Sodor's Unusual Tales

Percy To The Rescue

Percy To The Rescue

Part 4 of a multi-part story

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Part 1: https://youtu.be/r0gY8_9Dsf0

Part 2: https://youtu.be/kch-WYyUYcw

Part 3: See Part 10

Part 4: This very story

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Ever since Percy's incident on the Brendham Branch, no one dared to speak to Percy, as they felt guilty for hazing him over his incidents with the express and the viaduct. Since the incident, Percy had been keeping to himself in his siblings' sheds, not wanting to mingle with anyone, apart from his siblings.

Thomas felt sorry for Percy, as he was the first one to give him grief, before it began to spread around the whole railway. He decided to see to it that a good word was put into Mr. Starr.

One day, Mr. Starr approached Percy with a special assignment.

"You and two others are to pull a special passenger train to Barrow-In-Furness," he said to him. "Not only it require all three of you to work together, but it also requires the three of you to go on a mountainous path. It's rather dangerous. So, you need to be extra careful when going on it."

Percy was delighted to be given such an assignment, but was also worried. And it wasn't about the mountain.

"So, who will I be going with?" he asked.

"I can confirm that Corina will be the one in the lead while you are coupled to the train itself," answered Mr. Starr. "I'll select the third engine tomorrow." And he walked away.

Percy hoped that Liz or Xander would be the third engine.

But when the day came, Mr. Starr didn't pick Liz, or Xander. He chose Thomas. Percy wasn't ready to talk to Thomas.

"I know we're not on good terms, Percy," Thomas said to him. "But I really am sorry for putting you through such a trial."

Percy just moaned.

"I can couple up to the coaches if you'd like," added Thomas.

"No," muttered Percy. "Mr. Starr said that I will be pulling the coaches. All you need to do is watch Corina."

"Right," said Thomas. "I'll watch her as if she's a young sister of mine."

Soon, the big passenger train bound for Barrow-In-Furness set off, with Corina in the lead, Thomas in the middle, and Percy pulling the coaches. Unfortunately for Thomas and Corina, Percy didn't say a word when they tried talking to him. At the bottom of the mountain, the train began to slow down as they climbed up.

"Shouldn't we pick up speed?" Corina asked. She knew that engines with heavy trains had to go as quickly as possible to climb up steep slopes.

"I'm trying," said Thomas.

Percy still remained silent.

Slowly but surely, they made it up the mountain. Soon, they approached a long, dark tunnel. Corina didn't like the dark, and she didn't like long tunnels, especially when they're curved.

"Please let me out," she begged. "Please let me out!"

Thomas and Percy felt sorry for Corina, and sped up a little to the other side of the tunnel.

They managed to make it out, ready to continue roaming across the mountain, when suddenly...

*Bump!*

"Eep!" whimpered Corina. She suddenly then derailed.

"What was that bump?" Percy asked.

"I don't know!" yelled Thomas. He then derailed as well, since Corina was pulling him.

Then, there was trouble.

*Crumble!*

Corina hung dangerously on a ledge, still connected to the derailed Thomas. She whimpered at the sight of how high up they were on the mountain, and shut her eyes tightly out of fear.

"D-Don't worry, Corina!" Thomas said to her to keep her calm. "We'll pull you back onto the rails!" But he wasn't sure how.

Then, Percy just remembered something: Thomas had once told him an old story about Duke and Sir Handel being stuck in a similar situation. So, he reversed as fast as he could to see if he could pull Thomas and Corina. He succeeded with Thomas, but Corina was still dangling on the ledge.

"Stop shaking!" called Thomas. "Percy can't pull you back onto the track if you're shaking like a leaf!"

"I'm not!" shouted Corina.

Thomas began to worry that the coupling between him and Corina would snap.

Percy decided to stop for now, while the crews made sure that they were secured. Thomas had told Percy that they both need to reverse if they want to pull Corina back onto the rails. Then, came more trouble.

"Percy's running low on water," said Percy's fireman. "Thomas should be fine, but I think Percy used up most of his water earlier."

"But where are we going to find some water for him?" Corina's driver asked.

Percy then looked up and saw a nearby cottage above them.

"Maybe, whoever is in there can help," he said to the others.

The crews went to the cottage, and the residents were more than willing to help. Soon, everyone was carrying tons of water in several buckets, jugs, kettles, and sauce pans to quench Percy's thirst. Not long after his thirst was quenched, Percy began to build up strength, and with Thomas' help, he managed to pull Corina back onto the rails.

"Th-Thanks, Percy," sighed Corina.

"Don't mention it," replied Percy.

Soon, the three engines continued on, until finally, they've reached Barrow-In-Furness, where they told the entire story to the stationmaster.

Percy then turned to Thomas.

"You don't have to apologize, Thomas," he said to him. "I think this one big journey is apologetic enough."

"So, do you forgive me?" Thomas asked.

"Of course," answered Percy. "I mean, we did help Corina."

The two engines then turned to Corina, who had dozed off after a long journey.

"I think our journey back to Sodor will have to be saved for tomorrow," chuckled Thomas.

Percy could only agree.