NOT-SO-TROUBLESOME TRUCKS

It was a sunny day on the island, and an equally sunny engine pulled into Knapford with a broad smile.

"Have a lovely day!" Rebecca called to her disembarking passengers. Some of them waved back as they went into the station building. Rebecca grinned and was about to roll away when she heard a horn.

"Wait, Rebecca! I need to shunt your coaches away!" Rebecca looked back to see Stafford rolling up behind her, buffering up to the brake coach.

"Oh, there's no need for that, Stafford! I can take them to the yard myself!" Stafford blinked in shock.

"R-Really?"

"Of course! It's only polite. Besides, you shunters work so hard for us, may as well return the favor!" Rebecca whistled and cheerfully rolled out of the station, taking the express coaches with her. Stafford watched her leave, still trying to process what just happened.

"Gordon never shunts away his coaches," he mused.

Rebecca hummed to herself as she rolled into the shunting yard, but stopped when she noticed the unusual amount of engines sitting among the rolling stock, as if they were waiting for something. Rebecca braked to a halt beside Thomas, James and Percy.

"What's going on? Why are you all gathered here?" she inquired curiously.

"There's a rumour going around that the Fat Controller has a special train planned tomorrow!" Thomas explained excitedly.

"And I'm going to be the first to volunteer!" James smirked. Percy glared.

"No, I will!"

"Ha! Now I've heard everything. The Fat Controller would never choose you!"

"I can take specials too!" Percy protested. Thomas rolled his eyes as James and Percy started to argue. Rebecca watched worriedly, but her attention was diverted as in the distance, Winston could be seen rolling into the yard.

"Shush, you two! He's here!" Rebecca whispered frantically. The engines subsided as the Fat Controller jerked Winston to a halt near the four of them. Winston looked around at all the engines surrounding him and winced.

"Has anyone ever heard of personal space?" he muttered.

"What is going on here?" the Fat Controller demanded, "Why are you all-" He trailed off as the engines grinned at him expectantly. He sighed.

"So I suppose you've heard the rumour then."

"Yes, sir! Please, sir, pick me!" Percy pleaded, flashing a quick smirk at James, who momentarily pouted, but then smirked himself.

"Obviously, sir, you'd be much better off with me taking the special, whatever it is!" he boasted, rolling in front of Percy.

"Choose me, sir!" cried Thomas, rolling in front of both James and Percy, "I haven't pulled a special in ages!"

"You just took a special last week!" James snorted, "Leave some for the rest of us!" Thomas glared but before he could retort, the Fat Controller spoke first.

"Silence!" The yard quickly grew quiet as the engines watched in anticipation. The Fat Controller crossed his arms.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but please, settle down. The rumour is true-" The engines all gasped, except for Rebecca, who wasn't entirely sure what was going on. The Fat Controller held up his hand.

"There is a very important goods train that needs to be taken from here to Vicarstown tomorrow. Since you're all so eager, would one of you care to volunteer?" The engines shared awkward glances.

"Trucks?" Percy groaned in disappointment before reversing away.

"Troublesome Trucks?" Thomas huffed and followed Percy.

"No thank you," James scoffed in disgust and quickly trailed behind the tank engines. Rebecca watched in confusion as the rest of the engines disappeared like magic, leaving her the only one remaining. The Fat Controller smiled gratefully.

"Ah, Rebecca! Thank you! The trucks will be waiting here tomorrow morning. Don't worry about your express, you should be back in time to collect it." Before Rebecca could say anything, Winston, who was eager to leave as soon as possible, hurried away.

"Well, that was unexpected, wasn't it?" Rebecca thought aloud but wasn't deterred by the new development and kept her smile for the rest of the day.

That night, Rebecca rolled alongside Tidmouth Sheds as part of her usual routine before heading off to her shed.

"Hello, everyone! How was your day?" Rebecca's smile wavered as to her surprise, most of the engines in the sheds were giving her pitying looks.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No, it's not that, it's just… Why did you volunteer to take the Troublesome Trucks?" Thomas asked. Rebecca smiled sheepishly.

"Well, er, I didn't exactly volunteer, but I don't see what the fuss is about. It could be fun!" The engines stared at her in utter bewilderment.

"This is your first time pulling the Troublesome Trucks, isn't it, Rebecca?" Emily murmured knowingly.

"I suppose it is, yes. Say, why do you call trucks that?"

"Because they're troublesome," grumbled Thomas, "When I first took them, they pushed me down the hill, and I almost crashed through the buffers when I got to the bottom!" As Thomas recounted his experience, James couldn't help but snicker. Thomas shot him an unimpressed look.

"You actually had an accident, James. Remember the time you were also pushed down the hill and crashed into some tar tankers?" James grimaced.

"Don't remind me. That took hours to clean off!"

"The trucks pushed me once," chimed in Henry, "I crashed straight at the bottom of the hill. Was quite a mess." Rebecca gasped.

"Oh dear! That hill sounds very unlucky."

"Oh, not every accident happens there!" James smirked, "Once, Percy was pushed by the trucks right into a brake van!" He began to laugh.

"I'd only wish I'd been there to see it myself!" Percy's face reddened in embarrassment.

"I just didn't want to take the milk…" he mumbled meekly.

"My goodness! Have you ever had an accident like that, Gordon?" Rebecca asked. Gordon looked at his buffers.

"No, no, of course not. We express engines aren't meant to pull trucks anyway." Henry grinned at Rebecca.

"Don't let him fool you. He once had quite the tumble-"

"Henry! Don't be vulgar!" Gordon interrupted crossly. Rebecca was having trouble keeping her smile now; she couldn't help but feel just a little nervous. Edward, who was closest to her, noticed this.

"If you'd like, Rebecca," he whispered, "I can take the trucks for you." Rebecca assumed a determined expression.

"I appreciate the offer, Edward, but I can do it! Maybe the trucks just need someone to be nice to them!" Edward grinned encouragingly.

"That's the spirit! I'd say 'good luck', but I don't think you'll need it. I have a feeling you'll be just fine." Rebecca smiled back and started rolling away.

"Good night, everyone!" she called and puffed away into the night. The engines, barring Edward of course, exchanged a look.

"Place your bets, lads. If you lose, you have to shunt the winner's trains. I say she crashes while going down the hill," sneered James.

"I say she crashes while trying to stop at Vicarstown. Those brakes of hers are always finicky," said Gordon. Henry rolled his eyes, but got an idea and smirked.

"I bet she won't crash at all!" Gordon and James stared.

"Quite presumptuous, Henry," Gordon remarked.

"Well, Henry's definitely shunting someone's," James huffed. Henry just ignored them and grinned at Edward.

The following morning, although she was still a little nervous, Rebecca couldn't help but be excited as she rolled into the shunting yard.

"I wonder what they'll be like! I know they said they were troublesome, but they can't be that bad." She spotted a tired Stafford shunting a long line of trucks into position and rolled alongside.

"Good morning, Stafford! Oh my, you look exhausted."

"I am," Stafford panted wearily, "I was honoured when I was told to shunt the special, but these trucks have been playing tricks all morning. I'd watch your tender if I were you, Rebecca." Rebecca glanced at the trucks, who were eyeing her with wicked delight.

"I don't usually watch my tender, but there's a first time for everything, I suppose," she remarked innocently as she backed down onto her train. Stafford raised an eyebrow but didn't comment as he reversed away. Rebecca whistled and was about to get the train moving when she heard a whistle.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Rebecca?" Emily asked worriedly as she rolled alongside.

"Not quite, but that's part of the adventure, isn't it? I'm sure these trucks can be won over. Anyway, I best be going now! Can't be late, can I? I'll see you at the sheds tonight, Emily!" Rebecca called as she began pulling the heavy trucks. Emily winced at the trucks, who were already giggling wildly.

"Or the Steamworks…" she muttered cynically.

Soon, Rebecca was out on the main line with her special train. She could hear the trucks whispering to each other, though not what they were saying. She decided to pluck up courage.

"Good morning! My name's Rebecca!" she called back to the trucks. The trucks stopped whispering immediately and exchanged confused looks.

"Huh?" a truck called loudly. Rebecca frowned.

"Oh! I thought it was polite to say 'good morning.' What do you prefer?" The trucks just looked even more confused.

"What's happening?" a truck whispered hoarsely.

"I don't know! No one ever tells us 'good morning!'" the truck in front of it replied nervously. Rebecca overheard this and gasped.

"No one ever tells you 'good morning?' Well, that's rather rude, I think." The trucks glanced at each other.

"Should we still bump her?" a truck asked, somewhat meekly.

"Of course we should!" grumbled another, "She's fresh meat!" The other trucks seemed reluctant, but nonetheless started singing.

"Rebecca's pulling us along, Rebecca's pulling us along, Rebecca's pulling us along, give her a bump!" they sang, clearly struggling to make it insulting. They surged forward, giving Rebecca a small bump.

"Oh!" she cried, feeling the trucks' buffers biff her tender, "That was also a bit rude. You wouldn't like me bumping you, would you?" The trucks fell silent, unsure of how to respond.

"...no," one mumbled. Rebecca smiled.

"Exactly! I didn't know you trucks liked singing, though. I don't think I have much of a singing voice myself, but I could always join in if you want." The trucks raised eyebrows at each other. It was going to be a very interesting journey indeed.

At the bottom of Gordon's Hill, James had stopped on his way from Maron with a goods train.

"When's that hot box going to cool down?" he grumbled, "I have to get a good run at this hill someday."

"Be patient, James," soothed his driver, "It'll cool down eventually." James scowled as the culprit giggled behind him.

"Not soon enough. I hope Rebecca's having a better time than I am." Meanwhile, on the other side of the hill, Rebecca was nearing the top. She panted as she surged up the steep slope.

"Goodness me, this hill's quite a bit harder to climb with trucks." She realized what she said and looked back sheepishly.

"Not to offend you or anything!" The trucks hadn't paid attention, however, as they were more focused on each other.

"Right! We've got her right where we want her," smirked a truck, "Let's push 'er down!" The other trucks looked at each other uncertainly, but murmured in agreement.

"On three, lads!" called the truck, "One…" Rebecca was just making it over the top of the hill. The trucks all along the train looked ready to push.

"Two…" the truck said, sounding less confident than before. James could see Rebecca and the trucks from where he was at the bottom and began watching intently.

"Three!" cried the truck, somewhat weakly. Rebecca started sailing down the other side of the hill, whooping and cheering as she gained speed. The trucks, however, didn't surge forward and simply let Rebecca roll along naturally. Her brakes came on with their signature groan, and by the time she reached the bottom, she had regained control of the train. James was stunned.

"R-Rebecca?"

"Oh, hello, James!" Rebecca called cheerfully as she roared past, "Lovely day we're having!" James blinked in surprise as Rebecca and the train puffed out of sight.

"Well, that was anticlimactic…" he muttered.

Rebecca continued on her way along the main line, unaware of the turmoil her train was going through.

"Weren't we… supposed to push her?" a truck asked plainly.

"Yeah, but… I didn't want to? I'm not sure why," the one behind it mused.

"I thought I was the only one!" another truck gasped, and soon a chorus of agreement rang among the trucks. Rebecca looked back, confused.

"What's going on back there?" The trucks quieted down. Rebecca, suspecting nothing, dropped it from her mind. The trucks sighed with relief.

"Alright, alright, we're trucks! This engine can't just push us around," a truck huffed bitterly.

"Yeah! If we don't want to push her, then we should… uh… hold her back instead!" agreed another.

"At Crovan's Gate! She won't suspect it, and we'll stop her right in her tracks!" giggled the last truck before the brake van. The other trucks seemed conflicted, but nonetheless agreed and began plotting their scheme.

At Crovan's Gate, Gordon was standing proudly at the platform with the express. Every so often, he would glance anxiously at the other tracks of the main line. Skarloey, from the narrow gauge track, couldn't help but notice.

"Something the matter, Gordon?" Gordon jumped and smiled sheepishly.

"Of course not, Skarloey. Nothing to be concerned about."

"Well, alright, if you say so." Skarloey whistled and rolled away with his coaches. Gordon glanced at the track beside him.

"Rebecca ought to be flying through any moment. Poor engine… Her first time pulling trucks too. I did try to warn her." He sighed mournfully.

"Now I'll have to just be the singular express engine again while she's being repaired… Hope it won't take long." As Gordon was talking to himself, Rebecca was approaching the station throat with her trucks.

"Right, we're almost there! Let's hold back!" cried a truck. The trucks began doing so, tugging as hard as they could. Rebecca felt the jolt from her tender and began to slow down.

"Oh! What's that?" Gordon noticed Rebecca approaching and gaped as she came in not speeding at all, but slowing down.

"H-Huh?" Gordon stammered as Rebecca rolled through the station, looking rather worried.

"Is something the matter, trucks? I didn't hurt any of you, did I? I'm so sorry if I did, I'm not quite used to trucks, I'm afraid." The trucks stared first at Rebecca, then at each other.

"She… cares about us?" a truck uttered, confused. Their bewilderment soon turned into guilt.

"What have we been doing? She's one of the only good ones!" a truck wailed. The other trucks agreed and immediately stopped holding back.

"Nothing's wrong, Rebecca!" the front truck cried. Rebecca sighed with relief.

"Oh, thank goodness! I can just be a bit clumsy sometimes." The train rolled along in silence for a few minutes before a truck spoke up.

"Um… Rebecca? You wouldn't mind taking up that offer to join our singing, would you?"

Henry rolled gently into Vicarstown station, having just returned from taking a goods train to the mainland. He sighed happily, looking around at the familiar landscape. Suddenly, in the distance he could hear what sounded like…

"Is that singing?" he muttered.

"Rebecca's pulling us along, Rebecca's pulling us along, Rebecca's pulling us along, we're almost done!" the trucks chorused. Rebecca grinned and joined in.

"I love pulling trucks along, I love pulling trucks along, I love pulling trucks along, they're lots of fun!" Henry could hardly believe what he was seeing as both Rebecca and the trucks laughed. The unusual train came to a stop at the platform,

"Rebecca?" Henry gasped in surprise. Rebecca grinned at him.

"Hi, Henry! I don't see how these trucks are so 'troublesome' for you, I've never had so much fun working!" Henry glanced between Rebecca and the trucks, who surprisingly looked equally as cheerful.

"Well, I never…" Henry then burst out laughing. Rebecca looked on curiously.

"Henry? What's so funny?" Henry hastily cleared his throat.

"Er, never mind, Rebecca, it's nothing." He whistled and quickly rolled away, immediately starting to laugh again when he thought Rebecca couldn't hear him. She glanced back at the trucks.

"I wonder what that was all about." She smiled warmly.

"Ah well, I suppose it doesn't matter. See you all! I hope we get to work together again soon!" Rebecca was uncoupled and cheerfully rolled away to be turned around. The trucks glanced at each other and smiled.

That night, the engines were returning to Tidmouth Sheds after a hard day's work. Henry backed into his berth, snickering. Gordon raised an eyebrow at him.

"And just what's on your mind, Henry?" Henry smirked, about to explain when the engines heard a familiar whistle.

"Is that… Rebecca?" gasped Percy. Indeed, a large yellow tender engine drew to a halt beside the sheds without a single scratch on her.

"Evening, all! How was your day?"

"But… But we thought you crashed!" spluttered Emily in shock.

"Well, not all of us," muttered Henry, glancing at Edward. Rebecca laughed.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm just fine! Those trucks were wonderful! You needn't call them 'troublesome,' I don't think they like that much." The engines gaped and looked ready to protest when Edward interrupted.

"I knew you'd be alright, Rebecca. Some of us are just more… pessimistic."

"Don't ruin your image, Rebecca," Gordon cut in bluntly, "You're still an express engine. You can't just pull… trucks all the time."

"Oh? I think you should give it a go sometime, it's quite fun! Good night, everyone!" Rebecca whistled and rolled away. Gordon sputtered, but Henry looked much more cheerful.

"Well, well, well! Rebecca didn't crash whatsoever! Do you know what that means?" Gordon and James stared in bewilderment before eventually realizing just what he was talking about. Their faces paled.

"W-Wait, Henry-" But Henry cut Gordon off.

"It means I won the bet!" Henry burst into laughter as Gordon and James looked at each other in horror. The other engines soon enough joined in laughing.

"...let's never make a bet again," Gordon whispered to James. James silently agreed with him.

Author's Note: And here we have another Season 23 rewrite! Writing this actually quite a pain for me since Chucklesome Trucks (yeah I changed the title of the adaptation since that title is terrible) didn't really have a lot to work with. I tinkered with it to produce this, probably so far the adaptation that changes the most from the original, aside from maybe Seeing is Believing. I removed the main trio having accidents since I couldn't really find a way to make it flow well, plus I wanted to focus more on Rebecca and the trucks. Instead, the big engines (with James still being present) make a bet and I'm really happy with how that thread turned out, gave some color to the story. Next time will definitely be a rewrite of Panicky Percy, but just who will it center around? Percy or someone else? I'll leave you to ponder that until I get it done, which'll hopefully be soon.