, "I'm going to the Fishing Village today,"
Marina beamed as her trucks were filled, "Well speak of Casey Jones, so am I,"
(Author's Note: I hope all you readers and reviewers enjoy this)
