//------------------------------//
// Brothers 
// Story: Chips Brothers' Archive 
// by JavaChips 
//------------------------------//

It was a rather early and busy morning in Ponyville as the weather team began preparing a light storm. Micro stared out the window at the hard working pegasi, yawning as he pushed off the covers and rolled out of bed. Brushing his hoof across the off switch on his alarm, he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen. As he turned to enter, he froze up and darted back around the corner. Peering inside, he saw Alpha tester making eggs at the stove across the room. It had only been a week since Alpha had moved in with the two, and he still wasn't used to seeing her around the house in the morning. Alpha hummed softly as she cooked, sliding the eggs onto three separate plates. As she turned toward the table, she noticed the edge of somepony's glasses sticking out from behind the wall. With a smile she walked up and knocked gently on the kitchen doorway. “Good morning sleepy head.” Alpha said with a smirk. “Are you hungry? Or do you want to sit out in the hall a while longer?”
Micro blushed and adjusted his glasses, following behind Alpha into the kitchen. The two sat in silence for a while, eating their breakfast. “So,” Alpha said, trying to break the tension, “You're a pretty soft sleeper huh? I walked right by your room this morning and didn't hear a peep.”
“Yeah,” Micro nodded, “I'm quiet most of the time.”
“Hey, that's not such a bad thing.” she reassured. “Your brother's the exact opposite, he snores like an Ursa Major. It's like I'm sleeping next to a bear.”
Micro chuckled softly, carrying his empty plate to the sink. “You don't have to tell me, I've lived with him longer than you have.”
The two heard a yawn from the hallway just outside, no doubt the source was their third housemate. Java made his way around the corner, sitting down in front of the remaining plate. “Morning all, what's so funny?”
“Oh nothing sweetie.” Alpha told him, kissing his cheek on her way toward the mail at the front door. “Did you sleep well?”
“Like a baby.” Java said with a smile.
“Or a bear.” Alpha said quietly, flipping through the mail.
Java was quick to finish the eggs, setting his plate in the sink. “Alright, I'm gonna get some chores done in town before the rain starts, then I can get started on some repairs.”
Java gave a cheek kiss back to Alpha on his way out the door, eliciting a blush from the unicorn as she started sorting the mail. She separated it into separate piles for her and Java, and hovered a single letter over to Micro in the other room. “Looks like you get a letter today too.” she said, smiling.
Micro took it out of the air, curious about who was sending him a letter. His eyes went wide when he saw the return address on the back of the envelope and tore it open, pulling the letter out from inside. Alpha walked over to read it with him, curious about what would make the young colt get so excited. The two read the letter to themselves, and a giant smile went across Micro's face. “Well well,” Alpha said, tussling his mane. “Congratulations little guy, that's a pretty big honor.”
Micro nodded, reading through the letter a second time to make sure he read it right. “This is great, I have to tell Shimmer, she's going to be so happy for me.”
“Yeah, she's gonna be excited alright. I bet Java will be, too.”
Micro's heart sunk as he thought about Java. “Oh right, Java. I wonder what he'll think about this.”
Alpha saw the expression on his face and patted his head. “Hey, he's gonna be happy for you, there's no need to worry.”
Micro nodded, setting the letter back in the envelope. “Yeah, I'm gonna go tell Click and Shimmer, can you please not tell Java about it? I want to tell him myself.”
“No problem, I won't tell him a thing.” Alpha told him, patting her back.
Micro smiled and galloped out the door, while Alpha made her way back to her own stack of mail.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Shimmer and Clickspring both looked over the letter again, making sure they had read it correctly. Click smiled and held out his hoof, which Micro immediately bumped. “Nice going brony!” he said. “This is major, only colts of the highest caliber get invited to this, this is a major start right here!”
Shimmer nodded, stepping forward for a congratulatory hug. “Yeah, this is a great start for you, have you told-”
“Please don't say Java.” Micro told her, looking worried. “I don't know how he's going to take it yet.”
“Micro, your brother loves you, you've always been right there by his side.”
“Yeah, that's what I'm worried about.” Micro told her, looking away. “We've always been together, through thick and thin. I don't want to upset him.”
“Well you have to tell him sometime, don't you?”
“Yeah, but....I need to find the right words for it, and the right time.”
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Java and Alpha were hard at work in the workshop, working to repair the Cakes' spinning sweets tray. Alpha was looking over the motor while Java greased the tube. “We'll have to let the Cakes know they'll have a longer wait than they thought.” Alpha told him, examining the inner workings. “This motor is fried, and it'll be at least a week to get a new one in.”
Java leaned over and took a look at the motor for himself. It was true that the inside was severely rusted, and probably wouldn't run again. Still, Java shook his head as he walked over to a group of electronics. “That won't be necessary.” he told her, unhinging an old fan. “We'll just use the motor from here.”
After removing the motor from the fan, he checked and made sure the two motors were of approximately the same size. Then, adjusting the speed of the rotation in the fan motor, he set it into place and hooked it up. Sure enough, the motor was an adequate proxy, and the trays were spinning like new. Alpha smirked and patted Java on the back. “Well, I stand corrected. Java Chips, is there anything you can't fix?”
“Oh, that's nothing.” Java boasted. “I once had little more than a week to repair a carriage that had been turned into a time machine in order to return to the present.”
Alpha giggled and kisses his cheek. “Yeah right, your mouth is the only thing going eighty eight miles per hour.” she teased.
Java smiled and turned to the mare, looking into her eyes. “Oh really? Maybe we should put it to the test.”
The two shut their eyes as they began to lean in close, but immediately darted back up as they heard the front door close. “I'm home.” came Micro's voice.
Java walked awkwardly into the living room to greet his brother, smiling. “Hey, glad to see you got home before the rain started, what have you been up to?”
“Oh you know, just hanging out with Click and Shimmer.” he replied, looking toward the colorful cards on the table. “What are these?”
Java followed his gaze to the cards on the table and walked up to them. “Oh, they're just some invitations Pinkie gave me while I was out, for a party next week. You know what's happening next week right?”
The first thought that came to Micro's head was the letter, but he was able to stop himself before he said  anything out loud. “Uh....oh right, next week is a year since we moved.”
“Yeah,” Java nodded, picking up and reading over his invitation again, “She's calling it a 'year-aversery party.' Apparently the whole town is going to be there. Same old Pinkie.”
“Right, that should be fun.” Micro said.
“Yeah, I just hope she doesn't overdo it. Anyway, I've gotta get back to work.”
Micro nodded, making his way toward the stairs. “Alright, I'm gonna go upstairs and play some games.”
Java waved as his brother disappeared up the stairs, and made his way back to the workshop.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
It wasn't until near sunset that the rain had stopped. Alpha was in the kitchen preparing dinner while Java finished up the last of the day's orders. He wiped some sweat from his brow, walking into the kitchen. “How's dinner coming?” he asked.
“It's just about done.” she told him, stirring some sauce for the spaghetti. “Can you go upstairs and get Micro?”
Java nodded, making his way up the stairs. He was about to knock on the slightly ajar door, when he heard Micro talking from the other side. Slowly opening the door a bit more to stare in, he saw Micro pacing, going over lines out loud. “Java, We're brothers and....no. Java, We've been together for a long.....no, not like that. Java, I-”
“Something wrong bro?” Java asked, stepping in.
Micro jumped with surprise, turning around to face his older brother. “Java! How long have you been standing there?”
“Not very long, but I know you were talking about me.” Java told him. “Is there something you need to talk to me about?”
Micro sighed, he had been caught. He opened his night stand drawer and handed the letter to his brother. Looking a bit concerned, Java took the letter from him and began reading. It was from the Equestria Gaming Commission. “I was accepted into the Equestrian Gaming Circuit, Junior Division. I registered back near the end of school and I got a reply this morning. I wasn't trying to hide it from you, but I didn't want you finding out until I knew how to tell you. I'm leaving for the rest of the summer, and a part of the fall, starting next week. I'll be following the circuit across Equestria.”
Java was speechless, his mind battling with itself. He put a hoof to his head, the extreme thinking was taking a toll immediately. Micro looked at him with concern. “Java? Are you mad?”
Java shook his head, trying to subside the thoughts running through his head. “No I...I'm...I have to go out for a second.”
Java made his way quickly out of Micro's room and down the stairs to the front door. “Where are you going?” Alpha asked, a bit concerned. 
“I just have to go out for a walk.” Java said, shutting the door behind him.
Micro came galloping down the stairs, but he was too late to stop Java as the door shut. Micro hung his head, his glasses sliding down his nose. “I think I upset him.” he said.
Alpha shook her head, staring at the door. “No, it's just a lot to take in, give him some time.”
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Java stared up at the stars, sitting in the middle of a field in Sweet Apple Acres. It was a field he knew well enough, he had once set up a sound system in it. The moon was very large tonight, you could almost count every individual crater. Java's mind was lost in thought as he tried to get his thoughts organized. While he had made his way out to the field, he was unaware that he had been followed by another colt. A spot of crimson appeared on the left edge of his peripheral vision. He turned his head to see Big Macintosh sitting down next to him. “Oh, hey Big Mac,” he said, turning back up to the stars, “It's a nice night out, isn't it?”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac said. “Something on your mind?”
Java looked back over at him, looking him up and down. Finally, he let out a sigh. “You're an older brother, right?”
“Eeyup.”
“Well....how would you feel if Applejack decided to follow the rodeo for a long time?”
Big Mac looked over to the electronics pony for a second, thinking it over. “Sad, abandoned, a little lonely.” he replied, looking back toward the sky.
All this only made Java's ears droop. “I mean, that's how I'd feel at first.” he told him, causing his ears to shoot back up. “After a while I'd get over my personal feelings about it. Then, I reckon I'd feel pretty proud and happy. She's doing what she loves after all, isn't she?”
Java thought about it for a moment and smiled, standing up. “Thanks Big Mac, I needed to hear that.”
Java galloped away, making his way back toward home. Big Mac sat there for a little while longer, staring at the sky. “Eeyup.” he said, smiling at the moon.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Micro was sitting on the couch, staring at the front door. Alpha was nearby in the chair, watching Micro with the same concern. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Java stepped inside the door, his face looking expressionless. Micro hopped off the couch, making his way up in front of his brother. “Java, I'm sorry. If you don't want me to go I won't, I don't need to join the EGC, not if you don't want-”
He was silenced by a hoof placed to his mouth. He raised his hanging head to see a smile on his brother's face. “Go get 'em bro.” Java said, tussling Micro's mane. “Show all of Equestria what you're made of.”
Micro's face lit up as he wrapped his hooves around his brother, a bright smile on his face. “Thanks!”
Java nodded, returning the hug. “No problem, now get up to bed. Gaming prodigies need their sleep.”
Micro smiled and made his way toward the stairs, heading up to his room. Alpha walked up to Java with a smile on her face. She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. “I knew you'd come to the right decision.” she told him.
Java shook his head. “It was never mine to make. I knew from day one this was going to happen, and I'm happy to see it finally did.”
“Well, whether it was your decision or not,” she told him, “You just lit up his world.”
Java nodded, smiling. “I know.”
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
**don't miss the Chips Brothers' Year-aversery next chapter, I pinkie promise it'll be amazing**