There will be a fall dance for the freshman year for the high school, our young friends are going to vote for popular boy and girl for the class year. Find out who it is and see if they really deserve the title popular students of the class.

I do not own any part of Thomas the tank engine and friends, they are owned by the following.

Thomas the tank engine & friends

By the Rev W Awdry

Created by Britt Alcroft

Owned by Mattel.

Original Characters by Pinkninjaprime and blackboard26

It was Autumn on the Island of Sodor, but the warm feel of summer lingers in the air. The signs are visible enough to make clear that soon the leaves on the trees will soon be shed to the ground. In the High school where Thomas and his friends are attending announced there will be a fall dance for the sophomore level and up this made some of Thomas's friends especially James and another friend who is living at the international boarding house from India Rajiv wanted a rematch of who would be crowned popular boy in school. Since after the railway show where Rajiv had won best decorated engine, James and the former still argue about who should have had that title and wanted to use the fall dance a chance for their splendidness between the two and be declared popular boy along with popular girl of the dance.

James. "Why cannot let the freshman class attend this dance when I am the really splendid looking fellow in the school?"

Rajiv. "You the most popular, when could be one who use to wear a crown on top of his funnel whiles still an engine in India. And if I remember correctly I have beaten you during the great Railway show a couple of years back James."

James. "That is because they do not know a really splendid looking engine when they see one."

Rajiv. "Of course, they do, and they have an eye for royal engines, and not any ordinary engines that can be as splendid as you."

It was at that moment their friends arrive to see what the two former show engines are arguing about. Thomas, Cassey and Jessy came over and stop the arguing between James and Rajiv.

Thomas. "Hey, you two that is enough, what are you arguing about that we have to listen to you on the other end of the hall?"

James. "First of all, there will be a dance in two weeks and the freshman year are not invited to it look." They all looked at the poster about the dance. "There will be a contest for the most popular boy and girl for that dance. Why are the Freshman year excluded from this dance than have me becoming the most popular of that dance for all to see?"

Cassey. "The main reason is because First year's class have not made any impact on everyone in the school yet. These are for the student who have been here after a year or more to find ways of improving how everything looks in the school academically, and socially either within the school or beyond the school grounds. These will be the issues that will be a chance for young minds to think beyond their capabilities to make the school better for everyone involve including the parents and in your case your controller, to consider ways to improve the available programs that are present in the school, that can provide possible career motives on the young people when they graduate from high school."

Rajiv. "You mean we have to wait a whole year to becoming really known to everyone in the school to be voted most popular boy and girl for our classes?"

Jessy. "I am afraid so Rajiv, and you may need more that just good looks, it also allowed the students to pick their favorites to become most popular boy and girl to represent the final school year."

James and Rajiv. "OH no."

Thomas. "Why is it so important to you about who is to be most popular boy for the school? Does this have anything to do with the decorated engine parade from the great railway show?"

James and Rajiv. "Maybe."

Jessy. "Great Railway show, what happened at the great railway show that may involve the popular students contest during the dance?" Then Percy, Henry and Emily came over and heard all that was going on and came over to answer their Question.

Emily. "A couple of years ago, while we were still engines, our controller had asked for some of us for the competition. Thomas originally was going to be part of the Shunting contest, but Percy was asked by the controller to take his place after an accident with Norman the red diesel of the railway. Henry was part of the strongest engines' competition, Gordon was in the great race as the shooting star but as a streamlined engine. Finally, James and I were part of the decorated engines competition, with painted designs all over our tenders and boilers. In the end, almost everyone who competed in their challenges did not win except for Thomas who arrived to give a safety valve to Gordon, then took part in the shunting competition after Percy had asked him to take his place over lack of confidence. But not because he won the contest but showed his sportsmanship after shunted a truck blocking the way of a competing engine, even if it meant to lose in the end."

Cassey. "Wow Thomas, that shows you have good instincts. Who was the engine you competed against that allowed for you to risk your win for Sodor like that?"

"". "That would be me Cassey." Then all turned around and saw Ashima with Gina as they came close to hear about the great railway show with their school friends.

Jessy. "You Ashima. You were the engine that Thomas was competing against from the great railway show?"

Gina. (Speaking with an Italian accent) "She was not the only one who competed against Thomas in the shunting competition. She, I, along with Raul from Brazil, and Ivan from Russia have all competed in the shunting competition. Thomas was about to win but saw a truck that was left on the tracks after the American Engine Vinnie had crashed into the truck I was shunting during the competition while chasing one of Thomas's friend into a turntable. After he and Ashima had dealt with Vinnie by sending him to an electric pole, we continued the competition Thomas saw the truck and heard him try and warn Ashima about the truck, but in the end had crashed into it even if it meant to lose the competition in the end."

Cassey. "Wow Thomas, that was amazing, you chose to help a friend even if it means making a sacrifice of something you wanted in the end. But I guess that will show what was more important, helping people and in your case as engines, who have friends you want to help out in the end."

Jessy. "How come Gordon did not win his race, if Thomas came all that way with his safety valve to complete his streamlining before he started?" Then Gordon Rebecca and Scott came over and heard that question that left Gordon red in the face remembering what had happen before and during his race and why he lost the race if he was such a fast engine. Then Thomas answered.

Thomas. "The race was about to start when I have actually arrived to give him his safety valve to his driver. I did try and tell him what Victor had told me about Gordon not having his safety inspection check. But because of his over ego about being a stream lined engine, clouded his judgment about safety over victory. His boiler over heated and it burst during the last part of the race. In the end it was the French electric engine Etienne who won the great race."

Everyone turned to look at Gordon on why he would place his pride over his friend ship with the other engine especially when they worry about his safety.

David. "You would risk a win over your own safety Gordon, every competitor always makes sure they are in prime condition, and always contact a doctor if there was anything that could cause a problem for the athlete's health and conditions." Gordon was beside himself and Rebecca had noticed that Gordon was nervous about facing his demons when it comes to his pride and ego of a former big engine.

Rebecca. "I have to confess to you that sometimes Gordon forgets what is really important when it comes to competitions. Usually he has a sense of pride that makes him forget to think about others. I was told what has happened during the great railway show from Scott and everyone else who was there for the events."

Scott. "Although I was impressed how much Gordon wanted to go for his railway, in the end I wish he had listened to everyone what was worried about his life and safety."

Jon Paul. "Boy I am glad that I was not an engine during all of this, I bet Gordon finds himself in embarrassing situations due to his behavior on the railway."

Thomas. "Well that is in the past, the real Question is why do you James and Rajiv want another competition to see who is better for popular boy and girl for the fall dance?"

James. "We just wanted to see who is best popular boy in the class would be, but it looks like we are not going to do so until next year."

Alisa. "Not only that James you will have to make sure you are aware all that goes on in the school, and help point out issues to improve them. Everyone will vote based on who they want to have elected best to represent the school."

Percy. "Why not have a dance of our own back on the homestead? I am sure if we can have our own contest to see who we elect popular boy and girl for our class." Then Edward, Toby, Mavis, Nia, Molly, Jessica, Jasper, and Polly came up as they heard what Percy had proposed.

Edward. "A Freshman dance on the homestead, that would sound like fun. When does the original dance take place for the sophomore and over classes going to take place?"

Jessy. 'According to the school poster, the dance will be in two weeks, there will be tickets that will pay for the expenses of the dance. There will also be a ballot box for the classes vote for their popular boy and girl, based upon which can come up with a speech that will help explain ideas to improve quality of education and opportunities than can help prepare young people about careers beyond high school. Finally, there will be dancing throughout the length of the dance that will last until 10:00pm."

Toby. "How do the contenders come and be part of this competition, and what would they have to be decided on who to vote for?"

David. "Each boy will have to be nominated first, by who is the most popular among the students of the class, and the same goes for the girls too."

Jessy. "Someone has to announce who they want to represent the freshman class and help sponsor them during their campaign for the title of popular boy and girl of the class."

"". "Those losers, popular boy and girls of the school? They are supposed to remain on track not hold office or become royal pain in the necks." Then all turned to see Mason, Ivan, and Sean come up, and scoffed at the idea for the human engines to take part in the most popular boy and girl competition.

Jon Paul. "Do you all have a problem of our friend becoming part of the most popular boy and girl competition for the freshman class Mason?"

Ivan, "Why on earth we have to bow down to engines? Engines are to be told what to do when they are told."

Thomas. "Only by our controller, and if we are still engines. We chose to remain as human until we finally graduate, until then we are now human enough if any one of us want to compete for a popular boy and girl for the freshman class, then we can."

Mason. "Who in the world would vote for you, you're just a human version of those old rust buckets that are rumbling across the tracks on Sodor. What if they have no choice but to return to the tracks, what good is a any of you while as an engine would be until the end of the senior class?"

Cassey. "Let us ask Headmaster hat if we can come up with a freshman dance and hold our own popular students' competition with the possibility of Thomas and his human engine friends could be nominated for the competition." Then everyone headed to Headmaster Hat's office and knocked at the door before she asks.

Headmaster Hat. "Who is it?"

Thomas. "It is Thomas Billinton and his friends wanting to ask a question for our class."

Headmaster Hat. "Come In." Then Thomas, Cassey, James, Edward, and Mason came in and confronted Headmaster hat about an idea that Percy came up with for the freshman class. "Alright boys what is on your mind today?" Then Thomas began how he and his friends had to stop the argument between James and Rajiv to learn about a fall dance that is excluding the freshman year, then the Idea of allowing for the class to have a dance to nominating the most popular boy and girl of their own, and how it could be one of the human engines who could be competing for that title. Mason however protested that the engines should not compete because engines are told what they are supposed to do, headmaster Hat did remind Mason it is the decision of the Headmaster to allow the engines who are now human a chance to learn what life is like during school, and are just as capable of running for popular boy and girl if they are nominated by a good amount of the students to summon up to. "Just remember every student can show their best qualification, even if they started out as engines from their very beginning, but now experiences life as a human now. I will allow for this dance to be committed to the grounds of Thomas's homestead, and will be announced to the controller about his engines wanting to compete for most popular boy and girl for the freshman year."

Thomas and his friends have the approval to have a freshman dance and have a popular boy and girl competition to represent their class for the school. Then addressed to every one of his friends about the freshman dance in two weeks and will be holding the popular freshman students for the class. Then addressed their friends about who would be nominating for the competition.

Percy. "I nominate Thomas as a representative for the freshman class."

Edward. "I too will nominate Thomas for the freshman class."

Thomas. "If I am nominated then I will ask for Rosie to run for most popular girl for the class." Then both Rosie and Thomas came together for a hug and feeling the strength about their commitment to the school.

Scott. "I will nominate Rebecca to be nominated popular girl for the freshman class, due to her kind nature."

Connor. "I second notion for Rebecca."

Rebecca. "If I am to be nominated then I will allow for Gordon to run for popular boy in class."

Jessica. "I nominated my Brother James."

Jasper. "I also nominate James."

James. "If I am competing then I will ask for Molly to Run for popular girl."

Donald. "I believe we can nominate Emily to represent the freshman class."

Douglas. "So, do I, we believe that Emily will best represent the freshman class yet."

Emily. "If I will be nominated then I will ask for Henry to run for popular boy in the class."

"". "There will be one more silly steamers. We still have not mentioned who we want on the ballot, and that is Diesel."

"". "Yeah so make way you losers, make way for Diesel as popular boy and have Daisy as popular Girl."

Thomas. "Arry and Bert, does Diesel know you are nominating him as a representative for the freshman class?"

Bert. "No but he is going to know soon."

Jessy. "For your information you two, he needed to be present to be announced nominated to be in the contest, or he will never know what the real purpose of becoming representatives to our year of the class."

Ariel. "Not to mentioned that Diesel has not be participating in school activities since starting school with the rest of us."

Percy. "He has done nothing that would make us want to vote for Diesel, and he needs to impress the rest of us."

Emily. "And nothing any of you have done has benefited the school."

Arry. "Let's go Bert, we need to know what our friend will be into."

Cassey. "Those guys will never learn at their rate."

Duck. "Diesel never learns his lesson, and in the end, he usually causes confusion and delay on the railway, and now he is going to confuse himself even more if he cannot learn a darn thing from school."

Edward. "Well until two weeks from now we need to plan on how to decorate the either the dining hall or the pole barn for our celebration."

Thomas. "And until then school is over for the day and now it is time for some of us to be at work this afternoon."

Gina. (Speaking with an Italian accent) 'I need to head for my pizza parlor, for the afternoon rush, why don't everyone come by the queen pizzeria for our meeting about the dance?"

Thomas. "Good idea Gina, after those who work down by the station and yards will head home and change before coming to the parlor this evening."

Now it was the end of the school and time for Thomas and some of his friends be on their way to work for the railway. As soon as they got there Thomas and Rosie noticed something. Rosie's engine side have been repainted a different color, and she is liking the look of her engine side becoming this new red colored engine. James came up and was shocked about Rosie's engine side becoming red now. Then Malcom came up in the engine and was waiting for Rosie to start with him.

Malcom. "Hello Rosie, how do you like the new color we chose for your engine side?"

Rosie. "When did you repainted my engine side? My goodness it makes me look more mature than just a cute pink engine."

Malcom. "Just yesterday, your shell's paint was starting to peel away and at that time we had none of your original color available. All they have left at the steam works were these colors that made your engine side look like this." Then Thomas came up, when he saw the new paint work on Rosie's engine shell, he was stunned with excitement seeing how much bolder she would have been if they were engines now and came over to complement the new look on Rosie's engine shell.

Thomas. "Wow Rosie, that is a beautiful paint work on your engine shell. I love how brilliantly red and amazing you would have looked if you and I were the engines again."

Rosie. "Do you really like it Thomas?"

Thomas. "Like it I love it. Your new livery makes your engine side more excitingly beautiful. And I thought you could not make yourself more exciting than you have excite me already."

Rosie. "Do you think you would like me if I changed my color Thomas? I mean do you think I should change the colors on my clothing into the livery of my engine side Thomas?"

Thomas came to her and held close enough to answer her back. "Rosie I may like how your livery on the engine side is, I love you for who you are. If you wish to change something it is up to you, but make sure it makes sense for the both of us on how happy you wish to be love." Then gave her a quick kiss on the lips before letting go so they can start work with the engines.

Rosie did think about the new livery on her old engine shell and decided to wear something similar when the dance will come up during the meeting this evening at the pizzeria. "I will thing about what I should wear for the popular girl competition and at the same time come up with ideas that can better improve the education of the school and how to motivate young people how to integrate with others besides their peers. The one thing I have noticed about the young people, they believe they knew better than the grown up on the modern things, need to find ways that there are ways to combine the modern with the ways of the old to make the world around us a better place to live and Sodor is a good example to start out with." Then she and the others got started on their jobs for the day, shunting the trucks and coaches all around the yards and stations. While all this was going on, back on the homestead James was already thinking of victory when he is announced most popular boy in the freshman class.

James. "And I would like to thank you all for picking the most splendid boy for our freshman class, I thank you, I thank you, I thank you."

Jessica, Jasper, and Molly are annoyed that James has not thought about how to better improve the quality of the school and its academics for everyone to vote him as Popular boy in school.

Jessica. "James you have not been listening from our school friends what the popular students of the school are about. Have you ever paid attention about how the school ran, or whether or not how to improve the quality of our school for everyone to have that school pride for?"

James. "Of course, I have heard, I was practicing my thank you s for when they picked me for the popular boy of the school."

Jasper. "You are not there yet James, you need to research the whole school on all that took place since we entered school from our first day. Check and see if every class is benefitting the students who are looking for ways to find that career after school ends and help come up with ways of contributing time with the rest of Sodor and Beyond."

Molly. "I may have found a few things already, but James is going have to work really hard to find solutions on how to better improve school spirit among the freshman class."

James. "Yeah, Yeah. I will get to it. As long I can do so now that I am off work this afternoon and hope to come up with some answers that make me a sure win."

The others were not too sure, over by Emily and Henry, both were discussing what would the findings be to better improve the way school have been to the freshman class and provide answers that will benefit the student's relations with the school and so on.

Henry. "Have an Idea of how to represent the problems of our school to our class? So far I cannot think of a reason of what it could improve on besides the quality of the schooling so far."

Emily. "I have been thinking about that Henry and decided on how we compared to the rest of the schools across Sodor, it will take me a while to analyze the different qualities each school have, compared to our school. Find out what is working for each school and find out what is not. Then compared the results of each school along with ours to see where we need improvements on whether it is based on economics, or popularity of the school."

In the residents where Gordon and Rebecca call home, have discuss about the competition and hopes the whole thing will not go to Gordon's head about becoming popular boy in the school.

Rebecca. "I am honored you want to nominate me as popular girl Scott, but I am worried about Gordon you know as much about his attitude when it comes to competition with anyone else. And forgets what is most important of what it could involve."

Scott. "I am aware of that, when I have nominated you I was hoping someone with better sense will show Gordon how to compete more reasonably, since you are more thorough with your research and studies than I have witness Gordon as times."

Rebecca. "I do have a feeling that Gordon does his best to accomplish his grades but realized where he needs help in. Especially mathematics."

Scott. "I have noticed that too, if he wants to succeed and return to the rails as a driver and not the engine, then I suggest that he sharpens up acknowledgement skills to allow for everyone to believe he's a good candidate to vote for popular boy in class."

Over by the smelters house the twin diesels Arry and Bert, just told Diesel and Daisy about the competition for popular freshman boy and girl.

Arry. "So, all you have to do is come up with a speech that will let everyone want to vote for you."

Bert. "And you and Daisy will win the competition where you can rule the freshman class of school. What do you think.

Daisy. "Me be voted as most popular girl, how delight full."

Diesel. "And I am to be most popular boy in the school to eliminate those silly steamers from the school and we Diesels will take over."

Bert. "Do not forget that you will have to come up with speeches that will voice out your intentions to better improve the school for everyone to vote for you Diesel, and you too Daisy."

Back at the rail yards Thomas was thinking about the competition also but decided to wait until everyone was at the meeting at the Queen Pizzeria about how to arrange the dance on the homestead. After the work was over he greeted his classmates from the railway yards and returned home to change their clothes and head out to the Pizza parlor to meet up with everyone about the danced on the homestead as soon Thomas and the others who work with the railway have entered and seated along with their chosen places with their friends. Thomas sat with Ariel, Percy and Polly at a corner booth Edward and Nia also joined up with them. Gordon found were Rebecca, Scott, Connor and Caitlin are sitting in the middle booth. James and Molly and their party are in the booth next over from the former big engines. Finally, Emily and Henry are seated with the Scottish twins and the great western engines for their party in the far corner of the place. Their school friends and the international student friends also are accounted for the freshman dance. In a table in front of Percy are the engines from Asia such as Ho-mieh, Young Bao, Ashima and Rajiv. The European engines, Such as Freda, Etienne, Spencer, Axel, and Ivan. The north American engines Vinnie, Sam, Hank and Carlos. The south American engine Raul, and the Engines from Australia Shane and Murdoc. Their school friends are also there with the table close to Thomas group. Everyone waited until the pizzas were served on a buffet arrangement to for everyone to select their favorite piece of the pies and return to their seating with the rest of the groups as they sat around the dining area. Thomas decided to say his grace and was asked by the party of his table to join in on the prayer about what is about to take place.

Thomas. "Dear lord, thank you for this bounty we are about to receive, may you shine you light on everyone tonight. Let us not come astray from our goals. May everyone get along while under these intense pressures for our school and community for a better place to call home. Amen."

Thomas's Table. "Amen". Everyone who heard his prayer have also said Amen for their respective parties for the contest and dance.

Ashima. "Thomas when did you ever started praying before eating your plate?"

Thomas. "Since Rosie and I started to live on the homestead when it was just me and her there. So that way we ask the strength from those that allowed for our existence beyond the track side."

Vinnie. "You mean that saying grace will give you strength just to face your day and night."

Percy. "Sure, why not, it is also a way to say thank you to the ones who allowed for us to venture beyond the tracks and now living on a homestead with Thomas."

Nia. "We all say our grace and thanks that has what kept us going while attending school and help out when Thomas and the others are away to make the money to keep the homestead running until we have enough to make some profits to our labors on the homestead."

Hank. "Heck I believe in those who believes in the higher power who looks down on us often wonder if we are doing things the way we were meant to do."

Jon Paul. "I think it show humility, of how much someone who started out with nothing to his name. Go through the struggles of living while keeping things for his living conditions and for his friends when they all found out their capabilities of moving about beyond the tracks."

Cassey. "I think that Thomas shows how much he cares about everyone he considers his friends even when friends forget how to care back."

Axel. "Where exactly is your homestead Thomas? I would like to visit these one day before school ends."

Rosie. "The homestead is located on the other side of Elsbridge station. There you will find an overpass that we fixed up before we had our first visitors to the homestead. "

Edward. "You will find it has a good amount of space that allow for our living conditions as homesteaders."

Henry. "It is where some of us have homes that we are proud to own and share with our loved ones."

Percy. "It is also a place that keeps up busy, when Thomas and Rosie are not at home on the homestead, Toby and I are range riding on the open range of the homestead to keep an eye on their beef cattle."

Sam. "Wow let me know when the next cattle drive will start."

Ariel. "Not until the first snow fall then we as a group will head up the trails that lead up to the feeding range to collect the cattle and lead them back to the homestead where we have a place where they will be housed when the heifers begin calving during the winter."

Alisa. "I will love to see that."

Thomas. "Well enough about the homestead. We need to discus about the class dance on the homestead. I believe it is best to have it in the Pole barn Again like we did for harvest moon."

Ho-Mieh. "I loved your harvest moon, it was different than what we were used to in china about a Harvest Moon celebration."

Rosie. "Thank you for the complement, we also need to come up with a theme for our dance. The dance committee came up with the enchanted wizards dance. What dance would ours be?"

Everyone Thought and thought, nothing came into mind until Percy came up with one.

Percy. "How about the Enchanted Express Dance, after all most of us here are supposed to be engines and at one time or another some of the classes here are built to pull passenger service and the Express is the one that important people ride in to their destinations."

Edward. "That sounds like a good idea Percy, then we shall call our dance the Enchanted Express dance for our class."

Emily. "Then we should make the barn to look like a station and not a barn."

Rosie. "Or why don't we make it like Knapford or Vicarstown Station with their images on posters to hang along the walls of the barn."

Rebecca. "That sounds like fun, what else should we do for this dance to be wonderful?"

Cassey. "We need to come up with an assembly of our class to hear the candidates their views of becoming popular boy and girl for the school."

David. "Each candidate must come up with a speech that will address the issues with the schools and what as a class for our school can do to improve the conditions and qualities our school needs."

Jon Paul. "Each speech must be something that will impress everyone who is listening and not to the one who is proposing things other than school issues." Not only are they looking at Gordon and James but also looking at Diesel who was listening from the pizza parlor while Arry and Bert are trying and sneak a slice of pizza from a window from the outside. Then was caught by Gina when she slams the window shut on Bert's hand.

Bert. "OW! That hurts girly."

Gina. "Next time we hold a meeting and you want a slice of pizza, just come into the entrance way and walk in with the rest. Do not become someone who I may have to call the cops on."

Bert. "Alright Sorry."

Alisa. "Devious behavior like that is not one of the qualities for someone who wants to take part in popular students of the class."

Jessy. There will be a voting box for the freshman year for the class to vote for their favorite to win best of the class for both the boys and the girls. All candidates will come to the dance in their finest, in their best dress they can come up with, as they will take part in hearing the results from the Master of Ceremony at the dance."

David. "After the winners are declared they will slow dance as if they are newly weds after a wedding ceremony, except for the long wedding gown and huge towering cake for the banquet."

Ariel. "That will sound wonderful. Thomas do you think we need to create a banquet, while everyone is attending the Enchanted Express dance?"

Thomas. "I believe we can pull it off, like how we had our fall festival two weeks ago, we should do the same to make sure we had a safe and secure dance for everyone's enjoyment"

Edward. "Good idea Thomas I also believe we can have the dance in the pole barn, then count me in on how to make it look."

Jessy. "We also need to find someone who is considered a DJ or disc jockey. They oversee playing the music most kids today are listening to, that the rest of you have yet to know about."

Alisa. "And we just dance the night away until the final hour that is close to curfew, then we have to end the dance before it gets too late to be out at night."

Thomas. "Also like the dance at the school's ticket money will pay the expenses for the dance. We will do the same if it means borrowing money to make the dance memorable."

Gina. "What time will the dance take place, so I may have to close the parlor for that day."

Cassey. "Like the one in school, it will start at 6:00 pm in the evening."

Rosie. "Then in two weeks we will have plenty of time to arrange everything for the Enchanted Express dance."

Looks like everyone is excited about the dance in two weeks, they all must come up with speeches to convince their fellow students who to pic to be popular students for the freshman class. Come back to find out how everyone does in their first real hunt for Red and Fallow deer to bring back to the homestead for a food source. In the Journey through NW high school.