(The Writer Got Their Own Account:))

Bad Lookout [MSR Version]

Written by NavigationDragons

It was a cold misty afternoon on the SR. The winter's cold grasp on the island was finally lifting its cold blanket as the snow melted and work began turning back to normal. The two new diesels were being tested, the two brothers had to take turns with the tests, one of the tests being that they had to pull Rusty and Fred along with their engines shut off. But because of these tests, it made a certain...pair of engines aggravated at the waiting and delays. "Ey these two smelly prats better hurry up or I will be leaving without them passing" Duncan grumbled as Sir Handel snorted. "It would have been best for those buzz boxes to be tested during the night" he grumbled and the blue engines crew slapped his cab slide. "You both stop complaining" Sir Handel's driver snapped, "you know the reason why they are doing it during the day is so they can see if anything is going wrong much better," he said, annoyed with the two engines, but they didn't pay a dime of attention. Once the diesel, who was yet to be named but was in fact was one of the prototypes of the two's class. Passed by, and the whistle blew, the two engines set off angrily down the tracks. Duncan, being the rough rider that he is, served as a bad lookout and kept getting too close to the train of locomotives, his driver holding him back as he glared at his engine. "Duncan, cut it out," he said and Duncan snorted angrily as he rolled his eyes and slowed down a bit. At the end of the line, however, while Duncan was reversing to the back of his train, the Thin Controller walked up and crossed his arms, glaring at the Scottish engine. "Duncan I heard you have had a bad lookout today," he said sternly and the engine scoffed which made the thin controller sigh in annoyance and rub the bridge of his nose. "Look, I understand you are upset at the timetable and the diesel being tested right now, but that's doesn't excuse your attitude, from now until I can trust you to not misbehave, you and Sir Handel who I have talked to already, will serve as goods engines," he said sternly and Duncan went wide-eyed. "But sir! What about the passengers?!" Duncan exclaimed and the Thin Controller held up a hand to silence him. "Smudger will take care of them, he has proven multiple times he can handle any job given to him, so he will be able to handle yours and Sir Handel's passenger trains till I see a change in your actions," he said and Duncan snorted. Duncan liked the green engine sure, but he didn't trust him, "take your last train back to the station and head to the sheds," he said and Duncan buffered up to the train and once everyone was in and the whistle blew, he set off back down the line.

It wasn't too long till Duncan returned to the sheds, however, he was shocked to see Smudger resting in a siding nearby, and not surprised to see Duke angry as Smudgers presents. "What are ye doing here Smudger?" Duncan asked as he backed into the shed, Smudger yawning as he looked up from his siding. "The shed I slept in collapsed after No. 8 over there crashed into it" Smudger yawned and Duke glared at Smudger angrily. Now Duncan could see Duke's front was highly damaged, enough to put the old engine out of action as the green engine yawned. "Guess No. 8 had a bad lookout" Smudger teased and Duke blew his whistle angrily, one of the new diesels, the younger of the two, who was staying at the shed for the night due to him being deemed able to run. Slammed into Duke's tender to shut him up "Smudger, please don't be so sarcastic, and Duke, stop being an asshole" the diesel said and Skarloey smiled. "Couldn't have said it better myself, well besides the swearing part" he said and looked at Duke "and like everyone said, his accidents were years ago, back off him" Skarloey said as Duncan just watched the fighting, pretending to be eating a bucket of popcorn. "Can we all shush" Smudger groaned "you all are giving me a headache" he grumbled as Sir Handel puffed up in a rage "the thin controller said I gave a rough ride!" He said this triggered Duncan's rage as well. "And he said I had a bad lookout!" He exclaimed "we are overworked enough as it is and he is daft enough to-" "oh shut it you two, you both are starting to sound like Godred" Smudger snapped, and all the engines looked at the little jade green engine with confusion. "Did...No. 8 never tell you about Godred?" Smudger asked and Duke snorted. "No reason to," he said flatly and Smudger raised an eyebrow "or is it because you are embarrassed about how you used to act," Smudger said flatly and Duke's face went pink as he grumbled and looked away. "Exactly as I thought" Smudger sighed and looked at the others "you all wanna hear about Godred?" He asked and the others look at each other "oh please do tell good engine" Rheneas chimed in and Smudger took a deep, long breath. "Okay, so, it went like this" Smudger said before he started telling the story.