//------------------------------// // Part 1 // Story: It's My Fault... // by Spirit Shift //------------------------------// Part 1 Ponyville is known to be the home of many things, Princesses, heroes, friendship, all three tribes, and even a dragon believe it or not, but one thing that may stand out in many ponies eyes, are the excess of absolutely adorable fillies and colts that roam the town. Some would say that it's a great tourist attraction. Those are the ones who are run out of town, threatened by a sharp quill or burning book. Some of the most adorable foals include the (in)famous Cutie Mark Crusaders, although they are the most well known, they are also the most destructive. Eager to get their cutie marks in just about anything, they sometimes cause more trouble than their big eyes can get them out of. Another pair of foals that rank in the top would be the recently born unicorn/pegasi twins of the earth pony Cake couple. Though not as mischievous as the CMC, these foals have magic and flight to back them up, and bigger eyes to defend with. There are others that ponies would speak highly of, such as the accented Pipsqeak, feisty Rumble, Berry Pinch, or the gamer Button Mash, but even so, there was one undeniable fact. One fact that just about everypony in town would agree on, and that was who the cutest foal was. That foal went by the name of Dinky Doo, a light purple unicorn foal who's outlook on life is as bubbly as her mothers cutie mark, always happy and always smiling, she would give a heart bursting hug to anypony that looked even a little downtrodden. She once got into a hug contest with Pinkie Pie and won. She is the most adorable filly in Ponyville. Said foal lives on the edge of town in a one story house with her single mother. Currently, however, they were engaged in a deadly serious battle of wits and endurance. Both sat across from one another, neither moving, for fear that they would lose. "Remember mommy you can't close your other eye" Dinky whispered in her adorable voice, only to get no response from the cross-eyed mare in question. This was her time, Dinky thought, she had trained for this moment, the moment when she would challenge her mother, Ditzy Doo, national staring contest champion, to a title match. They had been like this for a little over an hour and Dinky felt herself reaching her limit. Just by looking she could see no such limitations on her mother as she sat still as a statue, not shaking in concentration like she was. "Blink mommy" Dinky almost begged as she herself tried desperately hard not to blink. "Still staring Ditzy doo (Derpy Hooves to her friends) stared back with unblinking misaligned eyes. "I wouldn't be world champion if I blank because you told me. Dinky began to panic as her eyes burned, she's going to lose, she had to do something, she needed to-She had an idea! "Mommy! The Muffins are burning!" Dinky cried out in mock worry. Without hesitation the gray mare sped into the kitchen to check on her confections. As she left Dinky jumped into the air in victory. "Yayyy! I win 'cuz mommy left! I'm the cha...cham" she stopped as she began to sound out the word before giving up and proceeding to do a little dance. "Winner!!" She stopped dancing when she saw her mom come back into the living room wearing the most neutral face that she had seen. This unnerved Dinky as her mind flashed a million thoughts in that one moment. Is she mad at me for winning? Is she mad that I told a fib? She thought. Not many things could bring this little filly spirits down, but if there was one thing, it was the feeling that her mommy was mad at her, she just couldn't handle it. "Uh-uhmmmm your diskoala.....disqaaa.....you left the room...so I win right? Those are the rules right." Dinky stammered out, shrinking back from her mothers neutral gaze. She back up some more when she did nothing but slowly edge toward her. "So, uhmm me and Pip played pirates at school the other day, we thought we found treasure but it was just Diamond's Tiara...." She said in a foalish attempt to change the nonexistent subject. Another step forward. Another step back. "Uhhmmm I saw Mr. Doctor Turner yesterday......he asked how you were again...I think he likes you!" She said, trying to ease the imaginary tension. Another step forward. No more steps back for Dinky had reached the wall. Not knowing what else to do Dinky curled up into a cute little ball for protection against the coming onslaught. "I sorry for fibbing!" she confessed. In the blink of an eye Ditzy pulled Dinky up from the ground and placed her back down on her back. Dinky knew this was coming but before she could defend herself Ditzy had already began her attack. Tears rolled down her face as Ditzy tickled her mercilessly, no part of Dinky was safe from her feathery wings, not her small hooves, nor her belly. Her whole body had become a target of the tickle attack. "I thought I told you fibbing was bad!" Ditzy lectured, smirking all the while. "I'm *laughs* Sorry *squeal* I won't do it again! *laughter that become squeals* I promise! Ditzy's smirk become as smile at this but just as her tickling lets up she realizes her mistake. Dinky jumps up to her mother and begins to return fire. Being smaller mean that she had access to other spots like under her mothers fore legs, as well as being hard to catch. Dinky knew to use this to her advantage. The two sided tickle war went on for hours before ending, anyone who had passed the house during that time, and heard the family's cries of laughter, instantly found themselves smiling uncontrollably. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eventually the laughter died down and turned into exhausted panting as both ponies lie on the backs on the ground of their home. "*puff* ok we'll call that one a tie" Ditzy began, still huffing and puffing. "Ill *gasp* win next time!" "Funny *huff* thing, the muffins were just about done when you called" Ditzy began. "So *puff* it wasn't a fib!?" she said excitedly. "No....but you said it even though you thought it was, that's why you get tickled. Ditzy explained. "Ohhhhhhhh" Silence reigned for a few more minutes as the mare and foal caught their breath. Ditzy spoke first, somewhat hesitantly. "Soooooo.....did the doctor actually say anything about me?" she said, a blush glowing lightly against her gray coat. Dinky looked over at her mommy and smiled her heartwarming smile. Even she knew that her mommy liked that brown colt, even though she didn't know why, but her mom was always happy and red when she talked about him, so it must be a good thing. And she loved it when her mommy was happy. "Uhuh he asked how you were, and if he could see you sometime, his face was just as red as yourses is now." she said excitedly. Ditzy only blushed further. "Is that so...." "Yeah I weeeeaallhy think that he likes you mommy. Ms Lyra said something once. Uhmmm" she put her hoof to her muzzle in thought. "Oh I remember, she said that you should just bang and get it over with, but i didn't know what that meant and she said to ask you or Mr Turner. During that sentence Ditzy sat up and did a spit take, odd because she wasn't drinking anything. Dinky laughed her childish laugh "Mr Turner did that too when I asked him! What does it mean mommy!" Panicking Ditzy glanced over to the wall clock "Oh look it's time for bed!" she almost yelled, her face crimson at this point. Dinky looked over to the same clock "But mommy it's only........big hand on the 5 time I don't sleep till 6pm right? It's only 5....so i have another hour. Ditzy looked back at her foal, her face faded back to its normal hue, and chuckled at her misunderstanding of the concept of time. "Oh Dinky, you're great at math but terrible at time telling. The little hand tells the hour and the small one tells the minutes. Didn't Turner tell you that." Dinky shook her tiny head "No! Mr Turner told me that the little hand was the minutes and that the large hand was the hour." Ditzy looked at her incredulously before figuring out what happened and puffing out her face in mock anger. Dinky recognized this face that her mom made when she was not really angry at something and put the pieces together for herself. "Wait! Did he fib?" Ditzy nodded. Dinky adopted the same face but with a much more adorable cheek puff. "Ohhhh i'm gonna tickle him so hard tomorrow" Ditzy nodded in approval before picking up her child and setting her on her back. "But that's revenge for tomorrow, now, lets go eat and get ready for bed." Both ponies made their way to the kitchen and ate dinner which consisted of dinner muffins and some salad. Eventually they got to the bathroom and proceeded to brush both their teeth and each others as they freshened up for bed. Dinky proceeded to spend about 5 minutes trying to climb up onto her bed, refusing any help in the way that foals tend to do. Eventually she made the climb and stuffing herself under the covers. Ditzy wasted no time in fluffing her pillow, tucking her in and placing a soft goodnight kiss on her for head under her horn. Tired from the days play the filly had already began to drift off. Ditzy began to trot out of the room. "Mommy" a groggy voice said, stopping her in her tracks. "Yes Dinky?" she said curiously. "Promise me that you'll talk to Turner tomorrow? I'd love to have a daddy too....." Ditzy got a soft blush but ignored it as she gave her child a warm motherly smile Always worried about others happiness, this one. she thought. "I promise honey" "I love you mommy" She said as she finally fell to the sandmares spell. Ditzy turned the lights off before softly muttering "I love you too" and closing the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A....are you sure doctor?" a flustered gray mare stammered as she sat across from a brown colt currently staring intently at her. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life, but please, call me Turner, I didn't get a doctorate for the title and you know that." he stated plainly in his normal Trottingham accent. "But i'm clumsy, and cross-eyes, and I have a daughter!" The cold shook his head "None of that matters to me, I choose to stay with you and your daughter" Ditzy blushed furiously as she brought her gaze back to the diamond hoof ring that the colt held out. That looks expensive.......what kind of doctor was he again? Ditzy thought in a vain attempt to distract herself from the current situation in front of her, as much as she loved it. "Ummmm ok, i'll marry you" she squeaked out, her voice reminiscent of another shy mare. "You Will! Wonderful! I love you Derpy Hooves!" he reached in to give her a kiss. After hesitating for a second she reacted in kind. Their lips nudged ever closer until the finally- *BANG! BANG! BANG!* Ditzy's lips hit her pillow as she jolted awake. Quickly looking around she tried to find the source of the noise that interrupted her favorite dream. *BANG! BANG! BANG!* Quickly reaching under her bed, Ditzy brought out her weapon of choice. The Muffin Mace! A few years ago, while she was cleaning Ditzy found a sinful sight, a stale muffing under her bed. In an attempt to rectify this, she accidentally broke 3 teeth trying to eat it before her best friend, Lyra had to stop her. Denying her advice to throw it away, instead, Lyra had Time Turner attach an iron pole to it and make it into a hammer for self defense. Currently Ditzy wielded this particular weapon as she crept down the stairs, just in case she were being robbed. Personally she couldn't care less about what they took, she didn't have much anyway. But if they tried to hurt her or her foal then they would have a problem. Looking around she saw no signs of an intruder but she would've sworn that she heard banging- *Bang! Bang! Bang!* There it is again.....it's coming from the door.....but it's not as loud as before she thought, slowly lowering her guard. Well if they're nice enough to knock then they must not be bad. Setting the hammer against the wall she optimistically trotted up to the door. *bang..........bang.......thump* This one took Ditzy by surprise, the banging trickled down to a few taps, and that last could could be described as somepony falling. Quickly throwing the door open, Ditzy's lopsided eyes took in the form of a small pegasus filly laying barely conscious on her doorstep. The filly looked oddly familiar but she pushed that thought back as a new one rang like bells in her mind. This filly is injured! Scratches and cuts littered the poor filly's body. Not thinking twice, Ditzy quickly but gently picked the foal up and lightly sat her down on the couch in her living room, then leaving to fetch the first aid. She galloped into another room before a plethora of odd sounds rang out, ranging from a tuba to what sounded like glass breaking. Eventually coming back, Ditzy noticed that the filly lie awake and had started glancing around, seeming to tired to actually get up herself. "Don't move! Who hurt you like this!" Ditzy said urgently as she cantered over to the battered filly. Said filly looked up at her with purplish-blue eyes and muttered something that Ditzy couldn't hear. "Wait say it one more time" She said as she leaned her head in further. "mommy" the pegasus filly managed to whisper out as she fell back into unconsciousness. To say that Ditzy was stunned could be considered an fairly accurate assumption, so say that she had gotten angry was a serious underestimation. She was furious! Stomping over to her phone Ditzy almost literally punched in a certain number. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This had been quite a week for one Lyra Heartstrings, one surprise after another appeared, each one more stunning than the last. It all began in the morning when she woke up from her awesome dream about humans and keys and gummy things. First she found out that she had gotten into the Canterlot royal orchestra, she thought that was neat. Later she heard that her old rival Octavia had fallen in love with a rowdy unicorn DJ, this stunned Lyra, but not so much, as she always suspected that her rival preferred the grassy planes over the mountains anyway. She just didn't figure that she'd go for a DJ, let alone Vinyl Scratch, Lyra personally knew both of them and they never got along. The bigger surprise had been when her longtime friend and roommate Bon Bon sat down in front of her in their living room and confessed her love to her. Lyra really didn't see this one coming, she had no clue that Bon Bon had a thing for her. But overall, the biggest surprise had come to her beginning in the form of a phone call late at night. Her childhood friend had only ever shown 3 emotions, happiness, sadness, and disappointment. Never once had Lyra seen anything on her friends face that could be described as anger......well aside from her adorable mock anger face. So, like a good friend, she found herself running across town in the middle of the night to her best friends house. Lyra remembered back to when they were younger, how Derpy would always get picked on for her eyes, only 3 ponies ever stood up for her. One brown earth pony colt, one mint unicorn, and one cyan pegasus. Ever since all three of them had become best friends, and it became a rule that only her very best friends could call her Derpy. She briefly wondered if she called Turner over as well. Eventually she reached her friends house and knocked on the door. Quickly the door opened and she was pulled in. Another surprise greeted her face as she saw two things that she had never seen before. One: Derpy was indeed angry, if her frown and glare could be any indicator. Two: Her eyes were perfectly aligned, this in particular unnerved her as she felt scared for some reason, but being the mare that she is she briefly wondered if she could make her angry later and see if the same thing happens. "Stop that!" Derpy said coldly in a way that made Lyra flinch in more than one way. "Stop what?" she asked innocently. "Your thinking that if you make me angry later my eyes will uncross again...." Derpy deadpanned "Am I that easy to read?" Lyra murmured as she scratched the back of her head. "Yes now come over here." She said as she turned and trotted over to the couch. "Aye Ayeeeeawhhooaaahhhh" Lyra exclaimed as she looked over the injured body of a young filly. Most of her cuts and bruises had been covered but Lyra was perceptive enough to know what was up. "Derpy......what happened to her" Lyra whispered, her playful mood now gone. Being one of Ditzy's closest friends, she was one of the only ponies that had the right to call her by her nickname without offence. "When she woke up I asked her.........she said it was her mother who did it." Derpy muttered beginning to clench her teeth. Lyra began to reach the same levels of anger. Foal beating had been known to be one of the worst crimes known to ponydom, the last recorded crime had been over 20 years ago, and the penalty was harsh enough to scare others from doing it. Lyra tried to hold back her anger but she was not as good as her friend in that regard but just as she was about to scream terrible expletives, that even unconscious, the filly shouldn't hear....she stopped as something rang in her mind. "Derpy.....she kinda looks like you as a filly......" Lyra said, referring to the filly's gray coat and blond mane, both the same shades as the mare standing next to her. This took Derpy by surprise as she looked over to a photo hanging from the wall behind her, then back to the foal, then back to the filly. "Nahhhh" she said as she shrugged it off. "Coincidence, but seriously.." She began as she turned back to Lyra. "I'm going to take her to the hospital later, I need you to watch Dinky." She asked in what sounded more like a command than a favor. "WHAAAAAT!" Lyra whined "But I wanna come with so i can slap a pony for doing this." Clearly she was still mad at the alleged foal beater and wanted to beat them in exchange. "No! somepony has to watch Dinky for me." "Get Turner to do it, he loves Dinky." "Nah they'll just spend the day tickling each other, and she needs to get to school" Derpy said, choosing to ignore the fact that she did the exact same thing. Lyra looked on in confusion but choose not to pursue that topic. Finally she relented and nodded. Derpy swept her up in a grand hug that Lyra quickly returned. Derpy was known to give the absolute best hugs in Ponyville, as they we always filled with the warmth that reminded you of your mothers hug. Fluttershy could do the same thing but hers were rarer to receive. Pinkie Pie's hugs were just a little too bone crushing and Dinky's hug's would be filled with so much adorableness that she almost always had some sort of heart attack. Derpys was just right. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning, slightly before the rise of Celestia's Sun Derpy found herself on the road to the library with the still sleeping pegasus on her back. Even though she had still been angry, she had calmed down enough that her eyes had reverted to their normal lopsided gaze. Trotting into the hospital Ditzy had found herself bombarded with the sight of dozens of nurses and Doctors running back and forth in a frenzy, some had clip boards and some had stacks of paper, all of them looked very worried. Playing the pony version of cross the street Ditzy finally made it to the receptions desk. "Excuse me, nurse Redheart....what's going on. Why is everypony so.......rushed this early in the morning." Redheart took notice of the gray mare, she recognized her as she frequently came in for check ups due to her constantly flying into trees. "Oh Ditzy, it's terrible, we have a foal missing. She came to us about a week ago, badly injured, but she vanished yesterday, and we can't find her. Everypony's sending out lost foal flyers and who is that on your back?" Instantly all action in the lobby ceased as Ditzy felt at least a hundred stares focus on her flank....or at least what lie on top of it. As if a switch had been his all the nurses ran over to her, she found herself lost in the commotion and at the end of it she realized that she had been dropped on the cold floor while the doctors and nurses carried the filly in several magic auras and surrounded by flying pegasi. It took a while for Ditzy to get her already misaligned eyes to stop spinning before she got back to her senses and recognized a voice calling out to her. "Oh i'm very sorry miss were....Ditzy is that you? A light brown unicorn with a white lab doctors jacket called out. Sitting up she recognized the face of her regular Doctor, Doctor Stable Heart. "Oh Hi Doctor Stable, what happened just now." she asked, still slightly delirious. Stable looked a little nervous to Ditzy for some reason, but he answered anyway. "Well we here at Ponyville General really care for our patients so when one goes missing we all get a little frantic. So when this one vanished we assumed the worst." Ditzy looked confused for a second before responding. "What do you mean "this one" who is she, and why did you assume the worst?" she asked with a concerned tone. Stable quietly muttered to himself "its now or never" lifting his head he took a large breath and motioned to a nearby room. "Ms Doo would you follow me please." he said in all seriousness.