Daisy Blooms

Thomas was glad to be back on his branchline. His two coaches Annie and Clarabell were also very happy to have their favorite blue tank engine back as well. While Percy was at the works being mended, Daisy filled in for him. At first Thomas eyed the diesel railcar with distrust. But when he saw how hard working she was, he was so impressed that he forgot to be suspicious. Later that day he met up with Toby.

"I must admit Toby, my good friend. That Daisy has certainly proved to be a very useful engine." Thomas said.

"Yes indeed." Toby said proudly. "She certainly has changed for the better."

"I heard she was the cause of Percy's accident."

"Oh she was." Toby said. "But I managed to get through to her."

"How so?" Thomas asked.

And this was the story Toby told.

It was a few days ago on the day of Percy's accident. Toby was bringing the Milk van to it's designated station. The same Milk van Daisy was supposed to take. And speak of the devil, Toby saw Daisy proudly pulling up to the station letting her passengers off.

"Ah, Toby. Doing the job of what steam engines do, I see. That's a good engine. Let us real and proper engines do our own." Daisy said, smugly.

At last Toby lost patience with the diesel railcar as he sneered at Daisy's smug face and attitude.

"And I suppose YOU know what proper work is?" Toby hissed.

"Yes." Daisy said, smugly again. "We diesels are the future of the railway. We are up to date. We can go faster than any of you."

"We had a diesel here who said the same things you're saying."

Daisy lit up in delight.

"Oh! Another diesel? Splendid! Where can I meet this diesel?" Daisy said happily.

"Back on the other railway."

Daisy was confused.

"Not here?"

"No. He was sent packing for telling lies." Toby said.

Daisy was abashed at this.

"Sent packing? How could the Fat Controller send such a revolutionary and promising engine?" She demanded.

"I told you. He told lies." Toby said. "It doesn't matter who or what you are, Daisy. If you continue to act this way you'll be in trouble."

"Pah!" Daisy scoffed. "You controller knows I am highly sprung and that anything that is smelling and pulling is bad for my swerves."

"That is my point exactly." Toby scoffed. "That is a lie and everyone here knows it. No one is buying it. You give a bad name for diesels."

Daisy was abashed again.

"How rude!" Daisy scoffed.

"Mark my words Daisy." Toby said. "The Fat Controller sends bad engines away. If you want to stay here you better start pulling your own weight."

And with that, Toby huffed and puffed away out of the station.

"Pah!" Daisy scoffed to herself. "That would never happen to me."

But she soon became worried.

As the day drew on, Daisy rolled along the line pondering to herself on Toby's words. Soon she became worried when she asked herself if the Fat Controller would send her away because she was lying and being lazy. She didn't want to leave in disgrace as she always thought of herself as superior to steam engines. She was always confident in herself but now she had her doubts.

Later that day she was in her shed resting, but Toby's words still filled her mind. Just then the sound of the alarm rang loudly. A signalman came running out into the yard.

"Percy has had an accident with the stone trucks!" He said. "You must bring a breakdown train at once!"

Daisy was confused.

"Why was Percy pulling YOUR train?" She asked.

"Because I was pulling YOUR milk van. The one YOU refused to take." Toby scolded.

Daisy was surprised at this little revelation. She was about to protest with her usual highly sprung story. But she hesitated. She saw Toby ringing his bell and rolling along the line to the yard. What happened next, Daisy couldn't explain. She wondered if her driver complied and made her follow Toby or perhaps she voluntarily decided to follow out of guilt. Either way Daisy rolled out of hershed and followed Toby. She soon coupled herself to a breakdown train and soon followed Toby in pursuit of the accident.

When she arrived she was shocked to see the state of the yard was in. She saw poor Percy perched on a couple of trucks while his own trucks were piled up behind him and the break van was in smithereens. Percy looked awful.

"Bust my buffers!" Daisy said quietly to herself. "What happened?"

But she soon remembered what Toby said to her last night. Once Daisy remembered, it all clicked into play. Daisy soon realized that this was all her fault because of her lies and shirking. She felt tremendously guilty. And with this new found knowledge it gave her new found vigoration. She set to work at once. Toby saw her rolling alongside with a second breakdown train after the first one he took. He was surprised to see her here. But was even more shocked to see Daisy approach the undamaged trucks, couple up to them, and pull them away. At first she was dreading it. But when she pulled them away, she found it to be easy that she forgot to be dreaded.

"This is easy." She smiled. "I never knew."

"Well I'll be." Chuckled Toby. "Not so highly sprung now, are you."

Daisy blushed from embarrassment, but smiled proudly. Toby pushed the first breakdown train on the opposite side of the second one, with poor Percy in between. Workmen went around picking up the bits and pieces of the brake van. Toby chuckled at the site as he then told the story of the Spiteful Brake Van that caused trouble for the Scottish Twins, Donald and Douglas. Daisy chuckled at the comparison. Toby and Daisy helped the workmen by moving the other trucks in the yard to make room. Daisy took the other trucks in front of Percy and out of the way, leaving the one truck Percy was perched on.

Later that night, the two engines rested in a shed together near Percy.

"I… I'm sorry Toby." Daisy said, when the work was nearly finished. "It's all my fault this happened. I shouldn't have been so lazy and stubborn. I shouldn't have lied and shirked."

"That's alright Daisy." Toby said, smiling. "Now you see what being a really useful engine is all about."

"Yes I do." Daisy said with spirit. "Although I don't know anything about this kind of labor."

"Not to worry. I'll help you learn the ropes." Toby offered.

Daisy smiled.

The next day, the Fat Controller arrived after hearing about Percy's accident. He was shocked and surprised.

"Good gracious!" Spluttered the Fat Controller. "What happened!?"

"I can explain, sir." Toby said, puffing out of the shed.

Toby explained everything and the Fat Controller was both shocked and cross.

"So, Daisy is the cause of this mess. Well, I will soon settle her." He grumbled.

"Please sir." Said Toby. "Try not to be too hard on her."

"And why not?"

"Daisy just learned how to be a really usual engine yesterday. For the first time she really worked in clearing away the mess." Toby said.

"I see." Pondered the Fat Controller. "If you're vouching for her, then I suppose I could give her another chance."

Toby smiled.

"Thank you, sir." He said.

And the rest is history.

"Well…" Thomas chuckled. "...leave it to our Toby to set the record straight."

Daisy soon rolled up alongside Toby.

"Hello Thomas." She said. "I'm sorry for what happened to Percy. It was all my fault."

"That's alright, Daisy." Thomas said. "You learned alot from Toby from what I hear."

"Yes indeed." Daisy said, smiling. "Toby is a wonderful teacher."

All three smiled and laughed together.

When Percy came back, Daisy made sure to apologize to him too. Percy was still a little cross after what happened. But he soon forgave her after seeing how modest she was. Daisy also made sure to apologize to Annie, Clarabell, and Henrietta too and they also forgave her as well. All four of them are now great friends and they run the branch line as a great team. Daisy never complains about being highly sprung any more. She now enjoys taking the milk along with Annie, Clarabell, and Henrietta. Sometimes she would playfully tease them of pulling them all by herself, but they all know it's harmless fun.

One thing everyone can agree on is that Daisy had finally bloomed.