Hello everyone. Since it is Nov. 3, and Randall's pretty much a wreck, I decided to make something to sort of cheer him up. This story is as much for Randall as it is for the reviewers, but gives a slight look at how Randall's life would have been if his brother was with him earlier, and what the two would have done. I don't think it's a honor, but more of a....I guess its just something....something that I wanted to do for him.

The Tail

Of

Two Brothers

 Prologue 1984

Today was the day.

Today was the day that the two could finally leave the indescribable heck that would have followed them for years to come. It was all planned out just as he had planned.

For five years together, the two shared everything. The prejudice, the pain, the humiliation, discrimination, the misery.....all of it.

Five years. It seemed to stretch out endlessly in eternity.

Today was the day they would leave eternity behind.

Chapter 1 On Their Own

Randolph had been running. Running as fast as his four feet would let him.

His hands were busy holding onto Randall's slipper fingers. Randall was half running, half being dragged by Randolph as they trailed through the malignant storm.

Randolph held up a hand to shield his eyes from the pouring rain, which was creating a river in the crevice between every one of his scales. His bottom right hand tightly holding on to the soft, damp duffle bag he dragged.

It was raining hard. The muddy ground near them, soggy and the concrete side walk along the road being under-siege by the droppings of the clouds. The lush farmland, the country side of the city, was being bombarded with countless little soldiers that would either choose to give the monsters food, or to drench every crop. The ground was green and gray, the sky dark as a panther's skin.

"Avoid the roads" Randolph reminded himself.

He slowed on a pinch, stopping. He remembered to look back at Randall to see how he was fairing. The young lizard was practically drenched like he was, but otherwise still ok.

Randall gave a quick nod, Randolph doing the same. Raking lead again, Randolph cut across the walk and through the muddy grass. He set his course on the combine of the field and sky. He had no idea where he was going. He had a pure destination, but stopping points was something else.

Randolph suddenly lost balance on his left side, something dragging his hands down.

"Randall?!"

He turned, seeing his brother had slipped, face down in the rendering mud, still dripping even as Randolph grabbed his arm to help him onto his feet.

"Just a little longer!" he called over the storm. Randall nodded, the mud slipping off his scales from the rain. He hadn't heard what Randolph had said, but was clear that they had to continue. They started once again.

Randolph looked everywhere he could for shelter as they ran. A house, a tree, even a block of wood to place over their heads if he could, but so far nothing but the endless forming mudded pot holes.

He tripped slightly, but regained his balance. As he picked himself, Randall shaking the rain from his face, he saw it.

Ahead in the distance is what looked like an old farm of some sort. There wasn't a barn, but there was a house, cockatrice pen, and a storage shed.

Randolph smiled with glee, turning to Randall, who didn't seem to notice. The house wasn't the best choice, its occupants may have not moved to the urban area yet. The pen wasn't an option, so that left the shed.

Randolph had a gut instinct telling him they shouldn't head over, but his concern of Randall, or him, getting sick was worse.

He started over with Randall. "Just a few seconds just a few seconds" he repeated in a whisper.

It was only a moment later that they stood in front of the shed's door. The ground was firm, but withering, under the cover of the shed's "over roof".

Randolph pulled his brother close as he searched the door. A lock was placed on it. It would have disappointed others, but Randolph took it as a simple obstacle. He quickly unsnapped the side pocket of his thin leather jacked and produced a few lock-picks.

With only two minutes, Randolph undid the lock and they headed inside.

It was dark inside, though the light from the open door lit only a few things in the darkness. Randolph placed the lock in the duffle bag, ready to redo it in the morning. When he closed the door, the room was completely dark.

Randall gave a small whimper, but Randolph knew it was only the thunder outside.

He kneeled down where he was, his emerald eyes piercing the dark to see the familiar bag shape near him. He undid the zipper and produced a lamp of some sort. It looked like a characin lamp. Though, the substance wasn't oil inside, it was a black-blob like creature that caused heat to reproduce at a controlled rate.

Randolph dug out the matches as well,, taking a peek at Randall, who was looking around the room, curious as he was. Opening the lamp's glass door, he took one of the matches and effortlessly striking it against the back.

The area was fitted with a flickering circle of orange light illuminating the ground. Randall instantly noticed the light his brother made, he was now getting the flame inside the center of the lamp. A slightly bigger flame was made inside, the oval of light growing. Nearly the whole shed was lit in some volume or another.

Randolph twiddled the match, then just blew it out.

Randall over-looked the room, the look tore him away from the thundering cracks outside, along with the pouring rain on the window near the door. There were shelves, hollow shelves of wood. The place was mostly covered in dust, a few things lying around. Many tools were set across it, some untouched, others leaving a faint clue that they had been used. A few packages of various materials for clothing, farming, and such things like that were in piles. Nothing of interest.

The shaking of the light made Randall turn back to his brother. Randolph had blown out the match for the lamp, having shaken it at first to no avail.

"This would last a good four hours" Randolph commented. He seemed to merely stretch it out. Around two hours the light would die. Though that didn't mean that the lamp wouldn't be used again. The makers had made it so the device wouldn't be able to got dead, since they made a partnership with the matches' company, since several matches would be used on the thing.

Randolph stood accordingly, stretching out for a moment before taking out that yawn he had held in. "Well...best to get some sleep now...". Randall nodded in the dark, coming over while Randolph dug out one of the thin cloth blankets from the bag, setting it on top. He chuckled as soon as he saw Randall come into the light, mud on his scales. "Heh...ok Randall....let m e help ya with that,,,," Randolph said with a smile, taking out a small wash cloth from the bag.

Opening the door slightly, Randolph stretched out his hand, catching a few drops from the rain on the cloth, before being satisfied and closed the door. Randall got down on his knees, a smile on his face as Randolph kneeled down in front of him, dabbing his face scales. It wasn't till Randolph moved on to Randall's left scales that Randall first spoke since their run.

"...Where are we going?" he asked, his voice a low and innocent. Randolph eyed him for just a second ,but stopped. Randall had a tendency to forget things, mostly after active occurrences, Not to mention he hadn't spoken in a while. "Its like I told you....to the town past the city..." he reminded.

"And mom and dad'll be there waiting for us?" Randall asked, pushing his brother's extended arm down slightly. Randolph took a moment before answering, truly, he didn't know. He managed to crack a smile, deeply unsure of himself. "Yeah sure Randall...they'll...they'll be waiting for us". He kept cleaning again.

"The faster we get there...the sooner we get to see'em" he added. "Ah...there...". He took the cloth away, opening the door and washing it off. When he was half done, a thunder bolt cracked off in the distance, making the dripping of the rain silent for it's roar. "Heh..." Randolph smiled, feeling that Randall had jumped over to him, his arms around his chest and his tail near his own tail to Randall's stomach.

"Oh come on...its nothing to be afraid of..." Randolph chuckled out, closing the door. Randall was slightly shaken when he let go, something Randolph understood. Randall was scared of lighting and thunder.

To calm him down, and to get the much needed sleep, Randolph grabbed the cover from the bag, taking Randall. Randolph sat his upper back against the shed's wall, the one with the window and the door, Randall coming over to his side. He placed his head on Randolph's chest, pulling the cover up to his neck, Randolph doing the same, not bothered with the slight pressure on his chest. Randall's eyes were already closed, his mouth moving with a yawn or two before he finally slept.

Randolph looked down at him. Randall was trying to get to sleep, the slight rustle of his head, feet, or tail told that. Randall and him had been staying-uppers for sometime now, knowing sleep would be more dangerous for them now. But from the running, they couldn't resist the temptation of sleep. Still, Randolph stayed up, brushing his brother's fronds as his emerald eyes reflected the orange light of the lantern.

Randolph had always taken care of Randall, ever since he came. He remembered when Randall was barely four when he came to the orphanage. Randolph swore in a whisper. "(That place...and all in it...)" he swore in thought.
That place. The orphanage. The place the two had suffered years in, and never wished to anymore.

He had been stronger than Randall, faced a bit more than he had. Though Randall was beaten a couple times by the others or those so-called caretakers. It was confirmed by Randolph that it was not Randall's place, or his. That it was time to leave. But...to where?

That was the lucky break the two had gotten. The most amazing event that changed their lives. Randolph remembered it all too well. He had been picked seven days ago to get the food from the market in town, close to the orphanage. The caretakers knew he wouldn't disobey him, knowing they'd beat him, as well as Randall for no reason.

But regardless, on his way back, he had an encounter with an unexpected stranger.

There he was, standing on the concrete sidewalk path of the street, not a soul except himself and this stranger. Randolph was thinking he should just continue, but the fact that someone called his rightful name was something to ask, let alone a person he didn't even know.

Having the bag in his hands, Randolph starred deeply at the figure in the alley. "How do you know me?". Having only a vague description, whomever he, from the voice, was, he had two arms, two legs, and fronds without hair. And if it was mistaken, Randolph had seen a scaled tail.

"You are Randolph Boggs...are you not?" came the cool, unmoved voice from the leaning figure. "Who wants to know?" Randolph started, turning so he was facing this unnamed stranger. "Last time I remember...I don't think I know you".

The figure laughed. "Heh...well Boggs..." the voice started, seeming to place its right limb into its side, pulling out a thin rectangular object.

"Be sure to read this...I'm sure I'll interest your younger brother Randall too...". It tossed the thing in the air, gravity making it fall beside Randolph's front right foot

It was an envelope. Brown and white stained paper, a red emblem sealing it. Randolph stared at it, wondering what it really held. "Who the heck,,," he started looking back up. "...Are you...huh?".

Whomever it was, he was long gone. A million questions were left floating in Randolph's head. How did he know his name? How does he know Randall? Who was he?

The only insurance was the envelope laying near him. He knew his mother would have told him never to take things from strangers. But then again, he was never told, or he couldn't remember.

An envelope couldn't it?

This for you pal. Hopeit helps.