Chapter 4

Meanwhile, in Muffle Mountain, Burnett was pushing a small wooden steam engine across his work bench.

"Tasha, the Conductor family said a wonderful lady will appear one day to run their railroad. The railroad has wonder energy because of her. But an evil man wants to kill her, and without her, the conductors' universe will vanish. The man with the sparkle told me that one day, one of his family will return, but until then, to guard her well young burnet" said young Burnett to Tasha.

Burnett looked at the painting behind him; it was of a beautiful lady walking over a flower covered hill at sunset. A purple tank engine could be seen in the back ground. "But I didn't guard you well" said Burnet as he looked at the painting. "I just, don't understand, about… about magic anymore" he said as he turned back to the wooden engine.

"This is where Burnet's granddaughter, Lilly, comes into our story. She lives with her mom and dad in the big city, a few hours train ride from shining time. She sees magic no one has time to; like lovely reflections of lights on a rainy day. Soon, she was off to stay with her grandpa, on Muffle Mountain."

Lilly and her mom were walking down the wet sidewalk towards their home. "Grandpa's been so sad since grandma Tasha died, and he never comes here to see us" said Lilly to her mom. "Well maybe your visit will cheer him up" said her mom with a warm smile "didn't you say you were going to get him a gift"?
"Yep" said Lilly as she pulled something out of her pocket "I'm making him a friendship bracelet". "Honey that's beautiful" he mom said with another smile. "But I'd rather just stay here with you" said Lilly with a small frown. "Oh, come here" said her mom, and she gave Lilly a hug.

When the hug was over, Lilly pointed towards the fire escape. "I'm going up this way" she said to her mom. "Okay" said Lilly's mom quietly. So Lilly ran over to the latter and started to climb. "See you in a minute" said her mom as she entered the building.

When Lilly had reached her apartment deck, she took a small toy blue bird out of her pocket. "You're coming with me to grandpa's bluebird, I know how much you like to travel" he said to the toy bird. She then looked up at the grey sky.

"Far away on Sodor, Thomas and the others were confident, cheerful, and determined not to be bothered by D10."

At Tidmouth sheds, Thomas, Henry, James, Percy, and Toby were talking. "Only James, who now could take his engine out, was complaining".

"Wobbly wheels" he said angrily as he swept dirt off his engines footplate. "Puffy Pistons" said Thomas, who was near the sheds with his engine; he had to collect coal cars.
James turned to him "Thomas, you and me both know that I should have collected Mr. Conductor". Then Gordon's engine revered down a siding near the shed. When Gordon hopped out, he walked over to Thomas.

"James is right, little Thomas. Collecting Mr. Conductor is an important job; important is big, and James is big and has a big engine" said Gordon. James smiled when he heard this. "Meanwhile, you Thomas are small, small, small, teeny, weeny, weeny, even your engine is small" said Gordon as he patted Thomas on the head. "Oh please, and just what are you then" asked Thomas as he swatted Gordon's hand away. "Well, I am a BIGGER, STRONGER teenager, that knows much more than you. Ha, ha, ha" laughed Gordon as he got back in his engines cab.

"Bossy but, what right does he have to call me little" said Thomas as he reversed his engine back onto the cars.

Toby could see Thomas getting angry, so he decided to change the subject. "What's important is to stand up to Diesel 10" he said with a smile. "Toby is right; we need to make shure he behaves. He knows that the lost lady in the legend really exists" said Henry. "What Lady" asked James? "What legend" asked Percy? "Of a lady who's magic makes here more powerful than D10 would ever be, that's why he wants to find her" said Henry. "Then we better find her first" said Percy. "Leave it to the big guys Percy" said James, and he pulled his engine out of the sheds.

"Hey, Little Guys can do be things; that's what my Grandpa Awdry always told me" said Thomas.

Then Percy spoke up "Where's Edward, he would probably know something". "Your right Percy, but I haven't seen Edward all day" said Henry. "I'll just call him" said Thomas, and he pulled out his cellphone. He quickly dialed Edwards number.

Meanwhile, Edward was in the cab of his engine when his phone rang. "Hello" said Edward. "Hey Edward, its Thomas". "Hey Thomas, what's up" asked Edward. "We want to know, where are you" Thomas asked. "Didn't I tell you, STH has asked me to take him and Lady Hatt on vacation? I'm getting extra pay for this" he said happily. "Oh, well congratulations. Anyway, we were wondering if you could tell us anything about the Lost Lady" asked Thomas. "Well besides the part that everyone knows, I do know that she has something to do with Mr. C" said Edward. "Well, that is something, anyway, thanks Edward" said Thomas. "No problem, see ya in a week" said Edward, and he hanged up.

"So where is he" asked Percy. "He's taking the Hatts on vacation" said Thomas. "Oh, well did he tell you anything about the legend" said Toby. "Just that, somehow, it has to deal with Mr. Conductor" said Thomas.

What Thomas and the others didn't know was that Splatter and Dodge and their engines were in a shed close to the others. "Hey, just watch was happens to that blue puffball" said Dodge. "When Harold the flopper copper flies past here" said Splatter. "Right" laughed Dodge.

And right at that moment, Harold's helicopter came close to the sheds. "Routine fly by chaps, hello" said Harold. "Whirly head" said Percy.

But Splatter and Dodge were laughing. "The boss dumped sneezing power everywhere" laughed Dodge. "Let's start laughing now" laughed Splatter. "Yeah" laughed Dodge.

Soon Harold had come a little too close to the ground. White dust flew everywhere, coving Thomas and his engine. "Oh sorry fellas, bit of a dust up, love to stay and clean up, but, got to go, bye now" said Harold, and his helicopter hurried away. But when it did, it blew dust onto Splatter and Dodge. "Uh did you mean to look like that" asked Splatter. "Uh, no" said Dodge. "Yeah, neither did I" said Splatter.

Thomas quickly pulled his engine away "this must be D10's doing" then, he started to sneeze wildly.

Meanwhile, at Knaphord Station, Mr. C was in STH's office. He was ready a letter he had left for him. "Dear Mr. Conductor, where were you? My wife said she couldn't miss our little holiday. We'll telephone to make shure you have arrived, signed, Sir Topham Hatt" read Mr. C. He put the letter down and thought "Sir Topham Hatt" he said with a rough voice. Then, he noticed one of STH's spare hats. He took off his conductors hat, took STH's hat, and put it on. He picked up a mirror and said in a deep voice "where were you". Then he laughed and looked over at the poster with STH on it. It was giving him an angry look. He quickly took off the hat, and the poster gave him a confused look. Then he put it back on the rack and the poster smiled.

Suddenly, the telephone rang. Mr. C reached for it, up instead he tripped, hit a picture, and fell to the floor. He caught the picture and answered the phone.

"Hello" said the man on the phone. "Oh, good afternoon sir" said Mr. C as he got up. "So what's it like being in charge of a railway" asked STH. "A real honor sir, like my family before me" he said, and then he put the picture back. "And how is Lady Hatt" asked Mr. C. "Very nice, she's enjoying the vacation" said STH. "Now remember to watch out for D10" said STH. "Watch out for D10 definitely" said Mr. C. "And remember to keep an eye on Henry's engine, it's been having problems again" said STH. "Keep an eye on Henry's engine certainly" said Mr. C. "And finally, always remember the three r's" said STH. "Yes sir the three r's; reading, writing, and arithmetic" said Mr. C. "WHAT, that's not the three r's" said STH. "Sorry, I mean; I will be responsible, reliable, and really useful" said Mr. C. "Very good, keep up the good work" said STH. "Yes sir, we will all get a good night's sleep, looking forward to a hard day tomorrow" said Mr. C. "Right, well I must be off, were almost at our destination" said STH. "Goodbye Sir" said Mr. C. Then he hung up and walked out of the office.