Catching Up

by BronzeLoki

Reunion - 4

The door opened inwards, revealing a grey mare in a black suit and tie. She glanced at the two, pushing her glasses back up her muzzle, before poking her head back behind the door.
"Mr Fields, you have visitors." She said with an almost musical tone as she turned to the two with a practised smile. She stepped to the side of the door and, with a wave of her hoof, offered the two in. Raven dusted himself off and stood up straight, giving Fields a quick grin before trotting ahead. Fields hesitantly followed. He thanked the mare with a nod before turning his attention to the room around him.

The walls were paneled in a dark, glazed wood with shelves embedded within them and upon the shelves stood row upon row of meticulously aligned books and papers. Furniture filled the room, from leather chairs to finely carved tables, all illuminated by the golden glow of a chandelier. Cigar smoke luxuriously sullied the air with the subtle scent of tobacco as the mare closed the door and plunged the room into silence. That's when Fields saw him.

Sitting behind a desk at the end of the room sat the mirror image of Fields. Dusty yellow coat, dark brown mane, if it weren't for Fields' greying hair, he would've been identical. That was until cold grey eyes stared deeply into him and he remembered who exactly he was visiting. The stallion straightened a set of papers on his desk watching Fields all the while.
"I wasn't expecting you to arrive so soon." Miller said with an accent unfamiliar to Fields "Please take a seat, we have much to discuss.". Fields approached the desk, maintaining a stoic expression. "Oh and you, courier." Miller pointed a hoof at Raven who immediately stood at attention "Take a seat somewhere, I may need you soon" At his request, Raven trotted to a chair by one of the many bookshelves and sat, attentively waiting. Miller opened a drawer at his desk as Fields sat. He pulled out a bottle of bourbon enough for Fields to see. "Do you drink?"
"Nothing fancy like that." Fields bluntly stated. Miller put the bottle away and closed the draw.
"You've not changed a bit have you?"
"Don't need to, perfect as I am." Fields retorted with a jokingly proud tone. Miller nodded solemnly. He put his hooves together on the desk as he settled into a more formal position.

"You're probably wondering why I called you here on such short notice.". Fields leaned back in his chair with a growing sense of unease. Miller spoke carefully as though stepping through a verbal minefield, "It's about the farm.". Fields' ear pricked up as he watched Miller with tense eyes and his full attention. Miller hesitated but with a cool voice and determined look he spoke clear. "I would like to purchase the farm and make it the property of 'Miller Fields'"

Fields stared on slack-jawed, completely bewildered by the offer. He made an attempt to collect himself, Miller glancing at his watch. He returned his gaze to Fields who was now standing with an irritated scowl.
"There ain't no way short of bringing Celestia to kick me to the damn moon that I'm giving you old Blackmud." he turned for the door, Raven watching on in astonishment.
"Please don't get sentimental." Miller watches as his words had no effect in slowing the stallion. He took his hooves apart and urgently pushed himself up "Father!". Fields stopped in his tracks, turning to glare at Miller.

"I raised you, watched you grow into a strong stallion. You were the best son a father could've ask for, I...", He looked to the ground, frustrated, "But ever since you left all those years back, I've been working on that farm. I've been waiting everyday for a letter, maybe even a visit to finally meet you face to face", Fields put a resolute hoof to the ground, reigniting his fury, "And now after all these years of silence, you want to kick me out of my own home and take the land that you've never cared for? Don't tell me not to get sentimental."

The room fell into silence.

"I'm sorry I wasn't a better son to you." Miller met Fields' gaze with genuine sincerity. "I understand how much the farm means to you and if by the end of this all you want to stay there, I'll be glad that you're happy. But, please, listen to me.". Fields stood stiff. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his rage subsiding with a lengthy exhale.
"Go ahead."
Miller took the opportunity and drew from the side of his desk what appeared to be a map. He slid it across the desk to Fields who stepped closer to inspect it. From what he could see it was a map of the farm, however scattered across it were marks of varying sizes.
"These locations", Miller pointed a hoof to some of the larger marks, "Are all sites where samples of coal have been located.", Fields looked to Miller with a mixture of anger and confusion.
"How did you get this?"
"I had some suspicions about the farm stemming from pub talk with other entrepreneurs. They were on about the signs of coal reservoirs. One thing lead to another and I sent a geology surveyor down to the farm."
"But why!" Fields demanded, betrayed at the revelation, "Why wouldn't you at least tell me about this!"
"Because I thought you were happy!", Miller snapped. He looked to Fields with a defeated expression, "That farm is everything to you, I just wanted you to make the most of it while you still can."
"What's the supposed to mean?"
"You're getting old Fields, it can't be long before the farm's just too much work for too little. I couldn't bear the thought of you trying to make your old ways work when the world's already so far beyond them." He adjusted a paper over the map, holding his hoof over it. "So I thought I could be your guide, to help you find your footing when the farm is gone." He raised his hoof revealing a similar map of the farmland, yet across it was a tidy array of line and boxes sorted into a variety of basic colours.
"What is it?" Fields stared at the page with a cocked head.
"Miller Fields' Blackrock Mine."
Fields took a step back, visibly perturbed.
"How in Celestia's name is this supposed to help me 'find my footing'?"
Miller looked into Fields' eyes with resolution, "Once the farm is gone there will be no going back, it means that you'll have to change." He put a hoof back down on the map. "This mine will ensure that you'll live comfortably, that and you won't be conned out of your land by some big business wanting to exploit you."
"Big business?" Fields shook his head, "This is a lot to take in."
"I understand, but it is necessary."
"But why are you telling me this now?"

Miller scowled, "I've been having some trouble with the coal supplier to the works, she's increased costs two-fold after she realised she was the only supplier within a hundred miles. The furnaces are running dry and if we stop exporting steel" He nervously tapped a hoof on his desk, "This works supplies the majority of the city's steel, a shortage could be nothing short of catastrophic."
"A steel famine." Fields concluded, although it did make him wonder, "What could possibly consume so much steel?"
"Everything!" Miller exclaimed, "The amount Friendship Express demands around here is large enough alone, but with the whole changeling situation and the new arms factory?" he put a hoof to his head, "It's quite the responsibility"
Fields tried to process what he meant by changeling situation when Miller grinned. "But it's a rewarding job."
"I'm sure it pays well if it's in that high a dema-"
"No as in what those businesses and their fancy engineers can do with the stuff"
Fields curiosity grew
"Well what have they done?"
"They've opened up the world for everypony. Now anypony can fly like a pegasus with a plane or harvest a field in a tractor with the efficiency of an earthpony. The magical gifts of any of the three races can now be substituted or even improved for anypony to experience. As far as I'm concerned, it's only brought us closer together."
"You aren't kidding are you?" Fields grinned. The room entered a brief silence "Well?"
"Well what?"
"...Where do I sign?"

Comments

[Rawislon03]

Great fic, always like fics where the setting is an Equestria in the process of rapid change and industrialisation. Shows something beyond the technological stagnation that appears to be present during the show.
Though it does feel like he gave up the farm a bit too quickly. His motivations for doing so are good, upon realising how much his son’s industry has impacted the world and helps spread harmony. However a conversation might not be the best means of him coming to that conclusion. Maybe if he saw what his sons steel was doing? If the steelworks had an on-site foundry and seeing all the moulds being cast for assorted uses, inquiring about the military hardware.
Regardless, that’s probably biased by the fact that I could’ve done with a longer read. Don’t know if the competition had limits, but it’s overall a great story.

[BronzeLoki]

11267454
Thanks for the feedback! I think that your suggestion is an excellent idea, Show > Tell is usually the better way to go about writing and, had the time pressure of the competition not been present, it would've proven an interesting and convincing way to resolve Fields' conflict post Miller's speech. Nevertheless, I'm glad you enjoyed the story!

[Hot Tomboy GF]

👍

[MadhatterZack]

Great story, it really shows the progress that the world has gone through and I liked how the son looking out for his Father's happiness.

Great ending as well, I hope your going to be writing some more stories soon.