u/Ambitious-Egg-1870

hey everyone long time no see from this series

I have part of the chapter 2 ready, but there is a bit of it that I am not so sure about

i’ll give you guys what I have so far and I’ll give you guys the synopsis of the rest of the chapter pretty much

but anyway

If you haven’t seen the first part, the first part is here -> https://www.reddit.com/r/gate/comments/1ru17z5/a_draft_of_the_first_chapter_of_my_fan_fact_that/

that should give a quick plot synopsis of what has happened so far

Again, I’m all up for criticism but not for insults.

Steam drifted lazily over the yard as workers moved about, loading crates, hooking brake pipes, checking time tables, and tending to engines. 

Piña walked down the platform, a notebook clutched tight to her chest. 

Parker was waiting, leaning against the door to the depot’s office. He looked a little more put together than yesterday — less soot on his shirt and face, cap tipped back, and in regular jeans this time not overalls.

“Well, well, well, Princess Piña Co Lada… you never told me you were royalty.” he said, putting a little more emphasis on ‘Princess’.

Piña was confused till she realized, he was right. She'd never told him that she was a princess.

“Never came up in the conversation… Besides, what's wrong with that, would you let me touch anything on the locomotive if I told you?”

Parker paused until saying

“Ok. Fair point, and hey nothing wrong with it. Just not every day I find out that I gave a lecture on locomotives to royalty, and I’d probably still would have told you not to touch the boiler. But anyway, we’re getting off track. Not only did the boss man gave me the green light, but when we found out you were royalty he said to give you the full tour of the museum, yard, the shops. 

AND — if you’re up for it at least, he told me if time allowed I could even a cab ride in Sadie.”

Piña eyes brightened with a bit of curiosity

“Sadie?”

“Yup, she’s a Mogul locomotive. She’s quite a bit bigger than the tank engine you met yesterday, the locomotive you met yesterday was Thompson. 

But Sadie’s still steaming up right now she been steaming up sense I think... 5:30 is when we started steaming her up, and it usually takes about five hours-ish, so we’ve got time before she’s ready.”

“Do all of your locomotives have names?”

“Most of them, but it's mostly just our steam locos, but there are a few diesels with names.”

Piña immediately flipped open a notebook and scribbled

Sadie — Mogul type locomotive.

Thompson — smaller ‘tank engine’ type locomotive.

Parker, a bit amused, leaned over to see what she was writing.

“You really keeping notes of these things?”

“Of course. Someday, I’ll return to the empire, and I’ll need to explain these wonders properly. A princess should be prepared.” Piña said in earnest

Parker chuckled “Alright fair enough. Like I say sometimes, it’s better to have it but not need it, than need it but not have it. Well let’s get on with the tour.”

First they came across a couple of passenger cars

They stepped inside one of the old varnished coaches, it had polished wood tables and cushioned seats and even lamps. 

“Up first is our Pullman ‘business’ car.”

(Business car interior picture goes here)

Piña ran her hand over the back of a bench seat.

“It’s like my father’s sitting room, but theres a...” She counted the seats. "About half a dozen seats. Did common people truly ride like this?”

“Yep. Anyone with a ticket. Trains made travel faster, safer, and affordable for everybody, though I will admit business cars made for ‘bigwigs’ you know Business men, Politicians, and such. However pullman sleepers did have this kind of comfort as well but their rooms on board were cramped. But hey, they were way, way more cheaper.”

Piña sighed thoughtfully “In my world, only the wealthiest travel in such comfort... to think, a common person sitting here. It kind of makes me hopeful of what the Empire can be, instead of disappointed of what it is now.”

“Why? You don't like your home?”

“Kind of, I love my people, and I want to bring them out and into a new age of prosperity, but multiple government officials including my own brother want to stay as we are and just want to watch the world out grow us. They'll probably say that's not what they want, but that's what it feels like.”

“So you came here to learn how this stuff works to bring your country out into the ‘Modern Age’ huh? You know what, I respect that. You want what's best for your people not what's best for you, I feel like more people ought to take page from your book.”

“Oh I.. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

As they exited the car came across a mock freight contest

The first thing they came across was the caboose

(Caboose exterior and interior picture goes here)

“You know, this one kinda looks like a little hut.”

“Well you’re not wrong. It does kinda look like a little hut. The reason it looks like that is because this is where the conductor and brakeman usually stay if it is a freight train.”

“The who?”

“The person that is in charge of the train and his or her right hand guy.”

“I thought the driver would be the one in charge.”

“Oh you would think that, but no. The driver just drives the drain the person that's actually in charge of everything going smoothly is conductor.”

Then they passed an old 40ft boxcar, its doors open for display. Crates and barrels are stacked inside.

(open penncentral 40ft box car picture goes here)

“This one looks... plain.”

“Ah the boxcar, plain, simple, but highly effective. just one of these could probably carry 15 to 20 times more as much as a horse drawn wagon of way back when, and if it’s carrying food I’d say a small town could probably live off one large consist for a whole a week at the very least, if it’s all properly refrigerated of course.”

Piña started to jot down furiously in her notebook

one ‘consist’ could feed a small town for a week at least.

 

“Also cool little fun fact here one of the people that used to own this was the Penn Central, and it was one of the fastest bankruptcies in the world!”

“How fast did it go bankrupt?”

He leaned in and whispered

“2 and 1/2 years”

“oh.”

“Yeah I know crazy huh, and if you ask me it was mostly cause the two companies that were merged together to make it absolutely hated each other so it was a recipe for disaster!”

“No kidding, what were they thinking!?!?”

“That's the question I was asking myself ever since I found out about its demise, and I still have no clue.”

“Wait what out of that wagon right over there”

She pointed to a old tank car 

(Tank car picture goes here)

“Oh that that's a tank car it's meant for holding a fluids and stuff.

Especially chemicals too dangerous for the road”

“It kind of looks like sausage.”

“Huh, know I never thought it like that. Yeah I guess it does kind of look like a giant metal sausage."

Then they reached the beginning of the mock consist

“Up next on our tour is an F unit diesel locomotive this guy is on static display right now but we take it out from time to time, though usually we use the passenger cars like we were just in earlier.”

(Picture of a Santa Fe F unit with a small snow plow goes here

Piña circled the sleek, rounded shape, her expression a bit more wary compared to the steamers. Parker chuckled.

“What, no dragon comparison this time?”

“No… this one feels more like a knight’s armor. Silent, sleek, and hollow.” Piña said softly 

Parker raised an eyebrow

“That’s… actually not the first time I’ve heard that analogy, few months ago we had some kid came through here, wouldn’t stop singing about streamliners, either that or was then New York Central. He said that they looked like ‘noble nights of olden days’.”

Piña smiled faintly

“Then I’m not alone in my thoughts.”

“Guess not. You and that kid saw something most people miss.”

 Then Parker started snickering.

“What’s so funny?” Piña asked.

“Nothing, I just remembered something.”

Then he said something that confused Piña.

“If I had a nickel for every time, I heard someone say a streamliner looks like a knight in shining armor. I’d have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it's happened twice”

(not in story this is the only time this joke is used I’m sorry I just couldn’t help myself.)

Piña had no idea what he was talking about, but he just couldn’t stop smiling after saying that.

“But anyway, how’d you like to see the inside?”

“Are you sure we’re allowed to do that?”

“Yeah. Not only does it not have any fuel right now, but it’s not even able to be put into gear without a reverser, and we do not have one right now, it’s probably still in the depot, probably close to Brandon somewhere ”

“Who?”

“Oh yeah, Brandon. He’s my boss.”

“Oh, I see.”

they climbed inside and Parker sat down in the engineer seat

“By the way, I’m guessing this is a no, but let's say have some dope who runs in front of me with a car or a wagon or something, you ever been in near one of these things when they go into emergency brake.”

“No, what happens?”

Parker suddenly flipped a lever hard causing Piña to flinch, but nothing happened.

Parker flipped it back and said while laughing “Usually it’s supposed to be really really loud but since we’re not on, it’s quiet as a mouse.”

“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?” 

She said softly hitting Parker on the shoulder.

“Ow! I’m sorry I just thought it was funny and oh boy your reaction was so worth it!”

“Culus”

“I'm sorry what?”

“Did I stutter? Culus! You're a culus.”

“I have no idea what that means.”

“You’re a Bitch, that’s what that means.”

“Ok ouch, I wasn't trying to be mean I was just making a joke i'm sorry! ”

“All right fine, apology accepted, but you’re still a culus”

“Fine, a bunch of the guys would agree with you, at least in a joking way.”

(not in story don’t worry she doesn’t mind too much and wants used to become better friends. They both tease each other for a bunch of stuff just like this.)

Then someone came in from outside 

It was Mark, the fireman from yesterday 

“Hey Parker, Sadie’s all steamed up and ready. If you wanna take that girlfriend of yours on the footplate nows the time.”

Parker (and Piña to some extent) stammered for a second until finally, he said “She is NOT my girlfriend just a friend!”

“That’s what they all say!” the fireman said in a sing song, sort of voice

“Sometimes, I hate him.”

Parker muttered under his breath

Then he turned towards Peña

“He’s an idiot, but he’s our idiot. But you heard what he said let’s get on with your first cab ride.”

“Wait, you would consider me a friend, and what do you mean our?”

“The people working at the museum”

“Oh, OK. Yeah, I should’ve expected that. but you also consider me your friend?”

“Yeah sure why not?”

“Well I would say that we’re more acquaintances then anything.”

“Well then consider yourself a friend of ‘Parker, Train engineer extraordinaire!”

“Alright then ‘friend’ shall we get started”

“Sure, right this way.”

The locomotive stood at rest, steam and smoke curling up into the sky. Parker helped Piña up the steep iron steps into the cab. The space was larger than the little tank engine’s, and just as hot and alive.

“It’s hotter than I remembered yesterday... it feels like I’m standing inside a furnace.” Piña said in awe.

“That’s basically what it is. The firebox right there is basically a furnace. Fuel which it could be anything that burns but in this case is coal goes in, the heat makes steam, steam makes her move.”

She watched as Mark shoveled coal into the firebox as the flames flared out. Piña gasped, then scribbled a small sketch of the inside of the cab.

Parker leaned closer, his tone warm.

“Alright, you’re in for a treat. But remember the rule: don’t touch anything unless ether of us say so.” he said pointing his thumb at Mark “Got it?”

“Got it.”

“But before we set off i need you to blow the whistle twice, then after that we can set off.”

Then Mark chimed in “Are you sure you want to let her do that?”

“Of course I am sure, the kid did fairly well for her first time in the cab yesterday”

Then Piña stared at them both then pointed at Parker “Okay first off i am not a kid, I am just barely younger than you from what I can tell, but second off You really think so?”

She replied

“Yeah, so far you’re doing very well, By the way how old you cause when me and Brandon looked you up it said 19.”

“20, I turned 20 just before I started this little vacation of mine I celebrated my birthday a month ago just before I left, I was 19 when the gate first opened if that changes anything.”

“Oh happy birthday!” said Parker.

“Yeah, happy birthday” Mark told her.

“So you're Mark”

“Yep, pleasure to meet you. By the way, I’m sorry had to see me like that yesterday if I haven't apologized already.”

“It’s fine, what happened that made you act like that.”

Mark was hesitant for a second

“You sure you want to talk about it Mark?” Parker asked

“Oh, you don't have to talk about it if it hurts to talk about it though.” Piña said.

“I know, and it's fine, really it is. It's just, my girlfriend broke up with me the other day.”

“Oh I'm sorry to hear about that.”

“Thanks. It's just become kind of yelling match between me and her sometimes, so it's for the best. Doesn't make it hurt any less though, I’m gonna miss her.”

“But still I'm very sorry.”

“Thanks. I hope we can become better friends if you want.”

“Friends... Yes, that would be nice.”

“But anyway, the whistle Piña” 

“Oh right.”

Piña pulled on the whistle cord twice, hard and loud. Then with a slow hiss, the loco began to ease forward, pistons pounding as they rolled along the yard track. Piña clung to the cab railing, eyes wide, hair blown back by the rush of steam from the bottom of the locomotive.

“We’re … moving! We’re actually moving!”

Parker laughed, hands steady on the throttle.

“Yep. Brandon said to just give you a short run to get some passenger cars, then we’re gonna get her down to her actual crew who should be waiting at the platform right now. So it’s just a small run through the yard, but I think it counts as your first cab ride.”

Piña still had both hands on the cab railing, cheeks flushed from excitement. She finally let go, turning toward Parker with wide, sparkling eyes her face lit with pure wonder.

“That was… unforgettable. I feel as though I have touched a piece of your world’s soul, it was more than I ever imagined. Thank you, Parker.”

Parker grinned, and dusting coal dust from his sleeves.

“Glad you liked it. You handled yourself well up here too. Not everyone takes to the cab so well their first time.”

OK this is pretty much all I have dialogue wise but here is the rest of the chapter synopsis

so after this he takes Piña out to lunch at a local diner he always frequents, and they talk a bit about his old job (Which Parker just says “I don’t like talking about my old job.”

They talk little bit about what life is the other side including what it’s like being a princess, the rose order and her brother

after that, he shows her around the shop (not a gift shop a railroad machine shop)

Parker explains what everything does and Piña gets to meet another of the roster a large 4-4-0 named ‘Miss Bella‘

after everything Parker offers to take her to wherever she’s staying turns out staying really really crappy motel so he offers her to stay at his place
she hesitantly accepts

Drive over to the motel where she was staying and some gang members try to take Piña ‘out to drink’ Parker doesn’t let them and tries to talk it out

of course that does not work

One of the gang members tries to quickly steal Piña’s satchel from her and gets pulled into a knee to the gullet

The other members pull out knives And are about to rush them both

unfortunately for them Parker conceal carries a brought a gun to to this knife fight, and the minute they see the gun they scatter

so they grab her things and take off back towards his house

While in the truck parker gives her a heads up

he’s got a dog named kirby, a very energetic dog who according to him “She won’t bite unless you’re dumb enough to try and swipe some food from her. But she will beg for attention, and fair warning… she might jump and even start kissing you for said attention.”

They get his house and lo and behold Kirby is sitting on the couch waiting for him and when she sees that there’s a new person

She completely forgets about Parker and runs up to her instead

after they (somewhat) calm Kirby down, Piña tries to pet Kirby and ends up getting her fingers licked which she laughs about, then Kirby flops over, practically begging for belly rubs which she provides. After that, Parker shows her to her room and tells her a couple of rules if she’s gonna stay here.

A bit Parker asks through the door if she’s decent she says yes and invites her into her room and one of the reasons why he came in here turns out to be right next to her. because Parker came in to ask two things

1. if she was OK and settled in all right

and
2. If she had seen Kirby anywhere.

turns out Kirby is sleeping on a pillow right next to her

They exchange a joke about Kirby sleeping with him like she always does and then they wish each other goodnight, and at the end of the chapter.

Any questions, comments, concerns, and/or suggestions?

You’re proposing to your girlfriend from the special region. Where do you pop the question?

You can do it anywhere on this side of the gate or on the other side, but where are you doing it and if important what time of day?