"It's awfully nice t' see y'all again," Granny Smith chuckled as she pulled a tray out of the oven. "Th' girls were so sad when y'all seemed t' have just up and left without so much as 'goodbye'."
"We didn't mean to, it sort of just happened," Theta said quietly, not fond of the idea of having hurt his friends' feelings. "I hope they aren't mad."
"If Ah know those girls, they'll be as mad as a sunflower durin' the summer," she chortled as she placed the tray on the dinner table. She playfully shook her head at the confused look Theta was giving her. "Ah'm sayin' they won't be mad, so there ain't no use worryin' over nothing."
"I hope so," Theta said, grabbing a tart off of the dish.
"Granny Smith is right," Applejack said. "They'll be more'n happy to see y'all again."
Smiling, Theta bit into the hot pastry and laid back in the chair, chewing pensively. Eta and Iota walked up the the table and grabbed some tarts of their own, examining it briefly before eating. Sigma, as what seemed to be the norm for him now, did nothing. Instead, he simply stared out the window at the burning sun.
"What's wrong with th' orange one?" Granny Smith asked quietly to Applejack.
"Ah think he's just a little homesick is all," Applejack said doubtfully. Walking up to the table, she grabbed one of the tarts and held it up to Sigma with a warm smile. "Come on, Sig. Ah'm not sure what you're feelin' right now, but Ah do know that it shouldn't be bad today. Ah don't think th' girls would like seein' ya all mopey and such."
"There is a difference between being mopey and being deep in thought," he growled softly, staring at her eyes. Looking down at the tart, he slowly took it out of her hoof. "But thank you for trying to be understanding. I'm just confused right now."
"Confused 'bout what?" Applejack asked.
"That's just it," he said quietly, but thoughtfully. "I don't know."
"Well, if ya find out, don't hesitate t' talk t' me. These ears are willin' t' listen t' ya should ya need it."
Sigma nodded dimly at the farm pony, taking a small bite out of the treat as to not offend Granny Smith. Just then, the sound of the front door opening came from the front of the house, and the sound of three small sets of hooves walking against the hard, wooden floor came right after.
"Sis, do ya happen to know where any shovels are?" Apple Bloom asked from the entrance to the home as she approached the kitchen with her friends.
"They're in here," Applejack chuckled loudly. Smirking at the two younger fragments, she turned to Eta and Iota and nodded at them. "C'mon, y'all. Let's leave th' boys t' say hello."
"Alrighty then," Granny Smith agreed, shakily making her way out of the room.
"Thanks for making us some food," Theta said.
"Anytime ya feel peckish, just tell me," the old mare chuckled.
The instant the two silent pieces of the alpha and the two older Apple mares left the room through the other door, the Cutie Mark Crusaders entered through the main one, only to freeze in their tracks the moment they saw their two old friends sitting in the room, eating some treats.
"Hey, guys," Theta smiled stiffly, trying to play it cool. "Didja miss me?"
"Theta!" the trio squealed with excitement.
Theta's eyes widened with surprise as the three fillies tackled Theta to the ground in a group hug, making his tart drop to the ground. The trio asked a flurry of questions as they rolled around on the ground, but Theta couldn't answer them all with how fast they were asking them. As they hugged on the floor, the trio looked around for Sigma to see the colt staring emptily at them.
"Come on, Sigma," Sweetie Belle said, motioning her hoof, inviting him over. "We missed you too!"
Shaking his head clear of all thought, Sigma smiled sparingly and made his way over to the others and they gave him a tight hug. The small group then stopped their hug, but continued to smile brightly at the duo as they wanted to ask many questions. Then they looked down and saw the mark on Sigma's flank.
"Sigma got his Cutie Mark!" Sweetie whooped, trotting closer to him for a better look.
The trio then lost all focus on their questions and rushed over to Sigma's side to get a better look at his talent. It was the head of a cobra, and it appeared to be smiling slyly ahead while it stuck out a silver tongue.
"It's so cool," Scootaloo gasped.
"What didja get it for?" Apple Bloom inquired curiously.
"For talking," he replied without thought.
"Seems like a strange mark t' get for just talkin'," the farm filly chuckled.
"I suppose you could say I convinced an otherwise adamant pony to not do something she'd regret," he muttered, but then shook his head. "But enough about my mark. I'm sure you have many different questions unrelated to it."
"Where did you guys go?" Sweetie asked.
"We went away to live with some different family, but it did not work out," he replied, glancing over to Theta.
"Why didn't you tell us you were leaving?" Scootaloo added.
"We simply didn't have the time. It was a rather... spontaneous experience. We didn't know we were going until it was too late," he replied. "Had we known, we would have been sure to tell you in advance. I hope you did not take it personally."
"Nah, we kinda knew that's what happened," she chuckled, punching Theta in the shoulder. "We know you guys would've said goodbye if you had the chance. It still sorta sucked, but we knew you had a reason not to."
"I am glad you think so, and I am sure Theta is too," Sigma said bowing his head. "The last thing we want to do is upset you all."
"It'll take a lot more than that t' make us not like y'all after th' way ya tore those bullies down," Apple Bloom giggled devilishly. "Ah'm sure they were happy t' see ya gone. They'll probably be the ones who'll be upset t' see ya back."
"That's too bad," Sigma smiled thinly.
"Speaking of those bullies, what did we miss in school?" Theta asked hesitantly.
"A lot, but we can help you catch up later," Sweetie piped, grabbing one of the treats off the dish. "Right now we can just have some fun."
"Yeah! We should ask Pinkie to throw a party for you guys!" Scootaloo suggested. "I'm sure Pinkie would be happy to get any excuse to invite the whole town over for another party."
"That sounds okay, I guess," Theta murmured. Though he was okay with a small group of people, he still didn't enjoy being in front of more people or ponies that he could keep his eyes on at once.
"Sorry, I forgot how shy you are," Scootaloo chuckled, patting Theta on the back. "We can just hang out if you want. Just the five of us."
"I'd like that a bit more," he said sheepishly.
"I know," she said, smiling playfully at him. "It's not your fault you're a scaredy cat."
"I'm not a scaredy cat," he protested.
"Yes you are," she laughed, giving him another small hug. "But don't worry. I still think you're still cool."
"Thanks," Theta said with a shy smile. "You're pretty cool too."
"Scootaloo and Theta sitting in a tree," Sweetie chanted quietly, but just loud enough for them to hear.
"Shut up," Theta and Scootaloo said together.
I can just imagine Theta trying to "play it cool."
Insecurity. Playing it cool.
Sigma you silver tongued badass.
Very nice, I do always enjoy sigma's character.
THETA IS BEST FRAGMENT!
Sigma, you get a cookie for your silver tounge
I was surprised that line didn't appear in the previous story
Please ship scootaloo and Theta
Who here thinks that Discord messed with Sigma while they were all stuck in proto-alpha?
Possible relationship wit tetra and scootaloo???
nope sigma won't allow...right?
My favorite ponies appears before my favorite rvb character
Theta is more open, Sigma is closer to pre-Equestria Sigma, and something about Delta just seems... off. Did Discord's tampering affect them as well!?
ThetaScootaloo do it!!!
Tis a cute chapter, this one. It also leaves me to wonder if this particualr chapter is foreshadowing a certain shipping in the near future
I'm willing to bet that Discord's little tampering with the Alpha's head affected the fragments in small yet significant ways.
i think Sigma is realizing that the alpha plan he wanted didn't turn out as expected. also, serpent tongue AND silver tongue? he should be a politician
2263463 He would have done something to Gamma and Omega, but they seem just fine. Yet.
Happy face
All of my yes!
2263579 They already fuck shit up enough, I don't think Discord would have to do much
Speaking of Pinkie... it's almost time to see how she has been holding up.
2263857 Maybe he realized he liked being seperate more?
2263653
ThetaLoo
2264220
theatloo=chikens
2263320
thats a funny way to spell Detla but its all okay with me
(JK theta is my wingman)
When's Tucker gonna come into the story
Scootalo and Theta ship now plz?
2264247 I can say the same thing. Detla? is he the new guy? AND THETA IS SOOOO CUTE. I want him as a plushie.
MOAR THETALOO
2264283He updates daily, no need to say that.
I... can actually see Theta-loo
2263390 I think Discord is in Sigma's brain.
2265055 I think it's because Sigma's "dream" was to become the Alpha. He finally did it, and it was a horrible and painful experience. He's probably deep in thought because his whole life was a lie.
2264909
Sorry, kind of habit for me since I do that on nearly every fanfic that I read, mostly because I want to comment but can't think of anything to say!
That ending was adorable.
Now for another 24-hour wait...
2265055
OH FUCK NO
2267622 Wouldn't that be a surprise?
2263662 That is true.
Thetaloo? BEST. SHIP. EVER!!!
2269690 agreed, Thetaloo is now my fave ship
Do I sence a ThetaXScootaloo ship?
"will that be UPS or Fedex?"
fed-ex please. and can it be freight?
2284704
how did you know *reads chapter* oh
Poor Sigma. His whole life goal, achieved and then destroyed. I feel sorry for him.
Thetaloo! Best ship for ponys ever of all time. Theta is best pony and scootaloo is close.
I ship thetaloo, also now I want to go back to my little caboose to find the chapter Sigma figuratively kicked Diamond Twit and Silver Shit's asses.
I hope we get to see at least 10 chapters of Theta and Sigma in school. I LOVE reading it. Idk why.... Yes it do... BROTHER LOVE... DA FEELS
Also the Sigma-Theta relationship with Silver Spoon-Diamond Tiara
>> at least one chapter! Come on, your killing me here.
4908311
I actually think that sigma is replacing North as Theta's protector/mentor.