#Ptompt-Devious

[hazel-of-sodor]

Day 4-Return and Regrets

Traintober 2023

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Day 4-Devious

Return and Regrets

Diesel had been aware the engines of Sodor would not welcome his return. He had turned them against one of their own and no matter how strongly he had felt it justice at the time, Sodor engines will always stick together in the end. So he had been less than pleased when management had informed him he would be returning. Nonetheless, for all his other faults, Diesel would always attempt the work given him, an honest attempt at that.

Perhaps that was why he hadn't been scrapped along with the first wave of his classmates...or perhaps it had nothing to do with him at all.

He knew from hushed conversations from the workers in the yard that British Rail had told the NWR he was the only engine they could spare, despite the fact they were efficiently scrapping so many of his contemporaries. The men believed he was the one sent to punish the rebellious North Western, to cause trouble with his mere presence...he couldn't disagree. It would not surprise Diesel in the slightest if he had only been kept around for such a purpose.

The past few weeks had been...trying. He had been wheeshed, bumped, and whistled awake at every opportunity...all accidentally at that.  Surprisingly the Great Western Pannier 'Montague' was the kindest, in that he ignored him, only speaking curtly to him when required by their jobs.

He...was tiring. The days without sleep were getting to him, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped and was sent away. He knew that he would not be returning to a shed, but a scrapyard. He wasn't sure how he felt about his fate, to be honest. For all he had been told he would be revolutionary, his life had been...dull, insignificant,... And one of solitude. The closest he'd come to friends was his first visit to the island before he had unknowingly thrown it away. There was very little he would not have given to have postponed his trip to the island, to have arrived when he was old enough to have realized the difference between the cutthroat politics of the BR Diesels and the ultimately harmless pranks by steam engines. 

His musings were interrupted by the sound of approaching steam engines. He plastered on a smile, even as his teeth grit against each other. Was he to be given no rest?

No.3 Henry reversed back onto the siding to his right, blasting him with steam as he passed, while Montague pulled to his left. 

Before he could ask what the two needed a third engine arrived.

He had never met the engine that pulled in front of him before, but that did not prevent him from recognizing the blue engine. Even without the gold number ones lined in red on his tanks, Thomas the tank engine rivaled the likes of engines such as Flying Scotsman for fame and popularity.

The world's most famous tank engine surveyed Diesel for a long moment. "Hello Diesel, that is what you prefer to be called, correct?"

"Yes, my dear Thomas, it is a pleasu..."

"Stow it!" Henry barked, "We have no patience fo..."

"Henry," Thomas said firmly.

The black five glared at Thomas, "No. Thomas, I will not be quiet about this! I am not James, I realize not all diesels are like the stories from the mainland but this one is!"

That...was surprisingly hurtful. While he had certainly maligned Henry, he had never had anyone sent for scrap like some other engines had. 

"You weren't there." Henry continued, "You don't know what he's like. He's manipulative, deceitful, despicable! Hes..."

"...been perfectly well mannered the entire time." Montague interrupted quietly.

"That we've seen," Henry said.

Montague rolled his eyes, "He hasn't so much as moved an axle without one of us watching him. If he had any schemes, we would know about it."

"You know what he did last time." Henry fumed. 

The great western glared at the tender engine, "Perfectly well as I was the one it was done to."

Oh. Diesel had thought that long patched up, no wonder he was still so reviled if the subject was so painful.

The black 5 had the grace to look abashed. "Indeed."

Thomas spoke up, "I was not there the first time. My overhaul finished mere days before Duck's repairs, but I do know you all massively misjudged Diesel's character at the time."

"Which we cannot allow to happen again!" Henry interrupted.

The tank engine frowned at the massive green locomotive, "and what makes you think your view of him is any more accurate this time?"

Montague chuckled while Henry huffed.

Thomas sighed, "No matter, it has become clear even from my branchline this isn't working. While Diesel is doing an admirable job as a shunter, his presence is distracting all of you from your work."

Thomas looked towards Diesel again, "With the Fat Controller's permission, I'd like to offer you the chance to work on my branchline."

"You must be joking!" Henry swore.

Thomas looked irritably at him, "It is either that or send him back to the mainland where he'll be scrapped.."

"Then let him!"

Thomas's eyes flashed with anger, shining a burning gold. "You overstep by far." He said coldly.

Henry winced, "That I did. I'm sorry Caomhnóir, and more importantly, I'm sorry Diesel. That remark was out of line. No engine deserves the scrapyard."

Diesel hesitantly answered, "It is fine. I likely deserved worse than that."

Henry sighed and shook his head, "No, you didn't. No matter what, you're a fellow engine. Unless you've been getting other engines scrapped, I have no right to say such things."

Diesel shifted uncomfortably, "I can honestly say I have not. In any case, it is no worse than anything my siblings have said."

Somehow the large engine only looked more guilty upon hearing that.

 "As I was saying before, "The Toryreck quarry is sending their shunter to take over pilot duties here," Thomas said, "if you agree, you'll be taking over their duties on my line.  You will be shunting the quarry's trucks and running them down to the junction. Sometimes when we are busy you will take them to Knapford Harbor. Do you accept?"

A second chance on Sodor? On a line where no one knew him?

"Please."