//------------------------------// // Chapter 78 - "Brothers in Scales" // Story: My Little Caboose II: Friendship is Fragmented! // by DarkWing //------------------------------// "Here we are," Applejack finally said after a long walk from the station. Standing in front of the white, wooden gate, Applejack turned around and smiled stiffly at the large group behind her. In the back of her mind, she knew that having this many people living here will probably cause problems that she can't handle. With a gulp, she shook the thought away and straightened up, motioning her head to the large building on the top of the hill. "The Apple family farm. It ain't much to look at, but it's home." "Nonsense, your farm looks amazing!" Donut said with a smile, awkwardly trotting past APplejack. He had gotten the gist of walking, but going any faster than a small stride was still a mystery to him. "In fact, I think it looks better than the farm I grew up on!" "Oh? You grew up on a farm?" Applejack inquired. "What'd ya grow?" "Oh, a bunch of things. We had lots of cows that we used to milk, and that was always really fun. But we also grew cucumbers, corn, zucchinis. You know, stuff that you can shove in your—" Donut stopped when Sarge let out a single rough cough. "Are you okay, Sarge?" "I'm fine, just... stop talking." "Well, Ah suppose Ah'm happy t' see one of Sarge's friends might be able to help out on the farm," Applejack chuckled, then turned once more and made her way towards her home. "C'mon, Spike n' the others should be inside." The group then followed Applejack towards the farmhouse, staying on the dirt path. As they neared the entrance, the doors burst open. Applejack stepped out of the way as the Cutie Mark Crusaders ran by, followed by a smiling Theta and a semi-reluctant Sigma. "Where're y'all goin' in such a rush?" Applejack asked as Sigma casually walked after them. "The girls are looking into a circus that will be coming into town within the next week," he replied cooly. "I suppose they're going to be inquiring about trying to find their cutie marks within the ranks of clowns and acrobats..." "Is Delta inside?" Church asked flatly, curious as to why Sigma wasn't being watched. "Yes, he is. But he does not consider me a threat seeing as I am just a small colt and do not have the power of flight or the ability to use magic," the orange colt replied with a shrug. He then glanced at Twilight and bowed his head slightly. "Besides, my past is just that. The past. I cannot prove to you that I have changed if I'm treated like an animal locked inside a cage. I know none of you trust me, and I understand why. I just ask that you at least give me a chance rather than shove me into a corner." "You coming, Sig?" Sweetie Belle called out from the gate. Sigma looked to Church with a blank face, one which Church couldn't read for the life of him. With a delayed sigh, Church nodded at him. Sigma nodded back and trotted after his brother and the girls. "You're letting him go?" Simmons asked hurriedly. "Maybe it's about time everybody gets a second chance. We all got one by coming here. Washington got one. Carolina got one. Hell, even the Director got one," Church said, glancing back at the orange colt. "Besides, like he said, he isn't a Pegasus or a Unicorn. He can do damage, but at least we can catch up with him and stop him." Church nodded at Applejack. "Now come on, let's grab Spike and get out of here." Looking back at the others, he frowned slightly. "You guys mind waiting out here? I want to make this quick, and it'd be easier if it was just Tucker, Junior and me." The group shrugged, most of them glad they didn't have to go in and greet the fragments. Once inside, Church walked into the kitchen, followed by Tucker and Junior. Inside the kitchen was Spike and the rest of the fragments. The fragments spun around and looked curiously at the alien behind them. "Is that..." O'Malley began. "Yeah, it is," Church replied without a seconds' thought, walking up to Spike. "Hey, buddy. How's it going?" "It's going pretty good," Spike said, arms folded behind his head as he sat back in the chair lazily. "Watching these guys has been pretty easy going. Every time O'Malley or Gary tries to leave, Delta grabs them and puts them back in their chair with his magic." "It's so unfair," Gary replied sourly, looking at the table. "It's kind of funny, though," Spike chuckled, then looked to Junior. "Who's your friend?" "This is Junior. He's kind of why we're here. I have to ask you something. Mind doing us a favor?" "What is it?" Spike asked slowly. "Can you watch over our friend here?" Church inquired, nodding at the tall alien behind him. "He wanted to stay with Tucker, but he can't really get to Rainbow Dash's house." "Why don't you just build him a dog house?" Sister chimed. "Why do you want me to do it?" "Can't trust anybody else with this, Spike. We're all wrapped up with our own stuff, and we need somebody to teach him about this world." "[You're leaving him in charge of me?]" Junior asked curiously. "[But he's so... small...]" "Hey, I take offense to that." Spike retorted. A beat passed by in the room as everyone looked to Spike. "You understand him?" Tucker questioned seriously. "Yeah... he's speaking in dragon. Of course I can understand him," Spike said, rolling his eyes. "Wha..." Church trailed off and let out a sigh. He remembered that this world was brought into reality through Caboose. Some things were bound to make no sense. In fact, upon thinking about it, Church was surprised at just how much of this world did make sense. "That's good to hear, then. It'll make your job that much easier. Listen, I'm going to go talk to Twilight and the others. Mind bringing Junior back to the library?" "Sure," Spike said, walking past Church and Tucker. "C'mon, I'll go grab us some food." Junior looked to Tucker, hoping he'd say something. Tucker merely nodded at Junior, silently telling him that this is how it has to work. Junior let out a sigh and walked out with Spike. Church and Tucker shared a curious look. Both of them wondered if this was the best thing for either of them. Spike quickly greeted the large group outside, then began walking down the path, followed by Junior. The pair walked in silence for a quarter of an hour, not sure what to say to each other. Junior took that time to look around the bright, vibrant world. It wasn't like anything he'd ever seen. He was used to canyons, deserts and the like. To him, this world was beautiful. "So why'd you want to stay with Tucker anyways?" Spike inquired, wanting to break the silence as Junior looked at the town they were in. "[I lived away from him and the others for the past few years.]" "DId they forget about you when they were on their adventures?" "[No, it's... I was more or less kidnapped.]" "Really? That's horrible... Why would someone kidnap you?" "[Possibly because I was seen as the savior of my race. Being born from where I was, I was a critical piece when it came to the human-alien war...]" "I think Church mentioned something about the war once or twice, but he said they weren't really apart of the war itself... and he didn't ever really mention you. And especially not about you being a savior of a race." "[I do not think Church liked me very much...]" Junior grunted. He then let out a deep breath and looked at the clouds. "[Like the others, I never was in the war myself, but my men often told me of the brutality and lives lost. When I was born, I gave hope for my species survival. Most thought I alone was the only way we could achieve peace. Hopefully, if my assumptions are correct, that is not the case. Before I came to... wherever this place is... I lead those who held bad blood against the humans into a trap where they were killed.]" "What?" Spike sputtered, feeling nervous. "You killed them?" "[Not all of them. I only killed one. The leader of the little group. I'm sure you must think of that as terrible, but I am certain he would have gotten him as well as every other being of my species extinct. But with him gone, and the road slightly paved by myself, I believe that peace can be had between the two races.]" "And if they can't?" "[That is no longer my problem,]" Junior said flatly. "[I don't care much for politics, and I always felt like an outcast when I was with the other aliens. I grew to trust many of them, and I trust that they will be the true saviors of my race. As for myself... I don't think I was a great leader anyways. The humans... well, ponies now, I guess... they're my real family. I feel like I actually belong with them.]" "How old are you?" "[I'm not sure about ponies or dragons in terms of how they age compared to humans, but in human years... I think I'm around six years old,]" Junior said pensively. Junior glanced back and saw that Spike was giving him a look that was not entirely unlike surprise. "Did I say something to offend you?" "You're six years old?" Spike asked ridiculously. "But that means I'm older than you!" "[And?]" "And... I don't know, I just thought you'd be older since you commanded an army and everything..." "[Age does not mean anything,]" Junior retorted. "Maybe not where you're from, but around here I always seem to be left out," Spike countered with a slight frown. "[They left you, a young dragon, in charge of teaching me, an alien who was in charge of hundreds, about your world. The others... they trust you to be the best guide for me. And that was before they knew you could understand me. I think that might prove that they don't care how old you are.]" "Yeah... I guess so," Spike said with a smile. Looking ahead, Spike began to jog forward. "We're here!" Junior looked down the road and saw Spike was nearing a large tree house. Walking slightly faster, Junior quickly caught up with Spike as he reached for the door and pulled it open. Spike glanced back at Junior and motioned towards the door fluidly. Junior looked down at Spike, then back at the door. With a shrug, Junior crouched down and walked through the slightly-too-small door. Spike followed him and shut the door behind him. "Well, what do you think?" Spike asked as he turned to Junior with a warm smile. Junior looked around before settling back on Spike. "[There's a lot of books...]" "Well, it is a library," Spike snorted as he rolled his eyes. "Anyways, upstairs are the bedrooms. The door by the stairs goes to the kitchen, and the outhouse is out back. There's two doors in the kitchen, one is a pantry and the other leads to the basement. Any questions?" "[No, I think I got it...]" "Are you sure you want to stay here?" Spike asked, noticing how Junior shifted what he could only assume was awkwardly. "[Honestly, I would have preferred staying with Tucker,]" Junior grunted. "[But since I can't go where my father goes, I don't really have a choice. No offense.]" "It's okay," Spike coughed, rubbing the back of his head. His eyes then went wide, and he gave Junior a very curious look. "Wait. Did you... did you just say that Tucker is your dad?" "[I think your kind would technically count him as the mother since I came out of his body...]" "Woah, woah, too much information," Spike gagged, waving his hands frantically at Junior, tongue sticking out slightly. "How does that even work?" he inquired. "Don't answer!" he quickly added when Junior started to explain his origins. An awkward silence fell between the pair as they looked away from each other. Spike then let out a sigh. "Well, we should probably get you settled in here. Then I can show you around Ponyville if you want. Maybe show you a place or two to get some good food." "[That sounds fine with me,]" he replied. "What's your favorite thing to eat? Mine is gems," Spike said happily, leading Junior to the stairs. "[Blood.]" "Ha ha, very funny," Spike said, chuckling lightly. Junior walked past him in silence and into the kitchen. "You are joking right?" Junior kept walking. "Right?"