Chapter 10-With a Little Creativity
The rest of the team had followed Violet as she stumbled across the terrain, seemingly muttering gibberish to herself as she went along. This had simply made them even more confused, as the winter storms seemed to be rolling in, and nobody seemed particularly well dressed for unseasonable winter weather.
Eventually Violet had just stopped before a snowdrift, and had started digging, her shovel swinging erratically back and forth as she worked to pull stuff out of the ground. They'd observed some of this behaviour with the other workers, but Violet seemed to be working especially erratically.
Her shovel struck the snow over and over again at random angles, as if in desparation to try and find something. But nothing seemed to lie under that snowbank, not at least within immediate reach of the surface for her to find.
Pipp just looked over, confused. "Any clue what she's doing? She just seems to be kinda... digging."
"Answered your own question there, Pipp," Zipp said. "Anyway, we need to try and find a way to get through to her, given she hasn't been responding to any external stimuli we've been sending her way."
Izzy smiled. "Hey! I think this'll work!" She jumped in front of the erratically digging woman and began to make lots of silly faces and noises.
Violet, however, didn't notice. She just kept on digging, utterly oblivious to the environment around her. Her shovel kept on moving, almost robotically, and this was very odd indeed for anybody to observe.
Eventually, one of them had a bright idea. As they watched they noticed some of the snow hit Violet's face, and she briefly stumbled. "Huh? What am I... must... find... object... must... find... object..."
Safe to say everybody found this utterly bizarre. Sunny looked at her friends. "The snow seemed to break the trance a little bit. Let's try putting some more on and see if it helps!"
They nodded, and sure enough picked up a large snowball. One of them threw it at Violet, who staggered, looked about in confusion, and simply opened her mouth in surprise. "What am I doing out of bed at this time of night?"
"That's what we want to know too," Hitch said. "Isn't this a really odd time to be out of bed?"
"Tell me about it," Violet said, yawning. "I have no clue why I'm in this, but-" Her eyes widened in shock as she heard footsteps. "GET DOWN!"
The girls hid under a snowbank as the woman from earlier walked past. Violet returned to her robotic motions, or at least as close as she could feign them.
The woman looked over. "Any sign yet, Violet?"
"No, Allura, not yet," said Violet, never making eye contact and instead focusing exclusively on her work. Or at least pretending to.
"Keep digging," Allura replied. "If we don't find it, you know what will happen to you."
"Yes, Allura," Violet replied, focusing once more on the task at hand.
She kept this up even until Allura was well out of earshot. She then glanced to the others. "Coast is clear! Let's get back to Starlight Ridge and then I'll explain everything!"
Inside the main meeting hall of Starlight Ridge, the team had hot drinks and were sat around a fire which blazed in the centre.
"So," Sunny asked, "if you don't mind me asking, how did this all begin?"
Violet hung her head. "It all began when Allura arrived in our town about two months ago, which feels like hundreds of years now. All was so peaceful before she arrived, and we would have tried to resist, were it not for that machine of hers."
"We saw her powering something up," Hitch noted. "Was that the machine you mentioned?"
Violet nodded. "Yes. It's capable of putting people into a trance, where they basically become automatons, unable to think for themselves. It's how she's been using us for so long. All for some stick."
"Stick?" Zipp asked.
"Allura has repeatedly mentioned an object called the Staff of Sacanas. I have no idea how it works or even what it is. But it's clearly important to her, as she's made reference to it opening portals."
Izzy had a brainwave. "I know! We can craft our own portal and use one of the logging engines to power it!"
Violet looked stunned. "You could pull that off?"
Izzy nodded. "I'm a crafting extraordinaire!"
As music faded in from the background, she started to sing.
"I got an idea!
In my mi-i-ind!
With some imagination/
and some t-i-ime!
I'm gonna make it happen!
Oh yeah you'll se-e-e!
It just needs a little magic/
And a little bit of me!
Just then, she began to pick up random objects from the canteen and started sticking them together.
"Can you see it?
Oh yeah, I can see it/
Just follow me vibe/
no, we don't need a blueprint!
Just a little random/
Just a tad chaotic!
But in a bit of time, my buddy, it will be lit!
Izzy then backflipped over to a pile of other equipment, and began to fiddle with it.
"Every little thing, yeah/
Has got a purpose!
Oh buddy can you feel me?
Every little thing yeah/
Just needs a pl-a-ace!
Oh buddy can you hear me?
Every little person has got their own destiny!
And I'm gonna live mine with a little creativity!
With a little creativity!
(Oh buddy)
With a little creativity!
(Come on)
"Please try to minimise the mess you make in here," Violet asked. "We will have to clean this up."
Izzy, however, was unaware, as the others formed backing vocals.
(Ooooh!)
"I got a good feeling!
(Aahh)
In my So-o-o-oul!
(Oooh)
Let's put our heads together!
(Aaahh)
Let's loose contro-o-o-ol!
(Ooooh)
Oh yeah I got that vision!
(Aaaahh)
Told you befo-o-o-ore!
(Ooooh)
I make somethin’ out of nothin’!
(Aaahh)
So here we go-o-o-o!
Can you see it?
Oh yeah, I can see it/
Just follow me vibe/
no, we don't need a blueprint!
Life is random/
Sometimes it’s chaotic/
But in a bit of time, my buddy, it will be lit!
Finally, she began locking some sort of strange device together.
"Every little thing, yeah/
Has got a purpose!
Oh buddy can you feel me?
Every little thing yeah/
Just needs a pl-a-ace!
Oh buddy can you hear me?
Every little pony has got their own destiny/
And I'm gonna live mine with a little creativity!
With a little creativity!
(Oh buddy!)
With a little creativity! (Oh Buddy)
(With creativity)
With a little creativity!"
The others looked in amazement at what she had built. "I think that will do the trick," said Sunny.
On the other side of the world, things could not have been more different. In an underground facility, two engines, both of them with four leading wheels, four driving wheels, and no trailing wheels, were chained in position, with chains looping from the ground round their boilers and back down again.
And their drivers were in a similar situation, being locked in prison cells.
"How are we going to get out, Lava?" asked one of the drivers.
The other driver sighed. "I don't know, Jade, but these manacles are something else. I've never seen something so solid!"
"Maybe you would have if you didn't insist on constantly using all that cowboy technology," said a voice. Both drivers looked up to see a figure in a grey business suit walking towards them.
"Who are you?" demanded one of the engines.
"You're not in any position to demand anything of me, Whirlwind," Opaline said, leaning uncomfortably close to his face. "You see, we run this world. Engines were built to serve us, not the other way around. And sure enough we will run this world. And this world will serve me forever."
"Like hell we'd serve you," said the other engine.
Opaline wheeled around and looked at the other engine with a menacing glare. "Care to repeat that statement, Storm? I can assure you that you're not in a position to make such statements. I do, after all, hold the power of life and death over you."
The engine fell completely silent.
Jade spoke up. "What do you want from us?"
Opaline turned to her. "Isn't it obvious? When somebody takes somebody else to another place it's because they have something the other person wants. And you lot hold the key to a power I need if my plan is to succeed." She looked back at a curved rock sitting on a pedestal. "And this little rock will hold the answer to unlocking the door. I just need a bit of cooperation from you."
Lava rolled his eyes. "You think you can make us give you what you want? Who gave you British the right to run the world?"
Opaline snorted. "Oh, please. Nobility and royalty runs in my blood. We're very good at dealing with a bunch of upstart colonists who clearly don't know their place in the natural order of things." She smiled. "Oh yes. Things will got back to how they should always have been when the world worked properly."
The two engines looked at one another, and seemingly came to an agreement. A blast of energy flew forward from both of them, intent on striking Opaline.
But a strange shield formed around her, protecting Opaline from the energy blast, which dissipated above her and flowed into some vents above.
The two engines looked in shock. "How?" Whirlwind asked.
"I told you, I always come prepared," Opaline said. "Magic is protecting me from all sorts of inconveniences, and it always will. Because only the very best of noble stock can control it. Even if that half breed can somehow use it, but I don't see her being much of a problem in the future." Opaline smiled once more. "But you have both made things so much easier for me."
As she stepped back, music began to play in the background. "Oh, you want a lullaby? Well, I don't see why not."
She walked into the faces of the drivers. Then got uncomfortably close.
"When I walk passed a mirror I scare myself/
I'm the Queen of Mean!
Don't care about anybody other than me/
Isn't that lovely?!"
She stepped back from them, then turned her attention back to the engines.
"Don't ask me to be nice/
I don't want to!
I don't play fair!
I'm giving you the heat you can't handle/
And I don't care!"
She stepped back, and in time with starting the chorus jets of flame roared from the nearby torches, illuminating Opaline in fiery light.
I'm a Villain!"
Glamorous and Mean!
I'm a Villain!
Evil as can be!
I'm a villain!
Make you shiver though your teeth!
Don't you cry now/
It'll all be fine!
I'm a villain!
I'm a villain!"
The flames monentarily turned off, and Opaline stepped back to the platform. Images began to flash across the top of the room, showing Opaline's prior battles and victories.
Hush Little buddy/
Don't say a word!
Or you'll get cursed!
Can you feel the flames getting closer?
Ain't that the worst!
Don't ask me to nice I don't want to/
I don't play fair!
I'm giving you the heat you can't handle!
And I don't care!"
The flames from earlier fired up once more, and Opaline seemed even more crazed than before.
I'm a villain!
Evil as can be!
I'm a villain!
Make you shiver though your teeth!
Don't you cry now/
It'll all be fine!
I'm a villain!
I'm a villain!
Oh, I'm a villain!
She then cackled to herself. "Oh, I'm so scary..."
Jade rolled her eyes. "Come on. This Disney wannabe is trying to scare us?"
Opaline glanced at them. "Well, let me convince you another way." The stone began to shake and glow, and suddenly energy seemed to flow out of the two engines and into the stone.
Within minutes, the faces of the engines were gone, blank smokebox doors left in their place.
Opaline smiled. "A much better use of resources, if I do say so myself."
The two drivers looked on in horror.
This chapter was certainly song heavy, but what's a good villain without a villain song, eh? Both songs have slightly modified lyrics to fit the human setting, but apart from that have been left as is.
Two new engines in this one.
Storm was another loco ordered by the CPRR, and worked alongside the others until the early 1900s. Again, the image is from Train Simulator Classic.
Whirlwind was also from the same order.
The two drivers will probably help you figure out their role in the story. They are essentially standing in for the dragons in this portion of the story.
We shall now take another break over the weekend before resuming on Monday.
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We'll craft out*
As cool as that sounds Izzy, sounds a bit challenging, even for you.
Imo, the song Izzy sings matches her perfectly.
Liar!
It was already fine the way it is.
scary."*
I've seen scarier villains compared to you.
Welp, this is the end!
great chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter
11876367
1. Indeed, but the girl's got drive.
2. It sure does. Bouncy, peppy, energetic.
3. Hmmm.
4. You'd be amazed at how many British people think the world would be a better place if the British Empire still existed.
5. Needs another dot. But that's Opaline's narcissism for you.
6. Darkness descends...
11876392
Glad you enjoyed.
11876429
4. oh...
11876436
They are, of course, wrong; an institution built around exploiting native people and stealing their wealth and culture is, in my view, indifensible.
11876482
I see
11876486
Yeah.
11876292
There’s a documentary video on the building of those 2 engines.
Very true in that regard.
Comments on the new Chapter:
Once again, Izzy showcases her amazing skills!
And man alive, seeing what Opaline did to those 2 engines, reminds me of this concept I had for my own settings. But it was more different in my settings.
11876963
Izzy is most certainly a vital member of the team. Without her they'd certainly be in an utter mess.
What precisely did you have in mind?
11877111
Indeed.
Well, in this concept, it involved how I did my own version of the magic railroad losing its energy, first it would start off with the scenery losing its colors then the engines would lose their's, then if the energy kept going lower, they'd turn to faceless husks. But this magic wasn't like the Gold Dust, it was Cartoon magic. Namely the type that allows cartoon characters to be alive, talk, and occasionally defy laws of physics.
11877163
Very much so.
I sense elements of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? in this concept. Interestingly, LEGO used a similar storytelling technique for one of its recent product lines. Mythica is a line based on mythical beasts, but their world is losing power owing to the decline of imagination. Therefore, it is up to us to use our imaginations and creativity to bring the magic of Mythica back to life.
A world where the Gold Dust ceased to exist would probably look very similar to our reality. Say what you will about TATMR's finished quality, but the loss of the Gold Dust presented quite the nightmare scenario.
11877172
I didn’t really take inspiration from that film. I was just thinking about how I could apply the Gold Dust in a way for that would work for engines that have more standard Cartoon settings. Like from Cartoon Network.
It honestly is what has become in our real world. And I have nothing against the final product.
11877798
Oh, OK.