//------------------------------//
// The Duchess and the Driver (Thomas and Friends: a New Generation) 
// Story: Thomas and Friends: Parallel Lines 
// by The Blue EM2 
//------------------------------//

Sophie rattled to a stop in Heywood platform, and the people onboard piled off the train. "Great job guys!" Pipp called. "We got those crystals without losing any of our own!"

"Safe to say, mission accomplished," Hitch added. "Even if we could have done without that bit at the end. But what matters is we are here now."

The crew were now on the platform, and Zipp handed the first crystal to Sunny, who had the other one in her possession. She was about to slot them together, when suddenly-

A whistle echoed through the area.

"What was that?" Salty asked.

"Don't look at me!" Rebecca said. "I'm not in steam."

Zipp glanced over to the others. "I know that whistle. But how did he get here?"

Moments later, a green tank engine rolled to a stop in the platform, towing a pair of crimson coaches. "And we have arrived, ma'am!" he said. "But I'm not sure when, as the station clock only seems to have a functioning minute hand. I know it's quarter to, but not what it's quarter to to."

Charles sighed. "Well, if it isn't Captain Boring. Finally decided to come out of retirement?"

A familiar figure stepped off the footplate. "Well, that was quite the journey," she said.

"Mom!" Pipp called, and ran over to Lady Haven. Zipp, on the other hand, approached slowly, not quite sure to make of this incident.

Lady Haven took both of them into a hug. "Thank goodness you're safe!" she said. "I've been worried sick about you two."

"To the point you'd follow us across Britain, it seems," Zipp said.

"Exactly," Lady Haven said. "Sorry I look like I was dragged through a hedge backwards, but needs must when the Devil drives. Now then, it's time to go home. I had Ray bring the special carriages fitted with sleeping quarters and bathrooms, not to mention your streaming suite, Pipp."

"Why?" Pipp asked. "We're so close to fixing the mystery!"

"What mystery?" Lady Haven asked, sounding confused more than anything else. "You vanished so fast I could only assume the worst! What about calling me to let me know you were safe?"

"Neither of us have any coverage here," Zipp explained. "Besides, these guys are our friends. We worked together to try and save the world as we know it."

"Not to mention fixing a really rusty engine and getting it running again!" Pipp added. "Normally I wouldn't do anything so mucky... unless it was for a friend!"

Lady Haven sighed. "Your friendship is truly genuine?" she asked. "In that case I cannot force either of you to go anywhere, at least at the moment. But at least explain to me what is going on, and why you took off in such a hurry without so much as a goodbye!"

Pipp nodded. "Here's the cliff notes version, mom; most machines used to be able to talk, and these crystals we have are the key to getting them back. It just so happened that one of them was put into that tiara of mine."

Just as two security officers stepped onto the platform, both in full tactical gear and armed to the teeth, a strange spluttering noise sounded down the platform. It looked like a car with rail wheels.

"Hey, look!" Porter called. "It's an old Land Rover with a roof box!"

The car ground to a stop in the platform, and Alphabittle clambered out. "And it's home, boys, home!" he proclaimed, as he stepped across the platform. His face dropped as he saw who was on the platform. "How could you do that? Shout that truly horrendous word across your software?"

"What's he talking about?" asked one of the guards, a blue skinned figure.

This caught Alphabittle's attention. His face darkened. "I should have guessed you lot would be behind this," he said. "I should have recognised you lot. You Havens have quite a lot of nerve stepping on Blossomforth territory."

"Oh, not this again," Lady Haven said, taking charge of the situation almost immediately. "What is it you want?"

Aphabittle's eyes narrowed. "I want the things your family stole from mine returned. But most of all, I want the crystals returned. The crystals that by right belong to me."

"Stole? Well, that's perhaps being rather economical with the truth, may I say, seeing as one of those crystals is actually my property. With all due respect-"

"With all due respect is your way of saying get stuffed. Well I won't. How in the world could I expect an old crone such as yourself to understand something as simple as ownership, considering what your family is built on?"

Pipp was incensed. "You can't talk to mom like that!" She spluttered for a moment whilst trying to decide on what to say next. "She-"

"Easy lady," Alphabittle interrupted. "You may want to keep your attack dog on a tight leash."

"I will not," Lady Haven replied. "Besides, you're no spring chicken yourself."

The man facing her growled. "Just give back what is owed to the Blossomforths and all will be well. Or else I may be required to use force."

"I would like to see you try," Lady Haven said coldly. "Take action against either me or my family and you won't live to regret it."

"Riddling somebody with bullets? Your family truly hasn't changed. You will give me what I want."

Both guards suddenly pointed their weapons. "Is that a threat?" asked the blue one.

"Yes, it is," Alphabittle said. "I thought it was obvious." He looked back to Lady Haven. "Your guards can put their guns away as well. That would be of no use if, shall we say, we exhausted all other options."

"This is actually a rifle, sir-" said the other guard, a figure with greenish skin.

"Not helping!" said the blue one.

"You always thought you were better just because of some battle you won long ago! Well, time for a reality check." Alphabittle smiled. "The only difference between a duchess and a thief is how you spell it."

Lady Haven rolled her eyes. "You've collectively had hundreds of years to invent an insult. Is that really the best you could come up with?"

"Err, mom, what's going on?" Zipp asked.

Lady Haven turned back to her daughters. "It's a very long story."

"We've got a long day," Pipp replied.

Lady Haven sighed. "Well, the story begins a long time ago, all the way back in the 17th Century."

"Can you speed it up a bit?" Alphabittle said. "I'm run-"

Lady Haven glared at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was done speaking." She looked back to all the others assembled. "Between 1642 and 1649, England was at war with itself. The two major powers were the Royalists, who wanted to defend King Charles' right to rule without any oversight, and the Parlimentarians, who believed that Parliament had ultimate authority over running the country. The Blossomforths sided with the King, and the Havens with Parliament. In 1646, the Blossomforths stronghold at Heywood Castle was besieged by an army under the command of Lord Bedivere Haven, one of our ancestors. His army levelled the Castle, but the Blossomforths escaped."

"So, all of this feuding over a castle?" Argyle asked. "Seems a bit silly to me."

"Silly?!" Alphabittle thundered. "It's not remotely silly! Heywood Castle had been the home of the Lancashire Blossomforths for centuries! It'd be like somebody driving up to your house and knocking it over because you held differing views!"

"It's also not the end of the story," Lady Haven said, retaking control of the situation. "After King Charles was captured and later executed, those families who had supported him were stripped of their lands and wealth, the Blossomforths being amongst them. The Blossomforths money, treasures, and lands were given to the Havens." She paused. "We have in the intervening centuries given most of the items back, but there's sadly nothing we can do about the land."

"Why is that?" Pipp asked.

"Your great grandfather sold it all to pay off debts accrued as a result of the extensive remodelling of Purbeck Manor in the early 20th Century." Lady Haven stood up. "None of which entitles you to the crystal, Arthur."

"What?"

"That crystal was given to my father by a clergyman, with the instruction to keep it safe until the time was right. He never understood what this meant, and had it incorporated into an elaborate tiara. And now it's right there, and based on what I just learned a chance to restore our world."

"Those pieces of gemstone? Pretty baubles, but nothing significant."

Sunny decided to try something. "Picture a land where the sky is so blue, a storybook land of wonder."

To her surprise, the two adults continued the phrase without any prompting. "A magical island just waiting for you."

"You know that?" Argyle asked, in surprise.

"Of course I do!" Alphabittle said. "My father read those stories to me when I was a boy!"

"And my father did the same for me!" Lady Haven said. "These crystals are somehow connected to Sodor?"

"These crystals power the magic that give machines sentience," Zipp said quickly. "And if we put them together, we think we can bring them back."

"It's be amazing to have those days back," Alphabittle said. "I only just remember them myself. "He paused. "What you waiting for, kid? Restore the Magic!"

Sunny nodded. "That I can do!" She took both crystals and placed them together, slotting the tall pointy one into the top of the wing shaped one.

Nothing happened.

"Huh?" Sunny asked, as she looked in confusion. "Something's wrong!" She lifted them apart and put them together again.

Still nothing.

"Come on! Work! Please!" Sunny didn't care how ridiculous it looked for her to be talking to a pair of inanimate objects, and tried again. And still nothing.

She put them down, her hopes crushed. "No..."

"What if we're missing something?" Izzy said. "That circle there seems like a space for something to fit!"

"I don't think so," Sunny said. "I'm so, so sorry. We came all this way for nothing."

"I wouldn't say so," Porter said. "Think of all the fun we had along the way! If anything, the true journey was the friends we made along the way."

"And I wouldn't give up so quickly!" Lady Haven added. "I have powerful allies. We can assist you!"

"And the men of Bolton Street can search through our archives to see if we have anything else," Alphabittle added.

"Maybe a song would lift your spirits?" Pipp suggested.

Salty began to cheerfully sing. "Help me Bob, I'm bu-"

"Salty, no," Sunny said. "I truly thought I could do something. I could change the world. I had a dream we could bring them back. But that's the thing about dreams. Eventually you have to wake up."

As the girl walked away, her heart crushed, Argyle looked to the others. "Looks like we'll be on our way home. Prepare your engines to move in the morning, as we can't get an available slot before then."

A pail of sadness fell over the station as the people dispersed. Only Alphabittle and Lady Haven were left after a while. "Err, Liz?" Alphabittle said.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"You know... sorry about what I said earlier. I know our families don't get on, but in the wider scheme of things this feud isn't worth it."

"I personally thought it was ridiculous as well," Lady Haven replied. "I'll arrange for the last few items from the Blossomforths to be transferred to you when I return home to Dorset."

"Thank you," Alphabittle replied, and began to make his way back towards his road car.

"Arthur?" a voice called out. He turned to look back and saw Lady Haven had moved forward a bit. "Take care."

Alphabittle nodded. "You too, Liz. You too." He continued on his way, and then started the engine of his vehicle before setting off back to Bury.