“C’mon Mum, we’re gonna be late!” Dinky groaned impatiently, watching her mother franticly try to prepare herself.
Ditzy just laughed. “Oh Dinky, I'm sorry, just one more minute?” With a loud sigh, Dinky levitated a muffin over to her and trotted over to the couch. Ditzy tried to manage a smile as she continued to brush her mane.
I hope I look well enough for the class, I should have remembered and woke up earlier! Ditzy sighed, fixing the stubborn mane. The faint memories the night before came to mind. She remembered Dinky saying something about her having to come to school with her, but she was far too tired at the time to understand.
She looked in the mirror and groaned, surrendering to the uncooperative hair. “Okay Dinky, are you ready?”
“Sure have Mum!”
“Good girl. Let’s go!” And with that, the two ponies headed off towards the school. The town was busy with life as usual, ponies crowded the streets and only slowed the two down. Dinky looked up at her mother and frowned. Ditzy thought of how easy it would be to simply fly over the bustle of life, but remembered her wingless daughter, sending a pang throughout her heart.
“I told you we were going to be late.” Dinky sighed, letting her gaze drop to the ground. Her young mind was troubled with the worry of being late to school.
“I'm sorry Dinky, but I'm sure Cheerilee will understand.” Ditzy frowned slightly as she looked past the crowd of ponies. The schoolyard was baren, apart from the few ponies passing by. Ditzy sighed again, hoping her words to stay true, and eventually the two closed the gap to the school and entered the building.
The room was alive with idle chatting and laughter. Ditzy was thankful they didn't decide to continue on without them, and with that thought, she caught Cheerilee's eyes widen as she saw the small family.
“Oh hi you two! I’m so glad that you finally made it Derpy… Er... I mean...” Cheerilee blushed as she realised what she had just said. Ditzy smiled, not letting the word bother her in the slightest. She had grown fond of the nickname.
“It’s alright Cheerilee, honestly, words are just words, and I’ve actually grown to like that name. Derpy Hooves... It’s got a ring to it, don’t you think?” The mare grinned widely, reassuring Cheerilee.
“Of course it does dear! It’s an absolutely fabulous name!” Ditzy smiled, happy to leave the mare in high spirits, but as she turned around she glanced over an elegant white unicorn, with three elegant diamonds for a cutie mark.
“Oh, hello there Rarity! Are you here with Sweetie Belle?” Ditzy asked, looking down to see her own proud filly beaming a smile back up to her.
“Of course I am dear! Mother and Father are awfully busy this week, so I’m filling in for them. How have you been darling? It's been so long since we've had a proper chance to talk.” Rarity smiled back at the happy pony, and in fact, everypony seemed to be smiling. Nopony really had to have an excuse to be happy on such a fine day.
“It has, hasn’t it? Dinky, why don’t you run along and play with Sweetie Belle for a while?” Ditzy smiled widely at the filly, whom returned the same generous cheer.
“Alright.” Dinky casually trotted over to the three fillies, infamous for their determination for their cutie marks. Rarity and Ditzy carried on with their honest and mundane conversation until Cheerilee quieted everypony down. Cheerilee beamed her usual smile and stood behind her desk.
“Now that everypony has arrived, I see no reason to delay any further. I believe that Dinky’s mother, Ditzy will be the first parent to speak to you all.” Cheerilee anouced as she sat down in her chair.
She had forgotten that it was her turn to present first. Nervously, Ditzy approached the front of the classroom where the many curious eyes fell upon her, not easing her nervousness in any way. Ditzy hadn't even the slightest clue what she would talk about. Almost everypony in town knew who she was, and what she did.
“Hello everypony, I’m Ditzy Doo, mother of Dinky Doo, and... I’m everypony’s mail mare, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve seen me before. I honestly don't know what else to tell everypony, I'm just as normal as everypony in this room.” She smiled proudly, finding the words far easier than she had feared. Ditzy even believed that with that, she would be done, but before she could take a single step away, a familiar, and just as annoying voice filled the otherwise quiet room.
“Normal? What kind of pony considers a clumsy and useless mare like you normal? Just look at her eyes!” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon erupted in laughter. Everypony else just glared at them intently . Everypony, except Ditzy.
“I admit, I can be clumsy at times, but I honestly try my best, flying is a bit... Harder for than most, and my eyes used to be just as normal as your own Silver Spoon. I even...” She trailed off into obscurity. Everyone had a look of surprise on their face as the words escaped her trailing thoughts.
“Whaddya mean they weren’t always like that?” Applebloom asked, announcing the question on everypony's mind.
Oh dear, I shouldn’t have said that... Ditzy looked about the room, all eyes were now locked on here if they weren't before. The attention worried her slightly. I suppose I knew the day would come...
“Hehe… Well, it’s a long story, and I’m sure we don’t have time for it, right Cheerilee?” She glanced over to Cheerilee, expecting a quick shake of her head, but was instead smiling vibrantly as her usual self.
“Oh, take all the time you need! I’d love to hear this story of yours. I think everypony would, right?” A loud shout of agreement could be heard around the room from parents and children alike.
“Well… I guess I could tell you.” Ditzy sighed, holding a smile, yet the very thought of the tale tightened her throat while the class erupted in cheers. Ditzy didn't let their odd curiosity upset her as she began to recollect the old, yet very clear memories.
"About eleven years ago, I called Canterlot home. I was the mail mare there as well, so I my duty was to drop off letters, postcards, you name it, to everypony in the city. I was even blessed with a few rare occasions where I delivered mail to Princess Celestia herself!" Ditzy's smile brightened, if that was even possible, when she saw the eyes light up across the room.
"I met every famous pony across Equestria, but there was one pony who stood out. A Pegasus named Soarin. You may know him now from the Wonderbolts."
Ditzy couldn't help but notice as Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide in a twist of excitement and disbelief.
"Soarin was just a young colt at the time, trying his very best to impress the best of the best. The day I gave that letter to him... The day his eyes lit up so brightly that it almost made me cry..."
"Wooooooow!" The symphony filled the room.
"Yes, with his initiation into the Wonderbolts I became good friends with Spitfire, Cloud Chaser, Misty, and every other member, but I didn't feel that same connection with any other pony as I did with Soarin. Soarin held a special place in my heart, even if I didn't know it at the time." Ditzy paused, looking down at the floor, trying to form the words. "I still love him to this day."
Cheerilee could swear that she saw a tear roll under Ditzy’s eye. The mare could see the pain in her words that were expertly disguised behind her cheerful smile. As curious as she was, she held her tongue, and let Ditzy continue uninterrupted.
"I... I don't remember when we officially became a pair, but I do know that we shared a bond so blatantly obvious, we didn't even need to remind ourselves that we loved each other." Ditzy's eyes lowered yet again. The memories were climbing to a point that she didn't want to remember, but it was something she had lived with for the longest time. What harm could come from sharing her story?
"Soarin and I," Ditzy continued, "We never left each other's side when we were together, but when we were separated because of work it always felt like another eternity we had to endure to be together again. We spent every moment of our free time together, and even to the point..." She stopped, fighting her tightening throat as it gripped her voice by each passing second.
"Well, there was a challenge, an odd one but it was out of the spirit of fun. I wanted to challenge the great Wonderbolt himself, and, had I known I'd regret that decision for the rest of my life, I never would have tried.
"It was a sunny afternoon, a peaceful, average day, and I remember looking into Soarin's eyes one last time before he said the words."
Ready, set... GO! Soarin's words echoed into her mind as she recalled the day. She blinked back tears and continued on.
"We launched ourselves into the clouds, testing the very threshold of our limits, and although I had spent the majority of my life in the air, I never truly had to race mail to anyone, this race was my very first test of speed, and one I did not want to give up easily. I wanted Soarin to see my determination and appreciation for his work, even... Even if it killed me..." Ditzy paused a final time before piecing the last bits of her story together. Her gaze had settled onto the floor, she hadn't the courage to lift it since her throat had tried to stop her from finishing the story.
"I couldn't keep up. I tried and tried, but Soarin was just too much for me to keep a pace with, and before I had known what I had gotten myself into, my wings failed. They fell limp and with the horrible realization that I would plumet that far from the sky, I didn't expect to live.
"I was so scared I think I passed out right there, otherwise the shock from the fall simply left me unconscious, because the next thing I could remember was the beeping of respirators and heart monitors. There were plenty of voices, but they filled my head all too quickly and all at once, but one voice stood out, and never left me.
"That is, until the time became too much to bear, and the voices stopped all together. I honestly thought it was the end, but with the grace of a miracle, I was given an option. Normal medication couldn't fix me and I was running out of time. The injuries were far too serious to repair on its own, so they resorted to a series of magical treatments. While the voice's sounded happy, and proud of my success, I could hear the worry in their work, and I soon found out why.
"The healing worked almost... too effectively, and the fractured bone structure in my wings joined at incorrect places, making them what they are today... They also said, the fall left me with a... permanent... concussion. Something they just didn't know how to mend." Ditzy couldn't ignore the dripping tears at this point, they covered her face and she tried desperately to hold back her sobs as she finished her heart wrenching story.
"I found that after they released me, I was kept in the hospital of this very town and with my injuries, I wouldn't be able to fly the same way again, and that meant I would never be able to find that colt who disappeared from my life after the accident..."
She didn't bother proving her ailments as she had a hard enough time speaking at the point, she simply couldn't press on and resorted to standing silently before the class they could only soak in her painful words.
"So, that's why I'm an awful flyer, and my eyes aren't quite normal. I apologize for any of the trouble it may have caused you, but I honestly can't do anything about it..."
Ditzy lifted her gaze, which was somewhat cleared of the troublesome tears, only to find every other pony's set of eyes welled up with, or already strained with tears.
"What... What happened to Soarin?" Sweetie Belle asked behind a throat clenched just as Ditzy's had been.
Ditzy flinched, not expecting the words, and she could only answer the honest question with an honest answer.
"I don't know..." The truth burned her throat, and only caused more tears to stray down her already tear soaked face.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soarin looked towards knock on his door. His brow raised curiously, he certainly wasn't expecting anyone, especially at this time of the day.
"Coming!" He called out, scrambling to push open the door. "Yes?" He asked before noticing who it even was, and found himself staring face to face with a furious rainbow-maned Pegasus.
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Authors Note: Well, I'm happy about the reception that this has, even when it was a one-shot. Now, I've turned this into a multi-chapter story now, so this chapter you are now reading i the edited version. It's much better, and I have my editor Charcoal Sketch to thank for it. Charcoal, you are the best bro!
That's a pretty heavy tale to tell to foals. It was good i liked it.
653594 ALAZAK! Thanks buddy!
Wow, just watched the Season 1 Premier episodes and read this. I'm crying my heart out
664306 I remember the last time that I cried...
My Little Dashie is a heart wrenching fic...
666003 so true
“Oh, take all the time you need! I’d love to hear this story of yours. I think everyone would, right?”
everyone?
do you mean
everypony?
Awww. That was sweet, but it's shocking Ditzy/Derpy was just like "Oh I'll forgive you, la-la-la"
That.... was..... beautiful!
Wait - Ditzy takes Soarin back? Just like that? He left her for dead, just because her eyes looked weird, didn't stay at her side, didn't try to help, didn't get her to a medical unicorn, just - she wasn't pretty anymore, he was scared, so, basically, to hell with her, and he flies off. Then he doesn't even try to contact her for years.
And he suddenly drops in and says he's sorry that he hasn't bothered for several years, and... she hugs him and takes him back? Ditzy is so desperate, so lacking in any self-respect or self-worth that she takes this chickenshit, abandoning little scum back? Worse, poor Dinky is going to be exposed to this failure of a stallion? Ditsy is letting this creep anywhere near her daughter? What?
I find this utterly disturbing. The message here seems to be that even a crappy, useless, easily frightened, abandoning male is better than nothing at all? That a mare is nothing without a stallion, however crap the stallion is? What happens the next time that Ditsy get's sick, or Dinky has a problem, or things get tough? You cannot trust this version of Soarin, not ever. He's worse than useless. He cannot be counted on, not ever.
I don't know who I loath more in this story - Ditsy for being pathetic and a bad mother for taking Soarin back at all, or Soarin for abandoning a lover and friend during a medical-magical emergency. Soarin is unforgivable, literally, and Ditsy instantly demonstrates she is a terrible mother who has no self respect whatsoever.
Dinky needs to be put in foal services and placed in a decent home, Ditsy needs to be in a mare's shelter getting counseling, and Soarin needs to go far, far away and be prevented access with a restraining order.
You don't take an abuser back.
AUUGHHH! What... how does a moral like this get written? Is this just to shock people? 'Love your abuser kids, it's fun!' No. Just no.
Anyone who abandons you during a medical crisis should never, must never be forgiven. That is a failure of character than nothing can fix.
this is so good
well that must have been an interesting day at school
i think my eye sockets are over flowing!
somebody get me a tissue!
That was beautiful. I guess beautiful is the best term I can come up with.
786291 Thats your opinion, some people(of all races) just get scared for terrible reasons. This just shows that Soarin' overthinks things.
Great fic. Have a cookie
666003
I'm so manly that i read My Little Dashie and only cried 3 times.
That was beautiful...
iambrony.jsmart.web.id/mlp/gif/sadpinkie-(n1293714161395).gif
Beautiful just beautiful. Sorry rainbow
786291
I think youre missing the message with the story here.
It isnt that Ditzy is pathetic and Soarin is terrible, it's that love overcomes all. Ditzy loved Soarin so much that, even after all these years, and after being dumped by him, she still loved him and forgave him.
Ive had something like this happen in my life. My longest relationship and the best relationship ive ever had ended a few months ago. In truth, im still waiting for her to take me back, because i love her that much. This is the same case with Ditzy.
Not bad. I like the concept. The story felt somewhat.... rushed, though.
I wouldn't talk to that dude save through the medium of that humble friend to all named Great Big Jerk Attorney!! Blueboy is good for at least a few thou in back child support and then there's the emotional cruelty angle to consider.
786195 Ah. As it seems, I've been spending too much time in the real world. Hehe, well, I'll fix that now.
.786291 Well, it appears that we have different view points, which is fine. To you, this is a bit of a failure, purely for the reason that Ditzy has enough heart to forgive Soarin. Think about this friend. Have you ever loved someone so much that you didn't care what happened between you two, you just wanted them back? I know I have.
Look, Soarin knew that he made a bad move, a really bad move, but he took a risk and went to go see the mare he loved. It was mainly to calm his haunting conscience, but as it turned out, he got back Ditzy.
Ditzy forgave him because it takes a lot of guts to come down to a place like that and show your face after all that time. If someone does that for you, you know that they are serious.
When I made this story, I knew that not everyone would like it. It's just fact that a person's first fanfiction would get at least some hate. I appreciate your viewpoint on this story. Thank you ^.^
786737 Exactly.
786478 OMNOMNOMNOM
786361 well, I hit my mark XD
786563 Thank you! It means a lot to me.
786311 Thank you Courage Wolf. I think that's Courage Wolf. ugh, note to self, brush up on memes...
786513 I didnt cry at all. but thats only because of my tear ducts being disfunctional. then my mom goes and says that im not drinking enough water and im like oatmeal you crazy and. . . wait wut?
787036 aha... I suppose, if Ditzy were heartless enough.
787141
My upset is this - if you can't trust a friend to be there for you when you are sick, hurt, and suffering, then that is NOT a friend. And it only makes it worse that several years have passed with no contact. Now, there is an apology?
This is the scenario that battered women face, and often give into because they have no self worth. They take back the abusers that abandoned or hurt them instead of realizing that no amount of forgiveness is going to make such betrayal ever get better.
Forgiveness is only rational if there is a legitimate reason to trust. Soarin in your story has offered nothing. All he has done is said he was sorry for a major, major betrayal, and there is no basis to believe him. It just makes Ditzy seem foolish, devoid of self-worth, and a poor judge of everything from right and wrong to what is best for her daughter.
I'm not saying there isn't a lot of severely broken women out there just like that, going back to the men that beat, or raped, or left them with child - it's an epidemic, in fact. But it feels like your story suggests such a scenario could ever be a happy ending... and it can't, and that just... it just breaks my brain.
787412 I will say that the basis of the story is that love conquers all. Sure, Soarin made a mistake. A rather large mistake, but still. Ditzy took him back because she missed him, a lot. To me, that doesn't say that she had no self worth or self respect. You make it seem like she's a disgrace. I see where you are coming from, and I respect that, but to me, this fanfiction is just this. Two lovers who were seperated because of one's misinterpretation, and as a result, swallowed his pride and apologized from the bottom of his heart, even though he knew that words would never be enough.
786513 I cannot count the amount of manly tears that were shed that day. The only other things that can make me cry like that are Monsters Inc, and Bridge To Terabithia (i have no idea why)
787673
not so sure i understand the Monsters Inc. one, but Bridge to Terabithia..... man i had to try my best not to cry, my girlfriend was with me when i saw it xD
787754 Yeah, I know that feel bro XD
Well, Monsters Inc was really sad because of the end of it, when Boo has to go back to the human world. Its one of those sad farewell types of things.
yeah... then his face when he sees her again :')
787793 thats the best bit.
787814
i was kinda young when i first saw it, and im surprised i still remember it... but now that i think about it, it was amazing. :')
i love this, and now this is my head cannon. but coughtdrhoovesisthefatercough
Loved it. I'll be waiting for more.
Continue please?
Manly tears have been shed.
788082 Is this a request for a sequel? Well... I suppose I could...
788214 not exactly a sequel if you dont want, but just a story taking place in the same universe...
well...that was by far one of the best renditions of Derpy/Ditzy's past I have ever seen. no! not one of he best, but the best I have read. you're reactions were perfect, you're tale of love lost was heart wrenching, you're prose was sharp as a well kept blade. all in all, you have perfectly described and written one of my most beloved characters in a way that makes me smile. and for all you neigh-sayers, think of this, Derpy has been alone for 10 years and has longed for Soarin since; he comes back, tells her his side, he still loves her, everything is peachy. not to mention she has Dinky now, and could use the help in raising her. growing up without a dad can be hard on a foal.
788241 ah, that I can do. I could to a sequel as well, but now I have a better idea...
788298 Wow dude, really? That means so much to me! The way you think of this story is exactly the sort of responce I wanted people to have. After all, there aren't really that many stories that explains why Ditzy's eyes, are there? It was just a little concept, and it payed off. Thank you ^.^
no problem, I see a fic I like, I make sure the author and any one who reads my comment knows it.
You, my dear friendo, have just earned a like
You know as I read this, I had this playing.
There are several issues with this story, but I'll pass on the grammatical whammy to agree with Chatoyance. Ditzy takes him back, just like that? I don't buy it.
Interesting idea you have here, but your execution needs work. 1/5 stars.
789472 A brillient song, if I say so myself.
789549 Grammatical errors are not what bothers me at any given time. As long as the story is readable, thats fine enough, is it not? But, this was more or less an experiment. i thank you for your view on my story ^.^