A/N I own only Erica. Members, respect her so I can keep this story here.
One day, Erica was happily pulling a train until she got to Knapford. Her brakes had been a little off and then they failed and she had a crash. She was very unhappy and began to cry, sobbing and sniffling. I thought I could pull this train, she thought, I was planning to go the Steamworks straightaway afterwards. I told Driver as soon as we noticed they were off.
Her driver, who had recovered from getting the wind knocked out of him, took a handkerchief to dry her tears. "There, there," he said comfortingly as he rubbed her tear-streaked cheeks and wiped her wet eyes. "You just thought you could make it and I trusted you. You didn't do anything that bad. I know you feel bad, though and I'm here for you, so just let it all out."
She sniffled hard as fresh tears filled her eyes. "Driver, I just can't control my emotions. I hate crashing", she said tearfully, and made a sad whistle sound.
"I know," was his reply as he continued to wipe the tears away, dapping them from her eyes.
Thomas was free at the moment, so he got the breakdown train and when in hearing distance whistled and called out, "I'm coming, little sister."
Erica heard her "brother" and smiled a bit. "No more tears, Driver. I know help's on the way. Thank you for drying my eyes. I hate crying because I don't like having tears in my eyes. Tear wet eyes don't feel good. But I feel better emotionally, so I cry and either shut my eyes or have someone I trust wipe my tears. Hello, Thomas, my big brother."
"Always ready to help my friends," he said. "I shall take you to the Steamworks."
And off they went.
Erica arrived at the Steamworks. The last time, I was here with my "big brother" was when I woke him up from his coma, she thought. She told the workers she was there because of her brake failure causing her to crash. While she was there, Kevin's clumsiness happened and the CLANG! upset her. She began to cry, overwhelmed by the noise.
"Can you wipe my eyes?" the female tank engine asked the kind workman she knew from other times. She sniffled, her eyes shut from the sting of the tears.
The workman climbed on her buffers, pulled out his handkerchief and gently dabbed her tears from her eyes and then, rubbing her cheeks, dried her face. "There, there. It's going to be okay, Erica.".
"Keep wiping", Erica said, as fresh tears welled up in her dark eyes.
He said, as he continued to wipe the tears away, "Let it all out. I shall keep drying your eyes.".
Erica finished crying and smiled cheekily, yet sweetly at her Steamworks friend. "Thank you. I feel better now.".
Erica's brakes and any damage from her crash were fixed and then she was checked. After getting checked, she left the Steamworks, had a drink and briefly stopped at Vicarstown to see Rosie. Then, her crew said it was time to go back to Knapford.
Thomas heard his "little sister" whistle as she arrived back in Knapford and whistled in reply. He had taken the cars to their destination while she was at the Steamworks. I guess she wanted to be a Really Useful Engine. I remember when I had squeaky brakes, he thought. He had a cheeky look on his face and an idea for something he could do with his "sister", once she was free.
As the tank engines did their mischief, Thomas told his "little sister", "I like you better this way than how you looked when I took you to the Steamworks, all red-faced, with red, puffy eyes.".
She replied, "I cried at the Steamworks, too. My plan was to go there after I pulled my train, but my brakes failed. Kevin had "a slip o' me 'ook" and the CLANG! upset me."
Thomas said to her, "I know that bothers you, someone else being loud." He saw Rebecca pulling the Express. "Did you ever meet Rebecca?"
She told her "brother", " I've seen Rebecca. but either I or she was busy at that moment."
He said to his "sister", Rebecca's usually quite happy, but she's also rather sensitive. She's from Brighton Works, just like me. However, she's a younger engine than my class.".
She told her "brother", " I've seen Rebecca. but either I or she was busy at that moment."
He said to his "sister", Rebecca's usually quite happy, but she's also rather sensitive. She's from Brighton Works, just like me. However, she's a younger engine than my class.".
She told her "brother", "I know your siblings make you sad. Kind of like my past.". She made a sad face and he gave her a buffer press, which she returned.
They said good-bye and went on with their day. It was just what they had to do.
A/N Just felt like showing Erica's tank engine sense of cheekiness.