Sodor's New Worker (Semi-Hiatus Due to an AO3 rewrite)

Road Rebels

[The inspiration for this chapter came from none other that Nathan the Saddle Tank Engine. His link is somewhere in this book. Multiple times. Go find it.]

   After promising to lay off on all the worrying, James sat in the sheds a few days later as the controller rattled off all their assignments for the next couple days

"Aaand..you two." STH gestured to the two in red. "You're to double head a heavy goods from the docks to Crosby. They need the exotic marble for a museum they're constructing there."

   Maddy very slowly turned to look at James, completely irritated.

"What are you looking at me like that for!?"

"Did you get on your knees and beg for a job that got us together?"

"No! Honest! Why would I!?"

   STH chuckled, tapping his clipboard, "He's right, Maddy. I did this all on my own. It just..ended up like that. You're to split up after that delivery anyway. James has a passenger train he needs to take and you, young lady, have bakery goods to pick up later today."

"I get to go to the bakery again today?" she gasped.

"You better bring me a croissant." Thomas chirped.

"I'll bring you a knuckle sandwich, cheesehead."

"Do I get anything?" James asked. He was giving her puppy eyes when she turned to look at him again.

   She gave James the sweetest smile she could, and pat his buffer beam, answering him.

"No."

"YOU LITTLE-"

"Don't you wheesh at me!" she snapped. "You have the opportunity to-"

   She stopped just short of giving James a terrible, perverted idea.

"Opportunity to...what?"

"Nothing." she spoke, hopping up onto his running board. "C'mon. To Brendam Docks!"

   Waving to her friends, she received a goodbye whistle from each of them as the Red Disasters made their way to Brendam.

    It didn't take long for something to go awry, as the two were stuck at a crossing, waiting for a bus to pass. Not just any bus, but a bus Maddy hadn't seen before. But, judging by James' face, he knew who the bus was.

"God damn it, Bulgy!" he hissed. "Let's go!"

"I'll take my sweet time, thank you." the aptly named Bulgy spat. "Oh, what's this I spy with my superior road eyes? A human?"

"Huh-?"

"James, do you just let anyone on the rails now?"

"Excuse me, sir-" she started.

"Ah! The vehicles are talking." Bulgy frowned.

"..."

   James peered to his side, watching Maddy's face tighten, then quickly relax. Though, as close as he was, he could clearly see the anger in her eyes. That, and the fact she was white-knuckling the edge of his running board.

"Bulgy..just get off the damn track so we can get where we need to go."

"We?"

"Yeah! We," he spoke, gesturing to Maddy. "are a team."

"..You're serious? You engines need help now?"

"Bulgy, you-"

   But before James could continue, Bulgy had crossed, and the crossing had opened to the duo. Heavily sighing, he just continued making his way to the docks.