[Burnett Stone is on Muffle Mountain watching the sun set, when Patch walks up to him.]
Burnett Stone: Where's Lily?
Patch: I wish I knew. I'm sorry Mr. Stone. She wasn't at the station when I went back for her.
Burnett Stone: It's okay, Patch. We'll find her. Don't worry.
[Burnett Stone walks away. That night on Sodor, Percy and Edward puffing towards the magic buffers feeling frightened.]
Percy: I am brave. I am brave. Thomas says I'm brave, so I'm brave. Oh, it's not easy being brave.
Edward: Uh, Percy? We've got company ahead of us.
Percy: Shiver my pistons! There's Splatter and Dodge! Oh, they found the buffers. Oh, now what's going to happen?
[Percy gasps as a flock of birds flying off a tree startles him. Then a talking tumbleweed rolls past.]
Tumbleweed: Howdy, partner. Excuse me. Coming through. Pardon me.
[The tumbleweed passes Percy and Edward, and they can't believe what they'd just saw.]
Percy: Oh, that's just nothing.
[A door on a nearby building creaks open and quickly shuts with a loud bang, which makes Percy and Edward jump.]
Percy: That nothing was something.
Splatter: These must be the buffers Diesel's looking for.
Dodge: Are we supposed to go through them?
Splatter: Not me, you.
Dodge: Not me, you.
Splatter: This is a job for the boss.
Edward: Oh, no!
[Splatter and Dodge jump as they hear an owl hoot.]
Dodge: We'll tell him tomorrow.
Splatter: Yeah, tomorrow's good.
Percy: Oh, we better hurry back and warn Thomas.
Edward: Yeah, time to go!
[Thomas, Mr. Conductor and Lily are by a campfire.]
Mr. Conductor: [narrating] I was doing my best to keep Lily cheerful. I knew she was worried about being late for her Grandpa.
Lily: Mr. Conductor, I was supposed to be back by sunset.
Mr. Conductor: You know, Lily, perhaps your Grandpa can guess where you are.
Lily: He can?
Mr. Conductor: Maybe. Because I think he's been here himself, long ago. And if he can help, I do wish he'd hurry. I haven't told Junior this, but soon he'll grow as weak as I am.
Lily: Junior said there used to be an engine that traveled on the Magic Railroad. And if only we could find that, we could still head back to Shining Time.
Mr. Conductor: Oh, that engine disappeared. Never to be seen or heard from again.
Lily: I have to tell you something, Mr. C. I've heard a train whistle, and it sounded like it came from the mountain.
Mr. Conductor: Mountain. I just remembered another part of the clue. "Stoke up the magic in the mountain and the lady will smile." But we need more information, Lily. And I know that your Grandpa could help, if he'd just believe that he could.
Lily: Lady?
[In Muffle Mountain Burnett Stone and Patch are dusting off Lady.]
Patch: She can whistle. I've heard her.
Burnett Stone: Yeah, so have I. It's because she's magic.
[Patch notices an old map on the wall, that had the same shadowy lines that were on Billy Twofeather's old map.]
Patch: This must be the map of her magic railroad. But the railroad's energy is fading away. I sensed it when we were out riding. Lily and I were traveling on the ground above it.
Burnett Stone: The railroad needs Lady. But I don't know her special secret. And I need to know it now more than ever.
Patch: Because of Lily?
Burnett Stone: Yes, because of Lily.
[On Sodor, Percy and Edward were telling Thomas what they had overheard earlier.]
Percy: So Thomas, we must get Lily back to her Grandpa now in case Diesel gets rid of the railway.
Edward: Unfortunately, neither Percy or myself can do it; we have our own work to do on Sodor.
Thomas: But how can Lily go without gold dust?
Mr. Conductor: Only in the lost engine. Unless...
Thomas: Unless?
Mr. Conductor: Thomas, will you please take Lily?
Thomas: Through the buffers? But what if I go on the railway and my wheels don't work?
Mr. Conductor: But what if they do?
Thomas: But what if... if...
Mr. Conductor: Yes?
Thomas: What if it's dark?
Mr. Conductor: It will be for a while.
Thomas: And cold.
Mr. Conductor: Maybe.
Thomas: And how will I get back again?
Mr. Conductor: Because you're a really useful engine and will find a way.
Thomas: Then I'll try.
Percy: Good luck, Thomas!
Edward: And be careful!
Thomas: Thank you for the warning, guys.
YOU ARE READING
Thomas and the Magic Railroad (Rewrite)
FanficWhat if Thomas and the Magic Railroad was rewritten into something a little bit better? Note: Azul, unfortunately, does not appear in this story.
