Chapter 5: Ulfstead Castle & the Steamworks

Hey Everyone! BlueTornado3275 here with another chapter of Thomas and Friends: Amber's Journey. Hmm… Not much to say here so I'll meet you at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!

"Why! Why is Diesel 10 after me? Just because I'm from another world that he's sworn revenge on, why is he after me?" I was losing it. Toad spoke up.

"If I may say Miss Amber, it was just some rocks on the Ulfstead Castle Hill. If it was Mr. Oliver who crashed would I blame it on another engine?" he glanced at Oliver.

"Would I?" Oliver rolled his eyes. I laughed slightly. Toad smiled happy to have cheered me up.

"Hop in Amber. We need to get Rocky before we go to Thomas. I'm sure Toad would love the company." Toad grinned. I jumped in Toad and we hurried to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre (Boy! What a tongue twister!) to fetch Rocky.

…

"Um. Could I have a little help? Please? Hello?"

Thomas was sitting on his side halfway down the hill. He was sitting near Stephen's mine. He had hit some rocks on his way down and had slid into the bushes. The trucks were giggling hysterically.

"Oh shut up you imbeciles." He grumbled. He was about to resort to crying went he heard a low pitch whistle. He saw Oliver coming around the bend with Rocky and Toad. He smiled.

"About time! I was about to beat these trucks silly!"

…

Rocky began to lift Thomas. It wasn't even so Thomas was put down to try again. After about five time I got bored. I looked around for something to do. I looked up the hill toward the castle.

"I don't think Mr. Thomas and Mr. Oliver would mind if you had a look around the castle while we get Mr. Thomas on a flatbed." I looked at Toad.

"Ok. Let Oliver know to whistle for me when you get Thomas on the flatbed then.

"I think we will need to go up there anyway so we can turn around. But yes. I'll let Mr. Oliver know." I smiled.

"Thanks Toad."

I started to walk up it when someone cursed. It must have been Thomas because he must have been dropped again. I reached the top and walked in the castle gate. It was amazing! The castle itself was cool but the gardens were really cool. The station was huge and there were rails going in all directions. I jumped up to the platform as a blue narrow gauge engine came around a bend and into the station. I recognized her as Millie from King of the Railway movie. She whistled as she came in.

"Zat's it folks. Ze tour iz over. You may explore ze gardens or ze castle on your own if you want." She was saying with a thick French accent. The passengers hopped off and headed for the castle. Millie looked at me.

"Are you here for a tour? I can take you around ze castle if you want." I smiled.

"No. I'm just here to explore a bit. I don't need a tour but I could use a map."

"Right. If you go over zer you can get one."

"Thanks." I walked off in the direction that Millie had sent me. I ended up in the main castle. I walked around taking pictures and learning more about Sodor's history. As I was walking out of the castle I saw Stephen and the Earl of Sodor looking over the ledge near the mine. I walked over.

"What are you looking at?" The Earl swung round almost falling backwards over the edge. He stopped himself by grabbing Stephen's buffer.

"Well my dear, I am watching the red crane trying to lift Thomas out of the shrubbery. But their doing it so awkwardly." I peeped over the edge and sure enough Rocky was still trying to lift Thomas out of the bushes. I sighed.

"Well maybe you should go down there and assist. You could be the key to getting them out of the pickle."

"Maybe I should. Come along Stephen! We have work to do!" He jumped up onto Stephen's footplate and ushered me to hop on as well.

…

"Left a bit. Right a bit! Little bit more. There you go!" The Earl helped Rocky finally get Thomas onto the flatbed.

"Hurray." Thomas said. His voice was literally dripping with sarcasm. I watched on from the bushes where Thomas just was. I sighed and started to walk over to Thomas was.

I didn't get far.

I was grabbed from behind and yanked into the bushes. I was about to cry out when I came face-to-face with the oily pirate. Diesel 10 smirked.

"I'll never catch you" hey? What do you call this then?" I sighed. True he had me in his claw and no one had seen me go into the bushes but I knew I'd escape. I did last time didn't I?

"Where's the lost engine girly? I know you know. You're from Twinkletoes' world so you've gotta know. Don't you?"

I was about to chuck some random remark at him when a train of trucks came out of nowhere. They slammed into Diesel 10 which made him drop me. He was pushed into the boarded up entrance to the mine. The force of the trucks hit the wall and a whole lot of rocks fell down and blocked the entrance. I gasped for air. I could have sworn I heard Diesel 10 swear in there but I wasn't sure. It was muffled.

I watched as the train was pulled back out of the bushes. I followed it and guess who was at the back of the train pushing it.

Ryan.

"Who changed the points? It's dangerous. Thank goodness no one was down there." I snorted. Then it evolved into a hysterical laugh. Diesel 10 had been foiled again… by Ryan.

"Oh Ryan. Thank you again. You saved me again." I walked up to him and gave him a pat. He blushed brightly.

"I… Uh… Oh. Ok then. No problem." He then continued to push the trucks up the hill to the castle. Oliver puffed to Amber.

"We'd better get to the Steamworks now. Thomas is pretty bruised and he's complaining."

"I need to get fixed up. I can feel the wind in my boiler!"

"Can I knock him one Mr. Oliver? He's driving me crazy!"

"For the last time Toad. NO! He may need to be awake for Victor to fix him." I shook my head. I jumped in Toad again and Oliver, Thomas, Rocky and Toad headed down the hill (Yes. In that specific order (Now I sound like Death the Kid!)).

…

"Ok. What happened now my friend?"

Victor rolled up to his buffers near the turntable in the Steamworks. Oliver puffed up to the turntable and Thomas was lifted up into the air. I jumped out of Toad and Oliver reversed out of the Steamworks with Rocky and Toad. I waved goodbye and turned to look around. The Steamworks was (Again) amazing. I wondered around, looking at all the wonders of the place. Victor rolled up to me and spoke.

"I'm assuming that you are this "Amber" girl I've heard about, no?" I nodded. "Well. Welcome to the Steamworks." There was a crash in the background. Victor's eye twitched.

"Kevin. Did you just drop something again?" Kevin, a yellow crane on wheels rushed up to us. As he turned to stop his wheel's slipped out from underneath him. He toppled over onto his side.

"Ow. Sorry boss." He smiled weakly. Victor rolled his eyes.

"Hey. I don't suppose you could fix me instead of talking? That would be much appreciated!" We heard Thomas call out from the beams that was holding him up in the air. Victor sighed and puffed back to Thomas. I helped Kevin up and he raced back to work.

…

The next day.

Thomas was repaired and we were back at Knapford. Tonight was the night of Alicia Botti's performance. Thomas was getting Annie and Clarabell to get a coat of paint to take a special train to the performance later tonight. I was left on the platform. I was looking through my photos that I had taken during my trip. I was currently looking at a picture of Matt and myself in front of the Statue of Liberty. I was mimicking the statue and Matt was pulling a funny face. I laughed at him. I hadn't talked to him since I got my train to Shining Time. He was probably worried sick. I heard Gordon coming into the station so I looked up. He pulled in looking very proud of himself. The passengers hopped off and scurried around the platform. I watched them with fascination. It was funny. I turned around to go find Thomas when I heard the clicking of a bike. It sounded so familiar. A lot like my bike. I swiveled around to find the source of the noise. I saw no bikes with any of the passengers. I listened for the clicking sound. It was gone.

"What? Where's the…?" I was hugged from behind. I broke out of the hug and swung around. I punched the person in the face as I swung round. He fell to the floor knocking a bike behind him over with him.

My bike! It was my bike. I looked at the boy who I had punched.

"That's a funny way to say hello." He said as he got up. I gasped.

It was Matt!

Matt is back! What? Did you really think I created him just as a single crush of Amber did you? Well if you did you were sorely mistaken. How did he get to Sodor? Well you see he… Hah. Like I'd tell you. You have to wait for the next chapter to find out! See you all next Chapter!