Spencer was used to the Sudrian engines being indignant with him.
Especially Gordon but he wasn't used to the Sudrian number 4 being so openly hostile towards him, even when he had tried to scrap Hiro. Gordon was outright insulting him to his face and telling him to go back to the mainland.
Spencer was furious, he had hoped that Gordon would have at least been somewhat cooperative when he'd told him that the Royal Engine had asked him to help find the Flying Scotsman but Gordon had immediately been defensive.
He could understand why, Spencer and the Flying Scotsman had a well known distain for each other. The Scotsman openly insulting and berating 'that ugly toaster' and Spencer still furious of having been tricked into being stuck in a lagoon for two days and consistently calling the Scotsman a 'slow overhyped green caterpillar'.
However as the months dragged on without the Flying Scotsman to wrangle the other passenger engines in line, Spencer found the other engines becoming almost unbearably rude. The fighting over becoming the Duchess' new 'favourite' was getting out of hand.
It made him appreciate just how much respect and influence engines like Flying Scotsman had over the railways.
Gordon was glaring at him.
"If you think I'm going to help you scrap my brother you have another thing coming," Gordon had snapped at Spencer. "You're as stupid as you look Spencer."
"I'm not trying to get the Flying Scotsman scrapped!" Spencer snarled back at Gordon. "I just want him back so the ridiculous farce that is now the mainland lines can go back to normal!"
"I don't believe you, not with your track record," Gordon hissed and Spencer glared at him.
"It doesn't matter," Spencer huffed. "I'll get to the bottom of this, whether you like or not. I'll find out what your idiot brother is doing, mark my words."
"Pah!" Snapped Gordon as Spencer streamed away with a snide grin.
He didn't show the growing panic and dread as he realised that his brother was now in very real danger.
If Spencer found him and told the Former Director then he would lose his brother and he couldn't let that happen.
He had to tell the others.
"Percy found him," Gordon explained gruffly to the other engines.
"Well Stephen and I did, we were doing spot checks for Sir Robert," Percy clarified.
"Why is Spencer looking for Flying Scotsman?" Henry asked confused. "Word among the mainland diesels is that the two hated each other."
"Do you remember how he first treated Hiro?" Gordon said bitterly and a shocked silence fell over the sheds.
"No!" Thomas was aghast. "We can't let him find Scotsman."
"I can't believe Spencer would sink this low!" James spat angrily. "It's disgusting!"
"Despicable!" Snarled Henry.
"Disgraceful!" Gordon thundered furiously.
"But we can't tell the Fat Controller!" Percy chimed in. "Driver says that if word was to leak out, then the Director would immediately know where to look."
"What about the Earl?" Edward pointed out. "If the Earl caught wind of someone trying to find treasure in the Mines he'd be furious. You know how Sir Robert is paranoid about thieves."
"Yes but any sudden activity around the mine could tip Spencer off immediately," Henry pointed out. "It might not be the best idea to tell him."
Edward paused, realising Henry was right.
"For now, we keep Spencer away from the mines, until we can do something to hide my brother properly or the Director gets taken out of the picture," Gordon said.
"The Flying Scotsman's driver, Vincent, is on Sodor," Percy said. "My fireman talked to him last night. He can't go and check on Scotsman otherwise that would rouse suspicion. But he has a job that takes him near the entrance everyday, he's been keeping an eye on him."
Gordon felt a little relief.
His brother's driver was undyingly loyal and protective of his engine. If he was watching his hiding place like a hawk then they could have at least some intel.
"I hope Scotsman is alright," Percy said. "It must be so lonely in that mine."
Gordon said nothing, his worry deepening.
His brother hadn't been in the best place when he'd gone into hiding. He'd also been ill which worried Gordon even more. He was afraid to think what the isolation had done to him.
It occurred to him that his brother might not even be the same person he was when they recovered him.
"Gordon?" Henry asked concerned as he noticed how upset Gordon was. "Gordon it's okay, we'll protect him, he'll be alright."
"I-" Gordon hadn't realised he'd started crying.
He quickly reversed back into his berth to avoid the gazes of the others. Henry followed him with a deep look of sympathy on his face.
"Gordon?"
"I want my brother back," was all he could muster to Henry. "He's so close yet-"
The other engines didn't say anything out of respect for Gordon and simply allowed him to cry, offering words of sympathy and encouragement as they saw their friend breakdown after months of constant worry and stress.
Eventually, the big engine cried himself to sleep as the others watched over him.
"Hello Ms Tornado," Green Arrow sidled up to the big green engine.
Tornado only shot the engine a hateful glare.
She still hadn't forgiven him for pretending to be her friend and making fun of her in front of the other engines.
She wasn't one to hold grudges but Arrow had at first been her one and only friend for a time. He told her how the other engines also doubted and second guessed him, something which she could relate to being so young and new. She had been new, coloured blue and struggled a lot. Arrow helped her how to pull coaches and helped her to navigate.
But then he'd turned around and made fun of her, insulted her in front of the others and humiliated her in front of everyone. He'd called her an imposter and a freak because of her new blue livery she'd chosen.
He was supposed to be her friend but in the end he had belittled her and made her feel worthless.
It wasn't until Flying Scotsman showed genuine friendship towards her that she realised how awful Arrow was to her. That friends didn't act like this.
She had asked to be painted green, like Flying Scotsman, although true be told, she loved her blue. She only asked to painted green because Green Arrow had called her a freak, saying blue was a peasant colour.
Flying Scotsman had been disappointed. He liked her blue, it made her unique and not as boring as the other hundred green engines on the mainland.
She didn't have the heart to ask for her blue colour back. Seeing Flying Scotsman in Apple Green again had made her reconsider though.
Until he disappeared.
"What do you want you two faced boiler?" Tornado hissed angrily at him. "If it's to mock me then you can shove off because I'm not having it, not today."
Green Arrow recoiled slightly.
He was used to Tornado being snappy and angry with him but never this blunt or short.
"No I just wanted to ask if you'd heard anything about Flying Scotsman?"
Tornado suddenly let out a huge gush of excess steam in a very aggressive display of dominance.
Green Arrow had clearly hit a nerve. He felt himself suddenly fearful.
Tornado was a lot bigger than him and clearly very angry.
This would not end well if he stayed.
"You can move along now Green Arrow," she snapped harshly. "It's none of your business or concern."
Arrow mumbled a hasty good-bye before chuffing away shamefully.
"You didn't even try you useless engine!" He heard the voice of the former Director, snap at him from his cabin.
"I'm sorry sir but she probably doesn't know anything," Arrow apologised with a grimace. "She's been on the mainland this whole time and she's been depressed."
The former director, Cain, stamped his foot on Green Arrow's footplate like an angry child. Arrow grunted annoyed at the action.
Cain was furious.
He had lost everything due to the ridiculous thing that was the Flying Scotsman. His job, his money and now he was being labelled a criminal by the police.
He had made hundreds of thousands off of the 'Pride of LNER' and Sir Nigel Gresley's most prized engine.
It was a thing, a machine.
People were ridiculous for treating these steam engines with such reverence.
He knew it was ironic, coming from the Director of the Railway museum but had never wanted this accursed job. He'd inherited it from his father.
He had tried to be nice. Tried to reason with the beastly thing yet Flying Scotsman was something that clearly could not be controlled.
Ever since coming out of his rebuild the thing had been nothing but a petulant and disobedient child.
He'd come under fire for treating said engine with disrespect but it was no use arguing with idiots who worshipped these things as his father did.
His own father who cared more about these things than him.
He vowed to tear Flying Scotsman apart and make a pretty penny off of the souvenirs of scrap.
"Uh, Tornado hasn't been in contact with anyone from Sodor for the past 8 months," Arrow's driver put in, still angry that the former director had called his engine useless. "It's unlikely she or her crew would know anything."
"I need to find the Flying Scotsman," Cain growled angrily.
"If I may sir," Green Arrow piped up. "The Silver Link was sent by the Royal Engine to Sodor to try and find him if that helps."
"Was he now?" Cain smiled. "Interesting."
That night Tornado sat in her sheds alone as she had done for almost the past year.
She missed her big brother next to her. She missed having someone to talk to. She missed having a friend of her own size or class.
She wanted Flying Scotsman back.
She didn't really have anyone else except Gordon but he was far away on the Island of Sodor.
The little shunters and pilots were her friends but she wasn't all that close to them. She felt couldn't share private feelings or relate to them as she could with other big express engines.
They wouldn't understand.
She began to cry quietly.
She'd been crying herself to self for almost the past year and she didn't know when she started.
Normally, if she had been upset after a days work, Scotsman would quietly sing or hum to her or tell her funny stories from his past.
His singing always made her laugh because she could never tell if he was just that bad or just being an idiot.
These days however she was only greeted by her sobs echoing around the cold empty sheds.
She suddenly jumped as she heard the shed doors open to Flying Scotsman's berth.
"Scott?" She called out hopefully, tears still running down her face.
Her face fell when she saw only one green tender was backing into the berth. The words 'Great Western' were printed on the tender and the engine was smaller than she was.
She looked away from the engine and slid her smoke deflectors forward to hide the fact that she was crying.
"Hello!" The smaller engine greeted her kindly. "I'm Pendennis Castle, but most people call me Castle."
A slight Australian accent was mixed in with the engine's voice. They sounded old and kindly, not like the other engines on the mainland. But this one sounded a lot more friendly somehow.
The engine seemed to notice she was crying.
"Are you alright kiddo?" Castle asked, his voice sympathetic and kind. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding."
Tornado sniffed and made a cautionary glance at the new engine. His face was kind and full of worry.
"It's… it's alright, I cry every night now so… you're not really intruding on anything. This is just normal," she word vomited with a hiccup.
"That's not okay now," Castle said. "Crying yourself to sleep every night is not normal kiddo."
"I know it's just," Tornado couldn't find the words so she just sniffled quietly.
Castle didn't pressure her, only waited for her to speak when she was ready.
"I miss my brother," she said quietly. "He's been missing for so long, I just want him back."
"Ah yes the Flying Scoot," Castle said with a fond smile. "Last time I saw him was in Australia, the old scoot. Miss him and his smug face."
"You, you know him?" Tornado asked shocked.
"Of course I do, we've been rivals for almost a hundred years now," Castle said with a friendly grin. "We were sent to the Empire Exhibition together. We've known each other ever since. We've met only a few times but hey, your brother's personality was a big one, even back then."
Tornado forgot her sadness and stared at the engine in shock.
"You're his rival?" Tornado asked completely stumped.
"Well, people like to think we are, but we're really just good mates," Castle laughed. "He's a good one that Scott."
Tornado felt herself lighten up at this engine's friendly attitude and laid back approach.
"Didn't quite catch your name there kiddo," he smiled at her.
"I'm Tornado," she said quietly, still shy around this strange new engine. "I'm brand new."
"I'll say, you're squeaky clean off the press aren't you," Castle beamed at her and Tornado felt herself smile despite herself.
"I'm about decade old," she defended.
She didn't like people constantly bringing up that she was new. They made it sound like she was stupid or she wasn't as important as the other engines.
"Still a baby," Castle argued. "But it's good. It's been so long since a new Steamie was on the rails. I'd say you should be proud. You're hopefully the first of many."
"Oh."
Tornado was taken aback. She wasn't used to people complimenting her. Especially about her age.
"I um, thank-you?" She was so utterly confused.
"Not at all kid," Castle smiled at her. "You're probably wondering why I'm stealing Scotty's berth yes?"
"I er, yes," Tornado hadn't been wondering, but now that he mentioned it. She was so bewildered by this strange engine and his mannerisms that she couldn't really think of anything. He was just so outgoing and forthcoming, so unlike anyone she met or worked with.
"I'm taking over the Flying Scotsman line from Gordon," Castle explained. "They've been spread thin on Sodor without him so big blue needs to head back."
"You're smaller than my brothers though," Tornado said and immediately blushed when she realised she had been rude. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude-"
Castle only laughed at her.
"If there's one thing I learnt during my time in Australia it was that British Mainland engines need their pistons oiled, they're all so up tight and don't know how to relax," Castle said with a cheeky grin. "I'm the perfect size for what I am and what I do, I can pull express trains just as well as those big boys and girls can if not better."
He winked at her and Tornado was instantly reminded of Scotsman.
She smiled at him, feeling a lot more comfortable with this elder engine. Pendennis Castle seemed like a relaxed, friendly and kind engine. Even more so than Flying Scotsman.
They were so unlike the other mainland engines, all snooty and always concerned about their appearance.
Although Flying Scotsman did care about it to some degree and could be really annoying about it at times, the impression Castle gave Tornado was that he didn't care at all.
"I'm sorry, if I wasn't so friendly when you came in," Tornado apologised to Castle. "I was upset."
"You have every right to be upset kiddo," Castle said. "Scott as I understand it is your mentor, friend and brother. He's your family and you miss him. Nothing wrong with expressing that."
Tornado felt something lift off her. She'd been hiding her feelings about Scotsman being missing for so long. Crying wasn't 'dignified' after all. And yet here was an engine being nice for once. Genuinely nice.
"Hey kid, I know you don't know me but you can talk to me if you need to," Castle offered. "I know Scott appreciated familiar faces and an ear in foreign worlds when he was out and about being a famous diva."
"A famous diva?" Tornado was thrown off by Castle's words. She'd never heard Scotsman described as a diva before but it somehow fit.
"Scotts has always been a diva, even at the Empire exhibition," Castle rolled his eyes. "But you know the thing about divas right?"
"Um no?"
"They always come back with a bang."
Despite herself, Tornado giggled.
