The last part of the Diesel saga, and it's only been a day? Wow, that was fast! I enjoy the original episode, despite it flaws, mostly because of Diesel's clenched teeth face. XD I think this tells Diesel's POV during "A Close Shave" quite well, don't you agree?
ThomasAngryBirds' Remakes and Stories
Remake 30: Diesel Off the Quay
Based on "The World's Strongest Engine" by Paul Larson
"...but you must go to Edward's station for a while. I know he will be glad to see you."
"Beg pardon, sir, do you mean now?"
"Yes please."
"As you wish, sir." A tear rolled down Duck's cheek and he sadly left Tidmouth for Wellsworth. In the sheds, Diesel smirked feeling victorious.
"Bye, bye, Ducky!" he snickered to no one in particular.
Duck settled nicely at Wellsworth, and was happy working with Edward, and he became friends with Zoey the E4, and even Bill and Ben, although they did tease him on occasion.
Duck worked with Edward in shunting coaches and trucks, and occasionally helped pushing foreign trains up Gordon's hill, but the three big engines never once spoke to him, and it was understandable as to why.
The evening after Duck arrived at Wellsworth, Edward decided to have a talk with Diesel.
"Duck says you've been telling lies about him," he said crossly, "and why is that?"
"He made me look like a fool, and the trucks laughed at me!" Diesel said, "Are you that senile to forget what happened?"
Edward didn't take kindly to Diesel's attitude, and held firm. "I believe you were so full of yourself, you didn't listen," he said, "the Fat Controller would never approve of behavior like this, Diesel. It's better to listen rather than act 'revolutionary'."
"Pah!" hissed Diesel, "You steam engines are too slow to get started up! If you were a diesel like me, there's a touch on the starter, some oil, and there's no bother or waiting!"
Edward said no more. So far, what he did know, was that Diesel tried to prove he didn't need help, and blamed it all on Duck.
The next morning, Diesel had arranged the Flying Kipper for Henry to take to Barrow-in-Furness. Diesel groaned in disgust at the smell of fish.
"Yech!" he cried, "How does that Henry put up with such a stench?"
He finished arranging the vans for the Flying Kipper, and hastily scuttled away to arrange Gordon's and James' passenger trains. Gordon's express was shunted onto platform 1, and James' stopping passenger at platform 3.
After Henry left with the Flying Kipper, Gordon and James backed down onto their respective trains.
"You know, I spoke to Henry at the harbor," said Diesel.
"It better not be about Duck," grumbled James.
"It isn't," said Diesel, "Henry thinks that red is a silly excuse for a color, and he said it makes you, James, look like a fire engine on rails, only without rescue equipment!"
James was cross! "He said that?!"
"He did," Diesel continued lying, "and Gordon, Henry thinks that you're too fat to pull the express."
"Really?!" Gordon nearly shrieked.
"Henry's words, not mine," lied Diesel. James and Gordon were furious! They thought Henry was their friend.
"Wait until I show that Stanier what a proud Gresley engine like me can do!" hissed Gordon.
"I'll show Henry what a splendid red engine is capable of as well!" agreed James. Gordon's express departed, followed minutes later by James. When James' train left, Diesel laughed to himself.
"Silly steam engines!" he chuckled, "Soon they'll be so cross at each other, Sir Topham Hatt will have no choice but to turn to diesels! Oh, I am so clever!"
That evening in the sheds, Gordon and James were arguing long and loud with Henry.
"How DARE you call me fat!" Gordon hissed fiercely.
"And I can't believe you'd call me a fire engine!" added James.
"I'd never say those things!" protested Henry, "Why do you think I'd call you that, huh?!"
Also in the sheds was Belle. She stayed in the back of the sheds and tried to sleep to avoid the noisy arguments, but it was no use.
The Fat Controller heard the arguing from his office and sighed.
"Hmm," he said, "I have a hunch as to who's the cause of this..."
The next day, Diesel was sent to do shunting at Knapford Harbor on Thomas' branchline, leaving the mainline engines to arrange their own trains. Toby and Percy had been told the events involving Diesel, and they needed to be cautious.
"Be careful at the quay, and don't go past the danger sign," said Toby.
"Why shouldn't I?" Diesel asked.
"I ignored the sign and fell into the sea," explained Percy.
Then Diesel began to laugh hard. "You fell into the sea and ignored a warning?!" he laughed, "You lot are sillier than I thought!"
Percy felt upset, but Toby was not impressed with Diesel's attitude.
"It's not nice to laugh at one's misfortunes!" he said crossly, "Apologize at once, Diesel!"
"Why should I, you old shack on rails?" Diesel taunted, "Your type is outdated, and diesel trams are taking over, and you might be replaced yourself!"
"You'll be saying that on the other side of your engine if you don't start working!" Toby said firmly. Diesel was taken aback, and scowled. Then he growled away to shunt trucks.
Diesel was cross; he wanted to prove diesels were better than steam engines. Then he had a cheeky idea.
"Driver," he said, "what if we arranged all the trucks into a long line? It'll save us a lot of time!"
"It'd be better if we did it in several trips," said Diesel's driver.
"It'll save us a lot of time," Diesel insisted, "can we?"
"Oh, all right," sighed the driver, "but if we get into a mishap, not my fault."
Diesel chuckled to himself. He felt he could prove himself useful to the Fat Controller.
Soon, Diesel arranged a long line of twenty-five trucks ready to go to Ffarquhar. Percy and Toby were resting and observed the scene.
"What's that smelly black box doing?" Percy asked.
"Apparently, he wants to prove his strength," replied Toby.
Diesel soon ran around the train and buffered up, his cab in the direction of the quay. He was unaware that the shunters set the brakes on the trucks while he was shunting. He didn't know the Fat Controller had planned it all along!
"Push! Push! Push!" called the trucks. So Diesel pushed as hard as he could, but the trucks barely budged a yard.
"That's funny," said Diesel, "their brakes were off when I shunted them. Ah well, I'll pull anyway! Come on, driver! Put me into reverse so I can pull these silly buggers!"
So Diesel's driver put his engine into reverse, and Diesel pulled as hard as he could, unaware that the chain between him and the trucks was tightening, and was getting weaker and weaker.
"Heave ho! Heave ho! You can pull, but we won't go!" sang the trucks, and laughed even harder. Percy and Toby also began to laugh at Diesel's predicament.
This made Diesel crosser than ever!
"AAAAAGGGHHH!" he shrieked, "THAT'S IT!" With a sudden jerk, Diesel's driver fell out of the cab, and Diesel shot backwards like a rocket!
"Heeeeelp!"
Diesel landed cab first into a barge!
"Grease and oil!" cried Diesel, and the trucks laughed so hard they cried. Even the workmen, Percy and Toby laughed.
"Trucks are waiting in the Yard; tackling them with ease'll..."
"Not that stupid song again!" sobbed Diesel.
"Serves you right!" laughed Percy.
"...pop goes the Diesel!"
Diesel was brought back to Tidmouth by Percy and Toby with Rocky's help. The Fat Controller and the big engines were waiting. The Fat Controller pointed an angry finger at Diesel.
"I know it was you telling lies about Duck!" he thundered crossly. Diesel gulped.
"I-I-I didn't do anything," Diesel protested.
"Your lies won't fool me!" snapped the Fat Controller, "Ever since you came here, you've caused nothing but trouble! You've told lies to the big engines and you've wanted to make life here a disaster! You've lied about Duck, delayed James' goods, lied about Henry, and now you throw yourself off the quay at Knapford Harbor!"
Diesel felt nervous now; Gordon, Henry and James glared angrily at Diesel, and so did Percy and Toby.
"You should've known than to do that," said Toby firmly. Diesel just sulked.
"You will be sent back to the other railway," continued the Fat Controller, "and they will decide your punishment. It's clear you're not fit to work!"
Then he turned to the three big engines.
"And as for you three!" he continued, "I thought you knew better than to jump to conclusions before knowing the truth! You shouldn't listen to rumors, and I expect all my engines to live together like a family! Do I make myself clear?!"
"Yes sir," Henry, Gordon and James replied meekly.
"We understand now that Duck was innocent," said Henry sadly.
"We were wrong to judge him without listening to his side of the story," added Gordon.
"We want him back!" whimpered James. Just then, the stationmaster ran up to the Fat Controller.
"There's been an accident at Crosby," he said, "Duck's ran into a barber shop and has been chased by runaway trucks."
"I see," said the Fat Controller, "Percy! Take me to Crosby as quick as you can."
"Yes, sir," said Percy, and so the Fat Controller hopped aboard Percy, and the little green engine set off to Crosby.
Duck's accident had been caused by runaway trucks, and Duck held them back much as he could to prevent an accident. Fortunately, he swerved onto a siding before he hit Belle's coaches, but unfortunately, a barber shop was set up at the end of a siding, hence the accident.
The Fat Controller and the barber praised Duck for his actions, and the barber forgave Duck for wrecking his shop. A few days later, Duck was repaired and there was a rousing welcome for his return.
"We're sorry we didn't listen to you," said Gordon, "will you ever forgive for being so..."
"Disgraceful?" asked Edward.
"Disgusting?" added Toby.
"Despicable?" finished Thomas.
"Of course I can," smiled Duck, and I'm glad to say that all the engines are friends again. As for Diesel, he had been sent away in disgrace, and the other railway scolded him for his bad behavior. His visit to Sodor was one he would never forget. But the engines were glad he was sent away.
"Even the troublesome trucks can do us a favor sometimes," said Percy.
"Yes they can," agreed Thomas, but even so, the engines were wise enough not to thank the trucks; just in case it might make them more troublesome.
Served Diesel right, didn't it? Ah well. I thought I made him quite a bully in this one. That accident really did have karma biting Diesel in the engine block. Next saga: Ffarquhar Diesel Engines!
