No sooner had they rounded the bend from the farm, Dinky started stumbling.

“You okay, Dinky?”

“I can walk.”

Big Mac got down on the ground, and hoisted the protesting Dinky onto his back. “S’okay, I know you can walk. But this is okay too. It’s how I got your mom to the hospital.”

Dinky fidgeted, but slowly settled. Soon she had fallen asleep.

Cheerilee frowned. “Oh dear, did she not get much sleep last night?”

“No,” Big Mac responded, “she was introduced to the Cutie Mark Crusaders this afternoon.”

“Oh my,” Cheerilee chuckled. “Well, it’s good to see her making friends at least.”

“Why doesn’t she have friends?” Big Mac looked to his friend. “She seems a lovely little filly.”

“She may not look it, but she’s two years younger than all the other foals in her class.” Cheerilee’s smile dropped. “She’s very bright, but also very shy. When she was put forward two grades, she didn’t know how to deal with the older kids. And a few of the foals also have a bad impression of her because- well, you know her mum’s a little different. Most people don’t think much of her. And some of them bring that to school.”

Big Mac hadn’t had a lot to do with the grey mare, nor had he heard much about her, beyond what AJ told her the night before.

“She seemed fine to me,” Big Mac responded. Thinking back, he added “and she’s all about her daughter. Can’t fault her for that!”

“Well, some people think she is, uhh, well.” Cheerilee thought hard on how to say it. “Well, you know what people think of you, because you’re big, and don’t talk much.”

“Ahh.” Big Mac frowned. “But why would they think she’s... stupid?”

“Because adults can be as judgemental as foals,” Cheerilee kicked her hoof on the dirt road. “How she looks, how she walks. And she’s a single mom. A lot of older ponies around here frown on that.”

“So the foals ignore Dinky because she’s quiet, and ponies talk about her mom?”

Cheerilee sighed. “It’s a small town. Ponies gossip. And gossip cascades.”

Dinky awoke as Cheerilee helped her off Big Mac’s back. Blinking, she looked around, a little confused. Where was she, and why were there so many ponies around?

It came back to her with two words.

“Muffin Crumb!” Ditzy got out of the wheelchair she was sitting in, and limped towards the young foal. Dinky ran towards her mother and was pulled into a tight embrace.

“Momma, you’re better!” Dinky sobbed. “Miss Smarty Pants did help!”

Ditzy looked up at Big Mac and Cheerilee with the unspoken question. Cheerilee shrugged, though Big Mac seemed to be very focused on a poster on the wall of the discharge room.

“Well,” Cheerilee chirped. “Why don’t we get the two of you back home?”

The discharge took a little over half an hour. A young nurse with a tied back pink mane insisted, despite Ditzy’s protestations, that she had to be wheeled out of the hospital in a chair. After that, Big Mac and Cheerilee followed Ditzy and Dinky’s slow pace back to their house.

They could overhear Dinky excitedly telling her mother about the afternoon she had with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and how tomorrow they were going rock collecting. Dinky said they had the idea when Scootaloo asked why she had picked up a small piece of quartz.

Behind them Cheerilee and Big Mac grimaced as Dinky mimicked the cry “Cutie Mark Crusaders Geologists, yay!”

Big Mac stepped forward to open the door for Ditzy and Dinky; aware that it was both courteous, and in her current bandaged state she would probably hurt herself trying to unstick the door. As it was, Big Mac barely had to apply any pressure. Cheerilee smirked at him as she walked through, bumping her flank on his as she passed.

Ditzy made her way to the kitchen. “Can I make you two a cup of tea, perhaps?”

“That would be lovely; but please, let me help with that.” Cheerilee followed.

Big Mac took the saddlebag off and put it on the ground next to him. Dinky started to unpack and put away everything in a meticulous order. Once again, Big Mac looked around the room. He noticed a small wooden box, with a glass front. Inside were rocks of all colours and types. Each one had a small piece of paper identifying the stone by type, and where it was found.

On the shelf next to it was a wide array of tattered books. Looking at their spines, they were various books on unicorn magic. Most of them were well beyond a school fillies level, though they looked like they’d seen years of use.

“‘scuse me, Mister MacIntosh.”

Big Mac turned around. Before him, Dinky was delicately holding Miss Smarty Pants with her magic.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring her with me. You should take her home.”

Big Mac looked down at the tattered old doll. He loved the doll, but shook his head in protest.

“Nope! Ah’d say she’s already home.” He smiled as he nudged the doll back towards Dinky. “She told me last night. She said that she’d miss me, but that Ah had to let her go and live with her new friend.”

Big Mac was taken aback by the small forearms now wrapped around his neck. “Thank you Mister MacIntosh.”

“Call me Big Mac. That’s what my friends call me.”

After their tea, Big Mac and Cheerilee bid farewell. Big Mac told Dinky he would bring Apple Bloom in with him tomorrow for the markets; they could go crusading from there. Dinky said goodbye with yet another hug.

Ditzy and Dinky finished their dinner. As the sun dropped, so did the temperature. Ditzy covered both of them with the small pink blanket, as they settled down in front of the fire. The wind blew outside, rustling through the old thatch above them. Maybe she could get her landlord to fix that at the very least.

The next morning, Dinky and Ditzy made their way to the morning market. Dinky ran straight to the Apple family’s stall, as Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle bounced towards her with screams of “You made it!”

Ditzy made her way very slowly around the market, looking for what she would need for the week. She sighed as she looked into her bit purse; it was particularly light, and the coming week without work meant she would have to be exceptionally frugal this week. Seasonal fruit and vegetables were right out.

She’d managed to barter down the price on lettuce, by buying a head with slightly wilted leaves. She always managed to get a reasonable price on carrots from Golden Harvest (her husband adored Dinky), though Roma refused to budge on the price of tomatoes. She rounded the market, finishing at the Apple family stand. She looked at the price of a bag of apples, then forlornly at her very diminished bag of bits. Ditzy sighed, and started to walk away.

A voice stopped her.

“Well howdy thar partner. Ah’m gunna make a guess yer that little Dinky’s ma, am Ah right?”

Ditzy turned back to see who’d called her. Coming out from behind the stand was an orange coated pony, wearing a brown Stetson. She held out a hoof.

“Name’s Applejack,” she introduced, as she shook Ditzy’s hoof. Not that Applejack really needed introduction, everypony in Ponyville knew Applejack, one of the Elements of Harmony. Personal friend to Princess Twilight Sparkle.

“Ditzy,” Ditzy muttered shyly. “Ditzy Doo.”

“Big Mac’ll be back soon, if yah want ta stick around and say ‘Hi’,” Applejack grinned. “Ah’m just about done with mah shift. Gunna go grab summ'it ta eat. Well, speak of tha devil!”

“G‘mornin, Ms Doo,” Big Mac nodded as he approached.

“Yeeeehaaaaw! Free at last!” Applejack yelled, as she reared on her hind legs. “Well Ah’ma rustle on down to the café, Big Mac. Meeting Rarity and Pinkie for lunch.”

Big Mac was giving her the strangest look. He would look to her, then dart his eyes towards the grey mare next to him. And again. And again. What in tarnations was the big lug- Oh!

“Ditzy, Ah can call ya Ditzy, right?” Ditzy nodded. “Why don’t you come along? Ah’m sure the girls would be happy for you to join us.”

“Ummm,” Ditzy stammered, then looked away embarrassed. “Thank you for the offer, but I, umm, I don’t really have the bits for it.”

“Nonsense! It’ll be mah treat!” Applejack grinned. “Now jus leave yer groceries here, Big Mac’ll look after ‘em till yah get back.”

“Eeyup” he nodded in response.

He placed the saddlebag behind the stall, and watched as Ditzy and Applejack headed towards the café. As they left, he noticed Ditzy kept looking back, a nervous look on her face.

“Oh, Ms Doo,” Rarity smiled over her coffee, seeing Applejack walking in with Ditzy. “I assume you’ll be joining us for our little déjeuner?”

“No silly, this is the first time Ditzy has joined us, so how could it be a day joo nay? That’s only if something’s happened before.”

Rarity rolled her eyes.

“That is Déjà vu, dear. I said déjeuner. It means lunch.”

“Ooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” Pinkie’s eyes grew wide.

“Please, come join us.” Rarity offered the extra seat with her hoof. “The more, the merrier.”

A loud pop sounded in her right ear, and she turned to see Pinkie wearing a yellow and purple spotted party hat. Small streamers and confetti rained down over Ditzy’s face.

“Welcometoyourveryfirsthasn’thappenedbeforebecauseit’salunchnotasomethingthathashappenedbefore lunch PARTY!”

Ditzy backed away from the flailing pink mare as Applejack sat down.

“How ‘bout we make it just a regular ol’ lunch, Pinkie?”

“Awwwwww, but streamers,” the pink pony pouted.

“Well, now that everyone is here, shall we order? I’m famished.”

“Sounds good Rare! What’ll y’all be havin?”

“I think a daffodil and daisy salad.”

“Cupcakes!” Pinkie shouted.

“Pinkie, yah can get cupcakes from yer own bakery. Why get some here?”

“Because I haven’t had the cupcakes here, silly.”

Ditzy looked down at the menu before her. There was a lettuce sandwich she thought she could spare a few bits for. When the waiter came around, they ordered, then the three friends dropped into their normal chit-chat, while Ditzy sat rather awkwardly trying to follow the conversation.

“You won’t believe it gals, but the Crusaders have found themselves another filly!” Applejack spoke up. “This ‘ere mare is the proud momma of the newest Cutie Mark Crusader!”

Ditzy blushed, unaccustomed to being the centre of attention.

“Oh dear,” Rarity shook her head while patting a comforting hoof on Ditzy’s own. “And she was so quiet and wonderful. Well, perhaps she’ll be a stabilizing force on the young ones.”

Applejack and Pinkie Pie giggled at that.

“Oh, but Dinky is such a sweetie, didn't you know?” Rarity asked the girls.

“She sure is!” Applejack laughed. “Why, when she was stayin’ at our house, she was so sweet. Kept asking if Granny Smith needed a glass of water or anythin’. Granny was mighty impressed with her manners. Maybe she can help the Crusaders get their cutie marks in manners!”

The girls giggled, and Ditzy blushed. But on the inside, she swelled with pride. She knew her daughter was so wonderful, kind and gentle. But to hear that others were seeing this too, it made her proud.

The waiter delivered their order to the table, and Ditzy slowly picked at her sandwich, savoring each bite. She noticed Rarity doing the same, though Applejack and Pinkie bore down on their own food like ravenous timberwolves.

Rarity dabbed her mouth with a white napkin. “Did you see the wonderful scarf Dinky helped me make for Ditzy? I was amazed that someone so young would have such impeccable stitch work.”

“Oh dear, I might very well be out of a job soon.” Rarity swooned in her trademark overly dramatic fashion.

The girls all laughed. All except for Ditzy.

Ditzy started to shake; she closed her eyes to hold back the tears.

She’d lost it. She’d lost the precious gift her daughter had made for her. The precious gift her daughter had sacrificed so much to make for her. Tightness spread through her chest. Maybe it was at the hospital. They might have it there, not knowing it was one of her belongings. She fished out three bits, left them on the table, and scrambled to the door.

“Sugarcube, is everything alright?” Applejack called out.

“Sorry, I gotta go.” Ditzy called back over her shoulder. “Thank you for lunch”

And with that, she was out the door. Next Chapter: Chapter 5 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 10 Minutes