Yo, folks! Sorry that part two has taken so long - lack of inspiration, enthusiasm and... um... yeah. But you have those things to blame for this part being so late to upload. IMO, I don't think it's as good as part one but that's up to you lot out there to decide, eh ? Enjoy ! ^^
Caitlyn stared at the sky for a while, letting her eyes trail the wisps of pink and orange that lingered in the evening sun. She then realized it was getting late and she and Percy had to head back.
"Hey, Percy, we should be heading back to Tidmouth now."
"Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah. Let's go."
The two tank engines made their way along the main line back to Tidmouth. Percy kept hoping that that mystic fog would swirl around his and Caitlyn's wheels, just like in his dream. He swiped his gaze at Caitlyn to see if any colour had enhanced her beauty. But the 'Jinty's cheeks remained untouched. Percy sighed downheartedly. Would his dream ever come true... and would he ever have the will to confess?
The friends arrived just in time as the Fat Controller was about to make an announcement. Next to him stood a black Thompson Class B1 tender engine, with the numbers 214495 on its tender. His face was hardened, lined with stubble on his chin and completed with deep brown eyes. Steam drifted from his cylinders into the evening air.
"Ah, Caitlyn and Percy. Glad you could make it. Now then, everyone, I'd like you to meet Tyler. He's a new engine I picked up recently to help out with all the shunting work lately. Please make him feel welcome."
Everyone whistled kindly at Tyler. "Welcome to Sodor!" they called.
Percy was smiling broadly but his gleeful cherub face became concerned when he saw Caitlyn's – it was hard and unforgiving, her eyes staring uncomfortably at Tyler, like he were to cause trouble.
"Caitlyn?"
"Hm? Oh, sorry, Percy. I just don't know about this guy. He doesn't seem right."
"You're usually real friendly. Why so suspicious?"
"I don't know. There's just – just something... something that doesn't quite wash with me."
Percy couldn't get what Caitlyn meant. Every engine that arrived on Sodor was usually a good engine. He also didn't know why the engine had six numbers on his tender – engines always had five, didn't they? Maybe Caitlyn was right. Maybe Percy ought to be aware of Tyler.
Caitlyn was having similar thoughts. She felt a growing wariness in her boiler she couldn't ignore. She scanned Tyler's frame. Black, dirty paint, lined with a little rust. Faded white numbers on a stark-looking tender. Yep, something was definitely up with this guy and she didn't like it.
"Say hi!"
The two engines were distracted by James calling to them. He and the others looked at the two, expecting them to follow and set an example. Caitlyn and Percy stared blankly. They were received by confused, expectant or stern eyes. Percy cleared his smokebox.
"Erm... hello, Tyler."
Caitlyn said nothing. She just stared. That uncomfortable feeling was stronger than ever – like someone had driven a nail into her boiler. Deeper and deeper.
"Caitlyn."
Gordon's authoritative-sounding voice broke Caitlyn's mind. She glanced at him. His eyes were hard. He wheeshed and cleared his smokebox. Caitlyn sighed.
"Hello, Tyler," she said. She tried to sound friendly but it was hard for her to keep the acidity from seething into her voice.
"Hello, everyone." Tyler's power of speech, to Caitlyn, sounded deviant and troublesome; the tone was thick with a 'rough and tumble, don't care for anyone' attitude, the slickness sent her insides shivering. Yep, she really didn't like the look, sound or presence of this guy.
"Next morning, you, Caitlyn, shall be taking a freight train of timber to the Mainland," instructed the Fat Controller. Caitlyn was glad to have something to keep her mind off Tyler next day.
"Yes, sir."
"And Tyler shall go with you; the train's pretty heavy," finished the Fat Controller.
"God dammit," the 'Jinty' cursed under her breath. That was the last thing she'd wanted to hear. But she'd think about that next day...
The sun illuminated the early sky, casting long, dart-like shadows across the yards. The gentle, sweet tweeting of birds' morning song was drowned by steam and an engine's pistons hissing.
Caitlyn yawned grumpily. She hated early mornings. She hated this one especially, since she'd been told to work with Tyler. What's with that guy?, she thought. Something is bothering me about him as bad as a three week boilerache. Even that may not compare to him! Ugh. Then, as she pulled up at the tower to take on water, Tyler puffed up to her. He smiled a rusty, evil looking smirk.
"Good morning, miss – miss... What did you say your name was?"
Caitlyn just had to shiver at that slick voice. She felt like throwing up on that hunk of scrap metal. Tyler was definitely up to no good. She was sure of it.
"Caitlyn," she snapped bluntly. "Train all shunted?"
"Of course."
Caitlyn's driver flicked her tank lid shut and hopped off her tank to go to the cab. But before he could climb the footplate, Tyler began to charge up behind. Caitlyn's driver cried out and ran for cover.
"What the-?" Suddenly, Caitlyn was hit from behind and thrown forward by the momentum - straight towards the turntable well! She screamed as her wheels flew off the rails and her buffer beam crunched and bent inward on impact.
Caitlyn heard nauseating guffaws and whoops behind her.
"Bwa-ha -haaaaaaaa! Your Controller is so wrong – you're just a useless piece of worthless scrap. Ha! And I don't need help from some silly baby tank engine, either! Later," and Tyler bumped onto the train and pulled out of the yards in a flash.
"Grr, come back, you BASTARD!"
But Caitlyn's insult went unheard. She rolled her eyes and let out a hot sigh. She then gasped and groaned in agony – her front buffer beam was badly bent in and crumpled like a piece of kitchen foil. Great, she thought. I never thought I'd start my day like this! Caitlyn heard a voice calling to her – Oliver.
"You okay, Caitlyn? What happened – Whoa!" The 0-4-2 14XX sceptically surveyed the situation. "Well, seems history is willing to repeat itself!"
"Oliver? Shush your mush."
"Well, what happened?"
"What do you bloody think, huh? I'm sitting in a turntable well with bent in buffers. Maybe that'll give you an idea!"
"Okay, calm down! Sheesh..." and Oliver went to get help. A few minutes later, Thomas had shunted the breakdown train into place and he and Percy were watching carefully as the crane lifted Caitlyn out the turntable well.
"Who on earth did this, Caitlyn?"
"Guess who."
"Diesel?"
"He was sent away two months ago."
"Dennis?"
"He's a lazy, good-for-nothing tuna can."
"Tuna can? That's a new one."
Caitlyn frowned. "Thomas, just – no."
Thomas looked down at his buffers, then back at the hovering 'Jinty'. He knew this was no time to joke around. Percy sighed and looked up at Caitlyn. A twinge of sympathy struck his heart; Caitlyn's front was all bent in and her face was creased with pain as she was lowered gently down. As the wincing engine's wheels touched the rails, the Fat Controller arrived in, much to Caitlyn's hatred, Tyler.
The tank engine nearly popped with rage.
"Tyler, you are – so – frickin'- DEAD! What the HELL was that all about? It's not like I did anything to you! It's not like I said anything wrong and all of a sudden, you go crumpling me like a crisp packet! WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL, HUH?"
Tyler smiled smugly. "Whatever are you talking about, my dear Caitlyn?"
"Don't play the 'stuff my brain in a pillowcase' game – I know what you did! You deliberately pushed me into that well, didn't you?"
Thomas and Percy were horrified and stared on in disbelief. Tyler blinked and gave Caitlyn a perplexed frown. "I did what?"
Caitlyn growled, red veins colouring her blazing eyes. "You heard me! I know you did that, you evil piece of –"
"Caitlyn, stop! What on earth do you think you're playing at? Hmm?"
Caitlyn let out a hot sigh and the steam hissed from her pistons carried, in Percy's mind, enough mean heat to melt a good half on Antarctica and the Arctic. His heart skipped a beat and he shivered. Caitlyn tried to calm herself before she spoke.
"Sir, my temper right now is thanks to Tyler. I firmly believe that he pushed me into the turntable well on purpose and, with all due respect, Sir, he should be dealt with."
The Fat Controller was not impressed. "Tyler?"
Tyler looked innocent. "Well, Sir, I honestly don't believe that what Caitlyn says is true as I wasn't even in the yard at the time of the event."
"Of course you were, hand-it-all! You unconvincing pile of iron!"
"Caitlyn, I won't tolerate anymore. That's quite enough from you, I dare say."
"But, Sir – "
"No, Caitlyn. Maybe your driver forgot to set your brakes properly."
"Sir! You know my driver wouldn't ever do that! He's better than that! He –"
"SILENCE! Honestly, Caitlyn, you sometimes forget to show respect to others don't you?"
Caitlyn was silent, staring down at her badly mangled buffer beam. Usually, the Fat Controller sided with her most of the time or understood her side of any story at the very least, but now, she felt betrayed. Spurred on, deceived and dumped.
"Don't you?"
Caitlyn looked up, staring defeat in the face. All the fire and rage had gone, replaced by hate and guilt. "I'm sorry, Sir," she murmured.
"What was that?"
"I'm sorry, Sir."
"That's better. I don't expect such negativity from a highly trusted member of my Railway like you. I don't accept it from any engine and behaviour like this is always followed up. So, it won't, and I mean, WON'T happen again, then, Caitlyn. Yes?"
"Yes, Sir".
"And to a new engine too! Good God! Right then, Percy, take Caitlyn to the Repair Yards, then off to the Quarry with you, please."
"Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir."
Whilst the Fat Controller then gave Thomas and Tyler their orders, Percy buffered up behind Caitlyn and pushed her out of the Yards. For while, silence curtained any conversation between them; Percy was too stunned and Caitlyn was too angry. At last, Percy broke the tense air of silence.
"Caitlyn?"
"Yes, Percy?"
"Did Tyler really...?"
"Oh, Percy, you do believe me, don't you ?"
Percy was taken aback. "Caitlyn, you nitwit, I'm one of your best friends, of course I do!"
Caitlyn was surprised by Percy's loyalty. "Really?"
"Look, there's no way that any of the tank engines that work or have worked as pilot could cause such damage to your buffer beam and no-one would even suggest trying to:- we all respect and like you too much to," Percy frowned.
"Whoa. Hehe, well, well, well, that's quite a piece of common sense from you, there, Percy."
"Nah, I'm not as stupid as some take credit for."
Caitlyn smiled softly and a sense of security and loyalty grew in her heart, extinguishing the uncomfortable rage and offence. No matter what sort of jam she was in, she knew now that she'd always have a special someone behind her back. One little, courageous soul that'd never leave her. Percy was that soul. He was always going to be there; he'd never let her down. As she let this feeling swell and flow through her, Caitlyn stared up at the dazzling blue sky, letting thoughts related to this cross her mind.
"Wow. Seems like I never realized how much little Percy wants to be there for me. It's like he never wants any harm to come to me and that if I'm hurt, he wants to draw it all away from me into him. Don't think I've ever had the fortune to experience this level of loyalty and friendship before."
Caitlyn sighed happily and stared at a faraway turn, surrounded by trees and open air.
"Yep. Nothing like. Hehe. Hey, hang on a minute! What if... what if Percy's loyal enough so that he thinks of me more than a... Caitlyn, slow down a second. One single coal-dustin' second! You and Percy are friends and friends only! Or... are we? Yes, of course we are! We're just friends, just friends. Besides what does he see in me that others don't? Nothing special at the most. I'm just a 'Plain Jane', me. I'm not flashy, I'm not extraordinary at anything or any of that malarkey. I'm just Caitlyn, Percy's mate and no more. Or... or am I? Does he...? I-if so, then... why?"
Well, well, well, a bit goes on here, doesn't it ? We meet Tyler, the antagonist, Caitlyn loses her temper (YIKES !) and she also starts to think about her friendship with Percy - could it be something more ? And what'll happen, now that Tyler's around ? Only one way to find out, I suppose. Keep reading ! XD But yeah, keep your eyes peeled for part 3 as that will be on it's way shortly ! Laters ! :) PS - If anyone can work out the code on Tyler's tender, I'll give them a virtual cookie. ^^ And the Oliver gag was thanks to trainlover658 on YT. Thanks, babe ! xxx
