Diesel 10 hates waiting as he sits in a chair in the Dieselworks, impatiently tapping his fingers on the arm.
It took a long time for him to wash the mud off his body, learn a few things, and, well, he had to be careful with Pinchy.
Luckily, Diesel 10's clothes were washed and dried at the right time to get dressed, though it was hard for him to learn that with only one arm.
Then, Benjamin took him back to the Dieselworks to wait for Stephanie… Diesel 10 wanted to be turned back to himself, but Bluey was not at the Dieselworks now!
Diesel 10 growls as he stands up, hissing, "Where is she? She promised to return here with Gold Dust!"
"Calm down, 10," Benjamin, Diesel 10's driver, told him. "She will come sooner or later. Besides, you're not dried off fully."
Diesel 10 groaned as he reached up to his hair, feeling it with his fingers as it was semi-wet, asking but mostly whining, "How long can it dry?"
"Depending on your hair," Benjamin spoke. "It can take a few minutes or more hours."
Diesel 10 groaned after Benjamin responded, crossing one arm over his chest while Pinchy drooped as if it was sighing.
Sailor John then entered the Dieselworks, and Diesel 10 huffed, seeing that it was not Bluey, as he adjusted his collar from hiding his face.
"How did fishing go?" Benjamin asked.
"Still nah goin' well." Sailor John responded with a huff. "Missed one o' the buses, but that same little girl helped me."
Diesel 10 perked after Sailor John mentioned 'little girl' and asked, "Wait, you saw Bluey?"
"The kid wit' blue hair, pointed ears, 'n a cat 'n a doll? Aye." Sailor John nodded. "She was goin' t' Suddery, but she missed the bus too, 'n she used some strange magic t' take us both thar."
"You've got to be kiddin' me!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "She went all the way to Suddery?! What is she doin' over there?!"
"Besides that," P.T. Boomer spoke. "She used another type of magic? What kind was it?"
"She drew a door out o' thin air wit' jus' her finger 'n when she opened it, 'twas t' Suddery." Sailor John explained.
P.T. Boomer had never heard of that magic, while Diesel 10 huffed, "That's it! I'm going to go find her!"
"Now, hold on a minute, 10!" Baz exclaimed. "You barely know anything about what humans can do!"
"Yeah, you're not a diesel anymore either," Bernie nodded.
"So?" Diesel 10 stubbornly exclaimed. "I want to change back so I can work again! Standin' around doin' nothing is boring!"
P.T. Boomer rolled his eyes as she said, "Alright, I'm helping you so you don't make a fool out of yourself. But that means we're going to need help getting to Suddery."
"Like what?" Diesel 10 asked, looking confused.
Bertie the Bus soon arrived at Suddery and opened his door, allowing everyone to step off, including P.T. Boomer and Diesel 10.
Diesel 10 was a little dizzy and uneasy as he stepped off Bertie the Bus, but he kept it to himself as he followed P.T. Boomer.
"Alright," P.T. Boomer nodded. "Stephanie has to be around here somewhere unless she already went to another place."
Diesel 10 slightly groans after P.T. Boomer mentions it, not wanting to be on a wild goose chase and be stuck in this form for a while.
So P.T. Boomer and Diesel 10 wandered around Suddery to search for Stephanie, walking past people who came to enjoy the beach and holidaymakers.
They noticed Diesel 10 behind P.T. Boomer, and they all stared at him, looking confused and startled to see a human Diesel 10.
Diesel 10 feels embarrassed with people staring at him like he is some kind of new attraction, but he wants to find Stephanie, so he keeps following P.T. Boomer while looking around.
There was still no sign of Stephanie as they reached the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre, looking around before stopping, not wanting to go onto the rails to get themselves into danger.
"Well, Stephanie isn't around here," P.T. Boomer sighed. "Unless she went onto Misty Island for some reason."
"Let's go to Misty Island then!" Diesel 10 urged impatiently. "She got to-"
Diesel 10 suddenly froze after feeling a slight twinge of pain in his midsection, causing him to wince as he placed a hand on his belly while Pinchy perked.
"10?" P.T. Boomer perked after noticing Diesel 10's face. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," Diesel 10 groaned. "But something feels weird."
P.T. Boomer turned to Diesel 10 and was about to ask another question when he heard what sounded like a low growl.
"Oh!" P.T. Boomer perked. "You haven't eaten anything in a long time."
"What?" Diesel 10 looked confused. "What do you mean 'eat?' Diesels-"
Another low growl caused him to blush with embarrassment as he winced slightly from the feeling and the noise.
"Again, you're not a diesel anymore, 10," P.T. Boomer reminded him. "Let's get you something to eat before you become hangry."
Diesel 10 looked confused and a little irritated, but that strange growling feeling coming from his gut was too much for him, so he reluctantly followed P.T. Boomer.
They walked back through the city as Diesel 10 followed, still impatient about not having a chance to find Stephanie and taking their sweet time, but that weird feeling was enough to make Diesel 10 wait.
P.T. Boomer entered a store while Diesel 10 waited outside, sitting on a bench to wait for him, already feeling more impatient by the minute.
From the corner of his eye, Diesel 10 thought he saw Bluey and perked, standing up slightly from where he was sitting, but he groaned after seeing it was just a different kid wearing a blue sweater.
Another growl came from his midsection, and Diesel 10 groaned, already hating that noise coming from his gut, while Pinchy moved close to him, gently making noises of worry.
"I'm fine, Pinchy," Diesel 10 assured, patting Pinchy's head. "Just tryin' to get used to this."
Pinchy made more noises as Diesel 10 patted Pinchy's head, but hoped to himself that Stephanie was on Misty Island after getting rid of that growling noise from him.
P.T. Boomer finally arrived from the store with a bag in his arm before walking over to Diesel 10, asking, "What did you get, Boomer?"
"Since I don't have much," P.T. Boomer explained as he reached into the paper bag after sitting beside him. "So I got some sandwiches, drinks, and fruit for you. I already got something else earlier."
Diesel 10 shrugged after P.T. Boomer explained to him, reaching into the bag with his hand and taking out one of the sandwiches wrapped in plastic, seeing it was two pieces of bread with green leaves and what looked like a yellow substance with white things.
"What is this?" Diesel 10 asked, looking a little disgusted at what he held in his hand.
"That's an egg salad sandwich," P.T. Boomer explained. "It's the only sandwich at a low price I can afford."
Diesel 10 looked confused and hesitant after P.T. Boomer explained before noticing he would have trouble opening the sandwich and asking, although a little embarrassed, "Can you help me open it?"
P.T. Boomer nodded and did so as Diesel 10 waited, still uneasy about eating something that did not look right.
After P.T. Boomer opened the plastic wrapping and handed the sandwich to Diesel 10, who took it back but was still hesitant about eating such a weird thing.
But he was hungry, and it was food compared to human standers, so he took a bite, chewing it with a weird expression.
"What's wrong?" P.T. Boomer asked, noticing his expression.
"It tastes weird," Diesel 10 responded. "What's in it?"
"Eggs," P.T. Boomer explained. "Mayo, mustard, paprika, lettuce, and white bread."
Diesel 10 looked back at the sandwich in his hand and at P.T. Boomer, saying, "It sounds weird, it tastes weird… but it's food for you?"
"Yes," P.T. Boomer nodded.
Diesel 10 gives a 'Hmm.' after P.T. Boomer answers his question and continues eating, not wanting to return the sandwich because he was mainly hungry.
It was like taking oil… but he doubts it would work on a human body.
Yet again, he can not intake sugar in a diesel's body since it would freeze his motors, so he is not complaining.
Diesel 10 soon finishes the sandwich before moving on to the next food item, taking out what looks like those apples Farmer McColl would take to the market.
He even saw how people eat apples, so he attempted… but was startled at how stiff the apple was at the first chomp.
P.T. Boomer had to stifle his laughter at how ridiculous Diesel 10 was to the apple, but he successfully got a chunk before chewing thoughtfully.
It was a little hard, but it had a juicy taste that piqued Diesel 10's curiosity as he took another bite, still trying to get over the biting part.
"How is the apple?" P.T. Boomer asked.
"Crunchy," Diesel 10 responded, his mouth a little muffled from the apple chunk. "Are all apples like this?"
"Depending on the apple," P.T. Boomer responded. "There's sometimes no happy medium for apples, and some can get moldy over time if nothing happens to them."
"Really?" Diesel 10 perked, almost done with the apple, confusing P.T. Boomer that he is eating the whole apple but does not mention it since he was engrossed in it.
"Yes," P.T. Boomer nodded. "Accidentally bit into one when I was much younger after picking it out of a tree," he shuddered. "It tastes really disgusting."
"Hmm," Diesel 10 remarked as he finished the apple, using the back of his hand to wipe some of the juice from the corner of his mouth.
"Hey!" Both Diesel 10 and P.T. Boomer flinched after hearing someone exclaim and glanced over, seeing it was Ember, holding what looked like a camera in her hands.
"Ember?!" P.T. Boomer exclaimed, placing the bag down and standing up. "What are you doing here?!"
"I'm looking around Sodor, silly!" Ember chuckled. "It's incredible!"
She turned around to take a picture of the scene before looking at the picture as it came out from the camera, looking excited as P.T. Boomer asked, "What are you doing with that camera?"
"Taking pictures of Sodor!" Ember exclaimed. "I knew Sodor was real, and I want to show it to my friends!"
"Wait, wait, wait," P.T. Boomer spoke, not noticing Diesel 10 getting into the bag to see what else was there. "You're going to prove to everyone in Shining Time that Sodor is real?"
"Not everyone," Ember answered. "Just my friends, that's all! They're part of the Sodor Mythogical Team, or S.M.T., where we find mysteries of Sodor and make theories of it."
'Great, one of those 'conspiracy theorists.'' P.T. Boomer silently griped to himself as Ember turned her attention to Diesel 10, who was trying to figure out how to open the water bottle one-armed.
"Wait," Ember perked after seeing Pinchy and the same style of Diesel 10's outfit in his paintwork. "Isn't that the same diesel?"
"My name is Diesel 10," Diesel 10 responded with a sigh. "And-"
"Oh my gosh!" Ember leaned close to Diesel 10 as he flinched, moving back as Pinchy jolted back too, startled when she looked close to him as the camera dangled around her neck. "What happened to him? I-Is this part of Sodor's magic?!"
"Ember!" P.T. Boomer hissed, grabbing the back of her jacket and yanking back with a huff. "Don't get too close to him!"
Ember grabbed Diesel 10's cheeks as he stiffened as she looked around him, muttering, "How is this possible? How did he manage to do this? Does this happen to-"
"Can you let go of my face?" Diesel 10 asked. "You have freezing cold hands."
"Sorry!" Ember blushed as she moved back from him after realizing what she was doing. "I didn't mean to scare you like that, Diesel 10."
"You can call me '10,' Ember," Diesel 10 responded as Pinchy picked up the dropped water bottle like a trained dog and held it. "And Stephanie did this to me accidentally."
"Who's 'Stephanie?'" Ember asked.
"Stephanie is Sir Topham Hatt's 'kid,'" P.T. Boomer quoted with his fingers as he explained to Ember. "She's the wielder of a Dust Whistle, which allows her to use different kinds of Dusts."
"Slow down a minute!" Ember exclaimed as she made the 'time out' mention with her hands. "What's 'Dust?' And how can a kid hold that much power?!"
"She'll explain once we go find her," Diesel 10 explained as he stood up. "I think I got my fill with the food and," he paused as Pinchy moved close to him, dropping the water bottle in his hand. "Good job, Pinchy."
Ember looked curious about Stephanie and asked, "Can I come with you two to find Stephanie?"
"Ember," P.T. Boomer was about to speak, but Diesel 10 spoke up before he could continue, "Sure, you can help spot her! She has long blue hair, pointed ears, and-"
"Blue eyes?" Ember perked, and Diesel 10 nodded. "Oh, yeah! I did see her?"
"You did?!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "Where did she go?"
"Past the rescue center!" Ember pointed. "She entered that strange tunnel."
"So she did go on Misty Island!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "Why can't she just come to the Dieselworks as promised?!"
"Is there something between him and Stephanie?" Ember asked, whispering slightly to a silently irritated P.T. Boomer.
"Somewhat," P.T. Boomer silently groaned. "She used a Dust that transformed him into a human, and Gold Dust is the only way to turn back, which she has with her."
"Oh!" Ember perked. "Why didn't she use it?"
"That's because she ran out," Diesel 10 explained as they headed towards the Misty Island Tunnel. "She promised to get some after I… had a horse problem and got myself covered with mud," Diesel 10's cheeks flustered with embarrassment as Ember and P.T. Boomer looked confused. "I had to go to my driver's house to get cleaned up and grew impatient waiting for her."
"Ah!" Ember perked with a kind smile. "Good thing I come across you guys! I want to learn from you guys about Sodor!"
"Great…" P.T. Boomer scoffed with a roll of his eyes as they approached the Misty Island Tunnel.
But they suddenly felt something lurking from within the Misty Island Tunnel that caused them to feel uneasy.
"Um," Ember spoke as she gripped the camera. "Does anyone… have that same feeling?"
"What? No," Diesel 10 gruffly responded, trying to cover his nervousness, but Pinchy showed it slightly with some trembling. "L-Let's just enter the tunnel, search the island, get her, and get out."
So Diesel 10 was the first to enter the tunnel before P.T. Boomer and Ember followed behind, entering the tunnel after Diesel 10.
The tunnel went dark, and all three started to become nervous, glancing around in the darkness as they stayed together.
"I hope no Nightmares come out from the darkness," P.T. Boomer remarked.
"What Nightmares?" Ember asked, sounding confused.
"Nightmares are creatures that roam around Sodor," Diesel 10 explained. "They're shadow-like creatures that attack anything breathing and will come from shadows like the Misty Island Tunnel we're in."
"And we just entered the tunnel without thinking it?!" Ember exclaimed.
"Don't worry," Diesel 10 assured the best he could. "I got Pinchy, and P.T. Boomer got his whistle."
P.T. Boomer elbowed Diesel 10's side sharply, which caused him to grunt slightly before something shadow-like moved in the darkness, causing all three to jolt.
"What was that?!" P.T. Boomer exclaimed.
Diesel 10 instantly went in front of the two as he glanced around through the darkness, waiting for any Nightmares to suddenly appear as Pinchy was prepared.
Ember got her camera ready to take pictures but was nervous while P.T. Boomer searched around in the darkness, his hand hovering over his shirt's collar to take out his whistle.
"Hello?" All three jolted after hearing a voice and glanced in front, seeing Stephanie appearing from the shadows with Lucy and Notches on her shoulders, looking confused before perking after seeing the three. "Boomer? Diesel 10? What are you doing here?"
She paused after noticing Ember and asked, "And who is this?"
"This is Ember," Diesel 10 briefly responded before reaching over to her, taking her wrist, and pulling her close to him. "Explainin' later because-"
"Cccceeeettttuuuussss…" All four flinched after hearing a voice suddenly speak in the darkness before Diesel 10 scooped Stephanie in his arm and exclaimed, "Nope!"
Ember and P.T. Boomer ran with Diesel 10 through the tunnel, glancing around as the shadows suddenly started to move on their own like they were getting closer.
There was a light at the end of the tunnel, so they made a beeline toward it as Ember took a picture in the darkness, hearing what sounded like an exclaim as they exited the Misty Island Tunnel.
After exiting the tunnel as it was almost sundown, Diesel 10, P.T. Boomer, and Ember slowed down after coming out and stopped to take a break, panting as Diesel 10 placed Stephanie down.
"What were you thinkin' of going through the tunnel?!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "You could've gotten hurt by an incoming steamie!"
"I'm sorry!" Stephanie exclaimed. "I was going to return to the Dieselworks after making a cabinet for collecting Dust, but I lost track of time and got nervous about the tunnel. I'm sorry I didn't-"
"Slow down, honey," Ember spoke, putting her hands on Stephanie's shoulders as she stopped talking. "You were on Misty Island to make a cabinet?"
"Yes," Stephanie nodded with a small smile. "The cabinet I was borrowing was too small to hold all the Dusts I collected, so I went to Misty Island to carve one for myself. Then I used the leftover jobi wood to make other things, losing track of time."
"Oh, honey," Ember softly cooed as she gently cupped her cheeks. "It's okay. You were trying to finish what you started and completed the others." then she paused and asked, "How did you learn woodworking?"
"I self-taught myself!" Stephanie perked with a smile before noticing Diesel 10. "Why didn't you wait for me at the Dieselworks?"
"I came searchin' for you!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "I got impatient waitin' for you!"
Stephanie blushed a little with embarrassment before P.T. Boomer asked, "How much Gold Dust did you use?"
"Not much," Stephanie responded with a smile. "It's just enough to help Diesel 10 return to normal."
"Finally," Diesel 10 huffed. "Use it now."
Stephanie nodded and took her Dust Whistle out from her shirt, changing the symbol from Bronze to Gold as Ember perked after seeing the Dust Whistle in her hand.
Stephanie was about to blow the whistle when something from the Misty Island Tunnel emerged and grabbed Stephanie, causing her to shriek as a swarm of what looked like Nightmares laughed as they ran down the railroad carrying Stephanie.
"Hey!" Diesel 10 exclaimed as he chased after the group. "Give her back!"
"10, wait!" P.T. Boomer called, chasing after Diesel 10.
Ember followed behind as she carried her camera with her before noticing a picture had come out and looked at what it was.
She perked after seeing what looked like four eyes and a shape of a creature lurking in the darkness with a toothy grin across its face.
It did not look like those creatures that grabbed Stephanie and ran away with her, but the creature's look made Ember curious.
So she placed the picture into her bag before chasing after the group, still confused about everything but will save the questions for later.
After Ember ran off, the same pair of eyes opened and watched Ember run off before the smile widened a little before disappearing into the darkness.