//------------------------------// // Court // Story: Balance // by BioQuillFiction //------------------------------// It has been a month since the stuff with John happened, all that time the new babies arrived. Hearts Care gave birth to another son, Arcade. Derpy gave birth to twins, Cole and Sky Cloud. Flitter and Cloudchaser also gave birth to twins, Flitter’s were Hanna and Tornado, and Cloudchaser’s were Echo and Sonic Boom. Rainbow Dash gave birth to a boy, she just named Blitz. Pinkie Pie gave birth to an equally pink son we named Party Popper. Fluttershy gave birth to one child this time, a son we named after her brother… who didn’t come back with everyone else, Zephyr Breeze. And lastly was Torel, who gave birth to a son she named Flare. Needless to say… sleep in both ways was now impossible. Weather the kids were awake or asleep we were constantly exhausted. Nana was very helpful right now. Even with my twins born I had to switch to female form just to get them to calm down cause they wanted me as ‘mamma’ and not daddy. They somehow knew me in both forms, but prefered me in my ‘mamma’ form. Dang little things are too smart for their age, especially Nix. She already is playing with the puzzle toys and getting them all right the first time around, not to mention she is the only one to go to sleep without needing attention right away. It kinda freaks me out. She’s too smart for her age, being only a month old, her siblings are still laughing at Pinkie’s sock puppet shows while she’s looking at it as if she’s a critique. I have her with me now in my office, unlike Blake she doesn’t mind me being in my male form so much. More paperwork as usual, with scout stations being set up on worlds further from Daybreak, more worlds are being found at roughly the same pace… paperwork arrives at the same pace too. I sigh out. “You know Nix, you are gonna hate paperwork when you grow up, and by that I mean if it wasn’t for tests and Homework, kids would like school more.” I say to her. She’s playing with some toys in a crib I set up in my office. She looks at me, shrugs, and goes back to her toys. “You are too smart to be a baby.” There was a knock at the door. “Come in.” The door opened and Diamond Tiara came in, quickly hugging me. “Hi daddy.” She said with a smile as I hugged her back. “Hey princess, you taking a small break?” “Yeah.” She said, letting go of me. “I’m at six worlds… solo diplomacy is hard…” “Think of how your mama Celestia felt before mama Luna came back.” “What about you? When things are peaceful you’re stuck in here doing paperwork.” “While I hate the paper it’s still work that needs to be done. Oh, and say hi to your baby sister Nix over there.” Diamond Tiara’s head did a fast ninety degree turn, spotting Nix as she stood next to the crib looking at her. “She’s so cute, and tiny, and… tiny.” Tiara said in amazement. “You’ve been gone a whole, lot more little siblings with your other mothers.” “I haven’t been gone that long… have I?” “No, turns out being half keyblade means offspring take less time to develope in the womb than regular human or pony babies do, month and a half later these guys pop out.” “Wow, so they’re part keyblade too?” Nix looked at Tiara and shifted into her keychain form. “Oh my stars that’s amazing!” Nix shifted back. “Yeah, not sure if I can do that but who knows anything anymore.” “So how many new little siblings do I have now?” “EIghteen.” I said to her shock. “How are you sleeping?” “Not, even with Nana helping.” I sigh. “Nix here is at least well behaved, if not too smart for her age. So, how long you gonna be staying?” “Just a few days, don’t want this exam to take too long.” “You should go see your mama's, they’ll be happy to see you.” She nodded and ran off, smiling. I’m glad to see her happy. Her friend Silver Spoon might be back, I hope she is. Wonder if her family made it back okay? Egh, now I’m thinking of Tiara’s birth parents… I can’t believe I’m thinking this, but I kinda hope they didn’t come back if Tiara, how she was, is any indication of how they are. I was in the council room with the others. Basic things were being presented and talked about, and with Lord Death helping in selecting smiths for the Keyblade forge, things were progressing smoothly. Rebuilding has gone faster now with the majority of the planet back, if anything most say Equestria, or Daybreak Empire, is a second Radiant Garden. “How’s development on the new crystal hearts?” Leon asked. “Slow, damn magic is old and stubborn to work with, but we’re further ahead to finishing them than last month.” Cid replied. “As long as they get done, it’s all that matters in the end.” I said. “What else is new?” “Development at Castle Oblivion has made a breakthrough.” Lord Death said. “Oh?” “Yes, with this new reflection Diamond Tiara made accidentally, we have the help of one Ansem the Wise on our side, as well as his staff since our reflection’s Ansem and Radiant Garden have fallen already. So far, the cards can now be changed back into exactly what the memory they hold is, and can be used infinitely actually, for instance, a potion card reverts to a card after it’s physical function is done, then we just put it back into a physical form.” “What’s the drawback then?” “The cards can’t go far from the castle without reverting back into memories.” “So the changing issue is solved, but now it’s making sure they can leave the place… This is still a grand project, and the progress made is uplifting.” “I got an idea.” Cid cut in. “If the cards can’t leave Castle Oblivion, then why not make a card that holds the castle’s memory and put it into the card?” “That might work.” Lord Death says. “If the memory and abilities of Castle Oblivion are in card form, and placed into a card, it’s like having the castle in your pocket.” “This is good, anything else new?” I asked. “Unversed have been spotted in the Everfree and the still rebuilding Dragon lands.” Leon stated. “We’ve offered help, but the new dragon lord Ember has assured us that as long as they get their Keyblades, they can handle it.” “Have they offered us anything in terms of trade?” “Their scales that they shed or fall off to use for Keyblade armor. In exchange they want a co-existence and education for their young ones. Unlike the old lord, this Ember seems to be more focused on having the dragon race more open to the idea of peace other than just hoarding riches.” “Should we extend an offer to join the council?” “That would be a good idea, but something tells me she’s too focused on rebuilding her kingdom to worry about other world issues.” Leon said. “We’ll hold that offer til her kingdom is rebuilt. “ I finished. “Any last minute issues?” “Well, two recently brought back inhabitants named Spoiled Rich and Filthy Rich have requested to regain lost money and their daughter.” I felt my heart skip. “I’ll handle that issue personally, anything else?” Crap. I thought, walking in circles around my desk. They did come back after all, I can’t let Tiara know this, I don’t want her involved with… these two with what they turned her into. They were scheduled to meet in my office over Tiara’s custody, though why they want her back given how she was before the Nobodies took over I don’t really know. After a few minutes the two entered my office. “I take it you are Zeke?” Spoiled Rich asked. “Yeah. About custody over your daughter and some kinda money issue?” I said coldly. “We just want to see our daughter.” Filthy said while Spoiled just looked away. Huh, something seems off here. “Well, Diamond Tiara is… being withheld from visits till the custody issue has been settled, best for her health.” “Can we get our money back at least.” Spoiled said, her nose up in the air. So she’s the issue here… Time to pry out a confession. I sat behind my desk, something my grandma taught me was to keep a recording device nearby, and I kept one under my desk. I clicked the record button. “So, let’s start off with Tiara.” I said as they took a seat. If Spoiled only cares about money, then time to press some buttons. “Before anything I’m going to ask you each some personal questions that, as her parents, you should know.” “Alright.” Rich said. “Whatever.” Spoiled said. “Alright then, how old is Diamond Tiara?” “Twelve.” Rich said as Spoiled didn’t speak. “Her birthday?” “November eighth.” Rich spoke again while Spoiled just stayed quiet. “Her friends?” “Silver Spoon.” Rich kept answering the questions while Spoiled didn’t say anything. This went on like this for the entire questioning. Rich was a decent parent, just too distracted by work to give his daughter the right attention, while Spoiled… was just a bitch, that’s all I really can say. She didn’t answer any questions about Tiara, and the longer it went on the more she seemed annoyed. Time to pull the ringer. “So, now that that is out of the way, let’s talk about the money.” “Finally.” Spoiled said. This is a lie, but it’s gonna piss her off. “Well, given her mental condition after she was rescued from the man who put Equestria in ruins, certain… bills must be payed for.” Spoiled got a shocked look. Got ya. “There’s rehabilitation, therapy, room and board, food costs, medicine-” “We’ll pay it.” Rich said. “We?!” Spoiled shouted. Time to sit back and watch the meltdown. “You wanted a child, I only agreed because you said it wouldn’t get in the way of our income! Yet that brat has cost us money we could have spent on much finer things other than her toys, school events, and her ‘happiness’! We are getting our money and that brat can stay in the system for all I care.” I leaned back and smiled, pulling out the recorder. “Mrs. Rich, you are under arrest for child neglect.” I said as Keyblades appeared around her. “Get these accursed things away from me!” A few moments later Leon came in with cuffs and took her to a holding cell, tape of her clear hatred for Tiara in hand, leaving me and Mr. Rich alone. “Why did you marry that bitch?” I asked. Mr. Rich sighed. “It was an arranged marriage. Our parents set it up since our birth. I always hated that mare, but I tried to make the best of it… I thought, having a child might change her… she only got more cold.” He said, looking like he wanted to cry. “I tried to be there for Tiara, but the store always took me away and since Spoiled was always at home… it’s no wonder she grew up like her.” “She’s not like that anymore.” I say, Rich lifting his head up. “I saved her, I have been raising her as my own and she has a family that loves her and she loves this family. She’s developed so much since I first saw her. She’s done so much and is doing more Mr. Rich. Now, this question session has been to see if both or neither of you can even see her. It seems to me that Spoiled is the only issue, so you just have to take some parenting classes, though, legally Tiara is still my daughter. However, I can arrange a work around.” “How? Anything!” “Take the parenting classes, after that I’ll hire you as a helper to help me sort through all this paperwork I get, work gets done quicker, you can see and patch things up with Tiara, deal?” “Deal.” “Good, sighn up for classes, I expect you to be working here by next week.”