Sorry for the really long wait on this chapter. But here's chapter two of my Human Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
Meanwhile, in Shining Time, a kid had just finished painting a sign near the station. He put his brush down, and then turned to his dog.
"There Mutt, paint jobs finished. I reckon Shining Time has the best welcome sign of any town in our valley" he said happily. The dog barked twice.
"Well I'm glad you agree; Billy's old map shure helped a lot". The dog gave four more barks. "He's on his way back now is he" he said looking over his shoulder, then turning back to the Mutt "you hear that train whistle sooner than it hears itself" he said with a smile.
A man was sitting in the cab of a huge steam locomotive. He was leaning out the window, looking at the track ahead. Two kids are seen in a meadow, and they wave to him. The man in the cab waves back.
Back in Shining Time, the kid was putting up all his painting utensils. Then the man who was driving the train walks up to the sign, looking around. "Fine work Patch" he said to the kid.
"Thanks" said Patch as he put the last of the painting utensils in a bag on the side of a horse. Then he walked to a map that was lying on the bench in front of the sign. "Oh, I've been looking at your map. What are these mysterious shadowy lines doing on it? They look like strait railroad tracks, but, I can't see any tracks around here, except the ones that you travel on" Patch said to Billy.
"It's a mystery, it's what makes this land so" Billy began. "Magical" finished Patch. Billy gave him a smile that said "yes". "Well, I'd better be off to Muffle Mountain; I promised Mr. Stone that I'd clean out his yard today" said Patch as he got on the back of his horse. But Billy gave his a curious look "does Burnet Stone every give you a smile" he asked. "No, but he doesn't bother my horse earthier. Which means I don't think he's a bad man, I think he's just, sad" he replied, then he rode off on his horse.
I didn't know that in Muffle Mountain, there was a secret that Burnett had shared, only with his childhood friend, Tasha. (Burnett is seen walking through a small tunnel into an open space. There was a locomotive on the left, and in the right corner, there were two big wooden doors). "One day Tasha, a magical girl will appear with a magical engine. I'll have to take care of her. And one day, I'll get to drive the engine, and I'll take you with me" said a young Burnett. "Promise you will Burnett, Promise" asks a young Tasha. "I Promise" said young Burnett. This engine, and what was behind those doors, were vital to the magic that held these worlds together, but only Burnett knew that.
Back at Shining Time, people were walking around, reading, and waiting for their trains. At the front desk, a woman was looking over papers, and then the phone rang. She reaches under the desk, pulls out a phone, and answers it. "Hello, Shining Time manager Stacy Jones speaking. Oh yes, the ten fifteen from Pelican Falls to Shining Time is right on schedule" she said as she took a fish bowl from a boy and put it on the desk. After putting the phone up, he got on the announcer.
"The ten o'clock from Louses Leaf is leaving now" she announced. Then Billy walked up to the desk. "Oh Billy, I found this child's drawing in an old locker in the lost and found. Look as the signature Billy… Burnett Stone. It's hard to believe Burnett could have every looked that happy" said Stacy showing Billy a very good drawing of a boy playing near tracks that led to a set of buffers. "Oh Burnett had a wonderful smile, and he loved railroading too" said Billy as he looked at the picture.
Back in Muffle Mountain, Burnett was looking over the dust covered tank engine. Then he heard a noise from the tunnel. He turned around and shinned his flashlight at the noise, and standing there was Patch.
"How did you find me here" Burnett asked. "I found the entrance to your workshop ages ago, but I would never tell anybody" he assured. "See that switch on the wall, flip it on" he said motioning to the light switch. So Patch flipped it on, and the whole room lit up. Patch gasped, Burnett was standing near a beautiful tank engine. It was purple with a gleaming funnel, golden side rods, and on the side of the water tanks, the word Lady was written in Gold Lettering. Patch ran up to it "I guessed there was something mysterious about this Mountain" he said to Burnett. "Yep, all mountains have their secrets Patch, shouldn't surprise a kid like you" he said as Patch stared at the engine.
But then Patch looked at the two doors that were in the corner opposite the engine. "What's behind those doors" he asked. Burnett looked at the doors, and then at Patch. "Can you keep what's behind there a COMPLETE SECRET" he asked. "Of Course Mr. Stone" Patch replied. "Well, alright then" he said, and he took a key out of his pocket. He walked over to the door, put the key in the lock, and opened the door.
Patch and Burnett walked into the small circular room. Inside was a table, and on that was what looked like a glass coffin. It was covered in dust. "What's this sir" Patch asked, approaching the coffin. Burnett took a cloth out of his pocket. He then wiped away the dust from the top part of the coffin. Patch gasped, inside was a beautiful lady. Patch looked at her closely, he could tell she was about fifteen; she also wore a purple top that stopped below her chest. She also wore a long purple skirt, along with a small diamond above her chest, with a long piece of purple fabric going around her sides. Then there was a golden whistle around her neck. (See TAF-Lady on DeviantART).
"Wow, who is this" asked an amazed Patch. "This is Lady" said Burnett as he looked at the girl in the coffin. "Why is she locked up" Patch asked. "She isn't; she's safe from harm. Long ago, I made a mistake as Lady's guardian. An evil man found Lady, and threatened to kill here. She used her engine to get away, but that man also had an engine. He chased her, and her engine's coal was used up. Made her push her engine to the limit, and then they crashed. Lady wasn't badly injured, but by then the man had caught up to her. Then he took her, and did… unspeakable things to here. He left her for dead, but then I found her. I brought here home, and hopped that she would wake up. But after what that man did to her, she got a disease. Because she is magical, here body put here to sleep until the cure for the disease could be injected. So until then, she has been put in this coffin to keep her safe. But, I still haven't been able to find the cure. And I haven't been able to make up for the mistake I've made. Patch, she's as precious as gold" said Burnett as he placed a hand on the coffin.