(9_6)
Derpy could feel the weight of her exhaustion still firmly holding her. She didn't want to open her eyes or accept the fact that it was time to wake up. All she wanted, was to just stay where she was and drift back to sleep.
Except the quick realization that she couldn't remember when she fell asleep prevented her from doing so. She couldn't remember much of anything from the day before. The last perfectly clear memory she had was dropping off a package at a hardware shop.
Then, in one sudden flash, she remembered everything. The sudden return of her memories almost caused her to jump from her current position. But the sound of soft calm breaths eased her mind.
The breathing were clearly coming from closer towards her chest. It’s calm and repetitive manner hinting that whoever it belonged to was still asleep. Still not opening her eyes, she slowly brought one of her hooves to her chest, coming into contact with a soft blanket. Opening her eyes, Derpy looked down at what her hoof was touching.
Laying just a few inches from her chest, was the baby filly from the night before. She looked to be sleeping peacefully while laying on top of a small pink blanket. Looking at the foal, Derpy couldn't help but wonder how she had gotten in the bed. The last thing she remembered was watching the young unicorn fall asleep in the nurseries crib.
Looking around, she found herself in a small hospital room. Besides the bed she was on, there were a few chairs and a coat rack. Giving the room one final scan, Derpy couldn't help but notice that they were completely alone, or so she thought.
"Good, you're awake," a unknown voice said from the rooms entrance. Looking over, Derpy was surprised to see a unfamiliar female unicorn. Her blue police uniform and a black belt standing out against the bland white walls. Her light tan fur and a dark brown mane and tail seemed to be the only thing that fit with the surroundings. Out of the corner of her eye, Derpy could just make out the mare’s cutie mark, a single blue police hat and a pair of handcuffs.
"Don't worry," the mare said, noticing Derpy's confused look. "Officer Hooves and one of the doctors found you asleep in the nursery. They brought the two of you in here, thinking it would be more comfortable." Still, Derpy remained silent. She was still trying to figure out who this mare was and what she was doing there.
"Officer Hooves was going to be here," the mare said with a shrug and sigh. "But even he needs some sleep. So I told that I’d handle things." As she said this, the mare walked in and moved to the side of the bed. Her eyes were locked straight on Dinky. The smile on her face confusing the Derpy slightly.
"You’re calling her, Dinky right?" the mare asked as she looked at Derpy, her gaze immediately locking on Derpy's misaligned eyes. The sight of them causing the older mare to lose track of what she was saying.
"I'm sorry," Derpy said a little annoyed. She hated it when ponies stared at her eyes. It made her feel insignificant at times. "Who are you?"
"Oh my," the mare said realizing her mistake. Quickly, she began explaining herself. “My names, Miranda Case; I’m part of the local districts SVU and have been put in charge of Dinky’s case.”
As Miranda continued to rant about prior cases she had worked on, Derpy turned her attention back towards Dinky. All the memories from the night before began to replay themselves all over again. The memory of seeing Dinky for the first time in the dumpster lasting the longest.
Dinky now looked far better than she had at that moment. Her color had brightened and several bruises had already faded from existence. Her rib cage was now hidden from view behind a small gut. The bandage she had on her head had fallen off and revealed an almost fully healed cut. A new bandage could be seen wrapped around her lower left hoof.
"Why would somepony do something so horrid?" Derpy asked Miranda, cutting into her rant. Giving a compassionate smile, Miranda tried her best to explain.
“Sometimes ponies are just sick,” Miranda sighed, her voice dropping. “Sometimes, it even causes them to think irrationally.”
"Even somepony's parents?" Derpy questioned, her ears folding flat.
"There’s no need for you to worry about that right now," Miranda continued, trying her best to calm Derpy. Shifting herself, Derpy brought her face to Dinky's. She couldn't help but smile as she watched her sleep.
It wasn’t until two hours later that Dinky woke up. Having slept through the entire blood drawing process that a nurse performed before clearing Dinky for discharge.
"What happens now," Derpy asked as she looked down at Dinky. One of the nurses had given Derpy a special harness so that she could carry Dinky on her chest, even when she was on all fours. She could even fly if she wanted to, even if she doubted that she ever would.
"I was actually hoping you would show me the dumpster you found Dinky at?" Miranda replied with a smile. “Forensics has already swept the place, but I’d like to hear about what happened first hoof if I could.”
At first, Derpy didn't want to go back to that spot, the image of the abused foal reappearing in her mind. The scared hopeless look in her eyes still haunted her thoughts. But she knew that going back would help find the monster who had hurt Dinky, and she wanted them to pay most of all.
It took almost an hour, but they made it to the hardware store, only stopping once so Derpy could feed Dinky. Aside from a few confused stares from passing ponies, things passed like nothing had happened.
"Here we are…" Derpy weakly said as they walked up to the alley. Yellow tape sealed the area away from the public and a single police officer stood guard. He merely nodded at Miranda as she led the way into the alley.
Derpy couldn't help but notice the package she had delivered the day before, still sitting outside the side door, untouched.
"So," Miranda began as she looked over the scene, her horn softly glowing orange. "Tell me everything."
(o^o)
"Dinky."
The filly had heard this word said several times as the kind pony walked. She liked that word, not knowing what it meant, but liking it all the same, hoping that it was her name. She remembered seeing all the other pony's reacting to a certain word and couldn't help but think that they were names. It was all she could think about, even as she was given a strange fluid to drink.
She remembered having it the night before, but was too hungry to really discern what it was. It wasn't like the cool liquid the kind pony had given her before. It was thicker, and seemed to fill a space in her stomach more than anything. It wasn't the best thing she's ever had, but she hadn't had much to compare it to. Again, she felt the strange pressure in her stomach, only for it to be relieved when the kind mare rubbed her back and she burped.
It was at this point that she realized that she didn't even know the kind pony's name. It was only right for her to know. The kind mare had done so much for her and she didn't even know what to call her. She decided to try her best to figure out the kind pony's name.
"Derpy."
Whenever the word was said, the kind pony would react. So it was only natural that it had to be her name. So if that was the kind pony's name, she surmised that 'Dinky' must have been hers. She couldn't help but smile as she wondered who had given her the name.
Passing several yellow strands, Dinky felt a small bit of fear creep into her mind as the dumpster came into view. She could remember the deafening silence and never ending darkness. Most of all, she remembered wishing for her mother's return, and spending hours alone.
But all those feelings faded as she felt Derpy's head rub against her caringly. She liked how it felt. It reminded her of when Derpy first found her, and saved her from the darkness.
(9_6)
Derpy stood softly rubbing her chin on top of Dinky's head. For a second, she believed she had felt her shaking. But then again, she believed that she was the one shaking.
She had finished telling Miranda everything that had happened the day before. She hated how it brought back the memories of Dinky's abused body. She wanted to leave the alley and never return. Luckily, Miranda had everything she needed and lead the way back out into the street.
"So what happens now?" Derpy asked, walking close by. She wondered how much more there was still left to do on her part. Miranda tried explaining what she still had to do. But, Derpy was more concerned with what was going to happen to Dinky, not really paying attention to all the police stuff she was talking about.
"So, should I take Dinky to Foal Services or is she going with you?" Derpy asked a little hesitantly. She knew Dinky had to be brought somewhere to stay until everything was settled, but she didn't know where. She also wondered how she would leave Dinky with another pony without causing her to feel abandoned.
"Oh, there’s no need for that," Miranda began with a smile. "For the time being, she's going to be in protective custody with a foster family."
“Really?” Derpy asked, raising a brow.
“Yes,” Miranda replied with a nod. “What happened is not only foal abuse, but attempted murder. Until we can confirm that she has any living family members, she’ll have to stay with a foster family.”
"But how will you find her family?" Derpy asked.
“Well, we’re going to use some of the reading we took of her magic, and use it to locate her parents,” Miranda replied. “It’s kind of like running a blood sample, but with a little bit more of a definite reading.”
"When did they do that?" Derpy questioned. She didn't remember anything involving magic happening, besides the doctor saying that they weren't going to use any on Dinky.
“They got them while you two were asleep,” Miranda quickly said. “While they couldn't introduce foreign magic to Dinky, it didn't prevent them from reading Dinky's, and it’s easier to do when a unicorn is asleep.
"We also have the blood work going through," Miranda continued. "But that takes a week or more and only works if one of the parents are in the system."
"So where is Dinky supposed to go?" Derpy asked again. She was beginning to get fed up with Miranda explaining everything and just wanted to know what was going to happen to Dinky.
"I already told you," Miranda replied, looking confused. "She's going to be in protective custody with a foster family."
"WHERE?!" Derpy yelled, drawing the attention of several ponies in the area. She had not meant to sound so angry, but she really wanted to know where Dinky was going to be. She regretted it though as she felt Dinky flinch at the sudden loud noise, the outburst also causing Miranda to become slightly angry.
"With you," Miranda said sternly.
Derpy quickly found herself at a loss of words as she didn't know how to respond. She had been caught completely off guard with Miranda's reply.
She wanted to be happy, now knowing that she didn't have to separate herself from Dinky yet. But she couldn't help but feel that it wasn't a good idea for her to take care of Dinky. She was still in school and had a part time job.
"Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea," she began to stutter. "I mean. Isn't there special training you need with inspections and interviews and . . .?"
"Don't worry," Miranda said as she wrapped a hoof around Derpy's shoulders with a smile. "Your dad already finished all the paperwork on your end. All you have to do, is just keep doing what you've been doing and you'll do fine."
Derpy tried to say more, but Miranda rushed off saying she had to go see what forensics had gotten.
"Now what do I do?" Derpy asked herself as she turned to walk home. She kept questioning why she was put in charge of caring for Dinky. She knew that her father had a hoof to play in it, but couldn't understand why. If anypony knew that she wasn't fit to care for a foal, it was her father.
Once she got home, Derpy wasn't surprised to find the front door unlocked. She guessed her father would of been home, most likely sleeping.
Walking into her father's bedroom, Derpy didn't dare wake the sleeping mass as she took the bits for groceries off the side table. Her mind still too preoccupied with what had just occurred. She couldn't grasp the fact that she was supposed to care for a young baby filly.
She had been lucky so far. Everything she had done for Dinky were things her father had once done for her when she was a young filly. But she couldn't help but feel like it wouldn't be enough. She wasn't an adult. She didn't know how to properly care for a filly.
The only thing that calmed her mind was the thought that her father would be there to help. He may work a lot, but she knew she could count on him for his advice.
Walking back outside, Derpy made her way to the side of the house where she kept a small red wagon she once used for shopping. She hadn't used it since she was a filly. She remembered filling it with more groceries than she could fit in her small saddlebags.
Once she got it back on the sidewalk, Derpy took Dinky out of the harness and set her inside of the wagon. Dinky quickly went about looking all around. She seemed to enjoy her newfound freedom of movement and wanted to see everything she could. Causing Derpy to giggle at how cute it was.
Grabbing the wagons handle with her tail, she began walking towards the store. It was only a few blocks away and Derpy couldn't help but think that Dinky would enjoy the walk from her spot in the wagon.
Again, as Derpy walked down the streets, ponies would give her odd stares and whisper to one another as they walked by. She knew it wasn't because Dinky was in the wagon, because it was something her father had done with her plenty of times when she was young.
Maybe they think I'm the one that hurt her.
The thought began playing over and over again in her mind. She knew that some of Dinky's injuries were still visible. It shook her to her core thinking that everypony would come to the conclusion without even asking. Derpy was so caught up in this thought that she didn’t pay attention to where she was going.
"Watch where you're going!" A mare's voice angrily echoed. Returning to her senses, Derpy realized that she had bumped into somepony. But once she realized who it was, she regretted ever leaving her house.
Her name was Shooting Star, a pegasus pony in Derpy's school. She had dark blue fur, a brown mane and tail with a gray streak running through them. Her cutie mark was a turquoise shooting star with several different shades of violet used as its tail. She was in the same year as Derpy and almost everypony either loved or was in love with her, everypony except Derpy.
"Well, well, well," Shooting Star chuckled once she noticed who had bumped into her. "If it ain't Ditzy Doo, the clumsy mare."
Shooting Star was the biggest bully Derpy knew. She used to think that she was her friend, but she quickly realized that it wasn't the case when she got the whole school to call her Ditzy rather than Derpy. Shooting Star had given her the name because of how clumsy she tended to be. It wasn't her fault though. Her misaligned eyes tended to mess with her depth perception at times, but that explination still never stopped the taunting.
"And who's this little filly?" She asked as she walked up to the wagon. Derpy quickly moved in front of her, blocking Dinky from view. She didn't want her anywhere near Dinky. "Whoa, calm down Ditz~y. I just wanted to know." By this point, Shooting Star had a fiendish grin on her face.
"Derpy?!" She exclaimed, covering her mouth with a hoof and putting on a shocked face. "A foal? At your age? What will everypony at school think?"
Derpy quickly tried to explain the situation, but Shooting Star wouldn't listen. She couldn't wait to get home and tell all her friends about how Derpy had a foal.
"Never figured you as one of those kind of mares Ditzy," Shooting Star continued, chuckling to herself.
"Oh please," a new voice yelled from behind Derpy. Turning, Derpy was happy to see her earth pony friend Carrot Top. Her light orange coat a welcoming sight as her darker orange curly mane and tail bounced slightly. Her cutie mark of three carrots saying what was usually on her mind. "We all know what happened between you and the Hoof Ball team captain during the senior's graduation party."
"Well if it isn’t the country bumpkin, Golden Harvest," Shooting Star said snidely, completely ignoring Carrot Top's comment. "What in the hay are you doing here? Not enough dirt under your hooves?"
"Not being an arrogant bitch I can tell you that!" Carrot Top replied. "And stop calling me Golden Harvest. I go by Carrot Top." From there, the two went into a heated argument that almost ended in a fight.
“While I would live to show you up in front of every pony, I have better things to do,” Shooting Star ended up saying, ending the argument as she walked off.
"She sure has an attitude problem," Carrot Top said as she turned to Derpy. Without asking, she gave her a comforting hug and looked down at Dinky. "So… who's the foal?"