Back on Sodor, the whole island searched for Edward. All the engines were searching down every siding, every branch line, and every corner. They searched high, and low, and all around. But unfortunately, no one has found any sign of their favourite No.2 engine.
Thomas asked every engine he came across, and they all sadly had the same answer. No one has found him.
The evening, crimson sky soon fell upon Sodor, as Thomas was slowly making his way back home to Tidmouth. There was still no sign of Edward. Everyone looked around, even the workmen, but there was no sign of him.
Thomas' eyes fell sadly onto the rails, he couldn't focus on anything else apart from his old, wise friend. He just kept hearing Edward's friendly whistle in his mind, and just imagined seeing Edward's smiling face again, and listen to his mentor's wise words.
Thomas just wanted Edward home...
Just then, as Thomas was approaching Wellsworth, he heard something. A voice echoing through the Sodor air. It sounded like singing – and it sounded angelic.
Thomas went down a siding, following the voice.
"I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?"
Thomas was amazed. The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite pick out its owner. He approached an abandoned track, where the tracks met at the end of a lake, with buffers to prevent engines from falling in. As he looked ahead, Thomas gasped.
"Well it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah"
In front of the buffers before the calm lake, there was Edith. The majestic voice coming from her lips and vocalising the air. She gently let off steam as the sound of her own voice seemed to soothe her. Thomas slowly approached her, as quiet as he could, to not scare Edith.
"Hallelujah...
Hallelujah...
Hallelujah...
Halleluj-"
Edith quickly stopped singing, upon seeing the little tank engine pull up alongside her. She looked around embarrassingly before attempting to reverse away.
"W-Wait Edith!" Thomas called, "I didn't mean to scare you!"
Edith came to a stop and sighed sadly, pulling up alongside Thomas again, and gazing out at the lake, "You didn't scare me...I'm just...embarrassed."
"Embarrassed?" Thomas questioned, "But why? T-That song! It was amazing!"
Edith blushed bashfully and smiled a bit, "That's what every engine on Barrow-in-Furness would say when I sing."
"Then, why are you ashamed of it?"
"I'm not ashamed, it's...a coping method."
"A coping method? For wh- oh...because of...Edward..." Thomas looked down sadly. Edith just hummed in acknowledgement.
"Years, years, even decades ago, back when Edward left...I was so eager to see him when he came home." Edith explained. Thomas' eyes perked up, looking at Edith curiously, "I was just told he would be away to help build the Sodor Railway. I was told he would come back...I remember the day so well...when I found out everything would be different..."
"What...happened?" Thomas asked.
"...Our old manager retired some time before Edward's home date, and our new manager...he wasn't like him. He was...greedy, he didn't focus on engines are beings, and saw us mostly as objects. I remember that day so well...I woke up extra early, hoping to see my brother return home...but the whole day went by, and he never came..."
"S-So...you mean..."
"...I was told that night that Edward was officially sold to Sodor, and I was forced to stay in Furness to work – without my brother..." Edith explained sadly, looking down, as a few tears fell down her delicate face, "I was so upset...so angry...I didn't care about anyone, or anything at that moment, and I sped off...I left Furness...I ran away and hid for days, and for all those days, I just cried...and sobbed...I might be an engine, but I have emotions, and back then, my brother was my world."
"Edward never said anything at first..." Thomas confessed, "But recently, he has been telling us a lot about how close you two were."
"We were inseparable, that's how close we were. I never pulled my express unless my brother was pulling it too. I wouldn't pull a train unless my brother was with me...you should've seen me when he went too save a friend's life, and I selfishly stayed behind..." Edith closed her eyes, the memories haunting her smoke box, "Edward was my world, and the day I heard he would never come back, was the worst day in my life...I almost wanted to beg them to scrap me...that's how extreme it became."
"Oh..." Thomas was left speechless at Edith's story, not truly understanding how close Edward and Edith really were, "I'm...so sorry..."
"I was away for a week or two, I can't remember...but when I came back, I was scolded severely by the manager...and I was locked in my shed for days...but the engines who worked with me, they came to see me every day, and...their kindness, their selflessness just reminded me more about Edward..." Edith spoke, before slowly growing a smile, "That's...until Ermintrude and Ernestina began to teach me how to sing. I sing when I'm happy, I sing when I'm sad, it's just how I cope...even though I sometimes just sing to pass the time."
Thomas gave a small smile, before looking down at the rails sadly, "Edward must be so lucky to have a sister like you..." he muttered sadly, "You are amazing! You're everything Edward spoke of about you."
Edith then gave a small smile, "Well, that's just like Edward...he may say a bad word about someone sometimes, but almost all the time, he will never say an ill word to anyone. Especially...you all on Sodor."
"Huh?" Thomas looked at Edith, confused, "What do you mean?"
"When I arrived, and I was following whatever Edward did...he told me endless stories about you all. You are all amazing engines, and he is so proud to have met every one of you – even if some of you take him for granted or treat him like scrap."
"...What does he say about us?"
Meanwhile, across on the Lost Railway, Edward followed Heidi back to their shed, and took a place beside Scarlet. All the engines were there. Edward just smiled a bit at the cheerful atmosphere. Despite being on the island under dark circumstances, they all managed to stay happy, and make a bubbly atmosphere.
"Ah Edward!" Ernest laughed, "Ready for your first wash and polish on the Lost Railway?" He chuckled cheerfully.
"Wash and polish?" Edward asked confused, "I don't understand-"
"It's what it is silly!" Noah laughed!
"All the villagers and workmen come to us to give us a nice wash down!" Leo continued, eagerly!
"And then they give us a polish as a thank you for helping them maintain the island!" Leon finished, bubbly!
"Oh, my..." Edward pondered, speechless. Just then, groups of villagers and workmen entered the shed, with engine cleaning supplies.
"You worry to much Edward!" Scarlet laughed, "Just relax and chill!"
Edward watched, secretly growing more excited. He watched as the villagers and workmen all worked together to wash down the engines. Edward just watched and couldn't help but smile.
It wasn't a formal wash down like it was on Sodor, it was messy, and all over the place, and many of the village children were chasing each other with water and sponges and cloths. The younger engines certainly found this entertaining. The more older engines just relaxed as the wash down continued, and discussed amongst themselves.
Edward took it all in, and sighed in comfort as he was washed down. The workmen and villagers were gentle, and took great care. As Edward looked around, he noticed that the scene of all the engines talking together reminded him of every night at Tidmouth Sheds.
Edward's face suddenly fell. All his memories began to flash before him. Every engines face, all the beloved engines he got to know and love over the years, even those who were a major pain and tormented Edward the most, he considered them all his family. Slowly, without noticing, Edward began to cry. He looked at a puddle in front of his buffers, and swore he saw the faces of his friends in them – all the engines he counted for as family.
Thomas, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby, Emily...and all the other engines on Sodor. Everyone was his family...and then he remembered Edith – his own sister...
Edward began to sob louder, he didn't care who saw him or heard him. He just broke down into tears, his tears splashing onto his buffers.
The Lost Railway engines all heard their fellow friends weeping, and focused all their attention on him. They immediately grew concerned, looking at one another worriedly.
"Edward?" Scarlet asked, "What's wrong?"
Edward just continued to weep, he couldn't stop his tears from falling. The other engines all looked at him with sympathy. Although they didn't know why he was so upset – they had a good feeling why.
"H-H-Home..." Edward managed to whimper, but it was very quiet.
"Edward, you may have to speak up." Janet encouraged.
"You can tell us." Zephyr agreed.
"Home..." Edward cried, choking on his tears, "I-I want to go home!" And Edward couldn't hold the tears any longer, as they continued to pour out of his eyes.
All the engines just continued looking at Edward sadly, waiting patiently for him to calm down. They could somewhat understand the blue engine's emotions – and the feeling of wanting to go home.
"We know Edward..." Ashlyn answered.
"We...want to go home too." Blair admitted.
"But we all know, our home is no longer around..." Thorn said bluntly, and almost emotionless, looking down at the rails.
Edward slowly calmed down, and looked at his new friends, "W-What are you talking about?"
"Furness Railway isn't around anymore..." Ernest said, "We all know that."
"And it's not just Furness." Lacey huffed, "Steam engines are no longer around unless they are privately preserved."
"Yeah!" The triplet engines responded, and Heidi hummed in agreement.
Edward just looked down sadly, "But I want to go home to Sodor...Sodor is my home...all engines feel safe there, no matter what type you are...and all the amazing engines you'll meet there – there is a friend for everyone there. Everyone is unique, and do whatever they can to be useful...and all the engines there are...m-my...family..."
The engines all looked at one another worriedly. They wanted to help their new friend, but they knew it would be risky – not only for Edward and is safety, but for themselves too.
Just then, Sherlock spoke up, "Everyone knows..." He boomed, "A home is a home, when you feel like it is your home. It has engines who you love. It could have brothers, sisters. Cousins, 'parental' figures if you may. But only inside your boiler, within your heart, can you define where is your home – and I can tell, my dear Edward, your heart is telling the truth."
All the engines looked at Sherlock, puzzled.
"If Sodor really is the place you define as home..." Sherlock carried on, with a small friendly smile, "Then we must do whatever it takes to help you home."
"...Can someone please speak normal?" One of the triplets complained, rather annoyingly.
"He means, we are all going to work together to help Edward back home!" Scarlet beamed.
Edward just looked at his new friends in surprise, "You...Y-You'll all do that...for me? You really would?"
"Of course Edward. We're Furness engines – and Furness engines have to stick together!" Scarlet cheered, as all the engines whistled in unison in agreement.
Edward just smiled big, he couldn't explain how he felt, he just felt pure relief, "Oh, thank you all so much..."
Scarlet just smiled.
"Don't worry. We'll help you home."
"Is the coast clear Nathan?"
"Yes it is Nigel."
As the evening sky continued to dim the sky, Nigel and Nathan began to puff around the island. They were looking for any signs or traces of Edward – but they weren't intending to bring him home safe.
"We shall finally get to the bottom of all of this." Nigel annouced.
"And we will finally have that Edward scrapped – where he belongs." Nathan smirked.
The two engines just grinned deviously, as they sneaked down the rails, ready for a night of hunting.
Alrighty, now things get interesting ;) I do hope you are enjoying the story so far. I do apologies for late uploading, but I am also busy doing other things and working on other fanfics XD Sorry, I'm just someone who needs to write it down before I forget it.
And the song that Edith sings is the John Cale cover of Hallelujah, I try my best not to add musical characters whenever possible, but Edith...it really suited her personality, and especially for the reason why she sings ;) She does it because it is a coping method for her.