Derpy Who? The Story of My Life

by Cabral095

The Scars Beneath

Chapter 7 - The Scars Beneath

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Months had gone by, Dinky was adjusting well to school. I had just bought myself a new bag, that way Dinky could use my old one for school. The bag was green, with a picture of a muffin on the side. I loved the bag to death, often I would find myself drooling before the picture.

Soon the weather warmed, and my obsession with muffins grew. For some odd reason, these little pastries became a large part of my diet. On my off days from work, I would often be seen walking around town with a muffin in my mouth, or in my bag. I soon started to do something else on my off days, pop up out of nowhere and startle my friends.

I enjoyed appearing out of nowhere, and surprising them. It was a lot of fun. Soon everypony was saying, "Where's Derpy?" It was like another nickname for me. After all this time of me living in Ponyville, the mail service seemed to grow more, and we even started a package delivery service. We even received our very own truck. I helped out with that as often as I could. For some reason, giving ponies a package was more fun than a letter. I had noticed another thing about myself as well, since that night with Dinky, I had become more, clumsy, and jolly. It was kind of weird, but I enjoyed it. I made people laugh, and I even laughed too.

One day, I came home from work, and noticed a letter on my door. Now, I didn't often receive letters, because I didn't have any friends living outside of Ponyville. I grabbed the letter and walked inside. I set down my green bag by the door, and walked into the kitchen. I stood at the table, and looked at the letter, no name indicating who it was too, or who it was from.

I opened the letter, and began to read,

'Dear Daughter, I know this must be hard for you to receive a letter from me now; but I believe you need too see me in Cloudsdale. I am currently at the hospital, and… I don't have much longer to live. There are some things that need to be said, before my time comes. I hope that you can find it in your heart to come and see me one last time, your father… John Hooferman.'

I stared at the letter for another few minutes, reading it over and over again. I didn't know what to make of this.

My father wants to, see me? I thought. What did this mean? is he going to mock me, or laugh at me before he dies, and have those as his final words?

I folded the letter up, and placed it in my bag. I needed some time to think first.

What if this was a lie, and he wasn't dying, he might just want to mock me more, as he did all of my life with him.

I left the house and went to go and pick up Dinky from school. She came skipping out of the building, and went on about what she had learned. As well as some of the silly things that she and her friends did. I giggled and looked at her on occasion, to show that I wasn't ignoring her. We went home, and I didn't say anything about the letter to Dinky. I slept on it, and in the morning, I had made up my mind. It was a Saturday, and Dinky didn't have school.

"Dinky." I started, "I have to go somewhere, and I'm sorry to say that you can't go."

She looked at me with an understanding look.

"I'll be gone for a few days, and you can stay at Applejack's place in the meantime. Now, go and pack your things."

Dinky ran into her room giggling, I knew she would like staying at Applejacks'. We both got our bags, her brown one, and my green bag with a muffin imprint on it, and we walked to Applejacks. After I dropped her off, I waved goodbye, and flew off towards Cloudsdale.

My wings beat against the dry summer air as I flew towards the place of my birth. The place of my stress and depression. I thought I was done there, but this, this would hopefully be the last time I see this place. The city in the sky soon became visible, and I flew faster; I was in a rush to get this over with. I really didn't want to do this, but I had this nagging feeling it needed to be done.

Within the next half hour, I landed on the outskirts of the city, it hadn't changed in the year and a half I had left. I knew where the hospital was, so I began to walk. I didn't feel like rushing over now. I took my time to watch the pegasi fillies play, and fly around. They had smiles on their faces, I averted my gaze. Many of the pegasi flying or walking by gave me strange looks. Each of them staring at my eyes.

I had forgotten that this wasn't Ponyville. I kept walking, and tried to ignore the ponies. I lowered my head and continued on my way to the hospital. I reached the hospital in about twenty minutes. The building, er cloud I should say, was a few stories tall. Most ponies just flew in through the windows, knowing where their family or friends were. Since I had no idea where my father was, I simply walked in the front door. I went ahead and made sure my eyes were straightened, I didn't want to appear as if I was coming in for an examination. I greeted the lady and asked where I could find John Hoofman.

"Why, he's just up these stairs and to the left." The nurse said.

I thanked the nurse, and walked up the stairs. It was weird, I had been walking on the ground for so long, that clouds felt really odd on my hooves. It was kind of awkward for me to walk on the cloud stairs, or even just the "ground". I found his room, and saw 2 beds, the nearest to the door was empty, and the other was poised by the window, with a figure lying down facing it. I walked in slowly, my heart began to race, and I was getting nervous. I stopped a few hooves short of the bed and said, "Hello, dad."

The figure slowly rolled over in his bed, and said, "Hello."

I looked into his hazel eyes, and saw sorrow and joy, a tear began to roll down the side of his face.

"It's been so long." He said wearily. "Look at how much you've grown."

He slowly got up, and walked out of bed, and sat down in front of me.

"I suppose you want me to cut to the chase then." He sighed, while I just looked at him.

He looked old, and worn down. His voice was weary, and his wings and ears were drooped.

"I wanted to see you one more time, and see the beautiful mare you've become." He continued, "I know, your mother and I were harsh on you when you were young, and we were relieved when you left."

His voice began to quiver, "But, when your mother died a few years back, I became lonely. I would often look at the photo album we had in our bedroom, remembering the old days. I noticed that within the photo album, you were in a few pictures, and I began to smile whenever I saw you in them. I then saw how unhappy we were making you. And how horrible we were as your parents, I just…"

His eyes began to tear up, "I just wanted to apologize to you, and ask, no, beg your forgiveness. I was a horrible father for treating you on how you looked. I didn't want to die like your mother, because I know deep down; she was just as sad. I've been nothing but judgmental and cruel to you since the day you were born. I spent these past years searching all over Cloudsdale for you, and when I couldn't find you here, I began to search all over Equestria. I was often short on food, and went days without sleep. My guilt was eating away at me, and I searched and searched, but I never found you. While searching, I obtained a rare illness; it has no known cure, and I've been told that I wont last much longer. Oh, don't worry about touching me. The illness can only spread through open wounds."

His face was soaked with tears, and his coat changed from light gray to a very dark gray. Tears were beginning to well up in my eyes as his voice quivered even more now.

"I never thought I would see you again, but a cyan blue mare I met had told me she knew you by name. I gave her my letter, and the mare dropped it off the other day. I am so thankful, that I have this last chance with you, my daughter, to see how you've grown. I-I-I love you sweetie."

He jumped over and hugged me, I could feel his warm tears run down my back, and mine run down the sides of my face.

I hugged him back, and didn't let go.

"Daddy?" I asked with sorrow in my voice, "What, is my name.? The name you gave me, when I was born?"

"Derpy," he said. "That's what we thought when we saw you, but; I realize now how horrible and awful we were to give you such a name. I'm so sorry."

He hugged me even tighter.

"No dad." I replied, "If it wasn't for that name, I don't think I would be the mare I am today."

We remained silent for another minute, when I said, "Dad, I forgive you. And, I actually want to thank you, because without you and mom being the way you were to me, I would have never found my new home. I now have many friends, and I even adopted a small unicorn filly. My life couldn't be better."

"Derpy." He said, "I am glad you're happy, and I want you to remain happy, all of your life."

His tears continued to fall on my back and wings.

"And I want you to know, that when I saw you, I didn't see Derpy; I saw my beautiful, one of a kind daughter. I'm sorry it took me this long to find you. And I'm sorry that I can't see you or your children grow up."

"No," I said, "but you can see the place and ponies that make me happy. I want you to come and see me being happy, so that there are no doubts in your head."

"Very Well." He replied.

We sat there for another few minutes, crying in each others arms, and feeling the warmth of a hug; the warm hug, of a parent.

Comments

[LightningDust]

And then spontaneous Doctor Whooves appears!

[Deathcoredashie]

I wanted emotion in the story. I got bitch slapped by a wave of feels just now.

[TheRisingMoon]

i really expect derpy's dad to die at the i love you part, that would probably have made half of the followers cry like a little bitch

[Randomreader-001]

*liquid pride* TT __ TT

The feels made water fall out of my eyes.