A/N: Here we go Again! This one is one of my own personal favorites, not just from season 1, but the series as a whole! It's a simple story with a simple plot: Thomas and Bertie are racing. It's a simple story that anyone can enjoy. So without further ado, here we go.
Chapter 14: Thomas and Bertie's Great Race
Winter had come and gone, and it was now late spring. Thomas had parked his engine near the bus depot with Annie and Clarabel for a rest before his next train when he spotted a familiar looking driver next to a red bus. The man was giving it a washdown when he noticed Thomas and walked over.
"Hello," said Thomas, "I'm Thomas, and this is Annie and Clarabel."
"Hello," Clarabel said "What's your name?"
"My name is Bertie," said the man, and then smiled, "I remember you guys. You're the guys who got stuck in the snowdrift last winter whose passengers I took home while Terence pulled you out. I thought you looked familiar. Anyway, I'm here to help you guys with your passengers."
Annie and Clarabel were pleased to hear that, but Thomas was not amused.
"Help me?" he spluttered. "My engine is faster than your bus by a mile."
"Is not," said Bertie.
"Is too."
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
After a minute or two of arguing, Bertie had an idea.
"Why don't we settle this with a race?" he suggested. "Then we can prove which is faster."
Thomas agreed to do it when he had his next train. At 1:00, the two met at the station with their respective vehicles. Once the passengers had boarded and the guard in the break coach, the stationmaster came out with a green flag.
"On your marks… get set… go!" he shouted as the two set off.
Bertie gained an early lead, but Thomas was not worried in the slightest. Annie and Clarabel couldn't understand it.
"If you can't catch up, we'll lose for sure," Clarabel said.
"Don't you worry about that," said Thomas, "Look up ahead!"
There at the level crossing was Bertie, fuming and impatient for Thomas to pass.
"Bye bye, Bertie!" Called Thomas as they raced past.
After that road and rail split off, and the two could not see eachother for a long while. Unfortunately for Thomas, he had to stop at every station, which made him anxious to get going again.
"Come on, old girl," he told his engine, "don't fail me now."
When Thomas drove into the next station, he noticed Bertie at a bus stop ready to leave.
"Good bye, Thomas," he called, "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have a race to win," and with that, he drove the bus ahead. Thomas's heart sank.
"Oh dear," he thought, "We've lost for sure."
"Nonsense, Thomas," said Annie, "He may have the lead, but we can still catch up."
"Yeah," chimed in Clarabel, "Let's show that Bertie how fast we can really go."
Thomas smiled from their encouragement.
"Thanks girls," he said, "Now let's win this race." And with that they set off again.
They managed to pass Bertie, who had to wait a traffic light, but soon enough they were even once again. Realizing that he had to do something fast if he wanted to win, Thomas opened the throttle all the way (I apologize if this is not the right mechanism. I'm not too well aware of the mechanics of a steam locomotive), causing his engine to go at full speed. Bertie tried to catch up, but to no avail. With one last blast of his engine's whistle, Thomas roared through the tunnel and into the last station, with Bertie not far behind. Everyone cheered for the two and their efforts. Bertie smiled and shook Thomas's hand.
"Good job, Thomas," he said, "but for me to have beaten you over that last hill, my bus would've had to sprout wings like an airplane." And with that the two shared a good laugh.
Thomas and Bertie are now good friends, and talk about their race often. But new regulations for both the railway and roads have prohibited racing at dangerous speeds. But they may have another race some day. Who Knows?
A/N: And another chapter complete. I hope you enjoyed it. Originally I was going to take a break from this and do a rewrite of Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, but this story has gone on hiatus too often as it is, so that will have to wait for another day. Besides, I don't think there is much I could change about the story that won't ruin it. Anyway, next time we do things a little differently, although I'm sure you can already guess what I mean.