Home On The Range

by Bluecatcinema

Butting Heads

Many years ago...

The ten-year-old Big Red was hanging out with White and Black. Black had just gotten his Cutie Mark, something the other two had yet to achieve, and wouldn't stop bragging about it.

"...Of course, finding your special talent requires a level of maturity, so I'm not surprised you two don't have your Cutie Marks yet..." Black smirked.

"Please make him stop, White." Big Red begged, vainly attempting to stick the cherries he was eating in his ears.

"Don't you think I would if I knew how?" White groaned.

Thankfully, their torment was ended by the arrival of Marshall Starr and Cherry Jubilee.

"Morning, everypony." Marshall smiled.

"Hi, guys." Cherry grinned.

Big Red waved, blushing lightly. He always got tongue-tied around Cherry.

"What's goin' on?" Marshall asked.

"I was just regaling these two with the epic story of how I got my Cutie Mark." Black smirked.

"So in other words, not much." White snarked, earning a glare from Black.

"Same here." Marshall sighed. "It gets so dull around here. I wish something exciting would happen. A real adventure, you know?"

"Hey, I just got an idea." White declared. "Why sit around waiting for adventure, when we can go out looking for it?"

"Looking for it?" Cherry asked.

"Yeah." White nodded.

"What are you gettin' at, bro?" Black frowned.

"We form our own special club." White smiled. "An explorer's club. There's all sorts of great stuff to be seen outside Dodge Junction. We should get out there and see it."

"That's... not such a bad idea." Black admitted.

"Sounds like fun." Cherry smiled. "What do you think, Red?"

"Uh, y-yeah..." Big Red stuttered. "Fun..."

"Well, I'm not gonna be the only one left out." Marshall declared. "I'm in, too."

"Great." White nodded. "Now, if we're going to be a club, we'll need a name. Something catchy."

"How about 'Black Knight and his Squires'?" Black offered.

"'The Desert Stars'!" Marshall suggested.

"What do you think, Red?" Cherry asked.

"Umm..." Big Red said through a mouthful of cherries. "Cherries?"

"Cherries?" Black frowned. "What kind of a name is that?"

"I like cherries." Cherry smiled.

"Don't we all?" Marshall shrugged.

"Then maybe that should be our name." White declared. "The Cherry... Cavalry. How does that sound?"

"Not bad." Black smiled. "It's no 'Black Knight and his Squires', but it'll do."

"Got a nice ring to it." Marshall admitted.

"I love it." Cherry beamed.

"Then it's settled." White nodded. "From this point on, we are the Cherry Cavalry. We'll stick together, no matter what."

"Look for adventure, wherever it may be." Marshall added.

"Be the coolest ponies around." Black grinned.

"Have fun together." Cherry smiled.

"And be the best friends ever." Big Red finished.

They all put their hooves together (Big Red getting a tingling feeling as Cherry's touched his), and called the name of their club to the sky.

"We are... the Cherry Cavalry!"

"Now that's settled, let's go find ourselves some adventure." White declared.

"Right behind you, bro." Black grinned.

The Present...

After the tatzlwurm incident, things had quieted down at the ranch. Eclipse's injured wing had healed quickly, and the trio had returned to bucking for cherries. Big Red saving their lives had made Globe and Huckleberry much more receptive to work. They kept at it all day, Globe gradually getting better at bucking, and Huckleberry putting an end to his sneaky naps.

"That's the way ta do it, Huck." Big Red smiled, as Huckleberry brought down a downpour of cherries. He walked over to Globe, who managed to bring down a full dozen cherries. "Nice job, Globe. Yer really improvin'."

"Thank you, sir." Globe beamed.

"None a' that, now." Big Red chuckled. "Call me 'Big Red'."

"Okay... Big Red." Globe smiled indulgently.

"I think I've got a knack for this." Huckleberry smirked, bringing down more cherries.

"Looks like it." Big Red grinned. "Keep at it, and maybe ya'll be as good as me one day."

"I hope I'm at least as buff as you when I'm your age." Huckleberry smiled.

"Flattery'll get you nowhere, young 'un." Big Red chuckled. "But keep it up anyway."

Eclipse glared at his friends from behind a nearby tree.

"Suck-ups." He snarled, as he returned to bucking.

"So, what about this 'pa' a' yers?" Big Red asked.

Globe and Huckleberry froze. Eclipse's feathers stood on end, but he pretended not to have heard.

"H-how did you-" Huckleberry gulped.

"Ah heard ya talkin' about 'im yesterday." Big Red declared. "Ah can't help but wonder how a guy could have a griffon, an Earth Pony, an' a Unicorn for sons..."

"Well, he's actually Eclipse's father." Globe answered.

"Yeah, he took me an' Globe in off the streets." Huckleberry added. "We were just a couple of orphans. One day, Eclipse saw us being bullied, and he saved us. Taught those two jerks a lesson, too."

"Did he, now?" Big Red smiled.

"Yes." Globe nodded. "We got to talking after that. When he found out we didn't have a home, he took us to his house, and talked his pa into taking us in."

"Aw, ain't that nice?" Big Red smiled. "But still, Ah gotta wonder... What's the deal with yer pa nowadays, huh? Why are ya out on yer own, stealing food, when ya have an honest-ta-goodness home?"

"Well, the thing about that is-" Huckleberry started. He stopped when he realised Eclipse was glaring at him, silently urging him not to divulge any more information. "...It's complicated."

"Yeah." Globe said nervously, having caught the same glare from Eclipse. "Really complicated."

"Private family business, you know?" Huckleberry shrugged.

"Ah see." Big Red frowned. "Well, if'n ya ever feel like talkin' about it, Ah'll be ready to listen."

"We'll keep that in mind." Huckleberry declared. "Time to get back to work, I think."

"Thanks for listening, Big Red." Globe added.

"No problem." Big Red nodded, having seen Eclipse in the corner of his eye.

Big Red approached Eclipse soon after. The young griffin was bucking one of the tallest trees in the orchard.

"She's a real beaut, ain't she?" Big Red declared.

"Who?" Eclipse frowned.

"The tree." Big Red chuckled. "Me an' mah buddy Black Knight Paladin planted it years back, when his brother White was off campin' with Marshall out in the plains."

"No kidding?" Eclipse asked sarcastically.

"Aw, yeah." Big Red nodded, oblivious. "Black wuz a decent stallion. Little full a' himself sometimes, but a good guy, and a great friend."

"Black Knight Paladin..." Eclipse mused. "I think I read something about him in a paper. Didn't he go nuts, or something?"

"Ya can't believe everything ya read, kid." Big Red shrugged.

"Oh, really?" Eclipse sneered. "Then what actually happened?"

"There wuz some... unpleasantness." Big Red said awkwardly. "Mistakes were made. A lot a' mistakes..."

"Maybe you should have chosen a better friend." Eclipse glanced at the tree.

"Maybe you should watch your mouth." Big Red said gruffly. Eclipse turned to face him. "Watch it right there, kid, alright?"

Eclipse turned back to the tree, before giving a smug smirk at Red.

"Hmm, that's it, isn't it?" He sneered. "You chose a horrible friend. What happened, did he not like how Celestia raised taxes on booze, or did he..." He made a 'cuckoo' gesture, as Big Red took off his hat. "...go off the deep end like some crazed lunatic?"

Big Red suddenly shoved Eclipse and pinned him against the tree, much to his shock.

"If you ever disrespect mah best friend again, Ah will end you, Ah will buckin' end you!" He roared. "Got that, kid?!"

"You think I'm afraid of you?" Eclipse struggled against his grip. "I've been threatened by worse in my time."

"Wanna bet?" Big Red glared.

"Go ahead, then." Eclipse taunted him. "Give me a good ol' beatdown. Prove what a jerk you really are."

Big Red released Eclipse.

"Ya'd like that, wouldn't ya?" He smirked. "Fer me ta prove ya right. Well, it ain't gonna happen. Ah ain't the jerk ya think Ah am. Like ol' White used ta say, the best way ta prove yer a good stallion is ta act like one."

"Sounds like the sort of thing a goody four-hooves would say." Eclipse gagged. "I'm right, aren't I? He was some sappy goody-good, huh?"

"An' what if he was?" Big Red shot back. "At least he never had ta steal, or wound up in jail."

Eclipse growled.

"If bein' a good stallion means bein' 'sappy', then so be it." Big Red declared. "White was one of the nicest ponies Ah've ever known. If more folks were like him, the world would be a better place."

"Haven't you heard?" Eclipse glared. "Nice guys finish last."

"If that's what ya really think, then Ah pity ya." Big Red said solemnly.

"That's what I know." Eclipse declared. "Nopony is truly 'nice'. Deep down, we've all got something rotten inside. We just hide it. You're fooling yourself if you think any different."

"Well, Ah guess we're jest gonna have ta agree ta disagree." Big Red shrugged.

"Whatever." Eclipse sneered. "Doesn't change a thing. We're still gonna get outta here one of these days."

"Yer friends don't seem too eager to leave right now." Big Red pointed out.

"Only because you suckered them in." Eclipse declared.

"If ya call savin' yer lives 'suckerin' 'em in'." Big Red said indignantly. "Remember that, kid? How Ah risked mah life against that tatzlwurm for ya?"

"You only saved us to keep yourself out of trouble." Eclipse snorted. "Wouldn't look too good if we died on your watch, would it?"

"Ya can think what ya like, kid." Big Red declared. "Ah know who Ah am, and yer friends are startin' ta see that too. One a' these days, so will you."

"Not likely." Eclipse sneered, as he returned to bucking, kicking the tree extra-hard.

"Ah, kids..." Big Red sighed as he walked away. "Ain't never easy..."

That night, Big Red tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

'What is wrong with me?' He thought. 'Ah'm usually out like a light the second mah head touches the pillow.'

Eventually, Big Red gave up on trying to sleep. He got out of bed and walked down to the living room, taking a seat on the couch and turning on a lamp. Big Red let out a heavy sigh, as he slouched against it.

"Can't sleep?"

"Nope." Big Red said nonchalantly, before registering that somepony was there.

He glanced over towards the direction of the voice, only to be greeted with a shocking sight: Black Knight Paladin... or at least, what he was when he was a young colt.

"What the-" He gaped.

"Hey, Red." Black smiled, in his young teenage voice. "Ya missed me?"

"What's the buck's goin' on here?" Big Red frowned.

"Did I come at a bad time?" Black smirked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"How... what..." Big Red trailed off, before regaining his train of thought. "No, this can't be... what are you, a Changeling or somethin'?! 'Cause if this is some prank the boys at work cooked up, it ain't funny!"

"Whoa, look at you, all so serious and hard-as-nails." Black chuckled, "Not like you were when those buffalo jerks rolled into town. You could barely stand to look in their direction back then. Looks like somepony's finally grown a spine."

"Wha..." Big Red faltered, at loss for words. "How did you know that?"

"Come on, Red, we've been best friends for a long time. I know lots about you." Black smirked. "Like how you used to get all tongue-tied whenever Cherry was around. Or how your left front leg always jiggles when you're excited."

"Okay, okay, so yer not a Changeling..." Big Red stopped him, realizing this was no random Changeling, "But then what are ya?"

"Let's put a pin in that for now." Black shrugged. "I'm here to see what's up with you. You look like timberwolves went and left you a little 'present' on your doorsteps."

"Well... if ya must know, it's about this trio a' kids Ah've taken in." Big Red sighed. "Two of 'em are startin' ta warm up ta me, but it's that griffon kid, Eclipse. He's really gettin' ta be a burr in mah hoof. He's surly, disrespectful, an' has a really bad attitude."

"Ooh, I like him already." Black smirked.

"Ah bet ya do." Big Red growled.

"Oh come now, Red, he's just a dumb ol' teenager. We were all probably like him when we were his age." Black reasoned.

"That's the problem, though." Big Red sighed. "Ah jest don't know what to do with him. He's so darn determined to hate mah guts."

"Then why are you bothering with him?" Black scoffed. "Maybe sending him off to juvie will do him wonders."

"Ah dunno, Black." Big Red groaned. "Ah mean, just today, Ah was this close to cuffing him. Ah never once threatened to end a kid before now..."

"Yes... why did you do that, by the way?" Black raised a brow. "It's so out of character for you, especially considerin' how much you hung out with White."

Big Red glanced at Black forlornly, before looking away. "He... he just said somethin' that irked me."

Black frowned, as a sense of realization came over him. "I see."

"Ah don't know what to do... Ah wanna help him. Ah really do. But if only if he would just let me..." Big Red muttered.

"Just hang in there, Big Red." Black gave a small smile. "If there was something I always admired about you... it's your big heart. Never lose sight of that."

"...Gee, thanks, Bl-" Big Red turned to face Black, only to see nopony there.

He was all alone in the room again.

"Black?" Big Red looked around... only to let out a groan as he rubbed his head. "Ah musta been workin' too hard."

With that, Big Red decided to retire to bed, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day...

The next morning, Big Red immediately shot up.

"Ah got it!" Big Red lit up.

"What was that?" Cherry asked sleepily, slowly waking up.

"Cherry, where do we keep that there book Shine an' Celestia gave us, the one with the whole magic communey-kayshun dohickey?" Big Red asked.

"Bedside cabinet..." Cherry said groggily. "Why?"

"Ah gotta make ah call to ah friend." Big Red answered, as he pulled out a enchanted book, and with a ink-tipped quill, he began writing a message, hoping that this 'friend' of his would be able to help.

Meanwhile, deep in the Everfree Forest, in the newly made mansion of the Napoleons, Grimoire Napoleon was in the middle of massaging his pregnant wife, Zecora, in the living room.

"Enjoying yourself, my stripy love?" Grimoire whispered in her ear.

"Of this, there can be no doubt." Zecora declared. "'Tis a most enjoyable bout."

Suddenly, an enchanted book, placed on a perch not far from where Grimoire and Zecora were, began shaking.

"Oh, blast." Grimoire frowned, getting up to answer it. "Wonder who that could be?"

"Don't be long, dear." Zecora purred. "We were just starting to have fun here."

"Count on it." Grimm kissed Zecora on the nose as he went to the book, opening it to reveal a newfound message.

"Grimiore Napoleon,

Big Red here. How've ya been? Ah hope Ah'm not botherin' you."

Grimoire pulled out a bottle of ink and a quill as he began writing back.

"Me and Zecora are doing fine, thank you... though I'm curious as to why you call me through the book, especially this early in the morning.

"Well, Grim, Ah might as well cut to the chase. Ah need ta find me somepony... namely, a griffin." Big Red wrote back.

"A griffin?" Grimoire raised a brow. "I'm sure you could find one somewhere down there in Dodge Junction."

"Real funny." Big Red scoffed as he wrote. "Thing is, Ah'm not just looking for any griffin. There's just a particular one Ah wish to speak with. Ah don't know his name, or what he looks like, but what Ah do know is he has a son named Eclipse. Ah'd be pretty grateful if ya could call upon yer mob buddies to help find this guy."

"Hmm, it's not much to go off on... but it surely shouldn't be too hard to do. But it might take a few weeks. You gotta understand, it did take us close to fifty years just to take down the guy who murdered our brother." Grimoire explained.

"Ah understand. You take all the time ya need. Thank you kindly." Big Red wrote.

"Anything for a friend." Grimm smiled as he closed the book, as he turned to a nearby Earth Pony servant, "I need you to contact our representative in the griffin territory. A friend needs us to find somepony."

"At once, sir." The servant nodded.

"Good. Now if you excuse me..." Grimm turned to tend to his wife again.

Back in the Dodge Junction, Big Red closed his book, and nodded to himself.

"Okay, that's settled. Won't be long now before we see what's what." Big Red declared.

Not so many years ago...

Big Red thrust open the door to the homestead, having just returned from dropping Shine off at school and Mist at a play date. He stumbled over to the couch, and collapsed into it, completely exhausted. It had been a week since he'd taken Shine and Mist in, and the rigours of parenthood had proven to be greater than he'd thought. He had to feed them, wash them, put them to bed, wake them up, take them to school and playdates, pick them up again, keep the house clean and tidy, buy medicine for Mist when she caught something... and then was all the cherry bucking he did on the side, in order to pay for everything.

As much as he loved having the kids around, and was determined to raise them in a manner of which their parents would be proud, he was starting to doubt whether he could be an adequate father to them.

"What have Ah gotten mahself into?" He sighed.

"Red?"

Big Red turned towards the still-open door, finding Cherry standing there.

"Oh, hi, Cherry." He got up.

"Is everything okay?" Cherry asked.

"Everythin's fine." Big Red stifled a yawn.

"Really?" Cherry walked over to him. "Those bags under your eyes say otherwise."

"What bags?" Big Red feigned ignorance.

"Come on, Red." Cherry frowned. "It's me. You don't have to pretend."

"Okay, maybe Ah underestimated how hard bein' a full-time parent can be." Big Red shrugged. "But Ah'll get the hang of it sooner or later."

"You don't have to do it alone, you know." Cherry told him. "Like I said at Fine Print's office, I can help you."

"You don't haveta put yerself out fer me, Cherry." Big Red declared.

"I know I don't have to." Cherry smiled. "But I want to. White and Silver meant a lot to me, and so do their kids. And you mean a lot to me too, you stubborn, big-hearted stallion, you."

"Aw, shucks, Cherry." Big Red blushed. "Yer embarassing me."

"Why don't you let me pick the kids up?" Cherry offered. "I'll look after them for the afternoon, and you can get some much-deserved rest."

"Deal." Big Red nodded. "Yer a good friend, Cherry. Really good..."

"So are you..." Cherry smiled.

For a moment, they gazed into each others' eyes. Then...

"Well, I don't want to interrupt your rest." Cherry said awkwardly. "You just lie back on that couch and take a nap. I'll handle the kids."

"Will do." Big Red grinned. "Thanks, Cherry. Ah owe ya one."

"No you don't." Cherry countered. "Friends don't owe each other favors. Now, get yourself some rest."

"Ya don't haveta tell me twice." Big Red chuckled, as he sprawled back on the couch.

"Sweet dreams, Red." Cherry whispered as she left the house, closing the front door lightly behind her.

Comments

[danick]

Big Red is looking like Kim Kaphwan right now

[Ebony Stallion]

5481126 What do you mean by that?

[danick]

5482751
Trying to convert bad guys from god, didi you never play KOF?

[Ebony Stallion]

5484955 No, can't say I have.