//------------------------------// // Post-credits scene(s): October 2007 // Story: Over Land and Sea // by Wessexbrony //------------------------------// Monday 8th October Life in Ponyville had gradually gotten back to normal after Dinky returned. Things had settled down again, with Dinky returning to school; although her friends - Ruby Pinch in particular - had spent much of half term hugging her as tightly as they could in case she was suddenly taken back to London - or anywhere else in Britain, for that matter. However, fears of such a thing were abated by the lengthy prison sentence given to Belladonna. The sentence also repaired British-Equestrian relations, which had been somewhat damaged when Dinky had been sent to London a year previously. The school day was over, and Dinky was on her way back home. That was how it had all started; that fateful day when she’d come home from school and found her mother throwing her a birthday party four months early. She quickly shook the thought from her mind; it was something neither she nor her mother liked to think about, even though it was what the general public currently associated with the Foal Protection Services. She started thinking about football instead; her next trip to Stamford Bridge, for the match between Chelsea and Manchester City, wouldn’t be until the weekend after next due to the Euro 2008 qualifiers. A win would be vital; Manchester City, now with former England boss Sven-Goran Ericsson at the helm, sat just behind Chelsea in 4th, with Liverpool and Newcastle also breathing down their necks. As she entered through the front door, she overheard snatches of a phone conversation.  “Yes...tomorrow off…birthday party…” She felt her stomach tighten; that was how it had started. But the Foal Protection Agency now had an official ensuring it couldn’t happen again. Besides, it would be her birthday tomorrow. She decided to make herself a cup of tea, and walked into the kitchen. A piece of paper on the kitchen table caught her eye and, as her heart rate increased, she brought it over, almost dreading what it might say… “Equestrian Foal Protection Agency, Starswirl Road, Canterlot, CL1 2BK Pay to MS DERPY HOOVES the sum of FIVE MILLION BITS Memo DAMAGES PAYMENT…” Dinky's sigh of relief could be heard on the other side of Ponyville. She'd completely forgotten about the Foal Protection Agency facing charges themselves. "So what does this mean, Mommy?" Dinky asked, during supper that evening. "Are you going to stop working?" "Of course not, Muffin," Derpy replied, "Too many ponies - and people, for that matter - get into a large amount of money and end up spending it all in a ridiculously short space of time. It's going in the bank, but we will be able to live more comfortably. Besides, where would Ponyville be without their postmare?" When Dinky went to bed that night, she made sure to treasure the goodnight kiss Derpy gave her, just as she'd treasured every one of them since returning to Ponyville.  Tuesday 9th October “Happy Birthday, Muffin,” Derpy said, as Dinky entered the kitchen to be greeted by cereal, pancakes and egg on toast. A few cards had also come for her in the post, including two from London; one from her former guardian, the other from the foals at the embassy. She opened one, and recognised Lyra's writing. "Dear Dinky, Happy birthday! I hope you have a fantastic day, and please find enclosed a little something from myself, Bon Bon, and a few of the ponies at work." Dinky's attention was drawn to the large bar of chocolate that the card had been resting on. She wasn't sure if it made up for being separated from her mother for almost a year, but Lyra hadn't been responsible for that and it was still thoughtful. She then read the remainder of the card. "I thought you might like to know that our not-so-glorious former leader's pension pot was investigated and our suspicions were confirmed; she stole a significant amount from agency funds. Naturally, we thought it would be only fair to use it for part of the amount that the court awarded your mother in damages. All the best, Lyra.” Autumn walked through the main concourse of Trottingham station, cleaning smuts from her train's Royal Scot locomotive off her glasses as she joined the queue for the taxis. "Where to, madam?" A taxi driver asked, when she eventually reached the front of the queue. "Shirewood Prison," she replied. The prison stood on the outskirts of the town, next to the forest which gave it its name. It cut a drab and forbidding figure next to the leafy green trees. Autumn made her way through the entrance and sat down at a table while a guard went to get her former boss. The two then glared at each other before Autumn finally spoke. "Six and a half million bits," she said, "Six. And a half. Million. Bits. That," she continued, "is how much your little stunt cost us. A fine of one and a half million, and five million in damages." "It was the right thing to d-" Belladonna began, but Autumn cut her off. "You made up evidence so that Dinky would be taken away - which is supposed to be done only as an absolute last resort, you caused an international incident with Britain and undermined my work as head caseworker, just to keep her and her mother apart, and you tried to repeat your stunt to settle a petty grudge. How in Equestria was that the right thing to do?” Belladonna opened her mouth to speak, but Autumn cut her off again. “Actually, don’t answer that. You’d probably spout some long-discredited theory from the human world about purity or some other rubbish. Well, thanks to you, the Foal Protection Agency’s reputation is going to be in the gutter for several years. Every TV and radio comedian is making the same joke about us hiring the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and public confidence in us - which, by the way, this service needs at all times - is at an all-time low. It’s going to be years before ponies trust us again, all because of you.” She exhaled, as if she’d wanted to say that for a very long time. “Did you come here just to moan, or did you actually have something to say?” Belladonna sneered. “You’re unbelievable,” Autumn snorted, rolling her eyes, “But yes, I do have one more thing to say. When the ministry made us appoint that official, the first thing she did was take a look at that pension pot of yours.” Belladonna visibly stiffened. Autumn pressed on. “As it transpires, it was far more than someone employed in your position should have had; I mean, it was just under thirty times the amount that I’ve amassed from my fifteen years at the agency. As she found out, two and a half million bits went from agency funds into your pension pot.” Autumn smiled sweetly and got up from her seat, before continuing. “The courts, when they heard our request, allowed us to confiscate the lot - seeing as you’re no longer in employment with us - and use it as part of Ms Hooves’ damages payment. So effectively, we had you pay her three of the five million bits awarded to her by the courts.” She registered the look of outrage on her former boss's face, before finishing. "Now if you don’t mind - and even if you do - I have a train to catch. If I ever have to see you again, it'll be much too soon. Goodbye." And with that, she returned to the reception to phone for a taxi. “I hope I’m not calling at an inconvenient time?” I asked, as the phone was picked up on the other end. “Hi George! No, it’s not inconvenient at all,” Dinky said on the other end of the line. “In that case, Happy Birthday, Dinky. Did you like the present I gave you?” I asked, referring to the large photograph of the split second before Drogba’s shot in the final against Milan found the net, and the poster of the Chelsea team lifting the European Cup. “I sure did! Especially since they remind me of the moment I realised that I was finally going back home,” she replied. "It's just a shame that I have to wait two weeks before I see you again, what with the Euro 2008 qualifiers next weekend," I said. "What do England need to do to qualify, again?" Dinky asked. "Beat Estonia and Russia and I think that's enough," I replied, "After that, there's one more game against Croatia in a month's time." "So where are you going this time?" Dinky asked. As I didn't care much for international breaks, I'd used those weekends to take her to preserved railways, such as the Bluebell, the Mid-Hants, and even ones further afield like the Isle of Wight, the Great Central and the Severn Valley. “Nowhere, actually,” I replied, “Lyra’s coming to visit for the weekend on Thursday, she told me she wanted to see the New Wembley in all its glory.” “Lyra sent me a card today,” Dinky said, “She told me that Belladonna stole a lot of money for her pension and it was confiscated to help pay us damages. Serves her right.” “Can’t disagree with that,” I replied, “Still, she’s got 29 and a half years to spend thinking about her actions. Maybe she might have a slither of decency when she gets out.” “Even if she doesn’t, everypony will know what she did,” Dinky said, before I heard Derpy’s voice calling for her, “Anyway, looks like I’ve got to go. We’ll see you a week on Saturday, bye!” I put the phone down and sat down on the sofa before switching the TV on and seeing what was on. Although I did miss Dinky, I still saw her every time Chelsea were at home, and she belonged in Ponyville with her mother anyway; I'd seen firsthand how much the two meant to each other and trying to keep them apart wasn't right - which said a lot about Belladonna that she'd sabotaged her employees for the sole purpose of doing just that. Still, as the old saying went, all was well that ended well. Derpy and Dinky were back together, and as a result, Dinky was a happy little unicorn.