Traintober25 Day 2 Repentance
Day 2-Twilight
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Diesel sat quietly at the junction, the yard silent except for the breeze flowing through the tree tops. His crew were in the station eating their supper before heading back to the quarry, leaving diesel to enjoy the quiet evening.
When he had first agreed to Caomhnóir’s offer of becoming a quarry shunter, he had thought trips out of the quarry and down the branchline would be rare occurrences. However they had proven to be an almost weekly occurrence. Between Percy’s frequent mishaps, Thomas constantly racing off to save engines, engines being pulled to cover for engines on other lines, and every other mishap that befell the line that was called home by the Lady's champion, Diesel rarely found a week where he wasn't called upon to serve the branchline. He found himself often shedding at FFarquhar, sleeping with the other engines of the branchline.
He had thought he had agreed to a quiet existence, shunted to a quarry to be saved, but forgotten by the outside world. Instead he found himself asked more and more to bear the weight left by their flagship engine being the Lady's champion with the other engines of the branchline.
He adored it. He may never be able to undo the mistakes of his youth,the damage he did to diesels reputations , but here he could build something better. The first time Cassandra had screeched to a stop in the junction, mere days after his arrival, shouting for Diesel to take her coaches as she raced off as if possessed by the spirit of Mallard herself, he had been shocked. It was slow going, his class wasn't built for any kind of speed, but Linda had been waiting at the next station, and had shouted a thank you to him as she raced off with the coaches, leaving him with her goods train. He had been trusted, something not even all his siblings had done after his first visit to the island. He had run slowly but surely up and down the branchline the rest of the day, even seeing Cassandra and Gordon scream past with a Peak and the express in tow. He had returned late to the quarry, but the manager had waited for them to return and had warmly praised his performance during the day, promising him a new coat of paint…as well as nameplates.
Diesel had never considered a proper name. He'd simply been diesel as long as he could remember. He had promised to think on it.
A puffing sound disturbed his reminiscing. He listened as the train pulled off the mainline across the junction, then backed into the sidings.A guard's van and empty wagons backed alongside Diesel, his to take back to the quarry, but the engine at the front wasn't the normal 28X Class, nor any of their siblings. Instead a Black Five in NWR Express Goods Green reversed alongside until their buffers were level.
The other engine was silent until his crew had entered the station building.
“I'm sorry.”
Diesel frowned as he glanced over at the No.3."You have already apologized, Henry”
“Because Caomhnóir pointed out I had gone too far,” the 4-6-0 said tiredly, “you deserved an actual apology.”
Diesel shifted uncomfortably, “my first visit hardly…”
“Diesel.” Henry interrupted firmly, if not unkindly, “when were you built?”
“...I was built about a year or so before coming to Sodor, give or take a few months,” Diesel answered, confused.
Henry closed his eyes as if fighting against a sudden headache. “So in no way old enough to know better.*
“I still…” he paused at the look on the black fives face.
“Do you have any idea how many stupid things happened in my first year in Sodor?” The No.3 asked dryly.
“...did Caomhnóir tell you to ask me when I was built?” Diesel ask, bewildered.
Henry snorted, “worse, Edward.”
Diesel couldn't hold back a wince.
Henry chuckled wryly, “that was my reaction as well. Everytime I think I'm old enough to know better, he makes me feel like I'm a new build that was too rough with the coaches again.”
He glanced over at the 08, “You apologized for your mistakes when you arrived and you've proven yourself time and time again these last few weeks. The least I could do was apologize for my own mistakes.”
“...Thank you.”
A/N: Hello Loves, this is a follow up to Returns and Regrets, love y'all!