On The Empty Tracks Of Sodor (GOTP AU)

8. Fire!

Boulder and Diesel weren't the only ones who were alerted by the commotion.

Cranky hadn't had a lot of time to really process everything the day before, having spent much of it clinging for dear life to the edge of the docks and then sleeping to try and recover the strength and energy the waves had sucked out of him.

When Henry had asked him if he was ready to see other places than just the Docks, it had honestly thrown him for a loop. The green engine was right- Cranky hadn't actually seen any of the rest of Sodor. Towering over the docks to load and unload freight, he could see the hills just beyond the Docks, but no further. All those places- Crovensgate, Tidmouth Sheds, Vicarstown- they were all just words to him, not places he could see or experience... and now they lay in ruin.

Even here in this form, he towered over the engines, and even a lot of the buildings. Thomas and Percy barely came to his knees, and Gordon, his waist. He could see over the broken town before them easily, and seeing as they were the only living beings here, tracking everyone's movement via flashes of color against the gray, dull landscape wasn't too hard...

...which is how he knew exactly what was causing James' sudden panic. "Fire!"

"What?" Emily asked, but Cranky was already moving forward. His new legs provided long strides, and the little emerald engine had to run to keep up with him as they turned corners and approached the source of the yelling and bright flashes of light. "James!"

James was standing a distance away from any of the buildings and only minimal plants- probably a good plan- but was completely engulfed in flames. Henry stood nearby, eyes wide but his body frozen in place. He didn't know what to do, and honestly, neither did any of the others. James' cries were not that of pain, but more that of panic. "Augh! Put it out! Put it out!"

"I-I don't know how!" Henry cried.

"What happened!?" Emily asked.

"I sneezed and burst into flames!" James closed his eyes tightly. "Augh! Somebody do something-"

"Cinders and Ashes!"
The others had arrived, and that included Boulder and Diesel. "What did you do, James!?" Diesel asked.

Boulder lifted a hand, taking steps forward. "James, don't move. Just calm down, you're okay."

"Okay? Okay!?"
The flames seemed to only grow bigger. "I am on fire!"

"James, please. It'll go out if you just calm down..."

"Y-You're sure!?"

"Yes, just breathe... in and out... in and out..."

James swallowed and then closed his eyes tightly. "O-Okay...! Okay...!"

"That's it... breathe... relax..."

The engines all watched as James took in deep breaths, and slowly, the flames began to fade. Growing smaller and smaller, they finally fizzled out as the red engine slumped down to a sitting position on the ground.

"Good..."
Boulder bent down, putting a hand on his shoulder. "...See? You're okay."

"R-Right...Right... B-But what happened? H-How did I do that?" He looked as his hands, "I-It was like my entire firebox just exploded out around me and wouldn't go out!"

Emily stepped forward, snapping her fingers and igniting a small flame over her hand. "The same way I did this, I guess...?"

Boulder looked at the two engines, and gave a smile and a nod. "Looks like you're both fire mosaics."