Year: 1986

Mitton, Asquith, and Britt all stepped into STH's office

STH: Oh hey, I see the show was a hit.

Britt: Indeed it was, everyone wants to see more adventures that Thomas and his friends wind up in.

Mitton: Second series here we go!

…

It was a beautiful morning on the Island of Sodor. As a certain blue tank engine pulling two coaches crossed one of the newly built bridges, he marveled at the scenery of it all. Almost like Sodor itself had gotten a bigger budget. Thomas the Tank Engine's signature blue pant sparkled in the sunshine as he happily puffed along his branchline with Annie and Clarabel.

"You know what they say, girls. New year, new me!" said Thomas proudly.

"Oh we know, Thomas." said Annie.

Unsurprisingly, as you just saw there, Thomas was feeling very proud of himself. He rushed through the new valley, where several woodland creatures stared at one of the rarely seen Sudrian engines, and hurried towards Elsbridge.

…

At Elsbridge, Percy and Toby were chatting with each other.

"I think I need a change, Toby." said Percy, reflecting on his experience on the island.

"What, house training or something?"

"What the- No! I mean, we've been here for over a year or so, and we've done the same menial odd jobs over and over again."

"So, what's your point?" asked Toby.

"My point is I want to be where all the action is!" said Percy.

"Well, just don't kill yourself trying." advised Toby. "Or do it the Thomas way."

Percy merely laughed, and then heard Thomas' whistle.

"Speaking of the sort-of blue devil." said Percy.

Sure enough, Thomas wheeshed right around the corner with flair and pride.

"Hello Thomas." said Percy. "You're looking splendid.

"Yes! Indeed I am!" boasted Thomas. "Blue is the only proper color for an engine!"

"Explains why you and 87546 agree on that." droned Toby. "But, ohhh, I don't know. I like my brown paint nicely."

"I've always been green-"

"What a hippie fool!" snorted James as he ran through.

"-for as long as I can remember, I wouldn't want to be any other color either." chuckled Percy.

"Well… ANYWAY-" huffed an angered Thomas. "-blue is the only color for a REAL engine! Everybody and their mom knows that!" Thomas blew an angry 'so there!" whistle and puffed off.

Percy said no more and merely grinned at Toby.

…

Sometime later, at the yard by Tidmouth station, Thomas was resting on a siding when Percy arrived pulling a long train of trucks. Thomas glanced at the coal hopper he was next to. He briefly thought of leaving this supposedly dangerous area, but had abandoned it.

The large hopper was filling Percy's trucks up with coal like normal. Meanwhile, Thomas was still being cheeky.

"Careful!" warned Thomas. "Watch out with those crazy trucks!"

"CRAZY ARE WE?!" shouted the re-faced trucks, no longer having their faces drawn and painted on. Their faces were now gray to match the engines. "Go on, go on!"

"And by the way, those buffers back there don't look safe to me!" said Thomas just as Percy smacked into the buffers, knocking them aside.

Thomas took a moment and glanced at the space where the last truck or so should be, and then at the coal hopper.

"D'aw Jesus." muttered Thomas.

The last load poured down.

"MMHH! MMLP! 'M'M MMOKING!" cried Thomas. "MMT ME MMT MF MMERE!"

Percy was worried at first, but he couldn't help laughing his dome off. Meanwhile the workman pulled the lever again and again, attempting to stop the flow of coal (Ironically adding more and more) Thomas' smart blue paint was soon covered all over in coal dust.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Percy. "You're not looking useful now, Thomas. You look really disgraceful.'

"I AM NOT DISGRACEFUL!" snapped Thomas. "YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE! NOW GET ME OUT!"

Percy was very afraid.

…

"There you are, I thought you were all recalled." said Eagle.

"We were." groaned the group of the last painted face trucks while they were pulled by Eagle.

Thomas, sitting in the work shed right next to Tidmouth, fumed on his own once more, while Annie and Clarabel felt sorry for him

It had taken so long to clean Thomas, and remove the coal from each part of his body, that he wasn't in time for his next train. So Toby came by and had to take Annie and Clarabel for him. The tram said nothing to Thomas, fearing he might snap and kill him painfully where he stood.

Along the way, they passed a baffled STH and signalman arguing with the guy responsible for the coal incident.

"HOW COULD YOU END UP DUMPING THREE TONS OF COAL?!" exploded Hatt. "IT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE!"

"It was jammed!" said the coal hopper man. "I tried to stop it, but more kept dumping out!"

"It's brand new! How the hell could we make a mistake this big?!"

…

In the sheds, Thomas was unsurprisingly incredibly cross. Toby had spent the better part of the day snickering with the coaches, and thought it a great joke. Except that Percy was also cross with Thomas for thinking he had done it on purpose.

"FANCY! A REALLY USEFUL ENGINE like THOMAS, becoming such a DISGRACE to the Fat Controller's railway!" snarled Percy.

"You little piece of green shit is so dead to me!" snarled Thomas.

Toby merely laughed a bit as the two engines fought and insulted each other.

…

The next morning, Thomas was more cheerful, as he had managed to get his beauty sleep. Percy had brought his heavy trucks from the junction, and was tired, having been unfortunate to not get his beauty sleep. Thomas was very sure this had nothing to do with them arguing and insulting each other all night before.

Thomas' grin was like a red flag to a bull. A paralyzed bull. It was likely very angry, but was currently in no condition to do anything.

"Have a drink, old buddy." said Percy's driver.

"At long last!" sighed Percy.

The nearby water column stood at the end of a siding with more buffers. Percy then puffed forwards, somehow forgetting to uncouple his own trucks. Thomas sat in silence and watched.

"Wait, why can't I stop?!" cried Percy. The buffers couldn't stop him either! "OHHH!" wailed Percy. "HELP!"

One crack and splintering later, the buffers were destroyed, and Percy was wheel deep in the same three tons of coal that had been shifted the previous night. It was time for Thomas to leave, he had seen everything.

"Now Percy's learned his lesson too." he chuckled.

STH groaned and grabbed his buffer maker.

…

The following night, the two engines made up for their quarrel.

"You know, I really didn't cause that accident on purpose." said Percy. "Right?"

"Of course!" said Thomas. "And I'm sorry I was cheeky as well. Your green paint's looking splendid again!" he smirked. "We should be more careful when it comes to coal in the future."