//------------------------------// // Three // Story: Fate Is Written // by Bysen //------------------------------// Three signatures. It had only taken three signatures on a few forms and legal documents to change dinky's life forever. To take her to Detrot to live with her uncle for the foreseeable future. It boggled his mind that it was so simple. And he wasn’t the only one. Carry had been getting worse. She was crying so much and barely managed to hide it from Dinky. They were leaving tomorrow, late in the afternoon Sunday. Written had packed Dinky’s stuff already, all her stuff. ALL her stuff. Dinky knew it was permanent… but she didn’t really know what that meant. Forever can be a hard thing to explain to a child. He’d chosen Sunday for a reason. To give her one last weekend with her friends and Sparkle and Carry. A few of her close friend had even been given Friday off school as well. The last of her friends, an earth pony named Applebloom was being picked up by her big sister now. Her real big sister, not like Sparkle. Sparkle was still here and unlike the fillies, didn’t have a curfew or a bed time and could stay a lot longer. But she would leave too and that would be the last Dinky would see of her. There was tomorrow, but very little of it that wasn’t going to be at the train station. “Sparkle, do you mind watching Dinky for a while longer. I’m heading out.” “Of course not. Where’re you going though?” “I’m going to go see Carry. To thank her for what she’s gone. I may be a while. You don’t mind staying quite late do you?” “No, take the whole night if you have to but… just so you know. She’s gay. She and Derpy.” He just stared at her blankly for a moment. “I didn’t know.” he said, trying to avoid picturing Carry and his sister… unsuccessfully. “That’s not what I was going there for though. I haven’t known her very long but, she’s been acting strange. Hasn’t she?” “A little, yeah. Your sister isn’t the only one losing Dinky. She is as well. Derpy may say I’m more of a mother to Dinky than she is. She’s wrong of course but, she wouldn’t be entirely wrong if she said that about Carry. She’s been around longer than I have for both of them.” He hadn’t thought about that. He hadn’t thought about a lot of things until they were directly in front of him. There had to be other stuff that he’d missed too, but he couldn’t see it. He only hoped it wasn’t something to important. As it was, what he had on his plate was big enough, he didn’t need to add more. “I’ll be off then. And, if I can’t find you tomorrow for whatever reason, thank you too. You’ve done a lot for my family. Maybe more than I have. Maybe more than I even could’ve. So thank you.” “It’s my pleasure.” she said as he waved and headed off. He wondered if he had sounded flirty there. He hadn’t meant to. Only intended to be legitimately thankful for all she’d done. Same with Carry. It was dark out and he didn’t know his way around the town perfectly so it took him a bit longer to get there than he had thought. He had to stop and get directions from some crazy pink mare who he had to talk out of throwing him a welcome to Ponyville party before he finally got her to point him in the right direction. He knocked on the door and it slowly swung open. Not lock, not even closed properly. He distinctly remembered her locking the door to his sister’s house a few days ago. He was worried at this point and walked inside. What he found though was “Are you… drunk?” “Working on it.” Carry said as she downed another large mug of cider. The stuff wasn’t that strong but she’d drank so much already. She finished glugging it down and let out a refreshed sigh. “Aaahhh… you want one?” “No, no thank you.” he said as he walked up and took a seat beside her on the rug. There was a small coffee table next to them, mostly covered in empty mugs now. “Are you alright? All of this must be hard. It’s hard for me too, you know. But I don’t go trying to drink it away.” “Yeah, well we all have our own ways of dealing with our problems. And unfortunately, mine's in the hospital so this’ll have to do this instead.” she said as she put down the old mug and picked up a new one. She started to raise it to her mouth before Written put his hoof out and stopped her. “So she helped you deal with your problems? I guess seeing her like that mustn’t have helped. But you know, I’m here for you. I can help you with them instead.” “Sorry, but you can’t. You’re not… you’re not in the same boat.” he remembered what Sparkle had said about her and his sister. Again, he hadn’t meant to sound flirty there, and he didn’t like that perhaps she though he was trying to take advantage of drunk mare. He would never do that. “She understands me, knows what I’m going through. And I know what she’s going through. And… what I AM going through now! Because she is too…” He remembered what else Sparkle had said “You’re losing Dinky too.” “Yes…” she cried. And he realised. This was something he’s missed. Until it was right in front of him. This mare was as much a mother to Dinky as his sister. She had a steady job, support from Sparkle, still lived in Ponyville so Dinky wouldn’t have to leave. And most importantly would give his sister the will she needed to keep calm and… ‘Carry’ on. Because her daughter would still be with her. “I want you to be Dinky’s guardian. It’s perfect. I didn’t know why I didn’t see it before.” “I can’t be. I tried… I, I’m not a fit parent. Just, just ask the state. Just ask my son!” a perfect plan with a huge hole in it. “Oh… I didn’t know. I’m sorry I said anything.” “I said we met years ago. She called herself Derpy. I met her in therapy. She was… so happy. It just made me happy to be around her. I called her Bright Eyes for a while. She didn’t mind, she even liked it. I actually meant it as an insult at first but it just didn’t get to her at all. I even said some horrible stuff to her. Nothing scaved her at all. She, she was amazing. She still is, even with this… this… this THIS!” “You still admire her strength, even after her set back? So… it’s not her that’s causing this in you. It’s losing Dinky.” he said. He thought himself playing a psychiatrist, which he always hated doing to his sister. But now he felt it had the exact right answers. Even if he didn’t. “How long ago did you meet her?” “I don’t know… before Dinky was born. A year or two before that.” “Since you met her, she was your way to keep it together right? Did you? Did Ditzy… Derpy help you?" “Yeah, she did. I haven’t since before I… but this isn’t about her! I-it’s Dinky!” “You’re right, it’s not about her. But it’s not about Dinky. It’s about you. Two years before Dinky was born since you last did anything. That’s long time. Please, tell me you haven’t done anything now?” “N-no. I haven’t. I, are you saying, you think I could be her parent?” “I don’t see why not. You’ve known her her entire life. You’ve kept yourself and your friend safe for so long. And I’m sure Sparkle would vouch for you.” without warning she leapt forwards and locked lips with him. He didn’t fight back. Admittedly he found this mare quite appealing and obviously had some affection for her. But he did pull away once it started to last a while. “You’re drunk.” “I know. But that doesn’t mean I can’t like you.” “Yes but you liking my sister does.” “You think I’m a lesbian?” she asked quizzically. “Do I really put off that vibe…” she said, slightly dejectedly, but with a tinge of humour behind the words. “No, not at all. It’s just that Sparkle said that you were with my sister. And if you’ve been together for so long, I assume it’s serious.” “Ok, I DID say that to her... but she doesn’t know how to take a joke. I said that to Derpy a year ago in front of her so some jerk wouldn't stop hitting on her.” “Well, you’re still drunk.” “I know. But still.” she leant in and kissed him again. This one more innocent, just a peck on the lips. “Nopony’s ever said something so nice before. I mean sure, Derpy probably thinks that too, so does Sparkle. But they’ve never said it. Do you, do you really think I’d be a good parent?” “I think you already are. Everything I said about Dinky to Derpy. It goes for you too. You helped raise her. She’s already your daughter.” he said before he gave her a kiss, though on the cheek like the one she had given him the day they met. “And tomorrow we’ll make it official. It took me three signatures to take custody of her. With Sparkle on your side, and your history with Dinky, you’ll get her. I promise.” “Don’t make a girl a promise you can’t keep.” “I promise you that I’m not.” “You really think so.” she said, more of a statement than a question. “I don’t think so, I know so.” Written replied and put his hoof on hers. “Now, stop drinking and come back to Derpy’s place for the night. We’ll tell Dinky the change of plan.” “I’d like that, I really would. But… I’d rather do that tomorrow and instead of going back there, and have you stay here.” “I’m sticking with you’re drunk.” “And I’m sticking with I know. I don’t want to sleep with you, I just want to sleep with you. Here.” she said as she pulled him close and then lay down on the rug. She closed her eyes and nuzzled into his neck. “Will you stay the night here?” “Of course.” he replied as he gave her a kiss on the forehead and then rested his chin against it as he too closed his eyes. “Dinky is lucky to have such a caring Carry.”