Of Dig Sites and Sleepovers
Written Script, Ponyville History Teacher, and currently defrosting ice king of snark and sarcasm (Also known to some as The or That Ass) was worried. He was excited a bit as well, but mostly worried. You see, he'd received a letter from a very old friend of his (What? He has them!) at Canterlot University. The friend's name was A. K. Yearling. Yes, that one. Now most would probably be over the moon to be friends with a famous mare, and to be honest Script was a bit proud of that, not that he'd ever admit it. But he had been friends with A. K. since they were in the University as students. Thankfully, she had quite a bit of patience for his... issues and it also helped that she herself could snark fairly nicely herself.
Anyways, back to the problem at hand before we get too off topic here. The letter he had received was a invitation to a dig out in Appleloosa where supposedly some new finds had been discovered that would change history for that area and shed new life on the lives of the early buffalo tribes. In fact, Yearling herself had been given this task by the current chieftain himself. Oh, Script wanted to go but that left a problem. He'd need someone to watch his kids while he was gone. He supposed he could try and give Potion the responsibility but he just wasn't sure he was ready for that task. That left one other option, and one he didn't like all that much. His ex.
"Oh boy... What have I gotten myself into...?" He grumbled as his head met his desk during his lunch break AKA what was supposed to be his stress free hour. His coffee was looking good about now.
Anyways, while he and Rarity had been reconciling of late he was pretty sure she still didn't like him. Not that he could blame her, of course. To be honest, for years he'd blamed her for the implosion of said marriage but looking back it was quite a bit of his fault as well. Actually mostly his fault. Things started out about well enough when they were dating but flash forwards a few months shortly into the marriage things just fell apart. He'd have liked to say he was a different stallion back then but he personally thought he really hadn't changed much and no amount of what his children or small list of close friends could convince his stubborn as a mule mind otherwise.
"...Run that one by me again? Sworn I just heard crazy talk." Potion gawped at his father as they walked out the school entrance. Surely he hadn't heard correct. "You're actually trusting your EX with me and sis?"
"No, you heard right. I absolutely have to go to this dig. I'd call my cousin but right now she's in the middle of the busiest part of the Weather Team's year in getting ready for winter. Yeah, Rare-Rarity will hate my guts for sure after this."
Potion raised a eyebrow. he noticed his father's little slip-up. He did probably like Rarity a bit more then he thought, he just wouldn't admit it. "Big surprise there..." Potion muttered under his breath. If his father heard, he didn't show any reaction. "How do you know? She might not."
"Yeah, when pigs fly." Script muttered.
Later that day...
"Of course darling, I'd love to take him and Diamond in for the night. They're nice kids." Rarity said with a smile. Okay, so she didn't want to outright maul him. Huh, he learned something new everyday.
"R-really?" Script said in shock. Now he was the one gawping.
"Besides, Sweetie's been wanting a sleepover for ages! Oh, she'll be sooooo excited." Rarity said with a giggle. "Oh, and close your mouth. You'll attract those nasty flies."
Script groaned loudly. Out of the corner of her eye, Rarity saw her sister hiding nervously behind a doorframe. She asked "Will you excuse me please?" and Script nodded as he got the message that it was time for him to go. As he left, Rarity trotted over to her sister.
"Sweetie, what's the matter? If I didn't know better I'd say you were afraid of him. Sure, he's a jerk but-"
Sweetie shook her head rapidly.
"It... It isn't him I'm worried about! It's his daughter!" She barely managed to squeak out. Her older sister looked confused.
"Diamond? But you've spent time around her with your friends! She's reformed now, hasn't she?"
"I-I don't think she has, at least I'm not sure! I've been around her with the Crusaders, b-but I don't know what she's like when I'm alone!" Sweetie sobbed, and Rarity put a comforting foreleg around her.
"Sweetie, honestly now I'm sure she's fine. And besides, if she acts up me or Potion will protect you." Rarity smiled. Sweetie managed to speak through her sobs.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yes, really. Now, don't you have homework to do?" Rarity inquired.
Sweetie blushed.
Later that night, in Appleloosa...
As Potion and Diamond were just arriving at Rarity's home their adoptive father had just arrived at his own destination as the sun began to set. In front of him was a big hole with spotlights all around it illuminating the area. Ponies dug with shovels under the light with the sound making a rather rhythmic sound. It was somewhat soothing to those who were used to it, and made Script give a rare non sarcastic smile. Now the fun would begin.
"Glad you could make it!" A. K. Yearling called as she ran over. Despite having the same general appearance as her famous fictional creation there were some general differences like a different Cutie Mark and having no wings with a horn instead. The other obvious difference was the nice suit and tie. Script himself wore tweed with a bowtie and glasses like always. He didn't look like he should have been there and in a classroom instead, but nopony bothered to bring it up.
"Didn't think you would be able to. Where's the kids? Could have brought them along, not a school night last I checked." Yearling inquired but Script shook his head sadly.
"Really doubt they'd enjoy this." He replied dryly. "Some ponies just don't have the love of history like we do. Think it boring. But we know better." He smirked before continuing. "Left them with Rarity."
Yearling gaped at him.
"Your ex? But I thought you hated each other's guts? Tartarus, you're not even choking on her name." She said, and used a spell that made sure he wasn't a changeling who'd done poor research on him.
"We... We've been getting friendly as of late."
Yearling smirkled in a saucy fashion.
"Ah, I see." She said. Script sputtered out a embarrassed response.
"N-not that way! Not in the slightest! We are JUST friends." He said in a rather rude and hasty fashion.
"Whatever you say..." Yearling trailed off. Script groaned, it was going to be a long night. Where was his coffee when he needed it?
Rarity's...
Meanwhile, Rarity had just opened the door to find Potion, Diamond and to her shock Silver Spoon with them. She hadn't been told of this and raised a eyebrow inquiringly. Diamond flushed.
"I... I asked permission from her parents and they said she could come. Can she stay... PLEASE?" Diamond asked with puppy dog eyes with Silver joining in while Potion stammered "I... I had no part in this. I just want to state that, for the record. I-if you care to know."
Rarity sighed and mumbled "There's a reason I'm the Element I am..." before gesturing with her hoof. "Come in." She added with another sigh as Diamond and Silver did their "Sugar Lump, Rump Bump" routine. Sweetie was not going to like this, not one bit. It was going to be a long night...
Upstairs, a few minutes later...
"S-silver's here as well?" Sweetie stammered in fear. "B-but I didn't know she would come! You should have told me!" She added with a look of betrayal at her sister who said in response in a attempt to placate her "I-I didn't know! Diamond brought her by herself! You can't say up here forever though. You have to face your fears sooner or later. Besides, I hear Potion's making popcorn."
Sweetie smiled nervously but would not budge so her sister gave her some "Help" by nudging her out the door with her horn. Sweetie nervously stepped down the stairs with Rarity following. Once she was downstairs, she saw Potion looking at the TV with a bowl of popcorn in his hooves.
"No no, you fool! You never go off follow directions that seem suspect! Oh, when that statue gets you, you moron..." He muttered as a pony dressed in camoflauge searched a cave like area onscreen. Nearby, Sweetie also saw Diamond and Silver doing each other's manes and hooves. She smiled nervously, and they gave smiles (Which Sweetie thought looked evil in her paranoia) back. Sweetie nervously waved back.
"So... Uh, if you girls need anything just let me know okay?" Rarity said, to break up the awkward silence. "I'll leave you to your fun. Don't want you to feel like I'm intruding, so I'll be in the next room okay?"
Everypony present nodded. After she'd left Diamond and Silver turned to Sweetie nervously who swallowed. She braced herself for the rude and nasty remarks that were sure to come. None ever did, instead she got...
"So, you have any dolls you like to play with?" Diamond asked.
Sweetie was unable to form a response except for a small and meek "Huh?"
"Like, I asked if you played with dolls. Honestly, it's not that hard of a question now is it?" Diamond repeated and Sweetie this time managed to answer.
"Y-yeah, I have a lot! Do... Do you want to see them?"
When Diamond and Silver nodded in unison she went to go get them, or at least that's what they though she was doing. She'd actually gone to go hide in her room. When she didn't return after a few minutes, Silver and Diamond looked at Potion, and he nodded before pausing what he watching and going to find her. When he did, he walked over to her.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
Sweetie glared at him and Potion's cheeks went red before he laughed nervously.
"Okay, right... Stupid question. You're nervous about Diamond and Silver aren't you?" He said, and by Sweetie's whimper he knew he'd hit the nail right on the head. "They've changed, honestly they have! ...Well, at least Diamond has. Not sure bout her friend though. Never spent enough time with her to know."
Sweetie mumbled "Not helping."
"Yeah, sorry I'm a bit crap at this kind of thing, largely because I've never had anyone to give big brother or something like that advice to." He muttered. Even in the darkness, he could see Sweetie staring at him in shock.
"Y-you consider me a little sister?" She asked and Potion replied. "Sure, you'll probably end up being that to me if dad ever gets his head un stuck from his... well, you don't need to know where it's stuck but the point is he'll figure out Rarity still holds something for him. She's got to, why else would she do this on such short notice and not gouge his eyes out with that horn of hers?"
Sweetie giggled.
"Now come on, don't you have a possible sister to spend time with?"
A few minutes later, Sweetie came down stairs carrying a box of dolls. Silver gaped.
"W-wow, you have a lot!" She said in disbelief and Potion muttered to himself "Believe it or not that was just box one..."
As they played, Diamond looked at Sweetie.
"Listen, I totally hadn't had a chance to do this yet, at least when you're not with those blank fl-Sorry, friends of yours so I want to say I'm sorry. Know I've said it to you as a group, but like you're the first I have said it to you personally. Friends?" She asked, sticking out her hoof with Silver doing the same. Sweetie took them both and shook.
"So, anypony want to play truth or dare?" Silver asked. "Potion?" She asked, but noticed he'd vanished. She shrugged to herself before saying "Ah, we don't need him."
Rarity came back in only to find Potion, hiding in a potted plant.
"Uh, why are you in there covered in all of that dirt?" She asked, and all eyes turned to her and Potion. He sighed before deadpanning "You had to give away my position didn't ya? Honestly..."
END
