//------------------------------// // Tragedy in Haymill City // Story: The Untold Story of Ditzy Doo // by discord7 //------------------------------// Every day at flight camp I thought about my PFF... well, almost every day. The first day was pretty much briefing, the instructors told us that we would be taught the basics of flying. They explained that on the fifth day we would all mandatorily take part in the Preliminary Flight Placement Exam. I felt out casted for some reason; it was probably because I knew I was a weak flyer. But something happened the very first day that overshadowed my existence there and to be honest, I was grateful for it. A pony named Rainbow Dash interrupted the instructor as he was telling us about the Preliminary Flight Placement Exam. She yawned loudly as he was explaining the courses we would take "Ya, ya. When do we get to the action?" She said with her boyish voice. The instructor snarled at her, but the intimidation factor didn't play in his favor. Rainbow Dash stood there a smug grin across her muzzle. "So am I gonna show ya what I got or are you gonna stand there huffin' and puffin' at me?" Rainbow Dash snapped, tapping the instructor’s muzzle. Everypony gasped, she was clearly showing defiance, and it wouldn't sit well. "Well then if you think you’re a great flyer, then you can go ahead and show your stuff on the race track." He challenged. "Ha," Rainbow shot back, "I can beat you with both wings tied behind my back." She told him with all the confidence in the world as she hovered to the track. I had to admit she was quite graceful as she landed. They took their places on the starting line. Another of the instructors was standing on a cloud with a green flag in his mouth. He lifted it up as they both bent down, wings outstretched ready to take off. The green flag came down and the instructor took off. Rainbow simply stood up straight and let the teacher get a head start. Everypony looked confused, what was she doing, giving him a head start? She looked at the crowd and waved. "They don't call me Dash for nothin'." She saluted the crowd and took off like a bullet. She caught up to him in about ten seconds flat. She lowered eye level to him, and just as she saw the instructors' look of pride turn to confusion she stuck out her tongue and sped in front of him. She beat him by a landslide. As it turned out, she was the first pony to ever beat a teacher. The crowd carried her, chanting her name. And it was because of this that I was able to fly under the radar of everyponies constant teasing. They were so wrapped up in Rainbow Dash's awesomeness that they didn't even notice me. And I couldn't thank her more for that. After three months I finally got enjoy what was left of my summer vacation with my best friend. He said that he would wait for me at my house the day I returned. As I trotted into the house I was greeted by my mother. "Hello Ditzy, did you learn a lot at flight camp?" I nodded looking around; my mother saw my confusion and asked what was wrong. "Where's Domino?" I asked. "Were you expecting him?" I didn't respond to her, I was already out the door. I hoped with all my heart nothing bad had happened to him. I must have looked everywhere; finally I went to Sugar Cube Corner and asked Mr. and Mrs. Cake if they had seen him. "Sorry Ditzy, I've never even met a pony named Domino." Mr. Cake said. "But–" I thought, he told me at our picnic that they had given the muffins to him. That was when I remembered, there was one place I still hadn't looked yet. I'd only been there once but I already knew the way. I had a brisk trot for about twenty minutes as I came to the field where Domino had taken me. I walked to the middle of the field and sat down... he wasn't here. I sighed. "I thought you might come here." I heard Dominos voice behind me. I turned around and saw him. I leapt up and hugged him, when I broke away I saw his eyes were red and puffy, and he had tear streaks down his face. He'd been crying... a lot. "I come here to think a lot, Derpy." He said. "Think about what?" I asked. "There's something I have to tell you." He told me sadly I sat awaiting his story. "About four years ago, I lived in a city called Haymill." I was smiling as I came home from school. It was another day of learning with my friends; I had a lot of them. As I walked, I noticed smoke in the distance. At first I thought nothing of it, but then about a block up I realized it was awfully close to my house. I quickened my pace a bit. I wanted to make sure my house and my parents were okay. When I turned the corner there was a large crowd gathered in front of my house behind the fire squad. I galloped to the scene as I eavesdropped on the conversation of the Chief and firecolt. "Yup home of the Dot's." He told the Chief. "Polka and Manny both died, it's sad too they got a kid at school. He should be here any minute. It's a tragedy when a kid that young has to go into foster care." I began welling up with tears. I knew what happened in foster care, they'd stick me with a colt and a mare to try and replace my parents. I wouldn't let it happen; nopony could ever replace my parents... or even try. So I ran, I didn't know where I would go but I was going to go anywhere but Haymill. The city that caused the tragedy my life had become. Life on the run was hard for a pony like me. I was only five, I searched for scraps of food from other ponies' garbage, at least until they woke up and chased me from their yard. Sometimes I'd begged for money, some would help and some would ignore me. Until the day I came to Ponyville. As I entered town I saw a lot of happy looking ponies. One–I learned later her name was Bon Bon– saw me and took me in before I could refuse, she threw me into a tub and gave me a warm bath. She asked me what had happened and why a pony so young would wander the streets. I lied and told her I just had a mud fight with my friends. That's when my stomach let me down, it growled loudly. I had to make a cover up again; I smiled and told her I hadn't eaten breakfast. She seemed to believe it and took me into her kitchen. I saw that in her living room I saw a mint green pony sitting upright on the couch. "Lyra!" she shouted. "We have company, meet Domino." The pony must have been asleep or napping, because she got up and stretched, than looked at me and waved. "Bons, you gotta stop picking up stray kids from the street, they belong to other ponies." Lyra said yawning. "Oh yes, I know but he was just so adorable all covered in dirt." Bon Bon squeed while squeezing my cheeks as if I were some sort of plushy doll. She fed me and watched as I ate voraciously, sandwich after sandwich. It had been a long time since I had a real meal like that, maybe I'd come by more often. When I left I waved goodbye as I trotted off. That is until I came past a school. I heard kids laughing and playing, maybe I could stay awhile, snag a few lunches from the cafeteria. Go to school like a normal colt... just like in those times when I lived in Haymill. But when I entered the school I watched a small grey pony being beaten up by a much larger pony. I decided it was time to step in. "And that's how I got to be here." He finished. I was stunned. For three months he had to be out in the streets again, nopony to help him or give him food or water. I had always wondered why he was asking for pieces of my lunch, I'd assumed it was because his mom didn't pack him one but the truth was even harsher than I thought. I wrapped my hooves over his neck to comfort my best friend. "Don't worry Domino," I told him, "you can sleep at my house." I heard his sobs go from sad to full out relief. If only he had told me sooner I would have made sure he had a place to stay. I broke the hug and looked him in the eyes. "We're gonna have a life-long slumber party." I told him and smiled. He returned my smile with a warm hug.