The Midnight Train Crossing

"Control! Control!" Control broke in, "This is turning into a real grudge match! Take a chill pill everyone! We're here to race!"
The engines skated forward.
"And you don't race without a partner," Control continued, "So hitch up! We're gonna settle this on the track, we've got five minutes to race time!"
Dinah grabbed Greaseball's coupling's protectively. Volta hitched behind Electra. Pearl had moved off to the side alone. Espresso skated over towards her, but she hesitated. Buffy skated up to him and gave him a quick kiss. He smiled and hitched her behind. Flat Top moved over to Bobo, but Ashley shoved him roughly out of the way, she wanted the French engine.
The Rockies hitched behind the Prince of Wales and he pulled them across the top of the hill out of sight.
Rusty looked at Pearl and gestured her over. He was surprised when she turned away.
Electra and his components skated off. The yard quickly cleared, leaving Rusty alone with the coaches. Their prospective partners couldn't be bothered to pull the coaches over to the race track.
"If you ain't in twos you lose!" Control said.

"Come on Rusty," Buffy started, skating over to him.
"You heard what he said," Ashley finished.
No partner meant that Rusty couldn't race.
"All right, wait a minute!" Rusty exclaimed. He skated over to Pearl and tapped her on the shoulder.
"What's the matter Pearl?" he asked, "Don't you want to race with the fastest engine in the world?"
Pearl glanced at the other coaches and then turned to Rusty.
"I'd love to Rusty," she said with a shrug, "But where is he huh?"
Rusty backed up, startled. "Right here!" he exclaimed.
The coaches looked at each other.

"Where I go the rest better follow. Look out everybody move aside!" he sang, "May go now or may go tomorrow..."
He skated over to Pearl and offered her his couplings. She hitched behind.
"Hold on," he sang, "I'll take you for a ride!"
He took off with Pearl behind, up and down the hill.

"Crazy, can you believe him? He's crazy," the coaches sang, "Love him or leave him he's crazy, goin' crazy, goin' crazy!"
Pearl unhitched from Rusty, waving her arms to keep her balance. Rusty backed up across the yard to get her again.

"Watch me, see me hit that horizon," Rusty sang.
"Take it slowly," Pearl said, tapping him on the back as he pulled her, "What'cha got to prove?"
"Ride with me you'll know you've been riding," Rusty responded, "No one can move the way I move!"

The rest of the coaches hitched behind Pearl.
"Crazy," they sang, "Can you believe him? He's crazy. Love him or leave him, he's crazy, goin' crazy, goin' crazy!"
Rusty pulled them up the hill, then turned and shot down the hill, something most engines didn't do with a full train.
"Whoo!" the coaches screamed, delighted as they flew down the hill, "Crazy... "
"Woah-woah-woah-woah crazy, yeah!" Rusty sang.
"Can you believe him?" the coaches sang, "He's crazy! Love him or leave him, he's crazy, goin' crazy!"
The coaches unhitched and lined up in the yard.
"Do wap, wap, wap, do wap," the coaches do-wapped.

Rusty skated around the circle track.
"C'mon everybody!" he shouted, "Put your hands together for steam!"
"Woah-woah-woah-woah!" Rusty sang, skating up and down the hill and around the coaches, "You know I'm crazy yeah! Goin' crazy, goin' crazy yeah!"
He hitched Pearl and the other coaches behind him again.

"Hold on tight," he said, "I'll turn up the pressure." He skated around the yard, "Must be right, no way it can be wrong. You and me go steamin' together... "
"Til someone better comes along!" Pearl sang as they started around the circle track, "Oh yeah! He's goin'... "

"Crazy, can you believe him? He's crazy," the coaches sang, "Love him or leave him, he's crazy, goin' crazy, goin' crazy!"
"You know I'm crazy yeah-yeah!" Rusty agreed, pulling back into the yard.
"Crazy, can you believe him?" the coaches repeated, unhitching, "He's crazy."
"You know, you know, you know I'm crazy!" Rusty sang going up the hill with the coaches.
"Love him or leave him, he's crazy," the coaches continued, "Goin' crazy, goin' crazy, goin' crazy... "
"I'm goin' crazy," Rusty sang spinning and coming back down, "I'm just so crazy!"
"Goin' crazy, goin' crazy... " the coaches chanted.
"Goin' crazy!" they all finished.

Dinah, Ashley and Buffy looked at Rusty and then hitched together. He pushed them out of the yard, towards the other engines ad one of Electra's components skated in and over to Pearl. She looked up curiously at the black figure.
"Pearl, you've been honored," Purse said, "Pearl you've been chosen. Electra's selected you for heat one."
"He has a coach... " Rusty protested, rolling over.
"His coach has a headache," Purse responded, illustrating it with elaborate gestures, as he always did when he talked. He turned back to Pearl, "Also he says that he prefers you." He brought his hands together in front of him and bowed, "Please come, I'll be fired if you won't."
Pearl hesitated, and then, seeing that Purse wasn't moving, she waved him upright.
"Can he whistle?" she asked.
"No!" Purse answered, "AC trains don't!"
Rusty looked up and slowly mimed pulling his whistle. He glanced at Pearl and then grinned. Electra couldn't whistle but Rusty certainly could. He rolled in place happily.
Pearl turned around, "Rusty needs me," she said softly to herself, "Which way should I go?"
She turned back to Purse, "Thank Electra," she said, "Say I'll let him know."
Purse nodded and bowed again before leaving.

Rusty's smile faded and he quickly stepped out of Purse's way, as it didn't look like the truck was going to go around Rusty.
Rusty skated over to Pearl.
"What's all this?" he asked indicating Purse, "You have a partner."
Pearl turned away from him, "Well I... " she started.
Purse stopped at the edge of the yard and put a hand to his ear, listening in on them.
"Yes you do!" Rusty said coming around to face her, "We're all set."
"I always said that if some one new... " Pearl started, gliding off.
Purse chose that moment to leave the yard.
Rusty followed her, considerably upset, "You fell for the posing," he accused, "You fell for the star!"
"You don't understand," Pearl said turning to him and shaking her head, "That's not how things are." She turned away and started to glide off again, "I must have time... "
He shook his head and chased after her, "But Pearl-"
"No," Pearl said stopping him with a hand, "Let me work it out my way."
Rusty was stunned; almost as if she had slapped him in the face, he backed away.
"I must be free to leave you Rusty," she said, "That's the only way I'm free to stay... "
Rusty spun and took off up the hill, very hurt.

Pearl watched him leave and sighed. She didn't want to hurt Rusty, but she didn't know what else to do.
"It's time to choose between the two of them," she sang, "I'd better make a start. Someone help me make up my heart, tell me how to make up my heart."
Pearl held out her hands, Rusty on one, Electra on the other.

"They say two lovers can be twice the fun," she laughed humorlessly, "They think they're being smart. Someone help me make up my heart, tell me how to make up my heart."
"One of them is strong, one of them is good," she sighed, "but both could turn out wrong, so who gets the part? Make up my mind, make up my heart."
The coach took a few steps around the yard.
"I don't want one to win and one to lose," she said, "Can't tell them yes or no. Choosing one means letting one go. I can't face letting one of them go!"
She sighed, "You'd think two lovers would be twice the fun, it's tearing me apart. Someone help me make up my heart!"
Pearl glided off, "One of them has style, sets the world alight," she smiled, "The other makes me smile... so who gets the part? Make up my mind, make up my heart."

She closed her eyes and skated around the yard, trying to imagine herself with either one. Pearl glided around the yard and twirled once before realizing that this wasn't getting her anywhere. She came to a stop with a sigh.
"Tell me how to make up my heart," she begged.
"One of them has style, sets the world alight," she repeated, "The other makes me smile, so who gets the part? Make up my mind, make up my heart. One of them is strong, one of them is good, both could turn out wrong, so who gets the part?" She slowed, and turned, "Please, someone help me make up my...heart."
She looked around and slowly turned towards the rear of the yard, holding out a hand.

Electra skated in and circled around Pearl. She quickly pulled her hands to her sides and looked down. He stopped and gently lifted her head, passing a hand in front of her eyes and stroking her cheek.
Electra turned and Pearl hitched behind him. He pulled her out of the yard without a glance backwards.

Rusty had quietly come in at the rear of the yard, near the end of Pearl's song, and he stood on top of the hill. He had seen everything. He looked after where she had gone and blinked rapidly.
He sang softly after her, "Did you have to break up my-"
"Get lost Rusty!" Control snapped.
Rusty numbly turned and left.

"This is Control! Race time minus two minutes! Listen up, because these are the rules!"
As Control spoke the back of the hill lifted up, revealing the racers. Two figures in black with bright yellow vests carrying flags skated out, the race marshals.
"We have two eliminator heats, and the first two trains in each heat make the final," Control said, "Got that? Two heats, two qualifiers from each heat. Any foul play and you're back in the box!
Heat one! Heat one! Race time minutes one minute! Race time minus one minute!

In track one: The reigning champion, Greaseball the diesel with Dinah the dining car!"
Greaseball and Dinah skated out together and waved. Greaseball gave Dinah a quick kiss, much to her delight, and then they skated around the circle track.
"In track two: Espresso the Riveria Express with Buffy the buffet car!"
Espresso and Buffy skated out. Buffy leaned on her engine and struck a pose before continuing around the track with him.
"In track three: Nintendo the Japanese Bullet train with Krupp the armaments truck!"
Nintendo bowed and Krupp waved before they followed the others.
"In track four: Electra the engine of the future with Pearl the observation car!"
Electra and Pearl skated out together. They waved and Electra stroked her cheek before they took their place.
"Trains to your tracks."

The four trains lined up on the circle track and began moving around the yard. One of the race marshals waved his flag in front of them.
The coaches looked at each other and grinned in anticipation as they neared the starting gate.
"Twenty seconds," Control called. A siren sounded, piercing the air.
One of the race marshals took off, zooming around the race track to make sure it was safe for the racers.
The four engines held up their helmets ceremoniously and put them on together.
Control started the count down, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!"
The marshal waved his flag.
"Trains gone!" Control shouted.

The racers took off around the yard and up the hill onto the racetrack.
Greaseball took the lead with the others close behind.
"Four trains going for two final places," Control said, keeping up a commentary of the race, "Greaseball and Espresso are the early leaders with Nintendo pressing in third."
They rounded the bend and Nintendo picked up speed, passing Espresso. Electra pulled even with the Italian train.
Greaseball sped up, but couldn't shake Nintendo. The Bullet train pulled even with the diesel. Greaseball growled and showed Nintendo into the side before pulling ahead.
"Well that's not in the rule book," Control commented, "The champ shows Nintendo who's boss."
Electra passed Espresso and Nintendo to gain on Greaseball as they reached the hill to the next level. Espresso passed Nintendo. Electra pulled even with Greaseball. The Italian train sped up, sneaking past Electra and Greaseball to take the lead.
"Espresso's looking good," Control started.
Greaseball and Electra sped up, coming on either side of Espresso. Together they slammed into him, from both sides. Dazed from the collision Espresso dropped back and Nintendo passed him.
"Woah! He don't look so good now!" Control exclaimed.
Greaseball pulled into the lead as he crossed the arched bridge with Electra close behind.
"Across the high level it's Greaseball, Electra, Nintendo and Espresso," Control continued the commentary.
Electra pulled even with Greaseball to take the lead, but not for long. Nintendo came up on the outside and passed Electra. Electra growled and let out a bolt of electricity, shocking Nintendo and momentarily stunning him.
"Electra uses his electricity to teach Nintendo a lesson," Control commentated, "The champ leads."
Greaseball took the lead again. Electra sped up and passed him.
"And now Electra takes it."

They came down the ramp to the lower level racetrack again, Electra in the lead, with Greaseball close behind, then Espresso and Nintendo.
Nintendo started to speed up. Greaseball pulled even with Electra.
Nintendo shot forward, passing Espresso.
"Nintendo makes his play... "
With a shout Nintendo passed Electra and then Greaseball. He took the curve and was in the lead for the final stretch.
Suddenly he lost control, Krupp unhitched as Nintendo plowed off the track.
Greaseball, Electra and Espresso a distant third roared across the finish line, coming back down into the yard.
"He's over done it!" Control exclaimed, "Nintendo crashes!"
The remaining three engines removed their helmets.

"Winner of heat one: Greaseball the diesel with Electra in second place!" Control announced, "Greaseball and Electra have a place in the final!"
Espresso sulked out of the yard with Buffy in tow.
Greaseball thrust his arms in the air with an "I'm-number-one!" gesture. Electra did the same as he and Pearl, and Greaseball and Dinah headed off.