Chapter 8 - No.4498

Thomas found Gordon waiting for him by the Wishing Tree, his blue paint gleaming in the moonlight.

"Green Arrow saw me as he was heading to Vicarstown for the night. He was very suspicious," Thomas warned and Gordon rolled his eyes.

"I don't care for my sneak of a cousin's nosy ways," Gordon huffed annoyed. "You're certain that he didn't follow you?"

"He was pulling the Flying Kipper so unless he wants to get into trouble with Henry or the Fat Controller then it's fine," Thomas said. "I saw him just as he was leaving Brendam Docks so he'll be hours."

"Ah good, that keeps him out of our smoke for at least 4 hours," Gordon remarked. "His class was famous for pulling fish trains anyway, I say that it suits him."

"Yes I know, Scotsman told me about his friend Coldstreamer," Thomas explained. "Pulled the trains so fast that when she reached her destination the ice hadn't even started to melt. I think that's pretty impressive."

"Of course, they're smaller versions of myself!" Gordon puffed up proudly before his face turned red and he glanced at Thomas. "Don't you ever tell anyone I admitted that!"

Thomas just gave a cheeky laugh.

"I'm serious Thomas."

"Alright, alright, my lips are sealed," Thomas reassured the big engine. "So, what's got you grumpier than usual? Apart from Biggin Hill?"

"There's a particularly nasty engine that snuck onto the island the other night," Gordon said. "I've never met him personally but almost all of the mainland engines warned me about him and had nothing nice to say about him."

"Who?"

"An engine named Mallard."

"Oh, I've met him!" Thomas suddenly said, stunning Gordon.

"You've what?" Gordon asked dumbfounded. "When did you meet him?"

"When I went to the Railway Museum, you remember?" Thomas pointed out and Gordon let out a wheesh of steam. He was still envious of Thomas being chosen over him for that excursion.

"What was he like?" Gordon asked and Thomas looked thoughtful.

"Well, all the other museum engines avoided him," Thomas said. "When they were arguing about who was going to take a special train, Mallard tended to be condescending and mean-spirited towards the other engines, especially when he didn't get his way."

"What about Truro? Was he there?"

"Yes actually, a lot of the engines confided in him as a sort of leader, Scotsman was there too but he also tended to default to Truro's judgement," Thomas recalled. "Truro was super nice as he always was. But what's Mallard doing here?"

Gordon frowned and looked away from Thomas.

"He was the one behind Cain trying to scrap my brother and he was the one who convinced that driver to remove Green Arrow's voice box," Gordon said bitterly.

Thomas was silent, too stunned to speak.

"He's here to try and kill my brother, I'm sure of it," Gordon said bitterly. "He's using Truro to try and bait Scotsman in. You know how close those two are."

Thomas was speechless, the look on his face was horrified.

"We, we, we have to do something!" Thomas cried out but he was soon hushed by Gordon. "What if he hurts Truro to try and get Scotsman to him?"

"I don't know Thomas, I just don't," Gordon said through gritted teeth. "Olivia and Stainer are moving fast to try and stop him and they say Scotsman is safe but I don't know if that will last. But what I know is that Scotsman doesn't know that Mallard is here and they're trying to keep it that way."

"What if we did something? What if the entire Railway were to go against him?"

"That would be stupid," Gordon scolded. "Mallard might do something to Truro, remember?"

Thomas looked panicked and frightened.

"Well, we should at least tell someone!"

"Green Arrow apparently already knows," Gordon said. "I overheard him, Ryan and Duck talking about trying to get Truro out of the castle. Arrow's had Ryan snooping around the Castle for answers."

"Do you think they'd be able to pull something off?" Thomas asked.

Gordon looked curiously up at the sky.

"I don't know, but the engines on the mainland often described Green Arrow as a sneaky mastermind who could get things done," Gordon mused. "One of the Bullied's told me that if I ever needed to get one up on someone, Green Arrow was the engine to talk to."

Thomas looked at the track before him as Gordon gave a wheesh of steam.

"Thomas, I know you want to help them, but please keep yourself away from whatever they're doing," Gordon said. "I don't want you to be hurt."

Thomas looked up at Gordon and his expression softened.

"I won't," he said and Gordon frowned.

"Promise me you won't get involved in this," he demanded and Thomas pouted.

"Why can't you trust me, Gordon?"

"Because it's you and you're a little gremlin," Gordon pointed out, making Thomas pull a face at him.

"Alright Gordon, I promise not to go nosing around in Arrow's business."

"Good."

"Greetings Young Iron!" A voice called to her as she sat at Vicarstown with her coaches. Her face wrinkled in confusion as she glanced over to the engine that had spoken. A large black engine with red stripes stopped next to her.

She recognised it as 45025, the LMS Black 5's leader. An engine that had long ago insulted her the first time she'd met it.

"Oh hello, 5025, still in the business of being nasty to young builds are we?" She asked snidely and 5025 just smirked at her.

"I see Flying Scotsman has imprinted some of his snark onto you," 5025 laughed. "Regardless, it's good to see you up and about, Peppercorn."

Tornado resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him.

"Are you here to see Henry?" She asked, ignoring his remarks. "And maybe keep your sister in line.

"Alright what has Hillsy done now?" 5025 asked with a scowl. "Has she been picking on you?"

"Not me, she insulted me once but stopped after I snapped at her," Tornado explained. "But she's been nothing but nasty to Gordon!"

"That little brat, I warned her!" 5025 hissed angrily. He looked furious. "I told her to behave herself and not start anything!"

"Yeah well, Henry's furious because Gordon is his best friend," Tornado told him. "She seems to be set on bullying Gordon despite the fact he never worked on the LNER. It's strange."

5025 looked thoughtful.

"Thank-you for informing me Tornado, I shall have her replaced with one of my more agreeable siblings," he said and gazed at Tornado. "You've matured a lot since we last met. You used to be a timid little crybaby."

Tornado snorted and looked offended.

"You haven't changed from being a stuck-up enormous twat," she scolded and 5025 gave a soft chuckle.

"Dealing with you younglings will do that to an engine," he laughed. "Say hello to Tangmere for me won't you?"

Tornado just glared at him as he steamed awake with a self-important smirk.

"Pompous git," she seethed angrily. Matthias shushed her but she didn't care. She didn't like 5025 and he knew that.

"What do you mean you're putting Arrow on the express?" Gordon thundered angrily. He was furious and had exploded in rage that night when the Fat Controller had approached him at the end of his final train.

"Why Arrow?! Why not me?!" James shrieked next to him. "I've pulled the express before!"

"Silence!" Sir Topham Hatt barked. The two engines fell into a fury-filled silence.

Sir Topham Hatt turned and looked at Gordon who just stared at him with a nasty look on his face.

"You are not being pulled off the express for any misdeeds," he assured Gordon. "Instead, Olivia Spence has requested your presence for a private venture."

"I am not a private engine sir," Gordon hissed. "I am your engine."

"True, however, Ms Spence requested you because she wants to show you off to the Gresley Society."

Gordon was stunned.

"The Gresley Society sir?" He was confused. In 100 years, the Gresley estate hadn't even requested anything of him. They seemed to shun him entirely, pretending that he didn't exist.

"You'll be going with Olivia, Vincent will be your driver," The Fat Controller said and Gordon froze.

If Vincent was going then it also meant that Scott was going too. This probably meant that it was to keep him away from Mallard. He frowned and looked back at his Controller suddenly attentive.

"What about," Gordon hesitated. He didn't want to mention Truro but he was worried. "What about the opening of the museum sir? It's in a couple of days."

"Stainer is handling the event," The Fat Controller said with a pensive look on his face. It was clear that he knew what was going on. "Green Arrow will take over your duties in that regard.

"What!" James was outraged. "That Green pest keeps taking all the good jobs!"

Gordon frowned. Green Arrow had been assigned to duties that were supposed to keep him away from Mallard. It didn't make sense unless his cousin was onto something and was colluding with Stainer. The engine was devious and clever and he had personal ties to both Mallard and Truro. He knew both of them well enough and could most probably anticipate anything the two were up to. The V2 was planning something and Stainer was clearly in on it.

It gave him some kind of reassurance.

"Is there any reason that it's Green Arrow and not Tornado?" Gordon asked. "Tornado is a more suitable fit as my replacement. She's roughly the same size as me."

"That is true Gordon, but Tornado is young and does not know how to handle herself as well in certain situations."

Introducing Tornado into the scenario might escalate things. And it was known that her Trust did not want her anywhere near Mallard.

Gordon looked away from his controller. In his mind that confirmed it. Green Arrow was possibly planning something with Stainer and Olivia. He didn't like the smaller engine but he had to trust something in this confusing and tenuous time. Sending Gordon and his brother to the mainland was a solid confirmation that they were trying to keep them out of the way.

"I see," Gordon said quietly. "When do I leave for the mainland sir?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?!" Gordon choked out in complete surprise.

"You better get going if you want a wash down and a quick look over," The Fat Controller urged as Green Arrow appeared on Gordon's line to take his place.

"Good Morning Gordon," Green Arrow greeted him as he slowed to a stop behind him. "Your express is safe with me. I pride myself on keeping to time."

James gave an indignant humph and glared at the V2 while Gordon only glanced back at him curiously.

The engine was planning something, he could sense it. He cleared his throat.

"Yes, well be sure that you do Little Arrow," Gordon said to him. "And don't make a mess of the museum opening while you're at it."

"Oh I'm the last engine who's going to be doing that dear Gordon, Duck's got me on a tight schedule, you know how those Great Westerns are," Arrow said coolly. "They'll be calling me the Flying Arrow in no time. You just have fun on the mainland with our little friend."

Green Arrow wasn't talking about the little green pannier tank engine and he wasn't calling himself the Flying Arrow to piss Gordon off. Gordon almost smirked at Arrow's cleverness. James just looked confused.

"What are you talking about you, great green idiot?" James sneered, not realising the subtext.

"Things only express engines would know about James," Gordon said and James' jaw dropped in shock at Gordon defending Green Arrow.

"What-"

Before James could finish, Gordon had powered off leaving James very confused as Green Arrow took Gordon's place with a proud smirk. James glared at him.

"You know, you'd complement your paint much better if you smiled more James," Green Arrow teased him.

"Oh so you're acting like Flying Scotsman now too are you?" James sneered.

"I mean, you said it yourself, I am just a smaller version of Gordon's class," Arrow smirked.

James almost burst a valve at that comment.

Godred sat still fuming in his room. It had been a week since that famous engine had been removed from the castle to goodness knew where. It wasn't his fault. He just wanted to understand why Scotsman had survived when no others had. When his friends hadn't.

Richards had asked him why he hadn't gotten along with Scotsman. It had been almost 80 years since he'd seen another 'engine soul' in a human body like him. Richards had believed that he would have been overjoyed that there was now someone he could relate to. Someone who didn't treat him like an outsider or a freak.

He didn't want to be accepted by that pompous LNER Golden Boy, he didn't want his friendship. He wanted his engine back, he wanted to see his friends again.

Richards had reminded him that his friends had shunned him after he had been caught stealing Alaric's cylinder block and he'd been found to have been trying to assemble his own engine in the basement of the house they had given him.

Richard's father, the railway manager at the time had been furious as his actions had damaged Alaric due to his lack of engineering knowledge that Alaric had been decommissioned until a new cylinder block had to be made in Switzerland and shipped over. That was until they realised that the engineering firm that made their engine parts was no longer catering to steam engines.

It had cost the Culdee Railway so much to repair him that they had almost gone bankrupt and had shut down until Sir Hatt at that time had bailed them out as the railway was a lifeline for some of the farmers on the mountain. Even now, the debt still hung over the railway and he was banished to live at Ulfstead Castle. The Culdee Engines had blamed him and shunned him.

He had just wanted to return to his engine. He refused to listen to the Earl's of Sodor who said it was impossible now that his engine had been scrapped. He'd urged them to build him a new engine so that he could return to it but they refused to listen to him.

Maybe if he found Flying Scotsman's engine and-

"Godred, this place is a mess," Richards scolded him as he entered the room. Godred said nothing, he just sat there with a sour look on his face.

"Must you insist on being childish?" He asked and Godred sneered and looked away from him. "We've done everything to try and accommodate you over the years. Yet you still insist on acting like an insolent brat."

"I want to go back to my engine," he said angrily.

Richard gave an exhausted sigh. "Your engine is gone. It was scrapped. The last pieces still in use belong to other engines now, there's barely 5% left of your original self."

"This isn't fair! There's barely anything left of the original Flying Scotsman left and yet you're trying to find a way to put him back!" Godred yelled rounding on Richards.

Richards crossed his arms.

"Do you think the other Culdee Engines will accept you back even if we tried?" He said bluntly and Godred looked at him angrily. "You permanently damaged Alaric."

"You humans refused to help me!" He snarled. "I had to take matters into my own hands! I don't care! You can sell me off to another mountain railway just please!"

"There's very few Mountain Railways in the world and your story is infamous Godred, they will not accept you," Richards said and Godred looked furious.

It was a common talk that they had had. Godred simply refused to accept his fate.

"I had hoped that Flying Scotsman's success would mean you would give this up, Scotsman's upset about being human but he has taken it well," Richards tried to reason with him. "I hoped that you'd find a friend in him but obviously not."

"He's a spoiled little brat that gets everything he wants," Godred sulked.

"He's not the one acting like one," Richards pointed out coldly.

Godred said nothing in return.

"You're free to roam the castle now, but if you disrupt the celebrations, we'll confine you to your room again," Richards warned as he turned to leave.

Godred just sulked.

"You're up to something," Rebecca narrowed her eyes at Green Arrow. Green Arrow smiled at the Yellow Engine.

"Whatever do you mean?" The green engine asked with false sweetness. "I'm not doing anything, dear Tangmere. I'm just about to make my way back to Tidmouth with the Express!"

"You're a sneaky little turd and I'm on to you," Rebecca sneered and Green Arrow grinned.

"Then just rub me off of your wheels then," Green Arrow shot back. "Besides, you never mentioned that you saw that Blue A4 come through the other night to anyone."

"It was just Bittern," Rebecca said uncertainly. "He was visiting his friends."

"Hm yes sure, Mr Party Animal that hasn't said hello to literally everyone yet," Green Arrow pointed out. "I'm sure he's got a crankpin loose or something."

"What are you-"

"Who has a crankpin lose?" Tornado asked as she rolled up to her platform.

"Arrow, Arrow has a crank pin loose," Rebecca said quickly.

"Excuse me, I think you'll find Gordon is the one who has the crankpin loose," Arrow snapped back at her, catching on to what she was trying to do. "Old man needs a good work over if you ask me."

"Old man who always outperforms you, you snotty little engine!" Rebecca sneered at Arrow and Tornado rolled her eyes.

"Right," Tornado said, zoning out of their conversation realising they were just hurling insults at each other.

"Something wrong Tornado?" Rebecca asked. "Are you okay?"

"It's just banter Tornado, I don't mean to insult Gordon," Arrow assured her. "He's a grumpy old man but he's a good engine."

"It's just-" Tornado started before looking away. "I went to see Truro earlier today but they said he wasn't at the castle. They seemed insistent on getting me to leave."

Rebecca and Arrow glanced at each other.

"Did I do something wrong?" Tornado asked meekly.

"No, Tornado, no," Rebecca reassured her. "You did nothing wrong, sweetie."

"They're busy preparing for the opening celebrations," Arrow added. "They probably couldn't let you in because you might have disrupted their preparations."

"That's right," Rebecca said. "So please, don't take it personally, alright?"

Tornado seemed to lighten up at the two engines' explanations.

"Oh, I see," she smiled. "That makes sense. 5025 sends his regards to Rebecca."

"Ah, that old codger," Rebecca smiled. "Such a fine engine."

Tornado snorted in disagreement as she was uncoupled from her coaches.

"Where are you off to now Tornado?" Rebecca asked.

"Oh, I'm just going to help Henry with a long goods train. He asked me earlier after Hiro was held up on the mainland after a train derailed on the mainline," Tornado explained, her mood brightening.

"Good, good, say hello to Henry for me!" Rebecca called to Tornado as she began to pull away.

"I will!"

As Tornado disappeared into the distance Rebecca rounded on Green Arrow.

"I don't know what you're planning but if it hurts Tornado, you'll answer to me you snake," she hissed at him and Arrow just gave her a small smile.

"I'm more of a harmless little python. The engine I'm dealing with is a King Cobra." That was all he said leaving Rebecca extremely confused.

"I hear that you lost Gadwell," the Flying Scotsman said as he pulled up beside the black A4 sitting ahead of him in the yards. All their liveries were black these days. The war had seen to that. "My condolences."

The A4, 4498, or Sir Nigel Gresley gazed back at him. He looked saddened and depressed but otherwise still held himself to the highest appearance.

"Bombers dropped a bomb on his shed, it exploded between him and 925," 4498 said solemnly. "There was no saving him. His soul had left his engine before morning, same with 925."

He sounded shaken but he kept his appearance uptight and strong.

Keep calm and carry on as the humans were constantly saying these days.

The Flying Scotsman looked at his buffers and gave a deep sigh.

"It feels like the entire world is going insane," he said bitterly. He gazed up at the cloudy night sky. "How are the other A4s dealing with it?"

"We've kept a low profile so I, unfortunately, have no idea," Sir Nigel said. "Falcon, Australia and New Zealand are the only ones working in this area. I heard from Falcon that some of them don't even know that Sir Gresley is no longer with us, the war has kept groups of us separated for so long."

The Flying Scotsman looked at his buffers quietly. He was still trying to make sense of the loss of their designer. He knew he had to step up and take over as leader of the A3 class but part of him was resisting. Great Northern was pushing back despite all of his siblings referring to him as the patriarchal leader these days.

"Great Northern still causing you grief?" Sir Nigel asked and the Flying Scotsman sighed.

"He doesn't accept my leadership," Scotsman grumbled. "It's been a decade since my record, I've earned the respect of all my siblings except him. I don't understand it."

"If it's any consolation, most of us A4s respect you as your class's leader," Sir Nigel said kindly. "You set the gold standard. You were the first. That cannot be taken from you, no matter how much Mallard whines."

Flying Scotsman rolled his eyes.

"I honestly don't care that he broke my speed record, Silver Link did that and I'm proud of him for it, it's the way Mallard goes on about it that's infuriating," Scotsman hissed steam. "Hell, I think Silver Link is tired of him as well."

"He's young," Sir Nigel put forward. "Hopefully he'll grow out of this phase and realise there are more important things in the world."

"Wasn't Gadwell younger than Mallard?" Scotsman asked and Sir Nigel closed his eyes in mourning.

"I'm sorry," Scotsman apologised, realising his lack of tact. "That was insensitive of me."

Sir Nigel sat still for a long while before opening his eyes and looking back at the Scotsman.

"How is that older sister of mine? Is she doing well? Is she pulling the Flying Scotsman up to your standards?"

"She's doing most impressively," Scotsman smiled. "Silver Fox is a credit to your class and she's making a lot of friends. The other A3s around our yard love her company, especially Polly."

"Ah yes Pretty Polly," Sir Nigel said wistfully. "Double-headed with her a while ago, very fierce, speaks her mind but very good at what she does."

"She's getting very nasty towards Great Northern," Scotsman said quietly. "I don't know what to do every time they fight. If I break them up, Great Northern will always turn on me and Polly will instantly step in to defend me again causing the fight to escalate."

The Flying Scotsman looked away from Sir Nigel.

"They would have never pulled this when our designer was still alive," he sighed before looking back at Sir Nigel. "You've got a good history at dealing with Capercaillie and Mallard, what would you do?"

Sir Nigel snorted.

"My siblings only listen to me because of my name and Silver Link is a pushover," he said dismissively. "If you wanted any kind of advice on something like that I'd go to Quicksilver, she'll get any fight under control."

"I don't think I've met her, but I know she's friends with Colorado and Sir Hugo," Scotsman mused. "Got into trouble for going out in the middle of an air raid."

"That's her," Sir Nigel said. "Silver King and herself have done it several times to rescue people from the German Bombers."

"I don't see how they're getting into trouble for actively going out and saving lives when the authorities aren't doing enough to save people," Scotsman scowled. "They saved hundreds of people and all they got was a nasty discipline."

"Humanity is a strange thing Scotsman," Sir Nigel said softly. "I doubt we'll ever understand how they work."

Sir Nigel saw his crew preparing to set off again.

"Well Flying Scotsman, I'll pass your condolences to my other siblings," he smiled at the other engine. "As for Great Northern, I think he won't pick fights with you for a while."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Gadwell and himself were very close friends," Sir Nigel said quietly. "I suggest that you let him mourn his friend and try not to let the others antagonise him."

"I see," Flying Scotsman said concerned. "I'll be sure to try and keep Polly from instigating stuff for a while."

"Take care Flying Scotsman, hopefully, we'll still be in one piece after all this madness," Sir Nigel said with a blast of his whistle.

Scotsman smiled at the LNER A4 as he began to glide away into the night.

"Take care of yourself, old friend."

When Flying Scotsman returned to the small yards where himself, several of his siblings and some shunters were staying he was immediately accosted by one of the little N2 Tank Engine shunters who came rushing out to meet him. He recognised it as Peony, an excitable and energetic thing whose hyperactive attitude wore on his patience occasionally.

"Mr Flying Scotsman sir!" The little engine yelled as she rushed to meet him.

"Keep your voice down, it's almost midnight!" He hissed at Peony.

"But sir Pretty Polly started attacking Great Northern again!"

"Oh for crying out loud!" He snapped angrily and followed Peony.

He had wanted a quiet night tonight. Everything had seemed calm enough for him to go out and visit Sir Nigel and catch up with his friend but in his absence, the two siblings had started another row.

It was getting extremely tiresome.

He found the two engines shouting and hurling insults at each other. He saw Spectre and Silver Fox in their berth clearly frustrated and at their wit's end.

The Scotsman looked around and saw that the lights in the buildings around them were on and dogs had started barking nearby.

This was bad, if an air raid was to happen right now… the consequences would be fatal.

"That's enough!" He shouted angrily over them. "I leave for an hour to speak with Sir Nigel and I come back to this!"

Both engines stopped their bickering and gazed at the Flying Scotsman who was staring at them furiously. In the other berths, the other engines looked equally fed up.

"North started to insult you again-"

"I don't care what started this, you both should know better!" The Scotsman seethed furiously. "You've disturbed the entire neighbourhood and your actions have put all of us at risk! What if an air raid was to happen now? Do I need to remind you what happened to Gadwell?"

Both engines looked at their buffers as they realised he was right. Great Northern backed into his berth slightly at the mention of the A4 Gadwall.

The Flying Scotsman calmed himself and addressed the engines present.

"Look, I know that everything's been nothing but stressful lately. The threat of bombs being dropped on our sheds, the loss of Sir Gresley, Gadwell's death," Scotsman told them. "But more than ever we need to help each other. If we start fighting amongst ourselves it could result in something fatal for us or the humans we work with. So I'm asking you all to just keep it together, please."

Pretty Polly looked guilty but then she gazed back up at Flying Scotsman and gave him an affirmative smile.

"Of course Flying Scotsman, I apologise for my behaviour," she said. "It was undignified of me."

Great Northern said nothing, he just sat in his berth silent and still, a dour look on his face.

The Flying Scotsman did not ask for an apology, he knew he wasn't going to get one. Gadwell's death was still recent and North had been very close to the A4.

For once the Scotsman pitied his older brother and decided to leave him be as the other engines turned in for another stressful night of anticipating the wail of air raid sirens.

The LNER No. 4498, Sir Nigel Gresley awoke to the sound of his shed being opened. He winched at the sudden bright daylight that streamed into his shed but as his eyes quickly adjusted he saw a small human figure dressed in all black approach him.

"Hello North," Sir Nigel smiled pleasantly at the man. "It's been a while. Are you doing well?"

The man frowned and ignored him.

"As lovely and sociable as always I see my cousin," he said amused. "Obsessing over your little brother still?"

"I do not obsess," the man ground out annoyed.

"Your actions speak otherwise dear friend," Sir Nigel said quietly. However, he was ignored as North cleaned out the dusty and unused berth next to him.

The older man looked tired and the scars on his face were pale streaks compared to the rest of his skin, contrasting harshly with the reddish-brown colour of his beard and hair. An unfortunate gift from Thompson, a constant reminder of how far he had fallen.

"Are we expecting a guest?" Sir Nigel asked and North sighed deeply. He stopped his sweeping but did not turn around and look at the great A4 Pacific who was sitting there contently.

"I don't know, Mr Gresley simply told me to get the berth ready for an engine," he said.

"Another Gresley comes to visit, how grand," Sir Nigel smiled to himself as North ignored him and returned to his duties.

"Who do you think it is? Did they give a hint?"

"No."

"How curious, I thought they would have said," Sir Nigel said thoughtfully. "Perhaps it's Union, come to exchange pleasantries. Or, if you're lucky maybe even one of your brothers."

North visibly went rigid at Sir Nigel's words but said nothing more.

"For someone so obsessed with your dear brother, you don't seem keen to see him again," Sir Nigel noted.

"My brother wants nothing to do with me," North said coldly. "He hates me. I can celebrate and be proud of him from a distance. I would only cause him more harm."

"You haven't spoken for over 50 years, you don't know that," Sir Nigel assured him.

"I do," North said, turning back to gaze up at the A4. "I would hate me too if I were him."

"He doesn't know about the Gold Dust, he won't even believe that you're Great Northern. You could speak on equal terms," Sir Nigel advised. "No other engines know about the Gold Dust."

"Mallard knows."

Sir Nigel was silent. His brother did know about the Gold Dust. But he'd never acted on the knowledge in the 50 years he knew of it.

"Regardless, it's not healthy for you to consume yourself in guilt North," Sir Nigel said concerned.

North gazed at Sir Nigel but then looked away and returned to preparing the berth. He heard Sir Nigel sigh in frustration but Great Northern did not care.

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