Brandon's Birthday Adventure Part 5

All the Magic Armor had chosen their users. Except for one...but we won't worry about it right now. (The Shadow Armor.)

Brandon: Now to establish the point system.

We all got ready to listen.

Brandon: You each start with 10 points.

Dudley: 10 points?

Brandon: Yes. Do good, you earn more, giving you a better chance of joining the fight. But, if you slip up, I will deduct any number of points I see fit.

Dudley: Alright.

Kitty: Should we maybe try out our TUFFRanger suits with the armor?

Shine: I think we better go to Petropolis before we do that, Aunt Kitty.

Eli: Good point, Shine.

We made our way to the simulation room over at TUFF.

Chief: Hey, what do you think you are doing?

Eli: We're going to be training with this new armor that chose us to fight against Randy.

Chief: Well, as long as you're training, that's fine with me.

Eli: Great.

We enter the simulation room and we all put on our armor.

Twilight: Alright, let's do this.

(The mane six go into Rainbow Mode, the TUFF Agents get out their Ranger Changers and insert their Ranger Keys, and Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy used the Chaos Emeralds to go into super mode.)

Eli: Alright. All three groups have super modes.

Michael: Make that super super modes.

Pinkie:

Brandon: If you lose all your points, you're of no use to the team.

Kitty: We've got it. Now to do the training.

Brandon: Right.

Brandon turned the simulation on and a holographic version of Petropolis, as well as Randy appeared before them. The hologram fought violently. Everybody went to fight him except Fluttershy. She was covering.)

Brandon: (Notices Fluttershy.) Point deduction!

Twilight: Fluttershy!

Fluttershy: Oh. Sorry! (Gets back into action.)

Brandon: Fluttershy lost 8 points and everyone else loses 4.

The heroes fought the holographic Randy very hard. He was pretty tough, but thankfully this was just a hologram, so they didn't really get hurt. Soon the battle with the holographic Randy was over and Brandon was giving off the scores for how well we all fought.

Brandon: Okay, now to go over points. Fluttershy, for cowering behind everyone, you lose 8 points. Everyone else, for failure to encourage her at the start, you all lost 4 points each. However, seeing as you didn't notice her cowering, I will give you each two points back.

Fluttershy: S-sorry.

Kitty: We'll be sure to pay better attention, next time.

Dudley: Is there a way to gain points?

Brandon: You failed to pay attention again, Dudley. You lose two more points.

Dudley: Doh.

Brandon: (Shouting threw a megaphone) YOU GET POINTS FOR DOING A GOOD JOB!

Kitty: Alright. Now what?

Brandon: Now, you momentarily return to your spoiled lifestyles.

Kitty: Alright. (Demorphs)

Everybody then leaves the simulator with all their power-ups off. As we were leaving, the ponies saw Brandon going into a dumpster.

Pinkie: Where's he going?

Twilight: I don't know. Should we follow him?

Rainbow: I don't see why not.

Inside the dumpster, Brandon was feeling more depressed.

Brandon: (Sigh) Sometimes I wonder why I bother. (Lays down in the dumpster. He looks up into the sky to see Pinkie.) What do you want?

Pinkie: I was just wondering what you're doing in this dumpster.

Brandon: It's my home.

Rarity: You live in a dumpster?

Brandon: I can't afford a real home.

Fluttershy: And why not?

Brandon: Because I'm a high school drop-out, which eliminates my chances of getting a paying job. Sure, I'm an honorary TUFF Agent, but that doesn't pay. Remember all those times I asked you and your friends for money? You guys always said, "Wait until you get your paycheck," but I'm never getting one. I had to eat from the garbage just to recharge my Life Energy while you and your friends enjoy your spoiled lives!

Applejack: Oh gees.

Rarity: That is just not right to be living in a smelly dumpster.

Brandon: I often find loose change laying around. And unfortunately, since I'm such a good person, I send them to the police station, leaving none for myself.

Twilight: Brandon, I know you still feel guilty, but even you don't deserve to live like this.

Brandon: Uh, yeah I do. I failed an entire universe.

Twilight:

Brandon: I'm a broke, homeless, unemployed high school drop-out with no family or self-worth! I've been banished from my universe and now I'm trapped with nowhere to go and no one to be!!!

Twilight: You have us.

Pinkie: All of us!

Brandon: Twilight, you said I need my own place and well, I've got one!

Twilight: Would this really work, Brandon?

Brandon: I can't get a paying job, so this is all I can afford.

Rainbow Dash: Why doesn't the chief here pay you? He pays everybody else.

Brandon: He pays them because they're official. I'm honorary.

Twilight: We could ask him if he'd pay you.

(Cuts to them asking him)

Chief: Nope.

Fluttershy: What? But, he's very poor.

Chief: I only pay full-on agents. He's honorary.

Twilight: Well, we tried.

(They come back to Brandon.)

Twilight: We asked him, and he said no.

Brandon: Told you so.

Twilight:

Fluttershy: Well, you could come and stay with me.

Brandon: Not happening.

Fluttershy: Come on. There's plenty of room. Nobody deserves to live in a dumpster. Not even you. OK. I know you're going to say, "I failed a whole universe." But I don't think even that makes you deserve to live in a dumpster.

Brandon: Yeah, it does.

Fluttershy:

Brandon: I couldn't pay rent, anyway.

Fluttershy: I won't charge you for it. It's all free.

Brandon: That would be illegal.

Fluttershy: No it wouldn't.

Brandon: Yes it would. Besides, I have a place of my own Twilight said I needed.

Twilight: You mean this dumpster? A dumpster can't be your home, Brandon. I'd say a castle is more fit for you. Besides, I'm letting Starlight stay there.

Rainbow: Speaking of Starlight, is there anything she can do to help us in our battle with Randy?

Brandon: I don't think so, Rainbow. A castle is more than I deserve.

Twilight: More than you deserve? You can never have more than you deserve.

Rainbow: You know, I think it's pointless to argue because we're not convincing him that he doesn't deserve eternal punishment.

Applejack: Yeah. Why don't we just return to Equestria now?

Twilight: (Sighs.) Fine.

And with that, all the ponies went through the mirror portal back to Equestria. Sonic had heard the entire thing.

Sonic: Hmmm.

Amy: What is it, Sonic?

Sonic: Brandon really thinks he doesn't deserve forgiveness, does he?

Amy: I guess not.

Sonic: Maybe it would take an entire city to convince him he shouldn't fret over what he's done.

Amy: I think it would take an entire universe to convince him. Or even three.

Sonic: There has to be some way to heal his sorrows.

That night, Brandon stayed in the dumpster.

Brandon: No matter how much good I do, I'll never be able to make up for what I did. I'm worthless.

Luna's voice: Is that so? (Appears before Brandon.)

Brandon: I know what you're going to say, so don't waste your time on a living sand dune like me. (He closes the dumpster lid.)

(She opens it back up.)

Luna: Now really, Brandon. Do you really think this is what you deserve?

Brandon: Yeah. I'm made of sand. That's how worthless I really am.

Luna: It's not about what your are made of, it's about who you are inside.

Brandon: A broke, homeless, unemployed high school drop-out with a body made of sand and no future.

Luna: What I see is a person who could become a hero among a lot of people. You may have failed to save your own universe, but you and your friends are dependent on saving three worlds or even more. But you will never be able to do it if you don't believe you can be forgiven.

Brandon: I wish I could believe that.

Luna: Brandon, everybody makes mistakes. No matter how big or small, they mustn't fret over it for their entire lives or even for all eternity. By not forgiving themselves, their spirit's heart will never heal.

Brandon: I can't heal.

Luna: Oh yes you can. In fact, I actually know if a hero in another dimension who did something far worse that what you have done. And do you know what his fate was?

Brandon: What could possibly be worse than failing an entire universe?

Luna: How about failing to protect multiple universes?

Brandon: You're making this up.

Luna: No I'm not!

She was actually, but she needed to convince Brandon somehow that he wasn't worthless.

Brandon: I may be a high school drop-out, but I'm not stupid.

Luna: I suppose I should prove it to you. (Her horn then glows and makes the screen go white. When it clears, she and Brandon are in a city where a battle is taking place.)

Brandon: You're making it up. None of it's real. (He pinches the tip of her horn, sending them back.)

Luna: (In her echoy voice)HOW DARE YOU DO THAT! I'M TRYING TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING!

Brandon: Try all you like. It won't do any good. I'm emotionally SCARRED! Once you get a scar of any kind, you're stuck with it for the rest of your life. It'll never heal.

Luna: I beg to differ with that. Remember the tantabus? I created it to punish myself for all the things I did as Nightmare Moon, but because of my unforgiveness, Equestria was almost doomed. I learned to forgive myself for what I had done as Nightmare Moon and the tantabus was no more. That's exactly what you are facing right now. In fact, part of how Randy is very powerful is that you're not forgiving yourself for your failure for you homeworld. The longer you leave yourself unforgiven, the stronger he will get, but the sooner you do forgive yourself, the weaker he'll become. I'm just saying things will get worse if you don't forgive yourself soon.

Brandon: Even if I do stop Randy, I'll still have the scars. Scars are permanent.

Luna: But you're made of sand. You can always take on a new form without scars. I see you're hard to convince, but take my word for it is that forgiveness is Randy's only weakness.

Brandon: Emotional scars stay where physical ones don't.

Luna: I would rethink the first.

Brandon: What?

Luna: Those emotional scars are one reason Randy is very powerful.

Brandon: I can't get rid of them.

Luna: Oh yes you can. I know you can.

Brandon: I can't. Scars of any kind are permanent.

Luna: Ah, but are these so-called scars truly scars?

Brandon: Yes.

Luna: (She knows they aren't.)

Brandon: Just go. I'm not worth your time.

Luna: I guess I should let you figure this out yourself!

The next morning in Equestria, Applejack was feeling guilty about Brandon's living conditions while she works.

Apple Bloom: Is something bothering you, sis?

Applejack: (Sighs) It's Brandon. He's still not gotten over his guilt of failing an entire universe. He's living in a dumpster over at TUFF right now.

Apple Bloom: Why? Doesn't he get paid?

Applejack: No. He's just an honorary agent. We asked the chief at TUFF to pay him anyway and he said no.

Apple Bloom: Maybe we could give him some money.

Applejack: I doubt he'll accept it because he still thinks he deserves eternal punishment, even when we all tell him otherwise.

Apple Bloom: What did he do?

Applejack: (Puts her hat to her chest.) (Sighs.) He failed his whole universe.

Apple Bloom: Woah. That is bad.

Applejack: Ah know.

Apple Bloom: No wonder he feels bad.

Rarity was feeling bad for Brandon too as she worked at her boutique. She felt ashamed for not being able to help him.

Rarity: Poor Brandon. He really deserves a better home than that dirty dumpster.

Rarity: (Sighs) If only I could have done something nice for him.

Sweetie Belle: (Comes in.) Hey, Rarity. What's up?

Rarity: It's Brandon. He feels bad because he failed his whole universe. And now he thinks he deserves eternal punishment.

Sweetie Belle: Oh. I see.

(Later that day.)

Sweetie Belle: Isn't there anything you can do Rarity?

Rarity: All I can do is help him defeat Randy when he comes back out. I don't know if that will help him or anything.

At Sugarcube Corner, Mr. and Mrs. Cake noticed Pinkie was not her usual cheery self.

Mr. Cake: Pinkie, is anything wrong?

Pinkie: Brandon thinks that because he failed his whole universe that he deserves eternal punishment. Me and the others tried to help convince him that he has worth, but he won't listen to us.

Mr. Cake: Oh. Uh, we see.

Mrs. Cake: We're so sorry, Pinkie.

Mr. Cake: We really are. Perhaps we could offer him some of our cakes.

Pinkie: Don't bother. He won't accept them.

In the sky, Rainbow was clearing the clouds slower than she'd care to admit. Scootaloo then walked by and saw what was happening.

Scootaloo: Uh, Rainbow Dash?

Rainbow: (Doesn't notice her.)

Scootaloo: Rainbow Dash?!

Rainbow: (Snaps out of it.) What? Oh. Hi, Scootaloo.

Scootaloo: What's going on?

Rainbow: (Sighs and lands in front of Scootaloo.) It's Brandon. He's not doing so well. He feels bad because he thinks he deserves eternal punishment for failing his universe.

Scootaloo: Well, after doing that, he SHOULD feel bad.

Rainbow: What? Are you crazy?!

Scootaloo: No.

Rainbow: He doesn't deserve to feel this way. Not even because of that! Even the princesses agree that he should forgive himself!

Scootaloo: I don't see that happening.

Rainbow: Don't you know how he feels? And don't try telling me he should feel that bad, because even the princess agree he shouldn't.

Scootaloo: Doesn't he have a job?

Rainbow: He works as a honorary agent at TUFF, but he doesn't get paid.

Scootaloo: Find loose change?

Rainbow Maybe he does that. I don't know.

(A flashback is then shown. In the flashback, Rainbow sees Brandon pick up a coin.)

FB Rainbow: Wow. You found a coin. That's lucky.

FB Brandon: Yep. Another piece of change for the police. (Goes over to a police officer and hands him the coin.)

(Flashback ends.)

Rainbow: Actually, he takes any loose change he finds to the police. I just remembered that. (Hoof palms.)

Scootaloo: At least he's thinking of others.

Rainbow: That's true. But he should also think about himself.

Brandon: (Off-screen and dramatically.) NEVER!!!

Rainbow: (Turns to see Brandon.) Brandon! (Runs to him.)

Brandon: (Disappears before she can catch up.)

Rainbow Dash: Hey! Ugh. He's gone again.

(Cuts to Fluttershy's cottage.)

Fluttershy was a bit distracted while she was feeding Angel. He was impatiently waiting for her to give him his lunch.

Fluttershy: (Pours too much into his bowl.)

Angel: O_O

Fluttershy: (Snaps out of it.) Oh. I'm sorry, Angel. I was just out of focus. (Takes off some of the food in his bowl.)

To be continued...