The Midnight Train Crossing

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The Jamie Saga
Co-written with Taline

Like many of the old stories on my site, this was born in an online RPG back in 2001. It led to an instant message roleplay which I documented here.
Jamie is a young diesel engine with an older sister named Jan. I think she was a sleeping car, but I don't remember

It doesn't end, it just stopped when we ran out of ideas

Rated PG for violence

*It Starts...*

Written with some input from Stella. The first in a long line of co-writing adventures.
Basically, an illustration of the wonderful friendship between Rusty and Flat Top.

*Adventures on the Rails*

Interestingly, Flat Top and Rusty are the only characters in this section of the story.
Problems with snow occur as well as the usual problems in their quest to reach the "Other Train Yard" and not kill each other in the process.
Another side of Flat Top is revealed.

*New Yard, New Friends, New Enemies*

Rusty and Flat Top succeed in reaching the new trainyard, only to discover that it is run by diesel engines.
As the title suggests, they make some new friends, Flat Top makes a very good one. But they also discover some new enemies, mainly the head engine of the trainyard.
This is the advent of three characters that come to play a large role.
Jamie the little diesel engine, Jan, his sister a first class observation coach, and Tank a diesel engine, leader of the trainyard.

*Midnight Adventures, for good or for bad...*

Rusty, in his sort of feeling invincible state and wanting to test out his newfound Starlight Express abilities decides to help out his new friend Jamie.
Tank gets a visit from a Steam-Ghost Train, but things don't end up going exactly according to plan...

*A very Rotten Day/Night for Jamie*

As a result of the adventures of the previous chapter the diesel engine Tank is very angry and he takes it out on Jamie, coming up with a very creative and nasty punishment.
Also, Rusty and Flat Top, under the urging, (orders) of Jan the protective big sister, decide to mount a rescue expedition.
Tank shows a reluctant other side to his personality and Jamie aquires a new addition to his wardrobe.

*Rescue Attempt and Phone Calls*

Jan nearly kills our heros (Flat Top and Rusty) and sends them out again.
Jamie and the gang have some encounters, Rusty being witness to the final one. He decides to take action, which doesn't go quite how he plans.
As a result of the events, the song in the first chapter is revisted and Jamie becomes very worried about his new friend Rusty.

*A new Job, new problems *

Jamie recieves a new job, thanks to Tank. Jamie isn't too happy, but he discovers, a dim bright spot, that Tank's attitude towards him has changed.
The gang is not pleased to discover this and decide to take matters into their own hands.
Tank and later Rusty and Flat Top arrive a few seconds too late to discover... disaster.

*Repair Work*

They get the injured Jamie back to their trainyard where they introduce Jamie and Jan to their repair truck, Meg, who is nice, but can be a bit intimidating.
Meg, despite the frightened protests of Jamie gets right to work on fixing him.
Jamie isn't the only one that gets repaired as Jan and Flat Top get closer together.
Jamie also meets Poppa for the first time.

*More Repair work*

Jamie, on the road to recovery is informed by Meg that the only thing left to do is repair his wrist.
Jamie isn't to please about this, and as Meg would put it, they go through far much trouble for a 30 second repair job.
Jamie and Jan also have a very rare event, they have a fight.
In addition to that, Flat Top and Dustin are reunited.

*Reunions and cleaning...*

Pearl and Rusty have a happy reunion although Pearl is a bit jealous of Jan, not wanting to lose her engine.
It is time for Rusty to face the music and do his punishment for fighting, to clean out a storage shed. Jamie wants to help, but ends up causing more trouble.
Poppa finally gets through to Jamie and he assured Jamie that he won't expell him from the yard. Jamie gets in a bit of an accident, and while being repaired, he makes a very hard descision.
During this time, Pearl's fears of being replaced are solved.

*Back to where we began *

Jamie makes it back to his old trainyard, much to the astonishment of Tank, who decides that he is now going to make Jamie his little servent.
Jamie also discovers his talent at the game mancala.
Meanwhile, Poppa and the other discover that Jamie left, much to the sorrow of his sister. Rusty goes out to find Jamie.

*Not-so-happy reunion*

Rusty makes it to Jamie's yard, and Jamie is less then pleased to see him, ever after Rusty prevents him from getting beaten up and helps him with work.
Rusty also has a few troubles with water and Tank had a date, which leads up to some problems for Jamie.
Eventually Jamie forgives Rusty, and being the sweetheart that he is, Rusty forgives Jamie for being mad at him.

*Racin' down the tracks*

Tank allows Rusty to stay, but forbids him to talk, resulting in some interesing engine charades. Rusty tried several times to get Jamie to come back with him, but the answer is always no.
When Tank hears that Rusty is the champion engine of his trainyard he challanges Rusty to a race, when Rusty refuses Tank insults him and then says that if Rusty wins, he'll let Jamie go. Rusty cannot refuse, but Jamie doesn't see it that way.
Tank, once again, shows that rare other side to his personalitly and Jamie tells Rusty about how he wants to learn to race.

Racin' lessons and paint

Rusty brings Jamie back home where he his happily reunited with his sister. Meg arrives to take care of his various hurts and Poppa and Dustin welcome him home.
At his insistance, Jamie goes out for his first racing lesson.
They have a minor accident and then Jamie goes to the paintshop, to the delight of his sister.



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