TGR but There's a Roleswap (2x5)

Chapter 3 - Maron Station

Word Count: 384

Later, James pulled into Maron with the Honeypot, and that's when he saw him.

"Oh, not him!" he hissed loudly.

"Who?" asked the coaches, who were typically quiet. The first coach peaked over the engine's tender out of James' cab. His eyes landed on the approaching tender engine.

"H-Hello?" exclaimed Edward. His eyes brightened with relief. "James!" The other red medium-sized tender engine came to a gentle halt at the station, exhausted. "H-Hello!" he huffed out tiredly with as much energy as he could muster.

"Hi," James replied bitterly, immediately looking away. "Aren't you supposed to be heading to the Great Railway Show?"

"Aye," began Edward with a small weak smile before quickly looking down with sorrow, "I got left behind. I wis... I wis hopin you could... m-maybe show me tae the Mainland."

Immediately, the Honeypot coaches chimed in. "James wants to go to the Great Railway Show! He can show you the way!"

Edward's interest was piqued, smiling at the bright red medium-sized tender engine.

"No!" James immediately replied, startling Edward who revved backwards. "I don't want to participate in something silly. I don't need to prove that I'm good at something. I would rather be a really useful engine than a pretty pony." Much to his relief, the guard blew their whistle. "Besides, I'm clearly busy so you'll just have to find another engine!" he hollered as he quickly departed the station without so much of a whistle, leaving Edward behind.

Edward's face dropped. He had been very lucky that the dockside diesel, Salty, had been willing to take him to the Main Line, as it turned out that he was on a branch line called the Brendam Branch Line. Salty had told him to just go east on the Main Line and that he would eventually reach the Vicarstown Drawbridge. Unfortunately, Edward nearly got lost at the West Maron Junction, almost heading into the goods tunnel that went through what was called Gordon's Hill. Thankfully, the signalman had stopped him and geared him in the right direction. He had been hoping another engine could show him the way but he hadn't come across any until then.

His mind swarmed with worry as he puffed along the line.