Warning: This story contains transphobia.
SKARLOEY THE BIG ENGINE
Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens
Set during Series 6-7
Duck had just brought some trucks to the Steamworks to be mended, but he didn't come alone; he'd deliberately slowed down on Gordon's hill in order to teach Spencer a lesson, and then Derek came along to help both engines to Crovan's Gate. Right now, Spencer was being told off for his rude words against Derek, while the diesel in question had just started making his way home.
Before Duck could make his way home to Tidmouth, he spotted something rather unusual in the corner of the Steamworks.
"What's that wagon doing under that tarpaulin?" he asked. Curiously, he switched over to the line it was on and his driver and fireman lifted the tarpaulin off.
"I've never seen anything like this before," the driver commented. "There's a pit in the middle of it!"
"Looks big enough to hold a narrow gauge engine," said the fireman. "Why haven't we seen this before?"
"Sounds like something Skarloey and Rheneas would know about," remarked Duck. "I'd better ask them once I get the chance."
Duck would get his chance sooner than he'd expected. The points to the siding he was resting on had jammed, and he would have to stay there until they were fixed. Skarloey and Rheneas, who were also resting at the sheds, saw the Great Western engine.
"You're looking quite curious, Duck," said Rheneas. "Is everything alright?"
"Oh, it's this strange wagon my crew and I found," said Duck. "It looked as if it could fit one of you lot in it."
"That must be my haulage wagon!" exclaimed Skarloey. "I'd wondered where that had gone."
"Haulage wagon?" asked Duck. "I'd never heard of such a thing before. Why on earth did you have one, Skarloey?"
Skarloey chuckled. "Well, if you're up for a story, I could tell you."
"Looks like I'll be here quite a while," remarked Duck, glancing over at the workmen who were fixing the points. With that, Skarloey launched into his tale.
Past
Many years ago, it was me, Rheneas and Proteus who ran the line. Back then, we didn't meet with the North Western Railway, but rather, the Sodor and Mainland Railway. The line was run by five engines – Richard, Neil, Mary, Samson and Hiro, an engine from Japan. Neil, Mary and Hiro were kind-hearted souls, and Samson, while often full of himself, did his best to get his work done. But Richard? Ohhh, that engine was rotten to the spokes, I tell you! I suspect it had to do with him being named for a King Richard in medieval times, but this has never been proven.
When I'd come out as a boy as a young engine, Richard would believe it was a game that I was playing. Even years after everyone around us had accepted me for who I was, Richard would not change his mindset.
"Well, well, well," he sneered. "If it isn't everybody's favorite little princess, Skarloey."
"Richard, shut up!" I cried. "For the millionth time, I'm not a girl!"
"Say that again about my brother and you're going to regret it!" Rheneas snorted.
"And just how is that?" Richard laughed. "You can't even get on my rails!" As much as Rheneas and I hated to admit it, he did have a point. The box tank sorted away.
"Such disrespect," said Agnes in indignation. "You'd think after all those lectures, he'd have got it by now."
"Always acting as if he's royalty," agreed Lucy. "I thought they were supposed to be good authority figures, not bossy buffers."
The rest of us muttered in agreement, and Rheneas and I quickly set off with our trains.
The Sodor and Mainland Railway had never been the most financially stable, and it wasn't long before the cracks were beginning to widen.
"Ugh, ouch!"
"Mary!" Proteus cried, glancing from the platform at Crovan's Gate. "What's happened?"
"It's these points," she sighed. "Maintenance hasn't been good to us, I'm afraid, my dear."
"Are the passengers alright?" asked Proteus.
"We are, thank you," said a gentleman. "There's no injuries here."
"Well, that's one lucky blessing I can consider," sighed Mary. "I just hope we don't run out…"
Unfortunately for Mary, things were going south fast. One day, Mr. Collins called the Sodor and Mainland quintet to the sheds.
"This railway needs to keep heads above water," sighed Mr. Collins. "At this rate, we may end up declaring bankruptcy if nothing is done about it."
"Whit kin we dae, sur?" asked Neil.
"Well…" Mr. Collins paused. "The Crovan's Gate Mining Company needs a couple of engines down there. If anyone is willing to take on that offer…"
"Ah'll dae it."
Mary, Hiro and even Samson stared over at the number two engine.
"Are you sure about this, Neil?" asked Mary.
"Sacrifices need tae be made, dear sister," Neil said gently. "Besides, th' wee engines ur very freendly. Ah'll be fine."
"We are going to miss you," said Hiro.
"Ah kin say th' same," he replied. "Ye dae yer best tae keep up th' workload, lads 'n' lass."
"We… we will." Samson bit his lip. "Good luck to you, Neil."
When Neil got his new position, he'd been repainted from his old green livery in favor of the mining company's gray with white lettering.
"Hullo, Skarloey lad," he called to me while bringing trucks to the transfer yards.
"Neil!" I cried. "Wow, nice new livery."
"Ta," he smiled. "It's nae taking passengers, bit at least Ah'm still bein' useful."
I chuckled. "Try telling that to my younger self."
With Neil working for the mining company, the other engines were beginning to feel the strain of the workload. Even Hiro, the biggest engine of the line, was struggling.
"Oh my…" groaned Hiro. "Surely a few trucks would not make this much of a difference…"
"You're not trying hard enough," grunted Richard. "Besides, Neil is much smaller than you!"
"Coming from his own brother," muttered Mary. "Let's face the facts! We're one engine down and we can't keep up despite everything we've got!"
"What are we going to do?" snorted Samson. "Ask the Skarloey engines to help?"
Mr. Collins tapped his chin and went into his office…
"Me, sir? Helping the big engines? Is that even possible?"
"Well," chuckled Mr. Collins, "Mr. Sam and I have been working on something." Our controller at the time was Mr. Percival's eventual father-in-law and Peter Sam's new namesake.
Curiously, I followed Mr. Collins and Mr. Sam into the workshop. Much to my surprise, I found a hollow wagon with wheels for the standard gauge tracks.
"Is that it?" I asked, disappointed with what they were showing me.
"It's a haulage wagon, Skarloey," explained Mr. Sam. "Once we lift you into the hollow pit of the wagon, you'll be able to move around on the standard gauge tracks."
Still a bit doubtful about the situation, yet curious to see the world beyond my railway, I was loaded into the wagon.
"Whoa!" I cried. "I feel very strange up here!"
"Better you than me," Rheneas joked. "With my wheelbase, I don't think I'd even fit in it!"
"Now whose side are you on?" I retorted.
"Alright, Skarloey," said Mr. Collins. "For your first job in helping us out, we need you to take some passengers down to Kirk Ronan."
My crew started me up. I felt my wheels turning and I was moving, but yet… I wasn't moving. Is this how passengers feel on our trains? I thought to myself. I was so confused, I almost didn't notice the coaches on the siding.
"Hey, watch it!" called Ashley.
"I don't think he can," Melanie cried. "Skarloey's buffers are covered by that wagon thingy."
"Wait, Skarloey's pulling us?!" Jess exclaimed. "I'm dreaming!"
"No, you're not dreaming, Jess," I insisted. "I'm using this haulage wagon, as Mr. Sam calls it, in order to help you out on your line now that Neil's working for the mining company."
"Oh, this is going to be a laugh," chuckled Ashley. "Whoever heard of a narrow gauge engine pulling standard gauge trains?"
Wheeshing steam crossly, I took off as quickly as I could. The coaches yelped in surprise. This is going to take some getting used to… I thought to myself.
The line from Crovan's Gate to Kirk Ronan was far longer than I'd remembered when Rheneas and I first came to Sodor, but that didn't stop me from pulling my train. I soon saw Samson stopped at Kellsthorpe Road with some trucks.
"Sk-Skarloey?!" he exclaimed in shock.
"Hello, Samson!" I greeted with my whistle.
"Well… you did suggest for the Skarloey engines to help us," said Samson's driver.
"Wh– Bu– I was being sarcastic!"
"Ugh, my wheels…" I groaned. "I don't think I'll ever be the same engine again after this…"
"Same thing with us coaches," sighed Ashley. "I don't remember going this fast in ages."
As the platform drew nearer, I tried to brake. Unfortunately, I stopped too soon, and the passengers were left unable to get out of the train.
"Ugh, flatten my funnel," I muttered. "Not again…"
"This will take getting used to," my driver assured as I slowly brought the coaches alongside the platform. Unfortunately for me, Richard had seen everything.
"Trying to be one of us big engines now?" he laughed rudely. "First you pretend to be a boy, and now this! Whatever will you pretend to be next; an elephant? Either way, you'd fit right in at a circus!"
"You try getting a haulage wagon for the Skarloey Railway sometime!" I retorted. "I'd like to see you try some of our tighter turns."
"Pah! Unlikely," scoffed Richard. "I wouldn't be caught trying to fit on your lines. I'd just rip the rails apart!"
"I'm surprised you care about keeping the Skarloey Railway intact," smirked Melanie. "Seems like you do have a heart in there somewhere."
"Does this mean you'll apologize to Skarloey for this nonsense you've been giving him the last few years?" asked Jess.
"Nonsense? Nonsense?!" Richard retorted. "Skarloey's the one spouting nonsense. If she keeps playing this game while also pretending to be a big engine, this railway will lose a lot of reputation."
"You're one to talk by giving the line a bad name with your attitude!" Ashley snapped as Richard huffed snootily away.
"I've heard of picking on someone your own size, but… ugh!" Rheneas snapped. "That Richard is an absolute nightmare. I'll give him a piece of my mind when I see him next!"
"Er, Rheneas," said Proteus, "you can't exactly fit on that transporter wagon."
"They should make another one then," he grunted.
"And leave only one engine to run this line?" I pointed out. "We don't really need another railway stretched thin for motive power."
"Right, I forgot about that," sighed Rheneas. "But… I don't want to leave you alone when Richard is insulting you like no tomorrow, Skarloey."
"I know, Rheneas," I soothed. "And no matter what happens, you're still my brother. I love you very much."
"I do too, Skarloey," Rheneas replied. "Even if I'm not with you, just remember, I have your back."
"That goes for me and the coaches too," said Proteus.
"Thank you, everyone," I smiled.
The next few days were relatively uneventful, save for my skirmishes on the haulage wagon. However, Richard was becoming more insufferable than ever.
"Miss Lady of the Lake took my passengers!" he snorted indignantly.
"Last I heard, Mary was on goods work today," Samson retorted.
"Not Mary, you ignoramus," snorted Richard. "I was talking about Skarloey!"
"Look, Richard," snapped Samson, "I may be an… 'ignore-muse', but Skarloey is a boy, and you should have learned that by now!"
"You've really gone downhill since you and Agnes started playing that game too," grunted Richard. "Hmph! Well, I'll be out to take the next train, if my name isn't King Richard!"
"But I don't see a crown on your funnel," Samson remarked as Richard huffed away. The trucks had overheard the two engines and they too were fed up with Richard's poor attitude.
"Let's give his royal highness a run worthy of his title," laughed one.
"Hold back," whispered another one. "Pass the word down!"
And it wasn't long before the entire line of trucks was laughing and holding back.
"Oh, come on!" demanded Richard. "As king, I order you to follow after me!"
"I don't see a castle or a crown," a truck smirked. "Did you hide them in your bunker?"
"Must be the smallest castle in the world," laughed another truck. Richard began to get increasingly frustrated with the trucks' taunts.
"We'd better stop for water soon," said Richard's driver. "Your tank's about to run dry."
"Blast the water!" snapped Richard. "I'll get these peasants to where they're needed or burst trying!" Famous last words indeed…
At Crovan's Gate, I was wondering what had happened with Richard, for he was supposed to arrive ten minutes ago.
"For all his faults, he's usually very punctual," I noted to Proteus. We soon found out what had happened when the stationmaster came up with a message.
"Richard's gotten stuck outside of Kellsthorpe Road with a dry throat," he explained. "There's no spare engine available, Skarloey, so you'll have to take him the rest of the way."
"Yes, sir," I said. I was nervous deep down though. Sure, I did help Rheneas out when he nearly ran out of water once, but we were the same size…
When I arrived to help Richard, his situation looked worse than I had imagined. His face was red all over, and the trucks were laughing and taunting him. His driver explained the situation to me and my crew.
"His firebox crown has melted due to his refusal to take on water," he said. "Had the fireman not acted as soon as he did, Richard's boiler might have exploded!"
What nearly happened to my brother… I swallowed hard. Tentatively, I buffered up to the front of the train.
"You can do this, ol' boy," soothed my driver. "Your fireman and I will be here the whole time."
"Thank you," I said, and once coupled up, I began to pull Richard and his train all the way back to Crovan's Gate.
"That's it, Skarloey!" my fireman encouraged. "You're doing fine."
Everything was blurry after that. Richard's taunts, my crew's encouragement, the trucks' gasps of surprise, I ignored everything. I just kept on moving forward.
At last, tired but triumphant, I'd brought the train to Crovan's Gate. I was exhausted, but very proud with myself.
"Well done, brother!" cried Rheneas. "That was amazing!" I didn't say anything, but I smiled back. Even the trucks were impressed.
"He's very strong for a little engine," one remarked.
"He's got better manners than King Richard over here," another agreed. As one would expect, Richard took offense to that remark.
"Inconceivable!" he snapped. "There is no chance in blazes that she could–"
"That's enough out of you!" I snapped. "I brought you and your train here after you broke down, and how do you thank me? By taunting me yet again! I've been putting up with your behavior for years, and I'd say it's about time someone called you out for the bully you are, Richard!"
"You've always lived up to your name," Rheneas agreed. "In more ways than one!"
"Indeed he has, Rheneas," said a voice. It was Mr. Collins who'd spoken up, having heard everything; Richard's eyes widened with fear when he saw his controller's expression…
Present
Skarloey paused dramatically.
"What happened to Richard after that?" asked Duck.
"It's… not nice to talk about…" The old engine exchanged a worried look with Rheneas.
"Why isn't it nice?"
"Pin down your brakes for this…" sighed Rheneas, taking a deep breath "Richard… was executed via a final firing."
"Wh-what?!" Duck nearly jumped out of his paintwork.
"The damage done to Richard was such that Mr. Collins didn't think was worth repairing," Rheneas explained. "And… he didn't think he would behave any better either…"
"Well… Mr. Collins was right," Duck sighed. "But…" He bit his lip. "I think I'm going to have nightmares tonight…"
"I'm sorry, Duck," Skarloey said quietly.
The pannier tank was quiet for a moment before changing the subject. "On another note, would you be willing to run on our lines again, Skarloey?"
The old engine chuckled. "I have to admit, it was fun, but I prefer running on my own lines. It's a lot more comfortable."
Just then, one of the workmen came to speak with Duck and his crew. "We've just finished repairing the points," he said. "You're free to return to Tidmouth now."
"Goodbye, Skarloey and Rheneas," called Duck as he set off for home. "Thank you for telling me your story."
"Goodbye, Duck!" they called. When Duck disappeared from sight, Skarloey and Rheneas looked up at the sky.
"If only you were still around, Mary and Proteus," Skarloey said quietly. "You are forever missed."
"Could Hiro be up there too?" Rheneas whispered.
Skarloey shuddered at the thought. "I sure hope not…" he sighed. "What did happen to Hiro…?"
THE END
Author's Comments
First things first; David Brennan, I told you two years ago to stop leaving guest reviews on my page, and in that time, you have ignored this simple request. I don't care if you prefer villains staying villains; if you can't handle that people have different tastes, that's your problem to deal with. I decide how I want to write the characters, and if you don't like how they're written, again, that's on you. All of your guest reviews have been deleted because I made it perfectly clear that I didn't want you to do that. I had blocked you and I am not undoing that decision, ever. I do not want to see another guest review from you ever again, and if you even think of getting an account here to leave reviews, I will block you again without second thought. Do everyone a favor and stop forcing your opinions in our faces because no one is interested in hearing it from you. Knock this off, learn to accept different opinions and grow up.
Sorry about this, folks, but this is something that I have been dealing with for a long time now.
With Awdry Extravaganza 3 having recently taken place, it only seemed appropriate to write up a story based upon notes from the first Extravaganza two years ago. This story was originally planned to be in Between the Lines: Set 2, but Skarloey's Secret ended up being written instead, and this became a separate story altogether. Consider this part two, if you will. The story takes place between the final two scenes of When Life Gives You Lemons from Series 6-7 Redux Part 1, expanding on what went on at Crovan's Gate following Derek helping Duck and Spencer. For the flashback portion, Richard the box tank was always intended to have been sent away in disgrace, even if it happened off-screen, given that he would never change his attitude; unfortunately, some people in real life are like that.
Meanwhile, having done a poll as to what stories for Set 3 should be next, the results for the next stories are as follows:
- When Falcons Cry - Sir Handel has never been happy with how the books based on the stories of the Skarloey Railway have portrayed him, but when the newest one is published, he reaches his boiling point.
- The Trouble with Enthusiasts - A group of rail enthusiasts don't follow safety precautions when it comes to taking pictures of the engines, even after Emily lets them know what they're doing wrong. One enthusiast in particular learns that lesson the hard way...
- Pardon My French - Daisy helps bringing passengers to Ulfstead Castle and meets with Millie, who proves to be helpful when some foreign passengers arrive.
- Riddle Me This - A series of crimes take place around Kanpford, and Charlie becomes interested in the mystery as the perpetrators have left riddles behind. Will Charlie meet his match and come across the riddle that even he can't solve?
