A/N Percy was chosen to tell this one because of the title, so respect my Thomasverse. Anything he wouldn't know without being told he found out from a fellow engine or whatever anyone needs to imagine to make it work.

Hey, it's me, Percy and I'm the one chosen to tell this story about when I was new to Sodor and ran away.

Henry, Gordon and James were miserable. They had been shut up for several days for being naughty and longed to be let out again. At last, Sir Topham Hatt arrived.

"I hope you are sorry", he said. "And that you understand that every job on the railway is important. We have a new tank engine called Percy who helps pull coaches and Thomas and Edward have worked the main line nicely but I will let you out now if you promise to work hard."

"Yes, sir", said the three engines. "we will."

Sir Topham Hatt said, "That's good, but please remember this no shunting nonsense must stop."

Sir Topham Hatt then told me, along with Edward and Thomas that we could go play on the branch line for a few days, and we ran off happily to find Annie and Clarabel at the junction. The two coaches were pleased to see Thomas again. Edward, along with me, played with the freight cars.

"Stop, stop, stop!", screamed the cars, as they were pushed into their proper sidings. But we laughed and went on shunting till the cars were tightly arranged. Next, Edward took some empty cars to the quarry. I was left alone. I didn't mind a bit. I liked watching trains and being cheeky to the other engines. With Edward gone, I had an opportunity to be cheeky.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" I called and they got very cross. After a great deal of shunting, I was waiting for the signalman to set the switch so I could get back to the yard. I was being rather careless and not paying attention. Edward had warned me. I didn't care, though.

He said, "Be careful on the main line. Whistle to the signalman that you are there.".

But I didn't remember to whistle, and so the busy signalman forgot me. I waited and waited. But the switch was still set against me so I couldn't move. Then, I looked along the main line. What I saw there scared me. I'm not always that brave an engine.

Peep! Peep!, I whistled in horror for rushing straight towards me was Gordon with the express.

" Ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh!" groaned Gordon. "Get out of my way!"

Gordon approached me and I shut my eyes, Then, I heard Gordon stop.

I opened my eyes. Gordon had stopped with my buffers just inches from his own. But I had begun to move.

"I won't stay here, I'll run away!" I puffed. I just wanted to get away from Gordon. I went straight through Edward's station, and was so frightened than I ran right up Gordon's Hill without stopping. After that, I was tired, but I couldn't stop. I had no driver to shut off steam and apply the brakes. I may be alive, but some things I didn't know how to do or for whatever reason, lacked ability to do. It was scary, moving without Driver.

"I want to stop! I want to stop!" I puffed. The man in the signal box saw I was in trouble, so he kindly set the switch. I puffed wearily away onto a nice empty siding, ending in a big bank of earth. I was too tired now to care where I went.

"I want to stop, I want to stop! I have stopped!" I puffed thankfully.

"Never mind, Percy,", said the workmen as they dug me out. "You shall have a drink and some coal, and then you'll feel better.

Presently, Gordon arrived. I'd had my drink and also got more coal in the time between.

Gordon said, "Well done, Percy. You started so quickly that you stopped a nasty accident."

"I'm sorry I was cheeky", I said.

"You were clever to stop", replied Gordon.

Then Gordon helped pull me from the bank. We became good friends after that, but I'm always most careful when I go on the main line ever since that day.

A/N I tried to show how Percy can be timid in this one. Sometimes, I prefer my country's terms, so remember they're the British ones, not me.