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thatcheeseycandle · 1 month ago

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T2024, Day 1: Dawn | TC-LRAU

Hours would've passed by now, seeing the sun would be rising on the horizon and flocks of birds would be flying through the sky. It was a peaceful day today.

It was the morning after such a celebration had happened last night, and the engine of the hour last night would start to be awaken to his shed door creaking as it opened, yawning as he opened his eyes to see who it was.

Four people, entering the shed, huh. That's five less people from last night. Eyeing the four people, he'd try to recall the basic things he might know about them.

Lloyd, the one who christened him with a name, well more like a name that was easier to recall rather than his already given name.

Then there were two other people he couldn't recognise, a fit ginger that seemed related to Emrys and a brunette with salt and pepper hair. But speaking of Emrys, he'd light up as he spotted him among the four of them in the corner.

Emrys would notice this as he smiled back at-

“Stephen, a good day to you, young Rocket,” he greets him as he steps on his foot plate, examining his controls and firebox door, while the other three start checking over his boiler and collect their tools.

But Stephen on the other hand, he'd glance outside the skylight above him, observing the clouds slowly move and form themselves into different shapes, though it wasn't as mystifying as the night sky it was still indeed a lovely sight to see.

The birds chirping were like the crickets chirping last night, except more calming. More pleasant and peaceful. It was so bright today, brighter than last night, he could see the birds flying over the shed and hear the ruffles of bushes from outside.

And speaking of brightness, the sun was starting to color the baby blue sky with a tangerine shade of orange as sunbeams shine through the clouds and into the shed through the windows, the light bouncing off his glossed livery as well.

As the outside got brighter and brighter, pushing out the cold air, a beam of light would start to form from the skylight. His crew paid no mind to it as they continued their work.

But then, the beam of sunlight would get brighter and brighter, to the point it'd-

“AGH!”

“oH CHRIST ABOVE-” Lloyd exclaims as Stephen’s eyes are blinded by the beam of light that suddenly shines over his eyes, nearly falling off the footplate from Stephen’s sudden flinch, seeing as he had just gotten on it. Though thankfully enough Emrys had grabbed Lloyd’s wrist, pulling him back on the footplate.

The other two young engineers would take a glance at the two on the footplate, seeing as they were behind Stephen’s tender digging through a crate of tools and materials. An awkward silence would fill the air for a bit.

Though the silence would break as the sound of screeching would amplify and ring through their ears.

“Fuck- Stephen!”

Emrys would make his way to the front of Stephen, seeing what he was doing.

“The light, thE LIGHT, THE LIGHT!”

Stephen was trying to reverse, but thanks to his brakes, he was starting to fracture them as his wheels tried to roll, his eyes closed tightly as he tried to avoid the sun that blinded him.

One of the young engineers would immediately climb onto the footplate of Stephen and release his brakes, suddenly stumbling forward as Stephen sped into the buffers behind him with a big- SLAM!

“What the bloody hell happened?!”

“Rocket! Are you okay?!”

He’d relax as the flames in his firebox stopped flaring up, calming down as he groaned from his buffers now aching from the sudden impact that came from slamming himself into the buffers behind him. Opening his eyes after they’ve stopped watering from the contact they made with the sun rays from above.

“I’m- I’m alright,” he croaks out as he takes a glance at this person who had just entered through the sheds, to which his eyes light up seeing who it is.

“You! Sir- Sir, you! You’re the man from that wall memory!”

“Wall memory?” the man raises an eyebrow at the young engine, confused as to what he means. Though a quick witted crewmember would hurriedly walk over to the man.

“Sir,” the crewmember starts before clearing his throat. “The young rocket, Stephen, meant to say photo.”

“Ah.”

“I apologise sir, we haven’t taught him an abundant amount of phrases up to this point.”

“I see.”

The man said as he gently took off his hat, kneeling down to Stephen’s level with a hard face yet soft gaze towards him.

“So then, tell me, young rocket, how much do you know of me?” He asks curiously.

“I know so much of you! So many stories of you being one of the wisest of engineers in this region, and you’re the one to design me!”

“Oh really now?”

“Indeed! But then, I don’t know all of it. I don’t know your name.”

This would make the man chuckle softly at the sudden shift of enthusiasm to the cluelessness of the young rocket, his innocence infectious to most of the people in the room with him.

“Well, to introduce myself to a young yet revolutionary creation such as yourself; I am Robert Stephe–”

—-

“Stephen!”

“oH LADY–”

He’d flinch at the familiar yet sudden voice as he nearly slips off the flatbed he’s on, thankfully the ropes and clamps that support him underneath the tarp he’s been covered with would keep such an incident from happening.

As the engine in front of Stephen came to a smooth stop, releasing some steam, he could hear quick footsteps get closer and closer to his vicinity before they came to a stop, the tarp on him being lifted to reveal his face.

“Sir Robert?”

“Stephen, goodness me- Are you sure you’re better off without a soul lock? I understand how some of those locks would’ve brought discomfort to engines, yes, but you’ve been.. You’ve been restless these few days. I think those locks would benefit you with some comfort and rest.

“I say this with full confidence, I’ll be fine without one.”

“You nearly lost your balance while falling asleep, Stephen.”

“Keyword, nearly, I’ll just make sure to not let it happen again.”

Sir Robert sighed, “Alright then Stephen,” he says as he glances at Stephen, letting go of the tarp as it covered Stephen’s face, heading back to the cab of the engine pulling this flatbed.

Feeling his clamps be tightened, his mind would drift off as their journey on the rails continued.

Millie is out at Locomotion’s exhibition this week while he and Glynn are being transported to the NRM, it leaves him worried for Connor and Caitlyn.

From what he knew, they were the ones to take over some of their jobs alongside some of the narrow gauge engines, though knowing those two twins, he knew there would be some struggles.

What if something happened with Connor, say if his anxiety rose up again. Stephen’s noticed how on edge he’s looked the days before this week, though thankfully he hadn’t caused any delays to the express, but he’d guess some of the passengers would like a word with him after the slight turbulence.

And with him handling the main express while Gordon was away, it sure would’ve get to his nerves a bit.

He’d let out a soft sigh as he pushed back those thoughts. He just hopes Caitlyn would keep, as she said one time, ‘help him no matter how much the rails get bumpy.’

“Steph?”

His thoughts would cut off as he heard the call of a familiar voice.

“Yes, Dare?”

“Are you okay?”

“No, no- I’m just making sure.”

“I’m alright, didn’t you hear it earlier?”

“Alright.”

Well.. An awkward silence would fill the atmosphere as the only sounds that came from anyone present would be the chugging of Daire as rays of the sun shined through the tarp covering Stephen, helping him stay awake while he regained his consciousness.

But rather than continuing his last train of thought, his focus would go towards Daire.

Daire was quite the hard worker that one, always on time with his goods and was one of the few engines who got troublesome trucks to cooperate during rough times, was only soft towards those who were close with him. He was the embodiment of that phrase, ‘you respect me and I’ll respect you.’

Well, sort of. His gaze went faint as he recalled those times while he was among the humans, some of those big engines from the north would belittle him every damn chance they got, and it pissed him off thats for sure. It was quite unfair coming from the express engines who apparently were so glamorous, and at the time, were covered in filth and grime.

But in the end, they might’ve got the karma that was heading their way after the Beech-

“Do you ever miss them?” Daire suddenly murmured, breaking the silence.

“Pardon?”

“Do you- Do you ever miss your siblings, Stephen?”

“Well, I wouldn't say I had actual relatives, but I did have colleagues, friends who were like that, so I suppose I do. But I’ve accepted they're most likely in a better place,” Stephen explained with a glance down to his buffers.

“Oh, understandable.”

“Why do you ask?”

Now it was Daire's turn to look down at his buffers.

“Well, nothing.”

Stephen would let out a soft sigh. “Daire, you can say it,” he said as he could spot the silhouette of the Ivatt's through the tarp a little.

“No, no- Fuck it, I miss mine. There.”

“.. I figured.”

Daire would silently cursed himself underneath his breath as his speed starting picking up, trying to push back those thoughts. Though as subtle as it was nearing to be, Stephen would notice it as the wind started to push the tarp, feeling it float from his back buffers a bit, getting a bit concerned for the Ivatt tank engine.

“Look, Daire, no one can blame you for having those thoughts. Some others even went down the slope of insanity from having that happen to them, having to lose their siblings.”

“I know.”

“What I'm saying is; you can talk about it, you can let it out if you need to. It's better to let it out, rather than let it build up pressure until your safety valve bursts.”

“I know,” he croaked out, trying to force out words so as to not be rude, memories flashing through his mind as they came flooding in like a tsunami. Slowly flooding his mind.

As Stephen opened his mouth to continue, he'd pause for a moment. Browsing through his thoughts trying to look for the right words to say.

“If it helps,” he started as he cleared his throat a little. “I had this brother.”

“Really?”

“Yes, his name was Sans Pareli, though we called him Peppermint back then. He was a bit like you, always fidgeting with his wheels the second he woke up then letting it all loose when he got fired up for the day. Him and myself were very close. One could say we were twins, similar to twins.We lived together, in both engine and human lives, always there for eachother.”

“And your point?”

“The Rust had gotten him a decade from now.” Stephen explained, his voice shockingly straight forward and empty. “Passed peacefully as he passed us his infectious laughter and jokes,” he continued with a crack in his voice.

Daire would be most shocked at this. “God, Stephen I’m so sorry.”

“You shouldn't be sorry, it's alright. ‘Those pricks can't best me at my worst, I'll just haunt them like a ghost for this halloween,’ he said. Even with that, I still grieved for weeks, months. Years.”

“I-”

“But you know what? I let it all out, and afterwards I felt the best I could feel. Like getting up a steep climb then speeding down the slope.”

“Wouldn't engines mock you?” Daire asked out of instinct.

“Well, if they did, it would be on them for being the pricks in that. I would just be grieving. And that means the same for you if engines pick on you for the same thing, your just minding your own business while they keep poking in. They’re the pricks, not you.”

Daire would stare at the rails deep in thought as he rolled across them, taking in the words of Stephen. It- He’s heard some of it before, yes, but it’s just hard to adjust to it. Adjusting to letting out emotions after blocking them out for so long.

There were times during his younger years where when he showed a drop of negative emotions, he’d be locked in a shed with a soul lock while having to struggle with such infectious, drowning emotions.

Unlike most engines in their recent years of life at the time, Daire was left to rot and rust from his emotions. But over time, no one, but himself were the only ones to save him from spiralling into absolute mental madness. Nearly succumbing to the other rust. That wretched rust that took his friends, his siblings away.

But over the years, he gained new friends, both human and engine. New friends that saved him from so many times he couldn’t even count it with blinking, and yet they’d save him a second before blinking!

As Stephen’s words finally sunk in long enough into his mind, he’d look to the orange clouds in the sky.

“Thank you.”

“Pardon?”

“I said thank you, horse, thanks.”

“Ah well, pleasure is mine. You young lads tend to need help, aside from mechanical help.”

“I’m beyond seven decades, Stephen.”

“You all are always youngins to me!”

Daire would chuckle at Stephen’s retort as they glided across the rails, his speed starting to ease down while being kept at a good pace, feeling his fire warm up more. He could feel his crew’s footsteps as they were nearing to the station.

As Sir Robert peeked out the cab, he’d spot a sign, it would read-

“Send a message to them! 30 minutes early, we’ve arrived at Kingfisher Halt!”

#AFTER THE ADVENTURE AND OBSTACLES OF TODAY #FINALLY #I DID IT #traintober #traintober 2024 #ttte stephen #ttte sir robert #ivatt 41313 #sans pareil (locomotive)#tc-lrau #candle lit railways au #tc lrau #ttte #ttte fanfic #ttte au

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