SCARLETT RED

Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

Set after Series 21

During the winter months, work at Anopha quarry slows down as there isn't as much demand for rock and slate. This meant that Mavis would often be loaned to help out beyond Ffarquhar, and within the past year, it had especially been the case with Daisy's transfer to the Harwick extension and Rosie taking up the position as pilot engine for Vicarstown. But right now, she and her friends were beginning to get stretched thin.

"Good grief…" sighed Percy. "Rosie and Daisy just had to leave a year apart…"

"Come on, Percy," said Thomas. "We have to manage as best we can."

"We could do with the help of another engine around here," said Toby. "Or maybe even two. One to help at the quarry, and one to help us with regular trains."

"Toby's right," agreed Percy. "Besides, Stanley and Stafford have their buffers full with keeping Philip and Charlie in line."

"Philip works with Edward and BoCo now, remember?" said Thomas.

"Oh yeah…" trailed Percy. "That's another change we have to get used to."

"Well, the branch line won't run itself," said Toby. "Let's get our trains, you two."

Meanwhile, up at Anopha quarry…

"Phew!" panted Mavis. "There's… more trucks… for Percy…"

"Looks like you're low on fuel, ol' girl," said her driver. "Let's take a quick break."

The manager, Mr. Tobias Croarie, had taken note of this and was mulling over the situation in his office. "I can't keep sending Percy and Toby to help," he said to himself. "Maybe there's an engine I can buy from– Ah! There's one."

A few days later, as she was arranging some trucks for Toby, Mavis heard an unfamiliar horn.

"That can't be Daisy back here," she commented. "She wouldn't be caught rusting away with truckloads of stone–"

"Hello!" Mavis was taken by surprise at an unfamiliar voice.

"Who said that?" she asked.

"Name Scarlett! What your name?" There, rolling up alongside Mavis, was a small red diesel shunter with four wheels hidden by sideplates and cowcatchers.

"Oh! Er… I'm Mavis…" the black diesel replied. "Are you… okay?"

"Driver's first language not English," Scarlett explained. "Not best at speaking…"

"Ah, that makes sense," said Mavis. "Well, Scarlett, welcome to Anopha quarry."

"Thanks!" said Scarlett. "What Scarlett do first?"

"Well, you can start by shunting those trucks to the hopper," said Mavis. "I've got to arrange a train for Toby."

"Scarlett on it!" the red diesel cried, quickly rushing over to where Mavis had indicated. Unfortunately, she bumped the trucks too hard, much to their surprise.

"Ooh! Ow! Oh!" they cried. "Whatever's happening?!"

"Sorry about it!" called Mavis. "She's a new engine!"

Unfortunately, the trucks started to smirk and chuckle. "She talks funny!" laughed one.

"Who does she think she is?" another remarked. "Is she an alien disguised as an engine?"

"She's no proper engine!" a third one snickered.

"That's enough out of you lot!" snapped Mavis. "You treat our new engine with respect, or I'm reporting you to the manager!"

That silenced most of the trucks… at least, in Mavis' presence.

It wasn't long before Toby arrived at the quarry with Henrietta and Hannah in tow.

"Good morning, Mavis," Toby greeted. "How are you holding up on your own?"

"Oh, I'm not on my own today, Toby," said Mavis, but before she could explain, Scarlett came up alongside Toby and greeted him and his coaches with a loud honk.

"Aah!" cried Toby, nearly jumping off the rails in surprise. "Who are you?!"

"Scarlett!" she smiled. "Hi, Brown Tram!"

"That's Toby!" remarked the tram engine seriously.

"Ooh, I like her already," chuckled Hannah. "She's funny, isn't she, sister?"

"Well, Scarlett does seem eager to please," Henrietta noted.

"She sounds like trouble to me," sighed Toby. "Even when she was first built, Mavis wasn't this much of a buffer-full…"

"Ooh, coaches can talk too!" said Scarlett. "Not often seen!"

"That's correct, Scarlett," said Henrietta. "My name is Henrietta, and this is my sister, Hannah."

"Pleased to meet ya, Scarlett," grinned Hannah.

"Scarlett can't wait to make new friends!" the red diesel said excitedly. "Scarlett love new home already!"

"Does she always talk like this?" Toby queried.

"Well… that's sort of the impression I got from her," admitted Mavis. "Scarlett also says her driver's first language wasn't English."

"Okay, that's beginning to make sense," said Toby. "Maybe there is potential in her–"

CRASH!

"Oh dear!" cried Mavis. "Scarlett, what happened?"

"Scarlett get van for train, but…"

"Oh…" trailed Mavis. "I see. Don't worry; we'll get Judy and Jerome up here."

"So much for getting help up here," muttered Judy.

"Who wants a clumsy shunter?" grunted Jerome. "There'll be more accidents up here than we can manage!"

"Hey, go easy on her," called Percy. "She's very young. All engines are inexperienced once."

"Sorry, Green Saddle…" Scarlett said quietly.

"Huh? My name's Percy, not Green Saddle!"

"Oh… Green Saddle name Percy?"

"Er… yes…"

"Don't take it personally, Percy," said Mavis. "That's just the way Scarlett speaks."

"I… see…" Percy said quietly. "Scarlett, was it? Just take my tip – if you slow down a bit, you'll be able to do your work without crashing."

"Oh… Scarlett try that," said the diesel.

"And try to ask for someone's name before calling them a nickname," added Percy.

"Okay, Green– er, Percy."

"Come on, Scarlett," said Mavis. "Let's see if we can get the quarry back in order."

For the rest of the day, Scarlett took Percy's advice to heart. She did her best to not rush, and to buffer up gently to the trucks. Although every now and again, Scarlett would forget herself by mistake.

"Oof! Hey, careful there!"

"Sorry, truck! Scarlett still learning!"

"You're doing well, Scarlett!" called Mavis. "Go a bit slower." As Scarlett shunted her trucks into position, Mavis felt a clunk in one of her wheels.

"Huh?!" she cried. "That doesn't feel right." Mavis' driver scrambled down to have a look.

"Hmm… looks like a rock got caught in your sideplate," he remarked.

"Oh no…" groaned Mavis. "I've promised that I'd bring a train to Ffarquhar."

"What train for?" asked Scarlett.

"It's to help rebuild some of the houses near Ffarquhar," explained Mavis. "Heavy snowstorms caved in some of the roofs."

"Oh, that bad!" cried Scarlett. "People need stone for roofs to keep warm!"

"Exactly," said Mavis. "And to make matters worse, Toby, Percy and Thomas are too busy to take the stone right now. Rosie and Daisy sure left at a bad time…"

"Flowers can't carry stone train," said Scarlett, confused.

"No, Scarlett!" laughed Mavis. "I mean two engines who used to help out on this line. I'm sure you'll meet them at some point." She glanced back at the trucks. "All the same though, I don't know who can take the train on such short notice."

"What about quarry work?" asked Scarlett. "Is that important?"

"Yes," said Mavis, "but this won't take too long to fix. I can get back to work once the stone is out."

Scarlett looked curiously at the train. "Hmm… Scarlett take train to station while Mavis recover!"

"Oh, thank you, Scarlett!" smiled Mavis. "Take my tip though – whatever you do, don't stop at the level crossing on the farm lane!" Scarlett cocked an eyebrow. "Trust me on that one."

"Okay, Mavis. Scarlett take word."

Scarlett started out on her journey, and she listened to the water rushing underneath Toby's tightrope.

"Ooh… Scarlett not like sound of that…" she winced nervously.

"Don't worry; the bridge is much sturdier than it was, dear chap," called a voice from above.

"Flying!" Scarlett glanced up curiously. "Hi, whirly bird!"

"I thought Percy was the only one who called me that," Harold chuckled. "You must be the new engine, Scarlett. I'm Harold."

"Hi, Harold!" Scarlett smiled. "Keep up good work!"

Harold laughed and flew off. "You too, Scarlett."

Down at Ffarquhar station, Thomas had brought some workmen aboard Annie and Clarabel for Bertie to take.

"Where's Mavis?" asked Thomas. "She doesn't usually take this long to bring trucks down here."

"Maybe she got held up by Patches," suggested Bertie, referring to the puppy now taken in by the Kyndleys. "You know what she's like around dogs."

Just then, they heard a loud horn coming in from the distance.

"That's not Mavis' horn," said Thomas.

"Scarlett and stone train pulling in!" the red diesel called as she drew closer.

"Oh my!" gasped Annie. "So you're this Scarlett we've been hearing about."

"Yep, that me!" she replied proudly.

"Well, I'm Thomas," said the blue tank engine, "and these are Annie, Clarabel and Bertie."

"Hello, Scarlett," greeted the red bus. "Pleased to meet you."

"At least Scarlett won't call you Blue Engine or Red Bus," Scarlett chuckled.

"You're learning our names," said Clarabel. "That's good to see."

"And you did well with the delivery too," added Annie. "Now the workmen will be able to fix the houses that have been snowed under."

"And people can get warm?" asked Scarlett.

"That's correct," smiled Thomas. "They'll be pleased with you too."

And indeed they were. One of the houses that was repaired was a bit of a surprise…

"Bridget and Marcus?!" gasped Mavis. "What brings you all the way up to the quarry?"

"Well… we came to thank you and the others," said Bridget. "If not for your hard work, our house would still be unlivable."

"We heard it was the quarry's new engine that played a big part in it," added Marcus. "Scarlett, was it?"

"That me!" she grinned. "Glad to help!"

"That's some high praise," whispered Mavis. "Bridget here fell out of touch with the railway long ago."

"Why?" asked Scarlett.

"Well… let's just say she wasn't that good with identifying the railway's engines," joked Toby.

"Even as a married woman, I'm never going to forget that, am I?" muttered Bridget. Mavis and Toby laughed, and even Scarlett couldn't help but join in.

Despite her rough start, Scarlett felt really good about her new home, and now gets along very well with her fellow engines. She's still a bit on the clumsy side, but makes up for that with her hardworking nature, friendly smile and tenacity.

THE END

Author's Comments

Two Between the Lines stories in a single week? Yes, this is not something that happens often; A Kyndley Gesture had actually been completed a few days before it was published, but it was held off until Invasion of the Lightning Stacks (you can read about it on Jonathan's page) was posted in its entirety. Likewise, this story was written up a few days prior to its official publication, giving us a proper introduction to Scarlett the red quarry diesel. She's essentially an expy of Yona Yak from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, down to referring to herself in the third person and occasionally being clumsy. Scarlett's basis is a BR Class 06 with added sideplates and cowcatchers, and is one of the Kids Station Engines that appeared in the Japanese exclusive game Oshaberi Oekaki Kikansha Thomas to Nakamatachi from 2002.

We're now one story away from seventy in total across three sets of Between the Lines, and I can confirm that the number one tank engine himself, Thomas, will be the main star of it. All I will reveal is that it's a flashback story. As well as that, here's the remaining standalone stories for set three before we get into the six-part mini-series:

- Slow Speed Train - Lauren is offended when Pip and Emma make a remark about her living a slow life on the Kirk Ronan branch line, but when the high speed train fails at Kellsthorpe Road, only one engine is close enough to come to their rescue…

- Blind Puffing - While out on a rubbish run, Whiff's glasses break and he has to try and complete his tasks without them. However, he soon runs into trouble with a shipment of bananas at Brendam docks.

- Gordon in a Sulk (adapted from Gordon's Express and In a Sulk) - Gordon ends up in a bad mood following an accident that results in him going to the Steamworks. Meanwhile, Donald and Douglas end up managing the express in his absence.

- It Don't Come Easy - Sidney is rostered to help out on the Norramby branch line, but as it turns out, his forgetfulness and Arthur's fussiness do not mix.