Author's notes: The story is relatively unchanged, but I did add in a minor change.

Leaves

Narrator: The following morning after Gordon's accident, James and Gordon were resting on siding. Gordon was being cleaned up by Rarity and two cleaners. Needless to say, Gordon did not enjoy that one bit.

Gordon: (Grumbling) Oy Stop that… OW! Ow! Ow! You got the hose spraying in my eyes! Oh ouch! Ouch! Hey! Mind my eyes!

Alf: Oh. Shut up you Great Northern pain in the neck! Let us work in piece. By the way, did ever you see so much mud on such a big oaf before Bert?

Bert: I Haven't Alf. How bout you Rarity.

Rarity: Indeed I have not! I have never seen such filthy a engine in all my life. I thought that goods wagons were dirty enough. You ought to be really ashamed of yourself Gordon to let yourself get all filthy like that!

Bert: And giving us extra work to do.

Narrator: At last the, hosing and scrubbing stopped. Gordon opened one eye then closed it quickly. The Fat controller was walking sternly towards him.

Fat controller: Wake up Gordon! Listen to me! You will pull no more coaches until you are a really useful engine again!

Gordon: (Sadly) Yes sir I'm sorry Sir.

Narrator: With that Gordon was demoted from passenger service and placed in charge of goods trains working with Rainbow Dash. Whilst James, Rarity Henry and Applejack took it turns to take the stopping passenger trains and WildNorWester. Gordon felt his position deeply and grumbled bitterly as he bumped his trucks.

Gordon: Goods trains! Goods trains! (Bumps trucks) THAT'S FOR YOU! AND YOU! AND YOU!

Rainbow Dash: Ugh! Now careful Gordon! You don't want to dig a deeper ditch than you're already in.

Gordon: I can't stand it anymore! I want back to my WildNorWester I'm the only one that can pull the express better than anyone here!

William: Oh Gordon. Will you take it easy, please? We're fortunate enough to still be on the rails.

Narrator: James, whom was working with Rarity and Rachel was waiting at the Tidmouth Station platform one with the WildNorWester, saw the situation too.

James: You know it's no good going on like that Gordon. Trucks will trucks you know.

William: James. That has to be the most wise word of wisdom I've ever heard you say. Bravo James.

Rainbow Dash: Ah yeah. You go red engine!

Rachel: Indeed well done on that good word James.

Rarity: Oh I couldn't agree with you more darling. Masterfully done James bravo.

Narrator: And the 4 friends gave James a round of applause which unfortunately made him rather conceited. Gordon snorted.

Gordon: humph! They won't be with me! I'll show them! GO ON YOU MISERABLE LOT! LOOK SHARP!

Narrator: William went to transfer over to the WildNorWester duties with Rachel and Rarity.

William: I'm sorry about him. He's been very grumpy about his punishment, but I've never seen him in such a flaming temper.

Rachel: What happened?

William: Well we were charging Gordon's hill this morning. The rails were very damp. We made it safely to the top and then the trucks just started to push us down the hill.

Gordon: He's right. So take care little James. The hill is very slippery. You'll probably need help with the WildNorWester.

James: Pah! No fears. I don't need help climbing hills. I've pulled some of the worst truck up that hill all by myself once.

Narrator: Gordon just laughed and then he and Rainbow Dash got ready for their next train. A very furious James snorted out of the station with the WildNorWester.

James: Pah! Slippery hills indeed! Gordon thinks he's the only one who can pull express trains! I'm better than that blow heart Gordon! I'll show him! Come you coaches get lead out of your bogies and get moving!

Coaches: All in good time!

Coach 1: My word. He seems to be in a flaming temper today.

Coach 2: I thought he would be proud of taking the WildNorWester.

Coach 3: (Sighs) I hope Annie, Clarabel and Henrietta are fairing better with Thomas and Toby.

William: Sheesh. What's bitten James now?

Rachel: I don't know. He was fine earlier. Maybe it was some insult Gordon made…

Rarity: It certainly beats me.

Narrator: The express was running nicely. Soon a distant signal checked them at Gordon's hill. In the old days, Gordon's hill used to be bleak and bare. Strong winds from the sea made the hill difficult to climb. But thanks to Applejack and some workmen, some trees were planted to give shelter. In Spring and Summer, the engines would travel through a leafy avenue. It was Autumn now. Dead leaves fell, the wind usually puffed them away, but today rain made them heavy and they didn't move. The home signal showed that the line was clear. William opened the regulator and James began to pickup speed and soon they started to climb the hill. He started off confidently.

James: I'll do it! I'll do it!

Narrator: But halfway up, he wasn't so sure.

James: (Panting) I must do it! I must do it!

Narrator: But try as he could, his wheels slipped furiously on the wet leaves and he couldn't pull the train at all.

Rachel: William! Something wrong. James' is in trouble. We're slowing down!

William: We're losing traction!

Rarity: What do you mean?

William: James' wheels are slipping.

James: What's the matter? What's the matter?

Rarity: Easy darling! Easy!

William: Only one way to fix this. Rachel, give us some sand.

Rachel: You got it William!

Narrator: Rachel soon put sand on the rails.

Rachel: (confidently) There we go. Nothing to it.

Rarity: But why aren't we gaining traction yet?

Narrator: Then something muddy splattered into Rarity's face.

Rarity: Oooh! My mane! (Whimpering) Where in the name of Celestia did that come from?

Narrator: William handed her a hanker chief to wipe her face and then looked.

William: OH Crumbs! JAMES CALM DOWN AND SLOW DOWN! YOUR CHURNING THE SAND INTO MUD!

Rachel: WHAT?!

William: RACHEL! JAMES' IS CHURN THE SAND AND LEAVES INTO MUD! WE'RE LOSING MORE TRACTION!

Rachel: OH NO WAY! YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!

William: JUST TURN THE SANDER OFF! RACHEL TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF! TUNR IT OFF!

Rachel: OH LORD! OH LORD! OH LORD! (frantically turning the sander off)

Narrator: William was right. James' wheels were spinning so fast that it only ground the sand and leaves into slippery mud making thing worse than ever. And despite everyones best efforts, the train stopped… or did it?

Rarity: (Worried) Um pardon me William and Rachel, but is it just me, or is the sky supposes to be moving backwards?

William: What do you mean by tha…

James: HHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP! I'M SLIPPING

Narrator: Rachel's, William's and Rarity's eyes all widen with horror.

William: Oh good lord! You've got to be joking me!

Narrator: They looked back and they all got the terrifying answer. True to form James' wheels were moving forward, but his heavy coaches were dragging him backwards and the whole train began to slipping down the hill.

William/Rachel/Rarity/James: AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Narrator: Rarity held on to William in sheer fright around his neck nearly suffocating him to death as well!

Rarity: WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE MR. HOLDEN! SAVE US!

William: (gasping through Rarity's suffocating hug) Okay… everyone …brace yourselves for… an emergency stop.

Narrator: Still gagging under Rarity's very, very tight squeeze, William managed to quickly shut off steam, carefully applied the brakes and skilfully stopped the train. Rarity had shut her eyes even when they reached the bottom.

William: (Gagging) UM… Rarity…You can let go now…

Narrator: Rarity opened her eyes and saw she was grabbing a very blue faced and nearly choked to death William, she immediately let go blushing with embarrassment.

William: (Gasping for fresh air) AH… (panting)… Fresh… Air…

Rarity: Oh my my my my. I'm so terribly sorry Mr. Holden. Here let me go to the buffet coach and see if there is any water.

Narrator: She dashed into carriage returned with a tall mug of water. William drank it down greatfully. She even gave a very badly shaken Rachel a hot cup of raw coffee to calm her nerves all three mopped there eye brows.

Rachel: Whew! I never known that to happened before.

Rarity: Neither have I, Rachel darling…

William: (Clears throat) I have….

Rachel/Rarity: (surprised) You have? Where?

William: (Clearing throat) In… Bincombe tunnel… Southern region…British rail… former… Southern railway. Whew… Thanks again for the water,

Rarity: Oh. Anytime at all Mr. Holden.

Narrator: The guard came up.

Guard: Now what do we do.

Narrator: Since William was too hoarse to speak at the moment, Rachel took charge.

Rachel: We'll go back down to the station and send for a banker.

Rarity: What? I don't know how money can help us in this situation?

(Pinkie Pie appears out of nowhere dressed as a banker.)

Pinkie Pie: How much money do you want me to store?

Rachel: (Laughs) No Rarity, Pinkie Pie. A banker is another locomotive that helps trains up hills if the load is to heavy or if the gradient is too steep.

Rarity: Oh so that's what it means. Now that makes perfect sense.

Pinkie Pie: Heh, whoops. Wrong meaning. (Takes off the banker costume and heads back to Percy.)

Narrator: So the guard walked over to warn the signalman and they backed the train safely down, but Gordon and Rainbow Dash, who had followed with a goods train, saw what had happened. They left the trucks and crossed over to James.

Gordon: I thought that you could climb hills?

Narrator: Poor James, blushing with embarrassment, didn't answer. He hand no steam.

Rainbow Dash: Gordon!

Gordon: Ah well. We live and learn so never you mind little James. I'll help you by pushing behind. Just whistle when your ready.

Narrator: Rainbow Dash stood gobsmacked.

Rainbow Dash: (To herself) is that the same engine that fell in the ditch because he didn't want to do his job?

Rachel: Thanks Rainbow Dash. We don't know how we can repay you?

Rainbow Dash: Ah no need. Just glad to help out my fellow friends in need.

Rachel: Hey, can I ride with the 2 of you?

Gordon: Sure Rach. Hop up.

Narrator: Soon James had plenty of steam up. He whistled twice to let Gordon know he was ready and Gordon whistle 3 times telling James he was ready. And they soon set off.

Gordon: Pull hard.

James: We'll do it!

Narrator: Clouds of smoke and steam towered from the snorting engines as they valiantly struggled up the hill.

James: We can do it!

Gordon: We will do it!

Narrator: Although the greasy rails sometimes made Gordon's wheels slip, he never gave up.

Rainbow Dash: Alright you go big G! You're doing so awesome!

Rachel: That's it Gordon. That's the way to do it.

Narrator: At last they reached the top.

Everyone: We've done it! We've done it!

Narrator: Gordon stopped and whistled goodbye. James whistled goodbye and thank you. Gordon watched the coaches wistfully until they were out of sight then he slowly returned to his waiting trucks.

Next time, we see our number 1 blue tank engine go down a mine. That should be fun. See you there.