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Sibling Rivalry: ThomasNATION Fanstory

February 20, 2021

 

It was a pretty stormy day on Sodor. The wind was blowing wildly and the rain was pouring down in a rapid fashion. As Thomas pulled into Vicarstown Station, he let out a sigh of relief.
ā€œPhew!ā€ Thomas sighed. ā€œAm I glad to be out of that rain.ā€
ā€œYouā€™re telling me,ā€ said Annie, grumpily. ā€œMy windows got all sticky, so my seats are sure to be soaked through.ā€
ā€œAnd thatā€™s not even mentioning the leaves stuck in my wheelā€¦ā€ moaned Clarabel.
ā€œWell, at least we have a break coming up,ā€ Thomas responded, ā€œso we can have an hour all to ourselves, out of the cold.ā€
ā€œAgreed.ā€ Annie and Clarabel said simultaneously.
Then, Sir Topham Hatt approached Thomas, soaked down to his socks.
ā€œThomas,ā€ he said. ā€œdonā€™t go just yet! I have another job for you.ā€
ā€œWhatā€™s up, sir?ā€
ā€œDonald and Douglas have a heavy load of steel pipes they need to take over to Tidmouth, and I need an extra engine to help them out.ā€
ā€œBut sir,ā€ Thomas argued. ā€œI have a break coming up.ā€
ā€œIā€™m aware,ā€ said Sir Topham Hatt, ā€œso Iā€™ll arrange for your break to be scheduled afterwards.ā€
ā€œBut, sir, please!ā€ Thomas cried. ā€œI donā€™t want to have to get involved in one of their arguments.ā€
ā€œHmm. Good point, Thomas,ā€ Sir Topham Hatt thought to himself. ā€œbut I recommend that should they start fighting, you simply ignore it.ā€
ā€œYes, sirā€¦ā€ Thomas sighed.
ā€œThereā€™s a good chap!ā€ Sir Topham Hatt chuckled.
As Sir Topham Hatt left, Thomas was getting ready to head back to Knapford to drop off Annie and Clarabel.
ā€œI feel ever so sorry, Thomas.ā€ said Annie. ā€œThose two can be so bothersome sometimes.ā€
ā€œI know, Annie,ā€ sighed Thomas as he left, ā€œbut maybe I can find a way to stop all the bickering.ā€
 
Oh, how Thomas was wrong. All throughout the trip from Vicarstown to Tidmouth, all Donald and Douglas did was bicker, bicker, bicker. It wasnā€™t long before Thomas was at the end of his wits.
ā€œOh, and donā€™t even get me started on how conceited you can be!ā€ Donald yelled at Douglas.
ā€œIā€™M conceited?!ā€ Douglas argued back. ā€œHow am I the conceited one?!ā€
ā€œDonā€™t act so ridiculous,ā€ Donald argued. ā€œAll you ever think about is yourself. Itā€™s always ā€˜me, me, meā€™.ā€
ā€œWhy did I agree to this?ā€ Thomas grumbled under his breath.
ā€œOh, please!ā€ Douglas argued. ā€œYouā€™re the one blaming me for everything, as if youā€™re Mr. Perfect.ā€
The two continued bickering throughout the trip. Thomas tried and tried to bear it, but soon, he could bear it no more.
ā€œCould you both please BE QUIET?!ā€ Thomas suddenly snapped.
Shocked at Thomasā€™ sudden outburst, Donald and Douglas stopped arguing and just stayed quiet. For once, Thomas could just enjoy the journeyā€¦until Donald lightly coughed.
ā€œDonnie!ā€ Douglas groaned. ā€œWhy did you have to ruin the peace and quiet?!ā€
ā€œWhaā€¦I coughed!ā€ Donald argued. ā€œMeanwhile, you just had to overreact, just like ye always do!ā€
ā€œOh, sure.ā€ Douglas grumbled. ā€œBlame it on me, like ya always do!ā€
ā€œHere we go againā€¦ā€ Thomas groaned.
 
That night, Thomas was venting his frustrations out to his friends at Tidmouth Sheds about Donald and Douglasā€™ constant bickering.
ā€œIā€™m sorry that you had to go through all that, Thomas.ā€ Rebecca said.
ā€œYeah, I should know,ā€ Emily responded. ā€œitā€™s not pretty having to get in the middle of Donald and Douglasā€™ arguments.ā€
ā€œI never thought they could be the type to argue,ā€ Nia pondered. ā€œthey always seemed so practical, and peppery, and proud!ā€
ā€œI donā€™t understand it either, Nia,ā€ said Percy, ā€œbut their bickeringā€™s been getting really bad lately.ā€
ā€œAgreed.ā€ James responded. ā€œIf only there was a way to cut their bickering short and have them see eye to eye again.ā€
ā€œWell, what ideas do you have?ā€ Thomas asked.
ā€œWhy donā€™t we stage an intervention for the two,ā€ Nia suggested, ā€œand convince them face to face to get along!ā€
ā€œOr we could justā€¦tell Sir Topham Hatt.ā€ said James.
Nia thought on that for a while. ā€œLetā€™s call that Plan B.ā€
 
The next day, Donald and Douglas had been called to Knapford Station. The sudden invitation had puzzled the two.
ā€œI donā€™t understand why we had to get called to Knapford,ā€ Donald pondered.
ā€œAye,ā€ Douglas responded. ā€œand by Nia, no less.ā€
Then, once the two pulled into the station, they noticed that the entire Steam Team was there. They looked concerned for the twins.
ā€œWhaā€¦ā€ Donald gasped. ā€œā€¦whatā€™s all this?ā€
ā€œItā€™s an intervention,ā€ Gordon started. ā€œfor you two. Iā€™m going to start off: we donā€™t like how you two are treating each other.ā€
ā€œExactly, Gordon,ā€ Nia continued. ā€œIā€™ll be honest, I havenā€™t been on this island long, but every time I see you two argue, Iā€™m just baffled.ā€
ā€œNiaā€™s right.ā€ Percy added on. ā€œI mean, you two are supposed to be brothers. Always by each otherā€™s sides.ā€
ā€œI know,ā€ Donald responded. ā€œand I promise, I donā€™t want to get mad at Douggie, but sometimes, he just rubs me the wrong way!ā€
ā€œWhat?ā€ Douglas scowled. ā€œAugh, how am I the one that keeps starting it?!ā€
ā€œBecause, Douggie,ā€ Donald groaned. ā€œyou keep making a fuss out of the littlest things!ā€
Thomas tried desperately to stop the argument. ā€œGuys! You arenā€™t listening to us! This is what weā€™re talking about!ā€
ā€œOh, aye?ā€ Douglas grumbled. ā€œTell Donald, heā€™s the one that started it!ā€
ā€œI started it?!ā€ Donald yelled. And the two left the station, bickering away.
ā€œI canā€™t believe that didnā€™t workā€¦ā€ Rebecca sighed. ā€œNow what do we do?ā€
ā€œWell, we could try Plan Bā€¦ā€ Thomas pondered.
 
Soon, Donald and Douglas were pulling into Wellsworth, where they were greeted by a rather concerned-looking Sir Topham Hatt.
ā€œDonald and Douglas,ā€ Sir Topham Hatt said. ā€œwhatā€™s this about you two putting everyone off with your bickering?ā€
ā€œWhy is everyone so concerned about us arguing?ā€ Donald asked.
ā€œSir, believe me,ā€ Douglas protested. ā€œit was all on accident. We didnā€™t mean for this!ā€
ā€œI understand that, Douglas.ā€ Sir Topham Hatt responded. ā€œbut you two have to learn to appreciate one another. And until you do, Iā€™m having you work separately.ā€
ā€œWhat?!ā€ Donald and Douglas cried.
ā€œDouglas, Iā€™ll need you to work with Paxton at the quarry,ā€ Sir Topham Hatt started, ā€œwhile you, Donald, will be working with Whiff at the waste dump.ā€
ā€œBut what about Scruff?ā€ Donald asked, desperately.
ā€œHeā€™s at the Steamworks.ā€ Sir Topham Hatt explained. ā€œNow, off you go, you two. You can work together again once you learn to behave.ā€
As Sir Topham Hatt left, Donald and Douglas sighed.
ā€œI guess our disagreements have been getting out of handā€¦ā€ Donald sighed.
ā€œAyeā€¦ā€ Douglas agreed as he left.
 
The next morning, Donald arrived at the waste dump, where he was greeted by Whiff.
ā€œOh, hi, Donald!ā€ Whiff chirped.
ā€œHey, Whiff.ā€ said Donald. ā€œIf Sir Topham Hatt hasnā€™t told you, I have to work separately from Douglas for a while.ā€
ā€œHow come?ā€
ā€œMe and him have been fighting a bit too much, so we had to be split up.ā€
ā€œOh. Well, I suppose that you two could use the time apart.ā€ Whiff soon led Donald to a train of empty trucks on a siding. ā€œTo begin, I need you to fill these trucks up with garbage.ā€
ā€œRight,ā€ Donald muttered. ā€œI can certainly do thatā€¦ā€
As Donald shunted the trucks under the hopper, he couldnā€™t stop feeling sorry about Douglas. He was so distracted that he wasnā€™t paying attention to loading the cargo, resulting in the garbage spilling onto him.
ā€œAw! Augh, yuck!ā€ Donald cried.
ā€œDonald! Are you okay?ā€ Whiff asked as he rushed over.
ā€œAye,ā€ Donald chuckled. ā€œjust a little rubbish. Iā€™m fine.ā€
 
Meanwhile, at the Blue Mountain Quarry, Douglas pulled in where he was greeted by both Paxton and Owen.
ā€œMorning, there, Douglas!ā€ Owen called out. ā€œIā€™m glad you came in on such short notice. Weā€™ve been needing some help here at the quarry.ā€
ā€œI figured,ā€ Douglas chuckled. ā€œSo, where do I begin?ā€
ā€œJust over there,ā€ Paxton said, gesturing to a line of trucks. But then he stopped and pondered. ā€œUm, Douglas, what happened to Donald?ā€
ā€œSir Topham Hatt separated us,ā€ Douglas explained. ā€œitā€™s some therapy thing since me and him have been arguing a lot.ā€
ā€œThat doesnā€™t sound so bad,ā€ Paxton responded. ā€œI mean, usually, you two bicker and make up seven minutes later. Whatā€™s so different about this time?ā€
ā€œSir Topham Hattā€™s saying that itā€™s putting other engines off,ā€ Douglas responded as he went over to get his train. ā€œbut I mean, all brothers fight. Itā€™s just natural.ā€
ā€œWell, I donā€™t understandā€¦ā€ Paxton muttered. ā€œI get that he can get on your nerves a little bit, but at the end of the day, you do love himā€¦donā€™t you?ā€
Douglas stopped and thought for a bit. Paxton was right. Soon, he started rolling away, without his train.
ā€œDouglas!ā€ Paxton called out. ā€œYou forgot your trucks! Where are you going?!ā€
ā€œI just need to do something real quick!ā€ Douglas cried.
 
Douglas quickly raced into the waste dump to find Donald.
ā€œHey, Whiff,ā€ Douglas asked, desperately, ā€œhave you seen Donald?ā€
ā€œHe should be over by Siding 3,ā€ Whiff explained, ā€œbutā€¦why do you want to see him?ā€
But Douglas raced over to the siding before he could answer. He soon saw Donald, still covered in garbage.
ā€œEugh!ā€ Douglas groaned as he approached Donald. ā€œWhatā€™s that horrible smell?ā€
ā€œWeā€™re at a waste dump, Douggie,ā€ Donald scoffed. ā€œwhat do you think it is? Anyway, what are you doing? I thought you were at the quarry.ā€
ā€œI know,ā€ Douglas started. ā€œbut I just came here to say Iā€™m sorry.ā€
ā€œWhat do you mean?ā€
ā€œI had a talk with Paxton and he told me that even though sometimes you can really get on my nerves, and believe me, you can, youā€™re still my brother nonetheless, and these arguments donā€™t mean we donā€™t love each other.ā€
ā€œReally?ā€ Donald wondered. ā€œPaxton said that?ā€
ā€œYeah.ā€
ā€œHuh,ā€ Donald thought to himself. ā€œI guess that engineā€™s smarter than I realised.ā€
ā€œSo, what do you say?ā€ Douglas asked. ā€œAre we cool?ā€
ā€œYeah, weā€™re good.ā€ Donald responded.
Douglas smiled. He was glad that he and Douglas were friends again.
 
Soon, Donald and Douglas had to take another heavy goods train together. Thomas looked over to see them, acting surprisingly peaceful.
ā€œSo, I take it you two made up?ā€ Thomas asked.
ā€œAye,ā€ Donald responded. ā€œin fact, we made a compromise to never argue again!ā€
ā€œWait, no we didnā€™t.ā€ Douglas called out from behind.
ā€œOkay, I made that bit up.ā€ Donald chuckled. ā€œBut the two of us still love each other all the sameā€¦even if we can get into silly arguments now and again.ā€
And the two set off for their destination, calmly and happilyā€¦until another argument erupted between the two. Yep. Just like old times.

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