Things were not going particularly well for a few engines recently. A few days after a most lustful, immensely potent night of passion between Thomas and Emily following a few fantasies he had of her as his queen, there had recently been more trouble on the line.
Today was a rather troublesome one for several engines, no thanks to James, who was once again bragging and raving on about his splendid red paint. At Brendam Docks, he bumped into a truck of crates close to Philip, then splashed him with oil, blaming Philip for the mess. Philip demanded an apology, and James did apologize...to his own paintwork for making it dirty. Later, after Thomas left the washdown, Philip tried to make his way there, when James backed right into him, refusing to apologize again. Then, when the Fat Controller needed an engine to take a load of sardines, Philip tried to bring it upon James to do the job, only for James to most immaturely ditch the job, pretending someone was calling for him.
Then when Philip was approaching a bridge, there were workmen working on it. Only one engine could be allowed on the bridge at a time. Philip was set clear to proceed, but on the other side, James had rushed right past the signalman's flag and came buffer to buffer with Philip on the bridge. James then ordered Philip to move, but after causing so much trouble and not apologizing for any of it, Philip refused to move, accusing James of all the things he had done and not apologizing for any of them. As such, Thomas, Annie and Clarabel, Paxton and Rebecca were all held up on the bridge. But even then, James would not apologize. Instead, he pinned the blame and mistake on Philip for holding up all the engines, putting them in danger of making the bridge collapse.
As Philip could see James would not move, he, Thomas, Paxton and Rebecca all reversed off the bridge to let James by, who only bragged about how splendid he was, while all the others glared back at him and voiced their sheer displeasure of the ridiculous situation. As such, all four trains were heavily delayed, all because of James, who had absolutely no remorse or care for what he had done. Word of what happened at the bridge quickly spread across the island. When the word reached David at Arlesburgh, he immediately left for Knapford while some of his crew promised to watch the ship for a while.
Philip, Thomas, Paxton and Rebecca's crews were very angry, and Thomas' passengers were furious by the time they all returned to Knapford Station that evening. David was standing at the platform when he saw the engines' crews knock loudly on the Fat Controller's office and shout loudly over the ridiculous, trivial, and absurd event at the bridge. As soon as the crews returned to their engines, Thomas' passengers burst out of Annie and Clarabel and shouted to the Fat Controller what a bad engine James was and that they wanted their money back, while David stepped outside the station, not wanting to get involved in anything unpleasant.
"What kind of heinous, impudent excuse is that red machine?!" said one passenger. "Holding us up and risking the bridge collapsing?!"
"THAT was the worst behaviour from James I have ever seen in my LIFE!" said another one.
"He should be retired! Taken out of service!" shouted a third.
"And not a moment too soon!" shouted a fourth.
"That wretched James has wasted every penny we spent on Thomas' train!" protested a fifth.
In the end, a policeman had to come and stop the angry passengers from escalating to fisticuffs. "Hello, hello, hello. And what's going on here?"
When everything finally calmed down, the Fat Controller gathered the four engines in the yards, who all took their turns explaining what had happened...until who should appear?
"Here's...!"
"James the No. 5 Red Engine!" the Fat Controller scolded. "I have never had anyone complain so intensely and so thoroughly about you! You have caused nothing but confusion and delay, as well as frustration and chaos I had to manage right here at Knapford!"
Thomas' driver stepped down and strode right up to James. "You dozy, great pillock! Our passengers were all held up, and YOU refuse to move for ALL these engines!"
"Really, James! YOU should have moved!" pouted Annie and Clarabel.
"Perhaps this is one steamie who isn't as reliable as a diesel!" added Paxton.
"I knew he would not move, sir, so I stopped a frightful accident of the bridge collapsing!" said Philip. "We all backed off the bridge, even if James didn't apologize for anything he did!"
"I'm not too surprised now!" Rebecca added. "Emily told me her entire story about what you and Gordon did to her, James! It's quite clear you have not changed much after all those years! But Gordon had the courage and dignity to confide in me over his own faults! And you still don't feel sorry for what you did!"
The Fat Controller had heard everything and turned to the red engine. "Well, James! What do you have to say about the big delay you caused earlier, hmm?" he asked impatiently.
Even now, James was not in a very apologetic mood. "I...I'm sorry I went past the signalman's flag," he said meekly, trying to avoid anything significant.
"And?"
"...And I'm sorry for the other things too, Philip."
"James?!" the Fat Controller emphasized sternly, seeing that James didn't truly mean what he was saying.
"Apology accepted," said Philip.
"Phew." James just began to leave.
"Wait there, just a minute, James," the Fat Controller ordered. "I think you'd better apologize to everyone else you held up as well!"
"...And I'm sorry...Thomas, Annie, Clarabel, Paxton and Rebecca for causing you such...delay," James said, most hesitantly and reluctantly.
"Very well," said the Fat Controller. "Now that's all sorted, time to get back to work. Now, who is going to deliver these trucks of rubbish to the Waste Dump?"
Philip decided to take advantage and turn the tables on the boastful engine. "Want to jump in first, James?"
"Yeah! I'd love to!" Thomas imitated as everyone laughed. Even James. But that did not last long. Another voice suddenly hit the air.
"Excuse me, sir, but this is NOT all sorted!" It was David striding into the yard. "I heard everything about it this afternoon! James held up four trains on that bridge! With the bridge in danger of collapsing, don't you know he could have drowned them all? Just pathetic! He should give up and be preserved before it's too late!"
"Ahem!" said the Fat Controller. "I don't know how navy soldiers think and feel, David, but talking like that is not showing good form on your part either!"
David started off quietly, then suddenly let loose.
"Good form, Sir Topham? ...BAH, GOOD FORM! Did Donald and Douglas show 'good form' when they did THIS to Emily?!" he shouted, flashing the headline of her accident that winter, from the newspaper he had been holding onto ever since he first read it.
"David, for goodness sakes, calm down," huffed Thomas. "You know Donald and Douglas are very sorry for that, and they've been perfect brothers to Emily ever since."
"I know, Thomas, but even so, it was so unpleasant for me to learn. But that's beside the point! What about today, sir?! Did JAMES show 'good form' when he did all of THIS today?! I can't believe how selfish you were, James! Absolutely outrageous! Disgraceful! Disgusting! Despicable! Splashing Philip with oil, shoving him back from the washdown, ditching a fish delivery, AND delaying four trains, and not even apologizing for it until now!"
"Well, I DID apologize, didn't I?!" huffed James.
"I don't think you meant it," David said cynically, narrowing his eyes at James. "I recall Molly calls you her 'Radiant Ruby.' But now, I fear she is mistaken. After what you did to all these engines, I think 'Scarlet Devil,' fits much better. After all, red is the color of the Devil!"
"David!" Thomas scolded.
When he heard Molly's name, James went from pompous and unapologetic to most offended and angry in an instant. After the harsh words from David he had just heard, James suddenly lost all sense of control and did something even worse than everything he had done today. He popped off.
"I am NOT a 'Scarlet Devil'!" he yelled loudly. "I'm the most splendid engine on Sodor! I'm Molly's Radiant Ruby! You're not the one to judge how she and I work together! She left Tidmouth Sheds almost a year ago, leaving me quite separate from her! You don't know anything about the two of us! Perhaps I'm simply NOT the engine to always apologize! And YOU, FAT CONTROLLER! You make all the rules on this railway, and no one else on the island can say ANYTHING about it!"
That was it for Sir Topham Hatt.
"YOU'VE said a-plenty, you very naughty engine!" he snapped, pointing a finger right at James. "Holding up four trains was very bad of you indeed. You'll be busy with these rubbish trucks for that! But now, all that pop-off just cooked your goose! Rebecca, go to Wellsworth. Tell Edward he can take James' coaches for the next three weeks. Do you hear that, James? EDWARD shall be taking YOUR passengers. Hmm?"
"Yes, sir!" James huffed hotly as he buffered to the rubbish trucks.
"THAT will teach you not to pop off anymore!" scolded the Fat Controller.
"I wouldn't have had to pop off, had it not been for...all the rest of you holding up on the BRIDGE! And David judging Molly and I!" James wheeshed.
"I may not know much about you and Molly," David scolded. "But I assure you, this DOESN'T hurt me more than it hurts YOU!"
"I don't care what does or doesn't hurt you OR me! Or anyone else!" retorted James.
"COME-TO-YOUR-SENSES!" David roared. "WHAT do you think Molly would do, were she in YOUR position?!"
Something snapped in James' firebox when he heard this. His expression suddenly changed again as he looked down to his buffers, feeling it hit him very hard.
"She would do her duty!" he said shakily and dryly.
With that, David turned and marched away, out of the yards, while the Fat Controller watched him and groaned quietly to himself, shaking his head. James was soon on his way with the rubbish trucks, while Rebecca made her way to Wellsworth to find Edward. Thomas, Paxton and Philip looked to each other.
"Grease and Oil!" exclaimed Paxton. "That was a bumpy experience!"
"Goodness, gracious me, Thomas!" gasped Philip. "David may be a former soldier...but goodness! ...Goodness!"
"I'm sure he didn't mean it, Philip," said Thomas. "David was just upset. I just hope James gets better...and it does make me wonder. What will Molly say, or do?"
Meanwhile, James was huffing on his way to the dump with the rubbish trucks, feeling everything festering in his smokebox. He had his coaches taken away yet again, and now he was taking rubbish trucks. But what was hitting him harder was the rather intense conversation that had ensued in the yards. He began to realize he shouldn't have popped off. As harsh as David's words were, and even slightly unacceptable, there was plenty of truth to what he had said about James. His behaviour was slightly devilish, and even when he did apologize, he didn't seem to mean it. It seemed as though he only did it because the Fat Controller was there. But now since he had popped off, he had now lost his coaches for three weeks.
But even that wasn't the hardest hit for James to endure. The absolute worst pain he was feeling now was concerning Molly. Right when David mentioned her back at the yards, it had snapped in James' boiler and made him realize exactly why he must have behaved so atrociously this day.
Molly had moved out of Tidmouth Sheds the previous Summer just before Autumn came to make way for Nia at the shed. She had spent one last night with James at Knapford Sheds that evening, then moved to Crovan's Gate Station afterwards. Having moved such a distance from Knapford and Tidmouth Sheds made it rather difficult for James and her to interact with each other. The only time James had managed to spend a night with her was when he got held up by track repair at Vicarstown and decided to go to her, just before Rebecca had her near miss with Gordon. But that was only time James and Molly had shared together ever since she moved. He had not seen her at all since. It all began flooding to James.
Maybe his behaviour had gotten so out of hand and so unacceptable because he was very lonely underneath. Lonely not to have Molly so close anymore, and missing chances to exchange love with her for months at a time. He had been doing quite well with only a few little issues from time to time when they came back together and when she briefly moved into Tidmouth Sheds. That had given James a very pleasant experience to have the love of his life so close to him. But then that routine had to end when she moved out of the sheds, just like Edward and eventually Henry when he left too. To have so little time with Molly now must have been slowly eating away at James when he didn't know. Loneliness that turned into ignorance and recklessness that had caused so much trouble. Bumping crates into Philip, splashing him with oil, stopping him at the water tower, blocking him on the bridge, holding up three other trains and putting them at risk of collapsing the bridge. Even though Philip prevented that from happening, James did not thank or apologize in the least until he did so most unwillingly by the Fat Controller's orders.
All these thoughts occupied James until he arrived at the dump and delivered the waste. As he set off again, one other thing sparked in his smokebox. What would Molly say about all this? She had to have found out anyway, as word got around quickly on Sodor. After not seeing him for such a long time, what would she do? Would she be cross? Would she be coy? Would she leave him again? Would she punish him somehow too? James decided he'd have to see her again. He'd have to face her sooner or later. With hope, fear and interpretation all in his head, he set off for Crovan's Gate, wondering just what would happen this night...
Eventually as the sun disappeared over the horizon, James saw Crovan's Gate Sheds ahead. This was it. He would now see what would happen. It had been several months, and now he'd see her yet again. He came right to the sheds and opened the doors. Molly was resting inside with a slightly uncomfortable look on her face. James was sure she had heard what had happened.
"Hello, Molly," he said a little nervously. "I...I assume you've heard what happened today?"
Molly saw James, gasped, closed her mouth, then frowned and looked away before shutting her eyes.
"Well...look who it is...an airheaded, boastful, unapologetic atrocity, perfect for helping Diesel!" she hissed.
James sighed. "Molly...I...I came here to-"
"To say you're sorry?!" Molly sniffed. "You've NOTHING to be sorry for, or so you SAY! I heard everything that happened no thanks to you! Philip is a nice little boxcab, and you're picking on him because he's the little one! You should be beyond ashamed of yourself, but of course you're not!"
"But Molly, I am! I'm..." Then, just as James feared, Molly suddenly popped off too, with a rather heated and lengthy statement.
"I haven't seen you ever since last winter! But now, I hear all of this...And I thought you actually AMOUNTED to something ever since you and I came back together! Even when you teased Thomas into going to the Mainland, but you rescued him and brought him back! I thought you had a few SENSES about you! During all these months apart from each other, I thought you were a PROPER mixed-traffic engine, but I was wrong! Splashing Philip with oil, then blaming him for dirtying your paint! Pushing ahead of him at the washdown, ditching those trucks of sardines, ignoring the signalman's flag, refusing to move for FOUR engines on the bridge, accusing them for making the mistake you CLEARLY made yourself, forcing them to move for you, boasting how splendid you were, not taking note of their frustration, and not even apologizing for ANY ONE OF THOSE THINGS! And even when you did, I don't think you meant a single, solitary WORD of it! Luckily, Philip knew what to do! Otherwise, YOU might have drowned them all, when they did NOTHING to deserve all your conceited, immature boasting over absolutely nothing! ...CONGRATULATIONS, BOY!"
James could not have felt worse today. It had been a day from Hell. Causing so much inexcusable trouble for so many engines who had done nothing to deserve it, not apologizing with absolute honesty and integrity, popping off at David and the Fat Controller, losing his coaches and now facing Molly's anger and displeasure. James felt just like Gordon insulted Emily way back when. A weak and pathetic failure. But perhaps if he told Molly how much he missed her, perhaps he'd at least be able to calm her a little.
"Please, Molly," he said. "I fully understand how you feel, and I cannot blame you for feeling so. But with that said, I think I figured out why all of this happened today. You see, you and I haven't seen each other ever since last winter when I got held at Vicarstown and I came to see you. But then, ever since that night, with Thomas travelling to China and India, and you and I being further apart from each other, I couldn't see you. It's been quite lonely for me not to have you close by anymore. I'm very proud of you for making room for Nia, but it did make us drift a little further away from each other. Perhaps I was a bit distraught not to have you there supporting me and giving me light...my Shining Sun. You may remember I was quite flawed even when we first met. But you were always there for me, to give me light in the dark when I needed it. I think that today's events were a reminder that we've been away for too long."
Molly looked at James with a wondrous expression. She had to admit she really missed him too. While she still worked on the main line as always, she rarely, if ever saw James, and they never had another night together after that previous winter before Rebecca's near miss. All those months, she had waited and wondered when she'd see him next, and how it would turn out. She most certainly was not expecting to hear news such as this, with James causing so much trouble that sounded too ridiculous to be true. But with that said, being without James for so long surely had left an impact on him that might have contributed to the given events.
"Well, James," she sighed. "Perhaps there is some truth to that. I remember all the stories the other engines told me about you after Thomas brought Emily back to her old self. It sounded like you were a rather flawed, albeit well-meaning engine. And when I first met you and formed my friendship with you, it seemed as though I really helped balance out your flaws with your good qualities. But today's events are living proof of one trait you seem to carry, for better and worse."
"What's that, Molly?" asked James.
Molly paused for a few moments, then spoke. "Old habits die hard."
James turned a little red with shame. That was most certainly true. Even when he and Molly had come back together in love, he still wasn't crystal-clear perfect. Every now and then, his old habits of being overly proud, boastful and even troublesome still showed themselves. Those had been habits of his ever since he began his life on the North Western Railway.
"You're right, Molly," he admitted. "And it seems being more separate has reawaken those habits for the worst. Please, Molly...my Shining Sun...can you help me in any way tonight? We're back together for tonight. Just seeing you again is helping me already..."
Molly glared at James, but also smiled coyly. "Why should I help you, after all the mischief you spread today...Jimmy?"
"Well...as troublesome as I've been today, I actually feel awful about what happened earlier this evening. After I finally apologized to all the engines, David had heard everything and came onto the scene. He was not happy in the least...and he brought you up as he came down on me...he...he recalled how you call me your Radiant Ruby."
"Did he?" asked Molly.
"Yes...but what he said really offended me, although I might have deserved it...he wondered if you were mistaken with that nickname...and...he said that the name 'Scarlet Devil,' would suit me better, given what I did today. I can't help but feel he's right. I was quite a devil with Philip, and the other engines on the bridge. But hearing him seeming judge my relationship with you...made me..."
"What, James?" asked Molly.
"I popped off, quite intensely. Now, the Fat Controller has taken my coaches away for the next three weeks, giving them to Edward. As harsh as David was toward me...I think it's a blessing in disguise. He demanded me to think what you would do if you were in my place today."
"And what do you think I would do?" she asked.
"You would do your duty, like you always do," said James.
Molly was secretly flattered to hear this. James' thought was absolutely right. She always believed in being really useful and having a sense of duty. And for James to think like that, even after such a ridiculous slew of events, followed by a pop-off that cost him his coaches, that had to mean something good about him. But given all the trouble James had caused, Molly still felt he needed to learn a lesson...and a different and unique way.
"Hmm...it seems you still think kindly about me," she said. "I do have to admire that. But with all the trouble you've caused, being rude to Philip, holding up four trains on the bridge, and only apologizing because the Fat Controller made you do so...there is that problem of your old habits dying hard. Perhaps I can teach you a little lesson around that. And I have just the idea in mind."
James suddenly felt a little nervous. "M-Molly? What are you talking about?"
"Scarlet Devil, huh?" she inquired smoothly. "Well, that's certainly true, just for today. You're not going anywhere. Not until I see fit that you learn a little something...about dominance...and who's in charge. If you want your old habits to die a little easier, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to punish you too, James..."
James gasped. "Please, Molly! I came here to seek help! Not be punished! David and the Fat Controller have already done that!"
"Oh, don't worry, James. I'm not gonna punish you like the Fat Controller or David did," Molly said more smoothly. "My punishment is also a way of helping you...relieving some of your lonely stress. I'm gonna punish you...with my lips and tongue."
"Please, Molly...I...I can do better than I did today! I just need a chance to-"
"Oh, I don't think so," Molly grinned as she licked her lips at him. "This time, I'M setting the pace. I'M in charge. Now, Scarlet Devil, you're all mine."
For the first time since their relationship began, James was feeling very vulnerable, and even a little frightened. Molly had never taken control whenever they made love before. What on Earth was she going to do? How was she going to punish him through making love?
Molly spoke again, very dominantly. "I know Thomas is sometimes, if not often the dominant one with Emily whenever they make love. MY turn."
She reached her lips out to James' cheek and suddenly sucked on it very strongly for several moments before she let go. She was quiet for another moment before she broke the silence.
"Yum!" she bubbled very smoothly as she stared right into James' eyes. Then she licked her lips slowly and noisily.
"Now...I'm gonna enjoy myself...aren't I? Let's see how you react to MY dominance. MY overly proud nature..." she said teasingly. She slowly pressed her buffers to James' and began to lean in closer, with a conniving grin on her face.
"N-no, no! Molly...Molly!" James panicked as Molly pressed her lips to his cheek again. Then she began to suck on his cheek again, quite vigorously. Then James felt her tongue dotting on his cheek every few seconds.
"No, no! No! NO! I'm sorry!" James panicked. "Please, Molly!"
"Hm-hm-hm-hm!" Molly laughed against his cheek as she kept sucking on it. She soon let go, and buffered even closer. She suddenly let her tongue out and she started licking James' cheek very quickly and erratically. Such movement caught James off guard.
"Agh! Molly! Stop! Stop, that tickles!" he exclaimed.
"Not until you learn your lesson," Molly grinned between licks. James jumped and felt his heart pounding very hard. He found it very hard not to groan and laugh out loud as Molly's tongue ticked his cheek so much and so intensely. An impression was most certainly being left on him, in quite an unusual way of course.
But it didn't stop there. Molly suddenly drew back her tongue and began kissing James as fast as she could, leaving three or four kisses on his cheeks at a time. James felt her lips touch so many spots on his face in so little time, his mind couldn't keep up. The entire time she did this, James did not make any attempt to pull away, escape or kiss back. Since he loved Molly so dearly, he never dreamed of taking charge of her or having the wrong sort of fun with her like he did with all the other engines he had troubled that day. Taking this feeling into account, James was indeed learning a lesson for the better. It seemed that Molly was quite clever to punish and pleasure her Ruby at the same time, using her own way of taking charge for once.
Molly finally stopped her little punishment after twenty minutes of wild kisses. "Alright, Jimmy. Your punishment is over. What do you think you've learned from me now?"
James looked at Molly, feeling rather shaken for the better, and his face covered in lip marks everywhere. This had never happened between them before. Never did Molly seem so dominant and in charge when it came to making love.
"Oh, uh...Hmm..." James puzzled wearily. "Well, you certainly learned what happened today quite quickly. So...if my old habits show too much, you'll be ready to correct me...in the most unusual...and effective ways."
Molly smiled. "That's right, James. Anything else?"
"Well...I must admit...I sometimes wondered what it would be like for you to be the dominant one...but now...I...I don't think I want that all the time...I never thought we'd exchange love over circumstances like this..."
"Ooh..." Molly swooned.
"But with that said, I want you to know, I would never take full control between the two of us. You're my Shining Sun, Molly. And after learning what it feels like for you to have full control...I think I can make much more effort to be a better engine, even if you're not always beside me. I only ever want you to be happy, Molly."
"So...are you truly sorry for all that you did now?" she asked.
James suddenly looked sad before looking happy again. "Yes...I do truly mean that beyond any doubt. Oh...Molly. I missed you so much all these months! I'm truly very sorry for all that I've done to everyone today! I was just so stressed underneath my bragging, that you're further away from me now. But tonight...I think your punishment helped me indeed. I promise to do much better than today, Molly. You're very clever...and passionate in teaching me lessons. And for that...I love you so much, Molly. My Shining Sun."
Molly smiled. "Well, if you really feel you've learned your lesson, I love you too, James. My Radiant Ruby. I'm proud that my plan worked."
James smiled and puckered his lips to her, offering a kiss to her. Molly looked smug at first, then suddenly...it happened.
Molly's lips pressed tightly to James' and she smooched as loudly as she could, while also tugging and sucking on his lips as strongly as she could. A pure, red blush started on James' nose and steadily spread along his entire face. His boiler bubbled widely and his fire burned very fiercely as Molly's lips worked their magic unlike they ever did before. It was so pure, strong and intense, it was almost too much, even for James.
At last, Molly popped her lips off of James' as he jolted backwards, out of the shed, into the nighttime scenery, swaying a little from side to side as he gazed at Molly in a rather dazed state. He could see her smiling smoothly and her eyes half shut as she spoke once more in such a dreamily soothing voice.
"Bye-bye, Jimmy...take this lesson to good heart, and I'll await our next encounter. I look forward to it, and trust me...you won't be disappointed," she purred as the shed doors slowly shut.
With that, James made his way home. Molly's plan had worked. Old habits die hard sometimes, but after what James had gone through with his Shining Sun, he was quite content to correct his mistakes and ease off on his ego, at least for quite a while.
Well, everyone hates "Apology Impossible", and its no wonder why, and I think everyone will agree that James deserved far worse than he actually got at the end of the episode. That's what this story is for, as well as finally giving James and Molly another story since its been far too long since the last one. The title more than sums up James' character. Anyway, next time we're finally going to be giving Belle and Flynn more attention, and after that there will FINALLY be another Luke and Millie story. So look forward to that and tell us what you thought of this story. Also, yes I have seen "Emily to the Rescue", and I LOVE IT! Until next time, stay safe.