Welcome to Sodor
On the island of Sodor things were not going as well as they'd usually be going. The engines were finding life much more difficult even after Thomas returned from the states and Gervase returned to france with Duchess Corrinne as the newest resident of the Kalos Railway.
That evening the fleet were at Tidmoth Sheds and needless to say they were all cross and the big engines were chatting the loudest of all.
James: I swear the spawn of Diesel's Driver has caused us endless grief and havoc and the trucks are getting much worse to handle since the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway fleet said that they all supported Duchess Corrinne and said she did the right thing.
Henry: And she's made sure that the controller of that railway was protected from Arcanon and his thugs by having her martial arts friends teach them self defense. They even said that they supported Duchess Corrinne and the human that she was named after even to this day but the steam engines on the British mainland have all ended up over worked because of Payne's assistant tipping her off.
Gordon: Tell me about it. The Fat Controller said that if the Board of Directors all worked for companies that answered to Payne they'd have forced him to put me on goods trains for three weeks as punishment for helping Corrinne pass a message to Maggie from Sheena Fox about Jen's situation and Corrinne's situation for that matter and that was before Duchess Corrinne escaped to America with the Fat Controller's help.
James: Of course this could have been avoided if some of us here actually supported Duchess Corrinne from the start instead of throwing her under the bus by helping her enemies.
The fleet could tell who James was referring to since they knew Edward agreed to help Coi after Coi begged him to help keep her kid from going down the same dark criminal path that she herself walked for 30 years.
Edward: How was I supposed to know that Lord Brenton, Lord Fox and Lord Belmonte would find out that I agreed to help Coi with her daughter and that they'd order the Fat Controller to severely punish me and the engines who they say stabbed Duchess Corrinne in the back by making us do all of her work as well as our own?
Henry: The same way that the Fat Controller knows most of what he knows. Either way let's talk about some good news like the fact that the Kalos Railway is sending us some help for the summer season. Namely the fat Controller said that the Kalos Controller is sending some steam engines in to help us out.
James: I just hope they can fend off Camille's clients, their gangs, Chantal Payne and Dark Witch Coi's old boss Lord Arcanon. The last time the Thin Controller had some vandals punished Arcanon's right hand Singe attacked the Skarloey Railway and Payne's sleazy reporter badmouthed the railway in an article. It took weeks of hard work to restore the Skarloey Railway's reputation and Lord Fox even had to make a donation and send in extra supplies and some spare personnel to keep the railway afloat.
Thomas having been on the Kalos Railway decided it was time to speak up.
Thomas: I've been on the Kalos Railway and I've met their controller. So I can say with confidence that the Kalos Controller and the Fleet won't be pushed around by a bunch of thugs and they're not afraid of anyone or anything.
Henry: What do you mean by that?
Thomas: What I'm saying is that they won't take lip form anybody.
Percy: I forgot to ask the Fat Controller what kind of engines are coming to help. Thomas do you have an idea of what they're like?
Thomas: I've only met some of the Kalos fleet and by that I mean the LMS locomotives and the Southern Locomotives so it could be them but I haven't met the LNER or Great Western Locomotives yet. I have however heard a bit about them while I was filling in for Hassan but I never saw them. Basically I have no idea who is coming.
Edward: I hope you're right but for now we should get some sleep. We are all gonna need it and I'm guessing that these new engines were recommended by Duchess Corrinne herself so we can expect them to work hard and do their best otherwise we may have a lot more issues than just Duchess Corrinne's enemies.
The rest of the fleet agreed as they got a full lecture about Duchess Corrinne's enemies and what they were capable of but they also knew that they were going to get some new locomotives to give them some much needed help.
Three days later James was in the yard taking on some water when he heard an unfamiliar whistle. James looked for the source and found a locomotive that he hadn't seen on Sodor Before.
James: Who are you? Are you one of the visiting locomotives here to help?
?: Well my name is Churton Hall and I'm here to help with the heavy workloads on the Kalos Controller's orders.
James: We could use all the help we can get but be careful. The Crows have eyes and ears everywhere and Lord Arcanon is sure to show up should his right hand call for him. But I have to ask what class of locomotive are you? The Fat Controller never told us who was coming but Thomas said that while he heard about you and the other Kalos Railway Locomotives he had no clue you were among the locomotives to show up.
Churton Hall: Well I'm sure you probably figured this out but I am a Great Western Hall Class.
James: Yeah but Duck said something about there being two versions of the Halls. One was before World War two and the other was after the war so which version of the Halls are you?
Churton Hall: I'm from the prewar batch of Hall class locomotive but the Kalos Railway has other Great Western Locomotives. Some of which will be a pleasant surprise and some are the last of their kind.
James: (Surprised) Seriously? Well if that's the case then Duck would feel right at home if he were to visit the Kalos Railway and if what you say is true then if they are the last of their kind how did the Kalos Railway get them?
Churton: Actually some were built specifically for the Kalos Railway and some were sold to the Kalos Railway. But enough about that, is there any work for me to do around here?
As if on cue the Yard Master arrived with a clipboard in hand.
Yard Master: There you are James (Sees Churton Hall) And I see you've already met one of our guests. Anyway there's a goods train that needs to go to Vicarstown. It's a load of diesel fuel for the Sodor Dieselworks.
Churton Hall: Let me take the train. I'm a mixed traffic engine and I can pull anything I'm given. Just tell me where the trucks are.
Yard Master: They're right over there but be careful the trucks are sure to play tricks and if you're one of Duchess Corrinne's friends then they're sure to be as bad as the ballast trucks so don't be surprised. One more thing, be careful about the Crows they're sure to be lurking about.
Churton Hall: That's what the Kalos Controller tells me all the time and I still remember all of my training from the days of the Great Western so I got this.
Churton Hall then left as the Yard Master gave James his assignment.
Yard Master: James you're to go to Knapford and take a goods train to Arlesburgh once again then get some ballast on the return trip.
James: (groaning) Again? Are you serious? This is the seventh load of ballast this week. Where are our guests?
Yard Master: Doing a weight test on the Little Western. The Kalos Controller wanted me to tell you that if this works then the Fat Controller can transfer you to Kirk Ronan to handle the passenger trains and he can look into getting stronger engines to help out on the Little Western.
James signed knowing the Yard Master was right and that the Kalos Controller and the Fat Controller had a point. He also knew that the leader of the Mainline Certified Steam Locomotives would want to know the weight limits of the branch lines so that she'd know full well which locomotives to nominate in the future. James then went to get his trucks before leaving for Arlesburgh.
James: (Thinking) Hopefully things will get better when our guests get comfortable on the railway and they get the trucks into shape.
Meanwhile Churton Hall was puffing along the was puffing along with the train of tankers to the Dieselworks but he remembered the Yard Master's words of advice and made sure to focus on the Task at hand and keep the train in check.
Churton Hall's Driver: So s far so good. At least we got good directions on where Vicarstown is and that probably means the Dieselworks should be within sight.
Churton Hall: That's good but I just hope the diesels here aren't gonna be as hostile to me as most of the ones on the other railway were to Duchess Corrinne. I can't believe they treated her like dirt just because she told the truth.
Churton Hall's Fireman: What did you expect from Duchess Corrinne's enemies? They're underhanded and deceitful. Still the Fat Controller has to answer to the Kalos Controller should anything happen to you and I'm sure you know how he can get.
Churton Hall did know full well how the Belmonte family could get should something go wrong but he had no time for this as he arrived at the Dieselworks.
Churton Hall: Well this is the place. So where is everyone?
Churton Hall's Driver: Hopefully this isn't a prank. That's the last thing we need.
Churton Hall carefully puffed closer to the Dieselworks with his train before noticing an employee.
Dieselworks Employee: (Seeing Churton Hall) Oh who are you?
Churton Hall: I'm a guest of the Fat Controller and I'm here on an assignment.
Dieselworks Employee: Oh right that's the fuel shipment. Well you can just leave it there. One of the diesels will get it.
Churton Hall: Yeah I'll just do that. But where is everyone?
Dieselworks Employee: Well they're currently working on other tasks or are on lunch break. Anyway you'd best go.
Churton Hall decided to do exactly that as he found a turn table and turned round after leaving his trucks before taking on water and getting ready for his next train.
Churton Hall: So far so good Driver. Seems like that was an easy job.
Churton Hall's Driver: Perhaps but that's just the first job. More will follow and some will be easy and some will be tough.
Churton Hall: True but then again I'm a Hall the Great Western Railway's all-purpose locomotive.
Churton Hall's Fireman: Even so that doesn't mean you can get cocky. Cockiness usually leads to arrogance and we all know how that ends.
Churton Hall: I understand. Anyway we should get going.
The crew agreed as they finished Churton Hall's drink before heading out to do their next job unaware that a pair of bird eyes were watching from above.
Author's Note: Sorry I'm late. I was occupied with Life. Anyway please read and review. Thank you that is all.