Stephanie woke up too early the next day in her room, thinking she was a little late.
Maybe because Alice or any of the butlers did not wake her up for the day and perhaps busy with something else like everyone else?
Sitting up from her bed, Stephanie pushed the blankets aside and got dressed in her clothes, thinking that maybe everyone had already started work?
She was still confused as she went outside to look for anyone else, noticing that it was still nighttime, as the sun was rising from the distance slightly.
From Stephanie's perspective, it looked beautiful to her and felt like she had not seen the sun for a long time.
A soft smile appeared on her face as she continued watching the sunrise from the horizon, shuddering a little when a gust of cold wind gently blew past her.
But it did not matter to Stephanie.
Noticing that Bertie or any of the buses or cars were not driving around, knowing that it was still night.
So, Stephanie decided to walk to Knapford to have a look around at what was going on.
She placed her hood over her head to keep the slight cold wind from her face and started walking to Knapford on foot.
During her walk towards Knapford, Stephanie nervously rubbed her wrist with her hand, worried that something had happened while she was asleep, forgetting all about her.
She stopped a few times to calm her nerves down from feeling nervous about being alone, mostly scratching her arm a little underneath her sleeve.
Once she had reached Knapford after walking for a long time, Stephanie discovered that no one was there, to her confusion and worry.
Stephanie walked up to the abandoned station with worry, glancing around for whomever or which engine is awake at this time of day.
After glancing around for anyone else or any engines around, Stephanie looked over at the clock at the thought of what time it was, still a little cold.
She noticed that it was 5:54 in the night, and the sun had not risen from the horizon.
Alice usually wakes Stephanie up at 6:30 in the morning for a 'bright and lovely day' as she would say whenever she woke up.
However, her 'foster-father's' maid wakes everyone up at 3:40 in the morning, forcing everyone to wake up in the cold morning, and if anyone refuses, would get yanked out of bed, not caring if getting injured.
A shudder went down Stephanie's back as she remembered the shrill screeching of her 'foster-father's' evil maid, screaming at each child there to wake up.
It sounded almost like a banshee screaming at everyone in the morning or like an emergency horn blaring near where they slept.
Stephanie's hair on her arms prickled at the memories of that evil maid coming into the basement room, screeching at every single child to get dressed and go do the chores.
Usually, Stephanie herself ends up in tears after being screeched in the face, having her thin blankets swiped off the bed and grabbed by the arm, the nails digging into her arm.
Her ears hurt from the noise, and her arms are usually covered in scratches from her long nails as she drags each child out of bed.
Sometimes, it would leave behind some scars, too, without even bothering to mend them after hurting each child.
Shaking her head, Stephanie forced the memory out of her head, trying not to remember her 'home' again as she scratched at her arm with her short nails.
Stephanie glanced around for a bench to stay on since she accidentally got up earlier than Sir Topham Hatt, thinking she might get a scolding from him for nearly scaring him.
While looking around for a bench, Stephanie noticed a strange crate was near the station at the other end, near the shunting yard.
It did not look like the Troublesome Trucks she usually sees but looked almost ancient like it belongs in a mine.
Stephanie's curiosity got the best of her, and she walked over to the truck, stepping off the station.
After being close to the truck, she noticed that it was taller than her, and it looked like she was staring up at a massive metal bin.
Glancing around, Stephanie looked for something to help her look into the truck, noting a crate is at her height and easy to climb up.
Walking over to the case, Stephanie placed her hands on the side of the wooden crate, using her strength to pull it, dragging it close to the mine truck and not waking up to any other Troublesome Trucks.
Once it was close to the mine cart, Stephanie stepped onto the crate and peered into it, being on her tiptoes to have a better look.
The minecart was empty and deep, looking like it could almost carry over six or eight children inside!
Despite the creepy feeling of the inside of the seemingly never-ending, dark truck, Stephanie's eyes soon came across something that took her attention from the fact that it was not worth looking in.
She moved to the side slightly to let some of the rising sun's rays into the crate, seeing that something was glittering inside the mine cart.
Reaching towards the glittering item, Stephanie used her right arm to grab the object, as the other held onto the side of the truck to not accidentally fall in.
She struggled a little to reach the glittering item a few times before moving up more onto her toes to stretch out more for the object.
Then there was trouble.
Stephanie's left hand slipped from the edge of the cart, and Stephanie fell inside, landing back first against the bottom and the object she was reaching for.
It rammed into Stephanie's back like a shoe, giving her a bruise and against her rib, not breaking it from the force.
Stephanie cried out in pain after the object went into her back, wincing while squirming a little to curl into a ball from the narrow truck.
After squirming a little, the pain soon faded away as Stephanie reached over her shoulder to see what she went into.
When her hand grasped what it was, Stephanie pulled out what seemed to be a massive emerald-green crystal.
A surprised expression replaced her pain, looking surprised at what she had found.
It was about the size of a baseball in her hand and glinted beautifully in the rising sun that poked over the cart she was inside.
Stephanie smirked slightly at what she had found, feeling proud of discovering something incredible and beautiful.
Placing the object back down at her side, Stephanie tried to get up from where she was, but her hands kept slipping on the walls of the truck.
She started panicking, thinking there is no way out of where she is, even trying to stand up in the cart to get out before anything else happens.
Suddenly, an unusual whistle caught Stephanie's attention, making her stop squirming in the truck she was stuck inside.
The whistle was shrill, but it did not make Stephanie cover her ears, thinking it must have been from someone or something else.
Soon, the truck started moving forward, heading towards somewhere that made Stephanie panic.
She continued trying to squirm out of the truck she was stuck inside, ignoring the pain in her back from the gem Stephanie accidentally went into.
It lasted for a good eighty minutes before the locomotive pulling the truck stopped on something, causing it to turn around.
Stephanie paused for a moment from her struggle, noticing the locomotive was on top of a turntable.
She continued watching the sky turn slightly before feeling a bump at the end of the truck, pushing instead of pulling.
Stephanie glanced up to see what was going on from the outside, seeing a large rock shaft filled with massive rocks inside.
And the shaft is where they dump rocks inside the trucks she was stuck in!
Stephanie yelped and struggled again before the truck she was inside started tipping over to the right side.
She yelped again as she tumbled out of the truck, landing front first on the gravel ground and scratching her hands again.
The gem once inside the truck with her landed near her with a gentle clink against the gravel.
A startled gasp came from someone after Stephanie had tumbled out of the truck, hissing softly from the pain in her back.
"Burst my boiler!" exclaimed a voice. "Is that a little girl?!"
Stephanie glanced up slightly to see who exclaimed after she had tumbled out of the truck, noticing there were more steam locomotives!
But they looked different from the ones back at Knapford station.
The first steam locomotive is a Fletcher Jennings Class C from the book Sir Topham Hatt's father wrote in and looked older than the others.
He is painted crimson red with a white and gold lining and has a red and gold nameplate with the name 'Skarloey,' along with number plates with the number 'SR 1' on the sides of his saddle tank.
The second steam engine was a Fletcher Jennings Class BB and looked concerned for Stephanie.
He is painted in a vermilion color with black and gold lining and brass fittings.
He has black and brass nameplates with the name 'Rheneas' and number plates with the number 'SR 2' on the sides of his boiler and coal bunkers, respectively.
The third steam engine was a TR No.3 and looked old and wise.
He is painted dark blue with a red lining and brass fittings with red and gold nameplates, with the name 'Sir Handel' and number plates with the number 'SR 3' on the sides of his saddle tank and coal bunkers, respectively.
The fourth steam engine is a TR No.4 and looked confused.
He painted dark green with red lining and brass fittings, and he has red and gold nameplates, with the name 'Peter Sam' and number plates with the number 'SR 4' on the sides of his saddle tank and coal bunkers, respectively.
To Stephanie's surprise, she noticed a diesel at the new place she is in, which looked like a TR No.5.
He is painted orange with a yellow lining around his windows and white lettering with the name 'Rusty' and the number 'SR 5.'
In front of Stephanie, she noticed that a fifth steam train was staring at her with surprise.
He is a Kerr Stuart Wren and is painted in a pea-green color with a white lining.
His name 'Luke' is painted in white on either side of his saddle tank, and he has brass and black number plates with the number 'SR 22' on both sides of his cab.
Stephanie stared at the locomotive for a moment before saying, "Did I do something wrong?"
"Oh, no," the dark blue steam locomotive answered, breaking the ice between all of them. "Not at all, but what are you doing inside that truck Samson was pulling earlier?"
A confused expression appeared on her face, and Stephanie glanced over at who is named 'Samson.'
But she only sees that there was no one there that is named 'Samson' pulling the trucks.
"Oh, if you are wondering where Samson is," the diesel responded when he noticed her confusion. "He already left."
Stephanie sighed with slight annoyance and started standing up to her feet after grabbing the gem she found inside the truck in her hand.
"Oh, well," Stephanie sighed as she started standing up to her feet. "It's best if I could-"
Before she could continue, a sharp pain emitted from her back, causing her to yelp and knelt back down on the ground, wincing and covering her shoulder with her free hand.
"What happened?!" exclaimed a young voice. "Are you okay?!"
Stephanie glanced up slightly again and noticed she was surrounded by the locomotives' drivers and firemen, looking concerned for her.
They were wearing the same outfits, but in gray instead of blue, and looked dirtier than the diesel drivers she had seen before, except she had the Vicarstown Dieselworks logo on the jacket and a brown cap.
"I accidentally fell inside that truck earlier before coming here when I woke up much too early for Sir Topham Hatt," Stephanie explained as she softly hissed from the twinges of pain. "And landed on this."
She showed them the gem she found inside the truck to the drivers and fireman, as a shocked expression appeared on their faces.
"I-Is that what I think it is?" stammered one of the drivers.
The diesel's driver scratched his head for a moment and asked, "Excuse me, but could I have that gem for a moment?"
Stephanie hesitated for a moment after he had asked before nodding her head and giving the gem to him.
He lifted the gem up into the sky and looked at it closely before exclaiming, "It is the long-lost Gem of Sodor!"
A confused expression appeared on Stephanie's face after he had exclaimed.
"What's the 'Gem of Sodor?'" Stephanie asked.
"The gem you landed on!" exclaimed the pea-green steam train as the diesel's driver showed her. "It has been lost for thousands of years! But, how on earth did it get in there in the first place?"
Stephanie shrugged her shoulders before wincing when the bruise on her back stung after shrugging her shoulders.
"Oh," One of the drivers gently felt the bruise on her back with his hand in thought. "About that bruise."
She hissed quietly in pain from the gentle touch of the driver's hand against her bruise.
Stephanie clenched her hand into a fist from the touch, feeling like a horse had stomped on her back multiple times.
She was used to the bruises, but this one was the worst one she had ever felt before.
"Ooh," the driver winced after seeing the expression on her face. "That's one heck of a bruise. It even landed right on one of your rib cages. Maybe you need to put some ice on it."
She cocked her head to the side slightly to herself, feeling confused about the friendly drivers and firemen of the place.
"But, we are not having a break now, so," one of the firemen said. "Why not wait until that time comes?"
Everyone nodded in agreement, including the engines too.
"Which engine wants to keep…" one of the drivers spoke for a moment before pausing. "Er…"
He glanced over at Stephanie for her name as she glanced back up at him.
"Stephanie," Stephanie answered as she slowly moved herself up, the bruise still stinging. "Stephanie Nova Rose Allen."
"Miss Allen until we talk to the Manager." the driver finished, glancing back at the engines.
Stephanie glanced away for a moment, feeling like she was taking up their time.
"Me! Allow me to keep her company!" the pea-green engine chirps. "Me!"
The driver talking to Stephanie chuckled and said, "Of course, Luke, you may."
Luke, the pea-green with white stripes steam engine, happily whistled his whistle, as Stephanie was gently but carefully picked up by his driver.
She was carried over to Luke and climbed inside, while Luke, on the other wheel, was excited to have a little girl with him.
He went off after Stephanie was in his cab, whistling his whistle excitedly.
Soon after Stephanie was picked up and placed into Luke's cab, everyone else whistled too and went to work.
During it, Stephanie kept feeling the bruise on her back with a hand over her shoulder.
She thought it was getting darker than before underneath her shirt because of how hurtful it was when touched.
But, Stephanie did not want to take it off to look at it since she was ashamed of something from underneath.
Luke felt like this was taking a little too quiet as he made shifts around the quarry, at times gathering trucks filled with gravel inside.
There is some noise going on, like the rocks being crushed by the machine with loud grinding.
After the rocks were crushed, they were placed into the trucks that she had been inside before.
Then, being taken by a diesel to different spots on Sodor.
"Hey, is your name Stephanie?" Luke asked, glancing over at her from the corner of his eye.
"Um," Stephanie hesitated for a moment, feeling doubtful to distract him from his work.
But, he was kind to Stephanie, so she answered his question after being quiet, "Yes, that is my name. Is your name Luke?"
Luke nodded, answering Stephanie's curious question as he continued, pulling large trucks of slate down the quarry.
Stephanie glanced around as Luke puffed around as Stephanie noticed two machines that were not the engines.
One of them was an almost similar crane to Cranky or Big Mickey but is painted vermilion with yellow and gold accents.
He has gold nameplates on both sides of his cab with the name 'Merrick.'
But the other was the most curious thing Stephanie had ever seen.
The strange machine is painted orange and gray, with yellow stripes and a brass nameplate with the name 'Owen.'
"Luke?" Stephanie questioned after he had stopped next to the escalator to dump rocks inside.
"Yes?" Luke answered, glancing over at her from the corner of his eye.
"Who is he?" Stephanie asked, mentioning over to the escalator.
Luke glanced over at the escalator, who was bringing up some filled trucks of rocks, answering, "His name is Owen!"
He paused for a moment as he stared at him with confusion.
"I don't know what type of engine he is," Luke added as he glanced over at Stephanie. "But, he is a friendly guy if you get to know him!"
Stephanie softly smiled after Luke described who Owen is to Stephanie until a voice asked, "Somethin' about me?"
Luke and Stephanie glanced up at the voice, noticing that Owen looked confused and staring at Luke.
"Oh, we're talking about you, Owen!" Luke called over to him. "My new friend, Stephanie, was curious about who you are."
Stephanie blushed shyly and hid behind Luke's driver's leg from how friendly everyone was around each other.
Owen gently smiled when he noticed Stephanie and asked, "Who else is Stephanie curious about?"
"Maybe everyone?" Luke guessed. "She is new to the Blue Mountain Quarry."
Owen nodded and glanced over at the crane on the other side of the bridge.
"Hey, Merrick!" Owen called the being on the other side of the bridge.
Merrick, the other crane, snorted awake, turning around towards Owen after being called.
"Yes?" he asked, yawning a little after being awoken.
"You haven't properly introduced ourselves over to Luke's new friend," Owen smiled.
"Is it another deer?" Merrick asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Owen chuckled and said, "No, it's a little girl."
Merrick glanced down and noticed Stephanie, who was still hiding behind Luke's driver's leg.
"Well, bless me!" Merrick exclaimed. "What is she doing here?"
"She accidentally climbed into one of the trucks Samson was pulling," Owen explained. "I saw it while you were asleep."
Stephanie glanced away from the two talking machines, feeling more embarrassed about her 'adventure' and making everyone work less on what they are doing.
But all of them seemed to be friendly and wanted to meet her, despite the unexpected adventure she had.
"Oh," Merrick chuckled before turning his attention over to Stephanie. "Well, pleased to meet you, Stephanie. My name is Merrick."
Stephanie shyly waved her hand towards Merrick from behind Luke's driver's leg, still feeling more ashamed and anxious.
Soon, it was noon, and a bell rang in the distance that caused everyone to stop from the noise.
Stephanie flinched slightly from the noise but relaxed when Luke assured her it was the bell for break time.
Everyone went up to a shack, and the engines' drivers and firemen stepped out of the cabs, entering inside.
During that time, Stephanie stepped out of Luke's cab, feeling relieved.
Stephanie felt like she was squished between the two controllers since the cab was small.
Luke glanced over at Stephanie and asked, "How was the time with the work?"
Stephanie glanced over at Luke and answered, "Loud, but a lot of rocks here."
"That's why it's called a Quarry!" chuckled a pea-green train. "The Blue Mountain Quarry, to be exact."
A slightly embarrassing blush appeared on Stephanie's cheeks when he mentioned feeling downright stupid for assuming that.
"Now," softly spoke the diesel. "Let's introduce ourselves; my name is Rusty."
"Pleased to meet you, Rusty," Stephanie greeted back. "My name is Stephanie, Stephanie Nova Rose Allen."
Rusty nodded back before the crimson red steam engine said, "My name is Skarloey."
Stephanie paused after Skarloey introduced himself, repeating his name.
"'Skarloey.'" Stephanie mumbled to herself softly. "That's an amazing name!"
Skarloey's cheeks blushed after Stephanie remarked about his name, as his driver and fireman chuckled a little.
The vermilion steam train chuckled gently before saying, "My name is Rheneas."
"Your name is amazing!" Stephanie remarked, causing Rheneas to blush. "'Rheneas' sounds like someone famous."
Rheneas glanced away from Stephanie after she had remarked about his name as the blue steam engine chuckled.
"My name is Sir Handel." the dark blue steam train smiled.
A confused expression appeared on Stephanie's face.
"Why are you named 'Sir Handel?'" Stephanie innocently asked.
"Well," Sir Handel began. "My nickname was 'Falcon,' but I was named after the first owner, Sir Handel Brown, the First."
Stephanie understood what he was explaining and smiled.
"Well," Stephanie began. "I think 'Sir Handel' is marvelous! Even the name 'Falcon' too!"
Sir Handel's cheeks blushed after Stephanie remarked about his name, gently puffing slightly.
"My name is Peter Sam," the green engine introduced. "My nickname was 'Stuart.'"
The same confused expression appeared on Stephanie's face after he introduced himself.
"If you are wondering why I got that name, I was named after the Skarloey Railway's previous controller, Mr. Peter Sam." Peter Sam explained. "I was named 'Stuart' by the designers who made me."
Stephanie softly smiled after explaining how he got his name before looking curious.
"What's the 'Skaloey Railway?'" Stephanie innocently asked.
The engines glanced at each other for a moment before Sir Handel answered, "It's our railway we sometimes work on."
Stephanie perked with curiosity and listened to their stories, feeling like she was listening to one of the grandest things she had ever heard.
"If you go there, you might see an old engine friend of ours," smiled Skarloey.
Stephanie's curiosity perked up more after the little story finished.
"Who the 'old engine friend?'" Stephanie asked.
Mentally, she felt shy to ask more questions because of the 'rules' her 'adoptive father' explained to her.
"The old engine friend of ours is named 'Duke.'" smiled Peter Sam. "We usually nicknamed him 'Grandpuff.'"
Stephanie giggled at the cute little nickname for the elder engine.
"But, don't let his age get to you!" chuckled Rheneas. "He's one of the wisest and most experienced engines on Sodor!"
Stephanie softly smiled as she listened to their conversation about Duke.
"But," chuckled Rusty. "Be careful with Duncan. He's cranky like Cranky."
A soft, confused expression appeared on her face after he mentioned 'Duncan,' cocking her head to the side slightly.
"Somethin' aboot me?" a voice asked, having a Scottish accent.
Stephanie glanced over her shoulder and noticed a TR No. 6 engine coming over.
He is painted golden-yellow with a black lining and gold boiler bands and has brass nameplates, with the name 'Duncan' on the sides of his boiler and his coal bunkers.
'So he is named 'Duncan?'' Stephanie worriedly thought to herself.
"Oh, we were talking about you, Duncan." smiled Peter Sam. "This is Stephanie."
Duncan glanced over at Stephanie with judgment, but Stephanie could see there were some hints of worry in his eyes.
"A see," Duncan spoke. "Where are her parents, first o' aw?"
Immediately, the quarry went silent after Duncan had asked that question, as the engines glanced at each other as some paled a little, steaming puffing slightly fast out of their chimneys.
Owen's face paled slightly, and Merrick bit the bottom of his lip, glancing over at him with worry.
Duncan noticed and asked, "They are no' here, arenae they?"
All the engines nodded, answering Duncan's question as Luke looked more worried than the others.
"Well, why didnae ye aw speir her?!" Duncan exclaimed, startling Stephanie slightly.
"Shush," Rusty gently shushed him. "You're going to make Stephanie feel overwhelmed if you keep going like that, Duncan."
Duncan slightly grumbled as he glanced away as a puff of steam came out of his funnel.
Stephanie paused for a moment after Rusty gently shushed Duncan before asking, "Have any of you been outside the quarry before?"
All the engines paused for a moment, glancing at each other for a moment, before Duncan sighed, rolling his eyes.
"None o' us can get tae some places, Stephanie," Duncan grumbled. "We have tae wait for a steam engine tae come here tae pick us up an' tak us tae the location."
Stephanie's gaze softened after Duncan grumbled before Rusty added, "But, there are other ways to go from one place to another."
She slightly perked after Rusty added and asked, "How?"
"Well," he mentioned to Owen. "We load rocks onto Owen, and he brings them down on one side, while the other brings empty carts up, taking them to some areas where there are narrow tracks for us to go on."
Owen smiled proudly, and Stephanie gently smiled back.
"It's either Thomas or Paxton, who brings the trucks you were inside to get the slates," Rusty continued. "And it's hard work for us."
Stephanie nodded her head in agreement, still not moving her arm with the bruise on her back.
Then, one of the workmen came out from the house, as the Blue Mountain Quarry manager came by his side.
"Sir Topham Hatt will come over to pick Ms. Allen up from her," the Blue Mountain Quarry manager explained to the engines. "Unexpected visit here in the quarry."
Stephanie's cheeks blushed ashamedly from her 'unexpected visit,' feeling like she was going to be punished for her incident.
"Will she be punishit for her incident?" Duncan asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Everyone perked a little after Duncan asked, glancing at each other with slightly confused expressions on their faces.
"Not what I think of," the Blue Mountain Quarry manager answered. "I only informed him of Stephanie being missing, and he told me he was coming over to pick Ms. Allen up."
Stephanie quietly sighed to herself after the manager explained to Duncan about their conversation.
Then, he asked, "Are you worried about her?"
Duncan's cheeks blushed slightly from the question, responding, "Whit? Me? Worriit aboot her? A'm juist makin' sure she is safe."
"That's called worry, Duncan!" chuckled Rheneas.
Duncan's cheeks blushed in another shade after Rheneas responded to his answer until something gently bumped into the back of his cab.
"Oi!" Duncan snapped as he glanced over at who was from the corner of his eyes. "Wha's bumpin' ma buffer?!"
"Oops," a voice exclaimed. "Sorry about that, Duncan."
Soon, the turntable turned around, and Winston came over to where Stephanie was.
Stephanie's stomach instantly worriedly clenched when she noticed Sir Topham Hatt sitting in the driver's seat.
Sir Topham Hatt stepped out of the car and glanced over at Stephanie.
Stephanie was nervous as she rubbed her left hand, thinking about what he would do to her.
"There you are!" Sir Topham Hatt sighed as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I was so worried about you!"
"Forgive me, Sir," Stephanie apologized, as she winced slightly as his hand was near her injury. "I was up earlier than you and found something in a quarry truck by the platform."
A slightly confused expression appeared on Sir Topham Hatt's face after Stephanie explained, asking, "What is it you have found?"
"I agree," nodded Winston.
Duncan nodded in response, too, looking curious.
The Blue Quarry manager entered the house for a moment, then exited, showing the Gem of Sodor to Sir Topham Hatt.
Sir Topham Hatt was surprised to see the Gem of Sodor in the Blue Mountain Quarry manager's hand, even Winston too.
"Is this what was out of the truck Stephanie fell in?" he asked, pointing to the gem.
The Blue Quarry manager nodded his head, answering Sir Topham Hatt's question.
"Stephanie apparently landed on the gem too, Sir," added one of the engines' drivers. "There is a bruise on her back and needs some ice on it."
Stephanie felt mentally nervous about Sir Topham Hatt putting ice on her bruise, rubbing the back of her left arm.
Sir Topham Hatt nodded his head and asked, holding his hand out, "May I have the gem, so I can take it to the museum?"
The Blue Mountain Quarry manager nodded his head and handed the gem over to Sir Topham Hatt as he placed it inside his pocket.
"Thank you," Sir Topham Hatt thanked before turning around and carefully placing his hand on her other shoulder, not on the one that had the bruise. "Come along, Stephanie. Let me first take the gem to the museum, then to the mansion to patch that bruise."
Stephanie nodded her head and walked up to the car as Sir Topham Hatt took the driver's seat, and Stephanie sat in the passenger seat next to him.
"Be careful," warned Duncan, sounding a little worried about her but grumpy. "Winston can be A little wobbly."
"Thank you, Duncan," Stephanie thanked as the turntable turned, and Sir Topham Hatt drove away, albeit shakily.
In the background, Stephanie could hear Rusty saying, "So you are worried about her!"
"For the last time, A am no' worried, A am juist makin' sure!" Duncan groaned, snapping a little at the light jokes.
Stephanie giggled as she covered her mouth with her hand, as Sir Topham Hatt looked slightly confused.
Despite how shaky it was with Sir Topham Hatt driving, Stephanie liked riding in Winston, feeling like she was in a shaky rollercoaster.
Sometimes, watching engines passing by Winston made Stephanie feel slightly nervous about crashing into each other but relaxed after they went away.
Once they had reached the museum, Sir Topham Hatt stepped out of Winston, as Stephanie noticed that he had forgotten about the brake.
Winston did not tell him either but was staring off into the distance of the field.
But Stephanie put the brakes on without Sir Topham Hatt noticing as he entered the museum to deliver the Gem of Sodor.
But Winston did, hearing a click from the driver's side of the seat.
Glancing up at Stephanie, he asked, "Did you put the brakes on, Stephanie?"
Blushing, Stephanie answered, "Yes, I did. You did not remind Sir Topham Hatt about it, either."
"Oops." Winston blushed slightly with embarrassment before noticing something. "How on earth did you know how to put my brakes on?"
"Well, I went into the library out of boredom," Stephanie explained. "And I found Sir Topham Hatt's father's book on the shelf, which had many engines inside, each from different classes and types."
"Oh, I remember that book!" Winston smiled after Stephanie explained. "His father was an excellent engine expert."
Stephanie blinked with surprise after Winston recalled the book she had read before.
"His father is an engine expert?" Stephanie asked.
Winston nodded after Stephanie asked, smiling gently.
"Not only that," Winston added. "He has been traveling around the world, seeing each engine. The first Sir Topham Hatt sketched and wrote about each one in that book you read about."
Stephanie perked up more after Winston explained, moving around in her chair a little to get comfortable.
"What else?" Stephanie asked curiously.
Winston chuckled, understanding how curious Stephanie was about the history behind Sir Topham Hatt.
"Don't tell Sir Topham Hatt about this, but he is a bad driver," Winston explained.
"I won't tell him, and I saw that," Stephanie sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.
Winston thought to himself for a moment before perking a little.
"Oh, um, Stephanie?" Winston asked.
Stephanie moved up a little from her seat and answered, "Yes?"
"When you are older, would you like to drive me some other time?" Winston asked.
Stephanie slightly flinched after Winston asked, hesitating for a moment as her right arm shook.
"Uh, s-sure," Stephanie shakily nodded. "When I am older…"
Winston felt confused from the tone of Stephanie's voice, sounding slightly scared and trembling slightly in the seat she was sitting in.
Before he could ask what was wrong, something zoomed past the road, startling him as he yelped.
"Hey!" Winston exclaimed as he called the car. "May you please watch where you are going, sir?"
"Oops, sawrry about that!" Winston blinked with surprise after hearing that voice, blushing slightly.
Stephanie also heard that voice and perked as her shaking stopped as she released her arm.
The car's basis was a Triumph Spitfire 1500 and is painted in yellow with white stripes and silver wheels, along with a four-leaf clover painted in a white circle.
The number forty-three is painted on the sides of his doors in black with white lines around the black forty-three.
The race car noticed Winston and said, "G'day, wat is yah name?"
Winston stammered a little after he asked, confusing Stephanie a little as she glanced down at him with slight curiosity.
"Not much of a talker?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"N-No," stammered Winston. "I just didn't expect you to be here, mister?"
"Ace," Ace, the name of the race car, smiled, winking towards Winston. "Ace is my name."
Winston blushed after Ace winked towards him, glancing away as Stephanie's curiosity grew more.
Ace noticed Stephanie sitting in his passenger seat and looked confused when he recognized her.
"Wen did Sir Topham 'att 'av' a child?" he asked, mentioning her.
Winston glanced up at Stephanie as she stammered, "Ah, no, sir. I… um… it's a long story to explain."
Ace's confusion grew more as he asked, "Ah, don't wawrry about it! We got plenchoo of time! So wat's the stawry?"
Stephanie paused a little after he asked but explained the story to him, how she found the Gem of Sodor, and when she came to Sodor by boat, wearing a raggy dress shirt.
Ace was surprised and confused by the story from Stephanie and Winston but believed in it after explaining.
"Wow, that's a very big adventah ya 'ad!" he commented. "Pretchoo game of ya too."
"Thanks?" Stephanie thanked him with confusion.
Ace chuckled a little from Stephanie's innocent confusion before noticing that Winston's cheeks were a bit red.
"Wy is his cheeks turnin' red, Steph?" Ace asked in confusion as he cocked his eyebrow.
Winston blinked after he had snapped out of dazing, noticing that Ace saw his blush.
"Oh, just tired from working out," Winston nervously answered, glancing away from him.
Ace said nothing after Winston answered his question, as Stephanie thought to herself.
"Oh, Ace!" Stephanie spoke. "He was wondering how fast you can go?"
Ace smirked and answered, moving backwards before doing some tight donuts, "I can go as fast as I can go, kiddo!"
Winston felt more amazed as he watched Ace move back and forth, spinning around in circles.
He felt like he wanted to do the same thing as Ace but knows he is a railcar.
After Ace showed off to Winston, Winston mumbled, not knowing that Ace was there, "You're so lucky to not be on rails."
"Wat's wrong with bein' on the rails?" Ace asked in confusion, causing Winston to jolt.
"Uh, it's, um, it's," Winston stammered as Stephanie giggled softly. "It's just you have freedom on the road instead of rails."
Ace chuckled and responded, moving a wheel slightly, "Not all machines 'av' no freedom. Thomas is allowed ta travel! With permission from Sir Topham 'att, that is."
Winston perked more as he listened to Ace, along with Stephanie.
"Sometimes, I could travel ahround liyyke wat I did back in 'stralia," Ace continued. "But, since theah is a new race comin' soon on Sodawr, I hope I can meet the best racah theah is!"
"Who's the 'best racer?'" Stephanie asked in curiosity.
"Lightin' McQueen!" Ace responded with excitement. "Wat I heahrd from back in Amahica, Lightin' McQueen won his seventeenth piston cup!"
Winston's eyes widened with amazement as Stephanie's curiosity grew more.
"Really?!" Winston exclaimed.
Ace nodded in excitement as he gently jittered his back wheels at the thought of the race in his mind.
"Yer, I hope somedee I can meet that racer!" Ace smiled before remembering something. "Oh, I fawrgot! There's racin' practice!"
With that, Ace went backwards as he glanced over at his side mirrors before turning around, calling out, "See ya soon, Red!"
Winston blinked in confusion after Ace called out before shaking slightly and calling over to Ace in the distance, saying, "My name is Winston, not Red!"
After Ace left, Winston groaned as Stephanie chuckled.
"He's quite a guy, hmm?" Stephanie gently teased.
"Yes, and I made myself look like a fool." Winston groaned. "I should've introduced myself instead of being distracted!"
Rolling her eyes, Stephanie gently rubbed the side of Winston, saying, "Don't worry. You'll see Ace soon."
Winston sighed after Stephanie assured him as Sir Topham Hatt came out of the museum without the gem.
"How was it in there?" Stephanie asked, moving over to the side slightly as Sir Topham Hatt entered inside Winston.
"Excellent!" Sir Topham Hatt beamed. "The museum said the gem was real and is the Gem of Sodor!"
Stephanie smiled gently and said, "That's good!" before wincing when her bruise twinged a little after moving her arm up slightly.
Sir Topham Hatt winced slightly along with her after Stephanie's bruise hurt.
"Now, let's take you back to the mansion to fix that bruise." Sir Topham Hatt started Winston and was about to hit the gas when Stephanie said, "Excuse me? You forgot Winston's brake."
"Oh." Sir Topham Hatt clicked the brakes off. "Thank you, Stephanie."
Stephanie beamed gently after Sir Topham Hatt turned the brakes off before starting to head for the mansion.
While Sir Topham Hatt was busy with something else, mostly trying his best to drive Winston, Stephanie rubbed her left arm, feeling slightly nervous.
Once Sir Topham Hatt and Stephanie reached the mansion and entered inside, he asked a maid to take care of Stephanie.
With no one noticing, Stephanie gritted her teeth nervously as she shuddered a little.
It seemed like Stephanie looked worried about something she was hiding.
But she quickly changed her expression when she entered her room with Alice by her side.
