Holly Jolly Steelworks - ThomasNATION Fanstory
December 24, 2022
It was a week before Christmas, and while the engines of Sodor had all their jobs to do, Thomas and Percy had a special train to take all the way to the Mainland - to the Steelworks. As the two travelled across the Mainland, Percy couldn’t help but have his concerns. He had heard the stories of what happened to Thomas and James and didn’t want the same to happen again to him.
“Thomas,” he asked, “why are we even going to the Steelworks? Didn’t they try to kidnap you and James?”
“That was a long time ago, Percy.” chuckled Thomas. “Besides, it was only because they needed extra help.”
“But kidnapping?!”
“You don’t need to worry, they have Lexi, Theo and Merlin now.”
“I know that, but how do you know we’ll make it out of there alive?”
Thomas laughed as the two pulled into the Steelworks. “It’s been five years, Percy, we have nothing to worry about!”
“Hello?” a familiar voice called out from inside the Steelworks. “Who’s there?”
“Oh! Hi, guys!” Thomas cried out. From the shadows emerged Thomas’ old…frenemies, I guess, Frankie and Hurricane. Percy gulped in fear.
“Oh! Thomas!” said Frankie. “And here I thought you didn’t want to see us again.”
“Yeah, especially all that business five years ago.” laughed Hurricane. “Again, we’re really sorry about that.”
“Ah, no hard feelings.” Thomas smiled. “Oh, and this is my best friend Percy.”
“…hi.” Percy whispered nervously.
“Well, hello, little tank engine!” chuckled Frankie. “So, what brings you two round here?”
“We need to drop off these extra parts.” Thomas explained.
“Oh, just leave those by the coal hopper,” suggested Hurricane.
Thomas and Percy took the parts to the hopper and had time to fill up. Percy looked around. Everything looked intimidating and frightening.
“Thomas, you really see nothing wrong with this place?” Percy squirmed.
“…you’re right, Percy!” Thomas agreed.
“Really?”
“There’s no decorations!”
Percy was gobsmacked. “What? No, that’s-“
“It’s only a week until Christmas, and they have nothing!” Thomas interrupted as he left the hopper. “I’m gonna go talk to them.”
“Thomas! I meant we should get out of here!” Percy cried out.
“In that case, we’ll leave in a few minutes! I just need to sort this!”
Thomas went up to Frankie, who was shunting with Theo. “Frankie? Why don’t you have any Christmas decorations?”
“To be honest, Thomas,” Frankie explained, “it never really feels like Christmas around here. All the trees just fall into the molten slag, and the snow always melts.”
“Really?”
“Well, they don’t call this the hottest place in town for nothing.”
“So you’ve never properly celebrated Christmas?”
“Nah. What’s the point?”
Thomas felt sympathetic, but Percy wasn’t paying attention, he just wanted to leave. “Alright, we’ve made our delivery, let’s go!”
“Percy, calm down, we’re gonna be okay. Sorry, guys, but he’s really nervous about this place, so we gotta go.” And with that, the two began to leave.
“No worries, Thomas,” said Theo. “we understand. Happy Christmas!”
On their way back to Sodor, Percy was just glad to be out of there, while Thomas was still thinking about Frankie and Hurricane.
“Thomas, please never bring me back there again,” sighed Percy. “I’ve never been so scared of a place in my life.”
“Hmm?” Thomas asked. “Sorry, I wasn’t listening, I’m still concerned about those guys. I mean, they’ve never had a proper Christmas. We’ve gotta help them.”
“I couldn’t agree more!” chirped Merlin, who had snuck up on the two.
“Merlin!” Thomas laughed. “Am I glad to see you!”
“Have you been listening to us this whole time?” chuckled Percy.
“Yes, I have,” continued Merlin, “and I must say that I love your idea of bringing Christmas to the Steelworks! Me, Theo and Lexi celebrated the holidays all the time in our old hideaway. I’m practically an expert.”
“You’re an expert on Christmas parties?” Thomas gasped. “You can help us!”
“What are you talking about?” asked Percy.
“I’m talking about throwing the Steelworks engines a spectacular Christmas party!”
“A Christmas party?” Percy thought. “That’s…not a bad idea.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I mean, why not lighten their spirits with a little get-together? Besides, you said they were flooded with constant deliveries, right? Maybe what they need is a day off for a party.”
“That’s what I’m saying!” laughed Merlin.
“Besides, Percy knows what he’s doing,” Thomas added on, “he brought a Christmas party to our friend Reg, he’d be great at this!”
“Well, I know this’ll be a spectacular shindig!” Merlin chortled. “Now, I’d better get going. The chaps up at Bridlington are probably wondering where I am. Invisibility on!”
And just like that, Merlin disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“Are you sure everyone at the sheds will be okay with this?” asked Percy.
“I’m sure most of them would be fine,” thought Thomas, “it’s James I’m worried about.”
Thomas and Percy pitched their idea to the Steam Team that night, and everyone was on board, except for one.
“Are you mad?!” cried James. “You want me to help them throw a Christmas party? After all they did to me?”
“It’ll be just one time, James,” Thomas protested.
“Thomas is right, James,” chimed in Nia. “everyone deserves to enjoy the holidays.”
“You didn’t hear what happened to us in there?” asked James.
“Yes, yes, we’ve all heard the stories…” moaned Gordon.
“Come on, James, just give it a go.” Percy suggested.
“No! We’re not doing it!” James protested. “That’s final. I’m done talking.”
Thomas sighed in frustration. “Why does he always have to be so fussy?”
“I hate to agree with James here, Thomas…” Emily started.
“Hey!” James interrupted.
“Well, you are being pretty unhelpful.” Emily continued. “But who’s going to look after all our jobs? Percy’s got the mail, Rebecca’s got the express, and you’ve got your branch line.”
“I’ve already talked to Sir Topham Hatt, he said he can leave Edward, Henry and Duck in charge of our jobs.”
“Hmm.” Emily thought, before finally making her decision. “Sorry, James. Looks like you’re outnumbered.”
James groaned. “Fine! But I’m gonna hate every second of it.”
The next morning, Frankie woke up and prepared to start the day’s work.
“Rise and shine, everyone!” she chirped. “Time to get to work! Now, Lexi, I assume you were wanting to take that first load of steel up to Sussex.”
“Yes, yes, Frankie,” Lexi mumbled, still half asleep. “I’ll get onto it as soon as I figure out what all those lights are for…”
The Steelworks engines glanced over at the lights and were absolutely blown away! The Steam Team had brought them a ton of decorations, presents and a magnificent tree!
“Surprise!” cried Thomas.
“Thomas?!” gasped Hurricane. “What’s going on? What’s with all the decorations?”
“We figured since you’ve never had a proper Christmas before,” Percy replied, “we’d bring Christmas to you!”
“We’ve got all sorts of things for you!” chirped Rebecca. “Just mind keeping them away from that yucky molten stuff you’ve got.”
“Now, you don’t mind us setting everything up, do ya?” Thomas suggested. “Just to get everything prepared for the party.”
“Party?” Frankie gasped. “But wait, what about our jobs?”
“You can put them off for just one day, no problem!” said Gordon. “But for now, let’s enjoy the party!”
“But our deliveries!” protested Frankie.
“One day off can’t hurt.” chuckled Nia.
Once the tree and the decorations were put up, the Steelworks Christmas party was in full swing. The engines were having a good time with the festivities, though something seemed off.
“Thomas?” asked Theo. “Where’s Frankie?”
“She’s not at the dumping station?” replied Thomas. This was really odd, so he decided to have a look around. Soon, he found her shunting in the yard.
“Oh, hey, Thomas.” said Frankie.
“Frankie, are you working?” asked Thomas, confused.
“I’m just sorting out some flatbeds to be taken to Bridlington on Tuesday. I’ll be done in a jiffy.”
“Frankie, don’t worry about that, this is a party!” Thomas laughed. “Come on, we’re just about to play a game.”
Thomas and Frankie rolled up to the turntable inside the steelworks, where the game was about to begin. On the turntable was a little flatbed with some steel, topped off with a little bauble on one side.
“The game is just a simple round of truth or dare!” smiled Rebecca. “If the side of the steel that has the bauble points at you…well, you know the rest.”
The turntable span round and round, until it pointed at Nia.
“Alright, Nia,” chuckled Percy, “truth or dare?”
“…um…dare!”
“Okay, I dare you to lift yourself up with the magnet!”
“Easy.” Nia went under a magnet, which slowly lowered down and picked her up. “Ta-da!”
The Steam Team laughed at Nia’s little stunt. The turntable span around again until it landed on Hurricane.
“Okay, Hurricane,” asked Nia, “truth or dare?”
“Truth! 100% truth!”
“I got one,” smirked James, “out of me and Thomas, who’s your favorite?”
“Not this again…” groaned Thomas and Gordon.
“Aw, don’t put me on the spot like that!” laughed Hurricane. As he tried to think, Emily noticed something else missing.
“Uh, Thomas?” she asked. “Truth or dare?”
“Um…truth.”
“Where’d Frankie go now?”
Frankie was back shunting those same flatbeds again. Thomas and Percy came out to see what was up.
“Frankie!” Thomas sighed. “We talked about this, why are you still shunting?”
“Because these flatbeds are due in Bridlington in three days.” Frankie groaned. “And I’m miles off from getting it ready.”
“Please, Frankie, take a break!” muttered Thomas. “You can sort them out tomorrow, now can you please have some fun?”
“Not when there’s work left to be done!” argued Frankie. She raced off with the flatbeds, with Thomas and Percy following.
“Frankie! Please!” pleaded Percy. “Just a little break!”
Then there was trouble. One of the baubles fell off the wreaths and landed right in front of Thomas. Unfortunately, he didn’t see where he was going and swiftly derailed.
“Thomas!” cried Percy.
Then, there was even more trouble. Thomas crashed right into a truck full of molten slag, which tipped right over. The molten slag melted Thomas’ buffer, Frankie’s wheel, the flatbeds of steel, and even the Christmas tree, right to the ground. The other engines came out to see the commotion.
“What happened?” gasped Rebecca.
Frankie was absolutely furious. “Thomas, you imbecile! Why would you do that?!”
“It was an accident!”
“Likely story!” scoffed Frankie. “There’s still hundreds of jobs left to be done and all you could think about is playing silly party games!”
“Frankie, I’m sorry,” Thomas pleaded, “I was just trying to make sure everyone was having fun.”
Nia thought for a second. “Thomas, maybe shunting and sorting her deliveries is just her way of having fun.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” added Merlin. “she absolutely loves it. Sorting out all the flatbeds, keeping everything orderly and tidy. That’s the kind of thing that makes her happy.”
“I had no idea.” Thomas thought. “Wow, do I feel like an idiot now. Frankie, I’m sorry for trying to force you to join the party.”
“It’s fine, Thomas,” sighed Frankie.
Just then, a little diesel rolled into the Steelworks hauling fresh decorations and a new tree. “Here’s those decorations you ordered, Merlin!”
The other engines glanced at Merlin. “What? A Christmas party at the Steelworks? Accidents are bound to happen, it’s important to have a backup plan.”
Soon, the party was back in action, but with a little twist. While Merlin, Lexi and Hurricane were enjoying the games with Thomas, James Percy, Rebecca and Nia, the deliveries were still being sorted by Frankie, Theo, James, Gordon and Emily.
“Your turn, Nia!” laughed Thomas, “truth or dare?”
“Truth.”
“Okay, I got one,” said Hurricane, “what do you miss most about your home?”
“I mostly miss some of my friends. I still write them letters.”
Just then, the other engines raced in. Frankie, in particular, was particularly excited. “Great news, everyone! We’ve sorted all the deliveries for the day! We can join the party!”
“Really?” said Rebecca. “That’s great news! Come on, join our game.”
As the turntable span around, Thomas looked at Frankie. “So, what do you think? Was this a good Christmas party or what?”
“It was incredible.” Frankie smiled. “We should do this every year.”
Thomas smiled warmly, happy to help his friends. After all, everyone deserves to be happy on Christmas.
About the Author: JF the LOLZOR
0 comments