Broken Diamond

Chapters

Part 2: Conflicting Feelings
Part 3: Getting Some Advice
Part 4: Yep, Mental's the word for it...
Part 5: The Party (...Or it came from the fridge)
Part 6: Funeral
Part 7: A Day out with Potion! (Edited Edition)
Part 8: Brother and Sister
Part 10: Three Types of Letters (Rariscript or Bust Part 2)
Part 11: Cutie Mark Crusaders Matchmakers, YAY! (Rariscript or Bust Part 3) (Extended Edition)
Part 12: Babs Seed and the Science Fair
Part 13: The Private Little War of Written Script
Part 14: The Problems with Popularity...
Part 15: Party Prep (One Really Crappy Birthday Part 1)
Part 16: The party gets underway... (One Really Crappy Birthday Part 2)
Part 17: Skeletons from a Closet (One Really Crappy Birthday Part 3)
Part 18: Endings, and New Beginnings...
Part 1: Written Script's Very Bad Day
Part 9: Back to School (Rariscript or Bust Part 1)

Part 2: Conflicting Feelings

Written Script knew time was running out and his window of getting out of the burning manor was rapidly closing. Fire was all around, and smoke both began making him cough and wheeze along with obscuring his vision. Even the fact that he had lit up his horn like a torch wasn't really helping much. A explosion knocked him to the floor and he barely managed to levitate Diamond out of the way before he fell on her and crushed her small form. He put her back onto his back and ran even faster, resembling a wingless Bat-Pony out of Tartarus with the flames not helping this comparison any.

As he ran through the hellishly lit hallways, a wooden beam from above cracked and gave way and fell towards Script. As he braced for death, suddenly it was turned into splinters by a blast of pure magic from one very ticked off lavender librarian of a unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle. Script took a quick look at her face and winced. If looks could kill, he suspected Nightmare Moon herself might be in trouble. Twilight tore into him.

"Do you know how irresponsible you are? Not to mention foolish?" Twilight yelled, and Written's temper was rising but he forced it down. Some part of him knew she had a point. He was foolish in doing this, despite Diamond being in danger. He could have been killed himself, and then where would that get him? Well, it would certainly leave his son without a father once more, and that was something Script just couldn't risk no matter what.

"So what'd you expect me to do? Just wait for this place to collapse and let a filly die?" Script growled, and Twilight took a step back before recomposing herself. "You know, you are really snappy at times, anypony ever tell you that?" Script snarled.

"Pot calling the kettle black much? You know, I really have half a mind to just lecture you!" Twilight retorted, her temper worsened by the already stressful situation. But she didn't have time to consider they both had logical points to their arguments rude as Script was about it as a another explosion rocked the place and a fireball came right towards them both.

"...But maybe not right now. Run!"

"Oh I am, I am!" Script yelled in fear. "In this position I couldn't possibly not run now could I?"

"Just move it!" Twilight said back.

As they galloped to safety, Written muttered "Don't need to tell me twice..." sarcastically under his breath. Soon, they found themselves outside in the warm spring weather just as the Manor collapsed completely behind them. Diamond was given to the proper caretakers, some medical ponies under Nurse Redheart's command as the fireponies put out what remained of the blaze behind them. As they loaded Diamond into a medical chariot Twilight took Script aside.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled or snapped at you. The stress, and the situation... It... it got to me." She confessed, and Script actually chuckled. Twilight gaped, of all the responses she would have expected from him, that was not it. She was, at the very least expecting him to be downright rude and/or storm off. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd done so to anypony. Huh, maybe he was actually starting to change.

"Bah. You're probably right as always. I was a fool, if not one without reason. Well, I suppose you can look on the bright side." Script said dryly. "You probably won't be the last one to chew me out. Oh, I should expect a call from my cousin any day now once she hears about this. Yeah, that'll be fun."

A voice came from behind them.

"Wait, did I hear right? WRITTEN SCRIPT is actually admitting he's wrong about something?" Good Eats asked mockingly, and Script's only response was to make a very rude gesture with his hoof at him. Twilight just sighed. It seemed she was wrong, Script hadn't changed as much as she thought. Then, Rainbow landed nearby and pulled them both aside.

"Hey, listen the fireponies wanted me to come and tell you this. The arson investigator has already done a bit of digging and guess what they found in the kitchen." Rainbow said before she held out a talisman. It took a moment, but Twilight soon registered what Rainbow was saying in her mind and gasped to herself.

"It... It was on purpose. The fire, all of it. But who would do such a thing?" Twilight asked in horror and sadness. Script growled to himself again.

"Well, I do know one thing. It better not turn out to be the freaking butler." He muttered.

Ponyville High School, History Classroom

The news of what had happened spread through Ponyville like wildfire. Written Script had yet to realize this, but he'd become something of a celebrity. However, as the days went on he soon found out about it, and as anyone would expect of somepony of his... demeanor he wasn't pleased at about it in the slightest. It was just about the end of the school day, and Script was on his last class with his students. His room was wall to wall history related items, with a golden spear hung above his desk and old texts and photos in glass cases. On the blackboard was some information on the Griffin/Pony war almost two decades before.

"Okay, any questions before I dismiss you lot?" Script asked, unknowingly tempting fate.

To his surprise, practically everypony (Even his son who was in the back of the room) raised their hooves. Script blinked in confusion for a moment, but he quickly figured out what was going on and growled to himself.

"Maybe I should rephrase the question." He stated sarcastically. "Any questions not related to recent events shall we say?"

Everyone put their hooves down as Script groaned and his head met his desk several times. After he'd stopped bashing his brains out some, he muttered "Oh, it's going to be one of THOSE days isn't it?"

CMC Clubhouse, Sweet Apple Acres

Meanwhile, as Script was dealing with his new-found and quite unwanted fame, the trio of fillies known to just about everypony as the Cutie Mark Crusaders were having one of their latest meetings. They too had heard of what happened, and each took it rather differently as we'll soon see.

"So Crusaders, what should we do about getting our marks this time?" Scootaloo asked before she rattled off some suggestions. "Parasailing, treasure hunting, or maybe even pie eating?"

Apple Bloom rubbed her tummy and sighed wistfully as she said "Ah am down for that."

"Let's just not try baking again." Sweetie replied with a embarrassed look on her face as she remembered what happened the last time. So much dough... "We all know what happened last time we tried that."

It was then she noticed Apple Bloom's expression, one of sadness as she stared out the window towards the direction of where the Rich Manor once was in Ponyville.

"Apple Bloom, are you alright?" Scootaloo asked in concern and got a shake of the head in response. Scootaloo frowned to herself, given all she had seen she had a feeling about what was bothering one of her two best friends.

"It's just that..." Apple Bloom trailed off as she explained. "Ah was thinking about Diamond. And about what happened, y'all know what ah mean?"

Sweetie scoffed as she remembered all the times she'd been called a crybaby and a blank flank by Diamond, not to mention the magicless unicorn comments. Scootaloo on the other hoof also remembered the teasing Diamond had done about her being flightless and Diamond's general snobbery, but also knew she could be more then she seemed... right?

"Why should we care? She's a bully, and she hates us!" Sweetie snapped as the memories flooded back to her. Apple Bloom gave the harshest glare her two friends had ever seen.

"Sweetie, what if it was you? What if it was your sister and your parents who'd died in a fire?" Apple Bloom yelled, her own memories of losing her parents when the barn collapsed when she was just a toddler returning. As for Sweetie, she had nothing to answer the young Earth Pony's response. Scootaloo then broke up the silence with a question she thought they should be asking as well.

"Hey, what about Silver? She's Diamond's best friend. What does she think of all this?" The orange Pegasus asked, and Apple Bloom's and Sweetie's eyes widened. They really hadn't considered that.

"I... I don't know." Sweetie asked. "But seeing as how they're best friends you would think that she's at least somewhat sympathetic right?" And then Scootaloo got another brainstorm.

"We should make cards! I don't like Diamond, but it's the right thing to do. Heck, I bet I can get the whole class to do it!" She exclaimed before climbing down the clubhouse ladder and flying off towards Ponyville on her scooter. Apple Bloom and Sweetie stared and shared a look.

"...What just happened?" Sweetie asked and Apple Bloom replied "Ah... Ah don't know."

Author's Note

Okay, so in this chapter we get some insight onto the character's reactions on the fire. Script hates his fame, and the CMC have varying reactions to Diamond becoming a orphan. Scootaloo has mixed feelings about the whole thing, Apple Bloom is sympathetic to Diamond's plight and Sweetie remembers Diamond's bullying of her. We also learn the fire is more then just a accident, it was set on purpose. :pinkiegasp: Now, I need some advice. Do Twilight and Sweetie seem a bit bitchy and OOC in this chapter, or do their reactions (Twilight chewing Script out for rushing into the fire without thinking and Sweetie thinking Diamond deserves some karma) seem real? If you do think they're OOC, can you give me some advice on how to fix it? Thanks. :scootangel:

Part 3: Getting Some Advice

Ponyville High School, History Classroom:

"What in Tirek's name were you thinking?" A female voice, one belonging to Script's cousin Raindrops yelled at him from in front of his desk. "You could have gotten killed and once again your son would be left in a orphanage, probably the exact same one! And you know how that would have turned out."

Script winced. His cousin made a valuable point. For almost fifteen years, his adopted son was in a orphanage after he'd been left there by Celestia knows who. During that time, Potion had been constantly bullied for his different appearance compared to the other kids. As a result, he'd been left rather timid and with a low self confidence in himself.

"Don't you think I know that? It was stupid of me to just rush in there, but-"

Raindrop's voice became more compassionate and understanding, far removed from it's original fury.

"I know. I know why you did what you did." Raindrops said, remembering her only cousin's past. "That poor filly, she's going to need your help over the coming weeks. Make sure you give it to her when she needs it."

Ponyville Children's Hospital:

In a room at the Children's Hospital, Diamond awoke at last. She blinked at the lighting and looked to her left. On a bedside table next to a lamp were some cards, with colts and fillie's handwriting inside them and drawings made with crayons on the cards themselves. Diamond was confused, why would she have all of these cards? She was so focused on them, she didn't see a nurse, Nurse Redheart to be exact enter the room along with Silver. Finally she did see Redheart and looked quizzical.

"Um, excuse me. Why do I have all of these cards?" Diamond asked in the politest tone she could muster up.

The nurse looked away, and Diamond could have sworn a tear came and dripped out of her eye. It was then the filly finally noticed that her best friend was in the room as well. Diamond was even more confused then ever by this point, as Silver looked as if she'd been crying.

"Diamond, there's something you should know..." Redheart began sadly, and Diamond at this point really was in no mood to dance around things.

"What, what is it?" She asked impatiently.

"I... I don't know how to tell you this but..." Redheart trailed off, and Silver finished for her.

"Diamond, your parents..." Silver sobbed. "They're dead. They never made it out of the house before..." Silver said, unable to bring herself to finish the sentence. Diamond shook her head rapidly in denial.

"No... NO! It can't be true, it just can't!" Diamond yelled and Redheart let out a small simple "I'm so sorry."

"I want my daddy!" Diamond yelled before collapsing into sobs as Silver hugged her tightly.

Ponyville Police Station:

Meanwhile back with a certain grumpy history teacher, he'd gone to visit somepony he knew at the Ponyville Police Station, which was located smack-dab in the middle of the town, not far from the Golden Oaks Library...

"Written Script, as I live and breathe. Well, haven't seen you since the last parent teacher conference." The detective on duty, Bon-Bon greeted as she put her hat on a stand next to her desk. Currently she and Script were in her office. "Tell me, my son get into trouble again or something. Something tells me this isn't a social call."

"No, it's nothing like that. Trust me, I'd be much more grumpy if that were the case. Actually, I'm here to ask you about the Rich Manor case. The talisman the arson guy found to be precise." Script stated.

"Concerned about that Tiara kid are you?" Bon-Bon teased, and Script just rolled his eyes.

"No! Hardly." Script said, though Bon-Bon looked skeptical. "Call it... curiousity, mainly. And yes, I know what they say about cats and that. Hate cats." He added, as a afterthought.

Bon-Bon laughed to herself and smirked slightly. She knew Script was lying to himself. He was just too damn stubborn to admit it aloud.

"Well, we do have some leads." Bon-Bon admitted, although she knew she really shouldn't be discussing this case with those not on it. "We couldn't find any hoof-prints on the talisman so we figure it had to have been handled by unicorn magic."

Script growled.

"That's not a lead, that's a just a bleeding theory!" Script snapped. Bon-Bon waved her hooves in a surrendering motion.

"Hey, you asked for the best we got and you got... it." She trailed off, as Script had already gotten up and left through the door in disgust. He was already heading home. As he did so, he heard ponies point at him and whisper between themselves. Script shook his head in disgust and sighed to himself.

"Honestly, can't they find something else or somepony to gossip about?" He asked, to nopony in particular not expecting a answer. But that was exactly what he got.

"Because we at times often have little else to talk about." A female voice said from behind him, and Script growled. He knew that voice and muttered to himself "Rarity..."

"You know, most are pleased to see me Darling..." Rarity commented, as Script turned to face her with a annoyed expression on his face.

"Call me a exception." Script drawled. "Sorry, rough day. Ugh, I hate being famous." Script muttered, and Rarity raised a eyebrow at his apology. He never apologized for any of his sarcasm or his demeanor in general. Something was off, and if Rarity didn't know better she could swear the Script in front of her was a changeling.

"Ponies like having others to look up to. Gives them something to strive for." Rarity said kindly. "You should be proud of yourself for becoming a idol, that was a great thing you did, however foolish."

Script rolled his eyes.

"Oh, don't start. I've already been read the riot act by my cousin. And anyway, I don't want to be famous and get some huge Celestia-forsaken ego like those berks in Canterlot." Script grumbled. "Is being normal too much to bloody ask?"

"Nopony's ever really normal, are they?" Rarity asked sarcastically, and had to admit to herself in enjoying Script's stunned look from her sarcasm. "But that's not what's bothering you is it?"

Script let out a loud "BAH!" and walked off. Rarity just huffed to herself and muttered "Rude as ever."

Script Residence, basement AKA Potion's Science Lab:

Eventually, Script made it home and found himself wandering down to the basement, which had a sign on it's door reading "Keep out, and yes this means you!" Script rolled his eyes, he needed advice and much to his current shock there was only one pony who could give it namely his son Potion Bubbles. As usual, Potion had shut himself away down here and was hard at work with his chemistry sets creating a new mixture. Potion was a teenage white furred Bat-Pony with a black mane and matching wings. His Cutie Mark, unsurprisingly enough were two bubbling beakers. Despite being rather cheery most of the time, Potion thanks to what was mentioned above was not brave by any means of the word.

"Come on ya little..." Potion muttered to his latest creation before jumping as he saw his father. "ACK! Dad, didn't even see you come in. Need something, like me to clean my room? I promise, I never even ruined the carpet despite how it may look!"

Script raised a eyebrow, but brushed off Potion's words. He'd look at his room later.

"I need... Celestia above, can't believe I'm saying this but I need some advice."

"And here I thought teachers knew everything." Potion teased before flushing red. "Not that I'm implying you don't but... I'll shut up now. What kind of advice? Wait, wait before we say anything else I just want to say that rescue of yours was pretty badf-I mean cool. Not just a stodgy old-Again, shutting up now." Potion said in embarrassment.

"Don't make me give you detention next Monday." Script muttered to himself. "Anyways, it's about the rescue or more accurately who I saved."

"That Diamond filly?" Potion asked in shock. "Why... Wait, don't tell me you want to adopt her?"

"And that's just it!" Script snapped, and Potion flinched. "Taking care of you is one thing but a little filly?"

"Stop, just stop right there dad." Potion said. "I think you'd do great, or at least not suck anymore then you did with me. Look at me, we've had a great life... Apart from a few embarrassing moments when you walked in on me in my room doing... stuff." Potion said, and flushed red as Big Mac.

"I shudder at the memories." Script said dryly, before doing just that as Potion blushed again. "Hey, uh listen I know I'm new at this but thanks for the advice. I know I'm probably mental for doing this but you won't know what happens until you try right? Celestia above, that sounded cheesy."

Script then saw Potion's mix bubbling in a rather dangerous manner and soon he noticed it as well and put in another chemical to fix it.

"Well, that was... close." Potion said, stating the understatement of the year. "Just avoided disaster there, huh?" He laughed nervously. Both him and his father then heard a knock at the door and rushed out the lab door and up the stairwell before opening the door. Twilight Sparkle was behind it. Behind Script, Potion was fussing with his hair and blushing. Script rolled his eyes as he watched.

"Yeah, what is it? I was in the middle of a father-son moment." Script grumbled rudely. Twilight ignored him and delivered the news.

"It's Diamond Tiara. She's awake."

END

Author's Note

First off, a link to Written Script's article on the MLP wiki just so you know what his canon self looks like: (Personally I like to think Script looks like this, but wearing tweed and some glasses, and of course not smiling.)

http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Written_Script

Anyway, quite a bit happens in this chapter besides us getting introduced to the last few members of the supporting cast. Diamond at last wakes up only to get the bad news, and meanwhile Script finds out a bit more about the fire before meeting up with his ex. Finally, we see Potion, and learn a bit more about him charicterwise and his background. Also, before anyone asks Potion will not be getting together with Twilight. He's just too young for her.

Part 4: Yep, Mental's the word for it...

All three of the ponies rushed to the Children's Hospital, where they were led to Diamond's room. Each of the trio had conflicting feelings. For Script, this would be his first real meeting with Diamond and he didn't know how she's react. Would she hate him, or actually thank him for saving her life. Script suspected the former to be honest. Twilight meanwhile was nervous for Diamond's wellbeing. She had to know what had happened by now and was certain to be in grief. Potion, he just didn't know what to think as he has no prior meetings with Diamond and only had hearsay to guess at what she'd be like. The trio quickly found they weren't alone outside Diamond's room, as the CMC were already there along with Silver Spoon. But there was somepony else as well, somepony new. He was gray furred, with a top hat and a monocle.

"Wait, who's he again?" Potion asked and his father shrugged.

"Don't know, probably one of those bloody lawyers." Script growled, as he had a real hate for them. Nopony had ever been able to pry out of him exactly why and they figured it was just Script being himself. Twilight however was more interested in something else. Or rather someponies to be exact.

"Girls, what are you three doing here?" She asked the CMC, who looked at her in confusion. "Isn't Diamond one of those two fillies that are always bullying you about your marks?"

"Don't remind me..." Sweetie Belle muttered, and Apple Bloom gave her a harsh glare while Scootaloo shushed her.

"Mah big sis always to me to be polite and nice to anypony no matter how much ah think they should wallow in the mud or no matter how much ah hate their guts." Apple Bloom replied. Twilight blinked before giving the youngest Apple sibling a smile.

"Well... Nice to see you're listening to your big sister." She said politely. Sweetie Belle mumbled something under her breath as Silver who was sitting nearby rolled her eyes while Scootaloo still didn't know what to think of all this. Nurse Redheart appeared a few moments later.

"You can all come in now." She said. Script swallowed and said what pretty much everypony was thinking about then.

"Time to head into the lion's den, eh?" He murmured sarcastically.

Sugarcube Corner:

Meanwhile, at Sugarcube corner everyone's favorite Party Pony AKA Pinkie Pie had called the other four members of the Mane Six, alongside Spike and Raindrops who was still in town for the time being before she went back to Cloudsdale later that night, to her place for some much needed help.

"Hear ye, hear ye! This meeting of something You-do-not-tell-that-grumpy-gus-Written Script will come to order!" Pinkie exclaimed, while behind her a cake baked in the oven.

"Darling, as much as I love seeing you this circumstance is quite mysterious..." Rarity trailed off and Pinkie just looked confused and let out a small "Huh?"

Rainbow facehoofed and muttered "Aw come on..." while Applejack gladly explained.

"What she means is, will somepony explain what the Sam Hill is going on? Ah've got Apples to buck, and Ah almost certainly do not want to get behind schedule." Applejack said, her accent pronounced in her annoyance. Pinkie bounced around the room smiling like a cat who got a canary, almost as if she was on a permanent sugar high.

"Well, I was just baking cakes, y'know as you do when my Pinkie Sense just went all crrrrazzzzyyy. Crazy, I tell you!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"So I soon figured out it was telling me somepony was about to get adopted and I think it's Diamond who is about to be adopted by your cousin!" She said happily to Raindrops who still wasn't sure on what was going on thought she did have a feeling on what it might be.

"Meaning...?" Raindrops asked.

"We should throw a Diamond-Gets-Adopted-By-Script party!" Pinkie said, and Rainbow stared at her in disbelief.

"Hate break it do you, Pinks but it might not be Script who does the adopting. Guy's a jackass anyhow. He probably wouldn't even want the damn thing." Rainbow replied with a annoyed tone in her voice before Pinkie shoved some soap in her mouth which was quickly spat out.

"Silly Dashie, bad language gets your mouth washed out with soap!" Pinkie cried while Raindrops tossed her fellow pegasus a angered look and jumped to her cousin's defence.

"Rainbow, I think I can judge for myself on what kind of pony my cousin is. I admit, he can be a jerk sometimes... Okay, most the time if I'll be honest here but he's got a good heart somewhere deep down in there. You just have to look hard enough. Rarity married him for some reason, right?" Raindrops asked.

Rarity remembered how things went in the six month period she and Script actually were married. During the time they dated and during the marriage Script actually seemed to be making a effort to become a gentlestallion. But the marriage failed largely because neither of them could make their jobs work well enough that they could spend time with each other. After the divorce, Script reverted and as far as she could tell was taking his rage and heartbreak on just about anypony he could instead of dealing with it in the way he could have.

Raindrops then changed the subject on noticing Rarity's expression.

"Anyways, a party's bound to make Potion happy and I do love doing that. So... Let's get to it. Move, ponies!" Raindrops ordered, with a voice not far removed from a Drill Sarge's. Everypony present listened and got to work...

Ponyville Children's Hospital, Diamond Tiara's room:

The whole group of ponies wandered in to the very clean if not somewhat clinical room and as one their eyes all gazed at Diamond who was in her bed looking out the window. At one point she sniffled. Script winced while Twilight looked away. Only Silver was unaffected, as she'd seen her in this state once before. Diamond looked horrible, with her tear stained face and some burns making her a rather pitiable sight indeed. Nurse Redheart knocked on the doorway, getting the filly's attention and making her turn her head towards her visitors.

"Diamond, you've got guests." Redheart smiled.

"Hello." Twilight said politely while Potion gave a little shy wave before shrinking into himself. Sweetie meanwhile was having second thoughts on her hatred for Diamond. Apple Bloom might have been right after all, what would it be like for Sweetie if she was in her archenemy's place?

"So... I'd say this is more of a bloody proper meeting instead of that one we had before." Script said, before Redheart smacked him and said "Language!" Script rolled his eyes in response and ignored her. He could talk how he wanted.

"Oh, it's you." Diamond muttered before she pursed her lips at the sight of three certain fillies. "And I see you've brought the Cutie Mark crybabies with you."

"First thing I want to say is how sorry we all are for what happened to your parents." Twilight said sadly. Diamond glared harshly at her and Script.

"Oh yeah? If you were really sorry you would have saved me and my parents wouldn't you?" Diamond snapped.

"We... We didn't get there in time!" Twilight stammered and Diamond snapped back at her.

"Then you should have made time and got there before... Before they... You should have been quicker! I hate you both!" She yelled as she tried to resist the oncoming flood before the dam finally broke and it came.

"Surely you don't mean that...?" Twilight said, as she knew Diamond probably didn't. Not really anyway, she was grieving and not dealing with her grief and pain properly and lashing out instead at anypony she could. It was then the pony in the top hat finally spoke up.

"Hey kid." He said, with a Manehattenite accent. Diamond rubbed the tears from her eyes and blinked at the stallion.

"Uncle Caeser!" She said and buried herself within his fur.

"So sorry, but when I heard what happened to my brother in but blood I came as soon as I could." The newly named pony said in a sorrowful along with a somewhat embarrassed tone of voice.

"Oh yes, she hugs him and all I get is scorn." Script muttered to himself. Nearby Scootaloo whispered to Sweetie "Uncle?" and the other CMC member could only shrug.

"Not by blood, but he might as well be. Runs a big law firm in Manehatten." Silver whispered back.

"Dummy Blank Flanks, you should know this. He's famous." Silver sniped as Script heard her from nearby and sighed in disgust at himself. Now he remembered who the guy was.

"So he is a lawyer!" Potion exclaimed happy his father was right.

"I'm overjoyed, now Diamond can sue me." Script replied in a dry and bitter tone.

"Well, look at the bright side." Twilight smiled before continuing.

"At least she's going to live with somepony she likes and who'll care for her." She said before Potion spoke up.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." He said nervously. "Care for her he can, well I assume he can but..."

"You're not making sense." Twilight frowned.

"No, he's a idiot." Diamond said. "Can't you just be happy for me?"

"Actually, I'm dancing with joy." Potion said, without any hint of sarcasm. "But there is a slight... issue. Wouldn't you have to leave your friends here to go to Manehatten? Silver's mother is Mayor Mare so she has to stay put for the time being. Has nopony else thought of this, or is it just me?"

Silver and Diamond both frowned, they hated to admit it but Potion was quite right.

"Well, this does present a problem." Caeser muttered.

"Which I could fix!" Script jumped in, and at once all eyes turned to him.

"Why do you want to adopt her anyway? You've never said." Twilight asked.

"I... I have my reasons." Script admitted while looking away from everypony. Both Potion and Twilight saw a very small tear drip out of his eye and onto the floor. After a few minutes, Diamond would finally speak up and give her final answer on the matter.

"Alright, I guess I'll give it a shot if only for a month." She said.

"But if by the end of the month I still don't like Script..." Diamond trailed off and Caeser finished for her.

"I adopt her."

And that was why a few days later after all the proper legal forms had been signed and dotted to a "T" and Diamond's stay in the Hospital was complete she found herself in front of Written Script's home.

"Alright, it's time to take the first steps of what for all I know might be the rest of my new life." Diamond said nervously. "Here goes nothing."

Author's Note

So, first off a big shout out and a thank you to Mudpony for helping me with some of the finer points on Diamond's character here. :twilightsmile:

Anyways, we finally see Script and Diamond have a real conversation and Diamond at least attempts to give it a try. Also, we learn from Rarity's thoughts the real reason why things went sour with her and Written Script instead of what he assumes the reason was, namely his own personality.

Part 5: The Party (...Or it came from the fridge)

"Soooo... What do you think of our humble little abode?" Potion trailed off awkwardly behind his new sister before he facehoofed and murmured to himself under his breath something along the lines of being so pathetic for breaking the ice like that. Diamond couldn't entirely tell what he said actually.

She observed the house in front of her. It almost certainly did not fit the style of somepony who was a history teacher with it being far from boring and drab on the outside. The home itself was built with brick, with vines creeping up along one side of the home. Twin white pillars framed the doorway, with the door itself being a bright burgundy color.

"Hmph, at least you're trying." Diamond huffed. "Please tell me you at least have a butler or something."

Script actually burst out laughing before he quickly realized Diamond was being serious and his face fell.

"Please, on a teacher's salary? I don't think so." Script commented.

"Yeah, if you did have a butler something tells me you'd use him or her in your own private little war with Good Eats somehow." Potion said sarcastically.

"Please, I'd do things myself." Script replied. There was a awkward silence for a few moments after that.

"Let's... Let's just go in okay?" Potion finally said in a nervous tone, rather hoping to actually try and please his new sister. Though privately, he doubted that would happen and she'd think of him as more of a loser then she already did.

Script Family Home: Interior

Diamond had to admit, at least from looking at the home's entrance hall it felt homely with a painting of the Trottingham countryside and a globe on a shelf next to a hat and coat stand being the first things she noticed. The floor was wooden, and it creaked when the filly or anypony else stepped on it.

Potion soon set out on giving his new little sister (At least that was what he hoped she'd be) the "Personal tour" as he referred to it while Script went off make some minor preperations to Diamond's bedroom. First stop was the kitchen, and Diamond couldn't resist rolling her eyes.

"Stallions, always thinking with their stomachs." She commented, and Potion in spite of himself couldn't resist a snort as he fished through the fridge for some milk muttering to himself all the while.

"Apples... Yummy. Yogurt... ACK! You so don't want to know..." Potion squeaked as he rapidly shut the fridge door and shuddered briefly.

"What happened?" Diamond asked curiously.

"...It lives in the fridge." Potion murmured and that was all she got out of him for a while after that on the matter.

After the "It came from the fridge" incident as both Potion and Diamond snarkily referred to it to themselves, Diamond was shown the second of three bedrooms, which Potion privately suspected if Diamond had her way it would be pink everywhere you could think of and covered in stuffed animals. After showing it to Diamond, they soon passed another bedroom door, this one for guests.

"What's behind there?" Diamond asked. "Can I see?"

"Trust me, you don't want to. Rats... and other horrible things. Least that's what Dad says. Not sure if he's kidding or not." Potion replied, with another shudder. Diamond raised a eyebrow, how could Script afford all of this if he was just a History Teacher for Highschoolers? Was he well paid, or was there something else to it? She voiced her concerns.

"How does Script even have this kind of money?" She asked, before a realization hit her. "...Wait, don't tell me he's renting?"

"Alimony check." Script's voice came from her bedroom. "About the only good thing I got out of the divorce..."

Then, the door bell rang and everypony rushed down to answer it. Script reached for the door handle, but was soon beat to it by Potion although he soon regretted it when a pink blur knocked him over to the floor leaving the poor Bat-Pony to mumble "...Like lightning."

"Hi!" A loud voice exclaimed as Script sighed a long exasperated sigh.

"Hello Pinkie." He said, annoyed.

Next thing he or anypony else knew the entire living room was covered in streamers and balloons along with a big banner that said "Congrats Diamond Tiara." In short, it looked like a party. Diamond's eyes widened.

"So I got this great, really great idea! Throw a "Happy Diamond's Adoption Party!" Cool huh? Like it, like it do you, do you?" Pinkie asked in a fast tone of voice, making Diamond's head spin as the pink pony bounced up and down.

"I... I..." Diamond stammered, unable to form words. Pinkie waved a hoof dismissively and gave Diamond a noogie.

"Silly filly! Don't worry, you'll love it! OH! Before I forget, Scriptzy my bestest friend Twilight sent this over with me. Said it'd help you tons!" Pinkie exclaimed before holding out a book titled "Taking care of a little filly for dummies".

Script looked mildly offended and grumbled something under his breath npony could catch. It was things spun out of control for poor Script as just about all of Diamond's classmates along with a few other ponies including the Mane Six and Caeser came in the doorway. For a few brief moments Script shouted his protests but eventually gave up as he knew there was no point in bothering to stop a "Pinkie Party".

At one point, Diamond requested some apples to go with the cake, the "Extra shiny kind" as she said. Script groaned at that but knew Diamond deserved a treat to make up for her rough week in some way and went to get them but Pinkie volunteered instead and left. A few moments later she ran back yelling "Fridge Horror, literally!"

Script arched a eyebrow but shrugged it off. At one point during the party Applejack came up to Diamond and smiled at her.

"Now, Ah don't like you for how you bullied my little sis and her friends but I'm willing to put it behind me right now out of the goodness of mah heart and the fact that Sweet Apple Acres and the Riches are always doing good business. Let me just say, mah doors are always open if you need a extra shoulder to cry on."

"Please, as if I'd ever step hoof on some icky and muddy farm." Diamond replied and marched off with her head held high. Applejack turned to Script and gave him a deadpan look.

"You and your son, ya'll got your work cut out for ya, ya did notice that right?"

"Believe me, I noticed." Script deadpanned before hanging his head in resignation while he mumbled something about him being far too nice at times as Applejack walked back towards Diamond.

"Diamond wait! Take it from a pony who's lost their parents. You can't shoulder this alone. If you ever, and Ah do mean ever need a helping hoof Ah'll give it."

Diamond's only response was to go and find Silver. As she and her best friend chatted, Script was having words of his own with a certain lawyer.

"So, how's my niece taking it? I mean, it's only been a day since you took her in and all but-" Caeser said before being interrupted by Script.

"She's in grief, give her time. Huh, you sound concerned. And here I thought all lawyers were-"

This time he was the one to be cut off.

"Yes, I've heard all the jokes. See, this is what I'm concerned about with you. You're rude and fairly nasty at times and I don't know if it's healthy for you to be around Diamond. I want to break her of her haughtiness and I'm not sure you can do that. You might just make her even worse." Caeser said in a concerned tone. Script privately had to admit he had a point. He'd been having these same doubts himself. If Script had a answer for Caeser's concerns he never gave it.

Eventually the party wound down and it was time for bed. Script tucked Diamond in and kissed her forehead before he put a glass of water on her bedside table just in case Diamond got thirsty during the night. As Script turned out the lights and left the room, Diamond finally spoke and not in the ice cold tone she'd been using all day with just about anypony she could.

"Do... Do you think Daddy's okay with this? Me being adopted by you I mean?" She asked, letting down her guard for the first time today.

Once again, Script had no real answer to give.

"I... I don't know. But I do know one thing, I'm going to try my best. Goodnight kid." He said before closing the door. Maybe he was just imagining things, but he could have sworn Diamond let out a small "Goodnight." Either way, he went down to the kitchen for a late night snack. But as soon as he opened the fridge door...

"AAAGGGHH!"

"GWARRRRHH!" The creature of pudding said.

The door was quickly shut. In his own bedroom, Potion heard the scream and smirked. It seemed his father finally noticed something was alive in there. The very next day, Princess Celestia was surprised to receive a letter from Script. It read:

Dear Princess:
I learned it's best to clean out the fridge more often.

Author's Note

Okay, so I admit this chapter is a bit more humor-focused then the others. But let's face it, sometimes even a rather sad story needs some light-heartedness. So anyway, now the real story begins now that Diamond's adopted.

Part 6: Funeral

A few nights later, Script tossed and turned in his sleep. In his mind, he relieved the fire at the Rich Manor and he was right back in the middle of it during his rescue of Diamond. But this time something was different. While he picked Diamond up and sat her on his back, suddenly flying against all possible logic the dead and burned Filthy Rich got up and his eyes bored into Script's soul.

"You failed to save me, and let me burn! You don't deserve my daughter!" The undead Filthy roared in a hellish tone sounding like a demon out of Tartarus.

"I... I couldn't get to you in time!" Script pleaded.

"That's right, and now you'll share my fate!" Filthy snarled before he then lunged towards Script but suddenly he was blasted backwards into a wall by a blue beam of magic and turned to dust in the process.

"BEGONE FOUL BEAST!" Luna's voice yelled as it cut through the room.

It was then the Dreamscape changed to a grassy field of flowers somewhere as a full moon shown down it's light covering the area. A misty form appeared before it solidified into the distinct form of the Lunar Princess and Script bowed at the sight of her. Luna said only one thing and one thing alone.

"You need to tell her."

With that, everything faded away and was replaced with white.

Script woke up panting and sweating from the nightmare, on his couch as the covers were swiftly thrown off. Why was he not sleeping in his own room? Well, after the marriage fell through, Script couldn't even bring himself to sleep in his own bed thanks to the memories he had of him and Rarity in it and now used that room for storage mostly. He'd lied to Potion and called the Master Bedroom the Guest Room instead as well.

"Ugh, what a dream... Wonder what Luna meant about me telling Diamond something though...?" Script wondered aloud, as if expecting a answer. None came.

Groaning, Script tilted his head and saw the black suit on the back of the couch and he winced as he remembered today was the day of the Rich family funeral. First things first though, he needed his coffee...

Rich Family Funeral...

A few hours later, Script and his two adopted children were at the Rich Family funeral which was held outside the Town Hall as Mayor Mare give a short eulogy. The caskets were closed, to hide the burns.

"Citizens of Ponyville, today we honor the life of Mr Filthy Rich and Mrs Spoiled Rich." Mayor Mare said, as she dabbed at her eyes. "They were some of our most well known citizens with a lineage stretching back to when Ponyville was founded all those years ago."

As Diamond listened, her eyes brimming with tears Script took a quick look around. The death of Mr and Mrs Rich had affected more ponies then he thought. There of course was Silver and her family, but there were others like Derpy who delivered the mail to them and Rarity who designed a lot of the custom clothing they wore. The entire Apple Family was there as well, which made sense seeing as how they'd always been business partners ever since the town was in it's early days.

"My only hope is that the family legacy lives on in it's sole member, Diamond Tiara and that she can make it through this." Mayor Mare finished before stepping off the podium and placing some roses on the caskets.

Rarity who was wearing a black dress walked up and looked at Diamond sadly.

"If you want to go ahead and say a few last words now would be the time." She told her kindly, and Diamond sniffled as she nodded. She then took a few nervous steps up to the caskets, or to be more specific Filthy's in particular.

With a tearful whisper, she softly said "Goodbye Daddy."

Script blinked in confusion before raising a eyebrow. This was odd, shouldn't Diamond be saying goodbye to her mother as well? This merited further investigation that was for sure. Diamond was soon joined by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who were there with their sisters. Dinky was there as well, as she'd come with her adoptive mother Derpy.

"Yeah, listen we all talked this over and we just want to say how sorry we are for you losing your parents." Dinky said in a apologetic tone with Sweetie and Apple Bloom nodding along with her. Dinky may not have liked Diamond, but she still deserved some sympathy as her mother had taught her.

In Dinky's mind at least, nopony deserved to lose their parents. As for Diamond herself, she was gaping in shock. Why would three of the ponies she'd bullied the most actually be apologizing to her? As for as she knew, she certainly didn't deserve it.

Meanwhile, Script took a slow walk up the caskets as Diamond walked over to Potion who put a comforting wing around her and she gave him a small smile as she blew her nose.

"Um, hi... No, that's just rubbish isn't it? Blast it... Now I got to start again. I'm just not good at this." Script muttered to himself as he remembered his nightmare from before.

"I never knew you, and to be honest rather disliked you. Still do actually, but I swear with Celestia as my witness I promise I'll take very good care of your daughter and if I don't you can haunt me till the day I die." Script promised with a hoof over his heart before he walked back to Diamond.

"C'mon, let's go home huh? Funerals just make me uncomfortable." Script said and Diamond nodded. As they walked, Caesar came up to Script and looked at him seriously.

"Oh, I just want to say if Di does end up choosing you over me and staying longer then a month and you end up hurting her and I find out... Well, I'll find you and sue your flank off till you hit rock bottom understand?" Caesar commented cheerfully, his smile uncannily reminding Script of that of a barracuda's. As the stallion walked off, Good Eats came over snickering at Script's frightened expression.

"Aw... Is the big bad history teacher afraid of the nasty old lawyer?"

Script glared at him.

"Eats, do me a favor and shut up."

Elsewhere in Ponyville...

At a house somewhere in Ponyville, a raid was going down. You see, Bon Bon had tracked down the buyer of the Talisman used to burn down the Rich Manor to this place. She wasn't alone though, as it turned out the Royal Guard also had their eyes on the owner of the home, one Pine Tree as he was a suspect in a crime they'd been investigating which oddly enough was a arson in Manehatten at the home of Caeser Moneybags. Some would say it's just a concidence but Bon-Bon never believed in those things.

"Open up, this is the Royal Guard!" The soldier in charge, Steel Sentry bellowed. He was a iron colored Pegasus with a shield on his flank.

"Maybe he's not home." Bon-Bon shrugged.

Suddenly a magic blast blew a hole in the door scattering splinters everywhere.

"...Okay, he's home. I correct my previous statement." Bon-Bon muttered before Steel kicked down the door and he, along with Bon-Bon and another guard went inside the home which was mostly unremarkable except for one thing on the tile floor.

"We have blood!" Bon-Bon shouted, catching Steel's attention.

"Follow the trail." He ordered. "And keep your eyes peeled. Pine's around here somewhere."

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know." Bon-Bon snarked. Steel rolled his eyes as they continued their investigation and moved further into the house. The twosome followed the blood trail to the bathroom door. Bon-Bon nodded at Steel, before she ever-so carefully opened it. Behind the door, was Pine Tree lying dead on the floor blood pooling out from a wound on his head.

"Seems like somepony didn't want him to talk." Bon-Bon muttered.

"How do you know he didn't just take his own life to avoid being captured and thrown in the bin?" Steel asked.

"Believe me, that's one possibility but it doesn't add up. See that wound right there?" Bon-Bon pointed out.

"Yeah, it's hard not to." Steel commented.

"Saw something similar back in a case I worked once. It's a concussive wound, and as far as I can see I don't see any blunt objects nearby do you? Whoever did this must have teleported off and killed old Tree here before we got here." Bon-Bon reasoned. "They wanted it to look like a suicide, whoever we're dealing with is very devious and quite possibly insane."

With that unsettling statement, silence filled the room.

Script Residence

Later, Potion was walking by Diamond's room on the way to his own when he heard sobbing. He peeked his head in, and silently watched Diamond sob into her pillow.

"I know she's a bully and everything I'm supposed to hate but why do I feel so sorry for her?" Potion wondered, before he closed the door before Diamond even noticed he'd seen her crying.

"I've got to do something to cheer her up. But what?" Potion whispered to himself.

Author's Note

Wow, talk about Mood Whiplash from the last chapter eh? First things first, as for why I'm putting this out a bit early is the same reason I uploaded Shattered Mirror's new chapter up a bit early. I simply want to free up my workload for next week. :rainbowdetermined2:

Okay, so as you can see Diamond's issues are more complicated and I suspect anyone who's watched Crusaders of the Lost Mark can probably figure out what they are. Also, if anyone's wondering why I have Script drink coffee instead of tea I'm trying to subvert the normal British stereotype of a polite if not somewhat tea drinking person. On a somewhat related matter, as for why I made Bon Bon a detective here... If the canon version can be a secret agent why not this alternate universe one be a police detective? (I suspect I may have had NCIS or Hawaii Five-0 on the brain when I was writing her scene.)

If Mayor Mare's eulogy didn't sound good you can blame that on me as I'm not good at writing any particular type of speech. Next time, we'll get a chapter of Potion and Diamond bonding. :eeyup:

Also, if anyone wants be like Detective Bon-Bon and make some deductions on who the culprit is behind all of this you go right ahead. :raritywink:

Part 7: A Day out with Potion! (Edited Edition)

Author's Note

So, as you can see from some of the chapter, my other story the first one I wrote for this universe in fact namely "Written Script's Bad Day" took place between the timeskip between this chapter and the last. Anyways, despite this chapter's seemingly average title this one is hugely important for Diamond and Potion's character arcs. Also, this happens to be the climax of the story's first half, so can you tell me how you think of it and anything that needs to be improved for the second of the story? Feedback, no matter what kind makes my day.

Edit: Made Potion a bit more nervous in some parts to make his shyness less of a informed flaw.

Part 7: A Day out with Potion! (Edited Edition)

Script Residence

A few days later, on another one of her visits Raindrops found Potion in his room and sat down next to him before asking "What's wrong? Go on, you know you can tell me anything."

"I-I want to help Diamond... I really do but..." Potion trailed off.

"So what's wrong?" Raindrops inquired.

"It's... It's just I don't know why I'm feeling sorry for her. She's been at times from what I've heard just like the bullies at the orphanage." Potion whispered as he put his head into his hooves. "I don't know what the Tartarus is wrong with me..."

Raindrops brought him into a hug and gave him a answer.

"Nothing's wrong with you. You're just being a kind hearted pony. Now go on, and be her big brother." She said with a smile. Potion looked up at her and smiled back. After getting his much needed advice, Potion went and found Diamond in her room, where she was clutching a stuffed Daring Do plush to herself.

"C'mon, we're going out for a day out on the town." Potion said cheerfully.

Diamond raised a eyebrow.

"Uh, why?" She asked, somewhat confused.

"Dunno why. Just felt like it." Potion lied not wanting Diamond to know his real reasons. "N-Now, let's get moving and stop burning daylight. T-Time's a wasting!"

Soon, they were outside and taking a walk through the streets of Ponyville. Even Diamond had to admit this was fun, with the sun shining and a nice breeze blowing. Potion smiled at her as if to say "See, things aren't so bad!" before he placed a leathery wing around her in a comforting manner.

"Listen, if you ever need help I'm right here." Potion said kindly, but Diamond brushed him off.

"I don't need help, I'm fine!" She snapped at him, but Potion didn't believe her words for a second. Shortly after, they were joined by Silver Spoon.

Diamond as she, Silver and Potion walked felt everyone glaring at her and she wilted at the glares of pure venom from some ponies. It had always been like this, ever since the Gabby Gums incident where she'd helped to expose everypony's secrets and blackmailed the Crusaders into doing so. Each and every time she got glared at, she never knew why but some small part of her felt like she deserved it. To take her mind off these thoughts, she quickly changed the subject.

"So, uh... What's with those teeth of yours Potion?" She asked, and Potion looked confused for a moment before he realized.

"W-What's with... OH! Y-You mean mine?" He asked, and Diamond nodded as Silver looked rather interested as she was the more knowledge hungry of the twosome.

"Well, every Bat-Pony, or Thestral if your prefer the old fashioned term has them. It's part of our distinct look." Potion said cheerfully, with a bit of pride in his tone.

"So, do you drink b-blood with them?" Silver asked nervously. "Are you a vampire like in those books I read?" She said with a blush remembering what kind of books they were. Potion looked rather offended.

"Those offences to good literature?" He scoffed. "Those... THINGS are half the reason everypony has so many misconceptions about us. Nah, I don't drink blood. I much rather prefer fruit!" Potion chirped before taking a apple out of his labcoat and biting into it as they walked.

Eventually, they came across the CMC as they played a game of basketball, obviously in another attempt to earn their Cutie Marks. Potion gave a little wave, and Sweetie was about to give a wave back until she saw Diamond and her expression changed to a one of anger mixed with a bit of fear. Diamond noticed and shrank back behind Potion.

"What's she doing here?" Sweetie hissed.

It wasn't long before Scootaloo glared at her and hissed "Sweetie, be nice!" only to get a huff in response although Sweetie did look somewhat guilty for her actions. Apple Bloom looked apologetic for her friends.

"Ah'm really sorry about them." She said, and Diamond said nothing. In her mind, she was still conflicted. Part of her didn't even want to talk to the Crusaders as she still viewed them as Blank Flanks, and the other part was rather shocked that Apple Bloom even wanted to apologize even after all she'd done to the farm pony and her friends. Unknowingly to anyone, Silver's mind was running along similar thoughts. To break up the arkward silence, Potion quickly changed the subject.

"Scootaloo, c-can you do me a little favor?" Potion asked nervously, and Scootaloo tilted her head in confusion. "Do whatever you can, but get Rarity to come to my dad's house soon as you can would you? I'm tired of them having their heads up their you-know whats and... And I would love a mom to call my own." Potion

Potion may have had many flaws, a few of them self given which in itself was another flaw but one thing he was almost certainly not was completely stupid. After a year with his father, he could tell when Script was lying to his face. Potion after helping assemble the bed in the so-called "Guest Room" for Raindrops to sleep on noted on how it was way too big for one pony. After that, and coupled with the fact that his dad always slept on the couch, he figured out fairly quickly on what the "Guest Room" used to be for.

"On it!" Scootaloo saluted with her foreleg.

"This going to be sweet!" The orange pegasus then exclaimed before turning to her two best friends and gathering them in a huddle.

"You girls want to join in on this?" She asked before Sweetie and Apple Bloom nodded in unison. Potion, Silver and Diamond braced themselves for what they knew was to come next.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MATCHMAKERS YAY!" The trio of fillies exclaimed in unison before giving the pony version of high fives to each other. Scootaloo then took off down the road on her scooter with her tiny wings buzzing while Apple Bloom and Sweetie ran off after her in pursuit.

"Hey, can't you just wait for us?" Potion heard Sweetie Belle squeak in annoyance as he suddenly felt a distinct sense of doom creep over him. Why did he have the feeling he might have made a distinct err in judgement?

Hay Burger

Eventually, they all walked in Good Eat's diner, the Hay Burger. 50s style rock and roll played from a jukebox in the background as all three young ponies sat down at a table. Good Eats himself came over as the waiter.

"So, I see you've taken these adorable little rascals out on the town." Good Eats smiled as he took in their orders.

"Yep, a day out with Potion!" Said Bat-Pony replied cheerfully. Good Eats chuckled before his expression changed.

"Oh, by the way tell your father if he doesn't stop stealing my tools he's going to get it and get it good." Eats muttered in annoyance.

"War's heating up then?" Potion asked dryly as Diamond and Silver looked confused. Good Eats noticed.

"Oh, me and his daddy dearest have been going at it for a while now. It all started with a feud over the property line, so Script poisoned my shrubs to cut them back. I stole his pruning shears, so he stole some of my tools in return. Fair's fair I guess." Eats shrugged. "Relax though, I'm not involving you two, this is between him and me alone."

Diamond muttered "I feel so honored." as Eats walked off. Then, there came a very loud voice as another pony entered the diner.

"Hey, where's my table!"

Potion shrunk into his seat whispering "Oh sweet Luna, not him." as Diamond looked at the newcomer who'd noticed them and was making his way over. His fur was pure gold, with a bag of coins on his flank. This was Golden Coin, Potion's chief tormenter at the High School.

"Hey, what are you doing at my table?" Coin snapped. "Don't you know it's reserved for me and me alone?"

Potion was too frightened to respond. Diamond watched in horror as Golden grabbed him by his fur. For the first time, she was seeing what bullying was like from the other side of the mirror and she didn't like it one bit. Diamond shared a look with Silver.

"Hey, let him go!" Silver cried. "He's done nothing to you!"

"Oh really?" Coin drawled. "He stole my table! You're really sticking up for this coward?"

"Your table?" Diamond drawled. "I don't see your name on it. Now let him go."

Coin laughed even as he dropped Potion.

"What are you going to do to me? Bite me in the nose?" Coin scoffed before he felt a presence behind him and looked to see Good Eats looming over him.

"Nothing, but me on the other hoof..." Good Eats growled before he got in Coin's face. "Get out of my diner, and don't come back."

"You can't make me, my dad's-" Coin complained even as Diamond watched. Here she was seeing what she could become and it frightened Diamond to no end. Here, somepony was pretty much a older her was tormenting a pony who'd been nothing but kind to her.

"And I don't care one jot." Eats interrupted Coin. "Now get!"

Coin whimpered in fear even as he ran for it right out the door.

Outside a few moments later, Potion was in quite a state.

"He... He always gets at me, and now you've been dragged into it." Potion whispered, barely holding back the flood of tears that were threatning to break loose.

"It... it wasn't your fault. You had no idea Golden Coin would show up today, at the diner." Diamond told him, in a attempt at reassurance with Silver nodding at her words. But it didn't help Potion in any way whatsoever.

"HE STILL SHOWED UP DIDN'T HE? THAT COMPLETE AND UTTER JACKASS!" Potion shouted in anger even if he didn't know who to be angry at, himself or Golden.

"Look at me, I try to take you out on a fun day with your brother and all you end up seeing is how truly pathetic I am!" Potion said as he choked back a sob before he flew off into the sky to parts unknown. Diamond and Silver were shouting after him but to no avail as he was already long gone.

Part 8: Brother and Sister

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Part 10: Three Types of Letters (Rariscript or Bust Part 2)

Ponyville High School: History Classroom

After the lesson was over, Potion walked up to Script's desk like he was going to a execution and held out the letter trying to look at anywhere but his father.

"Dare I ask?" Script wondered, if he didn't know better he would have said this was a letter from one of the other teachers saying how Potion got in trouble for doing something. But Script DID know better, Potion was about as far from rebellious as you could get. Other possibilities went through Script's head. None of them seemed logical.

"R-Rarity gave this to m-me, a-and she then said for me to give it to you. That's the truth, I swear!" Potion squeaked, in a not-at-all convincing tone.

"And why couldn't Rarity give this to me herself?" Script asked dryly.

"S-She didn't say?" Potion replied nervously.

Script raised a eyebrow. He had a sneaking suspicion his son wasn't telling him everything, but he shrugged it off even as Potion went to his next class. Script tore open the letter and read it.

Dear my love:

"Now, before you probably try and torch this letter hear me out okay? We both said things that we didn't mean and I'm sorry for what I said. I... I want to try and rekindle things, I miss your arms around me as we slept together at night. Meet me in Ponyville's park at Eight-O-clock exactly."

Love, Rarity. XOXO

Script growled as he crumped up the letter and threw it in the nearby trashcan, he knew exactly who sent this letter and why. Good Eats, he did this just to get under Script's skin. That was the true tragedy I'm afraid. Script genuinely thought he didn't deserve any happiness with Rarity and looked for other explanations no matter how ridiculous they were.

"Well, we'll see who has the last laugh. I won't show up for this quite fake date and stand up Eats. I'm smarter then he thinks I am. Bugger him." Script grumbled before a thought struck him.

The thought was, was it possible that Rarity actually wanted to try and rekindle their relationship? Script shook his head and pushed the thought away, it simply wasn't possible in the slightest. But then the thought came back and it nagged away in Script's brain. Finally he'd had enough.

"Aw, sod it." Script finally said. "I know I'm probably going to regret this... But I'll go."

Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse: Sweet Apple Acres

"Wait, so y'all actually gave both Rarity and Written Script love letters so they could finally meet and discuss their issues like Sigmane Freud would have 'em do?" Apple Bloom asked in disbelief as she looked at her two friends.

"Hey, how'd you even learn to write a convincing love letter anyways Scoots?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo blushed slightly at the nickname Sweetie gave her before replying.

"I looked in those mucky romance novels I know Rainbow keeps in her closet where she thinks nopony can see them." Scootaloo replied, with a smirk.

"Rainbow Dash reads romance novels?" Apple Bloom asked with a eyebrow raised in suspicion not believing her friend at all. If it was Sweetie getting those kinds of books from Rarity's closet she might have believed her, but Scootaloo getting romance novels from Rainbow's closet? No way.

"Ya are aware this is the same Rainbow Dash, queen of tomboys everywhere who wants to be one of those fancy-smancy Wonderbolts right?" Apple Bloom asked slowly as if speaking to a child. ...Which she was mind you, but you get the point.

"I'm quite aware of that, I'm not stupid." Scootaloo said. "Like I said, she's hidden them. You don't have to believe me if you want but I'm telling the-"

Suddenly Scootaloo's sentence was interrupted by several knocks on the door of the clubhouse. Sweetie Belle rushed over to the door and opened it only to be in for a huge shock. Standing outside the door was Diamond Tiara. Sweetie blinked, but when she opened her eyes again... Nope, still there.

"Uh Diamond, forgive me if I ask this but what are you doing here?" Sweetie asked, with a eyebrow raised. She was used to Diamond trying to stay as far away from them as she could, if only to keep from getting infected by their "Blank Flankness". This was another sign things were changing. If any more evidence of this was needed, Sweetie thought back to a sleepover at her sister's house with Silver, Potion and Diamond...

Taken from "Of Dig Sites and Sleepovers"

"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.

"I... I need your help. Blank Flank help! Like, I want to prove that I'm changing, both me and Silver. We've already written letters to our classmates and Ms. Cheerilee, but we just can't get them distributed!" Diamond exclaimed, sounding as if she was about to break down and sob.

"Can't y'all just ask Derpy? She's the local mailmare after all." Apple Bloom said, and knew at once she'd made a mistake by Diamond's expression. Diamond laughed bitterly.

"After how badly me and Silver have bullied her daughter Dinky over the years? Like, Derpy actually got a restraining order against me, and moved Dinky to another school!" Diamond yelled, angry at herself.

"Ah... Ah... Ah'm sorry. Ya know what though, if I were a different mare I would have said you made your bed and now ya got to lie in it." Apple Bloom began and Diamond hung her head in shame before the youngest Apple continued. "But Ah'm not. Ah truly believe ya is trying to change and so Ah'll help ya along."

Diamond's response was to hug her, and Apple Bloom broke out in a red color that would have made her older brother proud. Diamond broke the hug, blushing as well. Scootaloo coughed to break up the awkward silence that filled the Clubhouse.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get to it! Cutie Mark Crusaders Mailmares... YAY!"

Diamond groaned as a headache set in and wondered if this was the brightest idea.

It wasn't long before all over Ponyville that mailboxes everywhere were soon filled with letters from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. And they were soon opened and read. Even Ms Cheerilee read hers, and her eyes widened at what she saw on the page before her.

Dear Ms Cheerilee:

"It's me Diamond Tiara, AKA your worse student. Yeah, I freely admit I deserve that title with all of the complete and utter crap (You're free to put me in detention when I get back for my language if Scipt doesn't punish me first.) I've put you and my fellow students of yours through. And yet, through it all you've been nothing but kind even when you punished me which I freely admit I deserved each and everytime. I was a bullying brat just like my mother wanted me to be and for you and anypony knew I'd never change. But no more, things are going to change with me and I'll be the pony you and everypony else wanted me to be. I'll be the pony I wanted to be for so long, but I never could."

From Diamond Tiara.

Cheerilee then opened Silver's letter and it was pretty much along the exact same lines. Cheerilee let a few tears slip from her eyes as she clutched the letters to her chest and whispered "Thank you..."

Script Residence:

When Diamond got back home she was almost at once pulled into a hug by Written Script who whispered "I'm so proud of you..." and Diamond smiled as she let a few tears drip from her eyes. But not of sadness, of happiness. A few hours later, she found Script near the front door wearing a nice black suit and tie, along with a matching fedora hat.

"Where are you going?" Diamond asked.

Script simply said "Out." before he walked out the door into the nighttime streets of Ponyville...

Ponyville Police Station:

Meanwhile, a certain detective was burning the midnight oil as they said as she went over a letter that the Crime Lab ponies had picked up while searching the arsonist's house. At first glance, it seemed to just gibberish but Bon-Bon knew better. It had to be some sort of code.

"GAH!" Bon-Bon screamed in fury as she tossed another failed translation into a trash can near her desk. "Nothing I try works!"

Suddenly Bon-Bon felt a pair of warm cyan arms pull around her. She smiled, and leaned into her partner's embrace. Bon Bon felt a brief moment of calm, nothing did that to her as well as Lyra.

"You've been working too hard Bonnie. Why don't we go somewhere private and relieve some stress, hmm?" Lyra asked in a flirtatious tone. Bon-Bon managed to sputter out a response.

"W-We can't! I'm on duty, y-you know that right?" Bon-Bon stammered, although her resolve was weakening as Lyra pulled her into a kiss.

"Duty smutey." Lyra said, as she waved a hoof dismissively after Bon-Bon pulled away making her marefriend frown. "You really need to lighten up."

"But the code-"

"I can break the code." Somepony said, and both Lyra and Bon-Bon looked up blushingly only to see Twilight Sparkle, who was blushing as red as they were after seeing their little scene.

"W-What are you doing here?" Lyra stammered in shock.

"Heard about the letter you guys found." Twilight said matter-of-factly. "Luckily for you, I've studied plenty of books on codes." She said proudly before she answered Bon-Bon's encoming question.

"I've already cleared it with your boss."

Bon-Bon sighed. Of course she had.

Ponyville Park:

About thirty minutes later, at 8:00 on the dot Written was wandering through Ponyville Park. He'd seen nopony so far, and was beginning to go back to his suspicions that this was one of Good Eat's pranks. Then he received a big shock that made him stop in his tracks. Standing over a small wooden bridge that crossed over a stream, illuminated by the moonlight was Rarity.

"...Well, isn't this a surprise isn't it Darling?" Rarity asked...

Author's Note

"We've hit double digits baby!" :yay:

Oh boy. So, things have finally come to a head in the Written/Rarity romance arc. Now, it's time to see if the CMC's plans have worked and if the twosome will finally pull their heads out of their flanks and get their heads out into the open. Also, as you can see this is a hugely important chapter for Diamond as well, as it finally finishes off her reformation story arc. Also, Twilight is brought in to solve the ever growing mystery behind who killed Diamond's parents.

On another note, here's a song that I think perfectly fits this story in some way:

If you guys have another option instead for a song that fits this story, please tell me. Anyways, now all that's left to do here storywise is solve the mystery and finish Potion's arc! :pinkiehappy:

Also, one last thing. It seems one of my downvotes changed into a upvote if I'm not mistaken. You don't have to answer, but what made you change your mind on this story? Just curious here.

Edit: Edited Diamond's letter to Ms Cheerilee as I don't want her calling Written Dad just yet, I want to wait till the end of the story.

Part 11: Cutie Mark Crusaders Matchmakers, YAY! (Rariscript or Bust Part 3) (Extended Edition)

Ponyville Park

Crickets chirped their nightly song as Script and Rarity stared each other down, their brains not quite registering what they were seeing in front of each other. Eventually they did, and the reaction was immediate.

"What the Tartarus are YOU doing here?" Script spat, he had been fully expecting it to be one of Good Eat's pranks just as a continuation of their private little war. But the more he thought about it, the less it made sense. After all, Good Eats may have hated his guts but he wasn't THIS cruel. He had standards, Good Eats wasn't cruel enough to play with somepony's heart like this.

"Same as you I suspect. Received a letter from you, and I'll bet you got a letter from me which I know I did not send." Rarity thought before she continued. Somepony's is playing a game with us, but why?" Rarity mused to herself.

"Yeah, I know I didn't send you a letter, and I know for a fact you sure as Tartarus wouldn't send me one calling me your love! So how the Tartartus..." Script trailed off before he realized and a thought came to him like a bolt of lightning. Under his breath, Script grumbled "Those intelligent little bastards..." with a hint of pride in his tone largely directed towards his son.

Rarity too had reached the same conclusion. She was in disbelief that her sister could have set this up along with her friends. But evidently, Sweetie and the CMC had, with the purpose of getting them back together.

"Huh, looks like she's as a much of a little matchmaker as I am. I don't know if I should be proud or furious." Rarity mumbled and Script heard her, only to smirk to himself.

"I thought "ladies" were never pissed off." Script deadpanned. Rarity gave him a dirty look.

"We can be furious when the time comes. We however, refrain from such gastly language more often then not." Rarity chastised.

"Well, I'm about as far from a "lady" as you can get." Script retorted with a somewhat proud smirk, which was quickly wiped off his face by his ex-wife's next remark.

"Believe me, I noticed." Rarity deadpanned right back at him rendering Script speechless for the next few moments. It seemed Script's personality had rubbed off on her more then he'd thought.

"Actually, I noticed over and over again." Rarity continued, this time in a quite soft and seductive tone making Script flush quite red.

"Well, I suppose it's on me and me alone that I never am getting any of THAT ever again now am I?" Script muttered bitterly to himself. Rarity gave him a questioning look, quite confused by his statement.

"W-What do you mean?" Rarity asked, quite stunned towards her ex's bitterness to himself.

"YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL WHAT I MEAN!" Script suddenly snapped his emotions boiling over at last before he looked incredibly guilty towards his own actions just now.

"I was bleeding horrible to you, and I always will be so it's no small surprise that you sent me some divorce papers!" Script roared while he blasted a tree into splinters to relieve some frustration.

"Well, it's not your fault, not entirely anyways so don't go blaming me!" Rarity yelled back at him, and then she ended up getting in Script's face.

"Oh Tartarus, I don't even know what is wrong with me... Blast it, I don't even know who to be angry at, me or you!" Script roared before be broke down into loud and hard sobbing. Script ended up using his forelegs and hooves to cover his face so he could try and hide the tears that were rapidly coming now. Rarity looked at the pitiful sight in front of her before she brought her ex-husband into a hug and let him sob into her fur. Finally he stopped and Rarity used her hoof to tilt his head up to face her.

"It wasn't your fault, not entirely. It was mine as well. Our conflicting jobs, you with your teaching position at the High School and me concerned about making ponies wear the latest fashions... We just couldn't find time to be together." Rarity said kindly.

"O-Oh, is that all?" Script asked, still with tears dripping down his face. Rarity nodded and brought him into another warm hug. They looked at each other and soon their faces drew ever closer until their muzzles met in a warm kiss. Once they pulled away, Script whispered "Y-You have no idea how much I missed that..."

Rarity smiled seductively at him.

"Want to get another... Darling?"

In the bushes the CMC watched as Rarity and Script finally kissed for the first time in who knew how long. They highfived and whispered "Cutie Mark Crusaders Matchmakers, YAY!"

They then checked their flanks and groaned in unison. They were still blank flanks. Of course, what they saw and heard next made them break out in huge blushes and made them roll their eyes up into their heads and faint in unison with loud thuds.

Script Residence, Potion's Lab/Basement

Meanwhile, while Script and Rarity were... Ahem, reaffirming their relationship so to speak Potion was hard at work on something. Earlier that day he'd become aware that the yearly science fair had come around and he was determined to win it. Of course, at on point Diamond came down and saw what he was doing. On Potion's desk was what looked to be a volcano of some sort. Diamond couldn't tell what it was made out of but the fact Potion himself wore a special facemask was somewhat telling.

"Really brother dear, a baking soda volcano? Bit old fashioned, don't you think?" Diamond deadpanned. She too had picked up some of Script signature traits.

Potion quickly shooed her out of the room and shut the door which had multiple danger and caution signs on it. He removed the mask from his face.

"I-If I was you, I'd stay far away from this. P-Probably best you stay away from it in case you accidently ruin it. Also, best not to b-breathe near it either. ...I-I'm not e-entirely sure how safe this is." Potion admitted with a blush. Diamond got the message, swallowed nervously and trotted off to let her brother continue his work.

The next morning, Potion groaned as he woke up and headed towards the bathroom to brush his teeth. After he'd done so, he went down to the kitchen and found Rarity had pushed his father up against the table and was kissing him quite passionately with her forelegs around his neck. Potion blushed redder then he ever had before and turned back towards his lab, muttering under his breath.

"I-I think I'm going to be g-going to be getting some brain bleach t-to wash the image of you and dad m-making out from my mind..." Potion murmured as he whispered "Never going to be clean again... Not ever!"

Rarity and Script stopped kissing and shared a look.

"Soooo.... I guess he knows now then huh?" Script deadpanned.

"You don't say." Rarity retorted before pulling her coltfriend into another heated kiss...

Later that day, Diamond, Potion (Who was still trying to look anywhere but at his father like had had all day) and Script as they returned from school came across their home. Script's jaw dropped as he saw what had happened. What exactly had happened was his entire home had been covered in rolls of toilet paper from top to bottom. Diamond was struggling to hold in her laughter, and even Potion had to admit it was kinda funny. Script did not share their feelings.

"Whoever did this is going to get it, and get it good." Script growled as he ground his teeth. Diamond and Potion backed away from him slightly.

"W-We've been pranked!" Diamond shouted in disbelief.

"T-Think this is one of Good Eat's pranks? I know he hates you with a passion." Potion pointed out but his father shook his head.

"No, I know EXACTLY who did this. Those freaking punks..." Script growled rage evident in his eyes. "They've gone too far this time, I swear! They're so going to get it."

Potion and Diamond shared a confused look as Script marched off in a state of complete and utter fury muttering under his breath on how someponies were going to pay for this and how thank Celestia he knew a lawyer. Diamond looked at her brother in a questioning manner, quite nervous.

"This isn't going to end well, is it?" Diamond asked and Potion shook his head no. He knew when his father's temper rose, he often ignored his brains which to be honest happened quite a lot if his war between him and Good Eats was evidence.

"Not in the slightest..." Potion replied nervously. "Not at all."

Potion then let out a long sigh of "Oh boy..."

END

Author's Note

Yeah, just like Part 8 of this story this is another one of those chapters I took a while a to find a good title for. Still not entirely sure the one I chose works. Anyways, this chapter features the conclusion of the Rariscript romance arc. (Poor Potion at the end, huh?)...Actually, come to think of it poor Script with his emotional breakdown. Ah well, you knew it would happen as soon as he and Rarity got everything out in the open.

Anyways, next time around Babs Seed comes to town and Diamond and Silver must prove that they are better then Bab's bullies back in Manehatten. Meanwhile, Potion continues his embarking on his science project for the High School's science fair... That hopefully won't cause too much damage... Right? In other unrelated things, Script forms a plan to get his revenge against the ponies who TPed his house.

Edit: Added much more to this chapter to bring it up to a more acceptable length.

Part 12: Babs Seed and the Science Fair

Last time:

"I was bleeding horrible to you, and I always will be so it's no small surprise that you sent me some divorce papers!" Script roared while he blasted a tree into splinters to relieve some frustration.

"Well, it's not your fault, not entirely anyways so don't go blaming me!" Rarity yelled back at him, and then she ended up getting in Script's face.

Rarity smiled seductively at him.

"Want to get another... Darling?"

Script Residence, Potion's Lab/Basement

"Really brother dear, a baking soda volcano? Bit old fashioned, don't you think?" Diamond deadpanned. She too had picked up some of Script signature traits.

Potion quickly shooed her out of the room and shut the door which had multiple danger and caution signs on it. He removed the mask from his face.

(End Lonesome Loser here)

Script Residence, early that next morning:

Diamond awoke with a smile, as the sun shown through her window. Today was going to be a great day, she could just sense it. The morning went by like a blur as she washed up, ate breakfast and soon was at school listening to Ms Cheerilee's latest lesson. But as she listened, she saw Apple Bloom and the rest of the CMC grinning in a very happy way.

"What's got you smiling today? I don't see your Cutie Marks on you, so it can't be that..." Diamond trailed off, as all the possibilities ran through her brain.

"Well, in my case it's just because my sister and your dad finally got together! Our plan worked!" Sweetie squeaked, and Diamond smiled. She had heard about that and was pleased D-No, Script, (She still wasn't ready to call him that yet) finally got some happiness in his life. But that still didn't explain Scootaloo's and Apple Bloom's grins.

"But what about you two?" Diamond asked of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom was only too happy to answer.

"Mah cuz Babs is coming all the way from Manehatten to visit! Ah've never met her before, so Ah have no idea what she's like but Ah'm sure she'll be..." Apple Bloom began before Scootaloo finished for her. "...100% percent awesome!"

Diamond smiled at Apple Bloom before saying "If she's related to you, I'm sure she'll be everything you're hoping for."

Apple Bloom blushed as red as her hair before smiling at Diamond. Then there was a coughing sound, and all four fillies looked to see Ms. Cheerilee looking at them with a exasperated expression.

"...This is going to become a reoccurring thing with you, isn't it?" Cheerilee sighed.

Ponyville High School: Gym

Potion groaned as he lifted his finished volcano onto it's booth where it would be shown off to the Science Fair's judges. All around him, the room that was normally the High School's gym was filled with similar booths each having a different project on them. Potion swallowed nervously, each project looked excellent in their own rights, and they'd be hard to beat.

"W-Well, there's only one thing to do and that's g-go for it. P-probably doomed from the start but at least I can say I tried m-my best right? I-I'll know the results tomorrow." Potion swallowed nervously before he felt a tap on the shoulder and when he turned to face the pony that made it, Potion found himself shoved up against a project's booth by none other then Golden Coin.

"I thought I told you to stay away from this fair!" Golden growled and Potion whimpered in response.

"W-Well you know me, s-science is m-my t-thing." Potion whimpered, only to get thrown to the floor by Golden.

"You talking back to me? You MOCKING me? Hate to break it to you, ya little crybaby-Yeah that's right, I heard about your little episode-but science is my thing!" Golden growled as he got very close to Potion's face. What Potion wanted to so was sarcastically comment on how Golden didn't have the brains for science, but found he didn't have the courage to do so.

"Just one thing." Golden snarled. "If you beat me, you're getting those wings of yours ripped right off of ya understand?" Golden threatened and Potion nodded and whimpered in response.

"Good, just nice to know we understand one another." Golden Coin smirked before he punched Potion in the nose making it burst open in a waterfall of blood before smirking and trotting off...

Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse: Sweet Apple Acres

Later that day, after school had let out the CMC, Silver and Diamond gathered at the Clubhouse to discuss Babs's upcoming arrival. Both Diamond and Silver had concerns, and it was Diamond who voiced them to the CMC.

"W-What if Babs finds out? What if she finds out what I used to be like? She'll be afraid of me, and not want to be around me when all I want to do is make friends with your cousin!" Diamond sobbed while Silver sniffled as she shared the exact same fears as Diamond. Sweetie Belle put a hoof on Diamond's shoulder and gave her a tissue which Diamond gladly took and dabbed at her eyes.

"Don't worry, you can prove you're better then what you once were. Hay, in my book you already have." Sweetie said, none of her old prejudice towards Diamond and Silver there anymore.

"T-Thanks." Diamond sniffed. "C-Coming from you, that means a whole lot."

It was then Applejack peeked her head in.

"Alright y'all, train's just a mile out. Time to greet the family." Applejack said happily and the CMC all cheered. Diamond and Silver however shared none of their joy...

Ponyville Train Station:

Diamond and Silver both watched with trepidation as the olde style steam train known as the Friendship Express pulled into the station. This was it, time to see what Babs was like and if they could make friends. They watched nervously as Babs, who was orange with a reddish mane stepped off the train and hugged Apple Bloom.

"Cuz! It's so nice to finally meet ya!" Apple Bloom exclaimed and Babs nodded. Nearby, stood Potion. He too was interested in meeting his new-found friend's cousin.

"Likewise. Jeepers, I've always wanted to me youse, and now I finally am huh?" Babs said, her thick Bronx accent ringing out over the platform. It was then Babs finally noticed Diamond and Silver and walked over to them.

"So, who are youse gals huh? Friends of my cuz, I assume?" Babs inquired with a curious eyebrow raised. Silver and Diamond shared a nervous look.

"Well..." Silver began nervously.

"Okay, not friends then. Acquaintances I guess." Babs theorized but Diamond shook her head in a no manner, she had to face her fears one way or the other.

"No, we're friends of Apple Bloom and her little group, but we... We used not to be." Diamond admitted as she shuffled her hooves nervously, trying to hold off the truth for as long as possible.

"What do you mean? You only just met her and became instant friends, is that it? Actually, whose are youse gals? I never did pick up your names." Babs asked, with a eyebrow raised once more.

"Well, it's...." Here Diamond took a big gulp before finally spilling the beans. "It's Diamond Ti-

She never got to finish before Babs flew into a rage and tackled Diamond to the floor anger in her eyes and a hoof drawn back ready for a punch. You see, Apple Bloom and Babs had been sending letters back and forth every month and so Babs knew perfectly well of Diamond and Silver and what they did. Apple Bloom just never got the chance to tell Babs they'd reformed yet.

"YOU! Youse little punks are just scum, youse hear me, tormenting my cuz like that!" Babs snapped and Silver sobbed as she pleaded "N-No, it's not like that anymore, we've changed!"

Applejack quickly rushed over and pulled Babs off the two.

"Now calm down, let them state their case." Applejack said, playing Tirek's advocate. Babs almost at once broke out into sobs.

"W-Why should I? They're no worse then the bullies back in Manehatten, you know that right!?!" Babs cried as she broke down only to be pulled into a hug by Diamond of all ponies.

"No, we're not. We realize what we've done is horrible, and we deserve any bit of scorn anypony gives us. That's just our lot in life I suppose." Diamond admitted sadly, and Babs looked up at her, tears still glistening in her eyes.

"Well, if you're so smart, then how do I deal with my bullies? Huh!?!" Babs demanded, and to her shock Diamond had a answer, which drew from her own experience with the Crusaders. Unknown to her, Potion was listening in, and he got this advice as well.

"Just stand up to them. Just do that, and they'll back off. That's what happened to me and Silver with Apple Bloom and her friends from time to time, and it'll work with you. Trust me." Diamond said, and Babs looked at her before she whispered "...A-alright."

Diamond extended a hoof.

"Want to try again?" She asked, and Babs took her hoof and said "Yeah. Let's do this."

The next day, Outside Ponyville High School:

Potion hung his head as he trudged down the steps that led to the streets outside the High School, he'd lost the Science Fair and it was all his fault. What happened exactly?

A few hours before...

"So, next up we have Potion Bubbles and his baking soda volcano!" A judge announced and Potion with nervousness pressed a button. With a loud rumble the volcano erupted, and the way it happened nopony, not even Potion himself expected the result.

KA-BLAM!

Soon, there was a smoking hole in the gym's roof. Potion laughed nervously.

"Um... Oops?" He said.

Potion was just about to give a long sad sigh when he heard mocking laughter. Guess who it was coming from.

"See, told ya you wouldn't win! You couldn't even make your project work right!" Golden Coin mocked before he shrugged. "Oh well, guess I won't have to hurt you though."

Golden laughed once more.

"I'd say you're done at this school once I'm through ruining your rep even more then this little failure of yours has already!"

Then, Potion felt a boiling rage build up in him, he'd finally had enough of Golden and his torment. Diamond Tiara's words, words from his sister in all but blood came back to him.

"Just stand up to them. Just do that, and they'll back off. That's what happened to me and Silver with Apple Bloom and her friends from time to time, and it'll work with you. Trust me."

Then, Potion lashed out and with one single punch knocked Golden to the grass and making his nose bleed from the blow. Potion stood over him, glaring as other ponies cheered, with the local school bully finally being shown he wasn't invincible.

"No, you're done. I'm not afraid of you anymore, you're just a coward who picks on those weaker then you. I'd say the only one who's reputation is through is you Golden Coin." Potion snarled, no fear in him at all. Potion then walked off and actually smiled as his classmates patted him on the back and congratulated him on a job well done...

Author's Note

First off, I want to take a moment of silence for those killed in the Orlando shooting, my heart goes out to their families. :fluttercry:

Next, if anyone wants to question why there is a last time segment with music, I wanted to have a bit of fun and do a Supernatural type recap of last chapter as it was the climax of the first half of the story. If you don't like it, I can remove it in a edit, but anyways I figured the lyrics could refer to Script, Potion and Diamond in some ways. Anyways, as you can see Diamond's proven to Babs she and Silver are no longer like the bullies that tormented Babs back home, and Potion may not have won the science fair but he finally stood up to his tormenter. :yay: Aren't we all proud of him? :scootangel: Next time, because of how much drama was in this chapter and what's coming shortly a more lighthearted one will be in order where Good Eats and Script team up to teach a gang of teenage colts a lesson. ...Yeah, that'll go well.

Part 13: The Private Little War of Written Script

In a unknown location later that night...

"So, we're all in agreement then?" Script's voice asked from his side of a table in a darkened room. Overhead, a single swinging light illuminated the two other ponies that were with him.

"Yeah, that little gang of teenage colts have gone around pranking ponies and I think it's high time somepony gives 'em a taste of their own medicine." Good Eats growled.

Earlier that week, the whole front of his diner had been spraypainted in some rather rude words where everypony could see them. It took hours to clean them off. Needless to say, Eat's first thought was it being Script's work but then he realized his rival never did anything that affected his business, he only did things that humiliated Eats personally.

In Script's mind, he was being told off by a voice that sounded strangely like his new-yet-not new marefriend. "Despite them being brutes and pranking you by TPing your home, no need to go and prank them back. Let kids be kids, they don't know any better. They're just teenage colts after all."

Another voice that sounded like Raindrops put her mental two cents in. "C'mon, have a sense of humor. You gotta admit it was pretty funny, lighten up cuz."

Script ignored them both, this called for a official declaration of war on his part.

Good Eats waved a hoof in front of Script's face and when that didn't work he tapped him on the head, snapping Script out of his thoughts as Good Eats mocked. "Hello, you in there Mr. Stuffy Old History Teacher, you?"

Script gave him his finest dirty look, but Good Eats just rolled his eyes. Rainbow watched the two like a tennis match, both Script and Eats probably could be friends if they tried, but they were just far too stubborn and foul tempered.

"Well, I gotta admit they got guts pranking you two, considering you two are both... well, yourselves." Rainbow, the third member of the group commented. She'd been dragged into this by the promise of pranking ponies. Both Good Eats and Written Script glared at her before Rainbow suddenly smirked in a flirty manner at Script.

"By the way, heard you and Rarity are back together and had a very "Nice" night." Rainbow commented with a laugh as Good Eats stared at Script in shock as this was news to him before Rainbow glared at Script, her gaze pouring into his soul before she continued. "I just want to say, if you do anything that hurts her... I will make you regret it by ripping off that horn of yours and stuffing where the sun sure as Tartarus don't shine."

Script swallowed long and hard before he held up the instrument of the humiliation/Karma he intended to use against the colt gang, a can of silly string. He felt this was a new personal low for him.

"Are we ready to do thi-OWW!" Script suddenly yelped as he was hit by a paintball from behind by none other then Good Eats who held a paintball gun. Rainbow held one also.

"What was that for? Ya hit me in the bloody arse, you jerk!" Script snapped. Good Eats grinned without a ounce of shame.

"Just wanted to make sure these things work, that's all." Good Eats grinned and Script gave him a Class-A type death glare. Rainbow meanwhile facehoofed, this was so not going to go well at all was it?

The streets of Ponyville...

About a half hour later, the threesome were outside in the streets of Ponyville dressed head to hoof in ninja style gear. Rainbow personally loved it, as it made her feel like Solid Snake from Metal Gear Pony.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring Pinkie along on this. She loves paintball and's a good shot." Good Eats commented to Rainbow, who shook her head and laughed.

"Could you honestly see Pinkie being stealthy?" Rainbow replied dryly.

"...I see your point." Good Eats admitted. "We need to be silent but deadly."

Script sighed and rubbed his temples as Rainbow snickered. Those two were so immature.

"When you two are done making fart jokes..." Script deadpanned. "We actually have some pranking some teenage colts to do."

Eventually the group found themselves in front of a manor in Ponyville's higher end district, near where the Rich Manor used to stand before it had burnt down. At that memory coming up of when his daughter in all but blood was orphaned, Script growled. He still wanted whoever did that found so he could show them his personal knowledge of historical battle weapons.

Script held his ear close to the fence. Behind it, he could hear some laughter and so he moved over to a hedge and peeked his head in and smirked. There were three ponies, two brown ones which must have been twins and Golden Coin, which Script snarled at the sight off. This was now a chance for payback for things then just being pranked.

"Yep, they are definitely in there. Drinking and partying, does make one wonder where their parents are." Script said lightly.

"Heard they were out of town, guess they thought their kids are responsible enough to handle themselves." Rainbow replied dryly.

"What, are they delusional or just blind to their kids' actions?" Script asked to nopony in particular before Good Eats began to open his mouth. Before he could get a word out however, Script interrupted him.

"Wait, don't answer that. I don't care actually." Script said. "I say we just charge in there."

Rainbow shook her head.

"Woah, hold up there you cowcolt. We should discuss tactics on stealth." Rainbow replied before she looked upwards to the sky and muttered "Dear Luna above, imagine... Me having to be the sane and rational one. What is the world coming to?"

But Script's rage at seeing Golden Coin got the better of him and he kicked in the gate silly string in hand alerting the three colts to his presence and they pulled out paintball guns as well. Rainbow sighed and facehoofed while Good Eats muttered "Who is the fool, the fool or the one who follows him...?" before they both charged in...

A few moments later, all three were running down the streets with Golden Coin's gang in hot pursuit. They passed by Script's home, where Potion and Diamond looked out one of the front windows and facehoofed to themselves in unison before they went back to watching TV. Meanwhile...

"Run man, run!" Good Eats yelled in fear as he was hit by a paintball.

"I am running! In this bleeding position you couldn't expect me not to run now could I?" Script snapped, echoing his words to Twilight from the burning Rich Manor.

"So what do we do now since you botched it up?" Rainbow asked sarcastically to him. Script sighed before he had a lightbulb moment.

"I got a idea!" He yelled out and Rainbow stared at him like Script had sprouted a second head.

"What, another one? Your first one got us here in the first place you idiot!" She snapped.

"Just follow me!" Script yelled.

For the next few minutes they ran, down a dirt path lined with trees all around them and a wooden fence on one side. There were no lights to be seen, or at least none nearby. All three ponies heard the angry shouts and threats of the trio of teenage colts and the firing of paintball guns, which made pellets whizz by their heads just barely missing them.

"Where the hay are we going?" Good Eats yelled.

"You'll see." Script said with a smile like he knew something anypony else didn't. Good Eats wasn't exactly reassured, and neither was Rainbow Dash. But Rainbow's eyes widened when she saw the barn up ahead, it's red paint visible even in the dark. She finally realized where they were, and smirked. The owner of this particular place didn't like intruders, and this particular gang of colts even less after a unfortunate incident where some food was stolen.

Soon, Rainbow, Script and Eats were hiding behind some barrels of hay.

"Now you've done it, they'll find us here!" Good Eats hissed as they heard three sets of hoofsteps.

"We have you now" Golden Coin sneered while the twins chuckled in unison stupidly. "If I can't humiliate your son Script, I can make do with you... Prof."

Then there came another voice, a deep one everypony in Ponyville knew but rarely heard.

"Oh, Ah don't think so. What are you three doing on this here farm?" Big Macintosh growled as he loomed over the trio of colts, who looked ready to run but they were frozen in fear from Big Mac's glare.

"G-Going a-after a group of p-ponies who tried to prank us!" Golden Coin stammered, but Big Mac didn't believe a word out of his mouth.

"A likely story. Now get off this farm, Ah don't want any trouble and it's late. Ah have to get up early in the morning to plow and so Ah want some sleep tonight. Y'all are disturbing it. Now get!" Big Mac yelled, and the three colts gladly obeyed and scrambled off. Written Script turned to Good Eats and Rainbow and smirked before saying one simple phrase.

"Never mess with Big Mac." Script said. Nopony bothered to disagree.

Author's Note

Okay, I was and still am nervous releasing this chapter this week considering how still fresh in our minds the Orlando incident is, and I just want to say guns are not toys, not even paintball firing ones. They must be used responsibly. But to be fair in my case, this chapter was written long before the incident ever happened down on a notepad and I do not intend to offend anyone with this chapter. But still, if you think this chapter needs to be edited to be less in poor taste or just taken down and resubmitted at another time please tell me in the comments below. Next time, back to the usual angst and drama, as Potion struggles with his newfound popularity. Also, a notice as I will probably not be back till Monday of next week, you will have to wait a bit longer then normal for the next chapter. :twilightblush:

Also, this chapter was heavily inspired by a Pokémon fic I read on Fanfiction once, but I've long since forgotten the name of the fic itself or who wrote it. :twilightsheepish:

Part 14: The Problems with Popularity...

Script Residence, early Monday morning...

"Got your things, son?" Script asked. Nearby, Diamond was putting on her backpack and tiara.

"Yep, and ready to learn!" Potion replied, now that he'd stood up to Golden Coin he felt a lot more confidence in himself. Script smiled before he took out a letter he'd received from Rarity personally yesterday and looked inside it for the first time. He glanced at the picture it contained and quickly closed it up with a blush.

"Well, time to get a-moving." Potion said cheerfully but raised a eyebrow at his father's expression and wondered why his father was blushing before a thought hit Potion and he shuddered. Yeah, Brain Bleach should be kept around the house now.

Script frowned as Potion made his way out the front door of their home, he knew what happened last Friday after school let out between his son and Golden Coin. Script guessed Potion may not be able to deal with his newfound popularity, at least without a bit of help. But who to give it? Then, a idea struck Script like a thunderbolt. Of course, HIM, who else could it be?

A half hour later...

Potion was closing up his locker to get his things for his first class, and then he saw a whole group of students coming his way. Potion couldn't help himself as he swallowed nervously. He felt all of his new-found confidence leave him.

"And here we go..." Potion sighed trying to hide his fear as he began to get swarmed by his classmates and began getting patted on the back just like he had been a few days ago. It was exactly like it was after Potion punched out Golden Coin, but worse as there were more ponies in the crowd this time around as the news had evidently made it's way round town quite fast. Potion flashed back to last week...

Friday, last week...

"I'd say you're done at this school once I'm through ruining your rep even more then this little failure of yours has already!"

Then, Potion felt a boiling rage build up in him, he'd finally had enough of Golden and his torment. Diamond Tiara's words, words from his sister in all but blood came back to him.

"Just stand up to them. Just do that, and they'll back off. That's what happened to me and Silver with Apple Bloom and her friends from time to time, and it'll work with you. Trust me."

Potion definitely wasn't smiling now. In the midst of all this, trying actually not be part of the daily swarm was a dark brown furred colt with matching mane around Potion's age, with a leather jacket on and a red bass guitar slung on his back. Meanwhile Potion was frightened enough to be scared stiff, yet nopony seemed to notice nor care.

"Like I said before, great job taking down Golden Coin! What a jerk right?" A mare commented to Potion offhoofidly before she added in "Will you be my marefriend?"

Potion didn't know how to reply to that comment. He didn't have a answer for the next few others either.

"Guy threatened to rip off your wings and he then punched you in the nose so you deserved to punch him back!" A colt slightly younger then Potion himself shouted.

"You're our hero dude!" Another colt with a slicked back mane exclaimed.

"Uh, guys... Listen I-" Potion tried to say over the din but went unheard as usual. Finally, somepony tried to give Potion a helping hoof in escaping from his predicament.

"Hey, leave the poor guy alone! You're scaring him!" The brown furred colt shouted, as he tried shove everypony away while Potion took the time to leave.

"Well, at least things can't get any worse now can they?" Potion muttered to himself as he managed to escape the hoard.

Of course, then he learned the meaning of tempting fate as Potion then saw his father coming up the hallway with a cheerful smile on face, which simply looked just wrong on him. To add to the weirdness, he was humming "Walking on Sunshine" by Sapphire Shores and the Ocean to himself before Script ruffled Potion's mane and continued walking the down the hallway. Potion gaped, unable to form words for the next few moments and looked as if he were about to die of embarrassment.

When he finally spoke, Potion stammered out "I-I'm officially disturbed now by my father's behavior..." before his eyes rolled up into his head and he fainted dead away right then and there in the middle of the hallway, legs and wings pointed skyward.

Nurse's Office:

When Potion awoke, he found himself on a bed in the school's nurse's office, with that same brown furred colt looking at him in concern.

"Sorry, found you unconscious and brought you here as I thought it was the best thing." The colt told Potion, who gave him a small smile before turning to the nurse, one elder mare known as Kindly Heart and Potion was looking rather nervous all the while. Potion hated nurse's offices almost as much as hospitals. They were just far too clinical for his liking... Or maybe it was the big needles.

"C-Can I go?" Potion stammered out and Kindly Heart nodded.

"Yeah, you can go. You should be fine, though I would recommend thanking Choco-"

But Potion was already gone, he'd seen his chance and taken it. Kindly Heart huffed and muttered "Kids these days, always in a hurry."

Potion couldn't wait for the day to be over so he could head home, and it seemed at times like he couldn't get through the day fast enough. But at last, he was in his last class of the day, his dad's History course. Currently, his father was in the middle of a lecture on the infamous Gunpowder Plot of Canterlot a few centuries ago. Right now, as a calming tool Potion was repeating the famous nursery rhyme about the Plot and it's most infamous member.

"Remember, remember the Fifth of November... The Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I know of no reason, Why the Gunpowder Treason, should ever be forgot." Potion repeated as his father continued. The lesson ended eventually much to Potion's relief and he was taken aside by Script.

"What is it dad?" Potion asked nervously. The look his father was giving him was serious.

"Somepony wants to see you." Script replied, and Potion swallowed hard.

Music Classroom

Potion was taken to another class room by his father, and a sense of doom began to come over Potion and he began to break out in sweats. What did he do to deserve being personally called to a classroom by another teacher?

"He's in there, son." Script said before leaving. He didn't want to disturb this particular conversation. Potion watched as the door was shut and gulped and began to panic even more as he murmured "I'm dead, aren't I? D-Dear Luna, help me now..."

Then he saw who was in the room with him, and finally learned who had requested him. Potion supposed he should have figured it out as soon as he entered this particular classroom. He knew who he was looking at, what with the copper mane, pure white fur and music notes as a Cutie Mark. This was Mr. Coppermane, the school's music teacher.

"M-Mr. Coppermane? What... W-Why'd you want t-to see me?" Potion stuttered, nervous and wondering if he'd done something to anger the unicorn. Potion however, needn't have been so worried as he was about to find out.

"Just wanted to talk, about you actually. I see you've been elevated to the popular level of kids." Coppermane said before he gave Potion a inquiring look. "How are you taking that by the way?"

Potion gaped at the personal question, although he answered it anyway once he'd mustered up the courage which didn't take long. Mr. Coppermane was one of the school's most popular teachers, and for good reason as he was so incredibly kindhearted. Potion heard rumors Copper used to be like him, shy and scared although he wasn't sure if he believed them or not.

"I-I don't know how to take it!" Potion suddenly shouted laying his secrets bare. "E-Everypony now w-wants to be my friend and I don't know what to do!" Potion sobbed before he was brought into a hug by the older stallion.

On Copper's desk was a picture of him and the shy pegasus mare known as Fluttershy, both of them smiling as Fluttershy leaned her head on Copper's shoulder. Potion guessed she either had to be Copper's marefriend or his wife given how close they looked in the photo. Also around the room were various musical instruments like a trombone and a violin , and sheet music was in frames on the walls in some places.

"Take it from me, just treasure the friends you already got as the ones who'll stick by your side through thick and thin, those are the keepers." Coppermane told Potion, smiling as he did so. "You do have friends like that, right?"

Potion managed to stutter out a answer eventually.

"Y-yes, the CMC and S-Silver Spoon but I don't have any others b-besides them and-"

Another voice joined in the conversation, one Potion had heard twice before today.

"I'd suggest you listen to Mr. Copper, as he's kinda got a point don't ya think?" The voice asked dryly, and Potion turned to face it's owner. A gasp escaped him. Leaning up against the doorway was the dark brown furred colt Potion had been seeing all day, looking almost exactly the same as he had been the last two times Potion saw him. The only thing missing was his bass guitar.

"M-Maybe." Potion admitted. "W-Who are you anyways? I've been seeing you all day but..."

The colt laughed.

"Sorry, might have been my fault... Probably. I do guess should have spoke up sooner. Name's Chocolate Hearts, and yes... I know that sounds like a mare's name. Oh believe me, if you've heard the jokes..." The now named Chocolate muttered to himself bitterly under his breath. Potion said nothing, still quite confused. Chocolate must have mistaken it for him simply being polite as he then added this.

"And yes, you're free to laugh at my name. Believe me, everypony does." Chocolate grumbled. Potion winced, he could tell Chocolate wasn't faking him being sore over his own name.

"So why were you helping me?" Potion asked, loosing his stutter as he found himself trusting Chocolate, even if he didn't know why yet.

"Well, you and I are both mocked for various reasons." Chocolate admitted. "Me, my name and you for being... well, you. ...Sorry if that sounds harsh." Chocolate blushed.

"No, I know I'm not exactly what you'd call Iron Will level confident." Potion admitted in a sarcastic tone directed towards himself. Copper smiled as the two bonded, he could see these two turning out to be real friends if given the right push. Problem was, who'd make it? Himself, or the two teenage colts themselves?

Chocolate chuckled.

"Hey, believe it or not I used to be as bad as you or Mr. Coppermane... Sorry teach. Anyways, I started looking cool like you see me right now as I felt if I looked cool and confident, I'd eventually be that." Chocolate told Potion, who looked interested at this point.

"So, did it work?" Potion asked.

"Yeah, even got the confidence to join the school's music group, led by Mr. Coppermane here. I play bass... Although I guess you already figured that out." Chocolate chucked, blushing at his own hoof in mouth moment before adding "Bass. It's funky. I'm trying to get myself that as a epic motto."

Potion then finally got the courage to ask a question that was nagging at the back of his mind ever since he'd learned Chocolate's name and started talking with him.

"H-Hey, you want to be friends?" Potion asked nervously, with a hoof held out. Chocolate took it and said one simple thing in response.

"Totes."

Author's Note

(Okay, so as I still haven't left yet for my vacation and you won't be able to see me on the site for a while I thought I'd give this as a early release to you guys as a apology.) :twilightsmile:

Anyways, poor Potion throughout this chapter huh? He's quickly found himself as one of the popular and cool kids, something he's never been before and he doesn't know how to deal with his problem and it's only after a bit of advice from a certain music teacher that he does finally figure it out. Also, he gains what is quite possibly a best friend in the bargain in the form of Chocolate Hearts. ...Okay, if there is a OC out there similar to him in personality and name and all that please let me know and I'll edit Chocolate a bit so I won't end up accidently stealing someone's charicter. And on the subject of other people's OCs...

Firstly, a huge thank you to Nordryd for letting me use his OC Coppermane in this chapter. Nor's a great and really friendly guy, give him a shout from me please!

Plus, here's the video to "Walking on Sunshine" as well, so you can see why Potion was so shocked at wht his father singing if you couldn't tell by the name alone:

(Credit to Katrina and the Waves for the song)

Next time around, as Diamond's birthday party arrives, the first one without her real mom or dad Twilight decodes the message she got from Bon-Bon and the true culprit behind everything and the killer of Diamond's parents is revealed in dramatic fashion in the final story arc... Stay tuned! You won't want to miss this!

Part 15: Party Prep (One Really Crappy Birthday Part 1)

Script Residence

Diamond yawned and stretched her forelegs as the sun beamed in through her windows. It's pleasant glow was the exact opposite of how Diamond felt at the moment. Today was her birthday, and you'd think she'd happy about that. But she wasn't. Far from it actually. Remember, all her birthdays before were with her parents. Diamond sniffed and held back a sob at the memories even as one came flooding back to her.

Several years before...

"Diamond dear, you going to open your presents?" Spoiled Rich asked as a markless Diamond sat outside on the backyard lawn with a big pile of presents in front of her. Nearby, a similarly markless Silver Spoon was eating a slice of cake given to her by Caesar who was dressed in his usual top hat and suit.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see what you got!" Silver exclaimed. "I'm sure it's going to be awesome!"

With great gusto, Diamond ripped open the biggest box first, which was covered in pink wrapping paper. Her eyes widened and she beamed up at her mother when she saw what was inside, a large replica of Canterlot Castle. It.. It was just what she always wanted!

"I don't believe it, Princess Celestia's Pretty Pink Castle Playset!" Diamond shouted and joy and hugged her mother whispering "Thank you,, thank you." over and over into Spoiler's furred chest. Filthy smiled at his daughter's excitement for her new toy.

"I'm glad you like it." Filthy said kindly. Eventually all the presents were gotten through and opened, and everypony was stuffed with cake and Diamond's friends had left to go home for the day and so Diamond pretty thought the party was over. But to her shock and surprise, Filthy came over to her with a black box, simple and unadorned.

"W-What is it?" Diamond asked in confusion.

"I've got one last thing for you, and before I show it to you, you must promise to wear it with pride befitting the heir of the Rich family." Filthy stated seriously. Now Diamond was really interested, but she nodded all the same.

"Yes. Yes, I will daddy." Diamond said, and the box was opened by Filthy with his right hoof with a smile. Inside, was a gleaming silver tiara studded with diamonds.

"It's... It's beautiful." Diamond whispered in awe, and Filthy smiled again.

"Yes, it is isn't it? I thought it would suit you." Filthy began. "But this is a special tiara, I didn't have it made by Silver's father nor did I buy it. It's been in our family for years, worn by all of our female heirs. And now I want you to have it, as I believe you'll lead our family to even greater heights one day in the future."

Diamond whispered "Thank you daddy. I won't let you down..." as she put the tiara on her head and just as she did that, her flank glowed and a exact copy of that tiara appeared apon it...

Diamond now realized she was sobbing heavily into her sheets not caring if her adopted father or brother saw her as that tiara she'd worn for years lay on her bedside table. It was the last thing she had left of her family, and so far she had failed completely to keep her promise to her father. She'd been mean and a bully, and lording her status above others and making sure they knew she was better off then them. She'd almost turned into a exact copy of her mother, if not for the intervention of one pony. Diamond chuckled bitterly, she had Golden Coin of all ponies to thank for her new outlook on life, if he hadn't come along who knows how she might have turned out?

Later, Diamond ate her pancakes sadly at the dining room table even as Script watched in concern. He knew exactly what was bothering Diamond. This was her first birthday without her mum or dad, and he suspected she couldn't enjoy the day because of that one simple fact. Script sighed to himself, he was going to have a lot of work ahead of him if he was going to fix the problem. And he knew just where to start as he went for the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Sugarcube Corner? I'd like to make a special order please, and have it made on the double!"

Later in Sugarcube Corner's Kitchen...

Pinkie and Potion took a look at the wooden countertops in front of them, covered in cake baking ingredients with very little space to do the actual cake baking itself if Potion was to be honest. But they'd make it work. Pinkie had worked in worse conditions and under worse time constraints before, after all she wasn't the best Party Pony Ponyville had ever seen for nothing you know. As for Potion, he knew he could do this. Cooking, in his mind was a lot like chemistry, there was a lot of messes made and the occasional explosion to be found.

"Well then... Guess there's only one thing to do isn't there?" Potion chirped, as he pulled on his lab coat.

"Yeah, and you know what that is?" Pinkie asked cheerfully while nearby Potion smirked and pulled on his safety goggles.

"Yeah, it's time... FOR SCIENCE!" Potion proclaimed with a mad scientist cackle before switching on a nearby radio and the perfect song for the situation (In Potion's mind anyway) began to play.

From behind the kitchen doors, both Chocolate Hearts, and another stallion around his age , one with grey fur and a dark blue mane with a video game controller for a cutie mark shared a look between them and sighed as they heard the cackle and the song beginning.

"Should we be worried?" The grey furred stallion, named Ender asked his friend who replied "Possibly."

Then there was the sound of a small explosion and Pinkie shouting "We're okay!" as Mrs Cake squeaked in fear and her husband trembled at what could possibly be happening behind the closed doors and in their kitchen. Chocolate quickly amended his statement.

"...Probably." He corrected himself. Ender looked at him with a sarcastically raised eyebrow as ponies began to get up and leave the diner out of fear of what could be going on and the possible larger explosions that could be happening in the near future. Privately, Chocolate couldn't blame them.

"You don't say?" Ender asked dryly.

(End "She Blinded Me With Science" here)

Carousel Boutique

Meanwhile, at the exact same time Written Script had made a trip to his ex-wife/back to being marefriend's place of work. He couldn't believe he was saying this if only to himself right now, but he needed advice. Script's stubbornness was rearing his head once more. More often then not, he liked to believe he could handle everything in his life on his own but recent events over the last month showed that was far from the case. So here he was, getting advice from Rarity. He'd learned his lesson from the paintball incident and the letter he sent to Princess Celestia summed that up perfectly.

Dear Princess Celestia:

"Listen to your Marefriend, she's usually right."

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is sweet and un-" Rarity began her usual greeting before she realized who had just trotted in her door and instead greeted Script with a kiss instead.

"So, you need a fashion change I assume?" Rarity assumed aloud as she fiddled with Script's bow tie. "That tweed and tie, ugh. It's just so drab and boring. It went out of style YEARS ago." She told him before a flirty smile came to her face as she leaned in close to Script's face, which was sweating from her closeness to him.

"Y'know, I can help you... take it off." Rarity said seductively and Script blushed as he pushed her away making his marefriend huff and look offended.

"It-It's not that! Besides, I r-rather like my tie and tweed!" Script sputtered out his response before he sucked in a deep breath and sighed. "I... I need your advice."

Rarity looked at him in disbelief, unsure she'd heard right. Script NEVER asked for advice. It was like Nightmare Moon reincarnating as a little filly, it simply didn't happen! It was practically a fundamental law of the universe by this point. Rarity wondered if she should start looking outside and see if the sky was falling. It was then she realized as Script gave her a deadpan look that he was quite serious and so she pulled up a chair for him to sit down on which he gladly took.

"Well, what is it you need?" Rarity inquired and Script let out a long low sigh.

"It's Diamond's birthday today." He said, and Rarity looked confused before realization hit her face as she understood.

"...And it's without her parents." Rarity murmured sadly as Script nodded.

"I just don't know what to bloody do about it! I mean, Potion is one thing as he never knew about his parents. but Diamond... She grew up with them for almost thirteen years now!" Script yelled in frustration as he threw his front forelegs up in the air. Rarity looked to be lost in thought for the next few moments before she gave her answer. It was a simple one, but it worked oh so very well.

"Just do the best you can, you can't be her real mom or dad but you can try to be as close as you can." Rarity said wisely, and Script smiled before Rarity wrapped her forelegs around her coltfriend's neck.

"Now... About that tie of yours being removed..." She began.

Ponyville Toy Store

Later, Potion, Ender and Chocolate wandered the local toy shop in search of gifts. Well, I should say just Potion and Chocolate as Ender had gotten lost in the music blaring from his headphones. Currently, right now they were in the little fillies department. Needless to say, stares were attracted.

"You know, if any of our classmates got wind of me being here I'd never hear the end of it. They really would think of me as a mare trapped in a stallion's body..." Chocolate muttered to himself as he looked at a boxed version of the Carousel Boutique complete with a figurine of Rarity.

About a few months after Nightmare Moon's defeat, somepony by the name of Doctor Whizzy Wonders got the idea to produce toys of the heroes of Equestria. The Mane Six didn't really mind, as far as anyone could tell. In Rainbow's case at least, she was happy to get figures of herself as she considered it "Awesome". Applejack on the other hoof, was just happy to get more money to help her family farm.

"So many to choose from..." Potion mused. "At least there's three of us to decide on the perfect gift..."

Potion then sighed in disgust before he turned to Ender and lifted up his headphones and shouting "Or there would be if SOMEPONY wasn't focused on his Motormane!"

Ender got the message at once and blushed as he took of his headphones and began to help choose the perfect gift for his friend's sister. Hey, what could he say? He loved his music, almost as much as he loved the "Dragon's Quest" series of video games for the Neighbox 420.

As they browsed, a voice came from behind them.

"Need help with something?" A store employee asked, and all three teenage stallions blushed before Ender and Chocolate looked at Potion and told him "You explain."

Golden Oaks Library

Meanwhile Twilight was pacing back and forth as she went over her findings in her head muttering "Oh dear oh dear, this is not good." She'd managed to decode the letter, but what she found had shocked her to the core. How could she tell Script, or Diamond for that matter? They'd be crushed if they knew the truth. On a nearby table sat a piece of paper, with the letter's decoded contents on it...

"I need you to do something for me. My rightful earnings have been held away from me from far too long, I need them now! Get rid of the Rich Family, and as for their daughter... Well, I'll deal with her."

Love, Caesar.

Author's Note

This is the reason for all those somewhat happy chapters, this right here as things are about to get bad. Well, I know at least a few of you were probably expecting that answer as to who killed Diamond's parents. So Caesar's been revealed to been lying to Script and Diamond's faces the whole time and making them think he really cares about Diamond's wellbeing, talk about a serious scumbag huh? :fluttershyouch: Well trust me he will only get more vile as the story nears it's end.

Anyways, about the rest of the chapter. As you can see, Potion now that he has a few more friends he can trust has opened up a bit more and started acting like a normal teenager, with a touch of the eccentric. Well, any scientist worth his salt has got to be a bit of that I suppose...

Also, I put in that hopefully tearjerking scene of a flashback to Diamond's birthday party where she received her tiara just to show how much she did love her parents and to give her a bit of a origin story.

And before you guys ask, yes that scene in the toy store is supposed to be a nod at any of us shopping for pony stuff in the girl's department. ...Okay, maybe that needed to go unsaid as it's kinda obvious. :twilightsheepish:

Lastly, credit to Ender Knight for use of his OC. Okay, sorry guys but because I released three chapters last week this is the only one you'll be getting this week.

Part 16: The party gets underway... (One Really Crappy Birthday Part 2)

The streets of Ponyville

Diamond walked home alongside the CMC after a day at the park. She stifled back a sob, despite spending time with her friends she still wasn't able to put the fact out of her mind that this was her first birthday without her parents. She supposed she deserved the karma she'd been dealt, after all the crap she'd put anypony she considered beneath her through (Which was everypony who wasn't as rich as her and her family) and been the kind of pony who frightened others. Derpy had been right to get a restraining order against her, after Diamond called her daughter a worthless orphan and sent her home in tears, and Diamond honestly wouldn't have been so surprised to hear if others considered the same thing.

In fact, she truly believed others considered that for what she'd called their kids. She remembered each and every nasty nickname or insult given out, from calling Pipsqueak a "Nightmare Worshipper", to calling Twist a geek who got dumped by a Mudpony and reducing her to tears. Little did she know it, as much as Diamond was trying to force a smile on her face to hide her pain, the Cutie Mark Crusaders did notice something was off, even if they quite couldn't put their hooves on it.

"Ya alright, Di?" Apple Bloom asked, using the nickname she'd come up with for her friend as of late. If Diamond were in a happier mood, she would have smiled at it's use. She found it kinda cute actually.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Diamond lied, and the CMC all shared looks between them. They didn't believe her for a moment.

"You sure as hay don't look fine." Scootaloo disagreed with a shake of the head. "You've been acting like someone kicked your favorite puppy."

Diamond, under her breath mumbled something along the lines of how she probably deserved that happening to her, making the CMC only grow more concerned by the moment. Nearby, Sweetie overheard a conversation between Bon-Bon and another police officer that was along the lines of "...So, he's our stallion? Better keep this quiet for as long as possible otherwise speculations will start on why we haven't captured him yet. Ugh, the press in Manehatten, Tartarus the press here are going to have a field day with us and call us incompentant idiots before this is all over."

Sweetie was curious, but brushed it off for the time being as it was probably none of her business. Still, she couldn't help the thoughts nagging at the back of her mind which went along the lines of "What if this was related to the Rich Family murders?"

"Diamond, if somethin's bothering ya, ya can always tell us. We're your friends Di." Apple Bloom tried to reassure, only to be greeted with a snarl from Diamond which made Apple Bloom take a step back. The expression on Diamond's face was heartbreaking as she let out a small sob not caring if anypony saw it.

The orphaned filly then screamed "NOTHING'S BOTHERING ME YOU STUPID BLANK FLANKS, SO LEAVE ME ALONE OKAY!?!" letting out all of her pain and frustration at her own situation and ran off sobbing as she threw her beloved tiara into a mud puddle nearby left from last night's storm. The CMC could only watch the whole scene with eyes widened. They knew of what Script had planned for the party, they just hoped it would be enough.

Script Residence, a half hour later

Diamond trodded home, looking a truly pathetic sight as she sobbed and wiped away her tears, but they just couldn't stop coming. She thought bitterly towards herself, here she was, the last of the Rich Family and it's heir who was supposed to uphold it's high standards and yet she'd been reduced to a wreck her life in tatters all because of one damn pony she didn't even know the name of. Diamond, still sobbing opened the door only to be greeted by the shock of a party horn being blown and confetti landing on her it's happiness contrasting with her mood.

Diamond, once she'd recovered from her shock gaped. The whole living room of the house had been decorated for a party, walls lined in pink and white streamers and party balloons everywhere with presents on the table in front of the couch. And that wasn't counting the banner, with it reading "Happy Birthday Diamond Tiara!" in big bold letters with her Cutie Mark on either side of the banner.

But the biggest shock of all was how many ponies had turned up for the party. Of course, there was Script, Potion, Uncle Caesar and Silver, but the real shock was Ms. Cheerilee along with the rest of her class and the Mane Six as well along with Potion's friends from school, Chocolate along with another pony she didn't know, one with grey fur and a dark blue mane.

Diamond was sobbing again, but this time they were happy tears. She couldn't believe this many ponies actually cared about her, but she didn't know why.

"Why... Why did you all show up? I don't deserve this!" Diamond sobbed. "Not at all!"

She was then embraced from behind by Raindrops who said kindly to her "Now I wouldn't say that, you've been trying to change and you're well on your way to becoming a better pony."

Diamond sniffed out "T-The kind I want to be?"

Raindrops smiled.

"Yes, the kind you want to be, and if I may be so bold the kind you always were but just needed a little guidance to get you there." Raindrops told her and Diamond smiled and snuggled into Raindrop's warm yellow fur even as the tears continued to flow.

"M-May I call you aunt?" Diamond asked nervously and Raindrops giggled as she said "Technically I'd be your first cousin once removed but yeah, you can call me that if you like."

Then there was another voice, and one of the last ones Diamond expected to hear at this party. Smiling at Diamond was a certain grey furred pony with a blond mane and oddly set eyes with bubbles for a Cutie Mark. Diamond gaped, it was Dinky's adoptive mother Derpy Hooves.

"Raindrops is right you know, you're becoming a better pony. Not perfect... But better." Derpy told Diamond, who was too stunned to speak. Here was one of the last ponies she expected to be nice to her.

"H-How can you say that, after what I said to your daughter? I sent her home in tears!" Diamond exclaimed in disbelief.

"I... Maybe it's just I'm a forgiving kind of pony who's too nice for her own good, or maybe it's just because Script has faith in you... I don't know but the point is I'm willing to try and be friendly to you." Derpy said reluctantly. Now before anyone thinks this was completely out of the blue about Derpy possibly forgiving Diamond just because Script has faith in her, Script was always one of the few ponies to ever be kind to her and not call her all sorts of rude nicknames others called her behind her back when they thought she wasn't listening (Or maybe they knew she was, Derpy had long given up caring.) because of those eyes of hers. Script may have been a jerk half the time, but even he knew there were certain lines you just didn't cross.

"I... I... I don't know what to say." Diamond stammered before she ran off towards the backyard. She needed time to think on this for herself. Everything going on right now at once, it was just too much for her right now.

"I'll go after her, see if she's alright." Silver said at once, and ran after her friend. Perhaps going unseen by anypony except by Fluttershy, Caesar followed after her as well. Meanwhile, Potion had pulled his own father aside (A definite sign that his confidence was improving. The old Potion never would have done THAT.) to a area of the room out of earshot.

"W-We need to talk." Potion stammered, quite nervous from the conversation they were about to have. "I need to know something... I need to know why you never pulled me out of school or at least spoke up in my defense against Golden Coin and his gang. You KNEW I was being bullied and yet at times it never seemed you cared one jot about me!"

Script sighed long ang hard, and hung his head. He should have known this conversation was coming sooner or later. Honestly, if Potion hated him after this he wouldn't blame him. It's be another thing on his long list of failures as a pony.

"You're right, we need to have this conversation, son. As for why I didn't pull you from school, I... I was selfish. I... I suppose maybe I wanted you to grow that confidence for yourself, or maybe I knew that if I stood up for you the bullying would only get worse, and it'd happen behind my back when I wasn't around. Tarterus, it already probably was!" Script muttered, recalling the incident at the Hay Burger. He got ready for the yelling of "I hate you!" from Potion or something along those lines but it never came.

"I... I understand. Maybe you're right and that I needed to grow that confidence for myself without outside help, but I... I just don't know. I don't hate you dad, you had your reasons, some of which I can understand actually." Potion said, and embraced his father in a hug some long standing questions of his finally answered. It was while father and son were hugging, Twilight walked up with a certain decoded letter in one of her hooves.

"What is it? Kinda interrupting a father-son moment here?" Script snapped rudely even as Twilight shuffled her hooves nervously.

"I... I have something you need, no WANT to see." Twilight replied hesitantly and held out the letter which was taken. Twilight looked on as it was read, waiting for the inevitable explosion that was to come after Script had finished it.

Love, Caesar.

Script let out a low guttural snarl, almost animalistic in nature making Potion squeak and Twilight take a step back. Script's eyes narrowed as he said one thing and one thing alone.

"Where's my daughter?" He asked, inwardly frightened for her safety but not letting it show. Most of his feelings being on display right now was outright rage.

"I... I think I saw her and Silver heading out to the backyard a few moments ago." Twilight responded nervously, rather afraid of Script and what he might do. And he certainly did something rather rash even as Twilight quickly ran out the front door to find the nearest police pony as she'd seen Caesar himself earlier. Script had turned on his hooves and marched right towards the backyard. That damn bleeding (And he would be, if Script got his hooves on him.) lawyer wasn't getting anywhere near his daughter, not now.

A few minutes ago...

Meanwhile Diamond and Silver were outside in the backyard talking. Silver had thought it a good idea to get Diamond's mind off all of the things going on right now by getting her up to speed on the latest gossip. Currently, Diamond was receiving a full explanation of the "Paintball Chase" incident as it had been started to be called.

"Wait, so Script actually teamed up with Rainbow Cr-Sorry, Dash and his arch-nemesis to deal with some local punks, paintball style and rushed in with silly string only to get pelted?" Diamond asked in disbelief at her adopted caretaker's stupidity. Potion did tell her that his dad didn't always think with his brains and let his temper control his actions sometimes, but this took the cake.

"I know!" Silver exclaimed with a laugh. "What a idiot, right?"

Diamond smiled, she and her friend may be trying to grow nice but that didn't mean they couldn't still be a bit on the sassy side if they wanted to.

"Nice as he is, even I have to admit that was kinda dumb." Diamond admitted, somewhat embarrassed by Script although she had to admit it was also kinda sweet if him to try and get back at Golden Coin for what he did to Potion and nearly driving the young Bat-Pony to suicide.

"Kinda?" Silver asked dryly. Diamond frowned, she was getting the distinct feeling they weren't alone out here. She heard some nearby bushes being rustled from behind her.

"Who's there?" She shouted and all that resulted was Big Mac and Ms Cheerilee running out of the bushes, with Big Mac being covered in kiss marks. Diamond and Silver blushed collectively. They now knew how Potion felt when he wanted to remove some scarring image from his brain.

"Right, well. That was... awkward." Silver blushed and Diamond nodded before saying "To say the least. I'll now have that stuck in my brain forever."

Then, as they were so focused on their shared mentally scarred minds, they didn't notice somepony creep up from behind and knock them out with blows to the head...

Author's Note

Wow, a whole blend of emotions here huh? :derpytongue2: Just asking here, but you ever have one of those slumps where you find it hard to write something good or at least something that's not crap? Yeah, I had a ton of this while writing this chapter (Not at all helped by the fact that I only had about three to four hours of sleep last night so I was tired as all hell and generally feeling like crap.) but eventually the ideas started coming. Somewhat irrelevant here but appropriately enough for the generally sad starting tone of the chapter while I was writing it, rain was pouring outside as if to reflect it's mood.

Anyways, if anyone is wondering about the little scene in the middle of the party between Potion and Script, I thought it best to address concerns anyone might have had about why Script didn't step in sooner with Golden Coin's bullying. :twilightsmile:

But back on track, so Diamond and Silver have been captured by Caesar and Script failed to stop it But now that he knows the truth, I promise you there will be drama as he switches from self blame from not seeing it sooner and then back to just unbridled fury towards his daughter's kidnapper.

Part 17: Skeletons from a Closet (One Really Crappy Birthday Part 3)

(Again, just for a bit of fun I'm going to do a Supernatural Style Recap. You can just skip ahead if you want.)

"It... It was on purpose. The fire, all of it. But who would do such a thing?" Twilight asked in horror and sadness.

Script growled.

"That's not a lead, that's a just a bleeding theory!" Script snapped.

"Uncle Caeser!" She said and buried herself within his fur.

"So sorry, but when I heard what happened to my brother in but blood I came as soon as I could." The newly named pony said in a sorrowful along with a somewhat embarrassed tone of voice.

"Oh yes, she hugs him and all I get is scorn." Script muttered to himself. Nearby Scootaloo whispered to Sweetie "Uncle?" and the other CMC member could only shrug.

"Not by blood, but he might as well be. Runs a big law firm in Manehatten." Silver whispered back.

"Dummy Blank Flanks, you should know this. He's famous." Silver sniped as Script heard her from nearby and sighed in disgust at himself. Now he remembered who the guy was.

"So he is a lawyer!" Potion exclaimed happy his father was right.

"Alright, I guess I'll give it a shot if only for a month." She said.

"But if by the end of the month I still don't like Script..." Diamond trailed off and Caeser finished for her.

"I adopt her."

Behind the door, was Pine Tree lying dead on the floor blood pooling out from a wound on his head.

"Seems like somepony didn't want him to talk." Bon-Bon muttered.

"How do you know he didn't just take his own life to avoid being captured and thrown in the bin?" Steel asked.

"Believe me, that's one possibility but it doesn't add up. See that wound right there?" Bon-Bon pointed out.

"Yeah, it's hard not to." Steel commented.

"Why do you care so much?" Diamond asked, and Script stood stunned for a moment unable to speak. Finally he did so, and he gave the answer Luna had told him to do the day of the Rich Family funeral. Script had finally figured out what she meant.

"Because... Because I was in the same situation you once were." Script said, giving away his biggest secret. Only Raindrops knew it, and she'd swore never to tell anyone else.

"I lost my parents in a fire, and I may have lived with a foster family but I never felt... loved. I adopted you because I wanted to try and give you a better life then I got. Well, I think it's safe to say I thoroughly failed at that didn't I?" Script muttered only for Diamond to shake her head and hug him.

"I can break the code." Somepony said, and both Lyra and Bon-Bon looked up blushingly only to see Twilight Sparkle, who was blushing as red as they were after seeing their little scene.

"W-What are you doing here?" Lyra stammered in shock.

"Heard about the letter you guys found." Twilight said matter-of-factly. "Luckily for you, I've studied plenty of books on codes." She said proudly before she answered Bon-Bon's encoming question.

On a nearby table sat a piece of paper, with the letter's decoded contents on it...

Love, Caesar.

(End "Carry On My Wayward Son" here)

Present Time: Script Residence

Once Script had figured out what had happened, and he'd learned from Fluttershy that she'd seen Caesar follow Silver and Diamond out into the backyard he'd become furious, not just with Caesar but with himself as well as he paced back and forth on the living room floor rug.

"I... I don't believe it! I don't bucking believe it! I let him into my house, my home and near my daughter and my son as well! A sociopath was near my family the whole time and I couldn't even pick up on it even in the slightest!" Script ranted and raved before finally he knocked over the table in front of the couch in frustration spilling Diamond's presents all over the floor. Twilight tried to reassure him, but it was to no avail.

"It's... It's okay, he fooled us all. I trusted him too, you know." Twilight put in, but Script ignored her completely and was still blaming himself as Potion and Raindrops watched in concern, not sure how they could help.

"But I was supposed to protect her, and now I've completely bucked that up in so many ways! She's probably dead already!" Script sobbed as he broke down and covered his face with his hooves as he cried. Rarity grabbed him by the shoulders tightly making Script look up at her.

"Now you listen here, the police are already after Caesar even as we speak, but that doesn't mean you should sit around here blaming yourself! If you want to save your daughter, go after him. He couldn't have gotten far after all." Rarity told Script in one of those tones that made no room for argument, and yet it was that kind of tone that made Script remember why he loved her, because she could give him a kick up the arse when he needed it. Script let a small smile as he wiped away his tears before rage came back to his features.

"Alright, but you're coming with me. I want you by my side for this, after all you may very well turn out to be Diamond's new mother if I don't screw things up again. And I do know one thing and one thing alone, when Caesar meets me, and this time it'll be the last time he does... He's going to die."

Meanwhile, in a unknown location...

In a dark room, Diamond groaned and rubbed her head in pain as she awoke. She was scared, she didn't know where she was and how she got there. Last thing she remembered she was with Silver in Script's backyard, and now she was here. Then a frightening thought struck her, SILVER! Where was she, and was she alright?

"S-Silver...?" Diamond asked nervously.

"I'm right here." Silver's voice said from somewhere beside her in the darkness. "Ugh, my head... Where are we?"

Then, the question was answered as Caesar stepped out of the shadows smirking.

"With me. Hello, my niece." He said with a smile. "I did say you'd be coming home with me, and in a few moments we will be... Well, once the train arrives anyways."

Diamond's eyes widened. Now she knew where she was. Judging from all the packages and how some were marked fragile along with the letters scattered about along with her Uncle's words, they were in the mail room of the Ponyville Train Station.

"H-Home...?" Diamond inquired nervously. My home is with Sc-No, Daddy." Diamond sobbed in fear, She finally admitted it, she thought of Script as her new dad, and had stopped denying it. Heck, she should have stopped denying it since the funeral Diamond thought to herself. She'd just been too stubborn to think otherwise. But on hearing this, Caesar flew into a rage.

"DADDY!?! He's not your daddy! Your father was, and nopony could ever replace him. Mind you, he wasn't a very good dad considering what he let you turn into, and what he did to me." Caesar mused to himself.

"W-What do you mean?" Diamond inquired, not sure she really wanted to know. But she was about to get her answer....

Elsewhere in Ponyville...

Meanwhile, Rarity and Script ran frantically through the streets of Ponyville. The police were searching every possible house in town that Caesar might hide in, but they knew better. The lawyer would need to get out of town, and there was only one way to do that...

"Still can't believe it. He completely fooled us all! That despicable brute!" Rarity exclaimed and Script chuckled darkly.

"Hey, look on the bright side." Script commented, and Rarity stared at him in disbelief. How was there a bright side to any of this? Script soon gave her the answer to her unanswered question.

"At least the butler didn't do it." Script snarked.

Back with Caesar, Diamond and Silver...

"Remember when I told you I was your uncle in all BUT blood? Well, I lied. Your dear old daddy and mommy cut me off from the family fortune just because they wanted it all to themselves. Guess that shows how oh-so perfect patrons of high Ponyville society they were, doesn't it?" Caesar asked sarcastically laying some old and what the Rich family wanted to be forgotten type secrets bare. Caesar continued his monologue while Diamond shook her head in denial. She refused to believe what she was hearing.

"I had to build myself up, and for a while I was happy. But the money began to run out after I gambled a bit too much. So, I remembered my old family fortune. I burnt down the house, and that leaves you for me to grab and deal with. You don't know how much it pains me to say that." Caesar said sorrowfully, but Diamond and Silver were having none of it.

"Oh yeah, if it really pained you to do it you wouldn't have left me a orphan in the first place!" Diamond snapped while Silver told Caesar her exact and to the point opinion of him.

"You're sick." She said simply but was ignored as Caesar laughed and took out a knife and began to sharpen it all the while murmuring to himself a old nursery rhyme.

"Here comes a candle to light you to bed, here comes a chopper to chop off your head..." He sung to himself while Diamond shivered in fear and sobbed to herself. Somepony she'd always trusted had turned out to be a murderous lunatic and now wanted to kill her! Nearby, Silver managed out a weak but still somewhat defiant response.

"Hey, leave her alone!" She shouted, catching their captor's attentions and making him turn his head back to them. "W-When I get out of here... I'll... Well, I don't know what I'll do but it'll be something bad for you I assure you!" Silver squeaked and Caesar only laughed long and hard.

"Who says you'll be leaving? Gotta have no witnesses to a crime after all to testify." Caesar laughed and Diamond whispered "Please, somepony... Anypony help..."

Her prayers were answered at last when Script and Rarity burst in, breaking the door down and reducing it to splinters with a magic blast from their horns. Fury was etched on both of their faces, and even though Caesar wasn't going to admit it he felt fear right then and there.

"Get your hooves away from my DAUGHTER!" Script snarled...

Author's Note

Okay, first off a apology to anyone who has a lawyer in the family. I know they're not all this bad, but I needed a villain who had resources and a good lawyer with a nice amount of money who just so happens to be related to Diamond's family fit the bill perfectly. Next time, Script and Caesar finally have their long awaited confrontation...

Part 18: Endings, and New Beginnings...

First thing felt was surprise, that was the first thing Caesar felt when he saw one very, very pissed off Written Script standing before him. Then it was rage, he dared interfere at this critical moment? He had nerve, a lot of it if he thought he was going to get Diamond away from who she rightly belonged with, that was for sure. No, that was wrong, Script had the nerve to interfere with Caesar getting his money he'd been denied all those years ago. He had to build himself up, piece by piece just to get by and not live on the streets eating out scraps of food like some Celestia-forsaken commoner.

Then it changed to amusement, a dark amusement as Script was too late to stop him now. But it was the last feeling that really shocked Caesar's mind. It was at the back of it, a small niggling one nagging away at his brain but yes, there it was. Fear. Caesar, just from looking at Script's furious expression and his horn alight with magic felt afraid.

"You... I should have known it was you." Script snarled, Caesar was the most logical choice as he'd obviously benefit the most from the Rich Family's demise. Why Script hadn't considered it before or just outright rejected the thought he didn't know. Maybe it was the fact that it was just too obvious, perhaps he thought it wasn't his business and just let the police figure it out as that was what they were for, or maybe even his concern and worry for Diamond becoming a better pony made him keep his mind off the mystery. Whatever it was, Script didn't particularly care for a answer to that now, because he had his answer to the first question in front of him and he wanted to see Caesar not behind bars, as that was just far too good for him, but dead at his own hooves.

"Yes, I suppose you should have. Amazing, all your talk about hating lawyers and you never even ONCE thought it might have been little old moi." Caesar mocked.

"You can't get away darling, not when it's two against one." Rarity commented, but Caesar only laughed.

"A fashionista and a history teacher? You really expect to put up a fight with those kinds of backgrounds? I was a boxer before a lawyer you know, so don't blame anypony but yourselves for the broken nose that's bound to result." Caesar mocked.

"Oh, so you doubt me just because I'm a lady do you?" Rarity huffed, incredibly offended that this "Stallion" thought her trade was something to be mocked. It was not so, after all with the time and work she put in it to just make money for herself and her family made it being far from a easy trade to be in!

"Stupid, sexist and crazy. The list just keeps growing doesn't it?" She added in a completely dry and deadpan tone of voice, (She'd spent enough time around Twilight and Script to know how to make such remarks.) with a raised eyebrow at Script who could only chuckle back.

"You know, this is just another reason why I like you. You can be just as deadpan as me." Script replied with a smile before Caesar rolled his eyes in a mocking manner.

"You two lovebirds done yet, I've got some killing to do here." The insane pony said in a bored tone of voice only to get a remark from... guess who, Written Script.

"Oh shut up, I've heard just about enough out of you and your muzzle." He retorted as the two circled each other like vultures, even as Rarity worked on untying Silver and Diamond in the background.

"You, go on!" She whispered. "Get out of here, it's best we let these two handle things."

Neither filly saw any reason to argue and ran out the door with Rarity, but she should have stayed longer as Caesar suddenly pounced and had his knife to Script's neck but then again perhaps Rarity wasn't needed after all as Script headbutted Caesar making him stagger off Script in shock and pain as he rubbed his bleeding head with the history teacher getting up off the floor.

"You know, you really do sicken me. But there's one thing I just can't figure out. That arsonist, what's your connection with him? Gay lover, the "Love" in the letter would seem to imply that." Script questioned, and his opponent laughed.

"Oh, nothing like that. He's my brother, both of us got cast out from the family tree, him for being just outright nuts." Caesar chuckled darkly. "Filthy didn't want anyone to spoil his ever-so perfect family." He added, hoping to draw sympathy but none was given.

In fact, and to Caesar's surprise, Script laughed back and shook his head in a almost pitying motion. That is, if Script actually did pity him. That pitying motion, that shaking of the head wasn't pity for his family drama, but for how much of a idiot really Caesar was.

"Now, I'm not saying Filthy's no angel, but he did a smart thing in getting rid of you two. You two are both mental peas in a bleeding pea pod of insanity." Script snapped.

"It's all relative, if you were in my position you'd probably do the same thing." Caesar commented back towards Script, who gave him a look of both disgust and disbelief.

"No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't resort to such... drastic measures like you did." Script commented before his voice took on a hugely sarcastic and mocking tone as he told Caesar exactly what he thought of him and his plan.

"Oh boo-hoo, my brother cut me out of the family inheritance so I go ahead and contact my other cut out brother and burn their bloody house down leaving them dead and an orphan behind who I then decide to kill too just so I really will get my money!" Script mocked in that tone mentioned above before his tone went right back to that same furious one it had a few moments before.

"Oh, do me a favor and grow UP! Life's no bowl of cherries, you take the punches you get and just DEAL with them like a stallion, not like some little WHINGING BRAT who didn't get his way!" Script snarled, and at this it was revealed to have become the last straw holding back Caesar's own anger which had been rebuilding itself for the past few moments and he once again tackled Script and their bodies crashed through a window glass shards cutting into their fur and drawing blood but both was so focused on the other they didn't care as they landed on the wooden platform that was where ponies waited for the various trains that came through here.

Both ponies were panting in exhaustion, with Script wondering when help would arrive. He hadn't picked a fight with anypony in years, despite his bad temper and Caesar on the other hand, despite not being a boxer anymore still had his muscle and was using every bit of it. This was shown when Caesar once again tackled Script to the floor with a few wooden splinters snapping off and digging into Script's back.

"It's over, sooner or later I'll score the blow that'll get you and leave me free to deal with Di-"

He never got to finish as Caesar then felt a gun barrel on the side of his head. Help HAD arrived, as after Rarity had left with Diamond and Silver she'd alerted the police to Caesar's location and they'd come as soon as they heard.

"Well, lookee who we have here." Bon-Bon's mocking tone came as she grabbed Caesar and pulled him off Script as another police pony helped him up.

Caesar then felt his forelegs moved behind his back and hoof-cuffes slapped over his hooves as Bon-Bon said with a smirk. "You know, it's my great pleasure to finally say Caesar Rich, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent-"

"And I suggest you please do, as your voice just makes me want to punch you." Script put in, as a few police ponies chuckled and Bon-Bon gave him a dirty look, although her amused look in her eyes showed she didn't mean it really.

"No talking to the prisoner please. Now as I was saying, you have the right to remain silent as anything you say can and will be used against a court of law. But if you wish, and I highly suggest you follow this advice a LAWYER can appointed to you. If you do not want one... well, no need to say this but you're bucked." Bon-Bon commented dryly after she'd finished reading Caesar his rights, which she found funny as him being a lawyer he'd know about all of this but she was just doing it anyways as part of police procedure. (Well, that and she just wanted to make fun of him a little.)

Script smiled as he saw Caesar loaded into a carriage and he drifted off into unconsciousness. It was finally over. But just before he went under, he could have sworn he saw a ghostly figure resembling Filthy Rich smile at him before fading away in the misty night. Maybe he was just hallucinating, but it sure seemed real enough...

Ponyville General:

Later that night, as nurses looked Script over to make sure there wasn't any permanent damage from his and Caesar's (Who'd quickly earned Script's former title of That Ass.) little brawl, Diamond was watching. She felt worry, her father had saved her and now she didn't know how badly hurt he was in doing so. Then, she heard three sets of hoofsteps behind her, and turned only to see Scootaloo, Sweetie and Apple Bloom. She then felt ashamed, as she remembered her last conversation with the trio.

"NOTHING'S BOTHERING ME YOU STUPID BLANK FLANKS, SO LEAVE ME ALONE OKAY!?!"

Diamond winced, and hung her head.

"Uh, listen guys I don't think we should be speaking anymore, not after what I said to you." Diamond said sadly, but had a hoof laid on her shoulder by Apple Bloom much to her surprise.

"Naw, no need to be feeling sorry for yourself and crying over spilled milk as Granny Smith likes to say. Sure, we was a bit mad at first, but once we heard from Potion the circumstances surrounding the day..." Apple Bloom trailed off as Diamond blushed red even as her jaw dropped. She then noted to give Potion a big thank you next time she saw him. But then, to her even bigger shock, Scootaloo then held out her tiara. It was muddy, but still recognizable.

"We... Uh, kinda found this. Think you might want it back." Scootaloo said, and Diamond smiled as she took it and put it on her head as all three filles gaped at the action. The old Diamond never would have even touched anything with mud on it.

"What?" Diamond asked as she saw their expressions. "It can be washed later, right?"

She then heard her father groan as he awoke and rushed into see him.

"Diamond..." Script smiled.

"I'm so glad you're alright... Daddy." Diamond said, and at this Script broke out into another smile. Neither knew what the future may bring for them, but they did know this. They'd face it together.

Canterlot Castle, a few years later...

Four years had passed from those events, and now Diamond at 17 years of age (Potion 19.) now found herself at a wedding. But not just any wedding, oh no. The wedding of her new mom and dad, Written Script and Rarity (Soon to be Script) Belle. Beside her, sat her now marefriend Apple Bloom who smiled at her. The youngest Apple's hair had now blossomed to be as long as her sister, and she now kept it in a ponytail just like her.

"Bet ya been waiting for this day, huh Di?" Apple Bloom asked, and Diamond smiled. She had, and now it was finally here at last.

In the pews across from them, Raindrops blew her nose before handing the handkerchief off to Silver Spoon and Sweetie, who were sobbing at the beauty and romanticness of it all. She sat in front of Potion, who was smiling at the sight unfolding before him. Behind him, sat Rarity's father Magnum who grumbled under his breath "You think this time will work better then last time?" He still held a major grudge against Script for breaking his daughter's heart the first time around.

"Oh, I think it will... I hope." Potion replied nervously to the large stallion, before making a noise of embarrassment as the baby Princess Flurry Heart began sucking on his suit's tie as she and her mother sat next to him. Cadence pulled her daughter away and whispered a quick apology. Potion just looked right at his drool covered tie and sighed. Life still sucked for him sometimes it seemed.

"...I'm not going to get the deposit back on this am I?" He muttered even as Princess Celestia herself officiated the wedding, with Good Eats as Script's Best Man and the now Princess Twilight as Rarity's lady in waiting. As for the necklace bearer, that role was fulfilled by Scootaloo, who now had a longer mane and properly sized wings which she used to fly down to Script and Rarity.

Celestia cleared her throat.

"Mares and Gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to unite these two ponies in marriage for the second time. They may have had some bumps in the road, but they pulled through them and came out stronger even when it seemed like their love was a failure." Celestia said.

"...You got that right." Magnum muttered, and his wife smacked him for being rude as Potion and Diamond gave him dirty looks.

"Now, do any of you have anything you want to say to each other?" Celestia asked, and Script spoke first.

"Yeah, I do. With the benefit of hindsight, I don't know why I ever divorced you Rarity. ...Faust above, I hope that sounded good and none too cheesy." Script muttered to himself in embarrassment. Rarity smiled even as the audience chuckled before she too spoke.

"You may not have been the Prince Charming I ever expected, but you are the one for me and the only one I want." She said.

Even as the two newly weds kissed and the necklaces were put on Rainbow Dash let out a yell of "Oh yeah! Time to do my thing!" and flew up into the sky with a mighty BOOM! and broke the sound barrier washing the sky in color in a Sonic Rainboom as everyone clapped and cheered. In the middle of it all, Diamond smiled. Everything was perfect, and she wouldn't change one thing...

THE END

Author's Note

Well, like the final words say this is sadly the end of this tale. Now, I must confess. I was working on this long before Once a Time Lord or that crappy Grape Vine story and so I suppose you could call this my first ponyfic. Now, as soon as I watched Crusaders of the Lost Mark and remembered all of the stories where Diamond either redeems herself or is more then just a one sided strawpony used as a bully, I knew I had to write this. My only hope is, that you all enjoyed it and I give a big thanks to anyone who took time out of their lives to read this story out of the thousands of others on here. I really cannot stress this enough, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Part 1: Written Script's Very Bad Day

Ever wonder how life could change in the blink of a eye, where one day you're living your normal life without any idea of what was about to happen to you and next thing you know it's all different. This story explores how that could happen for very two different and yet in some ways similar ponies. Diamond Tiara is a rich snob who loves her parents and wants to be exactly like them. Written Script on the other hoof is a almost complete jerk and history teacher who wants nothing to do with the rich high class ponies. Both however, are about to be thrown together after a horrible event. Stand back, this will be a bumpy ride...

Broken Diamond by The Bricklayer

Part 1: Written Script's Bad Day

The first, if not the only sign something was wrong in the mostly quiet little town of Ponyville he supposed, was the smell. Written Script or "That Ass" or "The Ass" as most preferred to call him for various reasons may not have had the best sense of smell in his family (That title belonged to his cousin Raindrops) or his household even (That one belonged to his adopted son) but even he could smell that smell of smells. The harsh unmistakable for anything else smell of smoke. Looking out his window, he saw exactly where it was coming from. Rising high from the other end of Ponyville, the high end part or Snob Hill as Script mockingly called it most of the time, the smoke could be seen. If he had to guess, the smoke was coming from the manor home belonging to the Rich Family.

"Wonder what's happened?" Script wondered aloud to nopony in particular as he looked out his bedroom window. It was a Saturday, so he'd slept in for a few hours longer then normal, and his son wasn't even up.

"Could be just another backyard barbeque really." Script muttered, but inwardly deep down even he didn't believe his own words. Backyard barbeques did not generate that much smoke. Sighing and muttering something under his breath about missing breakfast he rushed downstairs not even bothering to throw off his pink bathrobe or brushing his teeth or anything like that. Ponies stared, no they outright gawked at him as he flew right out the front door and down the street.

"There goes my reputation, right out the bloody doorway." He muttered as he ran ever more faster. "Come on legs, don't fail me now!"

The previous day had started out well enough, or if not that at least normally enough Written supposed. He'd taught some of the last history classes of the day as that was his job as a teacher. He'd dealt with certain students and put a few in detention for being rowdy and generally celebrating the upcoming weekend. (Okay, more then a few.) Hopefully, they'd learned something, and not just about history. He'd graded papers, despite this being his least favorite part of the job by the way. (Written suspected nopony considered this their favorite part.) Anyways, little did Script know it but life was about to change for him in one very big way...

When he arrived at the burning home of the Riches, it was already dangerously close to meeting the fire's goal of burning it to the ground. For a brief moment, the manor was replaced with a house in Trottingham, and a pony outside it was held back by the fireponies as he screamed for his parents. Script shook his head to clear himself of these memories, it was best not to dwell on them.

"Okay, definitely not a afternoon barbecue gone wrong." Script corrected himself.

Pegasi, led by one Rainbow Dash who was shouting orders right and left were already hard at work creating stormclouds to quench the blaze with cooling rain. From behind him, Script then heard a voice that made him mentally groan. The voice's owner was always able to ruin his day, and today it ruined worst then it already had been.

"Well well, didn't expect to find you here. Thought you didn't like the "Rich Gits" as you always so nicely put it." Said Script's archenemy and next door neighbor Good Eats.

"Well, to be fair I don't like most ponies. You included, and you're pretty high up on the list I might add." Script shot back as a response and Good Eats rolled his eyes. He was a coal black stallion, wearing a chef's unicorn and a chef's hat on his flank.

"Still mad about the shrubbery incident?" Eats mocked and Script growled. Of course he was still mad about that, didn't Eats remember that was why they'd been feuding the past few years?

"Don't make me punch you." Script snapped. "Cause don't think I will, you berk."

"Oh yes." Eats mocked with another eye roll. "There it is. Must it always come down to violence? You temper needs work."

"Your BRAIN needs work!" Script retorted.

It was about this time when Twilight Sparkle trotted up and sighed to herself and facehoofed. She heard these two shouting, really it was impossible not to. Their arguments and feuding was legendary and generally made for good gossip for those who enjoyed that sort of thing. Not that she'd ever sink that low, it just wasn't her. Twilight much preferred her books for entertainment. With another sigh, she pulled Eats and Script apart with her magic before they came to blows.

"Save it you two. Is this really the time for your little spats?" Twilight snapped at them in annoyance. Both stallions hung their heads and looked somewhat ashamed of themselves. They knew there was a time and place for this, and this wasn't it. Behind them, part of the Rich Manor collapsed as Twilight frowned to herself.

"We're... We're running out of time. The fireponies won't get here before this manor burns." Twilight murmured, and unknowingly sent Script into another flashback.

"Please, help! Anypony!"

This made Script make up his mind. Something had to be done, and he'd do it even if it was stupid enough to send him on a one way trip to the afterlife.

"Well, somepony's got to step up and it might as well be me!" Script snarled, and Twilight gaped at him in shock. Surely he wasn't serious?

"B-but you're not even trained! You'll be killed!" Twilight shouted in concern and was ignored as Script ran off into the blazing inferno of a manor home. Twilight groaned and once again hoof met face.

"Guess I'd better go save him before he gets himself killed." Twilight muttered before she too ran towards the manor. Good Eats sighed and muttered to a nearby Roseluck "Y'know, for a teacher he's not very smart is he?" Roseluck nodded in agreement as Eats shook his head and muttered "I don't mourn for idiots or morons in general. And Script's definitely one right now."

Inside the manor, Written Script searched high and low of every room in the manor even as flames danced around him in orange and red and all the while the building's structure was beginning to crumble. Currently, right now our hero was in the kitchen where in a corner of the room Diamond's mother Spoiled lay dead. Script grumbled "I know I'm supposed to show respect for the dead but I don't know about you..."

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Script thought he saw somepony dash off into another room and then out the back door. Script let out a "Oi! You there! I want some answers!"

But when he tried to pursue, Script was blocked by a wall of flame with some boards landing behind that. Script cursed, by the time he removed the blockage his quarry would be long gone. Hopefully the plods outside would have 'em. Right now, he had bigger fish to fry, unfortunate choice of words as it was.

"Remember, remember the fifth of November. Bonfire Night in Canterlot has nothing on this place." Script uttered before spotting some stairs which he dashed up.

"Maybe... Maybe I'm having false hopes here. Maybe I was wrong and nopony is alive in here besides little old me. Puh, if I die in a bloody blaze of glory I wonder if anyone would care besides good old Potion. Doubt my ex would give a damn. Thinks I'm a "Brute" probably. Or at least a git." Script muttered once more to himself as he ran upwards.

Yes, Script was married at one point, if not for very long. Oh, he was happy while it lasted but his natural demeanor of being a outright jerk quickly ended things. At the time, he blamed her for things ending the way they did but nowadays he knew better and that it was him who made the marriage go up in smoke... Just as the house he was in was about to do now with him and anypony still alive in it if he didn't hurry.

Anyways, Script was just about to give up hope he heard it. The sound of a little filly coughing up a storm behind the doors that led to the manor's personal library. He kicked in the door and entered. There was Diamond Tiara under a desk with her father lying nearby badly burned. Script took a quick look at him but almost instantly regretted it. The sight would give him nightmares for a very long time to come.

"Who... Who are you?" Diamond asked weakly. Script showed a rare smile.

"I'm a history teacher." Script uttered in a tone he thought sounded badass but quickly realized it wasn't quite that. "Wow, going over it in my head made it sound reaaalll great but hearing it aloud it just sounds like crap." He muttered under his breath. Diamond meanwhile had passed out from the smoke. Script hoisted her up onto his back and ran for it out of the room just as it became consumed by flame...

Author's Note

Okay, here's the first part of my newest multichapter story. Like the two other stories sat in this universe, I'm trying to write Written Script as a jerk, but a likeable one who is willing to own up for his mistakes and try and redeem himself. This story will be a prequel to "Written Script's Bad Day" and "Of Dig Sites and Sleepovers" if that wasn't obvious. Anyways, what did you think of the setting and charicters?

Part 9: Back to School (Rariscript or Bust Part 1)

Script Residence:

Potion slept soundly in his bed, quite content and lost in the dreamworld his mind had created for him. In it, he was in a huge auditorium with tons of ponies watching him as he was present a award from creating a medicine that cured all diseases. Now if this were the real world, Potion if by some miracle he made it out onto the stage would have just fainted on the spot but as this was the dream world he was in that didn't happen. He had a bit more confidence in himself.

"I... I... I don't know w-what to say." Potion stammered nervously. Potion may have had more confidence in himself, enough not to get stage fright but the dream world was still somewhat realistic in his demeanor.

"Say nothing, you earned it." Twilight as a Alicorn Princess said as she presented him with the award, which was a golden statue of a scientist pony.

"Now there's one more thing you have to do for me." Twilight said to him.

"A-And what's that?" Potion stammered again. Twilight leaned in very close before whispering "Wake up." And then Potion's whole world faded into white and was consumed by noise.

Potion sat up at once as the music breeched his ears. His father stood in the doorway smirking holding a Neigh-Pod as Potion gave him a dirty look.

"Gah! Neighisa? Really dad? Y-You know, sometimes I really question your taste in music." Potion replied in a completely deadpan tone.

"Well, it's a school day and I had to wake you up somehow. Almost feel bad though, you seemed far too lost in that dream of yours." Script said dryly.

"H-How much did you hear?" Potion asked, not really wanting to know. Script smiled like the cat that got the canary.

"Something about a award. Didn't really make much sense." Script lied and Potion could only groan and stuffed his face into his pillow muttering about how it had to be a nightmare he was in right now.

"Well, as soon as you're done you can come to breakfast. Diamond's already up." Script commented before walking out of the room.

A few moments later Potion came to the dining room where Diamond was already there, eating some pancakes at the table. Potion gave a none too discreet dirty look to his father while Diamond caught.

"Do I really want to know?" Diamond asked dryly.

"Don't ask." Potion grumbled before going over to the fridge and carefully looking inside. He sighed in relief, no pudding monster this time around. Potion then remembered Script called the Haz-Mat team the very next morning after it had been discovered.

"You want me to walk you to school before I head to class?" Potion asked as he put on his backpack.

"No, I can handle it. Besides, Silver's father is taking me." Diamond replied while Script looked a bit downhearted at that. He wanted to be the one to walk Diamond to school. Not even a half hour later, Diamond and Silver were in front of the schoolhouse and to their surprise were greeted by the CMC.

"Hey guys!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she waved. Diamond blinked just to make sure she wasn't seeing things, but when her eyes opened Scootaloo was still there.

"...Well, this is new." Diamond mumbled. "This could take some getting used to."

"To say the least." Silver agreed. "Are you sure we haven't been transported to Bizarro World?" She deadpanned and Diamond giggled and said "Oh Silver, you always manage to tell the funniest jokes."

"I try." Silver said proudly.

"Ah managed to save y'all your favorite seats." Apple Bloom put in and Diamond and Silver actually smiled at her as they walked inside and sat down at their desks. Cheerilee came in and clapped her hooves in excitement.

"Alright class, get out your papers and pencils as we've got a lot to do today!" Cheerilee exclaimed. "Today we're going to learn about the wonders of multiplication! Now doesn't that sound fun?"

"Spare me..." Diamond muttered as Silver yawned. As Cheerilee continued to speak, Sweetie Belle suddenly turned to Diamond with a worried expression on her face.

"Hey, how's Potion?" Sweetie asked nervously, although if it was out of concern for Potion or she was still nervous about Diamond it was hard to tell. "I'm rather worried about him, after how he was when we last saw him."

"He seems to be mostly back to normal." Diamond replied. "Still, I do want to keep a eye on him."

"Yeah, probably would be best." Apple Bloom agreed. "As mah sis always said, there is no such thing as being too careful."

"Good advice." Silver said to her before Diamond jumped in. "Still, I want to help Potion somehow and get him some more confidence and be able to stand up for himself." Diamond said.

"Hey, maybe you should introduce him to that minotaur dude Iron Will!" Scootaloo suddenly piped up. "I've heard he can make anypony assertive. Just ask Fluttershy!"

"Didn't that backfire big-time?" Silver asked, vaguely remembering how the normally sweet and kind pegasus became a huge bully.

"Eh, that was probably a one off thing." Scootaloo replied, waving a hoof dismissively. "I'm sure that-"

Suddenly there was a coughing sound and the five fillies looked up to see Cheerilee with a annoyed look on her face as some of their classmates snickered.

"If I may continue?" Cheerilee asked, and the fivesome looked somewhat embarrassed at being caught.

Outside the Schoolhouse...

A hour later, the filly fivesome were outside for recess. As the rest of the class played on the playground, Apple Bloom and Diamond had a little heart-to heart.

"Ya know, Ah'm liking this change of yours Diamond." Apple Bloom said. "Seems spending time with Potion was a good thing for ya."

"Yeah, I guess so." Diamond said sadly. "I just wish I could have been a better pony sooner and avoided being completely horrible to you guys." Diamond continued before she gave a huge sigh.

"But you can thank my mother for that." Diamond said, with Apple Bloom looking confused.

"What do ya mean?" She asked curiously.

"My mother... She was like how I was only a million times worse. She always wanted me to be a perfect little copy of her, and not caring what I wanted to be like." Diamond sniffed, and Apple Bloom winced. To her, that did sound pretty horrible.

"But you're getting better now. Just how concerned ya were for Potion a few days ago says it all doesn't it?" Apple Bloom asked.

"You really believe that?" Diamond asked bitterly. "Even I don't believe I can change after all this time. I... I want to make up for what I've done but I don't know how..." She trailed off.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll think of sumthing." Apple Bloom replied kindly before a thought struck her. She'd looked around the playground, but noticed one particular filly was missing oddly enough.

"Hey, Ah just thought of sumthing." Apple Bloom wondered aloud. "Where's Scootaloo?"

Meanwhile, Potion was making his way to his next class, namely Script's history course. In the hallways, it was chaos right out of one of Discord's wildest dreams as students exchanged their books for the one they needed for their next class. Potion, all the while was trying very hard not to get caught up in the mayhem and stay out of everypony's way. Mind you, he was trying and failing utterly.

"H-Hey watch it!" Potion stammered as somepony ran past him. Of course, his small voice combined with the din of students talking to each other made him go unheard. After several more instances of this, finally Potion gave up trying to complain.

"Oh sweet Luna, what did I do to deserve this?" Potion muttered under his breath as he ducked into a broom cupboard to hide out until everything calmed down. Suddenly a voice came from behind him.

"Hey Potion!" Scootaloo's voice exclaimed happily from behind him and Potion yelped and jumped nearly high enough to hit his head on the ceiling.

"H-How'd you even get in here? S-Shouldn't you be in school?" Potion asked nervously once his heart rate calmed down enough for him to speak.

"It's recess." Scootaloo replied and Potion felt rather silly with himself as he remembered. "As for how I got in here... I've been playing Metal Pony Solid! I picked up a few things."

"You know, I d-doubt Rainbow would like you to be playing that specific game." Potion stammered, his older brother instincts taking over even if Scootaloo wasn't related to him. Scootaloo laughed off Potion's concern.

"Are you kidding? Rainbow's the one that introduced me to that game in the first place!" Scootaloo told him cheerfully and Potion groaned before he was handed a letter that said "To Written Script. Love, Rarity." Potion groaned even louder this time. It seemed his plan to get Rarity and his father to make up was coming back to bite him big time.

"Eh... No offence, but I think dad would be able to tell it's not Rarity's handwriting." Potion put in.

"To-may-to, to-ma-to." Scootaloo replied, brushing off the Bat-Pony's concerns. "I know what I'm doing."

"I-If you s-say so..." Potion trailed off.

Author's Note

So, after the last chapter which was a tearjerker I think another somewhat lighthearted one's in order. Despite that, this will be taking a step or two to resolve the issues with Script and Rarity's relationship, or lack thereof to be more precise if the title of the chapter wasn't evident. Also, I want to explain something about Potion and why he doesn't seem as nervous as he should at times. I imagine after spending a year with his father he would have gained a bit more courage. That doesn't mean he's completely courageous though, as stressful situations like the hustle and bustle of high school and being tormented by Golden Coin show.

Still, I am going back to edit chapter seven to make Potion a bit less assertive.