Gerda snuck through a dirty alleyway, avoiding the attention of the ponies still awake this late at night. Her whole life had been taken to her when her scam had been exposed. Children required strict discipline, orphans more so than most. If the rod was spared, the child would end up spoiled and rotten. When you're good at something, you should never do it for free. Unfortunately, the stipend paid to her per orphan she housed was pitiful. It required her to cut corners on expenses like meals, toys, and blankets to turn a profit.
For 40 years she had run an orphanage in Canterlot, only letting children get adopted when they had learned to respect their elders and follow orders unquestioningly. The fact one spoiled orange filly had ruined everything she had worked for ate at her sanity. She had never failed to reform a child before. Now the filly had corrupted an entire town, turning her into the villain.
With no orphanage left to return to, rehabilitation was out of the question. Perhaps there was still one mare in Equestria who would show her kindness. Her first failure, the filly who refused to obey her mother.
Knocking on the door, Gerda waited for it to open. It was late at night, and after knocking a few more times a light finally came on. A mare came to the door and opened it.
The door cracked open to reveal a sleepy-eyed mare. "Who is it?"
Choking back a lump in her throat, it took a moment to respond. "Daughter? It's your mother."
"Gerda! What are you doing here?"
"Please, I have no where left to go. I'm broke and—" Gerda never admitted she was wrong, until tonight. "I was a bad parent, happy? I just need some place to stay for a while."
"If you weren't my mother I'd already be calling for the police. You're a wicked woman and the best thing that ever happened to me was when dad left and took me with him." The mare had tears running down her cheeks. "Just—go. Please, don't come back."
"Cheerilee—" The door closed in her face and the lights went out. Gerda had nothing left now. Nothing, but thoughts of revenge.
Twilight knocked on the door to a non-descript house. It was in the residential area of Ponyville, where a dozen houses were lined up along a dirt road. This house in particular belonged to the town mail mare. There wasn't an orphanage in Ponyville, but Twilight recalled Ms. Hooves asking her about that once. If anypony in town might be looking to adopt it would be her.
The door opened slowly. "Oh hi Twilight, what brings you by?"
School had gotten out and Scootaloo walked Dinky over to the library. When they got there, Twilight walked them over to Derpy's house.
"Now there is no pressure Dinky, Ms. Hooves has wanted to adopt somepony, so you're just going to chat and get to know her."
"Thanks, uh can I talk with Scootaloo?"
"Sure thing." Twilight picked up the pace so the two could have some privacy.
"Scootaloo, I don't know about this."
"You have nothing to worry about; the ponies in this town are really friendly, even when I burned down a day spa." Scootaloo smiled as she remembered Twilight's cement mud bath. Luckily, she was a forgiving mare. It was either that, or she was so busy reading books she just didn't have time to be angry.
"What? You burned down a day spa?" Dinky looked equally amazed and terrified, taking a couple steps away to size Scootaloo up.
"Not on purpose, Applebloom and Sweetie made me try getting a spa cutie mark. One thing led to another after the cement bath we gave Twilight and Pinkie, and the spa burned down.
"Wow, no wonder they call you the Cutie Mark Catasto—" Dinky giggled and rubbed her neck. "Hehe, nevermind."
"It's cool, and if you want to see some awesome stunts you should come back by Sweet Apple Acres later. Dash and I will be practicing for the 'Best Young Flier's' competition."
"Thanks I might do that, if things go well. . ." The pair had stopped in front a house while Twilight knocked on the door.
"Dinky, come meet Ms. Hooves." Twilight held the door open for the filly.
"You've got this." Scootaloo bumped Dinky's shoulder to usher her forward. Dinky and Twilight went into the house to talk to Derpy.
Scootaloo heard something coming from across the street. It sounded like thunder, but with a rhythm. The windows of the house were shaking and before she knew it, she had walked right up to the door to listen. There was definitely some loud music playing inside. Scootaloo considered knocking, but it was unlikely any pony inside would hear it.
Opening the door a wall of air blew her mane back. The bass rattled her teeth, and Scootaloo stepped inside to find out who lived in a house full of such great music.
"Hello Dinky, my name is Derpy Hooves." Derpy fixed her eyes on Dinky, before one wandered off.
"Hi." Dinky stood there fidgeting with her hooves.
Derpy motioned to the couch. Dinky hopped up onto the far end of the couch. "Twilight tells me that you're an orphan. I was an only child and it was awfully lonely, I can't imagine how that would make you feel. My husband and I have wanted a child for the longest time, but we haven't had any luck."
Dinky looked around for the alleged spouse and saw a brown stallion sitting at a workbench. He was tinkering with a watch, and on the wall behind him were several clocks. "Is that your husband?" Dinky pointed a hoof at him.
"Yes, that's Doctor Whooves."
"Hey Doc! What are you doing?"
The Doctor looked up, noticing the two visitors for the first time. "Hmm? Oh, hi Twilight, hi little filly. I'm repairing this watch—eh it's all boring timey wimey stuff anyway."
"Honey, this is Dinky, she is looking for some nice ponies to adopt her."
The Doctor glanced back over, and his eyes grew wide. "Dinky. . . Dinky. . ." The Doctor pulled out a brown notebook from his vest. He flipped through some pages before a look of recognition appeared in his eyes. "Ah yes, I'll be right back dear." The Doctor trotted up the stairs and out of sight.
"He's a little odd, but he's kind and always helps ponies when they need it most. . ." Derpy's eyes diverged as she reminisced.
"What with watch emergencies?"
"Oh no, Pinky has plenty of watches stored around town for watch emergencies. My husband has had to start repairing clocks and grandfather clocks. He keeps insisting grandfather clocks are cool, but honestly, I only know two ponies who own one."
"Heh, you make it sound like he's pretty funny. What about you? I mean, you don't even know me and you would let me live here?
"Oh of course! Like I was saying I've always wanted a filly, some pony precious to me that I could care for. When I was young and bullies would pick on me for my cross-eyes, my Mom would always make me feel better. I've always wanted to return the favor, and since she has passed away I've been so lonely. . ."
"But you have the Doctor."
Derpy returned her eyes to the filly. "Oh, yes, it's just not the same. A mother and daughter is such a wonderful thing. . ." Derpy continued to get lost in memories when she mentioned her mother.
There was a loud thump upstairs, and soon the Doctor walked down the stairs in a new vest. "Alright Honey, I took care of the bedroom."
Twilight cocked her head to the side. "Bedroom? What do you mean?"
"I think he means, if you would like to stay here Dinky, that he has finished your bedroom."
"Well, I don't know. . . Twilight, will you stop by once and awhile to check on me? I'll still need some help learning to read and you and Scootaloo are the closest things I have to friends right now."
"Sure Dinky, anything to help you get comfortable here."
"Ok Derpy, I'm willing to try this if you are. I never thought I would actually get adopted; I even became afraid of it. . . When I look at Scootaloo though, I see how happy she is and maybe I can be happy too."
"Oh Dinky, I wouldn't have it any other way."
Scootaloo had advanced to a set of stairs leading down into a basement. The music continued to get louder, and when she opened the basement door it seemed to redouble. There was some excellent sound-proofing in this house, and Scootaloo soon discovered why. An entire wall of the basement was covered in speakers. There was a mess of wires, and machines Scootaloo had never heard of. Behind a table stood a white unicorn with a blue mane controlling the music with her horn.
The music stopped when Vinyl saw Scootaloo. "Hey kid! What brings you by?" Vinyl shouted at Scootaloo, unaware of how loud she was after finishing the music.
"I heard the mus—" Vinyl cut her off.
"What? Speak up!"
"I heard the music outside!" Scootaloo flew over and landed on the table.
"Not the turn tables!" Vinyl shooed her off the expensive equipment like one might a bird.
"Oh, sorry. Is this what you do for fun?"
"Fun? I guess my job is fun. You don't get a music cutie mark unless you're pretty talented!"
"Or obnoxiously loud." A grey mare descended the stairs behind them. "Scootaloo isn't it? I'm Octavia, the mare you drenched before burning down the day spa."
Vinyl whispered to Scootaloo. "Good job kid, I can't stand those snooty spa ponies."
"What? Hey that was an accident!" Scootaloo blushed.
"Yeah Octy, give the kid a break! She just wants to find her cutie mark. I know just how. How about you, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle stop by tonight before bed. I'll show you how to throw a real party."
"That'd be awesome!" Scootaloo hovered in the air with a big smile.
"What? Those three in our house? Have you gone mad Vinyl?" Octavia glanced at her. "Well, madder than normal?"
"Come on, the basement walls are solid concrete. You think I can't handle three fillies and a couple dozen ponies dancing? As long as Pinkie doesn't catch wind of this party, I'm sure nothing messy or crazy or day-spa-burny will happen."
Scootaloo gave Octavia her best innocent eyes.
"Ugh, alright. Just promise me we won't have any more stray orphans moving in around here."
Scootaloo landed, mouth agape, before realizing she was joking.
"Hey Sis, you better take that back!" A white blur sprinted past Scootaloo towards Octavia.
"You'll have to catch me first! And for the love of Celestia, leave the music turned off!"
Scootaloo escorted herself out of the house as the adopted sister and Octavia chased each other around the house. The mares were grown adults, and yet they still acted like fillies. It was amusing, and perhaps Scootaloo would take her up on her offer to stop by later.
A smile appeared on her face as she pictured Sweetie Belle with a Sub-Woofer cutie mark.