It was very late in the afternoon, almost evening at Knapford Station after another busy day on the railway. The sun was just starting to lower through the sky and change the clouds from white to pink. At Platforms 1 through 4, Thomas, Emily, Percy and Gina were all gathered together, side by side. But there was a strange and abnormal sensation in the air. These four engines were all feeling satisfied, victorious, stressed and angry all at the same time. The reason for this was due to what had happened over the past four days since Thomas and Emily's most sacred night of how nothing would ever part them. Not even death. But shortly after this most special time, the events that had unfolded caused brief, but very strong anger, stress, annoyance, irritation and sensations of wanting to get a sense of justice after the work of a most particular bully on Sodor, as Emily and Gina had most indignantly found out.
And the reason the four engines were all waiting at Knapford Station was even more significant. Due to the events that had unfolded, there was now a hearing taking place with the Mayor of Sodor and the Sodor Island Council, surrounding what had transpired by the works of a particular vehicle that most of Sodor knew all too well, and one that Emily and Gina had never come into contact with...until now.
"Well...I never did!" Thomas huffed angrily. "In all these years, how could I have been so blind? How could I have not SEEN what he might have done to you, Emily? He never gave us any more trouble...not since Gordon forced that truck by accident!"
"It's not your fault, Thomas...it's the Council's fault for not acting sooner!" Emily hissed indignantly. "To think...that FIEND almost caused another scathing tragedy, using ME! That filthy, deceptive son of a BITCH! And I, for one am sick of waiting! The Mayor and the Sodor Island Council have been deliberating this matter ever since 10:00 a.m. this morning! Now it's going on 6:00 p.m.! Seems to be an affrontingly long time to talk out the punishment that clearly fits the crimes...of George the Steamroller!"
This was exactly what the four engines were so flustered about, and it had been surrounding Emily and Gina for just over two days now. As he had always done since the very beginning, George the Steamroller held sheer hostility against railways and engines alike, being intensely rude and even destructive toward some of the engines. But just the day before, he had finally gone one incident too far for the Fat Controller, and even David, as all the engines had found out for themselves. Now with the hearing still going on through each passing moment, all the engines could do was wait...and hope.
"Purely outrageous!" Percy hissed. "ESPECIALLY given what he said and did to you, Emily! And you too, Gina!"
"I have no shame in admitting it, Percy," Gina wheeshed. "I would have MUCH rather have seen that filthy contraption get lost in the mine forever rather than Thomas! I take back all my disdaining words to Thomas on his first day in Italy!"
"I hope almost beyond hope that David's demands are granted," Emily sighed. "I knew this would never slip beneath his eye, and he was far angrier at George than he ever was at Donald and Douglas!"
"He's a Navy Captain and former soldier after all," said Thomas. "Surely he carries great significance and authority in a situation as this...as he did from the start, and especially when he found out what happened."
"Well, the Council had better see fit to give George just what he deserves!" Percy hissed angrily. "Derailing my mother AND my queen, indeed!"
"Well, Percy. David was so angry, I think he scared all of us when he found out," said Emily.
"Ohh! He was so scary yesterday, Emily!" Percy shuddered.
"Well, until we hear anything, all I'm left to do is brood in even more thought all over again...about George!" Thomas huffed indignantly.
"Unfortunately, Thomas...you're right," said Emily. "I can't get it out of my head until we hear anything at all!"
"Well, at least we have the Fat Controller's efforts to be thankful for...and David's most intense military opinion," Percy peeped.
"Amen to all of that, Percy," said Gina. "These days have been most unacceptably strenuous."
And with that, the engines fell silent and began to think back on all that had happened over the past few days with George the Steamroller, and it was indeed a most tedious thing to remember. Especially given the fact that it included the subject of "Imitation Steamrollers," as it were...
It all started the two days after Thomas' mind got plagued with endless thoughts surrounding Sailor John which resulted in the worst nightmare he could ever have dreamt, in which Emily was killed by Sailor John's dynamite maneuver, then Thomas was killed too, just as the pirate had hoped to do, only for Thomas to awaken from the nightmare and crack down in the worst emotional wreck he had ever felt surrounding Emily. The beautiful emerald angel then gave Thomas the deepest, most definitive reassurances she could ever give him as the love of his life, and how death would never part them. If one went down, so would the other, and they would be together always and forever.
Then the next morning, after Thomas and Emily left Black Loch following their steadily romantic session the night before, they both worked hard all day, feeling very, very pleased and thrilled simply over everything, shining and basking in the sensation that in the grand scheme of things, they had nothing to fear. Of course there would be ups and downs every now and then, like all Sudrian life, but their worst fears were completely curbed beyond any doubt. Then when evening came and they returned to Tidmouth Sheds, they stared right into each other's eyes, blew each other a big kiss and fell asleep with such smiles on their faces. It was indeed a most glamorous time to indulge in.
But after such a sacred and truly beautiful night Thomas and Emily had shared, what would follow next would be a significant and most intense shift in emotional stance for Emily and even Gina. Something would happen which neither of them had ever given a moment's thought to. Especially Emily, who for some reason had never considered the possibility of going through what she would very soon, given the surrounding nature of a certain vehicle...that worked at paving roads. Neither Thomas nor Emily had any idea what would come next, until the next day would come, then everything would start happening.
The next morning, Thomas and Emily woke up with a smile to each other, then made their way to Knapford Station. There, they saw the Fat Controller at the platform. Thomas and Emily wondered what could be going on until he looked up and spoke.
"Good morning to you both. Emily, I've been waiting for you," he said. "There is an important job for you to do through today and tomorrow."
"What's that, sir?" Emily asked.
"I need you to help with some road development at the stretch of road just past Wellsworth. There's a new road being built there to extend to the motorways further inland. Today, I need you to bring sand and tar wagons to the work site throughout the day so the workmen can turn it to asphalt. Then they'll need rocks and building material tomorrow. From there, the Construction Team will manage the road's development."
"Yes, sir," said Emily. "Who's doing the road work? Brenda? Oliver and Alfie?"
"So far as I know, yes," said the Fat Controller. "Brenda's already cut a path for the new road while Jack and Alfie are being kept busy clearing away the dirt. Max and Monty will be busy taking the dirt away. Who else is working there, I've yet to learn. And if she can, Gina shall help you too, once I tell her. Your train is ready and waiting in the yards, Emily. Now off you go."
"Yes, sir," said Emily.
Soon, Thomas collected Annie and Clarabel and set off for his Branch Line run, while Emily gathered her load of tar and sand and set off on her way to the road construction. The Fat Controller watched as she went on her way, but as soon as she was out of sight, he heard his telephone ringing.
"Oh, bother that telephone!" he muttered as he went inside and answered.
The Fat Controller was a little surprised to hear it was the foreman supervising the road construction at Wellsworth. He listened for a few moments, but then, in just another minute's time, the Fat Controller suddenly looked and felt anxious. What he had just heard, Emily didn't know quite yet, and he suddenly began to wonder if assigning her to her given job was really such a good idea. It was once again bad timing that happened at the wrong moment, given that Emily didn't know yet just what could be coming her way soon enough, and perhaps she set off too early to be warned.
"Oh...oh, dear. Okay. Goodbye," said the Fat Controller before he hung up, then hummed suspiciously, looking at the ceiling.
Soon, Emily arrived at the Wellsworth road construction just a minute or two beyond the station. There were several cars stopped in a line while a workman waved a few of them along to control the flow of traffic. In the construction zone, Oliver and Alfie were busy loading loads of dirt into Max and Monty's buckets. Emily then saw several workmen waiting for her to arrive. She stopped alongside the line, then the workmen got straight to work. Emily watched the progress for some time as her tar wagons and sand trucks were unloaded, then mixed together into asphalt to manage on the roads. All was well until Emily looked up and suddenly saw the Construction vehicles slowing down and looking noticeably concerned. Then Emily saw the foreman coming toward her with a slightly nervous look on his face.
"Foreman? Is something the matter?" she asked. "Why is everyone suddenly slow and quiet?"
The foreman looked up. "Oh...oh, dear, Emily. I really appreciate that you've brought us the sand and tar...but I'm feeling worried."
"Why?" Emily asked.
"Well...we're building another road as you can see. But with all this asphalt, it needs to be paved...and that can only mean one thing. I was on the phone with the Sodor Island Council just some time ago, and they've told me just who will be paving this road."
"Oh...well, who is it?" Emily asked.
She had scarcely finished her sentence when she heard an extraordinary growl further up the road. A growl of pure and absolute grumpiness that she couldn't recall hearing before.
"Oh! What...Who...whoever was that?" Emily asked, suddenly nervous herself.
"Oh...oh, dear, Emily," said the foreman. "It's...it's George. The steamroller, remember?"
Emily thought for a moment, then suddenly felt her boiler tweak with a sense of memory, and then she suddenly felt like there would be a lot of trouble ahead. Over the years, she had come to know all about George's history and what he had brought upon Sir Handel, Rheneas, Skarloey, Daisy, Percy, Thomas, Duck and Gordon over the years. But in her experience, she only remembered seeing him briefly alongside the line when she was first chosen for the Black Loch Route, and when Thomas brought him to the Sodor Airport to finish the runway. Then from then on, George was only ever seen working at Farmer McColl's on a few occasions. So many years had gone by and there had not been a single incident between herself and this steamroller. She suddenly felt a little frightened if something would probably happen after all these years.
"Oh...oh, no," she shuddered. "I think I know just who you mean...the green steamroller...the one who everyone hates?"
"Exactly, Emily," said the foreman. "You see, ever since he paved the runway for the Sodor Airport, he's been kept busy at Farmer McColl's for a long time, but with this new road being built, the Sodor Island Council have told me that they've decided he will do the job. I thought it only best to tell Sir Topham Hatt...who I trust didn't know about this until after you left?"
Emily gulped and felt even worse.
"No...he didn't say anything about George...oh, dear, this is very bad timing! And for the exact wrong sort of character too! What are we to do, then? I have to bring more material here throughout today and tomorrow, with Gina likely helping me too."
"Gina, too? Oh, dear," said the foreman. "Well we'd best keep our eyes open. You never know what George will do next. And here he comes now!"
Emily shot her eyes upward to the road, and coming around the bend, into full view, there he was. The infamous, great clumsy road-hog himself, George the Steamroller. From his distinct grass-green livery, tall funnel, big roller and rolling wheels, right town to his ever-grouchy, teeth-baring, snarly expression, Emily could see it all. As soon as he saw the asphalt laid out on the road, he got to paving it right away, and started making the very same rude remarks about the railway as he always did since the very beginning. He rolled back and forth, baring his teeth and speaking in a most gravelly, grouchy tone as he always did.
"Railways are no good! Turn 'em into roads!
Pull 'em up! Turn them into roads!
Railways are no good! Turn 'em into roads!
Pull 'em up! Turn them into roads!"
"Uhh! Put a piece of COAL in it, will you?!" Alfie complained to George.
"Railways are JUST as useful as roads!" Oliver added. "You're just jealous, George!"
"BAH!" George growled back.
For the first time ever, with her own eyes and ears, Emily could see and hear the bare-bones, undisciplined and complete emptiness of respect this steamroller always carried, and she immediately got the instincts that she was in the presence of a true, true bully. She had no idea why or how all these years had gone by with no interaction with George, but now she felt her sense of wanting to do her job dissipate very strongly.
"Uhh...you'd best get going, Emily," said the foreman. "We may need more supplies later, but you don't need to stick around right now."
"Not in the least!" Emily agreed urgently. "I'm not wasting time around that troublemaker!"
And she set off down the line again, not bothering to even look at George. Emily suddenly began to feel a little frightened. What would happen if George noticed her? What sorts of insults and remarks would he throw at her? And most importantly, what would she do about it? These questions occupied Emily's mind for a few hours as she continued to work her way through the day.
But then, around 2:00 p.m. that afternoon, Emily was huffing between Wellsworth and Maron, making her way toward Cronk for another load of tar and sand was waiting for her to bring to the Wellsworth road. Then she looked ahead and saw a level crossing that just began to close, so any road traffic could pass. As Emily slowed down and prepared to stop, she looked around and didn't see anyone at first...but then she saw George trundling along the road toward the level crossing, making her heart jump. She hoped desperately that he wouldn't notice her. But just as George began to cross the road, he looked up and suddenly stopped right in the middle of the crossing.
When this happened, Emily felt her heart freeze for a moment. She couldn't puff backward or forward. She couldn't pass through, or get away. She had been seen. George took a close look at Emily for a moment or two. He couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity surrounding the emerald engine, as he had glimpsed her only a couple times in his life. But as little as he had ever seen her, he was by no means afraid to create a very bad mood between himself and the emerald engine.
"Huh! You're Emily, I suppose?!" George grouched. "Such a long time since I saw anything of YOU. Sodor's 'beautiful emerald angel' as they say. But I think not. More like 'Miss Goody-Goody Pansy,' to me!"
Emily heard what George had said and felt offended underneath, but as little as she had ever seen this steamroller, she stood no nonsense, just as Sir Handel once did all those years ago. Even though all these years had gone by with no issue between herself and this steamroller, Emily was all too ready to take him on. She wouldn't back down to anything he said.
"And you, I suppose are GEORGE? I've heard all about you. You do nothing but cause confusion, delay and sheer anger and frustration among all those around you. You crashed into Sir Handel's train, you left a whole bunch of road cones which blew onto the level crossing and jammed Daisy's brakes, then on Lady Hatt's birthday, you cursed Caroline to find a scrap yard as she was as you call, a 'disgrace to the road,' then you crashed the Fat Controller into a muddy ditch. Then after that, you rudely remarked to Rheneas and Skarloey that you would flatten engines in the scrapyards after they gave you boulders for the roads you god damn pave! You were intensely rude to Percy while he transferred you, then you paved RIGHT OVER the old line, knowing full god damn well that Thomas would crash into it and destroy that barn! Then you refused to let Duck into the siding and allow Gordon through with the express, making Gordon crash into that truck and destroy it...all while the Fat Controller only gave Thomas and Percy one, tiny, measly week of peace by taking you off the roads and temporarily converted you into a lumber machine! I've heard everything I need to know about YOU!"
George had heard everything Emily stated and he didn't forget any of the details himself...but he had heard a fair amount of Emily over the years that went by, and he was by no means afraid to retort with his own length of words and see what she would do.
"And I've heard of YOU. In fact, I recall seeing the likes of your 'majesty,' pass me by when you took that 'new route,' to Black Loch, and I mostly worked on Farmer McColl's after I helped with that runway...but I haven't forgotten what you're REALLY like! You coddle and caress wimpy little Percy just to be his mummy, you swank around on your giant 'steamroller' wheels, showing them off to everyone you see, thinking you're so glamorous! You hoard and snog with Thomas every moment you can spare, and you're ALWAYS drifting around like a fairy-princess, pretending you're as good as me!"
"Actually...I'm better," Emily replied with a straight face. "And that is no lie, compared to what Sir Handel told you. It's just a fact. My wheels are something to be very, very proud of."
"Oh, I don't think so," George growled. "Your wheels are indeed huge, but they're never on the road! Always on no-good railways! That means that what Gordon and James used to say you was true! You're just a 'goody-goody steamroller'! Just like me! Except I'm not so goody-goody, am I?"
In that instant of time, something thudded inside Emily's boiler. She had not been referred to as a steamroller in any way, shape or form for a very, very long time. Not since all those years ago when her suffering under Gordon and James began...when they insulted her big wheels and called her a "Goody-goody steamroller." In that moment, she felt a most familiar wave of offense hit her heart, just as it did all those years ago. For a brief moment, Emily felt great anger seize her heart as she gave George a fiery stare.
"You're right," she snapped. "My wheels ARE big. Bigger than yours! But as far as YOUR wheels go, YOU'RE no eighty-five miles per hour like I always am, as were all my Stirling brothers! Unlike Sir Handel, who you nearly beat, I could beat you in a race ANY day!"
"REALLY?" he called after her. "Well, we'll see how fast you can be, in other ways than one, you feisty imitation steamroller! I'll see you around!"
And with that, George rolled onward across the road. Then the gates opened and Emily could finally carry on. Her heart was now feeling considerably pierced as her mind flew back to when Gordon and James first ever mocked her wheels by comparing them to George's wheels and making her think she looked like a steamroller herself. She wondered how she would bring this forth to Thomas, Gina and the Fat Controller. And even more-so...how this would come forth to David. Emily suddenly began to wonder if there really was a grudge worthy for David to hold after all...on George.
Eventually, Emily gathered her second load of tar and sand from Cronk, then made her way to a wye line to turn around and make her way back to Wellsworth. She hoped that she wouldn't see George again today as she still felt deeply offended by what he had said to her.
But as Emily came back along the Wellsworth road to deliver her second load, she looked ahead and saw Oliver and Alfie just about to make their way home for the day, when she suddenly felt herself slowing down. Her driver had applied her brakes when he saw George up ahead, blocking the line. Emily looked up and saw the steamroller right there in her way, baring his teeth at her again.
"Let me through!" Emily ordered. "I have brought you more tar and sand! Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Huh! I don't move for imitation steamrollers!" George retorted with spirit. "You're not on the road! Get out of my way!"
Before Emily could talk back, her driver stepped down and pointed a finger straight at George's face.
"George the Steamroller, get out of our way in one minute, or I will drive you out of the way myself!"
George's driver Jem Cole, who also drove Trevor the Traction Engine, was more polite.
"Right away, sir," he said. "Come on now, George. Behave yourself."
Suddenly, George took a quick glimpse downward, then back to Emily. He had formed a little plan.
"Fine! I was just waiting for the imitation steamroller to come back! YOU took long enough! I'm too busy to wait for your excuses!"
Then George most carelessly and intentionally rolled forward off the line...right over an oil drum that was sitting right beside the line. His roller crunched onto the drum, making it burst open and splash everywhere. Black, greasy oil splattered all over Emily's bufferbeam and some of it landed on her face.
"AAGH!" Emily exclaimed. "Grease and Oil! TRULY!"
"Why you...what did you do THAT for?" George growled, immediately pinning the blame for something he did on another.
"I...I...I didn't do ANYTHING! YOU did!" Emily seethed, very angry all of a sudden. "You splashed me, and YOU should say sorry, as unlikely as it is!"
"Oh, of course...I'm sorry...for dirtying my most beloved roller! Oh, I'm SO sorry!" George swooned most sarcastically.
"How dare you, George!" Jem Cole exclaimed. "That is MOST impolite to do to Emily!"
"And SHE'S impolite to have gotten in my way!" George retorted. "AND she didn't race away like she said she can!"
"RRGH!" Emily steamed.
Then she stormed away down the line, leaving her trucks for the men to unload, while George smirked with triumph. But what George didn't see was that the foreman had seen a little of what just happened and ran to telephone the Fat Controller.
As Emily rumbled down the line, she was now red in the face and very cross. She had never been splashed with oil before, and to have to happen the exact same way as with James and Philip made her intensely angry as she began thinking again about Gordon and James' first insult toward her all those years ago. She could feel little creases of her former anger all those years ago creep back to her.
But in that same moment, Emily thought of something else that gave her a sense of strength. After all these years, she knew what just what to do about bullying like this. She would not bottle everything up and take all the abuse as she did before, as that only made her give in to being bossy for four and a half years. This time, all thanks to Thomas' ever-dedicated heart to the love he bared for Emily, she would seek the help she needed as soon as she could get it, and she would do it right now.
Back at Knapford Station, Thomas, Percy and Gina were resting together, waiting for Emily to come back, and Gordon was at Platform 1, preparing for another passenger run. Thomas had enjoyed his run with Annie and Clarabel, and Gina and Percy had been kept busy in each other's company all day...until they all heard Emily's whistle.
Thomas looked up first and saw Emily coming down the line. Then Percy, Gina and Gordon looked up. But just before they could whistle hello or greet Emily, they gasped, then all hesitated. Emily was wearing a most strained and agitated look on her face, making the other engines feel like something was very wrong. Thomas immediately noticed the oil spill on her face and her bufferbeam and became suspicious. He wondered if Max and Monty had given her any trouble.
"Emily!" he exclaimed suddenly. "What happened to you? You're splashed with oil! Did Max and Monty...?"
Emily looked at Thomas, then down to her buffers, saying nothing at first and trying very hard not to let too loose.
"Emily?" Percy asked, noticeably worried now. "Are you okay?"
Emily spoke very quietly at first. "Wretched, wretched day, this is...He's working on the new road...and I didn't know until too late..."
"Who, Emily?" Thomas asked.
Emily took a deep breath, then let off steam.
"Such an unfair change for me," she remarked. "Especially after such a wonderful night with you, Thomas. I had no idea this might have happened...until the foreman told me just how would be working on the new road! To think, Thomas...that all these years have gone by. And it isn't until now...that I have to face George the Steamroller!"
All the engines froze and looked right in Emily's direction. For a few moments, Thomas froze right where he was, feeling several memories flush into his smokebox before he blinked and flinched suddenly and made his response in a shaky and surprised tone.
"C-Cinders and...Ashes...Emily," he said shakily. "George...I...I...Why...why didn't...why didn't I EVER think of it? Why...WHY?"
"George? George the Steamroller? I haven't heard anyone mention him in ages!" Percy exclaimed. "Not since you brought him to the Sodor Airport to pave down the runway, Thomas! Ever since then, he was only ever seen working at Farmer McColl's!"
"Yes...so he was," said Thomas. "But now he's back on the roads once again...apparently. Oh...I can't believe all these years have slipped by and NOTHING has ever happened with that steamroller and Emily...until now!"
"George?" Gina puzzled. "I don't know this George character at all..."
"Oh! Oh, Gina! You wouldn't want to...but we have no choice but to tell you," said Thomas.
It didn't take long for Gina to hear everything there was to know about George. As soon as she heard everything, she immediately understood just why everyone hated George and just what to make of him, if by any chance she crossed paths with him herself.
"Well! He's in for a piece of MY mind as soon as he sees me!" Gina hissed. "He has NO merit in the least to do this to you, Emily!"
And right at that moment, the Fat Controller came out of his office and saw Emily's current state. He had heard everything.
"Emily! I'm sorry," he said. "The road construction has turned out to be much riskier than I thought. Just when you left, I got a call from the foreman, and I didn't know yet that George was the chosen steamroller for paving the roads...but just now, I got off the phone with the foreman again, and he told me just what George did to you. You'd best go to the washdown and get that oil off your front."
"What...GEORGE did this to my angel?!" Thomas exclaimed.
"He did EVERYTHING, Thomas!" Emily barked. "I came and delivered my first load and saw the foreman looking nervous...then there was George, making the same remarks he always makes about how railways are no good and to turn them into roads! Then he saw me later at a level crossing..."
"And what did he say then?" Thomas asked.
"Well...he recalled who I am...or as he says, "Miss Goody-goody Pansy.' I told him all I know about him, and he said the same about me...how I swank around on my giant 'steamroller' wheels, pretending I'm as good as him...when actually, I'm better."
"Yes. That is right," Thomas said solidly.
"But then..." Emily blinked as she began to just barely whimper. "That's not the worst of it. What's worse...is...is what he said next..."
"Well...why? What did George say?" Thomas asked.
Emily went very still, then looked up at Gordon with a single blink. "He called me a 'goody-goody steamroller'..."
Gordon suddenly gaped to what he had just heard.
"He did not!" he gasped.
"Then he called me an 'imitation steamroller'..." Emily blinked again. "Just like he mocked Sir Handel of being...then as I came back with a second load of tar and sand, he blocked my way. My driver told him to move...but then he splashed me with oil, and now I'm a complete mess! THAT'S why I'm spotted with black, greasy oil!"
None of the engines could believe what they had heard. Especially Thomas. Despite the fact that his inner demon was long-since absolved, he began to feel a similar sensation bubble up inside him. This anger wasn't demonic or destructive. Rather, it was out of righteous anger, albeit rather intense just the same.
"Why...that...that filthy, sneaking, shameless, jumped-up BASTARD!" Thomas barked loudly.
"Treachery! Purely immature behaviour against my mother figure!" Percy fumed.
"How DARE he violate the appearance of Sodor's Queen!" Gina hissed.
"And that's why I came to you all...especially you, sir," said Emily. "You told me never to be afraid to tell you if something is wrong. Well, that's exactly what I'm doing, all thanks to everything you've done for me, Thomas. As soon as George called me Gordon's original insult to me, I knew I had to bring this matter forward as soon as I had the time."
"Well, Emily. I'm very proud of you for bringing this forth," said the Fat Controller "But...Bother! George the Steamroller! I might have known he would have been behind all of this. Unfortunately, he never learns any lessons and he never listens. I'm afraid the best way to bear through the rest of his stay is for you to simply ignore him, Emily. At least he didn't cause any serious damage today."
"How can I ignore him, sir?" Emily hissed. "I'm NOT putting up with ANY of his nonsense! I could scold him like I scolded Donald and Douglas once!"
"Don't push it, Emily," said Thomas. "George can get very nasty whenever he wants to, and completely without warning. But then again, whether you push it or ignore him makes little difference. I ignored his remarks once, and he still paved right over my line and made me crash through a barn. He probably would have done it anyway if I did answer back to his remark about tearing up rails being the life."
"Oh...truly unacceptable," said the Fat Controller. Then his telephone started ringing. "Oh, bother that telephone! You'd best get to the washdown, Emily. And Gina, you stay right there. I have something important to tell you after."
And while the Fat Controller walked into his office and answered the phone, the passengers arrived and boarded Gordon's coaches. While this happened, Gordon kept quiet for a few moments, festering in scathing memory over how he and James always jeered and mocked Emily with the name "Goody-goody steamroller," and it made him very cross. To hear that George gave Emily the exact same insult made him realize even further how wrong he was to be such an enemy to Emily in the past. But this time, he wouldn't stand for hearing his own nonsense being uttered again.
"So, Emily..." he remarked. "George called you a 'goody-goody steamroller.' Just like James and I most outrageously called you?"
"Yes, Gordon! He DID!" Emily snapped. "NEVER did I hear that name again ever since my suffering stopped...until today, when George couldn't hold his filthy, poisoned and blustered tongue!"
"Goody-goody steamroller INDEED! This is no indignity. Oh, the Outrage! I'll see about THAT, Emily!" Gordon hissed.
"Please don't, Gordon," Emily insisted. "George will just start giving you trouble too!"
"He won't DARE give me any trouble," Gordon stated. "And he'd better damn well not give YOU any more trouble either! Not unless he wants Sir Topham Hatt, and I daresay, David coming after him. George will NOT like that!"
Emily suddenly remembered her little flicker of thought about David, and suddenly felt a sense of excitement and concern too.
"Oh, dear. You're right, Gordon. If David finds out what's going on with George and I...he might form a brand-new grudge...but a rightful one at that! And Heaven knows what he might do if...if George tries doing anything serious to me. I remember how David confronted the Fat Controller after I was put to two weeks of heavy goods trains and shunting. I can only imagine how he would react to George..."
As soon as Emily's sentence was finished, right on cue, Gordon's guard's whistle blew, and he raced out of the station. Emily sighed and steamed indignantly away to the washdown, just wishing this bad day would be over. But it would only continue to the next day.
Further up the line, George was trundling home for the day. He was still smirking in triumph over splashing Emily with that oil and he couldn't wait to see her again and give her more trouble. Then he came upon another level crossing. The gates began to open so as to allow George to pass through, when he suddenly looked up and saw Gordon approaching the crossing too. George stopped right in the middle, as he did with Emily, making Gordon slow down and stop right at the gates, staring head-on into George's eyes, remembering that very day he forced that truck by accident...all because of the vehicle right there in front of him now.
"YOU! GEORGE!" Gordon wheeshed angrily.
"Bah...Gordon!" George growled.
"The feeling is mutual!" Gordon retorted. "As it always has been ever since you made me destroy that truck when you should have let Duck through!"
"Huh? What do YOU want, you big Galloping Sausage?" George retorted rudely. "Is the imitation steamroller asking you to fight for her?"
"No! She isn't! And I'll tell you EXACTLY what I want," Gordon announced. "You may be allowed to mouth off and bully other vehicles and a few fellow engines. But I will be SCRAPPED before I hear of you EVER referring to Emily as a 'goody-goody' STEAMROLLER again! I heard all about what you did to her, and you would do well NOT to try anything else with her! So you mind your big, fat wheels, and keep your abnormally heavy and out-of-shape self out of Emily's business! And right now...get out of MY way! YOU'RE holding up the EXPRESS!"
And Gordon began inching his way forward as a warning. George had to back off. This made him cross.
"You steamies are old and clapped out!" he growled. "I'LL decide what happens to the imitation steamroller! NOT you!"
"We'll see about THAT," Gordon whooshed as the gates opened for him. "You've not heard the last of this! Emily has powerful friends, you know. If you're not careful, you're going to regret this!"
And with a loud blast of steam, Gordon thundered away, leaving George to stare on...then curve a little smirk in his face.
"I'm sure," he said very quietly as he rumbled over the crossing and back home.
Further down the line, Emily soon had her washdown and finally got the oil washed off. But she was in too much of a bad mood to feel chipper about being clean again today. She steamed huffily away from the water tower and got on with her work. She was glad she didn't see George anymore for the day...
As the hours progressed, the news circled around Sodor about what had happened with Emily and George. The other engines came to hear about it and started talking amongst themselves, concerned over what could come next for Emily if George didn't watch his trail. Even the Construction vehicles were concerned about what would possibly happen next. Max and Monty were certainly rowdy and rambunctious from time to time, but even they weren't as nasty as George. They cared about working hard, while George only cared about making everyone around him feel hurt and powerless.
Then the news eventually reached its way right up to Arlesburgh. Duck, Oliver and Toad talked somewhat about that Steamroller, and Donald and Douglas came to feel worried, particularly since Emily was now caught in the conflict with the grumpy steamroller. But Arlesburgh was the absolute worst place for the news to reach on George's behalf, given the fact of who else lived here. Little did that steamroller know just what this would potentially and ultimately lead to.
David had been busy all day as usual at the harbour, still feeling truly privileged over what he had talked about with Thomas and Emily just two nights earlier. But he did not yet know just what had been happening with Emily...until his work was done. When he came home that late afternoon, he saw Beatrice just hang up the phone then start shaking her head. David couldn't help but notice she looked stressed and irritated.
"Mum? What's wrong? Did something happen...oh, no. Is...is it about Emily, and I didn't know? If anyone's been mistreating her...!"
Beatrice looked up and took a deep breath. What she had come to hear today was something she never expected to hear about.
"Oh, David...I just got off the phone with Sir Topham Hatt, and he had some news to share. I honestly don't know why I didn't see it earlier...but something has happened surrounding Emily. I warn you, this may trigger a brand-new grudge for you to get over...or otherwise, take to heart. You would probably have much more reason to grudge over this particular character, given what you've read about him when you were still my little Davey...and those particular stories made you so angry."
David suddenly felt a jump in his heart, similarly to the jump he felt when he first heard about Emily's accident with Donald and Douglas.
"Who, then?" he asked sharply. "WHO is troubling our engine this time? Tell me at once!"
Beatrice looked at him, took a deep breath and told him everything she had heard today, from Emily's morning start, to when she went to Wellsworth to deliver her load for the road construction...then just who she had run into. David then heard what Emily and this particular character had exchanged to each other...until Emily got splashed with that oil and wasn't even apologized to, followed by her going to the washdown.
And with that, Beatrice had explained everything. Silence befell the living room as she watched her son nod very slowly, then his eyes began to glitter very lightly. They seemed cold, clear and very steely as he turned away and stared out the window, silent and still as a statue.
David Rider had no opinion whatsoever of George. He had read about that steamroller in the storybooks and he had heard about the other little incidents George had racked up with the engines. With every story he had heard about George through his lifetime, David always got very, very angry underneath, wishing desperately that George would be sent away, or at least punished much more severely than he had been. And to hear that there was now a new story to tell about George...and Emily, made David start wondering a few things. His heart began to ripple with anxiety, indecision, worry, anger and determination all at the same time.
He finally turned away from the window and faced his mother again.
"David...I'm so sorry you had to hear this...but it's what happened to Emily today," said Beatrice. "How...how do you feel?"
David looked to the ceiling, then sighed deeply before he spoke very solidly.
"Well. I never gave a thought to this either, given how much else has been going on between all of us. But this is indeed a most disturbing thing to learn. I will NOT let that filth stand in my engine's way. If that over-reaching scumbag of a steamroller takes the wrong steps and causes the wrong disturbances...Sir Topham Hatt WON'T be the one to judge. If Emily is given too much trouble, that steamroller will have ME to answer to...and depending on the circumstances, it might just be the last thing he ever does...on Sodor, that is."
"David...just what exactly do you mean by that?" Beatrice asked, noticeably serious. "Surely you're not proposing anything rash?"
"No, Mum. I'm not. What I mean is, in my book, George is NOT welcome on the Island of Sodor, and he never has been. He's a menace to the railway AND the road, and yet the Sodor Island Council has still allowed him to stay all this time. Mum, look at his history. It's not in his nature to learn any lessons for the better, and yet the Council hasn't bothered to send him away and give both the engines and vehicles true peace!"
"But David," Beatrice put in. "Remember when Sir Topham Hatt punished George by taking him off the roads for a week after he crashed Thomas and made Duck wait too far back on the express line, which made Gordon destroy his last truck?"
"One measly little week," David replied. "That wasn't a long enough break for Thomas and Percy. NOT by a long shot. True, George never gave the engines any more trouble after that, but for him to start attacking Emily NOW, after so many years...that is secret treachery hidden for all these years! And who is Sir Topham Hatt, NOT to take more severe actions on George?"
"Well, David, what happens to George is not entirely up to Sir Topham Hatt to decide," said Beatrice. "He's in charge of the North Western Railway and all its engines. The Sodor Island Council takes care of everything else besides, including the road industry, which makes George their rightful property. Whether or not George gets truly punished or even sent away is down to them."
David shook his head and grunted.
"Well...I should have some say in all of that, especially since George targeted Emily today. She is my engine, by our family blood. You know this as well as I do, and I will NOT hesitate to protect her from errant vehicles such as George...even if it means getting him sent away forever."
Beatrice tried to implore to her son. "David, I know you've a big heart for Emily, and you are her first driver's son, but Sir Topham Hatt is-"
"He's the Controller of the North Western Railway," David cut in. "But that doesn't make him truly in charge of my engine...not after everything she and I have done together, and will continue to do together in our own bond of the Rider legacy. I'll be keeping my eyes and ears open."
And David turned away and walked upstairs to be by himself. Beatrice watched him disappear into the hallway to his bedroom and sighed to herself. She could only wonder just what would happen next surrounding this matter between Emily and George. As she went about her own business, she began to have a sneaking suspicion that something truly outrageous would happen. Some sort of very close call, similar to Percy's tragic accident at Ffarquhar, but not as serious. Beatrice didn't know why she felt this way, but she just knew something seriously significant would happen very soon.
That evening, Emily returned to Tidmouth Sheds at last, still feeling rather irritated by everything that had happened throughout the day. Thomas and Percy felt rather indignant too. They still couldn't believe all this time had gone by and George did nothing to Emily until now.
"Goody-goody steamroller?! Imitation Steamroller?!" Percy recited angrily. "Miss Goody-goody Pansy?! Even I was NEVER that cheeky, and I never WILL be!"
"SUCH outrage!" Thomas hissed. "I STILL can't believe the Sodor Island Council agreed to keep George here even to this day!"
"I truly agree, Thomas!" Emily hissed in turn. "I thought George was mostly done with the rest of us ever since finishing the Airport's runway, but NOW! OOH! I can't STAND his cheek and nerve in the least! I DO hope he's finished working on that road VERY soon!"
At that moment, the engines heard Gina's whistle. They looked up and saw her approaching the shed. Then the Fat Controller came down from her cab.
"Sir? What is it?" Emily asked. "What is Gina doing here?"
The Fat Controller nodded to Gina, then turned to the other engines.
"Well, Emily, seeing as you've had a most distressing day today, I think you need someone to help soften the blow, as it were. You deserve a partner helping you bear through George tomorrow. I've decided that Gina will take a few loads with you to Wellsworth."
"You, Gina?" Emily asked. "Are you sure she can square up with George, sir?"
"I'm not afraid of a grouchy trifle like him!" Gina hissed. "Not after everything Thomas and I have faced together in Italy. We'll do it together, Emily. We will NOT put up with any of his nonsense! Neither you, nor I."
This time, it was Percy's turn to feel concerned and iffy. First Thomas had gotten very cross about what happened with Emily, but now Percy's Italian Queen was seemingly at risk of George's most outrageous antics. And there was something else to this matter too. Something he would have noticed anyway, but now, given Emily's little dilemma with George, it seemed more serious.
"Hey...Gina," he peeped nervously.
"Yes, Percy?" Gina asked.
"I just realized...today marks one week since you came back from Italy...which means you have one week left to go. Your visit here is half over. I really don't want your visit to end up being cut short. What if George does something so bad, you end up being sent back to Italy? What if he...what if he gets you into very bad and false trouble? What if...?"
Gina could see Percy was getting a little panicky, and understandably so. After such a scathing trauma for him to be faced with, he couldn't possibly afford to have his chance to be with her be potentially cut in two. She turned to his berth, then buffered up and pressed her lips to his cheek, making him gasp and sigh deeply to her kiss until she let go.
"My Perfect Percy," Gina whispered. "I'll be alright. Nothing that steamroller does will take me away from you. Not now, not for the remaining week ahead for the two of us. Just you and I. I promise."
"Very good, Gina," said the Fat Controller. "You and Emily just take care tomorrow. Ignore George all you can, but also keep an open ear. You never know what he may do, whether you answer his remarks or not."
And the Fat Controller left for the night. Thomas, Emily, Percy and Gina all looked among each other, not knowing how or what to feel. After Emily had dealt with a very frustrating day, now Gina would become part of the conflict too.
"Please be careful, Gina," Emily advised. "You have a lot of spirit and firm standards, but I don't know how George may take it."
"Well, Emily...I'll let him make the first move," said Gina. "Then I'll see what I may do about him. We're getting through this."
And with a little wink, she buffered up to Percy and pushed him right inside his berth. Thomas and Emily could hear little chortles and giggles for a few moments, before two yawns were heard, then silence followed. Emily looked to Thomas and saw him biting his lip again.
"Thomas, what's wrong?" Emily asked.
"I don't know, Emily," said Thomas. "I just don't know what will happen tomorrow. I suddenly have a funny feeling that something might happen to you. Something serious, frightening...and potentially tragic, like Percy's accident. George can't be predicted, Emily. What if he does something to really attack you like he did to me...and what if he did something to cause another tragedy, like the evil truck did to Percy?"
Emily knew just what Thomas meant and felt her heart shudder in her boiler. She had not had a major accident ever since her snowball incident with Donald and Douglas, and her last derailment was barely anything at all when she ran into that tree with the Sodor Rangers. Perhaps another hefty derailment wasn't too far off this time.
"Well, Thomas...whatever George might do, I'll be alright," said Emily. "And if any people get endangered by anything he does...I will not let their lives be taken. If anything of that nature happens to me by George's doing, I'll see to it that any people in my way get away safely."
Thomas felt his heart shudder with worry, but also sheer awe to Emily's words.
"Emily...you're the bravest engine on Sodor alongside me," he whispered as he blew a kiss right to her. "Please be alright."
"Thank you, Tommy," Emily replied as she blew him a kiss too. "I will be alright. I just hope we see tomorrow through...soon enough."
And with that, Thomas and Emily fell asleep with Percy and Gina, who were buffered up together right inside his berth. The other engines came later and thought it best not to disturb George's targets as it were. But this was only half of the trials to be faced against George. Emily's troubles and tedium weren't over yet, and what George had up his funnel would prove to indeed be potentially devastating...but for how it would all turn out, it would surely mean his final downfall in his Sudrian career...