Father of the Night 10: One Good Day.


                                            =Father of the Night 10=


                                            >...Your chest feels light. That's not normal.

                                            >Still asleep, you paw at yourself and try to feel for the little body sleeping on top of you.

                                            >Finding nothing, you open your eyes and look down.

                                            >Bruce is not there.

                                            "Nnnggg... gettin' real tired of your shit, boy..."

                                            >You roll over and push yourself off the small bed Twilight was letting the two of you use. You'd have to thank her for her hospitality after you found Bruce.

                                            >The sun seeps in through the curtains as you walk out of your tiny little guest room and into the main living space.

                                            >Twilight, Spike and Bruce were all sitting around a table eating breakfast

                                            "Mmgggnn...what are you three doing up so early?"

                                            >"It's not early, Anon." Twilight chides.

                                            >You look at the clock: 8am

                                            >That was early now.

                                            >The transition from farmhand to caretaker has completely demolished your circadian rhythm.

                                            >You trod over to the table and take a seat next to Bruce.

                                            >You take a peek at the paper he's doodling on as your pour your breakfast.

                                            "What'cha workin' on?"

                                            >"...A project." he says.

                                            >...Right.

                                            >You dig into your cereal and chat with Twilight.

                                            "Thanks again for letting us stay here, Twi. We both appreciate it."

                                            >Bruce looks up from his paper. "Yes, thank you very much Twilight and Spike."

                                            >Twilight waves a hoof. "It was nothing you two, what kind of friend would I be if I left the two of you to dry after what happened?"

                                            "Still a better one than we deserve."

                                            >"Nonsense." she says as she grabs the cereal box. She tries to pour herself some, but only a few flakes come out.

                                            >Twilight looks inside the box and grimaces. "Looks like I'm going to have to stock for two more mouths while you're here."

                                            >"I can go get food." you and Bruce say in unison.

                                            >Twilight giggles as you and Bruce look at each other. "I think that's a wonderful idea, boys. It will give you both a chance to bond."

                                            >Yeah...

                                            >Bond.


                                            >You and Bruce leave Twilight's with a list of groceries and walk down the road.

                                            >Bruce is limping a bit from the hit to the shoulder he took, but he shows no outward signs of pain beyond that.

                                            >Strong little nutjob...

                                            >Still, he was your ward and you should probably get to know more about him beyond "likes to hit people".

                                            >...But what the hell do you ask THIS kid about?

                                            "So...got any favorite movies?"

                                            >Bruce looks up at you and cocks an eyebrow. "My parents and I were getting out from seeing a particularly rousing adventure film the night of their murder."

                                            >JEEZY PEATS.

                                            >This kid didn't hesitate to go to the bad topics.

                                            "Right...so how about music?"

                                            >"My father and I would occasionally listen to jazz together."

                                            "Jazz man, huh? So what, like Neigh Charles? Old Man Jazzy-teeth?"

                                            >"Those and more. Sundays were the days we would listen together."

                                            "...Must have been nice."

                                            >Bruce casts his head down a bit. "It truly was..."

                                            >Aaaaand there goes that happy thought.

                                            >Brilliant Anon, you are the best guardian ever.

                                            >You're about to say sorry when Bruce hits you with a curve ball.

                                            >"Mister Anonymous, what was your world like?"

                                            >Your mind trips over itself at that question and you find yourself answering on instinct.

                                            "It was...a lot like here. I had a family like most people, I went to school and had my friends. Everything was fairly normal until I came here."

                                            >"What were your mother and father like?"

                                            >You think back to memories of mom and pops over all the years, trying to think of the words you could use to describe them.

                                            "They were...my parents, you know? I wouldn't be who I am today without them."

                                            >Bruce sighs and limps ahead a bit.

                                            >"Yes, I know..."

                                            >BEST. GUARDIAN. EVER.


                                            >You and Bruce come up on Miss Cheerilee's school just as the kids are starting to be let inside.

                                            >Applebloom and her friends chat with each other and that little Diamond Whats-its and her putrid cunt of a friend stand off to the side.

                                            >Bruce stands off to the side of the path and watches the kids run around with obvious interest. His eyes dart from pony to pony as he absorbs all the information on them he can get.

                                            >It's then that it hits you. Bruce is freaky and weird.

                                            "Uh...Bruce? Did you go to school back in Goatham?"

                                            >Bruce continues to stare but answers you. "My parents did not trust the schools in Goatham. I was home schooled by a variety of tutors."

                                            >Well...that explains a lot.

                                            "What about while you were abroad?"

                                            >"I traveled the world and learned from what masters I could, they were all very adept in their teachings."

                                            "And...did you meet any friends out there? Any other kids?"

                                            >"I believe that the youngest other trainee I met was a young adult who had come to learn the way of the Iron Hoof."

                                            "So...you've NEVER had any kid friends your own age?"

                                            >Bruce shakes his head and points to that Diamond girl. "I remember that filly from several of the social gatherings my parents took me to. I believe she is the daughter of Filthy Rich, yes?"

                                            "I think so, yes..."

                                            >Damn....one friend and not a great one at that."

                                            "A singular friend isn't going to help you grow, Bruce...Did you maybe want to go to school with the rest of the kids?"

                                            >Bruce's eyes widen momentarily and he continues to look at the kids.

                                            >"That...could be fine, I suppose."


                                            >After grabbing the food Twi needed, you make a stop at the bank.

                                            >And you regret it.

                                            "Look, I told you six times, the boy's parents were killed and he is the heir to the fortune, but -I- am his legal guardian so I need the funds accessible, do you understand that?"

                                            >The teller looks at you from behind the glass. "I'm going to need to talk to my supervisor."

                                            "Please do." you say through gritted teeth.

                                            >With the supervisor came the questions. Yes you were aware at how large a sum of money this was, no you were not aware at the spike in robberies, yes you are aware that you are not even a pony.

                                            >On and on and on that goes until you FINALLY get the funds unlocked and accessible.

                                            >"You will be able to withdrawal from any of our branches at any time, Mister Anonymous." the supervisor says.

                                            >You rub your face. [spoiler][/spoiler] "Yes...thank you."

                                            >Bruce sits outside on a bench with his hind legs dangling off the edge and his back straight.

                                            "Uh...what's with the new sitting style?"

                                            >"I saw a mare sitting like this in the park and decided to try it for myself."

                                            "A-huh...how's it compare?"

                                            >Bruce scrunches his face. "It is inferior."

                                            "I get by."

                                            >You sit down on the bench next to Bruce.

                                            "Got your funds cleared finally, we can get them whenever we need it."

                                            >"That is good." Bruce says nodding.

                                            "...We're gonna need a place to live, can't impose on Twilight forever."

                                            >"Agreed. I had some ideas..."

                                            >Bruce produces a scrap of paper, the same scrap of paper he had been doodling on at breakfast. He must have been carrying it the whole day.

                                            >The paper contains a drawn picture of a large house sitting on top of a hill, a cave was located underneath the house and there were bats flying around in it.

                                            "Ambitious."

                                            >"It was modeled after my old house."

                                            >You nod.

                                            "Gonna have to find a place to put it."


                                            >Bruce and you left the bank and started scouting around the outskirts of Ponyville.

                                            >This house was going to be big and you would both need the space.

                                            >The privacy would be nice too.

                                            >You had both checked a few places, but they weren't up to snuff.

                                            >The few you checked were either not big enough, too far from town, or REALLY close to Fluttershy's.

                                            >Bruce had similar luck. The only places that seemed big enough were out of town.

                                            >You both finally reach a large hill overlooking the town, from here you could see Twilight's home and the boutique, even your old burnt down house if you squint.

                                            >Bruce strikes the ground with his hoof. "The earth here is solid and strong, it will be able to hold a house with ease."

                                            "So this location is up to par."

                                            >Bruce looks either direction and scans the landscape. "It is."

                                            "OH THANK GOD."

                                            >You fall back and lean against a rock to rest.

                                            >Bruce chuckles and walks up to you. "Weary Mister Anonymous?"

                                            "You can take it out of a guy, kid."

                                            >Bruce smiles and sits down next to you.

                                            >"A good location for the house, Mister Anonymous."

                                            "A good day then."

                                            >Bruce looks out over the land below as the sun begins to set. "Yes...today was a good day."