Amelia and the Western Mermaids

This is the third story written in the 10th Grade year (2011-2012) and the sixteenth story in the series. It continues from where 'Rachael and the Charge of the Mermaids' left off and give Amelia an introduction. As previously the story takes place in late November 2011.

Summery
Having been knocked out upon exiting the Magic Railroad whilst escaping the Merminator Armand wakes up in a house where he finds his friends gathered in the kitchen along with Amelia, a girl who had been in the class for 9th Grade but had left at the start of 10th Grade. Armand eventually discovers that they are in the current home of Sophia Eve who had cut her hair short and dyed it green (much to Armand's horror).

He also learns that it was Lady who transported Thomas the Tank Engine, Little Engine (aka the Little Engine that Could) and the kids onto the Magic Railroad as she needs asistance. She had wanted everyone in the Indian Valley in California (her current location) but the sudden transition had caused Thomas to jolt roughly causing his passengers (Armand, Willa, Rachael, Thea, Hannah, Kat and Olenka) to fall out and travel on another branch of the Magic Railroad to Oregon where Sophia Eve now lives.

Rachael reveals to have lost the sparkle whistle while on the magic railroad so they can't go instantly to the Indian Valley. Sophia Eve helps the kids get a train down to Big City, California where they would take a train to Indian Valley from there. They take the preserved Southern Pacific's Daylight #4449 down though Armand is reluctant to leave having just reunited with Sophia Eve. Disappointed that she can't join them, Armand mopes for most of the journey.

By the time they reach Big City it's night time and too late to catch a train to Indian Valley so the group spends the night with Lily, a friend of Thomas. The next day they take a train to Shining Time, a railway town located in the heart of Indian Valley. There they meet Alisa and Rose Tui who take them to the engines.

Armand analyses the situation: Lady is low on coal and won't be able to make it back to Sodor where the only coal she can run on is located. Little Engine ended in front of Lady but can't pull her because Lady doesn't have a front coupler. Thomas is behind Lady and could push her but he himself is low on coal. There is also no way Little Engine can get behind them because they are on a single line.

Armand decides another engine is needed to push the engines and finds one retired on a siding at Shining Time, but it would take time trying to make the engine operational. Meanwhile the Merminator and his lackeys find their way to Indian Valley on the Nightmare Train bent on recapturing their nemasis.

Back in 9th Grade Amelia had heard about the Merminator and, unlike Rachael, accepted that he is evil and decides to become the 'Merminator Terminator'. Now she is uncertain. The Merminator comes across her and tries to talk her into abandoning all thought of becoming a mermaid in order to save her life. Amelia dismisses him.

While waiting for Armand to make preperations the others go to Lucky Lake, another station in the Indian Valley. There Amelia discovered another place where mermaid magic resides. She gets mermaid magic of her own and anounces the news to her friends. Unfortunately the Merminator also finds out and threatens to destroy her as well as the other mermaids. Amelia and the others lead him and the other villains back to Shining Time where they face each other western showdown style.

The kids use their mermaid powers to fight the Merminator and the Nightmare Train who in turn attacks them with Supernatural powers and demons and wraiths.

Meanwhile Armand, finding out what's going on, finishes his preperations and uses the locomotive to pull Thomas and Lady back to the duel. With Lady on their side the kids have a better advantage. Lady uses her magic to banish the Nightmare Train from the Valley and the kids fight against the Merminator and his lackeys until he surrenders.

The kids board Thomas and Lady and everyone makes their way back to Little Enigne. Little Engine offers to run ahead to make sure nothing is on the line ahead of them. Armand, the only kid in the old locomotive, drives the train until a certain point when he'll go ahead and board Thomas. Lady would activate a magic railroad portal once up to speed transporting herself, Thomas, Little Engine and the kids to Sodor while the locomotive will continue to run until it's fire dies down.

Armand is about to jump to Thomas when the train starts picking up speed. Armand discovers the Merminator tampering with the controls and goes back to confront him. The Merminator exits the cab and goes along the engine as well. The two are about to fight when the locomotive's funnel explodes as the Merminator snuck a presto log into the firebox in order to sabotage the entire plan. The train instantly picks up incredible speed and bumps into Little Engine who is taken by surprise. Armand and the Merminator have lost their footing and are dangling from the railing of the train.

Willa and Amelia board the locomotive to rescue Armand whilst avoiding the shooting bolts. They do so successfully and reboard Thomas. Then Lady teleports everyone to the magic railroad while the Locomotive, with the Merminator still on board, plunges off the end of the track and into a ravine.

On Sodor Little Engine goes to collect coal for Thomas and Lady. Amelia remarks that she missed being with everyone and decides that she'll return to the school for the second half of the year. Armand adds that he's glad to be with the friends he has and the kids return to the school.

Kids

 * Amelia
 * Rachael
 * Willa
 * Danielle
 * Alisa
 * Rose Tui
 * Katherine
 * Hannah
 * Thea
 * Sophia Eve
 * Armand
 * Gabriel
 * Taylor
 * Yaniv
 * Julian
 * Lukas
 * Dakota
 * Sabine
 * Alana
 * Sophia

Trains

 * Thomas the Tank Engine
 * Little Engine
 * Lady
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * The Nightmare Train

Created Characters

 * The Merminator
 * The Merminator's Bodyguard 1
 * The Merminator's Bodyguard 2
 * The Merminator's Strongman
 * The Merminator's Gangster

Songs

 * In My Life (TBD)
 * Endlessly (TBD)
 * Back to Me - Jesse Smith and Blind Optimism (TBD)
 * I Know How the Moon Must Feel - Dayna Manning