"Since I can't amuse myself by being a proper diesel engine, I've decided to become a villain. I've set dangerous plans in motion, using lies, prophecies, and stories about wicked dreams to set my fellow Diesel and the Fat Controller against each other. If Sir Topham Hatt is as honest and fair-minded as I am deceitful and cruel, then Diesel is going to be locked away in prison today because of a prophecy that "Diesel" will murder his steam engines. Oh, time to hide what I'm thinking—here comes Diesel."
The doors opened slowly, and in came Diesel, assisted by Den and Dart. The black diesel bore a scowl on his face, something that gave Diesel 10 some small amusement- after all, what else was new?
"Good afternoon, Diesel!" He oiled coyly. "Whatever have you done this time?"
"The Fat Hatt is so concerned about his personal safety that he has ordered them to keep me confined to the Dieselworks until further notice," Diesel answered bitterly.
"Why? What have you done?"
"Because my name is Diesel!" The black diesel spluttered in disbelief. "The absolute nerve!"
"That's not your fault! He should imprison your designer, instead. Maybe the Fat Controller is sending you here r to have you renamed." He mused, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Needless to say, his counterpart wasn't amused.
"But, really, what's going on, Diesel? Can you tell me?"
"I'll tell you as soon as I know, because at this point I have no idea." Diesel oiled. "All I've been able to figure out is that our worthy Top has been speaking to his engines about prophecies and dreams. He picked out the name "Diesel" from the lot of us and said a wizard in said dream told him that this "Diesel" will take the get rid of his engines! He thinks "Diesel" is me." He finished, seeming to formulating a plan of rebellion against his controller.
"Well, this is what happens when Sudrians let themselves be ruled by their engines," Diesel 10 crooned softly. "The Fat Controller isn't the one sending you here, Diesel. It's that Lady! Yes, she's who got him to do this," Here, Diesel 10 began to drift off, and a look of pure evil spread across his face. Memories of his chase with Lady and Thomas, and oh God, that Burnett Stone...He grew angrier and angrier just thinking about it!
"Remember how she and her driver, Burnett Stone, made him send Splatter and Dodge to the scrapyard? And Sidney too, long ago? Sidney was just able to make it out alive, and he's come back to work." He lowered his voice ominously, and oiled over to his black companion. "We're not safe, my friend, we're not safe..."
"By Jove, I think the only engines who are safe are the Fat Hatt's wrath are his precious steamies! Not once, has he ever gone out of his way to save one of us, no sir!" Diesel agreed wholeheartedly. "Did you hear how poor Sidney had to beg him to be put back in service?"
"Sidney got his freedom by bowing down to that worthy Top," Diesel 10 replied evenly. "And I'll tell you what. If we want to stay in the Fat Controller's good graces, we're going have to act like the steam engines too."
His companion was puzzled. The larger diesel rolled eyes. Why was he not surprised Diesel didn't get it...? Nonetheless, he continued.
"Take a look at Mavis and Paxton, Sidney as well; Ever since they've made themselves practical servants of the Sir Topham Hate, they have become mighty busybodies on Sodor. Look at all the respect they get, compared to us lowlives!" He explained, hoping his compatriot would actually get it this time. Diesel looked like he was about to answer, but Den's voice interrupted his statement.
"I beg pardon, Diesel 10, sir," Den began. "But the Fat Controller gave me and Dart orders that no one, including yourself, should speak to Diesel until further notice."
"Yes," Dart cut in smoothly. "I beg you to pardon us, and now please stop talking to Diesel. Fat Controller's orders."
Diesel growled, remembering what the Fat Controller had said. It was true; the naughty diesel had been told he was to be shut up in the Dieselworks, basically isolated from life itself until further notice. Oh the indignity...
The arrangement bothered Diesel 10 as well. It was so unfair, how his fellow diesels were treated, compared to the Fat Controller's so-called angelic steam engines. Even Mavis and Paxton got more respect than he! What was he doing wrong?
However, the ochre Diesel had a plan in motion. And Diesel was just the beginning of it.
"Well, I must go then," Diesel muttered bitterly. "I'll explain whenever I can, Diesel 10 sir. Good afternoon to you, yes?" And with that, he slunk away to a far corner of the Dieselworks, which would be considered his jail cell for the time being.
"And a good afternoon to you too, Diesel, of course, so far as 'good' goes..." Diesel 10 responded, evenly.
"Go walk the path that you will never return from. Dumb, honest Diesel," He groused evilly, as soon as Diesel, Den and Dart were out of sight. "I love you so much that I'll send your soul to heaven very soon—if heaven will accept anything from me, that is..." He looked at the ground, at his shadow. That poor deformed, shadow. The poor, ugly, diesel engine that he was. It was a good thing he was alone; he could start crying any minute. But no, he realized. That wasn't his style.
It was never fair. For years he had taken the slack. And now, someone was going to pay for it. Dearly.
"The Fat Controller won't live, I hope." He said to himself, a broad smile breaking over his face like the dawn of a new day. "But he'd better not die till Diesel is sent packing... I'll go see the Fat Controller and, with carefully argued lies, get him to hate Diesel even more than he already does. If my plan succeeds, Diesel won't have another day to live. Then God's free to send Sir Topham to heaven, too, and leave me Sodor to chug around in! I'll even get that Lady, to do run the island with me. So what if I crashed her, once So what if Burnett Stone's kicked the bucket? The best way to make up for the engine's losses is to become what she's lost:
a friend.
A driver.
A confidante...
So that's what I'll do, not because I care about the engine but because I'll get something out of it. But I'm running ahead of myself. Diesel is still alive; Sir Topham Hatt is not only alive, he's in charge. Only when they're dead and gone can I start to count my gains..." He murmured to no one in particular.
And with that, he slunk away into the shadows.
...
A new update! Hope you all are enjoying it so far! I made this part longer to make up for my too short opening :P Heads up - I'm also going to be cutting down some unnecessary scenes to better accommodate my story.