Ponyville was always calm and quiet in the mornings; it was picturesque in its scenery.  A year had passed by since Scribe’s arrival and a lot had changed, Twilight becoming a princess and many other significant factors.  Cryptic himself had actually started up his own book repair and special order business.  If someone wanted their books repaired, he was there stallion.  This also included if the ponies in question wanted him to write their works as a paid editor and prereader which he was more than happy to oblige.  The money helped to furnish his home quite well and he had made some good acquaintances and friends, one being the new Alicorn princess of whom they spoke on even terms fluently.  One such time was Twilight giving him an order to fill before she went for a three day trip to Canterlot.

“Now Scribe this autobiography is VERY old,” Twilight was levitating the thick tome in question, “The glue holding some of the pages together are starting to loosen and I need it replaced.  Also if it’s not too much trouble, could you please replace the covers?”

Scribe smiled, “No trouble Twi.  You’re my favorite customer after all.”

The indigo Alicorn smiled, “Thanks Cryptic.  Also, could you check on Spike from time to time to make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble?”

“What don’t trust the little guy home alone?,”  He smirked slightly as Twilight just chuckled.

“It’s not that I don’t trust him,” she smirked in equality to Cryptic, “I just don’t want him throwing any wild parties while I’m gone.”

Scribe bid her fair well as the door shut.  Just as he turned from the door a knock caused him to return to the entryway.  He opened it to reveal the Mail-mare Ditzy Do aka Derpy smiling at him.  She produced a letter and passed it to him.

Scribe read the mail address and opened the contents and read to himself as Derpy left with a farewell, “Hey kiddo it’s Mom, I have some good news for ya,” Scribe smiled as he read on, “The doctors have given me some medication to control my…episodes and I’m more than happy, I’m ecstatic!  But besides that I’m writing to you to tell you that I’m coming for a visit tomorrow,” Scribe’s expression slowly fell as he read; “I can’t believe my little Scribey is so successful!  Owning a massive business, a great house, and having an attractive Mare-friend.  See ya soon <3.”

Scribe then began to have a panic attack.

*

Pinkie Pie popped up at the reader, “Hiya everypony now let me educate you on Scribe’s family and why he’s,” she looked at Scribe, “Well…let’s get started!”

Pinkie Pie pulled down a projector screen depicting a burly dark grey bald Pegasus with big gold rimmed reading glasses, “This is Scribe’s father Deep Thought, for a time he was a FAMOUS philosopher.  He even wrote some DOOZY’s of novels.  But eventually he retired and fell into obscurity but he’s still as happy as a little pony can be.  Now let’s discuss Scribe’s mother, Traci Tini.”

A slide shifted revealing a stunning plaster white unicorn with a long wispy light brown tail and mane.  Her cutie mark was a martini glass with a sword crossing it, her dark brown eyes focused on the camera man with a cheeky smile.  Her horn however was broken.

Pinkie shook her head, “Don’t even ask me what her special talent is because I don’t even know.  Traci is nice and funny just like her son.  But there’s one thing that she has that thankfully Scribe never got from her, that being her temper and anger issues.  Let’s just say a stallion once made a line about her flank,” a purple Earth pony with a blonde mane was speaking to Traci who glared at him, “Let’s just say that pony was in intensive care for record time in a full body cast.”

Pinkie then showed a slide of a young Scribe and his father bidding his mother farewell as she ventured into a large white building, “Traci then decided it was high time to learn some self-control and she enrolled herself in the Canterda Stress Relief Institute or CSRI.”

*

Scribe then stood up and bolted out the door with the letter, “Oh man what have I done!  If she finds out I lied,” a vision of a fiery eyed Traci Tini entered his head as he trembled, “I’m doomed.”

Vinyl stood nearby, “Dude are you alright?”

Cryptic glanced at the DJ, “VINYL!!! WHAT DO I DO?!”

Vinyl noticed the note, “What’s this?”

She read the note, “Oh wow,” she looked at Scribe, “Your Mom is coming here?”

Cryptic nodded slowly, “Yes…”

Vinyl re-read the note, “Dude, you know you don’t have any of these things right?”

“Yes,” the response was emotionless.

“Scribe,” she placed a hoof on his neck, “You’re gonna have to come clean.”

Scribe shook his DJ friend, “NOT with her!  You do not know what she’s capable of!”

Vinyl raised an eyebrow, “What’s the big deal?  She’s your mom, not a force of nature.”

Scribe got really close and gazed into her eyes, “When she’s angry, nature itself flees in fear!”

Vinyl’s glasses drooped down in shock, “Seriously?”

Cryptic nodded, “I have never been more serious.  I just need to come up with a way to make all of these things be true!”

Vinyl shook her head, “Your just gonna make it worse for yourself.”

Scribe smiled deviously, “Miss Scratch you underestimate me, I can tackle this with the upmost efficiency and calm state of mind.”

*

“PLEASE YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!!!”

Applejack snorted as she trotted toward the orchard, “Ah already said no.”

Scribe was clinging to her leg, “Cmon AJ it will only be for one day!”

Applejack glared at him, “Scribe ah’m the most honest mare in these parts and I will NOT help you lie to your own mother because of something you did!”

Cryptic released her, “PLEASE!  You have no idea what she’ll do to me if she figures out that I lied to her!”

“She’s yer mother so she’ll forgive ya,” she kicked a tree, “Sides, it ain’t mah problem.”

Scribe stood up and then dramatically and proclaimed, “Help me with this or so help me I will RAIN down upon you the wrath of a thousand annoying Scribes for a thousand MOONS!!!”

Applejack chuckled at his threat, “Scribe-“

She was cut off as he wrapped himself around her front legs with desperation lacing his voice, “PLEASE I’LL DO ANYTHING IN RETURN, ANYTHING!!!!!!!”

Applejack inhaled sharply and shook her head, “Ah’m so gonna regret this…fine, but two things.”

Scribe looked up as she listed off her demands, “You owe me a dragon sized favour an when I come to collect you’ll do it with no complainin or objections,” she freed herself from his grasp, “and the second is that when yer lie comes crashin down on you, don’t come cryin ta me.”

Scribe nodded with a grateful smile, “Alright, deal.”

Applejack muttered to herself, “The family is gonna have mah hide for this.”

Cryptic clapped his hoofs together, “Great, now I have to go visit Rarity.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow in surprise, “What the hay are ya plannin?”

Cryptic had already taken off.

*

“I’m sorry darling could you repeat that,” she shook her head, “I seemed to have misheard you.”

Cryptic sighed, “Rarity if it’s not too much trouble could you, for a day, pretend to be my mare-friend…just for one day?”

Rarity blinked in surprise but then lightly giggled, “Oh Scribe though I am flattered that you came to me first of all mares,” her expression became serious, “I simply can’t, it’s not lady like for me to be just passed around by any stallion.”

Scribe sighed, “Please, if my mother Traci finds out that I lied to her she’s gonna do-“

Rarity gasped, “Did you say Traci?  Surely you don’t mean Traci TINI?!”

Scribe blinked in confusion, “Yeah…she’s my mother.”

“You’re kidding,” Rarity’s expression was on of skepticism and disbelief.

Scribe’s wing reached into his lapel pocket and produced a miniature family portrait which caused Rarity to scream in glee.  Scribe covered his ears as she rushed into a back room.

Rarity was levitating a stack of old fashion magazines depicting a unicorn mare no older than a teen filly out of high school in various poses advertising different designs, “Your mother is THE Traci Tini?!  Oh my!  I’ve followed her career since I was in school!  It’s such a shame she stopped when she did, is it true that Fleur De Lis showed her up?”

Scribe smiled, “Nah, their actually good friends.  My Mom just got bored with the whole model scene and kept all the earnings when she left.”

Rarity stepped forward, “Alright I’ll go along with this charade of yours on one condition.”

Scribe prepared for the inevitable “you owe me” line.

Rarity squee’d, “You have to get me a one on one with her when this is all over.”

Scribe nodded, “Deal.”

*

Scribe was becoming fidgety on the spot as the train pulled up.  He prayed that his mom would buy in with his lie.  The train came to a halt and a familiar face exited, Traci was wearing aviator shades as she glanced around the terminal.  When her eye came upon her son she beamed as he approached and hugged her.

Traci smiled down at him, “Hey my boy.  How’ve ya been?”

Scribe nuzzled his mother, “I missed you.”

Traci returned the gesture, “Same here bucko.”

Scribe stepped back and smirked, “I see all that time behind those padded walls didn’t change you.”

“Hey, there’s one reason for that,” the shades were removed with a copper colored aura, “Your mom is too awesome to be driven insane.”

Scribe led Traci through Ponyville as she took in the sites, “Wow this place is pretty homely.  I think me and your dad should move here.”

“Yeah,” he noticed the trail to Sweet Apple Acres and inhaled, “SO!  Want to see the business?”

Traci smiled, “Lead on.”

Soon they arrived at the front gate as she stared with awe.  Scribe smiled and began to point out all of the farms main exports.

Traci stared at him with a raised eyebrow, “I thought your talent was writing,” Scribe began to sweat but stopped when she nudged him, “Guess you’re spectacular at book keeping.”

Scribe nodded nervously, “Yeah I am…COME ON lets head back to town.

Traci stopped him, “Wait a minute…who are those two?”

Scribe turned and looked on in horror as Big Mac and Applejack approached, “Oh crud.”

Applejack smiled as she stood before Traci, “Howdy Miss Tini ah’m Applejack and this is Big Mac.”

Scribe smiled awkwardly as his mother turned to him, “And these two are?”

Scribe quickly responded, “My employees, they do most of the heavy lifting,” Traci glanced at the sign as he quickly added, “THAT’S A TYPO.  They were gonna fix that.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow, “We actually came over here cause The Boss was gonna pay us today.”

Scribe blinked, “I am?”

Applejack leaned in and whispered angrily, “You are.”

Scribe quickly forked over the bits and both ponies quickly went back to town.

*

Traci and Scribe sat in the chairs at the small café munching happily.

Traci tilted her head, “Say Scribe, where’s your mare friend?  Isn’t she gonna join us today?”

Scribe laughed nervously, “Of course she is.  She’s just such a fan of your old work she’s taking time to prepare herself before meeting us.”

Traci placed a hoof under her chin with a small smile, “Really?  Well I always like meeting fans of old.”

“Scribey,” a sing song voice caused Scribe to turn his head and his jaw dropped.  

Rarity had done here hair up in a cascading curled waterfall and she wore a much more sparkling eye shadow then her usual one.  She was also wearing a crystal white outing dress that almost shined in the light.

Rarity took a seat beside Scribe as she shook Rarity’s hoof, “It’s so nice to meet you Miss Tini, I am Rarity and your son is SUCH a gentle colt.”

Traci smiled, “It’s so great to meet you as well.  Hold on did you say your name was Rarity?”

Rarity smiled in utter glee, “You’ve heard of me?”

Traci nodded, “Your gala dress designs were all the rage in Canterda,” she beamed with pride at Scribe, “You picked a really good one.”

Scribe nodded slowly, “Yeah…”

Traci looked off, “Can’t wait to see your house next.”

Both Rarity and Scribe became wide eyed.

*

Scribe led Traci toward a familiar road and was inwardly praying that this gambit would work.  Rarity had departed back to her boutique with a promise of a girl’s day with Traci in the future trailing with her.  Scribe then stood in front of the structure and gestured.

Traci pursed her lips, “You live in a tree?”

Scribe nodded, “Yep.”

Traci continued, “That’s also a library.”

Scribe nodded once more, “Yep.”

Traci smirked, “Wow, I knew you were nuts.”

Cryptic rolled his eyes as he opened the door, “Wait here for a sec.”

Scribe immediately found a confused Spike staring at him, “Spike-“

Spike shook his head in disappointment, “Applejack and Rarity told me everything.  You ought to be ashamed of yourself Scribe.”

Scribe didn’t answer, “If you spend the rest of the day upstairs I’ll get you a date with Rarity.”

Spike did a double take then said, “Alright…but I won’t like it.”

The giddy dragon ran upstairs as Traci entered soon after.  She glanced around nodding.

Traci smiled, “I gotta say Scribe this is all pretty amazing, I’m so-“

The sound of the door opening interrupted Traci who turned to behold an indigo Alicorn who was less than amused.  Scribe stared with horror.

Twilight smiled at the white unicorn who bowed, “There’s no need for that,” she then glared at Scribe, “You on the other hoof have some explaining to do.”

Scribe looked at Traci who raised an eyebrow, “Twilight!  B-back so soon?”

Traci was dumbfounded, “You know Princess Twilight.”

Twilight shook her head, “He does.  He also knows the other elements of harmony who all told me something VERY interesting when I went to say hi to them.”

Scribe roughly shoved her out the door and slammed it with gritted teeth, “Don’t you do this me Twilight!”

“You’re lying to your own mother,” Twilight scolded, “and you’re the one yelling at me?  Look at you!  You forced Applejack and Rarity to go along with your lie and now your mother is praising you for it.  Have you no shame?”

Scribe failed to hear something behind him as he dropped before the princess with tears of shame, “I KNOW!!!  I feel horrible for it too!  I just didn’t want her to be disappointed in me,” he looked at the lightly smiling Twilight, “BOTH my parents were successful at my age and now look at me!  I’m a writer who can’t get anything off the ground and so I’m running a book restoral and custom writing business!  Do you know what it’s like living in their shadows,” he began to tear up again, “worst of all I have no mare to call my own and that makes me feel worse.”

Twilight placed a comforting hoof upon him, “I’m not the pony you should be telling this to.”

A throat being cleared caused Scribe to turn his head to reveal a neutral faced Traci, “Mom, please don’t be mad at me.”

Traci exhaled, “I’m not mad,” she dusted her son off, “I’m just disappointed in you for lying, Scribe you were raised better than that.”

Scribe looked down as the rest of Twilight’s friends and his showed up, “I realize that.  I just wanted you to be proud of me.”

Traci ruffled his mane, “Cryptic Scribe, you’re my son.  No matter what you do with your life, I will always love you and be proud of you,” she glanced at the assembled group, “And from what I’m seeing and from what you said on the doorstep, in my eyes, your successful as both myself and your father combined.”

Scribe smiled with tears in his eyes as Traci gave a smooch on his forehead, “You’ll go far kid.”

Traci then looked around, “Well it’s getting late.  I’m gonna turn in for the night at the inn, see ya in the morning Rarity.”

Rarity squealed with glee as Traci started trotting away.

Scribe looked at Vinyl, “You told them didn’t you?”

“Of course,” Vinyl smiled, “you needed help, plus it didn’t end as badly as you thought.”

Scribe looked after his mother as a random stallion began to make small talk, “Yeah, I guess you were right.”

Twilight looked at his mother with a raised eyebrow, “I’m curious Scribe, Vinyl mentioned that your mother was on medication for her anger issues right?”

Scribe nodded slowly, “Yeah why?”

Twilight opened her saddle bags and produced a pill bottle, “I found this on the platform with her name on it.”

Scribe’s eyes widened as the stallion mentioned something to his mother which caused her eyes to flair.  All the ponies then witnessed the scene that occurred soon after as Scribe grabbed the pill bottle and ran toward the fray.

“MOM YOUR PILLS!  REMEMBER YOUR PILLS FOR CELETSIA SAKE!!!”