//------------------------------// // Trouble In Town // Story: Home On The Range // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// Years ago... Big Red and White came home from a hard day's work. "It'll be good to see Silver again." White sighed. "Again?" Big Red smirked. "It's only bin like, eight hours since ya last saw her!" "I know." White smiled. "Eight hours of torment." "You two have only gotten mushier since ya'll got married." Big Red rolled his eyes. "You say that like it's a bad thing." White chuckled. "Jest try ta rein it in, okay?" Big Red begged. "Silver, I'm back!" White called as they entered the house. "Don't ferget about me." Big Red grinned. They found the three-month pregnant Silver curled up on the couch, trembling with fear. "Silver?" White gasped. "What's wrong?" "Oh, White!" Silver embraced him. "I... I was out walking, when this Earth Pony stallion comes right up to me from out of nowhere. He said he'd heard about you and me having a foal, and that he didn't like it. He said something about 'cross-breeding', and how I shouldn't have rubbed it in his face. He said if he ever sees me and our foal again, he'll make me sorry I dated outside my breed." "He what?!" White roared. "Now that jest plain ain't right!" Big Red said indignantly. "Who was this stallion?" White asked. "He didn't mention his name." Silver declared. "But he had a mud-brown coat, a red mane, violet eyes, and a Cutie Mark of a hard hat." Instantly, White and Big Red immediately lit up in anger. "Hard Head!" White and Red growled at once. "You know him?" Silver asked. "His family owns the construction company 'round these parts." White glared. "Usually hangs out at the local bar. We ran into him a couple of times... a real piece of work, that stallion." "That's puttin' it mildly." Big Red grimaced. "That fella's rotten ta the core." "What if I run into him again?" Silver fretted. "The things he could do to me, and our foal..." "I'm not going to let that happen, Silver." White nuzzled Silver. "'Cause me and Red are gonna march right down there and have a little chat with him, right, Red?" He turned to face Red... only to see him gone. "Red?" He and Silver glanced around. "Where did he go?" Without them noticing, Big Red marched out of the house and made his way to "The Leaky Cactus", Dodge Junction's premiere watering hole. It wasn't hard to find Hard Head. He was sitting in the back, chugging down some extra-strength cider. "'Scuse me, pardner." Big Red stepped. "C'n Ah have a word?" "What about?" Hard Head belched. "Well now, it seems ya ran inta a friend a' mine earlier today." Big Red declared. "Started castin' dispersions on her choice a' mate. Even went so far as threatenin' her unborn foal." "Yeah, so what?" Hard Head sneered. "I was well within my rights. It just ain't natural." "What ain't natural?" Big Red glared. "That a Pegasus and an Earth Pony could fall in love?" "Exactly." Hard Head nodded. "It goes against the natural order. Ponies should stick to their own kind. That way, you don't get any half-breed mutant foals." "Hey, now." Big Red glared. "Who are you ta say that? An' more importantly, who are you ta scare a poor pregnant mare half ta death?" "That 'poor mare' is carrying an abomination!" Hard Head yelled. "It shouldn't even exist! If she'd stuck to her own kind, I wouldn't have had to teach her a sorely needed lesson. If I see her husband, I'll teach him a harsher one." "Oh no, ya won't." Big Red said quietly. "Oh, and how you intend to stop me, huh?" Hard Head got up and glared at Big Red. "We all know you don't have the cajones to hurt anypony!" Big Red remained silent, his face hardening. "See?" Hard Head chuckled with a sneer. "You're too soft. Unlike that old friend of yours... what was his name? Black Knight? Too bad his turncoat carcass is burnin' in Tartarus right-" Big Red suddenly grabbed him by the throat, catching the attention of everypony in the bar. "GAI!" Hard Head gulped. "What are you-" He was cut off mid-sentence as Big Red lifted him up and tossed him out a nearby window. "Consider that a warnin'." Big Red snarled, as Hard Head struggled to his hooves. "If Ah hear you've been threatenin' mah friends, or causin' trouble over any kinda mixin' a pony breeds again, ya'll get a lot worse, ya get me?" "You dumb hick!" Hard Head snarled, rubbing his throat. "I should have you arrested for assault!" "Go ahead!" Big Red taunted. "Ah'll just tell the sheriff how you threatened the wife of an decorated RDL officer, who by the way, is pregnant! Then who would be the bad guy?!" Hard Head stiffened up, the reality of the situation hitting home. It was then that Marshall arrived on the scene. "What's going on here?" He asked. "...I tripped." Hard Head fibbed. "You tripped?" Marshall raised a brow. "Yes, I tripped." Hard Head nodded, looking warily at Big Red. Hard Head quickly try, trying not to face Red. Moments later, White arrived. "Whoa." He observed the scene. "What happened here?" "Hard Head and Ah had a little chat." Big Red declared. "Ah showed him the error of his ways." The present... Eclipse, Huckleberry and Globe were making their way into town. Big Red had entrusted them to go and pick up some stuff from the market. It was their first taste of freedom in a while, and they were enjoying every minute of it. "Boy, this ol' place never looked so good." Huckleberry smiled, taking a moment to wink at a passing mare. "And what a beautiful day." Globe sighed. "Are we really doing this?" Eclipse frowned. "Running errands for that old stallion? We could very easily just make a run for it right now." "And go where?" Huckleberry asked. "We've no guarantee that pa will be there for us back at that rock...or even if he's coming back…" "Huck's right." Globe agreed. "I'd say having a roof over our head and three meals a day beats slumming out in the open." "Wimps." Eclipse snorted. "You've gone soft, both of you. Making friends with our jailors, enjoying the slave labor they put us through..." "You just won't let up on that, will ya, Eek?" Huckleberry rolled his eyes. "Red and Cherry have been nothing but good to us all this time." "Maybe you'd enjoy being around them too, if you eased up on the attitude." Globe suggested. "Not gonna happen." Eclipse snarled. "Let's just get the stuff already." They made their way to the general store, buying the items Big Red had sent them to get. "That'll be seventeen bits." The store owner declared. "Seventeen?" Huckleberry snorted. "I know places that sells bread for half the price, and don't get me started on the milk. You oughta be charging us ten bits." "Seventeen bits." The store owner glared. "Twelve bits." Huckleberry retorted. "These tomatoes are lookin' kinda ripe." "Sixteen bits." The store owner frowned. "These apples look pretty good, though." Huckleberry noted. "Tell you what, I'm to pay fifteen bits for the lot." "Done." The store owner gave in. "Pleasure doing business with ya." Huckleberry smirked as he passed over the money. The trio left the general store, Huckleberry grinning smugly. "You've still got it, Huck." Eclipse noted. "I don't know how you do it." Globe shrugged. "Hey, some guys got it, some guys don't." Huckleberry bragged. "And I've got it good." As they made their way back, a group of Earth Pony older kids blocked their path. "Where do you losers think you're going?" The leader, a chocolate brown colt with a club Cutie Mark, asked. "None of your business." Eclipse spat. "Well, that's mighty unneighborly of you." A pale blue colt sneered. "They're gonna haveta pay for their rudeness, huh, Ruff Stuff?" A short, stocky lime green colt snickered. "That they are." The leader nodded. "Now, seein' as how this is your first offence, I'm thinking we'll need to take half of what's in that bag." "Say what?" Huckleberry gasped. "N-no way!" Globe quivered. "We're on an errand! This stuff isn't even ours!" "See, this is what you get for tryin' to be nice." Ruff Stuff sneered. "Disrespect. Guess we're gonna haveta teach you some manners." "Not on my watch." Eclipse stepped forward. "Leave 'em alone." "Or what, feathers?" Ruff Stuff glared. "Keep staring at me like that, and you'll find out." Eclipse spread his wings. Ruff Stuff's shorter lackey stepped back in shock. "I'll only say this once: back off." Eclipse scraped his talons along the dirt. "Izzat so?" Ruff Stuff stomped a hoof. "Eek, maybe we should just leave..." Globe said nervously. "Yeah, they're not worth it." Huckleberry added. "That's right, run home." Ruff Stuff sneered. "What good are you, anyway? Half-bird, half-cat... you're just some messed up little freak!" "What did you call me?" Eclipse growled, his eye twitching with anger. "You heard me, pigeon-cat." Ruff Stuff snickered. "All you griffins are a joke. Like somepony just slammed together leftover parts for a laugh." Eclipse dug into the dirt with his talons, his temper reaching a boiling point. "Maybe you need a time-out to eat some worms, or scratch your fleas, or something." Ruff Stuff sneered. "Whattaya say, turkey face?" "RAAAARRRGH!!" Eclipse suddenly leapt at Ruff Stuff. A short while later, Big Red, wondering what was keeping the trio, heard a knock at the door. He answered it to find Marshall's deputy, Wrangler. Wrangler was a pinto Earth Pony with a black mane, blue eyes, and a lasso Cutie Mark. "Howdy, Wrangler." Big Red smiled. "What brings you here?" "I'm afraid we have a... situation at the sheriff's office." Wrangler announced. "Aw no, don't tell me..." Big Red groaned. "Follow me, please." Wrangler urged. Once they reached the sheriff's office, Big Red was aghast to see a disheveled and injured Eclipse locked up in the cell again. Globe and Huckleberry stood to the side, opposite to Marshall, a badly scratched up Ruff Stuff and (to Big Red's surprise) Hard Head. "Big Red." Hard Head glared. "Been a while, huh?" "What in tarnation's goin' on here?" Big Red asked. "There was an... altercation, a short while ago." Marshall declared. "If that's your way of saying that griffin assaulted my boy, you're right." Hard Head declared, putting a comforting hoof on Ruff Stuff. "Yer boy?" Big Red gaped, unaware Hard Head had a son. "That's right." Hard Head nodded. "It wasn't what you think it was!" Huckleberry protested. "That jerk was trying to push us around!" "Yeah!" Globe added. "Eclipse was just trying to protect us! He only started fighting after Ruff Stuff kept insulting him!" "And that made it alright for him to scar my son?" Hard Head growled. "I demand the most severe punishment possible for this feathered thug!" "Now hold on!" Big Red yelled. "Let's not go overboard." "It's your fault, really." Marshall glared at Big Red. "You let those kids go out by themselves, and surprise, surprise! They get into trouble!" "So you're their guardian, eh?" Hard Head sneered. "I should've known..." "Don't even think a' gangin' up on me, you two..." Big Red growled. "Why are we even still talking about this?" Hard Head growled. "Send this juvenile delinquent to the big house, where he belongs!" "No!" Globe and Huckleberry chorused. "Nopony's sending anypony anywhere!" Big Red yelled. "You don't have a say in this, Red." Marshall declared. "You were supposed to keep those lawbreakers reined in. You failed, and now there are consequences." "Yes, consequences!" Hard Head nodded. "Punish the griffin!" "Punish 'im fer what?" Big Red snorted. "Fer standing up fer himself and the others? Since when is that a crime?" "He assaulted my son!" Hard Head yelled. "From the sound of things, yer boy had it comin'." Big Red told him. "And you, Marshall. Puttin' Eclipse in the cell just fer fightin'? Kids do that all the time. Why don't ya throw 'em in playin' tag while yer at it?" "It's my duty to uphold the law." Marshall declared. "Oh, yeah?" Big Red sneered. "Then why didn't ya throw Ruff here in there? You heard Globe an' Huckleberry. He started it!" "And I'm supposed to take their word for it?" Marshall asked. "No, yer supposed ta take mah word fer it." Big Red countered. "Or do ya think Ah don't know when somepony's lyin'?" Marshall opened his mouth, then shut it again. "Ya got no right ta imprison Eclipse fer tryin' ta do right by Globe and Huckleberry." Big Red continued. "Let 'im go, an' we'll be outta yer mane." "Why are you even listening to this hillbilly, sheriff?" Hard Head asked. "He's obviously on the little monster's side!" "Don't even go there, pardner." Big Red glared. "Maybe if ya'll did a better job bein' a parent, this wouldn't a' happened in the first place. Yer son's obviously as big a jerk as you are." "Why, you..." Hard Head stepped forward. "Really?" Big Red sneered. "Do Ah really need ta remind ya what happened the last time we had a 'disagreement'?" Hard Head froze up as the memory of that altercation flashed through his mind. "Well?" Big Red huffed. "I've wasted enough time here." Hard Head blustered, trying to save face. "Come on, Ruff. We're going home." "Yes, dad." Ruff followed his father, throwing a glare Eclipse's way as they left. Then, Big Red turned to Marshall. "Well?" Big Red implored, "Are you goin' to let him go?" "Eh, I guess I should." Marshall gave in, unlocking the cell door. "It was just self-defense, after all." "Thank ya kindly." Big Red smiled. "But do try to keep him in line this time." Marshall glared. "Think you can manage that, Big Red?" "Guess we'll haveta wait an' see." Big Red retorted tensely. Moments later, the four left the office, and headed for home. Once they returned, they all sat down in the living room. Cherry had gone out for bingo night in town, so they were alone. "Sorry, Big Red." Globe said suddenly. "Sorry?" Big Red asked. "Fer what?" "For all that trouble you had to go through." Huckleberry declared. "Ain't yer fault." Big Red said fairly. "Some ponies are jest jerks. Ah'd've probably done the same thing in Eclipse's place. Speakin' a' which, are ya okay there, kid?" "None of your business." Eclipse snarled. "'Scuse me?" Big Red gaped. "Ah think the words yer lookin' fer is 'Ah'm fine, Big Red. Thanks fer askin''." "In your dreams." Eclipse snorted. "Ah jest saved yer butt fer the second time." Big Red said indignantly. "The least ya could do is drum up a li'l gratitude." "I don't recall ever asking for your help." Eclipse growled. "That's as maybe, but ya sure as heck needed it." Big Red countered. "I don't need anything from you." Eclipse glared. "Not now, not ever." He turned tail and headed upstairs. "I'm going to the guest room." "Eclipse, wait!" Globe called, following him. "Wait up!" Huckleberry added. They caught up to Eclipse just as he entered the room. "What was that?!" Huckleberry asked. "What was what?" Eclipse retorted. "Eclipse... Big Red just saved you from being sent to prison or worse, and all you did was be mean to him!" Globe pointed out. "Mean?!" Huckleberry growled. "He was a buckwad!" "I didn't need his help!" Eclipse growled. "I would had been fine!" "No you wouldn't!" Globe countered. "That sheriff was going to take you away from us! We were going to lose you..." "No you weren't!" Eclipse declared. "I would've easily broken out-" "Enough, Eclipse!" Huckleberry exploded. "We've been backing you up the whole time we were here, but now, you're taking it too far!" "Is this the thanks I get for standing up for you guys?!" Eclipse said indignantly. "Is that the thanks Big Red deserved for standing up to you, the one who had been nothing but a... bucking jerk?!" Globe glared at him. "But guys..." Eclipse faltered, surprised by Globe's anger. "But nothing!" Huckleberry yelled. "Ever since we met Red, he was always nice to us, no matter how bad we screwed up. He could've sent us back to jail at any time, but he didn't!" "Both Red and Cherry actually care about us..." Globe noted, adding angrily "That's more than can be said for Pa..." "What?!" Eclipse spat. "I'm sorry, Eek, but I am sick of defending him!" Globe admitted. "Pa is the worst dad I ever known!" "How can you say that?!" Eclipse spluttered. "Pa took you two in off the streets!" "Yeah, but only after you begged him too!" Huckleberry pointed out. "Pa wasn't a good parent." Globe declared. "Not even close! He abandoned us!" "He did not!" Eclipse snarled. "You're in denial, Eek!" Huckleberry declared, "You don't seem to get what a total jerk Pa really was!" "You're both crazy! Those prudes corrupted you!" Eclipse snapped. "Don't you even dare!" Globe pushed forward. "You listen to me and you listen to me good! Pa is nothing but a cruel, low-life, greedy-" "Stop it!" Eclipse demanded, feeling his claws digging into the floor. "Mare-chasing, selfish, cold-" Globe continued on. "Globe! I'm warnin' you!" Eclipse snarled. Globe however pressed on. "Callous, unfeeling, rotten, not to mention all those times he-" Globe continued. "SHUT UP!" Eclipse let out a vicious caw as he swiped his talon over Globe's cheek. "Ah!" Globe recoiled, clutching his cheek. "Globe!" Huckleberry gasped. Globe slowly pulled his hoof away from his cheek, a slightly bleeding claw mark on it. He glanced up at Eclipse, his eyes watering. Eclipse immediately felt guilty. "Globe...I didn't mean… I-I'm sorr-" Eclipse started. "Don't even bother." Globe glared tearfully at him. "Come on, Huckleberry." As they walked out of the room, Huckleberry turned to Eclipse. "I never thought I'd say this, but you're a lot like pa." Huckleberry said coldly. The two colts left the room. For a moment, Eclipse stood there, paralysed with regret. "RAAH!" He yelled, scratching one of the bed's legs with his talon. He then fell onto the bed, burying his head in the pillow. Downstairs, Big Red had heard everything through the floorboards. He sighed deeply. "Hey, pal." Big Red turned to see a vision of a young adult Black Knight standing before him. "You again." Big Red exclaimed, somehow not as surprised as before, "...Ya've grown." "Yeah, I've been drinkin' plenty of milk." Black chuckled. "But enough about me. How are things goin'?" "Terrible." Big Red groaned. "Eclipse jest seems ta be gettin' worse... no matter how hard I try to get through to him, he seems to lash out more and more. Just today, he was this close to gettin' thrown into juvie. And even when Ah helped him, he just snapped at me." "Ouch, talk about ungrateful." Black deadpanned. "Well, what can Ah do, Black?" Big Red sighed. "The boy is goin' down an awful path. And if Ah don't do somethin' and fast…he might wind up like..." He trailed off, realizing who he was talking to. "Like me?" Black frowned. "Ah wasn't goin' to say that." Big Red insisted. "Ah swear." "No, no, it's fine." Black chuckled, "But I gotta tell ya, the kid sure brings another to mind..." "Yeah, yeah, you, Ah know." Big Red rolled his eyes. "Not just me." Black shook his head, "You remember that griffin we had the displeasure of meetin' a while back? Now that guy was total scum." "Ah can't let Eclipse go down that path." Big Red declared, before adding firmly "Ah won't let it happen." "That's the spirit." Black grinned. "Your bullheadedness was always your best quality. Stick to it, no matter what, and you're bound to succeed." "Ah hope you're right." Big Red frowned, "Cause Ah don't know if Ah can forgive myself if I let another fall like-" "Hey, Big Red?" Big Red turned to see Huckleberry and a teary-eyed Globe in the doorway, the pudgy colt clutching his bloody cheek still. "Are there any bandages in this joint?" Huckleberry asked. "Yeah, sure." Big Red nodded. "In the kitchen. Third drawer ta the left." "Thanks." Globe sniffed. As the colts headed to the kitchen, Big Red turned to see that Black had vanished. Letting out a tired sigh, he then decided to follow the boys. "Here, lemme help." He assisted Huckleberry in bandaging Globe. "Thanks, Red." Globe sniffled. "I'm guessing you heard what happened upstairs?" Huckleberry asked. "Ah heard enough." Big Red said solemnly, "Ah can't believe he did this... especially to you." "I'm having trouble believing it myself. He's never hit either of us like that before." Globe admitted. "He may have given a few tail slaps now and then, but he never used his talons." "It's like we don't even know him anymore." Huckleberry sighed. "Can't we do anything to help him?" "Ah don't know, kiddo." Big Red admitted. "Ah jest don't know..." Many years ago... The teenage Big Red was walking through Dodge Junction, enjoying the fine day. Deciding to go and visit Cherry, he took a shortcut through an alley. As he walked, he found his way blocked by a slightly older griffin. The griffin had reddish-brown and gray feathers, a large beak, and a few small scars on his body. "Goin' somewhere, pal?" The griffin sneered. "Um, look, stranger, Ah ain't got no beef with you." Big Red told him. "Ah'm jest fixin' ta get from point A ta point B." "Well, that's too bad." The griffin smirked. "'Cuz this is my alley. Anypony who passes through has to pay a toll. I accept cash, checks, or broken bones." "A-ah ain't got no money on me, stranger." Big Red gulped. "Well, then." The griffin hissed. "Bones it is." His eyes darting to the side, Big Red stepped back. The griffin stepped forward in response. Big Red turned and ran. The griffin flew over and tackled him. "Tryin' to run, huh?" The griffin sneered. "You just incurred an extra penalty." The griffin dug his talons into Big Red's leg. "AAH!" Big Red yelled. "Sweet mercy!" "And that's just the beginning." The griffin sniggered. "Pretty soon, you'll be begging me to stop-" The griffin was suddenly tackled by a red blur. To Big Red's surprise, Black had arrived on the scene. "Gah! What the f-" The griffin snarled. "Messin' with my buddy, huh?" He pinned the griffin against the wall. "Big mistake!" Black began pummeling the griffin, hitting him again and again. "Gah!" The griffin yelled. "Ugh!" "That's it, Black!" Big Red cheered. "Show 'em who's boss!" "Not so tough now, are you?" Black taunted the griffin. "Wanna bet?" The griffin swung his talon at Black. "Whoa!" Black dodged the swing, then pinned the leg against the wall. "Close, but no cigar!" Black redoubled his efforts. Big Red's jubilation over the timely rescue turned to horror when Black showed no signs of stopping. "Um, Black, you can stop now..." Big Red whimpered. However, Black did not listen, as he continued to pummel him. Big Red looked at his face and noticed a strange and disturbing look in his eyes, a look Big Red had never seen before. "Ya like that, huh?" Black headbutted the griffin. "Huh? How about this?" Black struck the griffin hard across the beak, leaving a crack behind. "AH!" The griffin cried, grasping his beak. Still, he kept beating him, and Big Red was too paralyzed with horror to do anything. The griffin slumped onto the ground, covered in bruises. "I... give..." He wheezed, coughing up blood. "P-please…" "Nuh-uh." Black smirked. "It's over when I say it's over." Black raised his hoof, ready to finish it, but it was grabbed by White. "That's enough, Black!" White declared. "He's beaten. For Celestia's sake, show some mercy!" "Scum like that don't deserve mercy." Black spat, trying to yank his hoof out from his brother's grip. "Leave it." White said firmly. "It's not worth it." "Fine." Black backed away. "Beat it, feathers." "This... isn't... over." The griffin growled in pain, as he got back up and limped away. "You okay, Red?" White asked. "Ah'm fine." Big Red said shakily. "More then Ah can say fer that griffin..." "You can't say he didn't deserve it, though." Black declared. "Nopony beats up my pal." "I know you were just trying to help." White admitted. "But you took it too far. Way too far. You could have killed him." "Relax, White." Black declared, trying to give a cocky smile. "I won't do it again. I promise." "Let's get Red over Cherry's." White suggested. "She'll probably be able to patch him up." "You got it." Black nodded, as he and White helped Red up. "Up ya get, pal." "Thanks, guys." Big Red smiled. And at the point, everything seemed okay, but as Big Red walked with the two brothers, he could still see the disturbing look in Black's eyes. It was a cold, empty look, devoid of compassion or regret. Big Red couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong...