#Victortheworksengine

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Some ancient art for the masses

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Hola, Prominence Part 1

As Promised, the first installment of the main works!

This AU has a slow start in the main story but rest assured you can ask away, spoilers or no! [spoilers are taged!]

So please enjoy! Story under the cut! [sorry mobile]

Victor tapped his foot impatiently, it has been an hour what was taking them so long, the engine they were bringing couldn’t have been that slow. Then the door opened.

“Victor, Victor come with us please.” The foreman asked, well more ordered in a less angry than the normal way. Victor stood from his half sit against the wall and straightened out his nice uniform. Victor followed his foreman, the sounds of yelling rang out through the works, echoing in the lofts and undiluted by the normal clatter of the works, Sunday was always an eerie day in the large building. Victor’s mind floated back to the yells as he neared the culprit, his view was blocked but a distinct voice scwalled in thick languages, almost British, but definitely not at all, oddly pitched, a bit high, but not squeaking.

“Ich hasse dich!” Was repeated over and over, a few “Fix eini!” and “Du kannst mir nichts vormachen.” thrown in for good measure. Victor saw his controller near where the noise emanated, standing with his same tired and worn expression he normally held on odd days at the works. He was never awake on Sundays, but today he looked two steps from the grave.

“Sir, what-” As Victor started to ask what was wrong, Topham turned, and stepped aside, Victor now saw a sight. A smaller masc, with sandy matted hair and old tattered clothes, was under an open crate, hiding under it, yelling and near tears. Victor gulped and took a few steps past his Controller to this unknown masc.

“Du… sprechen… English?” Victor asked, trying to remember the little bit of German he had gotten from the various engines and humans he had fixed and met over his years.

The masc looked at Victor, going quietly.

“Approbiert? Dampflokomotive oder Diesellokomotive? E-Lok?” The masc asked Victor took a complete blank.

“Z-Zug,” Victor replied, hoping that was an answer, a simple engine was all he was.

“Engine?” The masc finally replied in English, Victor took a breath.

“Yes, Engines, at this works, engine repairs,” Victor said, hoping to get through. The masc sat up, tossing aside their hiding crate.

“Works engine….” the masc said, he gestured at himself.

“I am Works Engine, need help?” Victor asked, the masc looked at him, then nodded faintly.

“Intake, running out of, inside.” the masc said, he hit a hand to their chest.

“Water? Food?” Victor leaned down in front of the Masc and offered a hand to help them stand.

“All.” the masc said, with Victor’s help, they stood, shaky on their knees they leaned onto Victor. Even with the masc being small for a masc, they were bigger than Victor, but not by much.

“Come, we shall fix you up, mis amigo,” Victor said, he cursed to himself a little for the Spanish but helped the masc along, the masc looked at him, and while not as sad any more they didn’t look happy at all.

Topham and the Foreman followed Victor and the masc, Victor lead the masc into the break room of the works. Victor put the masc in a chair at a small table, and he went to the fridge.

“Oh, so you are who takes lunches.” The foreman said with thick contempt.

“If someone leaves a lunch over the weekend they deserve it eaten,” Victor stated coldly, he opened a brown bag and pulled out an apple. He tossed it to the masc. Victor went to catch the apple again as he forgot this was deprived engine who probably had no reflexes any ways, but the masc caught it without blinking with toned reflex. Victor was impressed but forged on for more substance.

The masc took a gentle, well as gentle as you could, bite of the apple. The masc squeaked as they tasted the apple. Victor sprinted suddenly to the side of the masc. The masc wiped some dribblings from the apple off his face, he smiled and giggled tasting the sweet apple. Victor relaxed a small bit and patted the masc on the top of their head.

“Been a long time?” Victor asked.

“Lord yes, my dear works engine.” the masc said, the struggle gone as they crunched away at their apple.

“Well, it will never be too long again,” Victor informed, the masc looked up at him and smirked slightly, a warm gaze in their eyes.

“So warm, Mr Works engine. May I catch your name?” The masc asked.

“Victor,” Victor held a hand out to the masc, the masc took his hand.

“The Prominence.” the masc said quickly.

“Fancy name, old engine?” Victor asked as he stepped away from Prominence.

“Old enough, what are you, a gen 5?” Prominence asked Victor stared at him a second before going for a glass of water.

“First, for Crovan's gate at least, you know a works engine before?” Victor filled the glass quickly and swiftly brought it back to Prominence. Handing it to him. Prominence puffed and took a drink.

“Know a works engine, know a works engine, Victor, you obviously don’t know anything about me.” Prominence put the glass on the table and leaned forwards. “Victor I’ll tell you what, find a works engine more experienced than me, I bet on my brass you won’t,” Prominence smirked, Victor leaned closer to Prominence.

“1901,” Victor said, a brag in his voice. Prominence laughed a little.

“1853, youngn’, and still kicking to boot,” Prominence said proudly; Victor almost choked on Prominence’s words.

“So, what brings you here, grand-puff,” Victor asked, sitting at the table.

“Ah, your, or should I say, our control could tell you, scrapling,” Prominence said, they turned to the stout man in the corner of the room with the foreman.

“I purchased him from a scrap monger, his shell will arrive in a few days,” Topham informed quickly, Victor nodded and looked at Prominence, he gave him a quick vertical glance.

“You’ll need clothes, and some tools, also you should adjust to railway policy.” Victor listed quickly, Prominence took a hard gulp of their water.

“I-I I am n-not changing f-for a-anything!” Prominence squalled out, sputtering and choking on their water.

“Whoa there mis amigo just some hair trimming and colour swatching, don't think bad it will be ‘kahy?” Victor slammed out in a native speed.

“What about my hair it's been like this for decades, and my eyes? It's called Alexandria Genesis and my builder suffered from it it's out of respect!” Prominence snapped, their grip tightening on their glass to the point it started to creak.

“Wasn't your builder albino?” Topham interjected, Prominence snapped a new glare at the man.

“Don't you dare talk about what my builder is or isn't.” Prominence hissed with vigour, Topham nodded and took a few steps towards Prominence.

“We aren't saying that you have to change drastically, but it's the law that you have to appear human based on certain parameters, we just don't want you to get in trouble,” Topham told, he put two warm hands on Prominences shoulders.

“This Steam works has rules too, you know.” The foreman snapped, Topham shot the man a glare.

“You don't have to be here Mr Yokaira.” Topham boomed, the foreman puffed and rushed himself out of the room and presumably the works. “Prominence, why don't you get comfy for tonight and tomorrow I'll take you to get some new clothes and we can find you an acceptable look, and for now Victor you can get them something like coveralls.” Topham gave Prominence a soft pat on the head, and walked to Victor, whispering something in the Cubans ear he patted his head and excused himself from the room. Victor was quiet as Prominence finished their glass of water and their apple.

“So, how long were you a works engine before you- ahm.”

Prominence looked at Victor, and smiled.

“Oh wow, let’s see, I worked the line 9 months, sat for 5 months, so 1854 to about 1947 I think, it was after the second great war. I know that for sure.” Prominence said, stretching a little and standing. Victor looked at them blankly.

“T-That would make you over 150 you shouldn’t even be running why are you getting restored and you have survived this long!” Victor shot out, standing quickly.

“Yeah, works engines don’t really retire, unless forced of course.” Prominence stated, they started to mill around the room looking at things.

“I understand that, but I mean normally the only engines who get restored at that old are the ones who are, you know, you have heard of them.” Victor said honestly, Prominence turned to Victor, and smirked.

“I am plenty memorable, you just haven’t connected me yet.” Prominence chuckled, they leaned over a couch and picked up a remote.

“Hey we can talk about new tech later, you can-” Prominence turned on the TV and started to flip through channels. “How do you know how to-”

“I used to live with a family, kinda like a pet, they wanted to rebuild me but they never finished.” Prominence said, they settled on a public access channel and leaned over the couch, they started to engross theirmself in the program.

“That sounds interesting but don’t you want to clean up, or see the shed?” Victor asked.

“In time, in time….” Prominence stayed engrossed in the programming. “Voraw I shall.”

“What?”

“Jiue or voraw, today or tomorrow, it’s a how to learn the language program, it’s kinda like Manx Irish, its cute. Can you speak it?” Prominence said.

“Oh, oh Surdian, no, I don’t think to many people speak it.” Victor said, he walked up and leaned on the couch next to the new engine.

“Faarkey to loey to hawin, sea to lake to river, so cute.”

“You are a mad man.”

“Crawp pørn Rheneas, tree stream Divided Waterfall.”

“That’s what his name means?” Victor said, he snuggled a bit into the couch now engrossed. “That’s amazing I thought it was just nonsense!”

“Hey that is quite the handsome little narrow gauge, oh he even has a friend. Skarloey is nice looking as well.” Prominence purred, Victor glanced at them and back to the TV. “Do we work on them or do they have their own shop?”

“We work on them, but only when it’s really bad.”

“I’ve always wanted to work on narrow gauge regularly.”

“You seem to like a lot of things.”

“I appreciate pretty much everything, old age I figure.”

Victor looked at the engine next to him, and smiled.

“You don’t look it, with the odd coloured hair, and the smooth skin, a lot of engines I know much younger than you look much older.” Victor chuckled, Prominence looked at Victor, and cracked a small smirk.

“It’s just how the corporeal forms, youngn’,” Prominence went back to the program happily listing off Surdic with the screen.

“1901 isn’t that young any more.” Victor said, taking his attention to the screen as well.

“Eh, you’re younger than me. But I can see why a first gen wouldn’t like it.”

“First gen is a stretch mis amigo, I wasn’t even here until the fifties or sixties.”

“I’m guessing you were still the first one here, that’s what matters for you later first gens.” Prominence laughed a little. “I remember when we made that change, took almost a year of correspondence.”

“Let me guess, you are a true first gen?”

“Debatable, I wasn’t built for my job, so some don’t like to think of me with that prestige.” Prominence snorted. “Like any of us were meant to be flawed.”

“Hey, it looks like the show is over, come on let’s get you something clean to wear, the showers aren’t far, you can clean off and I’ll get you some coveralls.” Victor said, Prominence nodded and turned the TV back off.

“So where are the showers, old chap.” Prominence piped, Victor nearly choked at the unfitting turn of phrase but Prominence even started to laugh at their self, the two laughed for a small moment. “No really, bitte?” Prominence said as he calmed a bit.

“Next room, labelled locker room, go in the fem one, if some one shows up you are least likely to get caught. We don’t actually have any fem employees any more.” Victor said, Prominence nodded and made their way over to the disclosed location. Victor made sure he went in the correct door.

Alone, Victor took a puff of air as he finally relaxed a small bit.

“Uf, largo día largo día, pero él es lo suficientemente bueno, me pregunto cómo vamos a tratar a largo plazo, va a ser un puñado.” Victor said to himself, his native language ringing in his ears comforting him in a gentle way.

Victor slowly made his way to get some of the basics for Prominence, he hummed to himself as he walked along, checking out a window at glance it did indeed look like Kevin was asleep so he could take his time taking care of the new engine at his works. Once back to the locker room, Victor peaked in, he saw and heard a shower running but didn’t see Prominence in the slightest.

“Hola?” Victor called, he walked over to the shower still, on the floor Prominence was sitting against a wall, trying to pick dirt and rust from their knotted hair.

Prominence looked up at Victor and smirked a little. “It’s been, quite a while.” Prominence laughed awkwardly, embarrassed slightly.

“I’ve seen engines much worse before, now why don’t you finish up just your body, and I can help you with the hair grime in a sink.” Victor said with a smile at the German, Prominence nodded, and quickly standing finished their shower. Victor passed over a towel an the coveralls without hesitation, Prominence dried their self off and put on the coveralls.

“My hair has always been a wreck of dirt, I must admit.” Prominence said as Victor pulled them to a sink.

“Well, we will deal with it, mis amigo.” Victor chirped.

“For an American, you sure do use a lot of Spanish.” Prominence commented as they were pulled down into a sink. Victor scoffed.

“I’m Cuban, always-”

“You are obviously a Baldwin engine, I haven’t even seen you’re shell and I can tell, raised in Cuba though, that’s a country that never really exported it’s engines.”

“Alright, Mr. big shot, how can you tell?” Victor snapped at the German he was now picking rust and dirt out of.

“I know you are short any ways but you have a very bulldog like stance, Baldwin engines are very bulldog like for whatever reason. Closed in and forward, It’s odd on some engines but not on you. Also you are very wide for you’re size, American all the way.” Prominence chimed, their voice bouncing off the porcelain sink.

“Observant and knowledgeable, why were you ever scraped.” Victor said as he poured some water over Prominence’s hair to try and get more out.

“Well I mean, I just-”

“VICTOR!” A voice called, echoing in the semi large room and cutting off Prominence. Victor cringed a little and sighed. He pulled Prominence out of the sink, hair mostly clean.

“Time to meet the help.” Victor said, handing Prominence a towel to dry off their hair.

Suddenly the door burst open and in fumbled and fell in a smaller masc with messy off blond hair, a face full of innocence and freckles, with a large smile.

“Victor! Victor! I saw a shooting star!” the masc yelled, standing and running to Victor, who made a sharp noise as the masc ran into him.

“Oh! That is really special, Kevin!” Victor said, ruffling the hair on the masc.

“Ooo, who is that Victor?” Kevin asked, bouncing over to Prominence.

“This is The Prominence, he is a new project, who might be working with us when he is done!” Victor told Kevin, Kevin nodded and held a hand to Prominence. Prominence shook the cranes hand softly.

“Nice to meet you, Prominence!” Kevin called.

“Hello, Kevin,” Prominence said, softening a little at the crane.

“So what did you do before!” Kevin asked, Victor sighed.

“Prominence is tired, Kevin, let-”

“I was the head Works Engine of the Works Engine council and the top ranking Works Engine Mentor of Great Britain, and I worked at several different Works including the Doncaster, Crewe, and Swindon.” Prominence said quickly, a small smirk lining his face as both Victor and Kevin paled.

“Santo infierno mis amigo.” Victor said awestruck, Kevin just stared at Prominence.

“What?” Prominence said blankly.

“T-that's insane, how old are you?” Kevin asked.

“158 years or so, but age isn't anything to this.” Prominence leaned over Kevin a little and smiled at him, they ruffled the small cranes hair a small bit.

“My hair?” Kevin asked looking confused.

“You head.” Prominence said, Victor smiled and looked outside.

“Ois, we better get some sleep. Look at that moon.” Victor sighed, he started to the works door, Kevin skipped after him and Prominence surprisingly skipped along quickly as well. Outside Prominence stopped.

Victor looked back at them and cocked his head to the side.

“What's wrong?”

“There so still and clear, I haven't seen them in so long, London is really no place to see the stars.” Prominence called, a quiver in their voice and a mist in their eyes. Victor stepped over and put a hand up on Prominence's shoulder.

“You can look all you want, Welcome to the island of Sodor, Prominence.”

Prominence took a breath and looked at the ground. “Thank you, dear Victor.”

“Come on, let us get some sleep before tomorrow, it will be a big day.” Victor said, he pulled Prominence along by their sleeve.

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Victor has never really changed in my au but here are some early drawings of him in his steam works uniform.

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Concept art of Victor and Kevin , ready to take your asks!

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Early bio reference for the humanoid forms of the engines, they are pretty much cannon in engine form but the physical form is kinda like a bug. They have a gel-ish liquid that is there main form, and there skin is a thick casing, that is still plastic, most engines have bone like solids that just help support, and some have more advanced skeletal structures, it’s just engine preference. [pretty much the only way you can tell is giving them a big old squish of a hug, a boneless engine is pretty mush a squishy bag of warm goo, that reminds me, ask box is open, and hugs are allowed!]