Busy Going Backwards
It was gloomy, wet, miserable day on Sodor, and Toad the brakevan was feeling miserable. Everywhere he looked, engines, coaches and trucks were moving about their duties, hustling and bustling back and forth with their jobs and being really useful, whilst he simply sat on a siding and saw the world go past him. It left him very glum.
Later that day, Oliver arrived to pick him up, and as Scootaloo hopped out of the cab to couple Oliver up, Toad decided to voice his concerns. "Mr Oliver, Miss Scott-"
"Please, call me Scootaloo," Scootaloo replied. "I never liked my real name anyways."
Toad sighed. "Mr Oliver, Miss Scootaloo, I'm a little tired of going backwards all the time."
"You run in the right direction to me," Oliver said kindly. "Wherever would I be without you? We both escaped scrap together, didn't we?"
"Yes, but I have forward thinking views, if you know what I mean. I could be a leader, if you get what I mean!"
Gordon snorted from a neighbouring track. "You could never lead, as you don't have a train to follow you. As a matter of fact, you don't even have a means to propel yourself down the track!"
Toad looked sadder still. Oliver was sad too. "Toad, you are not only a good brake van, you are a good friend. You help me slow down on steep hills, and if anything approaches from behind, you can warn me as well."
"I know," Toad said, "but I'd still like to go forwards for a change instead of backwards, and see the world approaching rather than rushing away."
"I know, right?" Scootaloo commented. "Some of the seats in dad's car face backwards. It can make you feel quite sick."
However, the trucks had overheard the conversation, and one in particular seemed annoyed. "Who does that Toad think he is to complain? He's lucky that he can see anything at all!"
Another one glanced over. "How about we pay him out?"
"Perfect. Besides, I have something of an axe to grind with those two."
Both trucks laughed, but quietly, as Oliver marshalled his train. It was very long, but Oliver could pull it indeed. Scootaloo hooked him up, hopped into the cab, and sounded the whistle to remind the signalman they were there. The signal dropped, and they were on their way, steaming through the delightful Sudrian countryside.
"It's a good thing the clearances on this line are so big!" Oliver commented.
"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked.
"Most Great Western engines have gauging problems on the main line. Pendennis Castle tells me that whenever he is pulling a railtour, he needs a new cab and chimney fitted so he can squeeze under the bridges!"
"Remember that time somebody suggested running a 2-6-6-6 here?" Scootaloo asked. "His forehead would have demolished Ballyhoo tunnel!"
As they continued on their way, they came to Gordon's Hill and began their ascent. The weight of the train soon began to take its toll on little Oliver, and he started slowing down as he climbed the hill. The lead truck smiled. Now was their chance!
"Now! Pull at the coupling!" he shouted.
Scootaloo suddenly recognised the voice. She stuck her head out of the cab and looked, and gasped at who it was. "SCRUFFEY?"
"The very same. Hope Toad enjoys getting smashed to bits!"
Seconds later, the coupling holding Scruffey onto the train broke, and the entire train, sans Oliver, shot backwards down the hill at incredibly high speed.
"We're making your wish come true, Toad!" shouted another truck. "Follow the leader!"
Toad was still in a state of shock. He had had no time to process what was going on, and he couldn't alert the guard as he had jumped clear! The trucks began laughing and jeering behind him.
"Faster, faster! AS FAST AS YOU WANT!"
Oliver stopped on the hill, and Scootaloo set him into full reverse, before reopening the regulator and going into hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, Toad was finding it all rather fun at first, but the fun was soon over. Ahead of him lay a level crossing, and the gates were shut! Toad shut his eyes and braced for derailment. He smashed clean through the gate, which was hurled high into the air and fell as fragments all over a field. Worst yet, the track was set wrong. Up ahead was Gordon!
"YEEEEEOOIIIIIKS!"
Luckily, the signalman changed the points just in time and crisis was averted.
"What just happened?" Gordon asked.
"A brake van nearly crashed into us!" Rainbow Dash replied. "I've seen weird things, but that takes the cake!"
Toad continued to thunder along, the weight of the trucks still propelling him down the track. Worse still, James was working down the line with a slow goods train.
"YEEEEEOOIIIIIKS! Help, save me!"
Rarity slammed James' brakes on just in time, and a fitter threw the relevant points as Toad flew onto the Up line.
"Good grief!" Rarity exclaimed. "Whatever is going on?"
"What was that?" asked James. "Was that Toad going the wrong way?"
Meanwhile, the fitter grabbed his phone. "There's a runaway train approaching!" he called to the next box. "Block back all signals to red. Repeat, there's a runaway train approaching. Block back all signals to red, over."
"Copy that. Derailment siding has been set, over."
Toad felt relieved when he swung off the track and onto a siding. "Those are buffers!" he exclaimed. "They'll stop me!" Problem is, the points to the derailment siding had jammed, and Toad swung back onto the main line. "OH NO, I'M BACK ON THE MAIN LINE!"
Nobody noticed the red trolley pushing Toad and the trucks along.
Meanwhile, Oliver sped along as fast as he could. "We must catch Toad, we must!" he said. "This is like that time I rescued you from Brendam."
"Oliver, I don't even live in Brendam."
"Then I must be thinking of the wrong story."
Scootaloo was confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, never mind."
Up ahead, more trouble awaited them. Part of the line was now single line operation due to a damaged bridge being hit by a lorry. The track crew, however, were warned of the runaway, and set the train to crash into a nearby lake. Toad suddenly veered off into a muddy pond and stopped at last.
"I may be muddy, but I shtopped at lasht."
Oliver arrived a few seconds later, and was attached to the train to pull it out. He seemed amused by the situation, but Scootaloo sure wasn't. After attaching the chain, she opened the regular forcefully, and the coupling jerked, pulling the trucks back violently.
"Ow!" complained Scruffey. "Watch it!"
Scootaloo glared at him darkly. "You can mess with me, but you DON'T mess with my friends, Toad included."
Scruffey kept his mouth shut after that.
Oliver, keen to lighten the mood, cracked a joke. "A pond is the only place for a toad, I suppose."
Everybody groaned at the dreadful pun.
That night, Oliver and Toad spoke with one another as Scootaloo was oiling Oliver round, ready for bed.
"I'm sorry I caused you embarrassment," Toad said sadly. "And Scootaloo, apologies for getting your clothes mucky."
"I can find new clothes," Scootaloo replied, "but I can never find another Toad."
"And you didn't cause us any embarrassment," Oliver said kindly. "How was it?"
"Not an experience I'm keen on repeating, I'm afraid," Toad replied. "From now on, I'm looking forward to the future, Busy going Backwards."
"He said it! He said it!" called one of the trucks.
"Shush, you."
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One major goof is Oliver trying to save Oliver.
What are the odds once again: It's a wet overcast day for me as well!
Btw, anyone got a link to the Season 5-6 Runaway theme from the TV Series? :3
10242250
10242383
Thank you. :3
10242387
Your welcome.
Oh, I saw all mistakes alright, even the trolley pushing Toad.
But the biggest thing to me, is the fact the guard jumps off the train instead of throwing Toad's brake on!
10242232
Thanks.
10242235
You wouldn'r mind pointing out where that is in the text?
10242250
10242596
And probably suffered some nasty injuries along the way.
10242849
That too.
But here is a real question, why jump out, when you can throw on the brake?
If anything, it would be more likely that during the jerk of the coupling snapping, he was knocked off the train. Or something else.
10242852
Fair point.
10242853
Quite right.
10242854
Spot any typos in here?
10242870
Not really, but I do have to ask, did you mean to put an "h" in
? As a way to add Toad, coughing out water while talking?
Also, why was the bit where Toad sped past Henry cut out if you don't mind me asking?
10242879
1. That was intentional.
2. It didn't really add much to the story.
10242905
I thought so, I just wanted to double-check
That's true.
10242907
Very good.
10242848
Meanwhile, Oliver sped along as fast as he could. "We must catch Oliver, we must!" he said. "This is like that time I rescued you from Brendam."
10242912
Whoops. Corrected.
That would make so sense why a car would have that.
Wait, is that true!?!?
Is that a reference to Sam, the engine of the same wheel arrangement who briefly appeared in the cgi series?
Same.
Yes James, yes it was,
Wait what!?!? 😦
Mhm.
Well unfortunately it did happen again, but fortunately not as catastrophic as this episode. 😅