Making Tracks

**Making Tracks** is the fifth episode of Mobini Adventures.

## Characters

* Sophocles Who
* Princess Acorn the Ricky
* Johnny Lightfoot the Pocky
* Porker Lewis the Picky
* Tux the Pecky
* Joe Sushi the Rocky
* Chirps the Cucky
* Flicky the Flicky
* Mr. Conductor I (First appearance)
* Mr. Conductor II (Mentioned)
* Mr. Conductor III (Mentioned)
* Mr. Conductor Junior (Mentioned)
* Mr. Conductor's aunt (Mentioned)
* Sister Conductor (Mentioned)
* Rachael Hops
* Blake Prisma
* Brandon Mutt

## Plot

The Mobinis are watching Thomas the Tank Engine (or Thomas and Friends as it's known as at the time), the episode was *Emily's New Coaches*. Sophocles watches with interest and notes Thomas' design resembles an engine he saw at a railroad museum before he adopted the Mobinis and he mentions that the show is British, which is way it's referred to as a railway. Many narrators had narrated the show throughout the course of its run and Sophocles is curious at a movie known as *Thomas and the Magic Railroad*. This only brings more confusion to railway/railroad terminology and Porker is curious about the earlier episodes possibly explaining the engines' sentience. Princess doesn't care if they don't as she feels it's fun to see engines go about their daily lives. Chirps suddenly sees a 7 inch person vanish from a bookcase when Sophocles asks the Mobinis for help to put groceries away, but, the others all chalk it up to his imagination.

Later, Sophocles shows the Mobinis the videos he bought for them and the mysterious figure Chirps saw before makes himself known. He introduces himself to the Mobinis as a railroad sprite known as Mr. Conductor and Princess introduces herself, her friends, and their caretaker to him. Mr. Conductor also realizes they've found out about 'his friend Thomas,' and Tux is surprised to realize Thomas is real. Mr. C confirms it to be true, but, in another world, several worlds in fact. Mr. Conductor travels to other worlds all the time, even Mobius, but, the Chaos Energy means he cannot stay there for long. For some reason, he finds Mobius is easier to handle than usual and Sophocles admits Mobius and Earth are partly merged, hence why the group had found out about Thomas and Friends at all. The video "Best of Thomas" is put on the TV, on Mr. C's request, and everyone watches.

Porker is curious about the engine's sentience and Mr. C begins to tell the story of the first sentient vehicle, at least from one certain world. This engine is called Clive and he became alive in 1856, long before anyone in the current time was born. He also met his two brothers, Neil and Matthew, and all three were due to go to the Island of Sodor for the Sodor and Mainland Railway which was currently under construction via horses, which Clive had to explain to his younger brothers.

Over several years, many sentient vehicles appeared, from engines to aircraft to tugboats and the Mobinis see two tugboats named Ten Cents and Hercules, the former mentioning he needs some help in the docksides of Bigg City Port. Mr. C also explains many bits of knowledge of these vehicles, from them eventually expiring and dying, having much longer lifespans than flesh and blood creatures, and he also tells the Mobinis and Sophocles about his three cousins, sister Conductor - who is really one of his cousins' sisters - and aunt, Lily. Mr. C also recommends they put on Thomas Breaks the Rules and Other Stories next, which will introduce the group to another sentient vehicle known as Harold the helicopter.

The final episode on the tape was Percy and Harold, where the two titular characters raced each other. Mr. C reports that in the world he's referring to, Harold and Percy didn't actually race and Percy would have still lost the 'race' even if he was traveling light. Johnny is confused by that and Mr. C explains that Percy wouldn't have had any train if he were traveling light. Thomas and Bertie's race, however, *did* happen, but, Thomas and Bertie got into legal trouble with speeding and were shunted in Railgate. Princess wonders if there's any romantic relationships with sentient vehicles, to which Mr. C confirms and everyone gets to watching *Thomas and the Magic Railroad* when it's mentioned it introduces Thomas' girlfriend, but, not in the same way she looks in the movie, and two of Mr. C's cousins are in it.

The Mobinis are disappointed because Thomas and his engine friends were barely in it. Flicky wonders why Edward wasn't in the movie and Mr. C guessed his model wasn't ready. Joe thinks Toby's voice suits him. Chirps thinks Diesel 10 is scary and Mr. C mentions that PT Boomer wanted Lady scrapped alive or forced a Final Firing, both acts are illegal. Everyone is confused as to what a Final Firing is, so Mr. C explains that it was made only when an engine was damaged beyond repair and a vehicle must consent to such a transaction. Mr. C also explains that other reasons for this could be they are two proud to retire or it's truly the only option they have and an owner must comply if such a request is made whatever the reason. When such a choice is made, one or two of their closest friends see them off, and the Black Water is poured into their system, putting them to sleep they don't wake up from. Then, and only then, is it legal to scrap them. Flicky, seeing everyone's sombre mood, asks Mr. C if Thomas and Kate ended up meeting like they did in the movie, but, Mr. C tells them she was built for a coal mine and shows the group a picture of what she really looks like. A commemorative plate is built by Burnett Stone in memory of Tasha, hence why Kate's nameplate reads 'Lady.' Princess is curious for Kate and Thomas' first meeting, but, Mr. C has to go and tells the group to enjoy the VHS. He disappears in a cloud of gold dust and Joe jokes that at least *Thomas and the Magic Railroad* explained what gold dust was as the episode ends.

## Trivia

* The basic idea of the Mobinis being introduced to Thomas and Friends was suggested by TobyandMavisForever2. She wasn't, however, hoping for this to be a near crossover of The Sudrian Dozen, more so, she was expecting it to be the Mobinis imagining what life would be on Sodor and choosing favorite characters to pretend to be.