Thomas and the Gold-Dust Crisis.

Chapter 2.

At the countryside, Thomas was chuffing down the line, looking left and right to try and spot Mr. Conductor. As the seconds went by the E2 grew more and more worried for Mr. C was beginning to be late.

"Oh Mr. Conductor." Thomas thought. "Where are you? I know you live very far away, but you always seem to get here on time."

Then right on cue, Mr. C sparkled in by the tracks, looking very worn out.

"Mr. Conductor!" Thomas exclaimed. "Oh goodness me. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Thomas." The man panted in reply. "But the journey from Shining-Time is getting bumpier and bumpier."

"Is it?" Thomas asked in great worry as Mr. C then sparkled into his cab. "I'm glad you're here, Mr. C." Thomas said as he then began to puff away. "A new bully diesel is on the railway, and he's causing a lot of trouble."

As Mr. C then took in Thomas's words, he nodded for he heard about this diesel from the big guy himself. Meanwhile, further down the line, in some sidings, Diesel 10 had just finished carving his face onto a boulder and he smirked with satisfaction as he peered at it. Then the sounds of two other horns were heard in the distance and the two class 08s arrived in front of him.

"Ah." The class 42 remarked. "There you two are. So is there anything interesting going about the island?"

"Well yes indeed boss!" Said the purple one.

"Oh it's news alright." The green one added. "Sir Topham Hatt is going on a holiday."

"Oh this is great news indeed." Said Diesel 10. "Thank you for bringing this info to me, Splodge."

"Um.. It's actually Splatter." The purple one remarked.

"And Dodge." Said the green one.

"I do not have enough time to say both names!" Diesel 10 shouted with annoyance. "Anyway, since you two are my helpers, I might as well let you both know that I came here to find a steam engine."

"Oh that's easy!" Splatter exclaimed.

"In Fact they're everywhere." Dodge added.

"Not the one I want." Diesel 10 replied. "According to some myths and legends my driver pulled up, there's one with magic. And as long as she exists, so do the others, but if she is destroyed...."

"Destroy?" Asked Splatter.

"As in hurt?" Asked Dodge.

"Yup." Diesel 10 replied. "But you both don't need to watch me do it if you don't want to."

"Um, there's actually one small problem, boss." Splatter whimpered.

"And what is that?" Diesel 10 asked with annoyance.

"Him and him." Answered Dodge as he gestured over towards the line by them to see Thomas chuffing by with Mr. Conductor on board."

"YOU BUMBLING IDIOTS!!" Diesel 10 shouted. "You know what? I'll just get him too!"

Then as Diesel 10 snapped his claw, it malfunctioned and hit him on the forehead.

"OW!" Diesel 10 exclaimed as his two henchmen began to laugh.

Meanwhile, as Thomas passed the siding, he spotted the carving Diesels huddling up and grew worried.

"I don't know what they're planning, but I doubt it will be good." Thomas shivered.

"Don't worry Thomas." Mr. C soothed. "I'll pop in and out with my sparkle and keep them in order. I won't let anything bad happen to you guys, I swear it."