Dinky felt a presence next to her. It was a nice feeling not at all like the lonely bed mommy had given her. But it wasn’t all bad mommy would come and read her a bedtime story and they’d laugh and laugh before she’d go to sleep. She snuggled further into the form resting next to her. Dinky fluttered an eye open and peered around the room making her eyes snap open in fright. Where was she? How’d she get here? Her eyes fell to Twilight and she found some relief. She was the purple unicorn that mommy had told her about. Maybe… they had a sleepover? Yeah… yeah they had a sleepover! That’s why Twilight is here, and that means that mommy is probably making grass-cakes! Dinky remembered how every morning before Dinky would go to school mommy would make her grass-cakes if she didn’t have time to bake muffins. She rushed down the steps, smiling brightly as she anticipated the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg to linger in her nostrils. But she stopped suddenly when all that she saw was an empty kitchen table, with bare looking walls. And no grass-cakes. And no Mommy. That made her panic, she quickly glanced around the room, checking every corner, every nook and cranny in the room. She panicked further. Where was mommy? Was mommy out? She wasn’t out, mommy would have left a note on the table if she was out. She trotted down stairs into Twilight’s study. No mommy. She looked around the bathrooms. No mommy. Now she was really scared. Did mommy leave her behind? Dinky began shaking from worry. She didn’t know what to do, so she laid down in the middle of the floor and quietly sobbed to herself.
Hoof-steps. She knew the sound. Maybe it was mommy? Yeah that would make sense, mommy was just playing hide and seek with her! Dinky swiftly trotted upstairs only to find the purple unicorn shuffling things around.
“Dinky? Dinky where are you?” Twilight called out. Dinky stepped in front of Twilight, which in return gave her a big hug, “Oh Dinky! I was afraid I lost you!” She hugged her tightly and remembered what needed to be said. Twilight cleared her throat. “Dinky… we eh… we need to talk.” She said as she sat down on the bed and patted next to her with her hoof.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"Oh Derpy..." Twilight said slowly, as if time had slowed down. "I... I love you so much." She finished off with a kiss. That kiss... how magical it was, Derpy could have sworn she saw sparks in her eyes as she leaned out for another breath. "Twilight... Twilight... Twilight...." Time and space began swirling like a cosmic pool being splashed gently....
Derpy woke up with a start. Another dream… of Twilight. She wondered how that magical mare was doing. Hoping to meet her once again some day soon. She peers around the room, eying all the nick-knacks. They all varied, from Manehatten… to Appaloosa… to even Canterlot. She got up and looked at two in particular. She snorted at the sight of portrait of Octavia, in a heart-shaped frame. Her smile faltered at the sight of a portrait of a mare and a filly. She didn’t have time to look it over, as the smell of Honey suckle and eggs filled her hose making her stomach ache. She walked into the kitchen only to find a set table and Steel making breakfast.
“Morning Derpy! I hope you like honey suckle as much as I do!” Steel said with a smile.
Derpy smiled back, “Matter of fact, It’s my favorite snack when I’m running mail deliveries.”
“Oh you’re a mail-mare?” Steel asked as he placed the final fork to complete the table.
“Yeah before… um… well before all this happened I ran mail deliveries for Ponyville. It didn’t pay much, but it was all I could get.” Derpy smirked, “But a little off topic, I found a little picture of Octavia.”
Steel coughed and almost dropped the plates of food. “Well er um… it… it was half priced! I just wanted to save money as all. And um… it looked… nice in my home!” His blush painted his face a deep shade of crimson.
“Mhm. Right,” Derpy said with a teasing wink and a smirk. They sat down and ate together. She remembered the picture of the family. “Also… I saw a picture of some mare and a cute filly.” Steel choked and the mention and spit out the food. “Oh no! I’m sorry I didn’t mean—“
“No… no it’s fine I suppose it’s about time I share my past with you… You've shared yours with me...” Steel put down his fork. “You see… during my last case before… before I lost it….”
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Steel looked around the empty seats of the bus. Well not all of the seats were empty; next to him sat a rather large pony with a scruffy yet styled beard and a pure dark blue coat. His mane shone brightly in the lights of the bus giving off a shade of deep purple. Today was his day whether he’d live in the prisons of Equestria… or be set free to roam the lands just like everypony is entitled at birth. This was just like every other case Steel had been to, but this one was completely different. For instance the sweat on his brow was in higher volume this evening. His eyes darted from corner to corner in anticipation of the court’s judge. He’d known many judges from all over Equestria; it was in fact necessary for any attorney to know a few. Not really to have an edge in the case, thought most used it as such, but just to keep a common ground with everypony. ‘No matter where you came from, you were still connected with whom ever you knew.’ His great grandfather had told him that. Before he set off in the great war of the two gods. Well… he supposed Discord couldn’t really be called a god per say. That quote had helped him through tough times. Even though most of those times hadn’t called for that particular quote it still brought a smile to his face whenever he needed it. Steel remembered about the pony sitting next to him. His broad shoulders made him look like a murderer, but Steel knew. Steel knew all those days playing with him. Steel knew the day he accidentally hurt a puppy and wouldn’t forgive himself even if it wasn’t on purpose. Steel knew his brother was innocent in this trial. His brother wouldn’t… hadn’t hurt as much as a fly for all his life. It was that reason that he was so disappointed in himself. He had hurt another living creature and he thought he was a terrible pony for that. Bus jerked to a stop.
“Looks like we’re here.” Steel said as he led his brother out toward the courthouse. The palatial building made the night grow even darker, as if it knew what was in store for his brother. They stepped inside and were greeted by Night-flower Steel’s wife.
Night-flower kissed Steel, “You’ll do great I’m positive Cloud Dasher will come out of this A-OK.” She gave him a reassuring smile and together Steel and Cloud walked their way to the front desks. Across the table there sat another couple: the prosecutor and Derek Van Mortenburg. Steel knew in his heart that Derek was guilty of killing that innocent child. Steel opened his briefcase checking over the evidence to prove Cloud innocent… but… something was amiss. Exhibit A… where… where was exhibit A? Steel looked over to Derek, who only smiled grotesquely showing his teeth. He showed something under the desk something that looked like… no… no it couldn’t be. Steel checked again, this time positive. Derek had stolen that last exhibit from the briefcase.
The bang of the hammer rang out in the hall, "This court is now in session." said a pudgy stallion. "Let the defendant stand."
Steel and Cloud stood.
"Your opening statement?"
"Your honor. I believe that in desperate times ponies can do irrational, and sometimes life changing things." Steel looked at Derek, but not with a glare more like a soft gaze. He looked at Cloud Dasher his brother... his only brother. "And when such things occur more often than not we blame others for somepony else's actions. However I do not wish to blame this pony for any action that he may or may not have done." He gestured to Derek. "In fact if anything I forgive him for what he's done. And whatever happens here after this meeting, I just want to know that I love you." He looked straight into Cloud's eyes, and they hugged.
The court meeting was adjourned, and Cloud was sentenced to death. His own brother whom he had shared a large part of his life with… put to death. Steel couldn’t believe it. The blow was indescribable and Steel soon stopped showing up for work. Night-flower looked him over with anger for having been so naive and soon left him. She took bashful, his only daughter. Leaving him only with himself and his thoughts. He sat alone in his manor until, little by little, the bank came and took it all away.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
“…That case left me broken and shattered.” Steel finished, the silence in the air only adding to the discomfort.
“Oh my Celestia, I’m sorry I asked.” Derpy said placing a hoof on his own. Derpy wanted to kiss him on the cheek and give him a hug. Not because of any feelings she’d had, she’d sorted those out already. She felt like right now Steel needed somepony to be there for him… he needed a mom. He seemed like just a colt at heart.
With a tear in his eye he said, “It’s fine… I’ve… well I’ve moved on.” He grew a little brighter, “And one day I’m hoping to meet that wondrous Octavia. But all I can do is pray.”
“But if you’re looking for Octavia why are you in Appaloosa, she lives in Canterlot.” Derpy recalled seeing her during the Royal Garden Party.
“Well my job calls me to move a lot, due to the requirement I agreed to saying I must be within two miles or my client.”
Derpy looked around, quizzically, “But I thought you weren’t seeing any clients.”
“Well of course! I can’t move to a city without a reason to can I?” Steel chuckled, “Well at least now I have a different reason to move… ah Canterlot.” Steel’s eyes grew dreamy for a moment, “Say… what’s Canterlot like?”
Derpy pondered at this question. She’d never really been to Canterlot… or even visited. Except for the Garden Party, which was her first time being in Canterlot, she’d never gone. “Well I can tell you that it’s really stuck up. A lot of ponies just walk around judging others, and honestly it’s not all cracked up to be.”
Steel nodded, “So I’ve heard… well I still wish to go there some day, to see her.” Derpy didn’t need reminding she knew what he meant. “Even if only for just a minute, I want to visit her.”
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“I know it hurts right now but it’ll all be ok soon enough,” I said trying my best to comfort Dinky. It’d been at least an hour and a half since I’d told her the news… she didn’t take it so well. Although who am I to say otherwise? I mean she just lost her only mother and now is being taken care of by, probably a complete stranger, to her. I gave her another hug, and she finally accepted the hug and returned it. More or less snuggling me at this point. “Shh shh shh it’s alright. No need to worry I’m here for you.” I rubbed her back and brushed her mane, which she seemed to soothe her a bit more. She squeezed harder, and I began rocking her back and forth— yet another tricked I’ve read up on. Slowly we drew from our world of sadness and a faint knock on the door was heard by us both. “Would you like to see who it is?” I asked looking her in the eye.
She nodded.
“Would you like me to leave you here and come back?”
She shook her head, and clamped her forelegs around me again.
“Ok come on, lets go see who it is.” I got up and pulled her off the bed, and together we walked down the stairs. When I opened the door to my surprise stood Rarity.
“Hello darling! I just wanted to check up on you,” She said with a smile.
“Ah, thank you Rarity! Um… Rarity we need to talk.” I walked her over to the couch, Dinky stayed up on the steps, probably too timid or too sad. “Rarity, do you remember Dinky?”
Rarity gave me a puzzled look, “Might I ask, who is Dinky?”
“Derpy’s daughter, you re—“
“Derpy has a Daughter? What in Equestria?” Rarity interrupted me with a remorseful look. Maybe she felt guilty for not knowing ahead of time… I don’t know.
“Oh I thought you knew.” I said with a bit of concern.
“No! What in heavens gave you the idea that I did?!”
“Oh well I just figured… look it doesn’t matter what I’m trying to tell you is… well… being that Derpy isn’t around anymore we’re going to have to take care of her.”
Rarity looked me dead in the eye, as if trying to unravel what I’m thinking. It made me scoot back a little bit from the awkward moment. “I do not wish to raise her with you.” She said flatly.
I was dumbfounded… I thought of all ponies Rarity would have wanted to raise Dinky with her. I looked back to find Dinky shrunk back a little, knowing exactly what was being said. The next thing she said practically destroyed my heart.
“And I think we need to put that thing,” Rarity gestured toward Dinky with her hoof, “up for adoption this instant.”
That had done it. That was the first time I’d ever heard anypony say such a maniacal thing about another. Tears were streaming down my eyes from anger and anguish. “I… can’t believe you. How could… you BE SO CRUEL?!” I shouted my horn glowing a faint purple and a book in a corner exploding into the air and slamming back down onto the hard surfaced floor. I shot up from the couch and grabbed Dinky using a spell and ran outside. Just ran. Ran from my problems. Ran from our problems. It wasn’t until we came across Derpy’s home that I finally stopped. It’s cascading glow of loneliness only made the home look ever more darker. I put Dinky down, and opened to door. The living room was a total mess. It hadn’t even seemed homey anymore; it just looked cluttered and grotesque. I felt the slight pang in my horn as almost everything in the living room began glowing the purple I’m so familiar with. I lazily put the dishes away, cleaned up the floor and kitchen and put everything where it needed to be. When I was finished I slumped onto Derpy’s couch. The memory of our first date together came to mind, and all I could do was curl up and cry. Dinky came up to me, and curled up next to me. That girl was sticking through tough times… with me. So I guess she really doesn’t find me a stranger anymore. Maybe she felt like I was part of her family now… that thought brought more tears to my eyes. I had my own foal. Well it wasn’t entirely my foal… but it at least felt like it. She accepted me as her temp-mom, and that’s all that mattered to me right now.
Derpy nestled her head into me. I looked at her and her eyes peered right into mine. Suddenly I knew what we had to do. “Dinky.”
Her ears perked up.
“We need to go find mommy.” I said brushing her mane once more. “It… it would be for the best….”
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Ballpoint looked around his office bored at the fact that he hasn’t had any customers in a while. He looked around his office again, taking in the faint smell of antiques. The natural looking lamp complemented the exotic Granite tabletop along with the hardwood flooring. He takes a hold of one of his pencils and rolls it forward and watches as it rolls back. Back and forth. Back and forth. Over and over. He grew tired of this and looked around the room again. It wasn’t until his eyes lingered toward a picture of Derpy as a filly that his bored expression turned into a hideous grin. That day he… discovered her was such a wonderful night that was. A shame it had to be on her opening night of her school’s play, even if it was glorious. He came away from the thought and focused on the picture once again. “One day my deary… I’ll find you once again.” He could practically smell that wonderful faint smell of… muffins. He imagined what Derpy looked like now’a days, tall, lean, her coat such a soft— almost velvet-like feel. Ballpoint let his smile only grow further, until a knock on the door brought him back to reality. He cleared his throat, “Uh. Come in, please.”
Twilight stepped in, Dinky following not far behind, “Hello my name is Twilight Sparkle.” She closed to door and smiled awkwardly.
Ballpoint smiled, “Ah another customer, eh?” He reached under his desk and pulled out a bottle of chloroform and a napkin. “How can I help you today?” He said as he dipped a bit of it into a napkin under the table.
“Well I’d like your help in locating a pony, you see a… very close friend of mine. Her name is Derpy Hooves.” Twilight pulled out a photo of Derpy and slid it on the table.
Ballpoint swore he heard something go off under the table. At last his time had come. So many years ago had his discovery of his daughter happened, and soon it’s going to happen again. He could hardly contain his ecstasy. “Ah and you would like my help in finding this filly?” Ballpoint said putting the chloroform away. ‘This mule may have a purpose after all.’
“Well that would be very helpful, yes—“ Twilight was interrupted by Dinky poking her horn into Twilight. Dinky looked up into, hoping to get her idea across. Twilight had a gut feeling about what Dinky was trying to say. ‘She thinks something is off about this detective? Hm…’
Ballpoint tapped on the desktop snapping Twilight back out of consciousness. “You were saying?”
“Oh yes um… as I was saying I’d like your help in finding Derpy Hooves.” Twilight pulled out a large sack of bits. “And I’ll pay my worth in finding her.”
Ballpoint smiled at this, oh how he loved to smile. ‘Soon darling… you will pay your worth….’ “I’ll gladly take up this case. Shall we depart sometime soon?”
Twilight lit up at this, “That would be nice! How about in one day?”
“Wonderful darling, let me just send a little note to a… a… friend…” Ballpoint took out a pen and paper. He looked up from his note and watched Twilight’s flank as she departed with Dinky. Dinky looked back and stared right into his eyes, but quickly ran off after seeing him.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Derpy wakes up taking in bright colors of Steel’s room once again. She loved his home; it seemed so much like her own. Normally this thought would have triggered another wave of tears, but today was unlike any other, today was a good day, she could feel it. She walked into the kitchen to find Steel making a round of Grass-cakes. They greeted each other and Derpy was just in time to sit down and eat. They chatted and enjoyed breakfast as usual.
“Well what do you know, I got mail!” Steel said as he picked it up and opened it. “Huh must be the wrong address. Do you know who this might be?”
Derpy walked over and looked over the envelope. There were only three words on the envelope, but the hoofwriting was unmistakable in her father’s writing stated. She stared in horror at the letter, letting in drop to the floor. She collapsed, screaming her head off.
“Derpy? Derpy! DERPY!!” Steel fell to her side, determined to help her in her need.
The only thing she remembered before she blacked-out were three words. The. three words she had been dreading to see since she left home as a filly.
See You Soon….