Steam engines, Skullgirls, and Universes

Chapter 10: Rivalry

"Thomas!" Gordon exclaimed. "I finally found you." Thomas was shocked. 

"Gordon!?" Thomas said. Parasoul pulled out a small radio. 

"Egrets report to Canopy's station! A big, blue engine just appeared from a ball of light!" she ordered. 

"Hold on princess, I know this engine. We worked on the north western together." Thomas explained. 

"It's just a precaution Thomas, we need to examine him and make sure he's safe to run here." she calmly explain. Given Thomas' past experience with her, she thought it best to clear things up. Thomas didn't understood why they would need special forces, but knew arguing would only land him in trouble. 

Gordon was taken to the same engine shed where Thomas and Toby reside. Thomas went back to working on the branchline. Now people would wait in their back yards to see Thomas go by. They would wave and yell hello, Thomas always made sure to whistled back to them. He would've loved to chat, but his driver won't let him. 

"We have a time to keep to Thomas." he would always say. Thomas understood this. The stations along the line always had a through line for goods trains to go through. Usually Thomas would see them waiting for him to past at the third station, but today it was nowhere to be seen. 

"Wonder where that goods engine is?" Thomas said to himself. He got his answer soon enough. The engine was at a siding all by itself. He saw a long goods train was waiting at the platform. He pulled in and saw the twins. 

"HA! Would you look at that Bert. Their little, puny engine couldn't do the work ours did!" Arry gloated. The station master then walked up and talked to Thomas and his crew. 

"Number 032 couldn't manage the train and now our goods are stranded here." he explained. 

"Could we try to take them, where do they need to go?" the fireman asked. 

"It's a straight run to the junction for a mainline heavy goods. Can you do it?" he asked. The driver looked at the train. It was a mixture of trucks, and vans. 

"We'll give it a try." he said. Soon arrangements were made and Thomas was turned around, ready to the goods train. The twins couldn't keep their mouths closed and began to belittle Thomas. 

"If the runt couldn't move it, what makes you think you can?" Bert said. 

"I've dealt with goods before, this will be no different." Thomas said. 

"Yeah, the goods must've not been that impressive. A rusty, old kettle like yourself can't compete with the best!" Arry boasted. The twins laughed, Thomas rolled his eyes and ignored them. Soon the guard's whistle blew and Thomas tried to set off. The train was heavy, his wheels slipped on the rails, much to Arry and Bert's delight. 

"Knew he couldn't." one said to the other. The station master walked up to them. 

"Go on you two, your job is done here so shove off." The station master ordered. 

"Shut it fancy boy, we're just having a break before we go." they said. The three started to argue with each other. They didn't notice Thomas was slowly starting to leave the station. 

"I've done it we're off, I've done it we're off!" Thomas shouted excitedly. He puffed up the line to the next station, leaving the twins with their mouths agape. The station master smirked and said no more, he went back to his office. 

The trip was no picnic for Thomas. He had to work hard to keep his speed up, the heavy trucks weighed him back, but he persisted never the less. He approached the next station on the line. He saw a crowd of people waving, and cheering him on as he chuffed through the station. The station master had rang the other stations up the line and told them of Thomas' train. The other station masters told the passengers and they agreed to go out to the platform and cheer for him. Thomas felt strength he never knew he had, and sped through each station, whistling a thank you to everyone who showed up. At last, tired but triumphant he puffed into the junction. After they moved the goods into the siding for the mainline engine, they rolled Thomas over to the water tower for a long drink.