I had taken to pacing, playing back the map's location in my mind, it had been awhile since the commercial had played, only because I had BEGGED Olivia to please turn it off.

Our crops were how we got a lot of things. Feed for our cattle, horses, we grew vegetables. Heck our wheat crop just BARELY survived this year, and it was JUST starting to do well albeit despite the harvester attacks.

And if they tore all that down and paved it down...How were we gonna make bread!? How were we gonna feed our livestock!?

"Andy?" Olivia asked sounding a little scared now.

"Livvy…" I sighed looking into her big blue eyes and feeling like a jerk. "I'm not gonna let 'em tear our town apart…" Kneeling to her level I pulled her into a hug rubbing circles on her back. She curled up against me laying her head over my heart. "I need you to be a brave girl and stay here okay?"

"Why?" She asked looking up at me tilting her head to the side curls falling into her face. "Bleh." She blew them out of her eyes.

I chuckled a little. "Cause I'm gonna go take one of the horses and go stop this…"

"I'm goin' too!" She gave a pout as she used the Puppy dog face.

"No way-"

"Please?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Come on!"

This went on for awhile until finally I sighed. If something happened to her mom and dad would kill me. But if I had someone with me, well...Maybe there'd be some mercy if they saw that it was affecting a little kid like her too.

"Fine…But we go by my rules okay? We'll go by horseback and make the rest of the plans tomorrow okay? You'll go out with me to the fields and we'll plan then."

I couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth, I was really going to take my little sister on a possibly dangerous trip and maybe have to go across the country to try to protect our town.

"Okay." She nodded.

Little did I know that fate had something else in mind.

-

The next day we were getting ready to go, having packed up backpacks the previous night and went out to the fields. I wasn't sure how we would get ahold of a horse or two from the stable without anyone noticing us.

"What if we just wait til nighttime?" Olivia asked but she wasn't looking at me she was focusing on the sky.

"Ugh then it'll be hard to navigate." I laid back closing my eyes. Ugh the air smells like fuel… "...You smell that?"

"E'yep...You see that?" My sister asked me as I opened an eye following to where she was pointing. A plane flying over head.

Great...Just great. "Probably scopin' out the best way for the rest of 'em to tear down our field." I muttered.

"No...It's...Coming closer…"

"If it lands in our backyard I'll be ticked." I closed my eyes assuming it was just making a turn.

We heard the engine roaring overhead...As it faded. "...ANDY!" Olivia pulled my arm hard as it caught my attention.

"What!?" I got up and looked to where she was.

...You have to be kidding me.

The plane had landed not far away. We kept quiet curiosity getting the better of us, making our way through the rows.

Peering out we could both see better of what we were looking at.

It was a smallish plane, with orange and white coloring. There were black stripes and a D-7 on the tail wing along with some black design. I gulped. "Olivia…" I whispered. "Be careful-"

I looked away for a second only to realize she wasn't with me anymore.

GOD DANGIT!

I watched in a mix of shock and worry as she went up to the plane. She was so tiny compared to it, she was quiet though until she got up next to it.

"HI!" She chirped startling it a little as it rolled around to look at her.

"Oh...Hello there." Alright so it was a guy.

"Hiya...I'm Olivia! What's your name?" I couldn't believe it. My little sister was talking to a machine!

"Dusty...Dusty Crophopper." He rolled closer to her looking her over and smiled. "Aw...Your so little..Cute."

My sister giggled smiling brightly. "Heee….Thank you. Your awesome!"

"Well..I wouldn't say that.." He grinned a bit sheepishly.

"I think you are…" She turned to where I was and waved for me to come out. "ANDY! You can stop hiding!"

"I WASN'T HIDING!" I protested feeling my face flush a little. "I was...Observing."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Ahuh…"

What cheek!

-Olivia-

Andy's face was getting all red, either he was getting mad or embarrassed. I shrugged and turned back to Dusty. "What brings ya all the way out here?" I asked tilting my head to the side a little. I was curious, he seemed nice but planes and cars and stuff don't come to these parts unless they got to. And even then they usually leave without so much as a thank you.

Dusty grinned sheepishly. "I'm outta fuel...I was flying back home to Propwash Junction but didn't see the harm in flying over but I had to land."

"Oh...Sorry about that...Hey maybe we could help!" I grinned looking to my brother. "Right Andy?"

"Well.." He dusted himself off trying to look like he didn't really care..But he did. I know my big brother, he wouldn't want someone to be sad. "I'm sure we can…"

"Really? That'd be great."

"Yeah...Just..Glad you weren't scoping our crops out…" Andy looked over frowning.

Dusty looked confused for a moment before he frowned too. "The big race…"

"Yeah...They're gonna tear right through our crops…We..We're really gonna be in trouble if our crops are destroyed...We need those to eat.." Andy sighed and sat down on the ground.

I pouted. "Bro…"

Dusty hummed for a moment in thought. "Well...What do humans eat? I'm not too familiar with you guys."

"Basic food groups, protein, which is meat, eggs, fish, dairy, also eggs, milk, cheese. Grains, like wheat, oats...Fruits and vegetables...Corn, green beans, we got animals too we gotta feed like our dogs, cats, horses...Livestock too like the cattle and the pigs." Andy shrugged looking up.

"Oh and pie!" I grinned.

"...Yeah pie's good but we don't NEED it to survive Livvy." Andy chuckled shaking his head.

I pouted. "But-but how can someone live without pie!?"

"We've been doing it pretty easily since the last time."

-Andy-

"We've been doing it pretty easily since the last time." I shook my head at my sister. She was so cute, but could be so silly sometime.

Dusty hummed in thought before grinning. "I think I can help you guys out with that.."

My jaw dropped a little, as Olivia's eyes got wide. "Y-you can?!" I got to my feet quickly.

"Yep!" He looked a little prideful. "Taking care of crops was what I was built for, I'm a Cropduster. I could bring food to you guys, and help take care of the crops." He replied with a smile.

I couldn't believe it. Our luck..Is turning around!? ...Wait...A MACHINE!? Wants to help US...The humans!? THE SQUISHIES!? Before I could contemplate this I heard a little squeal and saw my sister leap up onto Dusty's wing hugging him as best as she could. "O-Olivia! It's not nice to tackle people!" I yelped.

Dusty chuckled. "It's okay...She's fine."

Olivia smiled innocently giving the plane a nuzzle. "Yay! Thank you Dusty, thank you!"

Dusty grinned. "Your welcome...I like helping, so it's no problem. I just need fuel so I can fly."

I got up and dusted off my jeans. "I'll be back soon then..Olivia keep Theo from deciding to mark his territory if he shows up." I smirked before heading off.

I just barely heard the: "Wait WHAT!?" From Dusty as Olivia giggled.

Life...Is getting better… I thought as I retrieved a gas can and discreetly filled it up before realizing a plane probably needed more and filled up another until it was nearly spilling out of the nozzle.

When I got back, I swear my heart almost melted...And leapt out of my chest.

Olivia was talking with Dusty, her little hand on his"head" a smile on her face. He was answering questions she had including ones about racing.

"Are you a racer?"

"Well..Aspiring racer..."

"What races?" She tilted her head to the side as I started giving him the gas.

He grinned sheepishly. "Well..I've been in one...The Wings around the Globe Rally. I won..But not without a lot of help. Other races are harder."

I cocked an eyebrow. A small guy like him going up against huge racing class planes? Well...If I can outrun a harvester...Frequently… I in slight paranoia looked over to the rows to make sure nothing was moving back there.

Olivia smiled. "I bet you'd be great. Your really nice!"

"Aw shucks...I try…Just how I was raised." He chuckled a little.

"Hey a good racer oughta have good manners…" I couldn't help it, had to put my two cents in. "And I'd say your a shoe in...And you're all filled up."

Olivia hopped off his wing as I stepped back. He tested out his engine and nodded to me. "Thanks, this is perfect."

"Hey your doing us a huge favor."

"Yeah he wanted us to go on some crazy trip all way across country! For CROPS!"

I felt myself go a little red. "O-Olivia!"

She grinned. "You were."

"He was just doing his job." Dusty said to her as she folded her arms behind her back.

I grinned. "See!? He agrees with me!"

"Fine! You win! Boys…" But she laughed.

"Alright...Andy right?"

"Yep..Andy Hayes." I nodded.

"Where to first?"

I get the feeling...This is the start of something great…