//------------------------------// // Mommy Dearest // Story: Doctor Whooves Episode 15: The Christmas Ponies // by Doctor Perseus //------------------------------// Chapter 5: Mommy Dearest Under the Grounds of the Beckwithshaw Hotel, Outskirts of Harrogate, England, Earth, Winter, 2010 A.D. Donna watched as the cold water of the pond swirled about the exterior of the magical barrier protecting her and Twilight. She couldn't help but admire the wonders of magic and admit to herself that magic seemed to show some similarities to the advanced sciences of the future. She was still extraordinarily happy that she had her memories back. It was still impossible to comprehend that she had gone so long with no memories of the Doctor. No memories of her wonderful adventures and achievements alongside him. Donna wondered how the Doctor was now. Was he still the same man that she had left following their defeat of the Daleks or was he....different? She turned to look at Twilight's horn which was giving off a luminous purple glow. She smiled and gave out a quiet giggle. However, Twilight heard it. "Something funny?" Twilight asked. "No! Nothing's funny...it's just that I find your magic to be quite odd," Donna replied. "I could easily say the same thing about devices in your world: cars, phones, the like. It all seems so alien. But, from what I've seen of my universe's future, we'll apparently have those technologies in no time." "You seem to be pretty good with magic." "Everypony says that back in my world." Donna smirked and Twilight sighed. "Yes, it's everypony in my world. Please don't laugh. I've heard enough of it from the Doctor." "Don't worry. I won't dwell on it." Donna cleared her throat and gave a forced smile. "So, every...pony in your world says you're good with magic too?" "Yeah. My friend Spike compliments my magic a lot...that is when he's not on the other end of an unpleasant spell." "I guess stuff like this is only the tip of the iceberg with you." "You could say that. Sometimes...I have my doubts." "How so?" "There are moments where I think I can't live up to what everypony else expects of me. I can admit that I've been able to perform great feats with my magic and others have acknowledged it...but there's always this part of me saying that I might end up disappointing them in the end." "I can't really speak for what your true potential is, as I've known you for not even an hour, but from what I've seen I think it's safe to assume that you're no disappointment. I mean the way you fought off that ice creature was just...brilliant." "It was nothing. Just some fire and protection spells. Simple stuff." "It saved your rump and my behind from that creature. I would say that counts for something." Donna was silent for a moment. She looked at the unicorn before her and could see that Twilight still had doubts. Donna placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder. Twilight looked up and Donna smiled soothingly at her. "I used to have doubts in myself as well. There were even a few points where I thought of myself as completely worthless, maybe even nothing. Turns out I was apparently the most important woman in the whole of creation." Twilight smiled and Donna sighed. "God, that sounded conceited." "You must have done something big then," Twilight stated. "You could say that," Donna replied with a smirk. "I'm guessing that the Doctor explained why he had to part with me but not how it all came about." "That's about right." "I'll tell you all about it but first...what's the Doctor like?" "Why would you ask that? You already know him, right? Or have not all of your memories come back?" "Don't worry, I remember everything. I'm just asking what the Doctor's like now. How does the Doctor come off to you? I'm just curious if he's changed as a person from the last time I saw him." "It's pretty hard in trying to describe the Doctor. He's mysterious, yet I feel very close to him. He can be merciless and angry, but kind and welcoming. He can be shut off and secretive, but he can also be open and nostalgic of his past. I think we can both agree that he's a very interesting being." "Yeah. That's sounds a lot like the Doctor I know." Twilight and Donna were quiet for a moment until Donna spoke up again. "I guess you want to know the whole story that led up to me losing my memories." "I'd be very interested in hearing it," said Twilight with a large smile. "I guess we have plenty of time to talk about it as this pond seems to go on and on," Donna stated. "At least my hunch of this leading us to what we're looking for seems to be coming true. Anyway, I'm all ears." "Yes. It all began when I delivered a message to the Doctor from one of his previous companions, Rose Tyler..." Ice Tomb Beneath the Beckwithshaw Hotel, Outskirts of Harrogate, England, Earth, Winter, 2010 A.D. "Hello, Ditzy," replied Derpy's mother. The Doctor felt his jaw drop. "Derpy?" he asked. "Did you just call-" "Yes," Derpy replied with a look of disgust and regret. "This thing is my mother, if you could ever call her one." "Such harsh words, Ditzy. And after all I went through to be reunited with you," stated Derpy's mother. "What makes you think that I wanted to be reunited with you?" Derpy turned back to her mother with a scowl. "Why do you think I kept running away from you when I was a kid?! Thank Celestia I was finally able to escape you and get a new life for myself!" Derpy's mother took a few steps closer but Derpy stepped back in response. "I hate you!" "Please, Ditzy. Give Mommy another chance." "Never!" Tears were beginning to form in Derpy's eyes. The Doctor could tell that this was probably bringing back a lot of unfavorable memories for Derpy. "You were a horrible mother, even when we still had Dad. You never loved me. You teased me and mocked me. You resented me and never treated me like your daughter...and yet you still kept running after me when I ran away! You made it your mission in life to make me miserable!" The smile on Derpy's mother's face faded away. "Don't say that." "Say what?!" "I loved you, Ditzy, and I still do." "No! You didn't!" "Derpy," said the Doctor. "Maybe you should give-" "No, Doctor! You don't understand what it was like!" Tears were now rolling profusely down Derpy's cheeks. The Doctor moved in closer to comfort her but she pushed him away slightly. "You don't understand what it was like...being raised by her!" "I can try." "So, Doctor, I don't think we've been properly introduced," said Derpy's mom as she butted in. "I'm Dahlia, Dahlia Doo." "Uh...nice to formally meet you," the Doctor replied awkwardly. He then turned his attention back to Derpy. "I think it would be best if you talked about what happened. Allow me to try and understand." "Fine...just keep her away from me!" Derpy snapped. The Doctor glared up at Dahlia and she proceeded to take a few steps back. "I...was a very different pony when I was Ditzy Doo. I was born with a lot of problems." "Problems?" "I was a bit...slow. Trivial things like textures and such annoyed me and being caught in large crowds would cause me to panic. I didn't have any friends when I was Ditzy Doo. She made sure of that." Derpy glared up at Dahlia but Dahlia just stared at her as if she were staring at an infant. Derpy continued. "She hardly let me outside. I still remember her referring to me as an embarrassment when she talked with my Dad." "What about school?" "I was homeschooled. Mom took me out of school after my first day. I got nervous in class and...wet myself." The Doctor felt a pit form in his stomach. He was beginning to realize that he hardly knew Derpy at all. She had secrets to hide just like him and, from the sound of things, she had good reason to. "She punished me every chance she got. It was clear that she never loved me. She never tried to help me overcome my obstacles. She just scolded me and insulted me. She even gave me the nickname of Derp Eyes. After my father left, she became worse. I eventually began running away in attempts to help both my life and hers for I felt that we would be better off apart. However, she continued to chase after me each time I ran away. One time I was gone for a week but she still managed to find me. I don't know why she kept bringing me home if she hated me so much. Finally, one day, I managed to escape for good. I flew to Cloudsdale and lived in the orphanage for a little bit. I attended school, made friends, and began to overcome the obstacles presented to me by my disabilities. I eventually moved to Ponyville and have lived there in peace ever since." "Why did you change your name?" "I knew that if she couldn't find me then she'd report me to the police. When I was checked in at the orphanage, I went by Derpy Hooves. The police would be searching for Ditzy Doo and not Derpy Hooves. I'm lucky that nopony ever saw through my lie." Derpy was shaking with anger and sadness now. The Doctor placed one of his forelegs around her. This time, Derpy didn't push him away. "You little liar," said Dahlia as she loomed over Derpy and the Doctor. The Doctor looked up to see that Dahlia's eyes were redder and her face was contorted with hatred. "You have no idea how much I sacrificed for you! I tried my best! I really did! I tried to take care of you and help you through your disabilities! I tried to help integrate you into society. I tried to make you fit in! But you just kept foiling my plans for you at every turn! You were so disobedient and ugly! I sacrificed so much to try and help you fit in...but you were just too difficult!" Dahlia's voice was echoing around the cavern. Derpy glared up at her mother. "Why did I keep chasing after you?! Because, even through all the pain and embarrassment, I still loved you for you were my daughter. You were, and still are, my flesh and blood. How can a parent not hold an ounce of love for what they bear? I also knew that you were my responsibility. I couldn't let you run off into the world in the state you were in. I could never imagine that you'd ever be able to improve." "No thanks to you, Mom." "But...let us not forget the most important thing you left out! You said that your father, my husband, left. You lie, Ditzy. I always told you to never lie. Yet, here you are. You've lied about your name, you've lied about your past to your friends, and now you're lying about your father! I think your dear friend would be interested in learning what truly happened!" "I knew it. One of your reasons for coming for me was so that you could punish me some more for something that wasn't even my fault!" "It was your fault! Not a day goes by that I don't know that with every fiber of my being, Ditzy! You did it! It was you who killed him!" Everything fell silent. A tear fell from Derpy's eye and hit the cavern floor with a soft drip. Under the Grounds of the Beckwithshaw Hotel, Outskirts of Harrogate, England, Earth, Winter, 2010 A.D. Twilight sighed as she and Donna finally came to the bottom of the pond. They were far below the surface and the only source of light was that of Twilight's horn. A long, dark tunnel stood before them. "Into the belly of the beast," gulped Twilight. "Into the belly of the beast we go," Donna added. They nodded to each other and began their trek into the waterlogged cavern.