Summer's End
Summer was soon coming to an end and with the end of summer, Churton Hall, Zach, Monica and Brody would be heading back to the Kalos Railway.
At Tidmoth Sheds the fleet were discussing the locomotives in question and how things were going to be quite different. This time Duck was at the sheds filling in for Stafford on shunting duties as Stafford was having routine maintenance.
Duck: Brody, Monica, and Zach told me much about George Jackson Churchwood and his days on the Great Western Railway. He set the standard for future locomotive designs at Swindon and created the standardization policy that the Great Western Railway has been using.
Gordon: Great just what we need before we rest up. More stories of the Great Western Railway. I swear that railway has had a superiority complex ever since the first spike was placed.
Duck: We of the Great Western Railway do not have a superiority complex.
Henry: I'm afraid Gordon's right. When I was at Swindon Duchess Corrinne said that she paid a visit to the Great Western Railway and the Southern Railway and from what she's observed and studied up your old railway has had a superiority complex.
Duck: Name one example of us having a superiority complex.
Rebecca the resident Bulleid Light Pacific spoke up.
Rebeca: Don't take this the wrong way but the Great Western has been a bit shall we say cocky. Case in point boasting about the Castle Class Locomotives. They were known to be the most powerful express passenger locomotives when they arrived and they even beat Flying Scotsman in a test of strength. Of course they lost the title when the Lord Nelsons arrived on the scene and I would know because I used to work on the Southern Railway. After that the King Class engines arrived out of the Great Western Railway's desire to reclaim the title of having the most powerful Express Passenger Locomotive in the British Isles and I guess in a way they did have the title of having the most powerful Ten Wheeler Steam Engines in all of Great Britain.
The other engines were stunned at how Rebecca knew all of that and none more so than Duck.
Duck: (Surprised) Rebecca how do you know about all of this?
Rebecca: I've been studying up on the history of the Southern Railway and don't forget I'm from the batch of light Pacifics that was built at Eastleigh so I'm well aware of the rivalry between the Great Western and the South Western Railways.
Henry: Duchess Corrinne would say that it's good to educate yourself about the past for there is a saying about it.
Bear: And what saying would that be?
Henry: To ignore the past is to risk repeating it.
The other engines were surprised and none more so than Belle.
Belle: You sound like a martial arts master.
Henry: That's what happens when your driver has been given martial arts training.
James: Enough about that we've got bigger problems. The trucks have been strangely quiet as of late. I'd like to say that our guests have been involved. Remember what happened the last time visitors of the Kalos Railway arrived.
Bear: What happened the last time?
Gordon: It was when Duchess Corrinne was in town making positive changes and helping the Fat Controller's apprentice grow some spine.
Rebecca: How did that happen?
James: Long story short she was responsible for getting the Fat Controller's apprentice out of Shantal Payne's thumb by winning a very dangerous but high paying contract.
Belle: What was the contract?
Henry: Delivering molten phenol to a factory.
Belle paled on the spot and it didn't go unnoticed by the other engines.
Rebecca: Belle what's wrong?
Belle: Of all the crazy things Duchess Corrinne has done pulling a train loaded with molten phenol is one of craziest things she's done. That stuff is very toxic and very combustible. It's used to make glue.
The other engines paled as soon as Belle had finished explaining.
Gordon: Let's get to the topic at hand. The trucks. They've been very quiet as of late which is odd since trucks are normally troublesome.
Rebecca: Yeah and I haven't even heard so much as a peep out of them. Perhaps they've wised up and learned not to cause havoc.
James: I don't know I think somebody is telling them to lay low for a while and gather intel. Perhaps they're waiting for the right moment.
Duck: Well if they do then Duchess Corrinne's sure to have a plan. Churton Hall always said that Duchess Corrinne tends to come up with the plans on the Kalos Railway.
Henry: Then I suppose she's got a plan should her enemies come after us to get revenge upon her for foiling their plans?
Duck: Yep and Monica says that Corrinne's got another plan to deal with Diesel's Driver's brat of a daughter once and for all. She and the crows have caused us nothing but problems.
James: That makes two of us I for one hope Duchess Corrinne's got a big plan to take them down once and for all and crush Arcanon into the ground.
Gordon: And hopefully soon my relatives can't take much more of Corrinne's grudge.
Henry: And neither can mine. We're suffering at is it.
Rebecca: Even I'm starting to feel it and we didn't do anything to her.
Belle: Perhaps this will teach your relatives not to undermine Duchess Corrinne anytime soon especially when she's making sense.
Henry, Gordon, and Rebecca knew what Belle meant for Duchess Corrinne was practical minded and led with courage and strength but James had something else to bring up.
James: So what is Duchess Corrinne's planning?
Duck: Duchess Corrinne's planning to make a big move once her turn has come. Brody, Monica, Zach, and Churton Hall wouldn't tell me much but all they would say was that this is where things would change.
The fleet understood but little did they know that somebody had heard every word that was said and had dialed up a number in question.
?: Boss it's time. The kettles and traitor have spoken. What shall I do?
The voice on the other end of the line gave instructions over the phone.
?: Understood. I'll continue my duties as a spy.
The unknown figure departed upon hearing that.
Days passed as the first of September approached and with that the departure of the Kalos Railway's Great Western Railway fleet. The engines knew that soon things would return to normal which meant that once the summer ended the locomotives of the North Western Railway would be on their own once again.
Gordon was due out to take a stopping passenger service with Pip and Emma on the express. He could see that Monica was waiting with a goods train as Zach was in the shunting yards this time much to his surprise.
Gordon: Zach what are you doing here?
Zach: I'm covering for the local shunter. Don't looks so surprised. When I was still a GWR 4200 Class I used to cover for the local shunters. Turns out I'm quite good at it.
Gordon: Then allow me a question. Why were you rebuilt into your current shape?
Zach: That's because of the great depression and due to coal traffic declining some of my siblings and I were converted into our current shapes allowing us more use across the Great Western Railway.
Gordon: I'll remember that but I've got to go. That's my guard.
Gordon left with his stopping service on that note as Zach went back to work.
Meanwhile in France the Kalos Railway's Great Western Railway fleet was already planning a hero's welcome for their friends.
King Elgar: This is it. Tomorrow is the beginning of the end of Anton's stay on the Great Western Section of the Kalos Railway.
Edinburgh Castle: And to think I was starting to put up with him.
Bryant: Either way it'll be nice to have our friends back and to send Anton to the areas where he is needed.
Meg: That's right. Anton's proven himself a trusted member of the fleet and he's quite effective.
Preston: But once Galleth is back on his wheels and our guests return what do we do about Anton? He learned so much from us but who is to say that our enemies could use that against us?
Isiah: Preston brings up a very good point. How do we know Anton won't throw us under the bus? We took a big risk when we trusted Alana and that was because Duchess Corrinne vouched for her.
Tyler: And that risk paid off that time but who's to say that this risk won't stab us in the bunker later? Lord Arcanon is still out there.
Riley a Great Western 4200 spoke up next.
Riley: True but let's think Logically. If Lord Arcanon is going to come up with a plan to attack he'd need men, supplies, and gear and a place to feed, clothe and shelter those men.
Hefferson Grange a GWR 6800 Grange locomotive spoke next.
Hefferson Grange: So what are you saying? It sound to me like he needs money for all of that. It's obvious duh.
Riley: Exactly and to do that he needs money and somebody to manage all of that money.
Norton Manor: Okay but how does all of this help us in fighting Lord Arcanon and his forces and those who team up with him?
Riley: What I'm saying is that LMS engines of the Kalos Railway are aiming at the wrong target. They're going for the body but what we need to do is go for the brain.
The other engines understood what Riley was coming from and what Riley had in mind but as they voiced their understanding of Riley's plan Dylan the resident GWR 1400 spoke next.
Dylan: And how do you suppose we get this information to Duchess Corrinne without the forces of Darkness finding out? Last time I checked Arcanon and Coi both had eyes and ears across the United Kingdom.
Kalos Star: Then perhaps we're forgetting somebody.
Bryant: Oh right our resident BR Standard Class Shedmate.
Kalos Star: Exactly and if I'm right the leader of the Kalos Railway's BR Standard Class locomotives is sure to know about this.
Dylan: Agreed but for now let's get back to work. That's what Monica, Brody, Churton Hall and Zach would want.
The fleet resumed their duties and headed off to work unaware that two of the cleaners assigned to the Kalos Railway's Great Western Section happened to be members of the Gold Dragons and they had heard the entire conversation and were already getting this information to the highest levels of the Gold Dragons even at this moment.
On the Isle of Sodor the First of September had arrived and with it the end of Summer and that meant the fleet would be saying good bye to Monica, Brody, Zach, and Churton Hall who would be returning to the Kalos Railway.
Monica: This is it. It's been a long time since we saw this many people looking at us.
Zach: We may as well make the most of it. It's gonna be a long time before anybody sees us again in these parts.
Brody: Still the experience was eye opening and we did learn a lot from the North Western Railway and it's staff.
Churton Hall: Indeed and if we've made any small impact in building the Fat Controller's confidence as well as his apprentices then I'd say we've done our jobs.
Monica: Agreed but we're needed back in France. So this has been an honor. It's not really a goodbye or a farewell we're simply following the tracks to where they lead us.
Brody: It seems that those lessons from Edward are starting to pay off.
Monica: What can I say. Corrinne may not stand some of the things he's done but you can't deny his wisdom and experience. You'd have to be an idiot to ignore his advice.
Sir Richard Topham Hatt the current The Fat Controller had something he wanted to say as well.
Sir Richard Topham Hatt: Am I to assume that you four have thought about all that you've learned here and what you've managed to bring to the table.
Monica: We have sir.
Sir Richard Topham Hatt: And I can only guess that when the time comes will you be able to get Duchess Corrinne to consider another way besides brute force?
Zach: That we're not sure of but we will say one thing. We're not gonna go down without a fight. After all there's a reason why the Great Western Railway wore the nickname Gods Wonderful Railway.
Churton Hall: And why others called it the Great Way Round but we were famed as the Holiday Line. But we've told the fleet about the incredibly rich history of the Great Western and now it is time for us to depart.
Brody: But before we do we just wanted to say that it has been an honor to serve under a controller such as yourself that has the strength and will of a good leader. We're not badmouthing the Kalos Controller but you both could teach each other a few things but if there's anybody who needs to learn a lesson it is your apprentice in pink. However it's good to see she is taking the first step in growing as a leader.
Monica: But if she is to truly become a great leader then it takes more than just being a good learner she also needs to have the courage to do what she knows is right and trust her instincts.
Everyone present knew that Monica, Brody, Churton Hall, and Zack were making sense and saying what they felt needed to be said.
With that the Kalos Railway's Great Western Engines headed off for France and for the place they now called home to a chorus of whistles and celebrations.
Percy, Duck and Oliver watched them go and discussed as soon as they were out of sight.
Duck: It's been an honor to learn about the Great Western Railway and the history of our old line. I thought that it was a standard gauge railway but to hear that it's been broad gauge at one time is eye opening.
Oliver: And it's been an honor to have worked alongside our old friends from the Great Western Railway. Now I know how Thomas felt when he visited the Kalos Railway.
Percy: Perhaps we might be selected to visit them someday but today is not that day. I do know one thing thought many more contracts will be up for grabs and if our battles with the diesels of the other railway do nothing more than to slow our enemies down then they may never regain their power.
Duck and Oliver agreed with that hoping that Percy was right as did the rest of the fleet.
Author's Note: Once again it's time that we remember that we're still alive for a new year and of course a new president. However the next story features a Character that I had introduced earlier. Rayne the JNR C12 and she's from Japan. She's also a featured Character in the Railroad Stories written by ThomasZoey3000 and I recommend that you check that out. Anyway stay safe stay healthy and stay alert in these tough times due to Covid 19.