It was in the middle of autumn on the Island of Sodor. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. All the engines love this time of year. Sunset Shimmer thought the island had never looked so magical. But that night, there was a big and blustery storm. High winds swept across the island. Trees were blown down. A water tower fell over. And the roof blew right off Farmer McColl's farm. Sunset and her friends were very pleased to be safe and warm in their cozy sheds. They could hear the wind outside. But the next morning, as Sunset got up to get ready for the day, she could not believe her eyes. The storm had made a terrible mess. Farmer McColl was looking at the damaged barn.
“The baby calves will be cold at night,” he said, “I must fix the roof right away.” But Farmer McColl didn't have any timber for the roof. So he telephoned the Fat Controller. And the Fat Controller came to see Sunset.
“The storm blew the roof off of Farmer McColl's barn,” he said, “You must take him some timber so it can be fixed.”
“Yes sir,” said Sunset. Sunset steamed over to the timber yards. She buffered up to the timber wagons and raced off to Farmer McColl's as fast as she could. But the storm had caused lots of damage to the lines. Workmen and trucks were clearing branches and rocks from the tracks. Sunset wanted to go quickly, but she couldn't go at all.
“Bother!” Said Sunset crossly. Terence and the workmen were trying to move the tree. But moving it was taking a long time.
“Hurry up!” Sunset puffed impatiently, “you must work harder!” And she blew her whistle. Terence was working as fast as he could. At last, he pulled the tree off the track. But Sunset didn't say thank you to Terence. All she said was...
“About time!” and she puffed off rudely. Every time she came across workmen clearing the track, she blew her whistle and wheeshed her steam. This made the workmen cross. But Sunset thought it made them work harder. Then Sunset came across a fallen water tower. It had crashed onto her line.
“Oh no!” She cried. Isabella was helping the workmen push the tower off the track. The tower was very heavy. Sunset decided to boss Isabella too.
“Hurry up!” She wheeshed and she blew her whistle as loud as she could.
“Not if you ask like that,” Sniffed Isabella crossly.
“I've got an urgent delivery,” Said Sunset. But Isabella didn't listen. She simply went back to work. Sunset blew her whistle again. But the more she blew her whistle, the slower Isabella seemed to go. Sunset thought she would never get to Farmer McColl's. The skies were darkening. And the night was on its way. Twilight arrived bringing more supplies.
“Hello!” Twilight tooted. Sunset complained about Isabella.
“She won't do a thing I'd tell her.”
“That's because you're a big bossy boiler,” laughed Twilight, “You should try asking nicely for a change.”
Sunset didn't like being called a bossy boiler. And she didn't want to ask nicely. But it would be night-time soon. And the baby calves still didn't have a roof over their heads. So Sunset took a deep breath.
“I'm sorry I was rude,” Sunset apologized, “but can you help me get this timber to Farmer McColl's? Please? It's to help the baby calves.”
Isabella smiled. “Why certainly, dear,” She puffed, “I'll get your track cleared in no time.”
Sunset was surprised. Twilight was right. Asking nicely was just like magic. Isabella pushed with all her puff. The tower was heavy. But with a mighty heave, the track was cleared.
“Thank you!” Cried Sunset and she steamed on as fast as she could. It was nearly bedtime. Sunset knew the baby calves would be getting cold. So whenever there was something on the track, she took a deep breath and said please and thank you. At last, Sunset arrived at Farmer McColl's. And the timber was quickly unloaded. The barn was soon repaired. And the baby calves snuggled down on their nice soft hay.
“Thank you, Sunset,” Said Farmer McColl, “The calves will be nice and warm now.” Sunset was pleased she'd arrived on time. Asking nicely was all she had to do.
It was autumn on the Island of Sodor. There had been a terrible storm. Lots of tracks were blocked. And lots of engines had broken down. But Sunset made it to Brendam Docks with her load.
“Well done,” The fat Controller praises her, “You're the only engine to arrive on time. You are splendid, Sunset.”
That made Sunset very proud. ‘Splendid Sunset’ she thought, ‘I like that.’
The Fat Controller had a very important job for Sunset. “Jeremy cannot land at the airport, and my mother is on board,” he said, “The storm has blown some metal tanks across the runway. You must collect Trevor from Farmer McColl's. Take him to the airport so that he can clear the runway. Then Jeremy can land.”
“Oh, yes, sir,” Sunset exclaimed, “Splendid Sunset can do it.”
Then Bear pulled alongside Sunset. “I'm going to Farmer McColl's too. Lots of lines are flooded,” he warned her, “Take the Wellsworth track.”
“I'm not going on that track, it’s much quicker to go through the forest,” Sunset retorted, “I'm Splendid Sunset, I can make it through.”
So Sunset puffed through the forest. But soon, she was up to her axles in water.
‘Nothing will stop me,’ she thought ‘Splendid Sunset will find a way through.’
So she puffed on through the water. It was hard work. At last, Sunset chuffed out of the flood. But now she was late. Soon, she met Fluttershy who was waiting at a junction.
“There's a fallen tree, it’s blocking the tracks,” she warned her, “Harvey's coming to clear it.”
“I'm Splendid Sunset,” she replied cocky, “I don't need Harvey to clear the tracks for me.” And she puffed proudly away.
Sunset soon came up to the fallen tree. “I'll easily push this out of my way.” She huffed to herself. Sunset pushed as hard as she could. But the tree didn't roll out of the way. It stayed in front of Sunset. Now Sunset had to push the tree up a hill. It was very hard work, and Sunset was getting later and later. At last, Sunset came to the top of the hill. The tree rolled away. And Sunset raced down the other side. Sunset met Boco at a junction.
“Trevor's waiting for you,” he said.
“Don't worry,” Sunset assured, “I'll be there soon.”
“Some of the tracks ahead are very muddy,” Boco warned, “If you get stuck in the mud, it's going to take even longer.”
“I'm Splendid Sunset,” she announced, “and I know which tracks to choose.”
Boco was worried as Sunset raced through the villages. She rattled through the valleys.
‘I'm nearly there,’ Sunset thought, Sunset steamed around the final bend and straight into a big puddle of mud.
‘I'll puff through this,’ Thought Sunset. Then there was trouble. The track started to sink. Sunset was stuck. She didn't feel like Splendid Sunset anymore.
“Oh, no, now I'll never get Trevor to the airport,” she panicked.
Further up the track, Sunset saw Bear. “Bear's already there,” She huffed to herself, “I should've listened to Murdoch. I should've taken the Wellsworth track.”
Now she needed Bear's help. Sunset blew her whistle as loud as she could. Bear heard her and rolled over.
“I'm very sorry, Bear. You were right. Please, will you pull me out of the mud?” she asked.
“Of course, Sunset,” said Bear.
Soon Bear was chained up to Sunset. With a whir and a whiz, he pulled her out of the mud.
“Thank you so much, Bear,” Sunset blessed. Sunset puffed up to Farmer McColl's. Trevor was waiting. “I must take you to the airport right away, Trevor.” Sunset pumped her pistons. Then she stopped. ‘I know what I have to do,’ she thought, “Bear, which tracks would you take to the airport?”
“The tracks on Gordon's hill are still being cleared,” Bear told her, “you should take the valley route instead.”
“Thank you, Bear,” And she puffed away. Sunset puffed happily along the valley track. ‘Bear was right,’ She thought. Then Sunset saw a telegraph pole across the track in front of her. Sunset was going to push it out of the way. Then she remembered what Fluttershy had said.
“I'd better wait for Harvey,” She huffed to herself. Soon Harvey cleared the track. And Sunset was on her way again. Sunset pulled up at a junction. Ahead, she saw a shortcut to the airport.
“That track is muddy,” called the signalman.
Sunset remembered what Boco had said about muddy tracks.
‘I don't want to get stuck again,’ she thought, ‘I'll take the longer track.’ Soon Sunset arrived at the airport. Trevor cleared the rubble. Just in time. Jeremy landed smoothly and safely. The Fat Controller was delighted to see his mother.
“Well done, Splendid Sunset. You made it in time.” He congratulated Sunset.
“Oh, that's because everyone helped me, sir,” Sunset admitted, “all of your steamies are splendid steamies.”
One day, Edward was talking to Trevor when Sunset steamed by. She was pulling a train of heavy coal cars.
“Come on, Eddie,” Sunset said, “stop gossiping in the sun when there's work to be done.”
Later, Edward spoke to Sunset. “Trevor and I are old friends and you and he have a thing in common.”
“We do?” Quizzed Sunset, “And what would that be?”
“You two could have been killed,” Said Edward quietly.
Sunset shivered. Edward had reminded her of the time she almost got herself killed by Chrysalis. “I don’t like to talk about that.”
“Neither does Trevor,” said Edward, “He was being sent to the scrapyard, but the Vicar and I saved him and now he's really useful again. Even so, The Fat Controller certainly does need another steam engine here.”
“Yeah, he does,” Sunset agreed, “but why as there’re are so many already?”
“I don’t know” Edward commented.
“Maybe the writer/narrator of the series wants to introduce more characters before the story ends and couldn’t think of a better story to use so he sucked it up and went with ‘Escape’.”
Sunset and Edward looked toward Pinkie who was just standing there.
“What are you talking about?” Edward asked.
“Uh…” pinkie stuttered, “just a hunch?”
That night, Sunset was still working. She had taken the midnight goods train to a station on the mainline where only the diesels worked. She was just shunting, ready for her return journey, when she spotted something. She puffed back to see a depressed, LSWR T9 class stream engine with light purple livery, a dark purple smokebox, and a glimmering star on the tender but most of that was hidden by rust and the word scrap written on her.
“Hello?” Sunset called out; the engine looked at her then back to the rails.
“Are you from Equestria?” Sunset asked.
“Yes,” said the engine, “some princess named Lady, found me all alone in the stress and promised to make me feel happy and have friends to look after you. Then she teleported me here in this scrapyard.”
“How long have you been sitting there?” Sunset asked.
“About 3 months,” the engine replied.
‘That can’t be right,” Sunset thought, “she only been here for a few months and she looks like that she’s been sitting here for 5 years.’
“and soon I’ll be sent for scrap,” the engine said mournfully, “like my life has been any better, I welcome the chance to end it.”
“No don’t say that,” Sunset said, then she remembered Edwards story about saving Trevor, “I help you escape and have a better life.”
“Would you really do that?” asked the engine a little glimmer of hope in her eyes.
“Yes, it’ll have to look like my return goods train is to heavy and you’re helping me.” Sunset puffed out the siding, “Joe, Tyler, you two get her ready while I get my train.”
“Right,” her driver said, as Sunset raced off while her crew tried to sort the engine out.
Sunset came back with her train. Her Driver jumped into her cab while her fireman jumped into the engine’s cab to make seem less suspicious.
“Come on,” Sunset called out, “we are heading to your new home, Sodor!”
Sunset started puffing off down the track with the engine wheezing behind. But before they could clear the station they were stopped.
“Aha!” called the foreman, “London and South Western engine. You can't take her.”
“Uh, she’s with us,” Sunset’s driver said, “our train is too heavy for us so she’s helping us.”
The foreman looked all over the engine. “Seems in order,” he examined, “right away, guard.”
The guard’s whistle blew and Sunset with her new friend, set off for Sodor.
“That was close,” Sunset sighed in relief.
“I had worse,” replied the engine and they forced ahead. It was daylight when their journey ended.
“We're home!” cried Sunset.
“Shh!” said her driver, “There’s the Steamworks. We'll find a place for our friend.”
The Engine said goodbye and thank you, and Sunset puffed away. The next day, when Sunset wasn’t tired, she told the other engines all about her new friend she saved.
“The Fat Controller would have to know,” said Adagio.
“Sunset should tell him at once,” added Rainbow Dash.
“Well, here he is,” said a voice, “now what's this all about?”
“Beg pardon, sir,” said Twilight, “but we do need another engine.”
“Yes sir,” ventured Fluttershy, “a steam engine, sir.”
“Well, unless one saved from scrap, there's little hope,” The Fat controller stated.
“But sir, one has...” said Sunset.
“Yes indeed. And thanks to you, Sunset, she is now at the Steamworks. Victor will have her pistons pumping in no time.”
Later that day, Sunset went to see her new friend. “Sunset!” called the engine once she saw her friend.
“Hello, my friend,” Victor said when he saw Sunset.
“Hello, Victor,” Sunset greeted him, “how’s my friend?”
“She’s doing fine,” Victor answered, then a crashing sound echoed for the other end of the Steamworks, “KEVIN!!”
“Sorry boss,” called Kevin’s voice. This made the engine laugh.
“Kevin has been making our friend here, feel much happier,” Victor said smiling and the engine.
“Oh, before I forget and for you to start work,” Sunset stated, “What is your name? I don’t think I asked you before.”
“Oh,” the engine said, “how embarrassing, my name is Starlight, Starlight Glimmer.”