Story of Diane Pie: Family Ties

by Middle Ground

Chapter 6 - Igneous and Cloudy Quartz

It has been a pretty busy week for me and I've grown pretty tired. Spending time with all my sisters this week has been quite an experience. Especially Pinkie Pie.... I'm still exhausted from yesterday. I woke up early like always and my body is aching all over. After I fixed my mane and tail, I walk downstairs to see Mom and Dad making breakfast.

"Good morning...." I quickly took my seat at the kitchen table to avoid standing on my aching hooves any longer. The smell of toast and grits was heavenly.

"Good morning, Diane. Did you sleep well?" Mom just finished making a big bowl of freshly made grits with a rock at the center. All part of a Pie's balanced breakfast, I guess.

"I did, but my muscles still hurt from all the traveling I did yesterday...."

Dad chuckled, "Pinkie does move around a lot. Maybe some breakfast will help." Mom and Dad then placed plates and bowls on the table. They then brought a plate with toast and the bowl of grits both look really good. We got our plates and bowls ready and began eating. It was really warm and really good. We finished and then put the dishes away. Afterwards, it just occurred to me that it was very quiet in the house.

"Um...where is Pinkie and the others? Are they working today?"

"No, I gave them the day off. They have all been working hard lately. Also, Pinkie had to go back to Ponyville for something. She says it's for something special." Dad was as puzzled about this 'something special' as I was.

"As for Maud, Marble, and Limestone, they all went to Manehatten to enjoy the sights. It isn't often they visit the city." Mom began cleaning the dishes.

"Well, I'm not really planning on moving around today. Do you want to spend some time together...? Maybe get to know each other more...?" It was my plan to do so.

"That sounds good. Maybe you can help around the house a little bit." Dad then put on his hat and tie and made his way to the front door.

"I'm going to go and look through the farm and mine. Our supplies is supposed to arrive in a few more days. I'll be back later." Dad then left the house to do so. It was just Mom and I in the house now.

"Perhaps you can help me dust the house for a little bit." Mom got us both a feather duster and we began working on the house. As clean as the house looked, it was very dusty.

"Sorry for the dust, deary. It comes from all of the mining and rock farming we do here. I dust this old place every day." I can see why. We dusted this place from top to bottom. We then finished and decided to settle down in the living room.

"So Diane, would you mind telling me hat it's like in Manehatten? It has been a long time since I've been there." Mom was cleaning her glasses for any dust.

"Oh really...? How long was it?"

"Hmm....I think it was after I married your father and moved here. I think...20 years ago?"

"That long ago?! I don't think Maud was even born yet...!" Mom has been missing out....

Mom chuckled, "It has been a long time for me."

"How did you and Dad meet...?"

"Oh, that's an old story. I was visiting the city from Ponyville on a delivery. I was studying stones when I was your age. I was delivering a mineral report to my Geology professor in Manehatten University. After I did that, I met your father in my favorite restaurants called 'Sandwich House'. They made the best sandwiches around." She began licking her lips. Those must have been really good sandwiches.

She then sighed, "Sadly, they closed down.... Newer businesses were starting to open up and 'Sandwich House' was overwhelmed." There are a lot of businesses in the city.

"Um...Mom? Your story?"

She panicked, "Uh...oh, yes! My story...! I visited the restaurant for a meal and that's when I met your father. He was actually a young rock farmer making a mineral delivery to the university. And to my professor. He was indeed quite handsome. He had a strong look on his face and he was very strong carrying all those boulders on his back." She blushed at the memory of my Dad back then.

"Um...Mom? You're going off topic again." This is kind of awkward.

"Uh...yes! He was visiting the restaurant while he was on lunch. After he got his order and took his seat, our eyes met for only a second and that is when we first met. He seemed a little tense when he first met me. He could hardly get a word out of his mouth. It was so cute." She giggled. So even Dad had his nervous moments.

"We got to talking for a little bit and he was quite knowledgeable about stones. That is when he told me about his delivery. He needed directions to the university for his delivery and I took him there. He made his delivery and he had to head back to work. Before he left, he asked if we could meet again. His face was so red when he asked me...!" Dad must have been pretty shy around Mom.

"We spent time whenever we had free time. He was working a rock farm at 20 years old under his father's teachings. I was still studying at the university at the time. We became close over time. After I finally graduated, he came to me and asked if I could visit his rock farm. His father suddenly passed away from old age and left everything to Igneous. He was all alone, so I thought I should be there for him. And then we arrived at his rock farm. And that is when I saw Holder's Boulder. He told me that it was a family heirloom and it was used for match-making. I thought it was actually silly at first. But it was because of that large rock that he and I even met. Every member in his family has found their special somepony every generation. His family believed it was a magical object. Igneous' many fathers have all met their destined partners. And I was his." She blushed again. I always thought it was just a lucky charm. Maybe there's more to it. And it's thanks to that rock that...my sisters, Pinkie Pie, and myself even exist.

"He then looked at me and presented me with a cloudy quartz ring. And in only a few months later, we were married. Soon we had Maud, then Limestone, then Marble, and finally Pinkie. I have had such a happy life. And...now we have a fifth daughter." She looked at me with baffled look on her face. My case is rather...strange.

She cleared her throat and hugged me, "It doesn't matter...! You're our daughter and that's what matters!" Sigh...I never thought I would have two families. I can't wait to tell Miss Jubilee about all this. We continued talking about stuff until we then heard the sound of the clock chiming. It was 2: 30 pm.

"Oh my, time went by fast. Diane, I need you to do something for me. Wait right here." Mom then left the living room and went to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she came back with a basket of bread, a bottle of water, and a few pebbles.

"Please take this to your father. This is his lunch hour and he will be hungry by now."

"Alright." I took the basket and made my way out to the mine. This time I'm going to be much more careful. I made my way to the mines and see Dad moving a few boulders by himself. I think I know where Maud gets her incredible strength from.

"Dad...! It's lunch time!" I called out to him and he stopped working.

"Oh, why thank you, Diane. I was starting to get quite famished." He then wiped off the sweat and dirt off his brow with a towel on a nearby bench. We sat down on the bench and he began eating the lunch Mom prepared for him.

"Dad, do you know what the Holder's Boulder is? Mom told me it was used for match-making." He then gulped down the bottle of water and gave a relived sigh.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure what it is to be honest. I have only heard of stories from my father's father. His father's father once thought it was a dragon's egg when he first found it. It was seen as a lucky charm to the family. Maybe there is more to that stone. I'm not entirely sure." I guess it must be something special. Now that I think about it...doesn't the boulder have anything to do with Pinkie's...Pinkie-ness? Or is it just how Pinkie is? I have no idea.

"Well, the work day is nearly through. Would you like to help me a little bit? I promise to keep you safe."

"I won't make a mess this time." I began to help Dad work with some of the supplies he was able to save from the incident. Most of it was pretty broken. Dad taught me a lot about how the mines work. He showed me the different kinds of stones they mine like salt, iron, and even copper. I helped move some mine carts out of the tunnels and even separate some of the stones from one another. Afterwards, we then heard the sound of the train arriving at the station.

"Hmm, that must be the girls returning from the city. Go and greet them, would you? I still have much work to do." Dad went back to work in the mines. I then left the mines as asked and made my way to the train station. Before I arrived I saw Maud, Marble, and Limestone walking towards me.

"Oh, hey Diane. Sorry we were gone for the day. Dad gave us the day off. We got you all some cakes and stuff from a café." Limestone was carrying some baskets full of sweets.

"The owner was really nice too...." Marble was carrying baskets full of knitting ware.

"Diane, you have many minerals staining your hooves. Have you been at the mines?" Maud wasn't carrying any bags. I look at my hooves and they were quite dirty.

"Yes, I was helping Dad before I heard the train arrive. Did you all have fun in Manehatten?"

"Yeah, it was fun. It's not often any of us visit the big city. Maud was showing us around all the sights."

Marble giggled, "Limestone slipped while ice-skating." Limestone gave an annoyed grunt while she blushed.

"We tried to find Miss Cherry Jubilee, but we didn't know where she lived. So we decided to come back early. What all did you do today?" We all began making our way back as Maud talked.

"Well, I was getting to know Mom and Dad more." We continued until we got to the mines and Dad was still working hard. Maud and Limestone left us to go help him while Marble and I went home. We got home, put away some of the stuff they brought back with them in the kitchen, and I left to bathe. It felt good after some hard work. After I dried and fixed up my mane and tail, I went into the living room to see Marble getting started on her knitting already.

"You're so good at knitting, Marble." Mom was very impressed. Marble blushed a little as she continued knitting. Dad, Maud, and Limestone came back from the mines all covered in dirt.

"Well, I suppose that will do for today. Thank you for the help, girls." Dad then placed his hat on the living room table and made his way upstairs to bathe.

"W got a letter in the mail today. It is from Canterlot and it said we should be getting our replacement tools in a few days." Mom pointed to the letter that was placed near Dad's hat.

"Finally...." Limestone gave a deep sigh of relief. I guess taking it easy for so long has made Limestone stressed somehow.

"Diane, did Dad say anything about a black stone in the mines while you were helping him?"

"A black stone...? No, I don't think so. Why?" What Maud said was curious.

"We found it a week ago while digging and none of us know what it was. We think it's an entirely new mineral." I think I just saw a sparkle in Maud's eyes. She must be really excited. We then sat down and talked about what the girls did all day in Manehatten. Then Dad came from upstairs and he was cleaned up.

"I am done bathing now." Dad was drying himself off with a towel. He then sat down at the living room table.

"Alright, I'm going to get cleaned up."

"Me too." Limestone and Maud then left the room to bathe.

"Thank you for all your help today, Diane. The rest of the work was much easier when you came to help."

"You're welcome, Dad." I blushed from the compliment. It was starting to get late, so we then began getting dinner ready. The sweets the girls brought home was going to be for dessert after having Mom's Three-Stone Soup. We began eating when Maud and Limestone came down after bathing. I've been eating a lot of rocks lately and never even noticed.... We didn't see Pinkie Pie at all today. I guess she must be really busy with whatever she left to do. After dinner and dessert, it was time for bed and the girls had already gone to sleep. I was helping Mom and Dad clean and put away the dishes.

"I must thank you for being here, Diane." Mom had just finished drying off a plate.

"Umm...why?" I was slightly confused.

"For all that you have done for us. Limestone is smiling more, Marble is talking more, and Maud is more active nowadays. You've brought so much to us by just visiting."

"Indeed. Much like how Pinkie Pie showed us how to smile when she was a filly. You and her are so much alike." Mom and Dad then hugged me. I guess just being there can help some ponies. I'm glad I could do something for them. Then I remembered what was going to happen tomorrow....

"Tomorrow I'm going back to Manehatten to meet with Miss Jubilee and the others." Mom and Dad then looked at me in concern. I knew I couldn't hide me troubled feelings.

Mom then sighed, "It's alright, Diane. You don't have to worry about us once you leave."

"Yes. And should anything happen, you will always have a home here." Dad patted my head. Truly, I am thankful to have this family. I then bid them a good night and went to sleep. This was a short week, but I couldn't have been happier.