"So... this a public school?" Crusher asked as he and Blaze stood in front of the school.
"Mm-hmm!" Blaze nodded. "Can't wait for First Grade!"
He was about to drive in when he noticed that his brother staying at his spot. He turned to him with a frown.
"Crusher?"
"I..." Crusher shifted in his spot, glancing down nervously. "What if other kids no like me...?"
"Nah, they gonna like you! You fun!" Blaze took his brother by the tire. "And don't worry! I'll be right here when you need me! Promise!"
Crusher smiled and nodded before they both drove into the school.
X
Soon, it was recess, and the kids were all released to the playground. Crusher and Blaze zoomed out of the classroom and headed for the sandbox to play toy trucks when they noticed a small green truck already there.
"Oh, hello!" he greeted, all cheery and bubbly in a small, cute voice. "I'm Pickle! What your names?"
"I'm Blaze!" Blaze answered with a smile. "This my big brother Crusher!"
"H-Hi," Crusher greeted with a smile.
"Nice to meet you!" Pickle giggled. "Wanna play toy trucks with me?!"
"Sure!" The two drove over to play, and a friendship was born.
X
Years went by. Crusher was now 9, Blaze was 8 and Pickle 7. The brothers were in Fifth Grade while Pickle was in the Fourth.
Blaze had gotten many friends, all as out-going as he was. Pickle had too, but his were all as enthusiastic and bubbly as he was. Crusher had gotten some friends with the same interest as he had, which were reading books, writing stories, and making things out of scraps.
But at the end of the day, the three would always hang out and stick together, no matter what. Every lunch and recess time, the three of them would hang out and eat together before heading back to class.
But of course, every story has it's problems.
"Hey, nerd boy!"
Crusher flinched as he turned to see one of Blaze's friends Auburn, a dark orange truck that was bigger than he was, nearing him along with two of his brother's other friends; a lavender truck named Paula, and an icy blue truck named Kiko. The dark blue truck gulped and held his notebook close to him as he backed up towards his locker.
"H-Hi, Auburn," he spoke, trying to find a way to get to class without getting into trouble. "I'm just gonna go, now-"
"Oh, look at this, guys," Paula chuckled and grabbed the notebook from his tires. "Book nerd over here's writing stories of himself again! Ha! Isn't that pathetic?"
"Hey!" Crusher reached to try to take back his notebook, but the lavender truck threw it Kiko. "Give it back!"
"Want this back, dweeb?" Kiko smirked and opened the notebook. "You can have it back... in shreds!"
Crusher whimpered as he watched the trio rip the notebook into bits. Auburn grabbed it last and dropped it on the ground to squish under his tires before turning to notice the dark blue truck with a smirk.
"Aw, what's wrong, nerd boy?" he taunted. "Gonna cry? Gonna cry like the baby you are?"
"Or like the adopted dweeb he is," Kiko snickered.
"You really are pathetic, aren't ya, book nerd?" Paula snorted. "No wonder you had to be adopted! Bet you were a failed abortion to your real parents!"
Crusher sobbed and didn't dare look up at the bullies as he stared at the ground, shaking in fear. Just as the group were laughing, Blaze came around the corner and gasped at the sight of his crying brother.
"Crusher!" he zoomed to the dark blue truck's side.
"Blaze, why are you even friends with him?" Auburn groaned. "He's such a nerd boy,"
"Yeah," Paula agreed with a nod. "He's a booknerd. Why don't we just get to class and leave him out here like the adopted cry baby he is?"
Blaze glanced up at them with a growl. He drove between his brother and his so-called friends, a scowl on his face as he glared at each of them. The trio felt a chill run down his spine as they cowered back with a gulp.
"Unless you're forgetting, Crusher is MY brother." the red truck hissed. "And I would NEVER leave him behind to be with you bullies! If you're gonna hurt him like this then we're no longer friends!"
"B-Blaze, ch-chill out, dude," Kiko tried to act calm, but he and the rest of the group were shaking as they watched their usually-calm and chirpy friend scold and yell at them. "We... We were just kidding around, ya know?"
"No, you three were NOT just kidding around," Blaze shook his head and gently took his brother by the shoulders. "Come on, Crush, let's wash you up and head to class. After school, we'll get you a new notebook. It's pointless to deal with these bullies anyway,"
Crusher nodded and slowly followed after his brother, leaving the trio at the lockers as they left.
X
Soon, Crusher was 11, and Blaze was 10.
Phoenix had been pregnant and had given birth to their youngest and only daughter, whom they named Sparkle. Crusher and Blaze had stayed at home with a 9-year old Pickle while they waited for their parents to come back with their new baby sister.
"I can't wait to meet our baby sister!" Blaze squealed, bouncing in excitement.
"I bet she's gonna be CUTE!" Pickle giggled. "Man, I wish I had a baby sister! But I think 4 older sisters is good enough!"
Only Crusher didn't seem excited. He was smiling, yes, since he IS happy for his brother and parents, but at the same time, it made him question about who he was in the family.
Now that Blaze had a new sibling, an ACTUAL blood sibling, maybe... maybe he wasn't gonna be wanted anymore. He was just adopted, after all.
"We're back!"
"Yay!" Blaze zoomed over to the door, beaming as Phoenix and Flame came in, with the silver white truck holding a small bundle in her tires. "Mom! Dad! Is that baby Sparkle?! Can I hold her?! Can I?! Please!"
"Woah, slow down, kiddo," Flame chuckled and patted his youngest son's head.
Phoenix giggled at the red truck's enthusiasm but noticed the lack of excitement from the dark blue truck. She frowned and turned to give Sparkle over to her husband.
"Here, sweetie, let Blaze and Pickle see Sparkle," she told him then she turned back to her eldest. "Crusher, may I talk to you for a second?"
"O-Okay," Crusher swallowed but followed after his adoptive mother to his room.
Phoenix motioned for the dark blue truck to get on his bed, and Crusher did so, hopping onto the bed before turning to face her. Phoenix gently stroked his head with a sad smile.
"So, what's on your mind, Crusher?"
"I..." Crusher didn't look comfortable to talk about it, but he sighed anyway. "Mom, is the new baby gonna replace me?"
"What?" Phoenix was taken back by the question. "Of course not, dear. Why would you think that?"
"B-Because... Because I'm just adopted," Crusher sniffled as the tears began to roll down his cheeks. "I... I'm not your real child and... Sparkle and Blaze ARE, and I... I'm not..." He tried to wipe the tears from his eyes, but there were too much to remove. "I... I don't really have a place here..."
"Oh, Crusher, don't think that way," Phoenix took her eldest into her tires to console him. "It doesn't matter if either of us aren't your blood parents. Blood doesn't define family. The bond between us does," She pressed a kiss on his forehead and helped wipe the tears from his eyes. "You are our son, no matter what anyone says, and I love you. I love each and every one of you. A new child isn't gonna change that,"
"P-Promise?" Crusher glanced up her tearfully.
"Promise," Phoenix nodded and smiled. "Now, don't you wanna go and say hi to your new baby sister?"
Crusher smiled and gave a nod. He jumped off his bed then the mother and son duo drove out to find Blaze and Pickle cooing over baby Sparkle, whom Flame held in his tires carefully.
"Dad, when can Sparkle play soccer with me, Pickle and Crusher?" Blaze asked.
"When she's older," Flame let out a chuckle. "About 4 or 5 years old, depending on her interests, of course,"
"Why?" Blaze tilted his head. "Can't all girls play soccer?"
"Millie and Tillie LOVE soccer!" Pickle cried out. "But... Lily doesn't like it much, and Frilly likes baseball more, so I guess not all girls like soccer,"
"Well, some girls just aren't interested in a rough sport like soccer," Phoenix grinned as she and Crusher drove into the room.
"Crusher! Crusher!" Blaze called for his brother over. "Look at Baby Sparkle! She's so cute!"
Crusher smiled and drove over to his brother's side. He leaned over to see the bright orange baby truck wrapped in the blanket with a small strand of fuchsia hair on her hood as she slowly opened her eyes, revealing ocean blue eyes similar to Blaze and Phoenix's.
"H-Hi," the dark blue truck spoke in a whisper, a little nervous as he slowly placed a tire in front of his new baby sister. "I'm Crusher. I'm your big brother,"
Sparkle blinked at him before cooing, reaching out her own tire at his. Crusher's eyes widened, blinking back before smiling tenderly at her. Phoenix let out a giggle as she drove to her husband's side.
"Aw, she likes you," she said.
"Ooh! What about me?!" Blaze asked, holding out his tire to their sister. "Do you like me too, Sparkle?!"
Sparkle let out a giggle as she held both their tires. The family laughed while Pickle let out an 'awe' as Crusher gently took Sparkle into his own tires and smiled.
This family just keeps on growing...
X
Years had flown by. Crusher was 14, and Blaze was 13.
Crusher had grown intelligent over the years and had skipped a couple of grades. He had become the youngest inventor in all of the world and is currently building up a career of becoming one of the fastest racers since he had already earned all of his racing stickers and completed his racing badge. He was currently in the starting his second year of college.
Blaze had also grown intelligent and had also skipped a couple of grades. He had become one of the most athletic in all of his school and has also become one of the fastest racers since he too had already earned all of his racing stickers and completed his racing badge. He was also starting his second year of college, but unlike his brother, who was taking an engineering course, he was taking a different course.
Pickle was young but growing in intelligence with the help of Crusher and Blaze. He was only 12, but he had already graduated senior high school and is already starting his first year of college. Unlike Crusher and Blaze, however, he isn't really set on becoming a racer and would rather cheer for his best friends from the sidelines than actually race the biggest races.
Little Sparkle, on the other hand, was now 3 and was going to start kindergarten. She was very close with her brothers. She and Crusher bonded over books and the different bedtime stories Crusher would tell. She and Blaze bonded over soccer. Crusher would occasionally join them, but being the youngest inventor sometimes makes him busy, along with college studies.
And over the years, the family had adopted a little human that they had found abandoned in the streets. Actually, Crusher had found the little human in a box and had taken him home to show the family. Phoenix and Flame adopted him and called him AJ, making him their official little brother. AJ was currently 5, but he wasn't going to school. Instead, Phoenix and Flame decided to homeschool him, with Crusher and Blaze teaching him all they knew as well.
They had also taught AJ how to race and drive either Blaze or Crusher during races. Mostly Blaze, though, since Crusher was frequently busy, and Blaze's driver seat was usually open.
At the moment, Crusher and Blaze were on a break from classes and were driving with Sparkle to her first day of school with AJ at Blaze's driver seat.
"Me so excited!" Sparkle cheered as she stood in front of her school.
"You're gonna do great, Sparkle!" Blaze laughed, ruffling her fuchsia hair, which were tied up in pigtails with sparkly golden stars on them.
"Just remember to have fun and balance it with focus on the lessons," Crusher advised her with a smile.
"And if there are any bullies, you know who to call!" Blaze added.
"Ha! Those bullies not get me!" Sparkle grinned. "Me tough! Me fight bullies!"
"Ah... no, Sparkle, no fighting in school!" Crusher told her, a small glare at his brother, who giggled at her enthusiasm. "Blaze, DO NOT encourage her,"
"Pfft, I am NOT encouraging her," Blaze stiffled his laughter with a grin.
"Uh-huh," Crusher didn't look convinced as he rolled his eyes. "AJ, tell him to stop because I'm not hitting him in front of Sparkle,"
"Blaze, stop," AJ glanced down at the red truck, crossing his arms.
"Okay, okay," Blaze coughed and cleared his throat before whistling in peace.
"Thank you," Crusher sighed and turned back to Sparkle. "Now, Sparkle, if there are any bullies. Don't fight them. Instead, you just ignore them and tell any of us when you get back home, okay?"
"Okay, big brother," Sparkle nodded.
"Alright," Crusher smiled. "Now go ahead. Blaze, AJ, Pickle and I'll pick you up after school,"
"M'kay! Bye!" Sparkle waved them goodbye before driving in her school.
"Well, Pickle just sent us a text," AJ said, glancing down at his phone. "Meet at the cafe at 10,"
"Great," Crusher gave a nod, bringing up his scheduling notebook. "If we leave now, we'll be back at the school by 12 to pickle Sparkle up,"
"Do you have ALL of our schedule on there?" Blaze teased.
"Yes, and you and AJ have racing practice at 3 later while I have a convention to host at 2," Crusher said, not looking up from his notes.
"Oh gosh, you DO have all our schedule," Blaze glanced at his brother in disbelief.
"Better safe than sorry," Crusher snickered and set his notebook down. "Where to?"
"Rainbow Cafe," AJ answered.
"Rainbow Cafe, it is," Crusher nodded then turned to drive off with the two following behind him to go on with their day.