Near Misses and Medicine

[the scene opens with a shot of Duck passing by with a train of coal trucks before it cuts to an outward shot of the main sheds where Gordon and James are resting and then extending to a set of points. Near to where the line to the big engine shed joins the mainline, there are some special points. They are called trap points, and the rails don't go anywhere, but are long enough to derail anything running away, and prevent it from colliding with engines on the mainline. They are worked by a very powerful spring, but can be controlled from the signal box when the engines need to join the mainline on purpose. Henry comes into the scene looking down at the trap points, not understanding why they're there]

Henry: Useless things, they can take them away as soon as they like. [stops on the turntable to be turned around] Runaway, indeed! Why should we want to run away from our nice, warm sheds, tell me that.

[Gordon and James glance at each other as Henry backs into the shed, unable to come up with a rebuttal, so they don't bother to try as the big green engine looks away, satisfied with his venting]

[the scene cuts to another part of the city where Balto is at the hospital, stacking crates of medicine onto a trolley]

Balto: Okay, so this shipment needs to be out at 9:00, and then this one needs to be out at 9:15, and then this one needs to be out at 9:30, and-

?: Enjoying the fruits of labor, wolfdog?

Balto: [mutters] Oh, great, just what I needed.

[standing against the doorway with a toothpick to his sharp teeth is Steele, standing smugly as ever]

Steele: You know, you're looking a bit knackered there, maybe take some weight off your shoulders and let me show ya' how it's done.

Balto: I can manage this lot just fine, besides, if I wanted help, you wouldn't be the first choice for it.

Steele: Oh, and why's that? Worried that you're not as strong as I am?

Balto: No, it's because I don't think anyone would be able to trust you with handling medicine based on your track record.

Steele: You best not mention that, you know very well that came under specific circumstances.

Balto: Yeah, circumstances in which I had to help, which you refused quite viscerally as I recall.

Steele: I had it under control, I didn't need you telling me how to do my job.

Balto: Maybe that's the issue; you don't know when to call it quits. On anything.

[at this point, the wolfdog and the malamute have gotten almost up in each other's faces during their quarrel]

Steele: Ya' know, I've got ways of dealing with thorns in my ass.

Balto: Isn't that typical, threatening with violence, you jocks are so predictable.

[Cindy Bear comes into the room with a clipboard]

Cindy: Okay, Balto, I'll need the Vicodin for Room 256 and…[looks up to see the scene unfolding before her]...oh, am I interrupting something here?

Steele: No, I was just leaving actually, can't let this one get distracted on the job.

[Balto scowls as Steele pompously walks out of the room, bumping arms into Yogi Bear walking in the opposite direction with a box in his hands]

Yogi: Hey, I've got important cargo in this box! [opens it for inspection] Phew, still fresh.

Cindy: You alright there, look a little tense.

Balto: [sighs] I'm fine, Cindy, it's just Steele being Steele, always finding ways to wind me up. It's rather petty if you ask me.

Cindy: Hmm, I can imagine, if something's bothering you, I know a fair few gadgets that might help, hmmhmmhmm.

Balto: Uhhhh, no, I don't think I wanna go that far, I just need to get back to work is all.

Cindy: Oh, okay, I'll let you get back to it, just know that there's a laser gun in my office if you need it.

[Cindy walks out of the room, leaving Balto looking puzzled]

Balto: That woman's got a weird mind sometimes…

[nighttime falls as Balto is seen coming out through the hospital entrance. Thomas O'Malley and Scat Cat can be seen walking away on the street corner]

Balto: [yawns] What a day it's been. Right, better see what's on tomorrow's agenda…[pulls out a list of the samples that need to be delivered]...I guess it's a good thing I kept these…[pats his coat pocket where rattling can be heard]...right, time to head for home…[walks away from the building]

[the scene cuts to Henry sitting alone in the sheds]

Henry: Strange, I'm all on my own…[yawns]...I expect the others are on their own duties…[shivers]...mind you, it's a bit cold tonight…and rather lonely…

[several hours later, the sound of disgruntled mumbling can be heard coming from the right side of the shed. The noise is revealed to be Daffy Duck, coming up with a fire poker and looking none too enthused]

Daffy: It's my shift as fire lighter, they say, gotta get up at the crack of dawn, they say, gaaaaaah, I don't get pay enough for this…

[Daffy enters the shed where Henry is seen sleeping. Climbing up into the engine's cab, the black duck begins to stoke the fire. Henry feels the warmth spread through his boiler, drowsy and comfortable]

Henry: [sighs contentedly] That's nice…running away…who'd be daft enough to do that on a cold morning like this…

Daffy: Wish I could do…[looks at Henry's controls and then peers out from the cab in all directions]...huh, don't think I've driven one of these in a while…ah, well, couldn't hurt to give it a try…

[Daffy unwinds the brake and moves the regulator…but nothing happens. Even after a few seconds, Henry doesn't move]

Daffy: Well, that was a waste of time…

[Daffy steps out from the cab in a huff…without closing the regulator. Henry is blissfully unaware, having gone back to sleep]

[the sun is just peeking over the horizon as Balto steps out from his apartment and looks at his watch: 6:00 A.M.]

Balto: These early shifts, I tell you…ah, well, best not stall, don't wanna be late…

[the scene cuts to Balto waiting at Oak Station, Rarity, Retsuko, Setsuna, Pongo, Bagheera, and Charlie are waiting on the platform as well as Gordon pulls into the station with the Express bound for Evergreen Station. Balto takes his seat on the window's side and watches as the train begins to depart]

[meanwhile, Henry is still asleep in the shed. Unbeknownst to the drowsy green engine, steam is trickling into his cylinders. Then, very slowly, Henry starts to move]

[the scene cuts back to Balto on the train, though his mind seems to be elsewhere, thinking back to the previous day]

Balto: Don't call it quits…on anything…why does that sound so ironic…I mean, I'm persistent, Steele's resistant…well, he persists when I resist, almost like it's back and forth…I don't know, I'm probably thinking about this too much…and why am I talking to myself…[looks back at the other passengers, but they don't seem to notice or care]...oh, well…

[the scene cuts to Gordon at the front, approaching the yard before the big station. However, looking over to his right, he gasps at Henry approaching the mainline]

Gordon: Henry! What on Earth are you doing?! [blows his whistle loud enough that it wakes up the sleepwalking engine]

Henry: [splutters awake] Geh! Wha…oh, it's you, Gordon…GORDON?! Oh, bugger, I'm moving!

[Gordon applies his brakes, causing the coaches to bump into each other. Balto in particular is jolted forward and the bottles spill out of his pocket]

Balto: OOF! Ah, no!

[Henry shuts his eyes in preparation for the crash, but instead of running right into Gordon, his wheels shift over to the left. Henry comes to a stop, leaning a little to one side, a few inches short of Gordon's train as the big blue engine screeches to a stop, three coaches over the points]

Henry: Phew! That was a near miss.

Gordon: What do you think you're playing at, I almost hit you!

Henry: It wasn't my fault, I just woke up sleepwalking…wait, my regulator's open. But I didn't move it.

Gordon: Then who did move it?

Henry: The last person I saw was the firelighter, and the man on shift was…ooooooh, Daffy Duck.

Gordon: Well, at least we know who to report for this.

Henry: And who to never let inside my cab.

[meanwhile, Balto hastily tries to pick up the spilled pills and tablets on the floor]

Balto: [groans] This is a right mess…why'd so many have to come loose? [fiddles with a tablet before seeing a white furred hand pick it up] Huh? [looks up to see none other than Steele standing over him]

Steele: Need a little help, wolfy?

Balto: Wait, Steele? What are you doing?

Steele: Oh, nothing much, just picking up the pieces of your mess.

Balto: Okay, but…why?
Steele: Well, just because.

Balto: Um, that's…pretty vague.

Steele: I'd rather not bore you or myself with the details…look, ya' got your stuff, so I'll just be on my way. [turns to walk away as Balto stares at him awkwardly]

Balto: Um, Steele…thank you?

Steele: [stops abruptly before looking back] Yeah, yeah, whatever…[walks back to his compartment with a paw over his face]

[as the Express sets off again, Henry looks down at the trap points as workmen run over towards him]

Henry: Thank you, trap points. You can stay there just as long as you like.

Balto: [returns to his seat with a lot on his mind] Did Steele really…what could he gain from it…oh, I can't think this early, just gotta get to work…

[upon reaching Evergreen, Balto disembarks off the train and looks at the station clock; 6:45 A.M. With a sigh, he makes his way to the entrance and walks off to the hospital]

The End