Author's notes: Again, this flashback is another fun one. I love seeing an insight to Rheanes' and Skarloey's past. Let's get to it.

Stick In the Mud

(Crovans Gate yards 1866)

Narrating Skarloey: Mr Mac was as good as his words. A few days later, I came back from Fletcher Jennings with a pair of trailing wheels to finally subdue the rocking motion, and the piece of resistance, a cab.

Citrus Orange: Wow. You have 6 wheels. (Notices Skarloey's cab) What's that?

Skarloey: According to what the people at the works said, it's called a cab. I'm not sure what it's for, but whatever it's for, I love it.

Mr Mac: A cab is the latest thing for engines. I hope it will cheer you up after your disappointment.

Skarloey: It sure will sir. Thank you so much.

Mr Mac: I'll be back later. (Walks off.)

Sean Holden: Well bless me soul Skarloey me lad. I must say ye look marvellous.

Skarloey: Oh, Rheanes is going to be so jealous when he sees me now.

Citrus Orange: Wait until Apple Blossom hears about this.

Sean Holden: Oy Don't be pushin yer luck me lad and lass.

(Crovans gate sheds present day)

Rheanes: (Chuckles) It cheered him up too much.

Peter Sam: Oh really Rheanes?

Sir Handel: What happened next?

Babs Seed: Go on.

(SkR, 1866)

Narrating Rheanes: The silly coaches made Skarloey worse.

Agnes: Ooh! Girls, look at Skarloey now.

Ruth: Wow. Such a handsome engine.

Jemima: 6 wheels and a cab.

Lucy: Very distinguished girls.

Beatrice: It's a pleasure to see him.

Skarloey: Why, thank you so much girls.

Citrus Orange: I knew they would like you now.

Sean Holden: Aye, Well I must admit, ye have really started to become the centre of attention to yon coaches Skarloey me laddie.

Narrating Rheanes: He soon got too big for his wheels.

(Crovans gate present)

Skarloey: I did too.

Rusty: Still taking notes Sweetie Belle?

Sweetie Belle: Yep. Got 2 pages full from the last 2 stories and filling in a 3rd for this one.

Rachel: What's with all the notes girls?

Apple Bloom: Well, The Reverend Edwin "Teddy" Boston, The Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, Rachel Marie Ravens and William James Holden are writing another book.

Rusty: Another book?

Miss Ravens/Mr. Holden : That's right .

Babs Seed: Wow! How many have come out?

Apple Bloom: Oh loads. 19 books from what I recall from memory and this will be number 20, as well as some other books that have been exclusive ta Sodor.

Mr. Holden: Your quite right Babs Seed

Scootaloo: Hold it. Rach, Will, is that who your named after? Rachel Marie Raven and William James Holden?

Rachel: Why yes Scoots. All the Skarloey Railway engines are named after a person or place, right?

Peter Sam: Indeed so.

Scootaloo: Wait so, your all named after a person or a place on Sodor?

Freddie: Correct Scootaloo.

Miss Ravens: Skarloey is named after the lake in the woods. Rheneas is named after the divided water fall.

Mr. Holden: Sir Handel is named after the Owner Sir Handel Brown. Peter Sam is named after the controller, Mr Peter Sam.

Miss Ravens: Rusty was named after one our preservationist members whom was nicknamed Rusty because he always worked in the machine shops before he retired. Duncan is named after another preservationist named Fergus Duncan. Freddie is named after one his drivers from his old railway. And Rachel…

Mr. Holden: And William…

Miss Ravens/Mr. Holden: Are named after us.

Scootaloo: Oh! That makes sense.

Sweetie Belle: I think we are going off topic guys.

Rachel: Oh, we just got a little carried away. Do continue Skarloey.

Skarloey: No hard feelings my friends. But, I think Rheanes should take over.

Rheanes: You sure brother?

Skarloey: Go on Rheanes.

Rheanes: Ok. Anyway...

(SkR 1866)

Narrating Rheanes: He boasted about his cab until I was tired.

Skarloey: Hey Rheanes. Look at me now!

Sean Holden: Oh, not again me lad.

Citrus Orange: Look over here Apple Blossom.

Rheanes: What's that?

Appleblossom: I don't know Rheanes. Good question.

Skarloey: It's a cab. The coaches said I looked very distinguished.

Citrus Orange: And it was a crowd pleaser to see him.

Sean Holden: (Despairing) Emily me lass please save me, I dinna encourage them.

Skarloey: You should get a cab like me Rheanes, and be up to date!

Rheanes: No thank you. You look like a snail with that house on your back!

Applebloom: You don't go much faster either.

Emily Ravens: Trust me Sean, I ain't fairing too well myself mate.

Citrus Orange: Slow! Let me tell you...

Rheaneas: Who was late 3 times last week?

Skarloey: It's no use talking to you 2. Your just old sticks in the mud. (Puffs off with Citrus Orange and Sean Holden.)

Narrating Rheanes: They called us more names and we quarrelled.

Mr Mac: That's it! I had enough of this! You 2 will face back to back when you get to the sheds when you get back from work! As for you ponies, you will be on opposite sides of the inn.

Skarloey, Rheaneas, Citrus Orange and Apple Blossom: Fine sir!

Narrating Rheaneas: This went on for days and days.

Sean Holden: Oh dear, Emily me lass. I knew this weren't going to end well with them lads and lasses. I just wish we could find a solution for them to stop quarrelin'.

Emily Ravens: Same here

Rheneas narrator: One dark Monday morning, Skarloey was rostered to take the quarry mens train up to the quarry.

Mr Bobby: Come on Skarloey. We are going to take workmen to the quarry.

Skarloey: You always pick on me for wet days. Why?

Sean Holden: Ye, have a cab to keep us dry. Come on.

Citrus Orange: Let's go. (Jumps into Skarloey's cab) Anything to get away from that Apple Blossom.

Skarloey: Ok fine. (Puffs off) now I wonder if cabs are worth it.

(Pause Flashback)

Rheanes: Ok Skarloey, your turn again.

Skarloey: Right. So anyway...

(Flashback)

Narrating Skarloey: ...I slipped and slid on the damp rails.

Skarloey: I don't want to go any further.

Citrus Orange: Come on Skarloey. When we get this done, Rheanes and Apple Blossom will be so jealous that they won't know what to think.

Sean Holden: Alright ye two, yer really startin to push yer luck,

Citrus Orange: Ah shut Sean!

Skarloey: Alright let's... Uh oh! Mr Bobby, Sean, stop the train!

(There was a crash. Skarloey was stuck in a landslide.)

Skarloey: Oh no! Rheanes will laugh at me now.

Citrus Orange: That isn't good at all.

Guard: I'll get help. Be right back. (Gets into an empty car and goes to get help)

(Pause Flashback)

Skarloey: Alright bro, tell this last part.

Rheanes: With pleasure Skarloey.

(Flashback)

Narrating Rheaneas: An hour later, Emily Ravens and Mr. Peter, my other driver were warming up when...

Apple Blossom: Whoa Rheanes, look. It's a runaway truck!

Rheanes: Truck, yes. Runaway, no. Someone is riding in it. I believe it's Skarloey's guard. What's he doing here?

Guard: There's a landslide beyond the tunnel. Skarloey's run into it. He's stuck. The mud's like treacle.

Apple Blossom: Oh come on! Really?

Rheanes' driver: Show a wheel Rheanes.

Rheanes: I'm sorry Mr Peter sir, but that Skarloey's too swanky. He and Citrus Orange say Apple Blossom and I are sticks in the mud. They can jolly well stick in the mud themselves.

Apple Blossom: It serves them right.

Emily Ravens : But there's poor Mr Bobby, Sean Holden and the quarrymen. Does it serve them right too mates? The guard says the mud's like treacle.

Rheanes: Oh dear. That will never do.

Apple Blossom: We must save them before they get sucked in.

Narrating Rheaneas: And off we puffed with some trucks and some workmen.

Rheaneas: Things aren't too bad after all.

Emily Ravens: Oh Sean! thank goodness you're alright mate.

Sean Holden: Yeah same here, me the lads have partly cleared the line and we've have levered Skarloey back. I dug Citrus out me self too.

Skarloey: Oh great! That's just lovely! My paintwork is all dirty.

Citrus Orange: And just look at my coat! This will never do.

Emily Ravens/ Sean Holden: Oh shut up! Just be glad you're being rescued.

Apple Blossom: Pay no attention them Sean, Emily and Rheanes.

Narrating Rheanes: We cleared the rest of the line and pushed Skarloey back.

Rheanes: That's done. Let's get the quarrymen to work.

Narrating Rheanes: Mr Bobby cleaned and Sean Holden oiled Skarloey's wheels in motion, so when I returned with the coaches, I could help him back to the shed. When we got back...

Skarloey: I'm sorry I was swanky.

Citrus Orange: So am I. Thank you for helping us.

Rheanes: (still cross) Not at all.

Apple Blossom: I still don't think your honest here.

Rheneas narrating: Sean Holden and Emily Ravens lowered there heads in defeat at trying to get us to reconcile. Then Skarloey and Citrus Orange laughed

Skarloey: (Laughs) I'm the stick in the mud after all!

Citrus Orange: (laughs) Me too! Not you 2.

Rheanes and Apple Blossom: (laughs)

Rheanes: You 2 do look funny!

Sean Holden/Emily Ravens: ( laughing)

Sean Holden: Well what do ye say me lads and lasses.

Emily Ravens: Friends again mates?

Citrus orange/Appleblossom/Skarloey/Rheneas: Friends.

Citrus Orange: Thank you some much you two

Apple Blossom : You've done wonders to us all.

Skarloey: Well if there is one thing if there is such thing as magic.

Rheneas: Then that magic must be the most beautiful thing in the world

Citrus orange/Apple Blossom/Skarloey/ Rheneas: Friendship.

Appleblossom: How bout we all have a round of apple cider?

Citrus Orange: and a round of orange juice?

Apple Blossom/Citrus orange: on the house.

Sean Holden: Well now me lads and lasses I purpose a toast to the greatest magic of all, the

Sean Holden/Emily Ravens: the magic of friendship

Narrating Rheanes: We were laughing when the cleaners came, and we were still laughing when they left.

Cleaner 1: Poor engines. (Taps head)

Cleaner 2 : Poor kids

Cleaner 3: And poor ponies. They need to calm down.

End Flashback

Rheanes: We learned sense. And thanks to your great grandparents Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens, we have been firm friends ever since.

Rusty: What an entertaining story.

Sir Handel: Your born storytellers you 2.

Skarloey: Thanks Sir Handel.

Sweetie Belle: Hold on, Rheanes, when did you get your cab?

Rheanes: Oh, well, that's a bit of a story too. I also remember when Skarloey here overcame his fear of bridges.

Skarloey: (Looks embarrassed.) Uh… well, I uh… (Clears throat).

Everyone: Please tell us Skarloey.

Skarloey: (Quietly but playfully to Rheanes) Your on thin rails Rheanes. Very thin rails. (Outloud) Very well. We'll tell you about that.

Yeah, another bonus story is coming up. It's actually a rewrite of one of the TVS episodes. Look out for that.