The Midnight Train Crossing

"Hey, this is turning into a real grudge match," Control said, trying to calm everyone down, "Take a chill pill everyone. We're here to settle this on the track. So let's get hitched and get going. The reigning champion has first pick of partners."
Dinah ran over to Greaseball and he took her in his arms.
"A lotta locomotion I've got already," she sang.
"A wise pick, the perfect couple," Control commented, almost fondly as Greaseball and Dinah left together.
"The rest of you got a five minutes 'til race time," Control snapped at the others, "Come on! If you don't join up you ain't in the war!"
The coaches looked up and decided that Control should not use that accent ever again.
Rusty hitched Pearl behind and then moved out of the way. Pearl was a little surprised at how possessive Rusty was being all of a sudden.
Ashley and Buffy were pulled away by various engines and several engine were talking to Electra to borrow his components.
As the yard cleared, Rusty relaxed, he hadn't exactly been worried about loosing Pearl but...

One of Electra's cars skated over, Rusty tried to get out of his way but the car, Purse, skated directly over to Pearl, ignoring the engine.
"Pearl you've been honored," Purse sang, "Pearl you've been chosen. Electra's selected you for this race."
Rusty stepped between Purse and Pearl. "He has a coach," he said.
Electra had come with five cars, he didn't need Pearl, Rusty thought, she's mine, he added silently.
"His coach has a headache," Purse responded. He dodged under Rusty's arms and took Pearl's hands, "He's chosen Pearl to race in her place."
Color rose in Pearl's cheeks and she glanced at Rusty with a smile.
Rusty shook his head and gave Pearl a pleading look.
Her smile faded and she slowly started to shake her head, telling Purse 'no.' Rusty was her best friend and he had asked first.
"Please come," Purse begged, "I'll be fired if you won't."
Well good, Rusty thought, stepping closer to Pearl. His expression must have given his thoughts away because Pearl shot him a look that said Behave!
Rusty unhappily backed off.
Pearl returned her attention to Purse.
"Can he whistle?" she asked.
Purse shook his head, a little surprised at the question. He had never been asked that about Electra before.
"No, AC train's don't," he answered.
Rusty relaxed, there was no problem. He wouldn't lose Pearl. He knew she liked his whistle. Pearl and him were a team, there was no denying that.
"Rusty needs me, which way should I go?" Pearl asked the sky, then she turned back to Purse. "Thank him kindly, say I'll let him know."
Purse bowed and left.

Rusty looked at Pearl, stunned. "What's all this?" he asked, "You have a partner..."
"Well," Pearl started.
"Yes you do," Rusty reminded her, "We're all set."
"I always said that if someone new?quot; Pearl started.
Rusty shook his head, hadn't she seen how Electra acted? She knew him, she knew she liked going with him, he liked having her. She must have just been fooled by Electra's flashiness.
"You fell for the posing, you fell for the star," he said.
Pearl shook her head, "You don't understand, that's not how things are."
She was right, he didn't understand.
"I must have time..." she said, slowly drifting away.
Rusty followed and caught her wrist, "But Pearl I-"
"No!" Pearl interrupted, pushing him away. "Let me work it out my way.
I must be free to leave you Rusty," she explained, "That's the only way I'm free to stay?quot;
Rusty backed off, slowly and then faster.
Alright, he'd let her work it out her way, but she'd come back. She always came back. Or rather usually, he was the one that went to her.

Left alone Pearl considered her options. She had two engines now.
Electra was new and exciting, but Rusty was her best friend and she always went with him, but then again, she always went with Rusty, maybe it was time to try something new. But Rusty had asked her first, but then again, he was nice, he'd understand.
She sighed, this wasn't getting her anywhere, better start over.
"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."
Okay, list pros and cons, she thought, that'll help. She tried to imagine herself with either engine.
"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."
Whichever one she chose, the other one would be hurt. She didn't want that, Rusty was her best friend, and Electra the newest engine around had decided that he wanted her.
"I don't want one to win and one to lose," she said out loud, "Can't tell them yes or no. Choosing one means letting one go. I can't face letting one of them go."
Why is this so hard? She wondered, frustrated. Being popular was something she had wanted, only... She sighed.
"You'd think two lovers would be twice the fun. It's tearing me apart. Someone help me make up my heart," she begged, "Please tell me how to make up my heart."
This wasn't getting her anywhere. Okay, pros and cons again, she thought.
"One of them has style, sets the world alight, the other makes me smile."
She closed her eyes and tried to decide, "So who gets the part? Make up my mind make up my-"

Before she knew what was happening, Electra ran in. He pulled her in and hitched her behind before taking off.
Pearl was stunned, but then she shrugged, oh well, looked like she wouldn't have to choose. Rusty would understand. Besides, Electra's motion felt pretty good.
Rusty was numb with shock, she was gone, and he was alone. All of his plans of winning the Silver Dollar, with Pearl, had gone up in smoke.

"Control! Control! Heat one! Heat one!" Control called. It was time for the first race, "Race time minus one minute! Race time minus one minute! Race time minus one minute!"
Spotlights flew over the track, outlining the course that the racers would take: A long stretch of rails taking many dizzying twists and turns.
The four engines and their partners were lining up. The air was alive with competition. The first two trains in this race got to race again, to try and win the Silver Dollar.
Control announced the racers.
"In track one: The reigning champion, Greaseball the diesel with Dinah the dining car.
In track two: Weltshaft the German engine with Joule.
In track three: Turnov the Russian engine with the red caboose.
In track four: Electra with Pearl!"

Various trains on the sidelines were cheering for the different engines.
The engines tensed up, revving their engines.
"Trains to your tracks," Control ordered as the siren sounded.
"Twenty seconds," Control said in an almost expressionless tone.
The engines lined up as their various fans continued to cheer.
All wore racing helmets so it was impossible to tell their expressions.
The racetrack loomed over them.

"Ten. nine. eight. seven. six. five. four. three. two. one! Trains gone!"
The race was on. All four engines ran onto the tracks.

Greaseball took the lead with Electra, Weltshaft and Turnov close behind.
Greaseball took the first curve on the edges of his wheels, with Dinah tightly hanging on. Electra was right behind him.
Turnov pulled even with Weltshaft, but the German engine remained on the inside. Turnov couldn't pass him, so he shoved him into the guard rails. Joule let out a startled shriek.
The Russian engine pulled even with Electra and passed him.
A bolt of lightning flew, hitting Turnov and stunning him, letting Electra and Weltshaft pass him.
Greaseball put on an extra burst of speed, putting distance between him and the others.
Electra sped up as well, but couldn't catch the diesel.
Greaseball held the lead for the next few meters, until Electra caught up with him, and passed him.
Greaseball pulled even with Electra and the two remained even, neither could gain anything.
Suddenly Turnov appeared next to Greaseball. The Russian engine took the lead.
Greaseball sped up and rammed into Turnov, pushing him forward and into the guardrails.
Electra took the lead. Greaseball slammed into Turnov once more before chasing after Electra.
The two were even again. Electra pulled ahead, then Greaseball.
The finishing line was approaching. Electra, then Greaseball, then Electra again, then Greaseball again.
The two crossed the finishing line together.

"Dead heat!" Control shouted as the bell signaling the end of the race rang, "Oh boy! Electra and Greaseball have qualified for the final!"
Greaseball and Electra were both exhausted but neither was about to admit it. Instead they took off in their separate directions.
Turnov was still slumped over the guardrails, and two of the race officials were trying to help him.

Dinah shuddered and turned away. She couldn't believe that Greaseball had done that.
"That was cheating," she said to Greaseball, "What you did to him there wasn't fair!"
"Hey come on, we won!" he said trying to calm his coach down. They had won, that was all that mattered.
Dinah crossed her arms and turned away from him. Greaseball skated around to her front.
"Quit that kind of talk," he warned, "You take care."
"No I must say it, it just wasn't fair," Dinah said.
Greaseball stiffened and he closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down.
"Okay that does it! I'm giving you air!" he exclaimed.
Dinah backed away from the angry engines who was advancing on her.
"From now on Miss America go preach at someone new," he said, "Race with me you use MY rules! You had your chance, you blew it so we're through!"
He spun on his hind wheels and strode away.
Dinah was stunned and she grabbed his couplings. "Oh Greaseball!"
He wrenched her loose and shoved her away before taking off. "Get lost!" he snapped.
He felt a little bad, but Dinah should've know better then to do that. She had brought this on herself. Then why did he have this feeling that he should turn around?

He looked up to see the red caboose sitting on the side of the tracks.
"Hey caboose," Greaseball called.
The caboose stood up and grinned at the diesel.
"Champ!" the caboose exclaimed, skating over to Greaseball, "You're the best! What a race! Oh, what a team!"
"Shh!" Greaseball hissed and then relaxed, "Oh you mean me and Dinah."
The caboose nodded.
"Not a team any more caboose," Greaseball said, "She's on her own."
Waving good-bye to the caboose Greaseball left.

"Greaseball don't go!" Dinah cried, from where she was sitting on the ground.
He didn't stop. He hadn't come back. She was alone. Engineless.
She buried her face in her hands and started to cry, with noisy hiccuping sobs.

"All alone," a voice sang softly.
Dinah looked up, to see the red caboose on his knees next to her.
Go away, she thought.
"You think you're on your own," he sang, "You think there's no one in the world who cares for you." He shook his head, "That isn't true... there's me."
Dinah scooted away from him, hoping he'd get the message that she wanted to be alone.
"I may not be the one you wanna see," he continued, "But if you need someone who's kind then look behind, then you'll find, there's me."
He stood up and skated around behind her.
"I'll be near, standing by, never fear, you can cry," he sang, "In awhile, you will smile and I'll be there to see."
Dinah looked into his eyes. He gave her a little smile and she felt a little better, but still... she sniffed.

"By myself," she sang rubbing her eyes, "I have to cry myself, nobody else can cry the tears I have to cry."
The caboose gently leaned closer, brushed away her tears, and then pushed her hair back.
"But I will try," he said, "There's me. Until then, when you're okay again, you looked around, find I'm no longer there."
He looked at her seriously. "But friends are always near, you're not alone there's me. There's always me."
I DO need a friend... Dinah thought. She hesitated and then threw her arms around him. He was startled and then put his arms around her gently, returning the hug.
"For friends are always near," they sang together, Dinah's voice quavering and drawing support from the caboose, "You're not alone, there's me, your friend, there's me."