AUTHOR'S NOTICE: Hey everyone! Sorry this story is going slow but I've been going through a lot...mostly work but also taking care of my grandmother which, thankfully, is getting better. I was trying to get this story completed by Christmas but I highly doubt that now...
Anyway, I would love to thank Goldsaddletank for editing this story and adding her stuff to it since this is more our story then just mine so...thank you once again OLS(Online Sister)!
Disclaimer: Mattel owns Thomas and Friends(you already know how I feel about them), Maud is owned by Goldsaddletank, everyone else is owned by me!
Enjoy!
Stanley yawned as he slowly puffed out of his berth, the cold air instantly waking him up. The bustling sound of Vicarstown waking made him smile as he watched Rosie, Hiro, and Molly puff out of the sheds.
"Good morning, everyone!"
Stanley looked over and smiled upon seeing his niece. "Good morning, Aurora!"
"It's so good to see you this morning!" Rosie greeted her happily.
"It is indeed, Watashi no taiyō." Hiro smiled warmly, gently kissing her head when she jumped onto his footplate.
"Kenja no yō ni, Hiro." Aurora purred, kissing his cheek before jumping into Molly's footplate.
"What brings you here so early, Oreo?" Molly asked, happily nuzzling her.
"I met Spencer at Knapford and I asked him if he could give me a lift here before he took the Duke and Duchess to England." Aurora hummed softly before kissing her cheek. "Oh! Hiro! Spencer told me to tell you that he's sorry he couldn't get the chance to see you this morning."
"Did he now?" Stanley smirked while watching her jump onto his footplate.
"Yep~" Aurora purred before kissing his cheek. "He said, and I quote 'Tell Hiro that we would have to change our morning meet-up. The Duke and Duchess can't be kept waiting.'" She imitated in a snooty voice, causing the others to laugh.
"That does sound about right with him." Hiro said wistfully
"He may have sounded impatient and snobby, but his eyes were full of sadness." Aurora said softly as she leaned against Stanley's boiler.
"I'm glad to see you arrive here safely, Aurora." Isamu Satō, Hiro's driver, smiled as he and the other crew members walked over to their engines. They were holding mugs of hot tea or coffee, and the smell of eggs and bacon wafted out of Rosie's cab, where Tina Baker, Rosie's firewoman, was cooking breakfast.
"Here you go." Samantha Wood, Molly's firewoman, smiled before handing her a travel mug. "Freshly made hot chocolate made from hot milk and topped with marshmallows."
"Ohhh…." Aurora smiled happily as she took it. "Arigato." She thanked her before bowing.
"Who will you be traveling with today, Aura?" Lee Dobson, Rosie's driver, asked while inspecting Rosie over. "God's sake, T-Rex, you're making us hungry." He moaned good-naturedly.
"You're always hungry, Lee!" Laughed Samantha. "No rush, Tina," she added.
"I'm nearly done anyway!" A muffled voice called back. "Who wanted what?"
There was a clamor of voices reminding Tina who wanted eggs, who wanted bacon, or both. Satō took out a small collection of sauces and some salt and pepper so everyone could help themselves.
"With Stanley." Aurora hummed to Lee as she lowered her mug, a chocolate mustache on her upper lip. "He's going to Great Waterton today and I haven't been there lately."
"You will love it!" Rosie giggled. "Especially this time of the year."
"The entire town is fully decorated with lights, wreaths, tinsel… you name it!" Molly smiled brightly.
"Isn't that done all over Sodor though?" Aurora asked, tilting her head, wondering why Great Waterton would be different.
"Great Waterton has a Christmas light show that is part of the festival." Stanley smiled as he puffed out of his berth. "Just wait till Saturday."
"Why Saturday?" Aurora asked, jumping onto his footplate with her hot chocolate cradled in hand.
"That is when the festival starts, Taiyō." Hiro smiled as he looked at her.
"Trust me, Aura. You will love it." Stanley smiled as he puffed down the tracks.
"Ok…" Aurora hummed softly, unsure about the festival. "Bye everyone!" She waved when she turned around, looking at the others as they slowly disappeared from sight.
…
"Are all of these stalls for the festival?" Aurora asked as she rode on Stanley's footplate, looking at the people building and decorating various stalls.
"It is." Stanley smiled as he backed a train full of Christmas lights and decorations onto a siding. "Getting it ready for their Christmas market."
"What do they sell at the market?" Aurora asked while she adjusted the hood on her cloak.
"Food, drinks, handmade decorations, crafts, a lot of Christmas-themed items really." Jonathan Miller, Stanley's fireman, smiled as he looked out of Stanley's cab. "It's been a big thing since Great Waterton went back on the map."
"…Will they have sweets?" Aurora asked hopefully, eyes sparkling.
"Lots." Mary Miller, Stanley's driver, and Jonathan's sister, laughed heartily. "Pies, cakes, candy, hot chocolate, you name it."
"Those sound delicious…" Aurora sighed as she leaned against Stanley's boiler.
"It's just a few more days." Stanley laughed softly. "You will love it.
Aurora sighed as she laid down on her back, staring at the sky. As much as she really wanted to try the sweets, she had to wait a bit longer.
Since arriving on Sodor, she found that sweets are her favorite snack, and developed a sweet tooth.
Hearing a familiar whistle, Aurora quickly sat up and looked over at Great Waterton Station, where Molly pulled in next to the platform, pink-cheeked. The coaches opened, and passengers spilled out, a sea of color and life dominating the once-quiet platform.
Aurora was delighted to see her friend, Maud Fox, step out of the train. Maud shuffled up towards Molly to thank her and her crew for the ride.
She was in a mint-green coat and wearing a cream-colored scarf and matching hat. The smell of candy wafted from her as she moved. There was a pink and white striped box under her left arm.
Aurora happily ran over to the station, easily avoiding everyone around her before stopping in front of Molly. She waited till Maud thanked Molly, and stepped forward.
"Maud!" Aurora waved. Maud saw her, and her eyes lit up.
"Hello, my dear!" She said, cheerfully, making her way over to them. "It's so good to see you!" She held out her thumb and index finger, the latter in a hook formation. Aurora repeated the gesture and they pressed their fingertips together to form a heart shape.
This was their way of saying hello, as Aurora was still working on boundaries regarding hugs.
"I'm happy to see you," Aurora said softly. "How was work?"
Maud snorted. "I've been rushed off my feet, petal. Doing big orders for the shops for Christmas. Candy canes and fudge and humbugs and sherbet lemons… list goes on," she gave Aurora a tired smile. "I'm getting too old for this."
"Pooh, you're not," said Aurora.
"I appreciate you saying that," replied Maud, before turning to Stanley. "And how are you, my dear?"
"I'm well, Mrs. Fox, thank you." Stankey answered politely. "It's a pleasure seeing you, as always."
Maud beamed. "And how's your brother? Has he had any aristocratic scandal to share?"
"Not really, no." Said Stanley. Maud pouted.
Maud loved watching Downton Abbey on the telly and was naturally excited that the engines knew aristocrats like the Duke and Duchess of Boxford, and Sir Robert Norramby. When she wasn't nosing for scandal or drama, she was gushing about the Earl.
Still, she was a very kind lady who loved Christmas and was eager to make friends with people from all walks of life.
In fact, it had been Maud who had been the first driver to have found Aurora lying on a road, a basket of flowers flattened next to her. The Flying Scotsman himself had pleaded Maud to help somehow, and she helped his crew check her for injury, and stayed till help arrived.
Not only that, but she had visited Aurora in the hospital and gifted her some sweets, a dozen artificial blue and green roses tied with ribbon (she learned she couldn't bring in real flowers) a box of teabags, and a copy of her favorite novel, The House of Trelawny by Hannah Rothschild, in a brand new basket.
The pair had been firm friends ever since.
…
"I brought you a little treat," she opened a box she was carrying and reached in. "Close your eyes." She said, mischievously.
Aurora did, and felt Maud press something thin and light into her hand. When she was allowed to open her eyes, she was staring at a small handful of candy canes. She recognized them from pictures, but hadn't eaten one before.
Her eyes widened, and Maud chuckled.
"We had too much for this week's order and we're working on new flavors next week," she explained, "so we were allowed to take home the extras. I brought some for my grandchildren and hoped to give you a couple as well."
"T-thank you," Aurora said, blushing.
Maud waved a hand. "T'is the season of goodwill, my dear." She nodded to the striped treats. "Try one,"
Aurora deftly tore off the wrapper and licked the crook. Her eyes widened as the flavors of mint and something Aurora couldn't identify melted on her taste buds. A loud purr erupted from her throat as she happily continued to lick the cane-shaped candy.
"You enjoy it, my dear?" Maud smiled warmly as she watched her.
"It's delicious!" Aurora purred as she looked at her. "What is it?"
"It's called a candy cane. A popular treat around Christmas." Maud giggled happily. "I have been busy making them at work for a while."
Aurora hummed as she gently gnawed it. "Only at Christmas time?" she asked.
"I'm afraid so, my dear."
"Booo." Aurora pouted before going back to the candy cane in her hand. "….Do you have more?"
Maud chuckled. "You're like my grandson. Always on the lookout for his next meal. I do have some, as it happens." She gave Aurora a few more. "There, you go now -and I've enough for Jade and Oliver when I go see them. Emma is quite busy with Christmas preparations just now so I'm watching them while she goes shopping." She explained. "Some people like to hang them on their Christmas tree if you want to do that."
"Thank you," Aurora purred.
"Are you going to the market, by any chance?" Maud added.
Aurora nodded. "I was hearing about it this morning." She said, dreamily.
"Emma's invited me to come to it, so I'll be there with her and the kiddies, no doubt. I might see you there then." She smiled.
Aurora nodded.
"And if you think that candy canes are fantastic, you haven't tried a churro." Maud winked, before adjusting the box in her arms. "I'd best get a move on," she said. "But I'll see you on Saturday!"
"See you, bye!" Aurora waved bye to Maud and watched her shuffle off the platform.
...
Aurora had no idea what a churro was, but she was suddenly wanting to try one…
"Saturday is taking soooo long…" Aurora groaned sadly as she leaned her head back. "Thank you for the candy canes, Maud." She purred happily before walking over to Stanley.
"You're very welcome, my dear." Maud smiled as she waved at her before walking off.
"...What's a churro?" Aurora asked as she looked at Stanely's crew.
"A cinnamon-flavored pasty with cinnamon sugar coating it." Mary giggled happily. "They're especially good when they're warm for it just melts into your mouth!"
"Ughhh…" Aurora groaned softly, drooling a bit as she imagines the flavor of it. "Hurry up and let it be Saturday!"
"Just be patient, Aura." Jonathan laughed as he gently petted her head. "It'll be here before you know it."
…
Hiro sighed contentedly as he rested in his berth, his axles aching from another hard day's work-though, after his time abandoned and exposed to the elements, he wouldn't change this feeling for the world.
The moon shone brightly in the ink-black winter sky, the cold air turning his cheeks pink. His crew had already left for the night, leaving him alone . Hiro didn't mind this, knowing fully well that Stanley, Molly, and Rosie will be finishing work soon and will be coming home again.
The faint sound of puffing started to grow louder, followed by a familiar voice.
"Hirooooo." Aurora whined as she jumped off Stanley's footplate, running over to the Japanese engine resting in his berth. "Stanley and his crew are being mean to meeeee."
"How are we being mean to you?" Stanley laughed as he backed into his berth.
"They keep telling me about all these Christmas sweets!" Aurora cried as she jumped onto Hiro's footplate, pressing her forehead against his cheek.
"You kept asking!" Jonathan laughed heartily as he inspected Stanley.
"And now you want them, right?" Hiro asked warmly, smiling as he heard her mutter.
"...Yes." Aurora sighed defeatedly. "Because they sound delicious, with a capital D."
"And we told you that those treats will come on Saturday." Mary smiled as she climbed out of Stanley's cab. "Just be patient."
"I'll try…" Aurora yawned before stretching. She was really struggling to stay awake.
"Get some sleep, Watashi no taiyō." Hiro smiled as he kissed her head. "We'll tell Sam and Dave you'll be here."
Aurora yawned and nodded before jumping off Hiro, before heading into the shed.
The occupied sheds on Sodor have a small trunk in it, filled with blankets and two pillows in case Aurora wanted to have sleepovers with other engines.
Grabbing the blankets and pillows, she wearily shuffled over to Hiro once more, jumped onto his footplate again before shoving the pillows and blankets between his boiler and smoke deflector. Making a tight nest, Aurora burrowed herself into Hiro's footplate.
"Night everyone…" Aurora yawned loudly before sleep finally took her.