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It was the night of New Year's Eve on the Island of Sodor, and
the engines were gathered round the big station ready to bring in the new year.
"I can't wait for 2007!" said an excited
Thomas.
"Ha!" James snorted. "Don't you mean 1967?"
"I thought it was going to be 1972," said a confused Percy.
"Just
what year is this, anyway?" asked Henry.
"On this island, who can tell?" Gordon replied. "Still, I too must admit my anticipation
for the new year."
"Have you got a resolution planned out?" Thomas asked him.
"Oh yes. I resolve to never pull trucks
again!" Gordon beamed.
"So the same as last year, then," Toby muttered to himself.
Just then, Donald and Douglas puffed
in. They were each carrying long loads of trucks filled with crates.
"Hello you two. What have you got there?" Thomas whistled.
"Och,
we're jus' getting ready f' Hogmanay," Donald replied.
"Come on, Donal'," said Douglas. "Let's away and pick up th' drinks
f' t'morrow night."
Meanwhile, at the Skarloey Railway...
"Here's to the birthday of Cardinal Puff!" Duncan
shouted.
"To the Cardinal!" Sir Handel cried. "Forever may he reign!"
"Hip hip huzzah!" cried Skarloey and Rheneas.
"Oh
dear," said Peter Sam. "I don't think they know what day it is."
"Well what do you expect?" asked Rusty. "They've been
chugging down the ale since this afternoon."
"Drinking?" Peter Sam was surprised. "Sir Handel and Duncan maybe, but Skarloey
and Rheneas?"
"Oh no, they're just senile," Rusty explained.
"I don't know why everyone's saying I'm so old," said Skarloey.
"I only turned 12 last week."
"Of course you did," said Duke sympathetically. "Poor engine, it must be awful when your
mind goes. Good thing I've still got all my marbles! Isn't that right, Mr. Giraffe?"
Back at the big station...
"So
how was 2006 for you, Thomas?" Edward asked.
Thomas considered. "Oh, not bad on the whole, I guess. The TV series hit the
big one oh, the episodes improved somewhat, the fandom is as great as ever, and I got to take part in that documentary special,
which was pretty cool. What about you?"
"Pretty good, really. I mean, I got to be the focus of a really great redub, and
hey, I went to that meeting with my fangirls in the summer. Ah, that was fun. I got sixteen girls' phone numbers. Now if only
I had a phone."
"How did you manage to get fangirls anyway?" asked Henry.
"By being incredibly handsome and adorable,
I guess. Why, don't you have any fangirls?"
"Not as far as I'm aware."
"But I thought everyone had fangirls."
"I
have lots of fangirls," said Oliver.
"I have a few," said James.
"Oh, stop rubbing it in!" snapped Gordon, who didn't
have any fangirls at all.
Just then the Fat Controller arrived. "Hello all," he boomed from his microphone. "As the old
year comes to a close, and the new one draws ever closer, we should remember of the joys of 2006, and also we should remind
ourselves of the fact that 2007 is going to blow this year out of the water! I mean, think about it. The Christopher Awdry
stories will be released, we'll be able to play loads of great games for the Nintendo Wii, we'll be able to catch both Transformers
and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, and there's a very good possibility that we might star in another feature-length
special! So, as the clock strikes down for the new year, let us join in the countdown in our own special way. Of course, we'll
have to start at 11 instead of ten to let Oliver join in. Ready? Go!"
"11!" Oliver started.
"10!" Douglas cheered.
"9!"
Donald tooted.
"8!" Duck shouted.
"7" Toby rang his bell.
"6!" Percy peeped.
"5!" James cried.
"4!" Gordon
pooped.
"3!" Henry called out.
"2!" Edward beamed.
"1!" Thomas whistled.
"Happy New Year!" said the engines of
Sodor in unison.
"Let's sing Auld Lang Syne!" cried the Scottish Twins.
"Should old acquaintance be forgot....er...something
something, something something! Something sooooooomething, something, something else, for the sake of Auld Lang Syne!"
Percy
reversed out of the station, and then came back in. He was the first wheel. "Happy New Year!" he whistled happily.
Happy
New Year, Percy. Happy New Year, everyone.
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