Author's Note: Hey Everyone. Look who's BACK!
Yeah, I know that most of you have read already read the Prologue of TFNOS, but bear with me. The first chapter will be up shortly. Yes, I am out of my writer block. YES! All I had to do was do a complete re-write of this fic, lol, not a hard thing to do at all 'rolls eyes'. I guess, in a round about way, by having no internet and my Dad (who's house I'm currently staying at, at the moment) has been sick, has been a good thing. It's meant I've had to actually write and even though, it was hard re-writing the whole first part of this fic, moving stuff that were originally in chapter one into say chapter four and then reverse, move stuff that was in say three into chapter two. So yeah, these past two days have been spent being devoted to getting this fic back under control. I haven't finished it yet, I'm currently writing Mia's party, but I feel pretty good about getting the whole thing done and posting all the chapters up here in a very short time period, so yes, no more waiting and wondering if I'm ever going to finish writing the series, because I will. I am determined to do it, my ultimate goal in all this is to write book ten, the whole reason I started writing these fic, so yeah, I will be writing book 6, 7, 8 and 9 and of course 10, so I'll be here for awhile.

The Fifth Note of SkinnerBx

Prologue

"Told you so." I grinned as I shut down the computer and pulled out the thumb drive that held the program that had just won me special honours at the school's Science Fair.

"Yes, yes, you're very smart. Shut up." I told her, feeling both pleased and embarrassed.

Mia just kept grinning at me.

"You still think there could have been more done to it, don't you?" she teased before rolling her eyes at me.

I swatted her forehead with Science Fair brochure.

"Maybe. But I don't know what."

"Well, I think it was pretty perfect. I think I learn more from watching that than I did from when we were learning about dwarf stars in seventh grade. Plus it was way more interesting." I grinned at her.

"Thanks. Want to go get a Pie?"

"Shouldn't we wait for Lilly?" Mia asked looking around the gym for my sister and her best friend.

"Nope. This is the perfect time to sneak out." I said as I tucked my thumb drive into my back pack and swung it on to my back.

"She's going to kill us." Mia replied as we (plus Lars, who for once wasn't bored stiff at one of these school events) headed out of the gym into the AEHS corridor outside.

"And that's new how?" I asked as we made our way out of school and in the direction of Ray's Pizza. Mia thought for a moment before nodding. Once we were out of sight of school, I took hold of her hand, our fingers lacing together.

"Birthday is in a week and a bit. What horrors has your Grandmother got in store for you?" I asked and she immediately groaned.

"She wants to throw this huge party for me, like the one she wanted to throw for Mom's and Mr G's wedding, and invite all these famous people and so on." She shuddered. "Dad and I are trying to talk her out of it though."

"How's that going?" I asked, laughing.

"I've threatened that if she throws this party for me; I'll just lock myself in the bathroom all night long and make her look like an idiot."

"Such a sweet, considerate granddaughter you are." I laughed and she grinned.

"And what an evil, manipulative grandmother she is. You know what she's like. Anything to get herself into the spotlight."

"And dragging you along into it too?"

"I should try and convince her that by being in the spotlight, gives me hives, then maybe she'll stop trying to pull me into it all the time."

"That might work. Though you might need to prove it to her."

Mia pulled a face before turning around to Lars who was walking a few feet behind us.

"How much do you think Paolo would charge to give me the appearance of having a really bad case of hives?"

"I'm afraid a lot. And you would have to find a way to convince him to do it for you first, Princess."

"Money isn't convincing enough?"

"Not with him. He's love for a perfect face does actually outweigh his love of money."

"Crap." Mia grumbled and I laughed.

"So is the party thing actually going to happen?" I asked as I held open the door of Ray's Pizza open for both her and Lars.

"No, I very much doubt it, both Dad and Mom put their foot down on the whole idea. For once, they're united on the same front." Mia said sounding mildly impressed with her parents.

"So what are you going to do instead?" I asked as we joined the line in front of the counter to order. Even though it was a school day, it was still early-ish in the afternoon, so that there weren't many people or school kids filling up the booths.

"Family dinner." And her face turned a little green.

"It might not be that bad." I replied and she shot me a highly doubtful look. Even Lars had to hide the fact that he was laughing at that.

"My Dad, my Mom, Grandmere and Mr G, all in the same restaurant, at the same table! It's going to be a disaster zone. Dad is scared of Grandmere, Grandmere scared of no one, Mom likes to annoy both Dad and Grandmere, Dad accidently pisses Mom off on a frequent bases and Grandmere does it deliberately."

"What about Mr G."

"Probably will just sit back and watch the show, wondering how the heck he got himself into this situation." Mia finished with a sigh.

I laughed again before ordering up a pie and three cokes.

"Wanna find a booth?" she nodded and we headed in the direction of a booth that was empty while Lars sat himself down at a table on the other side of the restaurant. Far enough away so that it didn't feel like he was breathing down our necks but still close enough in case anything should happen that could be a danger to Mia's person.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Probably see if I can sneak a book into the restaurant. I'm going to take my journal with me no matter what."

"Sounds like you're going to have a fantastic evening." I teased and she kicked me under the table. Not hard, like one of Lil's kicks would have been, but enough to know she was slightly peeved at me.

"Hey, if I could come and make you evening more interesting, I would. But…"

"Do you want to?" Mia asked looking a little sceptical but also a little hopeful too. "Come that is."

"Am I allowed?" I asked, feeling a little doubtful.

I have only met Mia's grandmother a handful of times but in those handful of times, as short as they were, she made it pretty clear what she thought of me. And it wasn't exactly very highly.

"Mom and Dad don't mind, actually it was their idea. Mr G would probably be relieved to have someone else sane at the table and Grandmere will be too busy complaining about everything else to notice."

"Wow, the feeling of welcomeness is overwhelming."

"You don't have to if you don't want to. It's going to be boring as anything. That is, if Mom and Dad keep their promises about behaving themselves. If they don't, well… it's a free dinner show."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"I never thought they were that bad. They honestly don't get along with each other?" because in truth, the few times I've actually seen Mia's parents together in the same room, they've been too worried about whatever Mia was doing to pay much attention to each other.

"They don't fight, as such. They just… as I said before, Mom likes to wind up Dad and Dad will accidently piss Mom off because of something or other he's said."

"And I thought my parents were complicated. And Mr G?"

"He finds them hilarious. I guess because the chances of Mom and Dad actually getting back together are below sub-zero."

"Pie's up!" The guy at the counter yelled, waving his arm at us.

I got up and grabbed our pie along with our three sodas and took it back to our booth where Mia then grabbed two large slices of pizza, placed them on to a paper plate, as well as a soda and took them over to Lars, who gave her a grateful grin and a ruffle of her hair. I think Lars and I are the only people who can actually get away with ruffling Mia's hair without receiving her version of a death glare.

When she came back to our booth and had gotten herself a slice, I got myself one, folded it in half and took a bite while Mia cringed.

"I don't know how you do that without burning your tongue!"

"I have pretty sturdy taste buds." I explained and she rolled her eyes back at me.

"Clearly." She said as she carefully sprinkled hot-pepper flakes all over her slice.

"Like you're one to talk. As if that is so much better." I said nodding to the hot-pepper flakes.

"At least I wait for the slice to cool down, not simply bite into it the first moment I got."

"But it tastes way better this way." I chuckled and took another bite of the hot slice to demonstrate while she continued to cringe.

"No, I think I like it my way better." She said as she took a tiny bite of pizza.

"Suit yourself." I said with another grin.

"So have you thought about what you're going to do for your birthday party?" I asked once I had finished my slice of pie.

"Hmm, not really." She shook her head.

"You're enthusiasm is overwhelming." I teased and she grinned a little sheepishly.

"I know, Mom's been telling me the same thing. I guess, what with the whole drama with Grandmere wanting to throw me that huge party, I'm sort of all partied out. I just want to have fun and that's just about it."

"Sounds reasonable. Though you're starting to sound like me, which is scary me some." I teased and she giggled.

"Yeah, Lilly's been saying that you've been a bad influence on me."

"Haven't been as eager with her whole world domination plans, huh?" she shook her head.

"Been too busy with Princess lessons and school and being with you," she smiled at me and I smiled back, "to try and put all the effort that she wants to go into her latest schemes. Plus her latest schemes only last like three weeks. If it doesn't look like it's working, she gives up on it. Maybe if she had a long term scheme, like she has with Lilly Tells It Like It Is, I might put a bit more effort in, but at the moment…" she shrugged.

"Can't be bothered?"

"Pretty much. And she's been so cranky about Lilly Tells It Like It Is not being picked up, that it's hard even working on that with her."

"She'll find something to distract herself with… eventually"

"Can it not be pissing off my grandmother?" Mia asked and I laughed.

Lilly, like me, has so far only met Clarisse a handful of times, but each of those times, Lil has managed to piss the Dowager Princess off so much, that the two of them actually get into yelling matches, ending with security threatening to throw us (Lil and me) out of the Plaza. Only reason they haven't so far is because Mia and Lars have always managed to stop them.

"I'll try and divert her attention away from that thought." I promised and Mia looked relieved.

We finished our pie and cokes and left Ray's Pizza, deciding to take the long way to the Plaza, where Mia had a Princess Lesson with her grandmother in half an hour.

"Are you sure that you really want to come to my birthday dinner?" as we started walking through Central Park.

"If you want me there, I'll be there." I replied as I pulled off my school jacket and tied it around my waist. Even though it's still only spring, there were days, like today, that were quite warm.

I watch Mia do the same thing with her jacket, even though we both knew she was going to have to put it back on when we reached the Plaza or her grandmother would have a fit.

"You're either really brave or somewhat suicidal to agree to come to this dinner." Mia mused and I laughed.

"How bout we just go with brave. And hey, you did ask me." I teased and she pouted.

"I know. I guess I just want someone around to suffer along with me." We heard a loud, annoyed cough from behind us (aka Lars) at that comment.

"Ok, beside Lars."

"I feel the love." I chuckled, "and I feel even more welcome now." She poked me in the ribs.

"You know what I mean. At least you might get some free entertainment out of this."

"How bout we try and think of the positives sides of this birthday dinner." She looked at me with a dry expression.

"There's a positive side to my parents and grandmother all being in the same room together besides the fact that they'll provide free entertainment for everyone in the restaurant while I'll be embarrassed out of my mind by them."

"Presents?"

"Oh yeah, there is that, I suppose."

"And there'll be a good meal you can count on to distract you from your parents and grandmother. And I'll be there." She smiled at that before sighing as the Plaza came into view.

"So what wonderful, exciting, educational thing will you be learning today?" I asked as we neared the Plaza's front doors.

"Oh probably the wonderfully exciting, educational art of how to wave a fan in the correct fashion."

"Sounds riveting."

"Just shoot me already." She groaned.

"Nope, I love you too much to do that. Go on, before you're late and your grandmother comes out to hacks both our heads off."

"Fine." She grumbled and moved towards the stairs that led up to the Plaza's extravagant front doors. Just as she got to them, she turned around to face me and did this very neat, very pretty curtsy before rolling her eyes at me in disgust at her now being able to do it (though apparently the one she had just performed was one of the simplest curtsy to learn, even though it had taken her weeks to do it properly.) and stalked up the Plaza steps while I laughed after her.

I stood there until she was right inside the Plaza's foyer before leaving to head home… oh wait, I had band practise in about twenty minutes, which meant heading all the way back to school because it was the only space larger enough and far enough away from other people that we could practise in peace.

"Where did you disappear off to?" Paul asked as I walked into one of the school's music rooms.

"Took Mia out for Pie." I replied with a shrug and Paul nodded, a slight grin on his face, even though he looked a tad depressed. As did Felix from where he was standing on the other side of the room. I fought back a sigh.

These last couple weeks of term were going to be a delight. I could just tell.

I can I just graduate already, please?

Author's Note: As I've said many times before, I am so, so sorry for the wait. I know how annoying and frustrating it can be to wait for the next chapter or the next story in a series. Even when you do know that the author isn't doing it because they've simply lost interest in the story or have simply got writer's block, it can be frustrating. So I would just like to thank you all for your patience and support. I was having some very bad weeks, so you have no idea how much your support and kindness meant to me.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the Prologue of TFNOS, chapter one will be up soon, just have to proof-read it.
See you all soon.