=Father of the Night 15=

>Today was the day.
>You and Bruce stand outside the house while the construction supervisor. He reads off a clipboard as his workers finalize the inspections of the new house.
>Well...house was a poor choice of words. This place was positively a manor.
>"Okay, so we gotcher lightning rods on the roof to avoid direct strikes, solar panels to getcher power, and tha backyard's getting fenced in this weekend, eh?" he says.
>You tear your gaze away from the beautiful house and meet the foreman.
"Sounds about right."
>"Right den." he says.
>He presents you with a clipboard and paper and says "Sign here and tha place is all yours, bub."
>You scribble off your signature and wave the foreman off. "See ya later, Mister 'Nonymous." he says.
"Huh...Mister..."
>"Is something wrong, Mister Anonymous?" Bruce asks at your feet.
"Huh? No. Just...never been a "Mister" before."
>He arches his eyebrow.
>You roll your eyes. [spoiler][/spoiler] "I mean besides you, smart-aleck."
>Bruce and you look over the exterior of the house. The columns and steep roofs ,the gargoyles on the roof and the thick windows, and the lightning rods on the top with wires flowing out of them.
"Not really getting the aesthetic here..."
>"It's reminiscent of early Goatham City architecture. I asked that the builders reproduce it as closely as possible."
>"Mhmm...and why'd you do that?"
>Bruce rises off his rear. "My father was a fan of it, he used it in the home we used to have in Goatham."
>Oh. Parent stuff.
"Right...well, far be it from me to knock his sense of style."
>Bruce grabs his saddlebags and tosses them onto his back before trotting into the manor. "Right then, shall we check out the house?"
>You toss your own rucksack over your shoulder and follow after him. [spoiler][/spoiler] "Lead the way, Master Mane."

>You and Bruce walk through the manor inspecting each room along the way. The mahogany floors settling after their construction.
"Lotta rooms here..."
>"Indeed." Bruce says. "Plenty of possibly uses."
>You nod.
"Too bad they're all empty..."
>You shut the door to the desolate room and re-join Bruce in the hallway.
>Hmmm... there were dozens of rooms in this house and hardly any furniture. The only places that WERE furnished were the master bedroom and the kitchen.
>Guess a few guest rooms couldn't hurt...maybe a study and a living room, a dining room in case you ever had company and...
"Hey, Bruce...how'd you like a room? Like, a normal kid's room."
>Bruce stops mid trot and looks up at you. "I have slept in your bed since I came into your wardship."
"Yeah but...well, you gotta be normal sometime, right?"
>Bruce tilts his head to the side. "I assumed there was simply a reason that you deemed it necessary for us to remain in the same bed."
>Well, yeah, it was to keep him from sneaking out all the damn time. But it's not like you can tell him that.
"Well...times change?"
>Bruce blinks a few times before walking up to you and wrapping one of his legs around yours and squeezing.
>"Thank you sir." he says before letting go and walking away.
>Uh...right.
>Was that a hug?
>You clear your throat. [spoiler][/spoiler] "Right...well, pick a room and we can get some furniture delivered." 
>"Of course, perhaps I can ask uncle and tante."
"Who?"
>"Oh. I invited some...friends to come see our new home."
>Huh?
"Who?"
>A knock comes from the front door as the two of you reach the center staircase.
>"Shall we find out, Mister Anonymous?"

>You and Bruce skip down the stairs and get to the door.
>You pull it open and are greeted with two white unicorns, one with pink hair and the other with blue and a FANTASTIC mustache.
>"Hello Old bean!" he says.
"Uh...hi. Who the fu-hell are you?"
>He throws off an exaggerated bow as you let him in. "My name is Fancypants and this is my wife M-"
>An aquamarine blue shoots past both you and Fancypants shouting "Tante Fleur!"
>Bruce skids to a halt and embraces the long and slender mare with a hug that frankly shocks you in its sincerity.
>"Tante Fleur" returns the hug, all the while cooing to Bruce. "Bonjour mon petit garçon, comment avez-vous été dans cette petite ville?"
>"Je vais bien. Mon gardien n'est pas aussi terrible que ... j'ai peut-être décrite auparavant et je vais maintenant à l'école publique. J'ai déjà quelques amis." he answers.
>You and Fancypants watch the interaction.
"Uh...is this normal?"
>"Oh yes, I do say so. Whenever Bruce and my Fleur are in the room together, it seems that they can't help but speak in Prench."
"A-huh...Well, Mister Fancypants, I'm Anonymous."
>You extend a hand, one that Fancypants meets with a hoof and shakes. "Good to meet you, my boy. And good to see that little Bruce is in good hands."
>"Voulez-vous voir ma maison, ma tante?" Bruce asks.
>Fleur giggles. "J'aimerais beaucoup aiment, ma chère."
>With that the two of them scamper off into the wing opposite the one you just came out of, leaving you and Fancypants alone in the foyer.
"Huh...well."
>Fancypants floats his monocle out and polishes it with a cloth. "Anonymous old chap, I'd like a word if you don't mind."
"Uh...sure?"
>Fancypants replaces his monocle and trots past you. "Walk and talk, chum."

>Fancypants leads you into the library on the first floor. 
>Well, the sort-of-library. It had shelves, but no books lined them, and no tables nor chairs were laid out to allow you to read. In time, the library would be filled with books from Bruce's Goatham estate.
>"Ah, this seems like a nice place." Fancypants says, his hoofs knocking against the hardwood floors.
>You step into the room behind him. 
"Uh...yeah, why did you want to talk to me and why in here?"
>Fancypants turns to face you with a smile. It was an odd smile, the kind that told you that you were being interrogated but put you at ease. "I just wanted to get to know the chap who's watching over Bruce." he says.
>You rub the back of your head and sigh. [spoiler][/spoiler] "You know, when Bruce said he invited some friends over, you weren't who I had in mind."
>Fancypants lowers his head a bit, but his smile never falters. "Friends" eh?...That sounds like something he would say."
"I'm...sorry?"
>Fancypants releases a slightly pained chuckle. "I've known that boy for...well, all his life, really. His father, Thomas, and I were the best of friends during our school days together."
"And..."
>His face falls. "And I was called after what happened a few years ago...Fleur and I stayed at the house for a few days to watch over little Bruce."
>You shift uncomfortably.
"Do you...know what happened after those days?"
>Fancypant's face hardens. "Only that Bruce disappeared for some time and that now there is apparently news broadcasts of a costumed colt with a surprisingly similar color scheme and build who's been running around righting wrongs in this town."
>...Great.

>You and Fancypants leave the library and make your way through the house. You looked through the wing they were in but found no sign of either the boy or the Prenchmare.
>Giggling from around back clued you both into their location.
>You follow the giggling to the less-than-finished garden and find Bruce balancing on his forehooves and Fleur clapping at the sight.
"Wow...impressive."
>"It's an acquired skill." Bruce says before dismounting.
>"Oh? And where did you "acquire" it, my boy?" Fancypants asks.
>"The Taprian Circus, sir."
>Fancypants ruffles Bruce's hair. "Good show, lad."
>You sit down next to them.
"So, did you guys have a good time?"
>Fleur nods. "Qui, he showed me the home and the room it offered and then brought me out here to show off his tricks."
>You glance at Bruce.
"Yeah...he's got a lot of those."
>Turning back to Fancypants and Fleur, you think of something. 
"Wait, Fancypants, if you and Fleur knew Bruce since he was young, why did he get sent to me out here? Wouldn't you be the best choice for a home?"
>Fancypants smiles and watches the boy. "We thought the country air might settle him down."
>You roll your eyes.
>That CLEARLY worked out.