Agents of S.M.I.L.E.
Otherworldly Recruits
3 – Donald's Discovery
The school bell rings as Students entered the building of Canterlot High. Every student arrived and went to their classes, all except for two. Parked deep within the thickened woods, located near the school's parking lot, was a green camouflaged Mobile Command Center. It was deep in the woods for by-passers to not stumble upon or go exploring far enough to reach them. Cabs on the vehicle's left and right rears were extended out to allow room inside for computer stations, gadget storage, and conference rooms. With Professor Honey Ray's now in control of Hidequarters and some of their hijacked devices having no use, they were left with only what they had in the center.
Agents Tango and Bravo were stationed with their own mobile command unit when tasked with setting up the dome head to teleport Cale, now it's the agency's only refuge as far as they were concerned. Inside the large truck, Agent Sweetie Drops, Tango, Bravo, and Lyra Heartstrings all sat in the mini conference room with a round table, chairs, and a whiteboard mounted on the wall.
"Whoa," Lyra said in unrelieved shock, "This is all so surreal. Evil scientists, crooks, hostile takeovers, Monsters! Things really have gotten out of hand, uh?"
"That's an understatement," Bravo commented from his computer desk.
Sweetie Drops had just finished explaining everything to Lyra about the events leading up to them all meeting with Tango and Bravo at Canterlot High last night. Lyra was still trying to wrap her head around the whole situation. She knew her best friend's job must have been somewhat of a safety hazard, but this was on a much larger scale. Lyra wondered if this is the kind of thing Sweetie Drops has to deal with all the time as a secret agent. Sweetie Drops knelt down in front of Lyra.
"It's bad for now. Honey Rays may have S.M.I.L.E. under her claw, but we're not gonna fall in line. We'll find away to fix this."
"Does that mean… you guys are the only agent's left?"
"There's more than one S.M.I.L.E. branch in the world, kid," Tango said with a stern expression. "We're just the unfortunate ones. Of course, you wouldn't need to know if Agent Drops hadn't already told you of our existence way before."
Sweetie Drops grinned with embarrassment.
"Any word from the Manehattan branch?" Tango asked, looking over her shoulder.
"There's one in Manehatten too?!" Lyra said, in shock.
Bravo darted at the screen and back at her. "We're actually getting them on the line now."
Tango rushed over to his computer station and knelt down to look into the static screen. Bravo was typing away on his laptop to keep the signal going. Lyra was confused. She looked around the unit for any hypnotic screen to display on the monitors. But there were none to be had.
"I thought Honey Rays hijacked all the SMILE tech."
"The MCC's weren't deigned to be linked with any S.M.I.L.E. network in case of such a cyber hack," Sweetie Drops explained. "All the tech and gadgets in here aren't effected by her virus, thankfully."
"And it's why we're counting on finding other agents also in our predicament," Tango said.
The screen still rippled until an image of a woman finally came into view. The signal could barely pick up what was being said on the other end when they heard her speaking.
"Ca_ling all ag_nts! Does an_one re_d? W_,"
"Alpha Hoof?" Bravo said with raised eyebrows.
"Yes! I knew it!" Tango explained, soon blushing after expressing excitement. "Keep the signal active, Bravo. It must be on our end."
Finally, the rippling stopped and Alpha Hoof, who has bright pink skin, curly, lemon hair, and aqua eyes, was displayed in full view on their monitor.
"A_ent Ta_go? Do you copy? Oh, finally. We've been trying to reach the Canterlot branch all night. What's the meaning of all-"
"Alpha Hoof, listen," Tango began. "We're in serious trouble over here. What's you're status?"
"Uh, clear?" She said with a raised brow. "Your end?"
"Clear as thick water," Bravo said, robotically.
"Alpha Hoof?" Lyra asked Sweetie Drops.
"She runs the Manehatten Branch," She explained.
"Who's that with you?" Alpha asked.
"Just Agent Drops, Ma'am," Tango diverted by blocking her view of Lyra. "Have you experienced any of your tech being overwritten by hypnotic patterns or anything of the like?"
"Agent Tango, what's going on? Why hasn't the Hidequarters in Canterlot been responding to any of our calls?"
Tango and Bravo explained their situation to Alpha Hoof. They were completely cut off from their Hidequarters branch and only have whatever gadget and tech not infected with Honey Ray's hypno virus at their disposal. They too have been trying to get in contact with the other agencies with little luck until now. The four were surprised to hear that the Manehatten branch wasn't experiencing any of the issues Tango or Bravo listed regarding their tech being hacked. It must just be their region that's under Honey Ray's control.
"Listen, Alpha," Tango requested, "we're not fully equipped to deal with Caballeron or Honey Rays. Can the Manehatten branch send any kind of backup or extra equipment?"
"Negative, for now. If this Professor Honey Rays has initiated a full-frontal attack on our agency, we'll need to inform all branches of the crisis and counter act any move she may make on the rest of us."
Bravo groaned.
"What? They can't do that! We need the help like right now!"
Lyra got up to jump in and argue but Sweetie Drops advised her not to.
"This will require the complete acquiesce of every branch to initiate a collective counter strike," Alpha continued. "Until then, the remainder of Canterlot's S.M.I.L.E. agents are to remain inoperative."
"But what about Professor Honey Rays?!" Sweetie Drops argued. "She could be ready to take over the world at any minute. You want us to just wait for the other agencies to arrive while she gains access to S.M.I.L.E.'S top-secret, world breaking technology?"
"You're not equipped to deal with this kind of attack, Agent Drops," She said, sternly. "Rest assured, we'll get started on informing the other branches and send in backup pronto."
"Yes?!" said a voice from her end.
"Not you, Pronto, us pronto," Alpha Hoof said, looking over her shoulder.
Pronto groaned in disappointment and walked away with slouched arms.
"So, what exactly are we suppose to do in the meantime?" Sweetie Drops asked.
"For now, your orders are to keep a surveillance watch on Hidequarters and report back any changes," Alpha continued. "Honey Rays has already likely sent out a search party. So, keep to our policy and remain discreet at all times. I fear for what she has planned If all agents fall under her control as Agent Drops claims."
"You're looking at a complete global takeover, Agent Hoof," Sweetie Drops said.
"Slash monster invasion, slash auction, slash worldwide captivation," Lyra commented.
"Seriously, who is that?" Alpha Hoof inquired.
"Thank you, Alpha Hoof!" Tango said, anxiously searching for the escape key. "We'll be sure to keep you updated while we wait for further instructions."
"Wha-?"
"Okay bye!"
Tango quickly ended the transmission. She sighed. Then Bravo and Tango turned and stared angrily at Lyra and Sweetie Drops. Lyra grinned innocently while Sweetie Drops glared back with arms crossed.
"Look, I don't like it either, Agent Drops," Tango said. "But we have to follow protocol."
"Yup. Orders are orders," Bravo said.
Sweetie Drops sat down on a chair in frustration next to Lyra, who was playing with her hair nervously while glancing around at all the monitors facing them.
"Are you sure it's safe here, Bon Bon?" Lyra asked. "No screen is gonna pop up and brainwash us, is it?"
"It's fine, Lyra," Sweetie Drops assured, tiredly.
But Lyra began to panic a little at the thought of an actual criminal having control over everyone. She darted around the room and clutched her head.
"But what if we are next?! Are we gonna become mindless zombies like in that movie about a meteorite turning everyone into man eating monsters?!"
"No, Lyra," Sweetie Drops said, irritably. "I told you; This truck runs off its own network."
"Right, right, of course… But what if they release all the monsters you've captured onto the city, and consume everything like in that other movie we both saw last weekend?!"
"The kid watches way to many movies," Bravo said.
"So long as Honey Rays hasn't figured out how to hack other networks yet," Sweetie Drops assured, "then we're pretty safe in the Mobile Command Center."
This managed to calm Lyra a bit, followed by her own self assurance to stick by her friend's side when she agreed to help Sweetie Drops face this threat last night. Her friend needed her, and Lyra was ready to overcome any fears to stand by Sweetie Drops. She lets out a sigh of relief.
"You're right. I'm getting way over my head here. I said I would help, so I'll try and keep my cool. For you."
Sweetie Drops beamed, "And I promise I won't let anything happen to us or get worked up about you getting involved. After all,"
"Best,"
"Friends,"
"Forever!" They said in unison.
The two leaned in for hug.
"Yeah…" Bravo said, smugly. "Chief's not gonna be happy when he finds out your little friend knows about our organization."
Sweetie Drops groaned after they let go. "Like I'm not already stressed enough."
"Of all people," Tango said. "This outsider was the best you could do?"
"This outsider is my best friend," She said in defense. "You said we needed all the help we can get. And I'd trust Lyra with just about anything over the agency itself."
"And what's there not to trust about us, exactly?" Bravo said.
"How about Professor Honey Rays, for starters? You still haven't explained who she is or how she can access all of S.M.I.L.E.'S Devices?"
The two agents shared a glance.
"That's classified," Tango said.
"Uh, hello?" Sweetie Drops exclaimed. "I'm an agent too. You don't keep classified information from another agents."
"We do from those who joined before the incident," Bravo said. "Was the only way to put that mess to rest."
"What incident?" Lyra asked.
"Classified," He said, firmly. "Classified, especially to an outsider."
Lyra glared at him. Sweetie Drops felt like intervening until her best friend spoke up again, this time with a taunting smile.
"What about the entire organization's existence in general?" Lyra teased. "Aren't secret agents suppose to be discreet? 'Cause this Honey Rays lady sure knows an awful lot about you guys."
Tango and Bravo glared at her. Lyra motioned her arms out.
"Just joking.…"
"We don't really joke," Bravo admitted with a shrug. "Joking's just not our thing."
"But your organization is called S.M.I.L.E.," Lyra giggled.
"We never smile." His face didn't break.
"What are you talking about," Sweetie Drops joined in on the teasing. "I see you two cracking smirks all the time behind chief's back,"
"Never. Smiled," Bravo insisted.
"Then maybe your organization should be called F.R.O.W.N. instead," Lyra replied with a smirk.
Tango made a funny face. "Then what would the Friendship Rangers of Other Worldly Negotiations be called?"
"What is the Friendship Ranger…?"
"You go to Canterlot High, Right?" Tango asked. "Then I believe you know them as those seven girls who are often seen defending your school from outside forces."
Lyra gasped. "You mean?!"
"More or less," Sweetie Drops confirmed.
Tango began listing their names. "Code names are Purple Rose, White Lily, Orange Poppy, Pink Petunia, Blue Begonia, Yellow Daisy, and Red Helianthus."
"We call them the Flower Rangers for short," Bravo said, trying not to slip a smirk. "The Dog is in on it too."
"The agency alerts them when it's time for action, but they have no idea we exist!"
Lyra was in complete shock. Sweetie Drops knew more than the two agents let on but chose to remain silent on the matter.
"You sure they can't help us?" Bravo asked.
"They'll be too busy investigating the gold sparkles spotted around school campus, as well as the whereabouts of our friendly neighborhood dimension hopper we encountered last night."
"Hey, yeah, what was that all about, anyways?" Lyra asked. "You said a guy with a metal claw attacked you last night?"
"Affirmative," Tango nodded.
Sweetie Drops sighed in frustration over the subject change. She placed her elbow on the table and rested her face on her palm while the two agents explained their encounter. Bravo brought up surveillance footage taken last night. The video showed Tango and Bravo by the Wondercolt Statue at Canterlot High.
"We were trying to figure out why the chief wasn't responding to our comms," Tango explained. "And that's when he came through the portal."
Bravo fast forwarded the video to the point where the dimension hopper, known as Diesel 10, came through another portal from the statue's base. Sweetie Drops leaned up and watched the video upon seeing him. The giant, metal claw on his back caught both hers and Lyra's attention.
"There really is another portal in the school's statue," Sweetie Drops said, in disbelief.
"Another portal?!" Lyra asked, in shock. "When was there a first portal?"
Sweetie Drops chuckled sheepishly.
"A gateway to the other world where these monsters supposedly originated from appeared in your school's statue not long ago," Tango said.
"And now apparently there's another," Bravo said, robotically. "Leading to who knows where with another resident of said world breaking the same dimension crossing prohibitions as the others."
"Also, you know that girl Twilight Sparkle who occasionally visits our school?" Sweetie Drops asked.
"Don't tell me," Lyra said, nervously. "She came here through the first portal?! She's from another world, too?!"
Sweetie Drops nodded.
"Wow. Mind blown! You think that's where Sunset and those Siren girls came from too?"
She didn't answer though, as her attention quickly turned back to Tango and the monitor upon hearing more of her encounter with Diesel 10.
"We tried apprehending him. However, and I'm not saying that's what transpired, but he might've gotten the best of us. That's when he tried taking off with the dome head."
"Wait," Sweetie Drops said, worriedly. "What?!"
The clip fast forwards a bit more over the two agents attempting to confront and tackle Diesel 10. He tossed them into each other, however, and gloats over the dome head attached to the statue base's north portal. Sweetie Drops rose out of her seat when Diesel 10 ripped off the dome with his metal claw and escaped into the portal he came from right as it shoots the white beam into the breach with him.
At this point, Sweetie Drops had gone from overwhelming concern to down right furious. Sweetie Drops had done what she could to send him back while escaping Honey Rays in the process. She thought that Cale was finally sent home. But now it would seem her daring effort amounted to some strange metal claw man stealing the dome teleporter and directing Cale to another world that her or the agency never intended to send him.
"Bon Bon?" Lyra asked, concerned. "Everything okay?"
Sweetie Drops clenched her fists. "Let me get this straight; you both let this man interfere with the teleportation procedure, and in doing so, sending Cale off to another world that he isn't suppose to be in?!"
"Well, when you put it like that," Bravo said. "It sounds more degrading than it felt. A lot more degrading."
Lyra was still confused by what they were discussing, on top of finding out about the portals and where most of her school's magic shenanigans were coming from.
"Ohh. Poor Cale," Sweetie Drops paced the room with her palms to her cheeks. "He doesn't know where he is! What if the locals already spotted him! What if that metal claw man has him!"
"Bon Bon, calm down," Lyra said.
"Calm down?! How can I calm down at a time like this?" She gasped. "What if he wasn't brought to a river and is just sitting on some land field with no water in sight?!"
Bravo typed on his computer. "Coordinates show he is in fact submerged in a lake of sorts."
"He is? Then, he's still okay!" Sweetie Drops said excitedly, then became serious. "But for long? He's not allowed to be in that world. We have to… we have to enter that portal and find Cale!"
Tango slouched. "I was afraid you'd suggest that."
"Um," Lyra interjected, "Hate to keep butting in on your secret agency talk, but, who's Cale?"
"I believe she's referring to 'Internee Subject: Plesio, N.I.S.E.A.G. – 56534'."
This did very little to inform Lyra on Cale, as she just kept staring with wide, confused eyes.
"Uh, what?"
"Just call him Cale," Sweetie Drops assured. "And seeing how we won't be dealing with Professor Honey Rays head on just yet, I think we found ourselves a mission to undertake."
"We have? Great, let's hear it!" But then Lyra slouched nervously. "Wait, should you be telling me this?"
"No," Bravo said, bluntly.
"Well, since you now know about the portals, and the 'Flower Rangers' and all that," Sweetie Drops teased. "Might as well fill you in on another piece of classified info. Besides, you're now an official,"
"Unofficial!" Tango interrupted.
Sweetie Drops' face expressed annoyance then smiled again.
"Official, agent of S.M.I.L.E."
"Really?!" Lyra said, excitedly. "I'm a secret agent?!"
"For the time being," She said, ominously, "but when the mission's over,"
Lyra got up and waved her arms out.
"Woo-hoo!" She began dancing in celebration and chanted in a sing song tone. "I'm a secret agent, I'm a secret agent! We're going undercover, we're gonna fight some bad guys!"
Tango crossed her arms while Bravo groaned in annoyance. All Sweetie Drops did was smile sheepishly while watching her friend celebrate, despite already regretting this decision. She had to keep reminding herself of her promise, and not get worked up or become too over protective of Lyra becoming a S.M.I.L.E. agent.
"Okay, Lyra," Sweetie Drops said. "Don't get too excited. First we need to go over a plan to rescue Cale."
"Of course. I'm so ready I just can't wait to get started! Wait until our friends hear about this. They're gonna be so jealous."
Sweetie Drops crossed her arms and shot her a raised brow.
"Oh, wait," she grinned. "I forgot about the whole secret part. Heh-heh, uh, never mind."
The two kept smiling at each other, knowing they've got a lot to work on their hands now that they're both in this together.
After Donald & Douglas received their jobs from Lord Callen, the twins were put to work on the Misty Valley Branchline. Douglas was tasked with pulling passengers backwards and forwards down the line to its stations, which passed through the valley's countryside and town houses. Donald was given the job of hauling goods trains, which took him along the river, lakes and thick forests where ancient castle ruins lay waste. The two twins may be working separately for most of their day, but both knew they were still having a lot of fun; more fun than they've had in years almost.
Donald arrived at Callen Station to collect a load of trucks when he ran into Douglas, who was dropping off passengers at the station.
"You know, Donnie, this might juist be the greatest summer we've had," Douglas said. "I haven't felt this great aboot doin' work since we first came tae the Island."
"Aye, Doggie. I juist love it here. But A'm afraid A'd be stuck haulin' guids trains all day. When kin Ah pull passengers an' have a break from pullin' this muckle baggage?"
"When Lord Callen says so. Dinna fash yerself, Donald. Besides, you've got all ae castle loch tae yerself. A'd consider myself lucky if I was ye."
"You're right. You should see the lakes over by Lord Callen's estate," Donald boasted. "What a beauty it is."
"Wheesht, stop teasin' me with that now," He joked. "Ah, but then the mountain air and country view are a marvel tae behold as well. Plus, givin' me a break from you is also doin' wonders."
"Ah break from me, eh?" Donald raised his brow. "Ye weren't gettin' sick ae workin' with me before, were ye?"
"That depends; yer aren't missin' me already, are ye?"
Donald smirked. "Ah, wein wheesht. If anythin', A'm the one needin' a break from ye."
Douglas chuckled. "Oh, is that sae?"
"Aye, It is. An' A'll be enjoyin' my time away from ye fer the rest ae the day."
"Fine then. Go ahead. See if I care"
"I will."
"Guid."
"Agreed."
"Very guid."
"My thoughts exactly."
"No' before I."
A moment of silence followed, before the twins burst out into laughter.
"I really miss ye, Doggie."
"Och, me tae, Donnie. Me tae. But, it's no' like we aren't sharin' the same shed anymore. So, we'll be able tae catch up when the days end."
"That's true! An' maybe if I complete mah jobs on time, we kin take turns haulin' passengers and guids."
"The more variety the better," Douglas agreed. "Now away ye go. I got more passengers tae deliver."
"Aye, an' I've got timber tae haul around." Donald backed up into his shipment of wood timber strapped onto some flatbeds.
"You goin' doon the ol' causeway again?" Douglas asked.
"Yes, why?"
"Juist be careful when ye dae. It's still very old, an' I dinna very much like the rails bein' that close to watter."
"Ah," Donald grinned. "Ye scared of the monster, are ye?!"
"What?! No a'm no'! I'm juist tryna look out fer you, Donald. I cannae help the thought ae ye gettin' in a heap ae trouble crossin' that river. Besides, I told you there are nae monsters in Black Loch."
"Really? Then how dae ye explain that noise we heard by the river?"
Douglas was not about to let Donald have the upper hand of their little bickering.
"Easy. Yer juist hearin' things that are playin' tricks tae your imagination. Like the wind, or somethin' clogged in that wee boiler ae yours."
Donald grumbled a little. Finally, the guard blew his whistle after all the passengers have boarded his coaches and the doors shut behind.
"Say hello tae the monster fer me, will yah, Donald?" Douglas joked.
He blew his whistle and took off with his red and cream coaches. A bit insulted, Donald blew his whistle and took off with his shipment of timber.
Donald was pulling his last load of goods through the valley's thick forest. He liked puffing through the forest. The eerie pine trees and cloudy atmosphere truly reminded him of home. And the causeway he was approaching looked just as much like home as the rest of Sodor. Donald wasn't worried about the Causeway, but what Douglas warned about it was true. It was old, and hasn't been used in a long time. The Causeway is a single railway track on an embankment of earth and rocky masonry across a low piece of water. It stretched all the way out across Black Loch's huge lake like a bridge. It crosses between and cuts off the riving running down to the Island's coast and the prime lake itself near Lord Callen's Castle, which can be seen just along the edge of the lake a bit further away from the Causeway. Donald recalled seeing engines take the path recently, especially Harvey the Crane Engine, who he last saw puffing down the old causeway when he and Douglas needed to be rescued from a landslide.
At last, Donald reached the old Causeway and began puffing down the track with not a care in the world. Then he looked down at the thick, cerulean water, and thought about the noise he heard while him and Douglas were on their way to meet Lord Callen. Donald slowed down a bit, hoping he could hear the same, lonely cry again. He looked towards the lake, and then the river. But there was nothing to be heard other than his own chuffing. The river was just as bare as it was when they arrived, with barely any rippling breezing the static surface of water.
Then, as Donald shrugged it off and continued chuffing with the puff of his deep-toned whistle, he heard a strange, soothing cry. And to his bewilderment, it was the same exact one he heard this morning. Donald applied his brakes and came to an anxious stop. He looked around nervously to spot where it came from. But there was still nothing to be seen in the river below. Donald blew his whistle again. This time the deep, unearthly wailing grew louder, loud enough to rumble a few stone off the causeway and rattle the tracks beneath him. Donald nearly skipped a breath when this happened, and was too speechless to make any sudden noise. But he had to know what was making all this noise.
"W-w-who's there?!" He called.
There was no response. Donald waited forever for any kind of sound. He could only make out the rippling water, now splashing against the causeway. He chuckled nervously.
"M-maybe Doggie's right. Maybe is juist the wind after all."
He tried taking off again. But it wasn't long until he felt the tracks beneath him rumble again, along with the causeway itself, which shook him along with them. He looked out into the river to his left. The water's rippling became more consistent, and waved faster and faster. Donald could barely see through the cerulean water obstructing the depths below. However, it wasn't until he saw immense, glowing red eye swimming towards him did Donald start to panic.
Before he knew it, a creature of unspeakable proportions splashed out and emerged from the water. It had a smooth head, a round, curved muzzle, and a thin neck longer than Donald himself. Their eyes stopped glowing when they reached surface level, and water sprinkled down on a drenched Donald, who could only watch with absolute shock as the plesiosaurus like monster cried out a much more relaxing call upon complete emergence from the river.
Donald had no words. He gasped loudly upon seeing them floating there in the river beside him, but that was all he could do while he stared in surprise. He had to ask himself if this was a dream. Whenever an engine thought they've seen a monster, it was only a silhouette of a building structure, trees, or other silly objects. But this wasn't Donald's eyes playing tricks on him. This had to be it, this had to be the Loch Ness Monster itself. The soothing cries and raining droplets from the beast's scaly fiber felt all to real.
"Y-y-you! It-It cannae be!" Donald stuttered. "Ye cannae be the Loch Ness Monster! Doggie says yer no' real! Then... How are ye here?!"
The Monster looked to Donald with its head tilted sideways. They've never seen anything like Donald in all their years submerged under water. A train with a face was almost just as shocking as Donald finding out their existence to be true. The more it looked at Donald, the fonder it became. Then they tried creasing their mouth into a smile while greeting him with a gentle call. But because they had trouble doing so, it only frightened Donald more as his teeth clattered and boiler shivered. There was no knowing what he should do now.
'Should you stand before the monster itself,' Douglas' words repeated, 'there be no escapin' from its mighty wrath!'
Too frightened to utter another word, Donald quickly reversed back down the line and away from the monster with a toot of his whistle. Confused and upset, the Monster watched him trying to make a hasty exit. They quickly reached its fin over to the end of his train and blocked the path, which jerked Donald, caused the brake van to collide with their fin and blocked him from leaving. Donald was terrified. The Monster was trying to stop him from escaping. He tried puffing forward, but the Monster got in his way again when he leaned his face in Donald's way. Donald applied his brakes hard and reversed back slowly the more they hovered closer to him.
"Please, Miss Nessie!" He Beg. "Don' eat me! I'm no' edible!"
But the Monster followed him closer and closer, with its giant red eyes examining him. Donald finally stopped, seeing no escape, and braced for the worst upon shutting his eyes tight. The Monster, meeting Donald face to face, leaned in a lot closer and began sniffing him. They could see Donald whimpering and rattling from boiler to wheel. He was deeply afraid and unprepared for what they did next. Wanting to cheer him up, the Monster nudged him with his round nose to get his attention. Peaking through his squinted eyes, he saw the Monster stick their tongue out slightly and reached over to give a gentle lick of his firebox. This gave him a shock for sure as Donald's eyes shot up to see the Monster pulsating a call that echoed all over, almost like he was chuckling a little. Donald didn't know how to respond. He expected the Monster to eat him right here and now, but he didn't.
"You're-you're no' gonna eat me?"
The creature shook its head. Donald gasped.
"An' ye can understand wha' a'm sayin'?"
They nodded with a calming call. Seeing them respond to his questions slowly put Donald at ease. It didn't look like they wanted to hurt him. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around this, however, but he also marveled over the thought of being the first engine, maybe the first thing ever to spot and make contact with Nessie herself. Now he was becoming intrigued with the Creature, and had a lot more questions than before.
"Wow! This is all sae amazin'. The real Loch Ness Monster here on Sodor! Wait til me brother hears aboot this. Where did ye come from? Are ye really from Scotland?"
The Creature moved its head to direct Donald down the river to his left while wailing a lonely cry.
"Um, does that mean ye are? I'm from Scotland tae, you know?"
They turned back to face him again, looking more intrigued when Donald began his story.
"Me an' me brother were supposed tae be scrapped, until Sir Topham Hatt ordered us tae come work on his Railway. But, he only ordered one Caledonian engine. Sae, he thought ae sendin' one of us away. But, over time, we both proved our worth tae the Railway. An' when we did, we were allowed tae stay here forever."
The creature cried out, almost like it sounded happy.
Donald smiled. "That's juist most ae it though. What aboot you, why are ye here, Nessie? Nobody else has seen ye yet, have they?"
Although they shook their head, Donald didn't know what he was responding to. They didn't answer his other questions with a call either. Instead, the Creature looked down into the water, and dove back in head first. Donald was curious at first but then became alarmed.
"Wait! Where are ye goin'?"
Donald watched them dive back in the river with their long tail emerged out for a brief moment until it sunk back in with the rest of them.
"Come back!"
He tried blowing his whistle, but the Creature was already gone. Donald waited for what felt like a long minute. Right as he was about to give up, he felt the rails and causeway begin to shake again, and the rippling water bounced and waved. Donald didn't know what was happening. He saw their glowing red eyes emerging from the depths again along with a roaring thunder.
With a momentous splash out of the water and a soothing call, the Creature completely rose from the river so quickly that it leaped right above Donald in an attempt to jump over the Causeway. The Creature flew over Donald with a rain of droplets showing down on him again. But instead of being frightened, Donald was purely amazed at the majestic sight of Nessie back-flipping inches above his funnel. This was nothing he's ever seen before, and yet everything he hoped to see in the Loch Ness Monster. He could see upon closer inspection that they had opalish gray scales, and blusish gray textures beneath his stomach, fins and long tail, which slowly but surely passed above Donald and caught up with the rest of them now submerging under water upon landing. Reaching the other side, the Creature dove back in then emerged from the water to meet Donald face to face again. Donald could almost make out a pleased smile on the Creature as they gurgled excitedly.
"That was incredible!" Donald exclaimed. "You really are somethin', Nessie."
The Creature leaned in close to Donald and gently nuzzled his face with his nose. Donald chuckled the more they did. The Creature finished and looked at him with his head tilted again.
"Well, I best be gettin' back tae deliverin' this lumber."
Donald blew his whistle and began puffing away. The Creature watched while letting out a lonely cry.
"Dinna go anywhere while A'm gone," He instructed. "Ah need tae introduce ye tae me brother. He's no' gonna believe it when he sees,"
But as Donald tried to exit the Causeway, the Creature leaned their head in the way and prevented him from leaving. Donald was confused and a bit annoyed at first, until they let out the same lonely cry again. He could see that Nessie appeared very sad to see him leave, even though he wouldn't be gone long, and promised to return again.
"Ach. A'm sorry, Nessie. But I cannae stay here all day. A've got work tae dae. But, dinna fesh yerself. I'll be sure tae meet with ye again first thing tomorrow. How's that sound?"
The Creature wailed, which frightened Donald into thinking they might do something rash to keep him here. But all they did was hang their head dejectedly while they leaned back up and turned their neck way from him, allowing Donald to exit Black Loch's Causeway despite their contempt over the notion. Donald felt sorry for them. They must be all alone out here. Then he came up with an idea.
"Okay, okay," he smiled, reassuringly. "How aboot I stay fer a little while longer, until it's high time fer me tae get back tae my special job."
They looked over to a beaming Donald. After a while of pondering, even trying to express that they were thinking really hard on it, the Creature turned and responded with a happy call and gentle nod. Donald smiled and reversed back down to the Causeway's middle while the Creature eagerly swam over to meet him. The creature soothed a chuckling Donald's face with their nose again.
"Aw, there ye go," He assured. "You won't be sae lonely anymore. I promise. Because now you've got a friend."
They leaned up and let out a wailing call. Its a wonder nobody hasn't heard these strange, otherworldly noises yet and made their way over to Castle Loch to spot possibly the greatest sight they'll ever see in their lives.
"Well then, since A'll be stayin' a while, why don't I tell ye about me brother?" Donald began laughing. "He's sure tae have his funnel stuffed with soot when he finds the Loch Ness Monster knows more aboot him that even he does!"
The Creature made a noise to mimic his laughter too. And for the rest of their afternoon, Donald began telling stories about him and his brother Douglas, while an ecstatic Cale listened with bliss.
To Be Continued.