A/N I got a request for Thomas and James to stand up to Diesel 10, but he won't back off, because he hates steamies. I didn't really get inspired too much, seemingly by The Indian In the Cupboard character Boone, the cowboy with the soft heart. I got her soft heart from a woman in another British book, Kittens In the Kitchen, but she does act something like Boone. I recently partially re-read that first book as an e-book and Boone says 'M'name's Boone. But the fellas all call me Boohoo. That's on account of Ah cry so easy. It's m'soft heart. Show me some 'n sad, or scare me just a little, and the tears jest come to mah eyes. Ah cain't help it.'. Rowena's a lot like him, because she cries easy and is soft-hearted. For new readers, Rowena's got nothing mentally wrong, just a someone of exquisite tenderness and sensitivity, like the Tender Tears type on TvTropes.
One day, Rowena was working on the rails, singing when she came to red signal. Standard-gauge tracks were beside her narrow-gauge Skarloey Railway track.
Diesel 10 came along and said, "It's you again, you little killer and steamie lover diesel! You're such a weak little engine!"
Rowena froze up and then began to cry. "Dr-Dry m-my t-tears, Dr-Driver," she said. Every word was another wailing sob and she sniffled, long and loud, her face covered in thick tears.
"Cry-engine! Boohoo!" Diesel 10 said.
Thomas and James, doubleheading a train, as it was Henry's originally, but his firebox was too clogged for him to pull it and they were the only engines available, told Diesel 10, "Back off!".
The bigger engine said, "I've got no reason to listen to steamies like you! You're just useless engines, so don't bother trying to defend your little friend, you worthless wastes of steam! Outdated old kettles, that's all you are!"
Thomas and James were upset by this and went into fight mode.
James said, "She's not my friend, because I've got no diesel friends! Thomas told me to join him and HE'S my friendly rival." Then he left.
Thomas said, "I don't allow my friends to be bullied!". Then, he began to cry as well. "Dr-Driver c-can y-you dr-dry m-my t-tears?" he sobbed. Huge water droplets streamed down his face and he sniffled. The tank engine looked at Rowena on the track beside him and said "R-Rowena-s dr-driver, g-give h-her a-a h-hug, f-for m-me. I-I'm t-too b-big wh-wheeled f-for h-her l-line, b-but I-I'd g-give h-her a-a b-buffer pr-press i-if w-we w-were th-the s-same g-gauge."
Rowena's driver was on her buffers, comforting her. "There, there, Rowena," he said, as he pulled out a cloth from his pocket to dry her tears. "You can rely on me to wipe the tears away when you're weepy and I'm with you.". He rubbed her sodden cheeks and wiped her tear-wet eyes.
Rowena cried more, fresh tears filling her eyes. "I-I h-hurt i-in m-my h-heart", she said." H-He m-mentioned h-how I-I k-killed E-Eleanor." She was sniffling hard, coughing, choking on her sobs and hiccupping. She gasped and gulped, shaking and weeping non-stop as her driver comforted her.
He said, as he continued to wipe her tears away, "Cry, Rowena. Let it all out. I'm here for you, to dry your eyes until you feel better.". He held the cloth to her eyes, for her to sob into and wiped all her tears away as best he could.
Rowena's tears came not once stopping until she could weep no more. Her driver dried her last tears away, gently wiping her cheeks and eyes until they were dry, then went back to the cab with the sodden cloth and refilled her radiator. Her face was red and her eyes were all red and puffy, but she smiled, feeling better and went on with her day, singing again.
Thomas's driver was on his buffers to comfort his engine, as he cried with Rowena. "There, there, Thomas," he said as he pulled out a cloth from his pocket. "Let it all out.". He rubbed his engine's cheeks and wiped his streaming eyes as he listened attentively, to discern his values and pick up on his cues.
Thomas let out another sob and his eyes released so many tears. "D-Diesel 10 m-might b-be th-the m-meanest e-engine o-on S-Sodor. H-He d-doesn't l-like R-Rowena b-because sh-she's a-a "st-steamie l-lover." He sniffled again, hard, coughed as he choked on his tears and hiccupped. He gasped and gulped, shaking as he wept non-stop and let his driver comfort him.
He said, as he continued to wipe the tears away, "Feel how you feel. No judgment from me, just caring and compassion. I'm here for you, not to fix your mood, just to wipe the tears from your eyes. You've got the right to cry, so let yourself go. Just go ahead and cry and I shall dry your eyes. I see that mean Diesel 10 hurt your feelings deeply.". He pressed the cloth to his engine's eyes, letting him sob into it and wiped all his tears away as best he could.
Thomas sobbed and sobbed, his tears not once stopping until he had no more left to cry. His driver dried his last tears away, softly wiping his cheeks and eyes dry of tears. Thomas smiled, feeling better after his cry as his driver went back to the cab with the sodden cloth. His crew gave him a drink.
Thomas said to Rowena, right before he left, "I don't like you being sad, because you're my friend. Don't listen to your bully. You're better than he says, so don't listen to him. You're a nice and soft-hearted engine. Just be who you are."
He left his friend and like her, went about the rest of his day.
A/N Respect this, as I did what I could under the conditions. The end was written right after I worked and the part before was written last night, as of when I wrote the end.