Knuckles Takes Charge

Cast

 * RS Mr. Conductor (from Shining Time Station) as Thomas
 * Homer (from The Simpsons) as Henry
 * Garfield (from Garfield and Friends) as Gordon
 * Billy Twofeathers (from Shining Time Station) as Murdoch
 * Hank Hill (from King of the Hill) as Hank
 * Knuckles (from Sonic) as Axel
 * Splodge (from Blinky Bill) as Shane
 * Papa Q. Bear (from The Berenstain Bears) as Bear
 * Mighty Moe (from TUGS) as Rocky
 * Mayor Adam West (from Family Guy) as Sir Topham Hatt
 * Schemer (from Shining Time Station) as James (cameo)
 * Bart (from The Simpsons) as Percy (cameo)
 * Shadow (from Sonic) as Spencer (cameo)
 * Little Miss Somersault (from Mr. Men) as Wendy the Light Blue Tender Engine (cameo)
 * Roger Baxter (from Littlest Pet Shop (2012)) as BoCo (cameo)
 * Wade (from Garfield) as Derek (cameo)
 * Franklin (from Franklin) as Skarloey (cameo)
 * Russell (from Littlest Pet Shop (2012)) as Victor (cameo)
 * Courage (from Courage the Cowardly Dog) as Kevin (cameo)

Transcript
Narrator: Splodge had hurt his foot, and had to go to the hospital to be examined.

Splodge: Sir, who's going to look after my trains while I'm being examined?

Adam West: Don't worry, Splodge. I've re-arranged Billy, Hank and Papa Bear's schedules so they can look after your work. I'll also be bringing in another character to help keep my railway running smoothly.

Splodge: Okay, sir.

Narrator: The new engine was a red echidna from Belguim. He was streamlined and very fast.

Knuckles: I'm here!

Sir Topham Hatt: Right on time! Characters, this is Knuckles. He'll be helping out while Splodge is being repaired. If his performance is very good, he will join the village. So please make him feel welcome. Knuckles, I believe either Billy, Hank or Papa Bear could use some help with an extra job right now. They'll let you know what they need help with.

Knuckles: Thank you, sir.

Billy: Welcome to the railway, Knuckles. I'm Billy Twofeathers.

Hank: I'm Hank Hill.

Papa Bear: And my name is Papa Q. Bear, like the animal.

Knuckles: Nice to meet you all. Is there anything I can do right now?

Billy: Well, I need to take Splodge's passenger train in about five minutes. If you could take my morning goods train to Vicarstown, that would save us some time.

Knuckles: Right! I'll get started right away.

Narrator: So Knuckles went to the shunting yard to pick up the goods train. And soon, he was on his way to Vicarstown. As he puffed along, he met more engines.

Knuckles: Hi there. The name's Knuckles. I'm helping out in the village.

RS Mr. Conductor: Nice to meet you. My name's RS Conductor. Are you filling in for someone?

Knuckles: Well, an engine named Splodge broke down. So Billy is taking his train while I take Billy's train.

RS Mr. Conductor: I see.

Knuckles: (Seeing they're coming to Garfield's Hill) Race you up the hill!

RS Mr. Conductor: You're on!

(RS Conductor and Knuckles race up the hill, and Knuckles makes it to the top first)

RS Mr. Conductor: Wow! You're very fast, Knuckles!

Knuckles: Just built for speed.

Narrator: Over the next few days, Knuckles proved himself to be a hard working character. The other characters were very impressed.

Homer: Wow, Knuckles! You've managed to get your work done early. You're amazing!

Knuckles: That's all thanks to my speed.

Garfield: Even I don't get my work done early all the time and I was built for speed too.

Knuckles: That's one of the good things about being a streamlined character.

Narrator: But I'm afraid to say that Knuckles let the praise go to his brain.

Knuckles: You know, Homer says I'm amazing, and he's right. I've a smart jacket, I'm very fast and lots of people have wanted to see me.

Billy: Careful what you say, Knuckles. I've heard stories of engines on this characters that have talked like that, and soon got into trouble.

Knuckles: Well, I'm not like those other engines, am I?

(Knuckles puffs away)

Knuckles: Hank, why don't you let me take your coaches today? I'm sure passengers would love it if I was taking them.

Hank: No, thank you, Knuckles. I'm fine right now.

Knuckles: But I'm a very important engine. I might be the most important engine on the island.

Hank: No engine is the most important. And anyway, don't you have another job to do?

Knuckles: Yes, yes. I'll get right on it.

(Knuckles arrives at Vicarstown)

Knuckles: Here's the Amazing Knuckles! Look at that, Papa Bear! Ten minutes early!

Papa Bear: Knuckles, you really shouldn't try to be the best character, or whatever game you're playing. You're just going to get into trouble.

Knuckles: Nonsense! I know what I'm doing. I finished my work early most of the time in my old village. Gotta go now. See ya.

Papa Bear: Oh.

Narrator: That evening, all Papa Bear, Hank and Billy could talk about was Axel.

Papa Bear: He's really starting to be arrogant.

Billy: And cocky.

Hank: And very annoying. But he'll learn his lesson, eventually.

Papa Bear: I hope you're right, Hank.

Billy: So do I.

Narrator: The next day, Knuckles was getting ready for his first job of the day. He had to take some trucks to Killdane Station.

Knuckles: One day, I'll show those three characters how they can deliver goods trains better. (Billy, Hank and Papa Bear arrive) Oh! There they are.

Papa Bear: Knuckles, we really have to talk to you.

Knuckles: That's great, because I need to tell you three something. I'm going to tell you how you can deliver goods a lot better than you have in the past. You have to race along the line at fast you as can. Maybe you can go as fast as me if you try.

Hank: You need to stop it, Knuckles! You're not better than us.

Billy: What Hank really means is that no character is perfect, but we're all special in our own way. You have speed, which is good.

Papa Bear: But just because we're not fast doesn't mean you're better.

Knuckles: I guess we'll have to see. I must get going.

Papa Bear: We tried.

Billy: Either he learns today or never.

Narrator: Later, Knuckles had picked up his trucks, and was heading up the main line.

Knuckles: Oh! There's Billy. I'm going to challenge him to a race. (Races up alongside Billy) Race to the top of the hill that's coming up!

Billy Knuckles!

Knuckles: You're not racing, so I'm going to win! (Knuckles races up to the top of Garfield's Hill) I win! I win!

Narrator: But when Knuckles started to go down the other side, he realized that he was going much too fast to be safe.

Knuckles: Oh no! I need to slow down! (Knuckles brakes hard) No, no, no! (Knuckles and some of his trucks derail at a bend) Ow!

Billy: Knuckles! What happened?

Axel: I was going too fast, and I derailed.

Murdoch: I'll go get help, Axel. Stay there.

Axel: That's all I can do.

Murdoch: Oh! Right.

Narrator: Murdoch stopped at the nearest signal box, and told the signalman about Axel. The signalman phoned for help. And Hank was asked to take Rocky to lift Axel back onto the rails.

Rocky: Hello. You must be the new engine, Axel. My name is Rocky, and I'll lift you back onto the rails.

Axel: Thanks, Rocky. And thank you, Hank.

Bear: I've come to take your trucks, Axel.

Axel: Thank you, Bear.

Murdoch: And I'll take you to the steamworks.

Axel: Thank you, Murdoch. I owe all three of you an apology. I was just too delighted by the praise everyone was giving me. So, I'm sorry.

Hank: I forgive you, Axel.

Bear: Me two.

Murdoch: Me three.

Narrator: Sir Topham Hatt was at the steamworks when Murdoch and Axel arrived.

Sir Topham Hatt: Axel, I thought I'd let you know that Shane is repaired and will return to work.

Axel: Yes, sir.

Sir Topham Hatt: However, despite your accident today, I was impressed by your performance in the past couple days. So I've decided that you shall join my railway, as long as you can learn from your mistakes.

Axel: That's great, sir! Thank you! And I can learn from my mistake. I promise I will never show off again in future.

Sir Topham Hatt: Good!

Narrator: Not much damage was done to Axel, so his repairs were done by evening. He puffed into the Vicarstown Sheds with Hank, Shane, Murdoch and Bear.

Axel: Hello, all! Guess what? I'm going to be joining the railway. Sir Topham Hatt decided to keep me since he was impressed by my performance in the last few days. And I promised him I wouldn't show off again in future.

Shane: That's great, mate!

Bear: I'm glad you're going to be part of our railway, Axel.

Hank: We all are.

Murdoch: And we're glad you've learned your lesson, and won't show off again.

Axel: As you said, Murdoch, we're all special in our own way.