Jackson was worried as he walked back and forth on the platform of Knapford, wondering to himself about Stephanie.
First, it was the magic railroad closing after Stephanie and P.T. Boomer were magically whisked away after entering.
Then it was Stephanie almost being attacked by Nightmares roaming around Sodor!
This place was too dangerous for her sake, and Jackson needed to take her back home before anything else happened!
…But the problem is that Jackson does not know how to take a train to where Sir Topham Hatt lives.
Does he even allow people over at his home?
"Excuse me?" After hearing someone's voice, Jackson flinched and glanced over, seeing one of those sentient vehicles looking at him. "Is there something wrong?"
"Uh, n-nothing!" Jackson stammered, on the edge of physically seeing a sentient train talking to him. "I'm just waiting for someone."
"Really?" the sentient train asked. "Who are you waiting for?"
"My adoptive sister, Stephanie," Jackson explained as he ran a hand through his hair. "I heard the news about her being attacked by Nightmares. I don't even know what those are!"
"It's best if you don't," the sentient train sighed. "But don't worry! Stephanie will come soon."
"But what if those things started to come out attacking her again?!" Jackson exclaimed as a large grand sentient train appeared, and he glanced over.
The coach doors opened, and a familiar blue-haired girl stepped out, revealing to be Stephanie herself.
"Stephanie!" Jackson ran over to her and embraced her in a hug that caused her to flinch. "Oh my god, you're okay!"
He released his hug around Stephanie as he scolded her with his hands on her shoulders, "Don't ever do that to me ever again!"
"I'm okay, Jackson," Stephanie assured him, gently patting his arms. "I'm fine! Scoop and his friends saved me at the last minute."
"Who's 'Scoop?!'" Jackson exclaimed.
"A friend," Stephanie explained, assuring her worried adoptive brother. "I'll explain everything now that we are reunited."
"That is perfect," Jackson nodded, taking her hand. "Let's go to the apartment to discuss it."
Stephanie nodded in agreement as she followed Jackson to his car, and she glanced over at Thomas and the others, looking concerned for them.
Jackson drove Stephanie over to his apartment and stepped inside, unlocking the door, and he allowed Stephanie inside as she had Notches and Lucy on her shoulders.
"Uh, Stephanie?" Jackson spoke, noticing the doll and the cat as he pointed at them. "Where did you get the cat and doll from?"
Stephanie smiled as she took the moving doll from her shoulder and said, "Lucy is my friend-slash-Guardian of the Zodiac Gates, and Notches is my pet cat."
"Wait, what?" Jackson spoke. "A guardian and a pet cat? How is that possible? And what are the 'Zodiac Gates?'"
"Let me explain then." Stephanie smiled as Jackson noticed the stitched mark on her shirt's left side of her collar. "Lucy is part of the explanation too."
"Okay." Jackson slowly nodded, still slightly bewildered at how the doll moved independently.
So Stephanie sat at the dinner table with Jackson across from her, telling him about her adventures, and Jackson listened with shock.
Stephanie managed to defeat the Black Zodiacs that towered over her height, has a secret string ability that she can use to defeat the Nightmares permanently, and even has a staff she can use for magic.
Jackson was slowly digesting everything as Stephanie rambled with amusement about what she had encountered, even meeting criminals on Sodor who had done dangerous things in their pasts!
How is Stephanie so calm with all these dangers?!
She even told him about her second ability to see ghosts, which Jackson does not believe in, as he just listened to Stephanie tell him.
"And that's what's happening on Sodor," Stephanie smiled as Notches was on her lap. "Are there any questions?"
Jack stared at her with confusion and surprise as he exclaimed, "You went through all that while I was in Shining Time searching for you?!"
"Yes," Stephanie nodded as her expression turned to confusion.
"Oh my god," Jackson groaned as he pinched his nose bridge underneath his glasses. "You went missing for just a few months and came back from a supposed magical land where sentient engines roam freely?!"
"They work with humans," Stephanie said, assuring her worried adoptive brother. "But I think they do roam around freely."
"And you are interacting with other people, including engines, who are criminals?!" Jackson continued.
"Yes, but no," Stephanie responded. "They are still figuring out what I am doing, so they're a little ahead of me."
"Stephanie," Jackson said, his attitude changing to seriousness. "You can't be calm about all this happening! There are Nightmares, Black Zodiacs, and those people you explained! What would happen if one of them killed you?!"
Stephanie opened her mouth to respond as Jackson continued ranting, "Not to mention the supposed 'magic' you mentioned! You're only ten years old and carrying around many dangerous things!"
"It's not dangerous!" Stephanie protested before pausing. "When they get into the wrong hands, yes, but I am being careful with them!"
"I don't care how careful you are with them," Jackson sighed. "It's dangerous for you! Everything around here is dangerous!"
"It's-" "Stephanie," Jackson interrupted as Stephanie stared at him with confusion and shock. "We can't stay here. We're going back to Shining Time and forgetting all about this."
Stephanie instantly stood up from her chair after Jackson said, exclaiming startled Notches and Lucy as she slammed her hands on the table, "NO, I AM NOT GOING TO SHINING TIME!"
"Stephanie, calm down!" Jackson argued back as he stood up from his seat. "Shining Time is your hometown and-"
"It's not anymore!" Stephanie shouted. "I," she paused as she gritted her teeth. "It's not the same anymore! Sodor is my hometown! It's better here than there!"
"Stephanie!" Jackson shouted as Stephanie continued, "I want to stay here! I don't care if you have to grab me by the ankles and drag me. I am staying here!"
Jackson and Stephanie stared into each other's eyes, and Stephanie's was filled with seriousness with a hint of fear and anger, while Jackson's was filled with anger but with a hint of confusion.
But Jackson sighed after staring at Stephanie and responded, "Fine! We'll stay in Sodor. But if anything happens to you, if this 'magic' happens, or if anyone attempts to hurt you, we are heading back to Shining Time. Understand?"
Stephanie hesitated as she glanced away from Jackson as he asked, repeating, "Do you understand, Stephanie?"
"Yes," Stephanie responded as her hands were gripped. "I understand, Jackson."
"Good," Jackson nodded. "Pack your things and move into my apartment to-"
"I'm staying at Sir Topham Hatt's mansion," Stephanie coldly responded, interrupting Jackson's sentence. "I don't want to move here."
She roughly picks Notches up from the table with Lucy, carrying them as she says, "I'm leaving now. It was nice talking to you."
Jackson stayed silent as Stephanie opened his apartment door and slammed it shut behind her as he sighed.
"What happened to you, Stephanie?" Jackson asked, mostly asking himself why Stephanie was behaving differently.
Ms. Richards was not having much time over where she was either, having a little of a culture shock of her own with the world's differences.
The Earl of Sodor, Sir Robert Norramby, was polite enough to give her a room to stay in, but everything around her was a little shaking for her to become familiar with.
Even the sentient vehicles scare her whenever they appear, but she keeps herself from hiding behind someone and just steels her nerves.
They were even kind towards her, greeting Ms. Richards and bidding her goodbye whenever they passed by her.
"Ms. Richards?" Ms. Richards flinched after hearing a voice speak and glanced over, seeing Sir Robert Norramby standing behind her with his hands behind his back, asking, "Are you alright?"
"I'm a little shaken," Ms. Richards responded, pushing her glasses into place. "I heard many stories about Sodor being a myth, but here I am! On Sodor!"
Sir Robert Norramby chuckled a little after Ms. Richards exclaimed as she continued, "But I never heard stories about Sodor having sentient vehicles around!"
"I'm right here." Stephen chuckled as Ms. Richards blushed a little.
"Ah, sorry," She apologized as she stepped back a little from Stephen. "I didn't see you appear."
"It's quite alright," Stephen chuckled. "I used to be nicknamed the 'Rocket' back when I was a much younger steamie."
"I know." Ms. Richards nodded. "You were the first steam engine to be created, which sparked many ideas from other creators, and the Age of Steam rolled in."
Stephen blushed after Ms. Richards explained, saying, "Ah, sorry. I tend to do that when I'm a little nervous."
Sir Robert Norramby chuckled as he said, mentioning the castle entrance with his hand and arm to her, "Do you mind if I give you a tour to learn about Sodor's history?"
"Why, of course," Ms. Richards nodded as she took his arm. "Lead the way, please, Sir Robert."
Stephen looked surprised to see Sir Robert Norramby and Ms. Richards link arms together and watch them enter the castle together as Glynn puffed up next to him.
He noticed Stephen's surprised expression and asked, "What's wrong, Stephen?"
"I don't believe this," Stephen remarked as he glanced at Glynn. "It seemed like the Earl of Sodor was starting to like Ms. Richards."
"He is?" Glynn perked up, looking just as confused and surprised as Stephen was.
"Yes," Stephen nodded. "Let's keep this between us, right?"
"Right." Glynn nodded.
Suddenly, the smell of brimstone went through the air, causing both engines to sniff with confusion as the passengers looked confused.
"Erm, Glynn?" Stephen spoke as he glanced over at Glynn. "Are you burning something that is giving off that smell?"
"No, I don't think so," Glynn responded. "You, Stephen?"
"No," Stephen shook his head before joking, "Unless we have a dragon here."
"Don't be daft!" Glynn exclaimed after Stephen joked. "There's no such thing as dragons!"
Walking almost near where Ulfstead Castle was, Stephanie was walking down the road with Notches and Lucy in her arms as Notches exclaimed, "Stephanie! Lose your grip! You're squeezing us!"
Stephanie stopped walking after hearing Notches exclaim and placed them both down, saying, "Sorry! I didn't mean to squeeze you two like that."
She clenched her hand as she said, "I was just angry that Jackson wanted to-"
"It's okay, Stephanie," Lucy assured. "He was just a little overwhelmed with everything you explained to him."
She placed her hands on Stephanie's hand as she continued, "Give him some time to loosen a little, and he can see Sodor through your eyes."
Stephanie softly smiled after Lucy calmed her down before watching her suddenly move her hands away with a faintly pained expression.
"What's wrong?" Stephanie asked.
"You're hot!" Lucy exclaimed.
Stephanie looked confused as she felt her hands, feeling nothing except some sweat coming off her palms.
"I don't feel it," Stephanie responded with confusion.
Notches sniffed the air before wincing, adding, "Why am I smelling brimstone?"
A worried expression appeared on Stephanie's face after hearing 'brimstone,' saying, "Ah, is there such a thing as dragons around here?"
"No," Lucy responded. "Only through the Zodiacs, not in real life."
"Oh, okay," Stephanie nodded as she carefully scooped the two up. "Let's get out of here since I don't trust that brimstone smell."
"Good idea." Notches nodded in agreement as he climbed onto her shoulder and into her hood.
Strangely, Stephanie's body temperature had decreased slightly to a normal, comfortable, warm temperature, and the brimstone smell faded slightly.
Lucy sat on Stephanie's shoulder as Stephanie continued walking, feeling confused about the brimstone smell and the slight heat change in her body.
Is that also part of the secret abilities she has?