A/N Thomas tells this one because of the title, Thomas, Percy and the Dragon. I feel Percy had a quite limited role.

Hey, it's me, Thomas. This time, I shall tell about how I scared Percy with a paper dragon.

Percy and I are good friends, but sometimes Percy teases me about being frightened and I don't like that at all. One evening, I was dozing happily in the shed, but Percy wanted to talk. He was feeling cheeky, I guess.

"Wake up, Thomas. Are you dreaming about the time you thought I was a ghost?"

"Certainly not. Anyway, I was only pretending to be scared. I knew it was really you." I said this because I was quite tired of his teasing.

Percy went on teasing me. He just found a new method.

"I hope the guard leaves the light on for you."

"Why?" I asked. "I quite like the dark."

"Oh really?" exclaimed Percy. "I thought you were afraid of the dark. I wonder why?"

I decided to say nothing and went to sleep instead. Next day, Sir Topham Hatt came to see me.

"I would like you to go to the harbor tonight. You have to collect something rather unusual.". I wondered what it might be.

"What sort of something?" I asked.

"Wait and see," replied Sir Topham Hatt.

Meanwhile, Percy was moving some freight cars into a siding. Henry arrived with his goods train. The signalman changed the switches and Percy waited on a siding until Henry steamed by. Then, there was trouble.

"The switches are jammed," called the signalman. "I can't switch them back for Percy. The workmen will have to mend them in the morning. It's too late now.".

"Hmmm," said Percy's driver. "I'm sorry, Percy, but you will have to stay here for the night.".

"Where are you going?" asked Percy.

"Home for tea," replied the fireman.

Percy was speechless. He watched as the other engine went home to the shed. Nighttime came and Percy began to feel very lonely.

"Oh, dear," he murmured. "It's very dark. Oh! Oh! What's that?!"

It was only an owl, but Percy didn't realize this.

"Oh, I wish Thomas was here, too," he sighed.

I was waiting for my mysterious load at the harbor. Suddenly, there it was.

"Cinders and ashes!" I cried. "It's a dragon!"

"Don't worry," laughed Driver. "This dragon is made of paper. It's for the carnival tomorrow."

Workmen lifted the dragon onto my loader and put lights all around it for protection. Then, I set off into the misty night. Percy was asleep on his siding and had no idea I was approaching him.

I approached Percy and scared him.

Percy woke up with a start.

"Help!" cried Percy. "I'm not going to open my eyes until my driver comes."

Next morning, the switches were mended and Percy puffed back to the junction. Gordon was just about to leave with the Express.

"You'll never guess what I saw last night."

Gordon was in no mood for puzzles. "I'm a busy engine. I don't have time for your games."

"I've seen a huge dragon. It was covered in lights."

Gordon snorted, "You've been in the sun too long. Your dome has cracked."

When the other engines heard the news, they laughed too.

"Look out, Percy!" chuckled James. "Or the dragon may gobble you up!"

"No one believes me," huffed Percy. "Maybe I did imagine the dragon after all."

But Percy soon found out they hadn't.

"Help! Save me!" cried Percy.

It's all right," I whistled. And I explained about the carnival. "By the way, how was your night out?"

Percy decided to tell me the truth.

"Well, Percy," said Thomas. Maybe we do get scared sometimes, but if we're not afraid to tell each other, then that means we're quite brave, too.". When we talked, I found out his part of this story, which is why I could tell it, too.

A/N The "I guess" syntax was historically used in British English and I believe, because of something I read, they use it now. These Their Own Words are written in British English of today, except when I need to use my dialect at a certain point. For those who didn't read the earlier ones, these are pretend dictations, so I "translate" so to speak when I feel more comfortable with my English for a word. It's just dialect, which is why I did the quotes, as translate seems like a strong word for dialect difference.