//------------------------------// // Transitioning // Story: Equestrian Railway Tales // by Sudrian Engineer //------------------------------// Life on Sodor soon found a new sense of normal as Thomas worked happily on his new branchline. However, a few weeks later, something interesting happened. One day, Sir Topham came to the station to greet the engines, ponies, Matthew, and Troy. "Somethin on yer mind Sir?" asked Troy. "Only good news Mares, Gentlemen, and Engines," He started with a smile. "For the past month, I have been in talks with the London, Midland, and Scottish Railway. They have agreed to allow the Express and other trains terminate at Barrow-in-Furness." Troy whistled at the news. "That's a mighty big town. An a big town means a big station. And that means a lot more passengers, and plenty more revenue to keep up our fleet, or even expand it." he said. "Indeed Troy, However, this will result in 2 somewhat major changes for the railway." "And those are?" "Instead of Vicarstown, Tidmouth will now be the main station, and the extra revenue the railway makes will go to upgrading said station. As for the other, I am sure you all have noticed building materials being delivered to The town of Tidmouth over the past 2 weeks?" The information clicked in the engineer's head like tumblers falling into place. "Yer bulidin a new engine shed at Tidmouth too, aren't you?" he asked. The other engines gasped with some excitement as the controller nodded. "Indeed, and it is very near completion" "Rockin. We'll have to check it out later." Troy replied. He then turned to Matthew. "What ya think, buddy?" "Sounds like it will get really busy around this island soon." "He's got a point. Any plans to keep things running smooth?" The controller nodded and began to explain his plans. "Until the 5 of you, meaning James as well, get used to the new changes, I will have engines come and go to help for weeks at a time." "That actually sounds pretty fun." Troy said. "That said, what are our orders, chief?" "A few more arrangements must be made before schedule changes come into effect, so today is normal" "Understood. C'mon Shy, we've got passengers waiting." Troy said as he climbed into Edward's cab. A little later, William was talking to Matthew about Thomas. "You should have been there William, Gordon dragged Thomas like he was a toy." Matthew said. William fumed. "I notice no one's brought up what his crank axles were like thanks to that," "What do you mean?" Matthew asked. "I was there at the works, and cor blimey, how hot they were! If Gordon had gone any faster, and any than he did, then Thomas's crank axels would have melted!" This caused Matthew to gasp and ask more about it. Meanwhile, Edward was puffing cheerfully through the countryside. In his cab, Troy and Fluttershy were teaching Spike more about running a locomotive. Well, mostly Troy. "SPIKE! Yer lettin yer boiler run low again!" "Sorry!" Spike gasped. Troy just chuckled as he opened the injector. "That single minded focus o yours might be pretty handy helping Twilight, but ya gotta loosen up here." Troy explained. "While you were starin out ahead of us, you missed all yer readings drop on the gauges. Though, I suppose yer size might be part o the problem. Kinda hard to multi-focus on reading the gauges, working the controls, AND watch ahead when you can't even see out the window." Spike seemed to deflate at each word. Especially when Troy brought up his height. "Son, let me tell ya somthin." Troy said. "What? That I should be proud of what I HAVE accomplished?" Spike asked, a little more belligerent than he meant to. Troy just smiled knowingly. "After a fashion. What Ah was GOING to say, is that I've seen recruits that have everything goin for em, and still can't manage a train near as well as you're doin. Say, I got a day off comin up. Wanna go fishin with me down at the river?" The dragon nodded with a sigh, too upset with himself to speak. Troy's expression turned stoic at that. He knelt down and grabbed Spike by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes before speaking with a seriousness that neither Spike or Fluttershy had heard before. "Spike, listen to me, and listen good. Ah'm not sayin these things to be mean. It's just simple facts that you're not good at this yet. But you CAN be. But you're lettin a few criticisms get you down, but that's how you learn. We all make mistakes. Learn and grow from them. And look forward to that fish fry me an you are gonna do with all those fish we catch." He nodded, still a bit too down in the dumps to talk, but he now had a small smile and worked harder than before. Troy sighed playfully. "Well, it's an improvement, Ah suppose." Spike nodded as they continued on down the line, a few days later, they were indeed fishing on a river by Thomas' new Branchline. "You enjoyn yerself there, kiddo?" Troy asked. "Yes, I have never fished before, this is really fun." The dragon was much happier than he had been a few days ago. "Well, glad to hear yer havin fun. Cause Ah'm curious about somethin." Troy said. "Sure Troy, ask away." "Back when James had his accident, I heard you slip a bit when you were talking to Twilight. Coulda swore it sounded like you was about to call her 'Mom.'" Troy looked over at the young drake with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. Spike nearly dropped his fishing rod in shock at the question. "I uhm, well, you see, I," He stuttered, trying to come up with an answer. Troy just laughed. "Honestly, it's pretty obvious to anybody that pays attention. An no offense to Twilight, but that girl has a real hard time seein the forest for the trees. An it sounds like you still don't wanna confront how you feel." Spike sighed and spoke. "I am just worried she will laugh at me, or not understand." "Doubt it." Troy said simply. "Huh?" Think about it, son. After James wrecked, what was the first thing she did? She beelined it right to you and started fussin over you like a mother hen. No, I think she feels the same way and just doesn't realize it." "I guess you could be right, but she usually just calls me her assistant, and sometimes makes me do stuff that is very hard to do alone... Sometimes it feels like she doesn't care about me." "My Mom made me do hard stuff too. Chores are just part of the deal. An honestly, when I was younger, I felt the same way sometimes, but I was dead wrong. An like I said, she probably doesn't realize she feels the same, so she settles on 'assistant.'" "How can I tell her though?" "Son, yer askin the wrong one. Only advice I can give you is to just tell her, and I doubt yer gonna listen to it." "I guess telling her would be best, but I am just not sure..." "It would be, but at the end o the day, it's your call." Troy paused as he heard a whistle. "Well well, and here comes Thomas." "Hey Troy, why does Thomas have a 1 on his side when none of the other engines have numbers?" "Well, apparently all engines are required to have running numbers now, and Thomas was the first to get one, hence why he carries the number 1. Edward is getting his today, which is why I have the day off, and since he's the second to get his number, he'll be number 2, and so on." Troy replied. "Oh, okay, I guess that mak- HEY I felt a tug on my line." "Alright, hold still, wait for him to run with it, then yank back on it." The dragon did what Troy said and yanked the line hard, reeling it in as he did. Once they got it in, it was revealed to be a good sized catfish. "Yo, now THAT is a catch." Troy said. "Hang on, lemme get mah camera. We need a picture o this." Troy stood next to Spike, proud smiles on both their faces, the catfish between them, as the camera's timer reached zero and took the picture from where Troy had put it on the cooler. "Thanks Troy!" "No problem kiddo. Tell ya what, when we get done, Ah'll let you get an idea of what driving is like. Ah prefer to stick to the back roads anyway." Troy said. "That sounds fun" "Just wait." Troy said, a familiar impish grin forming on his face. "I know that look" "I have no idea what you're talking about." Troy said, quite unconvincingly, it must be said. "If I get hurt, I blame you" Spike expected Troy to joke back, not the look of hurt and regret he saw for a brief moment. "Are you okay? I'm not the only one with a secret, am I?" asked Spike. Troy just laughed. "And here I am giving you advice, huh? Yeah, sorry Spike. it just brought up bad memories is all. But hey, I'm a WAY better driver now than I was then." Troy's grin was back in full force. "Sides, YOU talked me into it, remember?" He joked. "Maybe..." The two enjoyed a few more peaceful hours on the river bank fishing and joking before it was time to leave. After they got everything loaded up in the back of the truck, Troy climbed in. "Alright Spike, sit in my lap and grab the steering wheel." he said. The young dragon doing so soon after." As Troy turned the key and started the engine, Spike let out a small gasp. "It's different feelin the power rather than just hearin it, huh?" Troy asked. Spike just nodded. "Don't worry, we'll keep it slow for now, and I'll be doin most of the work. Ya know, the funny thing is, this is how mah Pawpaw taught me to drive when Ah was your age. "Hehe, this is fun." Troy grinned. "Ready to kick it up a notch?" he asked. "YEAH!" "Then hang on!" Troy then stomped the gas pedal to the floor and sent the rear tires squealing as the truck turned sideways in the curve, the V8 roaring through the dual exhaust. Troy felt the familiar adrenaline rush and let out an excited "YEEEEEHAAA!" as he drifted around the curve. Spike was scared at first, but soon grew to love it. "THAT WAS AMAZING" Spike exclaimed. "Aye." agreed Troy. "Just remember, not a word to yer Mom when we get home." “Why?” Spike asked innocently. “Cause she’ll roast BOTH of us if she finds out.” Troy replied. 'Maybe. Just maybe, it's time I faced up to myself.' Troy thought.