A/N Michaela and her crew belong to FurryFoxFires
One day, while Erica and Thomas were just having fun, she saw her friend Michaela unhappy.
"What's wrong?", she asked and pressed her little buffers against Michaela's in an engine hug.
Michaela's eyes filled with tears and with a sniffle, she said. "Erica, I've had the worst day. Someone was mean to me, whistled really loud at me and I've had so many tasks."
Kennet said, wiping her tears away with a rag, "There, there Michaela. It's going to be just fine. He just doesn't get your needs and our line's been busy today."
Erica kept her buffers against her friends, as long as Michaela was weeping, in the engine equivalent of holding her. "Kennet's right. Today's just a bad day, but another day could be better."
Slowly, Michaela's tears subsided and she said, "Erica, I know how much you hang about with Thomas. Is what you said about another day something he says? It sounds almost like it could be."
Erica said, "He's a very cheerful engine as a rule, but I'm happy enough myself. I do actually believe if I or anyone had a bad day, the one after just might be better. We've got a sibling-like relationship, due to similarities in personality. We're both down to earth, good hearted, guided by our emotions, cheeky and happy. Like him, I don't like my friends being sad, even if I get sad sometimes."
Michaela said, "I know you're both friendly engines."
Erica replied, "You get on with what you've got to do now, whatever that is. I need to get back to my "brother". He's wanting his "little sister" back and since you feel better, I can go back to him."
Erica told Thomas how she found Michaela so unhappy and comforted her.
Thomas said with his cheeky, sweet smile on his face, "Three cheers for my "little sister." and whistled happily 3 times. Erica smiled, too, her dark eyes twinkling. It felt so good to have helped cheer her sad friend up. And she knew how greatly Thomas approved because he disliked other engines being sad. I know how sad my "brother" can get, but I do what I can to cheer him up. Or any of my friends for that matter. I love to have comfort when I'm sad, my friends and especially Driver because he wipes my tears and it feels so good. I don't like wet eyes, but I know I need to let my emotions out, so if I feel like crying, I do. Michaela sure's sensitive. But she's my friend, because of her heart and the struggles we share. I'm sensitive myself, but I think she quite outdoes me. I know she cries more than me or any engine I know. Her mind was whirling with thoughts. Her thoughts turned to all her engine friends on Sodor. as she resumed her fun with her "big brother". I'm friends with all the tank engines, Toby, Michaela, Edward, Henry and even Emily, when she's not bossy. But Thomas is my closest friend. I love him in the friend way. Even if he lost all his real siblings, there's me, his " little sister". Rosie would be my 2nd closest friend. Then, the "siblings" had to go their separate ways.
Thomas had to pull Annie and Clarabel and Erica had to go to Knapford Yards. When Thomas pulled them past the yard, he whistled and his "sister" whistled back.
After Thomas pulled his train, he had a drink and rest, then went to see Rosie. Thomas got to Vicarstown and whistled to tell Rosie he was there. She whistled back and when he could see her, he blew a kiss. She responded in the same way and they pressed buffers in an engine hug.
"How's my sister been, love?" Rosie asked.
Thomas said, "Since she got out of her coma, just fine. We had fun together earlier, but she took a break from it to comfort our friend Michaela, who was having a rough day. My "little sister", who's your actual sister, not just adopted like she is for me, reminds me of her and Duck, in some ways. I remember when Erica was in her coma, I cried with you and with Michaela, just all my friends. I even wept tears of joy when she woke up."
Rosie said, "I cried my eyes out during that time, just sobbing and sniffling until I had no more tears to cry many times. Like you, I had happy tears when I found out she woke up."
Her love replied, "Your sister just got back to full duties the other day. She was so happy. I guess I passed my living to be a Really Useful Engine on to her. Last night, before she went to her shed, she told me I'm the best friend she's ever had, apart from her oldest brother."
Rosie said in reply, "She once told me all the bullying she went through in our homeland. It's quite amazing how happy she can be, given her dark backstory."
They talked until they had to go to their sheds for the night.
A/N "Hang about" came from a British book series I've read called Warriors, which is about stray and feral cats. Just got carried away at the part before the "sibling" go their ways. An engine blowing a kiss is them doing what we do with our lips when doing so.