After quite a while, here is the forth episode of my Thomas fanfic series. Nia and Rebecca were introduced sometime while I was still writing season one of my series, I wanted to write a couple of episodes each that focused on them for season two. I decided to go with Nia first, and for her first story I adapted/rewrote (to an extent) "forever and ever" and have it be from Nia's perspective as much as it was with Gordon in that episode, and I hope I fulfilled that. Anyways, here is my first of many stories about this unique engine.

Nia's new home part 1

Nia is an orange tank engine from Kenya. She was owned by a private industry and delivered goods for them. The industry unfortunately closed down and Nia was left homeless for a while. Her owners didn't want to give her the final firing, but noone had room for another engine, and preservation was out of the question too. So Nia went around africa doing odd jobs for people around the country, that was until she met Thomas. Both her and Thomas would go on to Brazil, get seperated by a rotten race car in America, reunite in China, and finally made it back to Sodor. Sir Topham Hatt (whom had been trying to follow thomas) came back a couple of days later and welcomed her to the North Western Railway. This is the story of how she adjusted to her new life.

It had been a few days since Nia arrived on sodor, she was currently staying at Tidmouth sheds with the bigger mainline engines until she would be assigned to work somewhere else on the island. "Good morning everybody. Isn't it a lovely day?" she said as she woke up one morning. Gordon, who was next to her in the sheds, scoffed. "Personally I prefer clouds." he grumbled as he puffed out of the sheds. Nia was surprised by Gordon's reaction. "What's the matter with Gordon?" she asked. "He's just upset about Edward, Thomas, and Percy leaving the sheds." answered Crovan as he left for his first train. "...and about me moving in." Nia said sadly. "Don't be upset." said Henry. "Gordon's just not one who adjusts easily to change. He's quite nice really, just give him some time." he added. "Thomas, Edward, and Percy aren't the only ones leaving Tidmouth sheds though." "Oh yes." said Alfred has he was steaming up. "did Sir Topham Hatt agree to your request?" "We'll find out soon enough." said Henry.

Later, Gordon had pulled into Knapford station, platform 1. He heard Nia's whistle as she shunted the express coaches behind him. She decided to try talking to Gordon again. "good morning again, Gordon." she said cheerfully. "You don't usually bring me my coaches." grunted Gordon, "Gordon." said Sir Topham Hatt "don't be so rude, Nia is a very welcome addition to the railway. Apologize at once." he ordered. "Sorry Nia." said Gordon "But please Sir, why can't the other engines come back? They're supposed to sleep at Timouth sheds." Sir Topham Hatt sighed "Gordon, we've been over this. Edward sleeps at Wellsworth because it's the start of his branchline. The same goes with Thomas and Percy at Ffarquar sheds." Just then, Henry pulled up at Platform 6. "Ah, Henry. I though about your idea, and I've decided to go through with it." Said Sir Topham Hatt. "Wait- What idea?" stammered Gordon "Noone told me!" "I've been taking a lot of trains to the mainland lately, and I decided it'd be more convinient if I stayed at Vicarstown from now on." explained Henry. "WHAT!" shouted Gordon, his voice echoing throught the station.

"You can't leave Tidmouth sheds-you can't force Henry out of the sheds-why don't you just-just GO AHEAD AND CHANGE EVERYTHING!!" shouted Gordon, losing any and all composure he had had. "SHALL I PUSH MY COACHES FROM NOW ON INSTEAD OF PULLING THEM, SIR?!" he said as he backed down on his coaches and began pushing them backwards and bumping into Nia in the process. "Gordon, what do you think you are doing!?" shouted Sir Topham Hatt. Gordon then pulled into the goods yard and pushed away Annie and Clarabel who were waiting for Thomas to collect them. "COME ALONG ANNIE AND CLARABEL, I'LL TAKE YOU ON THOMAS' BRANCHLINE FOR A CHANGE!!" bellowed Gordon "No Gordon, Thomas is supposed to take us." cried Annie. Just then, Gordon noticed a few trucks on a nearby siding, and decided to bump them instead. "WHY DON'T I JUST SHUNT TRUCKS WHILE NIA TAKES THE EXPRESS, WHY DON'T WE JUST CHANGE EVERYTHING!?" Gordon continued, then he steamed off to look for other things to do "for a change". "Gordon, i've had quite enough of your nonsense!" bellowed Sir Topham Hatt as Gordon huffed away. "What's wrong with him?" asked Billy who had been watching.

"First Thomas and Percy leave for that vulgar branchline of theirs, then Edward goes away to Wellsworth, and now Henry is moving out too!" Gordon ranted. Then a thought struck him. "Maybe now Edward can come back. It'd be better if everyone could come back, but one engine is better than none." said Gordon as he headed towards the Brendam branchline. He found Edward at Brendam docks waiting for his goods to be loaded, and proposed his idea to him. "Well Edward, what do you think?" Gordon finished. "Thanks for asking, Gordon. 'again' But i'm very happy at Wellsworth" Edward declined. Just then Phillip pulled in. "You'd better hurry back to Knapford and collect your coaches, Gordon. Sir Topham Hatt says you're causing-" "CONFUSION AND DELAY!" finished a voice. It was Sir Topham Hatt, he had just pulled up in Winston. "Gordon, you're usually one of my most sensible engines, but you've been acting quite childishly over this whole ordeal. If you won't take the express, you can stay in your shed." he boomed. Usually, the threat of not taking the express was enough for Gordon to step back in line, but this time he was too upset to care. "FINE SIR, I WILL!" said the big engine as he left the docks. Sir Topham Hatt sighed "I'm sorry about that, Edward." he said turning to the other, smaller blue engine. "It's alright Sir." said Edward "I know I'd be upset about my friends moving out too... but maybe not to that extent..."

Nia worked at Knapford yards for the rest of the day. Though the shunters and some passing engines tried comforting her, she couldn't stop thinking about what Gordon had said and done that morning. Despite how rude he had been, she couldn't help but sympathize with him. That night, she puffed back to Tidmouth sheds and saw that Gordon was facing backwards in the shed, she puffed up next to him. "Gordon, Gooordon? Do you often sleep while facing backwards?" Gordon jolted awake. "I personally don't think this is such a good idea, how can you see where you're going when you exit the sheds?" "I won't be going out, I'm staying in here forever and ever." pouted Gordon. Nia sighed "I know change is hard, my whole life has changed within the past few weeks." said Nia "I'm in a new country on a new railway, and my friends are much farther away than you're friends are, or are going to be." she said. "But do you know what?" she asked. "My old friends are still my friends, no matter how far away we are." she finished, as she backed out of the sheds to turn around. Gordon thought about what Nia had said, and now he felt ashamed. "I've been such a silly engine." he said to himself. "Tomorrow, I'll make things right."

The next morning the engines were getting ready for another day's work. "I wonder who'll be pulling the express today? Alfred perhaps, or maybe another engine might want a try?" Nia asked cheekily. "I will be pulling the express today, as I am the express engine." Gordon said firmly as he backed out, but he couldn't see that the turntable wasn't facing towards his line, Nia could. "Wait, Gordon, STOP!" she cried. Gordon heard her shouting, and could feel his tender's back set of wheels leave the rails and his tender starting to lean down into the turntable well. He jumped and immediately shot forward. "If you don't wait for the turtable to line up, you will fall off the tracks!" said Nia. The turntable was soon facing the right way, and Gordon backed down onto it. "Thank you for saving me, Nia." said Gordon "I'm sorry for my behavior towards you yesterday, and that you can't see your old friends anymore." he added. "It's alright now Gordon. As I said, my old friends are still my friends." said Nia. "But I'm more than happy to be friends with you." she added. "Right then. Welcome to the North Western Railway, Nia." replied Gordon. "Thanks, and maybe we can both be friends with the other new engine." said Nia.

"Wait, there's ANOTHER NEW ENGINE COMING, WHAT OTHER NEW ENGINE?!" shouted Gordon. "We don't know yet, but now that Henry's no longer going to sleep here, someone will need to fill that empy berth you know." teased Nia. "OHH NOOOOOOOOOOO!!" cried Gordon and he hurried away. Crovan, who was nearby steaming up, chucked. "Oh dear, whatever happened to 'EXPRESS COMING THROOOUUGGHH'." he chortled. "Shame i couldn't take the express today." he added. "Looks like I've got my usual slow goods today. What about you, Nia?" "I'm going to be working on Thomas' branchline." said Nia excitedly. "Well then, good luck." said Crovan as Nia puffed away...