This is it, folks...the final chapter.
Up next is a series dedicated to Smudger's life on the Lower Valley Railway. If you're enjoying my stories, you're gonna love the next installment.
And so, the final chapter...
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SMUDGER?
CHAPTER 12: A Great Success
Smudger and EM arrived at the top station just as Royal pulled in, pulling a very fancy red coach. Candy, Naruka, and Retsu were there, along with two other engines Smudger did not recognize.
One of the engines looked like a box with wheels instead of a tank engine. The engine smiled at him and tooted happily. He was green with yellow stripes and a number "1" painted on his side.
The other engine was also a tank engine, although much more normal looking than the other engine. She too had green with yellow stripes, and had a number 3 on her side.
The emperor stepped out of Royal's coach and gave his speech. Smudger didn't pay attention though. He was too busy thinking about what would happen to 36002.
After the emperor ended his speech, the huge crowd of people cheered for him and all the engines whistled loudly. The emperor climbed into his coach and Royal chuffed away, turned a bend and disappeared from view.
Retsu was rumbling back to the sheds, the two other engines next to him.
"Y'know, I'm kind of glad dat de li'l wee freak le't," said the small green engine.
"Right, Takumi-san, look who's talking," muttered Retsu. Then he looked over at the other engine. "Miharu-chan, what did you think of him?" he asked.
Miharu looked up and blinked. "We'll he wasn't all that nice," she said, "His stay would've been a little bit more pleasant if he didn't keep calling us rude names."
"Exactly," said Retsu, "If he ever comes back then—wait who's that?"
Resting in their sheds was a large, unusual looking engine. It looked exhausted and was sleeping soundly. The three engines eyed him nervously.
"Whea in de world did 'e come from?" asked Takumi with a little shiver in his voice.
Miharu inched close to the engine. "If I'm not mistaken," she said, "he's finding refuge after escaping scrap."
Retsu snorted. "Oh please," he growled, "Everybody knows that scrapping is a big fat urban legend!"
"Oh?" queried Miharu, "Then why does he have 'SCRAP' chalked all over him?"
Retsu decided to keep his mouth shut.
"We should tell somebody," said Miharu nervously, "before some murdering diesel creeps in and steals him away."
"Agreed," murmured Takumi, "but 'oo?"
Then the three noticed a yellow steam lorry napping nearby. It was big and yellow with a long flatbed behind it. Takumi puffed slowly next to it and blasted his whistle loudly.
The lorry woke with a shock and a rattle. "Oi!" she snapped, "What was that for!"
"Ayumi-chan, we need you to do us a favor," said Miharu, "We found this engine in our sheds and—"
"—it's escaping scrap," finished Ayumi with a small grin.
The three engines stared. "Erm…yes, how do you know that?" asked Retsu suspiciously.
"Meh, I saw some engines drag it in there," Ayumi said with a nod, "So what do you want me to do, exactly?"
"We need ye' ter tell de Bigh—"
"The Big Controller?" finished Ayumi, "I'm on my way to see him as soon as my driver comes back. I'll let him know."
"Thank you!" Miharu said with a sigh of relief.
Smudger and EM were resting in their sheds when the Old Controller arrived. Next to him was a slightly taller man in a suit and dark glasses. He looked very serious.
"This is Amon Fujiwara, the controller of the Upper Valley Railway," said the Old Controller, "He had just gotten word that an engine was found in one of the sheds."
Smudger and EM gulped. "Erm…an engine, sir?" asked Smudger.
"Yes," said Mr. Fujiwara, "A Bulleid Leader 0-6-6-0, to be exact."
Smudger and EM exchanged glances at each other.
"Also," the Old Controller said, "Xiaoxuan Shipping and Scrap seems to have had an engine stolen from their yards late last night."
"Really?" said EM with a nervous grin.
"Yes," said Mr. Fujiwara grimly, "And we were wondering of you two know anything about it."
The two engines glanced at each other nervously. "Erm…no, we know noth—" EM said but Smudger interrupted.
"Yes, we do," said Smudger, "We stole him last night after we delivered the freight."
Everybody looked at him. EM opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it.
"YOU stole the engine?" said the Old Controller. He gave Smudger a very dark and serious look.
"Yeah," said Smudger, "And I'm sorry."
The two controllers looked at each other and bust out laughing. Smudger and EM stared in obvious confusion.
"Well done, Smudger-san, well done!" laughed the Old Controller.
"Huh?" said Smudger, "Wait wha—?"
"Our railways," said Mr. Fujiwara, "are both not only dedicated to maintaining the work force, but also to keep rare and valuable engines in steam! Why do you think Candy-chan and Takumi-san are with us?"
Smudger and EM sighed with relief. The Old Controller patted them on the boiler. "You two," he said, "are both really useful engines."
A short while later, 36002 was refitted inside and out and painted in new shining green and yellow. His new name, Morisawa Yusa, means "Evening Daylight" and he is very proud working on the railway.
Smudger and Edward Mann were rewarded by both receiving new coats of paint and got to pull the special train on the day Morisawa Yusa was officially named.
At the naming ceremony, the Old and Big Controllers both gave speeches with standing ovations. Smudger and Edward Mann were photographed next to Morisawa Yusa, and the Old Controller gave one more speech.
"I feel," he said, "that we must give credit to two of our engines for rescuing our newcomer. Edward Mann-san has been with us since the railway began, and Smudger-san joined us more recently. They're both hard-working and loyal engines, and it is an honor to have them both being here with us on the Hasegawa Valley Railway!"
The audience cheered long and loud. Smudger beamed with pride. At last, he knew that he had found himself a real home.
THE END