Chapter 8: The Arlsdale Railway

Hey everyone! BlueTornado3275 here again with another TAFAJ chapter. I really like you guys so here's another chapter already. I love how this story has 1,037 views and I only started this story at the start of February. Sorry if you feel as if I have abandoned Sonic Skyline. I haven't abandoned it but I just am so excited about this story. I love it too much. So without further ado let's do it to it!

I rode my bike as fast as I could. I had missed Thomas again and no engine had appeared to take me with them. I raced around the corner narrowly missing a chicken that was eating some seeds that Farmer Mccoll had dropped. I rode alongside the railway for a bit before leaving it to face another hill. I groaned. Hills are the worst when riding a bike.

…

I rode into Knapford as Gordon pulled out with the express. I screeched to a stop as Bertie pulled out of the car park. I gasped for air. I knew riding my bike was good for me but this was ridiculous. I sat on a seat on the platform. I was catching my breath when Edward rolled in. he saw me gasping for air.

"Missed Thomas again I see Amber." I looked up and nodded.

"Worst… huff. Of… all… Phew. Matt… didn't wake…oof. Me up to… go." Edward smiled.

"If you're looking for something to do today I could always take you with me. I'm heading to Arlsdale Junction today to get some wool. Would you like to come with me?"

"Hell yeah. Much better to go there than sit around here doing nothing."

…

"Hey Matt. I feel so much lighter. Did we forget something?"

"Nah. Nothing is missing in here. It can't be too bad."

…

Edward and I pulled up to the Arlsdale Junction. There was a big contraption that looked like some form of shelter. It looked like something that and engine would chuff up to dump ballast or something.

I was startled by a small red engine that puffed past with a train of trucks. I looked at him when everything fell in place. It was the small engines, Mike, Rex and Bert. I'd read about them in the Small Railway Engines book by Wilbert Awdry. Mike raced up the steel contraption and stopped.

"Hello Edward! What are you here for?" Edward smiled.

"I'm after the wool Sir Topham Hatt ordered. Have you got it?"

"We sure do! Rex. Bring up the wool to the "chute."

Rex, a small green engine pushed some trucks up to the "Chute" as they called it, that Mike had been sitting on. Once he was above it workmen unloaded it into Edward's trucks. Bert, a small blue engine rolled up with some of his coaches. I watched as Rex rolled back down to the ground and stopped. He saw me watching on and smiled.

"You must be Amber." Mike and Bert imminently puffed over to have a look.

"Whoa. It is too" Bert marveled.

"She's as pretty as they say." Mike said.

There was a honking noise and a grey diesel came tearing through the junction at top speeds. He braked but didn't stop in time. He slid right past the three small engines and crashed through the buffers. He sat there for a moment eyes spinning wildly. Mike groaned.

"Frank. You do know there's a speed limit through here don't you? You need to stop breaking it every time YOU COME INTO THE YARD!" He shouted. Frank whimpered.

"But Mike. You said that Amber was here. I didn't want to miss her. I wanted to see how pretty she was." Mike groaned again. I watched as Mike went to the turntable, turned around, came back, pulled Frank back onto the rails and took him to one of the sheds. There I could hear Mike shouting at Frank about how much of an idiot he was. Rex sighed.

"Don't worry about them. As you can see they get along like two peas in a pod. If peas hated each other." I laughed. Edward had an idea.

"Amber. If you want something to do today why don't you have a look around the Arlsdale Railway? I'm going to take this train to the factory and then I'll head to the China Clay Pits to keep Bill and Ben out of trouble." Rex and Bert agreed. I nodded.

"Sure! Let's go!"

I hopped out of Edward and he steamed off. I walked up to Rex. I was taller than him by a long shot. He laughed.

"Hop in giant. Let's go get Mike and Frank and go." Once we managed to separate Mike and Frank, my Arlsdale adventure began.

…

We headed up the line to go to Arlesbough. We stopped at Arlsdale Green so I could look around. After that we continued on. On the way Frank over heated and we had to wait for a repairman to come because Frank wouldn't let us leave without him. That took a while because the repair man had no other way to get to them from Arlesbough because Frank wouldn't let them leave. Once that was out of the way we continued on our journey. Mike and Rex told me stories about their adventures and mishaps. Frank biffed Mike when he told me about the shed incident. That sparked another argument between the two and it went on until we reached Ffarquhar road. I was starting to get sick of the two fighting so I decided to put an end to it.

"Mike! Frank! Shut up! You're driving me nuts!" The two actually shut up for the rest of the trip. As we pulled into Arlesbough Harbor I breathed in the sea air. It was great. Mike whistled happily.

"Carful Mike. You might blow off your whistle again." Rex snickered. Mike scowled. Bert laughed. I hopped off Rex and stood at the station. I looked out to sea. I was about to tell the small engines that I was going to have a look around when there was another whistle. An ochre engine puffed up to the group. I recognized him as Jock from the book Jock the New Engine. Jock came to a stop in front of the other engines.

"What are you lot up to now? I heard there has been no sight of you four today and I have pulled three trains of ballast to the "Chute." Why are you lot slacking off?" While Jock was scowling them I took off to explore Arlesbough. I walked through the shopping streets of town looking for something to do. As I was walking around I passed a shop that sold jackets, I did a double take. Inside was Mr. Conductor. He must have been getting a new jacket of getting his old one fixed. I walked into the shop and up to Mr. C. he saw me and smiled.

"Hello Amber. How have you been?" I smiled.

"I've been fine. But I do have questions though." Mr. C looked at a timer on the wall.

"I have ten minutes until my jacket comes out. Ask away."

"Why are you real? In my world you're just a fictional character in a movie. But you were apparently in Burnet Stone's workshop when Matt came to Sodor." Mr. C smiled.

"I'm real because of the something special you have. I was created when you got it."

"Ok. That brings me to my second question. What is the special something?" Mr. C sighed.

"I suppose I should tell you. You probably won't work it out before Diesel 10 gets you." I was taken aback.

"Diesel 10 won't catch me. I have friends that help me. They've helped me escape from…"

"Yes but what happens if he somehow blocks them from getting to you?" I sighed.

"Ok then. What is the special something?" Mr. C pointed at me.

"It's your amber necklace." I pulled my necklace off my neck. I looked at it. Nothing special about it. Just normal amber.

"It may not look like it but that isn't amber. It's the Gold Dust Cocoon." I looked closer. I still didn't see anything.

"Inside the cocoon is the reincarnation of Lady. She can only be awakened when the Sodor Prophecy is fulfilled. The prophecy is that when Sodor is visited by specific real world girl she will awaken. The Gold Dust Cocoon must be placed at shrine on the highest point of Sodor to be awakened properly. Then she can protect the island once more."

I stood there thinking. There was a ping and a lady came out of the back room. She gave Mr. C his jacket. Mr. C paid for the repair and faced me again.

"So where is the highest point of Sodor Mr. C?" He smiled.

"That, will be something you will have to find out yourself. I will see you later Amber." And with that he was gone in a puff of gold dust again. I stood there. My mind was in overdrive.

"The highest point of Sodor? Where's that?"

…

"I have no idea Amber. I've only been on these rails and back."

I was back with the small engines on the way back to Arlsdale Junction. This time I was riding with Jock. Mike, Rex, Bert, Frank, and Jock had no idea what to make of the Sodor Prophecy. None of them had even heard of it before. As we pulled into Arlsdale Junction I saw Thomas and Matt sitting by the "Chute". Thomas had a worried to his face.

"There you are Amber! We were worried. Once we realized that you were missing we went everywhere trying to look for you. We checked all the branch lines, all the factory's and harbors and we even asked the little engines if they had seen you." When Thomas said little engines something triggered in my mind.

"Of course! The Skarloey Railway engines go pretty high up into the mountains! Maybe they can help me!" Matt was puzzled.

"Help you with what?" I told them the whole story. They were amazed at my discovery. Thomas was extra happy because if they reincarnated Lady he could talk to her again.

As we were talking I had a thought. Matt was the one who had bought me the so called amber.

"Hey Matt. Where did you get the amber from anyway?" Matt shrugged.

"A magic shop. The lady there said it was for a special girl and I thought she meant special as in a special friend. That's all."

I smiled. Frank seemed very excited for some reason.

"What are we all waiting for? Let's gooooo!" And he took off in a direction to who knows where.

"Frank! Look out for the…!" Frank's wheels left the rails and he fell into the turntable well. He sat there with his eyes spinning again.

"Turntable." Mike finished. Everyone laughed. Even Frank.

Finished! Well that was good. You guys get two chapters today. As for Frank I haven't read the Small Railway Engines book in a long time so I couldn't remember what Frank's personality was like. So I made him a hyperactive engine who always rushes through things. Also I did say that the special something would be announced in style. I hope it was in style. For now see you all next chapter where Amber is going to the Skarloey Railway. Please read and please please please! Review. I enjoy reading your comments and theory's. They're awesome!