As Balanced Scales closed up his suitcase, Scootaloo turned towards Sebastian, letting her eye shift between Applejack, Granny Smith, and Spoiled Rich. Sebastian smiled as he quickly deduced what it was Scootaloo wanted of him. She would need to go with Applejack to see Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara, and definitely couldn’t spill any secrets there. However, the investigation needed to begin immediately, and it seemed the best place to start would be inquiring of Granny Smith regarding the big revelation within the Living Will. It was once again time for them to take separate directions.
As the group started to move apart, Sebastian moved up to the Apples. “Big Macintosh, Applejack, might I be of assistance?” he offered gently. “I am sure it will be a great deal of effort helping Diamond Tiara to gather her things to move to the farm. If you would let me, I will escort Granny Smith back to the farm in the meantime to help prepare quarters for her?”
Applejack shot a suspicious expression Sebastian’s way. “What’s it to ya, anyway?”
“Scootaloo is under my care,” he explained simply, “and Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara are both her close friends...though the latter friendship is due to the changes Filthy Rich made since I met him, I understand. As I am certain Scootaloo will want to be there for her friends, I can assist elsewhere knowing she will be under your watchful eyes.”
Applejack frowned, plainly ready to object.
“Quite nice of ya,” Granny offered happily, getting to her hooves and grabbing her folded walker. “Think ya could fly me? Been many a year since a handsome fella carried me over a threshold.” She gave a wicked cackle and a playful wink.
Sebastian grinned at the scandalized expressions on Applejack and Big Mac’s faces. “It would be my honor to carry such a fair maiden home,” he agreed as he shifted Granny’s walker onto his back and lifted her in his forelegs before taking to the air.
Before they’d made half the distance, Granny’s eyes narrowed. “Now ah’m sure ya didn’ do all this just ta humor an old lady.”
“You’d be surprised,” Sebastian murmured softly. “...the shadow’s lies take six eyes.”
Granny snorted. “Thought so. No lies among the stars.”
Sebastian grinned. As he’d suspected that recognition phrase confirmed Granny as a retired agent of House Wingshadow, one who no longer went on active missions but was still a trusted source of local information. “Then you understand why Filthy Rich asked me to investigate what happened to him-”
“Who do ya think recruited him?” Granny interrupted as Sebastian set her down. “Now how’d ya spot me?”
“My vision is far more acute than that of ponies,” he explained softly. “In the same room as you and knowing what to look for...I saw the Warrior Mark...Miss Seed of Death.”
Granny’s hoof self-consciously went to the back of her neck, where a tiny tattoo was hidden under her white hair. An eye divided into six equal segments. This was a marking for the elite of Wingshadow assassins, those sent in solo to handle entire armies if need be. While all had been exceptionally good at their jobs, the nature of their missions meant few lived long enough to retire, or succeeded in evading enemies made during that time to reach Granny Smith’s age. “...did’na think anyone nowadays would know ta look...” Granny murmured thoughtfully. “I’m a little creaky...but ah’m pretty sure ah could still handle meself if it’s needed.”
“All I need from you is information,” Sebastian offered gently. “Specifically...how it happened? Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara, I mean.”
Granny frowned, gently twisting the handle of her walker. “...why?”
“Filthy would not have shared the secret without reason,” Sebastian explained. “If he wanted me to learn it, he must have believed a connection between it and his need for a Living Will. It is a connection I need to investigate.”
Granny sighed as she trumped towards the cider cellar. “Come along, then. Ah ain’t discussing that in the open.”
Nodding, Sebastian followed Granny into the cider cellar, taking a seat as she poured herself a mug. He waited patiently for her to be ready to speak.
After taking a drink, Granny closed her eyes, sifting back into her memories. “Shortly after AJ’s 18th birthday, it was just me, Big Mac, and AJ here on the farm. Their parents were officially on vacation...but in family, we knew they were ill, dying. So when I wasn’t able ta run things anymore, one o’ the kids would have ta take over...and AJ and Big Mac had strong opinions as far as who, and were hidin’ their own feelings about their folks by fightin’ about it. AJ wound up makin’ some business promises ta Filthy Rich - who was engaged ta Spoiled Milk - ta try and make herself out ta be a good candidate, only ta learn she couldn’t carry ‘em out. She tried ta retract ‘em, but Filthy put some pressure, and AJ tried ta cover herself with a lie...which spiraled inta lots o’ lies.
“Once it was hashed out, and I’d read all three o them the riot act, Filthy came over ta make right with AJ.” Granny stared at the ceiling as she took another drink. “Now, Filthy’s the right honorable sort...but the engagement ta Spoiled Milk was arranged by his family. He never had no love fer that mare. And he and AJ had always been on friendly terms, though neither wanted more. But AJ was apologizin’ fer lyin’, Filthy was apologizin’ fer playin’ rough business like, AJ offered some cider ta smooth things over...but she grabbed the wrong batch. ‘Stead of gettin’ fresh, she grabbed agin’ cider.”
Sebastian nodded in understanding. “And that’s how Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara were conceived?”
“Right where yer sittin!” Granny cackled as that made Sebastian leap out of his seat. “Gotcha! The look on yer face!”
Sebastian glowered at her for a time, then took a different seat.
Once Granny had her amusement under control, she continued. “Now, neither o’ them wanted it ta be anythang more than one night - heck, neither wanted ta admit it had even happened, both fer their own lives and their friendship, what with Filthy bein’ 8 years her senior - so they went their separate ways and just were awkward fer a while...till AJ started throwin’ up in the mornin’. Well, ah got answers out o’ her, and we called in Filthy and Spoiled.
“When Filthy learned, he wanted ta do the right thing, but that just t’weren’t an option. The scandal’d destroy all o’ us, and Ponyville would’a suffered too. But at the same time, AJ weren’t ready ta be a mother, and a friend o’ mine from nearby had confirmed she had twins. So...we made an agreement. Filthy and Spoiled would speed up the weddin, and go on a long honeymoon outa sight. Applejack would go off ta visit her folks...in the same place. When the foals were born, one would come back ta the farm ta be raised as Applejack’s little sister. Th’ other would be raised by Filthy and Spoiled as their daughter.”
“How did you get Spoiled to agree to that?” Sebastian asked curiously.
“Big Mac told her if she did anything to threaten the foals, he’d feed her her own spine,” Granny responded firmly. “And ah actually know how ta do that to a pony, so she took it seriously. ...but she got her petty vengeance. Filthy couldn’t face what he’d done ta AJ - her folks died on that trip, ashamed o’ her fer what happened to her - so he started spendin’ more and more time away from Ponyville...and Spoiled shaped Diamond ta be her little girl, siccing her on her own sister.”
“And now she has nothing,” Sebastian mused thoughtfully, “and due to her own actions at that. If she hadn’t sicced Filthy on me to try and ‘get even’ for not being able to intimidate me herself...”
Granny chuckled softly. “Imagine that. Talk about karma.” Setting down her empty mug, she made for the stairs. “Now come on, we still gotta find that right room.”
8216353 I thought it was in Cutie Pox, but upon reading a transcript it appears it isn’t in there. Must have been a fanfic.
Dang... how are Diamond and Applebloom going to react learning they’re actually sisters? And that Apple Jack is their mother.... I foresee much shouting and yelling soon.
8216435
Assuming they’re told.
oh man that is one juice story i cant wait for it to get finished
The future.... i can sense a lot of this in it
i.ytimg.com/vi/jwb3urC-HME/hqdefault.jpg
but Filthyput some pressure
1. Forgot your spacing.
Guess Granny couldn’t let that one night stand so easily when it came down to it.
granny smith can feed someone there own spine not sure if the fact that i’m not as surprised as i should be is a good thing or not.
8216444 Logically they might be told Tats. When Diamond find out her mother has been divorced and that her father is in a coma, it would raise some questions she'd want answers to like any child would. Applejack being the honest mare she is would be obligated to say something since she's a terrible liar and the last time she did wound up getting everyone in the hospital operating room through a series of humorous events. It just seems like where this Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom situation is headed. Especially since Scootaloo/Sunrise is with them so the plot would be split.
8216961
Applejack: Welp, as best ah understood it, yer pa discovered enough to show him that Spoiled was an unsuitable Ma ta you, and did all this ta keep her from gettin’ custody of you fer yer own good.
There. An entirely true statement that answers all of Diamond’s questions without mentioning any of the secret details.
8217546
That works from AJ’s side, but what about Spoiled Bi? What’s to keep her from yapping now that she has nothing left to lose and is just petty enough to let it slip to somepony and let the Ponyville Rumor Mill do the dirty work for her?
Again, wonderful chapter! I’m so happy you updated.
8217546
That works but Ryouga raises a good point, Spoiled could easily let that secret be known in town and with how gossip spreads, well...yeah.
8217546
8217746
He’s got you there Tats. This one looks like it’s coming out, even if only as a rumor. That’s EXACTLY what someone like Spoiled would do.
Edit: However, that’s assuming a certain butler doesn’t remind her that he can do far more than Big Mac or Granny ever could. He’s got far more experience at it after all.
8217746
8217959
While that is the sort of thing Spoiled might consider doing, there are a few things that get in the way of that.
One, the entire town hates her with good reason.
Two, the legal action being carried out would also, once word reaches them, get her booted off the school board, shooting her credibility in the hoof.
Three, right now her only leverage to get anything back is trying to win Diamond Tiara back to her. If she blabs, Diamond no longer has any reason to go back to her, and - once she learns the whole story - every reason to stay with the Apples. (After all, it would mean Spoiled admitting she’s been lying to Diamond her entire life, and without the noble motivations Filthy and the Apples had.)
8218053
My reply just below might make you reconsider.
8218058
All very good points, with only one thing overlooked. Spoiled is more than petty enough to use that information to hurt DT, and by proxy the Apples, even if she has to use a proxy to do it. If she blabs, it will be because she literally has nothing left to lose and wants to take some form of revenge by hurting them. Remember, this is the same Ponyville that went ballistic over a gossip column in a school paper. Some of the residents will undoubtedly gossip if it got leaked to them, regardless of the source.
It could be just enough to make DT ask that direct question of AJ: “Are you my mummy?”
I know it’s mean and cruel, but that’s just the way I see Spoiled and one possible way she could react. Of course, it would backfire on her spectacularly. Naturally, I’m looking forward to seeing how you handle this potential powder keg... Especially with a Reaper, possibly Grell, lurking nearby.
8218106
And you miss the point I was saying.
Yes, that is a move Spoiled could make...but it would be her final move. It would mean accepting that she has nothing left and no way to recover. The very act of doing so means admitting defeat, and delivering one last vengeful strike. Meaning she’s going to take every other possible strategy she can find before even considering attempting it.
So yes, that would be the last move she would make...if she’s in a position to still make moves when she got there.
8218163 No, I got your point. I was trying to say that it would be the absolute final move as well... I guess I wasn’t very clear. Sorry about the somewhat circular conversation.
8218058
Fair points however as Rouga pointed out, Spoiled at this point has nothing left to lose. Her marriage is shot, her days on the school board are about to be over, her rep's about to be destroyed and Sebastian basically threatened her. At that point she could very well snap and not give a crap anymore. "If I'm going down I'm taking you filthy farmer hicks down with me. I'm gonna destroy your reputation too, hahahahahahahaaaa!!!" case in point as she spirals down into depression and insanity. Tends to happen to those who have lost everything. Revenge and the like being her going out with a bang only to go out with a whimper instead.
8218178
Except Diamond doesn’t know everything yet...meaning Spoiled still thinks she can dominate Diamond and get everything back through her.
8218163
See, that last bit there reminds me of someone we’re forgetting. Scootaloo, or more accurately, Sunrise Wingshadow. She has every reason to hate Spoiled, after all it was because of her that DT was such a bitch. She also has very good ways of knowing that Spoiled might try something like that. Both Sunrise’s own background and Sebastian. She told Sebastian to speak up WHENEVER he felt his advice would be helpful. If either Sunrise or Sebastian suspect Spoiled is going to try that, Sunrise is very much the kind of person to tell Sebastian to find a permanent solution to Spoiled. Sunrise has made it perfectly clear she does not want ANYTHING to hurt her Ponyville friends. And such a reveal, done in that manner, WOULD be hurtful to Applebloom.
Now I’m less concerned with the fallout of the reveal, and more sadistically curious what kind of solution Sebastian uses...
8218250
Hmm...that's true.
8218178 To say nothing of how Apple Bloom would react.
8218482
Agreed.
And Granny’s an ex-assassin!? How do you come up with this amount of awesome!?
...... I can see it. Granny's certainly got the edge to be an assassin. She takes no shit from anyone, and is fully capable and willing to tan hides to make a point. Whether or not she can still do the job remains to be seen... but at this point I'm about ninety percent certain you're gonna have her fending off a room of "Elite" assassins somewhere down the line. Probably by acting all elderly and making it all look like a complete accident.
That would be so awesome...
8292507
...with the name "Miss Seeds of Death" I imagine poisoned foods are her MO.
8323517
Actually, 'Seed of Death' refers to her being part of the Apple Family.
8323560
When you get to the center of this Apple, that’s the last seed you’ll ever see if you either are her target, or are an otherwise unresolvable threat to her family.
“Respect your elders,” indeed.