Thanks to RosieAngelina and all others for reviewing, favouriting and ALL THAT FUN STUFF. Now, that thing I mentioned prior to this. Following this chapter, I will be taking a short hiatus from Abridged so that I can give you Thomas's Christmas Party at Christmas time. However, I do have a solution, I was thinking of writing a humanized Thomas story (Humor, definitely) and sort of doing bits of it in between the publishing of this chapter and Christmast Party. Then, once I've done that, I'll alternate. Leave comments in reviews or PM's based on what you think.
...
Okay, this is the last one for a bit. Then you can go and take a break before we do the Christmas one.
And that's it for a year or so?
Pretty much. We need time to gather some new material. And of course, to see whether this is a success.
Betcha it goes on forever!
Ha!
...
One day, Thomas was at a non specific junction when Gordon puffed in. Thomas grinned cheekily. His promise to never tease Gordon again had vanished rapidly, not just because of his accident and slight memory loss, but also because he felt he needed to avenge his fallen pride.
Gordon, meanwhile, had spent the days since his humiliation completely silent. In fact, many of the engines were beginning to get more than a little worried. For although he annoyed them greatly, at the end of the day they were still...almost friends. So when he puffed up, looking as glum as he had been since his accident, Annie smiled at him.
Thomas sniffed the air. "Phew!" He remarked. "What a funny smell!"
Gordon mentally muttered "Oh no." in his head.
"Can you smell a smell?"
"I can't smell a smell." said Annie, who was beginning to get rather worried about where Thomas was going with this.
"Funny, it's weird that you can't. It's a funny, musty sort of smell."
"No one noticed it til you did."said Gordon bluntly, with the hope that maybe he could get out of Thomas's way before the punchline occured. "So it must be yours." Yes, he 'He who smelt it, dealt it' Thomas before that was even a proper thing. Not long ago, his falling in a ditch had lead to Thomas taking a perverse pleasure in teasing him about it.
"Annie, Clarabel, do you know what I think it is?"
"Not really-"
"IT'S DITCHWATER!"
"Not a very good punchline." muttered Gordon, having lost the will to snark back. Before he could answer properly, Thomas had puffed away, with the scandalized coaches following him.
The two coaches could hardly believe their lack of ears. "He's dreadfully rude, I feel quite ashamed! I feel quite ashamed, he's dreadfully rude!" moaned Clarabel, for once allying with Annie against Thomas's rudeness.
To Thomas, cheerfully puffing under Title Screen Bridge, they wailed at him. "You must not be rude! You make us ashamed!"
Thomas laughed. "Oh you two really need to get a sense of humor about these sorts of things!"
...
Arriving at Knapford yards, Thomas backed down into the Sidings to leave his coaches there. "That was funny! That was funny." he chortled. He glanced back. "oH have a drink you two! You look like you could need some joy in your life!" He felt very pleased with himself, even though he had momentarily become cross-eyed. It happened when he laughed too much.
Annie and Clarabel were deeply shocked. They were pretty much the only ones who had respect for Gordon the Big Engine.
Thomas whistled once more, then left his coaches to order their drinks from Percy, who had taken over as bartender seeing how Marklin had left the Island under 'unusual circumstances'. He went off towards a nearby mine to shunt some trucks, as he was want to do.
...
The mine had been abandoned for a good while now, and what had once been a temporary strike following Thatcher's time in power had become a permanent one when that piece of news specifically did not reach the Island. Therefore, it was the job of tank engines and crew members to take the trucks around.
Long ago, the miners who had dug for lead had left a lot of tunnels underneath the ground. The roofs were strong enough to hold up the weight of trucks, but not engines. They had tested this by using Edward to test this theory. Edward had refused to speak to them for a week. And since they were too lazy to fill the tunnels back in, most big engines were prohibited from coming here.
A large notice was placed to warn them of this: DANGER- ENGINES MUST NOT PASS THIS BOARD. The workmen were aware that this was practically a red flag to a bull, but it worked better than using their alternative method, which was dynamite. Many good trucks and materials were lost.
As Thomas puffed in, he glared at the board, his natural enemy. "Silly old board!" he scoffed.
"That's no way to talk about his mother!" said the fireman.
"What- No, I said board. Not broad."
"Oh. All right then."
"My mother!? Why shouldn't it be yours?!"
While the fireman and driver argued, Thomas glared around him. He had often tried to pass the board, but had never succeeded. This morning, however, he had made a plan.
"Fine! I'll go and turn the points, you jackass!" The fireman stormed over to the points.
Now for my plan!, thought Thomas gleefully. Bumping the trucks fiercly, he jerked his driver off the footplate. The driver looked up, vaguely wondering what had happened to the world for a moment, before turning his attention to Thomas who was following the trucks.
"Aye up!" he shouted. "Come back!" he yelled.
Thomas grinned, and suddenly realized that he was in deeeeeeeep manure as the floor gave way beneath him and he slammed down, face first into the ground. "Fire and smoke!" said Thomas. "I'm SUNK!" And he was. He wasn't playing Battleships though, which was the only situation where this was a good thing.
The driver walked over to him, calmly tapping his knuckles against his breast in a attempt to calm himself. "So Thomas." he said with complete calm. "This plan of yours. What exactly was it again? What did you think was over the other side of the mine that was so magical?"
There was a short silence.
"I may-" Thomas said hesitantly "-have overlooked that fact."
"Uh huh." His driver walked away, where he vented his anger upon a truck.
"Oh dear." said Thomas in a vain attempt that maybe someone would take pity on him and maybe get him out before someone called the Fat Controller. "I am a silly engine!"
A very familiar shadow appeared.
"Oh balls." said Thomas.
"A very naughty one too." said Sir Topham Hatt. "I saw you. I was just uh...here. For no apparent reason. Hey, I like to look at mines. No need to judge." He paused. "Wait, I'm lecturing you, aren't I?"
"Please get me out! I won't be naughty again!"
"I somehow doubt that...but I'm not sure we can. We can't call for the crane, and we don't have one yet that's smarter than you." Hatt frowned. "Hmmmmm. Wonder if Gordon could pull you out?"
Thomas froze, struggling with his pride and survival. "Yes sir." he said through gritted teeth. He didn't want to meet Gordon just yet.
...
"Down a mine is he?! I thought they didn't allow minors in there!" Gordon laughed to himself as he raced along the line, feeling more and more like his old sense once more. He raced through Title Screen bridge, much to the shock of the signalman. "Now there's a joke to laugh at!"
"Poop poop little Thomas" said Gordon as he pulled in, gleefully giggling at the sight of Thomas. "Not to worry! We'll have you out in a couple of puffs!"
"CIGARETTE!" moaned Thomas, who was currently going through a stage of withdrawal.
Gordon's winch was slowly lowered down and attached to Thomas. All the while. Gordon let out giggles that made Thomas want to bury his head in the sandy earth.
The strong cables were soon fastened between the two engines. "Are ya ready?" said the Fat Controller, sounding like Elvis. The cable tightened. "Heave!"
"I was feeling a bit sick." said the Fireman.
"NOT YOU."
Gordon backed up and began to pull. It was a lot harder than they all thought, but at last, Thomas was free.
As the others made some form of preperations, including the removal of the winch and the closing of the mine for the time being, Thomas coughed. "Uh. I'm sorry I was rude to you."
"You know Thomas. It's all right. You actually got me to laugh." Gordon sighed. "You know, right now, I'm in disgrace."
"That makes two of us. So am I." Thomas muttered.
"Why so you are!" Gordon smiled. "You know what, for all our bickering, the two of us can work really well together. Shall we form a alliance for the time being? You help me, and I'll help you."
Thomas laughed. "Don't think it will last long."
"No." laughed Gordon.
"But why not? Right you are" agreed Thomas.
"Well good. That's settled." said Gordon as he puffed forward, coupled up to Thomas, and buffer to buffer, the allies puffed home to their friends.
Hatt looked around. "Hang on...THEY LEFT US BEHIND."
The men looked at each other and shrugged. "It's been a long day."
"Got a bottle of whiskey in the office."
"Why not?"
...
"Snow's coming." said Edward that night.
"Again?" asked James. "That's the third time this year!"
"The entire Island has a weird relationship with the weather." noted Henry. "Just keeps doing that.
"Christmas soon!" peeped Percy happily.
"I know what I want...peace and goodwill towards all men and engines." Toby remarked.
"...Plus to get some ciggies." Thomas gave his opinion.
"That too!" replied Gordon.
And the seven engines rested. For soon they would be busier than ever.
Somewhere, Marklin sighed. He wanted to be home, celebrating Christmas. But there was no time for that now. He had to gain a new identity. Marklin couldn't go back to the Island...but as someone else? Perhaps revenge wouldn't be lost to him after all.
And so he puffed on into the shed. And braced himself for the transformation.
It was going to be a interesting time soon.