Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Into the Thigh-Verse

The Beast Underneath the Tree

Have I ever told you about Adaline? No? Well, good? Adaline.. Well, let's just say she's strange. Aside from her less than conventional appearance, so to say. She also just acts odd. Loud, tends to scream at the top of her lungs for little to no reason. One thing to note, is a simple little tree, in Henry's forest. Before she was passed onto Brewer, every day, she's go to visit the tree.
"It's her special little thing." Donald's driver explained. "A little ritual she's always had. I think it's cute."
"You would." Gordon's driver sneered in reply. Every day, as long as they were free, Brewer and his crew would stop in the run-round loop, and let Adaline sit by the tree.
"Do you have any idea what she's doing?" Anastasia, the guard, quizzed. The stoker shrugged.
"Not sure. Her life though."

Then, one night, everything changed. A huge storm swept across the island! The engines all kept huddled up the shed.
"Thus sterms bound te cause no end of problems." Douglas shivered.
"I'm werried aboout Adaline." Donald added. "Because if her tree's harmed in any way..."
"And we'll never hear the end of it!" Brewer grunted!
"It's her special wee thang!" Barked Donald!
"You'll get it one day." Douglas yawned. Brewer hoped he wouldn't have to. In the dorm, Adaline sat, watching the wind outside.
"I hope the wind doesn't destroy my special tree.." She whispered softly.

The next morning, the storm was gone, but the damage was done. Brewer was filling up on coal, when The Fat Controller arrived.
"I need you and Donald to help clear fallen trees in Henry's forest." He explained. "Donald will take the trees away to be cut up. We just need you to shift them with the cranes."
Adaline was worried.
"What about my special tree?" She asked, meekly.
"Oh get over yourself!" Brewer huffed. "It's just a tree!"
"But it's my special tree." Adaline sighed. "Nothing else is quite the same."

Brewer brought the breakdown train to the forest. Many trees were blown over, and needed to be carted away. Everything looked much barer, not too noticeable, thankfully. Then, Adaline saw it.
"NOOOOOO!" She screeched! "MY SPECIAL TREE!!!"
Her special tree sat, toppled over on the line.
"Oh, Adaline." Donald's driver sighed. "I'm so sorry."
Adaline was moppy all day. It even started worrying Brewer.
"She really liked that tree, eh?" He said.
"Aye." Donald replied. "It wes her favourite place."
"Such a shame too." Donald's driver sighed. "I wish there was something we could do."
He looked back, so see a miserable Adaline, sat on the cab floor.
"There must be something.." He thought. "I'll see what I can do."
And Donald puffed away.

They soon clanked into the harbour. Douglas was resting.
"Ye look glum lad!" Douglas smiled. "Whes the matter?"
Donald explained the situation.
"Well, I nae it isn't similar, but remember when Anna broke her wee pot?"
"Who doesn't." Donald's stoker snickered. "She was dead miserable for god knows how long."
"But we can't mend broken trees." Jack chipped in. "But maybe I could make her something out of the tree?"
"Yer wood werk skills are piss poor!" Donald snorted! "Good luck makin a chair, or somethin."
"Not a bad idea.." The driver smiled.
"You cannie be serious."

For the next few days, whenever he could, Donald's driver would slave away in the sheds, working a special bench. Every now and again, the other engines would get a look.
"Honestly, mate." Harold huffed. "That looks like shit."
"Aye, at least the wee lad's tryin!" Donald snapped! "Better than you, anywey!"
At last, the bench was finished. It wasn't the most appealing thing, and sat on an odd angle, but Jack was proud of it.
"Let's hope Adaline likes this too." He smiled.

The next day, Brewer was passing through the forest, when he noticed that the signal ahead dropped!
"Ooh-err!" He groaned! "We're being shunted!"
Slowly, Brewer and his train clanked into the siding. He was surprised to find Donald's driver, sat on a bench, right where Adaline's special tree once stood, a baby tree behind it.
"What's all this about?" Brewer asked.
"Well." Donald's driver explained. "Adaline looked so sad when her special tree was taken away so..."
He didn't have to finish, as the loud screech Adaline emitted was the joyful conformation Jack needed.
"OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS GOLLY GOSH!" She bellowed. "THANK YOOOOUUUU SO MUCH!"
She bounded happily out of the cab. Brewer just watched.
"How you can figure out any emotions on her is.. Beyond me!"

Now, everytime Brewer stops in the forest, Adaline sits on her favourite bench, underneath her favourite tree, thinking about her favourite person, near her favourite engine. Brewer now understands. Although, the way he acts, you'd never imagine it, wouldn't you?