Green Arrow awoke to the crashing of thunder above his shed. The shed he was in was warm and well lit, warm lights making the berth feel warm and inviting. He looked up and saw the cold Autumn sky, dark with heavy rain clouds through the skylight.
It was still day time from what he could tell. Engines were still going about their day despite the weather.
There was a dull and constant aching pain in his boiler and an occasional sharp pain that shot through his entire body that radiated from his right cylinder.
The last thing he remembered was his own steam and smoke choking him as he felt his boiler begin to warp and crack under an intense pressure.
The pain had been agonising, like a thousand cutters torches burning and cutting into him as his boiler began to rupture, steam and rivets cracking under the strain.
He'd felt the right side of his boiler suddenly give and explode, the pain so great and excruciating that he'd blacked out immediately from it.
He blinked back into the present and suddenly felt ill and nauseous as he realised that there was still a gaping hole in his boiler.
Panic began to rise in him and he started to gag and gasp for air, his entire beginning to tremble.
Why hadn't they fixed him? Why hadn't his boiler been repaired? What was going on?
His vision began to blur as tears filled his eyes and the world began to spin.
He heard movement somewhere around him but he didn't care. He closed his eyes shut tightly and wished for the sick feelings to go away. He felt dizzy and it felt like he had sludge stuck in his tubes.
He wanted it to stop.
Everything hurt.
"Mr Green Arrow sir?" A concerned voice suddenly spoke to his left. "Mr Arrow are you okay? Please be okay! I promised Mr Scotsman to watch over you."
Green Arrow grunted and grit his teeth as he tried to push the feelings down and away.
He still felt extremely ill but he hung on to the voice that was now speaking to him.
After some considerable effort he managed to centre himself, similar to how he would if anxiety or panic got the better of him.
He heard the sound of a small engine beside him and solely focused on the sounds. After a few tense minutes he opened his eyes and stared for a moment as his eyes came into focus.
Movement caught the corner of his eye and he saw a very purple tank engine perched on the rails to his left.
"Hello Green Arrow sir," the tank engine greeted him. "My name is Ryan. I'm your cousin!"
Green Arrow stared at the tank engine blankly, not really knowing what to make of him. It wasn't like he could strike up a conversation with the engine anyway.
It was a Class N2 from what he could see although Green Arrow had never met one of them, only ever seen plans for them in Sir Gresley's workshop. He knew there was still one on the mainland, but that was it.
"Oh right, Scotsman mentioned that you couldn't speak, sorry," the Tank engine mumbled and blushed, feeling awkward.
"Are you alright? Wait I mean is there anything I can do no wait- I mean," Ryan asked and fumbled over his word but then immediately winched as he realised that Arrow couldn't answer any of his questions.
"Ryan you are stupid!" The engine scolded himself. He gave a nervous glance at Green Arrow turning even redder with embarrassment. "I'm sorry Mr Arrow sir, I'm um, not very good at the whole meeting people and talking thing… I uh, really don't know how to handle this, I'm sorry I'm being annoying."
Green Arrow wasn't annoyed. If anything, the socially awkward little tank engine was a welcome distraction from his pain and sickness.
He flicked his lamps on, making the little engine jump in surprise.
Do you understand me?
The little tank perked up at the morse code.
"Ye- yes!" Ryan squeaked excitedly. "Why didn't I think of that, of course you can use morse code! Are you okay? Is everything alright? Can I help you with anything are you-"
Stop.
Ryan shut his mouth almost immediately and blushed.
"Sorry, I got nervous," Ryan mumbled.."I talk when I'm nervous."
I have a question.
"Yes Mr Arrow sir?"
Is Tornado alright? Is she safe?
"Well, she's still on the Island," Ryan said. "She was put on to replace you as punishment for… what happened."
Green Arrow pushed back memories of what had happened to him. There was more important matters to address.
I need to know if Tornado is safe. Please?
Ryan stared at Green Arrow who was looking at him with a desperate look in his eyes.
"I'll go and see if I can find out for you Mr Arrow sir, I know she's still working on Sodor but I've never even met her," Ryan said, giving Arrow a kind smile. "But, Scotsman told me to stay with you to make sure no one tried to hurt you. He's been really upset over what happened. He wants to help you Mr Arrow sir."
Green Arrow stared at the little engine for a long while, thoughts rushing around in his head chaotically as he tried to make sense of things.
He then looked away from the little engine and stared up at the skylight again. After a long pause he eventually flicked his lights on and off again.
Just call me Arrow, Ryan.
Gordon was coming back from pulling the goods trains he'd been assigned for the day while Bittern was pulling his express. It was dark and cold, the last rays of sunlight peeking over the horizon. A light snow had started to fall.
His brother was said to leave in a few days for his rebuild and so spent most of his time up at Ulfstead Castle, while Tornado could take his berth at Tidmouth.
It annoyed him that Bittern was there but truth be told, he liked the bluebird over Spencer. Bittern would tease and boast but wasn't as snooty as Spencer. He seemed to revel in competition and Gordon hated to admit it but the A4 was funny and endearing in a way.
Gordon slowed as he saw a red flashing beacon in the distance. On closer inspection he saw that it was Rebecca trying to flag him down.
"Rebecca?" He asked. "What's going on?"
"Oh thank goodness, I've been trying to find you!" She said relived. She looked extremely worried and anxious.
"Has something happened?"
"Tornado's gone missing, no one knows where she is, she wasn't at Vicarstown sheds and she didn't go back to Tidmouth Sheds," Rebecca said.
Gordon felt a sinking feeling in his boiler.
People must be fed up with all these famous engines going missing.
"And before you suggest it, she's not in Ulfstead Mines, Stephan went and checked," Rebecca said.
"I see," Gordon hummed.
Tornado had been put on as Green Arrow's replacement. She'd had a little trouble pulling the tricks at first but after a few days had gotten the hang of it with Henry's coaching.
Henry had raised concerns, as Tornado had been quiet and not herself. She'd barely spoken to him, only speaking when prompted by the big green engine while he was teaching her. No sign of her usually bubbly and outgoing self.
Bittern's comments about her being depressed for the past few months had been concerning too. She had not been herself, not since Rebecca and Olivia had been on Sodor.
The incident with Green Arrow had clearly affected her.
"I don't think she's okay," Rebecca said. "When we worked together on the mainland, she had her moments of being depressed but they were never like this. Even when…"
Rebecca paused for a moment.
"When I first met Tornado, she was close friends with Green Arrow," Rebecca said. "At the time, Arrow was a known nuisance. He caused all kinds of trouble between engines. I didn't approve of her friendship but it's not my place to tell people who they can and can't be friends with, you know?"
"I understand," Gordon smiled at her.
"When Tornado broke off her friendship with Arrow, it really hurt her," Rebecca said quietly. "She tried to hide it but, I could tell, she really missed him."
"You think Tornado's disappearance has something to do with what happened to Arrow?" Gordon asked.
"I'm sure of it," Rebecca affirmed.
"Sir Robert wants you two back at Ulfstead Castle," Gordon's Driver, William said waving his phone. "He sounds fed up."
Gordon and Rebecca glanced at each other worried.
The trip to Ulfstead Castle was uneventful and silent, Rebecca following Gordon along as they travelled a sense of worry and tension in the air.
When they arrived, they found Sir Robert, the Fat Controller, Olivia, Flying Scotsman, Bittern, Henry and Green Arrow waiting for them. Green Arrow sat in a siding away from the others but still present and awake for the first time since the incident.
Green Arrow's boiler was covered in a large tarpaulin as the sight of his heavily damaged boiler made other engines understandably uneasy. There was a bandage over the large scar on his face. He looked weary and sick, often resting with his eyes closed as he fought off pain or nausea.
Although Gordon didn't like him, he couldn't help but feel sorry for his cousin.
He'd burst his boiler at the Great Race and had taken a long time for him to recover from it. And that had only been the physical damage. The embarrassment still stung him painfully.
"Tornado is missing, we can't get in contact with her crew," The Fat Controller said deeply concerned. "Do I seriously need to put tracking devices on you big engines?"
Green Arrow's eyes opened in alarm at Sir Topham's words. A look of terror and concern appeared on his face that didn't go unnoticed by those present.
"She's been acting odd the past few months," Bittern explained. "Pendennis thinks that with Rebecca, Scott and Olivia here on Sodor she was getting lonely and the workload she was doing on the Mainland was wearing her out too. I think whatever happened with Arrow was the last straw for her."
"Before the incident she was acting erratic and angry at Tidmouth Sheds, she was upset over something and we couldn't reason with her," Henry explained. "And when I tried to talk to her today she always looked so distressed, like she was about to cry."
Rebecca frowned.
"I noticed that too," she said. "Every night when she came back to Vicarstown Sheds she was crying. She cried herself to sleep every night, I tried to comfort her anyway I could but nothing worked."
Olivia looked particularly concerned.
"Maybe I was too harsh on her," she said quietly. "I did not take into account her mental state when I confronted her over what happened to Arrow."
Everyone glanced at Arrow who only stared at the ground sadly.
"Matthias said that Arrow saved Tornado, he moved under his own will power to save her," Sir Robert said gazing at Green Arrow curiously. "That he could have very easily let Tornado fall into that mine instead chose to risk his boiler exploding to save her."
Green Arrow shied away from the others staring at him desperately trying to avoid their gazes.
"And this was after Tornado called Arrow a monster," Flying Scotsman said quietly. "Why? Why did you put yourself at risk for someone who insulted and accused you of being a terrible person?"
Green Arrow remained still and silent for a very long while before finally responding with his lamps.
Because I still care about my friend, even if she no longer considers me one. Because I miss her more than anything. She's the only one who cared about me when no one else did. I don't care if she hates me, I want her to be safe.
Green Arrow looked deeply upset, tears slipping down his face. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as he tried not to cry.
No one spoke for a while until Rebecca piped up.
"I think Tornado still cares about you Arrow," she said softly. "She tries to pretend that she doesn't but… I really think she still does care about you. I think that everything was just getting too much for her and she lashed out without really meaning to. She's had to be the perfect new engine for the longest time."
"We have to find her," Gordon urged. "Does anyone have any idea where she would be?"
Olivia stepped forward.
"I have an idea," She said before turning to look at Gordon. "Gordon, can you take me to the forest?"
"Yes, ma'am, that I can."
Sir Robert turned to Rebecca, and Henry.
"The two of you can help us search elsewhere," he said and both engines became alert and chimed in response.
Flying Scotsman and Green Arrow watched them leave with worried expressions on their faces. Bittern meanwhile parked himself in a berth that was as far away from Green Arrow's as he could.
Scotsman wasn't going to bother to try and make Bittern be civil with Green Arrow. That was a pointless endeavour and he knew it.
For a long while the Flying Scotsman and Green Arrow sat in silence. Arrow struggling with a flare up of pain had closed his eyes and sat there trying to centre himself quietly.
Arrow's broken boiler creaked in the cold wind and he began to give a small whimper as it began to blow underneath the tarp and into the gaping hole, making a haunting sound as it rattled his boiler.
Flying Scotsman moved forward without a word and began to shunt Green Arrow back into the berths out of the wind.
Arrow seemed startled at the movement, but didn't resist at all.
He opened his eyes and gazed into the Flying Scotsman's face who was avoiding his gaze and staring over the top of Green Arrow and concentrating on where he was going.
The last time Arrow had been this close to Flying Scotsman he had been with Cain, under Ulfstead mines, staring up into the engines dead looking face.
Cain had wanted to scrap the Scotsman. Arrow had thought that he wanted to too. But upon laying his eyes on the famous engines near death looking form, he regretted his actions. He couldn't scrap an engine. Not at all.
He was a coward just as Truro had called him.
He regretted ever lying to Tornado about Scotsman making fun of her. In the end it had just driven Tornado away from him and he'd lost his only friend in return.
He realised that after Cain had scrapped Scotsman, he'd have turned the cutters torch on him anyway.
Scotsman pushed him into his berth without a word. Green Arrow was looking at him with a tired expression on his face. Scotsman backed away a little bit and stared at his cousin for a long while.
I still don't like you cousin.
Green Arrow suddenly flashed at Scotsman with his lamps. The Scotsman gave a sigh.
"I know Arrow," He said quietly.
But I'm sorry for trying to scrap you. In the end, I found that I couldn't go through with it.
The Scotsman looked uncomfortable but seemed to ignore it and push it back.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I don't particularly wish to be scrapped," He said. "I accept your apology."
Thank-you for trying to protect me. No one else would have done it for me.
"I had selfish reasons for doing so," Scotsman said and Arrow raised an eyebrow. "But aside from that, I really do not want you to be scrapped.
The promise for my sister?
"Yes," Scotsman said quietly. He looked away from Arrow. "I still miss her. I don't think I'll ever stop."
Green Arrow wanted to know more about Scotsman's relationship with his sister, Coldstreamer. He did remember her talking about him but nothing really interesting or deeply personal.
It was none of his business either way. Whatever his sister and the Scotsman had gotten up to was between them. He doubted that Scotsman would betray the trust of a long gone friend.
"I never tried to steal Tornado's friendship from you," Scotsman said after a long moment of silence. He stared up at the dark sky watching snowflakes lazily fall from the sky. "I apologise if I ever gave you that impression. But it's entirely up to Tornado who she is friends with."
Green Arrow looked away from Flying Scotsman. He'd been childish and angry back then.
I know
Green Arrow looked glumly at the ground.
"Thank-you for saving her, that was very heroic and noble of you."
Green Arrow said nothing more.
Seeing that the conversation was over, Flying Scotsman left Arrow to join Bittern who teased him about getting stuck in a snow drift again to which the Scotsman became indignant and started hurling insults at Bittern who just laughed at him.
Arrow could tell they were trying to cover their anxiousness over Tornado being missing with their banter.
Green Arrow sighed and looked out at the dark grounds of the castle.
A light frosting of snow covered the grounds, making them look pretty and winds began to grow colder.
Tornado had said she always liked snow. To her it was pretty and she liked the sensation of the snowflakes landing on her and tickling her boiler. He'd begun to appreciate her sentiments after a while.
He really had never noticed snow in such a way until Tornado pointed it out to him.
Green Arrow closed his eyes wearily and pleaded to Gresley that Tornado would be safe.
Maybe one day he could appreciate the snow with Tornado. He'd like that. That sounded nice. As impossible as that sounded right now.
He heard Flying Scotsman start to rant about how much he hated snow while Bittern just laughed at him as he drifted off to an uneasy and nervous sleep.
For updates, art and small short stories from the Young Iron AU, you can find me at tornadoyoungiron on tumblr.