Sunlight flitted in through the window, shining a shaft of golden light on Bruce's face. When he woke it was surprising to him. Not that he had never seen the sun before, but it had always been behind a smog made by the coal burning factories and the dirty automobile engines. This sun, this Equestrian sun was different, somehow purer. It seemed to carry with it a sense of emotional warmth, like someone was smiling down on Bruce and everyone else.
No one was there to greet him, so he made his way to the kitchen, there he found Randolph already hard at work. "Good morning Master Bruce, did the night treat you well?"
"Yes I slept fine," Bruce lied.
"I am most pleased to hear that young master. Will you be taking breakfast this morning?" Randolph asked as he procured an apron. "I can say with certainty we have most anything your heart could desire."
Bruce trusted the comment , but he felt like something simple, something salty. Maybe it was a side effect of being a horse now but he felt like finding the nearest salt lick and going to town on it. "Could you make some sausages? Maybe some bacon too!"
Randolph turned to the child in front of him and gave a puzzled look, "Sausage? Bacon? Shameful as it may seem, I do not think we have those. I cannot say I've ever heard of them for that matter."
The cogs in Bruce's brain started turning, and he quickly realized the faux pas he had just committed. "N-never mind that, I’m just being silly. I'll take some pancakes... you do have pancakes right?!"
Randolph chuckled, "Do we have pancakes? Young master, not a day goes by without a syrup drenched golden cake passing the lips of your father!"
"So you have pancakes then?" asked Bruce.
"Yes we have pancakes," Randolph said with a noticeable sigh.
"Then I’ll take seven!" said Bruce, after placing his order he stumbled out of the kitchen and into the dining room. There he found both Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara already sitting down and enjoying their breakfasts. Diamond had a bowl of oatmeal with what looked like cranberries on top. On Filthy's plate were the remnants of three pancakes drowning in maple, a generous serving of hash browns, buttered toast and most surprising of all scrambled eggs.
Instead of pondering the meaning behind herbivorous creatures eating eggs, Bruce decided to greet his family. "Good morning father."
"Good morning Bruce, did you sleep well?" asked Filthy.
"Yeah I slept fine," Bruce lied again.
"Well that's good to hear m'boy, I was afraid those old mattresses would put a kink in your back. We'll have Randolph set you up a room of your own today." Filthy said as he stuffed his face with the remaining pancake.
Bruce thanked him again, he wasn't expecting anything. With that good morning taken care of he turned his attention to Diamond Tiara, "Good morning sister." Bruce said, forcing as much cheer into his words as he could.
Diamond ignored his greeting and ignored Bruce completely, refusing to even look in his direction. "I'll see you after school daddy." With incredible speed Diamond Tiara wolfed down the last of her oatmeal, she then made her way out the door.
"Love you princess!" Filthy managed to get out before the door closed.
Bruce waited for Filthy to finish off his breakfast before asking about his plans for the day. As he scraped the plate clean Filthy noted, "What's wrong Bruce you’re being awfully quiet this morning?"
"Nothing’s wrong, but I was wondering if I could spend the day with you, if you don't mind.” Bruce added shyly.
"I won't be doing anything terribly interesting today, I have to stop by 'Barnyard Bargains' and check on stock. I also need to go to the courthouse and start filling out your adoption forms. Are you sure you don't wan't to go out and meet some other foals your age?" asked Filthy.
"No I wan't to spend time with you dad, I wanna see what you do for a living." Bruce said, he also wanted to learn more about Filthy, but he felt like saying that aloud would be rude.
"Well alright then Bruce you can tag along, but don't get your hopes up too much. Like I said we'll only be doing the basic routine, you'd better eat up before we go, where's your breakfast?" asked Filthy.
Just on cue the kitchen doors opened revealing Randolph and a platter with seven dinner plate sized pancakes covered in melted butter. "Your breakfast Master Bruce." The butler and cook deftly set the pile down in front of Bruce, he was dwarfed in comparison to their size.
"Even by my standards that's a bit excessive m'boy, you sure you can eat all that?" Filthy said eyeing his son.
Bruce was being brought to tears, he wasn't expecting they would be this big. "I-I-I can't, it's too much!"
"Bruce consider this your lesson one, know what it is you’re getting into before you dive head first into it. This applies to pancakes and businesses dealings. If you don't do research you might end up with thousands of worthless 'Peelcore 8000s' that nopony in their right mind would buy." Filthy gave a little shudder, "Or in your case, seven pancakes."
"Sorry dad," Bruce said, he hung his head in shame.
"Chin up Bruce, just eat what you can, I’ll finish what you can't." Using his fork Filthy stabbed three pancakes off the top and moved them over to his plate, round two of breakfast had begun.
*****
Feeling bloated and not at all prepared for a long day of businesses dealings, Filthy and Bruce left the manor and down the street. It's an odd sensation having never seen the outside of the place you came out of, Bruce was just getting his first view of his new home. The building itself wasn't anything too spectacular, at least not compared to Wayne Manor. But it still was plenty big, two floors with high vaulted ceilings and an attic to top it off.
On the perimeter of the grounds was a stone wall, the surrounding homes just peeked over the top to let it be known they existed as well. There was a small garden with topiary's and rose bushes. Near the front door was a swimming pool, vaguely in the shape of a kidney bean. Bruce had the feeling that he'd be using that quite allot once the summer heat came.
Following close behind Filthy, Bruce soon found himself outside the family store, 'Rich's Barnyard Bargains' the sign proudly proclaimed. True to its namesake the storefront was built to look like a red barn, only instead of white trim doors that swung out, this had electric sliders and an air conditioning unit above. "Well don't stand there gawking Bruce, head on in!"
The inside of the store was something to behold, aisles stretching thousands of feet all stuffed to the brim with a little bit of everything for day to day existence. Even this early in the morning there were dozens of mares moving about with shopping carts full of various amenities. But what Bruce was truly fixated on was the different types of ponies.
There were winged ponies, flying up to the top shelf to get out of reach items. There were ponies with a solitary horn on their forehead, this apparently granted them power since they were lifting objects with nothing more than there mind. Seeing Bruce's wide eyed amazement Filthy leaned in, "I know it's great isn't it? We just mailed out a new coupon book, gets em every time."
Filthy beckoned his son to the back office, inside they met with the general manager, a Mr. Breezy as Bruce would later find out. He was a somewhat rotund pony with a chubby face, he wore a green vest and hat to off put his bright orange hair. "Good morning Mr. Rich, what can I help you with?"
"Just checking in, any purchases that need to be made?" asked Filthy.
Mr. Breezy sifted through the clutter on his desk to find the inventory sheet, "Let's see... Yes, we're running short on apples. I'll see about getting those after we close today."
"No no, we don't want to run out, especially since we put them on sale. I'll stop by Sweet Apple Acres and buy a bushel." Filthy said, he then turned to Bruce. "Looks like you'll get a sneak peak of the buying process m'boy." Filthy gave Mr. Breezy some other instructions about the employees before leaving the store in his care.
*****
Slowly Ponyville turned from an urban town full of business to an agricultural paradise. Both sides of the dirt road were surrounded by uniform rows of apple trees. With wide eyes Bruce followed Filthy all the way to a humble farmhouse, it had the look of decades worth of loving maintenance. Sitting on the porch was a very elderly mare with her mane tied up in a bun, despite how weak her knees seemed she still got up out of her rocker to greet the two.
"Well pluck my apples, it's Filthy! And who's the little whipper snapper apper you got with y'all?" said the elderly pony.
"Please Granny, call me Rich," Filthy said as he gave her hoof a gentlemanly kiss. "Granny Smith I’d like you to meet my son Bruce. Bruce introduce yourself,"
Bruce shyly said, "Hello my name's Bruce Wayne." He copied his daddy's gesture.
"Daw ain't he a little gentlecolt like his pappy." Granny Smith patted Bruce on the head, she then got up close to Filthy and whispered, "Say how is it he's your boy if your wife.... well you know."
Filthy whispered back, "Bruce isn't my blood kin as you would put it, I've adopted him as my son."
Satisfied with the explanation and more than pleased with the good deed Granny let the matter drop. "So what brings y'all here today?"
"Well Granny it seems we might have been a tad bit overzealous with our sale prices and were running out of apples at the store. I was hoping you might have a bushel I could buy off your hooves?" asked Filthy.
"Well certainly Filthy, I’ll go fetch Applejack to wrassle you up a fresh basket, just you wait here." Granny slowly hobbled into their family home, she could be heard barking an order even from outside.
"You want to know something interesting Bruce?" asked Filthy, he nodded yes. "That mare has been doing business with our family for decades. She sold her apples to my grandfather, my father, me and I wouldn't be surprised if she lives long enough to sell apples to you. Something about living off the land like the Apple family does breeds longevity." Filthy said musing to himself.
Before too long another pony came outside carrying on her back a basket of the most delicious looking apples Bruce had ever seen. "Here ya go Mr. Rich, one basket full of our best apples, you want me ta gift wrap em for ya?" Applejack said with a chuckle.
Filthy appreciated the joke and laughed, "No that won't be necessary, but I will need somepony to deliver them to Barnyard Bargains for me. We won't be heading back there anytime today."
Applejack took off her stetson and scratched her mane, "Well I reckon we're not too busy today, I could take them in myself."
"Anytime before noon should be fine, just give the bill to Mr. Breezy he'll pay you there." said Filthy.
As she set down the basket she noticed Bruce was eyeing the apples with hungry eyes. "You must be the new Rich boy Granny was telling me about, you want to try the produce?"
"Yes please!" said Bruce.
While Applejack looked through the basket for the nicest one she started chatting Bruce up, "You look about, seven am I right?"
"I'm eight... I think," it was quickly becoming apparent to Bruce that his unclear memory would be a problem, so he decided to fudge it. "Yeah I'm eight!"
"Then you’re just about the same age as my little sis Apple Bloom. Won't she be exited to hear there's a new blank flank in town." She had succeeded in her quest and found the perfect apple for Bruce to try.
As Bruce took his first bite his taste buds exploded with flavor, this apple was like nothing he'd ever had back in Gotham. It was perfectly ripe and wonderfully crisp. Still with his mouth full he decided to get an answer to a lingering question, "So what’s a blank flank?"
"You are silly, you ain't got your cutie mark yet. You know, the symbol on everypony's flank that shows your destiny." Applejack motioned to the three red apples on her flank and the money bags on Filthy's.
He didn't fully comprehend what this all meant, but it at least made more sense than Bruce's working theory that everypony got drunk and decided to get tattoos. "Oh that makes sense," Bruce lied.
"So when's he starting school? I'm sure Apple Bloom would love to meet him." asked Applejack.
"Well soon as we get to the court house I'll enroll Bruce, if I grease some hooves he should be in Ms. Cheerilee's class tomorrow morning. Won't that be fun m'boy?" Filthy asked expectantly.
Bruce would be lying if he said he was, "Sure am dad!" said Bruce.
*****
The next stop was the courthouse, which in itself was not a particularly inspired building, dull gray with a flat roof and an Equestrian flag on the pole outside. Inside was at least a little bit cheerier, caused by the pastel ponies submitting an array of permits and tax forms. Bruce and Filthy circumvented the lines and made their way to an office labeled 'Child Services'.
A knock on the door and they were invited in, behind the desk was a mare who's youth had fled from her, she tried unsuccessfully to mask that fact with an over abundance of makeup. "Hello, may I help you?"
"Good morning, I'd like to speak to the head of Child Services please." said Filthy.
"You are already speaking with her sir," replied the mare.
Filthy faked a little start, "My, here I was thinking you must be her secretary, you've definitely got the good looks for the job." He gave a coy little wink.
The mare behind the desk's cheeks turned so red it could be seen through the caked on blush, "Oh my, you really think so?"
"Oh without a doubt, and I was hoping a beautiful mare like you could help me with a small favor." Filthy said, continuing his flirting.
The mare giggled, "Oh, and what might that favor be?"
"It's nothing huge, I just need to expedite the adoption forms for my son here. Then I need to enroll him in school here in Ponyville, nothing huge." said Filthy.
"No no, I cannot do that. It's unethical, every adoption needs to reviewed and approved by the city council." she said resolutely.
"Are you quite certain? Cause I’m on the city council, and I see that check stamp and green ink there on your desk. How about we say the vote was unanimously yes. For little old me?" Filthy said placing her hoof on the stamp.
"Mr. Rich what your suggesting is very illegal, I would expect more from such an upstanding member of our-" Filthy stared her dead strait in the eyes.
"I implore you to reconsider," he said as he slipped a small pouch into her hooves, never once breaking eye contact. She looked down and opened the pouch, the light above played upon the facets of the assorted jewels inside.
The mare hid the pouch inside her desk and got the needed forms from the filing cabinet. "Upon second thought I believe you are right, after all there's no point in keeping a child away from somepony who can provide for their every need. Simply sign your names here, here, here, here, here-" She was highlighting all the sign here sections, giving them the fast track.
Filthy turned to Bruce and said, "You remember last night when I said gems are almost impossible to regulate? This is one instance where they are quite useful."
Bruce didn't say anything, mostly because he was too stunned from seeing this different side to Filthy. But he complied, signing his almost illegible signature on each of the dotted lines. Nothing had changed, he wanted desperately to have the love of a family.
With the numerous sheets signed the mare looked over them for anything wrong, satisfied with her own corruption she inked the stamp and gave the forms the pass. "Congratulations Mr. Rich, Bruce is now legally a Rich as well."
Filthy thanked her as if none of the underhanded activities had ever taken place, then they exited the office. They were almost out the front door when they got stopped by a secretary. "Mr. Rich? Mayor Mare would like a word with you in her office."
"Tell her i'll be be in tomorrow, she can talk with me then." Filthy said, opening the door to exit.
"She was very insistent, you need to speak with her, now" the secretary pointed to the rear of the courthouse and to the plywood door labeled Mayor.
"Sorry Bruce, looks like we'll be here a bit longer than it should have taken." Filthy apologized to his son.
"No it's fine dad, i don't mind." said Bruce.
Filthy then turned to the secretary, got down on his knees and put his hooves together as if they were in chains. "Lead on," The secretary mumbled something about him being a privileged A hole and led them to the office.
Behind the large oak desk sat the Mayor, despite her gray mane and large spectacles she had quite the youthful appearance. She was busy looking through a file folder when they all entered.
Filthy was quick to demand a reason for being dragged in here, "Despite what you may think to the contrary Mare, my time is quite valuable. I'd much rather be spending it with my son than wasting it here."
"Fine then i'll make it quick, you need to tell your construction crew to keep it down. Your building at all hours and I've gotten dozens of noise complaints from every pony living near there." Her tone was concrete, not willing to budge an inch on this issue.
Already feeling strapped for time and still high off his minor victory from the adoption bribery, Filthy decided to comply. "Alright i'll go tell them to keep it down during the night. Now as I said I have other things to spend my time on today." Without another word Filthy left the office and courthouse, Bruce followed closely.
*****
The construction site seemed out of place for Ponyville. A five story wooden frame was already assembled, around two dozen ponies garbed in orange vests were hard at work, and true to the complaints it was very noisy. Filthy approached the site foreman and relayed the orders but also asked a question. When he got his answer he returned to Bruce, "Come with me son I have something i'd like you to see."
The two walked to the construction elevator and boarded, Filthy threw the switch and the began rising to the top. Once they hit the fifth floor Filthy stepped out onto the scaffolding, he was shaky on his hooves but he steadied himself on the railing. Bruce stepped out himself but he had no trouble at all, in fact he seemed to be better off in the air than he did on the ground.
Once they made their way to the center of the scaffold, Filthy sat down like a dog, his rear legs out and front legs down, Bruce followed his example. "Bruce look out and tell me what you see."
"There's the city hall and the store and I think those are business?" asked Bruce.
"Your right, and over there?" he said pointing to their left.
"Um houses?" said Bruce.
Filthy nodded, "Would you believe me if I said none of this would be here without our family? It's true, there would be no Ponyville if it hadn't been for my Grandfather's businesses savvy. And there would be no hydro dam up on that hill if not for my father's foresight. And you wouldn't be seeing half the stores in this town if not for me generously loaning them money to start up."
"What i'm trying to say m'boy, is your now part of a proud family line that's been shaping the future of this town for the past hundred years, and it's not going to stop anytime soon. Close your eyes son-" He waited for Bruce to do so then he continued, "-Imagine if you will Ponyville but a much different Ponyville than you see today. There are huge skyscrapers higher than Cloudsdale, factories were everypony has a job, fancy restaurants where the highest class gather." Bruce was imagining everything his father was saying, but in his mind it was just a picture of Gotham.
"This is the future i'm building towards, and I wan't you to help me do that Bruce. When the time comes and i'm too old and senile, your going to take over Rich enterprises, your going to have the reigns of the future in your hooves."
"But isn't that something you should give to Diamond Tiara? I'm not even your biological son."
"I could, and until you came along I was reserved to that idea. But I can already tell, you have what it takes Bruce. When the time comes, can I count on you to realize my vision?"
Bruce leaned back, the sun was just starting to go down on Ponyville and in the dusk he could imagine it, the skyscrapers, the factories all of it. But he also saw what came with the urban cityscape. The hatred, the crime, the theft, the drugs, the violence, the murder. "I-I don't think I can dad, I don't think I should."
Filthy heaved a heavy sigh, he wasn't angry, but he was a little bit disappointed. "I suppose that is a hefty thing to ask of an eight year old. Maybe you'll think differently about it when you’re older." Using the railing he pulled himself up and stretched his back. "You curious at all what it is were standing on now?"
Bruce too pulled himself up, "Sure."
"This is the future sight of the first five star hotel in Ponyville, I’m thinking of calling it the 'Tiara' what do you think." asked Filthy,
Bruce's comment about Rich manor also applied to this hotel, "It's a bit big for a town this small don't you think?"
Filthy smiled and laughed, "My boy mark my words, in fifteen years’ time this hotel will seem small in comparison to what’s going to be around it!"
"But in the meantime who's going to fill all the rooms?" said Bruce, asking a very legitimate question.
"You see that library over there Bruce?" Filthy said pointing to the Golden Oaks.
"That tree is a library?" asked Bruce.
"That's the one, there's a narrative being crafted by the mare who lives in that library. A story about a girl coming to live in a small town and through the power of friendship ascends to a new state of being, becoming a princess. It's that narrative that will bring ponies here, I just know it." Filthy was starring off at the library, imagining huge crowds of ponies visiting from far off to meet with the princess, and his hotel being the choice place to stay.
"Hey dad, sorry to bug you but could we go home? Its getting dark and it's cold up here." Bruce said in a whiny voice.
Filthy turned his attention back to his son, "Your right m'boy, Randolph's probably wondering where we are, wouldn't want to keep his dinner waiting." The two boarded the elevator once more and made their way back down, and back home.
*****
After an enjoyable meal from Randolph, Bruce was led upstairs to his new room. There wasn't too much in the way of decoration, but there was a toy box filled with trucks and trains and airplanes. More importantly there was a brand new king sized bed with baby blue sheets, "This is for me?" Bruce asked in disbelief.
"Indeed it is Master Bruce, I took the liberty of estimating how firm you wanted the mattress. If it is not to your liking I can exchange it in the morning." Bruce crawled up and spread out, this time he very nearly sank into the mattress it was so soft.
"I love it!" Bruce said while he was being eaten by his bed.
"It overjoys me to hear that Master Bruce." said Randolph. They repeated the bedtime ritual from the night before, only this time when it was over Bruce was left alone in his large room. He slowly drifted off into sleep.
*****
Loud sounds of crying pervaded the air, 'Of course Randolph had to have put the street rat's room right next to mine.' Thought Diamond Tiara. She had been trying to get back to sleep for an hour now, but every time she got close another bout of sobbing started and all progress was lost. Well she had had it, 'No more putting up with this bull, i'm going to make him wish he'd never even stepped hoof in this house.'
Diamond threw on a night robe and fuzzy slippers and walked down the hall to the next door down. She callously threw Bruce's door open, but the carpet prevented it from slamming and making noise. Instead she would make the noise, "Wake up you sad sack! Some of us are trying to get some Celestia dammed sleep!"
But Bruce didn't wake up, he didn't stir. He just kept on crying, the water works were on full force it seemed. Beneath the sobbing he was saying something, from his dream maybe. "No *sob* you can't *sob* leave me. Wake up, Mother *sob*, father. Wake up *sob*"
As Diamond watched this truly pathetic sight, and the context of his dream speak hit her, she felt the anger fade away. Like a bucket of ice water had been thrown on a campfire, she felt ... defeated. Diamond stood over him watching for a while until she lost interest. She then went into her room, tore off the top sheet and marched downstairs and went to sleep on the couch. "Finally I don't have to hear whiny pants anymore." she told herself.
Soon enough Diamond went to sleep, the whole time trying to repress the empathy she was feeling for Bruce.