forward: this fic is based off a RP. Huodem is a billionaire, who works at a pub. Daniella is Diesel 10's sister, and Jason and Mark are Sir Topham Hatt's helpers.
It was a cold and gusty night. A snowstorm had fallen upon the Island of Sodor, and everyone was inside.
A young girl in her early twenties emptied a dustpan into the trash bin, wiping her brow.
"Goodnight, Huodem!" Called Mark over his shoulder as he left the pub, cold air blasting it's way into the place.
"Goodnight!" She called back, placing his glass in the sink. It was rather late, and the howling wind only seemed to get worse. It didn't help that she had to walk home. Shivering, Huodem pulled on her trench coat, gloves, hoodscarf and backpack on. Locking the door, she ducked under the bar door and made her way through the kitchen and towards the rear door.
She lit her guard's lamp and locked the back door, shivering. She quickly patted her boot leg to see if her knife was there; it was. Good. Best be if I took the rails back home, that way I don't get lost. She set off, the wind screaming it's mournful song in her ears. The lamp's light barely penetrated the white-out snow, making it almost impossible to see almost anything. Keyword: almost. A faint shape was visible in the distance, the shape of an engine. No engine would be out in this weather. She thought, hurrying along to see if they needed help.
"Dammit." Daniella growled, her engine sputtering. It hurt, and the cold weather wasn't doing her any good at all. Looking around, she saw a figure holding a lamp take form in the heavy snow. She blared her horn; the two-toned wail was swept up by the wind. "Hey! Get off the tracks you dim bulb!" She shouted, grimacing at the wind blasting in her face.
Huodem came face-to-face with Daniella, and was taken aback by the one-eyed warship. "I-I'm terribly sorry." She stammered, holding the lamp up higher so she might see more of the engine's face. "I-I just wanted to see if you need help." Damn it. Let's go, no more dodling! Her inner voice said, slapping a metaphorical face.
Straightening up, she tried again. "You're engine sounds like it needs repairs. Your driver can go into town, there's a hardware shop open." She looked over Daniella. "You know what? Nevermind. Let's call someone to shunt you to a shed." Huodem adjusted the lamp's flame, causing more light to be cast upon the two.
Daniella looked up at the woman. She wasn't in the exact definition of feeling well; and it was freezing cold. It would be nice to sleep in a warm shed than straining her engine in this storm, trying to get back to the other railway.
"You know what? I'll take you up on your offer." She coughed a couple times. "I'm awful tired. The name's Daniella." She coughed again. "I'm from the other railway. The Blackwell scrapyard, to be exact. Came out on a scrap call and must have got switched onto the wrong track."
"Okay!" Huodem said cheerily, pulling out a rather expensive-looking mobile phone. "Aha! My buddy Mark is near a station where one of the engines is on standby because of the weather." She texted something, and the expression on her face meant only one thing: mischief. "He's gonna steal it with his other mate. He says the normal driver and fireman are taking cover in the station commons." She trailed off, unconsciously clipping her lamp onto her backpack. "I guess it's rather risky, but I'll bribe Fatt Hatt later. Helping someone is always a good reason to go rogue!"
Huodem grinned as she hit 'send'. A 'ding' came from the mobile device. "Nice! He says that all he has to do is warm the firebox. Ten minutes is the ETA." Shivering, she wrapped her trench coat around her small frame tighter. It was going to be a long ten minutes.
"Aw, thanks!" Daniella said, smiling. "You can get in my cab. It's warmer in there." She suggested.
"Really?" Responded Huodem, a smile lighting up her face. Making her way around the engine to Daniella's cabin, she peered inside. "Hello?"
A slender hand reached out and helped Huodem into the cab. Huodem smiled, thanking her for the gracious act.
"Aurora isn't very talkative." Daniella spoke, settling in for the short wait.
"Oh. Well, thanks for letting me hang in your cab for a bit, Daniella! It means a lot to me." Huodem was interrupted by a 'ding' from her mobile phone, which she quickly pulled out. "My buddy says they're done prepping the enigne. They're coming for us!" She cheered, setting the lamp on Daniella's dashboard. "I hope those two aren't drunk." She added, drumming her fingers on her trouser leg.
Aurora rolled her eyes and face-palmed upon hearing Huodem's hopes and dreams.
"The last thing I need is an engine with a drunk driver." Daniella said with a groan. "Let's hope they didn't get the engine drunk to." She muttered.
Aurora snickered at Daniella's comment. "Hey, at least you'll get to spend the night in a warm shed. Besides, your engine has been making an awful sound. I know you say you're fine, but I can tell you're 'sick'." She added, concern clear in her voice.
Huodem sighed. "I wouldn't be surprised if those two were shagging instead of getting us." She ran a hand through her rumpled hair. "But I got my buddy's drinks tonight. He's perfectly sober. Just a pint or two." Then she doubled over laughing, clutching her abdomen. "But who am I kidding? Those two never run on time." Laughter ensued until a 'ding' came from her mobile device. "Two minutes away. I guess they're making good time! Oh, and they're bringing a flatbed of parts also, if that's okay."
Aurora and Daniella laughed at the statement.
"Eh, sure! No big-" Daniella said before erupting into a coughing fit.
"You really do need to be looked over." Aurora worried, a look of concern etched on her face. "Why didn't you say you weren't feeling well?"
"I'm" Daniella coughed. "Fine." She hacked and coughed a couple more times, causing even more worry in Aurora.
"Stubborn old warship." Said person muttered.
"I heard that!"
Huodem cut into the little row. "Daniella, would you like to go to the Dieselworks?" She asked, face clearly displaying worry. "It's not that far from here!"
"Dani, please…" Aurora said, gently stroking her controls. "I don't want you breaking down."
"Alright." Daniella agreed. "Wait, the Dieselworks? My brother lives there! I wouldn't mind seeing him…" She trailed off, probably lost in some memory.
"Okey-dokey-smokey-pokey!" Huodem said, stowing away her mobile device. Just then, a steam whistle sounded through the howling wind. She leaped out of the cab, lantern in hand. Moments later, she returned grinning. "It's Monteauge!" She paused, thinking. "Will you guys be okay without a snowplough?"
"Okey..dokey...smokey...pokey…? What in the hell the kind of drugs are you on?" Daniella said to the Painner; "An' who the fuck get high, and their engine to?"
"DANI! Be nice!" Aurora scolded, then turned to answer Huodem. "We should be fine, especially if we're being pulled.
"I don't do drugs." Huodem said, grinning. "Hold on, I gotta couple up Daniella to the flatbed." She jumped down from the cabin and walked 'round to her front.
"Easy does it!" She shouted at Duck.
"Wha'd you think I'm trying to do?" Her buddy Mark answered, holding a flashlight (torch) outside the cabin.
A wet, gurgling cough emanated from the big diesel, making Aurora even more worried.
"Holy crap Daniella, you need to tell me when you're not feeling well!" She exclaimed.
"Okay, Duck! To the Dieselworks!" Huodem hollered, waving her green light. (She had changed the lens from white to green.) Hopping onto the moving flatbed that was full of who knows what, she kneeled by Daniella's face.
"Daniella, are you okay?" She asked, trying to maintain her balance. "We're going to go nice and steady."
As to contradict the last statment, a whoop followed by a lurch came from Duck; the movement almost caused Huodem to fall off.
"Goddammit, those three. Hold on, 'Imma give 'em a piece of my mind."
"I feel like shit." Daniella groaned, then swore loudly as they lurched again. "You stupid fuckhead! I'm glad you don't have my job! You'd kill every engine before they got to the damn scrapyard! Especially if THAT'S your level of 'gentle'! Did your driver fill your boiler with vodka or something?!" She coughed again, this time spraying the flatbed with brown oil droplets.
Huodem grimaced at the foul language. Then she sprinted across the flatbed, swinging on the bar outside Duck's cab; she landed inside. A bout of shouting came after, followed by Huodem swinging out and holding a flask.
"I took away their booze." She grinned, pouring out a white liquid. "Fuck. It's milk." She recognized. "Goddammit." Then she turned to Duck's backside. "And you! Be more gentle! I wouldn't be surprised if you had booze in your boiler!"
"Do you have vodka in your boiler?" Duck retorted.
"Of course not ya dim bulb! I'm a fucking diesel ya dipshit!" Daniella snapped.
"Dani…" Aurora half moaned.
"An' I didn't put vodka in my fuel tank either! Though this railway ought to check it's diesel fuel for contamination!" Daniella said as she coughed out more oil, "I was fine before I refueled! Now I feel like fucking scrap!"
"Dani… Language…" Aurora said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"I AM watching my fucking language, goddammit! I don't give a fuck how many fuck words I spew! Speaking of spew…ugh… I feel like I'm gonna hurl!"
Huodem frowned, then pulled out a pair of binoculars from who knows where. Looking through them, she frowned.
"I'll text the peeps over at the Works to light up the place." She crouched down and pulled out her mobile device, texting furiously. A couple of moments later, a beacon of light appeared in the raging winter storm. "Aha! There we go! We're almost there!" She looked at Daniella. "We're almost there."
A lurch came from Duck, the fucktard.
"HEY YOU LITTLE FUCKERS IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN I WILL KILL YOU." Huodem roared, scoping out the Works like a sniper.
"Man, FUCK YOU!" Daniella snapped. "So ya think it's ok to jolt around a sick engine just 'cuz they swear?! Or is it because I'm a diesel and you're a racist steamer?!" At that, Daniella bumped Duck from behind. "Gonna treat me like a troublesome truck, motherfucker?!" Another bump. "I'll give you a fuckin' reason then! Since you decided to be a jackass!"
Aurora fought against her engine, who was being as difficult as possible to control. "Easy, girl! Something's seriously wrong with you! Don't strain yourself!"
Daniella was thoroughly aggravated, hissing and spitting all over the back of the steam engine whilst calling him all manner of profanity.
"Dani! That's not nice!" Said Aurora.
"HE'S not nice! Also careless!" Daniella snapped back.
Huodem shook her head and sprinted across the flatbed and swung into Duck's cab. The two men in there were snickering to themselves.
"Oi! You! Stop!" Huodem jabbed a finger into Mark's chest. "You may think this is funny, but I have a engine back there whose life may be on the line."
Silence from Duck.
"I understand." Duck muttered, smoothing out his chug.
"Better." Spat Huodem. "You'd better believe it that I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU HURT HER."
Jason (Mark's friend) shrunk back in fear.
"Yes, ma'am." He whispered.
Huodem didn't say anything as she swung out if the cab and across the flatbed.
"Daniella, I'm sorry about that. We're almost there! Those bastards shouldn't bother you." She apologised, wiping her brow.
Daniella snorted. "I hate steamers like that." Then she broke out at Duck. "I'M DAMN SURE THAT IF I WAS A STEAMER YOU WOULD BE A LOT MORE GENTLE!"
"Daniella, please." Huodem pleaded, kneeling down. "There are people sleeping!" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Mark and his buddy will have to spend the night at the Dieselworks. Let's make it hell." She plotted, changing the lens on her lantern from white to red. The Dieselworks loomed ominously above them.
"You in for the ride?"
"Oh, yeah." Dani agreed with a smirk playing across her face.
A couple of sleepy-looking workmen trotted out of the works to greet them. Huodem waived her red lantern and stopped the train. She hopped off the flatbed, rolled to soften her landing and stood up.
"10!" A workman with brown hair said, before lowering his voice and speaking with Huodem urgently. "Okay." The workman said, running into the Works.
"Good news! You can stay at the Dieselworks tonight; they'll call in the engineers to fix everything immediately."
She climbed up on the flatbed, switching to the green lens on her lantern. Waiving it, Duck slowly puffed into the Diesel world where Diesel 10 was waiting.
Hey 10, long time-" Daniella was interrupted by a hacking cough. "-No see." Daniella said, somewhat strained. "I took on some bad fuel near Vicarstown-" Another bad cough that brought up oil. "-'an this-" She gestured to Duck with her claw, a disgusted look on her face. "-Racist steamer-" She deliberately spit oil onto him. "-Decided to treat me like a troublesome truck on a rag!" She finished, coughing some more.
Mark opened his mouth in protest, but a menacing glare from Huodem made him shut it again.
"We came here wondering if you and your mates could help Daniella feel better." Huodem explained, holding up her lantern to bring light to the dark place. "Oh, and, don't mind them ." She jerked a thumb at the three annoying boys, who nervously gulped.
"Not in MY shed." Diesel 10 scoffed. "I wouldn't let a steam engine in there, let alone him." He snapped his claw towards Duck. "And was it you who was jolting around my sister? Watch yourself, Monteauge."
"How about the isolated shed out back? No one uses that one." Huodem suggested, fiddling with the lamp to coax a bigger flame.
Diesel 10 muttered, disgusted.
"He's got a point. The way you treated me was awful! I'm sure you would've been more gentle with a steamer in my position! What the fuck makes you think it's ok to treat me like shit cuz I'm a diesel!?" Daniella snapped.
Duck didn't have an answer. Diesel 10 was enough to make a grown man cry, let alone his sibling. "I-I'm terribly sorry. I-I'll just go sleep behind the Dieselworks. I'm not as strong as you guys, and I don't stand a chance in the weather."
Huodem looked from Duck to Diesel 10 to Daniella.
"Really, guys. I'll chew him out later. It's one in the fucking morning." She reasoned, checking her watch. "And plus, I have, uh, connections. I'll make sure Duck gets a proper punishment. Any requests?" She asked Daniella and Diesel 10.
"I'd like to slap Duck in his face!" D10 said caustically, earning himself a dirty look from his sister and several workmen. "Oh come on! You steam engines are favored around here! You won't be denied maintenance or threatened with being scrapped or banished unlike us!" He reasoned, semi-justifying his motives.
"D10…can you not… I'm really not feeling well.." Daniella groaned, shutting her eyes for a moment.
"You always get everything around here! And let off the hook especially if your awful behavior is towards a diesel! Filthy coal sucking outdated tin kettles–"
D10's tirade was interrupted by loud gagging from Daniella. Aurora patted her engines side, looking worried for her.
"Alrighty, let's break it up here." Huodem boomed, straightening up to 5′6″ of power. "I'll see to it that Duck gets chewed out, but first, Daniella is in need of repairs."
She pointed at her two buddies. "You! Take Duck to the Shed of Isolation. Then I want to have a talk."
Jason and Mark gulped nervously, then got in Duck's cab and took him 'round back. Huodem turned towards three engineers, who were getting their tools ready.
"Alright, now that those bastards are gone for a second or two, let's get you feeling better." One of them said, as he checked Daniella over. A engineer with blond hair frowned. "Oh no. We'll have to make some new parts by the looks of it."
"How long will that take?" Huodem asked.
"All night, but we can't do that. We have to work tomorrow." The third explained, scratching his head with concerned look on his face.
"No, no no. That won't do at all." Huodem thought for a moment. "You know what? Screw it. I have money. Lots of it." She grinned, slamming a stack of bills into the workmen's hands. "Split it. I'll contact Fatt Hatt tomorrow; he always listens to me." She paused, whipping around to stare at the three engineers. "If all of you work your hardest tonight, you all get two days off. I'll drag some other workmen bumming around the railway to work here."
She turned towards Daniella, spreading out her arms. "Now, tell the engineers what's wrong."
After a few moments of harsh gagging and coughing, she answered. "Took on fuel near Vicarstown then my engine started sputtering an' I started feeling like absolute scrap… something bad was in that fuel… I was fine before…"
Diesel 10 looked alarmed. "We need to check the fuel! And close down the fueling station where she got it… I've got reason to believe someone was attempting to poison us!"
"Diesel 10, don't be ridiculous–" Daniella began.
"I am NOT being ridiculous! With as many people here who despise diesel's who's to say that someone wouldn't put something in our fuel that could potentially kill us?!" Diesel 10 snapped, though he looked worried and restless. "Who else refueled at that pump?! They need to be brought here straight away!"
"Hold up!" Huodem said, putting her hands up. "I can explain." She looked at Daniella, then to the engineers, then to Diesel 10 himself.
"Okay, at the pub today.." She began, "One of the workmen said that one of the lead pipes that fed a refueling station had corroded bad." She took a breath. "He said that they were going to close it down, but one engine had already taken on fuel." She turned towards Daniella. "And that would be you, right?"
"Yeah. It was." Daniella looked at her brother. "See, sometimes shit like this just happens,"
Diesel 10 looked down. "But it's not fair!"
"Huh?!" Daniella said, bewildered.
"Why did it have to be you? Your engine could be…you could be…" D10 looked away bitterly.
"I'm not gonna die, Diesel 10! I'll be okay. I've been through worse," Daniella reassured, looking at him.
Huodem shrugged. "Some of the pipes here are old. I'll personally see to it myself that they get replaced, okay?" She quirked an eyebrow at the engineers, who started working.
"Daniella, if anything hurts, tell us." The brown-haired engineer instructed, carefully checking over her generator.
"Really." Added the blonde engineer. "Even the slightest ache. It's the difference between running good as new or an' old clanker! Like Duck!" He laughed, earning chuckles from his co-workers.
Daniella snickered, thought her face flinced slightly.
"She's in pain." Aurora stated flatly. "And she doesn't like to admit it."
Daniella let out an irritated groan.
"Why couldn't Lorelei have driven you today? You can be so stubborn." Aurora said, patting her engine's cheek. "You're a great engine though. Even though you're a royal pain sometimes."
"OhhhHHHH FINE! My engine hurts like a motherfucker an' my fuel lines feel like they've been clogged up then stabbed repeatedly with a red hot iron! Happy?!" Daniella said.
"Someone's cranky…" Aurora muttered.
"Alrighty." Brown-haired engineer said, poking his head out from behind the pipes. "It looks like the lead content had corroded some of your pipes, so we will just have to give you new pipes. Some of your engine intake valves are affected also, but they don't make those anymore. We'll have to make our own. It'll take awhile. We'll have to drain your fuel, and then refill your tank in a jiffy. That's lessen the pain a bit."
Huodem nodded, and the blond-haired engineer broke away from the group to do some smithing. Just then, Duck's crew slunk in, hoping to escape the wrath of Huodem. Luck was not on their side.
"Jason, Mark, over here please." Oh shit. Both of them thought. Huodem was past shouting angry. She was a cold killer angry. "We need to talk."
Both of them plodded over, sitting on some random crates seven or eight feet from Daniella.
"Dani, I want you to complain to these two. Oh, and don't worry; they're not going anywhere." She said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Daniella gave the two men such a nasty look that if looks could kill they'd have died three times over. "Do you know how shitty– how AWFUL– you could've bloody well KILLED an engine if they were in worse shape than me! You cocksucking steam loving pieces of shit! You AND your nasty prejudiced engine!"
D10 blushed at the stream of profanity that came from his sister's mouth.
"– I'll have you know that as a scrapper, I care for DYING ENGINES. They NEED ME. And also, I always am GENTLE while moving them! So as to not cause them any more pain! You absolute fucking–"
"Daniella!" D10 exclaimed upon hearing another stream of incredibly vulgar words.
"What do you have to say for yourselves, huh?! Ya think it's ok to bump around a sick diesel?!" Daniella spat at them.
The two just looked at their feet, eyes downcast.
"What I think they mean is that they're extremely sorry and will make it up to you in the near future." Huodem scolded. The two men just looked down. One of them was crying. It was the brown-haired one, Jason. He was the one that spoke.
"I-I'm t-ter-ribly s-sorry." He stuttered, wiping his cheek. "No one should ever be treated like that." Then he grinned. "At least you're nice." He smiled like a psychopath. "Ever been to the scrappers' here? Ever seen the engines there? The old steamies- bodies strewn this way and that. Their cries for help as they're scrapped."
He stood up, presumably to tell more of this horrific tale. "The sounds a human would make if it were being flayed alive." He smiled even wider. "And you know what? No-one there cares." He sat back down. "When I worked there, the scrappers there would push still-alive engines into heated metal, faces burned to death."
Even his buddy was staring in shock. He went on. "And even the old engines were ignored. Shunted like trucks full of ballast." He drew his finger across his neck. "And the pain you're in is nothing compared to them, so forgive me if I didn't know better. I'm used to engines dying in pain." He finished, and sluped his shoulder once more.
Daniella heaved a sigh. "I've been fighting to end scrapyard cruelty. No living thing should be treated like that!" She then glared. "What kind of backwards railway is this?! Scrapyard cruelty has been made punishable on the mainland!"
"Oh, it's a VERY backwards railway," D10 sneered, "Not only it's preference for steam, but everything is outdated and unsafe. And people like THIS" he snapped his claw near the two men, "Think that because of outdated practices of disposing old engines, which are still practiced on THIS railway, that it justifies a hatred towards diesels."
Daniella snorted. "If anyone's to blame it's the HUMANS in charge1" She spat, spitting the out the word like it was poison.
Huodem fingered her knife that was stowed in her glove. The spring-loaded blade would fly out of it's housing at the flick of the wrist. The familiar weight gave her courage, but her heart thudded in her chest.
"Now, my friend here- he's not normal." She explained, trying to justify his behaviour before it was too late. "He's not a sociopath, but it's very hard for him to feel what others feel."
"Huodem! Why would you tell them that?" Mark cried, standing up.
"Shut it." She snapped, turning toward Daniella. "He's not normal." But then her expression hardened. "But the racism that exists on this island is normal." She set her lamp down on the floor. "And you two are promoting it."
"We are? Fatt Hatt just said to trust steamies more than 'devious' diesels."
Huodem nearly face-bladed herself. "And you followed his instructions?"
"Yeah."
She grinded her boot into the concrete floor. "You know, Topham needs to open up his eyes." She took out an old notebook labeled "Property of Sir Topham Hatt".
"See this?" She asked, holding the book so Daniella and Diesel 10 could see. "This is his schedule." She flipped through it. "And he deliberately says to put the steam engines over the diesels."
Reaching into her boot and throwing the book up at the same time, grabbed the knife in her boot. She expertly stabbed the book mid-air, ripping out the page with 'steamies are priority' on it. Next, she took out her lighter and set the page on fire.
"To be honest, I probably should've done that earlier. I was waiting for the right time to do that." She spat on the flames. The only sound was the engineer's hammer, shaping a new piece for Daniella.
"Hate has no home here." She suddenly announced. "It's not about revenge, or anything like that." A deep breath. "Most people who work here don't know about it. These two didn't." Huodem jerked a thumb at the two men. "And the average workman probably doesn't."
"I think it's high time we spread awareness about this." Mark whispered, putting an arm around his sobbing friend. "Until today I was completely oblivious to this. Sure, I admit that I should've picked up on this earlier…but I've had other things on my mind." He cast a worried glance at Jason, who was still crying and saying things like 'what have I done?'. Then his worry turned to fear when he looked at the diesels.
Daniella closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were full of fury.
"Your controller fucking WHAT?!" Daniella roared. "Your railway paints MY BROTHER as a monster because he CARES ABOUT OTHER DIESELS!" She spat on the floor. "And FUCK your controller! Fuck him right up the ass with a cactus! Look at this place! It's filthy! Disgusting! And you call this a workshop?! 'Just because it's a heritage railway' -that's NO excuse to spread hatred towards diesels! NONE!" Her voice lowered to a dangerous hiss. "And I've heard how you slandered my brother. He is NOT evil he is NOT a monster YES he's a rogue and SO AM I!" She finished, thoroughly enraged.
"It's true." Diesel 10 confirmed. "If I really wanted to scrap every steam engine, I would have done it already." He said pointedly. "I'm more than capable. Yet I've proven time and time again that I mean no harm. I even have one of the best safety records here. But no, no credit is given, all because of the fuel I run on! The only reason I don't deliberately try to get myself sent away permanently is because the diesels here need someone to look after them!" He stared at everyone and nothing.
"Daniella. I have a question. Have you heard of the story of the two wolves?" Huodem asked.
After a blank stare (with a shot of fury), Huodem sighed.
"My grandmother told this to me. Flashback to my early childhood. I was trying to shoot a squirrel with my bow, but only succeeded in scaring him away. I looked up at her and said 'maw, I want the whole world to burn.' And she looked at me, and took my weapon. 'Have you heard of your two wolves?' She asked me. When I said no, she told me this: 'there are two wolves inside you. One's fur drips with oil and has mean, yellow eyes. He fights for hate and despair. The other wolf's fur is lighter than clouds, and has gentle blue eyes like that of an angel. His head is filled with hope, wonder and all the good things in the world. The two fight inside you, mon chou.' 'And?' I asked. 'Which one wins?' 'The one you feed.' My 'maw always said."
Huodem finished. She took off her right glove. "I tried to feed the one who's fur dripped with tar. He bit me. Her eyes traced the old scars, caused by past conflicts. The pale lines crisscrossed across her sour-cream skin. Some were fine, as if cut by a razor. Others looked jagged. Then she replaced the glove. She took off the other. "I tried feeding the one who's fur is as light as clouds. He clouded my judgment.' The other forearm had what it looked like burn scars. She replaced the glove.
"In the end, I fed both equal amounts. I built them separate dens. I taught them to live together in harmony." Huodem looked away. "What will you do?"
"What does that have to do with this particular situation on this fucked up railway?!" Daniella snapped. "Be less vague, will ya? I'm honestly too tired to understand…" She trailed off.
She did look exhausted and sickly. After all, she had spent a lot of energy chewing out the two men.
Huodem sighed. She's exhausted, and isn't thinking fast. "You're absolutely right." Huodem said, smiling sadly. "You try so hard." She took off her hood, exposing the rumpled strawberry blond hair that barely ever saw sunlight.
"What I'm getting at is that the solution to the problem is not pure violence, nor is it pure peace. It takes a happy medium." Then her face darkened. "But it's a delicate balance. Feed one wolf more than the other, and they start fighting again."
Daniella's facial complexion was unreadable for a moment. Then she sighed. "You're damn right about that," Daniella said tiredly.
"Do get some rest, Dani. We can deal with this horrible railway after you're repaired. Right now, I could care less about Fat Hatt and his fleet of hateful steam engines, I just want you to feel better." Diesel 10 said, looking at his sister with genuine concern.
"I wholeheartedly agree." Huodem said, looking at the raging storm outside. "Engineers? You all okay?"
One of the engineers gave a thumbs up. "We took all the measurements, Daniella shouldn't move that fast. She can't move; someone will have to shunt her. We'll try to keep the noise down. Pipes will be installed tomorrow!"
"Good." Huodem called back, crossing her arms.
"You know what? I've been meaning to tell you all something."
"What?" Asked Mark. "That you're going to execute us?"
"No. Ever wondered how I can afford to write thousand-pound checks like it's nothing?"
"You know what, I have wondered that." Answered Mark.
"Because I'm worth fifty billion pounds."
"Well shit, why don't you just buy the railway?"
"Too much responsibility." Huodem simply answered.
"Oh." Was all that he said, still in utter shock.
Huodem straightened up. "Diesel 10? You got your sister?"
D10 had coupled up to her. "Where are we going…?" He asked suspiciously. Daniella looked nervous, ready to snap with her claw if need be.
"Easy, sis. I won't let any harm come to you." D10 said.
"Alrighty, you two okay? Diesel 10, take good care of her. Since a bunch of her feed pipes are missing, she can't move on her own." Huodem explained.
"WHERE are we going?!" Diesel 10 snapped irritably. His sister was sick, and he certainly wasn't going to go along with something he knew nothing about. "Here you are acting like we're about to go somewhere in this blasted blizzard, and I'm not moving an inch until you tell me! Dani doesn't need to be out in this!"
"Oh! My bad!" Huodem slapped herself mentally. "Just take her somewhere warm, maybe the extra berth? Paxton isn't here tonight."
"She can stay in my shed," Diesel 10 said, expression softening. "That way she doesn't have to set a wheel out in that snow until she's better."
"Ya don't have to–" Daniella started, as her brother carefully moved her into his private shed.
"There… that's better, isn't it?" D10 said, smiling at her.
"Yeah…a lot better. Thanks, 10." Daniella yawned.
Huodem smiled. It wasn't everyday you get to see the toughest engine on Sodor exhibit that kind of emotion.
A small groan came from behind her. Turning on her heel, she remembered: those two blokes were stuck here for the night. Well, shit.
"Well. There isn't really anywhere comfortable to sleep; there's a pile of blankets over there where some of us crash after night-shift." Called one of the engineers.
Huodem looked over at the pile consisting of a mattress, pillows and a shit ton of blankets surrounded by crates. It wasn't much, but it'll do.
"Dani, does Aurora need anywhere to sleep?" She asked, worried for the well-being of Daniella's driver.
"I'll stay in her cab…you can join me if you don't wanna crash with a bunch of guys," Aurora called. "Just grab an extra blanket or two. I've got plenty of pillows and cushions in here… Lorelei keeps stuff in the rear cab in case either of us ever get stranded or if Dani breaks down."
"I'm…I'm flattered by your offer, but I must refuse." Huodem said, wiping her brow. "But somebody's gotta take care of those blokes." She pointed her lantern at the two men, who were trying to get comfortable. "But thanks for offering!"
She trotted over to where the two men were, and set her lantern on a crate.
"You two okay? I'm gonna grab some blankets and sleep…further away."
"Fine by me."
"Jason? You okay? Do you want me to grab you meds?"
"I'll be fine, as long as there's someone to restrain me. And plus," he added, "I haven't had a breakdown in ages."
"Ages meaning three days." Snorted Huodem, digging around in her pocket. "AHA! Here ya go!" In her hand was a small bottle filled with Jason's meds.
"My..meds? Where did you get them?"
"Don't ask." She replied, taking off her trench coat and draping it over herself like a blanket before pulling other blankets over her.
"Everyone alright?" She called to the engineers who were focusing on welding. They flashed her a thumbs up.
"Okay. Dani, you okay?"
"I'm alright." Daniella answered tiredly.
"Okay." Huodem said as she curled up into an almost defensive position. "Okay…alright guys, lights out." Huodem blew out her lantern. She rolled over to look at Mark. "These don't smell half bad."
"No, they really don't." He answered sleepily, rolling over towards Jason.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
06:00, the next morning, Vicarstown Dieselworks.Daniella snored loudly in Diesel 10's shed, the loud sound reverberating within the large building.
Huodem blinked her eyes at the loud noise…and then she woke up to the sound of a engineer gently shaking her awake.
"Miss? Miss? It's time."
Huodem yawned, and stood up. Jason and Mark were curled in on each other. Shaking her head, she looked at the weather. The snow had stopped, but it was still dark out. Checking her pocket-watch, she was surprised to see that it was six in the morning!
"Damn." She yawned, unbuttoning her waistcoat and throwing it onto the blankets. Jason was shivering slightly, so she threw her trench coat on him.
"Alrighty mates. You starting on Daniella?"
"Yeah. You'll have to wake her up, though." The first engineer paused, and walked over to Huodem. "She gives me the creeps."
"Alright." Huodem sighed, climbing a ladder to Diesel 10′s private shed. I think it's on the higher level. She thought as she climbed. Soon enough, Daniella's face came into view.
"Psst. Dani. Time to start repairs." She quietly said, tapping Daniella's side.
The one eyed warship stirred from her slumber, letting out an annoyed groan. "Ughhhhhhh! Who the fuck–oh it's you. What? What you want at this ungodly hour?"
"We have to install your new pipes. My mates got 'em all, give them an hour and then you'll be as good as new!" She said, untucking her white shirt that was part of the bartender uniform. "But…you'll need Diesel 10 or someone to shunt you to the hydraulic lift so the workmen can…work."
At that, Diesel 10 began to move her, much to Daniella's annoyance.
"Hey, HEY! you better not touch THAT part of my undercarriage! It is TOO damn early for this! TENNY! I'm not a morning engine!"
Diesel 10 backed up quickly as Daniella was situated, for she had swiped at him with her claw.
"HEY! Claws to yourself!" Aurora chastised.
"Comon' mate." Huodem sighed, lighting her lamp. "We really need to get this done so you'll be in less pain, and faster." She shoved her bowtie into her pants pocket, sliding down the ladder. "Please, just for an hour. Then you can sleep all you want." She pleaded.
Daniella grumbled for a moment but nonetheless settled down.
"OUCH…" Diesel 10 spoke in an almost whiny voice. Her claw had scratched his cheek, and it was leaking an inky black fluid. "That damn well hurt!"
"Daniella, please! The sooner we do this, the sooner we can chew out Topham!"
Suddenly, Huodem looked up in alarm. "Diesel 10! You okay?"
Diesel 10 pouted slightly. "That hurt, Dani."
"Oh no… I'm sorry, 10," Daniella said, looking at her brother's face, then looking down in shame.
"It's alright." Huodem's words cut into the silence, making several workmen jump. "Let's get you fixed up." She waived her hand at a workman, who pressed a button that made the hydraulic lift come up. "Careful, Diesel 10."
Aurora sighed, slowly looking over Daniella. "She's a feisty engine, that's for sure. Hard to control on a good day, damn near impossible on a bad one."
Huodem backed up as Diesel 10 carefully shunted Daniella onto the hydraulic platform.
"Easy does it. Easy." The workman operating the lift took extra care this time, carefully lowering the warship until the platform hit the ground with a soft thuwmp.
The three engineers, all with dark circles under their eyes, plodded over with a armful of parts.
"Okay Daniella, tell us when it hurts."
Very carefully, they took out the old corroded pipes, and setting them down, quickly placed in the new ones. "Is that to tight? To loose? To short? To long?" Brown-haired engineer asked, crossing his arms.
"Tt's FINE." Daniella grumbled grouchily. She certainly wasn't in any mood to be asked a bunch of questions. Soon enough, she drifted off to sleep whilst still being worked on!
"Shh, guys." Huodem warned.
The engineers nodded, and very quickly and surprisingly quietly, replaced the valves. "There." One whispered. "That'll do it."
"That ought to do it." The other one said, setting down his blow torch.
"I'd be damned if it didn't." The third engineer with red hair sighed, staggering over to the place where Huodem had slept. The other two followed suit, shedding clothes as they went until they were in their pants and white undershirt.
How many people can you fit on two king beds? Well, I guess I'm gonna find out. Huodem thought, watching with interest as all three just flopped on the other bed, out cold.
They look so peaceful. Some workmen came to join them, and they spread out yoga mats and their own blankets to crash on. Some just laid down next the their co-workers, personal space not an issue. I guess they're so exhausted, they don't care if it looks weird. Everyone just wants sleep.
She looked over the sleeping men, feeling her heart warm at the thought of the little world inside the Dieselworks; it was rarely like this. Then she looked up, and saw Diesel 10. Quickly scampering up the ladder, she approached the engine.
"Diesel 10? Are you going to back to sleep?" She asked, worried for her friend.
"I don't think so," Diesel 10 said, looking down. He then looked straight at her. "I know how Topham is, and Dani…Dani has no respect for people like him…and Topham will punish me for anything Dani does." Diesel 10 flinched, and his eyes looked as if he was remembering some past, distant and unpleasant memory.
Huodem grinned. "But I've got a power he doesn't: money." She shrugged. "I guess being a secret billionaire has its perks."
Sitting down on a convenient crate, her shoulders slumped. "Not all wars can be won with money, though. But I can bribe him." Setting the lantern down, Huodem explained further.
"I'm going to call him and ask him to come here later. Maybe at eight." She sighed. "And we will bring this problem to justification."
Diesel 10 let out a bitter groan. He knew his sister wouldn't put a filter on her mouth. He could hope that perhaps she'd be asleep during the visit…after all, Daniella was rather nocturnal.
"I must warn you…Dani has a temper that puts mine to shame. Fat Hatt will want to keep out of her reach." He said.
"How about we meet in the Shed of Isolation where Duck is? Then we can chew him out at the same time. Oh and," she added, "Do you want my two buddies there?"
D10 looked at the two sleeping men with disdain. "I don't trust them," he said flatly. And that was final.
"Cool. I'll let them sleep." She answered, pulling out her mobile phone. "I'm going to call Topham."
Ring. Ring. Ring. A voice sounded through the speaker, and Huodem pushed it up to her ear.
"Topham, can you meet me at the Dieselworks in an hour? Thanks." She hung up, grinning like a fool. "That leaves him no choice. He knows if he calls back, I won't pick up. He has to come." She checked her watch, and lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "Dear me! It's 06:30! He'll be here at 07:30." She smiled again. "And he usually gets up at seven."
Diesel 10 looked thoroughly disgusted as he backed into his shed. "Oh joy," he said sarcastically.
"Hey. It won't be that bad." Huodem reassured, walking after Diesel 10. "We'll just talk some sense into him, that's all." She paused, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Meet me in the back shed at 7:30."
Diesel 10 grumbled. "Fine…"
Daniella yawned, stretching her claw.
"Oh! And, one last question. Do you want your sister to be there?"
"She'll be there; there's no stopping her. Trust me." D10 answered.
"Okay." She replied, slipping down the ladder to join the other workmen for a quick nap.
Fast forward to o'-seven-hundred, thirty minutes past.
Daniella, Diesel 10, Duck and Huodem were gathered by the shed. Duck shrank back from the menacing glares being cast to him, at least until Sir Topham Hatt rolled up in his blue car.
He slammed the door.
"Huodem! What is the meaning of this!" He boomed, straightening up. "Duck is gone, my helpers are gone, and most of all- why is Diesel 10 and…whoever this is….here? You have caused confusion and delay." He said, stomping his foot.
"Correction: I stole Duck and I took your helpers. Oh, and: this is Daniella. She's been suffering from contaminated fuel. How? You may ask. I'll tell you how." She stalked through the snow.
"Because of your neglect. If you had paid more attention to your OWN ENGINES, maybe Dani here wouldn't have been in so much pain." Huodem breathed in, and didn't even flinch when a cold breeze gusted for a second. For the record, she was out there in only a shirt and pants plus her boots.
"You know what caused her pain? Old lead pipes. Yeah, you know? The old ones dating from eighteen-hundred? No? Here. Let's put it in perspective. Your steam engines have pipes made from state-of-the-art stainless steel."
Topham flinched. "N-now now, Huodem. It didn't cause the engine pain."
"Oh, but it did." She spat. "The lead content corroded Daniella's pipes, making it extremely painful for her to move. And you know what? You could have prevented that if you paid more attention to your diesels." Topham was scared out of his trousers. "Now, Huodem, who is in charge here?"
"Obviously not you. Hell, even the workmen exhaust themselves to the point of collapsing. I SAW them here, at the Dieselworks at one in the morning. Have an excuse for that?"
When Topham didn't reply, she pulled him closer by the collar, looming over him.
"And you know what? Some have sold their homes and now live at the Dieselworks because of the working hours."
"B-but they get off at five!" Topham blurted, face turning red.
Huodem turned her voice down to a dangerous growl.
"I want you to listen to me very, very carefully. The reason they stay so late is so that they can repair broken things that you refuse to repair. They care about the engines. They stay there because they are actually concerned about the well-being of the engines. Not like you."
She let go of Topham, who stumbled out a bit.
"Anything to add, Diesel 10 and Dani?"
A small moment of scilence was broken by the one and only.
"I was in AGONY! I PUKED UP OIL!" Daniella shrieked. "I STILL taste it in my mouth!" She spit, deliberately landing the gob of oily gunk on Sir Topham.
Diesel 10 gasped. "Dani…are you aware…"
"I'm WELL aware of who the fuck I just spit on! And I don't give a FUCK! I have NO respect for humans like you, and if I find out you punish MY BROTHER for ME cussing at YOU I swear to god I'll stick my claw so far up your ass you'll be a human shis-kabob!" Daniella growled at the fat man menacingly.
Huodem flinched a bit, but pressed on. Topham was beyond furious.
"You come into my Dieselworks, disrupt my schedule and spit on me?" He yelled, flinging gobs of black goo onto the fresh snow.
"Topham, face it. It's true." Huodem said, pulling out Topham's old planner. "It even says here: 'fix Steamworks before Dieselworks." She had turned to a different page that wasn't so severely stabbed, and tore it out.
"But this." She hissed. "This is racism."
"Absolute rubbish! I like all my engines all the same."
"Case in point." Huodem said cooly. "I'm suing against you. Or even better yet: buying the custody Dieselworks. We will work like a team, okay?" She explained.
"W-what! You can't do that!" He sputtered.
"Oh, but I can." Came the reply. "What am I that you're not? That's right. A billionaire."
Sir Topham Hatt's jaw fell through the crust of the earth. "Huodem…you are…."
"That's right, sucker. I'm the rich one. Worth over fifty billion pounds. And with that kind of money, I would easily buy this whole godforsaken railway. But no." She leaned in, deathly quiet. "I'll buy the custody of the Works, and I'll do it today." She whipped around to Duck. "And you." She stomped over to Duck. "Explain yourself to Diesel 10 and Daniella."
Before Duck could start, Aurora tapped Topham's shoulder.
Aurora handed her cell phone to Topham. "Lorelei wants to speak to you." She put the phone on speaker, and the voice of a furious woman rang out:
"Your negligence damaged MY ENGINE! I will sue you for every goddamn penny, Topham! If you don't want your diesels, shit! Let me have them! But THIS. This is too far! Aurora! Don't hold Daniella back! That disgusting railway owner deserves whatever comes to him! And how DARE you pin the blame on MY ENGINE WHO GOT LOST AND BECAME ILL DUE TO YOUR NEGLIGENCE!? What do you have to say for yourself?!"
Topham's face was furious. His cheeks flushed and he clenched and unclenched his hands.
"I'll hand over custody of the Dieselworks, it applicants, staff and engines to Huodem."
"When?" She hissed, extremely close to flicking out her wrist blade.
"I-Ill do it today." He stuttered. Topham drew a hand over his face, and now he resembled a tired old man. "Where's my helpers?"
"Not here." Huodem hissed. "Anything else, Lorelei?"
"You have no authority whatsoever over my engine. Furthermore, I'd like to buy her brother, since you seem to not want him. I believe he'd be happier under my ownership."
For a moment, Diesel 10 looked elated. The thought of no longer being confined to a railway that hated him lifted his spirits immensely. He smiled, but didn't dare get his hopes up.
"And I-" Huodem crossed her arms in front of her. "-Will be buying the Dieselworks." And with that she turned heel and stalked away, breaking into a run. The enormous cheer that came from the Dieselworks confirmed that all would much rather be under Huodem's ownership.
"Well?!" Lorelei demanded. "Topham! What have you been doing to Diesel 10?"
"I….I don't know." He stammered, hunching over.
"I'll tell you what he did." Duck cut in, earning surprised looks from everyone else, even Huodem, who had just walked out of the Dieselworks, trenchcoat billowing in the wind.
"He neglected him. And put engines like me in front of him. Made Diesel 10 do cruel and unusual punishments." Duck looked down, and felt shame overcoming his boiler.
"And? Go on," Lorelei prodded.
Aurora looked at Duck imploringly. It was obvious that D10 didn't want to speak of what he had been through.
"A-And he had to collect…old engine parts." Duck didn't want to go on. "It was some type of…psychological punishment."
Duck shut his lips and didn't open them again.
"I want to know everything," Lorelei said sternly.
"He had me work at the smelters…" D10 said, looking down to avoid Topham's gaze. "I SAW engines DIE. He allows it. His own precious steam engines. Lets them rust for decades, has them shunted into the furnace and the LUCKY ones get melted down the rest are left to rot! He had me scrap a young diesel shunter…" His voice trembled and his eyes watered. "I refused at first…they jabbed my face with a red hot iron and jolted me with electricity a…and…"
D10 stammered for a minute, then to everyone's surprise, broke down in tears. He was SHAKING.
Daniella was speechless. She glared at Topham as she used her claw to gently caress her brother's side. Finally she spoke. "You monster."
The word hung in the air for a moment, the pure tone of it was enough to kill a small army. No, a large one. Legions.
Huodem flicked out her wrist blade, showing it to Topham. "You deliberately broke laws." She said. The blade went into its housing with a satisfying shing. "That violates the law." She took a step towards Topham. "You know what that's classified as?"
"What?" Asked Duck.
"A Class 1 federal offense." She looked away. "Why would you do that?"
Topham was shaking so bad he made quaking trees jealous. Thinking quickly, he ran away from Huodem, into his car. "I-I'll tell you later." He called as he started to drive off.
"Oh no you don't!" She said, stabbing the window with her blade. The car skidded to a stop, and Topham desperately tried to get out. Huodem held the door shut.
"I could kill you." She said, pointing her wrist blade at his neck. "But that would be feeding one wolf and not the other." She let him get out, holding him by the wrist. "Alas, I must feed the one whose fur is as light as clouds." She placed him in front of D10. "But feed that one too much, and the dark wolf attacks." She pulled up a crate for him to stand on. "If you feed them equally, they live in harmony." She stood back, looking a Topham who was looking at D10.
Topham didn't know what to do. But the prompting of Huodem made him clamber up on the crate, and face D10.
"Ahem. Diesel 10. I-I'm…sorry." Topham threw his hat on the ground. "No one even deserves to be treated like that, The only one who does is me." He turned towards Huodem. "Why….Because I dug myself a hole thinking that 'devious diesels' were bad. I dug deeper and deeper." He looked down. "I dug myself a hole that I refused to get out of. Now I see."
He turned towards Daniella. "I can change. I don't expect any acceptance." He stepped off the crate.
"You won't get any. Scram." Huodem said as Topham drove his car off into the distance.
"I hope he gets hit by a truck." She said, turning towards D10 and Daniella.
While Huodem was watching Topham's car disappear, Daniella was still comforting her brother. "Shhh… it's over now. You're no longer his engine. We'll help clear your name, I promise." She then looked at Duck. "Ya did the right thing. Sometimes, when humans do bad things to us, we have to stand up. Takes a lot of balls to do that."
Duck looked ashamed. "I…shouldn't have bumped you like that." He apologised. Then he smiled.
"But…Thank you for the compliment! Maybe we can be friends?"
"You also owe a certain shunter an apology for making his life miserable," D10 muttered.
Duck's face fell. "Of course." He paused. "I'll go tell Diesel later; as for now: I'm stuck here until my drivers get here!"
Huodem looked around. "It'll take forever to figure out the logistics of it, but for now I think a couple of the retired signalmen will run the timetables. Besides that: how about we crash?"
"Oh yeah." Daniella said with a yawn. "I WAS woken up WAY too early."
"Alrighty." Huodem said, as humans and engines alike went back into the Dieselworks. All besides Duck, but he's had enough action for one day to enjoy the silence.
Huodem sloped down next to her buddies in the mess of blankets and workmen. Making a little burrito out of blankets, she curled you and rolled over to look at Daniella.
"You okay, Dani?"
"I'm fine…10 will be." She glanced at her brother who was still visibly upset.
"Okay, if you say so…" Huodem yawned. "Goodnight? Good morning?" She yawned again. "Eh, What the heck. Sleep tight, you two."
Huodem was lulled to sleep but the soft breathing of those around her. Sure, people would say it was wrong for a female to sleep amongst so many males, but who cared? All were tired as shit. And then, it was comfortable. Nothing's better than coming home after romping around in below zero temperatures, and to a nice, warm bed (or shed) at that.