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thecoffeelorian · 3 months ago

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"On Another Track", Part 1 (Post Stex Headcanons!)

special notes before we begin--In case I didn't mention it before...I'm getting through the first re-watch of what I'm sure is a Bochum performance dubbed over in English, so in case everything doesn't quite add up yet, it should be better by the time I'm finished with the next two parts.

Second, I've seen the character of Electra described with both the pronoun sets of 'he/him' and 'they/them' in this fandom, so it only seemed fair to continue this in my writing just in case it really is both.

Third, I'm writing this version of Greaseball as a person whose own school bus bully had to rethink his entire life after almost dying in a car accident...so, this one in particular might (re) grow up a lot more during the course of this little experiment.

And fourth, but also the most important...in no way are the villains described in this going to end up winning. ;)

That being said, here is the first installment on what I think could continue the Starlight Express plotline, if by some odd chance it got transformed into an animated film sequel and had a few horror elements added to it.

no pressure tags:

@m1dgemodge @why-do-i-even-need-a-username98 @chlorophyll99 @dandelionsdaydreams @marleydoesinfactmoo

@freaksterrrrr @crowchildman @dontknowwhenispawned @smelly-welly69420 @originalwinnerfanfish

@eddiesmainblog @waterysoap45 @pizzalover346 @wrenchelectrasrepairtruck @oraleandreu

@ariannawith2ns @dream-girl-evill @ofthe-valley666 @azraelzspace @gun-roswell !!

DINAH:

First things first…Dinah was right about the cheating.

So right, in fact, that one fateful day, she finds herself promoted to the new Track Safety Council, a new invention created by the Track Marshals and effective immediately. Dinah is joined in this by Joule, who, thanks to a certain accident in their employer’s judgment, is perhaps out of work and in need of a new occupation. As these four start putting their minds together and plan for the next race, there’s the underlying sentiment, however vague, that maybe there shouldn’t be any more Cabooses allowed to compete no thanks to the last one that very nearly ruined it for everybody else. When the time comes for someone to ask about just where C.B. is now, however, Dinah firmly responds that she’s cut off all contact, and is more than ready to forget they ever spoke in the first place.

After all, there’s a new champion in town, and they all should start thinking of the future.

RUSTY:

The focus then shifts to Rusty, who’s more or less basking in the limelight after his first-ever victory. Remember all that flak he received from darn near everyone for daring to enter the race…? Well, buckle up, naysayers, because he’s using his brand-new influence as this year’s champion to effect a little change around here. According to a post-race interview with the Press Truck, his first task is keeping one gear to the ground to weed out all future cheaters…but second on the list, maybe it’s time to expand both the freight yard AND the adjacent garage for a few “additional guests”. And who’s at the top of this guest list? That’s right, everybody…

PEARL:

Pearl might not have won the championship, but she sure won the champion’s heart—and, to the delight of everyone at the freight yard, she just might be moving in there to stay. This means that her social circle just got five times bigger, and that’s just the minimum! Remember Dustin, the Big Hopper…? Well, take a seat at the table, girlie, because he’s her big brother now.

The same goes for all three of The Hip-Hoppers, because even though they don’t give free rides to hitchhikers, they’ll certainly make an exception for her so that she never feels left behind.

Flat-Top is still a little shy around her as she's still very much new to him...yet, he manages to promise her a look at his 'secret brick collection', a thing he only shows off to trains he makes friends with.

Oh, and as far as Poppa McCoy is concerned, she’s allowed over for dinner whenever she needs it, no questions asked.

In other words, welcome to the Freight Family, a sentiment that hits home as soon as Rusty returns, and goes straight in for a kiss as the others erupt in cheers and applause.

However.

There’s a brief scene in an area lit only by an active fireplace, the flames reaching almost to the top of the stonework as a lone figure in a dark leather chair awaits news of the race’s complete results. It’s here that a nameless Assistant, their face completely hidden by a piston helmet, skates in with a copy of the local newspaper…but doesn’t go any further than the door, as something about that newspaper has made them far too terrified to share it with their ‘Boss’. This same boss, his own face backlit into shadow by the fire, smugly invites the Assistant to give him ‘the great news’, as it shouldn’t be any different than all the races before.

Once the paper’s in his hand and he gives it a hard look, though…that’s when all hell seems to break loose, for only a few seconds later, this ‘Boss’ is crumpling the paper up in one fist as his furious shout of “MCCOYYYYYYY!” is both a question and a curse as the fire goes out, plunging that area into total darkness.

Back at the Coaches’ Club…it’s getting just a teensy bit quiet around here. The international engines like Espresso and Turnov have all returned to their respective garages back home; Pearl’s possibly moving out; Dinah’s busy doing who knows what these days, and oh yeah…zero sign of Greaseball since “The Big Crash”.

In fact, it’s now becoming SO lonely that Ashley wonders out loud—in between cigarettes, of course—whether or not they might even have positions any more, since the focus might be solely on Rusty and Pearl as the next “powered-up couple” and very little attention is given to those who don’t get first place.

Buffy tries to remain optimistic, since the next race is still many months away and, if Rusty’s victory proves it, literally anything can happen. After she voices her concern that more steamers might show up for that next race, though, and all of them with their own coaches already, that’s when Ashley wonders if “anything” having the chance to happen might be the worst thing of all.

Cue a faint whistling in the distance, one that sounds an awful lot like the notes of C.B.’s signature tune…and then it’s back to Joule and Dinah.

Joule starts grilling Dinah just a little about her 'checkered history' with a certain dishonest engine, and wonders out loud whether or not there will be any 'conflicts of interest' going forward. Dinah, on the other hand, states that her own conscience is clear, and then goes on to hint that this 'dishonest engine' Joule just referred to is about to learn a few more tough lessons after his 'accident'…beginning with his successful conversion to steam.

Cut back to the Freight Family, who by this time has gone into full celebration mode. Sweet little Rusty is faking a dramatic struggle as the Hip-Hoppers move in, messing up his hair, giving bear hugs, giving pretend interviews about what it feels like to dethrone Greaseball, all the things that big brothers do. Poppa McCoy watches all of this in silent amusement, as his boy has now grown up, found a Coach, and everything feels like it's all uphill from here.

Once Rusty finally begs Pearl to come save him from the avalanche, she laughs a little before pulling him away, asking the others to 'let the champ breathe'. It's here that Rusty starts playing the interview game, and asks her 'what's next for the greatest Coach in the world'. Pearl admits that she's still figuring things out as she goes along, but at least she won't have to do it by herself any more.

At this moment, Pearl has settled in a little; yet at the same time, she knows that there are a few faces missing, and doesn’t waste any time asking after Electra and Greaseball. Electra answers this question himself by making a dramatic entrance, complete with the announcement, “Pardon the interruption, but The Patient is awake”. Flat-Top automatically disappears out of view after this, as he seems to be the one who’s either volunteered or been drafted to look after them. Either way, he’s gone for a small amount of time, as the actions off-screen/backstage are currently unclear.

Meanwhile, the focus is certainly upon Electra, as there are a few who seem genuinely concerned about them all of a sudden. Electra himself doesn’t appear too devastated by the accident, however, as suggested by the direct quote of “I’ve had worse”.

Just the same, though, he reluctantly follows up by stating that Wrench, aka “The Repair Truck”, might be needed for a little while longer—or, at least, until they can all be sure that this ‘Steam Conversion’ procedure doesn’t turn out to do more harm then good. Pearl, after beginning to put two and two together, asks if she should go and get Dinah here as well, for it’s now almost a given as to who “The Patient” is—and, after a few things in the back get knocked over and Flat-Top’s yelling for them to get the freight back here…out comes old Greaseball himself, his chest wrapped in bandages and the visible bits of a new boiler vest underneath. He’s probably entered the disorientation phase of waking up as a Steamer, too, because he has to actually stop and give himself a good knock on the plates in order to remember just what he signed himself up for.

GREASEBALL:

With a bit more extra weight on top and no more juice to get out of there, however, Greaseball attempts to gun the engines and automatically collapses due to no fuel. Pearl takes the awkward silence that follows as her cue to go get Dinah; Flat-Top comes along just in time to haul Greaseball off the ground, and the rest of the Freight Family are either hanging back cautiously, asking if now’s the time to introduce Greaseball to ‘Coal Flakes’, or, in Rusty's case, watching him like a hawk with narrowed eyes just in case he tries anything stupid later.

As for Electra, they just can't help but casually comment that the fastest train in the world isn’t speeding his way out of this one.

Cut back to Ashley, who is now by herself after Buffy has exited the scene for a time. She happens upon an old poster of all four Coaches posing as though for a photo booth, and visibly looks wistful over the thought that they might all be going their separate ways.

At this same time, she isn't quite paying attention as a nearby voice asks her if she's also 'missing the old days', as well as whether or not she'd like to see her group come together again. Thinking that Buffy has returned, Ashley does her best to shrug it all off, as ‘not every Coach sticks around forever’ even if she'd like them to. The voice takes on an impatient, even demanding tone, though, and insists that Ashley herself 'might not last very long' now that steam is about to make a comeback. Unable to ignore her curiosity, Ashley passes through an unseen gate to reveal the impounded C.B., his wheels supposedly locked up so that he can't attempt any more train crashes.

C.B.:

Upon hearing Ashley's question as to why he wasn't torn apart after his own accident, C.B. merely laughs and suggests that it will take a lot more than one mistake to derail him. He also puts the idea into Ashley's head that if she 'ever wants to see her friends again...perhaps it's time to start doing some derailing of her own’.

One more scene between Dinah and Pearl follows after this one, during which Pearl’s asking her to come to the freight yard as expected. Dinah automatically guesses that the ‘rebuilding procedure’ may have been successful, yet just the same has to ask whether or not ‘somebody (Greaseball) is causing trouble again’. Pearl reassures her that ‘the odds are way more in Rusty’s favor now’, yet just the same believes her being there may keep things relatively calm between everyone. As Dinah follows her out, though, the echoes of C.B.’s theme are still replaying in her memory, for even though she and Greaseball may have reconciled…well, there’s always the chance of his old “habits” coming back in other ways.

On a different track, though, as day is turning into night and the surrounding landscape grows dark…there are a few seconds where everything suddenly becomes a dark shade of red, the same sinister voice belonging to ‘The Boss’ orders ‘The Assistant’ to wake up ‘The Other Six’, and that they’ve got some work to do—then the scenery goes back to normal right before all fades to black.

End Part One.

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