Author's notes: I really like this one because it shows what can happen when you are given another chance at doing something. Also, again, I gave Flora a bit of a role.

Percy's Predicament

Narrator: Weeks passed and things continued much as they were on the Ffarquhar branchline. Daisy the diesel railcar remained very lazy and stubborn. Leaving Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Miss Ravens, Mr. Holden, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Roberts, Toby, Flora and Percy to soldier on, regardless of the heavy double duty work. One day, Toby and Flora were double heading Henrietta, Fiona and Elsie to the top station where Percy was grumpily shunting in the yards.

Toby: Hullo Percy, Pinkie Pie, Mr. Hawkins.

Pinkie Pie: Hi Toby, Miss Ravens, Applejack, Flora, Mr Roberts, Fluttershy, Henrietta, Fiona and Elsie! How are things going?

Toby: A bit busy, but we'll manage.

Flora: Yeah. We just ran the workmen up to the quarry.

Miss Ravens: (Looks over to see a milk van nearby) Ugh! Not again. Don't tell me. Daisy?

Mr. Hawkins: (Grimly nods) Daisy.

Flora: I don't believe this.

Applejack: Oh good gravy. Not again.

Toby: (Sigh) Oh boy. I see Daisy's left the milk again.

Henrietta: (Sighs) That'd be right.

Fiona: She insults us, then we have to put up with her laziness.

Elsie: What kind of self respected engine does that?

Fluttershy: Oh my. I'll get them. (Flies out to sooth the coaches ruffled feelings.)

Percy: Ugh! What else is new? I guess I'll have to make a special journey with it for that lazy tin can I suppose. Honestly Toby and Flora, anyone would think me and Pinkie Pie have nothing better to do. I mean shunting here, trucks to the harbour and Annie and Clarabel. I tell you, a decent holiday is what I need.

Narrator: Toby and Flora pondered the Problem.

Toby: Tell you what Percy. How about I take the milk and you fetch my trucks from the quarry? That'll be a nice change.

Flora: Yes. And I'll take Annie and Clarabel. I'm sure they won't mind talking with Fiona and Elsie.

Narrator: So Miss Ravens, Mr. Hawkins and Mr Roberts talked to the stationmaster. Both agreed and all 3 engines and ponies set off. Percy and Pinkie Pie set off to the quarry. The small green engine had never been there before and found the route very steep. They then knew that they would have to take great care on the way back down.

Pinkie Pie: Oh boy! This route is very steep. We will need to be careful.

Percy: Never mind. I'll manage. Trucks daren't play tricks on me.

Narrator: The trucks were very surprised to see Percy and Pinkie Pie at the quarry.

Trucks: What the heck are Percy and Pinkie Pie doing up here? They're not supposes to be up here.

Narrator: They were even more shocked and angry when Percy began marshalling them in a lordly way and bumped them if they dallied.

Percy: Hurry along there!

Pinkie Pie: That's right. Look sharp!

Narrator: The trucks were annoyed with them.

Trucks: This is Toby's and Flora's place! Percy has no right to poke his funnel up here and push us around.

Truck: Not to mention that he's breaking the law coming up here without sideplates or a cowcatcher. It's a wonder the constables haven't caught him.

Narrator: The trucks whispered and passed the word.

Trucks: Pay Percy out! Pay Percy out!

Narrator: At last, they were all arranged and Percy set off.

Percy: Come along now! No nonsense!

Trucks: (Giggle) We'll give him nonsense!

Narrator: But they followed so quietly that Percy and Pinkie thought that they had them completely under control. They rumbled along the twisty narrow line until they saw the notice saying. 'ALL TRAINS STOP TO PIN DOWN BRAKES. Percy whistled To the guard.

Percy: Brakes guard, please.

Narrator: Percy set his brakes and tried to stop so that the guard could check them, but before he could, the trucks surged forward.

Trucks: ON! ON! ON!

Oddball: NO! NO! OFF! OFF! OFF!

Truck: Oh good grief. Not that idiot again!

Narrator: Percy, Pinkie Pie and Mr. Hawkins, taken by surprise, couldn't stop them and in moment they were careering down the hill at dangerous speed.

Percy/ Pinkie Pie: HELP! HELP!

Narrator: Mr. Hawkins set the reverse hard over full steam brakes hard on whistling frantically. The man on duty at the street crossing before Ffarquhar rushed to warn traffic with his red flag! But it was too late to switch Percy to runaway siding. Frantically trying to grip the rails, Percy slid passed the shed and into the yard whistle shrilly.

Percy/ Pinkie Pie: LOOK OUT!

Narrator: Pinkie Pie and Mr. Hawkins jumped clear as Percy shut his eyes and waited for the end. At the end of the yard, the sheds where workmen shape rough stone brought down from the quarry, then they are loaded into trucks and pulled into another siding out of the way. A train of these stood here when Percy came slithering down. The guard had left his van and was talking to the stationmaster. Then, it happened. One moment they heard frantic whistling, the next they heard a splintering crash! The guard, the stationmaster, Mr. Roberts, Miss Ravens, Mr. Holden, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Fancy Pants, Fleur Di Les all rushed out of the office and Pinkie Pie and Mr. Hawkins rushed over to the scene of disaster after picking themselves up. The brake van was in smithereens. Percy, still whistling fit to burst was perched on a shattered remains of a couple of trucks whilst his own trucks were piled up behind him.

Applejack: Hey Percy, are you alright?

Percy: Applejack, I've just smashed through a brake van and I'm now perched on a couple of trucks. WHAT DO YOU THINK?!

Applejack: Oh uh… point taken. Come on Toby, Flora and Fluttershy. Lets get this mess cleaned up.

Toby: Right away Applejack.

Flora: Of course Applejack.

Fluttershy: Yes Miss Applejack.

Narrator: and Toby and Flora started to clean up the wreckage and much to their surprise, Daisy was helping out too.

Toby: Daisy? I thought you never pull.

Daisy: Well after seeing you handling all this on your own I can't let old timers like you do all this on your own.

Flora: (Sigh) Thanks Daisy.

Narrator: The Fat Controller arrived next day with Princess Celestia. Toby, Flora and Daisy had helped to clean wreckage, but Percy still remained on his perch of trucks.

Fat Controller: We must now try to run the branchline with Toby, Flora and a Diesel rail car. You have put us in an awkward predicament.

Percy: Yes Sir. I'm sorry sir.

Fat Controller: You can stay there until we are ready to take you to the works.

Celestia: Perhaps it will teach you to be careful around trucks.

Narrator: Percy sighed unhappily. The truck wobbled beneath his wheels. He quite understood about awkward predicaments.

Percy: Oh truck, whatever you do, please for the love of Sodor don't fold up.

Truck: Oh tryin' my best Percy. Believe me, I really don't want to.

Narrator: The Fat Controller and Princess Celestia were not do. There they also spoke severely to Daisy. They had heard all about her leaving the milk van and the false fitters story .

Fat Controller: My engines do not tell lies! They do their work without any shirking. I send lazy engines away!

Narrator: Daisy felt very ashamed.

Princess Celestia: However, Toby and Flora told me that you have worked hard yesterday after Percy's accident. So Sir Charles Topham Hatt and I have decided to give you another chance.

Daisy: Thank you ma'm, thank you Sir. I promise I'll work harder and Toby and Flora here say's they will help me.

Fat Controller: Excellent. What Toby and Flora don't know about branchline problems such as uh… bulls, isn't worth knowing. Our Toby and Flora here are very experienced engines.

Narrator: Thomas soon came back next day and Percy was sent to Crovans gate to be mended. Twilight, Mr. Holden Annie and Clarabel were so glad to see Thomas again that he took his coaches for a run at once because they hadn't been out regularly while he was away. Thomas Toby, Flora and Daisy the 4 mane drivers and the ponies are now all good friends, and when Percy came back, he became Daisy's friend too. Daisy often takes the milk for Thomas and when Toby and Flora are busy she takes Henrietta, Fiona and Elsie. Fancy Pants and Fleur Di Les work on Daisy with either Mr. Roberts or Mr. Holden. Mr. Roberts sometimes works with Thomas and Twilight too. All are now good firm friends and Toby and Flora have taught Daisy very great deal. Why, shoo'd a cow off the line the other day all by herself. That shows you…. Doesn't it…Heheheh…

And that's 'Branchline Engines'. What's next? 'Gallant Old Engine'. Oh goodie, goodie, goodie! Another one of the Skarloey Railway stories. Love those ones. Look out for that.