Author's notes: Not much to say here. But I think this story is good. Not a top tear one, but it still serves.

Smoke Screen

Narrator: A few days had passed since Gordon's spinning escapade and the engines and ponies had all forgotten about it. But one day when Mr. Thompson and Rainbow Dash came to get him ready for the WildNorWester run, Gordon was feeling stuffed up. But not as one may think.

Mr. Thompson: Morning Gordon!…. say what's wrong with you now? Your nose looks as rosy as a rose.

Gordon: I feel all clogged up in my smoke box and I don't know why.

Narrator: Rainbow Dash and Mr. Thompson, worried, checked him all over.

Mr. Thompson: Ah ha! Well there's your culprit Gordon. It's this new fangled coal!

Rainbow Dash/Gordon: Come again?

Mr. Thompson: Ugh. The coal is not burning properly. It's causing soot and ash to build up and clogging your tubes something awful.

Rainbow Dash: Oh for the love of pete!

Gordon: Oh you've gotta to be kidding me!

Mr. Thompson: I wish I was, but unfortunately we're just gonna have to deal with it like all the other engine are.

Narrator: Henry, who was being serviced by Applejack and Mr. Holden . overheard this.

Henry: Hey Gordon, why not have a good sneeze?

Applejack: Oh yeah, like that time you punished them youngsters for dropping stones on you.

(Applejack winks at Henry and Mr Holden)

Mr. Holden: Heheheheh. That taught those young hooligans a lesson for hitting me on the head.

Narrator: Gordon and Rainbow Dash snorted.

Gordon: Pah! It certainly would not! The Fat Controller nor Princess Celestia would never approve

Rainbow Dash: Yeah, and from what I remember, the Fat Controller didn't like you sneezing and forbidden you to do it again!

Narrator: And Gordon steamed grandly away as Applejack, Mr. Holden and Henry chuckled. The following day, Gordon was rostered to take the WildNorWester again, but Gordon and Rainbow Dash felt very nervous as they backed down on to the waiting coaches at platform 1 at Tidmouth Station.

Gordon: (Gulp, to self) Alright, easy now Gordon. At least I won't slip again, but I'm sure they'll laugh at me again if I don't keep to time.

Rainbow Dash: (Shuddering) Yeah. W-w-w-wouldn't want to slip today (Gulp) I hope.

Mr. Thompson: Oh will you two just calm down? It's not the end of the world and everything will be fine if we just keep our heads on!

Narrator: Mr. Thompson was right. By the time they had passed Knapford junction they were running nicely. As they approached Wellsworth station, Rainbow Dash began building his fire up.

Rainbow Dash: Alright Gordon. I've built up your fire! Now we'll give you full steam so that you can get a good run up the hill. Frankly, I don't really trust this bad performance coal.

Mr. Thompson: Neither do I .

Narrator: A party of wedding guests, all dressed in their finest clothes, courtesy of Rarity, were waiting at the platform at Wellsworth. As Gordon rushed passed running hard for the hill, smoke soot and tosh from his newly made fire poured out of his funnel. He disappeared in the distance leaving behind a thick black smoke screen covering everything around the station wedding guests and all in soot an ash. Waves to Gordon turned into angry fist shaking and the entire part went to the stationmaster to tell them what happened. At the end of the line, an inspector came to see both Gordon and Rainbow Dash. His message from Princess Celestia and the Fat Controller, was brief but not sweet. Gordon and Rainbow Dash were cross.

Gordon: This is unfair! How could help that smoke it's not my fault that the coal was dirty!

Rainbow Dash: Yeah and I built your fire carefully too so how could I get blamed too!

Narrator: BoCo and Big Macintosh felt sorry for Rainbow Dash and Gordon.

BoCo: Never mind. Where would I be if everyone kept calling me smelly?

Big Macintosh: Eeeyup!

BoCo: Anyway, I heard soot is good for the garden, so says Miss Ravens.

Rainbow Dash: Yeah. I guess your right.

Gordon: But not for new clothes.

Narrator: On the way home, Gordon and Rainbow Dash were being extra careful all day, but unfortunately for them it was not their lucky day. The Fat Controller and Princess Celestia had broken a trip to London to apologise to the wedding guests. They had done their best and were exhausted. They were just waiting for another train when Gordon came by with the WildNorWester, a cloud of something flew from it and landed on the Fat Controllers new top hat and Princess Celestia's crown. When Gordon reached Tidmouth Station, there was, unfortunately, another message from Celestia and the Fat Controller.

Inspector: We have been informed by both Princess Celestia and The Fat Controller that Gordon blew ashes on the Fat Controller's top hat and Princess Celestia's crown as he passed Wellsworth today.

Narrator: Gordon and Rainbow Dash were shocked and horrified and so was Mr. Thompson.

Rainbow Dash: (Horrified) SSSSSTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Gordon: WHHHHHHAAAAAATTTTTTT! I DID NOTHING OF THE SORT! I was being extra careful!

Rainbow Dash: And I was building the fire carefully!

Mr. Thompson: That can't be right. I saw no soot as we were making our return journey. They cannot be right!

Inspector: I'm sorry, but I can't help it. They will speak to Rainbow Dash and Gordon once they've returned from London.

Narrator: Gordon went sadly back to the sheds and Rainbow Dash went back to Tidmouth Hotel flooded with fear. Mr. Thompson tried to sooth her telling her that she'd be alright, but she was so frightened that she couldn't even listen. The other drivers and the ponies were all worried too.

Rainbow Dash: Oh man! I'm freaking out guys!

Applejack: Whoa there nelly. Just calm down. It was just a little acci…

Rainbow Dash: What if the Fat Controller banned from Sodor forever?!

Mr. Holden: Look, it wasn't yours or Gordon's fault. It was the coal that was…

Rainbow Dash: Oh my gosh! Princess Celestia will probably banish me to the everfree forest!

Twilight Sparkle: She'd never do tha….

Rainbow Dash: WHAT IF THIS IS IT! I'M DOOMED! (Smack) OW!

Spike: SNAP OUT OF IT!

Narrator: Spike had jumped up and smacked Rainbow Dash across the face to break her out of her panic state! Rainbow Dash quietened down a bit but she was still shaking in a very nervous position.

Mr. Thompson: Alright, just calm down Rainbow Dash. Hey guys, can you all get some coffee, tea or something to help calm her down?

Mr. Holden: Oh no. Not coffee or tea. The caffeine will make her more worse than she is.

Mr. Thompson: Alright, how bout some apple cider? Big Macintosh, Applejack?

Big Macintosh: Nnnope!

Applejack: Apple cider has sugar in it. She'll need something without caffeine or sugar

Big Macintosh: Eeeyup! Why not give her a glass of water?

Mr. Thompson: (Hand slaps face) Ugh! Why didn't I think of that before?!

Narrator: And he rushed away to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water which Rainbow Dash drank. And although she went to bed quietly, she was still nervous about what Princess Celestia and the Fat Controller were going to do to her and Gordon.

Heh, let's get onto 'Fire Escape'.