"Move out meh wey, I'll do it meh-self."

"Why don't ya just move and then I'd be able to reach it!"

"I wouldnae be surprised if the whole' traihn jus' flat fehll off the raihls."

Number 9 pulled jauntily into Callan station, bumping it's coaches uncharacteristically as Donald and Oliver shoved each other away from the controls. Oliver was shadowing Donald to learn the coastal line and the two, while off to an friendly start, were now butting heads for control.

"This is MY engine!" Donald crowed as he took a step back and let his arms flail wildly.

"Well how am I s'posed to get any feel for the line if I can't see it around your big head!"

Oliver grabbed a tuft of his hair in frustration, his cap long gone somewhere along the previous stretch of track.

Toad, who'd been sitting at the floorboards with his head out the cab's side, turned from watching the back of the train and let out a raspy 'Arf!'

"I couldnae agree moore Toad. You should be drivin'."

Despite the minor hostilities between he and Oliver, Donald had been thrilled at the prospect of having the 'wee pup' along for the ride.

"Toad wha–? Some friend you are!" Oliver faked his disgust.

"Hold yer wheesht. Yeh hear tha'?" Donald said leaning down next to the mutt. In a high pitched voice he teased.

"Ooh yah Mister Donald, please le' me drive the traihn. Mr. Oliver has nae a chance of gettin' us back home in time for suppehr!"

"Well now that's just rude." Oliver frowned as Donald roared laughing.

The two stepped off the footplate with Oliver telling Toad to 'Stay'. Both made their way to the small refreshment stand at the far end of the platform.

"Soh." Donald began through a mouthful of scone. "How are yeh fairin' wit' island life?"

Oliver swallowed his bit of chip butty and took a contemplative breath. The railway was huge in comparison to the small yard he was accustomed to being stuck in. He loved the sense of having so much track to explore, but expectations were high. He'd been filled in on why he'd been brought and that his employment was to be 'pending/temporary' until such a time as Sir Topham Hatt had made a decision. He itched under his arm and spoke.

"Ya know it's not bad. It's a gorgeous railway. And all things considered, being latched to you for my first week has at least been bearable."

Oliver smirked as Donald licked his fingers clean.

"Well well well. Surely tha's the highes' praise I could ever hope to get." Donald mused before smirking back.

"OCH AYE! If it isn' feckin'... Shoo! SHOO yeh scavengers!"

Donald took off back toward Number 9 as a cluster of ducks had begun circling the engine.

"I swear James, I know what I saw!"

Percy, James, and Duck were all mingling between platforms 3 and 4 and Knapford. Having just explained the mysterious roving lights from his night excursion, Percy had been met with skepticism.

"And I'll ask you again. Where exactly did you hit your head last night?"

James sniggered while Duck gave Percy a sympathetic look.

"You know Percy, if you really have been working double shifts and late nights…. Your eyes could be playing tricks on you."

Percy fumed and clenched his fists. He couldn't stand not being taken seriously.

"It came past me on the rails with two bright lights! It was fast like an engine but not as big. And when I YELLED at it—" Percy emphasized loudly, "It did not respond back."

"You sound like a lunatic Percy. Should I tell Sir Topham Hatt you need to be checked into an institution?" James taunted. Playfully fanning himself with his red handkerchief as he gave Duck a 'cuckoo' gesture.

"Well now hold on a second." Duck havered momentarily, "What if… Percy isn't seeing things."

James straightened up abruptly and put a hand on the new driver's shoulder.

"Duck, I'll tell you right now. If you think Percy is right I'll request you shadow in another engine right now."

"Well hear me out." Duck brushed away James' hand.

"Think about it. Something smaller than an engine. Two lights and moved quickly. Now I've heard of them, but haven't ever seen one. Could you tolerate the idea that it might be a Road-Rail automobile?"

All three stood in silence as they thought.

"I'm sorry. A what?" James puzzled vocally.

"You know, one of those autos that can run on rails. If you picture two lights as headlights, smaller than an engine… I don't think it's THAT outlandish!" Duck defended as James gave him a grimace

Percy however had begun bouncing on his toes, feeling the vindication. All the components lined up, and as Percy thought more about it, he remembered the sheen of metal that had blurred by the first time he saw the object.

"DUCK! I THINK THAT'S IT! IT HAS TO BE!"

Percy was shouting as people on the platforms turned, alarmed at this enthusiastic man.

"Well I think you've both lost it." James shook his head, rethinking his entire life up to this point.

"Noo look at this mess. There's poo everywhere. Absoluteleh revolting tha'" Donald said looking across the spanse of Number 9's tender.

Oliver jogged up and took in the sight.

"Well at least now if anyone says you're a piece of shite you've got proof."

He chuckled to himself as Donald threw a haphazard piece of coal at him. One lone duck fluttered down off the station roof and sat comfortable at the top of the coal stack.

"Aye no. Git off yeh feckin' creature. I'm no'a zoo." Donald hollered gesturing at both the duck and Toad who had been unperturbed by the recent skirmish. He sat planted on the floorboards, panting gently.

"Ooh Mister Donal' I'm soo sorreh I didnae bark an' save yehr train frohm poo" Donald voiced the wee pup.

Both he and Oliver laughed as the each pulled a handkerchief and tried to rub off what they could from the engine's exterior. It was then the station manager burst from his door and called out, phone in hand.

"Oi Donald!"

"Noo whaaaa'" Donald groaned as he threw his filthy handkerchief to the ground.

"Guess who just got discharged from the hospital!"

I'm sorry if parts of this chapter were a bit crass. Once I started I couldn't stop.

I'm still messing about with how to work Oliver and Toad's dynamic, but having Donald give Toad his 'voice' I think opens up some different avenues of giving him personality.

We're almost to the halfway point gang! We've established our characters and have fleshed out our main plot points. I'm projecting the story to be about 26 chapters (same as an episode count for a season), and hopefully that leeway will help funnel good pacing as things begin to ramp up in the next few chapters.

I've one more character I'm trying to determine how to introduce, but I've been given ideas and I think my execution can stick the landing.

All the thanks to Cherry Lau and RaceFanGurl for their continued review support (RFG keep an eye out for Number 3 details ;)) And thanks to Scrub1910 for the good conversation about my character's development.

As always thank you for reading! -REN