The cool dew of the morning aftermath hung in the air. The stagnant smell of fresh rain perforating the gentle calm of the dawn. As the sun peeked over the distant curvature of the land, Henry and Rebecca emerged from the Steamworks.
"Mmmm… Ahhhh… We need to stop doing that." Henry yawned as he stretched his full length to the heavens.
Rebecca stifled a yawn of her own as she pulled on her jacket. She slung her bag over her shoulder and stumbled slightly on the uneven pavement.
"But we're making so much progress. It's really coming along."
Henry rubbed his eyes as he reached for his wallet.
"I have a few notes if you want to stop before the sheds. Grab a bite? We'll be going by that bakery anyway."
Rebecca was in the midst of searching her own bag.
"Awh. I forgot to grab an extra shirt. I'm going to smell like oil and sweat all day now." She dropped her shoulders.
"How is that different from any other day?" Henry teased as she slugged him in the shoulder.
"Let's go to the bakery. Since it's your treat I think I'll have one of everything from the 'fresh daily' cabinet." She threatened.
The two had been pulling all-nighters trying to speed up Number 3's repair process. With it's reputable steaming problems and track record for needing additional accommodations like special coal for it's prototype firebox, adding an accident to the record had brought up talks of scrapping. They were under the gun to save the engine.
"Alright alright I'm sorry. You normally only smell like oil. Maybe sweat will be a nice change."
She popped him again and the two burst out in delirious laughter as the sun continued to climb.
In the knapford yard, Number 6 was just returning from the nightmare of an evening delivering the mail. The brick red CCT Vans were worse for wear as the heavy rain and low hanging branches of the windswept trees had battered their frames. Percy eased the train back onto a far siding and pulled to full stop as he heard the ferocious roar of the Class 08 command attention to his left. He hard stopped right as the train collided with the buffers, causing poor Percy to stumble backwards, collapsing in his cab.
"Come ON!" He shouted. His poncho flipped over his reddened face.
"Sorry Percy, I didn't see you there." Diesel's unmistakable ooze bellowed from the cab.
Percy grappled his way to a stand. A workman uncoupling Number 6 from the consist. Percy grumbled to himself, eager to end his day and get out of his sopping clothes and into his warm bed.
"You know Percy. Someone really should talk to Sir Topham Hatt about rotating your jobs. Constantly being on the night shift must be awful." Diesel emphasized as Percy started Number 6 chuffing up the line.
Diesel tailed him in the Class 08, keeping pace as the two engines headed toward the sheds.
"I mean it Percy you look dreadful. If I were you I'd recommend to Sir Topham Hatt that you be shuffled to something more reflecting of your needs."
Percy wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion, the logic, or Diesel himself making the most sense. But Percy couldn't ignore that he was tired. He missed seeing his friends during the day. He didn't like sleeping through the beautiful fall days.
As the engines crawled toward the sheds, Percy proposed back at Diesel.
"What would you think of working at night?"
"Me? Well I find the night wonderful. I quite like the dark. Being alone with my thoughts."
Percy made the decision on the spot as Number 6 rotated on the turntable. Leaving out the cab he called across toward the Class 08.
"Diesel! Would you trade with me? If I asked Sir Topham Hatt?"
Diesel smiled a very ambiguous smile.
"I would happily help you Percy. Please consider me at your service."
As Percy turned back to gauge Number 6's distance to the buffers, Diesel grinned deviously.
Rebecca stirred slightly as the Bulleid crossed lazily over the points. A small snore lost in the sound of the cylinders pumping while Henry operated the engine.
The two had been taking shifts during the day to sleep and execute their daily work while they balanced the nighttime repairs. Since Rebecca had offered to not empty Henry's entire wallet at the Bakery, he offered to take the first turn.
His sleepy eyes burned as the sun pierced through the cab windows. Black bags under his eyes gave him a gaunt expression as he backed down the engine on a line of coaches. Eyes half lidded he 'bumped' into the first coach causing Rebecca's head to tilt and knock into the cab wall.
"WHERE!? WHO!?" She bolted upright disoriented.
"Sorry! I'm sorry. We're just coupling up. Go back to sleep because I'm trading you at Maron." He eased as Rebecca quickly dozed back off.
Henry removed his jacket, feeling the bite of the morning air, and draped it carefully over her sleeping person. Grateful he wasn't stuck doing all of this alone.
I hadn't intended to spend so much time with Henry and Rebecca when I started writing this, but it feels so… (natural? Yeah natural lol) to develop their friendship like this. Gentle Giant Henry and Do your best Rebecca are cinnamon roll wholesomeness to a tee.
Wicked jazzed to be able to pace things like this. Percy being back with his friends can give us more character interaction there, and what praytell is Diesel's motive for wanting the nightshift? Guess we'll see ;)
As Always thank you for reading.! -REN