It had been a few days now. Dinky was at school at the moment and Carry was at work. Dinky had friends here in Ponyville: good friends. So did Ditzy.That Rainbow Dash had even said that if anypony makes fun of Dinky’s mother at school, namely those two rich bitches, that she’d make sure Scootaloo would take care of them. Also that something ‘unfortunate’ had already happened to the stallion who’d provoked Derpy.
Until now they still hadn’t seen his sister but today they were finally allowed in to visit. Dinky hadn’t been told the exact details, just that her mummy was in the hospital for a while and that her uncle would be taking care of her. However he couldn’t take care of her here. It was a requirement that a guardian have steady employment and a steady income. He didn’t have that here; he had that back in Detrot. Written didn’t want to take her away but… it was for her best interest. Right?
He had looked into getting a job here in Ponyville but it wasn’t very economical of a town. Unlike Detrot that was busiling in the prime of the factory era, one that would NEVER end. As it stood he was in hot water already, taking a week off work suddenly wasn’t the best move but he’d gotten it approved, if not as a last second thought a few hours before getting on the train.
Sparkle had just come around and told him they could see his sister this afternoon. She’d be going with them as well. Sparkle wasn’t just paid to care for Ditzy, in fact she wasn’t paid at all. The dark-ish-pink unicorn volunteered out of the goodness of here heart. She left soon after telling him and let him know she’d meet them there about an hour after school ended.
All he could do was sit there in the house and wait for Dinky to arrive home. It was normal for her to walk herself home, in fact almost all the kids did. He didn’t like it but Ponyville was a safe town after all. Unlike Detrot. She wouldn’t be walking home by herself there. That was something he’d have to worry about. He worked at the time that school ended. There was so much he’d have to change and adjust to. But if it was hard for him, he hated to think how hard it would be for Dinky.
Eventually she arrived home. He told her they could visit Derpy in the hospital. He still disliked calling her that but Dinky didn’t seem to even know the name Ditzy. As they walked towards their destination, they made a detour to pick-up Carry. She worked on a farm and made her own hours so she could come with them at any time for anything.
It wasn’t much longer until they arrived at the hospital. The mental ward. The high risk corner of the mental ward. Sparkle was there already and made a head start on getting them cleared to enter. Once that was done they were escorted by a nurse to his sister’s room. Though ‘bouncer with a small bit of medical training’ would describe this stallion more aptly than 'nurse'.
She looked at them and it took her a moment to acknowledge them. She was always a little slow but Written could tell she was slightly sedated right now. He hadn’t seen it in so long, but he would always remember the look. He hoped Dinky wouldn’t. “Mummy!” Dinky yelled as ran up and jumped onto Derpy’s bed. He hadn’t noticed at first but she was also restrained, though with long enough straps to let her move around on the bed.
“Mummy’s missed you so much Dinky. Have you been a good filly for Carry? And… oh. You’re here.” she added as she noticed her brother. She wasn’t sad he had come, she was ashamed that he’d had come under these circumstances.
“Yes mummy. I’ve been good. I even got an A on my test today. Cheerilee says I did really good!” it had most likely been given to her because Cheerilee had heard about what happened. But Derpy didn’t know that and it made her happy to hear. And more importantly, it made Derpy somewhat less disappointed in herself. The two others approached her bed while the ‘nurse’ stayed at the door watching over them.
As Written got closer, he got a look at her wings. One of them was nearly completely plucked. Again, he hoped it was something Dinky wouldn’t notice. “Cheerilee says she’s been doing really well in school for a while now.” lied Sparkle. She was doing alright, an average student.
“That’s great.” Derpy said with a smile. She was happy. For now at least. Her daughter was with her… though, also only for now. Written hadn’t thought about his sister in all this. He’d only been thinking about what taking Dinky away would do to his niece. But it was still better for her to go with family then a stanger. Ditzy would rather she be with him than in the system. He remembered the fear in her eyes when the question was brought up whether she’d be a fit mother after Dinky was born.
She wasn’t now. She wasn’t suitable for parent-hood. But she had been for so long. That had to count for something. If he took Dinky, Ditzy would get her back some day. She could visit them or they could visit her any time... that was a lie. At least the first part. It was unlikely Ditzy would ever get her daughter back. It’s a cycle. She’d held it together this long for her daughter, or because of her. Without her, it was only so long until it happened again.
Dinky didn’t need to hear the details of what was going to happen to her. Or more over, she didn’t need to hear her mother crying about them. Ditzy was going to cry. So was Carry and so was he. After a while of catching up, Sparkle took her out of the room to go get them all some ice cream. They’d be back in about half an hour. “I’m going to take her back home with me. To live in Detrot.” Written said bluntly. It was best to be forward about it.
“I thought you would. Do they have a Big Sister Program there?” Derpy replied.
“I don’t know. I assume they would.”
“I’m sorry… I screwed up. I’m just a screw up. I screwed up Winter-Wra…"
“No you’re not!” Carry said before she could utter a single word more. But before she could say a single word more Written took his turn.
“Maybe you did screw up a few things.” he got a look from Carry that said ‘What the hay?!’ and responded with a look that said ‘Trust me, I know what I’m doing’. “But you succeeded in the one place it counts the most. You have a wonderful daughter. She’s smart, polite and I know she’ll grow up to be just like you. And believe me, that’s a good thing. A very good thing.”
“That wasn’t me… Sparkles more of a mother to her than I am. And I’m losing that too. But please. Take her… take her away from me. She’s better off!”
“No filly is better off without their mothe…”
“YES SHE IS!!!” Derpy screamed and moved towards them slightly. The ‘nurse’ moved but stood down a second later. The restraints had done their job in holding her back. Then they did their second job and started to retract, pulling her down to the bed now that they’d been pulled away from. She hadn’t needed to before but now she couldn’t even wipe the tears away from her eyes.
Written did that for her. Carry wipe some of her own away before turning and leaving the room. Written looked back to her questioningly. “I’m go-oing to find Dinky and Sparkle.” She sobbed, not looking at either of them, walking away. It hurt her as much as it hurt him to see Derpy like this. Unfortunately, it hurt Derpy even more to see Carry like that.