Some time had passed since David's beloved ship, the Sea Emperor had nearly been stolen by a group of four thieves, who were utterly unsuccessful thanks to Thomas, Emily, Gordon, Rebecca, Donald and Douglas all helping David to win back his ship, after which time, David decided to move to Arlesburgh to keep a closer eye on his ship and find some variety in his life, working at the harbour with his crew from time to time.
Now it was just after mid-June. Thomas had gone all the way out to India, reuniting with Ashima, his shunting partner at the Great Railway Show, and the engine who taught him to only be himself and be happy for what he was, as well as meeting Rajiv and the other engines who worked on the Indian Railway. Emily had managed to see Thomas off at Brendam Docks like she did when he left for China, not feeling so lonely, knowing she wouldn't have to wait as long this time. But naturally, the absence of Thomas' presence on Sodor was still nothing for Emily to ignore. She still thought about him and missed him dearly every once in a while, as did the other engines. Especially Percy, who always wondered what his best friend could be up to out there, and wondering when he would be back again.
Then one night, about two weeks after Thomas had left for India, Percy and Emily were the last two engines awake at Tidmouth Sheds. While they both coped fairly well during this period of time, they were both missing Thomas and wondering what he could be doing at this moment. Emily wondered what Thomas and Ashima could be up to, given their experience at the Great Railway Show.
"Dear me. What could Thomas be up to?" Emily sighed. "I'm sure Ashima must be very happy to be seeing him again. I never thought they'd see each other again. I wonder how she lives on the Indian Railway…and Rajiv too."
"Don't worry, Emily," said Percy. "Remember what I told you when you and Thomas briefly broke up after the Great Railway Show? How Ashima knew they could never be a couple?"
Emily remembered how she and Thomas had a rough fight after the show when they were both under-slept, and she made the assumption that Ashima's beauty had won Thomas over, only to learn that same evening from Percy that was never the case.
"I do remember, Percy," said Emily. "I'm very happy Ashima told Thomas to hold onto me. I can't wait to hear his stories of India when he comes back. I wonder who else he'll have met besides Rajiv…"
"I just wish he didn't need to be away like this," Percy peeped sadly. "I know he always wanted to see the world…but still…"
"I know, Percy," Emily agreed. "I miss him too. But he'll be back again soon."
Soon, both engines yawned, ready to sleep. "Well, goodnight, Percy," said Emily.
"Goodnight, Emily," Percy replied as they both fell asleep with the other engines.
But then, a few hours into the night, Emily began to stir and moan uncomfortably in her sleep, as did Percy, who murmured a few things about snow and avalanches in his sleep. For Emily, another nightmare concerning Donald, Douglas and David was fresh in her smokebox…
It was a stormy day with dark, frightening clouds. Emily was being pushed dangerously along the line with a long, heavy train, no thanks to Donald and Douglas arguing to each other at the back and both pushing with all their might in their anger, which led to the whole train rushing too fast along the line. Emily saw the bridge where James crashed just above Philip, and where she had her big tumble. David was beside the line below the bridge and could see what was happening. He gasped with shock and stood clear. Emily began to lean off to the left, on toward the bricks of the bridge. She suddenly bumped off the tracks, the coupling broke and she shot further forward by herself, away from the train and off the slope.
"Ohh! Help!" Emily cried as she slid off the tracks, and into the field nearby the signal box. Luckily, she managed to run into a big, soft bank of earth, stopping her altogether, while most of the train clattered and crashed off the bridge and onto the track below. She sighed gratefully, but then frowned with such frustration and anger as she heard all the fuss getting worse above her on the bridge.
"It wasnae my fault! Yes, it was! It wasnae! It was! It wasnae! It WAS! It wasnae! IT WAS!"
Emily blew her whistle as loudly as she could and let off steam just as loudly, silencing both brothers.
"BY HELL ABOVE, BOTH OF YOU!" she yelled shrilly as lightning streaked through the sky. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH! Both of you stop arguing, or so-help-me, I will tell the Fat Controller to lock you BOTH up in your shed FOREVER!"
Donald and Douglas were both petrified and still as statues, their mouths and eyes wide open. But David was the most shocked of all. He had seen everything, and after what he had heard, not a single muscle moved, and he spoke not a word. Soon, Rocky arrived and helped Emily onto the track again.
"You two should try to keep yourselves out of trouble," Rocky said to the twins.
"It wasnae me! It was my brother!" Donald and Douglas said together, only for them to start another argument, and that was enough for Emily.
She blew her whistle shrilly again and yelled again too. "If I can't even work at the front with you two, maybe I should tell the Fat Controller about sending you away! And YOU, David!" she hissed most angrily. "Make sure these idiots keep their mouths SHUT for the rest of the way!"
That was it. Something snapped. David had a look on his face, a look that said everything. He very slowly got in her cab, took the fireman's shovel and dug out a load of hot, glowing coals from Emily's firebox before stepping out toward Douglas.
"Yes…of course…" he said slowly and quietly. "As you wish…Your MAJESTY!"
And David suddenly threw the glowing coals right in Douglas' face, causing a loud hissing sound and a shower of sparks. Douglas yelled in sharp, stinging pain as the coals burned and blackened parts of his face. Jock rushed out to check his engine, when suddenly, David lunged at him, tackling him away from Douglas and to the ground. And as a deafening bolt of thunder boomed through the air, both men fell into a demonic fight together, wrestling and forcing all their strength against each other. Jock managed to kick David away, who skidded over the ground for a moment, before getting back on his feet and drawing his naval cutlass.
"You cannae win, David!" Douglas wheeshed.
"This is MY engine! MY DESTINY!" David roared above the thunder as he jumped at Jock again, who grabbed his fireman's shovel and desperately tried to defend himself from David's sword blows.
It wasn't long before David managed to disarm Jock, flailing the shovel away, then David picked him up off the ground, carrying him toward Douglas.
"I warned your engine already when I locked him up with Daisy!" David growled. "You ever again disobey my father's engine like all the stunts Sailor John pulled on this railway, and so help me, you'll be JOINING HIM!"
And David threw Jock with all his might, slamming him into Douglas' boiler, who exclaimed with pain and shock. Jock got back on his feet and took off running. David chased right after him, while Emily, Donald and Douglas all followed as closely as they could. David kept swiping his sword through the air, while Jock kept ducking and dodging all he could as he ran. After quite a long while of fighting, raging thunder and lightning, and pursuit, the three engines had followed the two men to the top of the Harwick Branch Line.
There, the two men stopped briefly and stared into each other's eyes. Emily, Donald and Douglas all stared with fright at the two men. On one side, they saw Jock panting frantically, and on the other side, they could see David, his long hair blowing in the wind, and his eyes staring with fury, like a hungry hawks' eyes.
"I have failed you, captain! I have failed you," Jock exclaimed.
"I should have known Scotland was plotting to take over!" David shouted back.
"Captain Rider! Sailor John is evil!" Emily shouted.
"From my point of view, Donald and Douglas are evil!"
"Well then, you are LOST!" Jock boomed.
David suddenly lunged forward and gave Jock a vicious kick toward the engines, which sent him collapsing to the ground. At that moment, Jock's wife came running over and stopped where she was, gaping with shock at the sight of her downed husband. This caught David's eye, and he decided to exploit the current situation.
"Ahh. Love," he teased, smiling vainly. "A dreadful bond. And yet…so easily severed."
"That is a LIE!" Emily wheeshed angrily. "My relationship with Thomas is special and unbreakable beyond any measure, as are the other engine couples and their relationships! You cannot sever love! Not with a thousand swords!"
"Hah! What of it, over this fool who made his engine crash into you only today?!" David growled. Then he slowly lowered his sword, pointing it right at Jock's heart. "Tell me, Jock…do you fear death?"
Emily couldn't bear to watch or speak for the matter and shut her eyes tight, whimpering for what would come next…
While Emily was frightened and lost in her nightmare, Percy had been experiencing a nightmare of his own…
Percy was in the Himalayan Mountains. Snow was falling everywhere, and he did not like the look of the mountain he was climbing. The clouds were dark grey and the mountain looked so big and ominous. Then as Percy looked higher up the slopes, to his shock and surprise, he saw Thomas. As the clouds darkened and the snow became heavier, Percy felt worried for his friend. He remembered hearing Thomas and Nia's story when he came home from his first world adventure, and it seemed a little too real for Percy right now.
"Thomas! Thomas!" Percy called. Thomas was too far up the mountain to hear as the wind howled. Percy called a few more times, to no avail.
Then, as if right out nowhere, the entire top slope suddenly slipped away. Percy gaped in horror at what he saw. He could hear a rush of air, a crunching sound of the snow, and then, a loud, roaring rumble as the entire slope dropped away and began surging down the mountain. As the snow built up and intensified down the mountain, Percy's gaze turned downward to his best friend. His voice stuck in his throat as he watched the whole mountain start to slide, funneling the snow down toward his best friend. Then suddenly, it all let loose.
"THOMAS!" Percy yelled in his loudest possible voice.
"What?!" Thomas yelled back.
"RUN!"
Almost that quickly, the whole mountain began to shake and rumble around the two engines. The tracks began to vibrate violently. The slope had come to life. Thomas looked up, yelled in panic and steamed away up the mountain as fast as he could. Percy could not believe his eyes. If he stood any chance of saving his friend, there was no time to hesitate. Not a second to waste. Percy hastily followed, trying with all his might to reach his best friend before it was too late. Thomas was trying to reach the tunnel like Nia did…but just like Nia, the avalanche suddenly snatched Thomas off the rails, and he began slipping down the slope, just as Nia did when he found her again. He slipped further and further down the slope, right past Percy, until he suddenly stopped at the ledge, gasping and panting like he never did before as he stared into the snowy abyss, thousands of feet below. It was just like Nia. But this time, it was Thomas who was on the edge of falling to the end, and Percy was there to watch in horror.
"Thomas, come on!" Percy wailed.
His crew hitched a chain to Thomas' back coupling and Percy began pulling as hard and frantically as he could, his wheels slipping wildly. But the ledge of the mountain broke away under Thomas and he began falling again, pulling Percy with him.
"Ahh! PERCY!" Thomas yelled with utmost fright.
"Thomas! Hang on!" Percy wailed desperately as he whistled loud and long.
He puffed and pulled his hardest, but his wheels kept slipping and he could not haul Thomas back up. He spun his wheels until they hurt and huffed until his face was deep red. But it was too late. Percy's back coupling couldn't hold the weight or the rate at which Thomas was sliding down. And just as Percy was about to be pulled off the rails, his coupling suddenly snapped, and Thomas plummeted down the mountainside into the snowy abyss below!
"PERCY-Y-Y-Y!" Thomas shrieked all the way down.
"THOMA-A-A-AS!" Percy shrieked back.
"Thoma-a-a-as…! Thoma-a-a-as…!" his voice echoed loudly through the mountains and he watched helplessly as Thomas fell further and further down the mountain, getting smaller and smaller until at last, Percy saw him disappear in a big puff-up of snow far below…and there was silence.
"Thomas…T…THOMAS!" Percy blared into the cold winter air. "Come back! COME BACK…!"
Percy's eyes popped open and he felt most frightened. "Thomas!" he panicked and whimpered frantically.
Just a moment later, Emily's eyes popped open too and she panicked and whimpered a little herself over the nightmare she had been having.
"Donald! Douglas!" she exclaimed.
But within moments, she suddenly remembered she was still in Tidmouth Sheds, and it dawned upon her what time of year it was, and that David and her brother figures were doing very well together. She fondly remembered the Hogmanay Celebration she and Nia arranged for Donald and Douglas, then when they lent their help to David saving the Sea Emperor, which made her sigh with relief.
But Percy was much more frightened over his nightmare. He rushed to the turntable and turned right around to Emily's berth, then rushed right up to her buffers.
"Emily! Emily!" he panicked, panting and shaking with fright. He turned to the empty berth and panicked even more. "Thomas! It's Thomas!"
"What do you mean, Percy? A bad dream?" asked Emily.
"Yes!" Percy panicked. "I was in the Himalayan Mountains! Snow was everywhere…then I saw Thomas higher up the mountain! A huge avalanche began cascading down toward him! I tried to save him, like he tried to save Nia! But…I was too late! I couldn't save him…and he…he…he fell off the mountain! And then…!"
Emily softly buffered closer to her scared little son figure, figuring out what must have happened in his nightmare.
"Shh…Percy…Shh…" she whispered. "Thomas is nowhere near the Himalayan Mountains right now. He's in India right now, remember? There are no snowy mountains there, as far as I know. It's mid-June right now, and he's with Ashima. He's alright."
Percy felt a little better as he remembered that, but after the nightmare he had just had, he was shaking rather heavily all over.
"Percy? Are you okay?" Emily asked, a little worried.
"I-I-I don't know, Emily," Percy shook. "Thomas…he…he isn't here to assure me! He isn't here to tell me he's alright…I know he's in India, where it's sure to be safer…but…oh, Emily! I miss him!"
"I miss him too, Percy," said Emily. "But he's alright. I promise you."
"I noticed you wake up with a fright too, Emily," Percy replied. "Did you have a bad dream too?"
"I did, Percy," said Emily. "I dreamt I had another accident caused by Donald and Douglas…and David went absolutely crazy, fighting Jock all he could! It was rather scary too, but when I woke up, I remembered how well David and my brother figures are doing. When his ship, the Sea Emperor was almost stolen, they both brought Phelps and Gallagher to stop the thieves after Gordon, Rebecca, Thomas and I helped haul his ship back into place."
"I see…but, oh, Emily! My nightmare was so scary! Oh, Thomas! I've never had a dream like that. It's just bad timing, since Thomas isn't here to make it certain beyond any doubt that he's alright. Please, will you help me, Emily?"
Emily looked at Percy, seeing the fear and nervousness in his eyes after such a frightful nightmare.
"Would another night at Knapford Sheds help you feel better?" she asked.
"I…I guess so…" Percy quivered. "I…I think."
Emily touched her nose to Percy's and smiled, her eyes twinkling beautifully in the stars. "Then come to bed with me, Percy. Let Mummy hold you close."
Percy's heart tingled greatly and he suddenly felt very safe as Emily softly pushed him across the turntable, and they huffed off together through the night until they came to Knapford Sheds. Once they were safe and warm inside the shed, Percy began to feel better, but still looked a little frightened. Emily decided to help him further and softly pressed her cheeks to his, cuddling him and humming softly.
"Your skin is so warm," Percy whispered as he felt her cheeks rubbing softly on his, and her warm breath passing gently along his face.
"I feel just like a mother keeping her baby warm," Emily smiled as she gave Percy a kiss on his chin. "I will always help you and make you feel safe, Percy. But most importantly as a mother figure, I want to make you happy."
"Thank you, mother. If your nightmare frightened you, I'd be happy to help," Percy said gently as he looked at her lovely face, her delightful smile and her beautiful eyes. "Your cheeks are so beautiful, Emily…would you like me to kiss them, and help you feel better too?"
Emily smiled and cooed sweetly. "Aww…Of course I would, Pip."
Percy blushed cutely when he heard the nickname Thomas came up with for him, as he leaned in and gave her left cheek a slow, but loving kiss. Percy immediately felt much better as he felt Emily's lovely, soft and warm cheek on his lips. Emily giggled quietly as she felt Percy kiss her. Then he turned to her right cheek and softly kissed her there too.
"Your…ooh…your kisses are so gentle, Percy…You're such a perfect little son," she smiled and blushed lightly. "Oh…he-he-he…Aww…"
"You know, Emily?" Percy peeped as he kissed her cheek again. "I did have a little wish to myself that I'd have a bad dream…just so I could feel you right here with me, making me feel safe again."
"Well, it looks like your little wish came true," Emily giggled.
"As I said before, Emily. Your cheeks are as warm and soft as a mother fox's fur to me."
"Thanks, sweetie," Emily smiled happily. "Mummy loves you, Percy…so much."
Soon, Percy managed to forget about the nightmare he had experienced that night and felt much safer with Emily in Knapford Sheds. In his gleeful, restored peace, he leaned down a little and gave Emily a kiss on her chin.
"What was that kiss for?" Emily giggled with delight.
"For making me feel much better, Emily," Percy said nicely. "I was so scared after my nightmare, and you brought me here to be with my favourite mother." And he very gently nibbled her cheeks a little, tickling her lightly.
"Oh, Percy, you little cutie!" Emily said with a light giggle in her voice. "Would you like me to help you now? I'll happily give you plenty of kisses to make you feel better."
"Oh, thank you, Emily," Percy smiled.
Oh, how Emily loved her cute, innocent and adorable baby! She buffered up and began to kiss his cheeks like a perfect mother. Soon, Percy felt warm and comfortable again. He stayed perfectly still and felt very happy, letting Emily kiss and cuddle him softly and gently.
"Mmm…Percy…" she purred quietly as she softly rubbed her nose to his. "Are you alright now?"
"Never better," he smiled from buffer to buffer. "Thank you so much, Emily. Now I know Thomas must be safe enough right now…"
Emily was very happy to hear this as she softly kissed his nose and gently let off steam, giving him a hug, just like she did when the two of them had a playful night tickling each other after such an uncomfortable day with the Troublesome Trucks.
"Oh, mother…I…I feel so safe with you..." Percy whispered as he began to feel sleepy, feeling Emily's warm steam all around him again.
"There, there, Percy," Emily whispered as she gave him a little kiss on his cheek. "I'm so happy to see you happy again. And thank you for helping me around my nightmare too. It's just what a mother and son would do for each other."
Eventually, Emily's steam disappeared and Percy yawned sleepily as he looked into Emily's eyes again.
"I love you, Percy. Goodnight, my adorable baby," she hummed sweetly.
"I love you, Emily. My sweet, lovely mother. Goodnight," Percy whispered.
They snuggled together and fell asleep again peacefully with a happy sigh, softly touching their cheeks together. This time, they had no more troubling dreams for the rest of the night, holding each other gently and heartfeltly as a perfect mother and son. Thomas would still have a few adventures in India before returning again with more stories to share. But before that, soon enough, Rebecca would find out something for herself…about Gordon.
OK, so Emily's nightmare barely makes any sense towards the end I'm well aware, but it's another Star Wars reference - "Revenge of the Sith" specifically - mainly because it's been a year since "Holding a Grudge" and Jeremy wanted to honor that anniversary. As for Percy's nightmare, it's supposed to be a prelude to "Panicky Percy", an episode that I hate and despite the fact that there is literally no hope of ever justifying Percy's paranoia in that episode. We'll get to that episode eventually, and I'm not looking forward to it. Until next time, leave your thoughts on this, and most importantly, please stay safe in these hard times.