The Napoleons: The Confessions & Revelations Of The Greatest Mafia Family

by Bluecatcinema

Ashes To Ashes, Sand To Dust

'After Sandy ascended to being the matriarch of the family, she and I seemed to have become closer than ever. For the next few years, we led a rather... amorous love life, despite my Mafioso duties. We were like Raymond Fillynandez and Martha Buck, or Mickey and Mallory Knex.'

One instance that comes to mind was back in Las Pegasus, we were dealing with a local crime ring, who were using credit card companies as a front to steal money from ponies. While I set explosives at their record buildings (fighting off their lackies), Sandy anonymously dropped off some incriminating evidence at the police station...'

Sandy caught up with Grimoire at the hotel they were staying at. Grimoire was covered in cuts and bruises.

"Are you okay?" Sandy rushed over to her husband.

"I'm fine." Grimoire smiled. "It takes more than a bunch of second-rate stooges to bring me down."

"Did you set the explosives?" Sandy asked.

Just outside the window, a building was suddenly engulfed in an explosion, collapsing into rubble.

"Does that answer your question?" Grimoire chuckled.

"Wise guy." Sandy rolled her eyes.

As more buildings exploded, Grimoire and Sandy held hooves.

"You know, there's something oddly beautiful about this..." Sandy leaned against Grimoire.

"If anypony would know beauty, it'd be you." Grimoire smiled.

"Oh, Grim..." Sandy purred, as she nibbled lightly on his ear, in a way she knew he liked.

"Ooh, Sandy..." Grimoire quivered.

"Just wait 'til I get you home." Sandy said huskily.

'Boy, what a homecoming that was. Nothing like an elaborate act of terrorism to get your motor running. Yes sir, we quite 'enthusiastic' in bed, even after years of marriage. But it wasn't all just mating, far from it. There was a hill, not far from the mansion, where we would go for picnics together...'

Sandy raced up the hill.

"Come on, Grim!" She called. "Don't be a slowpoke!"

Grimoire was far behind her, lugging a full picnic basket as he scaled the slope.

"I'm going as fast as I can..." He groaned.

Grimoire eventually made it to the top, panting and wheezing.

"There you are." Sandy kissed him on the cheek.

"Sorry for the wait." Grimoire apologised. "I've been spending a little too much time behind a desk lately."

"Well, we'll have to do something like that." Dusty grinned. "In fact, I know a few... specialist exercises that could do the trick. Of course, they work their best when you're with a partner... in bed..."

"I'd like to give those a try." Grimoire smirked.

"I'll bet you won't." Sandy grinned. "But for now, let's just relax, and enjoy each others' company... and Sonny's scrumptious food of course."

"Of course." Grimoire smiled. "But I know which one I enjoy more..."

"So do I." Sandy leaned against him.

'Even when we took Dusty to the local playground, we still found time for romance...'

Grimoire, Sandy and Dusty entered the playground. Grimoire and Sandy both held one of Dusty's hooves, and swung her gently.

"Whee!" Dusty squealed. "Come on, dad! Higher, mom!"

"Easy there, sweetheart." Sandy chuckled. "Why don't you go play on the swings while dad and I take a break?"

"Okay, sure!" Dusty raced over to the swings.

"So much energy for a filly her age..." Grimoire sighed, as he and Sandy sat on a bench.

"I was the same way when I was her age." Sandy admitted. "I ran around and played like nopony's business..."

"I was hoping she'd take after her mother." Grimoire smiled. "Especially in the looks department."

"There's a lot of you in there too." Sandy grinned. "She's so bright and sharp as a tack. She definitely didn't get that from me."

"Don't sell yourself short." Grimoire told her. "You're the smartest mare I've ever met, as well as the most beautiful. No stallion could ask for a better wife."

"Oh, Grim..." Sandy smiled, as they kissed.

"Ew!" Dusty gagged, glancing at her parents as she swung. "Gross!"

'And of course, we would have candlelit dinners together...'

One evening, in the dining room, Grimoire and Sandy were sharing a dish of Sonny's spaghetti and maizeballs together. The rest of the brothers (save for Caboose, who was watching Dusty) acted like they were the staff at the two's own personal restaurant.

"A little wine for the happy couple?" Salt offered.

"With pleasure." Grimoire nodded.

"Thanks for this, Grim." Sandy smiled. "You're so sweet."

"For you, my love, anything." Grimoire placed his hoof on hers.

While they enjoyed their dinner, Murray started playing an accordion, while Vinny started to sing:

Oh, this is the night, it's a beautiful night
And we call it bella notte
Look at the skies, they have stars in their eyes
On this lovely bella notte...

"Will you knock that off?" Grimoire yelled. "It's very distracting!"

"Well excuse me for trying to set the mood..." Vinny pouted.

"Don't quit your day job, Vinny." Lars snorted.

"Like you can talk." Slot nudged Lars. "I've heard you in the shower. It's like a parrot in a wood chipper..."

"Knock it off, guys." Murray hushed them. "Don't ruin this for Grim and Sandy.

"Right." Sonny nodded. "Shush."

As the brothers fell quiet, Grimoire and Sandy continued their meal, holding hooves and gazing lovingly at each other.

"That's the way, Grim." Salt whispered.

Grimoire and Sandy both sucked on the same strand of spaghetti, which pulled them in until their lips met.

'I know, I know. The "spaghetti kiss" thing is a total cliche. But sometimes, real life can be more passe than fiction. Speaking of which, as our anniversary came up, I wanted to do something special for Sandy. So one night, while Sandy was asleep, I woke up my brothers for an urgent brainstorming session...'

Grimoire led the drowsy brothers into the study.

"This better be good, Grim." Slot grumbled. "I was having that dream about the two models and the swimming pool full of whipped cream..."

"Knock it off, Slot." Murray frowned. "I'm sure Grim wouldn't wake us up like this for any old thing."

"True." Lars nodded. "It must be important."

"It's very important." Grimoire nodded. "I need your opinions on a matter of grave importance: What should I do for Sandy for our tenth anniversary?"

"...That's it?" Slot growled. "You woke us up for that?" Salt cuffed him on the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Zip it." Salt snarled.

"I can't think of anything." Grimoire sighed. "It needs to be special, but I can't come up with anything. My mind's a blank."

"I'm not surprised." Murray smirked. "The amount of romantic gestures you've been churning out lately, it's no wonder you're running on empty."

"Hence why I asked you guys here." Grimoire nodded. "Any ideas?"

"How about getting her some fancy diamond earrings?" Vinny suggested.

"Maybe..." Grimoire mused.

"Maybe take her skiing in the mountains?" Murray offered.

"Perhaps a cruise of some sort?" Lars interjected.

"How about a romantic stay in the family lodge?" Sonny asked.

"Or a blimp ride?" Salt added.

"Take her to a rave." Slot declared. "That always works for me."

"How about a wine-tasting tour?" Vinny asked.

"No, it's not enough..." Grimoire frowned. "It's got to be something really special..."

"Why don't ya just take her upstairs and give her the ride of her life?" O'Malley said lewdly. "You know what I'm talkin' about. Hoofcuffs, paddles, the works..."

"Thank you for the suggestion, O'Malley." Grimoire grimaced in disgust. "I'll keep it in mind... way, way back in mind. Anypony else?"

"Ooh, I just had a thought!" Caboose piped up, taking over from O'Malley.

"This oughta be good..." Slot sneered.

"I heard Sandy talking about going to the Caymare Islands once." Caboose declared. "She said she'd always wanted to go. Maybe you could take her there?"

"That's it!" Grimoire smiled. "Caboose, you're a genius!"

"Thanks." Caboose smiled proudly. "What's a genius?"

"I could take Sandy to the islands as a second honeymoon!" Grimoire announced. "Well, first, actually. There wasn't exactly time for one after our wedding..."

"Sounds perfect to me." Murray nodded.

"Go for it, Grim." Vinny agreed.

"Show her the time of her life." Salt added.

"Oh, I will." Grimoire nodded. "It'll be an experience neither of us will ever forget."

'I had no idea how right I was. Prepare yourself for one of the most tragic chapters of my life, a story I sadly call...'

Chapter Ten: Ashes to Ashes, Sand to Dust

'I'd decided to surprise Sandy with the tickets to the Caymare Islands. It was a three day trip. We would have taken a boat there, and stayed at a beachside condo. We would have walked down the beach together, swam in the ocean, watch the sun set, enjoy the local cuisine, and spend plenty of time in bed (if you catch my drift). One day, I took her out on another picnic, this one at sunset...'

For once, Grimoire made it up the hill first, even with the heavy picnic basket. The tickets were hidden in his jacket pocket.

"Come on, slowpoke!" He teased Sandy. "Sunset won't wait forever!"

"I'm... coming..." Sandy said, strangely out of breath.

"...Sandy?" Grimoire took notice of how tired his wife was. He hadn't really noticed before, but she had been a little lethargic lately. He'd just assumed she had been working too hard. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." Sandy gasped as she neared the top of the hill. "I'm fiiii...."

Sandy suddenly collapsed.

"Sandy!" Grimoire rushed over to her. "Sandy, wake up!"

Grimoire nudged Sandy, but she didn't stir.

"No, please..." Grimoire lifted her up with her back. "Hang in there. You're going to be okay..."

'I rushed Sandy to the hospital as fast as I could, all the while hoping and praying that it wasn't anything serious. Alas, my prayers went unanswered...'

Sandy lay in a hospital bed, barely conscious, her heart monitor beeping with mortifying slowness, while Grimoire spoke with a doctor.

"She'll be okay, right?" Grimoire asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Napoleon." The doctor replied. "In fact, Sandy is as far from okay as possible."

"Meaning?" Grimoire asked.

"Your wife has a developed a rare disease known as Hideatosis." The doctor revealed. "It's a terrible affliction that starts in the bone marrow, slowly chipping away at the victim's red blood cells, putting the them in a state of tiredness and lethargy..." Grimoire froze, recognizing those symptoms. "...Then suddenly moves onto the organs. I'm sorry to have to say this, but it's... terminal."

"No..." Grimoire gasped, as he felt his heart breaking. "No, please... Surely there's something you can do?"

"Well, research is under way to produce a vaccine, but it's still years away from being perfected." The doctor declared.

"How could this have happened?" Grimoire frowned. "Sandy was the picture of health."

"These things usually tend to be congenital." The doctor admitted. "Her mother or possibly her father may have had it."

"Definitely wasn't the father..." Grimoire said darkly.

'It was at that point that I realized why mom had had so little success in tracking down Sandy's mother. She had probably succumbed to the disease herself. And history was about to repeat itself...'

"How long does she have?" Grimoire asked.

"Not very long at all." The doctor sighed. "Hideatosis can easily go undetected until it attacks the organs, at which point it's far too late. Sandy has hours at best."

"Hours?!" Grimoire gasped. "That's all?"

"I'm sorry." The doctor apologized. "All we can do is make her last moments as comfortable as possible."

'I can't accurately depict what I felt at that moment. In the space of a few hours, my perfect world had turned upside down. All of a sudden, I was going to lose Sandy forever. It was like somepony had ripped out my heart and set it alight. As bad as I felt, I knew the rest of the family would feel even worse. Poor Dusty, especially. No filly her age should go through the loss of her mother...'

Soon after, the brothers and Dusty arrived at the hospital. They stood in Sandy's room, shocked by the news.

"This can't be happening..." Murray shook his head in disbelief. "Not to Sandy..."

"It's not right!" Salt punched the wall. "No way Sandy deserves this!"

"Lousy Hideatosis." Slot spat. "Why couldn't it have been some two-bit thug who made Sandy like this? At least then, we could make him pay!"

"Those quacks obviously don't know what they're doing." Lars said derisively. "We need to get Dusty to some real doctors."

"There's no time, Lars." Vinny told him. "Besides, she's in no shape to be moved." His bottom lip started quivering. "Face it, man, it's over..."

"Sandy, we're all so sorry." Sonny sniffed. "You're one of the best things that ever happened to this family..."

"You were always so sweet, and caring." Caboose gulped back his tears. "I could always count on you to lend a sympathetic ear."

"You're one of a kind, alright. A real peach, y'know?" O'Malley added, a distinct crack in his normally deep voice.

"Thank you..." Sandy smiled weakly. "I just want you all to know what a joy it's been to be a part of this family. Murray, your courage has always impressed me. Salt, your strength is a marvel. Lars, you're such a smart stallion. I know you can do anything you put your mind to. Sonny, I know one day, your cooking will be known far and wide. Same with your wine, Vinny. Slot, you may be rough around the edges, but you have a good heart, deep down inside. And Caboose? Never change. I love you all so much..."

"We love you too, Sandy." Murray sniffed.

"You brought a little light to this family." Salt added.

"We'll never forget you." Lars sniffed.

"I'll be sure to name a recipe in your honor." Sonny pledged.

"And I'll toast your memory every year on this day." Vinny smiled.

"Aw, geez..." Slot whimpered, tears streaming down his face. "I just can't hold it in any more..."

"Sandy, I'll miss you so much..." Caboose wept. His face soon contorted to O'Malley's glare.

"Ah, don't embarrass me, ya whiny... li'l..." O'Malley's face soon crumbled as well. "Oh, who am I foolin'? I'll miss ya too, Sandy!"

"Mom..." Dusty sniffed as she approached the bed. "Don't go..."

"I'm afraid I don't have a choice, sweetheart." Sandy said solemnly.

"No!" Dusty wept, as she embraced her mother. "Please, stay!"

"There, there." Sandy stroked her sobbing daughter's mane. "It'll be alright."

"It won't! Not ever again!" Dusty screeched. "Don't leave us, please!"

"Dusty, look at me." Sandy tilted Dusty's head up, so they were looking at each other. "I need you to be strong. Not just for yourself, but for your dad. I know you'll miss me, but please don't give in to misery and despair. Be strong, like I know you are. Can you do that for me?"

"I... I guess..." Dusty dried her eyes. "I'll try, mom..."

"There's my girl." Sandy hugged her.

"Come on, Dusty." Caboose put a hoof on his niece's shoulder. "Maybe we should leave your mom and dad alone for a second."

"Okay..." Dusty said sadly.

"We'll be leaving too." Lars nodded.

Once the others had left, it was just Grimoire and Sandy.

"Grim..." Sandy sighed, her breathing becoming more labored.

"Please, Sandy..." Grimoire begged. "Don't do this. Don't leave me..."

"There's nothing any of us can do." Sandy told him. "Even Celestia herself can't do anything for me now."

"Everything was so perfect." Grimoire sniffed. "And now this happens..."

"That's life, I'm afraid." Sandy sighed. "You never know what's coming around the bend, whether it's wonderful, or terrible..."

"It's not fair." Grimoire started crying. "I don't want to lose you, not like I lost Anarchy! Not like I lost Pa! I love you, Sandy! With all my heart! I can't live without you!"

"Don't be sad that I'm leaving..." Sandy told him, as she grew weaker. "Be grateful for the time we spent together. That's what really matters..."

"Sandy, please..." Grimoire embraced her. "Just hold on. This can't be how it ends! We supposed to grow old together! We were going to spend our twilight years in a nice retirement home, lying on one of those hanging benches together, just happy to be with each other!"

"I wanted that too..." Sandy smiled. "But you don't always get what you want."

"Well, we should!" Grimoire yelled. "There was still so much I wanted to do with you."

"Me too." Sandy sighed. "But I'm just glad I met you. Being your wife was the most wonderful time of my life, even if it didn't last as long as it should have. You gave me, love, excitement, fun, and a daughter..."

"You gave me the same things." Grimoire nodded sombrely. "And so much more. You changed my life for the better. I'm not ready to say goodbye yet."

"Neither am I..." Sandy admitted, a tear rolling down her cheek. "But I have no choice.... I'll never forget the time we spent together, Grim. I'll always love you..."

"Sandy, please..." Grimoire begged, holding her more tightly in the vain hope that it would keep her with him.

"Addio amore mio..." Sandy whispered weakly. Her eyes drooped shut, and she slumped against Grimoire's chest, as the heart monitor let out a long ominous beeping noise, echoing throughout the room.

"No, no, no..." Grimoire shook his head, the tears flowing more freely from his eyes, as he cradled her lifeless body. "Sandy, oh Faust, no... please, no..." His voice soon devolved into unintelligible sobs, as he let out a scream of sorrow. "SANDY!"

'With that... I had just lost the love of my life... Buck all those cruddy romance movies where the guy or girl dies in the end, the feelings they had in the movies pale in comparison to what I felt in that moment when I held her cold body in my hooves. The agony, the sorrow... even after all these years, those feelings are still so fresh in my mind. Truthfully, I don't remember much of the funeral. Most of the days following Sandy's death flashed past in a haze of misery and pain. But there was one moment that stands out in my memory...'

The funeral was a somber affair. The guest were all friends and family of the Napoleons. The brothers sat in the front row, their expressions filled with sorrow. Dusty lay on Caboose's lap. She was trying to be strong, just as she had promised her mother, but it was hard, especially with the coffin so nearby. Even Bonnie was in attendance.

"You have my condolences." Cavallo said solemnly.

"Thanks, your worship." Murray sighed.

"Sandy was one of a kind." Tiberius the Griffon declared. "She will be missed."

"I know." Salt nodded.

"May her trip to the next life be a smooth and safe journey." Wizel declared.

"I don't really believe in an afterlife." Lars admitted. "But I hope Sandy is a better place now. She deserves it."

"There was never a mare as sweet and kind." Shady stated. "We are all richer for having known her, and poorer for having lost her."

"So true." Sonny sniffed.

"She was the last pony who deserved to die young." Vinny said quietly.

"Yeah." Slot added. "Why couldn't it have been that rotten nag I used to date? Nopony would have missed her!"

"Poor Grim." Bonnie sighed. "As hard as it was for me to lose Clyde, at least we had all those years together. Grim and Sandy had barely any in comparison."

"You okay, kiddo?" Caboose asked Dusty, who hadn't made a sound all day.

"No." Dusty sniffed.

"We know how you're feeling, kid." O'Malley declared. "Your mom was the best. We're all missin' her..."

Grimiore, sitting the closest to the coffin, stared off into space, having barely saying anything all throughout the proceedings.

"We will now hear a few words from Sandy's husband." The priest overseeing the funeral declared. "Mr. Napoleon, if you would..."

Grimoire stood up, and walked over to the coffin.

"My wife..." He started. "My wife, Sandy..." He faltered. Clearing his throat, he tried to start again. "S-she was a w-wonderful mare..."

"Come on, Grim." Murray whispered. "Keep it together."

"A l-loving wife, a caring mother, a-" Grimm paused, as he realized tears were dripping down his face. With that realization, he lost any remaining will to carry on. "...I'm sorry... I... I can't do this..."

Without another word, Grimm ran out of the room, not bothering to face the confused crowd.

"Dad..." Dusty sighed.

"Oh, Grim..." Murray bowed his head.

"My poor boy..." Bonnie sighed.

"Well, um..." The priest said awkwardly. "Perhaps we should move on to the lowering of the coffin...."

'I had never felt more ashamed of myself. My wife deserved the greatest eulogy in the world, and what she got was a blubbering mess. That shame mixed with my grief, dragging me deeper into despair. As soon as we got home, I fell into a pit of depression. I wandered around the house, refusing to speak with anypony, even Dusty. I stayed like that for a month, wallowing in my grief. Meanwhile, the members of our group were starting to get concerned...'

In one of the Napoleons' secret meeting places, the brothers (save for Caboose) were trying to placate some of their more proactive members.

"Look, it's been a month, now." Gregory Contrail the Griffin frowned. "Grimoire hasn't done anything since the funeral. The guys back in Hollow Shades are getting worried that nothing is being done here."

"Well, what do you expect, Contrail?" Salt said angrily. "The guy lost his wife. Show a little compassion, will ya?"

"Hey, we have nothing but the utmost empathy for Mr. Napoleon. " Big Guns the Buffalo assured him. "But we've all lost loved ones at some point, and we're still going."

"But Grimoire doesn't seem to be going anywhere." Carapace the Changeling added. "His prolonged absence is putting a serious dent in our operations. We got stockpiles of uncut black rubies, just sitting there, and our queen is getting suspicious. Wizel can't cover for us forever."

"Look, Grimoire just needs a little more time to get it together." Murray assured them. "Then he'll be back in charge."

"I understand what Grimm is going through must be hard for him." Gregory sighed. "I mean, if I lost Gilda, I would be heart-broken. But we can only wait so long. If he's not back soon, somepony is going to have to step up and take charge around here!"

"That won't be necessary." Lars replied.

"Let's hope so." Carapace stated. "'Cause I don't want to go back to being the Changeling who clears out the larva's combs."

"Well, my old job wasn't exactly better." Big Guns snorted. "I used to work in a circus, cleaning out the cragadile cages..."

"I was just some stockboy at a supermarket." Gregory admitted. "Not as bad as your jobs, but I'd still prefer not to go back."

Sonny turned to his brothers with a frown.

"What if Grim doesn't get it together?" Sonny asked. "What then?"

"Then Murray should take over." Vinny shrugged. "He is next in line, remember?"

"Then we'll really be bucked." Slot snarked.

"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet." Murray declared. "We all know Grim. He'll bounce back sooner or later."

"I hope you're right." Salt declared. "If not, this mob's going down in flames."

"Don't say that." Lars declared. "We'll work something out. We always do."

"Don't you mean Grim always does?" Vinny asked. "Without him, we may as well throw in the towel."

"Not a chance" Slot asked. "We'll keep going, with or without Grim."

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to have some options at the ready." Sony frowned. "I wonder if any of the local restaurants need a chef?"

"Way to stay positive, Sonny." Murray frowned.

Back at the mansion, Caboose was walking down a corridor when he heard crying coming from Dusty's room. He went to investigate, and, sure enough, found Dusty sitting on her bed, weeping.

"Hey there, my favorite niece." He smiled warmly. "What's with the rainy face?"

"It's dad." Dusty sniffed. "I tried talking to him in his study. I knocked on the door and everything, but he didn't even answer. It's like... he hates me now!"

"He doesn't hate you." Caboose soothed her. "He just has a lot on his mind right now. Poor guy's still grieving."

"Well so am I." Dusty pouted. "But you don't see me ignoring everypony!"

"True." Caboose admitted.

"I already lost mom, and now dad doesn't love me anymore..." Dusty wept.

"Of course he loves you." Caboose assured her.

"I don't really see that right now." Dusty wiped her eyes.

"Dusty..." Caboose sighed.

"Just... go away, uncle Caboose." Dusty turned away from him. "I need to be alone. So alone..."

"Okay." Caboose grudgingly made his way out. "Let me know if you change your mind..."

Out in the hallway, Caboose started to worry.

"Oh, this is bad." He muttered. "This whole family's coming apart."

"Well, what are you standing around for?" O'Malley declared. "Why don't you do something about it?"

"Like what?" Caboose asked.

"Like giving Grim a piece of your mind for starters." O'Malley stated.

"I can't do that!" Caboose gasped.

"Why not?" O'Malley growled. "Look what Grim's doin' to his own daughter. Somepony's gotta give him a talkin' to, and you're the guy to do it."

"What about the others?" Caboose asked.

"Your brothers?" O'Malley snorted. "Those losers can't do anything without Grim leading them. You're the only who's got a little initiative."

"Well, maybe I could give it a shot..." Caboose admitted. "A little friendly advice, that's all..."

"Now you're talking." O'Malley nodded.

Caboose made his way to Grimoire's study.

"Grimm? Are you in there?" Caboose murmured, as he knocked. There was no answer, "Grim? Do you want to-"

"If you end that sentence with 'build a snowpony', I'm going to kick ourselves in the nuts!" O'Malley snarled. "Aside, the bucking door is open!" He emphasized the point by pushing said door open.

"Ah-heh." Caboose awkwardly.

As Caboose walked into the room, he was shocked to find the study in a slight mess. Not messy as a hoarder's home, but simply untidy. There were books, cushions, and empty bottles scattered all over the place. A old showtune was playing on a nearby record player, as none other than Grimoire, who was a complete mess himself. His mane and goatee was ragged, having not shaved in a while, his suit jacket was off, and his undershirt was a ruffled, stained mess, and his eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn't been sleeping in a long time. A pungent odor hung around him like a cloud of misery. To make matters worse, he was absolutely drunk, a bottle of Vinny's super potent wine in his hooves.

'Not a pretty sight, is it? I'll admit, this was one of my lowest ebbs. I had fallen into a dep, dark pit of despair, and I had no intention of climbing back out. Fortunately, Caboose had other ideas...'

"…Grim?" Caboose murmured.

"Heh?" Grimiore barely perked up, his voice slurring. "Whaddaya want? I thought I said I didn't want to be disturbed!"

"Oh boy..." Caboose gasped.

"It's even worse than I thought it'd be." O'Malley gaped.

"No offense Grim, but you stink." Caboose gagged. "When was the last time you showered?"

"When Sandy was still alive." Grimoire groaned. "Back when everything was beautiful and wonderful... before the fates took her from me."

"Gettin' poetic, huh?" O'Malley frowned. "Not a good sign..."

"Well, I'm waitin'." Grimoire frowned, his temper flaring quicker than it usually did, as he took a chug from the bottle of wine. "What is it?"

"Well, uh... it's about... all this." Caboose said awkwardly.

"Huh?" Grimoire frowned harder.

"He means your pathetic little pity party." O'Malley said nastily.

"O'Malley!" Caboose yelped.

"I don't care if it's mean!" O'Malley snorted. "He needs to hear it!"

"...You're right." Caboose agreed. "Grim, you've gotta pull yourself together. Everypony is worried sick about you. Our men is constantly asking when you will be coming back. There is only so much that we seven can do without you, Grim. We need you, bro."

"Why bother?" Grimoire hiccupped, slamming his bottle on his desk. "Every time I find myself to be happy, I end up losing a pony I cared deeply about. I lost the pony I looked up to most-"

"Who?" Caboose frowned.

"We lose our father, and now, life has taken away Sandy from me." Grimoire continued. "No matter what I did, life continues to punish me. I just can't take it anymore."

"Wuss." O'Malley snorted. "You're supposed to be the don, but right now, you're acting like a dud."

"Seriously?" Caboose groaned. "We're supposed to be talking Grim to his senses!"

"It doesn't matter what either of you say." Grimoire declared. "...I'm done. Done watching as my loved one are taken from me. Done running this criminal empire. I just... don't have it in me anymore. Murray can take command. And you can all just leave me alone."

"All of us?" Caboose frowned. "Even Dusty? She told me how you just ignored her earlier. That poor foal thinks you don't love her anymore."

"Way to go, father of the year." O'Malley added.

"It's not right for a father to push his daughter away like that." Caboose said firmly. "There's no excuse for your actions, Grim. I don't care if you're still grieving, you have a fatherly duty to attend to."

"Alright, fine." Grimoire growled, as he got up from his chair, a bit wobbly. "I'll go and talk to her, as long as you get off my back."

"Not a chance." Caboose shook his head, stepping in front of him. "I don't want Dusty to see you like this, all drunk off your hooves."

"Will you make up your mind?" Grimoire yelled. "First you want me to see her, then you don't want me to see her!"

"I want her to see you at your best." Caboose declared. "Not the wreck you've become."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't be a wreck if it weren't for you!" Grimoire roared.

"Come again?" Caboose frowned. "I don't follow..."

"You don't follow?" Grimoire repeated, his face contorting in rage. "You don't follow?!" In an instant, he smashed the bottle against the wall. "YOU DID THIS TO ME!" He roared, jabbing his hoof at him. "You were the one who set me up with Sandy in the first place! You made me fall in love, just so I could have my heart torn asunder when she was taken away from me! I am in so much pain because of you!"

"Well, he's got a point there." O'Malley conceded.

"Not helping." Caboose growled.

"Maybe I should give you a taste of the pain I'm feeling." Grimoire roared. He made to punch Caboose, but missed, too drunk and despondent to aim."

"Easy, Grim." Caboose told him. "You don't want to hurt yourself."

"Like you care." Grimoire spat. "I spent my whole life looking out for you, and how do you repay me? By setting me up for the biggest heartbreak of my life!"

"You're right, Grim." Caboose frowned. "It is because of me that you're in so much pain right now. But it's also because of me that you were able to feel so much happiness from being with Sandy. Because of me, you experienced love, companionship, and fatherhood." Caboose felt a bit of tears coming to his eyes. "I know better than anypony how much you loved Sandy... but how you think she would feel if you just turned your back on Dusty because of her?"

"Sandy doesn't feel anything anymore." Grimoire snorted. "She's dead, remember?"

"That doesn't matter!" Caboose snarled. "It's one thing to give up on your brothers and everything our family worked for, but to give up on your own daughter?! That's not the Grimoire Napoleon I know! The Grimoire I know values family above all else. He always puts family first, no matter what! And he never gives in to self-centred pity! Dammit, Grim, Dusty's already lost her mother, don't let her lose her father too!"

Grimm stood there as Caboose's words sunk into his drunk-addled mind. Slowly, he processed it; How he had pushed away those he cared about, shirked his duties, and worst of all ignored his daughter. He realised that if Sandy were still alive, she'd be ashamed of him. The poor stallion broke down, bawling loudly as he collapsed against Caboose.

"There, there." Caboose patted him on the back. "Let it all out..."

"You're right, Caboose!" Grimoire wept. "I've been so wrapped up in my own misery, I've neglected the one piece of Sandy I have left! Oh, Dusty! What had I done?!" He started sobbing loudly. "I've been such a fool!"

"It's not too late, Grim." Caboose smiled. "Let me help you sober up. Then you can patch things up with Dusty."

"Okay." Grimoire sniffed. "Thanks, Caboose. I needed this..."

"What are you thanking him for?" O'Malley snorted. "It was my idea!"

'After forcing myself to eat a lot of raw coffee, and take several cold showers, I cleaned myself up a little and went to Dusty's room, hoping to make things right'

"Knock, knock." Grimoire said gently as he entered the room. He had changed into a clean suit, and his mane and goatee had been combed.

"Oh, it's you..." Dusty frowned.

"Look sweetheart, I'm sorry about earlier." Grimoire declared. "Daddy wasn't in his right mind."

"You ignored me." Dusty sniffed. "You've never done that before."

"I know, baby." Grimoire sighed, as he joined her on the bed. "It's just... losing your mother really hit me hard. I know it's not an excuse for what I did or been doing. I just miss her so much..."

"I miss her too." Dusty sniffed. "I miss the way she laughs, her smile, her hugs..."

"I never even thought about that." Grimoire confessed. "I was so wrapped up in my own pain, I never considered that you'd miss her as much as I do."

"Well, I do." Dusty declared. "...I miss her a bunch."

"I know." Grimoire nodded. "But you know what? She wouldn't want us to wallow in despair. She'd want us to cherish the time we had with her, and remember all the good times. Like you said, she gave great hugs."

"...Yeah, she did." Dusty smiled weakly. "Really great hugs."

"What about me?" Grimoire suddenly hugged her. "Am I in the same ballpark?"

"Almost." Dusty giggled. "You could use some practice."

"And practice, I shall." Grimoire declared, finally cracking a smile. "Your mother may be gone, but I still have you. And I promise, I will never ignore you again. I'll always be there for you, no matter what."

"Thanks, daddy." Dusty hugged him back.

"We're going to be okay, honey." Grimoire smiled. "I swear."

"Really?" Dusty said hopefully. "Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart." Grimoire nodded.

"Okay." Dusty hugged him. "I love you, daddy."

"And I love you, my darling girl." Grimoire hugged her back. "And I always will."

'That night, I spoke with my brothers (who were delighted that I had finally snapped out of my funk)...'

"Good to have you back, Grim." Murray smiled.

"It's good to be back." Grimoire nodded. "Sorry for worrying you."

"Hey, it's all good." Vinny grinned. "I knew you'd get it together sooner or later."

"With a little help from Caboose." Grimoire declared.

"And O'Malley!" O'Malley yelled. "What am I, invisible?"

"At least now we can go back to business as normal." Lars announced.

"I'm afraid things will never be 'normal' again." Grimoire frowned. "I'm a widowed father now. I'm going to have to focus on raising Dusty more than ever."

"Or maybe not." Sonny smiled. "Maybe we can help you with that."

"We can?" Slot frowned.

"We can." Salt nodded. "Dusty's our niece, and no offense to Grim, but he's going to need all the help he can get."

"Hay yeah!" Caboose beamed. "We can all pitch in and raise Dusty together!"

"You'd be willing to do that?" Grimoire asked. "All of you?"

"For sure." Murray nodded. "We're still family, aren't we?"

"We may not have the mare's touch, but I believe that together, we can pull it off." Lars said confidently.

"I'm in." Vinny smiled.

"May as well." Slot sighed.

"Then it's settled." Sonny smiled. "We're all in this together!"

"Thanks, guys." Grimoire beamed. "I don't know what to say..."

"There's nothing to say." Murray chuckled.

"We're family." Caboose smiled. "And this is what family's do."

"It's so simple, even Caboose knows it." O'Malley joked.

"You guys are the best." Grimoire smiled. "Together, we'll make sure Dusty grows up right. Because we're the Napoleons, and when we put our heads together, we can do anything!"

The brothers cheered.

'It was a hard time in my life, but thanks to my family, I pulled myself out of my misery. Before long, I finally learned to feel happy again, though the memory of Sandy still held fast in my mind. Even years later, when I fell for Zecora, Sandy was still on my mind. But in the end, I managed to let go, knowing that Sandy would want me to move on. Eventually, I took Zecora as my second wife, and our honeymoon involved a trip to the Caymare Islands, as I had planned to do with Sandy, all those years ago...'

Grimoire and Zecora stood on the shore of a Caymare Island beach together, watching the sunset.

"What a wondrous sight." Zecora smiled. "It will be a beautiful night."

"It sure will." Grimoire smiled. "Even moreso, since I get to share it with you."

"Grim, you will make me swoon, before the rising of the moon." Zecora nuzzled him.

"You know, I had planned to bring Sandy here, years ago." Grimoire admitted. "Before she..."

"Of this, I understand." Zecora nodded. "It must be hard to be on this land."

"A little." Grimoire nodded. "But I'm with you now. Sandy was a wonderful wife, but she'd be happy that I moved on. All the same, I'd like to do a little something for her, if it's alright with you."

"It is fine with me, for you to honor your old love's memory." Zecora declared.

"Thanks, 'Cora." Grimoire smiled.

Grimoire and Zecora went to the rear of the condo they were staying in. Grimoire found the largest palm tree, and walked over to it. Using his knife, he carved a likeness of Sandy into the tree, with the words "Sandstorm Speck Napoleon, a loving wife and mother" beneath it.

"There." He smiled. "You finally made it, Sandy."

"Your love for Sandy is still true." Zecora observed. "But I know that you feel the same for me too." She cocked her head slightly. "...Right?"

"Without a doubt." Grimoire nodded. "As much as I loved Sandy, everything between her and I are now in the past. You, my darling, are my future, and I intend to enjoy every minute of it."

"Speaking of enjoying what is ahead..." Zecora grinned saucily. "Shouldn't we be getting to bed?"

"Yes, we should." Grimoire smirked, as he and Zecora headed back to the condo. "I've got a few moves I've been saving for a special occasion."

"And I look forward to seeing them all." Zecora giggled. "This night, we shall have a ball."

The two newlyweds climbed into bed together, ready for a night to remember...

'I think I'll leave things here. As painful as it was losing Sandy, opening my heart to another mare is something I've never regretted. Take note, dear readers, for it is the time you spend with somepony that matters, no matter how short. Enjoy what you have, while you have it, and carry those memories with you. That way, there will never be any regrets. For somepony is never truly gone, as long as you keep them in your heart and soul.'

Comments

[HolyCross9]

Thank goodness that Caboose managed to bring Grim out of his darkest depression of grief.

[Vakama95096]

this is very sad chapter, i almost cried

[LunaJack]

Damn it, I'm crying!

[Bluecatcinema]

10464090
I'm glad the chapter had that effect on you.