Day 14-Paint it Black
Day 14-Screech
Other Stories
Other Days
Other Chapters
Screech hummed contentedly on the docks, simmering quietly in the afternoon sun. Mali was laid on her runningboard, also enjoying the sun. Pest was sprawled on a crate beside them, the skyrat having stolen someone's chips earlier.
Screech had almost dozed off when she heard the familiar puffing of a Star class approaching.
Abbey backed down into the adjacent siding, her freshly cleaned paintwork gleaming in the sunlight.
“You three seem to be enjoying the heat at least.” She said with amusement.
The seagull let out a self-contented sigh in response.
Freda snorted from Screech’s cab, “Pest snagged someone's chips and Mali’s still trying to get a tan.”
“You can't blame a girl for trying.” Mali grumbled.
“You weren't particularly good at tanning before Screech.” Megan said as she climbed down from Abbey's cab.
Mali sighed.
Megan ducked as Screech stretched out her tendrils to lay over Abbey, then climbed up to sit next to Mali.
“Have you decided what livery you will be painted in?” Abbey asked Screech.
Screech rumbled irritably, “Great Western Black.”
Abbey raised an eyebrow at the tone, and choice.
Gywn sighed,“the young lass won't budge.” He explained. ‘no matter how many times we tell her she can be any color, she just wants plain black.”
Screech cracked open an eye to glare irritably at her fireman, “You keep saying I can choose my livery, then refuse to accept my choice.”
Freda patted Screech's cabside, “We just want to be sure you are happy with your paint, as you will be wearing it for a while. We may be stable now, but we can't afford to repaint engines regularly.”
“Then why am I being repainted?” Screech rumbled, frustrated. “Why not an engine that actually wants a repaint.”
“Because you need one,” Gywn said.
“My paint is fine.”
Abbey raised an eyebrow, “when was the last time you were repainted?”
Screech thought for a moment then shrugged, “Fifty-seven, we were painted in Lined Express Passenger Green.”
“And you don't want that back?” Mali asked. “Wasn't that supposed to be a prestigious livery?”
“I am not a passenger engine,” Screech said firmly, “I have no desire to pretend to be so.”
Gywn sighed,“The work’s crews don't want to paint you black because they think painting you black would make us look like the Other Railway.”
Screech paused, her tendrils stilling, “Pardon?”
Freda explained, “We take pride that all our engines are painted the colour of their choosing, rather than all our engines besides express locomotives being painted black.”
“I like being painted black.” Screech said.
Freda frowned, “we’ll figure it out dear, they just want your livery to reflect our care for you.”
Screech stretched and closed her eyes, “My paint will be dirty soon enough either way.”
Freda sighed fondly.
A/N: Hello loves! This takes place shortly after Something Holy This Ways Comes, before the next (as of yet unnamed) installment. Love Y'all!