A large black engine with 8 driving wheels rolled onto the turntable. His paintwork was dirty, but he looked to be very strong. Lord Harwick stepped out of the cab.
"Engines," he said, "this here is Lucifer, our newest acquisition. He's a Great Central 8K designed by Sir John George Robinson, CME of the GCR."
"Pleased to meet you, everybody," said the engine. "But please, call me Luci: I much prefer that over being referred to by the Devil."
"Luci?! But you're a boy! And that sounds like a girl's name!" Olive pointed out.
"And you're a Great Western engine painted in blue," the engine retorted. "Let me ask you: would you be comfortable calling one of your colleagues the same name as the devil? God spare us that humiliation."
"Alright, Luci it is," said Lord Harwick. "In any case, now that he's here, Selena, you won't need to worry about the heavy goods work so much."
"What a relief!" sighed Selena.
"In any case, I must be going," said Lord Harwick. "I got some paperwork to sort out. Make Luci feel welcome." And with that, Lord Harwick walked away. Luci looked at the others.
"Can I please say something that could come off as rude?" he asked. The engines were taken aback!
"Why would you ask us that?!" Edward asked, astonished. "Surely you could just say what you have on your mind!"
"I was always taught manners were important," Luci replied. "So if I was to say something rude, wouldn't it be polite to ask for permission to say it first?"
"I guess that makes sense," said Selena.
"Alright, if you want to say something rude, go ahead," Edward replied.
"Thank you, Furness," said Luci. "Now then, I can see why I'm needed: none of you are really suited for heavy goods work. I mean, one of you is a tank engine, and most of you are passenger engines. The only goods engine here isn't even strong enough for the loads I can pull."
"Uh, hello, I'm standing in front of you!" 87546 called out.
"No you're not, you're in a shed berth," Luci retorted.
"The point stands! I'm as much a goods engine as you are!"
"You don't look like a goods engine," Luci said. "You look like a bum who's lazing around waiting for somebody to donate him money."
"OOOOH! How dare you!" 87546 shouted. "I'll show you! I'll outdo you in goods work, wait and see!"
"Weren't you put on rubbish trains for refusing to take goods trains?" asked Edward, cheekily.
87546 said nothing more.
"See my point?" said Luci "While I don't doubt the 3835's disposition for work, the stupid "Small Engine" policy of the Midland Railway severely undermines available power. As for the H2…need I say more?"
"You aren't wrong there, Luci," Selena admitted. "I've been struggling with the goods work ever since Lily was transferred to bank at Wellsworth after she refused to pull any trucks."
"That makes no sense whatsoever," Luci said. "Engines are meant to work. Surely she'd prefer trucks over not being in service at all!"
"Well, she's been given a second chance, however, as one of our express engines got flat wheels recently," added Selena.
"That wasn't her only problem," snorted Thomas. "She also tried to replace our director, Sir Topham Hatt. Luckily, I managed to put her in her place!"
Luci stared at the E2, feeling intrigued.
"You're definitely stronger than you look," he said. "Especially coming from a failed class. I'll have to watch myself around you: you could derail me when I'm not looking." The 8K gave a wink, much to Thomas' confusion.
"Why did he wink at me?" Thomas asked Edward.
"I wouldn't worry too much, Thomas," Edward said. "That's probably Luci telling you he likes you."
Thomas, still unsure, decided to say nothing to this, though he couldn't help but feel like this engine wasn't all he seemed.
Luci proved to be a hard worker: trucks found him to be a much friendlier engine compared to the likes of Lily and it turned out he had no aversion to whatever job he was given: passenger trains proved to be just as easy for him to handle as goods trains. Before long, trains were running to time, and all the engines took a liking to him. Well, almost all: Thomas still couldn't help but feel nervous around Luci and tried to avoid him as much as possible.
After a few days, Luci decided enough was enough. He came up to the E2 while he was resting in a siding and parked himself on the points, making sure he couldn't run away this time.
"Why do you keep trying to avoid me?" he asked. "I've been trying to make friendly conversation but you keep running away. What did I ever do to you?!"
Thomas wasn't sure how to respond.
"Look, I'm sorry to have to do this, but I won't move until you give me an answer."
"Oh you want an answer, do you?" Thomas asked, finding his voice. "I'll give you an answer: you're a deceiver!"
Luci found himself taken aback!
"A deceiver?!"
"Yeah, that's right: you may have fooled everyone else, but I see through you. You're planning to derail me!"
"Where would you get an idea like that?!" Luci asked angrily.
"Calling me failed, saying you'd have to watch yourself around me, and that wink!" Thomas shouted.
"Look, I'm sorry if what I said offended you, I was just joking about having to watch myself around you," said Luci. "That wink was meant to symbolise that!"
"And how was I supposed to know?!" snapped Thomas. "I only left Brighton Works earlier this year, I don't know everything yet!"
Luci stared for a bit, then sighed.
"Sorry, I didn't know," he said.
"You say sorry now, but I've been around enough big engines to know you're nothing but trouble," said Thomas with a low growl. "Just you wait: I'll prove it soon."
"If that's what you wish," said Luci sadly. He rolled away, allowing Thomas to leave the siding.
The 8K went to the coaling stage where Edward was taking on more coal.
"How'd it go?" Edward asked.
"Not very well, Edward," Luci replied, and he told Edward about the conversation he had with Thomas. Edward listened intently, and sighed when Luci had finished.
"I was afraid that would be the case," the K2 said. "Seems the way Lily, 98462, and 87546 treated him has made Thomas rather cautious about being around big engines. Don't worry, Luci," said Edward with a smile. "He'll come round eventually, just give it time."
"I hope it doesn't take too much time," Luci said. "With this war going on, we all need to work together."
Conan, on the other hand, got along great with Luci from the day he arrived, and the two would often spend time chatting. Thomas couldn't help feeling jealous, I'm sorry to say, and started whooshing steam each time he and Luci came into contact.
One night, in the sheds, Luci confronted Thomas about this.
"Ignoring me is one thing, but whooshing steam?! What on Earth is wrong with you Thomas?!"
"As if you don't know!" Thomas snarled. "You've been spending time with Conan!"
"So what?" asked Luci. "It's no big deal."
"It is a big deal!" snapped Thomas. "Conan is my boy! You hear me?! My boy!"
"I never saw your name on him," Luci teased. The other engines couldn't help but give a little giggle.
"Like hell you'd know, Lucifer!" snarled Thomas. "He and I have a special bond and I'm not letting you take that away from me! Now stay away from him, darkie, or I WILL push you off the rails!"
"That's enough, Thomas!" Edward shouted. "Conan is a free boy: he's allowed to hang out with anyone he wants to. I'll hear no more threats, or Lord Harwick will hear about it and have you punished!"
"PAH! What would you know?!" huffed Thomas. "He doesn't have a water bond like I do! And neither do you!" And with that, Thomas shut his eyes, and went angrily to sleep.
"Water bond? What on Earth is a water bond?" Luci asked.
"What I'm about to tell you mustn't leave this shed," Edward said. "Sir Topham Hatt prefers this to stay secret." Luci listened as Edward explained everything a Water Bond entailed, as well as Conan's history with Thomas. After Edward finished, Luci found himself in awe!
"All that from drinking Black water, the liquid that kills us engines?!" he asked in shock.
"Indeed," Edward confirmed. "Nobody really knows how a Water Bond works, and it's mostly regarded as a myth. Thomas, however, learned it was most likely true when Conan sneezed and ash flew out of his whistle. But it seems Thomas forgot I used to have a Water Bond, even though my partner passed away."
"I'm sorry for your loss," said Luci. "Even so, that doesn't excuse Thomas' behaviour."
"You're right," Edward agreed. "I'll try talking to him again tomorrow." Luci didn't respond right away, for a thought had come to mind.
"Is it possible for a person to be bonded to multiple engines?" he asked.
"I see where you're coming from," Edward chuckled. "And you make a good point: bonding with Conan could put you and Thomas on equal wheeling." His face then turned serious. "Despite all that, I wouldn't recommend trying it: aside from being fatal to engines, Black water can cause damage to organs if too much of it is consumed."
"I don't think I need to ask what kind of damage it is," said Luci. "But in a nutshell, if Conan burped, Thomas would too?"
"Exactly," Edward confirmed. "But please, be less gross."
"But how can it stay a secret?" Luci asked. "Surely if somebody saw Thomas burp they'd get suspicious!"
"Especially if it happened in front of Conan," Edward replied. "I will admit, you do have a point: it can't stay a secret forever. Even so, I have a feeling things will get worse for Conan if it becomes public: scientists may want to experiment on him, and I don't know how he'd feel about that."
"And it probably wouldn't be good for Thomas either," said Luci.
"I can imagine it wouldn't," agreed Edward. "I'm sure Thomas will eventually warm up to you: like I said, give it time. That's all you can really do."
"I suppose you're right, Edward," Luci said. "I guess I can give him space for now."
Little did either engine realise it would not take as much time as they thought it would.
The next morning, the engines in Vicarstown yard were awoken by a familiar screech.
"Goddammit, not her again…" muttered Conan: he'd spent the night with Thomas hoping to avoid Rebecca.
The mood in the sheds went down rather quickly, all of the engines were tired of dealing with that crap…except for Lucifer.
"Who's 'her'?" he asked
"Amy Fernby, the wife of our CME. That family is entitled as shit," 84576 explained.
"Worse still, Rebecca, the daughter, wants me to marry her, and won't take no for an answer," Conan explained. "They sued the Fat Director because he had the 'audacity' to threaten Samy Fernby with being fired, no matter what the workers and his party think,"
Luci was confused. "Sue him for that? Why wasn't he laughed out of the court?"
"Bribes," snorted Olive.
The screaming came from the office at the station, but soon enough, Lord Harwick's security had dragged Mrs. Fernby out of there, and threw her into the street.
Not too long after, Lord Harwick approached the engines.
"Sorry you had to hear all that," he said. "I'm as tired of that family as all of you."
"What was Mrs. Fernby yelling about this time?" Edward asked.
"She wanted to buy Thomas for her daughter, so he could be scrapped."
Everyone was outraged!
"How dare she?!" Olive screeched.
"First she tries to buy me herself, then gets her mother to do it," growled Thomas. "How important does she think she is?"
"Rich stupid, that's what," Conan huffed. "I don't see why she's not waiting until the trial is over though."
"And all this over the fact he talked back to her," scoffed Selena.
"Serves him right," said 87546 quietly, but 98462 overheard.
"Come now, 87546: you don't mean that!"
"Of course I do, 98462," said 87546. "He's been nothing but a nuisance since we've been here."
"Maybe to you, but he's not been one to me!" snapped 98462.
Throughout all this discussion, nobody noticed Luci's face slowly turning into an angry glare.
Later that afternoon, Thomas was resting in a siding, while his crew took a break. Just as he was about to sleep, he felt somebody climb into his cab.
"Who's there?" he called. There came no reply from inside. It was at that moment, Luci whistled and came rushing forward.
"Not so fast, Amy Fernby!" he shouted, trapping Thomas in the siding. Thomas was surprised!
"Amy?! Where is she?!"
"Where do you think? You felt somebody climb into your cab, right?"
Thomas realised at once what Luci was getting at.
"Get out of my cab this instant, Amy!" the E2 shouted.
"Make me, shrimp!" Amy shouted back. "I promised my daughter I'd get you scrapped, and I'll do whatever I must!"
"Not on my watch," said Luci. He rolled up until his front was aligned with Thomas' cab and wheeshed! A cloud of steam erupted from his cylinder docks and scalded Amy's arm! She screamed and jumped out of the cab.
"How dare you attack me!" she shrieked, stomping on over until she was standing in front of the 8K. "Do you know who I am?!"
"I most certainly do," said Luci. "You're an ugly, fat rich bitch who thinks the world revolves around you and only you! Well I'll tell you this now: it doesn't! There are more important people in the world and none of them are under your command!"
"I will not stand for having you call me names!" Amy shouted.
"I'm calling you what you are, nothing more!" Luci shouted back. "You're a spoiled brat, just like your ugly slut of a daughter and you deserve to be scrapped for trying to scrap my friend Thomas! And I don't care if people can't be scrapped: I'll find a way and do it!"
Amy's glare intensified and she pointed a finger.
"You have no right to talk to me that way!" she scolded. "If you have the nerve to call me and my daughter names, then you're a failed result of your designer!"
Luci was now REALLY furious: no engine likes it when their owner or designer is insulted. He looked back to his cab.
"Driver, shall we?" he asked.
"I'm all in," said his driver, equally furious, and he fully opened the regulator. Luci responded with a will and shot forwards! Amy screamed as he came closer and closer! Suddenly, his right buffer touched her belly and she fell onto the ground! It was only then that Luci stopped.
"Did…you just…" Thomas was at a loss for words.
"Luckily, no," said Luci. "That was only a light touch, to show her who she's trying to mess with. I've no idea why she didn't move out of the way, but what I did takes great skill. I don't recommend trying it. I'll admit, I would've liked to kill her though: yes, it wouldn't make me any better than her, and yes, I would've been sent back home as a result. But let me tell you this, Thomas: being sent away is worth more than having you scrapped!"
"You did all that…to save me?! Even after I've been so rude?!"
"That's what you do on a railway," said Luci. "We look out for each other. We make sure none of us get harmed no matter what."
"I couldn't have put it better myself," said a voice. It was Lord Harwick. "I'll admit, I don't feel comfortable about you nearly killing Mrs. Fernby, even if she is a bitch, but I am glad you risked your trial to make sure she didn't destroy Thomas." He then walked over to Mrs. Fernby. "Now then, Mrs. Fernby, no, Mrs. Bitch," he said, "what have you got to say for yourself.
Mrs. Fernby glared and opened her mouth to speak. But much to everybody's surprise, no words came out!
"She must've been scared into shock having had such a close call," Thomas said.
"Most definitely so," said Lord Harwick, he then sighed. "There's going to be lots of trouble with Mr. Fernby when he finds out."
"No need to worry about that sir," said Luci, and he gave Lord Harwick a wink. "There are NO witnesses."
At once, Lord Harwick realised what Luci was getting at.
"You're right," he said with a grin. "There are no witnesses. As far as anybody's concerned, Mrs. Fernby slipped and fell down the stairs. I'll take her to the hospital myself. And remember you all: mum's the word."
Lord Harwick didn't wait for Mrs. Fernby to do anything: he just picked her up and carried her into his car. Thomas and Luci looked at each other.
"I'm sorry for my rudeness, Luci," the E2 said. "I don't know what came over me."
"No need to fret, Thomas," Luci smiled. "Edward told me all about those other big engines. Well let me tell you this: no matter what happens, I'll always have your back, friend."
"I like the idea of being friends actually," Thomas said. At that moment, his crew returned. Thus, Luci moved out of the way and Thomas steamed off to return to work.
Meanwhile, at the trial, Sir Topham was having problems, as Fernby's lawyer was presenting "evidence" that he'd attacked Rebecca.
"Sir Topham Hatt. What's your version of the described events?"
The man stood, nervous inwardly, but trying not to show it.
He then explained what really had happened. Deep down, he knew that not only was his reputation, employment, and maybe even life at danger. The NWR could and likely would go down in flames if he lost the case…not to mention poor Thomas would be at the mercy of the scrapper's torch.
After his statement was done, Sir Topham sat down, knowing the jury was staring at him with mocking eyes. He cursed inwardly, as Bertram had told him he suspected bribes, but had found little evidence, most of which wasn't conclusive.
The judge said nothing for a while, before telling Fernby's lawyer for his opinions on Sir Topham's statement… "Which is something against courthouse regulations."
After the lawyer said a bit more of the bullshit he was paid to spew, the judge gave the word to Sir Topham and his legal team. They were ready for this, and his lawyer objected to the motion of Rebecca being assaulted, and suggested the photos were faked. Some people gasped, but Sir Topham's lawyer had evidence to back those claims.
Said evidence were the images of a family photo taken the day of the incident, around half an hour later, and in which Rebecca didn't seem bruised or hurt. Fernby couldn't believe what he was seeing: he had made sure no witnesses could be present for the trial, how did this photo get through?!
The judge had a small talk with the jury, before announcing the case was to be suspended temporarily. Fernby scowled in rage, but the only thing he could do was to bribe the jury further, in hopes it would be enough to get them back to his side.