Thomas and Friends Fanfiction Series 7

Uppity Uppers

On the Thin Controller's Railway, the oldest and wisest engine to work there is Skarloey. He is closely followed by Rheneas, but the Thin Controller decided that Skarloey was to be the engine in charge at the Blue Mountain Quarry. 

Skarloey feels his responsibility for running the Quarry very seriously and is not afraid to boss the bigger engines around. 

"Come along, Paxton!" he whistles. 

One day, Duncan had delivered some passengers to Crovan's Gate, when the Thin Controller arrived waiting for the Fat Controller and his mother. 

"Are you waiting for anyone, sir?" asked Duncan. 

"Yes, Duncan," said the Thin Controller, "I'm waiting for the Fat Controller and Dowager Hatt. The Dowager wishes to have a tour of the Hills. Freddie will be taking us all. Oh, and that reminds me, Duncan, I need you to help out at the Blue Mountain Quarry." 

"Why, sir?" asked Duncan. 

"Because Sir Handel is at the Steamworks for repairs on his special wheels," explained the Thin Controller, "so I need you to take his place so that the Quarry remains in good working order when I show Dowager Hatt around the area." 

"Yes, sir," conceded Duncan. 

Freddie arrived with his coach. 

"Good luck at the Quarry, Duncan," he said, "and be sure to listen to everything Skarloey says." 

Duncan rolled his eyes grumpily. He sometimes disliked what the Thin Controller ordered him to do, let alone another engine. 

At last, Sir Topham and Dowager Hatt arrived on Winston. He bumped them into the siding. 

"OOF!" they all groaned. 

"I'd better go now, Duncan," whispered the Thin Controller. 

"Yes, sir," muttered Duncan. 

Duncan soon arrived at the Blue Mountain Quarry. 

"Hello, Duncan," whistled Rheneas cheerfully. 

"I see you've come to help us out," tooted Skarloey, "well, I'm glad. Now, Duncan, first of all, I need you to take these trucks here up to the gravel crusher, and then you must deliver them to Ulfstead Castle. The Earl needs it for some further layouts on his grounds." 

Duncan huffed. 

"Plainly speaking, as a plain-speaking engine, I do not like taking orders from another engine who's too uppity to know when he's just a bossy boots who thinks he's higher up than everybody else!" 

Rheneas wheeshed crossly. Skarloey frowned. 

"You will do as told, Duncan," he said sternly, "nothing is to go wrong for Mr Percival today!" 

Duncan reluctantly set to work, but he grumbled dreadfully. 

"Skarloey is so uppity. He's an uppity upper engine who thinks he's above all other engines! I'll show him! I'll show him!" 

By the time Duncan finished the first half of his job, his grumbling and muttering had slowed him down and now he was running behind schedule. 

That made Skarloey cross. 

"Come along, Duncan, don't be idle! I need you to get to the Castle now!" 

(Luke can be seen passing by with some trucks.)

"I'm going, I'm going," fumed Duncan. 

"Don't take that tone with me, Duncan. Just do your job promptly and we'll be done in good time! Off with you now!" 

And that did it! 

Duncan let off a huge huff of steam, uncoupled from his trucks and slouched into a siding. 

"You can keep your old castle, but I'm staying right here, and I will not listen to you bossing me aboot anymore!" 

And Duncan stayed still and silent and cross. 

"What are we going to do now, Skarloey?" asked Rheneas. 

"I will just have to do Duncan's delivery," replied Skarloey gravely, buffering up to Duncan's trucks. 

"Do you have enough coal to get there and back?" asked Rheneas. 

"I'm sure I'll manage, Rheneas," said Skarloey, "besides, we haven't got a minute to lose!" 

Rheneas was worried, but Skarloey puffed away, leaving Rheneas to do the majority of the work in the Quarry. 

While all of this was being done, Duncan stood in his siding, not caring at all about disobeying Skarloey or letting the Thin Controller down. 

Meanwhile, there was trouble. 

On his way back from Ulfstead Castle, Skarloey DID run out of coal. 

"Oh no," he groaned. 

Skarloey's Driver alerted the Quarry with a telephone call and Rheneas puffed straight to Duncan. 

"Duncan, Skarloey has run out of coal! He can't continue the work until someone goes to help him. I need you to take over Skarloey's work, while I go and bring coal to him!" 

"No," fussed Duncan. 

"Yes! You will!" yelled an angry voice. 

It was Mr Percival. 

He, the Fat Controller and Dowager Hatt had arrived on Freddie, and had overheard everything. 

"You, Duncan, were to help Skarloey," said the Thin Controller furiously, "you were to help keep the Quarry up to par for today's visitation and now I hear that you have bluntly disobeyed Skarloey and therefore, me! And now Skarloey is missing! Out of coal on the line back from Ulfstead Castle!" 

Duncan blushed in shame. 

"I'm sorry, sir...I just didn't like Skarloey bossing me aboot." 

"I left Skarloey in charge of the Quarry, Duncan," said the Thin Controller, "and if you were a more responsible engine, you could be in charge one day, but right now, I'm deciding that you can bring the coal for Skarloey, while Rheneas takes charge instead!" 

Duncan agreed sombrely. 

He soon found Skarloey and brought his coal to him. 

"I hope you have learned your lesson, Duncan," said Skarloey crossly. 

"Yes, sir. Um, I mean Skarloey...sir." 

Duncan worked flawlessly under Skarloey's orders for the rest of the day. Even Dowager Hatt was impressed by his change of attitude. 

"Perhaps Duncan can make it as the engine in charge one day, Mr Percival," said the Fat Controller. 

"Perhaps, Sir Topham, perhaps." 

Duncan smiled, and so did Rheneas and Skarloey. 

(The End!)