Thomas and Edith hurried down the line, looking everywhere for their beloved Edward. As they steamed down the line, they looked around, the rails were awkward, and dangerous. On the left of the rails, there was a large cliff, with a set of rails going inside of it, and then coming out of rhe other end. Another set of wheels acted as a wye, a triangular tracks to help engines turn around without a turntable – except it went up a steep hill.
"These tracks are dangerous!" Thomas exclaimed in horror, "It's not safe for anyone!"
"Why would these tracks be here, this place looks so...untouched." Edith gasped, hauling Edward's number 2 tender behind her own!
"Come on Edith!" Thomas charged forward, "We can't stop now, Edward needs our help!"
"I am right behind you Thomas!" Edith chanted, as the two engines sped up!
Back on the Lost Railway, Edward was busy working hard, and helping the other engines whenever it was needed. All the engines could agree that Edward was indeed very useful, he was very kind, he handle coaches gracefully, and even the troublesome trucks behaved well around him.
Even the triplets were beginning to behave, as Edward showed them how to handle trucks. The triplets just watched him in awe, looking up to him like an idol, and followed every move he did. When Thorn and Zephyr struggled to get up a hill with a unusually heavy load, Edward volunteered to be their banker engine – and with no issues – pushed them up the hill! When Ashlyn needed help with a train, Edward offered to pull from the front, and they delivered the train on time. Edward was even playful – and raced against Blair across the island! Although he lost the race, big time – then again, with Blair's speed, she was unstoppable.
Later on, Edward went to a water tower to fill up with water. He began to relax, ready for a well-earned rest. As he began to rest, he saw Lacey was also resting on a siding with a water tower beside it. Her driver was sitting on her running plate with a book in his hands, reading to her, while her fireman gave her a nice long drink.
Lacey was looking at the book with deep intention, listening to every line her driver read from it. Edward couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"Hello Lacey." Edward greeted.
"OH!" Lacey jumped, causing her driver and fireman to fall, "Edward! You made me jump!"
"Sorry Lacey." Edward apologised, "Didn't know you were listening to your driver read? Do it often?"
"Oh, very much Edward!" Lacey acknowledged, "I mean, everyone knows engines aren't suppose to read...but I love it. It's a chance to escape the world we currently live in, and put yourself in another world with other characters."
Edward just smiled sweetly at the young engine, before looking at the book in her drivers hands, "Have you read that book before?"
"Oh yes, it's from my favourite series. It's about a group of engines who work on a railway, and try to make themselves useful." Lacey explained, "It's not my level of reading, as I can read books at a higher level, but it's my personal favourite."
Edward tried to look at the book himself, although he couldn't read a word of it, only he saw a drawing of three engines on the front cover.
"That's my favourite book, it's also the first. It's about a little blue engine who is mocked by the bigger engines because he is smaller, and weaker, and older. But he ends up proving to them he is very useful." Lacey explained with a big grin on her face.
Edward just smiled at her, "Sounds like me a few decades ago...I was locked in a shed for a while, and other engines would mock me because of my age, but I don't care."
Lacey just smiled at him, "Yeah, well...there is a big blue engine who taunts him horribly. He's a real bully though, why he's allowed to puff at all is beyond me. He's just a selfish prick, and he doesn't care about anyone else."
The story sounded very familiar to Edward, but he couldn't quite point it out, but he smiled regardless, "Maybe he can change. You'll have to read to find out."
Lacey just looked up at Edward with admiration. She felt like she was able to reason with Edward, and talk with him – she seems to get along better with him than with the triplets, or any of the other Lost Railway engines.
Just then, Sherlock, Ernest and Scarlet puffed by. Sherlock couldn't help but smirk cheekily at the scene, "What is this? Engines not working? That won't do at all."
"Oh, come on!" Lacey whined loudly!
Edward couldn't help but laugh. Ernest came over to check her, "How is that valve working out for you Lacey, any troubles?" he asked.
"Of course not!" Lacey huffed, "NOW can I get back to reading!?"
"You need to watch that attitude Lacey." Scarlet warned, "Remember, no reading until works done."
"Scarly! I'm not a child!"
"It's Scarlet!"
"Alright ladies, keep yourselves quiet." Ernest chuckled.
Edward couldn't help but chuckle too, but he noticed someone was missing – someone he hasn't seen all day, "Hm, have any of you seen Heidi today?"
"Oh yes." Sherlock spoke, "She left early to go to Sodor for spare parts. She should be home by the afternoon."
"Hmm...I hope she'll be alright." Edward uttered to himself, before he left to get back to work.
On the other side of the dangerous bridge, Thomas and Edith were getting very close to the island. Just then, they braked in front of the bridge. Thomas was a little scared, as he looked at the bridge. From his life on Sodor, he could tell when a bridge was safe, or unsafe. This bridge was clearly VERY unsafe.
"Do you think...Edward's on the other side?" Thomas asked back to Edith.
Edith shuddered at the condition of the bridge, "He must be, we have searched everywhere else!"
"But this bridge isn't safe...we'll have to cross it one at a time, very slowly, and very carefully..."
"...A-Alright Thomas...a-after you..."
Thomas inhaled deeply as he slowly began to cross the bridge. He immediately didn't like it. The rails shuddered, the bridge creaked, as parts of it fell into the sea below. Edith watched worriedly as Thomas carried on. Thomas was frightened, but he knew he had to carry on to save Edward.
After a slow puff of steam, which felt like an eternity, Thomas eventually made it onto the other side of the bridge! Thomas was so happy with himself, he couldn't help but blow his whistle victoriously!
"Well done Thomas!" Edith cheered, whistling to him!
Thomas just laughed, "Come on Edith! We're so close!"
On the Lost Railway, Edward was busy shunting some trucks, demonstrating to the triplets, Noah, Leo, and Leon. The triplets watched him in awe – they wanted to be exactly like him.
With that, the triplets attempted to copy Edward, and they did well – well, apart from Leon who kept bumping harshly into the trucks.
"Oh dear..." Edward exclaimed with a chuckle, "Don't worry, you will get use to it...Leo."
"I'm Leon!" Leon cried!
"Yeah, I am Leo!" Leo protested.
"Can't you tell the difference!?" Noah complained loudly.
Edward couldn't help but chuckle, just before the other Lost Railway engines entered the yard.
"Of course we can't – you're identical triplets!" Lacey answered, in Edward's defence.
"That's enough you lot, settle down." Janet soothed, with a chuckle.
Edward couldn't help but laugh, "However does she do it?"
"Your guess is as good as ours Edward, we have no clue." Thorn admitted freely.
"But she is certainly the mother engine around here." Zephyr agreed.
Edward couldn't agree more.
"Alright everyone, lets rest for now. Heidi should be back soon with those spare parts." Sherlock announced.
"Thank goodness for that, we might be able to get some good parts today." Ernest sighed in relief.
Edward was worried though, looking down at the rails, "I do hope she is alright out there on her own-"
Before Edward could finish his sentence, he heard a loud clear whistle. It pierced through the air, and was loud and clear!
Edward's eyes shot open, looking around! That whistle sounded familiar!
Then another whistle was heard, and it was a whistle Edward knew! In fact, both the whistles sounded awfully familiar, and Edward couldn't forget who they were owned by!
"EDWARD!?"
Edward gasped and looked around, and followed the sound of the whistles! The other Lost Railway engines were shocked and watched Edward follow the sound! Edward was speechless, he couldn't tell if he was shocked or surprised!
"T-Thomas!? Edith!?"
"EDWARD! IS THAT YOU!?"
Edward gasped, and beamed brightly!
Our of the shadows, revealing themselves to the other engines, two blue engines puffed through!
It was Thomas and Edith – whistling in unison as they found their lost engine!
"EDWARD!" Thomas cried happily, buffering up to him and whistling happily!
"Oh Edward! Thank goodness we found you!" Edith beamed brightly, almost crying!
Edward was laughing, and he was crying too, as Thomas buffered up to him, he buffered back, relieved to be with his two closest friends again!
"Oh Thomas, Edith! I'm so happy to see you!" This time, Edward didn't bother to hide his tears, he was just so happy to be reunited with his best friend, and his sister!
Thomas moved back to give him space, "W-We were looking for you! We didn't stop!"
"Thomas is right!" Edith cried happily, "We didn't stop searching for you the minute you ran off...please, don't ever do it again..."
Edward froze, and looked down at the rails sadly, "I-I'm so sorry Edith...but I'll be scrapped if I go back...I-I heard the Fat Controller say so..."
"Huh? What do you mean scrapped?" Thomas asked, "You know the Fat Controller would NEVER scrap you – the most reliable engine on all of Sodor!"
"Edward..." Edith wondered sadly, "...w-what is this about? You can trust me..."
The other Lost Railway engines stopped and looked at Edward. They were visibly upset. Edward just looked down sadly.
"I..." Edward stuttered, nervously, "I-I thought you were here to replace me...y-you took over my work, you're much stronger than I am...I am just an old engine...I am useless now...I heard him say so..."
Edith just watched her brother sadly, "I only took over your work Edward, because the Fat Controller told me too. I swear Eddie, if I knew I was coming here JUST to replace you, I would've never came here – not if it means you'd be scrapped. I promise, I would fight for you, even if you were, because you were always there for me. You're my big brother, and no one will ever take you away from me. I promise."
Edward slowly looked up to his sister, and saw how sad she felt, behind her soft smile, she just wanted to be with her brother.
Edith gently buffered up to him, as a form of embrace, allowing Edward to cry quietly with his tears splashing onto his buffers.
Slowly, Edith backed away to give Edward some space. Thomas puffed forward, concerned for his old friend.
"Edward...did you really hear the Fat Controller say you'd be scrapped?" Thomas asked, anxiously.
"Yes Thomas...I did..." Edward sniffled a bit.
"That's not fair...that can't be right!" Thomas protested, "You're far too useful and reliable to be scrapped! I know you won't be scrapped, I can promise you that."
"Y-You really think so..."
"I know so, Edward. Come home, we'll be in this together, we can sort all this out!"
Edward was about to answer, but then backed away a bit to look at the Lost Railway engines around him. Thomas and Edith looked in awe at all the engines. They were worried, confused, and huddled together anxiously.
"...What about these engines?" Edward brought up, looking at them sympathetically, "I can't leave them here. They won't be able to survive on their own...they can't stay here."
Thomas looked around, all the engines looked like they were still in decent working order. They looked like they could be really useful. He could tell they were doubtful, they didn't know what was now to become of them.
"We will bring them with us!"
All the engines looked at Thomas in shock.
"We'll take them all home with us!" Thomas beamed, "I am sure they'll find a home on Sodor, we can find ways of making them all useful again!"
The Lost Railway engines all beamed brightly, the younger engines looking at one another eagerly! Edward just smiled.
"Let's head home to Sodor!"