The next day, Stephanie woke up early in the morning before stiffening at the thought of being inside the basement after being relaxed.

She unexpectedly enjoyed a good dinner last night, using her manners and acting as a well-mannered child.

But she did fall asleep on the chair after having dinner, not recalling what happened with the rest of the memory.

So, taking her chance to look, Stephanie peeked from underneath the blanket she was hiding, noticing she was back in the same room that the butler showed her to.

She was even wearing the same pajamas that Dowager Hatt bought for her while shopping.

It is a long-sleeved light blue shirt with dark blue pants that reached down to her ankles.

Sighing, Stephanie laid her head back down on the soft pillow in relief before deciding to get out of bed.

She fears getting Sir Topham Hatt or Dowager Hatt cross.

Once she had gotten up from the bed and sat on the side, Stephanie glanced down at her hands to check them.

They are still bandaged with new bandages after eating dinner but did need a good change.

They do not sting anymore, and perhaps the scratches have already dried up.

Stephanie ignored the bandages on her hands and switched from her pajamas into her usual clothes.

It was her sweater, a long-sleeve blue shirt, blue jeans, and light pink shoes with sky blue shoelaces.

She stepped out of her room and gently closed the door behind her back before seeing Alice walking down the other side of the hallway, carrying a laundry basket in her hands.

"Hello, Ms. Alice." Stephanie politely greeted her as she walked by her as she followed by her side.

"Good morning, Stephanie." Alice smiled softly. "How did you sleep?"

Pausing, Stephanie thought about her sleeping, rubbing her left arm in thought.

She remembers times when she had to wake up super early and do many chores, unable to sleep much at night.

"I slept well, Ms. Alice." Stephanie smiled. "I suppose Sir Topham Hatt is waiting for me downstairs?"

"Yes, he is," Alice nodded her head. "You should eat breakfast first, though. It helps your energy."

Stephanie smiled and quickly hugged her around the waist before releasing and saying, "Thank you," and went down the stairs.

Alice paused for a moment after Stephanie hugged her, as Reginald came over, glancing down at Stephanie as she stepped down the stairs, saying, "She is very well-mannered."

"I know," Alice smiled softly. "Her foster-father taught her very well."

Stephanie was slightly saddened after hearing the conversation between the two before changing her mood as she turned around the corner, stopping when she saw Sir Topham Hatt instead of Dowager Hatt.

"Ah, Stephanie," he smiled as Reginald came over and pulled a chair out for Stephanie. "Come here. There's something I want to tell you."

Stephanie's stomach churned with worry, but she did not express her concern and walked over to the chair, sitting down on it as Reginald pushed her chair in.

"Since I may be busy today," Sir Topham Hatt continued, as Stephanie politely placed a napkin on her lap to eat. "And the maids and Reginald might be busy taking care of you too. I have been thinking since last time did not go as well as we planned, maybe you would like another try of having a look around Sodor?"

"I would love that, Sir," Stephanie nodded, blushing slightly with embarrassment when she remembered her 'adventure' without them. "I did go around the docks rather than the stations."

Sir Topham Hatt chuckled as Stephanie's plate was placed down in front of her, as Stephanie smiled brightly.

"There is more to Sodor than the docks," Sir Topham Hatt spoke. "Just stick with me for now as we check the other stations."

Stephanie thickly gulped when he mentioned 'other stations' out of surprise before asking, "You own many stations, Sir?"

Sir Topham Hatt chuckled softly after she curiously asked, before answering, "Bless you, no. Knapford is my station. The other stations belong to other conductors. There would be so much confusion and delay if I owned all the stations."

Stephanie blushed again with sheepishness after she had asked, feeling downright stupid for asking a silly question.

"But," Sir Topham Hatt spoke. "Since mother told me about your PTSD from that car crash," Stephanie's blush deepened. "I'll use Winston to travel around Sodor with you."

Her curiosity grew after hearing the name 'Winston,' glancing up from her plate after she had finished eating.

"Who's 'Winston?'" Stephanie curiously asked as Reginald picked up her empty plate.

"Winston is my railcar," Sir Topham Hatt explained as Reginald picked up his empty plate from in front of him. "I use him to inspect the rails when they are damaged."

"That's amazing!" Stephanie smiled as Sir Topham Hatt stood up and took the napkin from around his neck.

Sir Topham Hatt gently chuckled as he placed a hand against Stephanie's back, as Stephanie flinched a little from the touch.

It quietly confused him when Stephanie slightly flinched before changing his mind, saying, "Let's go have a proper adventure, Stephanie."

They went outside and went to a shed next to his mansion as Sir Topham Hatt followed with keys in his hand.

Stephanie noticed the shed was on top of a pair of tracks that lead into it through the door, lightly making Stephanie curious about who could be inside.

But she did hear light snoring coming from inside, sounding almost like a male inside.

Sir Topham Hatt gently knocked on the door after approaching it as the snoring stopped and yawned.

"Winston?" Sir Topham Hatt spoke. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, Sir," Winston, the name of the voice behind the shed's door, responded. "You already woke me up."

"Oh." Stephanie covered her mouth with her hand as she chuckled, as Sir Topham Hatt blushed a little.

"Who is with you, Sir?" Winston asked as Sir Topham Hatt unlocked the door with his key. "Is it Bridget or Stephen?"

"No," Stephanie spoke as the shed's door opened, revealing the railcar to her. "I'm Stephanie."

Winston is painted two-tone red with a black frame and wheels.

He has brass hinges, a brass horn, silver headlights, and a beige boot cover.

He has a brass nameplate on either side with the name 'Winston.'

Stephanie looked at first surprised when she met Winston for the first time, as Winston was confused when he saw her standing next to Sir Topham Hatt.

"Who is she, Sir?" Winston politely asked.

Bowing slightly, Stephanie introduced herself to him, "My name is Stephanie, Stephanie Nova Rose Allen."

Winston was silent for a moment before saying, "My name is Winston, ma'am."

Stephanie noticed the confused tone in his voice and blushed, taking a step back as she hid slightly behind Sir Topham Hatt.

"Sir, did you adopt her?" Winston softly asked.

"No," Sir Topham Hatt responded. "She is staying here until her foster-father comes from America to take her back. One of the nurses from back at the hospital had already called him."

Stephanie's heart skipped a beat when she heard the explanation from Sir Topham Hatt to Winston.

She felt terrified about meeting her foster-father again for some reason.

She did not express her feelings and only followed behind Sir Topham Hatt as he boarded Winston.

Stephanie sat next to him after Sir Topham Hatt took the driver's seat, feeling more nervous about being in the front.

She gripped her sweater nervously in a grip beside her body where he would not see it.

"You forget something, Stephanie," Winston spoke, taking Stephanie by surprise as she flinched.

"Wh-What did I forget?" Stephanie stammered softly as Sir Topham Hatt's expression on his face looked concerned for her but mostly confused.

"You forgot to buckle your seatbelt." Stephanie blushed again after Winston spoke, before saying, "Oh, oops. I'm sorry about that, Winston."

"It is alright," Winston chuckled softly. "It is only your first time being on a railcar."

"True," nodded Stephanie after she buckled. "It is."

She scratched her arm nervously from underneath her sweater's sleeve as Sir Topham Hatt eyed her slightly from the side.

He started Winston up and accidentally went backwards, causing Stephanie to softly yelp and grip the seatbelt over her body.

"Oh, sorry, Stephanie," Sir Topham Hatt apologized. "I'm more used to being on the road than being on the rails."

Stephanie chuckled nervously after Sir Topham Hatt apologized before he went forward, jolting back and forth as he struggled with the controls.

While down the rails, Stephanie continued gripping her seatbelt over her as Sir Topham Hatt went forwards and backwards and jittered a few times.

Stephanie felt a little dizzy as she was shaken around, feeling like she was on some type of ride.

During that moment, Stephanie heard sounds of what seemed to be steam locomotives coming over, and her anxiety kicked in, thinking one of them was coming from behind them.

Stephanie was about to glance over to see if it was happening but quietly sighed when instead Henry, the number three steam locomotive she met at the docks, came over by the side of the tracks after whistling his whistle.

He noticed Winston wobbling down the tracks as Sir Topham Hatt drove, before chuckling, saying, "Look, it's Wobbly Winston!"

Stephanie looked surprised by the compliment from Henry as he passed by them with trucks behind him.

She did not suspect it would come out of his mouth because of how friendly he was.

Gordon was behind him as he whistled his whistle as he pulled coaches from behind him, startling Stephanie as she flinched from the noise as he came from behind Henry.

"Start, stop," Gordon lightly chuckled. "Stop, start. Make up your mind, Winston."

With that, Gordon laughed as he puffed off as Stephanie felt slightly confused about Gordon's attitude.

Outside of meeting Thomas, Stephanie did not suspect Henry or Gordon would act like that other than Thomas.

But she lightly shrugged to herself when she reminded herself that not all locomotives or humans are the same.

They soon stopped at Knapford as Stephanie shakily sighed in relief, noticing her grip on the seatbelt over her body had her knuckles turned white.

'Oops,' she lightly blushed as she released her grip on the seatbelt.

Sir Topham Hatt stepped out before walking around Winston as Winston said, "You forgot to put the brakes on, Sir."

Stephanie glanced over to the side and noticed Winston's brakes, reaching over with a hand and locking them, saying, "I got them."

After she locked Winston's brakes, Stephanie unbuckled herself and stepped out of Winston, as Sir Topham Hatt was slightly surprised to see that Stephanie locked the brakes for him.

"How did you know how to do that?" Sir Topham Hatt lightly asked.

"I watched you drive Winston, Sir," Stephanie explained before lightly tapping the side of her head with a finger. "I have a good memory."

"That is fantastic," Sir Topham Hatt smiled before taking Stephanie's hand. "Follow me. Let me show you my office."

Stephanie nodded her head and followed Sir Topham Hatt, entering inside the station's building.

Her curiosity was growing, feeling… safe for once.

While she was inside the station's office with Sir Topham Hatt, Stephanie glanced around as Sir Topham Hatt sat down in his chair, looking at the paperwork.

There were pictures of what seemed to be Thomas, with several locomotives and in different countries.

A clock-like medal was on the windowsill that had the time stuck at three o'clock.

Another medal was on the windowsill next to the clock medal, and it has a golden pendant on it with a red ribbon, causing Stephanie to feel more curious.

"Uh, excuse me, Sir?" Stephanie turned around to Sir Topham Hatt to talk to him but paused when she noticed he was at work.

She sighed through her lips after noticing that Sir Topham Hatt was busy as he watched the workers work on the dented rails, scratching the back of her neck with one hand as she placed the other on her hip.

Half of her wanted to get Sir Topham Hatt's attention to show her more around Sodor, but the other half of her felt like she wanted to be patient, to wait for him.

Stephanie waited for a few minutes before glancing over to the side with her eyes, noticing a familiar black with red lining passing by the window.

Perking, Stephanie smiled softly at herself and took several steps back before pausing when she felt nervous about getting him crossed.

"Uh, Sir?" Stephanie politely asked, causing him to glance up. "May I ask a question?"

"Of course," Sir Topham Hatt nodded his head. "What is it?"

"C-Can I go meet Donald and Douglas?" Stephanie pointed with a finger towards the window, blushing slightly. "It's… well…"

She did not want to sound rude to Sir Topham Hatt about being distracted by his work more than hers.

Understanding what she meant, Sir Topham Hatt said, "You may go with them. But please come back here to Knapford before lunchtime."

Stephanie smiled softly and bowed to him, saying, "Thank you, Sir."

Sir Topham Hatt tipped his cap to Stephanie for a moment before Stephanie exited the office to visit Donald and Douglas.

She opened the door and peered outside before noticing both Donald and Douglas on the site, chattering to each other in Gaelic.

"Donald!" Stephanie called them, causing them to stop chattering with each other. "Douglas! Good morning!"

They glanced over to see who called them by their names but noticed that it was Stephanie.

"Madainn mhath!" they both greeted back in Gaelic.

They paused when they remembered she did not understand Gaelic, but to their surprise, Stephanie said in Gaelic, "Ciamar a tha thu dhà?"

Glancing at each other for a moment, Donald responded, "Tha sinn le chèile a 'dèanamh gu math… ach ciamar a thuig thu Gàidhlig?"

"Dh'ionnsaich mi e bho aon de charaidean m 'athair-altraim. Bha e na Albannach moiteil fhèin." Stephanie explained in Gaelic, which impressed them both.

But, in the background, it confused one of the workers who was semi-listening to the conversation.

"Oh, thon's excellent!" Donald remarked before asking, "Daes Sir Topham Hatt know thon ye are oot here?"

"Yes," Stephanie nodded before blushing slightly. "Since he was busy, and I was curious about Sodor since the last time did not go as planned, he thought that-"

"He wantit us tae tak ye around, ay?" Douglas asked, interrupting Stephanie's stammering.

"Dougie!" Donald lightly snapped. "Let the wee bairn talk!"

Stephanie chuckled softly and said, assuring the two before they could start an argument, "He's right, Donald. I'm, uh, well…"

Her blush went into another shade, making herself feel like she was embarrassing herself.

"Och," Douglas sighed as Donald looked slightly confused about why Stephanie kept blushing the whole time. "Why don't ye ride wi' Donnie? We juist finishit our jobs, sae, we have plenty o' time tae show a bairn around Sodor."

Stephanie looked slightly surprised by Douglas's slight rush before staying still when Donald's fireman stepped out of his cab, picking her up from the ground from underneath the armpits.

Since she did not weigh that much, it was easy for Donald's fireman to pick her up.

"Ach, ye're licht." Donald's fireman remarked, putting her against his chest as he walked back over to Donald.

"Hou licht?" Donald's driver asked with confusion.

"Very!" he remarked. "Dinnae yer parents feit ye?"

Stephanie went silent after Donald's fireman asked about her parents, which he understood, deciding not to ask further.

"Whit happened?" Douglas asked, noticing the silence from Stephanie.

"Nothin'." Donald's fireman responded, assuring the confused and concerned Douglas. "Touchy subject."

He glanced down with slight confusion when Stephanie started shifting around slightly with Donald and Douglas whistling their whistles before puffing off as Stephanie wrapped her arms around one of Donald's driver's legs.

Instead of asking what is wrong, they continued down the line, as Donald said, "Tae brichten the mood a little, let's visit a friend o' mine from the Arlesdale railway."

Stephanie perked slightly with curiosity, glancing up from behind Donald's driver's leg, feeling like she wanted to look out in the window, but since her fear of crashing seemed to cause her to stay put.

She hugged the driver's leg as he did not move, only staying still as he turned valves and watched the heat pressure.

The ride was mostly silent, but Stephanie still felt silly for being a nervous wreck in front of Donald and Douglas, wanting to be brave like them.

But she only stayed silent as she listened to the noises coming from Donald, feeling like she was inside a boiler room.

After a few minutes passed, they both stopped at a light, and Stephanie felt like this was a perfect time and slowly released Donald's driver's leg.

"Whit are ye doing?" his driver asked, causing Stephanie to flinch and rehug his leg.

"Sorry," Stephanie apologized. "I'm a little nervous about being inside a cab."

"Ach," Donald spoke, which she could not see because of how short she is. "Thare's na reason tae apologize. Gin ye want tae dae something, juist dae it. But, speir permission first."

Stephanie paused after Donald spoke before releasing his legs from hugging them during the ride.

She walked up to the cab door by the left-hand side and paused a little thoughtfully.

"Dae ye neit a lift?" Donald's fireman asked.

"No," Stephanie politely spoke, shaking her head side to side lightly. "I think I got this. But, thank you anyway."

She gripped the sides of the door and stood on her tiptoes, looking through the window of Donald's cab curiously, noticing Douglas by Donald.

"Oh, thare ye are." Douglas chuckled. "How's the ride inside ma brother's cab?"

"Good," Stephanie softly smiled. "Your brother, like you, are both excellent locomotives!"

At this moment, Donald's, including Douglas' cheeks, blushed from the compliment Stephanie said to them as the light turned green, allowing them to go.

Donald and Douglas whistled after the light turned green and continued puffing down the line.

Stephanie lightly chuckled to herself at the reaction from Douglas and Donald.

She moved back down from peeking over the door and hugged Donald's driver's legs.

Soon, they reached an unfamiliar station Stephanie had not seen before, causing Stephanie's curiosity to grow a little.

Once Donald stopped, he noticed a small chartreuse yellow steam locomotive passing by.

The steam locomotive was not only painted in chartreuse yellow but with a red lining too.

He has a brass dome, brass builder's plates on the sides of his cab, red nameplates, with the name 'Jock' in gold writing mounted on each side of his boiler, and "ARLESDALE" written on the sides of his tender in yellow.

"Hey, Jock!" Donald greeted him with a whistle, causing him to glance over at him and smile.

Douglas did the same thing with his whistle to greet him too.

"Ah, Donald," Jock, the name of the small yellow steam locomotive, smiled. "It's good to see you again!"

Donald nodded as Stephanie peeked out of the window of her cab, the best she could but had trouble since she was only short.

But, somehow, Jock noticed her hands on the top of Donald's cab door.

"Whose hands are those on your door?" he asked, gently nodding his body towards the hands.

Donald looked a little confused by the question from Jock, asking, "Whit hands?"

Douglas behind him rolled his eyes before speaking, "Dinnae ye remember Stephanie thon we pickit up for an adventure around?"

Donald looked surprised by the response from Douglas behind him before blushing slightly.

"Oh, richt!" Donald remembered as his driver opened the door of his cab as Stephanie moved her hands down. "Sorry aboot thon, Stephanie."

"It's okay, Donald," Stephanie assured him as she stepped out of his cab.

After she had stepped out of Donald's cab, she noticed Jock and smiled, cooing softly.

"Aw!" she remarked, which caused Jock to blush. "He's cute!"

Right next to Jock was another miniature steam locomotive that was painted red with blue and yellow lining.

He has a brass dome, brass builder's plates on the sides of his cab, red nameplates with the name 'Mike' in gold writing mounted on each side of his boiler, and has the same word "ARLESDALE" written on the sides of his tender in yellow.

He had an annoyed expression on his face as Stephanie remarked Jock as 'cute.'

"Oh, sure!" he sarcastically spoke, stopping by Jock as he had a slightly unamused expression on his face after his blush disappeared. "We are cute and all, making the passengers happy to see us!"

Stephanie flinched slightly from the tone of his voice before starting to panic slightly, stammering, "Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't mean it like that. I like your basis. I didn't mean to insult anyone."

He raised an eyebrow after Stephanie stammered after he sarcastically talked about being called 'cute' as three more locomotives appeared.

The first miniature steam locomotive is painted green with a red and yellow lining.

He has a brass dome, brass builder's plates on the sides of his cab, red nameplates with the name 'Rex' in gold writing mounted on each side of his boiler, and has the word "ARLESDALE" written on the sides of his tender in yellow.

The second miniature steam locomotive is painted blue with a red and yellow lining.

He has a brass dome, brass builder's plates on each side of the cab, red nameplates with the name 'Bert' in gold writing mounted on each side of his boiler, and has the word "ARLESDALE" written on the sides of his tender in yellow.

The next locomotive was not only a miniature locomotive but a diesel locomotive too.

The miniature diesel locomotive is painted light gray with a red stripe around his body.

He has red nameplates with the name 'Frank' in gold on his sides.

"Oh, hello!" Stephanie greeted them with a friendly smile and a wave.

"Is this your driver's daughter, Donald?" Jock asked as the other three looked at her with slightly confused expressions.

"Ach, na!" Chuckled Donald as his driver blushed slightly. "She's Dowager Hatt's visitor! Gin she wis, she wad have a Scottish accent than American."

Stephanie's cheeks blushed slightly with embarrassment, chuckling slightly.

"Well," Jock spoke, moving forward slightly. "I'm Jock."

He glanced over to the right and mentioned to the others, "And the red one next to me is Mike."

Stephanie waved her hand towards him as he scoffed slightly and glanced away from her.

"And the green one next to Mike is Rex," Jock continued introducing the rest, and Rex smiled gently.

"And the blue one next to Rex is Bert," Jock introduced the next one as he smiled.

Stephanie waved to him before noticing the gray miniature diesel locomotive.

"And the gray diesel by Bert is Frank." Jock finished as Frank huffed slightly. "What's your name?"

"Stephanie," Stephanie smiled. "Stephanie Nova Rose Allen."

They whistled their whistles at Stephanie as Frank honked his horn, as Douglas behind Donald looked more impatient.

"Come on, Stephanie!" Beamed Douglas after the miniature locomotives honked and whistled. "A got somewhere else tae show ye!"

Stephanie turned towards Douglas with a slightly confused look on her face before shrugging, deciding to go along with the ride with him.

Donald looked slightly confused about Douglas' sudden decision to take a turn, showing Stephanie around Sodor before looking irritated.

After whistling their whistles, they left Arlesburgh West and started heading further into Sodor.

Mike, Bert, Rex, Jock, and Frank honked and whistled in response as they left the place.

They went to the Little Western branch line, where Stephanie could see two steam locomotives waiting.

The first steam locomotive is painted in an apple-green color like Henry she had seen before but unlined.

There was a green safety valve cover and black wheels, with the number eight painted on each side of his cab in yellow.

But with a black background and a yellow border instead.

The second steam locomotive was painted in an apple-green color like the first one, except with the letters 'GWR' painted on each side of his tanks.

The number eleven is also painted on the sides of his cab in yellow.

When both noticed Douglas and Donald coming down the line, they both were confused.

But then there was trouble.

"Why is it thon it's yer turn, whan it supposit tae be mine!" Snapped Donald as he moved forward, bumping into Douglas from behind.

Stephanie was startled when Donald bumped into Douglas, causing her to yelp quietly, wrapping her arms around his driver's legs.

Luckily, her yelp alerted Douglas' driver and noticed she was shaking like a leaf.

"Well, ye haed already usit up yer turn!" Douglas snapped back, ramming into Donald from behind.

Stephanie yelped again in startlement from the bumping as Douglas' driver worked fast.

At the right moment, Douglas's fireman opened the cab door on the right-hand side where no one could see it and gently placed Stephanie outside to be safe.

The first steam locomotive groaned slightly and moved forward towards them as Stephanie ran from the fight between the two arguing Scottish twins.

Stephanie went to the back of the second steam locomotives' crates before noticing a brake van from behind.

The brake van is painted gray with "GW 56831" written on its side in white.

When the brake van noticed Stephanie with a slight expression on her face and was about to cry until he got an idea.

His brakeman stepped out from inside his cab and went down to the little girl as the two Scottish steam locomotives continued arguing in the background in Gaelic instead of English.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" snapped a voice that made Stephanie flinch from the loud sound, almost on the verge of crying as she covered her ears with her hands, trembling like a leaf.

Before she could even start crying, Stephanie was picked up from underneath the armpits by the brakeman.

She was carried into the brake van's cab before being placed down on a chair and had ear muffs over her ears.

It confused her slightly as she reached up to see what happened when the brake van's brakeman shook his head no and made a sign language mention with his hands to keep the headphones on.

Understanding what the brakeman's telling her, she nodded her head and kept the headphones on her head.

Since she could hear nothing through them, she could tell that the bumping sounds from Donald's and Douglas' buffers had stopped.

She did not feel like she should take her headphones off to hear if the yelling had stopped but kept them on just in case.

After a minute, the brake van's brakeman came over to Stephanie and took the headphones off as she heard some distant steam locomotives leaving the area.

She guessed they were Donald and Douglas after that voice snapped at them.

"Hey, you can come out now, miss," a voice softly spoke, perking Stephanie up slightly.

Gathering some of her courage, she stepped out of the brake van's cab, but before stepping out of the brake van, the steam locomotive started to move!

"Ah, M-Mister Oliver, wait!" the voice called out again before the steam locomotive, named 'Oliver,' stopped, causing Stephanie to land on her bottom and out of sight.

After the steam locomotive named 'Oliver' stopped, the same voice that yelled at Donald and Douglas earlier asked, "What seems to be the problem, Toad?"

"Well," Toad, the name of the brake van, spoke as Stephanie stood up to her feet, revealing herself to the steam locomotive that she had seen before. "I found this little girl on the railroad."

The apple-green steam locomotive looked surprised to see Stephanie as the brake van's brakeman gently picked her up from in front of him and stepped off, placing her back down on the ground.

"Whose daughter does she belong to?" the apple-green steam locomotive asked, glancing over at Toad beside Stephanie.

"I don't know," Toad responded. "Maybe Douglas' driver?"

"Uh," Stephanie spoke, getting their attention as the steam locomotive in front of the brake van moved backward to see what was going on. "He's not my father. I don't have one, either."

Immediately, everyone looked shocked after Stephanie revealed who her parents were.

"Does… Does Miss Dowager Hatt know this?" Toad asked as she glanced over at him.

Stephanie shook her head yes, before glancing away from him in shame.

"I told her everything." Stephanie sighed, glancing down at her hands as they shook with sadness. "I think I am a walking jinx on everyone I meet since they are always getting angry all the time…"

Stephanie felt a guilty twist in her stomach as she gently squeezed her left wrist with her hand.

Ever since she had arrived at Sodor and got out of the hospital, everything was either having no sense of direction or a crabby mood.

A pause came from everyone as Stephanie continued staring at her hands before Toad said, "You're not a walking jinx, miss."

Stephanie glanced up at him with a slightly confused and sad expression on her face.

"It's just that Donald and Douglas sometimes argue a little too much about the little things each other does." Toad assured before chuckling softly. "Sometimes even over people too."

Stephanie chuckled slightly, too, feeling a bit cheerful from Toad.

"Sorry about them, though," the first apple-green steam locomotive spoke. "Didn't know you were sensitive about yelling."

Stephanie's chuckle soon turned into a slightly nervous laugh while rubbing the back of her neck.

"It's okay," she sighed. "I've… experienced that too many times."

A slightly confused expression appeared on everyone's faces for a moment before Toad shook his body.

"Never mind about that," Toad spoke, smiling gently. "My name is Toad. What is your name, miss?"

"Stephanie," Stephanie smiled softly, replacing the slightly saddened look on her face. "Stephanie Nova Rose Allen."

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Stephanie," Toad nodded, causing Stephanie to blush slightly.

"I'm Duck," the first apple-green steam locomotive spoke as Stephanie turned towards him.

"Why you are named 'Duck?'" Stephanie asked out of curiosity, raising an eyebrow as she lightly cocks her head to the side.

"Because of my 'waddling,'" Duck chuckled before moving forward, showing why he was named that.

As he moved forward, his body gently rocked back and forth like a duck was walking.

After showing her why he was nicknamed 'Duck,' he moved back as Stephanie smiled.

"That's cute!" she remarked, causing Duck to blush slightly from the remark. "Do you mind if I nickname you 'Duckie?'"

Duck looked slightly surprised by the permission as the second apple-green steam locomotive snickered along with Toad.

He sighed softly and said, "No, I don't mind being nicknamed 'Duckie,' Montague is my real name, too."

Stephanie smiled more and said, "I like the nickname 'Duck' than 'Montague.'"

Duck smiled softly as the second apple-green steam locomotive said, clearing his throat, "And my name is Oliver, or you could nickname me 'Oli.'"

Stephanie giggled softly and said, "I would like to nickname you 'Oli.'"

Oliver softly chuckled before Stephanie asked, "May you two show me around the Island of Sodor? I don't feel comfortable with Donald or Douglas since they both got angry at each other."

Oliver and Duck glanced at each other for a moment, with slightly uneasy expressions on their faces.

Stephanie instantly noticed the expressions on their faces and looked slightly worried.

"You both don't have enough time to show me around?" she worriedly asked.

Oliver and Duck nodded in response, glancing back at her after she asked them.

"That's the problem," Oliver spoke. "Donald and Douglas were the only two that had nothing to do."

Stephanie glanced down at the ground with a slightly saddened expression on her face until Oliver said, "But I know just the right one that could show you around!"

She glanced back up at the two steam locomotives, asking, "Who is it?"

"Charlie!" Oliver smiled before puffing off after the whistle of his whistle.

Stephanie had a confused expression on her face and asked, glancing over at Duck, "Who's 'Charlie,' Duckie?"

"Charlie's a funny purple steamie, Stephanie," Duck answered, chuckling lightly. "He sometimes works in the Knapford shunting yard but sometimes comes over here to help others."

Stephanie was curious about 'Charlie' until Oliver came with the purple steam locomotive that Oliver mentioned.

The steam locomotive is painted violet with a light purple lining, brass fittings, and red wheels.

He has the number fourteen painted in gold on his cab sides with brass nameplates.

The nameplates have the name 'Charlie' in white on the sides of his saddle tank.

Charlie, the name of the purple steam locomotive, glanced around for a moment before noticing Stephanie staring at him with curious eyes.

"Is this Stephanie, as you mentioned, Oliver?" Charlie asked, glancing over at him.

"Yes, this is her," nodded Oliver.

He switched to a different track to be in front of his crates.

"Can you take care of her?" Oliver asked.

Charlie paused for a moment, thinking to himself as he glanced back over at Stephanie, then over at Oliver.

"Sure!" nodded Charlie. "If I can take care of troublesome trucks, then I'll take care of a child!"

Stephanie felt confused about the mention of 'troublesome trucks,' thinking she is troublesome as they are.

Oliver and Duck whistled their whistles as they left, as Stephanie looked slightly worried.

"Are you sure about that, mister?" she asked, turning to Charlie.

"Sure!" nodded Charlie.

The driver opened his cab door, and Stephanie walked over to the side.

"By the way," Charlie spoke as his driver gently picked Stephanie up from underneath her armpits. "Is your name Stephanie?"

"Yes, that is my name." Stephanie nodded as she was placed back down on the floor of the cab. "Is your name Charlie?"

"Yep!" Charlie nodded as he whistled his whistle. "That's my name!"

He puffed along the rails as he exited out of the junction before asking, "Hey, Steph? Which way do you want to go?"

Stephanie paused for a moment as she thought to herself, thinking of which way she wanted to go next.

She has been to the docks, even the Mainland docks, Arlesburgh West, and Knapford station.

Charlie noticed the long pause in Stephanie's voice, so he got an idea to help Stephanie.

"I'll take you to the docks, then!" Charlie smiled. "My friend Sunshine could show you around the Mainland too!"

Stephanie was about to say she had been there but stopped herself from saying it, thinking that if she said that to Charlie, she would sound like a brat to him.

Charlie puffed down to the docks where Stephanie could see Cranky, Carly, and Big Mickey.

They also noticed Stephanie inside Charlie's cab, staring up at them with a curious expression.

"What are you doing, Charlie?" Cranky asked, sounding slightly confused and worried. "And why did you bring Stephanie with you?"

Charlie blinked a few times before blushing slightly with embarrassment as Stephanie facepalmed herself from her stupidity.

"Oh," he chuckled. "I thought you didn't know about Stephanie."

"She came here yesterday, Charlie," Carly spoke. "She was a little lost after some rude passenger pushed her away from Gordon's coaches."

Charlie slightly puffed as he had a bit of an annoyed expression on his face.

"That was rude of him!" he puffed before remembering what his idea was. "Oh, is Sunshine here?"

"Nah," Cranky answered. "He's not here yet, but he will be."

So, Charlie decided to wait for Sunshine to appear.

During that time, Charlie kept making jokes to Stephanie to keep her company and getting a good laugh from her from his jokes.

Even the troublesome trucks laugh about his jokes, too, that come into the docks from dockyard locomotives and others, irritating Cranky slightly.

As Stephanie and Charlie waited for Sunshine to come, Charlie was telling Stephanie some pirate jokes.

"Okay, why are pirates called pirates?" Charlie asked as Stephanie thought to herself.

"I don't know," Stephanie shrugged. "Why are pirates called pirates?"

"Because they arrgh!" Charlie joked before laughing.

Stephanie laughed too at his joke until hearing another person's laugh.

When Stephanie looked, she was surprised to see Salty again, as he was pushing a flatbed underneath one of the cranes.

"That's a good'un, Charlie!" he remarked before noticing Stephanie inside his cab. "Oh, ahoy Stephanie! 'tis good t' see ye again!"

"You too, Salty," Stephanie nodded.

"Are ye lost again?" Salty asked, raising an eyebrow as the flatbed was being loaded."

"No, not really." Stephanie sighed, assuring the confused dockyard diesel. "Sir Topham Hatt knows about this, and I don't know where Dowager Hatt went to. He allowed me to have a look around Sodor since he was busy. But, I was going to be with Donald and Douglas until they started arguing, and it made me nervous."

Stephanie shuddered softly to herself as Salty and Charlie listened to her story.

"Then, Duckie-" Stephanie began before stopping when she heard a snort of laughter.

"'Duckie?'" snorted Charlie. "You nicknamed Duck, 'Duckie?!'"

Salty was also trying not to laugh but only snickered slightly.

"What's going on?" Cranky asked, noticing the slight laughter.

"Guess what?" Charlie called Cranky while chuckling. "Stephanie nicknamed Duck 'Duckie!'"

A slight snort of laughter came from Cranky as his cheeks blushed slightly, as there was some laughter from someone next to Charlie on the right-hand side of Salty.

It was from Porter, who is a dockyard steam locomotive that Stephanie met before.

Porter was chuckling for a moment as a light blush was on Stephanie's cheeks about spilling Duck's nickname she had come up for him.

"I think that's a good nickname for him!" he chuckled.

"I agree, Porter," chuckled Salty as they moved backwards.

Charlie giggled for a moment before noticing that Stephanie was quiet, maybe blushing a little.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with Duck's new nickname!" Charlie spoke, assuring Stephanie as she perked up a little. "It was only an unusual nickname for him in the first place!"

Stephanie's blush went up a shade as a familiar red cap went by the docks before stopping.

"Ooh!" exclaimed Charlie. "That must be Sunshine!"

Charlie whistled his whistle as he moved backward slightly, calling out, "Sunshine! Hey, Sunshine!"

On the other side of the docks, Sunshine perked up a little after Charlie called out his name before smiling.

"Ah, good to see ya again, Charlie!" Sunshine beamed. "Are there any jokes for me to hear?"

"Nah, not really!" called Charlie. "There's someone who you might want to take around!"

A confused expression appeared on Sunshine's face, replacing his smile.

"Who is it?" he asked, glancing at the docks for anyone.

"Her name is Stephanie!" Charlie beamed.

"Stephanie?" Sunshine blinked. "What is she doin' here at this time of day?"

Charlie blinked with a slight surprise expression on his face as his driver picked Stephanie up and opened his cab door.

"You know her, too?" Charlie asked as Sunshine nodded.

"Of course!" Sunshine exclaimed as Charlie's driver placed her down on the ground. "She was once lost and accidentally stumbled upon Ten Cents when he was comin' over here to drop off some crates!"

'So that's what Ten Cents was doing?' Stephanie thought to herself.

She smiled a little as Charlie's driver gently patted her head and went back into Charlie's cab.

After Charlie's driver had gone back into Charlie's cab, Charlie asked, "Sunshine, could you show Stephanie around the docks?"

"Me?" Sunshine asked.

"Yes, you!" nodded Charlie. "She had not seen other tugboats before too!"

Sunshine understood what he meant and nodded as Stephanie felt more curious about meeting other tugboats around the docks.

"Okay," Sunshine nodded before glancing over at Stephanie. "Would you like to see more of my friends?"

Stephanie paused for a moment in confusion about who Sunshine's friends are before nodding her head.

"Alright," he beamed. "Welcome aboard, Ms. Allen!"

Stephanie chuckled as Sunshine's driver came out and gently reached up to her with both hands.

"Please," Stephanie softly smiled as she was picked up from the docks. "'Ms. Allen' was my momma. Call me, Stephanie."

Sunshine chuckled as his driver placed him down on the deck and went back into the wheelhouse before leaving the docks with a whistle of his whistle.

Charlie did the same thing to Sunshine before leaving the docks.

"Be really careful with her, Sunshine!" Big Mickey had called him before he left.

Sunshine whistled Big Mickey to let him know he was being careful with her, as Big Mickey sighed in the background.

After he had left the docks, he went over to Beresford, who noticed Stephanie.

"Oh, I see you brought Stephanie with you, Sunshine," Beresford remarked.

"Why do I have a feelin' that you met everyone?" Sunshine sighed, glancing down at Stephanie, whose cheeks were blushing slightly with embarrassment.

"She did not meet everyone, Sunshine," Beresford added. "She hadn't met Theodore yet."

Sunshine then remembered who else he was going to meet.

"Oh!" He smiled before continuing on his way after he had whistled his whistle. "Thanks, Beresford!"

"Anytime!" Beresford beamed before continuing to do his work.

Sunshine continued down the side of the Mainland's docks when Stephanie noticed a Navy boat crossing across from where Sunshine was heading down before disappearing.

But, before that Navy tugboat disappeared, Stephanie could see that it was painted blue-gray all over with the name 'Bluenose' printed on its sides in white.

He wore a white sailor's cap on top of his head and had a stern expression on his face.

"Who was that guy?" Stephanie asked, raising an eyebrow with curiosity and confusion.

"That was Captain Bluenose." Sunshine groaned with a slightly irritated tone in his voice. "He's a bit of annoyin', as he bosses everyone around when he encounters them. It's best to be careful with him since he has a short temper too."

Stephanie nodded her head, and Sunshine proceeded down the docks before noticing a familiar yellow tugboat near the docks, who was wearing a red baseball cap on his head.

He was coming further into the dockyard after pushing a boat into the harbor.

"'Ey!" Sunshine called as he whistled his whistle at him. "Theo!"

Theo, the yellow and black tugboat, heard Sunshine calling out his name and smiled when he came by his side.

"Hello, Sunshine!" He greeted her before noticing Stephanie on Sunshine's deck, staring up at him with a curious look. "Where did you find her?"

"Oh, her?" Sunshine smiled, revealing his front tooth. "She was just visitin' since she was Ms. Dowager Hatt's visitor."

Theo glanced back down at Stephanie after Sunshine explained to him and gave her a friendly smile.

"Hello," he greeted. "My name is Theodore, but you can nickname me 'Theo,' like Sunshine."

Sunshine blushed slightly, and Stephanie giggled.

"Pleased to meet you, Theo!" she beamed while waving a hand towards him. "My name is Stephanie, Stephanie Nova Rose Allen! You can nickname me Steph or Stephanie if you want, Theo."

Theodore whistled his whistle in response to Stephanie's greeting as Stephanie smiled more.

Then, a low but loud whistle came from the harbor, taking everyone's attention as a voice called out after that, "ALL CLEAR!"

"Oh, that must be Foduck!" beamed Theodore before whistling his whistle. "Hey, Foduck!"

Another yellow tugboat came into view and greeted both Theodore and Sunshine without noticing Stephanie on the deck.

He wears a red fire hat and is equipped with extra bright spotlights, a rotating transceiver, and a fire hose.

"Hello, Theodore." Foduck nodded. "Hello, Sunshine. Are there any problems?"

"No, not really," Sunshine answered. "But, there is someone you want ta meet!"

From underneath Foduck's fire helmet he is wearing, he raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who is it?" he asked.

Stephanie stood up from sitting on Sunshine's deck for Foduck to have a look at her.

Since she had encountered talking vehicles for a while, it had been usual for her to feel comfortable talking to them.

As she stood up to her feet to see Foduck, Foduck looked surprised to see Stephanie standing on Sunshine's deck with no parents.

"Uh, Sunshine?" Foduck spoke, glancing back up at Sunshine as he glanced over at Foduck with a slightly confused expression on his face. "Where are her parents?"

Sunshine bit the bottom of his lip and answered, "She doesn't have any of them. Just a foster-father."

Without them noticing, Stephanie glanced down at the deck of Sunshine, saddened a little by the word 'father.'

"Where is he?" Foduck asked, raising an eyebrow again.

"He's somewhere 'round America looking for her." Sunshine sighed. "But we hope he comes here any minute to pick her up before somethin' bad happens to her."

Stephanie's right arm started trembling slightly from a memory that popped into her head.

But she ignored it and quietly forced her arm to stop trembling by gripping her wrist tightly.

"Okay," nodded Foduck before looking a little stern towards Sunshine. "But why are you bringing her around the docks without Sir Topham Hatt or the Dispatcher noticing?"

"Sir Topham Hatt knows about this," Stephanie answered, rubbing the back of her neck gently. "I just let him know I am on an adventure around Sodor because I have never been here before. He and Dowager Hatt wanted me to be a little more comfortable around here since there are anthropomorphic vehicles around here."

Confused expressions appeared on Sunshine and Foduck's faces.

"There's no an-ant-" Sunshine spoke before stammering a little on the word Stephanie said.

"Anthropomorphic," Foduck gently corrected. "It's where any objects or vehicles like us can take or act like humans."

"Thanks, Foduck!" he beamed before glancing back over at Stephanie. "There's no talkin' tug boats or tank engines where you lived?"

Stephanie honestly shook her head, yes, answering Foduck's question.

"That's the truth," she sighed. "Excuse me, but I never saw or heard anything like that before I even came to Sodor in the first place."

Foduck and Sunshine glanced over at each other for a moment before Sunshine thought to himself for a moment.

"Well, this is a good idea to meet everyone, then!" Foduck smiled before whistling his whistle.

It was loud as Stephanie jolted from the sound but did not cover her ears to make Foduck feel regretful about his whistle.

She winced a little but not too much to let him notice.

"You're all clear, Sunshine!" Foduck smiled as he went by them. "Have a nice day, too!"

"You too!" Sunshine smiled as he continued on his way.

After meeting Foduck, Sunshine went across Top Hat, who was helping Warrior with the garbage.

"Why do I have to help you?" Top Hat groaned.

"Because Captain Star assigned you to it." Warrior answered. "And oh, hello, Sunshine!"

"Hello, guys!" Sunshine greeted him as he passed them. "Have a nice day!"

Top Hat groaned in the background after Sunshine left, as Stephanie looked a little curious.

Of course, she had met self-centered people, and it was not unusual to see someone like that.

While Sunshine reached the Star Tugs's docks, Stephanie saw the same blue and white megaphone pop out of the window and call down to Sunshine.

"I see you have picked up a common visitor, Sunshine." Captain Star's voice spoke through it.

"Ah, well," Sunshine spoke, blushing slightly with embarrassment. "Charlie gave me Stephanie to have a look around the docks."

"As understood from the call from the docks." Captain Star answered. "I'm not usually keen on giving any Star Tugs some breaks after working, but since you have a visitor with you, I could give you a break for now until you finished showing…"

He drifted off slightly without remembering her name, and Stephanie said, helping him, "Stephanie."

"Oh, yes, Stephanie," he nodded. "Thank you. Sometimes my memory is not that great."

"It's okay!" Stephanie beamed, assuring Captain Star. "Sometimes, I can't remember some things, but I think we are even."

"I suppose you are right," Captain Star nodded. "Sunshine, after you show Stephanie around the docks, you are going to drop her off back at the same docks where Charlie gave her to you and come back here for the next task."

"Yes, sir!" Sunshine nodded before backing out of the docks.

"Remember to be careful with her, too, Sunshine!" Captain Star warned before disappearing into the building.

Stephanie was slightly confused about the kindness around Sodor as Sunshine continued around the docks.

He turned the corner, and Stephanie noticed another yellow tugboat that looked almost like Foduck and Theodore.

Except this tugboat had a turquoise fishing hat on top of her head.

"That's Emily," Sunshine smiled before whistling his whistle at her. "Hello, Emily!"

Emily, the tugboat wearing the turquoise fishing hat, glanced over to the side and noticed Sunshine coming up to her.

She whistled back in response to his whistle.

"Hello, Sunshine!" she greeted him before noticing Stephanie on his deck. "Who's she? And where are her parents?"

"Oh, this is Stephanie," Sunshine introduced Stephanie as she waved towards Emily with a friendly smile. "She only has an adopted father who's in America, but we are waiting until he comes to Sodor to pick her up."

"Then, what is she doing on your deck?" Emily asked again.

"She is having a look around Sodor, so she would not get lost like before," Sunshine answered before noticing an emerald steam locomotive pulling up on the docks. "Hello, Emily!"

"I'm here." Emily, the tugboat, answered.

"No, not you, Emily," chuckled Sunshine before glancing back over at the emerald steam locomotive. "That Emily."

Emily, the tugboat, glanced over to the docks and noticed the steam locomotive coming up close.

The steam locomotive is painted emerald-green with yellow lining and brass fittings.

She has chocolate-colored running-boards, and her buffers were silver.

Emily, the tugboat, whistled her whistle towards her.

"Hello, Emily!" she beamed.

"Hello to you, too, um, Emily," Emily, the emerald steam locomotive, responded, pausing a little before chuckling.

Emily, the tugboat, chuckled slightly too when Stephanie spoke up from Sunshine's deck, "Maybe one of you should be nicknamed Emi?"

Both Emilys glanced over at Stephanie for a moment before at each other.

"I like that idea!" Emily, the emerald steam locomotive, grinned before glancing over at Stephanie. "I think I'll be nicknamed Emi."

Stephanie blushed slightly from the response Emily, the emerald steam locomotive, said to her, as Emily, the tugboat, chuckled softly.

"Who is she, though, Sunshine?" Emily, the emerald steam locomotive, asked. "Where are her parents?"

Sunshine sighed and rolled his eyes with an unamused expression on his face.

'Here we go again,' he groaned to himself.

But before he could repeat what he had said to Foduck and the others, Stephanie gently responded, "I don't have any parents, and… my foster-father will come here on any day of this month to pick me up."

Sunshine and both Emilys noticed the pause in Stephanie's sentence but ignored it.

"Anyway," Sunshine spoke before continuing on his way. "It was nice to meet you two, but I have to go and meet other people for Stephanie."

Both Emilys nodded and whistled their whistles to Sunshine's before leaving their spots.

Stephanie, however, was looking at her right hand as it trembled slightly from something.

But Stephanie gripped her hand tightly into a fist, stopping the shaking.

Sunshine continued down the docks until seeing Captain Bluenose coming towards where he was, seeing him going down the way he was turning.

"Oh, cripes." he groaned.

"Oi, you!" Captain Bluenose snapped, startling Stephanie slightly as she jolted from the tone of his voice. "Where do you think you're goin'? Wanderin' around with no orders from your commander is not a 'job' to do."

Stephanie's body started shaking as she continued listening to the conversation between the two.

Her anxiety was kicking up again as memories of someone like him popped into her mind, causing her muscles to freeze up.

"I was just-" Sunshine stammered before Captain Bluenose interrupted him with another snap.

"No stammerin'," He growled before noticing Stephanie on his deck, who was too close to the rails. "What are you doin' with that little urchin on your deck?!"

Stephanie froze when he saw her on Sunshine's deck, causing her face to pale with fear.

She could not move or do anything or hide from him as she stared at him with fear.

Sunshine was about to say something else when Captain Bluenose bumped into him again and caused her to jump.

"Since she has no rights to be on your deck, I'll take her back to the docks where her parents would pick her up," he growled as Stephanie whimpered slightly in fear.

"Wait, Captain!" exclaimed Sunshine before being bumped by something behind him. "Oof!"

The bump caused Stephanie to accidentally fall off of Sunshine's deck and onto Captain Bluenose's.

The collision onto the metal deck was harsh, and it caused her to scrape her hands across it, getting the bandages off and opening the almost healing scratches.

It was very different from the pavement, but Stephanie had some splinters in her hands.

Yet again, Stephanie paid no attention to the pain in her palms and looked terrified.

"Hey!" a voice snapped from behind Sunshine. "Watch where you are goin'!"

He was smashed in the middle between Captain Bluenose and someone else behind him.

Stephanie was past scared, but she was terrified of what a mess she got herself into.

She felt like a toy that was in a tug-a-war between two people who wanted to play with her next at the same time.

She wanted to cover her ears and eyes to get this over with, but Captain Bluenose was pulling away from Sunshine and the guy behind him as he was trying to reason with him.

Stephanie fell to her side as her legs became wobbly, colliding her head on the ground with a solid thunk.

It was another Z-Stack tugboat that had accidentally bumped into Sunshine.

It caused him to block the way through the docks as more piled up behind that tug.

He was angry with Sunshine and yelling at him, as Sunshine was trying to tell him that Captain Bluenose had bumped into him, without noticing that Stephanie had accidentally fallen off of his deck and onto his.

Once Captain Bluenose was out from the mess he had made, he started heading away from the docks and moving back to Sodor.

On the way, he kept yelling at a few tugboats that had passed by him.

First, he yelled at Hank, another yellow tugboat that wears a blue toque on top of his head.

He took no notice of Stephanie on his deck after he had yelled at him before leaving, as Hank had an irritated look on his face.

He yelled at George, another yellow tugboat that wore a purple baseball cap that was turned backwards on his head.

George attempted to yell back at Captain Bluenose for yelling at him but did not have the time to do it and went off in a huff.

He, too, took no notice of Stephanie on Captain Bluenose's deck, who was trembling like a leaf and trying not to cry.

After he finished yelling at everyone he came across, he finally reached a different dock that Stephanie had never seen before.

And came across a large crane that she had never seen before, either.

The crane looked almost like Beresford, except taller than him and has a female's face instead of a male's.

She is painted in a warm rose color with white stripes and has hazard stripes like Beresford.

"Oh, C-Captain Bluenose!" she stammered, noticing him. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I came here to drop off something," Captain Bluenose growled before glancing over at the kid who was trembling like a leaf and staring back at him with fear. "I want you to keep a close eye on it and wait until the parents come here, so I can file a report on her for attempting to hitch a ride on a tugboat."

She looked slightly confused as she stared at the little child for a moment before Captain Bluenose snapped, "Did you hear me?!"

Stephanie flinched again from his snapping, covering her ears with her hands in fear, as they were a little sore from all the yelling and loud whistling.

"Oh, y-yes, sir!" she stammered before moving her hook down and gently picking the child up and into the air.

After she had been picked up off of his deck, Captain Bluenose got distracted by yelling at a random tugboat that was pushing a ship in the harbor, and the crane accidentally placed her down onto a semi-empty truck filled with crates.

Once she was placed into the truck, she went back to Captain Bluenose and watched him yelling at the tugboat.

Then there was trouble.

The truck she was inside started to pull away slowly after a steam locomotive's whistle blew before exiting out of the docks.

Stephanie wanted to call out to the crane before she was about to exit out of the docks when she remembered Captain Bluenose's yelling and stopped herself, feeling too scared to even call out to her.

Once she was out into the opening, Stephanie softly sniffed before starting to cry as she curled into a ball to comfort herself.

She cried to herself quietly while alone in a silent truck, with no one to comfort her.

She feared Captain Bluenose, who kidnapped her from Sunshine, wanting to see him and the other tugs again to be comforted.

After a while had passed as she softly cried to herself, she felt a gentle tilt of the truck's ground, feeling slightly confused about where she was heading to.

Sitting up slightly from being curled into a ball, she noticed that the truck she is sitting inside that is being pulled by a steam locomotive was climbing up a hill.

At the top of the hill was a magnificent castle.

She was surprised to see the castle at the top of the hill as the steam locomotive continued climbing up to the top, which felt slow for Stephanie.

Stephanie did not mind and enjoyed the ride that oddly calmed her down gently from her crying.

Once the steam locomotive reached up at the top of the hill, she could see the castle and was amazed at how beautiful it was, feeling like she was sent back into time.

The steam locomotive slowly entered the entrance, and Stephanie immediately ducked down over the side of the truck, feeling ashamed and scared of encountering someone short-tempered and rude like Captain Bluenose, who had kidnapped her from Sunshine.

When the steam locomotive stopped, an old and wise voice softly mumbled, "Weird, I don't think Sherri added a heavy crate into one of the trucks…"

Mentally, Stephanie glanced down at her body at the thought of her weight, understanding she does not weigh that much compared to other children.

The same voice then said, speaking to someone else that came up to his side, "Hey, Stephen? Did the Earl of Sodor tell us we had a heavy crate filled with something important?"

"Not what I think of," another elder's voice answered, sounding a little different to the other one. "Let my friends have a look at what you have."

Stephanie froze as she stayed where she was, mentally praying to herself that this person was better than Captain Bluenose she had met before.

A shadow loomed over Stephanie as she stayed where she was, terrified to move.

"Bless me," a voice spoke, sounding slightly surprised. "Look at what Sherri dropped into your truck, Glynn."

Two hands reached over to her body and gently picked her up from inside the truck and behind the crates.

She recognized the same blue uniform as a steam locomotive driver, calming her down a little, but she was still scared and trembling like a leaf.

He started walking towards the front of the line of trucks where the steam locomotive is.

The other, who was a fireman, followed behind him.

"What did Sherri drop?" Glynn, the voice of the steam locomotive, asked before softly gasping when he saw Stephanie. "Bust my buffers!"

From the exclamation the steam locomotive made, Stephanie gathered some of her courage but hesitated a little.

After a moment, she glanced over her shoulder to see who exclaimed after seeing her.

The steam locomotive was not like any steam locomotives she saw but looked almost like a coffee pot.

The coffee pot locomotive is painted red and has gold boiler bands.

He has a gray steam space cap and a funnel with a brass funnel top.

He has brass control caps and brass nameplates with the name 'Glynn' on it.

The number one is painted yellow underneath his nameplates.

There is a second steam locomotive, too, except it looks more different from the coffee pot locomotive.

The steam locomotive is painted golden-yellow and black.

He carries gold nameplates reading 'Rocket' on each side of his boiler, and his domes, whistle, exhaust pipes, and boiler bands are painted bronze.

The funnel on top of him is painted white with gold on the tips.

"Wh-who's daughter does she belong to?" the red coffee pot locomotive asked as the driver and fireman shrugged in response.

Even the guests and the 'Rocket's' driver and fireman shrugged their shoulders too.

"What is going on?" a voice asked as Stephanie flinched slightly from the tone.

She glanced over and saw another elder except a human instead of a steam locomotive.

He has a white beard with hair and steel-blue eye color with fair skin.

He wore a black dress jacket over a red-patterned waistcoat, white shirt, and blue ascot, with gray trousers and black boots.

When he noticed Stephanie in the driver's arms, he instantly recognized her.

"Is that Stephanie?" he questioned, walking over to the driver.

"You know her?" 'Rocket' asked, sounding a little confused.

"'Know her?'" he repeated as he raised an eyebrow. "Sir Topham Hatt told me about her over the phone. I'm surprised you brought her here, Glynn!"

"I didn't see her when I was getting some crates from the docks." Glynn, the name of the red coffee pot steam locomotive, spoke. "But, I think Sherri accidentally picked her up from the cruise ships!"

"Ooh, her parents are going to be mad about that." groaned 'Rocket.'

"Stephanie does not have any parents," he spoke, surprising the two locomotives. "She only has a foster-father in America and is coming over to Sodor to pick her up."

Stephanie was a little saddened as she curled close to the driver's chest, still shaking like a leaf.

Gently, the elderly man reached over to her with his hand and felt her arm, noticing she was shaking.

Not only that, but her hands were also bleeding slightly from the scrapes.

That made everyone look worried about her from the look of the injuries on her hands.

"What happened to you?" he asked, noticing her trembling from underneath the touch of his hand.

"Did you meet Diesel 10?" 'Rocket' asked, frowning a little.

Stephanie started crying a little and shook her head no, curling more in the driver's arms.

"I-I-I…" she stammered as she cried between words, until flinching when she heard Captain Bluenose's whistle in the distance, as her trembling went up a notch in the driver's arms.

They glanced over at the other side of the wall of the castle, instantly noticing what happened.

"You met Bluenose?!" exclaimed a voice, perking Stephanie. "Is that what happened?"

Glancing over to see who it was, she noticed a wooden box-shaped steam locomotive entering inside the castle, with a slightly worried expression on his face.

The wooden steam locomotive is painted brown with gray side plates and cowcatchers, with the number seven on the sides.

"Ah, Toby." the elderly man spoke. "Did you go to the docks where Sherri is?"

"Yes, and she stammered something about Captain Bluenose coming over to her with a little girl he had to 'capture' from Sunshine for 'trespassing' and making him 'avoid' his work." Toby, the name of the steam locomotive, explained.

A solemn expression replaced the elder's slight concern before moving his hand away from Stephanie.

Toby noticed the little girl in his arms and her slightly bleeding hands.

He slightly paled when he noticed the blood coming from her palms but looked utterly shocked at the state she was in.

"She has to be her, is she?" Toby softly asked.

Everyone nodded their heads, answering Toby's question.

The elder was quiet for a moment after Toby, and the others realized that the little girl in 'Rocket's' arms is, in fact, the girl Captain Bluenose had taken.

"Excuse me for a moment," he spoke before walking over to the castle and entering inside.

After he left, Stephanie was still trembling and sobbing as Toby looked more worried about her.

"Did he do that to her?" Glynn asked.

"That's what Sherri stammered in a tizzy while looking for her." Toby nodded. "But, I didn't expect her to place her into your trucks, Glynn."

"I agree," nodded 'Rocket.' "But what are we going to do about her? She had a bad encounter with him."

All three paused for a moment while thinking to themselves, as Stephanie softly groaned to herself as she placed her head against the driver's chest in shame, feeling like the day had gone from good to fearful, then to worse.

Everyone thought to themselves for a moment before the elderly man came out of the castle before glancing over at Stephanie, who was still in the driver's arms, trembling and crying.

"Why don't you stay in the castle for the day?" he asked, referring to the castle.

Stephanie hesitated for a moment, feeling slightly guilty for entering the castle without Sir Topham Hatt's permission.

He noticed her expression behind the tears and said, "Do not worry about that either. I'll let Sir Topham Hatt know."

Stephanie mentally sighed in relief from the assuring, then asked, as the driver gave her to him in his arms, "What is your name, Sir?"

"Sir Robert Norramby," he answered as he walked to the castle's entrance. "Or, you might call me the Earl of Sodor."

The driver and fireman went back to 'Rocket,' and they both continued with their work.

When he entered the castle, Stephanie was distantly amazed at how beautiful the inside looked.

"What does the word 'Earl' mean?" she curiously asked before mentally wincing to herself from asking the question.

She felt like that question was stupid to him.

"'Earl' means a British nobleman ranked above a viscount and below a marquess." Sir Robert Norramby explained to her, with no signs of annoyance.

Stephanie blinked a few times with curiosity before smiling softly, feeling a little safer in the castle than fearing Captain Bluenose she had encountered before.

He entered the room and gently placed Stephanie down on top of a medic's bed, softly cushioned underneath her skinny weight.

Sir Robert Norramby then walked up to the cabinet and opened it, taking out some hydrogen peroxide, cotton balls, and band-aids.

After he had collected the items from the cabinet and closed it, he walked back towards Stephanie.

She was staring down at her hands as they were bleeding slightly from the injuries she had yesterday.

He sat down on a chair in front of her and near the bed.

It caused her to look up from her hands at him.

He placed the items down on the table next to the bed as Stephanie watched him with slight curiosity.

Sir Robert Norramby opened the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and took a cotton ball out from the bag he took down from the cabinets.

He soaked it halfway before closing the lid and placing it back on the table next to him.

Once the cotton ball was halfway soaked with hydrogen peroxide, Sir Robert Norramby politely asked Stephanie, "May you please give me one of your hands?"

Stephanie hesitated for a moment after he politely had asked for her hand but sighed and gave him her right hand, which had more scratches than her left.

Being gentle, Sir Robert Norramby dabbed her palm with the hydrogen peroxide-soaked cotton ball as Stephanie winced a little from the slight stinging feeling every time it touched her.

But it did not hurt her deeply that she cried out in pain from it.

It seemed like she was used to it every time.

After Sir Robert Norramby finished with her right hand, he placed the cotton ball down beside the table and started taking out the band-aids from the box in his hand.

Stephanie patiently kept her hand out for him to place the band-aids on the wounds but had a slightly confused expression on her face.

The band-aids he placed on her hands were so cute to Stephanie that it caused her to smile slightly, feeling better that she is in good hands now.

Once Stephanie's right hand was covered in band-aids and cleaned up from the blood and slight dirt, he moved on the next.

He repeated the same thing to it, wiping the blood and dirt off with the hydrogen peroxide-soaked cotton ball in his hand, and placed band-aids over her wounds once they were cleaned up.

After the last band-aid was placed on her left hand, Stephanie curiously stared at her band-aid-covered hands.

He stood up from his chair and placed the items back into the cabinet.

Sir Robert Norramby even threw the blood-soaked cotton ball into the trash.

After he had cleaned up from tending Stephanie's injuries, he noticed she was looking at the band-aids on her hands he placed on.

"Is there something wrong with the band-aids?" Sir Robert Norramby curiously asked.

Stephanie glanced up at him from her hands and answered, "There's nothing wrong about them. It's just that… I was never mended before from my injuries."

A slightly confused expression appeared on his face after Stephanie honestly answered his question, sitting back down on the chair in front of her.

"Why on earth?" he asked, cocking his head slightly to the side. "Have you been taken care of before?"

Stephanie sadly shook her head no and moved her hands close to her body.

"My… foster-father never usually cares about me that much," Stephanie sighed. "He is usually busy with something else or someone else, and I have to take care of myself."

A slightly concerned expression replaced his confusion as Stephanie was distracted by the band-aids on her hands that he placed on her wounds.

"Alright," Sir Robert Norramby nodded before standing back up from the chair he was sitting on again. "Let me ask the cooks in the kitchen to make you some lunch. I'll call Sir Topham Hatt to let him know you are going to stay here for a while."

Stephanie mentally felt confused about the kindness around her but nodded her head in silence.

After she nodded her head, Sir Robert Norramby gently said to Stephanie before he walked over to the phone in a different room, "Why don't you have a look around the castle with one of my locomotives in the meantime?"

At first, Stephanie wanted to say no and say she is perfectly okay sitting on the medical bed but stopped herself from saying that and silently nodded her head again.

Sir Robert Norramby nodded his head again and left the room as Stephanie sat there for a moment, thinking to herself.

She shuddered slightly to herself at the thought of Captain Bluenose, feeling terrorized if she confronted him again.

Stephanie does not want to be taken to the docks by Sir Robert Norramby's steam locomotives.

But she wanted to see more steam locomotives again to assure herself that not all machines are mean like him.

So, gathering her courage, she stepped off the bed she was placed onto and walked towards the door.

Once she was close, Stephanie opened it gently and peered out through the crack.

There was no one in the castle's hall, but she could see some tapestries decorated on the walls.

Beautiful carpet laid on the floor of the castle as there were many empty armors of knights standing at each corner of the hallway, looking like statues that were frozen in time.

Distant voices echoed through the hallway, along with the sounds of footsteps walking around.

From behind the thick brick walls, she could even hear the loud puffing of the moving steam locomotives.

Stephanie stepped out of the room she was inside to have her wounds on her hands mended from the rough impact she had with Captain Bluenose's metal deck and started wandering to the front of the castle to go outside.

Sometimes, she would go the wrong way and accidentally enter a different room than the other one she was inside before.

In a couple of rooms, she could see swords, medieval coins, and other medieval objects sealed behind thick glass containers that impressed her.

After entering the wrong area, she would make a u-turn and walk somewhere else.

She would even remember the room she had entered, too.

Stephanie got lost a few times through the castle each time but eventually reached the entrance.

Even though she had finally reached the entrance, she felt worried about how the visitors and the locomotives would react to seeing her step out from the castle without an adult?

She bit the bottom of her lip nervously, thinking to herself about what their reaction would be.

They would be confused and worried about her, asking about where her parents are.

Mostly, they would demand Stephanie to go back into her room to stay there to be safe.

Although she wanted to stay outside to have a look around and not feel trapped.

Not only that, but she also does not want to be locked away again.

Remembering scenes from what happened in her past, she panicked a little from her thoughts and pulled her hand away from the doorknob, feeling slightly scared.

But she gathered her courage again and opened the door of the castle, poking her head out slightly.

Once she had poked her head out of the door, she could see there was no swarm of visitors asking her how she was and where her parents were but did not know where the locomotives were.

After taking a peek out, she slowly inched herself out from the door and closed it behind her back gently.

"Why hello there!" a voice suddenly greeted her, causing her to flinch.

She glanced around for the source of the voice after she jolted when something puffed up beside her, causing her to look in front.

It was one of the older generation steam locomotives she had seen.

And it was the same red coffee pot.

Stephanie felt her heart skip a beat when she saw him, frantically wanting to come up with apologies for worrying him when she came to the castle.

Somehow, he noticed the slightly panicked expression on her face when she saw him approach her, speaking to her while he assured her, "Ah, do not worry. I'm not a bad person, unlike him, who you met."

He groaned slightly under his breath as Stephanie raised an eyebrow curiously.

"I always hated it when he came by the docks to talk to Sherri," he growled slightly. "Always making others feel be or crossed and humiliated by him."

Stephanie felt sorry for him having to meet him every time he comes to the docks to pick up some crates.

"I'm… sorry about that, mister?" Stephanie spoke before sounding confused at the end of her sentence, pausing a little while mentioning him with a hand for his name.

"Glynn," he answered. "Glynn is my name."

"Mister Glynn," Stephanie smiled before he chuckled, confusing Stephanie a little.

"No, just Glynn," he softly smiled before the other 'old-fashioned' steam locomotive appeared. "And this is my friend, Stephen."

He whistled his whistle towards Stephanie as she shyly waved her hand towards him.

"I… honestly thought his name was 'Rocket,'" Stephanie spoke before slightly blushing while rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

Both older steam locomotives laughed softly as Stephanie's blush went another shade of embarrassment.

"That's my nickname!" Stephen chuckled. "They nicknamed me 'Rocket' back then because I used to be faster than my other friends! I always beat them in the Rainhill Trials."

Stephanie perked a little from being slightly embarrassed and glanced over at Glynn.

"What about you?" she asked, mentioning him with one hand.

"Well," he began as he thought to himself. "My nickname was 'coffee pot,' because I looked like a coffee pot from the design that Sir Topham Hatt made back then in the good old times."

A slight surprise expression replaced Stephanie's shyness, and she asked, sounding a little more curious, "Sir Topham Hatt created both of you?"

They chuckled again, and Stephen said, "Bless you, no, the Earl of Sodor created me!"

"And Sir Topham Hatt created me," Glynn gently spoke. "When he was a young lad, that is."

"How young was he?" Stephanie curiously asked again, stepping closer to Glynn before covering her mouth with her hands.

On the half of the rules back at her 'home,' there was a critical rule that all children should learn; to never ask stupid questions to anyone.

They noticed she covered her mouth with her hands, raising an eyebrow towards her.

"What's wrong with that question?" Glynn asked. "He was only about twenty-five or twenty-eight years old when he first created me, if you were wondering too."

Stephanie glanced away for a moment after she had removed her hands from her mouth before honestly answering Glynn's question, "I have a strict foster-father who doesn't like 'stupid questions' from me or from any of the other adopted children."

She quoted the word 'stupid' with her fingers of her hands.

"So, he made a rule where no child could ask any of them that seemed 'stupid,'" Stephanie continued explaining before quoting again with her fingers. "And only ask questions that are on the topic."

Glynn and Stephen glanced at each other after Stephanie explained why she covered her mouth with her hands before glancing back over at her.

"What happens after someone accidentally breaks that rule?" Stephen asked.

Stephanie paused for a moment after Stephen asked that question, rubbing her arm slightly in thought.

"I… don't want to explain." Stephanie sighed, answering Stephen's question.

Stephen and Glynn glanced at each other after Stephanie answered their question before understanding she was still uncomfortable answering it.

Stephanie then remembered why she was outside and politely asked, "May I have a look around the castle? I got a little lost while inside before."

"Did you see the crown?" Glynn asked.

A confused expression appeared on Stephanie's face after he had asked.

"What crown?" Stephanie asked, glancing back at Glynn.

"There's a crown inside the castle!" Stephen beamed as he puffed along Glynn's side. "Would you like to have a ride with Glynn to see it?"

Stephanie looked slightly surprised by the question Stephen asked.

She looked at Glynn curiously as Glynn patiently waited for her to climb onto him.

She hesitated for a moment before finally answering, "Yes, I would like to have a look at this crown."

Glynn smiled proudly as his driver stepped off his back and walked towards Stephanie.

Stephen waited patiently as Glynn's driver picked Stephanie up from the ground and turned back around towards Glynn.

He first placed Stephanie down before climbing up, confusing Stephanie lightly.

She remembered Glynn did not have a tender with him and did not need a fireman with him.

But how can he get coal if he does not have a tender?

Once Stephanie was on Glynn, Glynn whistled his whistle and puffed forward slowly as Stephen followed pursuit behind him.

Halfway out of the castle's entrance, two well-known black steam locomotives puffed forward at a fast pace.

They were both mumbling things in Gaelic at a frantic pace, too, not even noticing Glynn and Stephen in front of them.

Stephanie knew who those two were as Duck was following behind with a slightly unamused look on his face.

He saw Glynn and Stephen were about to exit out of the castle to show Stephanie around when those two appeared, calling out, "Watch out for them!"

They both exclaimed something in Gaelic and immediately hit the brakes, screeching towards them.

Glynn's driver grabbed Stephanie gently just in time before the crash and hugged her, bracing for the impact.

Luckily, they did not crash into each other but instead gently tapped their front bumpers together.

The two well-known black steam locomotives were Donald and Douglas.

"O, mo-" Donald said, as they both went backwards, luckily not going into Duck behind them. "Sorry aboot thon, Glynn."

"An' Stephen," Douglas added, as both of them blushed sheepishly.

"What on earth were you two doing?!" exclaimed Stephen, as Glynn sighed in relief as his driver removed his arms from Stephanie, who was shaking like a leaf again. "Do you two think this is a race?!"

"N-No!" Stammered Douglas. "We were tryin' tae find Stephanie!"

Instantly, Stephen and Glynn looked surprised after Douglas mentioned Stephanie.

"You met her before?" Stephen asked.

"Of course," nodded Duck. "They both met her two days ago when she was lost. And, the reason why Douglas' driver lets Stephanie out of his cab, and Toad's brakeman helped her calm down because she is sensitive from both of you two's arguing!"

Donald and Douglas glanced at each other after Duck snapped.

After thinking for a moment, they blushed a deeper color in a red shade.

After Duck yelled at them for a short moment, he sighed as he closed his eyes to calm down a little to not make Stephanie overwhelmed again.

"Well, about Stephanie," Glynn spoke, catching all three's attention. "She is with me, and I was about to show her around the castle if you two would move, please."

He growled slightly at the end of his sentence at the twins for nearly giving them a scare, as they both flushed another shade of red, moving backwards and out of their way.

"Thank you." Glynn thanked them before exiting the castle as Stephen followed behind.

Stephanie glanced over to Duck from around his driver's legs and said, while waving to him, "Bye, Duckie."

Glynn, Stephen, Donald, and Douglas snorted a little from Stephanie's nickname towards Duck as Duck sighed slightly.

"That's going to be old soon…" he sighed.

"'Duckie?!'" exclaimed Donald.

"Ye're nicknamit 'Duckie?!'" exclaimed Douglas before the two started laughing.

Duck's cheeks blushed slightly from the nickname before gently chuckling to himself a little from what Stephanie came up with.

Meanwhile, Stephen and Glynn were chuckling to themselves about the nickname as Stephanie chuckled slightly.

"That's a cute nickname for him!" chuckled Stephen. "It suits him!"

Glynn nodded in response to the nickname as Stephanie blushed slightly.

This might not be that bad, after all.

If she does not encounter more scary vehicles that could hurt her, that is.