It was a hot June day on the island of Sodor the sun was shinning, birds were chirping away, kids were playing and the engines hard at work. It would have been perfect had it been without the arrival of the Duke of Boxford's private engine, Spencer. He was an LNER A4 Pacific painted in silver, nameplate right next to his smokebox and a rather fancy red coach to boot.

He was now speeding down the line, appearing only as a blur to the engines he passed by on his way to the duke and dutchess' summer house. Spencer let a long shriek of his whistle as the streamlined engine whooshed over the Vickerstown bridge. "Ah, Sodor.. haven't been here in years." He said to himself as he thundered on but he saw something that made him grin and slow down..."Gordon." They First meet each other in 1949 when Spencer was first brought to the island by the Duke and Duchess. At first the two got along well but after they started to mention their siblings' specifically Flying Scottsman and Mallard's speed records the former LNER engines formed a rivalry over who was faster. "Hello, cousin." "Hello Spencer." Grumbled the express engine who's day was now spoiled because of him. "Did you know your such a slowpoke, if you keep this up then maybe I'll pull the express from now on!" And with that he sped away from a red and an extremely pissed Gordon. Spencer sped pass the others, whistling loudly as he flew by startling them in the process.

Later in tidmouth Gordon was complaining about him to the others. "He is an absolute annoyance." He began, "Disgraceful!" "Disgusting, he'll never be as shiny as I am!" Said James. "He's despicable! "Added Henry, "I don't know why the Duke and Duchess keep such an engine!" The rest for once actually agreed to the their complaints.

Then a familiar whistle filled the air, much to the engines displeasure. A silver tender came into view backing onto the set of buffers right next to Thomas' birth, it's owner smirking. "Good evening my fellow engines." He greeted, but the others didn't feel the same way and remained silent. "I see...not very talkative are you Sudrians." "Yeah, when your around you giant silver ass!" Shouted Gordon. "You push everyone around and expect everyone to kiss your buffers as if you were some royalty." Added Henry, "And your a bully!" Said Percy. "How about you find somewhere else to sleep Spencer." Puffed Thomas, this had mad the proud A4 cross. "How dare you!" He wheeshed, hissing steam at them. "You're all weak and inferior to me! I can pull a train heavier and faster then you'll could ever do, not to mention I'm an important engine serving very important people, every last one of you are nothing more then commoners who work on your pathetic little island taking pathetic deliveries." Now everyone was furious! He had not only disrespected them, he also disrespected their home. The engines all started to shout profanities at the private engine, it was only until a lone whistle shut them up followed by a feminine voice.

"Hey! What going on here? I could here you all the way across the yard!" Everyone turned their attention to Emily who crept to a halt on the turntable. "It was that rude, oversized tin can! Said Percy, he was usually the sweetest of them but like the others he had enough of Spencer, "He came here to our sheds to insult us and belittle our work." She looked over to Spencer whom suffice to say, he was baffled when he saw the Stirling. "Hold up, I though you were in the National collection in York?" "That's my brother Stirling, and if what they say are true then you must leave at once!" Spencer chuckled, "What's so funny?" Asked Emily oblivious.

"You of course! Why look at you, so old fashioned!" "Old fashioned?! I may be older but that doesn't mean I'm-" "Really useful?" He interrupted, "You my dear are slow, weak, irreverent and should've been scraped ages ago!" The engines weren't too happy with this and shouted at him to stop but he continued his verbal bombardment. "At least your brother's in a museum, I bet the fat controller was desperate and took you out of a museum to pull light goods trains! Pitiful I say! If you want proof then just look at your wheels." Now that stung, Emily now looked more hurt then ever. "They're way too big to belong to a proper engine, I guess your a steamroller then?" "Spencer! Stop this at once!" Ordered Toby but the streamlined engine didn't care. "Don't get me started on your ugly paint and ugly frames, and dome less to boot!" The floodgates began to crack as each insult cutting deeper and deeper. "As a matter of fact, why don't you take yourself to the scrapyard were you'll truly be useful..." That was her breaking point, without another word she shot backwards and out of sight leaving Spencer with seven extremely livid engines whom had daggers in their eyes...


Thomas sped down the mainline, his eyes darting towards every station, every siding and every place could be. "Thomas, why don't we go back to the shed and search in the morning." Said Thomas' driver, it is now nighttime and along with his coworker Allen was getting tired. "Driver, we can't stop until we find her! If you won't then i'll do it myself!" Even though engines could move on their own as long they had coal, water or fuel but by railway regulations they needed crews to pull trains. "Fine but we better hurry, let's try Arlesdale, it's quite stop." "That it! Adam you're a genius, we gotta check Black Loch! Oh why didn't I think of it before?!" Steamed Thomas happily, he went even faster to meet up with the Stirling. But little did he know that later down the road he'd have bigger problems to worry about.


In the dead of the night came the sounds of engines purring as three diesels made their way across the island to their destination carful not to alert anyone of their presence. "Are we there yet?" Groaned Splatter, "No you idiot, and why don't you shut up." Oiled Dodge. "No you!" "You! "You!" "You!" "You!" "Quite or else you both and Pinchy can get a little closer!" Diesel 10 growled as his claw rose up in the air. But suddenly there was a shriek blast from whistle followed by a yell. A silver engine went speeding from another track just a few yards ahead with three engines one blue, one green and the other one red close behind. The diesels stopped and waited a minute before continuing, "you're lucky those puffballs didn't hear us." Said the class 42 in a hushed voice.

It wasn't long until they reached Sodor Ironworks, the three moved past the piles of old, rusted scrap laying by the side of the tracks. This was it, it was a long journey but they had made it, the two large doors of the smelter's shed slowly opened allowing them to enter. The room was glowing red with heat radiating from the finance, suddenly the doors behind them closed shut and the two class 08's yelped. "Welcome to our home." Another duo of class 08s appeared in front of them. "Arry and Burt, what a pleasure to meet the infamous massagers of doom." He greeted smiling warmly at the two, "No It's our honor to meet you." Said Arry, "We heard stories of you before we arrived here." Said Burt. Diesel 10 gladly soaked in all the near endless praise he started receiving from the ironworks diesels until his two sidekicks jumped in.

"Boss, remember when you were chasing a tank engine. Started Dodge, Splatter chuckled , "And he ended up getting coal all over him!" The two bursted out laughing with Arry and Burt slowly backing up. Dong! Dong! Diesel 10 with Pinchy banged the bumbling idiots over there cabs loudly. "What did I say about interrupting you rattle traps?! That never happened, those teapots are weak useless junk, non of them could ever appose me!" All of the smaller diesels gulped. "Know what, that's it im gonna sent ya to your maker!" Splatter and Dodge closed their eyes as they prepared to get scraped on the spot when a whistle stop the raging warship.

There's no need for that." Said a slick voice. There the diesels stood there silently listening to the sounds of pistons pumping crept ever closer until a steam engine appeared from the blood red smoke. "Oh ummm hey, w-w-we were expecting you." Stuttered Diesel 10, his terrifying demeanor was quickly replaced with one of fear. The steam engine scanned the ironworks twins, "I presume you have recruited them, ay?" He once again spoke, his scowl still as a painting which was unnerving to them all. "Yes." Said Arry. "Why are you even here silly steamie?" Asked Burt, he in a blink of an eye shot forward slamming Burt back and into a line of trucks with a crash the echoed through the smelters. "You better shut it before I make sure you wish you were dead you fool! " The steam engine and diesel were face to face with Burt shaking in fear while the engine took in a deep breath. He then reversed back right next to Diesel 10.

Now then...If you succeed then you all shall be rewarded, now...does everyone know what they are doing?" "Yes." All the diesels said in unison terrified of what he could do next. "Good..now prepare, tomorrow our work starts." He then disappeared into the smoke where he first appeared.


Crickets chirped and the wind whistled through the tree as Thomas puffed down the lonely line of track, trying to find his friend. He had went down the black loch branch but the tank engine was getting more and more anxious by the minute. As he neared the bend the went adjacent to Black loch Thomas along with his crew heard a faint noise and they stopped, listening carefully what it was and they quickly knew the source. Hastily Adam and Allen climbed down from their engine's cab. "Wait, where you going?" He whispered, "Sorry but this was your idea so you're on your own.." Replied Allan. "Yeah...If you need us we'll be right behind." Said Adam as he with Allen walked into the thick, dark woods. Thomas presumed they would be on the rock face but there was an equal chance they'd run. 'Botheration.' Thomas thought to himself.

Nervously he trundled forward with the sound of sniffing getting louder up he could see her, 'Does she not hear me?' He thought to himself. "Who's there?" 'And she does.' "I-I me, Thomas." He then stopped when he got a better look.

The moonlight like the lake reflected of her beautiful paint and boiler, it would have almost looked like a painting if it weren't for her face. Now it was just as gorgeous if not more but lines of tears had formed below her watery eyes that looked away from him and towards Black loch. "What do you want?" She said the words filled with bitterness, Thomas summoned all the courage inside of him. "After Spencer... We were worried and I came to find you." Emily simply scoffed, "Worried about an ol' timer like me? Ive heard more convincing from trucks." Those words hurt but Thomas no matter would hold his ground. "Emily, we care- " "Why don't you just go away! It's all the same, they say that they'll be beside you and then leave you. I had to watch my brothers and sisters one by one replaced by faster, stronger engines while everyone smiled secretly waited for the day I would be written off! Now go! NOW!" He flinched, he'd known she'd be upset but no this upset.

Not wanting to further anger her and sadly puffed away to give Emily time to relax. "Is it true?..." Thomas immediately stopped, he hesitantly returned back by her side. "What about?" The Stirling looked down at her buffers, "What Spencer said, about my wheels?" She wheeshed quietly A lump instantly formed that Thomas swallowed. "Oh heavens no Emily! They're beautiful!" She widen her eyes in surprise, "T-They do?" "Yes! They make you unique! And that fact that you've got to this point after so long is more then an amazing achievement. As a matter of fact everything Spencer said was wrong, you are absolutely gorgeous." 'Beautiful? Amazing? Gorgeous?' Her cheeks turned light pink from thinking about his words. "Your kind and helps anyone in need, like the time when you tried to help Henry when we all didn't believe him." Thomas said referring when Emily found out the big green engine was leaking water and he along with Percy teased him about being ill. "So don't listen to that twat, you're useful just the way you are."

Emily began to giggle alit much to Thomas' confusion, "What's so funny?" He asked. "Well.. was it your plan to flatter me? You sure have a way with words." She looked back at Black Loch, the soothing sound of water gently moving back and forth. "It's peaceful here isn't it?" She said and Thomas gazed at the beautiful sight but then a small flickering light moved across the water. It made it way in front of the two engines, turning out to be a firefly. The tiny insect fly around until lt land on Emily's nose caused Thomas to chuckle a little. "Oh dear, it's getting late." Sighed the blue tank engine just before he load a small yawn. "Yeah, let's get back home." Agreed Emily as the two puffed away.


"I knew leaving him was a bad idea." Groaned Allen as he and Adam pushed their old, little and squeaky handcar down the mainline. "Cheeky tank engine." Mumered Adam, "God only knows what he's-" "Don't...just don't mate..." And they continued on thinking about how much they were going to scold him ruthlessly.


Finally Emily and Thomas backed into the Knapford coach shed, both of them letting off steam. "Thomas..." he looked at her as she thought about her next words. "Im sorry, about the way I snapped at you. You were only trying to help." Then Thomas smirked, "No worry's, we all have our moments." He said. "Say I have an idea! Tomorrow how about we...weeeee..." Much to Emily amusement Thomas fell straight to sleep before he could finish his sentence. "Good night Thomas." Whispered Emily as she too drifted to sleep.


Well there we go! Another chapter completed! I must say I'm dreadfully sorry for the long wait, from my real-life getting busy to having to take a break to forget that abomination of that teaser, I honestly don't think I've cringed so hard in my life. Unfortunately it appears that the show we all grew up watching is now done for but that doesn't mean the fandom is too! It's people like me and you that keep the Reverend's vision alive through fanfiction, youtube, modeling, collecting and sharing it with the next generation. It's been Pepper gum and see you in the next chapter!