Chapter 4 - Nightmare Night
Nopony gave me any grief about being with Derpy after that. Mostly because most folks in town liked her, but as for the few that didn't... well, I got the impression that Applebloom's story got a bit inflated in the retelling when her little orange friend told me I was a “badass”, which I don't think has anything to do with donkeys.
That date I told you about was just the first of many. By the time fall rolled around we were spending a few days every week together, almost like a family. Once or twice I even stayed over at their place, and had breakfast and helped get little Dinky off to school. She even wanted a hug from her mother and me. I won't lie, that was a bit odd for me, but nice.
I still saw Derpy most mornings on her rounds, but since we saw so much of each other those days, nopony fretted when I was too busy to wait for her, or even those few times when I let myself sleep in.
One morning I had done just that, since I'd spent the last couple of days helping the Apples buck their whole north field, and felt I'd earned it. It must have been a whole hour or two after dawn when I dragged myself out of bed and went to brush my teeth. I heard a little tapping sound on my bathroom window, and turned to look at it without even thinking. My bathroom and bedroom are on the floor above my shop, so I nearly jumped out of my hide when I saw a face looking at me in the window!
Of course, I stayed in my skin, but since I was still half asleep I really did jump and scream like a little filly. I don't recommend jumping around not half a minute after waking up. I also don't recommend tripping and falling through your bathroom door and down a flight of stairs, because that's what I did next and it was even less fun than it sounds.
When I was still picking myself up and getting my head on straight, I heard a meek knocking at my front door, and Derpy's voice saying “I'm so sorry... my bad. Are you okay, Dovetail?”
I opened the door and rubbed my head, doing my best to smile at her even though I was in no mood to right then. She makes herself feel bad enough when something goes wrong that she didn't need anypony adding to it.
When she tiptoed in, looking all shy like she does, I pecked her on the cheek to show her I wasn't mad. “I'm fine, sugarcube. You just forgot that those as can't fly don't expect to see someone peeking in a second story window.” When she perked up and smiled I asked, “What brings you around this early? Aren't you meant to be doing deliveries?”
She shuffled her hooves and fluttered her wings a bit, looking distressed. It all came out in one increasingly loud breath, “I know, I know, I'm supposed to be at work but I have a pinfeather and I can't reach it and Dinky is at school and she usually helps me and IT REALLY ITCHES!”
I patted her hoof and smiled at her. “Is that all?” I said, “Take your saddlebags of, sit yourself down and I'll be back in two shakes.”
I went back upstairs into the bathroom where I had been rudely but adorably interrupted. While I fished around in the medicine cabinet for a pair of tweezers, I heard thumps from her bags and then her backside hitting the floor (she is a lovely mare with many fine qualities, but grace isn't one of them) and then the rustling of restless wing flutters.
In case you don't know, when feathers come in they've got a little... I don't know, papery thing around them that helps them start growing, but when the feather is ready for it to come off it apparently itches like nobody's business. That's part of why pegasi and birds are always preening themselves. Well, that and being vain, sometimes.
Truth to tell, I may have been a little annoyed at her a few minutes before, but when I went down the stairs with the tweezers in my teeth and saw her looking at me like I was Celestia herself come to make a private sunrise, I can't say as I felt anything but affection for that silly grey pony.
“Show me where it is, Derpy,” I said, around the little tool in my mouth, “I can't say I've ever done this for a pegasus before, but my mom always had me crack the pinfeathers on the chickens at home when they got ornery.”
She bit her lip and tried not to squirm as she held her wing out and pointed with a hoof. Sure enough there was a new little feather trying to get out on the back of the base of her wing where she couldn't quite reach with her teeth. After a little bit of fishing around with my tweezers I was able to work that little papery sheath off of it, and then I gave that whole part of her wing a good scratching with my hoof. She sighed and closed her eyes, and her tail even twitched like a dog being scratched behind the ears. It was all I could do not to laugh at how cute and silly she looked, but I held it back. I knew pegasi were mighty particular about things to do with their wings, and I never knew what would be rude or embarrassing.
When I was done she just sat with her eyes closed for a spell, and then with no warning at all she pounced on me, knocking me into my back. All mixed in with a flurry of kisses, some of which even managed to land on my lips she said “Oh my gosh thank you thank you I really appreciate it you are the best oh horseapples I'm behind and I have to run or I'll get written up for taking too long thanks again bye Dovey! See you tonight at the celebration!”
And just like that, she was gone, jumping up and flying out of my front door before she'd finished saying my name.
That's what it was like having her in my life. Never boring, and sometimes more interesting than you planned for, out of nowhere. I decided right then that I wouldn't trade it for the world. I also realized something right then, as I picked myself up off of the floor for the second time that morning. She had completely taken me for granted. She came over because she knew I'd help her, even though it might not be the best time for me and the problem wasn't a real crisis. She just knew. It may not sound like a good thing when I say it like that, but when someone just assumes you are there for them without even questioning it, it means you're a pretty big part of their world, and no mistake. Nope, I realized, I wouldn't trade that for anything either. I liked it just fine.
Once I was done being all sappy, I realized one other thing. “Celebration”? What celebration?
- - -
“What do you mean you forgot it was Nightmare Night?”
Derpy and Dinky had showed up at my door just after sundown, while I was busy working on a new lectern for the library. I was still brushing wood shavings off of my face (you try using a wood plane with your teeth and see what happens) and feeling like a fool after explaining that I had no earthly idea why they had come over right then.
“I'm sorry, I just didn't remember,” I said, “We never really celebrated it much back home, and you didn't remind me. I hear it's real fun, and I'll be happy to come with you ladies once I get cleaned up.”
Dinky looked up at me and said, “But you don't have a costume! It's Nightmare Night and everypony has to wear a costume, even grown ups, or Nightmare Moon will eat you up!”
They both looked at me expectantly, and now that I didn't have a face full of wood dust and shavings, I got a chance to eye them up for the first time since they'd arrived.
Dinky had a pair of little cardboard wings tied to her back with a string around her middle, and had two crayon drawings of her mom's bubbles taped on her backside where her cutie mark would have been.
Derpy was wearing what looked like one of AJ's old stetsons, a bolo tie she must have snuck out of my dresser, and had a drawing of a tree that looked just like my cutie mark taped on each of her flanks.
I was totally flabbergasted! I'll tell you right now that the pair of them may just have been the cutest thing I've ever seen before or since. I thought quickly, and said “Don't you worry none, little Dinky. You just give me a moment and I'll have myself fixed up.”
I knew just the thing, too. I ran upstairs and fished around in the bottom drawer of my dresser. Sure enough, right where I thought they'd be was an old pair of blueish-grey plain boxer shorts. I never was sure why I had them because they looked kind of silly with my orange coat, and I didn't wear clothes much anyway, but sometimes you just accumulate things. You know how it is. Once I managed to get those on, I ran back downstairs and ransacked my work shelves until I found what I needed. Some greyish sandpaper rolled into a cone, some tape, and a string came together to look like a tiny version of the least festive party hat ever. I slipped it onto my head with the little cone on my forehead where a unicorn's horn would be, and trotted back out to where my ladies were waiting for me.
“Ta da!” I said with a wave of my front hooves, “Dinky is her mom, her mom's me, and I'm Dinky!”
I was worried when they just stared at me, not saying a word, but I only had to worry for a moment, because after a few breaths they both cheered and stamped their hooves on the floor.
So we went out and enjoyed the Nightmare Night festival, all dressed as each other. Other ponies might not agree, but I reckon we had the best costumes in town, even if they were also the worst, from a certain way of thinking. A lot of folks liked our matching costumes, even if they weren't fancy.
It was really something. We bobbed for apples, and played games. Derpy told me about how she accidentally drained the water out of the apple barrel last year, and we all had a good laugh. Derpy and I had a couple of mugs of cider (the good stuff) and Dinky had some spiced apple juice. The little one got enough candy to stuff herself nearly sick, even after giving “Nightmare Moon” her share. And when I say “Nightmare Moon”, I mean the honest to goodness Nightmare Moon! Well, Princess Luna, but she's kind of the same thing, I suppose, when she has a mind to be. Apparently she'd come to Ponyville for Nightmare Night the year before and the town helped her out with learning to be Luna and not Nightmare. She must have been happy with what they said or did, because I heard she was making a tradition of visiting for the celebration every year. Just think of it, I got to meet a princess, and I didn't even have to dress up all fancy! And I tell you what, she was right scary when she had a mind to be. We all ran and screamed and were only mostly sure she wasn't going to eat us.
Dinky tuckered herself out running around and screaming her fool head off with her little friends. She lost her wings at one point, and cried a bit, but we got her calmed down by reminding her that Nightmare Moon had already let her go for the year.
By the time things were winding town she was riding on my back because she was too tired to walk. Derpy and I wandered around for a bit longer, listening to some of the musicians who were still playing and sneaking a kiss or two when we thought the little filly was asleep.
Dinky made a few sleepy gagging sounds, but after a moment of worrying that she was going to throw up on my back, I realized she was just poking fun at us. Derpy told her “Now Muffin, don't spoil our fun,” and prodded her before giving me another kiss, but we restrained ourselves for the sake of young eyes after that.
- - -
A little later we headed off for their house, Dinky laying on my back with her front legs around my neck, and Derpy ambling next to me, giving me a little nuzzle now and then. When Derpy saw Carrot Top and Berry Punch waving to her from the other side of the square, she squeaked, looked at me apologetically and said, “Dove, can you watch Dinky for a few minutes? I forgot I needed to talk to the girls about something. I'll be right back, I promise.” Before I could answer she pecked my cheek and trotted off.
So there I stood, suddenly in charge of a child. At first I was a bit miffed, but then it hit me that this was the same thing as earlier. Maybe a pony who sat and thought for longer than my flighty Derpy would have hemmed and hawed, but she'd just paid me a big compliment without meaning to. She just knew that I'd be happy to watch her daughter for a spell, and that the little filly was in good hooves. Maybe she ought to have asked, but that was just Derpy being Derpy.
I don't know if she had been awake all along, or if she'd woken up when I stopped walking, but I felt Dinky squeeze my neck and mumble sleepily from between my shoulder blades, “whmmm mom go?”
“Don't you worry, little lady. She just needed to see her friends for a few. She'll be back in no time.”
Her little head nuzzled my mane and she said, “Mmkay.” After a moment she yawned and stretched a bit, and asked me, still not sounding very awake, “Dovetail? 'F you 'n mom get married, will you be, like, my dad or something?”
Well horsefeathers, what in tarnation does a pony say to a thing like that? Even though she'd really put me on the spot, I figured she didn't know any better, and deserved a good answer. I thought for a bit, craned my neck around to look at her and said, “That's one heck of a question. If... if we did get hitched, I reckon I wouldn't be your dad properly, but I'd sure do my best to treat you like I was your real dad. You and your mom are something special, and being a part of your family would be the best thing I can think of.”
After a pause, not sure if she was even still awake, I added, “Why... do you think we should?”
She yawned another tiny yawn and said, without opening her eyes, “I dunno. S' grownup stuff, I guess. Mom loves you, and you'd be a good daddish thing.” She snorted and giggled quietly, “heh... 'Dadtail'...”
I had no idea how what I should say to that, but it was pretty clear I didn't have to when I heard little snores coming from my back. That was about the time Derpy came back, and I put my hoof to my mouth and whispered, “Shhh... she's sleeping.” Derpy nodded and just grinned at me with that big old smile she has, and we walked back to the Hooves' house, listening to crickets and watching fireflies as we went.
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First!
yay that was a good update! i cant wait for more because you know i like this story
I didn't have diabetes before I read this chapter, but now I do...Thanks a lot. Really Dinky is adorable. I think this fic came out on the same day that two other Depry fics came out and out of the three I think I like this one the most, in terms of pacing and overall tone and character development. Dovetail isn't a social retard, and as a character he's got qualities that make for a strong protagonist. Derpy in this fic has a lot of the same positive qualities, she comes off as witty, d'awww and hilarious. Dinky is just adorable for the sake of being adorable. Kudos to you for but trying to bog this down with too much drama and just making this a lighthearted romantic comedy. I really liked this chapter.
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Peace Out
382361
That is exactly what I have been trying to do. Since you described pretty much my entire list of goals for this story, that tells me I'm probably getting them across reasonably well. There's nothing wrong with over the top zaniness or sad tragic drama... but I felt like there was a bit too much of that, and wanted to balance them out. Thank you for reading and commenting! More to come soon!
382301
Glad you liked it! I just need to ruminate a while on the next chapter before I write it. Hopefully it won't take too long.
This is really good. It's nice to see a Derpy fic that isn't sad for once.
382453
Thanks! That was the goal.
Yay, and furthermore, d'awww.
Edit: oh silly me this way four days b4 now im sad that i read it late
402820
D'aww... hearing things like that makes my day!
that was adorable! Cannot wait for more!
Just read the story and i absolutely LOVE IT, this is one of the best DerpyX[insert other character here] stories!
Thanks guys! I'm working on more, just at a bit of a block at the moment.
Dear god....Dinky is almost criminally adorable in this chapter. Good job
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Wow, PInk Floyd's If and this fic are pretty much
Yeah, this is AMAZING
HNNNNGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!
IT'S BEAUTIFUL!