5 - Over the Hill

Tornado meets Evening Star and tries to befriend her. It doesn't go as well as she hoped. Grey struggles without Gold.

The Sudrian countryside was extremely different to the harsh Australian wilderness. It lacked the distinct smell of eucalyptus and the air felt crisp, cold and sharp with the distinct smell of pine.

The rails hurt her wheels from how cold it was and the light snow made her wheels slip occasionally but it was nothing that her driver and crew couldn't handle. She felt reassured in their care. They hadn't let her down before and she trusted them completely even in this strange foreign land covered in snow.

She'd spent the first part of the trip marvelling at the snow, delighted by the glistening white powder as it sparkled in the sunlight whenever the sun decided to show itself from behind the cloud.

Now, being out and working in it, she was starting to see the downsides of it.

Regardless, she thundered down the line with the Wild Nor' Wester, determined to prove to that uptight blue kettle who was boss.

She was Australia's celebrated 3801! She was not simple and she was not an engine that had just been built yesterday! Although, she did feel a bit guilty for laying into Gordon a bit hard.

It was clear he wasn't used to the banter that Australian engines often had with each other, although Grey had observed other engines doing the same thing on Sodor.

Maybe Gordon was just sensitive. Ah, she would have to straighten things out with Scotsman's brother later. She did hate going to sleep angry. It never bode well for her and she was always a grump the next day and Gordon seemed a nice fellow if a bit uptight.

She stopped at the first station and people crowded around her, taking photos and gwaking at her in delight all the while praising her and remarking at how different she was from the usual Sudrian engines.

"What a wonderful shade of green!"

"My what an interesting engine!"

"How delightful you look against the snow!"

"Are you really from Australia?"

She laughed and happily answered their questions, while some of them posed for selfies, all the while her crew was happily joking and laughing with people as they stopped.

As much as they would have loved to stay longer, they did have an express to run and soon had to wave goodbye and once again set off down the track.

As she slowly moved into the more rural parts of Sodor Grey suddenly noticed the type of signals changed. At the big station and in the towns and dockyards, the signals were modern lights. But out here, they were the old semaphore signals.

Grey stared at them anxiously as she went past.

She didn't like this, she had thought that Sodor was a steam-friendly railway. It was after all a World Heritage site for its insistence on still mainly running steam and its deep history. If she thought about it, it made sense that Sodor still used semaphore signals but Grey wasn't thinking straight as she instinctively began using her brakes.

"Grey, lay off your brakes mate, you're going to wear them down," her driver, Roe, called to her.

"The signals," was all she could say back as she began to panic. "The signals are all wrong! I need Gold! I need him to check the signals, make sure they turn when I pass!"

"Easy! Easy!" Matthew called. "You've done this by yourself before remember? These signals are identical to the ones in Australia-"

"It doesn't matter! I need Gold to tell me if they've changed!" She shouted angrily. "Like fuck are you not listening to me?!"

"Grey, I know you're afraid but you'll be okay," Roe tried to reassure her. "You have us, we've never let you down have we?"

Grey began to relax, as her crew reassured her, and made sure her firebox was properly laid up with coal and she felt comfortable.

"We can ask the guard in the brake coach to update us when we've passed a signal, how does that sound?" The fireman, Mary, suggested.

She took a deep breath and tried to get herself to relax.

"That works," Grey compromised and there were smiles all around as the engine accepted their solution.

Regaining her composure, Grey released her brakes and thundered down the line.

She was a little less cheerful and tense when she arrived at the next station, despite receiving the same warm, exciting welcome from the local Sudrians who had come out to meet her. Word had spread of her pulling the express and people had come out in droves to see her.

She was delighted to see the people but still, that anxiety played in the back of her mind. She did her best to uphold a friendly attitude until she overheard one of the children of a rail enthusiast.

"Daddy are you sure these trains are safe?" the boy asked, looking at Grey suspiciously.

"Of course Sam, why wouldn't they be?"

"What about that train that crashed into the back of that train a few days ago?" the little boy pointed out.

"Ah well, that wasn't Green Arrow's fault," the father explained to his son. "There was an engine stopped on the line that wasn't supposed to."

The little boy didn't seem convinced. He stared at Grey whose smile had faded and was staring blankly at the boy. The boy's father seemed to recognise that the child had upset the engine and quickly stepped in from of him and profusely apologised.

"I do apologise, he's a kid and doesn't know when it's not appropriate to bring things up," the man explained with a slight bow.

"Nah don't worry about it. Kids will be kids, I get it," Grey managed to say, keeping up her easygoing and laid-back attitude to the best of her ability. "Do you want a photo with me, little man?"

Immediately the boy lit up at the emerald green engine's question. In all honestly, Grey was only asking to try and take her mind off of what the boy had said. It had shaken her. She knew there had been a recent accident on Sodor but she did not realise just how similar it had been to her own.

"Yes please miss!" The boy exclaimed excitedly, unaware of Grey's personal conflict and reaching his arms out to his father. The man chuckled obliged.

"Say thank you to the nice green engine Sammy," The father urged his kid as he had his photo taken and Grey prepared to leave.

"Bye bye miss pretty train!" Sam excitedly waved to the engine.

Grey chuckled.

"No worries mate! Have a good one!" She called to them as she slowly steamed away, a bright smile on her face. The smile did not reach her eyes. Worry filled them as she travelled onwards.

"It'll be alright Grey," Roe assured his engine. "One express run, to and back and then we can ask Top Hatt if he can spare an engine to be your back engine."

Grey mulled over his words for a little while. She was doing okay, the people were nice and all the signals so far had worked as they should. Sodor was the most well-kept and intact steam railway in the world. She was being fearful for no reason.

Probably.

"Alright, just one express run by myself," Grey conceded and Roe looked at his engine proudly.

"Atta girl, go get them!" He cheered for her and she felt a little better.

Encouraged, she pressed forward, eager to impress. She was an express engine, this was her bread and butter, no matter the country, no matter the weather. She wasn't afraid of these strange rails.

Or so she thought until she turned a corner and saw a massive incline ahead of her, at her current speed she knew wouldn't be enough to get herself over it.

"Oh for fuck sake!"

It took a very long while for Tornado to find the 9F named Evening Star. But find her she did, working out in the yards, a long way away from everyone else.

Tornado spied the engine waiting on a lonely siding, no one around her but a few railway workers and some visitors to the museum.

She was spotless like a show engine often was, despite her still working and pulling trains that the Museum hired her out to pull.

Making a beeline for the big engine, Tornado pulled up in front of her, her brightest smile plastered on her face and the most proper and dainty mannerisms that she often reserved for her covenanters or potential sponsors.

"Pleasant greetings!" She introduced herself loudly, in her professional voice. "My name is Tornado! I was built quite recently! I was built to be a show engine, like you!"

Evening Star looked over at Tornado, at first startled by the express engine's sudden appearance while she took her break. She glared at the engine.

Of course, she had heard of the Peppercorn Tornado. It was all anybody would talk about when she had first been built. Even her crew wouldn't shut up about her.

Highly annoying. Just like the ecstatic and excited engine before her.

It was an insult. She was built for preservation just like this Tornado, yet Tornado was lauded and praised while she had been harassed, bullied and cast out by the other engines.

She was an engine with no history. Why choose her? Why choose Evening Star, especially when there were so many others in her class still working?

Evening Star frowned at the young engine, with her false greetings and superficial persona that she most probably put on in front of people to throw money at her and her Trust.

Evening Star was not here to make friends, she was here to work. She more than anything wanted to work, to prove herself worthy of preservation. She simply stared at Tornado, wanting the annoying young engine to go away and leave her alone so she could enjoy her break.

Tornado however did no such thing. She instead insisted on getting even closer to her and giving her a sad pathetic look.

'I don't have time for this girl. Go away. Leave me alone.'

Tornado was oblivious to Evening Star's subtle ways of communicating. What a tiresome engine.

"I know you don't talk to others," Tornado explained. "But maybe… maybe if we become close enough friends, maybe you could talk to me? I'd love for you to talk to me, I think that would be great! We could be really good friends!"

'I am talking to you, you just don't listen like everyone else.'

Tornado, oblivious, rolled forward to give Evening Star a gentle bump on the buffers as a sign of friendship but the second the Peppercorn came within touching distance, Evening Star immediately pushed back hard against her, steam hissing from her valves threateningly.

"Tornado!" Matthias shouted as she was bounced back down the track. To say Evening Star was strong would be an understatement.

The 9F hissed steam and had a furious expression on her face which clearly told them to stay away from her.

Tornado stared at her in complete shock. She knew that Scotsman and the Stirling Single had warned her that Evening Star would not take too kindly to someone getting in her space but she hadn't her to react so violently to her attempt to be friendly.

"I was just trying to be friendly!" Tornado cried out shocked at the sudden aggression and a twinge of pain in her firebox. Evening Star just sat there glaring at the young engine.

'Don't touch me!'

"Please Ms Evening Star I just want to help you! I want to be your friend! There was no need to shunt me so hard!" Tornado begged the large 9F but Evening Star was having none of it, clearly wanting nothing to do with the Peppercorn.

'You don't care, you just want to hurt me like the others. You're not even trying to understand what I'm telling you.'

"Your brother Issac wanted me to help you!" Tornado tried to move forward to try and comfort the larger engine again but Matthias immediately slammed on her brakes.

"Tornado," he warned her.

"I just want to show her that I care about her!" Tornado exclaimed frustrated.

"She has boundaries and has made it clear she doesn't want to be touched," Matthias explained.

"But-"

"Tornado!" Flying Scotsman's loud voice called to her and Tornado looked over to find the famous engine sitting across the yard watching them. He had a very stern and disapproving look on his face.

Strange, she hadn't heard or noticed him arrive at all. It was almost like he had appeared out of nowhere.

"Scotsman!" Tornado blurted out but the A3 Pacific first looked to Evening Star.

"Venus, your crew will be back shortly, you'll be working again very soon. I believe Lady Olivia has a new contract for you," he assured the engine warmly and the 9F seemed to relax slightly as Scotsman turned his attention to the young Peppercorn.

"Tornado, come here please," he commanded.

Scotsman sounded angry with her. Scotsman had never been angry with Tornado before, not like this. She felt like a naughty child being scolded by a parent as she slowly rolled up to the Flying Scotsman.

"I was just extending my friendship to Ms Evening Star," Tornado urged the elder engine. "I meant no harm to her, I just went to reassure her and she shunted me!"

"I warned you about getting up in her face Tornado," Scotsman scolded her. "She doesn't like to be touched. Maybe Amelia and I should have spelt it out for you more clearly."

Tornado felt patronised. She didn't like this side of Scotsman. He was making her feel stupid. She wasn't stupid.

"I just want to help! I want to help her talk to others again! That's how I reassure people! I give them a bump on the buffers!"

Flying Scotsman frowned but said nothing. Tornado narrowed her eyes at him. She knew that look. It was the 'I disapprove of what you're doing Tornado but I don't want to hurt your feelings' look.

"What's that look for?" She asked annoyed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes knowing it would make him angrier.

"Evening Star does not like being touched, Tornado. You shouldn't touch people until you know their boundaries. Venus chooses not to talk and that might not make sense to us but ultimately it is her choice. You shouldn't force her to be what you think is 'normal'," he warned. "She's a very big engine and she could hurt you, even if she doesn't mean to."

"I'm just trying to help her!" Tornado argued again as she glanced at the 9F who sat nearby looking watching the interaction seemingly bored but Scotsman gave a tut of disapproval.

"Getting in her face and demanding that she talks to you is not helpful," Scotsman chided Tornado.

Tornado huffed and looked at Scotsman with a pouty face. She hated this, the Scotsman was treating her like a child now. She wanted to help! Why couldn't he see that?

"You're just upset that you gave up on her!" Tornado accused and Scotsman gave an exasperated sigh.

"I did not give up on her Tornado," Scotsman said sternly. "Evening Star has suffered decades of abuse. It will take a long time for her to trust other engines, she will make it known when she wants to open up until then you need to be patient and not force her into a situation she does not want to be in."

"But-"

"Tornado," Scotsman took a long breath. He knew Tornado meant well, he really did, but she wasn't going about it correctly. "I understand that you want to help. But you need to listen to what Evening Star wants, not what you want!"

He was shouting at her now. Scotsman never shouted at her, she was his perfect little ward. She looked down at her buffers upset. She didn't like this side of Scotsman, he was bossy and annoying.

"How am I supposed to listen to her when she can't speak?" Tornado asked and Scotsman narrowed his eyes.

"Would you say the same thing about Green Arrow if he was still mute?" Scotsman asked bluntly and Tornado stared at him.

"That's not the same-"

"Evening Star has her own way of communicating, you just need to be patient and find out how to listen," Scotsman explained. "Do you understand Tornado?"

Tornado silently stared at Scotsman. She was upset. She didn't like it when he lectured her. She just sat there glaring at him. Scotsman was unimpressed.

"Very well then, you can't go near Evening Star unless her crew or another engine is present," he ordered and Tornado stared at him shocked.

Never had Scotsman 'ordered' her about before. Only Ms Olivia and Mr Stanier could do that here, they were the controllers of the museum.

"You can't order me about! You're not Ms Olivia! And I am not a child!" She shouted at him. "I will see whoever I please when I please!"

Scotsman gave her a stern glare. "It's for the safety of both of you. Tornado I will not ask you this again. If you disobey we'll have the Trust take you back to Darlington."

"But-"

"Enough, my decision is final," Scotsman asserted. "I'll have no arguments on the matter. Now go and find Lady Hamilton, I believe she wanted to meet you."

Tornado pouted sulkily before glancing at Evening Star who was watching them, still bored. She gave a humph before wheeshing steam at Scotsman petulantly before storming off, clearly upset.

He knew better than to chastise her further and let the young engine go off in a strop as she brought her angry steam cloud with her.

Scotsman gave a deep sigh and watched her disappear as Evening Star turned her attention to the radio that had been left on by one of her crew.

It seemed that Tornado was easing into her troublesome teenage years quite well.

"You disgrace yourself, Lady Gresley," came the sharp tone of Mrs Parsons as Olivia wandered the halls of the Sodor branch of the Museum. She was making final arrangements for Coppernob to be installed in the exhibit and had been on her way to finish some paperwork when the old woman had seemingly popped out of nowhere, startling her.

Olivia immediately whirled on the spot and turned to confront the old woman.

"Excuse me?" She asked briskly, towering over the more petite, frail old lady. "Please explain yourself Jocasta."

"Mrs Parsons if you please," the elder woman said unfazed. "You are a great deal younger than me, girl."

Olivia was 6'4, built of mostly muscle and not someone that people often challenged due to her stature. Her thick winter coats that hung off her shoulders often added to her large and imposing figure. The many years working on the engine's footplate as well as the occasional incident with stoker shovels saw to that.

Olivia frowned at the woman but didn't rise to the woman's clear antagonistic comment. Jocasta Parsons always did this, going around telling people how to do their jobs or poking her nose into people's personal lives. It was infuriating and unprofessional.

"Using Gold Dust to your own benefit," Mrs Parsons explained bluntly. "A woman who is 3 months pregnant should not be as active and still during heavy jobs, as you are. You're using that Golden Whistle to boost your metabolism."

Olivia raised an eyebrow and frowned at her. How the old woman knew about Gold Dust was beyond her, but it was clear that the woman had no idea what she was talking about.

"I find this exceedingly unprofessional," Olivia commented dryly. "I do not use Gold Dust for any such thing. If you even understood what Gold Dust was you would know that it is not used for such things. I do not take kindly to unsolicited advice of my personal life from people I barely know. You've already tried to tell me how I should plan my wedding and I disapprove of it."

Mrs Parsons just stared at the woman unimpressed.

"You're far too big to be only 4 months along," Mrs Parsons pointed out, ignoring the young woman.. "You look like you're pregnant with several children. Are you now just a vessel for golden souls to be birthed into the world?"

Olivia clenched her fist closed and open several times and bit her tongue, resisting every urge to just walk over to the woman and punch her in the face as hard as she could.

How dare this woman slander her.

Really now, making snide and distasteful comments about her figure and talking about her personal life. Poking her nose in and trying to order her around to make the museum more to her wishes.

Just what the hell was this woman's problem?

First, she had treated Tydfil and Truro with absolute disrespect and callousness and now she was going after her and her unborn child.

Perhaps it was a Great Western thing. She was annoyed that she had to treat Olivia was respect despite her being many decades younger. Mrs Parsons was chairman of the organisation overseeing the preservation of all the Great Westerns after her husband had died.

She was such a bossy and prying old woman. She clearly had nothing better to do in her mid-70s. It was no wonder she had taken to Clun Castle being her personal engine. The two could be obnoxious and vile together.

It wasn't Olivia's fault all Jocasta's kids refused to speak to her. She was just so unlikeable that Olivia didn't blame them for not keeping in touch.

Still, Olivia would not rise to this woman's taunts. She was a professional. She was above her silly little school games.

"This is childish and ridiculous," Olivia managed to say gruffly, resisting her impulse to throw every single insult she could think of in the woman's face. "Gold Dust should not be spoken so flippantly and whatever you think I do with it I can assure you that I am not using it for personal gain. I bid you a good day, Mrs Parsons."

Olivia quickly turned and left with haste, wanting to put as much distance between her and Mrs Parsons.

"You're not worthy of the Golden Whistle, girl! You're not worthy to be a vessel for Golden Souls!" Mrs Parsons called to her retreating back. "Watch yourself now."

Olivia did not respond nor did she give any indication that she had heard Mrs Parsons's words.

Dread however slowly crept into Olivia's mind as the elderly woman's words sunk in.

What had the old woman meant by that?

Was she going to try and steal the Golden Whistle from her?

Mrs Parsons wouldn't be so cruel as to attack her while she was vulnerable would she?

She was a reasonable woman. Blunt and obnoxious but she could be reasoned with.

Most of the time.

There was a deep sinking feeling in Olivia's gut and she had to pause, leaning up against a wall as she tried to shake the anxious thoughts from her.

She stared down at the floor and frowned.

Was the Gold Dust actually affecting her and her baby in some way? Was it giving her and her baby some kind of immunity towards complications and illnesses?

She'd had no bad side effects, no sickness and her energy were always high. A vast contrast to when she had had Scott and had been very weak and ill a majority of the time.

She stopped and shuddered suddenly, trying to shake the ridiculous thoughts racing through her mind.

As she stared the golden whistle slipped from around her neck and dangled in front of her, almost taunting her.

She glared at it and quickly grabbed it and tucked it back underneath her shirt. She would have to speak to Doctor Hendrick or Scotsman about it, she concluded. She straightened herself and glanced around.

North was at a doctor's appointment getting his leg seen and her personal assistant was looking after Scott.

She didn't want to admit it but she suddenly felt unsafe without her assistants at her side and watching her back.

Perhaps it was her thinking too much into things, perceiving a threat in Mrs Parsons's words when there was none.

She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.

She had no time for such thoughts.

She had a wedding to plan, a baby on the way and a museum to run.

She was a busy woman.

She did not dwell on the tattle tales of nosey old women who thought they knew everything. And she certainly did not allow them to play with her mind.

She gave a huff and dusted herself off, fixing her lapels and straightening her tie.

"Salty old cow," she muttered to herself and continued on her way ready to welcome a large red engine to the museum.

She did however make a note to herself to ask Stanier to double-check the security at the museum the next time she spoke to him.

"What's taking so long?!" Grey shouted angrily at her crew. "Where's the banker engine?!"

"Edward's usually stationed there but he's off-site right now," the guard called from the brake coach. "I guess we'll have to wait until the stationmaster at Wellsworth can flag down a passing engine to help."

"No! No! No!" Grey shouted furiously. "I can't be stuck on this incline! I should have had a back engine! I should have had Gold!"

"Easy!" Roe called to Grey turning to calm the engine down but she was panicking now. "Grey it's gonna be alright, the signal changed, you're not in danger!"

"Shut up!" Grey shouted angrily. "This is all your fault you-"

A loud whistle blasted through the air and Grey stopped ranting as a large blue engine pulled up alongside her. She glared at him angrily as she saw his smug grin and he surveyed the engine patronisingly.

"Bit hypocritical to make fun of my brother for getting stuck on hills aren't you?" he jeered and Grey just got angrier.

"This isn't funny you idiot!" She shouted at him. "I need to get off this incline!"

Gordon was still fuming over how Grey had spoken to him that mourning and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" He asked with a smirk. "You haven't said the magic word."

"This isn't a fucking joke you dumb cunt!" Grey bellowed at Gordon, shocking him with just how vicious she sounded. "Fuck off with your fuckin' snobby attitude!"

In the back of his mind, he knew that it would be wrong to leave the engine here. She did seem quite upset for some reason, but Gordon just frowned and gazed at her disapprovingly.

"Fine!" He snapped. "If you're going to be completely vulgar, you can just stay here!"

To Grey's disbelief, Gordon continued on his way leaving her on the incline.

"What are you doing!" Grey shouted furiously at him. "Stop! Come back here!"

But Gordon was now over the hill and racing towards the bottom without even looking back. Grey stared at his smoke trail slowly dissipating in the wind in complete shock.

She wanted to cry but she held firm. After 30 anxious minutes of her fretting and complaining, a diesel arrived to help her up the hill.

"Hello, my dear! You must be the Australian Engine!" Boco called to her as he buffered up to her train. "I'm Boco and I do apologise for the wait, I was told Gordon was helping you up the hill."

"Gordon's a good-for-nothing asshole!" Grey shouted but she realised how rude she was being and stopped. "He just… left me here."

"Left you here?" Boco asked bewildered. "That doesn't sound at all like Gordon. He's pompous but he wouldn't leave an engine in distress."

Grey said nothing to that. Gordon had left because she had been nasty to him, but by that same token, he had been incredibly rude to her.

"Ah well, I'll talk to Gordon about it later, I must say this is very out of character for him," Boco reasoned. He didn't question what had happened and simply buffered up and began to push Grey and the express coaches up the hill.

With Boco's help, Grey managed to get over Gordon's Hill and found she could make traction once again.

"This is the only big incline on the mainline, you'll be fine from here on out my good engine," Boco assured her and Grey finally smiled a little at the diesel.

"It's Grey," she explained and Boco smiled warmly at her. "Thanks mate, I appreciate this."

"A pleasure to meet and help you, Lady Grey," Boco grinned and honked his horn cheerily to her.

Grey almost paused, wanting to ask the diesel to be her back engine but Boco had already reversed back down the hill and out of sight.

"Come on old girl," Roe called to his engine. The engine only grunted in response, all the energy seemed to have drained from her and she seemed disgruntled.

"Is everything okay Grey?" Mary asked of Grey and the big green Pacific just sighed.

"Can we get this run over and done with please?" Grey asked, her tone sounding fed up and annoyed.

Roe and Mary glanced at each other.

"Of-of course Grey," Roe assured her. "Let's get on with it shall we?"

Grey said nothing, she only pumped her pistons and headed towards Vicarstown, however, there was a notable resistance in her traction, and her crew noticed. She barely spoke the rest of the trip and didn't seem to even notice the spectators out to greet her.

"3801 was having trouble getting up Gordon's Hill," Sir Topham Hatt mused as he stared at the charts showing all the engines on their lines.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "She shouldn't have, she should have ate Gordon's Hill like it was nothing. She's a deceptively strong engine that one. Maybe she miscalculated how steep it was?"

"Wellsworth reported back that Gordon had been sent to push her up the hill but left her there for unknown reasons," the man frowned. "I knew Gordon was being rude to Grey this morning but I don't think he'd be callous enough to leave an engine stranded."

"Maybe Grey said something to him," Olivia suggested. "She can be a bit… colourful, shall we say."

Sir Topham Hatt was at a loss for words. He frowned.

"Grey did voice a concern about not having a back engine," he reflected and suddenly Olivia shot up, her chair knocked to the ground with her sudden movement.

"Of course! Why didn't I realise it before!" Olivia cursed herself. "Grey was involved in a fatal accident when a train rear-ended hers! Of course, she wouldn't be comfortable pulling a train without a back engine!"

Sir Topham looked aghast. "I would have never sent her to pull the express alone if I had known! With Green Arrow's accident being only a few days ago too!"

Olivia shook her head.

"It's too late now, but once Grey gets to Vicarstown, assign her a back engine as soon as possible or Gold will start beef with you," she warned. "When Grey says that Gold is her emotional support engine she means it. They'll start laying into Gordon if they find out he left her stranded."

"Gold wouldn't try and damage Gordon would they?" Sir Topham asked nervously but Olivia chuckled.

"Goodness no, but they will start picking on Gordon and harassing him until he apologises," she explained. "But Grey has done and will do the same for Gold. They have each other's backs, no matter what."

Sir Topham nodded.

"The sooner I get some engines to take up the slack the better I think. I had planned on sending Thomas to the Bluebell next week for their Steam Gala," he concluded and looked at Olivia desperately. "Are you sure you don't have any other engines you could spare?"

Olivia frowned at him thoughtfully. Her mind wandered to a certain engine but was unsure how it would go.

"None," she hesitantly said. "But, one. One that I am very reluctant to lend out to anyone, not just you."

"And who might that be?"

"Evening Star."

"The 9F? I could very much do with another 9F like Murdoch," Sir Topham insisted but Olivia shook her head.

"Evening Star has… issues working with others," Olivia explained. "She does not speak and she's very reclusive. She is also very wary and paranoid of other engines and a few times she's damaged engines who have angered her or unintentionally gotten on her nerves."

"I see," Sir Topham frowned. "Perhaps, Murdoch could help her. Murdoch has over the years expressed interest in meeting his other siblings again."

"Evening Star hasn't shown an interest in her siblings, but she does tend to be more comfortable around them," Olivia pointed out, a thoughtful look on her face. "As long as you keep her busy, Evening Star shouldn't cause trouble. She works herself hard."

"Then I'll take Evening Star," Sir Topham nodded. "Her crew too, if you'll allow it."

Olivia looked extremely hesitant but then nodded to the shorter controller.

"Very well," she agreed. "But one incident, even a small one, and Evening Star comes right back and you'll be getting an invoice for damages."

"Yes ma'am," Sir Topham bowed to her and Olivia rolled her eyes at him.

"Blue Peter might also be available for you, try and get him if you can," she advised. "Although, word of warning, he's been kicked out of Darlington and now Didcot for causing drama with King George."

The man frowned.

"We'll see," he mused and turned to look out the window to watch Emily and Douglas as they sat at their platforms conversing with each other joyfully.

Grey's anxieties come from a dark place which is why she's so nervous about travelling without a back engine. It'll be explained soon but if you want to look into it to get more context, look up the Cowan Rail Disaster.

I knew Mallard coming back would get a reaction. What I did not expect was that reaction to be people swooning over him and screaming about how hot he was. It caught me so off guard but it's hilarious.

Expectation: oh no this bastard is back

Reality: I want to fuck him

Mallard is Asexual btw so you can throw yourself at him all you want, he'll just yell at you for disturbing his birds.

For updates, extra lore or to ask questions or discuss the fic, you can find me on tornadoyoungiron tumblr

There is also a Tumblr where you can directly ask the characters of this story at Ask Young Iron