A/N: So, this was inspired by how engines might react to their younger siblings annoying them to the point they might retaliate... with serious consequences. But when it's engine siblings, you know the dangers increase by 1000%. Especially on Sodor.
I'm proud of this one... may seem OOC, but they are younger, so, I'm taking liberty! ^^ this one is set in their early days, well before Skarloey's infamous run-in with the landslide. As Skalroey learns, it's never a good idea to nearly kill your brother, even if it's accidental.
...
Skarloey was cross with Rheneas – the younger engine had again seen fit to make quips about his brother's antics, and Skarloey was fed up. He wanted to teach Rheneas a lesson, but he didn't know how.
"That silly Rheneas gets on my nerves!" He fumed to the trucks, as he shunted them into line at the incline railway. "Oh, how I'd like to pay him out for fussing about me!"
The trucks were delighted, for they found Rheneas difficult to annoy, and fancied playing a trick on him themselves.
"How about we help you?" They asked Skarloey, mischievously. The little engine was sceptical.
"How?" he asked them, with a mixture of curiosity and suspicions in his voice.
"Let's just say, we get quick results," they giggled. Skarloey was still unsure, but he decided to trust them to not do anything dangerous.
"Alright, what would you do?"
"Why, we'll give him a biff, of course." They said... but they purposely decided to omit a few details from their plan.
Skarloey was delighted, and was chortling with glee by the end of their plan run-through.
"Rheneas won't know what hit him!" he smirked to himself.
"Right, come along, Skarloey!" said Mr. Bobbie to his engine.
"Yes, sir!" replied Skarloey dutifully, trying to hide his glee.
Little did he know what the trucks had in mind for his younger brother...
...
Later, Rheneas was coming back from the incline with a train of slate. He could hear the trucks whispering to each other, but he paid them no mind.
It might have been better if he had.
The trucks waited until Rheneas reached Skarloey Station, and, just as they felt Rheneas start to slow down, they bumped him violently, causing him to gain momentum.
"On, on, on!" they screeched. Rheneas was taken by surprise, but not totally alarmed.
"Brakes, please, driver!" He called out. His driver went to apply the brakes, but the trucks took advantage of Rheneas's call, and surged against him before his brakes could be fully applied and so the poor little engine sped along the line, now spiralling out of control.
Poor Rheneas! He was very frightened, and he and his crew fought for control - especially over the Iron Bridge, for it was sheer luck alone that they had survived their speeding over it, which left his crew uttering strong expletives afterwards.
They passed through Rheneas Station too quickly, albeit without mishap - but poor Rheneas was going too fast to stop or even slow down to safely get through the tunnel... which meant that the crash into the wall at the bend of the tunnel was instantaneous.
...
"Rheneas! You ok, lad?" asked his driver, hopping – literally, his ankle had been twisted in the accident – to check on his engine.
Poor Rheneas was shaking. His buffers were so badly bent they were mangled, his smokebox was dented and scratched, and dust coated his beautiful, bright red livery. Tears of shock streamed down his face.
Bricks and debris littered the tunnel.
...
Meanwhile, Skarloey continued his shunting at the incline, feeling very pleased with himself. He was certain the trucks had taught Rheneas a lesson by now, and he hoped that would be the end of his brother's ceaseless nagging.
"You seem to be in a much better mood than earlier, Skarloey," Mr. Bobbie commented. "What's up?"
Before Skarloey could make up an excuse, the foreman came running in.
"Got a message from the signalman at Rheneas Station," he said gravely. "Rheneas has derailed in the tunnel. Please go and aid him at once, Skarloey."
"O... Of course, sir," said Skarloey, suddenly feeling sick to his smokebox.
This wasn't meant to happen! He'd only meant to use the trucks to play a harmless trick on his brother, not get him in an accident!
Fretting, he gathered up some workmen in Beatrice and Lucy, before setting off to the rescue.
...
Soon, he found his unfortunate brother, and his train, in Rheneas Tunnel.
As much as Skarloey wanted to apologise for his role in the accident, the damage left him speechless – not to mention that hearing his brother's sobs wracked him with guilt, so he kept quiet whilst the workmen got Rheneas back on the rails, before carefully shunting him back to the shed in silence.
...
Having promptly received word of the accident, Mr. Mack was waiting for them, and was cursing violently when the sorry cavalcade entered the yard.
"What the bloody hell happened to you, Rheneas?" he fumed. "You've never had a problem with trucks before!"
Rheneas glanced down at his buffers, tears filling his eyes. "I'm so sorry, sir," he said, quietly, fighting the urge to cry in front of their Controller. "I have no idea how this all happened..."
"I do," Skarloey spoke up, the ever-building guilt over his sibling's accident too much to bear on his conscience. "It was my fault, sir, I asked the trucks to play a trick on Rheneas..."
"And why would you do that?" Asked Mr. Mack, eyes flashing dangerously.
"I wanted to get him to stop nagging at me, Mr. Mack, sir."
"But why go to all that trouble? Why didn't you just talk to me, Skarloey?" Rheneas asked him, hurt by his older brother's confession. "Do... do you hate me that much, Skarloey?" poor Rheneas was so hurt that his own sibling would do this to him that he gave in to the sobs he had been trying to fight back.
"Skarloey, I'm very disappointed in you," said Mr. Bobbie, severely. "What you did was irresponsible, dangerous, and unkind. Rheneas is your brother, your family, and you could've, as well as should have, talked with him about the subject and come to a simple, peaceful agreement. Instead, to attempt solving your problems, you chose a childish discourse which could have had dangerous and even fatal consequences for your brother and his crew. In fact, disappointed doesn't even begin to cover how I feel right now, Skarloey. I'm ashamed of you, and ashamed of your actions."
Mr. Bobbie's words made Skarloey feel as though someone had thrown a bucket of freezing cold water over his boiler.
"Mr. Bobbie, a word, please." Mr. Mack, severely.
"Of course, sir," replied Mr. Bobbie uneasily, and after throwing a stern glare in Skarloey's direction, followed his employer, leaving the two little siblings alone.
...
Eventually, Rheneas's sobs faded to soft sniffles and hiccups, which tugged at Skarloey's firebox with the same force his sobs had done.
"I... I don't hate you, Rheneas." Skarloey said, quietly, glancing down at his buffers in shame and remorse. Mr Bobbie's words had left a harsh echo in his funnel, playing on a loop repeatedly until the older engine was ready to cry himself.
"I... I merely wanted to get the trucks to play a small trick on you so that you'd get knocked down a peg or two. I never, ever intended for you to get into such a dangerous accident, or to give you and your crew such a fright." He added, gritting his teeth so that he wouldn't cry.
He had no right to cry. He caused this.
Rheneas asked if this apology also extended to indirectly causing his crew' s injuries, as well as his own damage.
Skarloey winced, but promised that yes, his apology was for everything that happened as a result of the accident, for most of it had been an unintended consequence.
"I understand it might be too much to forgive me, brawd bach, but I hope you can." He finished quietly.
Rheneas's lips curled into a small, teary smile at the nickname, and he mulled over his companion's apology. On the one buffer, he was very hurt by Skarloey's actions, especially since, as Mr. Bobbie pointed out, Skarloey could have simply discussed the matter with him.
That truth had made Rheneas feel unloved and unworthy of Skarloey's time.
On the other buffer, however, his brother had promptly come to his rescue on hearing the news, confessed his deed to Mr. Mack, and apologised for his hurtful actions, which suggested sincerity in his remorse.
"What... what am I worth to you...?" Rheneas asked quietly.
'Dear Lord, what have I done?!' Skarloey thought, panicked. 'How could I ever let my own little brother question his worth to me?'
Skarloey spoke softly, "You mean something to me, Rheneas, no matter how many times we argue, or get frustrated with each other. You're my younger brother, after all, and I guess arguing will be part of that package. But, in spite of everything, I value you being here and putting up with my nonsense." He exhaled, before continuing,
"But Mr. Bobbie was right, I chose an immature action to resolve the issue I had with you. Not only do I feel foolish for trusting the trucks, but I would never have forgiven myself if you'd derailed on the bridge, Rheneas. God, some brother I am... I try to play what I thought would be a harmless prank and nearly get you killed. I am so, so sorry, Rheneas. You deserve a better older brother than I..."
Rheneas was silent, pondering over his brother's words, before coming to a conclusion.
"I would agree with you, Skarloey, had your actions following my accident not proven to me that you are a worthy brother, and that you can improve your behaviour. You're a fine engine, Skarloey, just not when you're petty."
"So... you don't hate me?"
"No, what would be the point? If I hated you, it'd give you no motivation to better yourself. Love, however, is a powerful force, and can motivate people to do the impossible."
Skarloey was awed by his brother's perception and maturity. "No matter how much I improve, Rheneas, you'll always be the finer engine than me."
Rheneas chuckled. "Guess we'll both become fine engines someday." He said sagely.
"You're fine as you are," Skarloey smiled fondly at his little brother. "My biggest fault was not realising that sooner, and for not dealing with it in a mature manner."
...
Although it took some time before their friendship truly blossomed, the brothers gained a new understanding of each other, and, although they still fought, their quarrels were made up more quickly.
