//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Show Stopper // Story: Dinky: A Filly That Is Loved // by vincent5000x //------------------------------// "I am joined today by a model of legend," the host pony began, turning his attention to the camera. "After an extended vacation. Let me introduce, Glittering Gem." Upon hearing her name, Glittering Gem walked out onto the brightly lit set. She was greeted not only by the host, who offered her a seat in a comfy chair. But by the echoing cheers of the audience. "Now, Miss Gem," the host began, taking their own seat. " You returned after months of being gone not even four days ago. I do hope I'm not prying when I ask this. But, where have you been these last few months?" The crowd quickly silenced themselves, all waiting for Glittering Gem's answer. "Even a fashionista needs some time to recuperate," Gem said as she flashed a gleaming white smile to the camera. She couldn't help but look at herself on the screen. Her light pink fur glistening as her horn reached for the sky. Her expertly styled mane and tail shining a golden yellow. She could almost see her diamond cutie mark shine a brilliant baby blue. But the thing she loved the most, were her own amber colored eyes. Even as the host continued with the interview, Gem continued to stare at her own eyes. The shine was what she loved most about herself. She couldn't help but remember how the shine had been faded just a few days before. But she fixed that and wasn't going to let it happen again. Suddenly, a stage hand rushed on stage, drawing everyponies attention and silencing the crowd. Without hesitating, they whispered something to the host. Immediately, a look of worry crossed the host's face as his gaze returned to Glittering Gem. After a few moments, he cleared his thoughts and addressed the audience. "I'm sorry everypony," they began as they got up from their seat. "But we're going to have to cut our interview short today and. . ." Suddenly, the entire crowd was in a uproar. All questioning what could of cut Glittering Gem's return interview short. "Now calm down everypony," Glittering Gem said as she walked up to the crowed. Within moments, everypony was silenced enough for her to continue. "I'm not going anywhere for awhile, so we can always have another." "Not if I have anything to say about it," a feminine voice said from off stage. Looking over, everypony watched as a light tan furred unicorn in a blue police uniform stepped out. Behind her were two other police ponies. "What do you mean," Gem began, only to be interrupted as a thick ring was forced onto her horn. She could feel it close off her magic abilities as she was surrounded by the police ponies. "What is the meaning of. . ." "Glittering Gem, you are under arrest," the unicorn said as she put a set of restraints on Glittering Gem's front hooves. The audience sat dumbstruck as the unicorn read Glittering Gem her rights. When she asked what she was being arrested for, the unicorn replied with an obvious tone of anger. "Foal abuse and attempted murder." (9_6) "Just one last letter to deliver Dinky. Then we can go home," Derpy said as she pulled the wagon down the busy street. She had gone from pulling it with her tail, to having attached the handle to her saddle bags. She even put a thick blanket at the bottom for Dinky to sit on. She couldn't help but think it was better than some harness. Derpy couldn't help but notice how much Dinky liked riding around in the wagon. She would crawl around the sides and look up at any pony they passed with a giggle and a smile. The ponies would reply in the same, giving a slight wave as they walked by. But not everypony acted that way. Ever since her interaction with Shooting Star three days ago, some of the younger ponies would walk by and make a joke about Derpy, obviously acting on a false rumor. There were even a few older, more refined ponies, who looked away whenever she walked by. The worst was when a young stallion had tried to hit on Derpy, obviously hoping the rumors meant something. But Derpy ignored them. As long as Dinky was safe and happy, she knew she didn't have to worry about a few false rumors that would fade away with time. Giving a glance at Dinky, Derpy couldn't help but be happy. Dinky was a perfectly fine foal. Her wounds had all healed and she was as active as any other little filly. "What in Celestia's name are you doing here," Shooting Star snapped at Derpy. She stood on her front porch and Stared down at the two, looking a little sad. Derpy knew full well that she was delivering a letter to her hated enemy, but the mail must be delivered. "I just came to deliver your mail," Derpy replied, trying her best to remain calm. Something about the way Shooting Star stared at Derpy suggested that something was wrong, but Derpy didn't care. She already had enough of Shooting Star for one day. Without even a thanks, Shooting Star snatched the letter from Derpy's hoof and walked back inside. Slamming the door in the process. "Look's like somepony forgot their nap," Derpy said to Dinky as she turned to walk home. Dinky merely looked up with a smile from her position in the wagon. Derpy was happy to see Dinky like this. The memories of the sad, hurt filly were all but gone by this point. "There you are," a familiar voice said as Derpy walked up to her house, Dinky in one of her arms. Just inside the doorway stood three ponies, all wearing matching police uniforms. Derpy's father, Miranda, and an older looking stallion all stood staring at the two of them. "Miss Case? What are you doing here," Derpy asked as she carried Dinky inside. "The resemblance is uncanny," the older stallion said as he moved closer, his gaze fixed on Dinky. His dark brown fur was graying out in small patches and his black mane and tail each showed signs of hair loss. His cutie mark was a set of handcuffs. "Then again," the stallion continued, turning his attention from Dinky to Derpy. "She holds several aspects that coincide with this mare as well." "Give it a rest Roker," Miranda said as she pulled the stallion back by his tail. Turning to look at Derpy, Miranda gave her a smile. "We found her." "Found who," Derpy asked, not fully understanding what Miranda ment. "Dinky's mother." (o^o) Dinky couldn't help but look up at Derpy's father. Whenever it came to flying somewhere, Derpy's father was the one that would carry Dinky. She knew that Derpy had problems with flying and did it for her own protection. But she still wished that Derpy was carrying her instead. But the one thing Dinky was really concerned about was what the unicorn had said earlier. She knew that she had mentioned her mother and all it did was confuse her. She knew who her mother was, but she didn't want to. She could already feel the painful memories trying to claw their way back into her mind. Suddenly, Dinky noticed that they were back on the ground. She quickly began squirming around, trying to make it back into Derpy's arms. Within moments, she was back with Derpy. Looking over, Dinky saw a new building. Ponies were coming in and out of it. Some wore clothing just like Derpy's father, while others were just walking in and out. But what stood out the most was a group of flashing lights and loud voices. Dinky couldn't help but bury her face into Derpy's chest as the lights hurt her eyes. (9_6) "Why are there so many reporters outside," Derpy asked Miranda as they walked in. Miranda said that she would understand soon enough and lead her down a nearby hallway. Derpy recognized the area, having been there on visits with her father, as the way to the interrogation rooms. Derpy couldn't help but wonder what kind of pony Dinky's mother was to warrant so many reporters outside. Walking into the observation room, Derpy could only stare in confusion at the unfamiliar ponies in the opposite room. Two mares sat talking with one another behind the glass. One was a earth pony, who wore a dress coat with glasses and had a briefcase that sat in front of her. Derpy quickly realized that that mare was a lawyer. The other, was a pink unicorn who looked far more refined as she sat straight and inspected one of her hooves. She also had a thick metal ring over her horn. Derpy couldn't make out why, but there was something about the unicorns eyes that made her feel uneasy. "That is Glittering Gem," Miranda said as she looked into the interrogation room. "A fashion model who has been on a so called, vacation for the last six months." Glittering Gem was now asking her lawyer how much longer they would be, saying she had a hooficure in a hour. The lawyer merely shook her head saying that the likelihood of making that appointment was about as likely as a regular pony being turned into an alicorn. Derpy could feel Dinky shaking in her arm, and she couldn't blame her. (o^o) Dinky could feel the world closing in around her. She knew the pony behind the glass was her mother, but something inside of her didn't want to accept it. Part of her wanted to reach out and call for her, hoping to feel her magic around her body once again. While another, told her stay as far away as possible. She didn't know what to think. She remembered a time when she wished her mother would come back and take her back. But then Derpy found her, and she found out just how life should be. Her days of loneliness and darkness had been replaced with the light of the sun and Derpy. She couldn't help but think that her mother would take her away and treat her like she use to. (9_6) "Do I have to bring her in there," Derpy asked as Dinky began burying herself in her chest. Miranda had told her that Glittering Gem had the right to see Dinky and that she wouldn't say anything until she met her. Derpy couldn't help but be hesitant as she looked at the unicorn in the room. Again, she noticed Glittering Gem's eyes. "I'm sorry Miss Hooves," Miranda began, leading the way back into the hallway. "But she is legally allowed to meet Dinky, even if she is the top suspect." Derpy stared at the door for a moment. She didn't want Dinky anywhere near that monster. She wanted to just take Dinky and get as far away from Glittering Gem as possible. Glittering Gem sat next to her lawyer with a simple smile. The moment her eyes caught sight of Derpy, she gave a soft chuckle and looked towards Miranda. "Miss Gem," Miranda said as she stood between Derpy and Glittering Gem. "This is the foal that we were discussing earlier." Glittering Gem quickly snapped her attention to Dinky. Who at this point, was fully buried in Derpy's grasp. Derpy could feel Dinky shaking badly as she tried to curl herself up even more. "Ok, she met her," Derpy said as she took a step backwards. She didn't like how Glittering Gem was looking at Dinky. The way her eyes seemed to darken at her mere sight. "Can we go now?" "And who might you be," Glittering Gem asked as her attention was drawn to Derpy, immediately looking at her misaligned eyes. Even though she sat calmly as if she had done nothing wrong, Derpy could feel the pure hate cutting into her as Glittering Gem kept her eyes fixed on her. (o^o) Dinky wanted to leave the room. She didn't want to see her mother and remember all the horrible things that had happened to her. She liked being with Derpy and never wanted to go back to the darkness. Even as she kept herself buried inside Derpy's chest, she could feel her mother's gaze. She remembered when it was all she wanted from her mother. A time where she thought that everything she had done to her was how it should've been. But now, she knew that it was all a lie. Her mother never loved or wanted her. She had abandoned her to die, knowing she couldn't survive on her own. But her mother had never counted on there being a pony like Derpy.