Not much time had passed on Sodor since Luke and Millie's latest visit at Ulfstead Castle, but from that very night onwards, there had been quite a series of unusual and hair-raising events over the next couple days.
With the summer season having now reached its peak, Thomas, Percy and Rebecca had recently discovered that Sir Robert had brought his friend Ruth all the way from America to partake in a Technology Fair called "World of Tomorrow," in which inventors from abroad would display their latest and greatest inventions for everyone to see. This had caused Thomas to start worrying about the prospect of new inventions becoming the new way of Sodor, and that none of the engines would be useful anymore, although Emily told him not to be silly, and the other engines were insistent that nothing would replace them. Thomas still worried to himself, wishing desperately that they could prove themselves as useful as possible.
The very next morning afterwards, after Luke returned to the Blue Mountain Quarry, was when the bustle had begun. The Fat Controller came to the sheds and handed out all the jobs for the engines to make ready for the Fair. Percy had to take tents for the stands at the castle, James had to collect tables and chairs, Nia had to take metal beams for the giant wheel, Emily had to pick up wood for the stage from Knapford Yard, and Gordon and Rebecca had to take the Express as usual, and then go to Brendam Docks to collect a surprise guest, to which Rebecca was particularly intrigued. Lastly, Thomas had to collect empty trucks from Knapford Yard and take them to Blue Mountain Quarry, then take the workmen from Ffarquhar Station to Ulfstead Castle. But even then, Thomas was still worried about the prospect of new inventions. He had urged the whole Steam Team to do the best job ever so they wouldn't get replaced by any new inventions.
"Nonsense," Gordon said. "Nothing can replace me!"
"And nothing would look as red and shiny as me," James added as he set off.
The other engines went on their way until Thomas, Percy and Emily were left. Thomas kept a nervous look in contrast to Percy and Emily's smiles, and Emily could tell how Thomas was feeling ever since he voiced his worries the night before.
"I know what you're thinking, Thomas," said Emily. "But you must know we've all felt this way before."
"It's true, Thomas," said Percy. "Like when we all worried that Harold was trying to replace us when you wanted to tell us about the children's playground."
"And when Hugo came along and were all afraid he would replace us," said Emily. "And in both situations, we were wrong."
"I know, Emily," said Thomas. "But this is a whole Fair all about new inventions...just do your very best and don't let anything replace you!"
And Thomas set off in quite a hurry. Percy and Emily couldn't help but giggle to each other as they set off themselves, as neither of them were concerned about this Fair themselves. Yet.
Over the course of that day, while Thomas collected the trucks and raced to the Blue Mountain Quarry, the rest of the Steam Team were busy tackling their tasks to help prepare for the Technology Fair. As soon as he had delivered his trucks to the Blue Mountain Quarry, Thomas then raced back to collect Annie and Clarabel. He wanted to show the Fat Controller how useful he and all the engines were, and prove they could never be replaced. But then, Thomas came across Nia and saw that her metal beams were scattered everywhere, and she had been derailed. Thomas went to get Harvey at once, but while that was going on, Sir Robert was flying the Road Plane through the sky with a banner for the Technology Fair for everyone to see, and when Percy looked up at it and called hello, he didn't see where he was going and ran into Edward, upsetting all their loads. When Thomas discovered that mess, he rushed to get Rocky as fast as he could. But this resulted in the Fat Controller and Ruth wondering where his engines had gotten to, and only James managed to make it with his load in good time, while Emily managed to stay out of trouble and make her delivery soon enough too, thanks to her Safety Engine instincts.
Meanwhile, in the midst of all the messy rushing for the Fair to be ready on time, there was a particular figure who was making his way to Sodor already. But this was no inventor with stuff to show at the Fair. This was a steam engine of unknown class and wheel configuration to most of Sodor, who arrived at Vicarstown Bridge. The engine did, however, share a few characteristics of Emily's brother Bernard. This engine too was painted in navy blue livery, with a similar-shaped smokebox and a distinct male face a little like Bernard's...and he too had a considerably checkered past of his own. The bridge soon lowered, and this engine uttered a shadowy but uncertain chuckle as he made his way in...along two individuals who were doing little more than using this engine only as means to an end, rather like Sailor John did with Skiff to find the treasure. The engine soon found his way to Vicarstown Station and stopped at the platform beside Rosie. She looked and noticed the new engine.
"Oh, hello," she greeted.
But the new engine didn't answer. He just grunted insecurely, not knowing what to say or do. Rosie huffed unimpressively and went on her way...and that's when the two of them emerged from the new engine; the core reason for his shifty and uncertain nature. There were two men driving the engine, whose names were Baz and Bernie.
Baz was a tall, skinny man with a thin moustache, and a dark grey suit and hat. A conniving and intelligent figure who had a shady history on the Mainland already, but with the spreading news of the Technology Fair, he had been shaping a little idea of his own to tackle at the Fair.
Bernie on the other hand, was short and stout with a tan-coloured suit, a pink neckerchief, and was so very simple-minded. He had higher spirits, rather like a child, and was very loose-lipped whenever conversations would start between him, Baz and anyone else. Both men snickered, then struggled to squeeze out of the engine's cab, when Baz suddenly shoved ahead and gathered himself together.
"Alright, Bernie," said Baz. "We need to find that castle."
"Oh. Are you looking for Ulfstead Castle?" asked a porter.
"Uh...yeah," said Bernie. "We're not gonna do any...stealing, or, uh..."
Baz picked up on Bernie's loose lips right away and stepped on his foot to silence him, trying to prevent suspicion. Bernie hobbled around in circles, holding his foot while Baz softened the matter.
"What my friend here is trying to say is...which way is the...castle?" he asked.
While this was going on, Thomas had trailed to the Search and Rescue Centre to find Rocky, only to hear from Harold that he wasn't at the Centre. Thomas took badly to this as most of the engines were getting later and later, and rushed off before Harold could finish saying where Rocky was. Thomas rushed back to Knapford, where Annie and Clarabel had been waiting for hours, but Rocky wasn't there either. Thomas rushed on to find him and Harvey too, but in the haste and anxiety, when he got to Brendam Docks, he rammed right into Salty's trucks and spilled a whole load of pipes Cranky had been managing, only to find that Rocky was right there.
The Fat Controller soon heard the news, noting it was a good thing Harvey found Nia and Percy. Thomas apologized profusely as he only wanted everyone to do the best job ever. The Fat Controller could see Thomas had certainly tried, in spite of the mess they had on their hands, to which Emily arrived on the scene too. The Fat Controller then told the engines that despite the confusion and delay, what had happened had happened, and they would all have to work extra hard to ensure the Technology Fair would be ready on time, and they all knew what they had to do.
And so, the engines managed to get back on track again. Thomas finally made his way to collect Annie and Clarabel to pick up the workmen, while Percy collected more tents, Nia collected more steel rods, and James and Emily gathered more supplies for the giant wheel and the stage, while Gordon and Rebecca eventually made their way to Brendam Docks and collected their much anticipated surprise guest. And as soon as the ship docked and revealed what it was, Gordon and Rebecca found their breath stolen away unlike ever before...as would the rest of the engines once they saw who this was.
Once Thomas and Percy had delivered the workmen and the tents to Ulfstead Castle, much to Ruth's gratitude and delight, the preparations were able to make good progress, and the Fairgrounds were starting to come to life, all while Ruth mediated and observed the progress. Tents went up, poles and wires were connected, and the stage was beginning to come together.
"That's it, everybody!" Ruth called. "If we keep this up, we'll be ready for the Grand Opening!"
By this time, after much exploring along the island with no knowledge as to how it worked, the new navy engine from Vicarstown Station had found his way to Ulfstead Castle with Baz and Bernie. As he stopped at the platform, he cast a shadowy smile and didn't say a word as the two men leaned out from his cab.
"YOU took your time, you useless engine," Baz grumbled irritably.
He and Bernie looked around. Then, remembering their little squeeze before, Baz shoved Bernie back and exited first. They had only walked a few paces before Sir Robert took notice of their unexpected arrival.
"Excuse me," he said, making both men stop and gasp. "What are you chaps here for?"
The two men gave a little smile, then suddenly put on two cooks' hats.
"Baz and Bernie, sir," said Baz. "Cooks for whole occasions!"
"And we definitely don't steal nothing," Bernie added naively.
Baz heard Bernie again and elbowed him.
"WHAT did you just say?" Sir Robert asked suspiciously.
"He says we don't eat anything, your lordship," Baz said hastily and uneasily. "I mean, we eat. Of course we eat. We-we do eat. But we don't eat, uh, your kitchen supplies, you see. It's, uh...yes."
Sir Robert wasn't very sure about either of these men already. Ever since two crooks had attempted to steal King Godred's crown, Sir Robert had become much more wary of suspicious looking characters visiting his estate. He opened his mouth to speak when Ruth spoke behind him.
"Sir Robert? I need to know where we can hook up the power supply."
"Coming!" Sir Robert assured as he went to her.
"Phew," sighed Baz and Bernie.
"Well, Bernie, let's case the joint," Baz whispered.
"The what?" Bernie asked.
"Let's work out what we're going to steal!" Baz emphasized.
At last, the Steam Team were working together and being really useful. But Thomas was still worried that they would be replaced by a new invention. Even as he passed by Emily with another load of trucks and Annie and Clarabel, he had a little pounding sense in his heart as to what he and the others would find out with this Fair...and despite Emily's holding confidence so far, Thomas thought that even she was too comfortable with the nature of the Fair so far.
"How does she not see it like I do?" Thomas asked himself. "What if something really does happen to replace us all? And her? I won't let ANYTHING replace her!"
And Thomas worked even harder through the day. By that evening, just about everything was set for the Fair, and Thomas came along with more beams for the giant wheel. Despite his fears, he managed to put on a smile and chipper mood when he arrived.
"Hey, Ruth! I got more beams for the giant wheel!"
"Great! Come on! Let's get to it," she replied as she came over. "Thanks, Thomas. I can see why they gave you the No. 1. You're really useful."
Thomas heard Ruth and tried to put on just how useful he could be, hoping to find out what she would think of steam engines.
"Yes," said Thomas. "I can shunt trucks and pull passengers!"
"I love steam engines," Ruth answered as she walked along Thomas' footplate and side. "When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a railway engineer. I've always thought the railway was one of the best inventions ever!"
"You mean I'm an invention?" Thomas asked excitedly, not quite expecting to hear something like this.
"Yes, Thomas. You're one of the best," Ruth beamed gleefully.
After nearly a whole day of nipping fears, Thomas felt his troubling thoughts just begin to disappear, when he heard an electric fizzle overhead and he saw voltage charges crackle along the wires overhead.
"What are those...electricity things for, Ruth?" he asked.
"You just wait and see," said Ruth. Thomas wondered what this could mean, until he saw Rebecca and Gordon arrive.
"Cool! The surprise guest has arrived!" declared Ruth.
Thomas looked to the flatbed Gordon and Rebecca had brought, and could see a very long and sleek shape. It reminded him of Hugo...and it made him start pondering nervously again. The time for the Fair's start was drawing nearer and nearer, and it would just be a matter of time before the rest of the engines' inner sense of being really useful would be put to the test once again.
Later that night, out on the Main Line, Baz and Bernie were sitting around a makeshift campfire roasting marshmallows, with Sonny on the line beside them. Baz had done most of the pondering as to what they could possibly steal once they got the chance, but Bernie, being so simple minded, still couldn't clue in as to how everything worked and why Baz was aiming to do such a thing.
"So, uh...tell me the plan again," said Bernie.
Baz knew how simple-minded his posse was, but he was getting increasingly impatient about it and groaned dreadfully.
"Uhh! Simple: New inventions can make people lots of money, so we find the invention that is most likely to make us rich, then...we STEAL IT! He-he-he-heh! What do you think about that?"
"Brilliant, yeah. Steal the invention," said Bernie as Baz blew on his marshmallow to put out its little flame.
"...Baz?" came Bernie's voice in the dark.
"Yes, Bernie?" came Baz's most tired out voice.
"What's an invention...?"
At last, it was the day of the Fair. All the engines had worked like clockwork, and Thomas had one more thing to collect from the Docks before the Fair would have everything it needed. When Thomas arrived and Salty showed him what it was, Thomas cast his eyes and immediately felt the memory of his Jet Engine experience weave back to him. This invention looked very much like a Jet Engine, except it seemed to have two extra fuel boosters, which was being carefully checked over by the man who invented this very device. An eccentric figure named Professor Friedrich. But as it turned out, his calculations were not going according to precision, and suddenly the rocket began to whine. Louder and louder it got, until it suddenly went rocketing up the line and out of the Docks! Thomas raced right after it to catch up. The rocket flew right through Wellsworth Station and rocketed past Toby at a red signal, while Thomas raced onwards to catch him. It was a swift and exciting chase, and Thomas soon rushed alongside the Booster Rocket, then cut ahead and managed to stop just before hitting a cow on the line. Professor Friedrich was most grateful for Thomas' rescue, and when they returned to the castle, Ruth heard everything.
"Hi, Thomas. Really useful. Like I said," she smiled.
"Ohh, he was more than useful!" exclaimed Professor Friedrich. "This is one brave engine! He saved the day!"
"You see, Thomas? Like I said. One of the best inventions ever," said Ruth.
After such a whizzing chase and rescue, Thomas began to take notice of Ruth's position of steam engines being her favourite invention, and that she thought they were indeed really useful...which made his fears diminish a little more.
"Maybe we won't be replaced after all," he pondered hopefully.
"Come on, guys. Let's get this finished," said Ruth. "We're opening tonight!"
When Thomas heard this, he felt quite a buzz in his boiler. After so many jumbled matters with preparing for this Fair so far, in just a little short time, he and the others would see for themselves what this Fair would involve...then the fears of being replaced would shift in a very different direction.
Thomas left Ulfstead Castle and trailed back along the line, feeling more assured by Ruth's words. As such, he wanted to find Emily and tell her about his rescue with the Booster Rocket and the professor. Sure enough, as he reported back to Knapford Station, he saw the whole steam team at the platform, including Emily.
"Hello, Emily," he greeted with a spell of glee. "What are you all doing here?"
"Hello, Thomas. The Fat Controller is about to tell us something," said Emily.
Thomas almost asked what it could be, when the Fat Controller came out of his office in a hurry and an excited smile.
"Thomas! There you are!" he said. "Ruth just told me the extraordinary news! Well done!"
Some of the engines were confused.
"What extraordinary news?" asked Gordon.
"I haven't heard anything of this yet. What happened, Thomas?" asked Emily.
"Oh, of course," said Thomas. "Steam Team, I just had a most fascinating rescue! I had one last thing to pick up from Brendam. Salty showed me what it was...and what do you think I saw?"
"Hmm...a Jet Engine?" Emily asked.
"Very close, Emily. It's actually a Booster Rocket," said Thomas. "Three giant engines, and the professor who invented it was trying to make some final adjustments...when suddenly, the rocket shot off across the line!"
"Hm. Not unlike that Jet Engine outrunning me," Gordon said quietly.
"Well, did you catch it, Thomas?" Rebecca asked.
"It was a fast and hard job, but I did catch it," said Thomas. "And now it's at Ulfstead Castle. The professor says I saved the day, and Ruth says I was really useful."
"Indeed she did, Thomas. Because you were!" the Fat Controller smiled. "But now that you're here, Thomas, I have some exciting news for you all."
"What's that, sir?" Thomas asked.
The Fat Controller straightened his hat and stood tall.
"Now is the time, everyone. You have all done a diligent job getting the Fair ready. Despite the initial confusion and delay, you all worked hard and made up for lost time. And now, all of your efforts have led to this moment. The Technology Fair starts tonight at dark. The World of Tomorrow shall be unveiled to you all...and I have chosen the first four guests to see the opening."
All the engines held their breath and waited.
"The first four guests to see the Fair shall be..." the Fat Controller announced. "Percy, James, Thomas and Emily."
In sequence, Percy, James, Thomas and especially Emily gave a gasp of shock, excitement and surprise.
"Us, sir?" they all asked at once.
"Yes, you four," said the Fat Controller. "As for Nia, Gordon and Rebecca, they'll have their chance to see the rest of the Fair once their remaining work is done and they have their own time. Once again, I say well done for all your good work. Now, I must make ready for the Fair myself."
And the Fat Controller left. Thomas, Percy, Emily and James stood there in wonder.
"It's going to happen," Thomas said. "The World of Tomorrow will soon be seen by us all."
"Just what could it be? What will we see?" Percy wondered.
"Whatever it is, it must be interesting, and...I must say...inventive," said Emily. "And I must say, you're looking quite chipper, Thomas. Last I remember, you've been very nervous about this Fair. What gives?"
"Well, after I saved the Booster Rocket, I remembered what Ruth told me yesterday," said Thomas. "She says that the railway is one of her favourite inventions...and she restated my usefulness after I saved the rocket...so I'm thinking that we won't be replaced after all."
"You see, Thomas?" said Emily. "Didn't I tell you there's nothing to worry about?"
"And didn't I say nothing will replace us?" James added.
"Yes, yes. I know," said Thomas. "But it's what Ruth told me yesterday and today that's helping me the most."
"Well. That's more like it," said Emily. "But now...the Fair is going to start tonight...and Percy, James, you and I are to be the first guests for the opening!"
"I must admit, I am excited one way or another," said Thomas. "Now we'll see just what it all means, especially with the inventions."
"Well, we'll just have to wait and see," said Emily.
At last, night descended on the island. The much-anticipated time had finally arrived. At Ulfstead Castle, the grounds looked like never before as the Fair was ready to begin. In the middle of the grounds, the giant wheel was now fully assembled as it stood tall and proud. Tents were placed all throughout the grounds with multiple tables and stands with little gifts, souvenirs and food and drinks for all the guests, and the stage was fully intact, with a big globe, silky curtains and all. The castle grounds were packed to the brim with all the guests to see the big event, and at the platforms, perfectly polished up and looking bright and shiny, Percy, Thomas, Emily and James had gathered to see the Grand Opening of the Technology Fair. Despite his inner fears, Thomas still had a rush of excitement and wonder as to who the special guest would be. Emily was also feeling a certain tingle in her boiler as she too wondered what this Fair would be all about, and what she would see for herself after all the preparation they had all taken part in.
Everyone, people and engines alike were waiting in bubbling anticipation for the Fair to start, until at last, the moment came.
"Look!" Thomas gasped.
At that moment, a spotlight suddenly came on at the stage, and all the guests turned and looked to see Ruth and Sir Robert standing beside the globe, which was decorated with multiple light bulbs.
"Hi, everybody, and welcome to the World of Tomorrow!" Ruth announced.
"I now declare the Fair...open!" Sir Robert announced as he spun the globe, lighting up all its bulbs.
In the next moment, the giant wheel lit up and started spinning for everyone to see. Fireworks whistled and crackled across the sky, and everyone cheered and the engines beamed.
"Look at the colours!" Thomas called. Then when Sir Robert spoke next, all the engines looked and listened.
"And now to introduce a surprise guest! One of the greatest inventions of all time! He's big!"
"He's strong," said Ruth.
"And he's the fastest engine in the world!" said Sir Robert.
Then he and Ruth announced together. "Let's hear it for...KENJI!"
And in that moment, the curtains opened, and beyond them and the stage, all the people and engines saw Kenji for themselves...and the sight he cast for everyone to see sent a shudder down everyone's spines and boilers alike in a way they could not recall ever before. Thomas immediately recognized the long, sleek shape that Gordon and Rebecca brought along the day before, and now he saw it for himself. Percy, Emily and James all gasped and felt a tingle of discovery course through their boilers, right up into their funnels.
"Wow...he's amazing!" Percy gasped.
And indeed he was. There was no other engine like Kenji anywhere else in the world. He indeed stirred certain sensations through everyone, including the engines...and in the midst of all the cheering, Baz and Bernie were hidden deep within the crowd. Their plans to steal an invention were still being pieced together, and when they saw the magnificent engine, they immediately saw potential in the spectacular invention that he was, snickering quietly to each other before noticing they wanted to keep suspicion low. At that moment, Ruth announced who and what Kenji was.
"Kenji is an electric engine all the way from Japan," she announced.
Then Thomas suddenly remembered, and began to worry once again. "Ohh, so that's what all the electric things were for."
"Wow. I've never seen anyone like him!" Emily gasped.
"And he's so...shiny!" James added.
"Oh, with an electric engine like that on Sodor...we might be replaced after all!" Thomas worried.
Kenji continued to stand where he was, letting everyone take him all in...and despite what he had just said, Thomas found himself remembering Ruth's reassuring words once again, which let him manage to smile again. But slowly, but surely, Thomas' original fears began to creep into Percy, Emily and James' boilers, and their smiles slowly fell away into looks of great worry. Moments turned into minutes as they thought back to the Fair's preparation, and gradually the engines felt less astonished and more worried as they began to look even closer at Kenji. After all the talk and speculation of the Fair, now they were seeing the real thing. Emily in particular suddenly found herself thinking back to Thomas' words a few nights past, and she began to wonder if he wasn't being silly with his worries before...and if he actually may have had a point. Like Hugo, Kenji didn't have a coupling for pulling trucks, but being the engine that he was, he most certainly seemed more efficient and useful than any steam engine. Easily faster than them all, being the fastest in the world, and Percy, James and especially Emily began to wonder if they really would have no more passengers to look after, even without jet packs like Thomas imagined.
"E...Emily...?" James said lowly. "I...I don't think he's only a new and powerful invention...what if...?"
Emily looked to James with a troubled glitter in her eyes.
"I'm afraid to say it...but maybe you're right, James," she said lowly. "In the midst of all the preparing and waiting...I don't think any of us were expecting this. And now that I see it...it's making me very uncomfortable."
"You know what, Emily...me too," Percy peeped quietly, but anxiously. "This engine is more than anything Hugo was...and I'm starting to wonder...what if I was right...and the mail will start delivering itself?"
Just then, Gordon's whistle came up from behind the four engines, coming alongside James on the other platform.
"Express Engine coming through. I didn't miss the opening, did I?"
Gordon's sentence was scarcely complete when he looked up and froze quite abruptly and saw the magnificent electric engine. The very special guest he and Rebecca had picked up from Brendam Docks.
"Steaming Pistons! There he is again!" Gordon gasped.
"Yes, Gordon. That's Kenji," said Thomas. "All the way from Japan...and said to be one of the greatest inventions of all time."
Gordon hummed impressively, then suddenly looked nervous as he looked at Thomas. "Excuse me, Thomas...did you say...greatest...of all time?"
"Y-yes...Sir Robert said so," said Thomas.
"Oh...he...he did?" Gordon asked, suddenly feeling rather nervous himself.
Thomas nodded slowly, but saw Gordon looking inward to himself. He said nothing, but the big blue engine was just beginning to wonder if picking this engine up with Rebecca was really such a good idea. Then after a few moments, Sir Robert spoke up again.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, Kenji will show you just how he runs as an electric engine. Ruth, if you please?"
"Of course, Sir Robert," said Ruth.
She waved to Kenji's driver, who waved back. Then smoothly as glass, Kenji moved away from where he was standing, and collected his passenger coach. Then everyone watched as he began running laps around the line where his electric wires led him. The guests and engines watched as he moved at a considerably fast pace already, and with so little sound. Kenji was practically silent as he sped along his lines, going round and round the line. All the guests stared in awe as "oohs," and "ahhs," filled the whole castle grounds. This made Percy, James and Emily especially nervous as the guests were clearly entranced and impressed by Kenji's performance. Thomas looked to the three engines and could see them all looking worried, and only putting on a smile whenever Kenji passed them by, so as to maintain the mood of the whole Fair as best they could. But as soon as Kenji passed them by again, Thomas spoke.
"Percy? James? Emily? Are you alright?"
"Thomas...we...we...well...we..." Percy struggled to get the words out.
"What he's trying to say..." James said with struggle too. "I...I think...we'd better go home now."
And Percy and James slipped quickly away and back to Tidmouth Sheds, with their minds now drowning in so many spiraling fears and troubling thoughts as to what this could all mean, which Rebecca and Nia would soon find out later that night. Thomas, Emily and Gordon stayed a little longer at the Fair, constantly watching in awe and a touch of inner fear as Kenji showed how he operated, going round and round along his lines with such sleek precision and dexterity. He operated very quietly, much like the airship Hugo aspired to be like before he learned he was useful enough as a Rail Zeppelin.
Thomas kept Ruth's words sounding in his smokebox as he maintained a sense of optimism and excitement.
"He looks so sleek and fast!" Thomas declared.
"And that engine purrs like a kitten," Gordon remarked.
"The Fat Controller said he was the fastest engine in the world," Thomas noted as Kenji came along once more.
"Which would also make him the fastest engine on Sodor," Emily remarked notably to Gordon as she set off on her way home.
Gordon looked back to Emily and felt his inner security depleting quite steadily.
"I think I'll just, um...go over there," he said sheepishly.
And off he steamed with Emily. Thomas looked back until Gordon was out of sight. Gordon and Emily went back down the line until they came to a wye line and turned themselves around. Then as they made their way home, Gordon came up alongside Emily and could hear her panting strongly and most nervously.
"Emily," Gordon began. "I...I assure you, Rebecca and I didn't know that this electric engine would be-"
"The matter is out of our buffers, Gordon," Emily said shakily. "I was so sure there was nothing to worry about, but now that I've seen it...Thomas is sure to be right after all! I'm now scared that we're bound to be replaced...and Kenji is just only ONE of the many inventions that show is going to offer!"
"You're certainly right about Kenji," said Gordon. "I should have seen it much sooner...and with even more inventions on the way, it seems like..."
"I know, Gordon," Emily shuddered. "I should have taken Thomas' worries more seriously before. As much as I dread to fear the same thing we've feared a few times before...right now, it seems that his original fears might be right..."
And she and Gordon huffed on anxiously through the night to tell the others what they had seen and heard.
Meanwhile, back at Ulfstead Castle, Thomas was still watching Kenji as he ran smoothly and swiftly along his lines, until he eventually looked up and saw Kenji come to a smooth and quiet stop at the platform. Then he suddenly spoke up with a Japanese accent, just like Hiro.
"Aren't you Thomas?" he asked.
"Uh, I...uh...y-yes," said Thomas.
"The famous engine that went around the world?"
"Um...Yes," said Thomas.
"Kon'nichiwa, Thomas!"
"Uh, he-he, yes...what does that mean?" Thomas asked.
"It means hello, Thomas," said Kenji. "I've heard so much about you. I'd love to go around the world myself...but I've only ever lived in Japan."
"Wow," said Thomas. "I've never been to Japan...but I've heard all about it from my friend Hiro."
"You have a Japanese friend called Hiro?" Kenji asked.
Thomas said yes, and while he and Kenji talked and exchanged little stories, Sir Robert, the Fat Controller and Ruth were all discussing the upcoming events for the Fair over the next few days.
"And so, every day, there will be new inventions with lots of special demonstrations on the stage," said Sir Robert.
"I say, this is very exciting!" said the Fat Controller. "Oh...will you be demonstrating anything, Ruth?"
"Well...I've got something," Ruth hinted. "But it's all a bit hush-hush for now."
"All these inventions are going to make lots of people very happy," said Sir Robert.
Soon, Sir Robert and Ruth went back inside the castle for the night. Then the Fat Controller turned to Thomas, who was still talking with Kenji, and by now, they had already formed a steady friendship.
"Well, Thomas...and Kenji, of course. It looks like you two are making good acquaintances out of each other," said the Fat Controller.
"Oh, yes, sir," said Thomas. "Kenji here is quite an engine indeed."
"And Thomas has had quite the adventures around the world, sir," Kenji added.
"Yes, indeed he has, Kenji," said the Fat Controller. "This Fair has gone off to a flying start, thanks to all the engines' good work. But now, I think you'd best be getting home, Thomas. There's still plenty to do for this Fair, and you need your rest. Sir Robert is expecting a delivery of food supplies tomorrow, and you must be here first thing in the morning. If you keep on time, perhaps you'll get to see a presentation or two."
"Really? Well, of course, sir," said Thomas. "I'll be ready. Very good to talk with you, Kenji."
"Very nice talking with you too, Thomas," said Kenji. "Very proud to meet you."
And Thomas soon made his way out of the castle grounds and on his way home, feeling a great deal better about things. After the talk he had shared with Kenji, he could see that despite being the fastest engine in the world, and one of the greatest inventions of all time, Kenji was still a humble, friendly figure who shared the common touch. On top of Ruth's reassuring words, this made Thomas feel even more secure about the Fair now than he was before. But in just a little time, Thomas would find out that his original fears were now being felt by many others.
Thomas eventually returned to Tidmouth Sheds for the night. But when he stopped on the turntable and looked up, he immediately sensed that the mood was not chipper at all, which made his heart slow a little. As he looked at all the engines, he could see they weren't happy. They were worried. James, Percy, Gordon and Emily had already shared what they had seen and heard with Nia and Rebecca, who were now just as scared on the inside as the others. Now that they had seen the inventions there were so far, all the fears Thomas once had were now swelling in all of them. Among the most up-to-date inventions such as the booster rocket and electrical equipment, and especially seeing Kenji rose the greatest worries of all. With the exception of Etienne from France at the Great Railway Show, no other engine operated with electric wires connecting to poles like that.
As he backed into his berth, Thomas now noticed that all his previous fears were clinging full force to the rest of the engines' hearts. Thomas looked at all the engines and could see they were disappointed, frightened, miserable, discouraged and hopeless all at once. But seeing Emily's look of such emotions was the hardest of all for Thomas to look at. He opened his mouth to speak, when Emily's voice came first.
"Oh...oh, Thomas...why didn't we listen?! We shouldn't have taken it all so lightly!" she heaved with ever-shadowing fear and panic in her voice.
"Taken what so lightly, Emily?" Thomas asked. "I don't think it's-"
"Why didn't we see it before?!" James exclaimed. "No one said ANYTHING about rocket boosters, or fastest electric engines in the world, EVER!"
"We should have known sooner, Thomas!" Percy whimpered. "We should have listened to you before when you were worrying about inventions replacing us!"
"And now with this Kenji on Sodor, electric engines are sure to become the new way of Sodor's railways!" Nia mourned terribly.
"None of us thought it would be anything like this!" Rebecca shook. "And the Fair is called 'World of Tomorrow.' Now I'm scared that perhaps this means the real world of tomorrow will soon mean...no more steam engines like us! And just...just inventions...and electric engines..."
All the engines held a painful silence for a few moments before it was broken again.
"Electric engine, my funnel!" Gordon huffed about Kenji. "I suppose HE thinks he'll be pulling the express now!"
"And with all this...ten-co-ology around," said Percy, still having not memorized the word entirely. "I might end up sitting in a siding while the mail delivers itself!"
"Ohh...the Indignity!" Gordon shuddered strongly.
Thomas could tell the engines were all rather scared, but Ruth and Kenji's friendly words were still fresh in his boiler.
"We don't need to worry," said Thomas. "Ruth told me that steam engines were one of the best inventions ever. I'm sure everything will be fine."
"Huh! Well, YOU'VE changed your tune!" Gordon remarked to the most obvious irony.
"It's just that I don't think there's anything to be worried about anymore."
Thomas tried to make the other engines feel better, but they were all sure they were going to be replaced. This mere feeling was nothing new. The engines had all felt this way before every now and then, such as when Harold was used to show the visitor around the island instead of the engines, which prompted Gordon to go faster and ended up crashing into a tunnel under repair, then when Hugo the Rail Zeppelin was brought to Sodor, to which most of the engines were most unacceptably unfriendly towards him except for Percy. But this time, they were especially worried, having seen so many inventions that were so very new. From the Booster Rocket to Kenji, the absolute fastest engine in the world, right up to the fact that more inventions would be shown soon, it all seemed most overwhelming and practically inevitable to the other engines that this would become the new way of the railway. Aside from Thomas, none of the engines knew how or what to feel. Especially Emily.
"Please, everyone," said Thomas. "The Fat Controller says we did good work putting the Fair together, and Sir Robert says there will be inventions being shown on the stage every day. I think I even heard Ruth say something about what she might have..."
"No doubt, it's even more inventions coming our way...and putting us out of our jobs!" Gordon huffed dauntingly.
"And with all those infernal inventions being shown off on the stage," huffed James. "This whole Fair can kiss my tender goodbye!"
And with that disquieting comment, James slipped into his berth and let the doors shut on him. Most of the engines backed into their berths too in absolute silence and uncertainty, all wondering what was to become of them. Thomas was disappointed that his efforts to make them feel better didn't work. He almost backed in himself, when he heard a shuddering whimper from the left. He looked and saw Emily beginning to pant and hyperventilate as her cheeks turned a little red and her eyes glittered so very anxiously. This made Thomas feel even more disappointed, but he wouldn't end the night without trying to help her.
"Emily, what's wrong?" Thomas asked.
"I think it's blatantly obvious what's wrong, Thomas!" she whimpered frightfully. "We may have had our fears before about this sort of matter in the past, and I was all too sure there was nothing to worry about...but now, with all these inventions to be shown to everyone, maybe you were right this time! And...and...ohh! I DON'T want to be replaced! I LOVE working on the railway! No one said anything about inventions like Kenji, or inventions making everyone very happy! What if everyone on Sodor falls in love with these inventions...and forget all about us?!"
"Now, hold on, Emily," Thomas said firmly. "You know that to be false. The guests will of course be excited about the new inventions while they're being shown, but you really don't need to go on like this. It's just presentations for them to see, and in the end, it is really only a Fair. It will be over soon, and we're all still going to be here."
"Will we, though, Thomas?" Emily asked shakily. "With all the presentations on the stage, what if everyone gets so suckered in that they forget all about us? Then we'll truly have no jobs to do, and like you said...we really won't be useful anymore! It seems you weren't the least bit silly to presume this after all!"
"Please, Emily. Please!" Thomas begged lightly. "It's going to be alright."
"Given what I've seen and heard so far, more likely, nothing will be alright, Thomas!" Emily heaved. "Not with all these...these...infernal inventions!"
Thomas gasped to what Emily said, then Gordon spoke from inside his berth.
"I quite agree. Most infernal inventions indeed! New-fangled nonsense is all it is!"
"It...it's all too much, Thomas!" Emily heaved frightfully. "What's to become of us?"
Thomas sighed, understanding Emily's fears, but also knowing there was truly nothing to worry about thanks to Ruth's assurance.
"Nothing will become of us, Emily," said Thomas. "Not in the way you all might be thinking. Trust in Ruth, and you'll see it will be alright."
But at the given moment, Emily couldn't see any bright side to any of this.
"Oh, no, no, no," she moaned in defeat. "It's all too fresh in my mind, Thomas. I feel that in just a little time...none of us will be useful anymore...not even me."
And with that, Emily slipped right into her berth and the doors shut. Thomas was disappointed. He had really wanted to make Emily feel better, but he could already see it wouldn't be as easy as all that. He still had work to do the next day, and he would just have to wait and see how Emily's feelings would turn out in the time to come. So he eventually reversed into his own berth and fell asleep soon enough.
As for Emily, she kept awake for quite some time, looking to all the engines in sequence, from Rebecca to Gordon, Nia, James, Thomas and Percy. She tried her best not to let her imagination get the better of her, but thoughts of Kenji and any future invention kept her heart pounding with ever-mounting uncertainty and vague sense as to what would happen next. It seemed like there were all the answers and yet no answers at the same time.
"It all seems so clear, and yet...so vague," she mumbled. "No better way to out this all than...looming doubt. Oh, dear...oh, dear. Why does it have to be like this? Ruth sounds like a fair lady, and Sir Robert is a very good gentleman, but...but...oh, dear..."
And Emily's eyes finally shut as she began to fall into a most uncomfortable sleep. All was silent and quiet for the first two hours...but when those two hours passed, Emily began to stir and mumble uncomfortably, as she began to dream something most wrongly fitting indeed...
It was a cloudy, blank day, and Emily saw herself huffing along the line in complete silence. There were no trucks or passenger coaches in sight. Everywhere she looked, there were engines sitting idly with absolutely no jobs to do. Some were idling in the scrapyard waiting to be disposed of, and a few were being offered for auction to museums, all thanks to the entire Railway having been modernized with all the latest inventions yet, effectively eliminating all the steam engines' efforts. It all seemed absolutely awful for everyone. Especially herself.
Then as Emily neared Ulfstead Castle, she saw a most unwelcome sight. There were several more inventions being revealed that seemed so sleek, shiny and modern, which were being installed wherever she looked. Then she looked to the platform and could see the Head Railway Inspector with his gold watch, this time wearing a most expensive suit, and trying to convince the Fat Controller to agree to a concession concerning the new inventions, while the Fat Controller kept insisting that none of the inventions needed to be approved for Sodor.
"Now, look here," said the Fat Controller. "This really isn't necessary. All my engines are really useful indeed, and they're inventions too, you see and I..."
The Fat Controller was suddenly cut off by the droning sound of an engine. Emily heard it too and looked back. Then right beside her came a big shiny black electric engine of the same class as Kenji, but in the midst of this dream, it was pulling three very long flatbeds with a tarp on them all. On the engine's side was a message that read, "The True World of Tomorrow."
"Oh..." the Fat Controller said slowly and heavily.
"What the...?" Emily asked heavily.
Then the electric engine's door slid open...and out came David Rider, wearing a spotless black suit and black tie with a little gold badge on his coat which read "Doctor of the Future." David then stepped down from the electric engine, closely followed by his first met Copper, also wearing a black suit. David walked right up to the Fat Controller and flashed a grin bubbling with egotistical ambition, and Emily could sense that his IQ right now was massively off even the highest charts.
"Are you in charge here?" David asked as he grinned away.
The Fat Controller began, a little puzzled. "Yes, I-"
"Nope!" David cut in.
"I manage this-"
"Wrong!" David cut in again.
"...railway at all-"
"I'm in charge!" David cut in.
"times, as Sir Top-"
"ME! In charge," David cut in once more.
The Fat Controller did not look pleased by the constant interruptions at all. Then his eyes fell upon even more inventions being placed on another stage, making him seem a little bemused and nervous. Then his eyes turned to the flatbeds the black electric engine brought along.
"You've never seen anything like this before," David grinned even bigger. "You could say these inventions are the top banana, in a world full of hungry little monkeys. Allow me to clarify."
And David turned a pointed finger to one side, then turned his head to the left, making a servo-like sound on both movements.
"Zzzt-Zzzt! In a sequentially ranked hierarchy based on a level of critical importance, the disparity between us is too vast to quantify. Agent Copper."
"The captain thinks you're basic," Copper told the Fat Controller.
David turned an intrigued eye to the inventions being unpacked on the stage as he continued.
"These inventions will most certainly revolutionize the entire railway, more so than ANY steam engine ever could. Agent Copper? The rotund mad hatter, is he still looking at me funny?"
"Yes, he is," said Copper.
"Tell him to stop, or I'll pull up his personal photo album," David said briefly and bluntly.
"If you don't stop looking at the captain, he'll take a closer look at-"
"I'm not deaf," the Fat Controller said irritably.
"And tell his associates to report to me now, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah," David said in a most uncaring manner.
"Excuse me? Listen here," the Fat Controller began. "I don't know what you-"
"I'm sorry, hatter, what was your name?" David asked blatantly as he turned around again.
"Sir Top-"
"Nobody cares! Nobody cares," David said mockingly as he began to circle the Fat Controller. "Listen, Sir-Nobody-Cares. You know why nobody cares who you are? Because nobody cares about your feeble accomplishments. And nobody cares how proud your Mummy is that you've been reading at a third-grade level. Have you finished 'The Little Engine That Could,' yet? Spoiler alert – she makes it over the mountain, with a whole train full of toys."
At that moment, workmen removed the tarps from the electric engine's flatbeds, and what Emily and the others saw made their hearts stand still for a few moments. On the first flatbed was a large, powerful magnet, a milkshake machine, and the Road Plane Thomas, Percy and Rebecca discovered for themselves. Lying down on the second flatbed, Emily's eyes befell what looked like a giant metal man with robotic limbs, and on the last flatbed was a very fancy-looking red car with tail-wings on its back...although Emily didn't yet know just what this invention would prove to be yet.
That was when David spoke again, stepping slowly toward the flatbeds, still gloating away to the Fat Controller.
"Ahh. My babies," he purred with delicious delight. "Look what came out of MY train full of toys! You know what I love about inventions? They do what they're told. They follow their programming! They don't need time off to get drunk and put the boat in the water! Now YOU do what you're told, stand over there on the edge of your personal abyss...and watch my machines do your job."
The Fat Controller, totally numbed by everything he was seeing and hearing, indeed walked away from the scene, feeling too awkward to say another word.
"Can you feel it, Copper?" David gloated.
"I can feel it, Captain," said Copper.
"It's evolution, Copper. It's EVOLUTION!" David exclaimed, before turning to Emily. "Oh...my goodness me...there you are, Emily."
"David...D-David..." Emily said, finding her voice at last. "Just...just exactly what is the meaning of all this?"
"Ahh, well, I see you're quite at the loss for words with all these...really useful inventions," said David. "But really, you've nothing to worry about yourself, my dear. You're the one steam engine who matters above all to me, and so you're welcome to keep working as you do. As for all the others...forget all about steamies, diesels or cars. ALL of these inventions are something else...entirely! Agent Copper, have 'Sir-Nobody-Cares,' sign the modernizing concession and have these inventions take charge, effective this instant. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for ME."
Emily suddenly woke up and gasped with a brief yelp, then started panting hard again. She hurriedly looked around and saw all the engines still asleep. She continued to pant to herself as the thought of her and everyone else being replaced still thrived within her, and so she found it very, very hard to fall back asleep.
"Come on, Emily. Come on," she whispered to herself. "Get your head out of the clouds! David wouldn't think in such ways; he's your best friend. But those inventions...what if they really are next? Ohh...what are we going to do?"
Emily kept that question pondering in her head for some time, until eventually, in spite of her full, unsettled mind, her eyelids became too heavy to stay open, and she slipped back into an uncomfortable sleep, feeling already that the next day wouldn't be a cheerful day for her or the other engines at all. This looming doubt would linger for some time, particularly for her, but the Technology Fair was only beginning. The very next day, the main demonstrations would begin on the stage, and in the midst of all this, the other engines still had a railway to run...and although he didn't know it yet, Thomas had a few more little things to discover in the day to come, which he would soon tell a particular someone about once the time came.
For those wondering, Emily's nightmare is referencing Jim Carrey's Robotnik entrance in the first "Sonic the Hedgehog" movie. Yes we skipped over most of "A New Arrival" because there really wasn't anything worth fully adapting since "World of Tomorrow" is where the main plot happens. There will be a lot of additional stuff that we'll be adding to the original special, particularly something big with David. Until next chapter, tell us what you thought of this, and as always, stay safe.