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The Fat Controller came to see the engines one day.
"All right, everyone,"
he said. "We need another engine. I have written to the Other Railway, and-"
"It's Diesel," chorused the engines.
"Well,
yes," said the Fat Controller.
"Why do you keep bringing him here?" asked Henry.
"Because he's cheap."
Diesel arrived
later that day. "Haha," he said. "I'll show you steam engines how efficient an ultra-modern diesel engine can be compared
to you outdated heaps of rust."
"Even though every time you come here you consistently manage to cause trouble?" said Edward.
"Actually, I can't think of a single instance when you haven't."
"Quiet! I'm ultra-modern-"
"I understand you're based
on a design that's over fifty years old," said Emily. "In fact, Boco, Daisy, Derek, Rusty, Mavis, Diesel 10 and The Diesel
are all based on designs now obsolete. Hmm."
"The Diesel? I thought he was here," said Percy stupidly because he's an idiot.
"No,"
said Edward. "You're confusing The Diesel with Diesel. The Diesel came here, caused a lot of bad feeling, but was ultimately
destroyed by his own hubris with the help of Duck. He's a totally different engine."
"Oh, right," said Percy. "What does
'different' mean?"
"Well, anyway, time I started spreading bad rumours," said Diesel. "Watch out for the ghost, Percy.
They say it flies around and does something bad and unspecified."
Percy was scared. Since every ghost, monster and paranormal
being encountered by the engines so far had turned out to be a fake, this one had to be real.
"On an unrelated matter,
Percy," said the Fat Controller, "I need you to visit that branch line that we never mentioned before. You know, the one that
doesn't seem to go anywhere useful. And I need you to go there at midnight."
"Why?" asked Percy.
"Them that asks no
questions isn't told a lie," said the Fat Controller.
That night, Percy went along the mysterious branch line with the
strange package the Fat Controller had given him. The trees by the lineside looked very spooky, and a fog like dry ice covered
the track. They soon arrived at the station.
"Well, Percy, we'll have to stay here overnight. And by 'we', I mean 'you'."
said the driver. He walked off. In the fog, everything looked spooky.
Suddenly, Percy saw something that made his wheels
wobble. It was a scary glowing engine which puffed along the track and looked like a repainted version of one of the regular
characters. Percy was terrified.
The next day, Percy told his driver what he had seen. His driver laughed. Then he walked
along the line. He returned with the spooky engine Percy had seen the previous day.
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