Sodor High School: Thomas & Friends Tales
Written by: ThomasZoey3000 / SF64Rules91 / RailfanBronyMedia
Based on the Railway Series by: The Rev. W. and Christopher Awdry
Based on the Television Series by: Britt AllCroft, David Mitton, Lionsgate, and Universal Pictures
OC(s) owned by: SF64Rules91, ThomasZoey3000
Episode 42: Cheating Never Works
"Say what?!" exclaimed Raphael crossly.
It was now Monday, and Schemer was speaking to a surprised and not too pleased Raphael outside his office. Schemer had gotten the word from Spencer to set up a counseling session between him and Raphael.
"That's exactly what I said; I'm asking you to come to my office at lunch time," said Schemer. "I've been hearing from some of my players about how you have an anger problem, and I want to help you with it."
"This is just ridiculous and plain stupid, I don't have an anger problem!" shouted Raphael, before realizing his mistake. "Err, I mean…"
"Uh-huh, it's just as I thought," frowned Schemer, shaking his head. "Meet me in my office at lunch today."
Raphael sighed in defeat. "Yes, Schemer."
Schemer smiled, before turning and accidentally slamming into the door of his office. Raphael, very unhappy over having to see the school guidance counselor today at lunch, simply turned and walked away to go to his locker. While there, he remained in a sulking mood, just as Leonardo and Donatello both showed up.
"Hey, Raph," greeted Donatello. "Whoa, you look ticked off. Did something happen?"
"Let's just say I have to see Schemer at lunch," grumbled Raphael. "He says he wants to counsel me on my anger problems," He then lost his temper and proceeded to raise his voice. "I don't have an anger problem, do I?! Tell me I never lose my temper! Tell me, right now!"
Leonardo simply had a deadpan look on his face, while Donatello looked very uneasy. Other students in the hallway were also staring at the scene. Raphael, realizing he exploded again, smiled sheepishly.
"Uh, hehe… How much of that was seen?" he worried.
"Oh, plenty," answered Leonardo.
"Pretty much," agreed Donatello.
Poor Raphael…
(later…)
Later on at lunch, the cafeteria was packed with students grabbing a bite to eat. Some of the students included Leonardo and most of his Hockey team.
"So, Raph is visiting Schemer today?" asked Sidney, having just heard the news.
"Yup; it's for anger management," nodded Leonardo.
"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me one bit," shrugged Michelangelo.
"Och aye," agreed Donald.
"I wonder how come it's Schemer of all folk," wondered Douglas. "He doesn't seem like yon type of somebody ta know anything aboot anger problems."
"Schemer is the school's guidance counselor," reminded Paxton. "I heard he's pretty good at his job… I guess we'll have to wait and see how it goes."
And so, nothing more was said by anybody at the table.
(elsewhere…)
In another hallway, Raphael walked towards Schemer's office. Upon arriving, he knocked on the door.
"Come in," The voice of Schemer echoed from the inside.
Raphael opened the door and entered the office. To his surprise, it looked much like an arcade of some sort. Sitting at his desk was Schemer himself, eating some of his lunch, made by his Mother.
"Ahh, ham and cheese, just like how Mommy makes it," he said cheerfully, taking a bite out of his sandwich.
"Mommy? He still lives with his Mother?" Raphael thought to himself. "I don't know if I should either laugh at him or pity him."
"Hey, Raphael! Nice of you to visit," Schemer, upon seeing the visitor, greeted, standing up from his seat and walking over. "Come, take a look around! Schemer's Arcade is the ultimate attraction of this school!"
"'Schemer's Arcade'?" repeated Raphael. "I don't get it; I thought you were the school's guidance counselor?"
"Oh, I am. I also run the school's only arcade. There's a Jukebox, The Picture Machine, a fortune telling machine, and several other things."
Raphael honestly did not know what to feel at the moment. Eventually, Schemer motioned over to a pair of comfy-looking seats.
"Now, sit down, and we'll get started," The goofy man offered.
"You know? Sure, why not." shrugged Raphael, although that was a slight smile on his face.
(later…)
Later inside the Ffarquhar Arena after-school, Spencer and his team were in the middle of Hockey practice.
"So, how did it go?" Patrick, during one break, asked.
"Schemer said it went rather well," answered Spencer. "I don't know what exactly happened today, but he mentioned something about how Raphael was being cooperative during the whole session."
"Cooperative? Does that mean the plan's working?"
"It must be," insisted Alfred. "Right?"
"I'm positive!" grinned Spencer. "Anyway, from what I was told, Schemer also arranged to see Raphael again on Wednesday at lunch. Give it a few more days, and we'll have ourselves four servants!"
While Spencer and his buds cheered and laughed over the plan, Logan and Neville both were still on the ice, feeling more and more uneasy about the whole thing. Even then, they dared not say anything about it.
(elsewhere…)
The next morning inside Sodor High School, Leonardo went to see Raphael at his locker.
"Ready for another day of practice on the ice?" The dirty blonde-haired boy asked.
"You bet, Leo!" grinned Raphael. "And you know, my meeting with Schemer actually wasn't bad. Sure he can be waaaaay too comedic and such at times, but he's also a surprisingly good guidance counselor."
"That's good to hear." acknowledged Leonardo.
"However, I have to see him again on Wednesday, so I won't be hanging with you guys then."
Leonardo understood.
(elsewhere…)
Inside Thomas and his friends' homeroom, Thomas was speaking to his friends about how surprisingly well Raphael's visit to Schemer's office was.
"Well, that's a relief," sighed Gordon.
"I'll say," added Percy. "I thought for sure Raph would be bitter and complaining endlessly over it."
"Of course, he's not out of the woods just yet," said Thomas. "He has to go and see Schemer again tomorrow."
"Again?" remarked James. "Geez, how often do they have to meet up?"
"As long as it's needed."
And so, nothing more was said. Emily, meanwhile, was looking very conflicted as she sat down at her seat. Last night, she had yet another nightmare involving Diesel 10, herself, and her feelings for both Thomas and Leonardo.
"Thomas… Leo…" Emily thought to herself. "I… I…"
Yikes!
(elsewhere…)
Later inside the Ffarquhar Arena after-school, Leonardo and his Hockey team was in the middle of practice. Some of the people watching in the stands were Thomas, Percy, and Emily. Rosie had come along too, but she had gone to get some cans of soda from the vending machine and would be back in a few minutes.
"Raph's gotten so much better at teamwork," admired Thomas.
"He and the others might actually be able to defeat Spencer's team on Friday," agreed Percy. "Don't you agree, Emily?"
No answer.
"Huh?" blinked Percy, before seeing an unreadable look on Emily's face. "Emily, are you okay?"
"Hm?" Emily, looking up, gasped. "Percy? Oh, I'm sorry, did you say something?"
Thomas looked concerned. "Emily, you've been quiet for most of the day," he pointed out. "Is something the matter?"
"Oh, no, everything's fine, Thomas," insisted Emily, trying to deny that something was wrong. "Really, I'm fine."
Thomas didn't look convinced; having known her ever since she first started attending school and moved into his home, he was smart enough to know that something was seriously wrong. Ultimately, Thomas decided to wait out before asking what the problem was.
(elsewhere…)
In a hallway, Rosie was getting four cans of soda from the machine; one for herself, and one for Thomas, Percy, and Emily. Unfortunately, she only had enough money for three cans.
"Darn it," The red-haired girl groaned. "Only enough money for three sodas… I guess I'll go without any soda."
"Here, let me help you," The voice of a teenage boy offered kindly.
Gasping, Rosie turned and looked around for the source of the voice. Standing nearby was a teenage boy with short silver hair similar to Spencer and about the same height and age as Thomas. Unlike Spencer, this boy was so much nicer in attitude.
"H-Hello," stuttered Rosie; there was a small blush on her cheeks.
"Hello to you," The boy winked. "My name's Stanley; what's your name?"
"R-Rosie."
"That name's based on the rose," said Stanley, taking a rose out of his jacket pocket. "The rose is a beautiful flower, you know."
Rosie felt flattered. And, keeping to his word, Stanley approached and slipped some money into the vending machine, pressed a button, and a can of soda came out, which he handed to the red-haired girl - giving her four cans of soda.
"There you go," smiled Stanley.
"Gosh… Thank you very much," blushed Rosie, taking the can of soda. Suddenly, she watched as Stanley slipped the rose into her hair. "Huh? Wha-?"
"Go ahead, you can keep that rose," Stanley insisted, before turning and walking away. "Maybe I'll see you again soon."
Rosie did not know what to make of what just happened.
(elsewhere…)
Back in the main arena, Rosie finally arrived with the cans of soda for her and her friends.
"Took long enough," teased Percy, taking his can.
"Sorry about that," Rosie apologized, sitting down beside Emily. "I didn't have enough-"
"Hey, where did you get that rose?" interrupted Thomas, noticing the rose in his red-haired friend's hair.
Rosie blushed. "Oh, I was given it, by a boy with silver hair."
"What?!" gasped Thomas, Percy, and even Emily. "You mean Spencer?!"
"No, no, not him!" denied Rosie, shaking her head furiously. "It was a different boy entirely; one I've never seen before in my life."
"Oh, what a relief," Percy sighed in relief. "What was his name?"
"He said his name was Stanley," answered Rosie.
Thomas gasped again. "Wait, did you say Stanley?" he asked in surprise. "No way! I-I know him!"
"You do?"
"Thomas told me of a time where Stanley helped rescue him when he got lost while exploring the mountains during the restoration of Great Waterton," said Emily, recalling the story she was told by Thomas.
"He attends a different school in the city, so I haven't seen him all that much after that scenario," added Thomas.
"I see," whispered Rosie, before touching the rose in her hair and thinking… "To be honest, I hope I see that cute boy again soon."
"Either way, you're really lucky to have met him," continued Thomas. "Stanley's a really nice guy."
"In that case, it wouldn't hurt to visit him if the right circumstance allows for it," said Percy. "I would like to see Stanley for myself."
"Stanley does sound like a very nice boy based on Thomas' story," added Emily, who decided to forget about her nightmare for the time being. "I wouldn't mind meeting him myself."
(elsewhere…)
The next day at lunch, Raphael was currently visiting Schemer in his office for another day of counseling.
"So, how's it been going since we chatted on Monday?" asked Schemer.
"Fine," answered Raphael. "I've been slowly getting a better handle on my temper. Granted, I still have outbursts from time to time."
"I'm glad to hear that. If we can keep up with these sessions, I think you'll have a really strong grip on your temper."
The angry brown-haired boy grinned in response, but then became puzzled when he saw a look on Schemer's face.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked. "You have a look on your face that spells you're bothered by something."
"What?" quizzed Schemer, before shaking his head. "I have no such look on my face."
"I'm afraid you do," insisted Raphael. "Since you're helping me, I'll see if I can help you. What do you say? Want to tell me what's on your mind?"
After some hesitation, Schemer finally confessed…
"It's about being a Hockey coach," he began. "To tell you the truth, I don't really like having that job."
"Wait, you don't?" blinked Raphael.
"No, I don't. In fact, I don't even play Hockey. I only got the job because I really want to impress Mr. King, the superintendent, enough so that he'll offer me a job on the school board."
"Really?"
"Really," The goofy man insisted.
"I'm…gonna go out on a limb and say you were bragging to Mr. King on how good and knowledgeable at Hockey you supposedly were," pondered Raphael, getting a big clue on the story. "And because Mr. King is a big Hockey fan, you thought that by coaching a high school Hockey team you could impress him enough to offer you a job on the school board?"
"Yeeeeah, something like that." said Schemer sheepishly.
"Sheesh, and I thought Mikey could be dumb at times," groaned Raphael, bringing a hand to his forehead. "You know, Schemer, if you hate the job so much, then why not just quit the role and tell him the truth about the whole thing?"
"Tell Mr. King the truth?" repeated Schemer. "But what should I even say?"
"Hmm, what would I have done if I were in Schemer's shoes?" Raphael thought to himself, before speaking aloud once again. "Well, for starters, why not tell him that you lied to him about being a skilled and knowledgeable Hockey player? Tell him that you only said that stuff because you wanted to impress him enough to be offered a job on the school board. Mr. King sounds like a reasonable man, I'm sure he'll be understanding."
"I don't know," sighed Schemer.
"Hey, would you rather continue to live a lie for the rest of your life?" asked Raphael seriously. "I honestly think you should tell Mr. King the truth the first chance you get."
This gave Schemer a ton to think about. Would he decide to tell J.B. King the truth? Only one way to find out…
(elsewhere…)
At last, after another day of practice for both teams respectively, it was finally Friday night. Lots of people had gathered inside and outside the Ffarquhar Arena to see the big Hockey game between Leonardo's team and Spencer's team. Currently, Rosie and Brad both were outside in line to getting inside the arena.
"Wow, look at how many people there are!" admired Brad. "Still, isn't this exciting, Rosie?"
"It sure is, Brad," agreed Rosie.
"Once we're inside, I'll purchase our tickets and get our snacks."
The red-haired girl nodded in agreement. Soon, both brother and sister managed to get inside the building.
(elsewhere…)
Inside the arena, Donald and Douglas were both chatting with their cousin Olivia before heading for the home team's locker room to change.
"I hope yoo'll be able ta keep yoor gang together fer yon game," said Olivia hopefully.
"Och, we will." nodded Donald, before looking to his twin brother. "Come on, Douggie."
And the two Scottish teenagers left for the home team's locker room.
(elsewhere…)
Inside the home team's locker room, Mr. Splinterson was busy speaking to the team before it was time to head onto the ice and begin the game.
"Well, I'm certainly proud of how far we've gotten with practice," he started. "Especially yoo, Raphael. In the last few practices, you have been able to work with others while on the ice."
"I had to learn about teamwork, Casey," said Raphael modestly. "I thankfully had friends to help me with that."
"Just remember that we'll need it to win this game," reminded Michelangelo, slipping on some of the goalkeeper gear. "If we lose, then you, myself, Leo, and Donnie have to give up Hockey and serve Spencer and his team for the rest of the year."
The rest of the team nodded in agreement, just before gathering together, putting their hands atop of each other, and raising them up.
"GO GREEN MACHINE!" The whole team, named the Green Machines, cheered at once.
(elsewhere…)
Inside the away locker room, Spencer's team, named the Silver Stream, was getting ready for the big game.
"This is it, boys!" remarked Spencer. "This is our night!"
"You bet it is, Spencer," agreed Cecil. "Them Green Machines are going down!"
"Your plan is simply brilliant, Spencer!" praised Alaric.
"Of course it is, and so am I," boasted Spencer.
"Was his plan brilliant?" Logan whispered to Neville, who simply shrugged in response.
Soon, Schemer arrived in the locker room.
"Hey, everyone," he greeted slowly. "All I want to say about tonight is…do your best out there."
There was a long silence from the whole team.
"Hey, why didn't he go into one of his usual 'Schemer's system of success' talk?" Monty whispered to Max.
"Guess he finally realized it reeks," figured Max, before he and his brother both snickered quietly.
Schemer overheard the comments and felt all the more discouraged as he remembered his talk with Raphael earlier in the week. Seeing as J.B. King would likely show up to watch the game, he would have to make a choice in whether he should speak to the superintendent and fess up on lying.
(elsewhere…)
Within another hallway ten minutes later, Rosie and Brad were both making their way to the main arena in order to find seats. Along the way, they met up with Thomas, Emily, Annie, and Clarabel.
"Know a good place to watch the game?" asked Brad.
"I know of some good seats," answered Thomas. "You both can join Emily, Annie, Clarabel, and I if you want to."
"Thanks," said Rosie.
Before anybody could proceed down the tunnels to the arena…
"Well, well, if it isn't my old friend Thomas!" A familiar voice (male) echoed. "It's great seeing you here!"
"Stanley?" whispered Thomas, recognizing the youthful voice. "Can it be you?"
Yup, it was; walking up to the small band was the familiar polite silver-haired boy that Rosie encountered earlier in the week.
"Stanley!" cried Thomas, looking and sounding happy to see his friend from that time. "Oh man, I haven't seen you in some time! How have you been?"
"Been doing really well," Stanley replied. He then saw Rosie and smiled. "Hey, it's you again."
"H-Hi," Rosie, who was blushing, greeted shyly.
"You know this boy, Rosie?" asked Brad.
"Sort of… I briefly met him while watching my friends' Hockey practice earlier in the week."
"Well, in that case, I'm Rosie's older brother," Brad said to Stanley. "The name's Brad."
"Hello right back at you, Brad," The polite silver-haired boy greeted back, before looking towards Emily. "Ah, and who might you be, miss?"
"My name is Emily, and I'm a good friend of Thomas and Rosie," answered Emily.
"My, you look really pretty," admired Stanley, making the dark green-haired girl blush in response.
Thomas and Rosie both felt slight jealousy from hearing Stanley call Emily pretty. Of course, they quickly shook the negative feeling off before anyone could notice them looking agitated.
"So, Stanley, you're here to watch the game as well?" asked Brad.
"I sure am," confirmed Stanley. "I love Hockey."
"In that case, you're free to hang with us if you would like."
"Thanks, but no thanks," The polite silver-haired boy declined. He then looked at Rosie hopefully. "Instead, I'm wondering if your sister would be interested in coming to watch the game with me."
Rosie gasped with hope. "R-Really?" she beamed. "You want to watch the game with me?"
"Yup," confirmed Stanley, before looking at Brad. "That is, if it's okay with your brother."
"I'm cool with it," smiled Brad. "You two enjoy yourselves," He then spoke to his younger sister. "You come and find me when the game ends, okay?"
"Oh, thank you, Brad!" squealed Rosie, who joyfully hugged her older brother before running off with Stanley.
"Oh, wow," commented Thomas.
"It looks like they're hitting it off quite well," observed Emily.
"Obviously," Annie pointed out.
"Now, let's go and find our seats before the game begins," suggested Clarabel.
"What about you, Brad?" asked Thomas, looking at the young man. "With Rosie currently hanging out with Stanley, what will you do now?"
"Don't worry about me, I'll find another seat to watch the game," Brad reassured politely.
"Okay, we'll see you later."
And so, Thomas, Emily, Annie, and Clarabel left, leaving Brad to go and find a seat for himself.
(elsewhere…)
Within the main arena half an hour later, the seats were packed with various people, roaring with excitement for the game to finally commence. Some of the audience members included Toby, Mavis, Mrs. Drewry, Bill, Ben, Olivia, Thomas, Emily, Percy, Annie, Clarabel, Rosie, Stanley, Brad, etc.. Soon, the two teams were shown walking out of their locker rooms and onto the ice.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" boomed the main announcer from his play-by-play booth. "Tonight's game is between the Green Machines and the Silver Stream! As the first major game of Hockey this year, allow me to introduce the captains for the two teams! For the Green Machines, we have No. 72 Leonardo Splinterson!"
Leonardo skated forth slightly and waved to the cheering crowd.
"And for the Silver Stream, we have No. 23 Spencer Gresley/Boxford!"
Spencer skated forth slightly and waved to the cheering crowd before glaring at his rival, who, likewise, glared right back. Soon, the referee and two linesmen came onto the ice, meaning one thing…
"Showtime!" Raphael smirked to himself.
"Let's take these guys down!" Alfred said to both Dustin and Alaric.
Both teams skated to their respective benches, whilst a goalkeeper skated to their team's respective net. Serving as starting goalkeeper for the Green Machines was Michelangelo, and serving as starting goalkeeper for the Silver Stream was Sam. Pretty soon, five of the players from their respective teams skated to the center of the ice for the first face-off of the game. For the Green Machines, the starting line-up consisted of Leonardo (C), Den (RW), Dart (RD), Paxton (LW), and Hank (LD). For the Silver Stream, the starting line-up consisted of Spencer (C), Cecil (RW), Dustin (RD), Alfred (LW), and Neville (LD).
"Ready?" The referee asked both teams, but speaking mainly to Leonardo and Spencer.
Both team captains nodded in agreement, and the face-off began. Once the puck finally dropped, Spencer won the draw and got the puck to Alfred, who skated down the ice and passed back to Spencer, who shot the puck at the net. Fortunately, Michelangelo managed to block the shot and pass the puck to Paxton.
"Great save by Michelangelo!" The announcer praised. "The puck now in possession of the Green Machines!"
Paxton, with the puck, skated down the ice, but was checked by Cecil, giving him possession of the puck. Cecil then passed to Alfred once he was close to the net, who then shot the puck. Unlike the last shot, Michelangelo was unable to block this one, causing the Silver Stream to get the first goal of the game.
"And Alfred scores the first goal of the game!" cheered the announcer. "The Silver Steam is now leading 1 to nothing!"
"Major bummer… That was not the start we wanted," muttered Michelangelo.
The Green Machines gathered at their bench to make a few player switches. Only Leonardo remained in the current line-up. Before heading back to center ice, the team had a quick meeting.
"We're already losing!" groaned Sidney.
"Does this mean Spencer will win?" asked Dart.
"It's still very early, so we have a chance to come back," reassured Mr. Splinterson. "Now, just get out there and do the best you all can."
The team nodded, and the line-up became Leonardo (C), Raphael (RW), Donald (RD), Douglas (LW), and Sidney (LD). The face-off commenced, with Leonardo winning the draw this time around. Leonardo approached the opposing net and passed to Douglas.
"Go, Donal' and Douggie!" cheered Olivia from the stands.
Douglas then shot the puck at the net, but Sam blocked it easily. The whistle then blew, signalling a face-off.
"Phew! That was close," panted Sam, leaning a bit with his hands on both padded knees.
The two teams then met in the right corner for the face-off. Before the puck dropped, the two team captains spoke to each other.
"You're not doing so well, are you?" taunted Spencer.
"The game's only begun, Spencer," reminded Leonardo. "It's still anyone's game at this point."
The dirty blonde-haired boy then, once the puck dropped, won the draw yet again, passing the puck towards Donald, who then passed to Sidney, who shot the puck at the opposing net. The shot was blocked by Sam, however, who then passed the puck to Alfred, who passed to Cecil. Cecil skated down the ice before passing the puck to Spencer, who then shot it over Michelangelo's shoulder and into the net.
"GOAL!" screamed the announcer. "The Silver Stream is leading 2 to nothing!"
The audience cheered, with an exception to the friends of Leonardo and his team. Back on the ice, the Silver Stream gathered at their bench to make a few changes to the line-up.
"We're winning!" jeered Monty.
"We've got this in the bag now," agreed Max.
Schemer remained very quiet on the matter. Spencer, meanwhile, picked Max (RD) and Monty (LD) both to come onto the ice, sending both Dustin and Neville to the bench for now. The face-off in center ice commenced, with Spencer winning the draw and passing the puck to Cecil. Cecil was then checked by Raphael, who then took hold of the puck.
"Don't do anything yet," Max whispered to Monty.
"Yeah, he won't pass the puck to anybody," Monty whispered back.
When Raphael approached the net, he heard Leonardo call out for a pass. That was all Max and Monty both needed to hear. They charged towards Raphael while thinking he would be reckless and not pass the puck, but Raphael, much to the twin boys' surprise, quickly passed to Leonardo, who then shot the puck. Sam was so stunned by the scene that he completely ignored the puck going into the net behind him. That gave the Green Machines their first goal.
"What?!" exclaimed Spencer, who was greatly shocked by Raphael passing the puck. "I thought-!"
"Raph actually passed the puck," peeped Logan, who was watching from the bench.
"Does this mean Spencer's plan is a failure?" wondered Neville.
"I dunno, but we still got a 2-1 lead, so anything could happen."
For the next fifteen minutes of game time, both sides traded shots on the other's net. In addition, Cecil at one point got a two minute penalty for cross-checking Paxton. Unfortunately, no other goals were scored. Eventually time was up for the first period.
"Time!" The announcer declared. "That's all for the first period!"
With that said, both teams returned to their dressing rooms to rest up and get ready for the second period. Within the stands, Rosie was busy talking to Stanley and trying to get to know him better. Currently, Stanley was telling the red-haired girl about how Thomas once got lost in the mountains during the restoration of Great Waterton.
"So, you see," said Stanley. "after we heard Thomas got lost in the mountains, I led a small team of scouts to try and find him. It was cold and rainy, but we didn't dare give up until we found Thomas."
"Oh dear, I hope Thomas was okay," worried Rosie.
"He was," assured Stanley. "I found him trapped in a mud pond, and he was nearly dead due to dangerous exposure to the cold along with a nasty gash on his left arm. The good news is that once I got him out, the team showed up and took him to the hospital to recover."
"Oh, thank goodness."
"Yeah," The polite silver-haired boy agreed. "Imagine if we hadn't found him in time."
"That I don't want to think about," shivered Rosie.
"Me neither," Stanley nodded in agreement. "Still, once Thomas was saved, we became friends."
"So, which school do you attend?" asked Rosie with interest.
"I attend a special prep school somewhere in town."
Soon, once the Zamboni finished cleaning the ice, the two teams returned for the second period.
"We're back, everyone!" The announcer boomed. "The second period is now ready to get underway!"
On the ice, the line-ups have changed. The Green Machines now had Donatello (C), Raphael (RW), Dart (RD), Paxton (LW), and Sidney (LD), while the Silver Stream had Samson (C), Cecil (RW), Logan (RD), Alaric (LW), and Neville (LD). As the teams lined up for the face-off, Donatello started doing some random calculations, which confused Samson.
"Eh, what are you doing?" The viridian-haired boy quizzed.
"Figuring out the best way to win in a face-off." answered Donatello. "For example; according to my calculations, you'll lose this face-off."
"Ha! As if I'll lose to you in a face-off, nerd!" Samson smirked, just as the puck finally dropped.
Unfortunately, like Donatello had properly calculated, Samson did lose this face-off because he was so distracted by his discussion with the purple-haired boy. With the puck passed to Paxton, he passed towards Raphael, who skated towards the net and fired a shot, only to have it blocked by Sam. He then passed the puck to Logan, who passed to Alaric, then to Samson, who skated down the ice towards the opposing team's net.
"I've got it," Michelangelo thought to himself, bracing for the shot.
Samson then passed the puck back to Cecil as he prepared to take a slapshot, only for him to end up getting checked by Paxton and giving the puck to the Green Machines instead. Over at the Silver Stream bench…
"Arrrgh!" grunted Spencer, slamming his fist into the board in a fit of frustration.
Paxton passed the puck to Donatello, and then to Raphael. The angry brown-haired boy skated to the other team's net and took a shot at it. Sam deflected the puck towards Neville, who skated down the ice before trying to pass to Cecil, but Paxton intercepted and snatched the puck instead.
"Oh my! Neville's pass was intercepted by Paxton of the Green Machines!" announced the announcer.
The Silver Stream bench groaned in dismay over their teammate's misplay.
"Darn it, Neville!" complained Monty.
"He stinks as a Hockey player!" howled Alfred.
"Hey, hey! Take it easy," scolded Schemer, who had been quiet for the last little while.
Over with Paxton, the green-haired Smelter Teen skated down the ice before passing the puck to Donatello, who then passed to Raphael, who attempted yet another shot on the opposing team's net. This time, Sam was not able to stop the puck from going into the net.
"WE NOW HAVE A TIE!" The announcer declared eagerly. "It's currently 2 to 2!
The crowd cheered over the Green Machine's scoring. Over in the Silver Stream bench, Spencer was finally fed up.
"Sam! Get over here!" he called out. "I'm sending Patrick out there instead!"
"It's 'Lord Harry'!" hissed Patrick while slipping on his goalkeeper gear, but was ignored.
Sam did as he was told, slipping off his goalkeeper and entering the Silver Stream bench, while Patrick was sent onto the ice to serve as goalkeeper. Soon, the face-off in center ice began. This time, Samson won the draw and passed the puck to Alaric.
"I'll break this tie!" Alaric said to only himself. "I'll see that I do it."
The light blue-haired boy approached the net and took a shot, but Michelangelo blocked it and passed the puck to Dart, who then skated down the ice before passing to Paxton.
"Paxton approaches the net!" The announcer commented. "Can he score and break the tie between both teams?!"
Alas, Paxton's shot got deflected by Patrick. Fortunately, Raphael got hold of the puck and gave it another try, but, like the last shot, it got stopped by Patrick.
"Ha ha! Way to go, Patrick!" called Monty.
At his team's net, Patrick quietly fumed over being called by his real name instead of 'Lord Harry'. Soon, there was a whistle blow, meaning it was time for a face-off. Over in the stands…
"Man, Spencer's team is skilled," Brad thought to himself. "I have faith that the Green Machines will win though."
Back on the ice, Donatello won the draw and passed to Sidney, who then passed to Paxton, who managed to, this time, shoot the puck into the opposing team's net, scoring another goal for the Green Machines!
"We have a tie breaker; the Green Machines are now leading 3 to 2!" cried the announcer. "Great shot by Paxton!"
The crowd cheered in response. In the Silver Stream bench, Spencer crossly whistled to the line-up on the ice, causing them to skate over to the bench for a quick team meeting.
"We're not going to lose to the Green Machines!" Spencer was saying in anger. "I'm going out there again. Cecil and Alfred, you both are coming with me. Max and Monty, you two are going to help defend that net at all cost."
"You got it," agreed Max.
"We'll brutalize those chumps!" added Cecil.
"Oh yeah," agreed Alfred.
Logan tried to speak up. "Hey, it's just a game," he protested. "You guys are treating it like it's serious business or something."
"Can't you and the rest of you guys just lighten up for a moment?" added Neville.
"In case you both have forgotten, we have a bet going on!" retorted Dustin, looking at both Neville and Logan. "If we lose this game, then all of us have to cough up fifty pounds each and donate the money to the Green Machines' choice of charity."
"Wait, you guys made a bet with the other team?" asked Schemer, who had not been informed on the whole thing. "Why would you do something like that?"
"It was all Spencer's idea," accused Alaric.
"Let's just get out onto the ice!" demanded Spencer angrily. "The sooner we fight back and win, the sooner we can get four servants for our team!"
The game went on, with both teams giving it all they've got. The Silver Stream players, especially both Cecil and Alfred, started playing more roughly out of determination to try and fight back. The score ended up tied, with Alfred having scored near the end, once again when the second period finally ended.
"Oh man, I need a break!" panted Michelangelo, skating to the Green Machines bench. "Hey, Dad, mind if I sit the third period out? Let Murdoch take a crack at being the goalkeeper."
"Sure thing, Michelangelo," Mr. Splinterson accepted kindly. "You've been doing really well in the last two periods."
"Yeah," agreed Murdoch, before looking to the rest of his teammates. "Don't you guys worry, I'll make sure the Silver Stream doesn't score any more goals."
Both teams then departed for their respective locker rooms. Schemer, however, did not follow his team. Instead, he stayed at the bench and looked around at the crowd before spotting somebody there.
"It's him," Schemer thought to himself. "It's Mr. King."
The man sitting in the audience was the school's superintendent J.B. King. J.B. King was a kind, yet stern, man who had a deep love for not only the sport of Hockey, but also for trains. Schemer stared long and hard before coming to a decision - he would tell J.B. King the truth when the game ended.
(elsewhere…)
Inside the home team's locker room, the team was chatting about the game thus far and how they needed to uppen their game for the 3rd period.
"We're so close," Hank was saying. "We just need to play harder."
"We'll still have to be careful, as the Silver Streams are likely more determined than ever to kick our butts," reminded Michelangelo.
"Then we'll kick their butts right back!" suggested Raphael.
"Let's try to avoid getting into trouble," warned Den, before faltering a bit. "Err, I mean…"
"What he means is," said Dart. "there's no need to fight fire with fire."
"Good point," agreed Paxton.
Raphael had to agree with that statement, despite really wanting to teach those bullies a lesson.
(elsewhere…)
In the snack tunnel, Stanley and Rosie both were getting some treats for the 3rd period. While waiting in line, Rosie told Stanley about her rocky past.
"So, your other brother, George, was a horrible monster towards you?" asked Stanley. "Why in the world would he even bully such a sweet girl like yourself?"
"I honestly don't know," said Rosie sadly. "All I do know is that he really hated having a younger sister."
"Boy, being bullied physically and emotionally like that really must have, and please pardon the somewhat crass language, sucked."
"It truly did, but with George finally gone to Military camp and Brad being back in my life, things have gotten so much better for me," The red-haired girl then smiled. "Not only have I changed my original appearance over the summer, I've also toughened up considerably - enough to teach three jerks by the names Diesel, 'Arry, and Bert each a small lesson on the first day back to school."
"I'm glad to hear that," Stanley smiled back, before stepping up to the counter and speaking to the owner… "One hot dog and one lemonade, please."
"I'll get some popcorn and one bottle of iced tea, please," put in Rosie, handing some money out.
The canteen owner nodded and took the money from both teenagers. A minute later, he came back with a prepared hot dog and lemonade for Stanley, and a large popcorn and iced tea for Rosie.
"Enjoy," The owner advised kindly.
"Thanks," Stanley and Rosie both said at once, taking their orders and returning to the arena.
(elsewhere…)
Back in the main arena, the teams were finally coming back onto the ice for the third and final period of the whole game. In the stands…
"This is Leo and the others' last chance to turn things around," commented Annie.
"I know; I hope they can pull it off," Emily pleaded.
On the ice, Michelangelo was replaced as goalkeeper by Murdoch, while Patrick remained goalkeeper for his team. The final line-up for the Green Machines consisted of Leonardo (C), Raphael (RW), Donald (RD), Douglas (LW), and Hank (LD), while the final line-up for the SIlver Stream consisted of Spencer (C), Cecil (RW), Max (RD), Alfred (LW), and Monty (LD). Both teams lined up for the face-off.
"You guys are going down!" hissed Spencer.
"Bullies like you never win," retorted Leonardo.
Spencer simply snorted, just as the puck finally dropped. Leonardo won the draw and passed the puck towards Donald, who immediately got checked by Max.
"Nice hit, Max!" called Alaric from the bench.
Max, with the puck, passed to Cecil, who skated down the ice before passing to his twin brother, who then shot the puck at the net. However, Murdoch was able to block the shot and pass the puck to Hank.
"Go for it, Hank!" he called.
"You got it, buddy," Hank accepted, skating down the ice.
Angrily, both Cecil and Alfred rushed towards Hank, attempting to get at him. Hank, however, was able to avoid their reckless charges.
"Ouch!" The two mean boys cried out, bumping into each other.
Hank then passed the puck to Douglas, who skated down the ice towards the net belonging to the Silver Stream. Monty and Max, however, were not going to let the Scottish teenager try and shoot the puck.
"You want to shoot the puck?" growled Max.
"You'll have to get by us first!" added Monty.
Douglas glared, and the two devious red-haired boys glared back. While the glaring match was going on, Spencer was sneaking up on Douglas without him knowing.
"Hey, Douglas! Spencer's coming at you from behind!" Raphael shouted a warning. "Hurry and move out of the way!"
Gasping, Douglas quickly skated out of the way with the puck. Crying out in surprise, Spencer ended up colliding with both Max and Monty. This allowed Douglas to shoot the puck, which slipped past Patrick and into the net.
"Drat!" exclaimed Spencer, fuming over the fact the Green Machines have scored another goal.
"Good save there, Raph laddie!" called Douglas.
"No prob!" replied Raphael, giving a thumbs up.
With the Green Machines leading 4 to 3, Spencer and the likes (except Logan, Neville, and Schemer) were more angry than ever before.
"We're not going to be defeated!" Spencer shouted in frustration, slamming a fist onto the ice. "We're going to win, I tell you!"
"Yeah, we know," groaned Monty.
"Now, can you do us a favor and get off of the both of us?!" demanded Max irritably.
Spencer did so, muttering a reluctant apology to his two teammates in the process. The rest of the team then regrouped at their bench to figure out another plan.
"So, do we play even rougher now?" asked Cecil, clearly very steamed at this point.
"Yes!" ranted Spencer. "Do whatever it takes to stop those losers! We can't lose to them; we can't!"
"Guys, knock it off!" snapped Neville, trying to stand up to the not-so-nice players.
"Shut up, you!" warned Alfred. "You're not the boss of us!"
"Okay, I think I've seen and heard enough," interrupted Schemer, deciding to try and talk some sense into the players who were taking the game 'way' too seriously. "I know I can be a bit, what are the words, sneaky, foolish, and sometimes greedy, but even I draw a line at something like this!"
All of the Silver Stream players were gazing at the goofy man.
"You draw the line at this? Pah!" retorted Spencer, speaking quite rudely. "You don't even play Hockey, Schemer! You're useless!"
"No, I don't play Hockey," agreed Schemer firmly. "However, I'm still technically a teacher at Sodor High School, and I will not tolerate any of your attitudes towards me or others."
"Heh, at least he doesn't know we tried to get him to trick Raph into taking matters into his own hands," Monty whispered to Max, who then chuckled.
However…
"What?" Schemer blinked, overhearing the whispering. "What did you say? You wanted me to trick Raphael into acting reckless for the game? I thought you wanted me to help Raphael cop with his anger problem?"
"Oops," Monty and Max both gulped, realizing they just said it way too loudly.
"Nice going, blabbermouths," said Cecil sarcastically.
Schemer was very cross. "Okay, that is it!" He then stepped onto the ice and, despite the linemen's objections, spoke to the referee. "Excuse me, good sir! I have an announcement to make."
"What's this? It would seem the coach for the Silver Stream has gone onto the ice to speak to the referee!" The announcer commented. "What could it be for? Let's wait and see."
The whole crowd was puzzled by this new development. Soon, the referee nodded to Schemer and blew the whistle three times, shocking everyone in the arena.
"Oh my! It sounds like the Silver Stream coach has announced that his team is forfeiting the game to the Green Machines!" exclaimed the announcer in total surprise. "This is amazing! In all my years as play-by-play commentator, I have never seen anything quite like this!"
The entire crowd was unsure of what to make of this situation. Over at the Green Machines' bench, the whole team was equally surprised by this turn of events.
"What? Spencer's team is forfeiting the game?" recoiled Sidney.
"What's going on?" wondered Paxton.
Back at the Silver Stream bench, Spencer, taking off his helmet and throwing it down onto the ice, was furious.
"Forfeit? Us?!" he raged. "Forget it! This game is not over; we can still win!"
The rest of the team was likewise cross with the fact they lost by default. The big exception would be both Logan and Neville, and they were now truly fed up with their teammates' mean, devious, and outright nasty attitudes. Like so…
"Well, I believe we should forfeit," said Logan firmly. "After all, you guys were going way too far with your actions to try and win."
"I agree; you should be ashamed of yourselves!" added Neville. "And for the record, Logan and I both wanted no part of your scheme to try and humiliate the Green Machines."
"Grr… Shut up!" snarled Spencer, growing angrier still. "If you two don't keep your traps shut, then-"
"What are you going to do about it? Get your bully friends to beat us up?" interrupted Logan, not backing down. "That would be a very bad idea, considering there's a whole crowd of people watching."
"They would not be very happy if you and your 'friends' attempt to pound the both of us," agreed Neville bravely. "In fact, the fans likely would never come to see any of your games ever again, and I bet you wouldn't like that at all."
Before Spencer can say anything back…
"Even then, we'll make sure you guys don't hurt Logan and Neville," Leonardo spoke up, as he and his whole team skated up to the Silver Stream bench.
"You got that right, dude!" put in Michelangelo.
"You want to beat up those two? You'd have to go through us first," warned Raphael firmly.
"That's a scientific fact, jack!" finished Donatello.
Seething with anger and humiliation over being made a fool of again, Spencer turned and stormed off the ice towards the away team's locker room, with Cecil, Alfred, Alaric, Sam, Dustin, Samson, Max, Monty, and Patrick all following their team captain. Only Logan and Neville both remained behind.
"Hey, thanks for standing up for us like that," smirked Raphael. "I think you both are cool dudes."
"Hey, it's no problem at all," replied Logan. "After all, Neville and I are not like those guys."
"This raises a question; why were you two even hanging out with Spencer and his posse in the first place?" asked Donatello.
"Even though they're nothing but bad news," put in Paxton.
"Logan and I both love the sport of Hockey," said Neville. "When we were looking for potential school teams to join early into the year, the rosters were already full. Spencer happened to be in the area when that happened, and he offered us both a spot on the Silver Stream. However, he also said that we must obey his every rule."
"Major bummer, dude," commented Michelangelo gloomily.
"I'll take it that he and some of his friends, such as Cecil and Alfred, were being threatening towards you both as a result?" figured Murdoch. "In case either of you tried to speak up against them?"
"Pretty much, but not anymore," Logan went on. "We're quitting the Silver Stream at this very moment!"
"And I'm going to resign from my position as the team's coach," added Schemer. "Hockey just isn't my thing, and I kinda like being the school's guidance counselor so much more."
"Don't forget also being the owner of the school's only arcade," winked Raphael.
Michelangelo's eyes widened. "Y-You have…an arcade?!"
"I sure do," confirmed Schemer pleasantly, causing the black-haired boy to grow extremely excited. "Come to my office next week, and I'll gladly show you it," He then remembered something important… "But first, I have to go and see someone."
The goofy man then left the ice, leaving the Green Machines wondering what was needed to be done.
(elsewhere…)
Inside one of the tunnels, J.B. King was preparing to make his leave for home when…
"Wait up, Mr. King!" The voice of Schemer shouted, catching the school superintendent's attention.
Soon, Schemer ran up to J.B. King, out of breath from running and trying to catch up.
"Horace, and what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you?" smiled J.B. King, before becoming puzzled when he remembered the end results of the game. "Hold on, what reason was there for your team to forfeit the game? There was still only 16 minutes left on the clock."
"Let's just say my players were going waaaay too far to want to win, and I didn't take kindly to it," explained Schemer. "Not only that, I have a confession to make… I lied to you about being such a Hockey expert."
"You what?"
"You see, I badly wanted a job on the school board," The goofy man went on, now feeling bad. "but I knew you would not give me such a job that easily. So, when I heard you were such a big Hockey fan, I pretended to know so much about it to try and impress you, hoping that if I was successful enough to coach a team at Sodor High School you would offer me a job."
J.B. King frowned. "I see," he whispered, sounding a bit stern. "So, what you're telling me is that you know very little about the sport, and basically lied to me about the whole thing?"
"Y-Yes, sir. That is what I'm telling you," admitted Schemer sadly. "I'm really, really sorry."
There was a long silence between the two men. Soon, J.B. King's frown turned into a more happy look.
"Well, I'm pleased you decided to tell me the truth on the matter," The school superintendent pointed out. "And you decided to forfeit the game after some of your players decided to go too far?"
"It was the right thing to do in my eyes," answered Schemer.
"Well then, I'm even more pleased to hear that," smiled J.B. King. "In fact, in light of your actions, I would like to offer you a job on the school board. You deserve it, Horace."
Schemer felt very happy, yet disappointed. Happy, because he was actually being offered a job on the school board, and disappointed because this wasn't how he wanted it to be offered to him. Eventually, the goofy man came to a decision on the matter…
"It's really nice of you to offer such a job, sir, but I'd like to turn it down," declined Schemer.
J.B. King was surprised. "Wait, what?" he gasped in disbelief. "You want to turn the offer down? Good grief, man! I mean it; you deserve a job on the school board."
"After all that's happened in the last few days, I think I'm far happier with my position as Sodor High School's guidance counselor." said Schemer modestly. "Maybe someday, I'll take you up on your offer."
"Well, I now understand your reasons for turning down the job," accepted J.B. King, holding his right hand out. "Whenever you're ready to accept it, the door will be open to you."
Schemer accepted the handshake. From there, he turned and, quite accidentally, tripped and fell over while colliding with a garbage can, knocking it over and spilling its contents all over him.
"I'm okay!" The goofy man exclaimed, much to J.B. King's amusement.
(elsewhere…)
In another hallway, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael all emerged from the home team's locker room with their respective gym bags hung over their shoulders; Mr. Splinterson then emerged carrying the large Hockey bag filled with equipment. Soon, they all met up with Thomas, Percy, Emily, Annie, and Clarabel, who were walking down the hall to leave.
"That was a great game, you four," praised Thomas.
"You guys won!" added Emily.
"Even though it was by default," finished Percy.
"Thanks, little dudes and dudettes," grinned Michelangelo. "Although I'm rather disappointed that it was only because Spencer's team ended up forfeiting. It's not the best way to win, but hey, whatever works."
"I guess this means every player of the Silver Stream has to pay up fifty pounds to our team's choice of charity," put in Raphael.
"Actually, they won't need to do that," interrupted Donatello.
"Yeah, since Logan and Neville both managed to damage Spencer and his group's ego quite badly, I believe that's more than enough justice for me," said Leonardo. "I think we'll let the Silver Stream off the hook."
"Glad to hear that," nodded Emily. "Well, we'll see you guys at school on Monday."
"See you later!" waved Annie and Clarabel at once.
As the Brighton family, plus both Percy and Emily, turned and walked away. Raphael went and nudged at Leonardo's side.
"Leo, don't stand there like an idiot!" he whispered sternly. "Go and ask her."
Leonardo felt uneasy about what he was about to do, but with encouraging nods from his younger brother and two best friends he decided to do it.
"Emily, hold up!" The dirty blonde-haired boy called out.
Thomas, Percy, Emily, Annie, and Clarabel all stopped and turned around, seeing Leonardo walk up.
"Leo?" asked Emily. "What's wrong?"
"I… I, err…" stuttered Leonardo, trying to find the right words to say. "I've been wondering about something… Will… will you go out on a date with me…tomorrow night?"
Thomas, Percy, Annie, and Clarabel were all very surprised by the question, but none more so than Emily herself.
"You…want me…to go out…with you?" she asked slowly, not knowing what to say.
"Y-Yes." confirmed Leonardo. "From my first day at Sodor High School where we met, I've grown very fond of you. And… a-and…"
"And what?"
"And, well, the truth is I have a crush on you." The dirty blonde-haired boy went on, while Michelangelo snickered quietly. "I really want to go out with you."
Over with Thomas, he felt yet another sting in his heart; this particular sting felt more painful than the last times he felt those stings whenever Emily and Leonardo became close to one another, whether it's when Leonardo kissed Emily's hand, or that time Emily kissed Leonardo on the cheek. Unfortunately, what Emily said next made the sting even more hurtful…
"S-Sure, Leo." Emily accepted, blushing bashfully. "I'll go out with you tomorrow night."
"Really? You mean it?" asked Leonardo hopefully.
Emily nodded. "I do mean it."
"W-Wow, that's great!" Leonardo smiled widely. "How should we meet up? Do you want to meet me at my house, or do you want me to come pick you up at your place?"
"I don't mind coming to your place, Leo." answered Emily, while hiding the main reason for the offer. "How about…6:30?"
"Nice!" agreed Leonardo, handing the dark green-haired girl a piece of paper with his home address scribbled on it. "I'll see yoo tomorrow night, lass."
With that said, he, his Father, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael all left in the other direction. Thomas, Percy, Annie, Clarabel, and Emily all looked on before the former four looked at Emily.
"Wow, Emily; it looks like you'll be going on your first real date tomorrow evening," said Annie innocently.
"Boy, talk about a plot twist if I ever saw one," agreed Percy.
"How do you feel about it?" asked Clarabel.
Emily did not say anything; all she could do was bring both hands to her heart and blush. Thomas, meanwhile, felt greatly saddened that his good friend was going on a date with Leonardo. The big question though, is how will our main heroine fare on a real date? Why don't we find that out next time?