The Irish Man

by The Irish Brony

The Camp Out

I walk through the forest with a brisk pace when I feel and hear wings flapping behind me. I turn my head slightly to see Dash flying up next to me with a saddle bag that matches her fur color with her cutie mark as the buckle.

“I’m going with you, like it or not,” Dash says bluntly, not looking at me.

“Did she know what I did?” Thinking about what happened almost opens the floodgates of emotions again. I shake my head, turning back to the road in front of me. “I have a mission to do. No time for feelings and relationships right now,”

“Quick question Dash,” I say, turning to look at her. She looks over at me with a blank expression. “Why are you, Twi, and Fluttershy the only ones that know about my dad?”

“Twilight saw him in the lake drowning and pulled him out. She brought him to Fluttershy to find out what he was. I was visiting at the time and we agreed to keep him a secret.” Dash says, turning back to look forward, saying the enter thing in a dead pain tone.

“She definitely knows,” I think, turning back to look at the path.

We finally walk into a small clearing where Finn had set up a tent and a makeshift fire ring out of rocks and a two feet deep hole. Finn steps out of his tent as we stop by the fireplace. He looks at us and smiles before saying, “So you two decided to come out with me?”

“Somthing like that DaaaFinn,” I quickly stoped myself from calling him dad.

“Remeber, he dosn’t know you are his son yet,” The sweet, but mysterious voice says in my head. I have no time to dwel on it as I take off my bag and set it down. Dash lands next to me and slides the sadel bag off. Finn brushes the wired name he was just called and walks over to us.

“So, did you both bring a puball?” Finn asks, sitting down at the fire ring. Dash looks at him confusingly.

“Puball is a tent in Galic Irish,” I respond, pulling out the foldable tent. “I did,”

“I didn’t, I don’t think I will stay that long,” Dash says, sitting down.

Finn smiles and scoffs at Dash’s remark, which gets a confused look from both of us. “I feel you two are closer than you think, I believe you’ll be staying,” Finn says, pointing at Dash. She blushes, immediately covering it with her hoof pretending to scratch her nose. I walk over next to Finn’s tent, thinking nothing of the comment. I put up the tent as Finn talks to us.

“So Brogan, how long have you been here...” Finn trails off as I respond.

“I’ve been here for about 6 months,” I respond, putting the stakes in to hold the tent in places. I realize after finishing the last stake that Finn had stopped talking. I stand back up and look over to see Finn has the thinker look on him as Dash looks at him concerningly. I slowly walk over and sit next to Dash.

“Finn, are you ok?” I ask. He looks up at me, still thinking about whatever he was thinking about.

“Ya, it’s just… your name is very familiar,” Finn says, sitting up straight. “This might be a long shot, but.. Are you related to a Brogan Even?” Right when my name left his lips my heart slowed down. Cold sweat forms on my forehead while I try and think of a response.

“On one hand, I could tell him I am Brogan Even. On the other I could tell him I am related to myself,” I think as a response leave my mouth before I can think it over.

“Why are you asking?” I say, slightly more irritated than I would have liked. Finn seems to recoil from the response.

“I was just wondering if you are related to my son who was just born a few months ago, Brogan Even. It’s a strange coincidence that you have my sons name,”

“I don’t think I’m related, do you have a family tree I could look at?” I ask, already know the answer.

“Of course, I never leave without my family,” He laughs at his own joke as he walks towards his tent. I turn to Dash and quickly whisper.

“What do I do, I can’t tell him I am his son!”

“I don’t know, Mabey tell him you are his grandson or something,” Dash whispers back frantically waving her arms about. We both turn to see Finn stepping out of his tent with a black book with green strips zig zagging across the cover. We both straighten up as we watch him walk back over to us. He sits down and starts flipping through the book.

“You said your last name was Even,” Finn asks, looking up at me. I nod yes as he flips throw the book until he finally stops on a page. “Here you can look for yourself,” He says, handing me the book. I grab it from him as Dash scoots closer to me to see. I look over the family of the O’Eveners.

I skim over and see names I recognize and some I don’t recognize. I finally find my family. Finn, Barbra, Ivan, and me, Brogan O’Evener. I gently place my hand on the piece of paper, like it would somehow reconnect me to my family.

“That’s my Seanathair,” I say as a tear forms in my eye. I close the book and wipe the tear from my eye. The waves of sadness about losing my family rekindled inside me. I get a better look at the book. It’s green with gold lacings around the border, in the center in big gold liters is the title, The Irish Man. I hand him the book as he looks at me concerningly.

“You ok ghrian?” Finn asks, placing the book down at his feet. Being called sun hit me harder than I could have ever imagined. I feel overjoyed to hear him call me that, but also saddened hits me hard for some reason.

“I’m fine Finn,” I say, lying throw my teeth. “Just remembering my family, it’s saddening,”

“I know how you feel,” Finn says, scooting closer to rest a hand on my knee. I shift uncomfortably under his touch.

“Why did I do that?” I think as Finn keeps talking.

“It doesn't get easier, but when I find a way out of here, I will come back for you,” Finn squeezes my knee as a memory flashed through my mind.

---

Kilkenny Ireland January 25, 2013

I lay in bed covered by red bed coverings. Sitting on the bedside is my father, Finn, he has a green book opened up. He was reading me one of his stories from his adventures.

“I met a human of all things,” Finn says as I look at him with a smile and wide eyes. “He was named Brogan Even. He camped with me. He even brought the pegasus Rainbow Dash with him. He helped me out when our camp was attacked by timber wolves!” Finn lunges over me and tickles me. I burst out laughing as he keeps telling the story.

“Sadly, we had to part,” Finn says, sitting back up as I try and stop laughing. “I was hanging off the edge of a cliff over a river. He said sorry, and let go of me, and that's how I got back. That river was magic, and I am dedicating everything to try and get back to him to get him back home with us.”

“Is Equestria truly real?” I ask as he slowly walks to the door of my bedroom and shuts the book.

“Of course, you just need to know where to look. Now go to sleep, we have a busy weekend ahead of us,” Finn says, shutting the lights off and walking down the hallway, leaving me in my bed.

---

“Oh my Súth,” I whisper as Finn leans away from me in slight confusion. "He dedicated his life to try and get his own sun home,"

“What is it?” Finn asks, standing up.

I shake my head before responding. “Sorry, nothing,”

“Ok, but I’m here for you ghrain,” Finn says, walking towards his tent, again stepping into it.

I turn to Dash and whisper into her ear. “I know what’s going to happen,”