A/N This is a Duck and Percy episode, All At Sea, so Duck tells it, due to having the bigger role.

Hey, it's me, Duck. Today, I shall tell about my interest in a regatta.

Percy and I liked working at the harbor by the sea. On a clear summer's night, there's no better place to be. The big ships bring passengers. Cargo ships carry machinery and other things. We puffed backwards and forwards with the crates of cargo as they are loaded and unloaded by the keyside. One morning, we noticed the horizon was packed with sails flapping against the blue sky.

"I wish I could sail to faraway lands", I sighed.

"Engines can't go sailing," snorted Percy. "Because engines can't float."

I still had my dreams. Suddenly, they were rudely interrupted.

"Wakey, wakey," hovered Harold.

"I'm looking at the boats," I replied.

"That's the regatta. Lots of boats, lots of races. Great fun. I hover around in case I'm needed." I got obsessed with the regatta from that. Somebody once told me that's a special interest.

"Do you go to the horizon?" I asked.

"Yes and beyond."

"I didn't know there was a beyond," whispered Percy.

"Do you go to other places at sea?" I continued.

"Certainly. I can land on ships, you know. Anywhere, anytime. Goodbye."

I sighed. I went on talking about the regatta all day. Percy lost patience.

"Well, Duck, I'd rather have my wheels on solid ground. Our rails can take us to all the places we can ever wish to see."

A siren wailed then.

"That's an emergency," called Driver. "I'll check with the harbormaster."

He returned with bad news.

"A man taking part in the regatta has hurt his hand. We're to take him to the hospital at the next station. Harold's bringing him now. Come on."

I hurried there and saw Harold land.

"Good to see you again, Duck", whirred Harold as he landed carefully on the platform. He seemed to find me interesting. The man was gently helped to safety. "My job is to stay at sea and help with other emergencies. Otherwise, I would take this gentleman to the hospital myself. Must fly. Goodbye."

I set off on my journey. Soon I was steaming well and my wheels were thundering along the track. We reached the station. The man thanked everyone and Bertie got ready to take him to the hospital.

"You look splendid flying along the line, Duck," glowed Bertie. "No wonder they call you Great Western. I've always been proud of my heritage.

"Thank you, Bertie. Percy's right, I thought to myself. Engines are happiest when their wheels are firmly on the rails. I realized how much my rails enabled me to do.

That night, Percy and I stayed a little longer at the key. The air was warm and the sea was calm.

"There's a shooting star," I said.

"Don't be daft," laughed Percy. "It's Harold. He's hovering overhead.

Something fluttered down towards me. Driver caught it.

"It's a flag from the regatta. Harold's giving it to you as a present, Duck."

"That was kind of Harold," I whispered. "He may have whirly arms instead of wheels, but he seems to understand just what an engine needs."

I still wondered about the lands beyond the horizon. But I knew that, sometimes, the best travels are those we can only dream about. So, I sometimes stared dreamily at the horizon when I had no duties at the time.

A/N Some of what Duck says is based on YouTuber's head-canon Duck has Asperger's type autism. I know it's all autism spectrum disorder, but my FanFiction buddy, who has that type of autism like me, saw it over there too, that YouTuber's autistic Duck thing.