A/N This is my idea of how Thomas could've been thinking and feeling in the course of the story.
Hey, it's me, Thomas again and this is about how I raced that bus from my previous story. I met up with Bertie, that bus's name, again and that led to this.
I was waiting at the junction when a bus arrived. "Hello," I said. "Who are you?".
He said, "I'm Bertie. Who are you?"
"I'm Thomas. I run this branch line," I said.
"So, you're Thomas. Ah, I remember now. You got stuck in the snow. I took your passenger and Terance the Tractor pulled you out. I've come to help you out with your passengers today," Bertie said.
"Help me?" I said. "I can go faster than you." I knew how fast a bus could go and my top speed, so I knew he couldn't go 70. But even a little engine like me takes time to speed up, especially if I've got a train. As I said that part about going faster, I was remembering that day stuck in the snow crying from my regret.
"You can't," said Bertie
"I can," I huffed.
"I'll race you," said Bertie.
Driver agreed with Bertie's driver for us to go ahead with our race. Someone called me a sentient vehicle once and Driver told me it means I'm alive. But I need Driver to help me with my functions in that life. Like being a Really Useful Engine.
The stationmaster said, "Are you ready? Go!".
I never could go fast at first and Bertie drew in front.
"Why don't you go fast, why don't you go fast?", asked Annie and Clarabel.
"Wait and see, wait and see," I hissed.
"He's a long way ahead," they wailed.
But I didn't mind. I remembered the level crossing. There was Bertie fuming at the gates while we sailed gaily through.
"Goodbye, Bertie!" I called.
After that, the road left the railway so we couldn't see Bertie. Then, we had to stop at the station to let off passengers.
Peep! peep! "Quickly, please!" I called and off we went again.
"Come along, come along!" I sang.
"We're coming along, we're coming along," sang Annie and Clarabel.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry," I panted and then I looked ahead.
There was Bertie tooting triumphantly on his horn. He thought he was winning and I didn't like that.
"Oh deary me, oh deary me," I groaned.
"Steady, Thomas," said Driver. We'll beat Bertie yet."
"We'll beat Bertie yet, we'll beat Bertie yet" echoed Annie and Clarabel. It made me feel good to know Driver and my coaches believed we could still win.
"We'll do it, we'll do it," I panted. "Oh, bother! There's a station."
Then I heard Bertie.
"Goodbye, Thomas. You must be tired. We busses have to work, you know. Goodbye." Bertie said that to me and I quite disliked it.
" Oh dear. I thought. We've lost." I was thirsty. but I felt better after a drink. The signal dropped.
"Hurrah, we're off! Hurrah, we're off!" I puffed.
As we crossed the bridge, we head an impatient...Honk! Honk! There was Bertie waiting at the traffic lights. He started with a roar and chased on after me again. Now I reached my full speed. Bertie tried hard, but I was too fast. Whistling triumphantly, I plunged into the tunnel with Bertie toiling far behind.
"We've done it, we've done it," I panted.
"We've done it hooray! We've done it hooray!" chanted Annie and Clarabel as we whooshed into the last station. Like me, they were happy about my victory over Bertie. I knew my full speed was more than he could do, as a bus like him couldn't hit 70. I was pleased with myself for proving to that Bertie I was faster.
Everyone was there to celebrate my victory. But they gave Bertie a big welcome too.
"Well done, Thomas," said Bertie. But to beat you over that hill, I should have to grow wings and be an airplane."
We now keep each other very busy. We often talked about our race, but Bertie's passengers don't like being bounced around like peas in a frying pan, and Sir Topham Hatt has warned me not race at dangerous speeds. We'd like to have another race, though, we thought. That race was brilliant.
A/N He's British, I'm not. I tried to use brilliant in a British way at the end to honor his Britishness, so respect it. Being a Really Useful Engine's what Thomas lives for, I read on the wikia and drew on that in the chapter. He does have his pride, which I tried to show in this chapter.