A/N Michaela and Kennet belong to FurryFoxFires.
One day, Erica decided to tell all her engine friends how she came to Sodor.
She said, "You know I'm a US-built tank engine, but you don't all know why I came here. I was on a heritage railroad or railway, as you call it here, but everyone there bullied me, except my oldest sibling, a brother. It was that way on my original railroad/railway, too. Before that, I was a World War 2 engine, shunting war trains, but it was only when I went back to the US I got bullied. So, when I found out about Sodor, I wanted to go. I wanted to escape all the bullies back where I came from. Though I had happy moments with my brother, I was tired of the pain and tears the bullies caused me." Her voice had a sadness in it. "Now my brother's been scrapped, so there's only sadness from my past."
Thomas gave his "little sister" an engine hug.
She went on to say, "My happiness is all here, now. Most engines here aren't bullies, just Diesel, who I don't see that much." At least, of the ones I've met. If there's other mean engines that live here on Sodor, I haven't encountered them."
Thomas said, "Spencer regularly visits here and he's mean. He called me a tiny toy tank engine once."
Erica said, "I don't know Spencer."
Thomas explained, "He last visited before you came here. He's Gordon's cousin and is silver." He then went on to say, "Remember that bully diesel? The reason he made me cry so hard my face was covered in tears was my siblings. He mentioned them and that always makes me sad." His voice carried a trace of sorrow.
Erica pressed her "brother's" buffers with her own, as he had when she said how her past was sad.
Her other friends said, "That's terrible, how everybody except your oldest brother bullied you."
Michaela said, "I can empathize with you. Driver told me I'm empathic, meaning I share your emotions. I, too, have known bullies."
Erica said, "It was only right all my friends should know why I came here."
And they went their separate ways.
Erica had to take some cars to the Little Western. I might be able to see Michaela after I'm done shunting these cars to her home yard, Erica thought and smiled her cheeky smile.
Michaela was having a hard time in the yard. She shunted some cars for Donald's train and was told he was taking them to the scrapyard. Due to her recently learning what that was, it made her unhappy because death was hard for her to handle. Big tears filled her eyes and she wailed her distress. Erica heard Michaela and gave her friend a buffer press. However, Diesel was also around and said, "Look at the cry-engine, crying again!". Michaela made a sad whistle sound.
Kennet asked, "What's wrong, Michaela?" as he gently dried her tears with a rag.
Michaela said, "I-I'm crying... because of the... thing? Y-you know. The thing!" She gestured to the cars with her wide, panicking eyes, which kept filling with tears. High pitched wailing emitted from her.
Kennet said, "The scrap cars are upsetting you, it seems.", as he continued to wipe her tears away. "It's going to be fine. You aren't being scrapped and neither is Donald. There, there, Michaela." He dabbed her teary face and wiped her eyes dry as best he could.
Slowly, Michaela's wails and tears subsided from her friend's comforting hug and her driver's comfort. Kennet dried her last tears, rubbing her cheeks and drying her eyes. She smiled at her driver and her friend. Erica, now that her Little Western tender engine friend was feeling better, went back to Knapford as Michaela had a drink.
Thomas pulled Annie and Clarabel to Knapford and whistled as he went past Knapford Yards. Erica heard her "brother" and whistled back happily. She went on with her job of the moment, while remembering her "brother" wanted to play Hide and Peep after their work was done. Meanwhile, Thomas finished his work for the day and waited for his "sister."
Erica finished her last job and the "siblings" got their Hide and Peep game on. Erica hid behind a shed and then Thomas hid on a siding behind some cars. After finding her "brother", Erica hid behind a line of coaches parked and he hid behind some bushes. They played until it was too dark for the game. Erica smiled as they played, happy because of her friends on Sodor and the good time she was having. Hide and Peep's so much fun, she thought. I love to have fun. It feels good. She told her "brother" how much she enjoyed the game and he told his "sister", "I couldn't stop smiling once during the game. It's quite fun to play with my "little sister" when we're able to."
They talked a little more, including Erica telling how she helped their friend Michaela when she was unhappy about shunting Donald's scrap cars and when finished talking, said good night to each other and went to their sheds.
A/N Respect Erica if you want this story to remain up, members. She's me as an engine, mostly kid me, but emotionally kind of like me now.