//------------------------------//
// The Power of a Conscience 
// Story: School Days 
// by GodOfBBQ 
//------------------------------//

Dark trotted through Ponyville, still trying to register what just happened during his and Diamond’s fight. Why would she kiss him? 

She obviously has something for me!

Dark thought to himself.

But why? She hates me and I hate her! End of story!

Dark lingered on this thought for a little before thinking,

I mean, why though? It doesn’t surprise me that another filly as fallen head over hooves for me. But why her? Mother Maria tell me please!

Trying to shake his head from the painful thoughts, he quickly remembered he had a very expensive piece of jewelry in his saddlebags. As he remembered this, he quickly rushed home to tell his dad.

Their house was near the edge of town. It was a quaint little home. Two bedroom, two bath, and one kitchen/dining room. Dark ran to the front door and opened it. He stepped inside of the house.

It was kept neat, and clean. His father was always a neat freak and would flip out if there was even a hair out of place. 

“Dad! I’m home!” Dark announced as he plopped down on the sofa. After some minutes of waiting, Dark’s father stepped into the living room. Dark’s father was an earthpony, a black earthpony with gray eyes and violet shaded mane.

“Hey boy! How was school?” He asked, sounding a bit sick.

“It was alright dad. Hey, are you alright? You sound a bit slurry.” Dark replied wondering what his father’s response would be.

“Oh it’s that I have a really bad hangover right now. That bitch Berry Punch can hold er’ liqour I’ll give er’ that much. Got down and dirty with her though!” Dark’s father replied sounding proud of himself. Dark’s father was more of an older brother than a father figure, not worrying about what to share and what not to share with his son.

Not like Dark minded. Dark was usually interested by his father’s shenanigans. Like the time where he got in a hoof fight with a stallion named Caramel because of price differences, or the time where he got banned from Sugar Cube Corner because he started a hoof fight with one of the owners of the shop, all because they ran out of pecan pie slices.

“Oh yeah? How’d it go?” Dark asked.

“Eh, it was okay. She and I were drunk half the time so we barely knew what the hell we were doin’. I think you might have a half sibling later on though.” Dark’s father thought as he scratched his balding scalp with a hoof.

With a quick glance, Dark’s father noticed some bruises and bumps on Darks head.

“Hey kid, did you get in another fight? If you did, did you kick ass like I told ya?”

“Well, yeah. I also got some loot from her too!” Dark replied excitingly.

“Wait! “Her?” As in, female pony?” Dark’s father asked, sounding more interested.

“Yeah, what about it?” Dark asked in response.

“Dark, you don’t fight mares! That’s a cowards move boy! I mean, you can’t just go around fighting mares! We need them to cook our meals and wash our dishes!” Dark’s father exclaimed sounding disappointed.

“Sorry dad. It’s just, she wouldn’t leave me alone and she even challenged me to a fight! I told her I didn’t fight girls but she wouldn’t listen!” Dark argued.

“Well now you need to listen boy!” Dark’s father lifted his hoof and back hoofed Dark Humor across the muzzle. “You don’t go around fighting girls! You understand! That is a cowards move!”

Dark gently rubbed his muzzle trying not to cry from the pain. It wasn’t like Diamond’s slightly rough and hurtful punches, it was like taking a branch to the face at full speed.

“Dad! Dad I’m sorry! It won’t happen again I swear!”

“Chice estupido! Que mejor que sea la ultima vez!” Dark’s father yelled while still periodically hitting Dark with a hoof on his side.

“Si papa si! Prometo!” Dark responded still trying to stifle his cries of pain. The hitting halted for a bit, Dark began to get up from his fetal position on the floor. His father looked at him with forgiving and tired eyes and asked,

“So loot huh?”

Dark rushed to his bags and opened one of them to find the tiara still there, in all it’s pride and glory. He lifted it out and presented it to his father.

His dad gasped and quickly grabbed the tiara.

“Dark! Do you know how much this can be worth!? Mother Maria we’re rich! We’re rich we’re rich we’re rich!” Dark’s father began jumping up and down before instantly stopping.

“Oh crap! I think I’m gonna, I think… Oh damn!” Dark’s father rushed to the bathroom and vomiting could be heard.

After a few minutes, Dark’s father emerged from the bathroom door. Looking more tired and sickly.

“Hey, boy. Go to the marketplace and… Sell that shit. Sell it for the best price you can get. Understand?”

“Yeah dad! I’ll be right back!” Dark responded putting the tiara back in his bag and begging to open the door until he heard his father’s voice again.

“And get me a slice of that pecan pie from Sugar Cube Corner!”

“Sure dad! I’ll be back!” Dark responded, and with that he left the house closing the door behind him.


~***~


Unless an evil demon, a queen, or a corrupted princess was threatening all of Equestria, Ponyville was a very dull place to live. Dark walked the dull, yet lively streets of the small village. His first stop was Sugar Cube Corner to pick up the pecan pie and a chocolate cakepop for himself.

His next stop was a jeweler to pawn off the tiara. He could see it now, being able to afford the more finer things. Expensive meals, fancy clothing, and so much more. 

But along with the taste of luxury teasing and blinding him, he tasted a hint of something bitter. Something sour, and revolting. Instead of thoughts of luxury filling his head, he saw images of Diamond Tiara. 

'Should I really be doing this?' Dark thought. He held the tiara in front of his face and got lost in it's hypnotizing beauty. Gazing at the gems and diamonds that made up the piece of jewelry.

His gaze snapped to a set of glass double doors that led into the jeweler's store. 

'It's not like we need the money. Dad's already paid a good amount.'

Dark kept his gaze on both the doors and the tiara.

'But, it's her loss! If she didn't want this stolen, then she wouldn't have worn it every damn day!'

'C'mon Dark. Admit it. This is wrong'

'What? Who are you?'

'I'm you! Well, not YOU but I'm you. All I know is that you haven't listened to me in a long time puto'

'So, you're like my conscience or something?'

'You got it puto!' Now listen, you're my bitch now'

'What? My conscience can't tell me what to do'

'The hell I can't Dark! Now listen to me. You know this is bad. Look, just give it back to the filly and leave. That's all you need to do.'

'Look! I'm not going to go over to wherever she lives and give her tiara back! Think of the luxury we can live in!'

'Listen estúpido! You need to go, and give back the tiara! Besides, you'll only get a couple hundred bits for that tiara. Most the gems in it are glass.'

'What!? Now they aren't!' 

'You don't believe me? Go and check!'

'Fine I will!'


~***~


"I can't believe I would only get 250 bits for the tiara!"

'Told you puto! Now, can we please go give it back?'

Dark grumbled loud enough so that the ponies around him can hear.

'Fine.'

'YES!'

"SHUT UP!" Dark yelled grabbing the attention of the ponies selling merchandise around him.

"Triste"


~***~


"Miss Tiara! Please be calm!" A mare in a maids outfit trying to calm Diamond in her stammering rage and panic was having little progress.

"I can't just "BE CALM" Propre! Somepony stole my tiara!" Diamond replied.

"Was it ze same person who hurt you?" Propre asked in her thick French accent.

Diamond stayed silent. She didn't want to let Propre know that Dark and her fought each other. Even if what he did could send him to Juvenile Hall, she knew she would get in trouble as well since she was the one who started the fight in the first place.

Wanting to avoid the question, Diamond then asked,

"Where's father!? He must now this!"

"He has traveled to Manehatten for a business deal with a fast growing technology company. He left me and the other staff in charge of you."

This angered Diamond. Why was it that every time she needed her father the most, he was always gone? Snapping her out of her thoughts she and Propre heard a knock on the door. Propre, doing her job like a good maid rushed out of Diamond's room and down the stairs to the doors.

"Hello? Rich residence." Propre said like she was taught to.

"Uh, hey señora. Is uh, Diamond Tiara here?"

"Yes she is. Does she know you? Why are you here?"

As the colt was about to answer, Diamond interrupted his response.

"I wasn't expecting you to pop up!" Diamond asked, sounding disgusted by the colt's appearance.

"Nice to meet you too Tiara... Oh! Speaking of Tiara, I... Have this." Dark pulled out the tiara almost reluctantly. 

Diamond looked surprised at the presentation the colt has brought her.

"How did you get zis?" Propre asked sounding surprised.

"I uh... I saw a stallion walking to a shed by the river with it. I stole it back and brought it here." The colt responded. He quickly glanced at Diamond who looked surprised that not only did Dark Humor; her classroom enemy and fellow bully is not only returning her tiara, but lied about how he got it as well.

She was offended and flattered at the same time.

"Is zis true Miss Tiara?" Propre asked looking to Diamond now.

A long pause fell upon the small group. Until Diamond's still shocked voice answered.

"Yeah... Yeah, a fat blue stallion knocked me out and probably took my tiara!" Diamond lied, she didn't know why she didn't tell the truth though. This was her chance. To be rid of Dark for good, she wouldn't have a care in the world but instead, she was helping his lie grow like a plant.

"I must tell ze guards! Please, Dark come inside and make yourself home! I must go tell ze guards. Dark, where did you say the stallion was?" Propre asked. Dark was confused, by not only her thick accent muffling her sentence, and the fact that Diamond was actually helping him with his fib.

"Uh, he lives in a shed down by the river. You'll know it when you see it." Dark responded, motioning where the river is.

"Okay! Please, make yourself home. We were about to begin supper. You may stay if you wish. Miss Tiara Mr. Soufflé will be cooking your meal tonight. I can trust you'll do all of what your father requests you do?" Propre asked sounding as if she was Diamond's mother.

"Yes Propre. I will."

"Good, au revoir!" With that, Propre was slowly trotting down the road towards the guard station.

"What just happened?" Dark asked.

"Just get inside the house and eat the damn food you beaner" Diamond said dully.

"...Fine. But only because I want to!"

"Whatever."


'Madre María, dame fuerzas'