Toad's Wild Ride - ThomasNATION Fanstory
November 23, 2024
"Mr. Oliver?" Toad called from behind the train. "If I may, can you speed up a little please?"
"Heh, on this nice a day?" asked Oliver. "Why would you want to rush through it?"
"I know, sir, but..."
"Besides, there's a load of leaves on the track, and I need to be careful so we don't slip."
"Er...I suppose so." Toad sighed. No matter how many times he tried to speed up, he could never get a word out.
"Mornin', you two!" Duck said as he came up alongside them. "What are you two chatting about?"
"Toad wants me to go a bit faster again." Oliver chuckled. "But I don't want to slip on the leaves and derail."
"Well, why don't you? I could pull up in front of you so you don't derail."
"I know, but at the same time, I'm not a fast engine." Oliver sighed. "I can't give him what I don't have in me."
Toad ultimately knew Oliver was right - I mean, he could only go up to 80mph and he was already used to that. But alas, he kept on hoping for something, or rather someone, to take him on a high speed thrill ride.
"Can you believe him?" pouted Spencer at the shunting yard. "Sir Topham Hatt's gone and put me on goods duty! Goods duty! I'm not a freight engine, I'm the private engine of the Duke and Duchess! It's maddening, right?"
"...uh, what are you on about?" asked Stafford.
"What do you...never mind!" sighed Spencer. "Just get me my train!"
As Spencer waited for his train, Oliver dropped off Toad at the shunting yard so he can pull some coaches.
"I'll see you later, Toad!" called Oliver as he left.
"Bye, Mr. Oliver!" said Toad. "I'll be right here when you get back...not that I have anywhere to go."
The Troublesome Trucks wasted no time in teasing Toad.
"Toad, Toad, tempo's low!
Always going so, so slow!
He should just tell Ollie no,
but how should he? He sure doesn't know!"
Toad scoffed as the Trucks laughed. "I mean this with no ill will, you guys, but I'm not realy enjoying this!"
"Well, we are!" laughed one truck. "It's hilarious!"
"Besides," taunted another, "it's not our fault you don't know how to stand up for yourself!"
"What's that meant to mean, Mr. Truck?" Toad asked.
"Let's face it," the truck continued, "you're too nice, you never take matters into your own hands and get your way. You gotta start raising your voice a little!"
"But I can't raise my voice to anyone!" Toad pouted. "That would be unkind!"
"Oooooh, that would be unkiiiind!" mocked one of the trucks as the others laughed. "That's what you sound like."
"Well, life's too short to be compliant all the time." one truck told the brakevan. "One of these days, you gotta put your brakes on and just say no, for once!"
Toad thought hard about the Troublesome Trucks' advice. But before he can process it...
CLANG! Stafford started shunting Toad away.
"Hope you don't mind, Toad." said Stafford. "Spencer's getting impatient and you're the only brakevan in the yard."
"Oh, if it's no trouble, Mr. Stafford!" smiled Toad. "...er, who's Spencer?"
Spencer's train was finally coupled up to him, Toad and all. "Finally!" he sighed.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Spencer!" called Toad. "My name is Toad, and if you'll allow me, I'll be your brakevan today."
"Well, today's your lucky day, Toad!" Spencer boasted. "You just won a free trip with the UK's fastest engine!"
Toad gasped. Was this it? Were his dreams of a high speed ride finally coming true?
"Oh yes please, Sir!" gushed Toad. "Please, go as fast as you like!"
Spencer and Toad sped down the main line at a high speed. It was the fastest Toad had ever gone, and he was having the time of his life.
"Wheeeee!" shouted Toad. "Faster, Mr. Spencer!"
"Hah! This isn't even half of my top speed!" Spencer gloated. "Did you know I hold the world speed record for a steam engine?"
"I do now!" Toad laughed. "This has to be the fastest any brakevan's ever-"
BUMP! Spencer rolled right over a tree branch, jolting Toad a bit. "Uh...Mr. Spencer?"
"Yes, Toad?"
"Um, you may want to be a bit more careful."
"Hah! Careful. Honestly, I've gone faster this and I haven't even so much as derailed!"
"I know, Sir, but-"
"Besides, you're riding with a streamlined private engine! I'm giving you the whole experience!"
"Er...I suppose so." Toad sighed.
But eventually, Spencer had to stop at a signal. Toad let out a brief sigh of relief. His high speed ride wasn't as fun as he imagined, but at least he was safe...until Gordon showed up.
"Ah, Spencer," Gordon laughed. "We meet again."
"Gordon, if it isn't my old cousin!" laughed Spencer. "Still taking the slow train, I see?"
"Pah! Slow train. Look who's talking, Mr. Goods Train."
"Alright, let's settle this." Spencer said, "how about a race?"
Toad's heart stopped. If what Spencer said about him going at half his top speed was right, then...oh boy.
"Oh dear..." Toad gulped. "Please say no, Mr. Gordon. Please say no..."
"I'm in!" Gordon responded. "First one to Vicarstown wins!"
"Three!" cried Spencer.
"Two!" called Gordon.
"ONE!" they both declared.
"No!" winced Toad.
The signal turned green and Gordon and Spencer started their race, much to Toad's dismay.
Meanwhile, back at the shunting yard, Oliver had come back from passenger duty. He was looking around for Toad, but no luck.
"Uh, Stafford?" asked Oliver. "Have you seen Toad?"
"Oh, he's at the back of another train." replied Stafford.
"But I told Sir Topham Hatt that I needed him for my freight train tonight."
"I know, but he was the only brakevan in the yard. But if I know Spencer, he'll probably be back before you can say "Great Western"."
"Ah, okay, great. Cheers, Stafford" Oliver smiled. But then, he stopped and realised... "SPENCER?!"
Spencer and Toad were going at top speed, trying to beat Gordon. Toad had his eyes shut the whole time.
"I DON'T LIKE IT, MR. SPENCER!" Toad whimpered. "Please slow down, Mr. Spencer!"
"Toad, honestly," groaned Spencer, "quit your whining! We can't slow down now! We're winning!"
Toad was rocked about carelessly, almost being knocked fully off the rails. "But Mr. Spencer, we could get into an accident! These leaves on the tracks are very slippery, you know!"
"How many times do I have to tell you?" sighed Spencer. "We aren't going to derail!"
But as they kept going along the line, Toad was rocked, bumped and scraped, and there was no sign of him slowing down. But then he thought back to what those Trucks said...and declared "That's it."
Toad immediately slammed his brakes as hard as he could, slowing Spencer down to a grinding halt.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Spencer cried. "Toad, what are you doing? We were winning!"
Soon, Spencer and Toad stopped. Gordon overtook him instantly. Spencer tried to catch up, but he couldn't even start up. Toad had his brakes on tight.
"Toad." Spencer growled. "Let go of your brakes right now."
"...no!" Toad barked back. "I'm not letting go until you promise to slow down!"
"Ugh, make your mind up, will you?!" Spencer rolled his eyes. "You wanted to go fast, but now you want to go slower? I told you, I'm a streamlined private engine, I'm giving you the whole experience!"
"Well, I don't want the whole experience, Mr. Spencer!" Toad cried. "I thought I did, but now I want to keep going slower! I want to take in the breeze instead of whizzing past it! I want..."
"Toad!" Oliver cried as he raced up to Toad. "Toad, are you alright?"
"Mr. Oliver!" gasped Toad in glee.
Soon, Oliver and Toad relaxed in a shed so Toad can rest his wheels while Sir Topham Hatt berated Spencer.
"So, tell me." Oliver asked. "How was it going at supersonic speed?"
"It wasn't great." sighed Toad. "I'm sorry for bugging you about going faster, Mr. Oliver. I'll never ask again."
"Don't worry about it, Toad," smiled Oliver. "Just as long as you're safe."
"I know, sir." laughed Toad. "I think I prefer going slow anyway."
As the two laughed, Oliver and Toad were glad to be together again before they headed back to the Little Western, at their usual brisk, slow speed. But above everything else, Toad was more so proud of himself for sticking up for himself.
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