Stephanie walked towards the left side of the beach with Notches and Lucy on her shoulders, away from the people playing in the sand, heading towards the rocks where there were tide pools and a different part of the beach.
She was different from the type of person entering a crowd, so she headed towards the left part, where few people were around.
Stephanie switched her pants for loose black tights before arriving at the beach and paused when she reached the tide pools.
She sat on a log as Notches hopped off her shoulders and onto the log while Lucy rode his back, holding onto his collar like she was using reins.
Stephanie rolled her pants legs up to her knees, and there were scars trailing around her legs as Stephanie rolled the other one before popping her shoes and socks off.
Once her shoes and socks were off, Stephanie placed them into her bag and stepped into the sand, feeling the heat from it slightly, causing her to move up a little but place it back down.
Notches hopped off the log to follow after Stephanie, but when his paws hit the sand, he lifted one paw and shook it before shaking the other after taking a step forward.
Stephanie chuckled after seeing Notches shaking one paw after the other while following her and stepping onto a large rock from the sand, which acted like a path as Notches followed, shaking his back paw to get sand off and then the others.
She walked between the tide pools along the cliffside as the ocean waves gently splashed against the rocks, getting raindrops on them, but Stephanie was not bothered.
Stephanie peered inside one of the tidal pools and looked at the sea life inside them, along with the other things that had been swept up and left inside them.
Not wanting her sleeves to be soaking wet, Stephanie rolled them up to her forearms, which had more scars around them and showed some bones from underneath her flesh.
After rolling her sleeves, Stephanie peered back into the tidal pool, and the sea creatures disappeared when Stephanie poked her head over the ledge but slowly returned when she did not disturb the water or attempt to grab any of them.
Stephanie looked through the tidal pools with curiosity, wondering what was in them as she carefully searched around.
There were miniature crabs inside the tidal pools as Stephanie continued looking around, gently picking up a rock and glancing underneath before moving on to the next.
There were even small octopuses in some of the tidal pools as Stephanie continued walking through the small area, seeing barnacles coating the bottom with seaweed and small pools along the path.
Stephanie continued slowly walking through the path of tidal pools as Notches followed behind, avoiding the pools of ocean water to not get his paws wet.
They soon exited the tidal pool area and came across a large area covered with rocks that ranged from small to large.
Curious, Stephanie continued walking and looked at the rocks around her feet, sometimes pausing to bend down and look at some of them.
After bending down again, she noticed something among the rocks and picked it up, seeing it looked like a rock… but blended together to make a cross shape.
"Notches," Stephanie spoke as Notches walked up to her, shaking a paw to get sand out from between his toes. "What type of rock is this?"
Notches looked and perked, exclaiming, "You found a fairy stone?!"
"What is a 'fairy stone?'" Stephanie gently questioned.
"A fairy stone is when two rocks blend together to make a cross shape, which is the small rock in your hand, Stephanie," Lucy explained excitedly. "There is a legend behind those types of stones, too."
"What is the legend about?" Stephanie asked.
"It is said that long ago, fairies inhabited a specific, quiet, and remote region in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains," Lucy explained, telling the legend as Stephanie listened to her. "The fairies roamed freely, enjoying the beauty and serenity of that enchanted place. One day, the fairies were playing in a sunny glade when an elfin messenger arrived from a faraway city bearing the sad news of Christ's death."
Stephanie perked up after Lucy mentioned 'Christ,' continuing to listen to Lucy as she continued telling the legend.
"When they heard the terrible details of the crucifixion, they wept," Lucy explained. "As their tears fell to the earth, they crystallized into little stone crosses. Though the fairies have long since disappeared, the little stone crosses, known as 'fairy stones,' remain as mementos in that enchanted spot."
Stephanie looked at the stone in her hand and asked, "How did they come here from the Blue Ridge Mountains?"
"Magic," Lucy shrugged. "Some people here said that Sodor's magic is related to your world's magic, which brings strange beings from across the world here to spend time with others."
"And it is considered lucky for someone to discover a fairy stone," Notches added. "Sometimes it would be lucky to see a fairy appear before you, too."
"Wow," Stephanie said with amazement. "Then, would I be able to see a fairy since I found a fairy stone?"
"You could," Lucy nodded. "It's best to keep that fairy stone with you as a memento of your search."
Stephanie nodded and placed her bag down but paused when she noticed something in the sand sticking out slightly.
She reached over with a hand and took it out, seeing it was a rock with a medium-sized hole in the middle.
"What about this one?" Stephanie asked, showing the rock to Notches and Lucy.
"That's a hag stone!" Lucy exclaimed. "How are you so lucky?!"
"I don't know," Stephanie shrugged before looking at the hag stone. "What's the legend behind the hag stone?"
"They are powerful talismans, Stephanie," Notches explained. "If worn or carried, they can protect the wearer from curses, hexes, negative spirits, and harm. They can even prevent nightmares if strung over your bed or underneath your pillow."
"And you can see Fae Folk and otherworldly entities if you peer through the hole," Lucy explained. "But if one of them is broken, it has used its power to protect a life."
Stephanie looked curiously at the hag stone in her hand, wondering how many she could find on the beach.
She smiled a little as she reached into her bag, took two small drawstring bags from inside, and opened them both.
Stephanie placed the hag stone into the first drawstring bag and the fairy stone into the other before collecting hag stones and fairy stones littered across the beach.
Notches and Lucy followed her, impressed at how Stephanie could find the stones easily as she continued collecting.
She paused from her collecting and gently brushed the sand away, taking out a beautiful azure blue gemstone.
Stephanie's eyes sparkled with amazement after seeing the gemstone in her hand before reaching into her bag, taking out another drawstring bag, opening it, and placing the jewel inside.
She now has three drawstring bags in her hands and is collecting fairy stones, hag stones, and gemstones while Notches and Lucy follow behind.
Notches sometimes paused to shake the sand from between his toes, even avoiding the ocean water whenever Stephanie came near it to wash some stones off.
She even discovered petrified wood on the beach, using her magic to make the empty dimension a little bigger to put the wood inside.
Stephanie's collecting stopped a little when she tripped over something and looked at what she had tripped over.
It was a somewhat emerging item from the sand, and Stephanie gently brushed the sand away, seeing it was a medium size gear.
"Huh," Stephanie remarked after seeing the gear. "I never saw this on a beach before."
"Those usually appear on the beach occasionally," Lucy explained. "People usually collect those things to take over to Reg since they litter."
Stephanie looked back at the gear in her hands thoughtfully, carefully looking at it before thinking of how she would carry this large piece?
She flicked her hand, her bracelet transformed into a paintbrush, and drew a rectangle door in the air before opening it to an empty white dimension.
"Perfect!" Stephanie smiled before lifting the gear and putting it into the empty dimension.
She closed the door, and it disappeared into thin air as the paintbrush transformed into a bracelet and re-attached itself to her wrist.
She stood back up once the gear was placed in the empty dimension, brushing the sand off her body with her hands.
After the sand was brushed away, Stephanie continued her collection, finding scattered items and gemstones, hag stones, and fairy stones.
Some of the items looked broken, but Stephanie collected them and placed them in the empty dimension for safekeeping until she returned to them.
One of the items was a small, almost worn-out wooden box almost close to the cliffside, but Stephanie could not open it, even when she tried using her fingernails to squeeze in between the lids.
Choosing to keep this for later, Stephanie placed the small, almost worn-out wooden box into her bag instead of the empty dimension, feeling it was important.
Stephanie even discovers a bunch of sea glass and puts them into a fourth drawstring bag she took out of her bag.
But as she was about to look at the time, Stephanie paused when she noticed a group of fish staring back at her from a few feet away.
They were all bluefish, and they stared back at her instead of swimming away from her when she turned around to face them.
Why are they all staring at her?
Stephanie continued staring at the group of bluefish with confusion, and her curiosity grew as she took a step forward, the ocean water getting up to her ankles.
There was that calling that Stephanie kept feeling as she took another step forward, the bluefish still not swimming away from her.
She was about to take another step forward when she stopped after hearing Notches call, "Stephanie! Come back from the ocean! You're going too far out."
Stephanie snapped out of her daze and glanced over her shoulder, seeing Notches waiting for her on one of the rocks.
"Okay!" Stephanie called back.
She turned around to look at the bluefish but looked confused when she saw that the school of bluefish was all gone.
'That was weird,' Stephanie thought before returning to the beach.
As she returned to the beach, something massive appeared on the ocean's surface before disappearing into the depths.
Stephanie stepped onto the sand and approached Notches as he gently scolded, "You shouldn't be wandering out in the ocean. What would happen if something grabbed you or a wave dragged you out?"
"I'm sorry," Stephanie apologized.
She paused a little, unsure how to explain that weird feeling, but finished, "I got myself curious."
"It's okay to be curious, Stephanie," Lucy assured. "But you have to be careful whenever you become too curious."
"I will," Stephanie nodded after Lucy assured her before tying her drawstring bag and placing it into her bag. "Wait, what time is it?"
"We don't know," Notches responded. "We don't have a watch with us."
Stephanie felt worried as she looked around, seeing no one to ask or anybody around.
"I must've wandered too far from the beach," Stephanie gently moaned after looking. "Maybe I could use the map to see if any stations are nearby."
She reached into her bag and took the map out, opening it as she pointed at where she would be as Notches hopped onto her shoulder.
Stephanie trails her finger around the area around her, seeing a railroad going to a station called 'Kirk Ronan.'
"Oh, good," Stephanie sighed in relief as she folded the map and placed it into her bag. "Kirk Ronan is nearby."
She began to head over to where the grass was when Lucy asked, "What about your shoes and socks, Stephanie?"
"My feet are still wet," Stephanie responded, lifting one of them as sand stuck to the soles. "I can walk barefoot until they are dry."
"Just be careful," Notches warned.
Stephanie nodded and walked through the grass, avoiding coming near the train tracks as she silently noted which direction she was going.
She continued walking through the grass before finally arriving at the station, stepping onto the platform as she paused a little to get the grass and stuck sand off her feet.
"Hello!" After hearing a voice greet her, Stephanie perked up and looked over, seeing a Glasgow and South Western Class 14 Tank Engine approach the station.
The engine was painted in Cerulean blue with black and yellow lining, with the initials 'N.W.R.' painted on the sides of the tanks with the number fifty, and even nameplates on the sides read 'Matthew.'
"Hello!" Stephanie greeted him back with a smile on her face.
The engine stopped at the platform and asked, "What are you doing here yourself?"
"I first went to the beach," Stephanie explained to the engine. "And I collected many things from there before arriving here to see the time."
She looked up at the station's clock as it read '10:43.'
Stephanie nodded, remarking as she turned back to Matthew, "Perfect timing. I was worried about being late for lunch with Dowager Hatt."
"You know Dowager Hatt?" the engine asked.
"Yes," Stephanie nodded. "Sir Topham Hatt, Dowager Hatt, and Lady Hatt are letting me stay at the Hatt mansion."
Stephanie paused and added, "It might be a huge story to explain why too."
The engine chuckled after Stephanie added, asking, "What is your name?"
"I'm Stephanie," Stephanie smiled before pointing at Notches and Lucy. "This is Notches and Lucy."
"You're Stephanie?" The engine perked.
Stephanie nodded, and he remarked, "Terrence was not joking."
"Were you suspecting he was telling a tall tale?" Stephanie asked.
"Somewhat," the engine nodded. "Terrence usually gossips about what he hears from other people and tells it to us, which sometimes either goes the other way or is true."
Stephanie gives a gentle hum of interest before asking, "May I ask what your name is?"
"Oh, where are my manners?" The engine chuckled. "My name is Matthew. But you can call me Matt if you want."
"Pleased to meet you, Matt." Stephanie smiled. "Do you mind if I stay here until I catch a train to my destination?"
"Of course!" Matthew nodded before noticing her bare feet. "Why on earth are you walking around barefoot?"
"I got them wet while walking through the water, and they got covered in sand," Stephanie responded. "I didn't want to put my shoes or socks on because it would feel weird to have sand in them."
"Good point," Matthew nodded before realizing. "Wait, did you walk all the way here?"
"Yes," Stephanie nodded.
"How?" Matthew exclaimed. "Doesn't it hurt?"
"How can you puff around with rocks on the line?" Stephanie asked with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. "Doesn't that hurt?"
Matthew opened his mouth to respond but closed it as he could not think of a response that would answer Stephanie's question.
"Good point," he nodded before an idea flew into his funnel. "Do you mind if I introduce you to the others?"
"Sure!" Stephanie smiled before pausing and asking, "Erm, can I ride your buffers? It will hurt with the coal and such in the cab."
"Go right ahead," Matthew responded. "Just be careful."
Stephanie nodded and carefully climbed onto Matthew's buffer, sitting beside his face as her legs dangled.
Matthew whistled his whistle and started moving forward, being careful with Stephanie on his buffers as she stayed put.
He soon arrived at the shunting yard, and Stephanie saw more engines and coaches.
The first engine was a steam locomotive with the basis of a London and South Western T9, painted in a forest green color with black and yellow livery with the letters 'N.W.R.' painted on her tender and the number fifty-one on her cab.
Next to the steam locomotive were the LBSCR coaches painted in purple with names painted on their sides in yellow that read, 'Isabelle,' 'Kirsty,' and 'Daniel.'
The last engine was another steam locomotive with the basis of a BR Standard 4 Replica, and they are painted in Burgundy red livery with yellow lining with the number seventy-two painted on each side of their cab and 'N.W.R.' painted on each side of their tender in white with the same lining.
They all perked up after seeing Matthew appear with Stephanie sitting on his buffers, and the engine in green beamed, cheerfully greeting, "Hi Mattie!"
"Hello, Amy!" Matthew smiled. "Everyone, this is Stephanie, the kid Terrence mentioned."
Stephanie became shy at the eyes staring at her, saying with a wave of her hand, "Hello," while her ears gently flicked up and down nervously.
There was a moment of staring as Stephanie looked at the group worriedly, her ears flicking nervously.
Suddenly, Amy and two of the coaches squealed with delight, which surprised Matthew and Stephanie with their reactions.
"Oh my gosh~!" The coach named 'Isabelle' squealed. "She's so cute!"
"Look at her hair!" Amy exclaimed. "It's blue like the sky!"
"She's so small, too!" The second coach, 'Kirsty,' nodded.
"What do you think about it, Daniel?" Isabelle asked.
"She is cute," the third coach, 'Daniel,' nodded.
Matthew chuckled at their reactions and remarked, "You're all acting like you all saw a puppy."
"She's cute, Mattie!" Amy exclaimed. "She looks so much different from the other children too!"
Stephanie's cheeks blushed blue from the remark, and Matthew chuckled, saying, "Amy, Isabelle, Kirsty, and Daniel seemed to like you."
"Mattie, look at her cheeks!" Amy softly squealed. "They're turning blue like her hair!"
Stephanie blushed more into a somewhat bluer color as the tips of her ears were blue too, and her ears flicked slightly.
"How is she doing that?" the Burgundy steam locomotive asked. "Her ears are moving too!"
Stephanie flinched after Isabelle mentioned her ears and reached up to them, covering them as they continued to flick slightly.
"Aw, don't be like that," Isabelle chuckled. "We like your ears."
"Really?" Stephanie perked up, removing her hands from her ears as her blush faded.
"Yes," all five nodded.
"Th-Thank you," Stephanie stammered slightly, taken aback by their positivity and overall kindness.
She then turned to the Burgundy steam locomotive and asked, "I didn't get to know your name."
"I'm Isaac," the Burgundy steam locomotive answered.
"What's going on?" a gruff voice asked. "What's with all this chatter?"
Everyone looked at who asked, and a steam locomotive appeared with the basis of a Hudswell and Clark MSC 0-6-0T.
The livery was pure black with an old gold-yellow lining, with fifty-two painted on each side of their bunker and 'N.W.R.' painted on each side of their tanks in white with the same lining.
Said steam locomotive noticed Stephanie and asked, "Matthew, why are you bringing a child here?"
"I brought her here to kill some time before the next train arrives," Matthew explained.
"A railroad is no place for a child to play!" the steam locomotive argued.
Stephanie huffed indignantly and put her hands on her hips, responding, "Well, some people will always have something to say and nothing to contribute."
The group instantly started chuckling as the steam locomotive frowned with a huff, feeling a little embarrassed and angry that he had been pointed out by a child.
"Don't pay any attention to Darren," Amy softly assured. "He's just a grump in a shed."
"I'm right here, you know," Darren frowned as Amy glared at him.
"It's okay," Stephanie chuckled, not wanting the two engines to begin arguing. "I've seen how mad Duncan is, so he doesn't bother me."
Darren huffed again after Stephanie assured Amy, and Matthew asked, "What were you doing on the beach, Stephanie?"
"I was roaming around to see what was on the beach," Stephanie happily chirped before reaching over to her bag. "And I found many things while walking on the beach."
She took out the drawstring bags and opened one, reaching inside and taking out a small handful of sea glass.
Matthew went a little closer so the engines could look at them better, and Darren did the same, knowing he would squint if he stayed in one spot.
"Oooh~!" Amy remarked.
"What is that in your hand, Stephanie?" Isabelle asked.
"It's sea glass," Stephanie answered. "If someone tosses glass into the ocean, the ocean's current turns it into these types of pebbles or shapes, turning it into sea glass."
"Wow!" Kirsty remarked.
"You collect a bunch of glass people throw in the ocean?" Darren asked with an unamused tone in his voice. "What do you do with a bunch of glass?"
"Refurbish it!" Stephanie smiled. "People who find sea glass can turn them into jewelry for people or carve them, too!"
"You can do that?" Isaac asked.
"Yes." Stephanie nodded with a smile and placed the sea glass into her drawstring bag. "But that's not all that I discovered."
She put the drawstring bag away before taking out the second one and opening it, taking out a small handful of fairy stones from inside and showing them to the group.
"What's that?" Isabelle asked.
"Fairy stones," Stephanie smiled.
"What are fairy stones?" Isaac curiously asked.
"Fairy stones are two stones wedged together to make this cross shape or even an x shape," Stephanie explained as she picked up one of the fairy stones and used it as a demonstration. "There is a legend behind these types of stones too!"
"What's the legend?" Amy asked.
"Long, long ago," Stephanie began with a smile. "Fairies inhabited a specific, quiet, and remote region in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The fairies roamed freely, enjoying the beauty and serenity of that enchanted place."
The engines listened to Stephanie tell the legend with curiosity as she continued the legend while sitting comfortably on Matthew's buffer.
"One day, the fairies were playing in a sunny glade when an elfin messenger arrived from a faraway city bearing the sad news of Christ's death." Stephanie continued. "When they heard the terrible details of the crucifixion, they wept. As their tears fell to the earth, they crystallized into little stone crosses. Though the fairies have long since disappeared, the little stone crosses, known as 'fairy stones,' remain as mementos in that enchanted spot."
"But isn't it rude to take them?" Kirsty worriedly asked.
"Not really," Stephanie softly assured. "They are considered protectors to keep their owner from illness, accidents, and even a witch's curse."
"Wow!" the engines perked as Darren silently scoffed in the background with a roll of his eyes.
Stephanie put the fairy stones away before taking out another drawstring bag and opening it, taking out a gemstone from it, which caused the engines' eyes to pop wide.
"There were even gemstones on the beach too!" Stephanie happily chirped.
"There are gemstones on the beach?!" Amy exclaimed, and Stephanie nodded. "Shut the front door! That's incredible!"
"I know, right?!" Stephanie exclaimed with a smile. "There are so many items on the beach that I have ideas about what to do with them!"
"You are going to make jewelry from the things you made?" Kirsty asked, and Stephanie nodded. "Isn't it hard for a child?"
"Nope," Stephanie said, shaking her head. "I've carved a shelf to keep everything organized, so I know how to make jewelry."
Everyone looked surprised and confused at Stephanie's response as she put the gemstone away and put it into her bag.
"What about your doll?" Amy asked.
"Who, Lucy?" Stephanie asked, looking at Lucy, who looked back at her in response. "I didn't make her, and she doesn't belong to me."
"She doesn't?" Daniel asked.
"No, I don't," Lucy responded, agreeing.
Everyone flinched after Lucy spoke, and Stephanie gently scooped her up in her hands as Notches climbed into her lap and curled into a ball.
"She's my helper and teacher," Stephanie explained. "I usually take her with me to learn a little about the zodiacs and different magical items."
"Yes," Lucy nodded. "And I am not a doll for anyone to play with."
"W-We're sorry!" Kirsty apologized. "We thought you were Stephanie's doll."
"It's okay!" Stephanie chuckles. "I thought she was too when I first saw her, but I was instantly proven wrong after she introduced herself to me."
Lucy looked at Stephanie with slight confusion, giving her a silent 'sorry' expression as Matthew chuckled with amusement.
"So, where did you come from, Stephanie?" Isabelle asked.
"I came from Shining Time," Stephanie answered.
"Can't you return to Shining Time?" Darren asked.
Stephanie's face saddened a little after Darren asked, responding with a somewhat saddened but cold tone, "I can't go back."
Matthew perked up after noticing the tone shift in Stephanie's voice, deciding to change the subject while giving Darren a slight side eye, "Um, how about a different subject? What do you like about Sodor, then?"
And Stephanie started talking about every detail about Sodor itself, telling them of the interesting things she discovered.
It ranged from learning about the history of Sodor with Cleo, Romeo's younger sister, and Sir Robert Norramby, to finding them physically by getting purposely lost to look around.
The engines listened to Stephanie tell them the details of Sodor, even the cities she had gone to, and were planning to look around further to learn more.
Darren was a little irritated at how long the conversation was and wanted everyone to start working… but the way Stephanie explained it seemed to intrigue him more.
Just as Stephanie finished one of her ideas of where to go next with the help of Amy, Isabelle, Kirsty, and Daniel, she perked up when she heard Gordon's whistle as he approached the station.
"Ooh, that must be my stop!" Stephanie exclaimed before pausing as she looked down at her bare feet and quickly rubbed the sand off.
She reached into her bag and quickly took out her shoes, putting them on without the socks before hopping off Matthew's buffer.
Stephanie turned around to Lucy and Notches, allowing Notches to climb onto her shoulder along with Lucy.
"I'll see you all sometime later!" Stephanie called before quickly hopping onto the platform.
They all whistled in response before returning to what they were doing as Stephanie approached Gordon.
She paused a little as she looked up and down at the grand engine, including the coaches behind him, with a thoughtful expression.
"What's wrong?" Lucy asked.
"I don't know how to ride a coach," Stephanie responded with slight shame.
Gordon overheard Stephanie's sheepishness and glanced over from the corner of his eye, deciding to help the young child.
"Do you mind if I could help?" Gordon asked, and Stephanie looked at him.
Romeo looked at Gordon with confusion but decided to watch what he was doing as he watched the same girl appear.
"Please do." Stephanie nodded with a soft smile as she approached him. "Can you teach me, Mr. Gordon?"
He chuckled at Stephanie's politeness and said, "You can just call me Gordon, Stephanie. Now, to start, all you have to do is board one of my coaches, have a seat, and enjoy the ride."
"Really?" Stephanie softly murmured with curiosity.
"Really, really," Romeo nodded. "It may not be much, but it's a ride you don't want to miss."
Stephanie smiled after Romeo nodded and thanked Gordon and Romeo, "Thank you, Gordon and Romeo."
Gordon was taken aback by Stephanie's thanks and cleared his throat, trying to keep his composure a little but being somewhat softened.
Stephanie entered the first coach behind Gordon and sat down, still a little nervous about what would happen as she listened to people's chatter and baggage rummage.
It was not as crowded as she thought, but Stephanie was still worried about the next step.
But she prepared herself for what could happen—even at the station from which she was supposed to depart.
Stephanie took a slow and deep breath to calm herself down, silently reminding herself that the station she wanted was Tidmouth, where Sir Topham Hatt would be.
For Gordon, he was also worried about Stephanie, knowing this was her true ride in coaches.
She had been in his cab once but never in a coach before, which made the grand engine nervous for her.
It was strange, as much as Gordon agreed, but he did not want Stephanie to be afraid.
A little proud to give her the best first ride.
So once everyone was seated and the doors closed, the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag, and Gordon whistled, taking off.
Stephanie was slightly startled when Gordon started moving, but she silently reminded herself that riding in his cab was like riding.
Gordon continued puffing with his coaches behind him, clicking and clacking down the line before going up his famous hill.
With pride, Gordon reached the top and went downhill, calling out, "Express coming through!" as he descended the line.
Stephanie enjoyed the ride, the little bumps, the peace and quiet, and even hearing Gordon call out, 'Express coming through!'
Gordon approached different stations and stopped in front of them at the arrival time, waiting for his passengers to board before continuing off.
Stephanie enjoyed the peaceful ride, feeling like she was in a moving hammock as she looked out the window, watching the scenery of Sodor pass by.
Notches curled into her lap and purred as Stephanie patted him, scratching underneath his chin as Lucy sat on her shoulder.
The ride continued for a few minutes before finally arriving at Tidmouth, and Stephanie perked up after seeing Sir Topham Hatt stepping out.
The guards opened the door, and Stephanie stepped out, catching the eye of Sir Topham Hatt.
"Ah, Stephanie!" Sir Topham Hatt smiled and waved hello. "There you are! You just arrived at the perfect time!"
"Thank you, sir," Stephanie said before pausing. "Excuse me for a moment."
She turned to Gordon and said, bowing slightly to him, "Thank you for helping me, Gordon."
Gordon blushed a little after Stephanie thanked him but smiled proudly and responded, "You're welcome, Stephanie."
Stephanie giggled before following Sir Topham Hatt to his car and talking to him about what she had found and her trip.
Romeo stuck his head out from Gordon's cab and asked with a small smile, "Did you enjoy helping Stephanie?"
"Yes, I did," Gordon nodded. "Maybe she is not all that bad after all."
Deep down in Gordon, he had a lingering feeling he wanted to meet Stephanie more but had doubts about it.
He pushed all that to the side for later as the guard's whistle blew, and he whistled, taking off with his passengers to continue his round.