Father of the Night 4: Eureka.


                                            =Father of the Night 4=


                                            >The bacon in the pan sizzles and pops as you cook it on the stove.

                                            >You could use it after last ni-AH!

                                            >You grip your arm and massage the elbow a bit, harder to do in your sling.

                                            >After the food is done cooking, you sit at the table munching on it.

                                            >Mmm...chewy bacon was clearly the best.

                                            >Three knocks come at the door, requiring you to moan and groan and shuffle to open the door.

                                            >A purple unicorn stands on the opposite side.

                                            "Hey Twi."

                                            >"Hey Ano-" Twilight starts before she glances at your arm and the house behind you. Her wides eyes take in the sight.

                                            >The living room was destroyed. Tables were flipped, there were dings and scratches in the wall, curtains were torn. Twilight finally settles on your wrapped arm in the sling.

                                            >"What...happened here, Anon!?"

                                            >You rub the back of your head.

                                            "Bruce came home after last night and it...didn't go too well."

                                            >Came home with half the Canterlot Guard out looking for him.

                                            >You had been less than pleased.

                                            >"Well what happened to your arm!?" Twilight shouts.

                                            >You wave it around a bit.

                                            "Dislocated elbow."

                                            >"...HOW!?"

                                            "It got bent over the back of the couch."

                                            >Twilight stays silent but gives you a rather alarmed face.

                                            "I told you it didn't go well."

                                            >Twilight sighs and hangs her head in defeat before sniffing at the air.

                                            >"Anon? Why does it smell like-"

                                            "Pee?"

                                            >Twilight nods.

                                            "I had to use the spray bottle.


                                            >You and Twi take to the town, hoping the fresh air would do you some good.

                                            >The royal guards are still around, patrolling the streets and the sky and posted on every corner.

                                            >You lean down to Twi.

                                            "Awful lot of guards..."

                                            >"Well after last night, who can blame them?" she grumbles.

                                            >You wince.

                                            "You know about that, huh?"

                                            >Twilight rolls her eyes. "Even -IF- I missed the commotion there was last night, imagine my surprise when MY BROTHER came to my house in the early morning asking if I could shed some light onto "the mysterious young colt in the costume"."

                                            >You wince once more.

                                            "And...what'd you tell him?

                                            >Twilight sighs. "That I didn't have any information."

                                            >You let out the breath you were holding in.

                                            "Thanks Twi...I'm getting to the end of my rope here."

                                            >Bruce just...kept going out and doing what he did. No good he could be doing could outweigh the guards he was hurting.

                                            "I know Bruce needs to do something beyond...THIS, but I just have no way of making that happen."

                                            >Twilight glances up to you. "Have you considered my idea about sending him to school?"

                                            >You shove your hands in your pockets and look down at the grass.

                                            "I did, but...I'm kinda scared as to what would happen if he saw a bully or something."

                                            >Twilight's face falls as far as yours does. "Sad to say, but guards are better than little kids."

                                            >You and Twi both let out a groan over your situation as you come up on the library.

                                            >"Wanna come in and we can smack our heads on the wall, Anon?"

                                            >You kick at a rock on the ground.

                                            "No thanks, Twi. I think I'm just gonna walk a bit more."

                                            >Twilight nods and walks into the library as you make your way towards the orchard.


                                            -Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BDad24djOY-

                                            >You stroll along the fence at Sweet Apple Acres and step inside the main gate.

                                            >Heading down the main path towards the farmhouse you stop your friend and ex-boss lugging a few barrels of apples back to the barn.

                                            "Need some help there AJ?"

                                            >AJ shoots a smile your way. "Sure thing, Anon. I can always use an extra pair of hooves during harvest season."

                                            >You chuckle as you walk over and grab one of the barrels.

                                            "Hands AJ, hands."

                                            >You help AJ carry those barrels and a few more she roped you into carrying to the barn and help her lock up.

                                            >Along the way you explained the talk you had with Twilight.

                                            >"I heard all the ruckus last night, I was worried that y'all were in the middle of it." she relents.

                                            "You know us...but he came back in one piece."

                                            >AJ blows a strand of hair out of her face. "T'weren't him I was worried about, part. T'were the guards he hurt."

                                            "Yeah...I talked to Twilight about it."

                                            >"And what'd she'd say?"

                                            >You lean against the barn wall. [spoiler][/spoiler] "Same as I'm gonna guess you're about to, that he needs to find some sort of focus."

                                            >AJ sits next to you on the ground. "Got that right, does the little fella have any other family you can bring in to talk to him?"

                                            >You sigh.

                                            "No, his only family were his parents..."

                                            >At least, biologically they were, there were a few family friends but you don't think they could help here.

                                            "I'm all he really has here, AJ. I'm supposed to help him but...I just don't know how."

                                            >"That's...quite the predicament, Anon."

                                            >Yeah.

                                            >Got that right.


                                            >On your way back home, you walk by Sugarcube Corner.

                                            >The Cakes were outside watching their twins play in the grass.

                                            >Pound leaps over Pumpkin and tackles her to the ground, wrestling up a storm of dust as their parents watch.

                                            >You pass by a patrolling guard and save to them.

                                            >Well Hello there, Anonymous." "Hi there, Anon." they both say.

                                            "Hello Mister Cake, Miss Cake."

                                            >"How are you today?" Mister Cake asks.

                                            "Oh, you know, watching the boy and hanging on for dear life."

                                            >The couple share a short chortle. "Yes, we know how raising a young one can be." Mrs. Cake says.

                                            >"Just be glad you don't have to change diapers!" her husband answers.

                                            >You chuckle and look at the roughhousing brother and sister.

                                            "Is this...normal?"

                                            >Mr. Cake nods. "Oh yes, it's always good for the little ones to expend their excess energy."

                                            >Hmmm...

                                            "Yeah, I know what that's like."

                                            >Mrs. Cake looks to you. "How is little Bruce doing?"

                                            >You glance around at the increased guard presence and remember that the Cakes don't know about Bruce's hoof in this.

                                            "He's...adapting to life here. Getting out when he can, playing with his toys, usual kid stuff."

                                            >They both smile. "Good to hear! So sad what happened to his parents..."

                                            >You watch the Cake twins burn themselves out before you about face and walk home.

                                            "Nice talking to you two."


                                            >Once you got home you collapse on the couch and flip on the TV.

                                            >Bruce went out again, just walking past you on the couch through the destroyed living room. You would have tried to stop him normally, but your arm canceled those plans.

                                            >You knew Bruce was TRYING to do good, if his own personal brand, but he was still an angry little kid. If things kept up, he was going to hurt himself.

                                            >But at the same time, you couldn't get him to STOP doing what he did now or risk him developing more problems.

                                            >Bruce's combat therapy or whatever you wanted to call it is how he copes with what happened to his parents but it was your job to take care of him.

                                            >If things kept going the way they were, the last member of the Mane family would end p in jail or worse.

                                            >Everyone you talked to today had points...you needed to help Bruce focus and expend his energy in a constructive manner, something that could both help him and help the town.

                                            >The news flicks on, an aged reporter stares into the camera.

                                            >"More news from the outskirts of Ponyville today as both the Razorclaws and the Diggers harassed farmers at the edge of town, wounding several and stealing thousands of bits in property."

                                            "Bleh."

                                            >You change the channel from that crap and to an old movie instead.

                                            >You knew this one, it was Gangs of Manehatten.

                                            >As you watch, you notice something in the movie: The gangs were turning on each other.

                                            >As the gangs clashed, their numbers were thinned and the police took back control...

                                            >...

                                            >...That gives you an idea.