Life Could Be A Dream

by TheAmazingMe

Country Life

We said our goodbyes to Cross and the rest of the writer’s train ponies at the Ponyville Station. I hadn’t gotten to know many of them in spite of Open Schedule's best efforts, but I would miss Cross. They continued on back to Canterlot. Appleloosa hadn’t been part of our tour, but life has a way of complicating things. Or I have a way of complicating things.

Bruiser turned to us, his few belongings ready at hoof. Aside from his now trademark brown cowcolt hat, the young tan and chocolate paint pony owned his own care and grooming kit. Open had insisted on a scarf for him, as well as a set of rain-boots we picked up in Fillydelphia. The suitcase itself had been a present from Open in Baltimare. Aside from the hat, Open had insisted on buying everything else. I had to smile at how she fussed over him, even if he didn’t take it well half of the time.

“I’m sorry it’s taking us this long to get to Appleloosa.” Open said.

“I’m not.” I said honestly.

“I wish we didn’t have to do it at all.” Bruiser said glumly. He turned to sit on the bench at the train station.

“I know what you said about your parents, but they deserve to know where you’ve been.” Open declared. I sighed. I wasn’t looking forward to meeting Bruiser's family either.

“They won’t care. I ran away to live with filth, pardon the phrase.” He nodded to us.

“We can search Appleloosa for your family. I imagine it won’t take too long to find a pure paint couple. Or you could save us that trouble and tell us your real name.” Open said. She’d been prying for the last week. Thus far, no results.

Bruiser mumbled something under his breath. His eyes seemed to catch on an object in the train station window.

“Are you going to tell us your real name?” Open insisted.

Bruiser sighed. “Look for yourselves.” He said, pointing a hoof at the window.

A missing foal poster, taped to the window, stared back at us. The foal's name, under a by-now-familiar face, was printed in bold. Scraper Tannin.

“Who names their kid scraper?” Open asked indelicately. I could have asked the same for parents who named their foals Open or Life, but Scraper wasn’t exactly common either.

Bruiser looked hurt. “My family names their foals for the qualities they most want the foal to have. When I was born, the doc told my parents I wouldn’t make it. So she named me Scraper, so I would scrape by. The family joke is that I’m not strong enough to scrape anything, I can only bruise. So they called me Bruiser.”

I gave Open a significant glare. The last week and a half our conversations had largely consisted of arguments about my worries over Bruiser’s family. She shrugged and pouted. “At least we have a name.”

A train whistle cut my reply off.

*

“Excuse me, sir.” Open called out to a passing gentlecolt. His cowcolt hat was a few shades lighter than Bruiser’s and he had a vest to match it.

“Name’s Braeburn. Brae to my friends.” He said warmly, extending a hoof. Open looped her hoof around his and they shook hooves. Open seemed a little too entranced with the gentlecolt.

“Charmed. I’m Open Schedule.” She batted her eyes at the big stallion. I coughed indelicately. “Oh and this is my business associate Blot Inkwell. We are looking for the Tannin family residence.”

“I thought I recognized a paint pony when I saw one. Your mother was in town every day for a week after you disappeared.” Brae said casually.

“She was?” Bruiser asked in open awe. “My dam hasn’t left the homestead as long as I can remember.”

Open nudged me. “See?”

My feeling of unease hadn’t disappeared.

“I take it you want somepony to take you there directly?” Brae offered.

“Yes please, if you could.” Open replied. Given Bruiser’s attitude about returning, we’d thought it best to seek a neutral party to guide us instead of relying on the colt in question.

“Then follow me.” Brae instructed.

*

“That’s my sire, Bitter.” Bruiser said as a painted stallion stalked towards us.

“I thought you said that names ran with qualities they want foals to possess? Who names a foal Bitter?” I was beginning to wonder at Open's insistence on questioning names.

“That tradition is on my dam’s side. Her name is Sweetheart.” The saccharine name nearly made me gag.

Bitter’s voice was raspy and rough, but his tone belied an unexpected intelligence. “To what do I owe the displeasure of your company? This is my land, I’ll not see you set one more hoof forward.”

I stepped forward. Bitter’s eyes narrowed as I belatedly realized I’d just done what he told me not to do. “We are returning your son.”

“If it’s the runt I’m thinking of, you’d be better off taking him down to the sheriff’s. I’ve disowned a disobedient whelp recently.” His casual tone shocked me. It was as if he'd just talked about taking out the trash. I heard Bruiser whimper behind me.

“Disowned?” Bruiser choked out.

“Ah, have enough courage to speak around your betters, colt? Yes, Scraper, you are disowned for leaving our home without permission. To continue to allow you to live amongst the Tannin family would be the greatest folly. You are as unwelcome and strange as the filth you've chosen to wallow in. I’d been worried about disobedience among my children. Thank the maker it was only my last that turned out to be a disappointment.”

Bruiser stepped forward shakily. “But my dam looked for me. Why…?”

“She ain’t your dam anymore! My poor wife dealt with such heartache at this one running off! When it was clear you would not return I disowned you so as not to be responsible for the trouble you might cause.”

“Sire, I…” He was cut off by a slap across his face. Open and Brae cried out in shock. I neighed in anger. Belatedly, I pushed Bruiser behind me.

“Lay another hoof on the colt and I’ll see you sailing from this end of your land to the other.” I charged my horn, the glow of my magic darkened with anger.

The earth paint stepped back, eyes wide and locked on my horn. “Then you are responsible for his disposition. Scraper is not to use my family name anymore, nor is he to refer to me as sire or my wife as dam.”

“I wouldn’t have him associate himself with such filth.” I spat back in his face.

“You will leave my property or…” I’m sure my eyes glowed as rage overtook me.

“Do not think to threaten me, splotch-hide!” I thundered, my magic spilling from my eyes in anger as my horn burned on my head. Open was at my side in an instant.

“Life, we have to go now.” Open said calmly, tugging on one forehoof. I looked at her, my rage not yet subsided. She glanced at Bruiser, I followed her gaze to look at him. He was hiding his face in Braeburn's vest.

“Fine.” I said as I extinguished the glow in my horn. I brought up the rear as we headed down the few feet to the gate.

“Bruiser, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put you through that. I didn’t think he’d go so far as to hit you, either. Brae, isn’t there anything we can do?”

Brae shrugged. “We might could charge him for the assault on the colt, but it’ll be our word against his. Not to mention that would keep you in Appleloosa for as long as a trial takes. I’ll take the young'un down to the Sheriff’s for you. He’ll be placed with an orphanage by nightfall.”

Bruiser broke away from Braeburn. “Th-thank you for trying. I’ll be alright.”

“What if I adopted him?” I asked Brae.

Brae shook his head. “I’d have to talk it over with the sheriff and there’ll be paperwork. He’d still have to come to the Sheriff’s for temporary placement while y’all get squared away.”

He looked at Bruiser seriously. “At his age, he’d likely not ever find a family. Your chances are pretty good, even as a single pony. Do you think you can support raising a colt?”

I nodded and turned to Bruiser. “Would you like to live in Canterlot with me? My parents are amazing. Dad just retired and mom writes books. They live in a big house on the side of the mountain.”

“Do you really think of paints as splotch-hides?” Open had to stuff both forehooves over her mouth to contain her laughter.

I blushed a bit at the recent memory. “Only one. The splotch-hide that hit you.”

“Do…” Bruiser blushed hotly. “Do you even like me?”

“Why wouldn’t I? You’re a good colt who happened to be born in the wrong family.” I answered, eyes locked onto his.

“Do…” I hadn’t thought it possible, but he blushed even brighter. Tears ran down his fluffy cheeks. “do you love me?”

I held his head up with one hoof and looked him in the eye. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever know what it’s like to be a father. There were times I was sure I’d never be a good one. I know now. I love you, Bru. I love you like the father you should have had.” I held out my forehooves and he buried his head in my neck. He wrapped himself around my torso a little too tightly, but I weathered it in good humor.

“Well, I’m sold.” Braeburn announced. “Let’s get over to the sheriff’s and get things started.”

Brae's prediction about temporary housing proved true. Much to the protest of both myself and Open, the sheriff insisted on sending Bruiser to the local foal protective services home. Before we could protest further, Brae revealed that he knew the FPS case worker in town. We could visit with Bru during the day.

Bruiser tugged at my foreleg as the sheriff got ready to escort him to the “What’s up?”

“Here.” He said, holding out his hat.

Was this Bruiser’s way of rejecting me? “What? Why are you…?”

Bruiser cut me off. “If you take my hat, you have to give it back. I want you to give it back when you’re my…” I watched him struggle for the word.

“Dad. I’m too much of a city pony to be called anypony’s sire.” I smiled as I took the hat reverently. He turned tail and followed the sheriff.

I wiped a hoof at my eyes and turned to my companion. “Open, you don’t have to…”

“The hay I don’t! You think I came with you all this way because I felt like a trip to the country?” She asked snarkily.

I actually hadn’t thought about it. A thought occurred and I nearly kicked myself for being so oblivious. “Open, I think you’re a wonderful pony and all, but…”

“Oh. Ew, no!” She answered emphatically. “You’re like the annoying little brother I never had. No, I’m here to make sure that if Bruiser’s family was as bad as you feared, you’d do the right thing and adopt him. I know a few FPS ponies, so I’ll be sending letters out first class tomorrow. I suggest you do the same and get your parents down here in case they deny you for whatever reason. Worst case scenario, you get a little brother.”

“You’re amazing, Open. I’m glad I know you.”

She laughed. “You don’t know a thing about me, Life. By the way, you'll need to do something about your cutie mark before we speak to the FPS pony. ”

I dispelled the cutie mark illusion permanently. “So, are you going to tell me anything about you?”

Open nodded. “The time is right. Ask me anything. You should know by now whether I’m lying or not.”

She led the way to the local inn.

“Fine. How is it that no matter what city we’re in, you know exactly where you’re going?” I began.

She looked at me oddly. I guess she expected a different first question. “I started out as a travel writer.”

I nodded. “Did you ever work with Trenderhoof?”

She tilted her head to one side and shook it. “We dated, briefly. He’s even more flighty than I am and neither of us wanted a long distance relationship.”

Guess it was time to get to the real questions. “Why did you handle my schedule personally?”

“My father asked me to. At first, I questioned his judgment. After I got to know you, it became a pleasure.”

I stopped. “Who is your father?”

Sensing my sudden halt, Open turned around to face me. “Hard Deadline.”

My brain froze. “What? But...your accent?"

She smiled, and spoke with a distinctly non-Liverponian, albeit upper-class, Canterlot accent. "Fake. I lived there for a year so I picked up on the accent. Yeah. He still owes me one. Just because you’re a great writer, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a pain in the rear organizing around a last minute addition.” She gestured for me to follow her and we continued toward the inn.

After that whole speech about how I’d single-hoofedly killed my career, Deadline pulls a stunt like this. I shook my head in wonder. “Wasn’t this supposed to be a punishment?”

“Yes and no. Dad wanted you on this trip next year. The time-table got pushed up rather suddenly. Originally, you were supposed to be more established by the time you set hoof on my train. He knew sending you out of town would be like punishing you, especially given the situation.”

“So, you know about Genuíne Article?”

“I know she used to date my father. And I know she tried to set you up. Which reminds me, your friend Div took on Genuíne Article. I know he’s okay, but beyond that… ”

I rounded in front of her to stop her. “Div did what?”

She balked for a second in surprise before relaxing with a smile. “Oh yeah, he’s been a busy colt. You’ll have to talk to him. If you can get a minute between your schedule and his when you get back.”

She stepped around me and I walked beside her. “I don’t think he’ll make time for me.”

She looked at me in irritation. “Weren’t you listening? He went up against Genuine Article for you. If he doesn’t propose to you when you set hoof in Canterlot, then my father will lose a few bits.”

I slowed down. “You have a wager on when Div…”

“Dad has a horrible sense of humor. It’s just friendly, I assure you.”

My mind blanked; my hooves came to a stop.

“Hey, Life!” She called from the doorway to the inn. “In reality, this trip has done wonders for your career. You’ve written for most of the major publications in Equestria by now and a handful of prominent local ones.”

I looked up, tears glistening in the corners of my eyes. “How can I ever…?”

“You can’t.” She said cheekily. “You earned it all, Life. You followed my advice, you pushed through sickness, and you did everything we set in front of you. I hope you realize that. “

I stepped up to the doorway. “I could kiss you.”

Open placed a hoof on my forehead to prevent me from moving closer. “I said I could, not that I would!”

Author's Note:

Yeah, the first canon character I ever use and it's Braeburn (#1 horse husbando).

PM me for corrections.

Feel free to send me your comments, complaints, questions, and squeals of joy below!

Comments

[Skarsnik]

I hate you because I wanted to know more about the colt family!

[TheAmazingMe]

6257061 I shied away from going into too much depth about the Tannin family. Honestly, they're pretty horrible ponies and I didn't want to show too much emotional/physical abuse. I might have Bruiser bring up a few memories to expand on his former family. Unfortunately, there wasn't a way to incorporate more than Bitter into the story.

[Anzel]

I did not pick up on that she was his boss's daughter. Well played!

[Bruno]

Well, this chapter was amazing.