Brotherly Love - ThomasNATION Fanstory
January 27, 2024
"Another fight, Donald?" asked Thomas.
"Aye," sighed Donald. "And it was over the littlest thing, too. He said I didn't fill up with enough coal, but I've got plenty!"
"Oh."
"Then he acted like I was bein' difficult when I told him otherwise," Donald continued ranting, "and off he goes, all sulky, leaving me to finish the delivery!"
James and Nia pulled up, ovehearing the conversation. "What's happening?" asked James.
"Donald got into another fight with Douglas." Thomas explained.
"I will never get why you two can't see eye to eye on anything." Nia chuckled. "I mean, look at Norman and his brother."
"Norman has a brother?" asked Donald.
And lo and behold, Norman rolled up to the platform with a heavy train of pipes, his banker engine being none other than his brother: Dennis. "Did someone say my name?"
"Oh, hey, Norman." Thomas smiled. "We were just talking about you and Dennis."
"Who is Dennis?!" cried Donald.
"Right here, mate." called Dennis from behind the pipes.
"See, those two were just like you and Douglas used to be," explained Thomas, "Norman used to resent how lazy Dennis used to be, while Dennis in turn hated how, as he put it, "uppity" Norman was."
"Oi, I did not say uppity." Dennis rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, ya did." laughed Norman.
"But soon enough, they decided to just start compromising." Thomas continued. "In fact, those pipes on their flatbeds? That's just Norman's train, but he offered Dennis to be his banker so he doesn't keep sitting in the yard doing nothing."
"What does any of that have to do with me and Douglas?" asked Donald.
"I think what he means is," Nia explained, "you'll need to start trying to communicate better with Douglas. Talk things out with him."
“Huh. Is it really that easy?” pondered Donald.
“He did not just say that.” James growled, rolling his eyes in disbelief that it had to take him this long to learn basic communication skills.
"Well, alright." Donald thought as he left. "I'll talk it out as soon as I see him next."
Donald didn't see his brother until that night as they tucked into their sheds at Haultraugh. Douglas was still upset about their scuffle, so you can guess he wasn't willing to talk things out.
"Uh, Dougie?" asked Donald.
"What?" snarled Douglas.
"I just wanted to say sorry for that whole incident earlier," explained Donald, "I overreacted and I acted immaturely. I shouldn't have taken it as far as I did."
"...ah, it's alright." Douglas smirked. "I guess I was a little childish myself."
"Aye, a little." Donald chuckled. "It feels nice actually talking things out and actually communicating. We should do this more often."
"What do you mean?"
"Let’s face it - we fight a wee bit too much, so what I’m thinkin’ is we find ways to compromise, a bit like…oh, just goin’ off the top of my head, Norman and Dennis. They stopped fighting when they started compromising.”
“I see what you’re saying.” Douglas thought. “Alright, let’s do it!”
“Great. Good night, brother.” Donald said as he dozed off. And as the night glistened over the island, one question loomed in Douglas’ mind.
“Donnie?”
“…yeah?”
“Who’s Dennis?”
The pair’s relationship improved drastically over the next few days. Every time it seemed like they were having an issue, they solved it by talking it out and compromising. It was all going according to plan. That is, until the first snow of the year rolled in.
“Alright, everybody,” declared Sir Topham Hatt as he addressed the engines at Knapford, “I think it’s fair to say that we expected conditions like this. That's why I need a volunteer to help clear the lines before we have to close the railway."
The engines chattered among themselves, trying to decide who should do it.
"Hey, Dougie," suggested Donald, "why don't we do it?"
"Are you sure?" asked Donald. "You do remember the last time we cleared the lines, right? We got into a massive fight and my tender came loose."
"I know, but we've not fought in a week! That isn't gonna happen this time."
"...alright, fine." Douglas spoke up to Sir Topham Hatt. "We'll do it, sir."
"Wonderful!" Sir Topham Hatt chuckled. "You two get started as soon as possible. We don't want a repeat of the big freeze.”
Donald and Douglas coupled up to a coach, donned their snowplows and went to work. And almost instantly, a problem arised.
"Is this the same coach we used last time?" asked Donald...okay, I know that doesn't sound bad, but to a pair like Donald and Douglas, that was like one slapping the other in the face.
"Of course it is," sighed Douglas. "I recognise this paintwork anywhere."
"No, it's gotta be different. It's heavier, I think I heard it creaking..."
"No, it's gotta be different. It's heavier, I think I heard it creaking..."
"Oh, wheesht, you, it's clearly the same coach!"
"How? How is it the same-" Donald was distracted by Norman and Dennis on the other platform, ready to take a freight train.
"Ready, Dennis?"
"Lead the way, brother!"
As the two left, Donald realised that he was slipping up. "On second thought, you're right. Let's take it with us."
Douglas was a little confused, but he didn't want to question it. Later, as they made their way, that's when the...er, coal hit the fan. And it all started when they reached a junction.
"Alright, which way do we go now?" asked Donald.
"What's the options?"
"One line leads to Arlesburgh Harbor and the other to Wellsworth."
"Hmm...Arlesburgh. Easy."
This is where things go awry. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Arlesburgh?"
"Aye."
"No, no, no, no, Wellsworth is more important. It's on the main line."
"So?"
"Wha..." Donald was dumbfounded. "It's on the main line. Main. As in most important, Douglas."
"Will you stop being so impossible?!"
As Donald and Douglas argued, they were distracting the other engines, mainly because they just wanted to hear what it was this time.
"What is it now, Toad?" asked Oliver.
"Honestly, I'm as lost as you are, Mr. Oliver." sighed Toad.
At last, Donald snapped and uncoupled from the coach. This shocked Douglas. "Donnie! What are you doing?!"
"You wanna clear the line at Arlesburgh so bad?" Donald yelled. "Fine! Do it yourself then!"
"What?! Where are you going?"
"I'm clearing the lines up at Wellsworth, without you." Donald grumbled. "Because as far as I'm concerned, you're the worst brother in the world."
And with that, Donald left Douglas behind. Douglas immediately regretted his words. "Donnie! Wait! I didn't mean it! I cannae do this myself! DONNIE!"
The snow started getting thicker and thicker as Donald made his way down the main line. Since the snow was getting more intense, it was getting harder to see, and the lines he did clear were blocked by another sheet of snow five minutes later. But there was a light at the end of the tunnel...literally. Donald saw a little light shining in the blizzard. "Hello?"
The light grew closer and closer until it was revealled to be...Dennis! "Donald?"
"Wait, Dennis?" asked Donald.
"Yeah."
"What are you doing here?" continued Donald. "Where's Norman?"
"Who cares?" Dennis rolled his eyes. "He told me that I may as well go home if I wasn't gonna put in the work. And then, he-"
"Hold on." Donald interrupted. "You guys...had a fight?"
"Yeah. You seem surprised."
"Aye, Thomas told me that you two were the perfect pair of brothers."
"That doesn't mean we don't bicker now and then. That's not being a bad brother, that's just par the course. Even then, that doesn't make him, or you, a bad brother."
Donald took Dennis' words to heart and regretted what he said to Douglas. "I've made a massive mistake, Dennis. I've left Dougie out in the snow all by himself. He's probably stuck."
"I did the same to Norman. Honestly, I didn't want us to fight. I shouldn't have said what I said to him"
"Me neither. Now what do we do?"
Donald and Dennis were utterly defeated...until Gordon came by with his old snow machine. "Are you two just going to sit in the snow all day?"
"Gordon!" cried Donald.
"We've got an emergency." Dennis explained. "Douglas is stuck in the snow!"
"What a coincidence," Gordon thought, "I just found someone stuck in the snow."
Gordon puffed forward a little, revealling none other than Norman!
"Oh, Norman!" Dennis cried happily. "I'm so sorry!"
"It's alright, Dennis! I'm sorry too!" shouted Norman. "Now, what's this I hear about Douglas being stuck?"
The four engines, led by Gordon and Donald, raced back to the junction leading to Arlesburgh. They searched the line for what seemed like ages, but eventually, Donald spotted a pair of buffers sticking out of a snowbank. "Dougie!"
Douglas snapped out of his sadness to see Donald behind him. "Donnie! Is that you?!"
"I'm gonna get you out of there, brother!" Donald declared as he started shunting with all his might. The ice already started taking shape around Douglas' wheels, and as such, try as he might, Donald couldn't get him out...until Norman and Dennis joined in. They pushed and pushed, until eventually, Douglas was free.
"Donald, you saved me?" gasped Douglas. "After all that you said?"
"Aye, I did." chuckled Donald. "I'm sorry for saying all that. Truth is, you're not the worst brother in the world."
"I can think of worse." laughed Gordon under his breath.
"Truth is," Donald continued, "I know we're never gonna agree on everything. We'll get into our scrapes and fights, but that doesn't mean you're a bad brother at all."
"I know," Douglas smiled, "maybe we'll never be perfect brothers. But if you ask me, I couldnae ask for a better one."
Donald smiled at his brother as he escorted him to the Steamworks. They knew they could never stop their fighting, but as the old saying goes, no matter how many times they fall out, Donald and Douglas always get back together again.
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