//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: A Mother's Pride and Joy // Story: Don't Take My Mommy! // by dragonpony111 //------------------------------// Due to her slower pace than usual Derpy eventually made it back home just before sunset. The exhausted mailmare was sobbing slightly, but as soon as she saw Dinky and Rainbow Dash she did her best to be strong and put on a happy face. Dinky still noticed her eyes were red and watery, and asked Derpy: “Mommy were you crying? What’s there to be sad about? We are all home now.” Dinky was entirely ignorant of the whole situation involving Derpy and Rainbow Dash, and had nothing to worry about as far as she knew. Without wanting her daughter to know the truth yet that last question made Derpy’s heart sink as she mustered up an excuse and replied to Dinky: “Its o-okay Dinky, I j-just was worrying about p-paying this month’s b-bills is all.” “Don’t be sad mommy, Rainbow is gonna pay me to care for her pet tortoise while she is away, I’ll give you that money so you don’t have to worry about the bills anymore.” Dinky’s kind and selfless gesture almost brought Derpy to her knees in tears, but she managed to hold them back. It was pretty late now and Rainbow Dash had to go home. On her way out the door she said to them: “Goodbye Derpy and Dinky, and don’t forget about Friday Derpy.” After the front door shuts behind Rainbow Dash Dinky’s curiosity got the better of her: “What’s so special about Friday? Tomorrow is Hearts and Hooves day, and Friday is just the day after as far as I know.” Derpy realized that Dinky will have to learn the truth eventually, but wanted to keep Dinky in the dark about it for now as she doesn’t want Dinky’s possible last two days with her to be filled with sadness. “It’s r-really late and t-time for sleep Dinky, get ready f-for bed and t-then I’ll tell y-you.” Dinky grudgingly agreed and trotted off to brush her teeth. She hopped into bed as soon as she finished her brushing, and yelled down the hallway: “I’m in bed now mommy and I brushed my teeth!” Within a few minutes Derpy slowly walked into Dinky’s tiny bedroom to tuck her into bed. Derpy planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead goodnight and began to leave when Dinky complained. “Hey what about Friday, you said you’d tell me what it’s about after I got into bed!” Derpy was hoping Dinky had forgotten but after letting out a heavy sigh she returned to Dinky’s bedside to explain. “You w-won’t be going to sc-school on Friday, we w-will be meeting R-Rainbow Dash before she l-leaves. N-Now sleep tight my l-little muffin.” Derpy then exited the room. Dinky’s eyes lit up as she realized that she gets to spend time with Rainbow Dash during her last day here in Ponyville. Dinky is unable to sleep from her thinking about all the wonderful things she hoped to do with Rainbow Dash before she went off to the Wonderbolt Academy. Before long Dinky let out a labored yawn and drifted off to sleep. Derpy is now in her room lying in bed as she held a framed picture of the day her precious little muffin was born. The photo is of her in a hospital bed holding Dinky who was tightly wrapped in a blanket, and Rainbow Dash leaning over the bed to be in the photo. Pondering that memory brought tears of joy to Derpy’s eyes and caused her to reminisce about that time and how Dinky came to be. Although Dinky never knew it and thankfully for Derpy she never asked much about it Dinky’s father was the famous painter Ponet. Years back on that one cold winter night Derpy had one last stop; she had some mail to deliver to Ponet's cottage. It was a fiercely cold night made worse by the biting wind and blinding snow. Ponet was sitting by his window painting the weather he saw outside and noticed Derpy delivering his mail and shivering in the cold. Ponet adored Derpy’s golden wall-eyes and just had to meet her. The stallion opened his front door and called out to Derpy: “Hi there, the weather is pretty bad, why don’t you come inside, I have a nice fire going.” Since it was her last stop and she really didn’t want to walk all the way back home in this weather Derpy quickly agreed. The freezing mailmare quickly went inside Ponet’s house. She put down her mailbag and shook off the snow that was on her. “Th-Thank you sir, it’s awfully ch-chilly outside, I p-promise I’ll leave as s-soon as the weather lets u-up.” Taken a bit by Derpy’s stutter Ponet shut the front door and responded: “Nonsense my dear pony, I can’t let a pretty mare such as you wander out into the night. You are spending the night in my home and that’s final. Please excuse my manners though, my name is Ponet, and what might your name be? “M-My name is Derpy.” Ponet lifted up one of Derpy’s forelegs and sweetly kissed her hoof which caused Derpy to turn her head and blush. “Oh what a lovely name that is, it is my pleasure to meet you Derpy. Now why don’t you come and sit by the fire, I’ll bring you some hot chocolate.” Ponet wandered off into his kitchen as Derpy made her over to lay down on the couch next to the cozily warm fireplace. Ponet quickly returned with two cups of steaming hot chocolate and hoofed one to Derpy. He then sat down on the right beside Derpy. The details of that night are lost to time, but in the morning Derpy woke up in Ponet’s bed, and she felt really happy to have finally found a pony that loved her and looked past her Derpiness. Ponet invited Derpy to stay for breakfast but she respectfully declined as she needed to get started on her route. As she is leaving Ponet calls to her: “Do stop by my house again, I can’t wait until we meet next time, I really enjoy your company.” “O-Okay Ponet, I really en-enjoyed you too.” Derpy replied back as she blushed again. From then on regardless of whether Ponet had any mail Derpy would always stop by his house after she finished her route to spend more time with him. The two would eat dinner and Ponet would show Derpy what paintings he was currently working on. One day he even gave Derpy a painting of her; something she cherished dearly as Derpy was used to giving ponies things but not receiving them. About a month from when they first met Derpy had felt really nauseous for a few days and finally decided to go to see a doctor with Rainbow Dash going with her. The doctor asked Derpy a few questions, and some of which were really private. The doctor exclaimed she was almost certain as to what was the matter but she wanted to do one test to be sure. After administering the test the doctor promised to return in thirty minutes with the results. Derpy nervously waited in the room with Rainbow Dash there comforting her, and promising everything would be okay. When the doctor returned she stated her hunch was correct and that Derpy is just fine. The doctor then told the ponies that Derpy was in fact pregnant. Derpy body overflowed with joy and happiness, and Rainbow Dash hugged her as she yelled that’s awesome. Rainbow Dash just had to know who the father was and Derpy explained to her that it could only be Ponet. After they left the hospital Rainbow Dash followed Derpy back to her house. After she made sure Derpy was taking the news well Rainbow Dash parted with a final offer. “Well I’m super excited for you Derpy, I’m sure having your own foal will bring a bunch of happiness in your life. Don’t hesitate to come to me if you need any help. Well, goodbye then.” Derpy just sat on her couch for a few minutes to process what her life will start to be like, and realized she wanted to tell Ponet the news right away, but she is worried how he will react. Derpy was still feeling too nauseous to fly so she galloped as fast as she could over to Ponet’s house. Clumsy as she was Derpy wasn’t able to stop in time and slided into Ponet’s front door. When Ponet opened the door Derpy took a second to catch her breath. “Hi P-Ponet how are y-you doing?” “Quite well Derpy, I’m working on some paintings to present for an art show that’s coming to Ponyville in a few months. What brings you by so soon you never finish your mail delivery this early?” “O-Oh there is no m-mail today, I have been f-feeling sick so I went to the h-hospital. I have s-some news for you, I-I’m pregnant with your foal.” Ponet just stood there shocked with his jaw hanging open for a moment before he pulled himself together. “Well you know what this means don’t you?” Derpy had a worried look on her face as she feared Ponet might not want to deal with having her foal. “What d-does this m-mean?” “Why of course it means we should get married don’t you think? I was going to ask you before but I was waiting for the right moment to ask.” Derpy was awestruck and almost didn't believe what she just heard. After a few moments of awkward silence Derpy finally responded. “T-That’s wonderful, ever since I f-first met you I thought of y-you as my very special so-somepony.”