Golden Spike sat with his coaches. American Beauty, Golden State, The Nation's Bouquet, and Pacific Empire...or as he called them Bella, Callie, Rosie, and Empress.

This was a little bit of a party and at a different railyard. The company wanted to have a few of the nearby railyards to see and meet their new passenger engine and it was up to Golden Spike to tour the new engine around. In the distance was The Pacific Daylight being looked at by a few of the rolling stock local to this yard. The rolling stock surrounding him were all newer than the 80s. Engines who had not seen a passenger diesel engine of a design so magnificent or even fully functional.

"Golden Spike, are you okay? You've been awfully quiet since we got here, dear." Empress quietly asked her centennial.

"I'm quite fine, Empress. Just have my yard on my mind is all." He responded quickly to not worry her any further.

Empress nodded. In the distance, there was some honking, "Oh look at those silly clowns over there." She pointed with a bit of a laugh at Pacific Daylight who had his leg pulled up by a different engine who wanted a look at his shiny trucks and wheels. The engine holding onto Daylight's leg was using his other hand to press on the wheels and see how the springs reacted to the pressure. All hardware meant to provide a smooth ride. Other engines soon crowded him all in curiosity. They were either all freight or switchers.

 "You seem to forget I'm lashed up to one of those silly clowns, Empress." Golden smiled a type of smile that he never seemed to give her or the other three coaches.

 "That's right.." She trailed off.

Ever since that black painted engine had been unveiled and come into their lives Golden Spike seemed to only have eyes for just him and none of his coaches. That engine could do things they couldn't do. She envied Pacific Daylight and how Golden Spike toyed with the pet name Delight on that smooth dark voice of his.

That's when the yardmaster of this place, walked past them. He stopped to look at the four coaches and Golden Spike.

Golden Spike didn't turn his head but he did turn his eyes to look at the yardmaster out of respect.

"Oh Hello there!" Callie perked up and smiled, "I'm Callie. This is Bella and Rosie. Empress and of course the engine here is our home yard's lead, Golden Spike."

The other engine looked older than Golden Spike. "Howdy pretty ladies and howdy pretty boy." He grinned at the five of them, "Name's Durandus but you can call me Andes."

Golden Spike remained seated, somehow not looking as large as he truly was. Probably, because he had been leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "I've heard of you... seem to run a good yard. Your rolling stock look well taken care of."

This pleased Andes. He did take pride in the good condition of his rolling stock, "How are you liking Idaho so far?"

"The fields are quite beautiful this time a year," Golden said with a shrug. He had seen them plenty of times over his decades of work. It wasn't that they weren't pretty but he preferred his home grounds in Nebraska. At least when it wasn't snowing. He did not mind the rain.

"Lots of good looking freight cars around here I have to say." Bella sighed as she looked over at some of them working. "I'm sure they're well-built too."

"Good, make yourselves at home. I've got to look at that new engine you brought. It's been years since I've seen one like him." With that said, Andes turned around.to head over to the excitement further ahead. He sounded his horn and gestured a sign for the rolling stock to clear the way so he could look at Pacific Daylight.

There he began to touch what seemed to be every curve of the passenger engine's frame. He looked at the biceps. The legs.

Golden Spike's eyes were trained on Andes.

Empress could see what seemed like a burn of spite in them. She turned her head and focused her camera-eyes on what this yard's lead engine was doing. "Bit of a flirt isn't he?"

"I'm going to get him." Golden's voice was like a growl.

"He's just messing around, no harm done? See? Daylight is posing for him." Empress touched her hand upon Golden's thigh. 

Sure enough, He was. Daylight was practicing his poses and flexing for yardmaster Durandus. All with a smile at being given attention by the yard's most important figure.

Golden's motors revved up, "He wants my engine..."

Andes pressed his fingers into the pair of exhaust vents on Daylight's cheek and pulled his head toward his own. This made Daylight rev and from this distance, Golden Spike didn't hear what was being said.

Andes pulled a bit more and leaned in, kissing the passenger engine hard. Which earned Andes a loud indignant honk from Daylight.

Golden looked furious and the coaches knew better than to say anything else. "No one touches my engine like that in front of my face. No one!" He stood up to his full height and stomped off to get his dear engine. 

He threw out his arm to wrap Andes' wrist in his chain and yanked. The chain rattled, tightened and Golden Spike pulled Andes' arm against his own back. He quickly looped the chain to the front and pressed it against Andes' throat.

Andes didn't get a chance to react. Before he knew it, he had been pinned and his back was resting against Golden Spike's chest. The sound of those roaring motors right behind his head did strike some fear. They had more horsepower than he ever would and they were already generating a lot of power which Golden Spike was restraining.

The engines around them could hear Andes' metal creak and groan under the pressure of the chain.

"Who the fuck are you to do this to me!?" Andes turned his head and seemed surprised at the sheer size of the centennial. He was a smaller engine, his frame eclipsed by Golden's shadow. He could feel those headlights drilling straight through his black box.

"I'm the bastard who will beat your ass if you don't leave Daylight alone!" Golden looked at Daylight, his engine. He felt protective over him. Was this possessive? He could hear his own motors growling a deep menacing rumble.

Bella raised her hand and reached out as she came sprinting to the commotion, "Golden, honey! Don't!" 

Golden Spike tightened the chain around Durandus' throat, "Stay in your place, Bella. This is between engines. I do not want you caught in this."

Andes grimaced, "I was just being nice. What's wrong with being nice? Can't share a bit of fuel with him?"

"He's mine and I'll refuel him when he needs it or he'll take it from the fuel pumps. Not from you. If I see you play that little game again and I'll make sure you won't be walking for a while. Do I make myself clear?"

"...." Andes revved defiantly. This was his yard. Not Golden Spike's.

Golden Spike kicked Andes' knees from behind, buckling them and shoved him to the ground, "You have one more chance." He drew his chain back. Slowly looping it again so it would sit neatly around his shoulder guard, "Do I make myself clear? Say 'Yes sir.'..."

And yet here he was being ordered around. By a visitor. "Yes sir..."

Golden Spike chuckled. He gestured at Daylight to come over.

Daylight didn't hesitate. The display had him smiling and giving Golden a look of love. He absolutely felt safe, protected, and above all else attracted to the centennial locomotive.

"Delight. Let's purge your tank from that filth and fill you up with something much more delicious. Can't have subpar fuel in you… you're too precious to our company for that." Golden touched Daylight's face as if wiping away dirt from his cheek. 

"Yes sir… you're right, my lead." 

Golden's touch lingered on Daylight's cheek and it seemed like Daylight understood the unsaid question when he shook his head. No, he wasn't hurt. "That's good to know, Delight."

Daylight didn't need to be told about the next thing either, he coupled up.

"Girls, have some fun for now. Delight and I have some engine matters to sort." Golden Spike honked his horn twice before skating off.

"There they go." Bella sighed.

"And we're left behind again." Rosie pouted. "Engine matters. Huff!"

"It might be a while" Callie pressed her index fingers together shyly.

"You think!?" Empress tugged at her skirts and turned to roll away on her wheels.