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Chapter one2,246 words
Chapter two2,076 words
Chapter three4,865 words
Chapter four2,866 words
Chapter five2,473 words
Chapter six3,303 words
Chapter seven5,786 words
Chapter eight1,183 words
Chapter nine1,799 words
Chapter ten3,127 words
Chapter eleven 5,118 words
Chapter twelve4,607 words
Chapter end8,333 words
Chapter ???597 words

Chapter nine

"Good morning daddy!" said a particularly chipper voice.

Filthy stirred from his sleep, "Morning already? What time is it?"

"It's eight o'clock, shouldn't you be getting ready for work?" asked Diamond.

"Daddy's got to take the day off today. It probably doesn't mean much to you since you've never met him, but your grandfather is in the hospital. I have to be able to get there at a moment’s notice." said Filthy.

Diamond carefully navigated the issue, "So it's grandpa Dirty? Should I go with you?"

"I'd really appreciate that princess, I want Bruce to come along too. Right now we’re just waiting on the call," Filthy got up out of the chair and wiped the sleep from his eyes. "So Randolph said you got an A+ yesterday. I got to know, how'd you do it?"

"A little bit of audience manipulation. You should have seen it daddy, I had the class applauding and Ms. Cheerilee in tears, it was so good." Diamond said with pride.

"That's my girl, using what you've got to get what you want." Filthy said while patting her on the head, "Where's your brother at?"

"I'm in the kitchen father!" Bruce announced, "Randolph is cooking my breakfast. Do you need something?"

Just then the unnerving sound of the telephone ringing interrupted the family. Before Filthy could get to it Randolph picked up the receiver. "Hello? --- This is the Rich residence yes. --- Yes, -- I see. --- Oh dear, I shall inform Master Rich immediately. --- Yes thank you for calling. Goodbye." He hung up the phone and walked up to his master.

"Well Randolph spit it out!" Filthy demanded.

"That was the hospital, they wanted to inform you that your father has regained conciseness. Also that he assaulted one of the doctors." Randolph said in his usual dry tone.

"He did what?!" asked Filthy.

"The pony on the phone recounted that upon waking up and finding a doctor standing above him, your father mistook him for a 'No good mule out to steal his money.' He then proceeded to bite the doctor on the leg." said Randolph.

"Sweet Celestia! I hope the doctor is fine." said Filthy.

"It appears no real damage was done, but I would advise having your legal team settle the affair before it becomes an issue." Randolph suggested.

"Of course, that poor fellow. Well I suppose this puts the kibosh on taking the kids to meet him. I can't have that old loon hurting my children." said Filthy.

"Hmm, the mare on the phone notified me that your father will remain under mild sedation for the remainder of his stay. I doubt in his state he could do any harm to the young master and mistress." said Randolph.

Filthy thought hard on the subject, "Bruce can you please come in here?" Bruce complied, he took his spot next to his sister. "Now you've all heard what Randolph just said, but in spite of that my father still is not a very nice pony. I'd like for you both to have a chance to meet him at least once, but I won't force either of you into doing that."

Bruce turned to Diamond, "I want to meet him, what about you sis?"

"I guess I should, he is my only grandparent still alive." Diamond said with a sigh.

"Alright then, just keep in mind I wan't you two to be on your best behavior's. Just because he's going to be rude doesn't mean we have to be." Filthy instructed his children. "Randolph I'll be taking the kids with me, can you head down to the school house and let their teacher know they're taking the day off?"

"Of course Master Rich." Randolph said with a bow.

"Alright kids, let's head out."

*****

Filthy and his children walked silently to the hospital grounds, he had them looking their Sunday best. Bruce was wearing an one of Filthy's old suits and Diamond wasn't wearing her tiara, instead she had her hair brushed strait. Filthy for his part had his usual brown vest, he also had a bouquet of roses from the garden.

Bruce marveled as they passed through the double doors, this hospital was so unlike the one he had to go to when his parents died. That place had been chaotic, there were people running and screaming down the halls, all the walls were tinted yellow from the decades of cigarette smoke. The Ponyville hospital was a calm place, there were friendly doctor and nurse ponies checking up on all their patients, and most of all it seemed to be, sterile.

Soon enough the family found themselves outside the door labeled 'Rich, Dirty'. Inside the room, lying on the adjustable bed was Dirty. Bruce wasn't sure how old this pony was, but he certainly looked far worse off than Granny Smith. Each breath he took was labored and he had to wear an oxygen mask. It looked like he had lost most of his muscle mass and there were large patches of fur that had fallen off, exposing unhealthy looking skin.

The pony on death's door didn't even turn to face them, "Took you long enough."

"We came as soon as we heard you woke up dad." Filthy said, neglecting to mention the assault.

"You have to get me out of this rat hole hospital son. These quacks refuse to fix me up! All their doing is doping me!" Dirty screamed, he then fell into a coughing fit.

"Face it dad, that's all they can do for you at this point." said Filthy.

"BULL S*#@! You’re going to take me down to Panamare and get me one of those black market tickers." Dirty's vital signs started going wild on the monitor.

"Dad, I didn't come here to take you to Panamare. I came here to give you the chance to meet your grandchildren, nothing more." said Filthy.

"Ungrateful whelp!" snapped Dirty.

Filthy was already hating being here, "Kids why don't you introduce yourselves."

"My name is Diamond Tiara, I'm your granddaughter." she said in an uncharacteristically polite manner.

Dirty looked her over, "So you’re his crotch spawn first born. I don't blame you for being a female, that's your daddy's fault."

"What?!" was Diamonds justified reaction.

"And who are you? Are you my boy's bastard?" He said to Bruce, but Filthy stepped in for Bruce's defense.

"Bruce is not an illegitimate child, he was orphaned and I adopted him." Filthy said as he stood beside his son.

This brought on another violent coughing fit in the dying pony, "You *Cough* idiot! *Hack* You can't Bring a *Wheeze* Street Rat into our house!"

Diamond was feeling skeevy for ever using that phrase, now that it had been associated with this cretin. "Don't you talk about my brother like that!"

"And how dare you talk to my sister and father like that!" said Bruce.

"Filthy, get your little punks in line! Don't let them disrespect me that way!" Dirty spat as he shouted, the spittle stuck to the inside of his mask.

Filthy reasoned on it, "I think they are behaving perfectly fine. You have to do something to earn a pony's respect before you can be disrespected." With his witty retort Filthy ushered his children out of the room, "I can't say I expected anything different from you dad. But regardless of how awful you've been, I will mourn for you." Filthy set down the bouquet on the table next to Dirty's bed, "Goodbye, father."

As Filthy shut the door behind him he could hear his father screaming more obscenities and hateful words his way. He didn't say anything till they were far away, into the hospital waiting room. "Kids I'm very proud of you both."

"But we broke your rule about being on our best behavior." said Bruce.

"True you did do that, but you stuck up for one another and for me. That's part of why my father has never been truly happy. All throughout his life he's never had a pony willing to stick up for him that didn't want something in return." Filthy knelt down and hugged both Bruce and Diamond, "That's why I want you both to know how much you mean to me."

"I love you too daddy!" Diamond said with tears in her eyes.

Bruce couldn't help but think what his life would be like without the Rich's. Would he have become like Dirty? Would there have been anyone back in Gotham that would have been a friend? He hoped there would have been, "I love you father." All three of them shared the familial embrace, when they broke Diamond had something to ask.

"Daddy, since were already here, can we visit mommy?"

"Of course princess. It's just about time for out monthly visit anyway." Filthy said, he then walked over to the receptionist and asked, "Would you please notify the mental ward that Mr. Rich and his children would like to visit his wife?"

The pony behind the counter picked up the phone and relayed his message, "You can go on ahead Mr. Rich, and have a pleasant visit."

Bruce's mind was racing, so many new pieces of information. Diamond’s mother is around but she's in the mad house. "Come on Bruce, what are you standing around for? I want you to meet mom, I think she'll like you." Diamond said as she gripped Bruce's hoof and led him into the elevator. Its copper plated doors closed in front of them, when they opened once more and all three stepped out, they were in a very different place than the general hospital. They were in the mental ward, the asylum.

Author's Note:

So I noticed something interesting with the last chapter I posted, it almost has double the views than the chapter I put out before. I'd like to know, Do you guys like shorter chapters that I can put out in a day or two? Or longer ones like chapter 7 that take more time but have more things going on?

God this was hard to write, even when I write for bad or evil characters I try to at least make them likable in some way. For Dirty Rich I wanted to write him as the most unlikable and vile character I could. Believe me I cut out some truly truly awful stuff from this chapter in the name of good taste.

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badninja

badninja #1 · Jun 27th, 2015 · · ·

The long chapters do have more going on and they seem to have a better overall flow to them so I say keep the longer chapters.

Also I enjoy the differences between worlds that Bruce is catching, cannot wait until he gets see a real mental asylum instead of Arkham. That place probably could not change a light bulb correctly let alone anyone staying there.

ultronquake