Nancy · 9:33am Mar 11th, 2018
Happy Mother's Day!
On this special occasion, I chose to illustrate a character in my Fimfic series who none can deny cares dearly about her son.
A complex character who's been through a lot.
Nancy, Trottingham Laundress and Pipsqueak's mother.
(Top-Left) Stories By The Fire
Pipsqueak's interest in pirates and adventurers stem from the popular literature in Trottingham. Though Nancy can't say she approves of piracy, particularly in the modern day, she will do a lot to see a smile on her colt's face and always used to read him the stories every evening by the fire with tea and currant-cake.
(Bottom-Left) A Mother's Disapproval
Nancy is not too conservative when it comes to her son's lifestyle but something Pip has never quite understood is his mother's aversion to Dinky Doo, the bubbly daughter of the Doctor and Derpy, and a filly whom Pip has become quite smitten with. Nancy fears Dinky and her parents will be a bad influence on her son, stories of Derpy's clumsiness and the Doctor's irresponsibility reaching her by the day, though privately there's another fear at work.
(Bottom-Right) Memories Of Better Times
Nancy doesn't talk about her husband a great deal but those who know her well remember it was a wild, heady romance lacking in foresight. Dodger, a member of a gang outside Trottingham, caught the eye of many mares in his younger years and Nancy was the most eager of them.
Nancy has since learned that younger couples tend not to make very good older families.
A secluded mare, Nancy doesn't have that many close friends but one among them is her lifelong foalhood companion, Blue Murder, who has since had a son of her own, Tungsten, a long time before Nancy did and now serves as Pipsqueak's godmother, trusted wholeheartedly by Nancy in how to raise a healthy household.
(Top-Right) Small Pleasures
When Nancy found herself pregnant, she was wiser to the world than before and was ready to put her wild lifestyle aside for the sake of her foal.
Dodger, however, did not share this opinion. Unwilling to give up his freedom for his family, he relentlessly stayed on as a member of the gang, despite being quite a few years too old for it until he was kicked out. He swiftly fell into a life of drunken bitterness, becoming a heavy detriment on his new family who he took his anger out on at every opportunity.
With a criminal record, Nancy couldn't find a promising career for a while so she made ends meet laundering at home.
With a dead-end job, a meagre income, a cold house and a colder husband, she would have given up on life a long time ago.
If it weren't for her son who, to her wonder, found ways to remain happy despite everything else.
Needless to say, Nancy wouldn't want anypony else as a son.
And Pipsqueak wouldn't want anypony else as a mother.
Pipsqueak can really be proud of his mother, very good work! Althought I could imagine that Derpy could wake a good foalsitter for him. And I can’t help but think that Patch could make a good surrogate father for him
4814186
Well...Patch isn't really into all that stuff.
At this point anyway.
And Nancy, after her experiences with Dodger, is rather wary of getting into relationships again.
4814197
Agreed, but if Nancy considers getting into a relationship again, he could be a suiting canditat.
4814199
Not entirely sure.
He wouldn't object to tutoring (He loves having somepony listen as he rattles on) but he wouldn't know where to begin raising a foal.
4814203
Yeah. But, given he’s from the same town as her, she could might see him as a candidat for a new relationship
4814208
Yeah, but by that logic, everypony in Ponyville would be shipped with everypony.
...Oh wait, they are.
But seriously, Trottingham is a huge town and anyone who's been to London can tell you no part of its quite the same as any other part.
Patch is from the countryside around of Trottingham (The equivalent of Kent or Surrey), while Nancy is an East-End Trottingham mare (Equivalent of the 'Cockney Zone'). Blue Murder meanwhile, is from the Northern Boroughs (Equivalent of Manchester).
It's not like a village where everypony knows everypony else. Life is harder in Trottingham than it is in Ponyville or Canterlot.
And in any case, Patch talks so much about nothing in particular, he'd chase off all but the most patient mare. And Nancy already has her hooves full.
4814209
Yeah, just meant if she searchs a stallion from Trottingham in general that lives near, I guess Patch would be the only one suiting that search criterion. Anyway, the dance in Blood in the sand, just a friendly one, plus thought they would suit perfectly to this. And I presume Nancy realizes at one point in Lost reflection that Dinky isn’t so bad, thus her calm reaction on the gala
4814213
I see.
Makes sense.
Still, in any case, Patch lives in Canterlot, somewhere Nancy has never actually set hoof in and doesn't ever expect to.
One thing's for sure though, if Pip wanted to know about famous pirates, Patch would be the one to ask.
4814215
That with the pirates was my second thougtht for this, Patch would proably the best choice if Nancy needs somepony to keep Pip busy with stories in general.
Poor Nancy, she deserves better than she's got. Still, maybe things'll improve.
4814266
I agree with that.