"If the oldest grief is the most revered," George spoke up, as he slid from his hiding place, "Then mine should have the most weight here. Let my sorrow have the upper hand."
The other three jumped as the steamroller's appearance. "Your sorrow?" Mavis spluttered through her sobs. "What sorrow? You haven't lost anyone, George!"
"If you can allow for comparison," George replied softly yet sternly. "Consider your losses next to mine. I had Diesel till Diesel X killed him, and I had Sid killed as well. On your side, you had an Edward, Thomas, young Percy, and James, till Diesel X killed them all. So, I guess we're equal." He finished flatly.
"Let's not act like you didn't help him kill them all," Lily retorted.
"Let's also not forget, dear Lily, that you had Burnett Stone until Diesel X killed him. "Let's not forget that all of this circles around to you, and you're precious Burnett Stone!" He rose his voice at this, startling the others. "Had he not failed in coming after Lady, he wouldn't be as vengeful! He wouldn't be back at all! If you ask me, I'm glad he's back- maybe if he kills more people he'll be so satisfied all this war will stop...but I'm glad this evil mutt of a diesel can teach you all a lesson!"
"Oh, shut it up, George!" Mavis snapped. "We're all mourning here, so no one's pain is more than another! I wept for Diesel and Sidney just as much as I did the others!" Salty and Lily grunted in agreement.
"I'm full of vengeance, and I'm going to gorge on it," George rasped, glowering at the young diesel. "Your precious steamie friends caused me to be run out of town, filled Diesel X with hate, and now he's taking it out on the entire island, and it's all your fault. Once Diesel X meets his downfall, then can I say that all of the dogs are dead!" He declared boldly.
"Hold on," Mavis interrupted. "Did you not also predict that you would need my help in defeating Diesel X? And now you shun me?"
"I did call you all losers, and I did predict you losing all of your friends at the jaws of Diesel X," The steamroller quipped, straight-faced. "And it looks like I was right! Where is that Percy? Edward? Thomas? Where are the rest of them, hm?" He questioned, seemingly enjoying the psychological and emotional torment he was enforcing on Mavis.
The young diesel gave no response, as she knew deep down that the steamroller was 100% correct. Lily and Salty also said nothing.
Feeling satisfied with the silence, George smirked, before he began to roll away, before being stopped again by Mavis.
"You're so skilled at cursing the rest of us, George," She said quietly, "How about you teach me how to curse my enemies.
The steamroller reversed, the same look on his face. "Don't sleep at night, and don't work during the day." He advised, coolly. "Compare what you've lost with what you suffer now. Remember your friends as being sweeter than they actually were, and think of the diesel who killed them as worse than he is. Making your loss greater makes the person who caused it worse. Think like this all day, and you'll learn how to curse."
"I could never, I'm horrible with insults," The young diesel admitted sheepishly.
"Who needs words when you have such biting misery?" George replied. "Misery hurts more than words can ever do." He smiled again, differently- Mavis didn't know how to describe the look, but she knew it was a sign...of something.
"He has a point," Lily spoke at last. "Hurling insults at each other won't exactly save Sodor, you know."
"Indeed," Mavis answered. "Words are a lot of useless breath, like lawyers who won't stop arguing for their sad clients," She joked darkly, eliciting laughter from her companions. "But give words a chance. Though they won't help in any other way, at least they make us feel better."
"I understand," Lily murmured. "If that's true, then don't hold back, Mavis- if it makes you feel better, just let loose."
...
The two giggled softly, but were stopped when a chorus of diesel horns sounded off in the distance.
"Battle horns!" Mavis exclaimed. "Here comes Diesel X on the main line- don't stint on your words, Lily."
Lily nodded, and stood her ground nobly. Sure enough, Diesel X, surrounded by his army of diesels, oiled towards them in a huff. They were all on the same line, thus blocking his way.
"Who do you think you girls are?" He snapped. "Blocking my way?"
"The same girls who should've blocked you from killing all of our friends!" Lily shot back.
"Look at you, hiding behind those diesels- you're not so tough!" Mavis joined in. "Now where is Diesel?"
"And Edward and Thomas?"
"And Sidney?"
"Rev up your engines, diesels!" Diesel X barked over their shouting. "Don't let the Lord hear these chattery women abuse Sodor's anointed king! NOW!"
The evil group diesels honked and hooted as they revved their radiators as loud as they could, sending clouds of inky black fumes into swirling air around them.
"Now, you can either be calm and polite, or I can drown you out with the music of diesels. Your choice." The ochre diesel bargained.
"Are we not friends, Diesel?" Mavis asked, after a long pause.
"Of course we are, and I thank the Lord every day for a fellow diesel."
"Then you'll shut up and hear what I have to say, as a friend." Mavis snapped.
"Unfortunately, I'm like you in the sense that I'm an impatient diesel who fails to heed advice from other engines." Diesel X smirked.
"Just let her speak!" Lily shot back furiously.
"She can speak, but I won't listen." The yellow diesel muttered, causing the other diesels to snicker.
"I'll be polite, just like you want."
"Make it quick, Mavis! I'm in a hurry!" Diesel X cut her off, glowering ferociously.
"Are you really that impatient?" said Mavis. "I've waited all this time just to speak with you, and you end up making life my hell!"
Diesel X stared at Mavis, his face burning with white hot fury. "You're too bitter, let's go, diesels!" He snapped, before backing out away from them.
"Just listen to me! Just once! Or we'll never speak again!"
"...so be it." Diesel X spoke quietly, before leaving with his diesel posse, and leaving an angry Mavis, Lily, and Salty behind.
"Either he dies as he should, or we'll die from grief." Mavis muttered.
The war had finally begun.