James stayed shut up in the sheds for several days and was feeling miserable.
"Oh dear. I wonder if I will ever leave the shed. Will anyone see my red coat again?"
"Who's he talking to?" one of the nearby trucks asked his companion.
"No clue," replied the other.
"Why did I go so fast that I made a hole in one of my coaches that had to be mended with - of all things - a passenger's bootlace?"
"You needn't spout expository," Rarity told him. Ever since he was put in the sheds, she made sure to visit him everyday. "You don't have to be so dramatic, either."
"That's rich coming from you," Sweetie muttered.
"And who whined and complained endlessly while they were modelling for me these past few days?"
Sweetie sighed. She hoped they could get back to work soon. If she had to spend any more time as Rarity's personal mannequin/pin cushion, she was going to scream.
At last, Miss Hatt arrived to see them.
"I can see that you're sorry, James. And I also know that you want to be a useful engine. People are laughing at my railway, and that won't do at all."
"We'll try hard to do our best," said James.
"That's a good engine! I'd like you to take some trucks to Maron today. Can you handle it?"
"Yes, ma'am!" And James puffed away to collect his train.
"Why are we shunting in the yards again?" Asked Thomas.
"Because we promised to help Applejack and Edward since we have an hour before our first train," answered Twilight.
A shrill whistle pierced the air as James puffed into the yard.
"Here are your trucks, James. I hope you have some bootlace on hand!"
Thomas and Spike giggled and Twilight rolled her eyes. James was cross, but chose not to say anything.
"We want a proper engine!" The trucks cried as James was coupled up. "Not a red monster!"
James and his crew took no notice and started as soon as the guard blew his whistle.
"Come along," he said firmly. "I want no nonsense today!"
"We won't go, we won't go!" Screamed the trucks, but James didn't care. With a mighty heave, he pulled the screeching trucks out of the yard.
The trucks tried hard to make the journey a pain, but James didn't give up. When they held back, he gave them a firm bump, and when they tried to push him, he slammed the brakes on. Sometimes the axles would run hot and James would have to wait for them to cool down, but each time, a determined James would start again, refusing to let the silly trucks get the better of him.
"Give up, give up! You can't pull us, you can't!" Giggled the silly trucks.
"He can and he will!" Sweetie Belle cried as they approached Gordon's Hill.
"Look out for trouble, James!" Called Rarity. "You never know what those troublesome trucks might be planning."
James hummed in confirmation and pulled harder as the trucks began to hold him back.
"I'm doing it, I'm doing it!" He panted as they reached the halfway point. "Will the top ever come?"
There was jerk somewhere along the train and suddenly, everything became easier.
"We've done it!" cried James. "It's all so much easier now!"
But Sweetie Belle looked outside the cab and shut off steam.
"Bother those trucks, they've done it again!"
"What do you mean, darling?"
She pointed outside at their much shorter train. "Our tail end has broken away!"
Luckily, the guard had eased the train to a halt and put up red flags to warn approaching engines.
"No wonder it was easy," James muttered as he gently reversed down the hill. "Stupid trucks. They could've run into somebody."
Edward puffed up behind the wayward trucks and whistled.
"Need any help, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"Er, no thank you," puffed James. "I can manage."
"Don't let them beat you!" Edward called.
James whistled triumphantly and charged the hill. It was hard work, and it felt as though the weight of the trucks was increasing, but James never gave in.
"We've done it! We've done it!" Sweetie shouted as James rounded the bend at the top.
"Thank goodness," sighed Rarity.
The trucks, realizing that James really wasn't going to give up, sighed and admitted defeat. It was smooth sailing down the other side as James puffed wearily into Maron Station.
He was resting in the yard as Edward pulled in alongside him. Then, James saw Miss Hatt in his brakevan.
"Oh dear," he murmured quietly, "what will she say?"
"The better question is what she was doing riding a goods train," Rarity replied.
But Miss Hatt was smiling broadly.
"I was in Edward's train and I saw everything! Well done, James. You've made the most troublesome trucks on the line behave!"
Edward's trucks glared at James'.
"Nice going, you lot," one of Edward's said sarcastically.
"After that performance, you most certainly deserve to keep your red coat!"
James smiled gratefully.
"Fair warnin'," Apple Bloom whispered to Sweetie Belle. "Gordon an' Henry are actin' worse than usual. I doubt this'll keep 'em from teasin' James tonight."
Sweetie Belle sighed. "Don't worry. I'm sure it won't last too long."
But that's a story for another day.