The Great Western Railway Engines
The time had come for Thomas to return to the North Western Railway and to Sodor. Three days had passed since Thomas got the news and the plan to send him home was already underway. Hassan, who had just been fixed and fitted with a new boiler which was already inspected, had come to see Thomas off before returning to his duties among the LMS Locomotives.
Hassan: I guess this is it Thomas? It must be nice to be going home huh?
Thomas: Yep. Don't get me wrong I liked being here but it'll be nice to see everyone again. The others are probably missing me back on Sodor by now. It's a shame I didn't get to meet everyone else. But then again I didn't meet everyone on the Unova Railroad either.
Hassan: Don't worry about it. Though I wish your visit wasn't during Lord Arcanon's return and Lord Brenton's passengers getting robed. Still as long as we don't provoke his wrath he won't attack but what I don't get is how Arcanon even knows who crossed him and why he even bothers to attack.
Thomas: I'd say more but I don't have an exact answer and I'm leaving soon. I can give you a lead. When I was doing your jobs of shunting and pulling freight I overheard the workmen say that Duchess Corrinne would feel right at home with the Great Western Locomotives on this railway considering they're the type not to take shit from Lord Arcanon or anybody else for that matter. Unfortunately that's gotten them on the receiving end on Lord Arcanon's wrath. Pardon my language.
Hassan: No, it's alright. Anyway I'll be sure to ask the Kalos Controller to transfer me to the Great Western Section of the Kalos Railway for a bit. I hope he says yes.
Thomas: I hope so too. Well it's time for me to go. Goodbye for now Hassan. It was nice chatting with you.
Hassan backed away to a safe distance as Thomas was lifted into the ship that was bound for the Island of Sodor. Once Thomas was on the ship the Ship sailed off to Sodor. Hassan watched the Ship disappear before going back to work. He pushed some cars into their proper sidings before the Dock Manager gave him a train to take from the docks.
Hassan collected his goods train and it was by sheer dumb luck the train in questioned happened to be going to the Great Western area of the Kalos Railway and in a twist of fate the train was a mixture of coal cars and supply cars with some supplies for the branch shop located in that area and the coal cars were loaded to the brim with high quality welsh coal.
Hassan: (Surprised) Whoa. Looks like the Kalos Controller seems to be spoiling the Great Western Railway Locomotives or they've probably been feeling homesick. Either way, I better get this train to the shops before Dark Witch Coi's Daughter finds out and it gets wrecked.
Hassan began puffing along the line and steamed ahead with his freight train for it's destination.
Meanwhile in the Sheds of the Kalos Railway's Great Western Section the Great Western Locomotives were starting to get restless and a bit annoyed.
?: Where is Gervase? He's supposed to bring the Welsh Coal and the machines to help keep the workshops on our section of the Kalos Railway up and running.
The engine that spoke was a tender engine painted in Great Western Green wearing the nameplates Edinburgh Castle and looked very annoyed from the wait. The locomotive next to him decided to take a more diplomatic approach to the situation.
?: Now Edinburgh Castle there is no need to get impatient. I'm sure Gervase is on his way as we speak. Even if Gervase is not available the Kalos Controller is likely gonna send either Colby, or perhaps Coley, Jake, or Michael to get the coal and supplies for us so relax.
The Great Western Locomotives all looked at the engine that had spoken as if they were speaking like a guru.
The locomotive in question was a BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0 and spoke like a drifter moving about from place.
One of the Great Western Locomotives a Churchwood class 2800 spoke next.
Class 2800: Christina is right. While we work best with welsh coal that coal won't last forever and the Kalos Controller has been considering converting me to burn oil like he considered doing with Meg and while it may not have worked in the British Isles then it may work better here in France with the technology we have so we can relax everyone.
Christina: Thanks Bryant. I can see why you're the leader among the Great Western Locomotives here. Well you and King Elgar anyway. Still I feel as if I am an outsider trying to find my place among you lot despite being built at Swindon.
Elgar the resident Great Western King Class Locomotive decided to speak to Christina and give her some advice.
King Elgar: Christina while I understand that the Great Western Railroad staff and Locomotives may not have been welcoming of you at first you provided that you're just as powerful as one of the Manor Class Locomotives so believe me when I say you do belong with us. After all Bryant was the first one to welcome you to the fleet and so was I.
Christina: I'll be sure to remember that when anybody asks where I came from.
King Elgar and Bryant were pleased to see Christina was fitting in as Hassan arrived with a goods train and it had a mixture of coal cars and supplies cars. The coal cars had welsh coal in them while the supply cars held the tools and supplies needed for the workshops in the Kalos Railway's Great Western Section.
Hassan: Hello guys.
Christina: Hassan. Glad to see you back in service. So why are you here? Where's Gervase?
Hassan: Gervase is with the Southern Railway Locomotives doing Tabitha's work while Tabitha's doing Lord Brenton's work. He couldn't make it and I went to see Thomas off at the docks at Calais. Then while I was there the Dock Manager gave me the train. It turns out that was the best thing to happen because I wanted to speak to you.
Bryant: May I ask why?
Hassan: Thomas told me that you guys were not the type to take any of Lord Arcanon's threats and Duchess Corrinne would feel right at home among you. At least that's what he heard the workmen say.
The Great Western Railway Locomotives all heard that and were stunned to hear the workmen say such a thing but they were interested to hear what Hassan had to say about the resident Stanier Duchess and the Leader of the Kalos Railway Fleet.
Hassan: So as you know Lord Arcanon has returned and I was wondering if any of you had a plan?
Edinburgh Castle: I suggest that we simply figure out how Arcanon is behind these attacks. If we do that then we can defeat him. But before we do that you might want to leave the coal trucks here and get the other cars to the shops.
Christina: Edinburgh Castle's right. Though this would've been easier if the Kalos Controller sent me to get the train in the first place.
The other Great Western Engines knew that the BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0 was eager to prove herself but she had limitations and one of the Great Western Locomotives, a 4700 Class had no problem saying that.
GWR 4700: Listen Tina we know you're eager to prove yourself but a good engine is able to temper courage with reason.
Bryant: Monica's right. Just because you could do the job doesn't mean that you should go for it. The Kalos Controller can't afford to have you out of service right now. The last thing we need is Norton Manor grumbling about doing your work as well as his own.
Norton Manor: Not that I'm complaining about hard work but you are much stronger and more refined than I am. Still you have to be careful. You're built for Secondary Routes that only Brody, myself, and our resident Great Western 2251 Class can visit.
Christina sighed listening as the other Great Western Engines present put their own two cents into the conversation forgetting that Hassan was present but they didn't have to worry too much.
Hassan had decided to take the initiative and shunt the coal cars into a siding before he coupled up to the rest of the train. Fortunately the train was arranged so that all Hassan had to do was shunt the Coal Cars off the train and into a siding before taking the box cars to the workshop. The events however didn't go unnoticed by King Elgar who had noticed that Hassan was missing.
Christina: Look I get the whole be careful speech but sometimes you have to take risks in order to do what is right.
Monica: I'm sure Hassan would agree with you. Right Hassan.
Monica expected to hear a response but heard nothing.
Monica: Guys where's Hassan?
Norton Manor: I don't know. Edinburgh Castle. Kalos Star weren't you two supposed to be watching him?
Edinburgh Castle: I was chatting with Christina. Right Kalos Star.
Kalos Star the Great Western Star Class locomotive spoke.
Kalos Star: That's right though Hassan left the Welsh Coal here.
King Elgar: He shunted the trucks while you lot were giving Christina a lecture on caution and risks. Still we all took a huge risk helping Duchess Corrinne out and having our drivers get a message to our Controller's Daughter Etna Belmonte who happens to be Sheena Fox's cousin to go check on Corrinne when we did otherwise Duchess Corrinne might not be here.
The Fleet agreed as Kalos Star spoke next.
Kalos Star: I find it odd that Hassan was sent here when he's usually with the LMS Locomotives. I was gonna ask him some questions and I'm sure he's got some for us as well.
Monica: I'm sure you can ask him when the sun comes down and we hit the sack. Something tells me that we'll be seeing more of Hassan around here and if we're lucky we may get Duchess Corrinne to visit us just like she paid a visit to us back on the Great Western when we were all in the United Kingdom.
Norton Manor: What do you mean? What was it like back in the United Kingdom?
Monica: Oh right I forgot. You were built speccificaly to join us here in France so you don't know how life was like in Great Britian.
Norton Manor: Well I kinda have an idea but all I'm hearing is the stuff surrounding the days when Dark Witch Coi terrorized the land for 20 or 30 something years.
Bryant: We'll tell you later. Right now we had best get back to work. Fortunately the coal's here so let's get going.
The engines soon had their tenders full of Welsh coal and they all steamed off ready to get back to work.
Author's Note: In Real Life The Western Region of British Rails had plans to include Norton Manor in it's ranks along with nine other GWR Manor Class Locomotives but the order was canceled. Norton Manor is an Original Character I created. I hoped you enjoyed that tidbit of History and remember. Please Read and Review. Thank you that is all.