Floretta meets Lady

After a long day of shunting cars, Floretta puffed away to her shed in the yards. Hector was there, wanting to tell his friend about a legendary engine he had heard from Thomas. 

A long time ago, there was small magical engine named Lady. She was believed to have special powers that could let her travel between Sodor and another place beyond. Lady met Thomas when he was saving the magic railroad that she ran on. Ever since, she has never appeared on Sodor but it is said that if you listen closely on a moonlit night, you can hear the lost engine's whistle echo throughout the island. This whistle signifies that Lady puffs on, watching over the railway from her home far away, awaiting the day when she can return.

Floretta didn't believe Hector's story. "Magic engine? Magic railroad? That silly Thomas is just being cheeky again! And cheeky engines only cause mischief!" she chuckled.

Hector was a bit cross. "Don't be so judgmental, Floretta. Why can't you just learn to have fun for once?"

"The day I have fun is the day I meet that magic engine," Floretta said as she backed into her shed before closing her eyes and falling asleep.


That night, Floretta was awoken by the sound of a distant whistle. It was one that she had never heard before. She wanted to know where the whistle was coming from, so she quietly puffed off into the night.
"Hello? Who's out there?" she called out. Floretta tried to whistle back but she couldn't. She tried to stop but she couldn't! She had no driver or fireman to shut off steam or apply the breaks! "Oh no! I can't stop! Help!!" she cried, shutting her eyes

The whistling got louder and louder until the noise sounded as if it was right beside her! Floretta opened her eyes to see that she wasn't alone!

Puffing next to her was a small purple steam engine with golden buffers, golden headlamps, and a golden boiler! The mysterious engine began to go faster and faster before vanishing from Floretta's sight. Moments later, the engine appeared again, this time on the same line as Floretta! The scared tank engine shut her eyes again. 

When she opened them, Floretta saw that she was back in the yards, being pushed back into her shed by the engine! "Who are you?" 

"I am Lady, the engine of the magic railroad." spoke the engine.

Floretta couldn't believe what she had just heard. "You're the magic engine??" 

Lady smiled. "Yes."