4 - Gordon and 5110

"Excuse me little saddle tank, is this the way to Knapford?" Percy looked up and saw a glossy black engine towering over him, her face looking unimpressed by the little engine before her.

He felt a little intimidated but held his ground against the massive engine. It looked a bit like Henry.

"Yes, just follow the mainline to the coast, it terminates at Knapford," Percy said and the engine gave a curt smile.

"Thank-you little engine," she said.

"Percy," Percy said with a scowl, annoyed. He already dealt with Gordon calling him 'little' all the time, he didn't want another engine to start doing it to him.

The engine cracked a smile at his feisty retort.

"I like you Percy," the Engine smiled before moving off and continuing on her journey.

Percy stared after her confused.

"I wonder if that was one of Henry's siblings that Thomas told me about," he wondered to himself.

Duck was at Brendam docks when Green Arrow rolled in with a heavy train full of goods for export. He didn't even notice the big green engine roll in until he was right beside him.

"Hello Duck," Green Arrow blew his whistle and grinned at him, startling the small pannier engine who gave a small yelp.

"Could you not sneak up on an engine like that?" Duck asked, annoyed.

"Apologises Duck," Arrow said. "But you really should be paying attention at a busy dockyard like this."

"That's what I've been saying!" Cranky grumbled above them.

"I know, it's not very Great Western of me," Duck said ashamed.

Cranky rolled his eyes.

"Oh here we go," he muttered and Duck glared up at him.

"Allo Arrow!" Salty greeted the big green engine. "It's good to see ya with a nice new boiler and back with us again! I 'ear you got yer voice again!"

"Why yes, you finally get to hear my lovely voice, Salty!" Green Arrow beamed. "Almost as nice as yours."

"Oh can it ya terrible flirt!" Salty blushed and Arrow laughed at him.

Salty checked around him suspiciously before rolling closer to the bigger steam engine.

"Say you're sleeping up at the castle aren't ya?" Salty asked and Arrow raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, why?"

"There's stories around that place ya know?" Salty whispered. "Stories about ghosts and engines that passed long ago."

Duck sighed but Green Arrow looked intrigued.

"They're just stupid children stories Salty," Cranky said, not wanting to listen to another one of the diesels stories.

"Stories often relate to the places they come from," Arrow interjected. "Sometimes they have a purpose, like to teach kids to stay away from danger or they're based on people's experiences."

"Oh aye!" Salty agreed, happy to have someone defend him for once and a big engine too. "There's this one tale about a little engine that got chased by a beast who wanted to scrap her and use her metal and turn it into jewellery because her metal was so pure and her colour was so bright."

Duck tried to pretend to be disinterested but he couldn't help but be intrigued.

"She was so frightened and so scared that she climbed a high mountain that she normally couldn't climb. Once she got to the top, the tracks ended and the beast trapped her there," Salty said.

"Well what did she do?"

"Well her crew tried to distract the beast but to no avail," Salty's voice began rising dramatically. "So the little engine, without her crew, charged the beast and managed to push it down the mountain. But halfway down, a sinkhole opened up and consumed the two!"

Green Arrow shifted uncomfortable as he was reminded of how Tornado had almost fallen down into that mindshaft and could have been lost forever.

"They never found the two, but years later, they found so much gold and riches in the caverns below that the air shimmered like it was filled with fine gold!"

"You mean," Green Arrow interrupted. "Like Gold Dust?"

"Exactly like Gold Dust!" Salty exclaimed excitedly. "They say the little engine and that beast still struggle down there, at the bottom of the mind and that their spirits can grant wishes, depending on the nature of a person's heart! They say they can even allow you to speak with the dead."

"Utterly ridiculous!" Cranky scoffed. "Your stories have become worse Salty!"

"I thought that story was lovely Salty, thank-you," Arrow smiled encouragingly at the diesel.

"Ya see Cranky? At least someone likes my stories!"

"He's just trying to be nice, you rust bucket!" Cranky snapped back at him.

"Yer need to have some fun once in a while yer daft crane," Salty shot back before going off to shunt cars for some other trains.

Cranky just rolled his eyes again.

"You're all loaded up Duck," he told the Pannier who gave a peep in response.

"Thank-you Cranky," Duck called to him. He glanced at Arrow who looked deep in thought. "Well I'll see you later, Arrow. Please give my regards to Truro!"

"What? Oh- of course Duck! I certainly will!" The V2 fumbled with his words a bit.

Duck gave him a strange look but moved on anyway.

Green Arrow simply stared at the Pannier as he disappeared, thoughts swimming in his mind.

Gordon was sleeping in the yard when he heard the bark of an unfamiliar engine coming into Knapford Station.

It sounded like Henry, only there was a more confident air to their stroke.

He opened his eyes and stared at the line ahead as he saw a large black engine thundering in with a proud look on its face.

It sounded its whistle, a deep and threatening sounding thing. The dark LMS had a proud grin on its face as it noticed the passengers that had stopped to stare at the strange engine coming into the station before them.

Gordon felt a little intimidated by the engine but didn't let it show.

This must be one of Henry's siblings.

His mood soured. Henry's siblings sounded proud of their misfit brother.

It was such a contrast to his own experiences with his own siblings who only mocked him and told him he was to be scrapped. The exception being Flying Scotsman of course.

It stopped at the platform and passengers gathered around it to stare and behold the strange engine.

"Who are you?" The little box diesel cab Phillip asked as he approached the engine with wonder written all over his face.

"I am Stainer's proud work horse, Black 5 Number 5110," the engine said with a confident female voice.

"Wow," Phillip said breathlessly. He stared up at the engine clearly besmitten.

"Phillip, why aren't you shunting trucks for Edward's next train?" The Fat Controller scolded as he came out of his office.

"Sorry sir," the little boxcab said apologetically before blushing and quickly getting back to his job.

The Fat Controller then turned his attention to the large visiting engine before him.

"Ah hello there! Welcome to the North Western Railway!" He held his arms out welcomingly toward the engine. "I hope you enjoy your visit to my railway!"

"I'm sure that I will kind sir," the Black 5 smiled at him. "The Severn Valley send their regards. I am 5110, Biggin Hill, however most call me Hillsy."

"Well I am glad to have you here Hillsy," the Fat Controller chuckled. "I must say, you look in excellent condition."

Hillsy smiled.

"I am well looked after at my railway sir, we Black 5's take pride in looking out for each other," she said proudly. "Our big brother 5025 will arrive in the coming days. He is very excited to meet our newest sibling. As am I."

"Ah well speaking of him, Henry's out at the mines today, he won't be back until the evening," the Fat Controller said. "I wasn't expecting you this early."

"My crew thought it better to arrive early," Hillsy explained. "They are rail enthusiasts themselves. They'd like some time to look at your engines if that is convenient with you sir?"

"Why yes of course! Please, please! You are more than welcome to explore my railway!" Sir Topham Hatt said excitedly as he rushed over to her crew to meet them.

Hillsy looked around the station before suddenly noticing Gordon sitting in the siding next to the station in the yard

"A Gresley Antique, how quaint!" She remarked and Gordon almost burst a valve in anger.

"An antique? An antique!" He thundered angrily. "I am not an antique, how dare you!"

Hillsy just gave a soft chuckle.

"Dear me, you are quite unlike 4472," she said with a laugh. "I apologise, I thought you could take the joke like he would. He's such a fun engine after all. I thought you would be the same."

Gordon wheeshed steam angrily.

"Well I am NOT my brother," Gordon snapped, still very angry. "And I do not like being called an antique!"

"I have upset you, I apologise," Hillsy said, not sounding apologetic at all. "Allow us to start again, I am number 5110 and my name is Biggin Hill or Hillsy. And you are?"

"Number 4, Gordon," he said curtly.

"What about your mainland number dear?"

Gordon frowned. He didn't know if Hillsy was trying to provoke him or not but her attitude towards him was irritating him.

"I didn't have a mainland number," he ground out. "I was never put into service on the mainland."

"Probably for the best really."

Gordon exploded with fury at that comment

"What's that supposed to mean!" He snarled angrily but he was ignored as the Fat Controller and her crew returned with peels of laughter.

"Well then Hillsy, shall you take us on a tour of the island, old girl?" Her driver chirped at her while her fireman helped Sir Topham Hatt into her cab. Sir Topham happily examined Hillsy's controls and inspected her cab.

"Why it would be my pleasure sir!" Hillsy said with a cheery voice. She ignored the nasty glare that Gordon was now giving her.

"What a marvellous engine you are!" Sir Topham had said, excitedly as he looked her over.

"I strive to please sir!" Hillsy beamed and with a loud whistle and her loud bark she began to pull away leaving a furious and insulted Gordon to glare at the back of her tender as she sped away.

"That Tornado girl, she's never going to accept you," Godred's voice spoke from behind him.

The Flying Scotsman narrowed his eyes and frowned but didn't look up from his book. Godred had a way of getting on his nerves.

He honestly had no beef with the old engine turned human but Godred insisted on constantly antagonising him for no reason whatsoever.

Sir Robert had to constantly stop Godred from doing so and yet there was no sign of Godred stopping.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Godred," he said curtly and bluntly.

The dishevelled man sat opposite him, leaning on the small coffee table in front Scotsman. He rudely reached over and grabbed the book and yanked it from the man.

The Scotsman just sighed and looked at the man towering over him.

"What do you want from me?" The Scotsman asked bitterly. "Is there any reason you insist on antagonising me? You've done it the moment we met."

Godred threw the book on the table and crossed his arms and glared down at him saying nothing.

"Are you disappointed that I didn't die?" The Scotsman asked him. "That I took attention away from Sir Robert and the others?"

"They're not important, humans come and go, always has been for over 100 years," Godred huffed.

"Then why do you insist on acting like a spoiled brat?" The Scotsman growled and Godred's expression turned furious.

"That's rich coming from you of all people," Godred snapped angrily. "The precious golden child from the mainland. I bet you got everything you ever wanted, the precious favourite."

The Flying Scotsman simply rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. He was tired of this, tired of this charade with Godred.

"Sure, I'm spoilt," Scotsman concluded. He began to be dismissive of Godred. "I've had more chances than most other engines. But if you insist on antagonising everyone around you then you won't get any."

Godred frowned even deeper but Scotsman was now ignoring him.

He stood to leave but Godred simply followed him, scowling like a small child.

"I don't understand why you succeeded where others failed," Godred scolded. "Why you of all engines? Why not those who deserved it?"

"I guess we'll never know will we, North?"

"North? Who the hell is North?"

The Flying Scotsman froze in his tracks. He'd accidentally called Godred, Great Northern. Godred seemed to jump on how uncomfortable he'd become and grabbed Scotsman's hand.

"It's no one," The Scotsman muttered before trying to move off quickly but Godred held on to his hand and squeezed it so hard it began to hurt him.

"Let go of me!" The Scotsman yelped in pain. "Stop!"

"What makes you so special?!" Godred snarled. "Why do you get everything you want and all I get is pain and abandonment! All my friends turned against me! I have nothing left!"

"Stop it! Let go of me!"

"Godred!" Sir Robert's shout came from the end of the hall. "Let go of him right now or I will call Mr Richards this instant!"

Godred turned and glared at the Earl but the distraction was enough to lose his grip on Scotsman who immediately freed himself and blindly ran away, this strange soft body full of an impulse to get away.

Nothing made sense in this useless stupid body, the emotions felt some much more overpowering, his senses were so sensitive and he struggled to deal with all the new added input into his mind.

He heard the muffled yells of people around him, calling to him but he ignored them.

Everything had suddenly become too loud, too bright and too painful without warning, leaving him confused and dazed.

He stumbled and staggered his way blindly through the castle until his breathing hurt and a sharp burning pain that made him feel like he overexerted himself filled every inch of his body.

He fell to his hands and knees onto a cold concrete floor, his vision blurred and every breath he took was dry and painful making his chest hurt.

He attempted to struggle to his feet but failed miserably before his muscles gave out and he collapsed against the ground exhausted, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.

He heard voices, he was aware of people touching him but he didn't have the strength to move anymore as he felt a familiar darkness pulling at his body.

He began to panic. It was the same darkness he recognised as the Cold Iron Sleep. It was still coming to get him, he hadn't escaped it after all

"Is that… Flying Scotsman?"

A familiar voice suddenly called out in the darkness as a golden warmth suddenly came from nowhere and wrapped around him protectively.

"It's okay," Scotsman heard a kind female voice echo eerily inside his own head. "You're safe, I've got you."

The tendrils of darkness fled and left him as gold dust seemed to envelope him and wrap him in a warm comforting embrace as his consciousness slipped into a deep sleep.

Green Arrow had finished a job for the afternoon and was getting his pistons and valve gear seen for a routine check up when a tall thin man with golden brown hair and wearing mostly green stumbled into the building.

Gabriel and his fireman had instantly stopped what they were doing to assist. They crowded around him, desperate to help the strange man.

Green Arrow watched, tense and frightened at what was going on. He didn't understand the human body but he knew they were frail and sensitive.

But still, something about this human felt off. This man looked human, but somehow, Arrow knew that he wasn't. The human gave off the same feeling as Godred.

This human was an engine's soul in a flimsy human vessel.

He watched as Sir Robert and several of his assistants burst into the room and made a beeline for the man who was lying crumpled on the floor.

Arrow's suspicion intensified as he heard calls for gold dust and mentions of the cold iron sleep.

He narrowed his eyes, trying to see what was going on.

He suddenly saw a huge crack slowly appear in the strange man's face and his skin began to turn a strange greyish colour and a chill ran through his boiler.

This was not something normal for a human, he 100% knew that.

It was like when his siblings had succumbed to the cold iron sleep. Their faces had cracked and disappeared. Green Arrow felt a primordial fear grip him but he pushed it back angrily.

"The Gold Dust!" Sir Robert urged desperately to one of his assistants. "Quickly now!"

A vial was placed to the man's lips and a golden glow seemed to emanate from it. He calmed as he was given to golden 'fluid' and the crack in his face slowly disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Despite himself, Green Arrow couldn't resist the urge to speak his thoughts.

"Is that… Flying Scotsman?" He asked.

He was however ignored as the people around the strange man solely focused on him.

Slowly the man began to calm and relaxed into a deep sleep as finally, the castle's own medical crew appeared with a gurney to treat and care for him.

There was some fussing between Sir Robert, the medics and Green Arrow's crew before the Earl turned heel and looked straight at Arrow.

"You will not mention what you saw here today to anyone, is that clear?" He said sternly and Green Arrow swallowed nervously.

"Yes sir," he said quietly. He glanced hesitantly at the man who was being carefully bundled onto the gurney. "Will he be alright?"

Sir Robert's stoic gaze faltered for a moment.

"We don't know, but I hope so," he said with a glance back at the now still and unconscious man.

"Is that- is that Flying Scotsman sir?" Arrow asked. Sir Robert gave an exasperated sigh.

"You don't stop with the questions do you?" He said and Green Arrow looked at his buffers awkwardly.

"I'm just curious sir," he admitted quietly. "I don't mean any offence. I can't help myself sometimes, I'm sorry."

Sir Robert waved a hand dismissively.

"It's good to be curious, Green Arrow," he assured him. "But insisting upon knowing things which people might want private or don't want others to know may offend or harm others."

"Yes sir," Arrow said quietly, looking dejected. "I'm sorry sir."

"But I will confirm this for you to ease your mind," Sir Robert said with an encouraging smile. "That was indeed Flying Scotsman."

"Oh!" Arrow hadn't expected an answer.

"I trust I have your confidence on this as I do with the others, Arrow?" Sir Robert asked.

"Yes sir, no one else will hear a word sir."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Tangmere or Rebecca found herself arriving later than usual at Vicarstown that evening due to delays on the mainline. The sun was already down and it was now nighttime.

Gordon had been in a particularly dark mood today but she didn't know why. He was complaining about one of the Black 5's that had arrived earlier that day.

Rebecca didn't care much for it, she'd had her own problems to deal with, what with maintenance slowing her down on the mainline.

As she sat at the station she noticed an A4 approaching the station from the mainland. It could have been Spencer but as the engine got closer, she saw that it was blue.

Perhaps it was Bittern visiting his friends. He was a known social butterfly. He kept up appearances whenever he could and he loved any excuse for attention.

She squinted, trying to read the nameplate. As it got closer Rebecca frowned.

The nameplate said Bittern. But the number on his buffer was missing or covered up.

She stared confused.

Something seemed off.

The engine didn't sound like Bittern. It sounded like an engine that hadn't pumped its pistons in a long time.

She couldn't even call out or speak to the engine as it roared through Vicarstown without even slowing or stopping.

Although Rebecca and Bittern were not friends, Bittern was friendly to most engines he met. Well, the bigger engines anyway.

He would always greet a fellow pacific or a big express engine no matter the railway or class with a shrill whistle. The Gresley A4's liked any excuse to get more attention.

Rebecca frowned and gazed back at where the strange A4 had disappeared into the night.

Something was very wrong here.

She didn't like this.

She didn't like this at all.

For updates, to ask questions or discuss the fic, you can find me on tumblr at tornadoyoungiron or on twitter as BakunawaArt.