25 - Ghost Pepper
Flying Scotsman has had enough and there is much ado about Peppercorns.
C/W: Character Death
It wasn't the black void in his dreams this time. Somehow the Black Smoke seemed to run in fear of something and the visage of Mallard in his blue fox hunting garb had turned from an endless black hole to one of a gold soul.
There was no malicious edge to this dream, not like the others where it was just Mallard trying to steal his life force. Just confusion.
"What are you doing?" Truro asked of the man in the hunting coat. The man turned to him confused, surprised he was there. A large raven appeared to be calling in the distance but Truro ignored it. It wasn't important right now.
"City of Truro?" The voice that spoke was that of the deep baritone drawl of Mallard but unlike other times he had heard the engine speak there was a youth to it, a sort of innocence. "But I was, North…"
"North? You mean Great North-?" Truro stopped himself and glared down at the man before him. He needed answers. "Why do you keep tormenting me Mallard! Haven't you done enough by devouring my Golden Soul?"
Mallard stared up at him confused before he turned away and shook his head.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I'm just as confused as you are. I don't even know why I'm still alive. It's like I'm lost and trying to find my way back from somewhere. For some reason, your soul was calling to me."
"It's probably because you stole most of it," Truro growled back.
Usually, Truro would be calm and collected but he was tired. Tired of constantly worrying about sleeping and finding this man tormenting his nightmares once again.
"Do you honestly know how much anxiety and stress you've caused me?!" Truro thundered angrily. "Do you have any idea just how much you destroyed mine and Scotsman's lives!?"
Mallard frowned at the engine leering over him then shrugged.
"I would blame it on the black smoke but I'm an asshole, I get it, always have been," the man didn't even deny the accusations. "I don't remember any of it and I don't think I want to."
Truro hissed steam at Mallard who still did not flinch. The man was immovable and stubborn as most Gresleys were.
"This manipulative ploy of yours will not work on me!" Truro snapped back at him. He was tired of this charade, this ridiculousness.
Mallard shrugged.
"I don't know if I can but I would return your soul to you if I could," was all he simply offered. "I guess I don't need it since I share mine with a Scotsman or whatever that Lady implied."
"I don't believe you!" Truro hissed and again, Mallard just shrugged in response.
"Sure, whatever, it's not like I care for the opinions of a small, antique little engine like you anyway," Mallard scoffed as he spun on his heel and turned to leave this, dreamscape or whatever it was.
Truro just glared at the back of the man's head until this golden dreamscape faded into consciousness. Truro blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked around wearily.
He immediately went to call for Scotsman but remembered that he had left that evening for the Bluebell. He glanced over at the large Battle of Britain class that stood nearby watching over him.
"Winston?" He asked confused as he saw the engine gaze elsewhere.
He followed the Southern Engines gaze to the visage of a little scarlet and gold engine that sat before him.
"Lady!" Truro exclaimed delightedly.
His excitement waned however when he saw the frightened and anxious look on her face.
"Lady, what's wrong?" Truro worried beseeched her but the little engine simply rolled towards him and gently bumped into his buffers for comfort, saying nothing.
Truro looked at Winston who stared back at him, his expression grim.
"What's the matter?" Scotsman asked as he and Thomas suddenly noticed a change in the air.
Around them the railway staff's merry mood had suddenly turned agitated and worrisome, an electrifying tension filled the air as Thomas began to rock on his wheels slightly.
"Something's wrong," Thomas murmured to himself. "I feel it in my bunker."
"I agree," Scotsman hummed in agreement. He turned his attention to one of the guards pacing up and down the station platform and called to him loudly. "Excuse me! Would you mind telling us what's wrong?"
The man frowned before glancing around nervously.
"Well, Union's evening train that was being pulled by the visiting engine and Tornado has broken down and is now stuck on an incline," the man explained and Scotsman and Thomas exchanged an alarmed glance.
"Broken down?" Thomas was aghast.
"I will go and rescue them," Scotsman declared immediately but the man shook his head.
"They've laid the track with detonators and they're still working out if they'll be able to get the train back without a banker," the man replied.
"What happened? Why did the train fail?" Scotsman demanded angrily.
"We're not sure but from what we can gather, Tornado's boiler suffered a catastrophic failure," the man grimly stated and Thomas looked horrified.
"We have to do something!" Thomas shrieked but Scotsman's face held an expression of deep determination.
"Where are they?" He demanded. "I'll go and rescue the train."
"I know this might be upsetting for you Scotsman, but we need to work out what's going on for sure," the man tried to calm the famous engine. "We can't have you barging into a potentially dangerous situation."
"Right-" Scotsman looked angry and ready to argue with the man but to the man's relief he decided not to and merely blasted jets of steam in displeasure. Thomas frowned in worry as Flying Scotsman sat on the tracks, his gaze cast downwards and his mouth set in a firm scowl.
"Well if it isn't the celebrated murderer," a voice sneered and Thomas looked over to see Union approaching Scotsman on his track.
A glare filled Scotsman's eyes and he looked up at Union, a tremendous fury hiding behind his gaze.
"Why were Tornado and 3801 doing your run? Tornado is not supposed to pull any trains until her firebox is fixed," Scotsman snapped at her, ignoring her accusation.
"A simple gesture of friendship," Union hesitantly put forward and Thomas frowned and began glaring at her. That wasn't true in the slightest and he could see that Scotsman wasn't believing her for a second.
"No, there's something more to this," Scotsman completely dismissed her claims. "Now explain why Tornado was put on a train when she should not have been!"
Union stared at Scotsman like she was frozen in the brilliant light of his headlamps but before she could come up with a response, Thomas suddenly spoke up.
"One of the diesels saw her trying to eavesdrop on the Australian Engines when they were here," he remarked and Scotsman looked ever more suspicious.
"Mark my words Union," Scotsman voice deepened to a low rumble and the usually calm and composed famous engine had a deadly look in his eye. "If what I've been told is true and Tornado's boiler failed, you'll be wishing that he had been scrapped back in the 60s!"
"Scotsman!" His driver, Vincent, was appalled. Never before had he heard of the engine being so viscous, nor threatened someone in such a manner.
"No Vincent! I've had enough of this, passive aggressiveness from engines like Union and her little Great Western Castle," Scotsman snarled back. "I've put up with it for over 50 years and I am sick of it! Sir Nigel will most certainly be hearing of the matter that you tried to harm an international visitor!"
"You most certainly will not!" Union shrieked. "You and that wretched little Young engine-"
"Enough!" Scotsman shouted loudly drawing the attention of the patrons around the station. "Your actions have harmed another engine! Granted that Tornado can be very impulsive and careless, I am willing to believe that you intentionally set her and 3801 up for failure by taking advantage of Grey's anxiety!"
"You can't prove anything!" Union shrieked, though her shriek was laced with panic and fear, knowing that she had been caught. "Sir Nigel would never turn on another A4!"
"Then you clearly don't know your brother as well as you think you do," Scotsman hissed steam at her. "If I was the leader of the LNER's Preservation circle, I'll have condemned you to an exhibit with the way you've acted towards our guests and others!"
"You're too much of a coward to take over from Sir Nigel!" Union sneered at him but suddenly Scotsman's face took on a calm, eerie expression as he simply smiled at her.
"For the longest time I was. I was cowardly, I ran from the position of bearing such responsibilities," Scotsman admitted. "But I think it's time that changed. Don't you?"
Union was speechless. Having no words to counter Scotsman's declarations only fear for what it might mean for her.
Blue Peter wondered if this was his lowest point.
Probably not. Being neglected and left for scrap was most probably his lowest point but he felt like his current situation was close.
He wondered if Saint Mungo, if he was alive that was, would ever forgive him.
He wondered if King George would ever find it in his boiler to forgive him.
Probably not.
Had Saint Mungo been alive this never would have happened. He would never have allowed such horrendous behaviour towards his sister.
But then again, had he been alive was there any reason for her to exist had he not been scrapped?
He sniffed, trying to blink away the tears in his eyes. His eyes burned as he thought he imagined Gold Dust dancing around his buffers and the tracks before him.
He was about to shake his frames in an attempt to dislodge the tears burning his eyes when he suddenly felt a cold chill run through his boiler. A horrid dread suddenly filled his firebox.
Tornado… something was wrong with Tornado!
He gave a strangled cry and violently shook his frames, trying to get rid of the feeling. The feeling of something smothering his firebox even though it was bone cold.
The ridiculous girl had gone and done something foolish, he just knew it.
He wanted to scream, to do anything but stopped as he suddenly noticed the Gold Dust for the first time. It was gathering before him, illuminating him in a warm soft golden light as it took the form of an engine with a similar shape to himself.
"Who-" he began but his eyes widened in awe as his face finally appeared on the smokebox door. A very familiar face who was gazing at him with a mournful smile.
Blue Peter began to weep uncontrollably, the visage of his closest and best friend solidifying before him.
"Saint Mungo," Blue Peter croaked out between his sobs. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"
The Ghost of Saint Mungo stared at him for a long while, his expression hard before it finally softened.
"Hello Blue Peter," he acknowledged kindly. "Now that you've finally accepted Tornado, you can now see my restless ghost. I'm disappointed that it took you this long and in such poor circumstances."
"I know, I know," Blue Peter lamented.
"I spoke to Tornado not long ago, you've made her feel quite alone," Saint Mungo chided. "I do not like watching my little sister feel worthless about herself."
Blue Peter sighed and looked at his buffers in shame.
"She's hurt," was all he could meekly offer. "I felt it."
Saint Mungo frowned.
"I felt it too. I was going to go to Scotsman as he is the closest to her and I have his permission to use his engine as a vessel," Saint Mungo hummed to himself.
"Use my engine!" Blue Peter suddenly blurted out and Saint Mungo's ghost narrowed his eyes at him.
"Tornado would not be happy to see you, Peter," Saint Mungo pointed out and Blue Peter looked away shamefully. "Especially not after she was damaged."
"I know, but I wish to make up for past misdeeds," Blue Peter begged. "I have to start somewhere."
Again, Saint Mungo looked him up and down, surveying him carefully before his expression hardened.
"I won't forgive slip-ups, you'll answer to Scotsman if you do," he finally declared and Blue Peter smiled at him gratefully.
"All I ask is one last chance," the A2 Peppercorn pleaded and Saint Mungo grunted approval.
"Very well then," the Ghost of Saint Mungo declared before the Gold Dust began to envelop Blue Peter like warm water during a spring washdown.
It should have been a grand event. He should have been welcoming lady Grey who had come far across the ocean to surprise him for his birthday.
Instead, he was dreading the moment that Grey and her train would appear in the distance.
Despite her fears, it had been reported that Grey was going to carry on.
Scotsman was anxious. He'd heard tales of Grey's struggles with inclines from his old Australian friends, the R Class's and even Pendennis.
She'd had mental breakdowns and she'd been haunted by what had happened. He didn't blame her, he couldn't imagine what it felt like to lose even one of his passengers. Engines who had were often crushed, and broken by the event, a lot of them succumbing to the Cold Iron Sleep.
What good was an engine that lost those under its care after all?
He desperately hoped that Grey would be okay. He wanted no harm to come to her and he had promised her ever-watchful Guardian, Gold to protect her.
Lights of two engines appeared in the distance, however there was only the sound of one engine. Scotsman's face grew grim as he recognised the beat of the engine's gear.
He was pleased to recognise the Australian engine after all this time but it meant that Tornado… Tornado's boiler had been damaged so badly she could no longer run.
Thomas was silent as the train pulled into the station, the silent and haunting look on Tornado's slack face was hard to look at.
"Tornado…" Scotsman breathed feebly, feeling like the air had been sucked out of him. "No, no, no, my little storm."
He ignored the others and pushed forward, using his gold dust to move himself without Vincent's hand. Gladly, his driver made no move to stop him as he buffered up to the front of Tornado, his eyes filled with despair.
In the back of his mind, he knew that he should greet Grey but that did not matter. Nothing mattered but Tornado, his little sister whom he had protected and loved.
"Take care of her, we'll catch up later, old mate," came the kind voice of the Australian Engine that was perched behind the unconscious Tornado and Scotsman gratefully smiled.
"Of course Grey, thank you, my old friend," Scotsman gratefully responded.
Without another word, Scotsman coupled up to Tornado and he carefully drew away, the limp and silent form of the Peppercorn following him like a spectre.
He wasn't sure what he was going to do but he knew that he needed to get Tornado out of view of the public. People were gathering around and gawking at her unconscious engine.
He was quickly pointed to a large unoccupied shed where he could park Tornado and sit beside her as he contemplated what to do. He knew that Thomas could handle Grey if she needed help.
Thomas looked over at the bright green engine concerned. She was trembling and she was huffing a bit too much.
"Are you okay Ms Grey?" Thomas asked and the Australian Engine looked at him.
"I'm just peachy Thommy!" Grey blustered, her voice filled with frustration, but the little E2 frowned.
"It's just that you're trembling," Thomas pointed out and Grey humphed.
"Thomas mate, this is not fear," Grey declared as her eyes searched the station for something or rather someone. "This is anger!"
"Anger?" Thomas was confused but because he could question her eyes locked onto an engine hidden in the shadows.
"Oi you!" She hollered at the engine and there was a yelp from one of the Bluebell shunters as a large streamlined engine burst from the darkness and took off down the line, pacing away from the station at speed.
There was the sound of metal screeching and twisting as Grey managed to twist the coupling attaching her to the train and break it much to the dismay of the crews and volunteers.
"Ms Grey!" Thomas squeaked as the express engine lurched forward and gave chase, knocking her crew back and sending people on the platform fleeing from her in fright.
Grey could hear the A4 Gresley shrieking in fear as she tried to get away from her.
"You set this up! You tried to make me look a fool!" Grey thundered as she caught up to Union and tried to bump her off the rails. "You hurt Tornado!"
"Keep away from me, you uncouth engine!" Union screeched back at her terrified.
Grey just growled and sped up, bumping Union, hard.
The A4 yelped and teetered on the rails haphazardly, almost derailing. She shook herself right and sped up, leaving Grey in her wake with her tremendous speed as she screeched at her crew.
Grey shouted in frustration and tried to race after her.
"Ms Grey please stop! This will not accomplish anything!" Came the call of that Silver A4 as he tried to catch up to her.
"She hurt Tornado!" Grey snarled angrily. "She needs to be held accountable!"
"She will," Spencer assured her and the Australian engine shot him a glare which he flinched at. "I mean, she won't get far, trust me."
Grey huffed and wheeshed steam at him, annoyed that she would have to break off her chase. She liked a good tussle, especially when it was warranted.
"You better be telling the truth mate or I'll decide to have a go at you instead," she warned with another huff.
She left Spencer to chuckle nervously, no doubt behind the sincerity of her words.
Strange lot, those Australian engines.
Flying Scotsman had pushed Tornado into a quiet shed, her frames slowly trembling as she began to regain consciousness. He ignored her crew and the mechanics swarming around them and instead decided to simply sit with her, buffer to buffer to reassure her that she was not alone, that she would be safe.
As the night slowly dragged on, he found himself talking to her almost absentmindedly, airing out his thoughts.
"I don't think you should be beholden to the rules of a long-dead railway, despite what Sir Nigel says," he gently spoke to her. "You've been asked to uphold values of a time that you were not alive in and it isn't fair. I am ashamed it took this long, it took you yelling at me for me to realise that."
Scotsman stopped and looked into Tornado's motionless face.
"I wonder if I hadn't been a coward and taken up the role Sir Gresley wanted for me to take, would the other engines have been more accepting of you? Maybe Evening Star wouldn't be mute, maybe she would have had friends, perhaps even been your best friend," he lamented quietly, his eyes cast down to his buffers.
"It's time things changed for the better," he murmured to himself as a small pained groan came from Tornado. "Tornado?"
Slowly, Tornado's face began twitching and she began scrunching her face from the pain in her firebox and boiler. Slowly her eyes opened and it took her a moment to work out what was going on.
Her eyes stared at Scotsman in front of her as he gave her an encouraging smile.
"Hello Tornado," he greeted her softly.
Tears flooded Tornado's eyes and she burst into tears, rolling forward into his buffers for comfort.
"Is- Is Ms Grey alright?" Tornado asked through her sobs and Scotsman held back a chuckle.
Worried about others over herself, something she must have picked up from him or perhaps Truro.
"Grey is fine, she's more worried about you, to be honest," Scotsman assured her. His expression then hardened. "You shouldn't have been pulling that train Tornado."
"I know, but Ms Grey was scared, she didn't have her friend," Tornado excused through her tears and hiccups. "I wanted to help her."
Scotsman smiled at her kindly. "You've become a very selfless and kind engine Tornado, but I don't want you to do such reckless things that could cost you your life."
Tornado said nothing, only sniffing and weeping quietly. From the pain or from being scolded, Scotsman wasn't sure but he stayed close to her the both of them ignoring the people around them.
"I'm going to send you back to Darlington, okay?" Scotsman finally said as Tornado's sobbing softly died down. She was beginning to calm though he could tell that she was in an incredible amount of pain.
"They're going to pull me apart," Tornado whimpered. "I don't want to be pulled apart."
"I know Tornado, I know," Scotsman lamely admitted. He wanted to help her, assure her that they weren't going to pull her apart but they both knew that, that was far from the truth. He looked to Ms Chloe and a strange lady Scotsman was sure that he recognised from somewhere.
"I'll go with Tornado," Ms Chloe offered and Scotsman smiled at her.
"Of course, make sure she's well looked after won't you?" He asked and Chloe nodded to him before her face creased into a look of confusion.
The familiar buzzing sound of Gold Dust echoed around the shed as the visage of an engine began to appear in the berth next to Tornado. An engine with large smoke deflectors.
Tornado suddenly began to panic and her frames trembled as she realised who it was, the nameplate all but confirming her fears.
"No, not him! Make him go away! Scotsman!" Tornado begged the A3 and Scotsman hissed steam ready to chase away the interloper but stopped when he suddenly realised that the face on the smokebox was different.
"Saint Mungo?" He asked confusedly and the soft, kind baritone voice rumbled from the A2 Peppercorn's boiler instead of Blue Peter's higher pitched nasally voice.
"Hello old friend, it's been a while," Mungo greeted Scotsman before turning his attention to Tornado. "Hello little Peppercorn."
"Mungo!" Tornado greeted him with relief. "But, you said you couldn't communicate with Blue Peter."
"I couldn't until he finally accepted the reality that you are here to stay, young iron," Mungo explained and Tornado frowned at him.
"It doesn't mean I forgive him," she huffed angrily and Saint Mungo chuckled.
"Of course not and so you shouldn't, he has to prove himself," the elder Peppercorn agreed.
Mungo frowned and looked at Chloe who was staring at him in complete awe.
"Hello Kestrel," Mungo greeted her with the widest grin. "It's good to see you again."
Chloe just stared at him in complete awe.
"But- but Mallard murdered you. He dragged you to the furnace himself- how are you?"
"Saint Mungo's spirit is restless because of the nature of his passing," Scotsman quickly explained. "He is unfortunately stuck in a purgatory. I think that was how Truro explained it to me. There was said to be a ghost that haunted the yards at Crewe that 'attacked' any engines who came nearby."
Chloe's face lit up as she realised it.
"Oh yes! Was that you little brother?" Kestrel asked and Saint Mungo chuckled.
"It was, I didn't mean to attack engines, I was only trying to talk to them," he admitted. "But I suppose a disembodied voice and the sounds of an engine stalking others would be rather alarming."
Chloe gave a giggle and smiled but immediately dropped it when Tornado gave a small whimper and closed her eyes, the pain clearly getting to her. Mungo in Blue Peter's engine frowned and looked on in concern.
"I'll take Tornado back to Darlington so you can enjoy your birthday," he declared and Scotsman gazed at her sadly before looking back at Mungo.
"Can I trust you? Blue Peter wanted to take Tornado's soul," Scotsman eyed the Peppercorn suspiciously. "I trust you, Saint Mungo, I know you would never hurt Tornado but I do not trust Blue Peter."
Saint Mungo looked curiously at Scotsman before the face on Blue Peter's smokebox flickered and the A2s Peppercon's normal face reappeared.
Tornado immediately began scowling as Chloe crossed her arms and looked defensive.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Blue Peter?" The Flying Scotsman demanded of the A2.
Blue Peter glanced nervously at those present before looking at his buffers shamefully.
"I- I've been a terrible cousin, a selfish one," Blue Peter muttered. "I tried to kill you Tornado, I-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Tornado shrieked at him. "Not from you!"
"I- I want to prove myself-"
"No!" Tornado shrieked and Blue Peter looked ready to argue but the stern glare from Scotsman stopped him.
"I think Tornado has made her position quite clear," Scotsman stated. "I will take Tornado back to Darlington."
Blue Peter cast his eyes down and said nothing more, avoiding talking or eye contact with everyone present.
"I'm sorry for ruining your Birthday," Tornado mumbled and Scotsman just gave her a sad smile.
"You have nothing to be sorry for young iron, I just want you to be safe," Scotsman smiled. "Besides, I want to go and check on Olivia, make sure she's alright."
"But Ms Grey! She came all this way to see you!"
Scotsman just chuckled.
"It's fine, Grey will understand, plus she can get along with anyone, she won't miss me all that much," Scotsman joked.
"Well uh, she tried to chase down Union after you took Tornado away," Vincent muttered and Scotsman smirked. "Terrified your cousin no end. Those A4s aren't exactly used to someone being so openly aggressive. I don't think most UK engines are. It's very different down under."
Saint Mungo retook Blue Peter's engine and tutted.
"Such petty and vain things those A4s," Mungo smiled. "Glad to see someone standing up to them."
"Grey wasn't afraid to take on a Beyer-Garratt so I expect an A4 is nothing to her," Scotsman laughed. "I would feel sorry for Union but-"
"It's Union," the woman hovering close to Chloe chided. Scotsman was about to ask who she was but Tornado began sniffing again, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"You should go," Mungo pointed out and Scotsman gave a hum of agreement.
He rolled forward and buffered up to Tornado, Gold Dust dancing and gathering inside his flues.
"You'll be home soon Tornado," He assured her and Tornado just gave him a brave but strained smile as Chloe, the strange woman and Scotsman's crew boarded their respective engines. Scotsman cast a glance to Blue Peter, his face hidden in shadow casting doubt on if Mungo was there or not.
Something he would have to deal with later, he assumed. He was going to have a lot of things to deal with later, he inwardly sighed to himself.
With a whirl of Gold Dust, Scotsman and Tornado disappeared leaving those in the shed to silently
If Union had been pulling a dynamometer car, her crew would have sworn that he would have broken Mallard's land speed record for Steam Engines in her hurry to flee the Bluebell Railway.
That Australian Engine had no regard for the rules of the UK! She fumed angrily, trying to rationalise her escape. There had been no need for her to chase after her in such an uncouth manner. What a ridiculous and savage engine from a nothing, low-life country!
Yet, in the back of her mind, she knew that running just made her even more guilty.
First Flying Scotsman had come up and had the gall to threaten her. Her! The esteemed sister of the world-class Mallard!
Then to doubt her brother's willingness to protect her!
However, she doubted that too. She knew that Sir Nigel had been growing all the more impatient with her. Ever more short and even more harsh in his words to her in recent years.
She hoped that her owner would see sense.
He wouldn't dare allow her to be turned into a static display. A beautiful and glamorous engine such as herself!
Then again, there were other A4s running. And if her owner wanted to save money-
No, no, no, no, no! She told herself with a snort. Not her. She would never be a static display, no matter how much that outmoded and ugly A3 said.
Never her.
"Where the hell do you think you're going sis?!" Shouted a loud voice from before her and Union shrieked in fright and was slammed into reverse to save her brakes.
Approaching her from the opposite direction were two engines. A Blue A4 that looked exactly like Mallard and a smaller Great Western. One that looked rather similar to Clun Castle but to her distress, wasn't.
"Where's the fire Osprey?" Pendennis Castle snickered amused as they came up to greet her. "You look like you are running for your life!"
Union huffed and hoped against hope that Bittern and Pendennis Castle would buy her story.
"That uncultured Australian engine tried to run me off the rails!" She screeched.
Bittern and Pendennis glanced at each other.
"Who, 3801? Yeah she does that," Pendennis smirked. "It's all fun and games though, don't get your tubes in a twist."
"She tried to scrap me!" Union insisted but Pendennis was not buying it. She cursed the Castle Class silently as she remembered that he had spent a decade in Australia. She looked towards her brother desperately. "Please Bittern, this vile engine tried to murder me!"
"I dunno, I've spoken to her over the phone before and she seems a fun engine!" Bittern hummed to himself. "I think you're lying, ias usual/i."
"I am not lying Bittern!" Union shouted back at him but her brother just rolled his eyes at her and she pulled a face in response.
"Alright then let's just go back and sort this out like civilised engines shall we?" Pendennis offered and Union just stared at him.
"I'm not going back there with that uncultured engine!" Union snapped but Bittern snorted.
"What, you're scared of her are you?" Bittern smirked and Union felt a sting in her smokebox.
"Certainly not!" She huffed, insulted. "How dare you even suggest that!"
"Then let's go then! We're late already!" Pendennis complained and Union suddenly realised that she had been backed into a corner.
Bittern looked at her expectantly and Union begrudgingly began to backtrack the way she had come.
She'd gone and done it now.
Mallard wasn't sure what had happened but he knew that this Black Smoke was familiar and it wanted to devour him. He stared terrified as what looked to be the walking corpse of Great Northern staggered towards him with erratic and unnatural movements.
The Black Smoke swirled around North, the veins in his body appearing black as a horrid oil like substance seemed to control him, puppeteering him like a ragdoll.
Well, there went the information about Gadwall's nameplate, about any chance to bring his little brother back. There was no chance in hell that Great Northern's soul had survived such an onslaught.
Great Northern was dead.
Mallard didn't know how to feel about it. His mind was panicked and frenzied. He could feel the memories of the cold, of the oppressive pain that had permeated his engine for decades.
He didn't want to go back to that. He didn't want to be that monster anymore.
Sensing his despair the black smoke struck out like a snake in ambush, ready to sink its fangs into him but as it did there was the resounding 'twang' as the tendrils of black smoke suddenly impacted a golden barrier that stood between himself and the black smoke.
The Black smoke shrieked and cried out, writhing away from Mallard.
He looked down and found the little narrow gauge engine at his feet, a halo of golden light emitting from it.
Seizing his chance, Mallard grabbed the lamp and thrust it ahead of him as he advanced towards Great Northern sensing the Black Smoke squealing and attempting to flee from him as it realised he was no longer an easy target.
Before the Black Smoke could react or retreat he grabbed the front of Great Northern's collar and thrust the lamp against North's chest, willing the Black Smoke out of the now convulsing form of his once mentor.
A shudder ran down Mallard's spine as images of Flying Scotsman destroying the Black Smoke within him, forcibly removing his soul from his engine, the power radiating from the A3.
Still, he wondered how he survived.
A choking sound came from North and Mallard was pulled from his thoughts and looked down at him as he slowly ceased convulsing, the black smoke fleeing from him. North seemed to still have a little bit of his soul left.
Mallard said nothing as North wearily opened his eyes a touch, his eyes milky white, damaged from the Black Smoke that had infected him.
A cold hand clutched at his and Mallard flinched at the contact, something shoved into his hand at that moment.
North's body tensed and his voice came out like a death rattle, chilling Mallard to his very bones.
"I'm sorry, Mallard."
There was a pause.
Great Northern's body went slack and lifeless.
Scotsman is a little OOC here although in Scotsman's defence, Tornado is his little sister and he will be infinitely protective of her, even if they have a falling out. That and he's had to deal with Union's snide remarks and nasty attitude for decades now and she caught him during the worst moment possible.
Grey's a true mate, she'll have your back no matter what.
Sorry for the hiatus, doing Traintober last year drained me I think and I needed to spend time with my boy, Godzilla for a while to recover. But we're back with… that?