When Sir Topham Hatt came back, everyone gave him a big welcome. When he heard how Thomas helped Min-Gi with a crisis, he was very pleased and rewarded him with a new coat of paint. Lady often visited the Island of Sodor from time to time thanks to Andy as her driver with no more problems as Simon was caught by the police while trying to hide in the sludge barge and sentenced to a maximum-security prison for life in a strait jacket with no parole, where he will spend the rest of his days. Everyone was happy when Thomas returned in his new coat, even Gordon was impressed, believing he had earned it. And Thomas the Tank Engine couldn't have been happier than to be surrounded by friends, old or new.
And what about Diesel 10, Splatter, and Dodge?
No one can really say. But Sir Topham Hatt had scolded all three of them severely for causing confusion and delay... also destruction of Sodor property as an addition. Believing things were much better on his railway before Diesel had arrived, he decided that he would not be inviting him back, not now, not ever! Diesel 10's claw was still out of commission, so all he could do was face the music. With that, Sir Topham Hatt sent him back home in disgrace, demanding his owner to have his claw removed permanently so there will be no more harm coming from him. Splatter and Dodge went with him, mostly because Arry and Bert were repaired and have now come back to work. With that, things were back to normal on the railway.
No one ever mentioned George, he just doesn't lump in with the other engines or their celebrations. He still rants about ripping up rails and turning them into roads, being a steam roller that his is, but he had found a much better respect for the steam engines now, if only by a little. Which I think is good enough, don't you?
20 Years Later...
Muffle Mountain was being washed by the daylight with a brilliant mountain bush and birds flying by the lake as the sun shone over the summit, the bouquet tree blossomed with beautiful flowers, and the huge meadow being covered with golden flowers.
Sitting near the meadow was a young woman with orange hair in a ponytail down to her shoulders, having a picnic with her two little children and their Corgi dot looking somewhat like Atticus. And indeed, that young woman was Tulip, and she was right now showing her children a scrapbook, which had gaily colored postcards from exotic places, all signed Ryan, and family photos of the engines on the Island of Sodor, a beautiful group picture of Lady, Sir Topham Hatt, Min-Gi, Grace and Amelia, proudly holding a plaque saying 'Indian Valley Achievement Award', and of course, a picture of Atticus. There is also Andy's drawing that he did as a child, when he first visited the Island of Sodor.
"And this is Andy Jr.'s great-granddad, Atticus, who made sure I got the wrong train for the right reason," said Tulip before turning the page.
This picture showed herself as a child with her mother, father, aunt, and her one-year-old cousin, clutching the One-one toy with beautiful rainbow-colored glowing.
"And this was my much loved One-one," she said. "I gave it to your uncle for his first birthday. It was the best present I could give to him," she added before showing another photo.
This was a family photo of Andy, Megan, and Tulip at his house.
"And this is my favorite photo of your grandpa," she added. "This was the day he opened all the shutters of his house. Then we danced under the apple tree to a lovely waltz. I made sure I came back here every summer. And eventually, I became an engineer like him."
As the children marveled at them, they heard a young man arriving on his horse. Once he had come, he jumped down and kissed his family.
"Hi, Daddy!" said one of the two boys, hugging him before holding up the scrapbook, showing him a picture of Thomas. "I keep imagining that one day, I can meet Thomas."
"Maybe someday, sport, you will," smiled the man.
The boy smiled in excitement.
"Then, that's what counts," said Tulip, standing up. "Now, it's time for us to go home. Are you coming, Jesse?"
"Of course I am, Tulip," Jesse replied, putting his arm around his wife.
And together, they all headed down the meadow.
As they all went home, Min-Gi was watching nearby the whole time in his small stature, listening with a smile on his face before teleporting away in a cloud of magic gold dust.
They walked towards Shining Time, where it was now bustling and fussing with pure energy again as people came and went with joy and happy smiles as children laughed and played. At the station, Grace sold more tickets to many customers and Amelia had many more passengers than ever on the Rainbow Sun, all back to the same as it once were.
That evening, on Sodor, Thomas puffed home towards the sunset, whistling "good-bye" happily.
"Sometimes, all it takes is a little train engine and the spirit of the child within us, to see the beauty in our lives and hope that we can always find it there."
THE END