that day. 98462: "I don't know about this, 87546. what's the point of leaving the island if they clearly want us to stay?" 87546: "your being ignorant. they DONT want us here. how many times do i have to tell you that? we mean nothing to them, the sooner we reach that bridge connecting us to the mainland, the better. that way, we'll be in the clear. free! free from judgement. free from the ones who didn't believe in us. this is a privilege for you, my dear friend. i am giving you and i freedom from this traitorous land!:" 98462: "yeah, but i was thinking-" 87546: "Stop thinking. there's no need to think. all the thinking has been done. what you NEED to do is move your wheels over to the mainland. can you do that?" 98462: "...." 87546: "i thought so. now shut it."
@NolanDaMine @TheWobblyBlueEngine and all [EXPLANATION] [the 98462 bio has been retconned, for the text below is canon to my headcannon/AU] 87546 and 98462 have a sort of abusive friendship, 87546 always bossing 98462 around and 98462 being to threatened to go against it. in this project, 87546 has come up with his "best idea yet", which involves leaving sodor to go to the mainland., 87546 thought that "if they are so welcoming of steam here, it must be the same or even better on the mainland!" he was wrong. fortunately or unfortunately, on their venture at midnight, 87546 didn't watch the speed limit, but 98462 did, and slammed on his brakes, the tension caused their couplers to snap, decoupling 98462 as the jolt and his speed sent 87546 flying off the rails and into an electric, metal fence. he did not survive, and 98462 went back to sodor a few hours later, traumatized by the loss of his "best friend".
