Chapter 312: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure Part 3

Daisy and Ryan set off to find Diesel. They found him in a local pub, lazily sipping his drink. He only briefly glanced up when he heard the two approach.

"What, you here to scorn me as well? Get in line."

"We're not, we want to be your friends."

"Looks like you could use a friendly face."

Diesel scoffed, downing the rest of his drink.

"Be my friends, huh? Even after the story I'm sure Duck has told you?"

"We want to hear your side of the story. We think there's a piece we're missing."

"Yeah!" Ryan concurred. "After all, you're hardly anything like what Duck described."

Diesel sighed wearily.

"Alright, but you're not going to like me afterwards."

"We'll be the judge of that."

WIth a heavy sigh, Diesel began his tale.

"When I first came to Sodor, I had just been hired by British Railways. And like many young engine drivers, I thought I knew better than everyone else. It didn't help that I was given a new type of engine to drive. They told me I was "driving the future of the railway", and I ate it up. So when I arrived on Sodor, let's just say Duck and I didn't get along very well."

"My first job was to shunt a line of trucks for Duck to collect later. Given that I wasn't told which trucks to collect, I collected the first ones I saw. That was my first mistake. They were old, and bound for the scrapyard. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get them to move until their brakes jammed in the sleepers. And did Duck offer to help? No! He just sat there and watched me make a fool of myself before collecting the trucks I was supposed to."

DIesel just groaned, clutching his head to try and soothe his headache.

"But that wasn't the worst part. If that's where the story had ended, I could've gotten over it. But those dirty workman started singing about it! Every time they saw me, it was that stupid Pop Goes the Diesel song! Day in and day out!"

"But Duck wouldn't let them get away with that!" Ryan protested.

"You're right, he didn't, but I was too blinded by my rage to see that. So…"

Diesel sighed, regretting his past actions.

"I spread rumors about Duck. About how he talked about the other engine drivers behind their backs, making him look like a hypocrite. I don't know if anyone truly believed me, but Duck did get sent to Edward's Station for the time being, so in a way I suppose I succeeded."

Daisy and Ryan remained silent. At last, Ryan found the courage to speak.

"...Then what happened?"

Diesel sighed.

"A week later, I was back to my old tricks. Henry rubbed me the wrong way, so I started spreading rumors about him. Well, turns out my luck had run out, because Sir Topham Hatt found out and was ready to send me back to the Other Railway. Then he got a call from the hospital. Duck had been in a serious train wreck, his engine got caught in a runaway train and plowed right into a barber shop. He was in a coma for a month because of me."

Daisy and Ryan could only stare in shock.

"If I had just kept my mouth shut, if I hadn't been so boastful…"

"But you didn't mean for that to happen!" Daisy said at last. "You couldn't have known!"

"And that makes it okay?" Diesel snapped back. "Whether it was intentional or not, Duck could've died because of my selfish actions. Maybe I deserve everything they throw at me."

Diesel coldly accepted another drink from the bartender.

"Well, now you know the whole story. Guess you can go and hate me with the rest of them now. It's okay, I don't blame you…"

Ryan and Daisy didn't leave, however. Instead, they sat down next to him.

"Diesel, you can't go and blame yourself for what happened forever. What you did was selfish, yes, but you've changed. I can see it, and if you give them time, they'll see it too."

Diesel smiled.

"I guess you're right. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now come on, I know where there's a good hotel."

If one were to look out towards the sea at Arlesburgh that night, they'd find a rather odd sight indeed. A tiny, almost toy-like sailboat was rocking back and forth across the sea, its two lone occupants arguing as they neared land.

"Row harder, Skiff! I see land, dead ahead!"

"Aye aye, Sailor John!"

The older sailor smacked his cohort on the side of the head.

"Ow!"

"Captain John, Skiff! Make that mistake again, and I'll throw ye overboard!"

"Er, right! Sorry, Captain John!"

The criminal scowled, eyeing the Island through his periscope.

"Before long, Captain Cales's treasure will be mine!"