Chapter Five: Forgiveness and Healing

However, this theory would be confirmed when he and the others witnessed a final event. It was a chilly night at the Steamworks as Willow was fast asleep with the wind blowing gently across her face, and the ravens rested on the withered tree. As she was in her slumber, two silhouettes of familiar engines grinned evilly as they managed to couple behind her and conveniently, she was on the rails rather than being hung up to be examined for the next day.

With that, the engines puffed slowly while pushing the sleeping Willow carefully and subtly to avoid waking her up. Just witnessing their wicked action was too much for them to bear as it was about to get worse for poor Willow. The final scene showed the damaged sleeping Willow being pushed towards a siding that led to a large deep lake that nobody bothered to put a siding in case an engine needed a place to stop from being a runaway train. There, the two engines whispered to each other as they whispered their final words to Willow, "May you gently flow to your death!"

Not long after, Willow woke up in confusion, but before she could react to the situation she was in, Roger and Evelyn pushed her into the lake with violence as they slowly puffed away from the scene. There, Willow began to sink slowly as she tried to breathe air, but she ended up swallowing water. There, her eyes began to shut slowly as she felt like she couldn't be helped. Her final tears swam away from her as bubbles came out of her agape mouth. She was sinking away both physically and spiritually. It was dark and gloomy, and it would be impossible to see here unless you're witnessing an event that gave you a better picture.

Once she sank and passed away, Edward, Thomas, and Rebecca were left with the feeling of sorrow, disbelief, and anger. They believe that she didn't deserve to die, let alone be bullied and threatened to be scrapped in the first place. It was such torture for Willow. However, when Edward was watching all the events and saw Willow's passing, he began to connect the dots on Spite's behaviour and appearance. Her rusty livery was caused by water, and her sinking in the lake from being murdered made her livery even worse. All the scratches and cuts contributed to the crash, and with her number being scraped, it would explain perfectly why she doesn't have a number. What's more, all the bullying and trauma she had dealt with may have caused her to feel a tremendous amount of resentment and decided to act her revenge as a restless spirit to justify her anguish.

All this that caused Willow to be Spite made Edward sympathise with her a lot. His feeling of fear and hate towards Spite was washed away and was immediately replaced with sadness and pity. He wished he could have helped her, but since he could tell she was from another railway, he assumed that perhaps she was scrapped on Sodor after years of searching, and she went to roam around to torture others. It seemed like her missing dome had a connection with her mind and could explain why he and the other two saw everything she had been through.

What's more, Edward felt like he could connect with her. Before he arrived on Sodor, he was harassed by the bigger engines like Gordon's size and called him horrible names like "weak", "useless", or "unreliable". Unlike Willow, he was very fortunate as he got brought by The Hatt Family, and even though he dealt with bullying from Gordon and James, he redeemed himself and learnt from their mistakes, which made them better engines and showed respect to the wise and resilient engine.

Before they knew it, it showed a sharp image of Willow transforming into a spirit that confirmed everything before their surroundings changed back to normal, dark, and creepy areas in The Smelter's Yard. Everyone was speechless at what they just saw, "Oh my.", Thomas gasped quietly.

"I-It does make sense.", Rebecca whispered in realisation.

With getting information, there's only one question remaining, how to get rid of Spite once and for all? They gained enough knowledge about her origin, yet they weren't sure what to do next. When Thomas and Rebecca expected Edward to come up with the answer, they didn't expect his response to be unexpected, "What do we do now?", Rebecca questioned him curiously.

Edward knew that the two engines would find his response shocking, yet he knew deep inside that it was the only way, "Forgiving her.", he replied subtly.

"What?", Thomas gasped in absolute disbelief, "Why forgive her?"

Edward didn't want to go on the list of the reasons why they should forgive her, but he knew how to answer his question with a simple yet excellent response, "Have we all made mistakes?", he asked.

This got Thomas stumped as he looked at Rebecca before back to Edward, "Yes.", he replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Have we all felt alone, afraid, and angry when you get bullied or harmed?", Edward asked another simple question.

Thomas and Rebecca were quiet about this question as they didn't respond, even though both had a mutual answer. Edward knew their answer by their facial expression and body language as he replied, "I just realised that she has been through a lot of traumas. Literally, it's a Railway of Trauma for her, and she suffered a lot. That's why she's holding on to her resentment and hatred and wants others to suffer, no matter which railway it is.", he sighed sadly, and he grew sympathy for her, "We need to support her."

"And what if it doesn't work?", Thomas frowned as he doubted Edward's suggestion.

Edward hadn't planned far ahead with any ideas, say if trying to reason with Spite would fail, "I honestly don't know, but I believe it will work."

With that, Thomas sighed as Rebecca spoke nervously, "I-I sure hope it works."

"Thomas. Rebecca. The key the healing others is by showing compassion.", Edward spoke with wisdom, "We need to be strong and bold when she goes dangerous, but when we hit her vulnerable side, that's when we show our compassion and explain that we can relate with her in some ways."

Just hearing his words made Thomas realise as he thought deeply, for he knew that Edward was right. Rebecca also believed in him, although she was afraid of the fact that they were going to face a spirit that was unpredictable and harmful. After the two younger engines thought, they looked at Edward with a determined look, despite having a slight sense of doubt as Thomas said, "Okay. Let's try."

With that, Edward thought on where Spite could be now, but since they were in The Smelter's Yard, it could be plausible that she's currently residing there, but with her having a nature to go from one location to another, he wasn't so sure. However, he didn't waste time as he slowly puffed into The Smelter's Yard building while trying to remain brave as Thomas and Rebecca followed him, looking at each other with their lips bitten and scared eyes. Would it work, or would it fail?

…

As there three-headed in the deep and intense section of The Smelter's Yard where the burning smell was too much to handle as a bunch of sparks popped out due to objects being damaged, and some few remaining parts of the engines' were laid against the wall, giving a terrible reminder about the aftermath of being scrapped. The three engines knew that perhaps she was now hiding in there somewhere as she's been following them this whole time, even if she's not physically shown. The deeper they got, the more they felt like they'd been watched, and it was as if the deceased engines were watching their every action, waiting for the anticipation of what was to come. Perhaps they were.

Just before they reached the dead end, something white and red glowed violently bright as shrieks came out of nowhere. However, this event didn't scare the three this time as they were prepared and were willing to take the risk to potentially stop and heal Spite from her trauma and anger. Edward was fully aware that her personality changed quickly, but he wasn't going to give up.

With the event that was happening in front of them, they all squinted their eyes to not be blinded by the light as the shriek continued to get louder and louder. However, they all didn't yet at the same time expect things to get wilder. The light began to form into a shape as the ground shook quickly dangerously like an earthquake, and the three engines felt like they were going to be derailed from their wheels being not set and stable. As the event kept proceeding on, Edward knew what to do, "Spite! Please come out and show yourself!", he yelled at the top of his lungs.

The only response he got was a banshee-like scream response, "You will be scrapped tonight!"

Edward knew to ignore her lies and empty threats as he kept waiting for her to appear. However, he wasn't the only one calling out for her. Thomas and Rebecca also joined in as Edward can't do this alone, "We are not afraid!", Rebecca cried as she narrowed her eyes.

"We just wanted to talk!", Thomas added as he gritted his teeth.

With them pleading in a demanding tone of voice, the light finally shaped into an engine that they all wanted to see, and it appeared angrily with the atmosphere getting more heated and extreme, "You're all foolish to come here, and now you're going to suffer slowly.", she hissed as she spewed her words like venom.

"No, we are here to talk about something that matters, once and for all!", Edward replied as loud as possible as the shrieking noise continued.

Spite raised her eyebrow as she sneered with pure fury, "Matters? What matters? Nothing matters other than for others to suffer like you! No one should come out alive and free!", she spat.

Before Edward could argue back, Thomas stepped in and found the courage to speak against her, "And you shouldn't suffer in the first place!", he cried.

This made the spirit even more confused yet frustrated as she wanted the engines to fall. So, without the sheer amount of desperation to destroy them, she summoned white orbs to blast at them, hoping to inflict pain, but to her horror, it failed as they were resilient, "Spite! We understand you!", Rebecca tried to control Spite's temper.

When she heard those three words, Spite had her mouth agape in shock. What did Rebecca mean? Do they understand her pain? Her motive? Her past? With all those questions, Spite felt something painful inside of her. Something sharp like a rose thorn, yet it didn't harm her. With that pain, Spite realised what they were trying to do. This caused her to narrow her eyes as she growled, "No! No, you don't! You know nothing about me, you are weak, pathetic engines! All you know is that I'm going to destroy you!"

"Spite! Please! Just listen!", Edward pleaded, "We know everything, and we wanted to show support!"

This made the spirit hissed as she shouted, "Shut up, Old Iron!"

Edward didn't back down as he continued to confront her, "We saw what you have dealt with! You have been through so much torment in your life! You have been suffering for so long!", he continued his speech.

With his words coming out his mouth with such courage, Spite suddenly began to twitch her face erratically as she spoke in an all-different tone of voice with mixed emotion, mainly in the tone of anger and anguish, "Stop!"

As the atmosphere was getting more chaotic with white orbs began to produce more, but still, the engines managed to stay strong as they had been tormented and paranoid from her for so long that it was time for them to fight back. With the intensity getting worse, Edward knew that he couldn't do this alone. Luckily, Thomas stepped in once again as he continued their confrontation, "We saw that you'd been bullied unfairly and get accused of things you haven't committed! You wanted to be useful, but the others kept saying you're better off being scrapped!"

"Stop it!", growled Spite as her twitching began to get more uncontrollable that it was too difficult to pinpoint how she was really feeling.

However, they weren't focusing on Spite's behaviour as they still continued to talk until they could reach her, "And what's more, you've been in so much accident and trauma, yet no one showed any sympathy towards you besides your controller!", Rebecca added as she now found her inner lioness.

"And your life was robbed away too soon!", Edward shouted, "It's not fair for you! You didn't deserve this! This is why you're causing fear!"

This got Spite stumped as she stopped twitching temporarily. There, she then changed her personality like a traffic light as she grinned evilly, "Oh, you're wrong! I did it for power, so I can get what I deserve!"

"No! You did this to feel equal! You're afraid deep inside! You're not willing to let go and move on! You've been dwelling on the past for too long!", Edward cried as he knew Spite' real reason for her actions.

When Spite heard that, she burst into psychotic laughter as she teased, "Aww, for an engine that's great at speech, doesn't know me at all!"

With her laughter, the ground began to get more violent as the engines knew it was now or never to stop her terror, "Spite! You don't have to hide the truth!", Edward explained, "You've been through a lot without being supported or loved! I've been through bullying and trauma, too, in the past, but I know it's best to move on and forgive! I know your life was taken too soon, but there's still hope to forgive!"

Nothing changed besides Spite began to twitch again. With this, Edward spoke his final words, hoping this would end it all, "Spite! All I wanted to say is this.

There, Edward took a deep breath as he closed his eyes before he opened his eyes as Thomas and Rebecca knew what he was going to say. With that, they chimed together as their tone changed into a kind and sincere tone, like a mother speaking to her scared child, "We forgive you, Willow."

When Spite heard this, she stopped twitching altogether as her mouth was wide in surprise with her milky blue eyes dilated, "W-what?", she stammered as her voice sounded more like an alone child.

"We do, Willow. We forgive you, and we want you to forgive everything.", Edward encouraged her to heal.

Once Edward was done speaking, Willow was left speechless, and she kept thinking about her past, being alone and defenceless. Although it brought her so much anguish, she was willing to slowly forgive each engine as with every forgiveness, the atmosphere began to change subtly as the heat started to reduce with white orbs stopping producing along with the ground stop trembling, and the luminance of the light died down. This made Edward, Thomas, and Rebecca surprised as they didn't expect this to work.

After Willow made much forgiveness, she began to glow in a bright yet simple white as she felt freer. The feeling of heaviness from pain began to lift as she then opened her eyes, which were now normal black eyes like any regular, showing the sign that she had changed. She was no longer a threat, but rather a vulnerable engine as she began to weep, "I-I'm… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to make you all suffer. I just wanted to feel equal, but now I'm truly The Silver Sinister.", he sobbed uncontrollably.

"No, you're wrong.", Edward replied as he tried to approach her without scaring her, "You were just stuck, but now you're better than ever, Willow. We never doubt you. You're safe now."

"Yeah, and we all make mistakes.", Rebecca added with a gentle smile.

"And we all deserve a second chance.", Thomas stated a fact with a caring tone.

Willow had never been supported or cared for by another engine, let alone three of them. This was something that she yearned for as she hated being alone and being pushed and shoved for the sake of others' amusement. However, Edward was the particular engine that not only forgave her for her cruel actions against him and his friends but spoke like a loving father. Edward allowed her to let out all of her grief and regrets as she sobbed harder and harder. The three engines waited patiently for now healed spirit as Willow sniffed her remaining tears as she looked at Edward with puppy eyes as she asked, "C-can you stay with me for a bit?"

With that question, Edward smiled as he responded kindly, "Of course."

There, Edward puffed forward until his buffer touched Willow's damaged buffer. Even though he can't physically feel her, but he can feel her pain and sorrow. With that, Willow sobbed much more quietly, feeling much better with someone comforting her with Edward closed his eyes as tears escaped his tired eyes from fighting all his fears. He comforted her, and he soothed her pain. Thomas and Rebecca watched the whole thing as Thomas whispered happily, "He did it."

Rebecca couldn't agree more as she blinked as a way to say "yes" as they both were glad that not only did, they save themselves and not have to deal with all the trauma, but they saved a lost engine from her anger and hatred, as now she was free and was Willow again. This was their biggest victory, and if it wasn't for Edward' perseverance, they wouldn't make it here, and who knows what Willow would do next if she continued to be as Spite.

Suddenly, after two minutes of sobbing and comfort, Willow began to glow brighter than a star as Edward reversed back quickly as he shut his eyes. Thomas and Rebecca also did the same thing, and before the three knew it, Willow began to change her form to the appearance she was once before she was drowned by premeditated murder. The three smiled for her as she slowly began to fade away, accepting her ascendence to the afterlife. Before she vanished once and for all, remaining tears escaped her eyes as she whispered her final word to them with such gratitude and appreciation, "Thank you."

With that, she vanished one last time as the engines looked at each other with a tired yet victorious smile, "You did you.", said Rebecca.

"No.", Edward corrected her words, "We did it. I'm honestly thankful for you two to come, and both of you have faced your fears and trauma, and…"

Edward paused for a moment as he realised that he faced his own fears and trauma, and he felt strong as a new iron that was usable. There, he chuckled a bit as he finished his sentence, "I faced it myself."

…

Ever since that incident, everyone wouldn't stop blabbering about Spite's fate, although The Steam Team were the only ones that knew a little bit as whenever one of them asked what happened to her, either Edward, Thomas, and Rebecca would respond that she's taken care well, and she's happy now. Once everyone stopped talking about her, everything was back to regular Autumn days on the Island of Sodor. Everyone was now in peace and salvation, and one night, Edward, Thomas, and Rebecca dreamt of Willow, working in a better railway that they all liked to call, "The Railway of Healing".

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Phew, this took A LOT of effort, and that's why I barely made any fanfictions as I focused on Halloween Theme Fanfiction. I honestly never expected to create an OC with the help from LadyGreatWestern at Twitter, and I would also like to thank ProjectAnimations for making the title cover.

Also, many asked why I don't take requests, and I have answered before, but please understand that I'm busy, and everyone gets busy in real life. As much as I enjoy writing fanfictions, real-life stuff is VERY important, and I don't get anxiety attacks. Just seeing requests only makes me feel a bit sad and stressed.

However, I just wanted to thank those who understand me and respect me a lot as you're very caring and considerate. Do expect more fanfictions to come, and remember, patience is a virtue.

Anyways… I hope you guys enjoyed it!