"Hello there, real man! It's about time I found you, I've been looking for days!" Diesel 10 snarled, quickly taking the track back to the Dieselworks.
"What the shit are you doing?!" I hollered. Diesel 10 cackled.
"Simple! I'm using you! Surely, once word spreads that you've been captured, by me no less, Sir Topham Hatt will recruit that stupid purple teapot to rescue you! I can't get to her, because she is too high up in the mountains, but she'll come to me if I have you! Then, I can finally redeem myself, and destroy her!" he laughed, pulling into the Dieselworks. I almost laughed.
After his countless failures, Diesel 10 still wanted to destroy Lady.
"Let me go, goddammit!" I shouted, punching Diesel 10's claw that was wrapped around my waist. It tightened, making me groan in pain.
"Keep it up, and teapot will have nothing to rescue!" he snapped as he entered the main Dieselworks building. I looked around, and saw all the other Diesels looking smug. They had finally captured the bait for Lady, and she could finally be destroyed. With her out of the way, the Diesels would have no trouble running all of the Steamers off of the Island.
Diesel 10 set me in an empty engine berth built into the side of the wall. He tossed me to the back, and I hit the unforgiving cement wall, and fell to the floor. Diesel 10 quickly retracted his claw, and the berth door quickly slammed shut. There were vents in the door, and a single light bulb to light my prison.
"Don't worry, it shouldn't be too long before she comes along! And if she doesn't... meh, I could care less what happens to you." Diesel 10 said, before I heard his engine fade away. I frantically looked around, hoping to see some possible way to escape, but there wasn't one. Every wall and even the ceiling, save for the door, was solid concrete. I dropped to my knees, realizing the situation. Because of me, one of two things would now happen.
Either Lady would attempt to rescue me, and most likely be destroyed, or Sodor would be ridden of its steam engines... and me.
I balled my hands into fists. I couldn't let either of those happen. I couldn't let Lady be destroyed, and I couldn't let Sodor be taken over by diesels! For Rebecca's sake, if no one elses! I pounded my hands on the metal vented door.
"Let me out, I didn't do anything to you!" I yelled. I heard a faint chuckle from the other side.
"Don't bother trying to escape. You're being guarded." a voice said. It sounded an awful lot like Diesel.
"Diesel, is that you, you bastard shunter!?" I roared, continuing to hit the metal door. There was no response, and I was finally forced to stop banging the metal door before my hands were broken. I slumped into a corner silently.
There was no one who could save me. Lady might have been magical, but even she wasn't powerful enough to overtake a dozen diesels. And I couldn't escape. There was no possible good outcome of this situation.
My arrival had given the Diesels the key to their victory.
. . .
(Third Person P.O.V. Rebecca)
Rebecca was still in shock. What had just happened? Anon was with her not thirty seconds ago... and now... he was gone. Taken by that... that diesel! She didn't know who he was, but he had gone to far!
Suddenly, without warning, the glowing embers of her firebox erupted into a flaming frenzy, nearly blowing the cover doors off of her cab firebox entrance. Rebecca had never in her life felt so much... rage.
Undeniable, uncontrollable rage and fury. She let out an inhumane, and unengine like growl.
"They've really done it now..." she muttered darkly as she bashed through the closed doors of her berth, blowing her whistle so hard, it nearly blew apart.
Diesels had given her a hard time before, about being so different from the other Steamers, or for being so naive. She had tried to ignore their hurtful words, but now...
Now was the time to let all of the anger and hurt she had blocked off surface. Rebecca suddenly felt pain. Pain, from Anon.
She could see it in her mind, him being thrown into a solid concrete berth, being thrown against the wall. She shook with anger as she sped along the mainline. She knew where they had taken him, and she knew through his vision what she was facing. But she didn't care. She was going to save him, no matter what. The primal instinct to protect her Rider... and her love, was surfacing inside her. She was going to get Anon back...
With, or without diesel casualties.
. . .
(First Person P.O.V. Anon)
I was laying on the ground of my concrete prison. I had tried everything I could think of, even going far enough as to try and pry one of the railroad steaks from the rails, and jam it through the door vents, but I didn't even get a railroad stake to budge. My hands were filthy, and my fingers were sore.
"I'm going to die here." I muttered to myself. Suddenly, my vision began to blur a little. Suddenly, I wasn't in the Dieselworks anymore. I was on the mainline, on the tracks, sitting high in the air.
Wait...
This wasn't me. It was Rebecca.
I was watching through her eyes...
. . .
Rebecca thundered down the track to the Dieselworks, her fury radiating from her. No one had ever seen Rebecca angry before. But this wasn't anger... it was pure unbridled rage and hatred. Her smoke, now black from the blazing fire in her firebox, billowed from her funnel, along with sparks from her fire.
When she roared into the Dieselworks, all the diesels stopped to look at her, not particularly concerned. After all, they knew Rebecca was a harmless Steamer.
Supposedly.
"WHERE IS HE?!" she roared, quickly looking from her left to her right. None of the diesels said a word, but a few of them were a little shocked. Rebecca slowly chuffed towards the main building, until her way was blocked by Diesel, Arry, and Bert.
"No Steamers inside our Dieselworks! Get lost!" Diesel said. But he was hiding something, and Rebecca knew it.
"Where. Is. Anon." Rebecca growled, getting right up in Diesel's face. He backed slightly.
"Who?" he asked. Rebecca's eyes blazed with fury. She backed away, pretending to give up. Diesel's confident smirk returned, but not for long. Suddenly, Rebecca rocketed forward, flames erupting from her funnel in a shocking display.
She slammed into Diesel with violent force, knocking him off the tracks violently.
"ANYONE ELSE WANT TO PRETEND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON?!" she hollered, the flames coming from her funnel disappearing.
"Stop her!" a voice from inside the main building shouted. Arry and Bert moved to block her path, one behind the other for strength. Rebecca slowly crept towards them, a low growl coming from her throat. Her firebox glowed red as she began to spit flames from her funnel again.
Arry and Bert didn't budge. Rebecca stopped a foot from Bert, the front engine.
"If you don't move, I am going to make sure you never move again. I will melt off your face with my fire, and push you into the molten metal death of the smelters that the two of you fucks work at. A hot, quick death. But only once you get there. I will take my time, and let you suffer as much as I like." she whispered, an evil grin on her face. Bert shuddered, but didn't move.
"Have it your way then." Rebecca said, before she took a deep breath. All the way into her firebox, she summoned the mighty flame. She opened her mouth with a yell, and flames erupted from her funnel, and her mouth. Bert screamed in agony as his face was in direct contact with Rebecca's fire breathing fury.
Arry quickly pulled him back, shouting his buffers off. Bert's face was nearly destroyed, his eyes and mouth burned to the bare core. The twins quickly switched tracks, and ran away. Rebecca breathed heavily, smoke still seeping from her mouth. She focused directly at the entrance of the main building.
Slowly moving forward, immense spurts of smoke erupted from her funnel. Steam whooshed violently from her sides, and her whistle sounded in a violent storm of noise. She stopped when Diesel 10 moved out of the shadows.
"Quite a cranky one, aren't you?" he said, eyeing Diesel, who was sitting way off to the side, off the tracks. Rebecca snarled.
"Give Anon back, or..." she was quickly silenced as Diesel 10 snapped his claw right in her face.
"Or what? You can't do anything. Sure, you can breath fire... apparently, but I still have the upper claw!" he said, taunting her by continuing to snap his claw in front of her face.
"Well, let's even the odds then." Rebecca growled, before suddenly lunging for Diesel 10's claw. She grabbed it with her mouth, and bit down on it hard, ignoring the pain. Diesel 10 looked mildly shocked.
"What?! Release me, you insignificant Steamer!" he demanded. Rebecca tightened her bite, and began to chuff backwards. Diesel 10 started to slide with her, until he locked on his brakes. His claw arm started to groan.
"You think you're stronger than me?! Ha, I'm far more powerful than you!" he said, reversing backwards, making Rebecca's wheels slip. But he didn't have the skills Rebecca had learned from Anon. She released her throttle, and gently reapplied it, with sand. Her gentle power to her wheels gave them full grip and torque, and she began to win the tug of war again.
"How are you doing this?! I've got more power!" Diesel 10 snapped, pulling back with his claw.
Suddenly, with a sudden yank from Rebecca, there was an awful metallic groan, and then a ripping sound.
"ARRRGH!" Diesel 10 screamed in pain as his claw was torn from its base. Black oil and hydraulic fluid began to erupt from his claw's connection. Rebecca jerked to the side, tossing his claw away.
"Now let us see how powerful you are, Diesel 10. I'm bigger than you, and more skilled." she said, a massive maniacal grin on her face. For the first time in his life... Diesel 10 was frightened. This Steamer... he'd seen her before. She had always been quiet, and so goody two shoes friendly. But now... she was insane.
"S-Stay back!" Diesel 10 warned, reversing into the Dieselworks. Rebecca followed, and stopped when Diesel 10 reversed onto the hydraulic turn table. He started to rotate on the table. His mistake.
As soon as he was slightly facing away from Rebecca, she charged, and hit his side with all she had. Diesel 10 cried out as Rebecca hit him, and he was derailed upon impact. He slid to the edge of the hydraulic turn table, with Rebecca off the rails next to him. Both were fully on the table as it spun. It stopped with Diesel 10 facing towards the front of the building, and began to rise to the second level.
When it stopped, Rebecca was in perfect position. Diesel 10 was mere inches from the edge, a good twenty foot drop below.
"See you later, devil diesel." she growled, before spinning her wheels on the bare concrete. Sparks flew as she gained just enough traction to hit him one final time, and push him over the edge. Diesel 10 fell from the turn table onto his side below, moaning in pain. He was defeated. The turn table began to rotate again, and Rebecca's tender suddenly detached from her, as it was no longer on the rotating table.
"I don't need a tender now, I've got the fury on my side." she muttered.
. . .
I had heard the shouting, and the crashing, and couldn't figure out what was going on. I couldn't see very far in front of the door, as the vents were slanted downwards. But I knew I heard it.
Rebecca's voice.
"Rebecca?!" I called.
"Anon? Anon! Where are you?!" she frantically answered, all traces of her anger suddenly gone. I pounded the metal door.
"I'm in this berth! I'm trapped!" I said. As luck would have it, Rebecca, still off the rails, and without a tender, was facing directly towards the door.
"Stand back as far as you can Anon... I'm getting you out!" she said. I went back to the rear of the berth.
"Okay!" I shouted. I heard heavy chuffing, and the sound of metal scraping on concrete. Suddenly, the door was bashed in with great force. It fell to the ground, and Rebecca was standing before you. I ran to her, and began to sob.
"You're safe now, Anon. I won't let anyone hurt you. Ever. Again. Are you okay?" she asked, slowly returning to her normal demeanor. I sobbed against her bumper for a few minutes, before I looked at her.
"I am now. I... I can't believe you came to rescue me." I whimpered. Rebecca smiled kindly.
"I'm your engine, your guardian. I would do anything to protect you. It's my job now." she said, nuzzling me as I pressed my cheek to hers. As I stepped back, I saw the damage. Rebecca's front bumper was heavily damaged, and her buffers had been bent. But what my main concern was is that she was derailed, and her tender was missing.
"What happened?" I asked, finally calming down.
"I had to fight my way in. I've... I've never felt so angry in my life. Or so powerful..." she whispered. I looked over the edge of the second level, and saw Diesel 10 laying on his side, now in a puddle of his own fluids. Rebecca's tender was also on it's side, coal scattered all around it.
"I came off the rails when I hit Diesel 10 on the turn table. It was my only chance. Then, I pushed him off, and was lucky enough to be facing your door." she explained. I noticed Diesel 10's claw was gone.
"Did you..." I stared at Rebecca with worry. She blushed.
"I... ripped it off. He might be big, but he's nothing without it." she said, growling a little. I looked at Rebecca's side. Her wheel lips were destroyed, and her pistons were damaged.
"You can't leave here, not on your own. Your wheels are destroyed." I said.
Rebecca and I sat in silence for a little while, trying to figure out how to get out of the Dieselworks. Suddenly, a horn sounded, and Mavis came in, looking horrified.
"What happened?!" she asked, noticing Diesel 10. She looked up, and saw me and Rebecca. She gasped.
"You... you're the... the outsider. The man from another world. Did... did Diesel 10..." she trailed off I nodded.
"Kidnapped me, held me as bait for Lady, would have let me die if she didn't come." I said, gesturing to Rebecca. "Rebecca saved me. I... I owe her my life, and so do all the Steamers on Sodor." I said. Mavis's eyes widened.
"I... I need to fetch Sir Topham Hatt at once!" she said, quickly reversing out of the building. I leaned back, glancing at Rebecca. She offered a smile, and but I didn't return it. Something felt different... and I wasn't sure what it was, at least not right away.
But as we waited, I suddenly realized.
A part of me was now frightened of Rebecca.
An engine, no matter how kind they might be, will be an unstoppable, savage force when their Rider is in danger. They will be scary enough, and dangerous enough to frighten anyone... even those they are trying to protect.