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"Control! Control!" Control interrupted, "Race time minus five minutes. Three heats, three trains in each heat, three winners to go to championship final. Selection time."
The coaches and trucks returned to their places, courtesy of Rusty.
"Engines to select wagons for racing."
The engines lined up, Rusty was pushed to the end of the line.
"First up: Greaseball!"
Greaseball and Dinah skated out and met in the center. Greaseball twirled Dinah.
"A lotta locomotion, I've got already," Dinah sang.
"Dinah races with Greaseball," Control announced, "Hashamoto!"
Hashamoto skated out and nodded to CB, who also skated out.
"The red caboose would like to be of use," CB sang.
"CB with Hashamoto," Control announced as the two left together, "Espresso."
He skated out and looked over the coaches. Pearl started to go out, but it didn't feel right.
"I have to be certain, I have to be sure," she sang shaking her head, "I have to be certain, I have to be sure."
Buffy skated forward instead. "Buffy at your service," she sang, "Try my special pasta."
Espresso twirled her and they skated off together.
"Buffy races with Espresso," Control announced.
One of Electra's female components skated out. Her outfit was black and blue, her hair was blue and white. She skated over to Electra.
"Electra," she sang, "My current affair."
"Volta races with Electra," Control announced.
Electra drew out his other two female components. Both wore red. One wore red and white with matching hair. The other wore blue and silver with red-orange hair. The two components twirled and then skated off to join up with engines.
"AC, DC it's OK by me," the two components sang.
"Joule with Weltshaft, Wrench with Turnov," Control announced, "Bobo."
Bobo skated out to choose his partner. Pearl started to go out, but it didn't feel right either.
"I have to be certain, I have to be sure," Pearl said shaking her head.
Ashley skated forward instead, pushing Flat Top out of her way.
"My name is Ashley," she said with a little curtsey, "Do you have a light?"
Bobo twirled her and they skated off together.
"Ashley races with Bobo," Control announced, "Milton Keynes!"
Rocky skated up and met up with the engine.
"I'm Rocky," he said, "Fancy a hike?"
"I'm sorry," Milton Keynes responded, "I'm on strike."
Rocky shrugged and went off with the engine.
"The City of Milton Keynes with Rocky," Control announced, "Rusty."
Finally it was Rusty's turn. He skated out. The remaining cars all backed away from him.
"Rusty, you can't be serious," they said.
Rusty looked around a little panicked. Not having a partner had never occurred to him, what was he supposed to do now?
"Time up! Time up! Penalty! Penalty!" Control announced, "Rusty unconnected! Ten penalty points!"
Rusty winced at Control's voice. Then he saw Pearl, sitting alone. Hope rose within him, but he squashed it down and approached her cautiously.
"What's wrong Pearl?" he asked.
She looked up, surprised to see him.
"Got no partner?" Rusty asked.
She shook her head, brushing the back of her hand across her eyes, "No," she answered sadly.
"Never mind," he said offering her a hand; "I'll take you."
"No, Rusty," she interrupted pushing his hand away, "I know you mean to be kind... "
"You'd rather have no one then race behind me?" he asked, hurt.
"You don't understand," Pearl said quickly, she didn't want to hurt him. She sighed and looked down at her hands, "Why don't you see?" she asked.
Rusty sank down next to her.
"I have this train I dream about," she said, "An engine moved by steam." She hazarded a glance at Rusty, to see his reaction. To her surprise, he smiled.
"No problem," he said, "I'm a steamer," he looked at her, "Maybe I could be the engine of your dreams," he added hopefully.
Pearl looked at him, surprised, she hadn't thought of him. "Can you whistle?" she asked.
"Sure I can," he answered, a little puzzled by the question. He licked his lips and let out a slow soft whistle. "Woo-woo-woo."
As the last notes faded, he looked at Pearl, a question in his eyes.
"Yes it's close," she said finally, it WAS close, "But it's not like in my dreams."
Rusty couldn't hide his disappointment.
"Sorry Rusty, I know how it must seem," she said standing up, "No one else can take his place," she trailed off dreamily.
Rusty watched the beautiful coach skate off into the darkness, into her dream world.
"Woo-woo, Woo-woo," a distant whistle sounded.
"Nobody can do it like a steam train," Pearl sang.
"Woo-woo, Woo-woo," the whistle sounded again.
"Once upon a time there was a dream train," Pearl sang through half-closed eyes as she was swept up into her colorful dream world.
"I was waiting at the station, I was all anticipation," she sang smoothing her skirt, "I was painted, I was polished, I was shining like a star... and then he whistled at me."
"Woo-woo!" the whistle was perfectly clear in her imagination.
"He looked in my direction," she sang looked over at her imaginary engine, "He whistled at me, ("woo-woo!") This could me my connection." She skated around, "All because he whistled at me, he sure knew how to woo me, he whistled at me, (woo-woo) They're gonna hitch him to me."
She sank down on her bench as smoke poured in around her feet.
"I'd been out of circulation, I had lost my motivation," she sighed, "rejected, dejected, then he was on the line."
A dark unrecognizable engine skated in, and over to her, pulling her to her feet. Pearl stood up and smiled at him.
"In an atmosphere all steamy he said things I thought were dreamy," she continued as he flirted with her, "He said I was good looking, said I was divine."
The engine skated in closer behind her, putting his arms around her.
"And then I started getting fresher, started putting on the pressure," she continued happily, relaxing into his arms, "From the sounds that he was making I could tell that he was mine."
He twirled her, "Because he whistled at me."
"Woo-woo!" he whistled dancing with her.
"I knew he had to choose me," she sang, "He whistled at me, ("Woo-woo!") And now he'll never lose me."
She hitched behind him and they took off.
"All because he whistled at me, he sure knew how to woo me, he whistled at me and now they can't undo me."
"Woo-woo, Woo-woo," the engine sang.
"Nobody can do it like a steam train," Pearl sang.
"Woo-woo, Woo-woo," he repeated.
"Nobody can do it like a steam train," Pearl repeated, unhitching and he twirled her again, "He whistled at me. Since then I've been a dreamer,"
He skated around behind her.
"Since that day he whistled at me-It had to be a steamer. Only he could whistle at me," she decided, only a steamer could whistle like that, "I'm waiting for the day when he'll come back and whistle at me. ("Woo-woo!") Then every time you find him, he whistled at me."
"Woo-woo!" He whistled, twirling her one last time.
"You'll find me there behind him."
"Woo-woo, Woo-woo," he sang backing away from her.
"Nobody can do it like a steam train," Pearl sang, not realizing he was leaving until he was too far away.
"Woo-woo, Woo-woo!" he sang as he left, leaving only his whistle.
"Patiently I'm waiting for my dream train," Pearl sang softly, sinking back down, "He whistled at me."
She looked around; she was alone again. She sighed, knowing that she had chased Rusty off, and put her head in her hands. Then she looked up as an electric component, name of Purse, skated purposely over to her.
"Pearl you've been honored, Pearl you've been chosen," he said, "Electra's selected you for heat two."
"He has a coach," she started, a little confused, what did Electra need her for?
"His coach has a headache," Purse answered. He looked around and then leaned in closer as if he were sharing a secret. "Also he says that he prefers you." Pearl was flattered.
"Please come," Purse begged, "I'll be fired if you won't."
"Can he whistle?" she asked hopefully.
Purse shook his head, "No, AC trains don't."
Pearl considered, "AC... DC... " she sang thinking. She looked up at Purse, "Yes I'll go with you," she said standing up to follow a relieved looking Purse, "I'm no nearer hearing my woo-woo."
As she followed the electric component her dream whistle faded.
"Nobody can do it like a steam train," she sang softly, longingly.
Purse was startled, he hoped she wouldn't say that in front of Electra.
Now the yard was completely empty, it was time for the first race. Two impressive figures in black - the race marshals - skated out.
"Control! Control! Heat one! Heat one!" Control announced excitedly, "Race time minus one minute! Race time minus one minute!"
Spotlights trained on the entrance to the racetrack as one by one the pairs entered. The engines vibrated with pent-up energy.
"In track one: Greaseball the diesel with Dinah the dining car.
In track two: Espresso the Rivera Express with Buffy the buffet car.
In track three: Hashamoto the bullet train with CB the red caboose."
The race marshals got the attention of the racers and pointed down the tracks, outlining the racecourse. They lined the engines up at the starting line and then took off down the track, getting out of the way.
"Twenty seconds," Control announced.
The engines tensed up, ready to race. Their partners tightened their couplings.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!" Control counted down, "Trains gone!"
The engines took off. All three were even for the first few lengths until they reached the real racetrack. Then Hashamoto took off with Greaseball and Espresso hot on his heels. Espresso pulled ahead.
As they rounded the first curve Greaseball showed them all that he was the champion. He shot forward putting distance between him and the other two engines. Espresso and Hashamoto battled it out for second while Greaseball held the lead.
Suddenly Espresso leaned in on Hashamoto and passed him, gaining on Greaseball. The bullet train recovered quickly. Espresso had pulled even with Greaseball.
Hashamoto pulled up on the outside of Espresso. The two engines slammed into Espresso together. Dazed, Espresso dropped back to recover.
They rounded the next curve with Hashamoto on the inside. Greaseball gave him a shove into the guardrails before taking off.
Espresso and Hashamoto gained on Greaseball. Hashamoto zipped forward towards the finish line. Greaseball sped up and hit Hashamoto, hard.
Without warning Hashamoto swerved off course. Greaseball passed the Japanese engine and crossed the finish line just as Hashamoto plowed off the track.
"Winner of Heat one Greaseball and Dinah!" Control announced, "Greaseball and Dinah have a place in the final!"
Espresso sulked off the track and melted into the darkness, taking Buffy with him.
Dinah was upset; she hadn't expected Greaseball to take such extreme measures to win the race. They descended from the track and Dinah unhitched.
Greaseball caught his breath, very satisfied with the race. He knew he was the best!
Dinah took a breath, "That was cheating," she accused, "what you did to him there wasn't fair!"
Greaseball froze and looked at his coach, then pulled himself together.
"Hey come on we won!" he said flashing a smile, "Quit that kind of talk! You take care," he warned.
Dinah shook her head, unwilling to ignore what had happened. "No I must say it, it just wasn't fair!"
"Okay that does it!" Greaseball snapped turning on her, "I'm giving you air!"
Dinah backed away from her angry engine.
"From now on Miss America go preach at someone new," Greaseball continued, "Race with me, you use my rules! You had your chance, you blew it so we're through!"
With that he spun on his back wheels and strode away. Dinah was frozen in shock for a second before she chased after him.
"Oh Greaseball I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.
"Get lost!" he snapped.
Dinah watched him dumbly and then she fell to the ground and covered her face. Her shoulders shook as sobs tore through her frame.
CB had been released from the service of his wrecked engine. He skated over.
"Hi CB," Greaseball greeted him.
"Hi GB!" CB answered with a smile, "Hey what a race!"
"What a race," Greaseball echoed happily.
"What a team," CB added with a smile.
"Shh!" Greaseball hissed looking around. CB looked confused and Greaseball relaxed, "Oh you mean me and Dinah."
CB nodded, what else would he mean? Where was Dinah anyway?
"Not a team anymore CB," Greaseball said, "She's on her own."
With that he skated away, sure he felt a little bad, but she had deserved it.
CB couldn't believe it, his usual smile faded. Dinah was curled up in a ball. He skated towards her and then stopped. It wasn't his place to interfere. He started to leave and then stopped again, he couldn't just leave her here like this, but he didn't know what to say. He sank down to his knees next to her.
"All alone," he sang softly, "You think you're on your own."
Dinah looked up, Oh it was only CB, what did he want? She looked back down.
"You think there's no one in the world who cares for you," CB continued, he shook his head, "That isn't true, there's me."
Dinah looked up in spite of her self and then looked back down.
"I may not be the one you want to see," he admitted, "But if you need someone who's kind then look behind, then you'll find there's me."
He rose to his wheels and stood protectively over her.
"I'll be near, standing by, never fear, you can cry," he sank down again and looked into her eyes, "In awhile you will smile and I'll be there to see."
Dinah blinked and looked down determined not to look at him. CB understood and backed off a little.
"By yourself, you have to cry yourself, nobody else can dry the tears you have to cry, but I will try there's me."
He stood up and carefully skated around behind her, "Until then, when you're okay again, you look around, find I'm not longer there I'll still be near somewhere," he sank to the ground, "You're not alone there's me, there's always me."
Dinah suddenly sat up and turned. She threw her arms around him. CB was startled and looked down at her. Then slowly he smiled and gave her a hug.
She sighed softly, relaxing into his arms, still crying.
"You're not alone there's me, there's always me," CB repeated softly, gently rocking her back and forth.
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