Brother Bothers

by Sketcha-Holic

Let Us Eat Cake

The longer he stared at the cake, the hungrier he got. The smell of the chocolate wafted toward him, and his mouth couldn't help but water. From the way Cheese had described Pinkie, Tomato thought she would have devoured it quickly. Instead, she decided to gather up her friends, as well as his friends, so that they could share it with them. A nice thought, but she was taking so long...

Almost instinctively, he stretched forth his free hoof. And got it swatted by Cheese.

"Ah ah ah!" Cheese scolded. "Pinkie said to wait."

Tomato groaned. "I thought she'd inhale it, not share it."

"Sharing is caring, baby bro." Cheese smirked and giggled. "And here I thought that you were the more responsible and mature one... I guess there are some things you haven't outgrown."

Tomato rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, I'm trying to grow up too fast. Can you blame me? I want to move as far away from Mom as possible."

Cheese sighed. "It kind of stinks seeing a lot of mothers around Equestria loving and supporting their kids... not to mention the awesome dads, too! I wish our parents had been like that when we were colts--that could've saved us a lot of heartache."

Tomato looked at the floor. "Maybe they could have prevented our fallout." He leaned back and laid on his back, staring at the ceiling. "I often felt lonely at home... huh, guess I had a taste of how you felt, huh?"

"Uh... what about your buddies? Were they any support for you?"

"After the incident, only Bluejinx stuck with me. And good thing, too--he kept me from going over the edge several times."

Cheese processed the phrase before his eyes widened in horror. "Oh... well, uh... I'll have to thank him for that... I don't think I'd take that news well." He shifted uncomfortably. "How'd you meet the others? I never thought you'd make friends with theater pegasi and a pretty little redhead."

"Flora insists she's strawberry blonde," Tomato corrected, sitting back up. "Anyway, I met Cirrus and Nimbus when the latter lost control of a rolling stool and crashed into me. While it happened, it wasn't funny, but looking back on it, with me clinging to Nimbus' head for dear life, his high-pitched screams, and Cirrus chasing us across campus... yeah, it's pretty funny. We eventually stopped by crashing into a tree."

"Ouch! I wouldn't want a wild ride to end on that note..."

Tomato nodded. "And I met Flora when I came across her with a hole in her saddlebag and her books strewn everywhere. I offered to help her pick them up, and well, she's stuck with me ever since. She likes to make me flower crowns and talk about her huge family. She's talked about them enough that I've memorized their names and birth order."

Cheese leaned forward. "Do tell, I'm curious."

Tomato stared at him a moment, opened his mouth to say something, and then sighed. "First it's her, then Bananas, then Ash Tree, then Olive, then Alfalfa, then Amber Waves, then Willow, and finally, Kernel Grin."

Cheese nodded, waggling his eyebrows. "She must come from a nice family."

"Well, she won't stop talking about them and--hey..." Tomato looked straight at his face, scowling at him. "I know what you're thinking, and it's not that way."

Cheese chuckled. "Well, you wouldn't stop calling Pinkie my girlfriend! Thought I'd return the favor."

It was at that moment Pinkie opened the door, and trotted in, with her friends tailing behind, followed by Tomato's friends, and finally tailed by Royal Pin, Spike, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders wearing Stetsons, black ponchos, and bow ties matching their eyes. With a big smile, Pinkie said, "Sorry I took so long! I had to explain the good news to each one of them! But now everypony's here, and we can share the cake!"

Rainbow Dash took one look at the Sandwich brothers. "Pfft, what happened? Were you at war with the cake batter?"

"Yes," Tomato replied dryly.

"But we won," Cheese announced boldly.

Rainbow Dash started hovering and crossed her forelegs. "Right... okay, why are you two so buddy-buddy all of a sudden?"

"We agreed it was better to put energy into reforging our bond rather than fighting, especially after that quarrel that the whole town witnessed..." Cheese frowned. "I'm really sorry that it turned into such a disaster. I kind of forgot that being a party pony doesn't exactly leave room for old grudges."

Tomato looked at his broken foreleg. "And picking that fight was the dumbest thing I've ever done. It wasn't necessary for me to anger Cheese more than I already had."

Rainbow glared at Tomato. "You could have just faked a smile, you know."

Cheese gave her a funny look. "I would have seen right through it."

"Well... he didn't need to be so grumpy all day!" She eyed the cake. "Can we just eat now? I'm dying of hunger over here!"

Cirrus jumped over Rainbow Dash and landed in front of the cake. "I call first piece! Rainbow Hair can starve for a little bit longer."

"It's Rainbow Dash," Rainbow growled.

"Yeah, whatever, you can call me 'Streaky'." Cirrus gestured to the blue streaks in her blonde hair. "I demand to be served!"

---

The group of seventeen was sitting on Pinkie's bedroom floor, each enjoying a slice of chocolate cake. The Crusaders were sitting with their respective sisters--or in the case of Scootaloo, sister figure--Twilight and Spike were sitting together, and Cirrus and Nimbus were slurping the frosting off their cakes, much to Bluejinx and Royal's disgust. Flora and Fluttershy were talking with each other, and Pinkie, Cheese, and Tomato were in a conversation of their own.

Cirrus swallowed her frosting and looked at Tomato, and then grinned as she hovered toward him. Once she was above him, she started patting his head, watching the curls bounce up with each pat.

Tomato looked up. "Cirrus, what are you doing?"

"Been meaning to ask you why you curled your hair? It's kind of random."

Tomato felt his head, and realized that he had forgotten that he had released the curls from their forced straightness. "Oh, yeah, thing is... this is natural."

Nimbus leaned from his spot to get a better look at him. "Natural? That's what I tell ponies who think I dyed these blonde streaks. But, really?"

Tomato nodded in reply. "My forelock is the only one that refuses to stay down."

Flora's ears perked up and she turned to him. "Okay, why didn't you tell us your hair was actually curly?"

Tomato took another bite of his cake. "Wasn't important."

Bluejinx chuckled. "But, what is important is that you two decided to stop the fighting."

"I told you talking things out was the best solution," Fluttershy said.

"Although you two still have to work to better your relationship and not fall back into those squabbles," Rarity said. "Believe me, I had to cover myself in mud to regain Sweetie Belle's favor after we had a fallout. It was worth it."

Sweetie Belle beamed. "You two will be good brothers from now on, won't you?"

Cheese and Tomato looked at each other, smiled, and nodded.

"How are you planning to keep in touch?" Twilight asked. "Last I checked, Cheese didn't have an address."

The brothers looked at each other, and then looked at Pinkie. She merely beamed and said, "I can help!"

Royal Pin was just there, watching the entire conversation. He chuckled and muttered to himself, "And this all happened because I invited my cousin to bring friends to this festival."

Author's Note:

I intended to work on the next chapter of The Rock Farmer's Daughters--but I felt that I should wrap this up. Granted, I have an epilogue planned, but I thought it'd be nice to have Pinkie share the cake from last chapter with a few others.

Story possibilities with Flora's family--seriously, I'm itching to write those characters, but I can't come up with anything right now.

But, yadda yadda yadda, better get cranking on the epilogue soon.

Comments

[TheMutatedDeity]

Aww! It's going to be over already? I was enjoying this so much that I hoped it would never end!

[Bluegrass Brooke]

Oooh. I loved it. A great way to tie things up from the last chapter.

[SageBrony07]

Nice job. I can't wait to read the epilogue and possible other stories. Also I can't wait to read the next chapter of Rock Farmers Daughter. I hope Tommy will make an appearance there soon. Good luck.

[Drifting Heart]

5270675
I worry that might be too many subplots i mean it would be nicer if we focused more on cheesepie and getting cortland punished first? but never mind i guess we need them to reconcile there too.

[Drifting Heart]

Aww that of course was cute i am glad they reconciled so we will have maud come in because i want maud to meet tommy and have them deadpan snark together now that would be funny XD Btw i call it! I officially ship flora/tommy

[SageBrony07]

5270836 HEY!!! First I want Cortland to suffer in the most tortuous way possible. But we just finished a chapter in brother bothers, you can't blame me for wanting Tommy and Cheese to reconcile in the other story as well. I do agree though. First I want Pinkie to kick Cortland in the tenders with all of her might,followed by Cheese and Igneous ruffing him up. Then he gets shipped off to Applelosa where he is offered in Sacrifice to appease the Buffalo Prince.

Yeah.
I"m that random.

[Drifting Heart]

5270865
Yeah down with cortland! Really that guy is terrible haressing a woman and causing the town to chant against her and forcing a kiss on her is just evil! I agree we need to have them reconciled in the AU world as well I like to see more from the AU verse she created like well igneous finally get a grip and let his daughter live her own life? I mean he jumped to extreme conclusions with Cheese. Will mauld finally smile? What will pinkie do for living if she moves away from the rock farm? so many questions! I need more dang it i am in love with Sketchy's cheese sandwich and its killing me! XD Its fine I can get a bit random too.

[ArcIsDead]

5270839 first annual Equestrian Snark-Off!

[SageBrony07]

5270884 Wow.

I didn't know a Sketchy Cheese Sandwich was Lethal. I do agree that Cortland did full the role of villain in every aspect. You can't help but hate him.

[Drifting Heart]

5270886
Yeah! snark off! snark off! snark off!

5270890
Yeah well what can I say her characterization of him pinkie and everyone is awesome. Yup Cortland defines everything that makes a nasty villain he even took it up to eleven in getting cheese fired and kidnapping igneous but maybe this is the chance for sedimentary and igneous to finally reunite and for pinkamena to give cortland the butt kicking he deserves.

[SageBrony07]

5270921 Not just PInkie. I think it would be funny to see Cheese kick Cortland's flank if he tries to beat up Cheese again. We know Cheese is lanky but now that he has worked on the rock farm, I say its time for him to put his new muscles to the test. I say the true 11 was given when he kidnapped Igneous. We knew about him not letting go. I just didn't think he would go after Igneous.

[Drifting Heart]

5271034
I know right? When thought that jerk couldn't sink any lower he kidnaps someone pinkie loves. Well how a butt whooping with pinkie and cheese combined? Yeah cheese is no longer weak I'd like to see him show cortland his new found strength.

[SageBrony07]

5271140 So. We agree? Cortland is evil incarnate and we want to see Pinkie and Cheese team up and whoop his flank?

[Drifting Heart]

5271147
Yes we agree.

[Mother3Forever]

This would actually make a good episode....

[Waterwitch222]

5272457 Agreed!

[Godslittleprincess]

Yup, I knew it. Cake.