Author's Notes: My word is this story funny and dark in one. It starts out as a typical Thomas story with light hearted jokes, then twists into a very dark and somber one.

The Missing Coach

Narrator: Soon workmen came to give the twins their numbers. Donald was 9, and Douglas 10. When the men went away, they were left alone in the shed.

Donald: Ye may hae noticed Douggie, that yon penters forgot somethin'.

Douglas: What did they forget?

Donald: They painted braw new nummers on oor tenders, but they put nane on uz.

Douglas: (Grins) Ye mean...

Donald: Juist that. (Sees Nash coming) Haud yer wheesht. Here's Inspector Nash.

Narrator: Nash climbed down from Ducks footplate introduced them to him.

Nash: Now 9 and 10, here's Duck. He, Applejack and Mr. Hawkins will show you round before you start work. Donald, you and your driver will be working with Mr. Holden and Big Macintosh.

Donald: Och, aye Sirr!

Nash: And Douglas, you and your driver will be working with with Miss Ravens and Braeburn.

Douglas: Och, Aye!

Narrator: Soon the two Scottish drivers introduced themselves.

Mr. McTerry: Guid morn tae ye mr. holden, big macintosh, braeburn an' miss ravens, aam Donald McTerry,

Mr. McCloud: An' aam Dooglas McClood.

Miss Ravens: Wow. I didn't know you were brothers.

Mr. McTerry: Nae… We're actually coosin's.

Mr. Holden: Wow, really?!

Mr. McCloud: Och Aye. Different las nam. jist sam family blood.

Mr. Holden: Wow, talk about Déjà vu. I actually wasn't expecting that, huh guys?

Big Macintosh: NNNnoooppe... I wasn't…

Braeburn: Me too.

Mr. Hawkins: Same here. That's pretty interesting.

Miss Ravens: Yeah surprise ending…

Braeburn: Me and Big Mac here are cousins too.

Big Mac: Eeyep.

Mr McTerry: Och, yer don't say.

Mr McCloud: That is surprisin'.

Narrator: After getting to know each other, they soon set to work. The twins enjoyed themselves and were soon friends with Mr. Holden, Miss Ravens, Mr. Hawkins, Big Macintosh, Braeburn, Applejack and Duck. They didn't mind what job they did. They tackled goods trains and coaches easily. Once the twins had shunted them, the trucks new better than to try any tricks.

Braeburn: That a boy Donald! You and Mr. McTerry are doing fine and dandy.

Miss Ravens: Boy, you and Douglas work very well together, Mr. McCloud.

Mr. McCloud: Och aye. Thank ye lassie!

Narrator: Even Duck and Applejack were impressed.

Applejack: Hey, you getting on alright there Donald?

Donald: Och aye. Me and Dougie like it fine here

Duck: That's good, but take my advice. Watch out for Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Henry, Gordon and James. Their sure to try some nonsense.

Big Macintosh: Eeyup!

Douglas: Dinna fash yersel. We'll suin settle them.

Narrator: Donald and Douglas had deep toned whistles. They became quite a joke between Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Henry and Gordon

Rarity: Did you hear that? That sounds like someone's playing a brass tuba? (Sniggering)

Gordon: Nah, I think that's more like the sound of buses tooting.

Rainbow dash: (Snickering) Nah I think you must mean the fog horns? (Laughing hard tears of laughter trickling from her eyes) BAHAHAHAHAHA! Do you think they stretched out their horn muscles to warn all ships on the railway? (Falls down in hysteria) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Get it. Horn muscles?

Henry: (Sniggers) Or maybe they are the ships.

Gordon: (laughs) Tug-boat Annie! Ha! Ha!

Rainbow Dash: BAH! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh Gordon! that was just too Funny good one!

Narrator: The twins cruised quietly up one on each side.

Donald: Ahem! Now ye wadnae be makkin' fun o' uz wad ye noo?

(TOINK!)

Rainbow Dash: Uh oh!

Douglas: We dinna like engines makkin' fun o' uz now do we Donald?

Donald: Nay One Bit Douggie… Las time an engine or pony made fun o' uz, they were never seen again. I remember like it was yesterday!

Braeburn: I remember them tellin' us the whole apple truth story of the pony they made disappear.…

Rainbow dash: STTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! No we… uh… weren't making fun of you… uh… were we guys?

Rarity: (Biting her hoof) um I…I uh… Didn't know Scottish engines had such… uh… Handsome whistles…. ( Nervous grin.)

Gordon: Er, no.

Henry: No, no, certainly not.

Rainbow dash: Y… y… y… Yeah, you two got really awesome fog hor… uh I mean whistle's heheheh…(Nervous grin sweat trickling down hooves shaking) Please.. Don't kill us…

Douglas: That's fine. Noo juist mind the loot o' ye, and keep it that wey.

Big Macintosh: EEEYUP!

Narrator: Donald and Douglas puffed away with Braeburn and Big Macintosh, exchanging winks. And that was the way Gordon, Henry Rarity and Rainbow Dash kept it! Everyday, punctually at 3:30, Gordon and Rainbow Dash pull into tidmouth station with the express. As you already know, it is called the WildNorWester. It is full of people from Wales, Scotland and England. There is also a special coach for passengers who are traveling along Thomas' branchline. When the other coaches are taken away empty, engines and crew have to remember to shunt the special coach onto the bay platform. It doesn't wait there long, for Thomas along with Twilight Sparkle, Annie and Clarabel come hurrying from Ffarquhar to pick it up. Thomas is very proud of his special coach. One Afternoon, Douglas was help Duck in the yard while Donald waited to take a goods train to the other end of the line. Just then, they heard Gordon's whistle, indicating that the WildNorWester was pulling into Tidmouth.

(On board the WildNorWester)

Human husband: Ugh! I told we'd get a cheaper ride back at Cardiff. Mind you, nothing bad has happened… Yet…

Human wife: Ah well, They don't do carriage seats like they do in Somerset. Where are we heading to now dear?

Pony husband: I believe we're heading to Tidmouth Mrs.

Human wife: Ooh Thank you sir… Well I certainly hope that they have better restaurants there than they do at Vicarstown café. That vegetable soup made me feel sick!

Pony Wife: Well to be fair, they at least made the daffodil and daisy sandwiches and the hay chips were very excellent. Just like at Ponyville café.

Human wfie: well that's alright for you Mrs. Pony. But we humans can't eat flowers now… I can get a better meal for 1 shilling back hom…MMMMMM

(human husband covers human wife's mouth)

Pony wife: Why you….MMMMMMM

(Pony husband covers pony wife's mouth)

Pony Husband: I am so sorry about that sir.

Human husband: Uh nononono! I'm Sorry too. She started it Sir..

Guard: Ladies, gentlemen, fillies and gentlecolts, please remain seated. Your trip to Ffarquhar will begin shortly.

Human wife: Ooooh, you'd wouldn't have to wait like this back home now could you?

Human husband: Uuuuugggghhhh!

Narrator: As Duck was busy arranging Donald's trucks, Douglas offered to take away Gordon's coaches.

AppleJack: Aw shucks Douglas. That's mighty kind of y'all.

Douglas: Och tis nothing after all. One of us has to be useful.

Braeburn: Right there Douglas…

Donald: (Annoyed) Excuse me? I'm taken a goods train.

Braeburn: Simmer down Donald. Douglas is only kiddin….

Big Macintosh: Eeeyup!

Douglas: (Annoyed) Goods train? Wha' goods train?

Applejack: Just calm your tenders down you two. Your trucks are coming soon, don't worry Donald.

Donald: (annoyed) At least I'm here rightfully…..

(TOINK!)

Donald: (gasp)

Douglas: DONALD!

Applejack: WHAT IN TARNATION?!

Big Macintosh: SAY WHAT?!

Braeburn: WHAT IN THE HAY DONALD?!

Mr. Hawkins: DOUGLAS?!

Mr. Holden: WHAT?!

Miss Ravens: WHAT THE DEVIL?!

Duck: WHAT IN BRUNNEL?!

Narrator: Donald realised to his horror what they had just blurted out. Was now in a frenzy apology to Douglas, both their faces flooding with tears.

Douglas: (Horrified) Donald, ye lood gob divit! keep 'at mirk! yoo'll jeopardize th' whole mission, right in front of yon engines, ponies and other crew members! If th' fat controller ur princess celestia finds out aboot this!

Donald: (Horrified) Los Sake Douggie! I'm so sorry! So so sorry!

Duck: What in the blazes is going on?!

Narrator: Donald and Douglas took a deep breath and confessed.

Donald: Alrecht, we'll teel ye what's gonnae oan. But yoo've aw got tae promise us tae keep thes a secrit frae Princess Celestia an' th' fat controller.

Douglas: (in tears) please, uir li'es ur dependin' oan thes.

Duck: Don't worry you guys. I'll make Great Western promise.

Braeburn: Same here, I'm makin an appaloosa promise.

Applejack: Ya'll can count on us to keep your secret.

Big Macintosh: Eeeyup!

Mr. Hawkins: I'm with you too.

Miss Ravens: My lips are sealed.

Mr. Holden: Don't worry, if there's anything that me and Miss Ravens know about secrets, its keeping them secret.

Donald: God bless ye all. Noo', remember when the Fat Controller asked for 57646?

Narrator: Everyone nodded.

Donald: (Whisper) We'll, that engine is really me.

Douglas: (Whisper) and… my nummer is 57647…

Narrator: Everyone gasped in shock.

Braeburn: Good gravy! This…

Mr. Hawkins: But what happened to your original numbers?

Douglas: Our drivers took them off so we'd both come together.

Applejack: But why did you both do this? It doesn't make much sense.

Narrator: Big Macintosh placed his hoof in front of his sister telling her to back down a bit. She then saw tears flowing through there eyes.

Donald: Because if we didn't, my brother Douglas… ( Bursting into tears) Would have been cut up!

Everyone: (Shocking horror) WHAT?!

Donald: Keep it down please… Anyway, back when we were working on the mainland, our controllers soon got word that British railways was planning on modernising the railway. At first, we thought it was just safety modernisation' but… we soon found out that they were planning to dieselise the whole network. By doing so… they were sending us all to the yon scrapyards… all our brothers and sisters are gone except one…I hope he's donin' alright.

Douglas: (crying) Oh Donald I'm so scared. I don't what to do….

Donald: There there Douggie. (Sniffling tears) I so sorry I said that out loud… It's going to be alright…

Narrator: The 3 ponies and the three humans along with Duck stood in shock. After hearing the Scottish twins story, they soon nearly burst into tears. Big Macintosh, though he was strong, his tears soon out won him and he sobbed too. But Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden were hit pretty hard by it.

(flashback)

(Two little engines badly damaged from head on are sitting scared and sad and on the edge of tears… There manager comes in with a cutters torch looking coldly at the two frightened engines.)

?: Please Sir. We didn't mean too! ( crying)

?: We had no idea that your points weren't set right! Please, it wasn't our faul….

?: SHUT YOUR MOUTHS! NUMBERS 4 AND 3! EVEN ON YOUR PATHETIC MONEY BLEEDING FEEBLE RAILWAY OF YOURS YOU WERE ALWAYS A BOTHER TO MY OPERATIONS! THIS INCIDENT IS THE LAST STRAW!

No.4: Oh no Sir. Please, you can't mean…

?: Oh yes I do mean it No.4. Say hullo to your new and last friend, Mr. Cutter's torch!

No.3: NO! YOU HORRID DEVIL!

?: SHUT YOUR MOUTH NO.3! Now that I'm fully in charge now! I'm going to send you pathetic piles of junk to flaming death where you belong! HAHAHAHAHA!

Mr. Holden: OH WE'LL JUST SEE ABOUT THAT YOU HORRID MONSTER!

(Mr. Holden tackles the man to the ground and starts fighting him)

Miss Ravens: YOU LEAVE THESE INNOCENT ENGINES ALONE!

Flashback ends…

Braeburn: HEY! Mr. Holden! Miss Ravens! You okay?

Narrator: Both Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden nodded. They knew what they had to do. They didn't really want to go against the fat Controller or Princess Celestia but they were not going to let anymore Sudrian engines be threatened by cutters torches. They were now more determined than ever to keep the Scottish twins safe. Just then, Douglas remembered he had to collect Gordon's coaches and puffed off.

Douglas: I hope the Fat controller or Princess Celestia does neye find out I should nye be here…. I can't abide going back.

Narrator: Douglas worried so much over this, that he forgot about Thomas' special coach he pushed it with the others into the carriage siding. Then ambled along to join Donald at the water column. As he got there, he saw went Thomas come by whistling cheerfully with Twilight Sparkle, Annie and Clarabel.

Thomas: What in Brighton Works?!

Twilight Sparkle: Huh… but I… WHAT?!

Annie: Thomas, Twilight, calm down now.

Clarabel: What's going on?

Thomas: The coach is missing. We need to find it!

Narrator: They bustled over to the twins a moment later.

Thomas: Oy! Where's my coach!

Douglas: Coach?

Braeburn: What coach? What are ya talkin' about Thomas?

Twilight: It's Thomas' special coach that Gordon and Rainbow dash always brings at 3:30 it's not here we need to find it!

Narrator: Douglas stood next to Donald his face going pale with fright.

Douglas: Los Sake! I munna stode the special coach with the others!

Mr. McTerry: Do you see that?!

Big Macintosh: (Scared) Eyyyup!

Braeburn: Oh yep, that does not look good.

Narrator: A mob of angry passengers and ponies erupted from the siding onto the platform.

Miss Ravens: Oh dear. They're complaining to Princess Celestia and the Fat Controller.

Mr. McCloud: Now listen. I've got an idea. We'll change tenders, then when we've done that, we'll take yon goods. Dinna fash aboot' us, quick now, do as I say!

Narrator: Princess Celestia, The Fat Controller and three passengers walked towards Big Mac, Mr. Holden and Mr. McTerry, but Donald with Douglas's tender #10 was out and away with the goods before they came near. Douglas with Big Mac, his driver and Mr. Holden waited with innocent expressions.

The Fat Controller: Ah! No. 9, and why have you not taken the goods?

Douglas: My tender is awa' Sirr.

Narrator Mr. Holden showed him the tender still uncoupled.

The Fat Controller: I see, some defect no doubt.

Celestia: So Donald, tell me, why did No. 10 leave so quickly?

Douglas: Mebbe he saw ye comin' an' thocht he was late.

Princess Celestia: Hmmm…. I see.

Narrator: They turned to the passengers.

Fat controller: Here ladies gentlemen and ponies are the facts. Number Ten has been shunting the yards.

Celestia: Your coach disappeared. We investigate. Number 10 has disappeared as well.

Fat Controller: You can all draw your conclusions. Please accept our apologies, the matter will be investigated. Good day too you all.

Narrator: The Fat Controller and princess Celestia watched them until they climbed the station ramped. Princess Celestia's wings twitched, she wiped her eyes, as the Fat Controllers shoulders twitched and wiped his eyes. Douglas, Mr. Holden, Mr. McTerry and Big Macintosh wondered if they were crying. They weren't, and swung round again.

Fat Controller/Princess Celestia: Douglas, why are you masquerading with Donald's tender?

Well, didn't expect that flashback about Falcon/Sir Handel and Stuart/Peter Sam did you? You'll hear more about that another time. For now, let's jump into 'Brake Van'. (For real this time).