One day, BoCo was shunting some trucks of China clay at the Sodor China Clay Works.
He was just shunting the brakevan when he felt a bump behind him.
"Ah!' he exclaimed as he rammed the brakevan into his trucks.
BoCo scowled crossly when he recovered.
"Don't act like I don't know where you are, you two!"
"Aww... You ruined our fun!" groaned familiar voices.
Bill and Ben puffed up to BoCo, one on each side.
"Now, I know you like playing tricks, but you must learn there is a limit." said BoCo.
"But BoCo, we're not doing any harm!" complained Ben.
A horn sounded, and Bill and Ben looked nervous.
"Having problems, BoCo?" chuckled Derek, who was arriving with some empties.
"Just a bit. Nothing important." replied BoCo.
Derek laughed.
"If it involves the twins, it's probably important."
BoCo chuckled as Derek shunted his trucks on a siding.
"Of course we're important. We pull China clay! Nothing's as important as that!" boasted the twins cheekily and they puffed away, laughing.
BoCo ignored them as he honked his horn and he scurried away.
As he rolled along the branch line, he began to wonder how Edward kept Bill and Ben in order so easily.
"How does he do it...?" he thought.
He arrived at Suddery, where Edward was waiting with a passenger train.
"Hello, BoCo! You're looking rather down," observed the old engine.
BoCo sighed.
"I am, a bit. It's Bill and Ben. They always pull tricks on me, and I don't know if I can keep up."
Edward smiled.
"They do that to me too, but I just tell them I'll tell the Fat Controller, and they stop at once. It's actually simple."
BoCo sighed again.
"I wish I had something like that. Just for once, I'd like them to get a taste of their own medicine."
Suddenly, he got an idea.
BoCo grinned to himself.
"Yes... that could work!" he thought.
"Goodbye, Edward!" called BoCo and he set off for Brendam.
"Later!" replied Edward just as his guard blew his whistle, and the blue engine puffed away.
At the Docks, engines were bustling about and cranes were unloading and loading trucks as usual.
"My, it sure is busy today." said BoCo gravely just as a very tired Porter puffed by.
His cheeks were pink from all the hard work.
"Porter, you don't look so good." BoCo frowned.
"I'm not... Now I know why the Fat Controller brought me here. I usually do well with the work, but today's just too much!"
BoCo felt sorry for Porter as he was coupled up to some empty China clay trucks.
He smirked as he scurried along the track toward the China Clay Works.
"Now I'll show those two." he chuckled.
As he oiled through the entrance, Bill and Ben were bumping the trucks about.
"Hello BoCo!" called Bill, "How was your run?"
BoCo smiled.
"Fine, just fine."
BoCo suddenly remembered.
"Say, did I ever tell you that I have a twin?"
The twin looked confusingly at each other.
"What?! Since when did you have a twin?" they asked in unison.
BoCo laughed.
"Yep, indeed I do, believe it or not. His name is CoBo."
"CoBo? What a weird name," said Ben."
"Then again, 'BoCo' is also a weird name." chuckled Bill and the twins burst into laughter.
BoCo sighed in exasperation.
"Well yes, I have a twin, so there's that. Now if you excuse me, I have to get filled up on fuel." and BoCo set off for the fuel depot.
But unknown to them, Derek had overheard the entire conversation.
"BoCo has a twin...?" he wondered.
Derek tried hard not to think about it as he raced into Knapford Yards for his coaches, but it was too strange for him to comprehend.
As Derek was coupled up to the coaches, Edward noticed something strange about Derek.
"Derek, is there something on your mind?" he asked.
Derek looked over thoughtfully.
"I'm just a bit troubled, Edward. Actually, I'm more confused than anything."
Edward cocked an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because BoCo said at the Clay Pits that he has a twin named CoBo. Must be some Diesel on the Other Railway or something. He must miss him or something... He seemed a bit bitter when he told Bill and Ben." Derek explained.
Now Edward was confused.
"I guess he does miss him, but why hasn't he told me?" Edward asked.
"Maybe he was just too sad to tell you." suggested Derek, but Edward wasn't so sure.
"I guess... A visit from him would be nice. We do need a little help, and I'm sure it'd please BoCo." Edward said and he chuffed over to the station to explain the situation to the Fat Controller.
The Fat Controller was enjoying a hamburger at M. C. Bunn when Edward arrived.
He whistled to get the stout gentleman's attention.
The Fat Controller was startled and almost dropped his hamburger.
"Er, what is it, Edward?" he asked, adjusting his top hat.
"Sir, may I make a suggestion?" Edward asked, trying not to laugh.
"Go on ahead."
"Well, I thought it'd be nice if BoCo's twin, CoBo, came to Sodor. BoCo would be pleased, I'm sure."
The Fat Controller scratched his chin.
"That doesn't make sense... Ever since his arrival, BoCo's said nothing of a twin. Are you sure he exists?"
"Yes, sir." said Edward, "BoCo was just too sad about saying goodbye that he never told anyone."
The Fat Controller nodded.
"Hmm... Seems to make sense. Alright then; I'll make the arrangements!" and the Fat Controller gulped down his hamburger.
Edward grinned and puffed back to his branch line.
During the rest of the day, Edward said nothing about "CoBo" to BoCo; he wanted to keep his visit a surprise.
The next morning, after a phone call to the Other Railway, he stormed into Winston.
"What's happened, sir?" asked Winston worriedly.
"A responsible engine lied to me! I can't believe it!" the Fat Controller cried as Winston scurried away.
Winston drove to Wellsworth Sheds, where Edward was chatting with BoCo.
"Edward!" the Fat Controller boomed, "Why did you lie to me yesterday?"
Edward's mouth went agape.
"Sir, I don't understand." Edward said worriedly, "I'd never lie."
"Well, you did yesterday! CoBo isn't a real engine!" the Fat Controller said with his hands on his hips.
BoCo looked frantically from side to side, worrying if he was going to be in trouble.
"But Derek told me yesterday." said Edward confusingly.
Now the Fat Controller was confused.
Then he noticed BoCo looking nervous, and the controller grew stern again.
"BoCo... was it you who caused this 'CoBo' nonsense?"
BoCo looked down at his buffers in shame.
"I... I was only trying to give Bill and Ben a taste of their own medicine, but I guess Derek overheard and it got out of control. I'm sorry, sir." BoCo said sadly.
"Well... I suppose there's no real harm done... Besides a bit of yelling from the Other Railway Controller... But I will give Bill and Ben a talking to if they're affecting you that much."
BoCo smiled, very grateful.
"Thank you, sir!" and the Fat Controller left.
Edward looked at BoCo.
"...well...that was odd."
BoCo frowned.
"I'm sorry..."
Edward then smiled.
"It's alright; you're still a bit younger than me." he said.
BoCo grinned.
At the Clay Pits, Bill and Ben were scolded by the harsh words of the Fat Controller and their manager.
"You twins have caused confusion. Being harsh with your tricks is becoming a problem is putting it bluntly." the Fat Controller finished.
As the two men walked away, Bill and Ben were just looking at each other worriedly.
After the lecture, Fergus puffed in.
"Well, I suppose you heard the news."
"What news?" asked Ben crossly.
"BoCo was irritated by your tricks, so he tried to put a stop to it. He, however, could've choosen a better method, but you still were punished by the Fat Controller. Remember, do it right!" Fergus chuffed.
Bill and Ben were just speechless as Fergus chuckled away.