Thomas and Friends: Lost in Sodor

by Nova Rose 1222001

Shining Time Station... what a strange name for a station that was forgotten for many years, and yet it is remembered by those who adored the station itself. However, a young girl with long natural blue hair stepped into the station and discovered that there was more than just an abandoned station.

34. Human Complications

Diesel 10 continued moving further and further into the woods as Pinchy was holding onto something inside, glancing around to see if anyone or any engine was following him.

When he was far enough in the woods, Diesel 10 stopped moving, and Pinchy moved downward, dropping Stephanie onto the ground as she landed on her side.

"Alright, Bluey," Diesel 10 spoke as Pinchy moved upward but loomed over Stephanie as she flinched, looking startled. "Tell me all 'bout these Dusts you are using."

Stephanie scrambled back as Diesel 10 moved forward, saying, "Come on. Pinchy won't bite unless I command."

Pinchy snapping a little caused Stephanie to flinch before quickly reaching into her garments and taking out her Dust Whistle as she moved back.

"Where are you going?" Pinchy grabbed Stephanie's ankle and dragged her back toward him, and Stephanie panicked as she fumbled with her whistle. "You can't escape from-"

Stephanie whistled the Dust Whistle, and Copper Dust came out, startling Diesel 10 and Pinchy as it released Stephanie's ankle, lifting up a little as the Copper Dust swirled around them.

After the Copper Dust swirled around Diesel 10 and Pinchy, the Copper Dust disappeared, and Diesel 10's driver was sitting on the ground with a confused expression before a light groan came from someone else.

Stephanie sat up from where she was as a humanoid shape slowly moved upward, and Pinchy moved up, glancing around.

"Ow," a familiar voice groaned as a pair of light topaz-yellow eyes opened. "Why do I feel like I got smacked with a truck?"

Then they glanced down as the vision switched to someone else's, seeing that the railroad looked too close.

"Hey, why does the-?" the voice asked before pausing when a left hand moved forward before the hand flipped to the palm. "Huh?!"

Pinchy then moved to the right side, clicking and making confusing noises.

"Pinchy, why are you-?" the voice asked, sounding more confused and a little scared before glancing at Diesel 10's driver. "Driver? Why are you out of my cab?"

"Okay, 10," Diesel 10's driver spoke, speaking to the person. "Reach up to your head."

The vision switched to normal, showing what looked like a human Diesel 10, who is muscular and has fair skin, short light brown hair, and light topaz yellow eyes.

He wore a long-sleeved dark ochre yellow turtleneck shirt, overalls the same color as his paintwork, and black boots.

His right arm was replaced with Pinchy, while his left arm was normal, but Diesel 10 looked confused.

"What do you mean reach up and-" Diesel 10 did what his driver told him and instantly stopped talking after feeling his hair. "What the-?!"

He looked back at his hand and exclaimed, "I turned into a human!"

Stephanie winced after realizing she had made a somewhat mistake before flinching when Diesel 10 grabbed her shoulder with his left hand and demanded, as Pinchy hovered over her, "Okay, Bluey, what did you do?"

"Stephanie?" Diesel 10 flinched after hearing a voice call out and winced, realizing someone was looking for her. "Stephanie, where are you?"

Not wanting anyone to see him with Stephanie or in his new form and get into bigger trouble, Diesel 10 scooped Stephanie up in his single arm and over his shoulder, saying, "Okay, save that for later!"

He attempted to stand up, but his legs wobbled underneath him as his driver stood up, exclaiming, "Slow down, 10! You haven't gotten used to your legs!"

But Diesel 10 only wobbled forward as fast as he could while carrying Stephanie over his shoulder, taking one step before the other, although he kept tripping here and there.

Seeing Diesel 10 would not stop and listen to him, Diesel 10's driver followed him as they went further into the woods, and Thomas passed by where they were, calling, "Stephanie? Stephanie?"

---

Diesel 10 continued running through the forest with his driver following behind him, stumbling and tripping over his feet, which caused him to tumble a little, but he did not collapse on his front as he rushed through.

He soon sees the Dieselworks and instantly heads towards that place since it could be safe for him, stepping inside with his driver following behind, panting from having to run after him.

He may be human, but he is still fast for being one and quickly got used to his newfound feet quicker than expected.

Diesel 10 looked around before placing Stephanie down as she landed roughly on her side, but he stumbled and landed on his knees, luckily not landing flat on his face as Pinchy clacked a little, moving to Diesel 10.

"I'm fine, Pinchy," Diesel 10 huffed between his pants as something was beating against his chest, making him uneasy. "I just didn't expect how a human body can't handle that much running!"

"Well, that's how a human can handle," Stephanie responded with a shrug before flinching when Diesel 10 glared.

He turned to Stephanie as he slowly moved back up to his height and angrily hissed, "Alright, if you don't change me back, I'll-"

"Diesel 10?!" Diesel 10 flinched after hearing a familiar voice exclaim and glanced over, seeing a surprised Diesel.

There were even the other humans, and Diesel 10 instantly blushed, standing up although wobbling because of his lack of getting used to his new form.

"Wha' happened t' ye?!" Sailor John exclaimed, looking around at Diesel 10's new appearance as Diesel 10 stood there irritated.

Then the others started to snort with laughter a little, now seeing it was Diesel 10, and by how different he looked, he only looked like a normal angry human!

"It's not funny." Diesel 10 hissed.

But Diesel burst out laughing after Diesel 10 hissed, seeing how ironic it was and how funny it looked too.

"Hey, shut up!" Diesel 10 snapped as Stephanie smirked at Diesel's laughter.

But Diesel continued laughing with a few snorts here and there as Bernie asked, "What happened to you, 10? You turned into a human!"

"Nah, you think?" Diesel 10 huffed before turning to Stephanie and hissing, "Turn me back right now, or I will-"

"Calm down," Stephanie spoke, interrupting Diesel 10. "I can change you back using Gold Dust."

"Good," Diesel 10 sighed. "Use it now."

"Well, I would." Stephanie paused as Diesel 10 looked confused. "But I ran out of Gold Dust."

"You what?!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "How are you out of Gold Dust?!"

"Well, I was helping many people!" Stephanie responded with a light huff. "Besides, the only way to get Gold Dust is to walk to Muffler Mountain to dig for some or get back to Sir Topham Hatt's mansion since I had collected some earlier."

"Wait, really?" Diesel 10 perked up after Stephanie explained. "What happened to Lady?"

"She's fine," Stephanie assured. "It's just that there are," she paused. "You know what? Let me show you instead."

Stephanie took Diesel 10's arm and started walking towards the entrance, and he exclaimed as Pinchy shot outward and grabbed a metal pole, "Wait, wait, wait! I can't walk out there lookin' like this!"

"You look normal," Stephanie assured with a shrug. "Besides, you'll know what a human feels like."

"And I'm startin' to hate it!" Diesel 10 barked as Diesel laughed with wheezes. "Will you shut it, Diesel?!"

"What?" P.T. Boomer snorted. "You don't look bad as a human."

"Aye, ye look much better as a human, too!" Sailor John nodded as the others were laughing along with Diesel.

"Oh yeah?" Diesel 10 hissed as Stephanie gently made Pinchy release the metal pole. "Transform into a boat, and we'll see who's talking!"

"Right now," Stephanie chuckled as she pushed Diesel 10's back with her hands, which startled him with how hard she pushed. "You're coming with me!"

Diesel 10 groaned after Stephanie remarked as he heard Diesel call, "Have fun!" before laughing like a Troublesome Truck.

He followed Stephanie as they reached the road, causing Diesel 10 to look confused.

"What are we doing near the road?" Diesel 10 asked.

"We can't just walk to Knapford like you did," Stephanie chuckled as Diesel 10 frowned. "We're taking a bus, or if we are lucky, we can meet-"

Just as she was about to mention 'Ace,' something yellow and white sped towards them before screeching to a halt as Diesel 10 instantly flinched.

"Theah ya ahah!" A familiar voice exclaimed. "Weah weah ya?! I seahrched all ovah the bloody place fawr ya 'n ya weren't-"

It was Ace, and he paused after seeing Diesel 10 next to Stephanie and asked, "Um, Steph? Wo's this?"

"This Diesel 10," Stephanie responded with a tug of his arm as Ace's eyes widened for a second before snorting. "He had a little Dust problem I used on him."

Then Ace started bursting out in laughter as Diesel 10 snarled, and Ace was wheezing as his driver tried to contain his laughter.

"Ya turned him into a human?!" Ace roared with laughter. "Oh my god, this is the best thin' I av evah seen!"

Pinchy snapped forward as Ace moved back from Pinchy, and Diesel 10 hissed, "Will you stop it?! It's not funny!"

But Ace just laughed as Diesel 10's cheeks flustered with embarrassment at what happened to him as Stephanie giggled.

"Ace?" Stephanie spoke, trying to get Ace's attention. "Ace, can you do us a favor?"

"Su-Sure!" Ace roared with laughter. "Dya need," he paused as he wheezed. "A ride?"

"Yes, please," Stephanie nodded as she took Diesel 10's hand. "To Knapford, please."

Ace nodded as his passenger seat doors opened, and Stephanie scooted in before saying, "Come on in, 10!"

Diesel 10 groaned as he stepped in, although he was a little cramped because of his large body.

Pinchy was on his lap to be a little comfortable, and he closed the door as Stephanie scooted back for him to fit.

Once the two were in the back seat, Ace drove off as he headed over to Knapford but was still laughing because of human Diesel 10.

Meanwhile, Bertie was driving down the road peacefully when Ace went by, laughing and snorting.

"Ace?" Bertie asked as he slowed down next to him. "What are you laughing about?"

"Y-You'll see!" Ace responded with a snort before taking off. "See ya at Knapfawrd!"

Bertie looked confused as Ace left with roars of laughter and headed to Knapford.

Ace soon reached Knapford and opened his passenger doors, allowing Stephanie and Diesel 10 to step out, as Diesel 10 looked a little shaken up from the drive.

He was used to driving himself but had never been on a bus before.

Gordon, Thomas, Emily, Hiro, and the others were at Knapford when they noticed Stephanie as she perked up when they entered the station.

"Hello!" Stephanie greeted the engines with a smile as Diesel 10 stiffened but was not hiding like some coward, but Pinchy hid behind his back. "I brought Diesel 10 with me!"

Everyone flinched after Stephanie told them and started glancing around frantically, looking afraid, along with the humans.

"What?!" one human exclaimed.

"Where is he?" another asked.

"Why did you-" Thomas asked before being cut off by Stephanie.

"Calm down, everyone!" Stephanie assured the confused people before taking Diesel 10's arm. "He's, ah, right here."

She mentioned Diesel 10 with a hand, who blushed a little as Pinchy moved away from hiding behind his back, and the pieces instantly clicked for the group.

Along with bursts of laughter from everyone, including humans.

"You got turned into a human!" Henry laughed.

Diesel 10 felt embarrassed as everyone around him laughed, including Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel.

"It's not funny," Diesel 10 growled as Stephanie giggled. "You too."

Diesel 10 scowled at Stephanie as she giggled, saying, "It's not my fault for someone scaring the bejesus out of me."

Diesel 10 blushed more after Stephanie remarked, as Sir Topham Hatt looked confused, and he asked, "How on Sodor did you transform Diesel 10, one of the most dangerous diesels, into a human?"

"Copper Dust," Stephanie responded with a smile as Diesel 10 smirked a little from the line 'dangerous diesels.' "I used it before on Mike and Diesel to help them."

"Wait, Diesel went through this?" Diesel 10 exclaimed.

"Yes," Stephanie nodded with a smirk. "Happened while stuck on Shining Time too."

"That little-!" Diesel 10 exclaimed before Stephanie grabbed his overall strap and tugged him down to her height.

"Easy," Stephanie assured as she stared back into Diesel 10's eyes. "I know you're a little peeved because you were turned into a human, and I'm out of Gold Dust, but we'll work together since you have Pinchy here." Stephanie knocked her first finger's knuckle against Pinchy's metal. "Besides, I do need a stronger person to help me."

"You could've asked Marion or one of the diggers from Jenny or Bob's team," Sir Topham Hatt explained as Stephanie released Diesel 10's overall straps as he stood back to his height. "But why Diesel 10?"

"Accident," Stephanie shrugged. "He was the one who grabbed me out of the blue when I was wandering around Sodor."

Sir Topham Hatt looked at Diesel 10, who shrugged with an 'I have no idea' expression, not wanting to get into more trouble than he was already in.

Mostly lying to Sir Topham Hatt that he was the one who attempted to scare Stephanie, but since how many years he had been working for Sir Topham Hatt, he must have seen through his lie.

"Now," Stephanie said as she turned to Diesel 10. "Let's first get to the mansion to check if I've collected any of them."

"By driving there?" Diesel 10 groaned, not wanting to experience another ride to the mansion.

Although he had never been to a mansion before, he did not know what to say next, as Stephanie always dragged him around.

"No," Stephanie chuckled. "I've done that before." Diesel 10 perked up after hearing Stephanie mention that as she walked over to Sir Topham Hatt's office door. "I have another idea."

Diesel 10 huffed before hearing a meow, glancing down in confusion as he saw a black and white cat with what looked like a doll on its back.

Stephanie glanced over and smiled, kneeling to the cat, and said, "Hi, Notches."

The cat, Notches, walked up to her and rubbed its body against her leg as Diesel 10 watched in confusion.

That is the same cat and doll Diesel 10 somewhat met when they were attacked by the Black Zodiac when he was trying to 'destroy' the gate.

"Oh, Diesel 10," Stephanie spoke, scratching Notches' head. "His name is Notches, which is because of his ears and Lucy on his back. Be careful with them, they," she paused as Notches hissed at Diesel 10 as the doll, Lucy, glared. "Don't trust you."

Diesel 10 only huffed after watching them glare and hiss at him, not bothered much about them as Notches stayed next to Stephanie as she asked Sir Topham Hatt, "Do you mind if I borrow your office's door?"

"Of course," Sir Topham Hatt nodded before turning to Diesel 10 with a serious expression. "Diesel 10. What did I tell you about kidnapping people?"

"Sir," Diesel 10 argued. "I didn't expect Bluey-"

"Her name is Stephanie," Sir Topham Hatt glared.

"Yeah, Steph, to have a whistle and transform me into a human!" Diesel 10 finished. "What's next? She has some transforming powers?"

Stephanie looked at the reader with an unamused expression as Sir Topham Hatt said, "That is what you get for kidnapping her and trying to stop what she is doing."

She opened the door and poked her head in, seeing it was her room, as she stepped inside, leaving it open as Sir Topham Hatt continued, "For now, you're going to stay with Stephanie until she transforms you back to normal and not attempt to do it again."

"That was the basic idea, sir," Diesel 10 spoke before noticing that his office looked different. "Wait a minute."

He poked his head into the office door and noticed it looked like a room, watching Stephanie searching through her items.

Diesel 10 blinked a few times with confusion and looked in the office window, seeing it was right there.

But no one was walking through it as Stephanie did as Pinchy moved in, concluding nothing was happening.

"Either I'm seein' things, or this is one of those weird magic things," Diesel 10 muttered as he shook his head, stepping back.

Sir Topham Hatt also looked inside and noticed the same thing, saying, "I thought it only worked on your room's door, Stephanie."

"Well, it does work on other things, too, sir," Stephanie gently chuckled. "I think it works on items that are door-like. For instance," she paused before mentioning a drawer, saying, "Like a drawer!"

Diesel 10 looked confused as Sir Topham Hatt nodded with interest as she stepped out, closing the door behind her before opening it as it was back at the office.

"Well, it seems like I did forget to collect Gold Dust," Stephanie sighed. "And to add, something to keep them all in one place, so it looks like we're going to go to Muffler Mountain to get some."

"Are. You. Serious." Diesel 10 groaned before being blown with steam from Thomas directly at him.

"Be nice, Diesel," Thomas spoke with a huff.

Diesel 10 snarled before Stephanie reached over and pinched Diesel 10's arm from the fabric, saying as she released as Diesel 10 winced, gently rubbing it with Pinchy, "Excuse me? Can we focus on the point instead of bird walking?"

She reached up and grabbed his overall strap, gently tugging him away from the station and to Tidmouth as Diesel 10 followed.

Once she walked away, the others returned to snorting and giggling as Gordon remarked, "I think he's going to spend a little longer as a human."

"I hope so," James laughed. "It looks funny now he is all human."

"But he does still have Pinchy," Toby pointed out. "Now he is human, I think he is more dangerous towards humans than us."

"Yeah, what is he going to do with Pinchy?" Percy giggled. "Pinch us?"

Toby rolled his eyes as the others continued laughing, knowing they would know what he meant later.

…But he worries about Stephanie's sake of being around a dangerous diesel-err, human.

Toby could only hope that Stephanie had some tricks underneath her sleeves to trick Diesel 10 from pulling any stunts at her.