AUTHOR'S NOTICE: Hey everyone! Sorry for the long update on this story. I had a lot going on from moving back in with my parents, my grandmother having triple bypass surgery, starting my job at a different location, and going through the loss of a family friend but I did keep working on this chapter when I had the time too! I also want to thank my Online friend/sister Goldensaddletank for helping me edit this chapter along with adding stuff of her own to this! I had decided that this story is made by both of us since she has given me good ideas for future chapters for this story so thank you once again!

DISCLAIMER: Thomas and Friends are owned by Mattell (XP), Aurora is owned by me and all of the Narrow Guage Engines' drivers and firemen/firewomen, along with Lexi belong to Goldensaddletank.

Enjoy!

"Yes, yes. James will be arriving at Brendam Docks with slates before tea time." S.T.H chuckled as he used a long stick to move a metal red engine over Brendam Docks on a large map of Sodor. "Charlie will be arriving at Knapford with the coal any minute, and Oliver is on his way to Black Loch with Rocky right now." He smiled before sitting in a chair. "Oh yes, everything on the railway is running smoothly."

As S.T.H continued to talk on the phone, he jumped a bit when Aurora slammed open his door. He blinked as he watched her, her cloak flowing behind her as she hurried her way over to his file cabinets. Aurora paid him no mind as she opened each drawer, looking through files and pulling them out. Each file contained folders for every engine on the island, whether they live on the island or visiting.

"I'll, uh…call you back in a bit." S.T.H hummed softly before hanging the phone up. "May I help you, Aurora?"

"Where is his file?" Aurora asked as she continued to pull files out, looking them over.

"His file?" S.T.H asked in confusion, making sure the files stay organized.

"The engine that was left behind on the old Mid Sodor Railway that what's his name left behind when it closed." Aurora hissed as she glared at him.

S.T.H's eyes widened when he looked at her, not expecting to see the hatred towards him again. "What are you talking about?"

"Smudger, the engine that was sadly turned into a generator by a heartless man." Aurora hissed, her tail fluffed up and swaying in anger.

"Smudger…Smudger…" S.T.H pondered as he tried to remember the name. "I…don't think I have that file." He hummed softly, deep in thought. "I believe Mr. Percival might have the file since he is the Thin Controller."

Aurora hissed in annoyance as she started to put the files away. "Can you ask him? I want to rescue him." She asked before looking at James' file and placing it into her bag to read later on.

"I'll call him but I can't promise he will still have his file." S.T.H. said as he picked up his phone, dialing Mr. Percival.

Aurora pouted as she walked away from the cabinet, walking over to the large map of Sodor with small model trains. Picking up the green metal train with a yellow 3 painted on it, she held it close before placing it back on the map. Walking around the table, she tilted her head as she looked at his clipboard with every schedule and every job for the engines on it.

"Good morning, Mr. Percival." S.T.H. smiled as he talked to his friend. "I have a request for you."

Aurora's ears twitched in his direction, wanting to listen to the conversation as she started to mess with the clipboard and the model trains on the map.

"I need you to look for a file of an engine named Smudger, if you have it that is." S.T.H. hummed as he looked out of the window in his office, watching his engines do their jobs.

"Smudger…Smudger…" Mr. Percival muttered under his breath, walking over to his filing cabinet. "I think I've come across that file before." He said before looking through the files of his engines. It included files on the former MSR engines, and Mr. Percival believed Smudger's old file had been given to him by accident.

"Here we go." He said triumphantly as he pulled out an old file. "Why do you need this file? This engine hasn't been seen in years."

S.T.H: "It's because he was-" but was cut off by an angry hiss.

Aurora: "He was left behind an old shed, still as a generator, no thanks to that damn manager!"

Mr. Percival held the phone away from his ear. He knew just how passionate Aurora is towards almost all of the engines, especially the NG engines, as they gained her trust before she started to trust some humans. In a way, her passion reminded him of…

Wait…left behind?

"Smudger is still at the old mines?" Mr. Percival questioned, his eyes widening."I was under the impression he was scrapped when the railway closed."

S.T.H: "Apparently so. Aurora came across him when she was exploring up there."

Aurora: "How else did I find out about him?"

S.T.H: "Easy, Aurora. How are you even hearing what Mr. Percival is saying?"

Aurora: "…"

S.T.H: "Right…your ears…Anyway, Aurora wants to send a rescue team to get Smudger so he can be repaired."

"I do need a new engine to help out Bertram…" Mr. Percival muttered to himself. "Alright, I'll work on putting a rescue team together, but it'll take me a day or two to get everything organized."

S.T.H: "Thank you, Mr. Percival. Aurora, did yo- …and she left." He sighs "Thank you once again."

"You're quite welcome." Mr. Percival chuckled softly before hanging up. "We'll help you, Smudger. I promise you." He said softly as he opened Smudger's profile, looking over everything as he picked his phone back up.

"I need to go tell Smudger the good news." Aurora purred happily to herself as she walked out of S.T.H's office. "He better keep his promise…" She muttered as she walked along the platform. Looking at the clock on the wall, she smiled as she saw the time and walked over to the platform. "Right on time." She purred once more as she watched Gordon stopping just in front of her.

"I wasn't expecting to see you until nighttime, Aurora." Gordon hummed as he looked at his sister.

"Let's just say, a lot happened." Aurora smiled as she jumped onto his footplate, kissing his cheek. "But I need to get back to Crovan's Gate and I was hoping the fastest and strongest engine would take me there…" She purred as she nuzzled his cheek.

"You know I have no problem with that." Gordon boasted proudly, his pride swelling. "I am, after all, the fastest and best and I pull the Express." He boasted proudly before blowing his whistle twice.

"That you are!" Aurora agreed happily. She knew her fathers would say something about boosting Gordon's pride but she didn't care. She enjoys reminding all the engines how useful they are and how she truly sees them.

Now it was on to Crovan's Gate.

"... so, that surmises the situation." Mr. Percival finished at the Depot. "I need some volunteers to go and aid in the rescue."

"I'll take the breakdown crane, sir." Rusty volunteered.

"I'll go too," Peter Sam volunteered. "I know the line, and still remember it after so long."

"Thank you both," said Mr. Percival. "That should"-

"Could I go too, sir?"

Everyone paused as an elfin-like teen with eyes the color of pāua shells, a platinum blonde pixie cut, and wearing shabby jeans and a faded T-shirt spoke up.

Mr. Percival hesitated, wondering how Aurora would take to meeting a girl her age. He knew she'd met many engine crews across both railways, including Lexi's father, and Sir Topham's wife and mother, but little else.

The worried faces of the engines implied Lexi and Aurora hadn't met yet, and he doubted a rescue mission was the ideal time for such a rescue mission.

Especially since, as nice as Lexi was, she did have the odd problem with boundaries…

"Well"-

"What would you do?" Sir Handel asked her, interrupting Mr. Percival. This earned him a glare from Duke, but he wasn't paying attention to this.

"Whatever needs doing." She retorted. "Which is more than I could say about you sometimes!"

Sir Handel's face flushed.

"Quiet, you two!" Skarloey scolded. The pair fell silent, but they glared at each other.

"How long do you reckon this one will last?" Luke whispered to Peter Sam, looking at his adoptive sister and their adoptive cousin.

"I doubt it'll be long if Lexi's that determined to come with us," Peter Sam whispered to his cousin.

It wasn't-Lexi was back to wrangle at an opportunity for adventure, and right an old wrong.

"Sir, as I was saying to Sir Handel, I'll make myself useful in any way possible." She argued as politely as possible.

"Lex"-

"Dad, before you say anything, I want to do this, whatever I end up doing."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Lexi, but I'm afraid you might be better off here." Mr. Percivak said gently, adjusting his spectacles.

Lexi felt crushed. She opened her mouth to argue, but a glare from Duke made her reconsider.

"Yes, Sir." She sighed, sullenly.

Too eager, too clumsy, too forgetful, too awkward, too impulsive, too reckless, too always-in-the-way.

She knew those were the reasons she wasn't going, even if they hadn't been explicitly stated.

Squaring her shoulders, she asked Mr. Percival where she was needed, instead.

"You'll be Skarloey's guard." Mr. Percival said.

Lexi nodded, already feeling a little better at the news. She liked being a guard, and Skarloey would be sympathetic to her disappointment.

….

"...are you listening, you impertinent scallywag?" Sighed Duke.

Peter Sam jumped out of his red stripes. He got engrossed in talking with Luke after his brother's argument with Lexi, and then he asked Rusty a question, and now-

"What was the question, Granpuff?" Asked Peter Sam sheepishly.

"Mr. Percival was trying to ask you to go pick up Aurora from Crovan's Gate, young 'un!" Duke bristled. "You'll be late to meet her now."

"Who took her to the station?"

"Gordon, apparently." Said Skarloey.

'For the love of Proteus, not Gordon!' Peter Sam thought in dismay. Gordon was far less sympathetic to tardiness than Henry.

As Sir Handel had been the MSR's Express Engine, he was the better timekeeper of the two at meeting the Big Engines (or was it because he was the better timekeeper that Sir Handel became the Express Engine in the first place? Peter Sam couldn't remember).

Not that he had time to ask right now-Duke and Mr. Percival were looking very displeased, and Sir Handel was failing to stifle his laughter at his brother's plight.

With the thought to pay Sir Handel back in his mind, he hurried off to meet Aurora.

"Hi… Aurora… sorry…" Peter Sam panted as he finally pulled into the station. Well, more like crawling pathetically, but he'd made it alive.

"Tut tut!" Said Gordon disapprovingly. "Your brother could keep time better than that!"

Peter Sam scowled. He hated being compared to Sir Handel for any reason-but his brother hated it even more, as he usually felt shitty afterward.

Peter Sam never liked feeling that people thought him superior to his brother-they were family for Lady's sake!

"Are you alright, Peter Sam?" A voice interrupted his thoughts, and he jumped.

"I…I'm fine, my dear," he replied, startled, looking at a concerned Aurora. "Sorry, I've been a little out of it today."

"Understatement." Sniffed Gordon, and Peter Sam desperately wished Sir Handel was here instead of him! He scowled at the big blue engine.

"Haven't you got a dome to lose?" He asked crossly.

"I could say the same about your funnel." Gordon retorted calmly, which only made Peter Sam crosser still.

"I… I'd best get going," Aurora said, smiling at her brother. "I'll see you later, Gordon." She kissed his cheek.

"Yes, I shall see you later, dear sister," Said Gordon affectionately before kissing her head.

Jumping off his footplate, Aurora waved to him as Gordon puffed out of the station, his whistle echoing around them. Adjusting her cape and putting her hood back on, she walked over to the small green engine. After greeting his crew, and receiving delicious cookies from them, she walked over to Peter Sam's footplate and climbed onto it.

"Are you ready?" Peter Sam asked as he looked at his friend/niece.

"I am."

Peter Sam blew his whistle and set off.

"I thought Rusty was coming with us?"

"He'll follow, Aurora, don't worry," replied Peter Sam. "Mr. Hugh has a map, anyway."

…

Skarloey pulled in just as they left. The engines exchanged greetings.

From the van, Lexi saw a glimpse of blonde hair and a blue-green cloak and was instantly transfixed.

And a teeny bit pissed, to be honest. She left Beatrice to ask.

"Skarloey, who's that with Peter Sam?" She asked.

"Oh, that's Aurora," Skarloey replied. "She's leading the mission as she found Smudger."

"...makes sense." Sighed Lexi, sadly. Skarloey sensed this and winced sympathetically.

"I know it's not the same, pet, but I appreciate you coming as my guard today." Smiled Skarloey.

This made Lexi feel better, and she gave a small smile before stroking Skarloey on the cheek.

"Thank you, Old Faithful," She said, playfully booping his nose before making her way along the platform to the end of his train, weaving her way along the passengers milling about.

The old engine was touched, and his face went as red as his livery.

"Wait, how come she can ride on his footplate but I can't?!"

….

Meanwhile, Peter Sam, and Aurora were asking their way along the line. Aurora noticed where the line gradually started to deteriorate. Peter Sam soon noticed as well, and slowed down.

"So, how was Smudger when you saw him?" Asked Peter Sam.

"He was surprised, and seemed to be in good enough spirits, for his condition." Aurora replied, still bitter.

"I see," said Peter Sam, biting his lip.

"What is it?"

"I don't know how Granpuff will feel having Smudger around again. He may not have been keen to leave him there, but… there is…"

"Engines can change." Aurora said, firmly. "Why is this any different?"

Peter Sam knew that Smudger could still hold a grudge for being left alone all those years ago, but he didn't want an argument, so he kept quiet.

"Besides…" Aurora stated softly as she looked down. "I saw the pain, the sadness, the guilt in his eyes, and honestly, he is scared to even work again."

"I…"

They were interrupted by a familiar horn.

"Sorry I took so long." Rusty wheezed. "Did I miss much?"

Peter Sam thought this over before replying. "Not much, we were just talking about the mission."

"Anything I need to know?"

"We weren't discussing logistics," replied Peter Sam.

Rusty, sensing there was something wrong, fell silent, and Peter Sam felt too awkward to try to break it; Aurora, meanwhile, was too distracted by what lay ahead to speak anymore.

She'd barely registered Rusty's presence.

"Ro…Ro…Aurora…Aurora!" Rusty called out, biting his lip when he saw her jump.

"H-Huh?" Aurora panted as she looked at him, trying to flatten the fur on her tail. "…Sorry Rusty…wait, when did you get here?" She asked, confused, before looking at the crane behind him. "And how did you get the crane so soon?"

"I just arrived and thankfully, Mr. Percival was able to find a crane that wasn't being used." Rusty smiled warmly.

Aurora purred loudly as she jumped onto his buffer beam, gently kissing his cheek. "This is great! I'm going to go off ahead," She glared at Peter Sam, "and tell Smudger that he's being rescued." She said firmly before jumping off Rusty and running off.

With the tracks being old, both Peter Sam and Rusty continued to move slowly down the tracks, watching her slowly disappear through the growth.

"Care to tell me what you said that caused her to be upset?" Rusty asked, raising a brow at his friend.

"Nothing!" Peter Sam protested. "Well…I mean…I said that I didn't know how Granpuff would act with Smudger back since…well…how Smudger usually acts…" He muttered quietly as he looked at his buffers.

Rusty sighed and closed his eyes. "…And what did she say after that?"

"That engines can change…" Peter Sam sighed. "But I'm worried about Smudger holding grudges for him being left there so long, especially as Granpuff was rescued."

"I understand your feelings, Peter Sam, and it may be worth observing for a few days…. But you have to think about this from Aurora's point of view as well-seeing someone, an engine in this case, trapped in a small place by humans and left there alone for so long. She sees Smudger as her situation and is taking this to heart."

Peter Sam's eyes widened before he let out a soft wheesh of steam. "I messed up…didn't I?"

"I'm afraid you have." Rusty said softly. "Duke will hear about it, I'm afraid…as might your brother…"

"I knew you'd say that…" Sighed Peter Sam. He had enough on his plate without hearing what his adoptive family would say on the matter.

Smudger sighed softly as he stared at the rotten boards in front of him. The same ones he had looked at since 1915. The sunlight through the hole in the ceiling warmed his rust-covered boiler and the sounds of birds were very welcoming. A sad smile etched its way onto his face as he looked down, his mind telling him that he was stuck here.

A morose chuckle escaped his lips as he remembered his kindly mentor, the one who tried to warn him about his actions.

And what did he do?

Not listen to the older engine and end up here. Stuart and Falcon barely ever said hi to him-not that he blamed them, too scared to mess up to the point where they'll end up as generators as well.

"I was stupid…" Smudger whispered quietly as he felt a tear slide down his cheek, followed by another one. "So, so stupid. I should've listened to you, Dukie…"

"…-dger! Smudger!"

Smudger looked up as he heard Aurora's voice, hearing her claws scraping against the old moss-covered wood as she climbed onto the roof.

"They're going to rescue you!" Aurora purred loudly as she slowly lowered herself into the shed. "They have a crane and are on their way!" She smiled as she stood in front of him.

"W-What?" Smudger asked softly as he looked at her, trying to process what she just said.

"Mr. Percival had gathered a team to come to rescue you and they're on their way here now." Aurora smiled as she gently jumped onto his footplate, gently petting his cheek. "You'll no longer be alone here."

Smudger stared at her, blinking in disbelief as the words swirled around his mind.

Rescuing… him?

He felt tears slowly fall down his cheeks as his eyes widened. He kept telling himself that they would just leave him here, that he wasn't worth being saved. Aurora smiled sadly at him, knowing full well what he was feeling. She felt the same way when she arrived on Sodor and was adopted by Henry and Edward. Pulling out a ruby-red handkerchief, a gift given by James and his crew, she gently wiped his tears away and purred.

"From what I've learned living on Sodor, no one would leave an engine to rot. At least, the engines I've met wouldn't leave an engine to rot." Aurora said softly as she put her damp handkerchief away.

"They didn't forget Duke…" Smudger muttered quietly. "They all forgot about me…"

"Duke told me stories about you but never said your name." Aurora said softly. "Before you say anything, I know that it was hard for him to say your name because I've seen the sadness in his eyes."

"…He was sad when he talked about me?" Smudger asked as he looked at her.

"He was." Aurora hummed softly as she pulled out the cookies Peter Sam's crew gave her. "The eyes are the windows to one's heart… no matter how hard he tries, his eyes tell a different story." She muttered softly as she ate a cookie.

"Heh…never thought Dukie would be sad about me." Smudger said softly, looking down with a sad smile. "I'm just scared I'll fail him again…"

"That won't happen." Aurora protested, causing Smudger to look at her. "I may not have lived on Sodor for long, but I've seen a lot of the engines causing accidents and still continue doing those jobs. Even when those accidents were caused by some of them trying to show off." She hummed as she gently petted his cheek. "You wouldn't be the first, or the last." She smiled reassuringly. "Besides, you'll be with friends. We'll help you."

Smudger stared at the teen in front of him before finally allowing himself to smile warmly.

For so many years, he had been in a perpetual self-loathing and doubt, believing that he would be trapped in this hellhole until he rusted away into oblivion…

Now, looking at the cat-girl in front of him, sunlight outlining her slender form, causing her to glow radiantly, like a goddess or angel sent to save him from eternal torment and suffering.

He silently vowed that he would protect her, and help her in any way that he can just as she has done for him in such little time.

The two continued to talk, with Aurora telling him everything from her journey, her hardships, and all the places she visited Sodor. Smudger enjoyed listening to her talk, and asking her questions about a lot of the locations. When he arrived on the island, the little railway was so small, but he was happy to hear how much it expanded since he became trapped.

Time seemed to zoom by as Aurora's ears twitched before standing up. The sounds of puffing, an engine roaring, and wheels moving along the old tracks caused a smile to appear on her face. Smudger watched as Aurora climbed out of the shed, standing on the roof.

"They finally arrived!" She said happily as she jumped down into the shed.

Smudger gulped quietly as he felt butterflies in his rusted boiler. He felt sick, and nervous, but mostly afraid. He didn't know how to act when he saw the others, let alone talk to him. He felt flakes of rust fall off him as he was startled by a soft, warm hand. Looking up, he sees Aurora looking at him with her hand resting on his cheek.

Her sapphire eyes burned with determination and reassurance. Her smile seemed to brighten up the dark shed, causing him to smile as well. Purring loudly, Aurora climbed back up to the roof and stood on it to watch the others.

Her sharp eyes watched the workman start to set everything up, talking amongst each other to devise a plan. Rusty gently moved the crane into place with Peter Sam slowly puffing up. Peter Sam slowly looked up at his niece before quickly looking away, feeling the cold glare burning deep within his boiler. He knew that she was still angry with him and also knows that it'll take a while for her to forgive him.

Glaring at the green engine, Aurora turned around before jumping back into the shed and looked at Smudger. She could see the nervous look in his eyes that had yet to waver.

"It'll be alright, Smudger." Aurora said softly as she pressed her forehead against his. "I'll be here during the entire thing."

"Thank you…" Smudger said softly, feeling his nerves relax, even though it was for a split second.

Purring loudly, Aurora quickly climbed out of the shed and out of the way of the workmen. Her steps were light but quick as she made her way to Rusty, completely ignoring Peter Sam. She watched the workman with watchful eyes, her ears twitching at every sound.

….

Rusty looked down at his sister, seeing her tail had fluffed up - a sure sign she was nervous about this and started to hum softly. He smiled warmly as he saw her relax a bit but still looked on edge. Truth be told, he was nervous about what he would see once Smudger was free. He was only told how Smudger ended up in this position, but Aurora has seen him physically and didn't tell the others.

He gulped quietly as he shivered, imagining the loneliness and darkness Smudger had dealt with for so long… far, far longer than when Duke was left in his old shed.

In a way, he felt bad for Smudger, even though he's only heard stories of him. Being turned into a generator, left inside that collapsing shed without any source of protection from the weather, he can only imagine what he would look like and it made his engine ache.

The sounds of the crane moving and the voices of the workman brought him out of his thoughts, not realizing how many minutes actually went by while he was in his own world. The muffle sounds of welders, saws, hammers, and occasional grunts that reminded him of his brother caused a small chuckle to escape his mouth.

He heard Peter Sam silently puff up next to him and glanced at Aurora… watching how her ears twitched before swerving to the sources of the other noises. Peter Sam bit his lip as she looked at Aurora, trying to find his voice to talk to her.

"Aurora…I…I-I'm sor-" He immediately closed his mouth as he heard her hiss, her sharp sapphire eyes burning deep in his mind.

Peter Sam quickly looked down, not wanting to see those angry eyes again. Aurora continued to glare at him before looking back at the shed as Rusty looked at them.

He looked at Peter Sam sympathetically before looking at Aurora sadly. He can see the hurt in her eyes, though she tried to look strong. He opened his mouth to speak to her but stopped. They all heard one of the workmen yelling.

"Alright, lift him up slowly!" The workman yelled out before the crane's cable started to move.

Everyone held their breath as the sound of rusted metal groaned and the low hum of the crane tried to cover that eerie sound. Aurora took a worrying step forward, stopping herself as her gaze moved toward the workman. She wanted to be there with Smudger, reassuring him but her anxiety and fear overcame her just from the thought of being close to the workmen. Adjusting the hood of her cloak, she stepped back and leaned against Rusty's footplate, her tail fluffed up in anticipation. Rusty and Peter Sam kept their gaze at the crane's cable, watching as a very rusted funnel started to rise from the shed.

It spooked Peter Sam a little, remembering the stories of his youth.

The little green engine winced from seeing all the holes in the long rusted, crooked funnel.

Once Smudger's body started to rise out of the shed, both Rusty and Peter Sam's eyes widened at the sight of the long-forgotten engine and they both felt sick.

For now, they finally saw what he looked like and it was something that scared them, more so than the day Rusty brought Stepney back from the scrapyard. Seeing his body, mostly covered in rust with holes scattered about along with a lack of any wheels, pistons, and coupling rods, made them feel like they were watching an empty shell of a body being transported to the place every engine feared.

What made it scarier was that the shell wasn't actually an empty one at all-far from it, in fact.

…

Smudger screwed his eyes shut in the sun's burning light, constantly blinking till he adjusted to the intense source of light. Opening his eyes fully, he looked around, mesmerized by seeing the overgrown foliage that covered his home, and the warm summer breeze hitting against his body. Lady knows how long it's been since he inhaled the fresh air, no longer breathing muggy air that smelled of rotten wood, mold, and mildew.

After so long, he could now smell flowers, their divine scent wafting in the gentle breeze, and the sound of birdsong and leaves rustling was a choir to him. He didn't know what to feel since millions of emotions seemed to have flooded his mind.

Ggg Rrr Oooo Aaaa Nnnn!

Sssccc Rrreee Ccchh!

Everyone looked around at the sounds that echoed around them before looking up at Smudger.

CRUNCH!

"GAHH!" Smudger screamed as the cable under his body crushed its way through his frame, resting against his boiler.

"Smudger!" Aurora screamed, worriedly, both Rusty and Peter Sam staring in horror.

"Get him on the flatbed, now!" The workman yelled as the other workers scrambled around, making sure everything was set up.

Smudger gritted his teeth, tears streaming down his cheeks as his body burned in pain. Even though he's an engine made out of metal, they still feel pain as much as humans feel pain… and he felt like he was being ripped apart forcefully, a pain he never wanted to feel again.

He heard Aurora's voice filled with fear and panic and felt his heart ache from hearing her voice break in such a way. He inhaled shakily through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the pain but failing. He can feel the cable grinding against his boiler, his fear increasing. He knows if that cable sliced through his entire boiler, it was the end of him.

Keeping his eyes closed, he silently prayed to Lady in his mind, along with apologizing to Duke. He didn't want to die like this, not being so close to having a second chance to work on the railway once again. Feeling his boiler starting to crack, he clenched his eyes shut tighter, the fear of being split in two increasing ever so quickly. As he waited for his death, he slowly felt his frames hitting something hard, the pressure against his boiler weakening. Slowly opening his eyes, he noticed how he was no longer in the air, but resting on a flatbed.

Rusty, Peter Sam, and Aurora let out shaking breaths, their hearts racing from watching the intense rescue. Aurora quickly ran over to the flatbed, ignoring the workmen as she jumped onto it and landed in front of Smudger.

"Are you alright?" Aurora asked worriedly, looking him over.

"I-I'm fine…Aurora…" Smudger panted, his voice filled with pain and relief as he looked at her.

"Aurora, we should let the workmen look him over." Said Rusty carefully.

Aurora glared.

"We need him secured, anyway, and they'll know what they're doing." Rusty argued gently.

With a sigh, Aurora jumped over to Rusty and sat on his buffer, still refusing to acknowledge poor Peter Sam, who looked hurt and dejected with each silent rebuff.

Rusty glanced over at his friend before looking at his sister, sitting Indian-style on his buffer beam. Her left knee kept bouncing, her tail sweltering in a frenzied dance of anxiety, as her eyes darted between the workmen.

He can easily see how anxious she was becoming and understood how much Smudger meant to her, for they had both suffered abandonment and were kept in a small, tight space, locked away from the light, and deprived of kindness and respect.

The only difference was that people paid to exploit Aurora and her body, with horrific and unimaginable consequences… while Smudger had been forgotten, after being stripped of his wheels and his body had been exploited to provide power…

Rusty bit his lip. Proteus Almighty, maybe they had more in common than anyone had initially realized.

…

After what felt like an eternity to Aurora, her ears perked up when she watched the workmen finish securing Smudger to the flatbed, before jumping onto it. Her eyes softened with worry as she saw the pained look on his face, but when she saw him trying to be brave, she couldn't help a little smile.

For whilst his builder's plate was nearly gone, she could see, plain as day, courage in the face of suffering, seemed to run in the Fletcher-Jennings family.

Panting, Smudger slowly looked up at his guardian angel before giving her a reassuring smile. Aurora purred softly as she gently patted his cheek, trying to comfort him.

Rusty smiled at his sister as he slowly and silently moved down the old tracks being careful with the flatbed. He could now hear Aurora and Smudger talking softly but couldn't make out what they were saying. He watched as Peter Sam puffed next to him, still looking defeated and hurt. Biting his lip, he tried to think of a way to cheer him up but… he knew that he wouldn't feel truly better until Aurora forgave him…if she did.

"Cheer up, Peter Sam." Rusty said softly, not wanting to disrupt Aurora and Smudger's conversation, though he saw her ears twitch, indicating Aurora is listening to him anyway.

He knew she wasn't doing it on purpose, her hearing was sensitive, and he shuddered to think just what she might've had to listen out for…

"How can I?" Peter Sam asked as he looked at his dear friend, "I hurt Aurora's feelings and now she won't even talk to me, and she's ignoring me…" He sighed sadly.

"Just give her time. She might be ready to forgive you by the time we get to the Steamworks." Rusty reassured him.

A loud "hmph" sounded, and Aurora's tail thrashed angrily as she continued her small talk with Smudger.

Peter Sam sighed again as he continued to puff down the old tracks next to Rusty, butterflies entering his firebox as he can only imagine what Duke would say, for he knew things didn't stay quiet on the SKR for long.

He just hoped the others wouldn't be so harsh…

Meanwhile, at Crovan's Gate, Victor smiled with satisfaction as the workmen applied the last brushstrokes to Stanley's livery."Your paintwork should dry soon, my friend." Victor smiled warmly as he puffed up to Stanley.

"Thank you, Victor." Stanley smiled as he rested on a set of tracks, his brilliant silver-grey livery sparkling in the sunlight from the windows.

"Victor!" a voice called out suddenly, startling them both.

Victor looked back in confusion as he backed up.

A blur of blonde, blue, and green flashed in front of him before finally feeling a warm figure nuzzling his cheek.

"Hola, mi pequeño sol." Victor chuckled as he looked at his niece. "What brings you here?"

"A big project for you." She said determinedly before looking at Stanley. "Hi Stanley!"

"Afternoon, Aurora!" Stanley smiled as he looked at his sister and friend.

"Now then, what kind of project do you mean?" Victor asked as he moved backward, smiling as Aurora sat on his footplate.

"Rebuilding an engine I found abandoned in an enclosed shed for decades whose body is very rusted and almost ripped in half when he was lifted out of the shed…" Aurora stated sadly, her ears flattening against her head.

"An engine?" Victor questioned before seeing Rusty and Peter Sam rolling in. "Hello, my friends!"

"Hello, Victor." Rusty smiled as he looked at him. "I take it Aurora told you the situation?"

"Indeed she has." Victor laughed softly, before realizing something, "Well, I have facts but no context." He admitted. "I'll see to that later."

"H-Hi, Victor." Peter Sam said softly, a slight blush on his cheeks. At least something nice was happening for a change!

"Hello, Peter Sam." Victor smiled as he puffed up to the flatbed.

"Hello, my friend." He greeted Smudger kindly. "We've been expecting you."

"Hi…" Smudger said softly, the first words he said out loud since he left that abandoned shed.

"Smudger, this is Victor. One of the best here at the Steamworks." Aurora purred loudly as she jumped onto the flatbed. "He'll make sure you are fully repaired and ready to be a useful engine again!"

"It'll be nice to finally have wheels again." Smudger chuckled softly, a small smile on his face.

"I'm glad to hear that." Victor smiled as he let his workmen start to get the crane in place.

"I want to repaint him." Aurora purred as she jumped off the flatbed, quickly walking over to Rusty.

"It'll be a few days till you can, mi pequeño sol." Victor hummed softly, watching her ears flatten. "We have to repair his body, get rid of the rust, and replace all his parts, but I do promise when that is all done, you may repaint him."

"Yay!" Aurora purred loudly as she walked over to him, kissing his cheek. "Thank you Victor." She giggled upon seeing him blush. "Bye Rusty! And thank you for the lift."

"You're always welcome, Aurora." Rusty smiled as he waited to take away the flatbed.

"I'll stop by and visit till you're full-"

CLANG

Aurora winced as she shut her eyes, her ears still flat against her head as she placed her hands over them.

Smudger screwed his eyes shut from the loud noise before opening them again, not used to the loud noise after listening to almost nothing for years.

"Kevin." Victor sighed as he looked behind him. "How many times do I have to tell you? Slowly, slowly. Gently, gently."

"Sorry, boss! It was a slip of the hook!" Kevin's voice rang from the back of the Steamworks.

"I know…" Victor sighed softly before slowly puffing up to Aurora. "Are you alright?"

"I-I am…" Aurora muttered as she shook her head. "It wasn't as bad as last time…"

"I'm glad to hear that, at least." He smiled softly, gently kissing her head when she sat on his footplate.

"Is that a normal noise?" Smudger asked Rusty quietly.

"I'm afraid so, Smudger." Rusty whispered back. "Kevin has a habit of doing things quickly and everything he carries usually ends up on the ground."

"Joy…" Smudger sighed softly.

"As I was saying, Smudger, I'll visit you every day while you're being repaired." Aurora said softly once she walked over to the flatbed.

"I would love that." Smudger hummed softly, a small smile appearing on his face.

Purring loudly, Aurora waved at them before walking over to Stanley.

The small green engine looked at her sadly before slowly puffing away from the Steamworks; ignoring Rusty's worried look.

After Rusty made him realize what he said, he felt nothing but sickness in his boiler. He should've thought through his words before he even said anything. He loves his niece so dearly and wants nothing but for her to be happy, but here he is, saying things that could've been seen as condescending… as a consequence, sounding like he didn't care about her, or her feelings about her past.

Feeling his eyes water, he puffed towards the sheds he shared with the others, fearing that both Duke and Sir Handel were there.

He decided to tell them both what happened.

He didn't expect total leniency, but they might at least be more sympathetic if he just explained his side of the story and that he hadn't meant to hurt her feelings.

He decided to confide in Sir Handel first-his brother had been by his side his whole life. And whilst his older brother would likely be cross with him, at least he would also be able to help him… somewhat.

"You look like you had a long day, Ro." Edward hummed softly as he watched his daughter walk over to him later that day.

The moon shone brightly in the beautiful night sky, the stars sparkling like diamonds.

Water dripped off of Aurora's hair and tail, evidence that she just finished the day with a shower. Her eyes were blinking more rapidly and her movements sluggish as she tiredly jumped onto his footplate. She wore simple gym shorts and a plain, baggy t-shirt as her pajamas, the only time she would wear anything with sleeves. The shirt's collar slid down her left shoulder a bit as she collapsed near his face. The sounds of the other engines returning to Tidmouth soothed her as she stretched.

"A very long day…" Aurora muttered with a yawn.

"Did you find anything exciting?" Percy asked happily, giggling when he heard a tired groan coming from her.

"She found an engine that was left in a shed on the old Skarloey tracks." Edward said softly, gently kissing Aurora's head when she sat up. He had spoken with her before he encouraged her to "Have a washdown, you'll feel better."

"And Peter Sam said something that upset me…" Aurora muttered as she tiredly leaned against Edward's cheek.

"Peter Sam?" Henry asked in shock, surprised by this information.

"First he was late to pick her up and now saying mean things to my sister." Gordon huffed as he wheeshed angrily. "Disgraceful."

"Disgusting." James huffed, earning a glare from Thomas.

"Despicable…" Henry muttered quietly, only loud enough for Edward and Aurora to hear.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to say anything to upset you, Aurora." Emily said thoughtfully. "I'm sure it's a misunderstanding." she looked at the others. "We've all had moments when we blurt out hurtful thoughts without thinking. Peter Sam is far from a callous bully. He likely feels bad for what he said." She concluded.

"You tell them, Em," Thomas muttered. As worried as he was for Aurora's, he'd been friends with the Skarloey engines for years, and also had no reason to believe Peter Sam had something horrible on purpose.

"I agree with Emily, Ro." Edward agreed as he looked down at his daughter. "I've known Peter Sam for years and he's a very kind engine."

"He is." Thomas agreed, trying to help his sister. "And I know that he feels bad about what he said."

"Probably…" Aurora muttered softly, her head nodding.

"Get some rest, Ro." Edward chuckled softly as he gently nuzzled her. "We'll talk more about this in the morning."

Aurora didn't say anything as she slouched against his cheek, already fast asleep from exhaustion. The other engines smiled warmly at their daughter/sister, still so happy to see her fully relaxed. A soft sigh escaped from Henry as he looked up at the sky.

"I hope Aurora and Peter Sam make up soon." Henry muttered softly as he felt Sam and Dave leave his cab.

"I'm sure they will." Sam smiled as he petted Henry's buffer. "Friends always have small arguments but eventually make it up."

"Just like these three." Aaron laughed softly, pointing at Gordon, James, and Thomas.

"Hey!" The three engines huffed, causing more soft laughter to erupt.

"Get some rest, you lot." Dave chuckled as he and the other engines' crew walked away.

"Good night." The engines called out respectfully, each one of them relaxing in their berths.

"This olive color fits you so well." Aurora purred as she stood on Smudger's footplate, gently painting his boiler. It had been over a month since the rescue, and Smudger felt brand new. Everything except the painting had been done .

"I almost forgot what color I was." Smudger chuckled. "Let alone the feeling of wheels"

"You'll be a really useful engine soon enough." Aurora smiled warmly as she continued to paint.

"Yeah…" Smudger said softly, worry still in his voice.

The last few days felt like a rush to Smudger but he had to admit, Victor did know his stuff- and even though he rather not have dealt with Kevin constantly dropping parts, he did grow to enjoy the small crane's presence, as he was a kind, lively soul.

Both he and Aurora had made him feel livelier and Victor was a great engine to get advice from and banter with.

Yet, the more he was repaired, the more his anxiety grew. He was worried about what the others would think or say, especially Duke, Peter Sam, and Sir Handel. He noticed that Aurora was still mad at Peter Sam and that worried him. Though he didn't want to push Aurora's boundaries, he hoped they would make up soon.

He and Aurora continued to converse with each other as she painted him, but he stopped when he saw a thin man walking into the Steamworks. He had disembarked from a yellow, grumpy-looking tank engine.

He wore a dress suit of grey pants, black shoes, a yellow vest with a white shirt under it, a black tie, a black jacket, brown glasses, and a bowler hat. His hair was jet black and his eyes were like chestnuts, and they looked warm and kind.

Behind him were two other humans, both female. They both wore similar blue suits that the engines' crew wore, already telling him that they'll probably be his new crew. One of the women had beautiful dark brown hair in a messy bob and stunning ice-blue eyes. A small mark not dissimilar to a coffee stain decorated her neck.

The other female was tall and muscular with dirty blonde hair and sharp black eyes. They both smiled upon looking at the engine and Smudger felt comfort and kindness radiating from them. He could tell that they would treat him nicely.

He felt Aurora slowly and cautiously move closer to his cab, already knowing that she didn't fully trust the three humans in front of them, not yet, at least.

"Hello, Smudger." Mr. Percival smiled warmly at the engine. "My name is Mr. Percival and I am the controller of the Skarloey Railway."

"It's…it's a pleasure to meet you, Sir." Smudger said softly, feeling his heart race anxiously. The last time he spoke to any controller was the one who turned him into a generator.

"I know you are nervous about being back in service, Smudger, and I don't blame you." Mr. Percival said sympathetically as he walked up to him. "You've gone through so much and a lot of people have forgotten you, but I want you to start your life again with a clean slate."

"Y-You sure, Sir?" Smudger asked softly as he looked at him in shock.

"I am indeed, Smudger." Mr. Percival smiled as he gently pets his buffer. "I know you want to change to be better," He hummed before looking at Aurora and nodding at her.

Aurora didn't say anything. Her sharp, sapphire eyes stared at Mr. Percival before softening a bit. Slowly turning her head, she went back to silently painting Smudger's cab. Mr. Percival smiled warmly, happy to see that her trust in him increased, at least a little bit.

It was a start and he was very happy about that. Looking back at Smudger, he took a few steps back as he allowed the other two humans to walk forward.

"Now then, Smudger, I would like you to meet your driver, Isabel West, and your firewoman, Frances Martin."

"Hello, Smudger." Isabel smiled warmly at the olive green engine.

"Hey." Frances smiled as she waved at him.

"Hi…" Smudger said softly, still nervous about being an operational engine once again. "I…I promise I'll try to not cause you two problems."

"Glad to hear that." Frances hummed as she patted his footplate.

Aurora hissed silently as she put the painting stuff down, walking away from Smudger and standing in a distance away from the two.

"I'm sorry about Aurora." Mr. Percival apologized. "She's a really nice girl, it just takes a while for her to trust you."

"We understand." Isabel said softly as she looked at Aurora. "I've read the newspaper about everything she went through." She turned to Aurora. "Frances and I will respect your space, but I hope we can be friends one day." She said kindly.

"It sickens me how anyone could even treat her in that manner." Frances spat, disgusted "Like the others, we'll take our time with her." she smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that." Smudger sighed softly. "I don't want anything else to happen to her."

"We all don't." Mr. Percival smiled, seeing how protective he is of her already, just like the rest of his engines.

"When you're fully dry, we'll get you up and running in no time." Isabel smiled as she looked at him.

"I can't wait." Smudger said softly, a small smile on his face as he already felt comfortable around his new crew.

…

Frances smiled as she shoveled some coal into Smudger's firebox as Isabel was busy filling his bunker. Lighting a match, Frances threw it into his firebox and started waving her hat to fan the flames before watching the fire grow.

A shiver crept through Smudger's boiler from the increasing heat. He barely remembered the last time he felt this warmth and it felt comforting to him. He could feel the water in his boiler start to bubble before wheeshing as much as he could. White clouds of steam engulfed him and he couldn't help but smile brightly. He truly felt alive again and fought to keep his tears at bay.

In the distance, Aurora purred happily as she sat on Victor's footplate, looking at Smudger bubbling in joy. She could see him fighting his tears back and she couldn't help but let her own tears fall. Stepping out of Victor's cab, Edmundo, Victor's driver, walked over to her and handed her a handkerchief.

"Thanks, Edmundo." Aurora sniffed as she took it, wiping her eyes before blowing into it. "Sorry…"

"It's alright." Edmundo chuckled softly, gently patting her head before taking the handkerchief back, which he put in his pocket.

"Here you go, El Sol." Alejandro, Victor's fireman, smiled as he handed her a medianoche.

"Ohh, thank you!" Aurora purred as she took the half-moon shaped bread, eating it contentedly.

"You did a good deed, mi pequeño sol." Victor smiled as he gently kissed her head.

"Gracias." Aurora purred as she looked at him. "I know how he felt and I didn't want him to suffer anymore…" She said softly before looking down.

Victor frowned sadly, knowing all too well that she was also thinking about her past. Kissing her head again, Victor waited for his crew to climb back into his cab before slowly puffing over to Smudger.

"You are all ready, my friend." Victor smiled as Aurora climbed off his footplate. "Good luck, and enjoy your new lease on life!"

"Thank you, Victor." Smudger smiled as he looked at him, his eyes full of life once again.

The sound of multiple chuffing sounds slowly echoed outside of the Steamworks, causing the others to look up. Smudger instantly looked away as he saw the faces of Duke, Peter Sam, Falcon, and two other engines he didn't know; but Aurora recognized them as Luke and Skarloey. He felt his anxiety rise once again.

Aurora stared at Peter Sam angrily before huffing and turning her head away to look at Smudger's face before gently petting it.

"It's alright, Smudger." Aurora whispered softly before kissing his cheek.

Mr. Percival asked, "Is he ready?"

"He is, Sir." Isabel smiled as she looked out of Smudger's cab. "All fired up and ready to get moving."

"M-Maybe this isn't a good idea…" Smudger whispered softly.

Mr. Percival opened his mouth to say something but was quickly cut off by Aurora. He frowned. He was fond of her, despite their lack of closeness at the moment, but he did not approve of being interrupted continuously.

"It'll be ok, Smudger." Aurora hummed softly to reassure him. "This is a new chapter in your life with a new slate. You can prove to them that you want to change to be a better engine. Show them that you're proud to work on this railway. I believe in you, along with Mr. Percival and your crew."

"She's right." Frances hummed softly as he walked in front of his face, causing Aurora to scramble away from them. "Sorry, Aurora." He apologized sincerely before looking at his engine. "Even though Isabel and I have just met you, we can see that you are ready for this."

"You think so?" Smudger asked quietly as he looked at him.

"Of course we do." Isabel smiled as she patted his cab door. "Now come on, let's show them the new you."

"Alright." Smudger said softly as he took a few deep breaths, feeling Frances climb back into his cab. "Alright, Mr. Percival, I'm ready."

"That's a good engine." Mr. Percival smiled as he walked over to Skarloey.

Looking over at Aurora, Smudger took a deep breath as he slowly puffed forward. He winced as he felt his axles move, having been so long since he moved on his own.

Feeling Aurora's eyes on him brought him some comfort as he puffed closer to Duke. He wished he wasn't on the track Duke was on but knew it couldn't be helped. Stopping a few feet away from Duke, Smudger tried to calm his racing heart as he slowly looked up.

"H-Hey, Dukie." Smudger said softly, a nervous smile on his face as he finally looked at his old mentor once more. "Long time, no see." He gulped quietly.

Aurora walked over to them, still keeping her gaze away from Peter Sam.

"It has been, Smudger." Duke said softly, a small smile on his face.

"Hello!" Luke smiled as he puffed up closer, causing Smudger to stagger back a bit. "My name is Luke. It's nice to finally meet you, Smudger!" He smiled happily.

Looking at his dimples and his bucked teeth, Smudger smiled-he felt calm around the other green engine. He seemed very kind and gentle, not to mention friendly. "It's… nice to meet you as well, Luke."

"Steady, Luke!" A voice laughed, and a man popped his head out of Luke's cab. "He's always excited to make new friends. I'm Geoffrey Heron, his driver." He explained. "That's my fireman, Richard Wilson." Another man popped out of Luke's cab, and they stepped down from the footplate to shake hands with Smudger's new crew.

Next two men got out of the red saddle tank engine. "I'm John Wendell, Skarloey's driver, and I'm also one of the railway's first aiders. That's William Rose, my fireman. And that dirty lump behind us is Skarloey."

"Who are you calling a dirty lump?" Skarloey sounded mock-offended.

"Your fault-you didn't let Lexi polish you!" Falcon argued.

"That'll do, Sir Handel," said Peter Sam miserably.

Smudger made note of his ex-colleague's name change and looked over at the yellow engine.

"That's Duncan." Skarloey informed him. "Resident grump. But he's a nice sort of fellow, once you look past the rough edges."

Driver Julian Evans and fireman Carl Jackson introduced themselves, along with their engine, Peter Sam, to Smudger and his crew; followed by Driver Michael Friar and Fireman Bob Parker, who were the crew of Sir Handel; then Duke's Driver Harold Robertson and Firewoman, Tirion Seren, were introduced.

Smudger was surprised at Tirion's appearance, as she was both black and a woman. This wasn't something he saw in the old days, but he liked her immediately, as she was bubbly and cheery, if a tad uptight.

He did vaguely remember a woman was with Rusty at the Mid-Sodor, but he couldn't remember her name. Nor the name of the man with her.

Cameron Douglas and Dylan Wood were introduced last, alongside their engine, Duncan.

"Well, that's almost everyone, I should say." Said Mr. Percival cheerily.

But Smudger looked along the engines and counted out the numbers. He panicked when he realized there wasn't a No. 2 among them.

"Please, Sir, I am not replacing your No. 2, am I?" He asked fearfully.

"Bless you, no!" Mr. Percival exclaimed, horrified. "He's quite safe, I assure you."

"He'd kick up a stink otherwise." Sir Handel said, looking at Skarloey. But Skarloey wasn't listening.

He looked over at Smudger. "What's your builder's plate, my engine?" He asked kindly.

"Oh, erm, Fletcher-Jennings…" he mumbled.

"I thought so…" Skarloey said. "Sos mine That makes us related."

"What's that got to do with it?" Asked Smudger.

"My brother Rheneas looks exactly like you, dear engine, only with vermillion paintwork instead of green."

"That reminds me," Luke piped suddenly. "Me and Peter Sam are cousins cos we share the same builder, right, but have different builds…?"

"Yes?" Skarloey asked warily.

Smudger was surprised at this information. He didn't know Peter Sam had a cousin on Sodor.

"So how come that doesn't apply to you and Rheneas?" Luke asked. "I hope you don't think I'm trying to be rude for asking, but I am curious."

"That's something you'd best ask Rheneas about, if you dare." Skarloey answered darkly.

"W…why?" Asked Smudger, alarmed.

"He formed a theory to this, and it gets all technical and complicated." Grumbled Skarloey.

"You still trip over the word, "gravity." Said Sir Handel haughtily. Poor Skarloey went red in the face.

"That's quite enough, Sir Handel!" Mr. Percival admonished severely.

Abashed, the sheepish little blue engine offered a muttered apology to Mr. Percival and Skarloey. The matter was swiftly dropped.

"Who's Lexi?" Asked Smudger, in an effort to change the subject. He aimed the question at Aurora initially, thinking she was perhaps a friend of hers or something. But when Aurora shrugged, he realized she wasn't sure and asked the others.

"She's our friend," explained Skarloey. "She polishes us and does odd jobs, like acting as a Guard, and cleaning coaches, helping people with lost property. Her father works as a Driver. She's a nice sort, but she has a temper on her you wouldn't believe. "

Smudger was about to ask who her father was when he saw Geoffrey wave at him.

Ah.

"Why isn't she here? I thought she'd have had interest." He said. He wanted to meet her as well.

"Oh, she's with Rheneas." He explained. "Helping his crew tackle a nasty case of boiler sludge."

"I thought you would've kept an eye on him, my friend!" Victor was surprised.

"I intended to, but Rheneas shooed me away. He said he wasn't dying and I wouldn't have been able to do much anyway. It stung, that."

"Hands are more useful than buffers." Sir Handel pointed out. "Knowing that lot, they'll be swearing up a storm anyway."

"True," Sighed Skarloey.

"So, are you ready to travel to your new home, Smudger?" Asked Isabel, brightly.

"I… I think so." Smudger said, uncertainly.

"It's time we'd head back, too. The railway won't run itself." Said Duke. The others agreed. Mr. Pervical reboarded Duncan and the engines all filed out of the Steamworks one by one, till only Skarloey and Smudger were left.

"Aurora, my annwyl, are you coming to our railway with us, or would you like to stay here and wait for one of our standard gauge colleagues to pick you up?" The old engine asked kindly.

"I'll… I'll stay." Facing Peter Sam again had hurt too much. "Tell Rheneas I hope he gets better soon, and I'm sorry I couldn't see him today."

"I will, don't you worry," soothed Skarloey. He was disappointed, but he understood.

"Umm…where will I start working at?" Smudger asked softly as he puffed a bit closer to Skarloey.

"With Bertram at the old mines and castle." Skarloey smiled warmly.

"Bertram?" Smudger asked in confusion.

"You will like him." Aurora purred loudly. "He's fun to be around with." She hummed before waving at them. "I'll visit you later." She smiled before walking away.

"Bye, Aurora/Annwyl." Both engines said as they watched her leave.

"She is something else." Smudger chuckled softly.

"Indeed." Skarloey agreed. "Ready?"

"I am." Smudger said softly, nervousness in his voice.

Smiling warmly at him, Skarloey blew his whistle twice as both engines left the Steamworks.