J woke up in his bed. Still a little shaken by a nightmare. He looked out the window to find that it was still pitch black outside. He was a little scared to go back to sleep.

He got out of bed and grabbed his teddy bear. J paced himself along the wall and walked down stairs to where he knew his father would be.

J’s father Silver Streak was in his den quietly looking over a few things.

J quietly stepped into the den and walked up beside his father.

Silver looked down and smiled when he saw J, “So nightmares again?” He asked.

J nodded a little, “Mhm… I got really scared… but I didn’t cry at all…” J responded quietly.

Silver patted his lap inviting J to sit down on it, “That’s my boy! So brave and strong!” He said with a comforting smile.

J climbed up onto his dad’s lap and Silver took his teddy bear and sat it on the desk shoving his papers aside.

“I know I’m not the only one who's proud of you J… Tibbers is too!” Silver said as he ruffled his son’s hair.

J smiled brightly, “Ya think so?” He asked as he looked up at his dad.

Silver nodded, “I know son… Now… I have a few things left to do but… Those can wait till tomorrow. Now, let’s get you up to bed I’m sure mommy will be proud of you for being so brave!” He said as he lifted J up onto his shoulder.

“Don’t forget Tibbers!” J said trying to reach down for his bear.

Tibbers was engulfed in a silver aura and hovered up to J.

J snatched Tibbers out of the air and held him close, “Thanks dad!” He said happily.

Silver smiled, “Now that both of you are here let’s go see if mommy is still awake.” He said as he walked upstairs with J still on his shoulder.

Silver opened up his own bedroom door to find his wife Willow sitting in bed reading a book. She looked up to see both her husband and her son in the room now. “Well… This is a surprise!” She said. J was surrounded by a light green aura as his mother gently brought him into her arms. “So what brings both of my brave and handsome boys up here so late?”

Silver smiled, “J came downstairs to see me after he woke up from a nightmare, and from what I’ve seen he wasn’t crying.” Silver said as he laid down beside his son and wife.

Willow gasped a little, “Is that true J?” She asked with a smile.

J nodded, “Tibbers was there! He knows I didn’t cry!” He said defensively.

Willow patted her son on the head, “I know you didn’t sweetie.” She said soothingly.

J looked up at his mom and she kissed him on the forehead.

Silver laid his arm over both his son and his wife. “Good night you two.” He said as he laid his head down.

J fell asleep between them relatively quickly.

“Silver… I’m worried about J…” Willow said quietly.

“About what?” Silver asked.

She sighed, “He’s… not very… he doesn’t have any friends other than Tibbers… From what I’ve seen they all hate him for what he is… we need to move…” She started, “I know we can’t… we’ve settled down here and it’s final. But… I just don’t like the locals anymore… they’ve all been so hostile.”

Silver closed his eyes, “Willow… I… I know. I’ve been worried too. But just know… if anything does happen I’ll defend the both of you.” He responded.

“Then… promise me that if anything happens to me. You’ll watch out for J. Please… You both are a lot stronger than I am… You… you saved me from my father and… Silver… I love you so much…” Willow started before a few tears welled up.

“Willow…” Silver said as he kissed his wife, “Don’t cry… I’m here and so is J. I’ll always be here for you. Always.”

Willow laid her head down, “I know you will… good… good night sweetie…” She said quietly.

“Good night to you too honey… I’m not leaving your side again.” Silver said as he laid his head down.

-------------------------

Two years after after:

J was shaken awake by his mom, “J time to get up. Today is the first day of school for you!” She said.

J yawned as he woke up and stretched, “Okay mom!” J said as he got out of his bed. He grabbed Tibbers his best friend as he walked into the bathroom, “Sorry Tibbers but you’re gonna have to wait out here!” He set Tibbers down on a chair outside as he rushed into the bathroom and washed up.

J quickly got dressed and gathered everything that he would need together.

“Breakfast is ready you two!” His mom called down.

J and his dad walked downstairs and they both ate the meal that was laid out for them.

“Thank you mom!” J said as he grabbed his stuff. As he was about to walk out the door he turned around, “I can’t forget Tibbers!” He rushed upstairs and grabbed Tibbers, “Bye mom! Bye dad!” He said as he walked outside and towards the school.

His mom and dad watched him, “Silver… I’m scared now more than ever…” His mom said.

“Willow don’t be scared. Nothing is going to happen to J.” His dad responded, “If anything does he’s tough. He’ll take it. Then I’ll deal with it.”

-----------------

During Recess:

J sat alone just watching the other kids play. He sighed, “I wish… I wish they’d want to play with me…” He said quietly. “At least you still do Tibbers…”

As J picked Tibbers up a group of older kids approached.

J looked over at them and realized they weren’t intending to be friendly.

“Look at the new kid.” One of them said, nudging the biggest one.

“What do ya got there?” The tallest asked, looking at Tibbers.

“He’s my friend…” J responded as he looked at the older kids.

“Well thats cool. Can he be our friend too?” One of them said, grabbing Tibbers and holding him in the air.

“No! He’s my friend! You guys are being mean to him! Give him back!” J said as he desperately tried to grab Tibbers.

“Hey Tim, maybe he wants to be all our friends.” One kid said, ripping an arm off and tossing the rest to him.

“Yeah, I want to be friends with him too.” Tim said before ripping off a leg and tossing it to another kid.

J bit his lip and stopped himself from crying. He just stared at them unmoving.

“Oh don’t worry kid… He can still be your friend.” Tim said, ripping off it’s head and shoving it into J, knocking him to the ground.

J looked up at the kids. “Why… are…” He stammered out weakly.

“Oh he doesn’t want to be my friend…” One of the smaller kids said.

“Well that’s not cool!” Tim said, grabbing the torso, “Okay… I guess thats fine.”

Tim looked up and threw it on top of the school, a smirk on his face as he looked back to J. “There, all better. Everybody wins!” He said.

J simply looked up at where the torso went and looked back at Tim.

“What’s wrong kid? You’re not gunna cry are ya?” Tim asked, grabbing J and pulling him up. “You wouldn’t want to spoil our fun… Would you?”

J shook his head in defiance.

“Well that’s good. We’re all having a good time aren’t we?” Tim said, looking at the others and receiving several nods. “Good.”

“No.” J said simply. “I’m not having fun.”

Everyone looked at J, then Tim. “Oh that’s too bad… We can change that can’t we guys?” He said, looking at the others. Before he even got an answer he shoved a fist into J’s gut.

J grunted in pain but managed to take the punch without shedding a tear, “Is… is that it? I… I’ve seen animals with more bite…” J said as he looked at Tim.

Tim’s face turned from a smirk to pure annoyance, “He thinks he’s tough.” Tim said, motioning the others over. The other kids came and grabbed J, forcing him to his knees as Tim wondered off, grabbing something from his backpack.

J looked up defiantly at Tim. “Go… ahead…” He stated, “I’m… ready for it.”

Tim came over with a thick algebra book, holding it up to the others. “I think we need to teach him a lesson in algebra guys.”

“Yeah he’s really flunking.” Another kid agreed.

Tim hit J across the face, his snout breaking on the first hit as a bit of blood started trickling down.

“I… I’ve had worse cat scratches…” J said.

“I think we need to step up a grade.” Tim said, hitting him again in the side of the head.

J spat a little blood up from his broken snout. He glared defiantly at Tim.

“Bring him over here.” Tim said, moving over to the slide. He walked over and touched the silver metallic slide, quickly yanking his hand away in pain as he looked up at the sun for a second.

“Yeah bring him here.” He said again. J was dragged over and put in front of it.

“Man those cut’s look pretty bad.” Tim said as he grabbed the back of J’s head, “We’d better cauterize them.”

Tim pushed his head to the slide, pressing the right side against the burning metal.

J gritted his teeth against the pain. He closed his eyes and tried desperately to some how escape what was going on.

Tim rotated his head, grinding his snout against it as he switched to the other side of his face.

A few tears fell from J’s face as the pain overcame his sense. He refused to cry even then. Regardless of what he wanted tears started sliding down his face turning into steam as they hit the slide.

“Alright Tim that’s enough.” One of the kids said, only making him press J’s face harder onto it.

J squirmed a little as more hot metal touched his face.

“TIM!” The kid shouted, ripping his hand off J, “Fuck off man… He’s had enough.”

“Fine.” Tim said, throwing J to the ground and kicking him in the side, “Let’s go.”

J shook a little on the ground and attempted to push himself up. He fell right back down to the ground his entire body shaking violently.

The kids walked away, one kicking dirt on J before they all dispersed.

J managed to push himself up and limped slowly towards the other end of the playground. He couldn’t stop himself from shaking as he moved.

The taste of blood stuck in his mouth as he managed to weakly limp to his home.

His mom was outside hanging up a sheet when she saw J collapse, “J!” She shouted as she rushed over and picked him up, “Oh no… no no no… hold on baby I’m going to save you!” She rushed into the house with J in her arms.

--------------------

A few hours later:

Silver growled after he saw his son, “They… won’t get away… with this…” He said angrily.

“They… broke his nose… burn his face on both sides…” Willow began to say as she started crying.

J woke up slowly covered in bandages. Most of his wounds were healed.

“M… mommy… where… where’s Tibbers?” J questioned weakly.

“He… he’s gone sweetie…” Willow responded.

J looked up at the ceiling and simply said, “Oh.”

Just as Silver was about to say something J started crying.

“Silver… you… can’t let them get away with this… do whatever it takes… the local sheriff doesn’t care about us. You need to do it yourself…” Willow said viciously.

Silver nodded, “I’ll make sure they don’t see the morning.” He said quietly as he left.

Willow looked to her son, “There there J… it’s alright it’s alright…” She said as she attempted to comfort J.

“NO! NO! I WANT TIBBERS BACK! I WANT HIM BACK!” J screamed as he bawled his his out.

--------------

J woke up in a cold sweat and his hands were shaking. “T… Tibbers…” He said quietly.

He got out of bed and replaced himself with a pillow which Cadence grabbed ahold of instantly.

J slowly walked down stairs and grabbed a blanket off the couch. He curled into a ball on the couch and placed the blanket over his legs.

He rocked himself back and forth gently finding himself unable to go back to sleep. “I… I don’t want to go to school…” He said quietly over and over again.