Years ago...
Big Red couldn't believe it... he didn't want to believe it...
He always thought White of being one of the strongest ponies he knew. Heck, he went to war and came back in one piece...
Yet here he was, standing in a room at a morgue of a neighborhood town, called in by the coroner to identify two bodies that they believe to be his best friend and his wife.
The two bodies in question laid on a steel slab in front of him, each covered in white blankets. Big Red felt a looming dread coming over him, fearing that what the coroner said was true and that these two were indeed his friends, all the while hanging onto a sliver of hope that these two would just be some unfortunate couple that happened to look like them... but he felt a twinge in the back of his neck, and somehow, he felt that it was telling him that he was going to be greeted with very bad news...
"Mr. Red?"
Big Red snapped out of his dread-ridden state to look at Skullen Bones, who was in the room with him.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Skullen asked, "You seem... overwhelmed."
"No, no, Ah'm fine..." Big Red shook his head.
"You're certain? Because I can easily get somepony-" Skullen offered.
"No." Big Red cut him off. "Ah have to know... Shine and Mist are home right now, worried about 'em... and Ah'm gonna have to know what to tell them..."
"Very well..." Skullen nodded solemnly, as he went over to the covered bodies, and with gentleness and caution, uncovered them.
The moment Big Red saw what was under the covers, a part of him died inside.
"Oh..." Big Red shuddered, taking off his hat, tears coming to his eyes. "Oh Faust..." He slouched against the wall.
"I am truly sorry, Mr. Red." Skullen frowned sympathetically, placing the covers back over the bodies..
"This just ain't right..." Big Red whimpered. "White... White risked his life in Saddle Arabia... he came face ta face with evil itself and lived... only for him and Silver to get killed by some dad-gum flash flood?!"
"Nature is truly a cruel mistress, Mr. Red." Skullen Bones declared. "If it is any consolation, I noticed some discoloration on Mr Paladin's chest. Somepony must had tried his hardest to revive him, not that it did him much good."
"Any idea who?" Big Red frowned.
"I'm afraid not." Skullen Bones shrugged. "There were witness accounts of somepony bringing these two to shore, but that's pretty much it."
"A good Samaritan..." Big Red noted. "Too bad his good deed was fer nought."
"Well, now that the two have been identified, it is now my duty to inform the immediate family of their losses." Skullen made to leave.
"No." Big Red stopped him, wiping his teary eyes, "This is something Ah have to do..."
Big Red was totally numb as he walked back to the house that evening. As he stepped onto the porch, Cherry came outside to greet him.
"I'm so sorry, Red." She sniffed. "White and Silver were so young. They had so much to live for..."
"They sure did." Big Red shook his head. "Where are the kids?"
"I put Mist to bed already. Shine is in his room, waiting for you to get back..." Cherry answered, before tearing up more, "Oh, Shine... he's..."
"Ah'll go talk to him." Big Red nodded. "...Thank you for watching them."
"Anything for you, Big Red." Cherry smiled warmly.
Big Red walked upstairs to Shine's room, though with great hesitation, dreading the very news he had to deliver. He knocked a few times before coming in to see Shine sitting at the windowsill, napping lightly.
"Shine?" Big Red asked, "You're awake?"
"Big Red?" Shine perked up, letting out a small yawn, "You're back."
"Yeah. Sorry to keep ya waiting." Big Red gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Ah took the scenic route home."
"So what did that pony had to say about mom and dad?" Shine asked. "Are they alright?"
"Ah, er..." Big Red gulped, not sure what to say, "Well…"
"Big Red?" Shine asked, not liking the expression on his face.
"Shine..." Big Red whispered, as he took off his hat. "Ah don't know how ta tell ya this, but... yer folks... there was this flood... and they got caught in it... they're gone, Shine."
"Gone?" Shine muttered. "Gone where?"
"Ah'm afraid I'm not sure." Big Red sighed. "Ah hope that they gone ta ah better place..."
With that, Shine put together the pieces, and his face fell.
"...They're never coming home, are they?" Shine whispered.
"Shine..." Big Red sighed.
"No... no... they can't... they can't be..." Shine shook his head, tears striking his eyes. "They can't be gone! They just can't!"
"Ah know how hard this must be..." Big Red admitted. "Ya gotta stay strong, kiddo."
"Noooo!" Shine broke down in tears. Big Red embraced the colt, trying to sooth him as he cried into his fur.
"Ah'm so sorry, Shine…" Big Red muttered, tears striking his eyes once more, rubbing Shine's back soothingly. "You just cry as much as much as ya need ta. Ah'll be there fer ya."
"…W-what's going to happen to us?" Shine sobbed.
"Ah don't know, Shine…ah'll think of something…" Big Red whispered, though as of now, eve he had no clue what to do.
The Present...
Big Red led the three delinquents off to the homestead. The trio were shackled together (A safety measure imposed by Marshall).
"Okay, young un's, listen up." He declared. "Ah know Marshall Starr's released y'all ta mah 'custardy', but that ain't no reason fer us ta take things so seriously. Let's introduce ourselves ta break the ice. Ah'm Big Red. Cherry farmer, winemaker, rodeo enthusiast, local troubleshooter, an' all-around nice guy. Me and mah wife own the Cherry Hill Ranch."
"I woulda never guessed." The griffin grumbled.
"Yeah..." Big Red shrugged. "But enough about me, who might y'all be?"
The three remained silent, before the pudgy unicorn spoke up.
"G-globe Trot." The pudgy Unicorn said nervously. "But p-ponies just call me Globe."
"Well, I'm Huckleberry." The lanky Earth Pony declared arrogantly. "Surprised you haven't already heard of me. Ah'm a pretty big deal 'round these parts."
"Yeah, your head parts." The griffin snarked.
"And who might you be?" Big Red turned to the griffin.
"Eclipse." The griffin said quietly, ruffling his ebony wing feathers.
"Eclipse?" Big Red started.
"Yeah." Eclipse nodded. "Gotta problem with my name?"
"Naw, naw." Big Red shook his head. "Ah just... knew this stallion once who liked ta go by a name like that. Anyways, Ah'm pleased ta meet y'all." Big Red nodded.
"Spare me." Eclipse snorted.
"'Scuse me?" Big Red frowned.
"Cut the nice cowboy act, you're not fooling anypony." Eclipse glared. "The only reason you got us out of there was to use us as free labor."
"Izzat so, young un?" Big Red retorted.
"Why else would you have done it?" Huckleberry asked. "'Cept maybe as payback for us eatin' your cherries and Eclipse scratching you."
"Ah think Ah'm insulted." Big Red sniggered. "Do Ah really seem that petty?"
"I-I can't say." Globe stuttered.
"Believe it or not, Ah'm doin' you boys a favour." Big Red declared.
"Nopony does anypony a favour nowadays." Eclipse frowned. "Especially anypony like us."
"Well, Ah do." Big Red smiled. "Juvie is no place for kids a' yer age. Ah'm gonna give ya somethin' better."
"Which is?" Huckleberry asked.
"Well, for starters, a roof over your head." Big Red declared. "And the knowledge of what it's like ta do some honest work."
"Well, it would be nice to not have to sleep outdoors so much..." Globe admitted.
"I'll pass on the 'work' part, though." Eclipse sneered.
"Count me in on that." Huckleberry added.
"Ain't like you got a choice." Big Red snarked.
"Wanna bet?" Eclipse sneered. "We'll slip away the first chance we get, make no mistake about that."
"And ya'll wind up back in jail not long after." Big Red shot back. "Only then, there won't be nopony ta save ya from juvie."
Eclipse said nothing, instead throwing a sour look at the ground.
Back at the homestead, Cherry was humming as she was cutting up some carrots when she heard the door open.
"Ah, welcome home, hon." She smiled, as Big Red entered. "I got lunch almost ready..."
"Yeah, about that... you might want to make enough for four." Big Red declared.
"Four? What are you-" She turned around, noticing Big Red and the boys. "Um, Red? Who are these three?"
"Well, you remembered them trespassers from last night?" Big Red smiled sheepishly. "These are the trespassers, Globe, Huckleberry, and Eclipse."
"H-hi." Globe said meekly.
"Hey." Huckleberry shrugged.
"Hmph." Eclipse turned away, giving Cherry a cold shoulder.
"And why are they here?" Cherry asked.
"Ah talked Marshall inta lettin' 'em work off their debt ta society on the farm." Big Red declared, "Sorry, it was a 'heat-of-the-moment' kinda deal."
"I see." Cherry nodded. "Well, it'll be nice to have some houseguests for a while." She turned to the boys. "Hello, I'm Cherry Jubilee, Big Red's wife."
"Hello..." Globe waved his hoof awkwardly. Eclipse irritably forced it down. "...What?"
"I'm sure you must be hungry." Cherry smiled. "I'll whip you up some lunch, before you all get to work. Please, sit down."
Big Red undid the shackles, and the boys awkwardly sat down on the couch. Globe was nervous, while Huckleberry seemed not to care. Eclipse's eyes darted from left to right, taking in the room and it's contents. Big Red gave him a small smile, which he didn't return. Soon, Cherry returned, with some cactus flower sandwiches and cherry cider on a tray.
"Here we are." She smiled. "Dig in."
Globe was the first to try the food, taking a tentative bite of his sandwich.
"Mmm." He smiled, taking another, larger bite. "This is really good!"
"Why thank you, young colt." Cherry chuckled. "Let me know if you want seconds."
Eclipse nudged Globe.
"Will you quit making nice with our jailors?" He hissed.
"Jailors?" Cherry frowned.
"Well, that's what you are, isn't it?" Huckleberry chipped in.
"No, we're not." Big Red insisted. "And we're bein' nice 'cause it's the right thing ta do. Like a certain royal in-law sez, 'nopony is above bein' polite'."
"Royal in-law?" Globe asked. "Who do you mean?"
"Well, not ta brag, but Ah happen ta kinda be related to princess Celestia herself... by marriage." Big Red smiled.
"In-law to Princess Celestia?" Eclipse snorted. "Yeah right. And I'm the queen of Eagleland."
"Oh, that's where yer wrong." Big Red pulled out a photo album and opened it to a page, showing a picture of him and Celestia at the party in which Big Red was engaged to Cherry. "This is the picture of her and me when I proposed ta Cherry."
"Well, that certainly settles it." Globe nodded in amazement.
"Hold up, that could had easily been faked through that thing they call 'photoshop'." Huckleberry said skeptically.
"Well, then how you explain this?" Big Red turned the page to show him and Celestia having a drink. "This is me havin' a drink with Princess Celestia." He turned the page. "This is me and Celestia havin' another drink." He turned the next page. "And that is when we started having a drinking contest." He turned the pages constantly, the pictures showing Celestia remaining stoic as Big Red got drunker. "Yeah, the Princess has a shockingly high suds tolerance."
He turned another page, showing him face-planted on the table with Celestia stifling a giggle. "That's when I lost the drinking contest..." Then followed a picture of Caboose hitting Celestia with a chair, conking her out. "Then Caboose comes in with a chair." A picture of a shocked Luna holding her hoof out. "And Luna says, the playing field been 'leveled'! That was one crazy night."
"Okay, so you are related to Celestia." Eclipse capitulated. "Big flappin' deal."
"Watch your language there, young 'un." Cherry glowered. "You think just because we're ponies we don't know griffin slang?"
"No kiddin'." Big Red nodded. "There used to be a griffin troublemaker around these parts. His foul language wuz the least of the trouble he gave us."
Globe and Huckleberry turned to the next page, and Huckleberry noticed a picture of a grown up Mist at what seemed to be her birthday party.
"Hoo-wee!" He smiled. "Who is this? She's so hot! I wouldn't mind getting' to know her, if you catch my drift. Take her up to makeout points, show her the ropes, maybe even teach her my favorite non-musical duet-"
"That would be mah adoptive daughter." Big Red deadpanned.
Huckleberry stiffed up.
"...And she is lovely." Huckleberry added nervously.
"That she is." Big Red chuckled. "She certainly takes after her mother. Got her eyes, smile, hips, everything."
"No kiddin'." Huckleberry drooled.
"Okay, that's enough jawin'." Big Red said suddenly. "Time fer you three ta start earning' yer keep. Now c'mon. Ah'm gonna show ya the ropes."
The boys reluctantly followed Big Red outside. They stopped beside a cherry tree.
"Watch carefully, boys." Big Red declared. He bucked the tree, bringing down a shower of cherries.
"Is that it?" Eclipse snorted. "This is what we're supposed to be doing all day?"
"As a matter a' fact, yep." Big Red nodded. "T'ain't glamorous, but it's good, honest, work. Now, y'all get started on buckin' these trees."
"I'm not so good at physical activity." Globe admitted. "Can't I just use my magic to bring the cherries down?"
"Nope." Big Red shook his head. "Ya gotta buck. That's the way Ah've always done it, and the way yer gonna do it."
"Whatever." Huckleberry shrugged. He turned and bucked the nearest tree, dislodging a few cherries.
"Not bad fer an ammycher." Big Red shrugged. "Keep it up."
Globe bucked another tree, barely dislodging a single cherry. Eclipse kicked another tree with his lion-like legs. Half the cherries fell.
"Ain't often a non-pony gets ta be good at buckin'." Big Red smiled. "Nice work, kiddo."
"Whatever." Eclipse snorted.
"Somethin' wrong, son?" Big Red asked.
"Don't call me that." Eclipse shuddered. "And quit tryin' to be nice. We're not buying it."
"We're not?" Globe asked.
"Zip it." Huckleberry nudged him.
"Ah ain't tryin' ta be nice." Big Red insisted. "Ah am bein' nice. Now get ta work!"
"Yeah, that's real nice." Eclipse snorted.
Big Red groaned.
It was the longest afternoon of Big Red's life. No matter how much he cajoled them, the trio barely did any work.
Globe was just plain terrible at bucking, and the cherries that he did end up bucking would 'mysteriously' disappeared.
"Come on, kid, buck it!" Big Red ordered.
Globe kicked the tree weakly. Two cherries descended.
"Well, it's better than nuthin'." Big Red admitted. He turned to look at the orchard. "Still plenty more ta go..." As he turned back, he saw that the two cherries were gone. "Hey! Where'd they go?"
"MmI dn't knw." Globe mumbled, his mouth full.
Huckleberry was lazy, lounging against the trees whenever Big Red wasn't looking.
"Hey, Huck!" Big Red looked around. "Where ya at?"
"Right here!" Huckleberry suddenly emerged from behind a bush. "I was just... looking for some missing cherries."
"But there ain't nuthin' in ya hooves." Big Red declared skeptically.
"Right." Huckleberry nodded, ducking back under the bush. "Better keep looking!"
Eclipse spent more time sneering and making snide comments than bucking.
"You honestly do this for a living?" He smirked. "Who's the real prisoner here?"
"Don't even think about insultin' mah profession, boy." Big Red glared.
"If you can even call it that." Eclipse smirked.
"Jest get ta buckin'." Big Red ordered.
"Yeah, yeah." Eclipse rolled his eyes. "When I'm good and ready."
"Now!" Big Red roared.
"Slavedriver." Eclipse spat, as he grudgingly bucked a tree.
As the sun began to set, Big Red corralled them back to the homestead, just in time for dinner.
"So, how was your first day as working stiffs, boys?" Cherry asked the trio as she served them tumbleweed stew.
"Okay, I guess." Globe declared.
"Tiring." Huckleberry remarked, feigning a yawn.
"Whatever." Eclipse sniffed the stew.
Big Red sighed as he sat down. After dinner, he led the boys to the spare bedroom.
"This is where y'all will be bunkin'." He told them. "We only got one bed an' a sleepin' bag, so ya'd better decide who gets what."
"Globe gets the sleeping bag." Eclipse told Big Red. "Huckleberry gets the bed. I'll be fine sleeping on that rug over there."
"If you say so." Big Red shrugged. "Bathroom's down on the right, we're down the hall. Night, fellas."
"Whatever." Eclipse sneered.
Globe made to say goodnight, but had his mouth covered by Huckleberry.
Big Red frowned as he closed the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, the boys went to their designated sleeping spots.
"Well, what do we do now, Eclipse?" Globe asked.
"Don't you worry, Globe, I already came up with an escape plan." Eclipse said, as he walked around in a circle and laid down. "That mud pony may think he has us all figured out, but he ain't got nothing on us."
"Huh-uh." Huckleberry nodded as he laid on the bed.
"That's a relief. But... just asking, where will we go when we escape? We are kinda in the middle of nowhere." Globe pondered.
"I don't know." Eclipse sighed. "But it'll beat staying here."
"Huh-uh." Huckleberry nodded again.
"Still..." Globe worried. "If we do leave, then our only option might be going back to-"
"We'll see." Eclipse shrugged.
"Huh-uh." Huckleberry nodded once more.
"Okay, what the heck are you doing, Huckleberry?" Eclipse glared at him.
"Huh?" Huckleberry snapped out of his daze, "Oh, I was just... looking at this sweet pic of Big Red's daughter right here." He held up the pic of Mist they were shown earlier.
"Aw, dude!" Eclipse growled, "Can't you ever get your head outta the gutters?!"
"I can't help it... she's so hot." Huckleberry glanced at Mist's picture again. "And dang, her flanks are so-"
"Enough! Stop before you go showing everypony your male bits!" Eclipse gave a disgusted scowl. "You put that picture back where you found it, the way you found it, tomorrow and come the right opportunity, we are leaving this place in the dust. Comprende?"
"Okay." Huckleberry gulped.
"Good." Eclipse smiled. "Night, guys."
"Good night." Globe crawled into the sleeping bag.
"Night." Huckleberry nodded, as he slipped under the bedcovers.
"And tomorrow, we are outta here." Eclipse smirked, as he curled up on the rug.
Meanwhile, Big Red joined Cherry in their bed.
"What's wrong, Red?" Cherry asked, taking note of his sour expression.
"Ah'm startin' ta think Ah might be in over mah head here." Big Red sighed. "These kids ain't got no respect."
"Oh, come now, they're just boys. It's natural for them to be rebellious." Cherry sagely soothed.
"Really? 'Cause Ah raised Shine from when he was about their age and he was never this disrespectful." Big Red muttered.
"Well, Shine had very good role models growing up. You were already a second father to him way before White and Silver passed away." Cherry pointed out.
"Yeah... but I don't know... these boys really know how to push a guy's button. Huckleberry is a slouch who thinks he's all that, Globe is... well, he's not bad... but he's easily led astray by the others... and then there's Eclipse." Big Red grimaced. "Oh Faust, that kid's got a mean streak a mile wide."
"Look, it's obvious that they hadn't the luxuries many boys usually have. I'm sure with time, they'll see that you are trying to help them." Cherry assured.
"That's assumin' mah nerves can hold out that long." Big Red sighed. "But ah swear... Eclipse certainly reminds me of somepony..."
Many years ago...
Marshall Starr rushed through Dodge Junction, Big Red struggling to keep up.
"Wait up, Marshall!" Big Red wheezed.
"We're already late enough as it is." Marshall declared.
"Who are these guys you want me to meet anyway?" Big Red asked.
"Some great colts." Marshall grinned. "You'll like them. Trust me."
As they reached the center of town, White Knight Paladin and Black Knight Paladin were waiting there.
"Hey, Marsh." White smiled. "Who's this?"
"This is Redwall Barrel-Roll." Marshall smiled. "Redwall, this is White Knight Paladin and Black Knight Paladin."
"Nice to meet you." Big Red declared. "Folks call me Big Red."
"Howdy, little guy." White smiled.
"Yeah, hey." Black nodded. "Didn't tell us you were bringing a friend, Marshall."
"No big deal." White shrugged. "The more, the merrier, right?"
"Fine, sure, whatever." Black sighed.
"Now, how about we play some stickball?" Marshall suggested.
"Okay." White nodded. "Red, you're on my team."
"Good luck, White." Black smirked. "The kid's short, and pudgy."
"But he looks like a good swinger." White declared.
"Really?" Big Red smiled. "Thanks!"
"Your funeral, bro." Black smirked. "'Cause that means Marshall's on my team. You two'll be crushed."
"We'll see about that, Black." White smiled. "Right, Red?"
"Right." Big Red grinned.
As the teams split up, Big Red got the strangest feeling that a meaningful connection had just been born.