Get The Loot!

written by Michael White

It was New Year's Eve; engines were preparing for celebrations and firework displays all across the Island!

Percy exited Maron Station after having just dropped off some carolers, who stood on the platform, singing "Auld Lang Syne"!

It was a very special time of year where engines and people alike would gather around with their family and friends to let the old year go in the new one come.

Nia arrived at Knapford station with trucks full of goods, in time to join her friends for watching carolers on the platform finish with their rehearsal. Thomas and Rebecca both harmed the end of the melody, while Gordon watched with interest.

"Happy New Year's Eve!" Nia whistled.

"Happy New Year's Eve, Nia!" Thomas whistled back.

"Oh, it's sure to be an exciting one!" Rebecca expressed. After I drop off these passengers at Vicarstown, I'm due to take some supplies there for the Town Hall firework display!"

"That's where these trucks are going!" Nia chimed in. "They're supplies from the cafeteria!"

"I'm due to take these carolers there after their rehearsal!" Thomas added. "How about you, Gordon?"

"Ha! Me? I'm to take some special VIPs there after my last run of the day! Shirley I'll have them there before the ol' ball drop at midnight!"

He whistled as he exited the station in full stream, as Nia prepared to do the same.

"See you all later at the firework display!" she whistled.

"Right on!" Rebecca agreed, as she and Thomas continued to watch the carolers rehearse.

At the DieselWorks, Diesel 10 was busy chewing out Splatter and Dodge for having failed yet another task!

"It was simple and plain as day!" he reminded them. "Obtain the extra fuel and bring it back here!"

"We, errrr-errrrmm, tried our hardiests, boss!" Dodge stammered.

"Yeah, yeah," Splatter blurted out. "But how were we supposed to know that the flatbeds We were keeping an eye on actually belong to Rosie at Vicarstown?"

"Ahem!"

Dodge raised an eyebrow at Splatter to signal him to be quiet.

Diesel 10 clenched his claw tight.

"How many times do I need to remind you both …?"

"I-i-it was all Dodge's fault, boss! I asked him to let me lead and he…"

"Oh no, you didn't! It was pretty clear from the gecko who was going to lead the way!"

"Exactly! And you changed course of action the moment we got there!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Ye sure did!"

"Did not!"

Diesel 10 grit his teeth quietly, which got gradually louder.

"Cool it!" he bellowed at last.

"Oi! Boss!" 'Arry called out.

"May we 'ave a word?" Bert put in.

Diesel 10 sneered.

"What?" he demanded.

"There's no fireworks 'ere for the DieselWorks!"

"Yeah! And all the other stations 'ave firework displays but not us!"

Diesel 10 growled, thinking for a second.

"It isn't fair!" he admitted. "Surely the old DieselWorks deserves to have one too!"

"But none of the steamies said anything about a celebration at the SteamWorks!" Paxton put in. "I think Victor and Kevin said something about going to one up at Ulfstead!"

Diesel 10 rolled his eyes, as Splatter and Dodge awkwardly eyed each other with concern.

"I suggest we are going to watch the display at Vicarstown Station!" Paxton suggested.

CRUNCH!

He gasped, caught off-guard as Diesel 10 clenched his claw in his direction.

"Now," the Warship engine grinned. "Let's marinate a little bit on what we can do about obtaining some fireworks!"

"'Scuse me, boss," Norman insisted, " but I just came back from Vicarstown! We can't collect any there since the fireworks have already been unloaded for the party!"

"Hmmmm…" Diesel 10 thought, "Not without getting caught, at least!

Splatter and Dodge sniggered quietly.

Diesel 10 clenched his claw once more, signaling the pair to stop and stand at his attention.

"Where did Sidney run along to?" he pondered in thought.

"Manager sent him off to the Docks to pick up some fireworks for the Town Hall!" Paxton informed him.

"Brilliant!" Diesel 10 shouted, crunching his claw softly. "Couldn't have thought of any plan better myself! Well done, Paxton!"

He turned to his pair of hench-diesels.

"Now, Splodge…"

"Errrrr, it's Splatter, actually!"

"Ahem! A-and Dodge!"

"Enough! I haven't even time to address you both!"

"Oh, yeah, yeah!"

"Surily!"

"Now, I need you both to catch up with Sidney at the Docks and instruct him to bring the fireworks right back here to the DieselWorks!"

He stopped for a moment, watching the pair awkwardly absorb the information.

"Comprende?" he demanded roughly.

"Oh, yeah, yeah!"

"Certainally!"

"Good!" Diesel 10 smirked.

He narrowed his eyebrows to assert a more serious expression.

"Now, beat it!"

"Errrr, just a moment," Dodge demanded, turning to Splatter.

"Huh?"

Diesel 10 was dumbfounded.

"Now that we have the boss here, Splatter, I highly subgest we talk this out!"

"Talk what out?"

"The route to Brendam is simple! I'll lead!"

"Fine with me!" Dodge agreed. "Under the circumferstance that I get to lead the way back!"

"Under no conditioner!" Dodge protested,

"Have it your way! See you at the back!"

"Now, look here, Splatter! I will not have you mess up or delivery this time!"

"Who said anything about messing up?!"

"You did The moment you let our loot get away at the Depot!"

"We've been through this, havenen't we?"

"Well, I'm warning you on this one!"

Diesel 10 grit his teeth and clenched his claw gradually louder.

"Goooooo!" he bellowed.

The two diesels scampered off.

"Please, Splatter!" Dodge begged. "Just this once!"

"Fine!" Splatter sighed, "but only once though! I mean it!"

"Done!"

"Affirmative!"

All along the way to the Docks, splatter began talking up a storm about presenting the fireworks back at the DieselWorks!

"You can think of so many bright and luminomus ideas, Dodge! For one thing, don't they ship those fireworks in crates?"

"Obivilusly!" Dodge dully noted.

"Well, in that sense, we might as well think something up! What's the best thing we can do to make a delivery look meanful?"

"Hmmmm… well, you can actually listen to me at this time! That way…,"

Splatter gasped.

"I have an idea! We can obtain some spray paint to make our crates look cool!"

"Oh, yeah, yeah," Dodge wisely chimed in. "And draw attention to ourselves from those puffballs, eh?"

Splatter raised an eyebrow.

"What's your problem?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing!" Dodge smirked. Go ahead with your idea! Or at least marinate on it unless you wanna keep another option open!"

"Oh, oh, I know! We can spray paint the crates and put a tarpaulin over them!"

"Now, where would we find that?"

"Mmm…Smelter's a good place!"

"Hmm, not bad! And the spray paint?"

"Oh, they might have that too!"

"Assumulating that it's back on our way!" Dodge dryly insisted.

"Under the assumptation that were needed back in a jaff!"

"Considering how many tasks you've messed up, I'd say so!"

"I beg your pardon?" Splatter demanded, raising an eyebrow.

"Look sharp! We're almost there!"

"Oh, surrely!"

The pair arrived in sight of the Docks, were the first thing they heard was the loud honking of a ship's horn.

"Gee, seems bustily here today!" Splatter marveled. "No Sidney in sight, though!"

"Shhhhh!" Dodge hissed.

"Ahoy there, me hearties!" Salty honked, as he rolled into sight. What brings you about the Docks then, huh?"

"We're looking for Sidney!"

"Yeh, where's he at?"

"He has a shipment of fireyworks were supposed to bring back to…"

"Shushhhh!" Dodge demanded.

He cleared his throat.

"Ahem…the Town Hall!"

"Sidney left with the shipment for the Shunting Yards about 10 minutes ago!" Cranky explained.

"Fiddlysticks! We were late!" Splatter fumed.

"Shhhhhhhh!" Dodge cut off, then sighed, settling down.

"Follow my lead!" he said quietly, then call aloud, "thank you! Nothing to see here!"

The pair took off, as Salty and Cranky watched with surprise.

"What were those two up to?" Cranky wondered.

"No idea!" Carly replied, suspecting nothing. "But this next ship look looks like it could use with some unloading! Let's get at it, boyos!"

On the way to the Shunting Yards, Dodge had some strong words for Splatter.

"See what you almost did back there, Splatter? You could have had us compromised!"

"Poppitycock! Those cranes aren't smart enough to figure out what our plan is. Even if they were, I don't suppose there's much they can do to get the word out to the authorities!"

"They could with other engines around!"

"You worry too much, Dodge! And besides, you promised that I could take the lead from the Docks!"

Dodge raised a firm eyebrow at his partner.

"You won't be taking the lead for quite some time!"

"'Scuse me?"

"You heard! I can't afferd to let you mess anything up with our mission this time!"

"B-but…that's not fair! You promised!"

"And you almost cost us and the boss a substantual supply of fireworks!"

"I did? You were the one that lectured me back at headquarters! We coulda been outta there sooner i'm caught up with Sidney by now!"

Dodge sighed.

"You're hopeless!"

Henry witnessed the banter as he approached from up the line, whistling at them.

"I'm hopeless?! I reckon I'm no more compliamant than you!"

"I'm the one with the brain, you're the one with brawn!"

"I'll take that!"

"Don't dwell on it!"

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever you want it to mean!"

"Goodness!" Henry expressed, as he passed them.

"Well, how precisily am I supposed to know if you won't tell me, Dodge?"

"You can forget it!" Dodge wearily suggested.

"Well, I won't! This has become a topic of converse!"

"Conversuasion, you mean!" Dodge wittily suggested, giggling slightly.

"I was onto something with the converse bit, but the -ation you added made me think of how to finish it!"

As Splatter spoke, Dodge noticed James approaching and went a slight shade of red.

"How 'bout we just finish the conversayation?" he suggested.

"Fine by me!" Splatter agreed, then gasped.

"You got it!"

"Got what?"

"The word! You got it right!"

"Don't I always?" Dodge smirked.

"Ha!" Splatter scoffed.

"Silly pair of engines!" James remarked to himself, as he passed.

"You're making fools of us!" Dodge accused.

"There you go again! Always blaming me!"

"Just stating a fact!"

"Factual, huh?"

"Yes, as it seems!"

"From the way you see it!"

"The way I see it is factual! The way you see it is misconstruied!"

"-conSTRODE!"

"Whateverathingamy!"

"There you go again jumbling up essentual words!"

"Like you're the one to budge!"

"Puttin' it back on the other guy, huh?"

"Just like the other guy!"

"Escaping ownership, are ya?"

"Well, look who finally got a word right!"

"I have a knack for that, ya see!"

"I do see it that way!"

"Oh, do ya?"

"I also see to it that I got us to exactly the right place where our loot will be!"

"Learning' fast, are ya, Dodge?!"

"Shhhhhh! This is our only shot! I'll make the call here!"

"Yeah, yeah! You do that, quickstop!"

The pair stopped right beside A line of trucks and waited as Stafford rolled into sight.

"Hello there, Splatter! Dodge!" he greeted. "This is a surprise! What brings you two here?"

"Sidney here?" Dodge asked.

"Well, ermmmm, he did leave some flatbeds of crates here a short while ago!" Stafford admitted. "But…"

"You mean the crates of fireworks?" Dodge suggested, rather correctively.

"Well, yes, and he said Percy should be here anytime soon to pick them up! Is there a reason why…"

"Well, Percy broke down on the way here!" Splatter wisely butt in.

Dodge listened in horror to his partner's intrusion, while Stafford stood puzzled.

"We're meant to deliver the fireworks to the Town Hall in his place!" Splatter continued. "Right…Dodge?"

"Well, ermmmm, errrrrr, uhhhhh…"

"Ahem!"

"Oh, uh, yeah, yeah! What he said! Thank you, Splatter!"

He expressed a smile of fascination at his partner's efforts.

"Oh?" Stafford thought, "but I don't think I recall The Fat Controller notifying me about Percy breaking down! I wonder why he never did!"

"He, uhh, ermmm…" Dodge attempted.

"Called us up on short notice to cover for him!" Splatter explained.

"Yeah, yeah, factly!" Dodge agreed.

"Hmmm…" Stafford thought. "Well, I regret to inform you that I won't be able to be of much help to you with finding those fireworks! I'm due to shunt some trains out for the other engines!"

"Oh?" the two diesels thought, listening on.

"But the first place I would look is in one of the sidings! If there's one thing I know, it's that engines come in and out to drop off and pick up their loads all day round, so it's bound to be here somewhere!"

"Much obliged!" Splatter grinned.

"Come on, Splatter!" Dodge encouraged, his partner following after him.

Splatter thought for a moment.

"Say, Dodge!" he blurted out, "wouldn't it be benificishial to search the sidings for that suppliement of fireyworks?"

"What, are you crazy? That'll only risk getting us compronomised! What's best is that we stay on guard here in the Yard and keep a close eye out for that Percy!"

"Wouldn't that risk Percy finding out about our plan?"

"Not if we offer to take the crates to Town Hall in his place!"

"Or we can send him off with the wrong crates and take the loot for ourselves!" Splatter wititly suggested.

He laughed giddily as they parked side-by-side on a track-by-siding lineup in front of the line of trains.

Dodge raised a sharp eyebrow at him.

"Have you taken on wacko fuel this morning?" he remarked.

"Ha! Could almost ask you the same question!" Splatter fired back.

"Ah, there you go! Can't think of anything of better so you regurgilitate exactly what I think!"

"Ooh, but how did you know I was thinking it?"

"I don't suppose I asked you anything else!"

"Or you mean about wackly fuel!"

"Wacky fuel!"

"Wacko!"

Dodge sighed.

"Whatevener! Let's just wait here for some of those chuff-the-puffs to come by!"

"You mean puffballs!"

"I did!"

"Then why didnta ya say so?"

"It's an EXpression!"

"Exprescion?"

"Never mind!" said Dodge, flusteredly.

"So much for the brains then! Thought for a second I was the one with the brawn!" Splatter remarked.

"Hey, I'm the one with the plan!" Dodge snapped.

"Plan for what?"

The sound of Thomas' whistle alerted the pair.

"The blue puffball!" Dodge cried out.

"That?" Splatter guessed.

"Doh!"

Dodge groaned, short of patience.

"This is our cue!" he reminded Splatter.

"Showtime!" Splatter called out.

He began to surge forward, but was caught off guard as Dodge cut in front.

"Not so fast!" he demanded.

"What are you doing?" Splatter wondered, confused.

"We need to stay on guard and not leave our posts!" Dodge insisted. "Otherwise we'll be compromised and our plan would have failed!"

"But…but…"

"Shhhhhh! Trust me on this!"

They heard Thomas' whistle once more, catching their attention at once.

"Thanks, Stafford!" the blue engine called out, as he left with his flatbeds.

"Any time, Thomas!" the electric engine called back.

"See?" Splatter insisted. "Ye never know when Percy might show up! That's why I suggested that we survey the yard a little bit!"

Dodge scoffed.

"What good would that do?"

"Just a possible suggestion!"

"Well, I'm not gonna waste my time…!"

His thoughts were cut off by the sound of Emily's whistle.

"Hi, Stafford! Would you happen to know where the flatbeds of party poppers are for the Town Hall?"

"Sure thing, Emily! I'll lead you right to them!"

Splatter chuckled.

"We'll stick those party poppers right down her funnel!" he remarked.

He laughed alongside Dodge, who shot him a sharp look in return, then sighed heavily.

"Wait here!" he demanded.

He took off, as Splatter slowly toiled after him.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the post!"

"Woah, okay, okay."

He reversed back down towards his spot.

Dodge sidled up alongside in time to see Emily whistle and take off.

"So much for that!" he thought with dismay.

He surveyed the area a bit, then reversed back down towards the points, where Splatter grinned at him.

"Ye let her get away, huh?"

Dodge shot him a confused look.

"She's not our target! Percy is!"

"Then what were you doing?"

"Whaddya think?"

"I don't know, Dodge! You're the one with the plan, remember?"

"I was checking the Yard to see how many flatbeds were left!"

"Oh, so you don't know where our loot is!"

Dodge shot him a sour look, right before the pair heard the sound of Nia's whistle.

"Ey! Look over there!" Splatter shouted.

"Heh?"

Dodge, alert, looked to one side as Splatter sidled away.

"Made ya look!"

Dodge gasped.

"Wait! What are you doing?"

"The same thing you were doing!"

"But you can't just…"

"Back to the post!" Splatter demanded.

Dodge stopped, dumbfounded, then sighed, reversing back down to the post.

"Now," Splatter thought, sidling up right beside the nearest train of flatbeds, "what have we here?"

He watched as Nia pulled away with her load, then sidled further up and backed down onto the next track.

"Ey! Splatter! What are you doing?" Dodge demanded.

"You'll see!" Splatter replied, pushing the train of flatbeds down the track.

"You're drawing attention to ourselves!"

Splatter laughed.

"Like that wasn't part of the plan in the first place?"

He left the flatbeds down beside the caboose of the second train, before siding up, switching tracks and reversing back down to his post.

Dodge shot him a perplexed eyebrow.

"What did you do that for?" he demanded.

"It'll make it easier for us to spot Percy when he arrives!"

"Oh," Dodge thought, rather understandingly.

The sound of a familiar bell caught their attention.

"Gee, that rings a bell!" Splatter remarked, chuckling.

"The ol' teapot!"

Dodge sidled quickly up in time to watch Toby leave with his train.

"Hmmmm…" he thought.

He switched over to two tracks and pushed the second line of flatbeds down by the first.

"Phew! Hope Splatter was right about this!"

He promptly returned to his post, where Splatter was waiting.

"Still no luck, heh?"

"You're up next!" Dodge reminded him.

"Right on!"

At the sound of Henry's whistle, Splatter charged forward. He rushed up in time to see the big green engine back down to the second train of flatbeds.

"See you later, Stafford!" he whistled.

"Oh," the electric engine honked, from amongst the other lines of flatbeds. "Bye, Henry!"

"ConVERnient!" Splatter remarked.

He reversed back down beside Dodge, who also watched as Henry pulled the train away.

"Wasn't that the train I shunted into place?" he guessed.

"Let's keep at it!" Splatter suggested. "At least until Percy arrives!"

Dodge groaned, slightly doubtfully, before listening to the sound of James' whistle.

"Here we go!"

And he rushed off.

Every time one of the engines passed in and out of the Yard, it would be either Splatter or Dodge that left their post by the sidings to shunt flatbeds about in hopes of finding the fireworks.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Splatter was panting heavily as he pushed a line of flatbeds up the track, just as BoCo honked and took off with his load.

"Close call!" he sighed with relief.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

At the next call, Dodge pushed a line of flatbeds back into place, watching as Rebecca pulled out of the Yard with her own delivery. He proceeded to rush back to his post and stop beside Splatter, raising an eyebrow at him at the sound of Edward's whistle.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Splatter had the next load shunted about in time to see Edward disappear, in time to hear Murdoch's whistle.

"D-d-d-Dodge?"

"Shhhh!" Dodge hissed. "Back to the post! I got this!"

He sidled up over several points till he was alongside Murdoch's train. He surveyed the Yard to find that it was empty, except for two trains.

"Hmmm…" he thought, reversing back to his post beside Splatter. "Only two more loads left. But the question is…which is our "loot?""

"Search me!" Splatter replied. "I'll get going before the next engine comes along!"

"Wait!" Dodge cried out.

But he was too late to warn his partner, as he reversed down from his post and switched tracks, before shunting the next line of flatbeds on the track nearest to them.

"Oh, I surelly hope Splatter knows what he's doing!"

At that moment, the pair heard a whistle they knew all too well.

"Hi, Stafford!"

"Percy!" they both gasped, from their current spots.

"Hello, Percy!" the electric engine replied. "I suppose you're here for the fireworks then!"

"Sure am! Need to have them at the Town Hall right away!"

"Well, you'll find them on the nearest siding to your left here then!"

"Thanks, Stafford!" Percy whistled, reversing down. "Happy New Year!"

"Same to you, Percy!" the electric engine honked back in greeting.

Dodge gulped.

"Left, right! Right, left!"

He gasped, watching Splatter shunt the flatbeds up to Percy!

"Splatter! Wait!"

But it was too late.

Splatter braked hard, just as Percy backed down onto the flatbeds and was coupled up.

"Thank you, Splatter!" the green saddle tank engine whistled, and proceeded to leave with the flatbeds.

"At last!" he expressed, looking at the only line of flatbeds left in the Shunting Yard.

He backed down to his post beside Dodge, who shot him a look and raised an eyebrow at him.

"What did you do?" he demanded.

"I sent Percy off with the second-to-last train in the yard!"

"But that electrical engine told 'im that it was the nearest train siding on the left!"

"Oh, battery shmattery's been tidying up this Yard as much as we have! How does he know?!"

Dodge sighed.

"I hope you're right about this! If we mess this up for the boss this time, it's on you!"

"Come on!" Splatter insisted. "Let's get our loot and head back to headquarters! I'll lead!"

"No, wait!" Dodge called, toiling after him.

"It's only fair!" Splatter called back from the front. "You led all the way here!"

"Yeah, for a change!"

Splatter heeded the front of the train.

"'Ey! Don't forget what they always call us! Splatter and Dodge! Collectively Splodge as the boss always says!"

Dodge buffered up to the back of the train, shooting his partner a sharp look.

"Don't forget who was the one that came up with all the bright ideas to get us this 'loot'!" he reminded him.

"Don't forget who cooperated!" Splatter fired back, pulling the line of flatbeds along. "And besides, the boss will be very pleased with us! I'm sure of it!"

"Mhmm," Dodge halfheartedly agreed, slightly doubtful.

At the DieselWorks, Diesel 10 was snoring away in his shed when…

"Boss!" Splatter honked.

"GAHHHH!"

Diesel 10 woke with a start, his claw reaching up towards the shed and bouncing him back on across the head.

"Oof! Pinchy!"

"We got it!" Dodge called, as the pair rolled steadily into the building.

"At last!" Diesel 10 expressed with relief.

He rolled slightly forward, clenching his claw slightly.

"Must say though, it did take quite a bit of time!"

"Ermmm, sorry it took a bit of time, boss!" Dodge professed.

"I-i-it was Dodge's idea, though!" Splatter butt in.

"'Ey! Who do ya think you're talking about?!"

"But it's true!"

Diesel 10 clenched his claw tightly, then smiled, snapping it in the pair's direction to get their attention.

"Fellas! It's here in good time and that's what matters most!"

"Oh, yeah!"

"Sure, sure!"

"Now, let's open up these crates and take a look, shall we?"

"Good idea!"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, capitable!"

The men readily prepared to open the first crate and allowed it to fling open from all four sides.

Diesel 10 stared long and hard at what lay on the top crate of the first flatbed.

"Heh?" Splatter wondered, as Dodge rolled up alongside.

It turned out that the delivery that Splatter and Dodge had actually made to the DieselWorks was a ship of decorations!

"B-but…it can't be!" Dodge stammered.

Diesel 10 clenched his claw tighter.

"Splooooodge!" he growled. "This is not the loot!"

"W-we were pretty s-s-sure, boss!" Splatter insisted.

"You were!" Dodge denied.

"So were you!"

"Reliant on you! Same mistake I make every time!"

At that moment, they heard a familiar horn honking.

"Hello, diesels!" Philip greeted. "Have you happened to see…"

He looked over at Splatter and Dodge's shipment with awe and surprise.

"It's here! The supply of decorations for Knapford! B-b-but…how?"

Diesel 10, in response, shot a stern look at his two hench-diesels, who gulped.

"I guess you can say we…" Dodge stammered.

"...m-messed up again?" Splatter finished.

Diesel 10 crunched his claw to silence them.

"Get the loot and bring it here right now!" he demanded.

"B-b-but…"

"W-w-we…"

"Now, Splodge!" Diesel 10 bellowed.

Dodge groaned.

"Come on!" he demanded Splatter.

Splatter, dismayed, backed up from the train and backed down, reversing beside his partner.

"See?" Dodge reminded him. "I told you! This is exactly why you should have let me lead the whole way!"

"Blaming in it on me now, huh? Whose idea was it to rush about from siding to siding while all those puffballs rushed in and out?!"

"I would've settled on our 'loot' had you not left your post when Percy arrived!"

"I was trying to send him off so we could collect our 'loot'!"

"You shoulda left it up to me!"

"Oh, sure! Leave it up to you! That'll solve everything!"

Splatter and Dodge rushed all the way to the Town Hall to find the shipment of fireworks!

By the time they arrived, they found that the fireworks had already been unloaded and were ready to be set for later that night for the display!

"There it is!" Splatter shouted.

The pair stopped at the platform right beside Percy.

"I-i-it's…in place!" Dodge stammered with disbelief.

"Our l-l-l-..."

"Yes, it is! Thank you for handling my load at the Shunting Yard, Splatter!" Percy beamed.

"Oh, well, ermmm…"

"Errrr…" Dodge awkwardly added.

"Ermmmm…don't mention it!" Splatter beamed in response, so much to blow their cover.

He waited as Percy whistled and left before turning to his partner, who shot him a dumbfounded look.

"At least we can tell the boss that we tried. Eh, Dodge? Must say though, it'd be nice to enjoy our loot elsewhere!

Dodge glanced in response to him with confusion.

Later that evening, the firework display occurred at the Town Hall. Engines and diesels from all around were there to watch it with its splendor and glory, including Splatter and Dodge themselves.

"'Ey, 'ey!" Splatter shouted, catching Dodge's attention, as they watched a firework go off. "Check out that one! Looks almost like a party popper!"

"Don't they all?" Dodge dully wondered.

"Green too!" Splatter went on. "What do you think, boss?"

"Yikes!" Diesel 10 screeched, clenching his claw back in defense to a firework going off. "Too close! Much too close!"

Dodge chuckled quietly, feeling somewhat better.

"Boy, he's enjoying himself!" he quietly gossiped.

"I'd say!" Splatter chuckled in response.

On the platform, the Mayor turned to Sir Topham Hatt.

"I must say, Sir Topham," he admitted, "this has got to be one of the greatest firework displays the Island's ever had!"

"Mmm, yes," Sir Topham Hatt agreed, watching it rather impressively.

"Look, everyone!" Philip shouted out. "The clock!"

Everyone looked to see the clock ticking closer to midnight.

"Here it comes!" the Mayor called out. "Alright, everybody, altogether now!"

And they began…

"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! Happy New Year!"

Engines honked and whistled, as people cheered and blew party poppers amongst the commotion. All at once, the choir on the platform starting to sing.

Shall all acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?

"What a great party. Eh, Dodge?" Splatter insisted.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, surelly!" his partner somewhat agreed.

Shall all acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?

For auld lang syne, my dear old friends

For auld lang syne

"We sure did a phenomononal job puttin' it together!" Splatter went on.

"Yeah, yeah," Dodge chuckled in agreement.

The pair glanced at Diesel 10, smiling.

"Happy New Year, boss!" they both greeted.

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

For auld lang syne

Diesel 10 groaned, slightly aggravated, as he endures the party going on.

Well, wasn't sure I'd make it after the previously late Christmas outing but Happy New Year! This pretty much wraps up the Diesel 10/Splodge saga for the set, and I must say, it was an absolute blast! Splatter and Dodge are so much fun to write for as the bumbling minions of Diesel 10, and while they have somewhat antagonistic intentions, they're harmless deep down because really, they're too dumb to do much other than mess up tasks bestowed upon them by Diesel 10, and this story was a beautiful culmination of that! Of course, I did quite a bit to distinguish them a bit by having Dodge be somewhat more intelligent to the stupidly impulsive, talkative loudmouth Splatter; not that the brains/brawn comparison can describe their relationship any better. But yes, their usual banter and occasional poor pronunciation of terminology caps off the rest of this story and leads them to ultimately end the story by inadvertently ensuring the right thing and allowing for a happy ending that kind of gives Diesel 10 the short end of the stick. I am excited for what I can do with this unlikely duo later on in further sets. Till then, happy New Year! Be sure to let me know what you think of this outing and as always, stay tuned for…

Old Habits Die Easy - Old Spiteful the Brake Van is brought back when there is a shortage of brake vans on Duck's Branch Line. However, he and Douglas are immediately at odds with one another and even more trouble ensues when Douglas is fed up and decides to leave without a brake van…

Swashbuckling Skiff - Skiff enjoys watching other sailboats race by in the water and wishes that he could take part in the regatta just like them, which is unexpectedly granted when high winds pick up!

Samson And The Wrong Advice - [Based on the Mr. Men book Little Miss Stubborn and the Wrong Advice] - Nia suggests that Samson takes advice from others on how to do different jobs. Samson, not surprisingly, agrees, but he takes the suggestion literally, and starts taking advice from every engine on Sodor, including taking advice on how to shunt trucks from Diesel - by bashing them from behind!

A Stretch Too Far - when Thomas is taken ill, Stepney the Bluebell Engine visits Sodor to run his Branch Line in his palce. He is so eager to work that his expectations aren't met as delays happen commonly. However, Stepney gets more than he bargained for when having to take Hasty Hannah out!

Fair Play - Stanley feels threatened when Stepney takes on his duty as head shunter in the Shunting Yard, and is jealous of the popularity that he gets in amongst other engines, so he hatches a plan to make him look weaker...