//------------------------------//
// Hey, Mr Tambourine Man! 
// Story: Thomas and Friends: Northern Soul 
// by The Blue EM2 
//------------------------------//

Seven years later...

It was a peaceful Saturday morning in Falmouth, which was precisely how locals liked it. The dockside was yet to start up, and the travel flow was slightly lower than usual as the half term was technically yet to start. The schools had let out for the break, and this meant more people at home for a week or possibly travelling to other places and locations within the country.

Inside one house, Izzy was hard at work sorting her glitter collection. "Now, if I put pink glitter here and blue glitter here, I'll have an easier time finding it in future!" she said. "After all, blue and pink are like each other."

"They're different shades and have no letters in common," Isaac pointed out. "And how do you even have this much glitter?"

"I've put it together over many years!" Izzy objected. "You can never have too much glitter!"

"If you say so," Isaac sighed, and continued on his way. "Good thing the oil rig is behaving itself this weekend. There's been quite enough craziness in town for the last few weeks for my taste."

Izzy went back to her work and continued to sort the glitter around, including moving a bit of glue. This was quite a fun pastime for her, even if it didn't result in making something. Having the place in order was important as it made later creativity easier.

She flipped her hair back over her back (as some of it was risking getting in the way of her actions), and continued to sort even as the day continued. Suddenly, another voice cut through the soundscape.

"Izzy! Letter for you!"

"Coming, mom!" Izzy replied, putting the box down and sealing the lid. She dashed out of her room and down the stairs before stopping in front of the door. She picked the letter up. "Oooh, how vintage! Who sends letters these days?"

"That badly worded Secret Santa letter you got probably qualifies," Aurora said. "It's also normal for official correspondance to be done by letter as that way people have things in writing."

"It's also in writing if it's in an email," Izzy pointed out. "Just the words are on a screen."

"I think it's partly psychological," her mother admitted. "Somehow words on a page feel more permanent than digital ones. Anyway, aren't you going to open it?"

Izzy flipped it over to see it was addressed to her, even seeing it had used her birth name. "Whoever this is, they need to be told I don't go by Isabelle." She quickly opened the letter packet and slid the letter out to read it. Her eyes widened in excitement as she started to read the text on the paper.





Sunny checked the timer on her phone to see how the time was coming along. She'd put the eggs on and was keeping a close eye on them, but her other concern was the bacon. Seeing as it was the weekend, she had decided to put on a full cooked breakfast for her friends, and had gone to town with the food. Bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes (for those who wanted them; she knew Hitch was partial to a good tomato), hash browns, baked beans, and some muffins for those who wanted them were being prepared, and would soon hit their plates.

She quietly hummed a jaunty sailing tune to herself. This was one way she had of keeping her spirits up, and seeing as today was a quieter day Salty probably wouldn't be singing sea shanties yet. Still, the sea air drifted in through the windows of the cottage she called home.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Just a moment! I've got the cooker on!"

Argyle then appeared, and looked at Sunny. "I can get the door for you if you'd like."

"Thanks," Sunny replied, focusing on her work.

The doors opened, and Izzy and Pipp suddenly stepped in, both looking quite excited. "Did you get it?" they both asked.

"Get what?" Sunny asked.

Izzy then began to speak. "IgotaletterfromtheELRandit'sinvitingusto-"

"Izzy, slow down," Sunny replied. "I'm having trouble understanding you."

Izzy took a seat and began to speak once more. "I got a letter from the ELR and it's inviting us to their half term steam gala!"

"I got one too!" Pipp said, looking equally excited. "I've been invited to help with the entertainment, seeing as I'm a singer myself, and I was wondering if we could discuss that over breakfast!" She looked over Sunny's shoulder. "Looks great, Sunny! What's the calorie content?"

"I'll add it up in a moment," Sunny answered. "I'm kinda busy at the moment."

A few minutes later, the others wandered in, and sat down at the table as Sunny served them the food she had cooked. "Enjoy!"

"Hey Sunny!" Zipp said. "Where's your folks?"

"Dad's busy with some marking, and mom's in Europe on business." Sunny dropped her shoulders. "It's not been easy being around them, given... you know..."

Pipp put her hands on Sunny's shoulders. "It's not your fault," she said, soothingly. "You weren't in control. If we find Opaline, we'll make her pay for what she did."

Izzy glanced up, and decided to change the subject. "I haven't helped at a steam gala in such a long time! It'll be amazing to see the Lumabloom again!"

Hitch looked at her. "What's the Lumabloom?" He glanced at Sunny. "Coffee, please."

"The Lumabloom," Izzy explained, "is a bioluminescent light thing that happens around this time of year. It's a lot of fun as it draws in a lot of visitors. It happens just outside Bury, and the East Lancashire Railway runs a steam gala to coincide with it. They often have music as well."

"And what a time period they've picked!" Pipp said. "It's the Summer of Love! I can't wait to make Sgt. Pepper style costumes for us!"

Izzy looked slightly concerned though. "I don't think the railway's plan to run trains through the night is a wise one, though."

"Why not?" Misty asked.

Izzy looked very serious all of a sudden. "The troggles."

"Troggles?" Zipp asked. "Some sort of local phenomenon?"

Izzy nodded. "The troggles are old creatures from Lancastrian folklore. Hundreds of years ago, a witch called Black Annis roamed the countryside, cursing people and doing evil things wherever she went. One of the things she hated the most was the sound of happiness and joy, so she sent evil spirits, called troggles, to steal their voices. They only came out at night, and are rumoured to operate during the Lumabloom. We were all taught this poem as a reminder of what not to do."

She then started to recite a poem, looking somewhat wild whilst doing so.

"Eyes of the monster, form of the pig!
Sing, laugh, or yell, step foot on a twig!
Troggles appear, steal what's to be!
No cure to be found, past the red ruby!"

Pipp looked over. "Normally I'd be sceptical such creatures existed, but considering what we've seen in the last year or so I'd be eating those words pretty fast. But to lighten the mood, any suggestions for musical talent?"

"I know just the perfect acts short of booking Paul McCartney," Hitch said. "Shame we can't pursuade the Gallagher brothers to stop feuding. But I have a suggestions- Electric Blue!"

"The rock band?" Zipp said. "I'd second that! Their sound is fantastic!"

Pipp nodded. "I was thinking of booking Ruby Jubilee."

Misty's eyes suddenly lit up. "She'd be perfect! She's a fantastic musician and supporter of good charitable causes, and not only that she lives locally! I could talk to her!"

Pipp looked over to Sunny. "Any suggestions, Sunny?"

"This may be a curveball, but how about the Dreamlands?" Sunny suggested. "They were the British girl group of the Eighties!"

Pipp raised a quizzical eye. "I thought they broke up in 2003."

"I know, but I think we can convince them to get back together. Crazier things have happened in the music world, such as Take That reuniting in 2006."

"Well, our mission is set," Izzy said. "To find musicians we go!"





Zipp brought Charles to a stop at Truro, which was convenient. She had heard through the grapevine that Electric Blue would be performing for two nights at the Corn Exchange, and planned to catch them there.

To just her luck, the band were unloading equipment from a train. "Be careful with the drums!" called a man. This was Fretlock, their lead singer.

Zipp dashed over. "Need a hand?"

Fretlock glanced back. "We could always use a spare pair of hands."

After a few minutes, the train was unloaded, and Fretlock was pleased. "Thanks for helping, uh... what's your name?"

"Zipp. Zipp Storm."

Fretlock's eyes widened. "I remember you! We were booked to play at one of your birthdays!"

Zipp smiled at the memories. "Still one of my favourite memories. But I was wondering if I could ask you something?"

Fretlock nodded as his bandmates appeared. "Sure."

"Would you be available to perform in Bury next weekend?"

"That's an oddly specific request," Fretlock said. "What's the gig?"

"A charity event hosted by the East Lancashire Railway," Zipp said. "It's at night, and there's really spectacular light effect with would help set the mood."

The band members glanced back and forth.

Zipp knew how to convince them. "It's Summer of Love themed and you guys will be headlining the night time show."

Fretlock smiled. "Summer of Love, huh? Why didn't you lead with that?"