All Hail Duchess Corrinne
On the Island of Sodor, Churton, Hall, Monica, Brody, and Zach were at the sheds getting oiled up for their jobs. The Fat Controller had told them to wait as he had news for them.
Zach: Wonder why the boss told us to hang back?
Brody: Well he has a good reason to keep us here. I mean he wouldn't tell us to stay behind for no reason.
Monica: Let me remind you that we turned our backs on King Elgar due to the fact this one of his brothers stabbed Duchess Corrinne in the back two years ago by undermining him.
Churton Hall: And I needn't remind you lot that while Duchess Corrinne is scary her counterparts are even scarier and I needn't remind you what happened the last time that her Japanese Counterpart was with her and that was when none of the Kalos Railways LMS Locomotives weren't even speaking to Jason and that was for over a year.
Brody, Monica, and Zach gulped at Churton Hall's words as they remembered the last time one of Duchess Corrinne's counterparts was with her on the Kalos Railway and it was thanks to that counterpart's influence that Corrinne began to lead the LMS section of the Kalos Railway in the way they did. Before they could chat anymore the Fat Controller arrived.
Brody: Hello boss. What's up?
The Fat Controller: Boss?
Brody: Oh sorry my bad. On the Kalos Railway we usually refer to the controller as boss so we didn't get the gender specific notations messed up.
The Fat Controller: Well I'll excuse it this one but then again I bring news. The Kalos Controller wants an update on the progress you've made with your mission.
Monica decided to speak up and answer the question.
Monica: And why should we tell you anything? Last time we checked you did nothing to help support Duchess Corrinne when she needed you the most.
Zach: Monica's right. You watched as Edward constantly overruled her plans when they made sense and by the time you got to her she was on her last wheels and her virus had her weakened so badly that she could hardly speak let alone work.
Churton Hall: Duchess Corrinne needed support, she needed faith and confidence from those she was fighting for but instead she didn't get that. She was betrayed by one of your engines. The Kalos Controller had to get house Fox and House Brenton to bail her out and even then she still didn't feel safe so they sent her to the Unova Railroad in the United States.
Brody: And they still have issues with you considering the mistakes your father and grandfather made and the biggest mistake was Thomas' cheeky little comments about Gordon Scrapping his tender and getting a nice bunker as well as neglecting to get a shunting engine to replace Thomas in the shunting yards before moving him to his branchline.
The Fat Controller was stunned that Brody, Monica, Zach, and Churton Hall knew about that as the GWR 4700 continued.
Monica: That's right we know all about your predecessors and their mistakes. Duchess Corrinne told us about that and so did Aiko for that matter and frankly the Shiba Clan is pissed off with you. The one thing they will not do is assign shunting duties to tender engines. The Shiba clan are samurais and they believe that is a task that should be left to tank engines and shunting diesels only.
Churton Hall: And before you go for the hat trick let me say that the Belmonte Family also believe that philosophy considering that we're here on their command as well as the North Western Railway's Board of Directors. They all agreed that we would be what they need to take on Lord Arcanon so I suggest you tread lightly. They elected you in and they can just as easily elect you out.
The Fat Controller was stunned that these four visiting locomotives were chosen by the Board of Directors and that they also knew that the Board of Directors had final say.
The Fat Controller: (stunned) So what are you trying to say?
Zach: Basically we pretty much think you lack the back bone to stand up to the likes of the rude diesels and put them in their place. Basically the Kalos Controller sent us to help pick up the slack and to keep an eye on you. Regardless by the first of September we're out of here according to the Kalos Controller.
Churton Hall: However in a gesture of good faith and due to the fact you haven't made as big of mistakes as your father and grandfather we will tell you the details of our mission.
Monica: We successfully managed to get the familes of Edward's crew into a safe house away from Arcanon's reach. So he has no excuse to undermine Duchess Corrinne anymore.
The Fat Controller: Okay so at least Edward can rest easy on that but that's not the only reason you're here.
Brody: Nope it is not. We've been gathering support for Duchess Corrinne as of late if it does come to a final battle between Arcanon, his crew and the Crows trying to terrorize the land like they did in days long past. The Thin and Small Controllers both said they'd fight against Arcanon and his gang and the crows because all that they know and worked hard for is at stake.
Monica: The current manager of the Culdee Fell Railway also has our back and knows why we're here and why we've come and has agreed to help.
Churton Hall: Before we continue let me say something that Gervase told me. He said that one of the leaders of his homeland the United States of America was Teddy Roosevelt and from what little he knew of him based upon what historians said of him, Teddy Roosevelt always said, 'The best thing you can do in an emergency situation is the right thing; the second-best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing at all.' Teddy Roosevelt never did nothing at all.
Zach: Now that we told you this all that remains is what are you going to do? There will be a time where you may have to face Lord Arcanon or those who support him, the question that needs to be answered is will you be able to do what needs to be done in order to defeat him or not?
The Fat Controller thought carefully after listening to all that four of the Kalos Railways Great Western Locomotives said before giving an answer.
The Fat Controller: After what you've said I'm convinced now more than ever that if Lord Arcanon wins then all that my family and I worked so hard for will be lost forever. Arcanon and those who support him must be defeated no matter what so count me in. I should've supported Duchess Corrinne when she needed support and I should've known something was wrong when Edward voted against Duchess Corrinne's plans which were promoting positive change and I should've realized that I should've called my apprentice back when I haven't heard from her.
Brody: Anyone can say that they'll step up against Arcanon but true commitment comes from actions not words. Either way we've got things to do and Duchess Corrinne is expecting our weekly report.
The Fat Controller handed out the jobs before the Great Western Locomotives headed off for work and as soon as they left he went to find Duck.
On the Kalos Railway's LMS section Duchess Corrinne was being oiled up for her next train as Hassan was already arranging the coaches.
Duchess Corrinne: Now this is how it should be. Tank engines shunt the trains and tender engines pull the trains. As the big engines of Sodor said years ago, Tender Engines don't shunt. As I said, Shunting is a task that should be left to tank engines only, and according to my Japanese Counterpart when she visited us previously Tank engines are to be seen and not heard and are to speak only when spoken to. She's even got a message for the coaches who dared to say that the big engines were just lazy and slack and say that on the Johto Railway such talk was not tolerated at all.
Duchess Corrinne's Driver: Your Japanese Counterpart has had a powerful influence on you since her previous visit.
Duchess Corrinne's Fireman: And you've had a powerful influence on her since you were loaned to the Johto Railway to fill in when one of the pacific models fell ill and needed a new boiler.
Duchess Corrinne: What did you expect from my counterpart? Her boss is a member of the Shiba clan and third generation in the business or was it 4th generation? Either way the Shiba Clan are samurais and the one thing they will never do is assign shunting duties to tender engines nor will they make tender engines fetch their own trains. That's why Rayne's been in the shunting yards and that was before her predecessor was given a branch line.
?: Sounds like you and your Japanese Counterpart are on good terms. Tell me were the two of you sisters from different factories or something?
Duchess Corrinne growled knowing that the last time somebody dared to interrupt her in the middle of her musing and had a cheeky response found themselves on the lowest of jobs as punishment for four weeks.
Anton who was trundling by on a goods train saw Corrinne's growl and knew that he had just pissed her off and that could cost him his job and his life.
Anton: I didn't mean it to sound offensive it's just that I've heard rumors from our guest from the far east that said that you sounded just like a locomotive from Japan. Please don't set the French armed forces on me.
Duchess Corrinne: I suggest you get back to work at once.
Anton didn't waste any time and bolted with his train before he incurred the wrath of house fox much to the concern of Corrinne's driver and fireman.
Corrinne's Driver: Are you sure threatening him was a good idea?
Corrinne: I know what I'm doing. Besides I need not remind you of what happened since I was away from the Kalos Railway.
The Driver and Fireman knew what Duchess Corrinne meant but unfortunately they were on the clock which meant they had to get moving.
Back on the Island of Sodor the Fat Controller had come to see Edward to hand him his next job.
Edward: You look fierce. What happened sir?
The Fat Controller: The Board of Directors got word that the Kalos Railway's about to make a big move on Lord Arcanon's operations and Lord Fox is about to put some pressure on them. Lord Fox isn't happy with how you've interfered with Duchess Corrinne's plans as of late but I know our guests were here to rescue your Driver and Fireman's relatives.
Edward: I'm aware of that. They and their relatives now have two members of the Gold Dragons escorting them to and from work and none of them are taking a lunch break without somebody covering.
The Fat Controller: Regardless our guests have been taking a lot of weight off of the fleet and stepped up to the plate as of late and I'm gonna be a bit sad to see them go.
Edward: So, will I sir. They've been a big help and I've taught them a few things. Hopefully they'll spread this knowledge to the Kalos Railway and hopefully Monica will learn not to curse so much like a sailor even though she works hard like a sailor.
The Fat Controller: That is one of the many rules I put in place. No swearing like sailors on leave and I made it perfectly clear to Monica that working like a sailor and transporting sailors does not give her a license to curse like a sailor.
Edward: For once that makes two of us. Still I had a few words with Monica and she's got some good points. Like for one she's worried about Brody given that his classmates were starting to struggle and get overwhelmed in the 1930s. unfortunately she also brings up the fact that she and the others had a message from Lords Brenton, Fox, and Belmonte.
The Fat Controller: And what message is that?
Edward: You're still on thin ice for not telling your apprentice to grow a backbone but on the other hand the one saving grace you have is getting Duchess Corrinne to the states to finally cure her of the virus that Shauntal Payne infected her with in an attempt to dispose of her.
The Fat Controller: Duchess Corrinne and the rest of the Orient Four are technically jointly owned by the North Western Railway, the Kalos Railway, the British Railways and the companies that became part of British Railways. Knowing that there was no way that I was going to let Duchess Corrinne stay in such a toxic environment where half of the fleet would try to dispose of her. I just wish she had said something earlier.
?: That's due to the fact that half the fleet would've spilled their guts to Lord Arcanon.
Right on cue Churton Hall showed up with a local stopping passenger train.
Churton Hall: Is this a bad time? Or did I show up at the right moment for a conversation.
Edward: How much did you hear?
Churton Hall: Enough to hear that you and your boss are still both on thin ice with Lords Brenton, Belmonte and Fox.
Edward: Somehow I'm not surprised but I will say this. They can say what they will about me but I've got a job to do.
Churton Hall: I understand that but just so we're clear Duchess Corrinne's wanted me to tell you that it's her turn now.
With that Churton Hall left on that note as soon as he heard his guard's whistle.
Edward: Sir if what Churton Hall says is true and Duchess Corrinne's turn has come then there's a good chance I'll have to be the bearer of bad news.
The Fat Controller: And to think I allowed you to help the former leader of the deadliest and the most fearsome criminal empire the British Isles has ever seen. This is part of the reason why half my staff said that we should've gone with Duchess Corrinne's plan years ago. That way half the Diesels wouldn't be a problem and we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now and how history wouldn't be repeating itself.
Edward: (surprised) You know about that and what I promised Coi years ago?
The Fat Controller: Don't be surprised Edward. You of all engines should know by now that Railway Controllers that it's our business to know what's going on.
Edward: Then let me ask you this sir. What do I do about Camille because I can't be everywhere she goes and she'd simply go where steam engines are forbidden to go like say Barrow in Furness. Let's not forget that she's starting to learn her mothers old skills in the criminal underworld. At this rate if Duchess Corrinne does take over then I don't even want to think of the worst case scenario.
The Fat Controller: I'll have a word with the Kalos Controller and the board of directors. Hopefully I can buy you more time but at the very least our guests have gotten your crew's families into hiding.
Edward: That's one good thing we can take from all of this but I've got to get to work.
The Fat Controller agreed as Edward returned to work while the Fat Controller himself had things to do and he had until summer's end for that was when time expired and before Duchess Corrinne would be free to show her face on Sodor once again if circumstances forced her to do so.