The Midnight Train Crossing

The yard was dark and the sky filled with stars.
"Starlight Express," he whispered as Poppa's words came floating back to him. I need help, he thought.
Starlight Express hears your distress, he's there, all around. Starlight Express will answer you yes, he's waiting to be found.
Rusty's eyes snapped open and he rose up to his knees.
"Starlight Express!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty yard.
He collapsed back down again.
A star in the sky grew brighter and brighter as it came closer and closer. Rusty ducked instinctively as the star came towards him and hit somewhere behind him.
And if you're there, Rusty thought, And if you know then show me which way...

"Only you," a deep voice from behind Rusty sang, "Have the power within you."
Rusty's eyes widened in shock, it was the Starlight Express. Rusty had called and he had come.
"Just believe in yourself," the Starlight Express continued, "the sea will part before you, stop the rain and turn the tide. If only you use the power within you, needn't beg the world to turn around and help you if you draw on what you have within you, somewhere deep inside... "

Rusty had been trying to see where the voice was coming from, but it was too dark.
"Starlight Express," he called, "Starlight Express, are you real? Yes or no? Starlight Express, please answer me yes," he begged, "I don't want you to go... "

"Rusty you're blind!" the Starlight Express scolded, "Look in your mind, I'm there, nothing's new. The Starlight Express is no more nor less then you!"
Rusty felt someone grab his hands and then something rushed through him.
"Rusty, I am you!" the Starlight Express exclaimed, "I'm you and only you!"
Was it true? Something inside Rusty told him it was.

"I am the Starlight!" Rusty sang.
"Have the power within you," the Starlight Express sang.
"I can achieve... " Rusty started.
"Just believe in yourself... "
"Anything!" Rusty exclaimed.
"The sea will part before you," the Starlight Express sang, "Stop the rain and turn the tide... "
"All the things I didn't believe!" Rusty sang, wondrously.
"If only you... "
"I am the Starlight," Rusty repeated confidently.
"Use the power within you."
"I can see it through."

"Needn't beg the world to turn around and help you," they sang together, "If you draw on what is deep inside!"
The grip on Rusty's hands released and Rusty collapsed back down again.
He pushed himself up to his wheels and looked around, he was alone. No, Rusty thought, I'm not alone, I am the Starlight.
He looked up to the stars, in awe of this amazing gift he had just received.
"I won't let you down," he whispered.

Rusty bent down to pick up his helmet when he heard a very audible cough.
"Who's there?" Rusty called, rolling around the yard curiously. "Poppa?" he asked. No answer. He looked off towards where the others had gone, "Rockies?"
A familiar figure coughed as he rolled out from under the buffer and then yawned.
Rusty smiled, "Dustin," he greeted the hopper.
"Hello Rusty," Dustin said, "Excuse me cough," he coughed. "It's dusty 'round here," he yawned and then shrugged, "I must've just dropped off."
"Dustin, I have seen the Starlight," Rusty said, eyes shining, "I know now what I have to do."
Dustin had gotten up and was sitting on the buffer. Rusty looked like he was glowing.
"I know what you mean," Dustin said, "Me eyes were shut, but I saw it too!"
Rusty frowned and turned away, starting to leave.
Dustin stood up quickly. "I did Rusty!" he said, "Truly!"
Rusty turned back to Dustin and smiled, Dustin didn't lie. He skated back over to the hopper, turned and offered him his couplings.
"So come with me," Rusty said.

"Of course I will," Dustin answered, hitching behind Rusty.
Rusty started moving, pulling Dustin along.
"You'll find me... pretty quick," Dustin continued, "Downhill," he added with a giggle.
Rusty smiled and turned, going towards the hill and up and down it gracefully.
"But where are we going?" Dustin asked.
"Dustin, you must trust in me," Rusty answered in rhythm to his motion.
He pulled Dustin out of the yard and out of sight.

A red light shone from the side of the hill. Electra came out, with Dinah and the rest of his train. She unhitched once they reached the yard. Electra and his components continued over to the other side of the yard. The engine waved everyone over. His components joined hands and circled around him.
Dinah looked over at him and sighed.
"I'm fed up with all this racing," she sang, "This electric thing I'm chasing doesn't have that certain something that a girl expects to hear."
Electra realized that Dinah wasn't with his components and he waved her over.
"He never whistles at me," she complained. She fixed her hair and smoothed her skirt, "It's damaging my status."
Electra backed over to Dinah gracefully.
"I don't think he can whistle at me," she said thoughtfully. She crouched down and looked at him.
"He lacks the apparatus," she whispered.
Electra looked down at himself, trying to figure out what Dinah was looking at, or rather, not looking at.
"Why d'you never whistle at me?" she asked, giving him a little shove, "Beginning to suspect you."
Electra, unsure of how to answer that, brushed his shoulder where Dinah had smudged it.
"I need someone to whistle at me," Dinah continued, she gave Electra a harder shove, pushing him away, "I'm gonna disconnect you!"
Electra stumbled and his components gathered around him.
He was momentarily stunned, but pulled himself together.

Bobo, on his way to the racetrack skated past with Ashley and Buffy.
"Who cares, who cares?" Electra exclaimed, he'd only taken Dinah to get back at Greaseball anyway. "Dining cars will make you wait forever," he looked over and saw Buffy, "Hey buffet, make my day," he called, "Make it faster, make it now or never."
Buffy skated over to Electra and hitched behind him.
"Elec-tri-city gives me a charge," she sang.
Dinah fumed and smoothed her skirt rapidly. Electra pulled Buffy around behind her. He shocked Dinah as he passed.
She wobbled ungracefully and waved her arms, trying to keep her balance.

The race marshals skated out, once again, as the back of the bowl lifted again.
"Control! Control! Re-run of championship on downhill course, re-run of championship."
The engines and their partners skated out as they were announced.
"In track one: Greaseball and Pearl.
In track two: Bobo and Ashley.
In track three: Electra and... carriage change! Carriage change! Electra and Buffy!"

Dinah, still in the yard, couldn't stand it any more.
Pearl was beyond upset, she was still hitched behind Greaseball. He pulled her around the circle track. As they passed Dinah Pearl reached out towards the dining car. She turned away from Pearl and fled the yard.
"Lo-co-mo-tion," Greaseball chanted as he rolled around the yard, "Lo-co-mo-tion."
"Why should I have to lie?" Pearl asked, upset, "Why should I have to lie?"
"Le jour de gloire est arivee," Bobo sang.
"Gonna be hot, hotter then hot," Ashley sang.
"I'm gonna win!" Electra declared.
"I'll help you win," Buffy added.
"I'll be victorious, I'm gonna win," everyone sang.

"Earth... water... " a distant voice sang.
The racers, who had lined up, looked up startled. Pearl hardly dared to hope.
"Air... fire... " the voice continued.
The racers all watched as the side of the hill opened and Rusty rolled out with Dustin in tow.
"See the steam rise higher," Rusty sang.
Greaseball and Electra looked at each other, horrified. Pearl broke into a huge smile. Ashley and Buffy just looked at each other and shrugged.

The three racers moved out slowly around the yard. Rusty continued around.
"Earth... water... air... fire," Rusty repeated.
"Aggregates are really great," Dustin sang, "Aggregates never complain."
The others took up their chants again, all singing at once. They went around the yard and then around the circle track in a line.
"Lo-co-mo-tion, Lo-co-mo-tion."
"Why should I have to lie?"
"Le jour de gloire est arivee."
"Gonna be hot, hotter then hot."
"I'm gonna win!"
"I'll help you win!"
"See the steam rise higher," Rusty sang.
"Dumping lots of rubble at the double, no trouble," Dustin sang, "It's great to be an aggregate train."

"Hey marshals!" Control ordered, "Stop Rusty!"
The marshals skated out after Rusty. He continued on around the circle track, out of the reach of the race marshals.
"Earth... water... air... !" Rusty sang.
"Aggregates are really great," Dustin started again.
"Rusty's gonna race, Rusty's gonna race, Rusty's gonna race, Rusty's gonna race in the final!" everyone sang.
The race marshals shook their heads, but it was too late. The bridge had lowered and the racers, including Rusty skated up it. Once they were all on, it started to rise.

The remaining cars, the trucks and components, entered the yard.
"Who'll be victorious who's gonna win? (gonna win)," everyone sang.
"Steam!" Rusty sang.
"I'll be victorious I'm gonna win, gonna win, gonna win, be victorious, I'll be victorious, I'm gonna win, gonna win."
"Rise higher!" Rusty sang.
"Gonna win, be victorious, I'll be victorious, I'm gonna win, gonna win, be victorious, I'm gonna win!"
"Steam!"
"Gonna win be victorious, I'll be victorious, I'm gonna win."
"Rise higher!" Rusty sang, "Rise!"
The bridge reached the top level and the chant slowed.
"Who'll be victorious?" they asked, "Who's gonna win?"

"Twenty seconds," Control called. The siren sounded and the bridge locked into place.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! Trains gone!"

The train took off around the upper racetrack. Electra quickly passed Greaseball to take the lead.
"As they head out for this downhill re-run of the final it's Electra out front with Rusty way back."
Greaseball chased Electra and caught up with him. Bobo was close behind and Rusty some distance back.
Greaseball passed Electra.
"And right away the champion takes it."
They reached the ramp to come down. Electra sped up, but Greaseball held the lead.
"It's Greaseball, Electra, Bobo and Rusty as they come down from the high level," Control comemtated as one by one the engines whooshed down the ramp to continue around the track.
Electra took the lead again.

Pearl looked back, not concentrating on the race.
"Rusty!" she called softly.
Greaseball chased Electra, but couldn't catch him. Bobo sped up to go around and pass Greaseball. Rusty was rapidly gaining on the diesel.
Greaseball frowned, something wasn't right, "Come on Pearl! Move it!"
"Something's holding the champion back!" Control exclaimed, "It's Pearl!"
Greaseball yanked Pearl forcebly along, across the track and back down into the yard. As he rounded the yard he reached back and uncoupled Pearl, letting her fly. She fell back, flailing her arms, but she couldn't stop. She was headed straight for the edge of the yard.
"Oh no! He's uncoupled Pearl!" Control exclaimed, "We have a run away! Pearl's headed for the edge!"

Pearl screamed as she was about to crash.
Rusty picked up speed. Dustin unhitched, letting Rusty move. The steamer grabbed Pearl's hands and they spun around for a few seconds until she was steady.
"And Rusty saves her!" Control said, a bit relieved.
Rusty hitched Dustin behind again and took off, chasing the others, who were considerably far ahead. He crossed the back of the bowl as the others already started up the bridge.
Pearl stood there stunned for a few seconds. The she covered her face and ran out of the yard crying.

"The champion's racing solo," Control said as the racers ran up the bridge. Greaseball skated past Bobo and Electra, only he didn't have a coach.
"That's not allowed," Control said, "The rules say he's got thirty seconds to find a partner."
Electra snarled and sped up, passing Greaseball, who had slowed anyway. Electra raised a hand and his electricity cracked threateningly. If the diesel even tried to take Buffy...
Greaseball rammed Bobo. Bobo tried to speed up, but Greaseball hit him again. Then the diesel turned and punched Bobo. Ashley uncoupled as the French train slumped over the guard rails, knocked out cold.
"Greaseball takes Ashley and Bobo's out of it," Control said.
Greaseball chased after Electra, rapidly gaining on him.
Rusty sailed past Bobo without a second glance. He slowly gained on the other two.
"Can anyone take the electric superstar?" Control asked, "Can the champion come back?"
Greaseball pulled even with Electra and gave the electric engine a light shove. Electra pushed him back. They came back down from the upper racetrack.
Greaseball pulled ahead, then Electra, then Greaseball again.
Rusty had some how caught up and was right behind them.

"It's Electra and the champion disputing the lead!"
Greaseball put on an extra burst of speed and pulled ahead.
"The champ comes through."
Suddenly Rusty shot forward, around Electra and he gained on Greaseball as they rounded the final curve.
"And Rusty comes through!"

Electra growled and raised a hand. Rusty dodged the lightning but it hit Greaseball dead on.
Rusty didn't look back as he passed the diesel, the finish line was so close.
Greaseball, electrified, swerved erratically all over the track.
"Electra zaps the champion!"
Greaseball collided with Electra, bumping him, just enough to cause the electric engine to short circuit.
Ashley and Buffy uncoupled as they felt their engines loose control.
"They're outta control! They're gonna crash!"
Rusty shot across the finish line.

"Rusty is the champion!" Control shouted, "Against all the odd, Rutsy is the champion! Rusty for lap of honor!"
Greaseball and Electra shot off the track and headed towards the sidings, both frantically trying to stop. They rolled through the opening in the side of the hill and crashed into the sidings.
Dustin unhitched excitedly to congratulate Rusty.

Rusty took off his helmet and looked around, where was Pearl?
He turned around and, panting, started up the hill.
Dustin looked at him questioningly.
"I must find Pearl," Rusty said, "I must find Pearl... I must find Pearl... I must find Pearl!"
His voice faded as he vanished through the tunnel.
The freight cars gathered around Dustin, congratulating him.