Login

Ditz and Spitz: Origin of Derpy

by Poinger

Chapter 10: Epilogue: Peace of Mind

Previous Chapter

Spitfire slowed as Ditzy’s house came into view ahead of her, marveling at how much more cheerful it looked during the day. She was relieved to see that it was clear of reporters; hopefully, they were still snooping around Canterlot, for however long that lasted. She twisted to look over her shoulder again, but there was still nopony following her. She kept her eyes peeled as she picked up speed again. She wasn’t going to draw any newsponies back to Ditzy if she could help it.

As she got a little closer, she spotted Dinky chatting with an orange pegasus filly on the lawn. Dinky’s back was to her as she faced her friend, her body twisted to show the other filly the new cutie mark which she was so avidly focused on, but her friend was busy staring at Spitfire. As Spitfire started her descent, she began to make out what Dinky was saying.

“Isn’t it the coolest thing you’ve ever seen? I still can’t believe I finally got my cutie mark!” She traced out the silver sheriff’s star with a hoof, oblivious to the fact that her friend was no longer paying attention. “I got it last week, when... what are you looking at, Scootaloo?” Dinky turned as Spitfire flared out to land, then gasped and took a quick step back to stand next to her wide-eyed friend.

Spitfire flashed them a disarming smile. “Hello, Dinky.”

Dinky returned her smile hesitantly. “Umm... hello, Ms. Spitfire.”

She held out a hoof to her. “Nice to finally meet you, kid. Your mom’s told me a lot about you.”

Dinky timidly reached out to shake her hoof, her voice growing a bit stronger. “My mommy’s told me about you, too. She said you were best friends.”

She chuckled. “And still are, I hope.” She dropped her hoof and turned to the other filly, who was still staring at her slack jawed. “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, that’s Scootaloo.”

Spitfire held out a hoof to her, but the filly didn’t move until Dinky rolled her eyes and nudged her with an elbow, at which she started forward. She was trembling slightly as she shook Spitfire’s hoof. “H-Hello Spitfire!” Scootaloo’s shock had shifted entirely into eagerness: her “hello” was nearly a shout and the filly started pumping her hoof violently.

Scootaloo was something of a fan, it seemed. Spitfire took the filly’s enthusiasm in stride and gently worked her hoof free. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, too.” The filly pulled her hoof back and stared at it incredulously; Spitfire briefly wondered how long she would go before washing it again. She turned back to Dinky, who was eyeing Scootaloo with a hoof to her mouth, emitting intermittent snickers. “Is your mom inside, Dinky? I wanted to talk with her a bit.”

Dinky shook her head, her smile fading. “No, she flew off somewhere just after breakfast. She went that way, I think.” She pointed at a cloud bank a ways off, then dropped her hoof with a growing look of concern. “She’s been kinda, I dunno... different, since the hospital.” Her frown deepened as she eyed the cloud bank worriedly.

Spitfire arched an eyebrow at her. “Different how?”

Dinky shook herself slightly. “It’s nothing bad or anything, it’s just... well, she’s quiet all the time. She sits on the couch and stares off at nothing, or she goes and flies away somewhere.” Dinky dropped her head slightly, shaking her head slowly. “She seems so sad now.”

Spitfire frowned. That didn’t sound like Ditzy at all. Maybe things had been weighing on her friend more heavily than she’d let on. “Thanks.” She nodded to Dinky, then took off for the cloud bank, scanning around rapidly. She finally spotted Ditzy hovering next to a lone cloud off on her left. As she watched, Ditzy took off, soaring up and around the cloud in a rather erratic path that could only graciously be compared to a proper circle. She managed to make a rough two circuits before her wing caught on the surface. She barreled into the cloud with a yelp and the muted crash of a cloud impact. Spitfire flew up next to her as she was working herself free of the small ditch she’d carved across the surface.

Ditzy eyed her offending wing balefully, then brought a hoof to her head with a frustrated snort, rapping on her forehead roughly and muttering to herself angrily. “Stupid. Stupid eyes, stupid balance, stupid dizziness, stupid wings, stupid derpy Ditzy—” She cut off as she realized Spitfire was there, and turned to face her. She tried to smile, but it was weak, and the tension never left her face. “Oh, hey Spitz.” Ditzy looked past her hurriedly. “Tell me you didn’t bring any of them with you.”

Spitfire shook her head. “Don’t worry. Slate’s at the center of attention now, not you. Besides, they still think you’re a protected witness in some Canterlot hotel somewhere with guards on your door.” She smiled ruefully. “You have your unicorn friend to thank for that one. Apparently, she’s got connections. Higher up than mine, even, and that’s saying something.”

Ditzy sighed with relief, but her brief look of mollification vanished quickly. “That’s not going to work for long, and you know it. Eventually, they’ll come poking around out here again.”

“No question. But maybe it’ll last long enough for you to become old news.” Maybe earth ponies would fly, too, but there was no reason to cause her friend any more grief.

Ditzy gave her a doubtful look, but thankfully changed the subject. “How’d things go today?”

She answered quickly, eager to get away from the topic of reporters. “Pretty well. That unicorn—Twilight?”

Ditzy nodded expectantly.

“Well, Twilight gave her statement. A very... detailed statement she had written on a length of scroll the likes of which I have never before seen. Between her, you, and Dinky—plus his background? And the knife?” She shook her head and bared her teeth in a savage grin. “He’s not gonna worm his way out of this one. Not this time.” She frowned. “I’m surprised you didn’t show up, actually. I figured you’d want to be there to watch the trial play out.”

Ditzy shook her head, wincing. “No. I... no. They didn’t need me there today, and I didn’t...” She took a deep breath and sighed. “I wanted to stay close to Dinky. Until I’m sure she’s recovered and all.”

Spitfire raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh? Then what are you doing way up here? Flying rings? Spinning clouds, perhaps?”

Ditzy blushed and lurched into the air with a quick flap of her wings. She flew to a nearby cloud, landing with her back to her. After a moment, Spitfire followed, afraid she’d been too harsh. As she landed, Ditzy flopped down at the cloud’s edge. She rested her head on her forelegs, staring at the house below. Her daughter and her friend were barely visible on the front lawn far below. Spitfire moved to sit next to her and tried again. “I saw her down there before I came to see you, and she seemed fine to me. Better than fine, in fact; she was pretty excited about her new cutie mark.”

Ditzy smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, and she avoided her friend’s gaze. “She got it protecting me from Slate. She said she wants to keep ponies from getting hurt, and to keep bad ponies from hurting anypony else.” Her smile faltered and she buried her head in her forelegs. “She shouldn’t have saved me. I didn’t deserve it.”

Spitfire put a comforting hoof on her shoulder, but Ditzy only buried her face deeper. “What are you talking about, Ditz?”

Ditzy lifted her head and stared at her pleadingly. “I didn’t want a foal. I didn’t want my own daughter! I hated her—I was repulsed by the very idea of her! I didn’t love her, Spitz! And... and I don’t deserve her.” She closed her eyes and hung her head. Her voice was shaky, and she sounded on the edge of tears. “I don’t deserve to be her mother.”

Spitfire was stared at her incredulously. Not love Dinky? How could she even say that? She was about to refute Ditzy, then paused, frowning. The more she thought about it, the more sense it made, however much she hated to admit it. Ditzy hadn’t exactly struck her as the motherly type. She’d been having trouble with Slate: she probably would’ve left him even if he hadn’t tried to kill her. An up-and-coming young stunt flier who’d seen firsthoof from Spitfire’s own mom how hard it was to raise a foal alone and be a Wonderbolt at the same time? It was no wonder she’d had some reservations about a foal.

After her moment of thought, Spitfire gently turned Ditzy’s head to face her again, and asked her long-familiar question. “Ditz... do you remember who I am?”

Ditzy looked at her quizzically. “Yes...” Her voice was hesitant. She gave a weak chuckle. “At least, I do now.”

“Well, let me tell you who you are. You aren’t a Best Young Flier. You’re not a majestic Skydancer, or a stunt flier adored by crowds of ponies. That’s all what you were, and you’ve gotta accept that you’re never gonna be any of that again.” She tried to keep her voice soft, but Ditzy still blushed furiously shot a guilty look at the now-stationary cloud she had been attempting to spin.

“You’re a mailmare, Ditz.” There was no hint of derision, no implication by her tone that it was something less than any of the other professions.“Your eyes are all screwed up and you fly crooked half the time”—she smiled to try and take some of the sting out of her words—“but you’re a good, honest, kind-hearted pony, who always tries to do her best. You like a bit more peace and quiet now, and you bake some of the best muffins in Equestria. As to Dinky—”

Ditzy flinched and her face fell, but Spitfire cupped her chin and brought her head back up. “You don’t hate Dinky. You know that. That’s part of what you were. What you are, and what you have been for all her life, is a loving mother, and a darn good one. Never tell yourself you aren’t. Never.

Ditzy nodded jerkily and took a ragged breath. “I-I...”

Spitfire pulled her close as she collapsed against her shoulder, tears falling silently against her coat.

“I’ve been a horrible pony. I ran away from her then, and now that I know, I can’t bear to face her, so I just flew off to try and do stunts again but I know I can’t, and... and...”

Ditzy sniffed and trailed off as Spitfire patted her gently and murmured comforts. After a couple of minutes, her tears stopped, and she pulled out of her embrace. “Thanks, Spitz.” She gave a weak smile, but it was the first of her honest smiles Spitfire had seen for some time. “I guess I’ve been acting kinda foalish, huh?”

Spitfire shook her head and grinned at her. “No you haven’t. You’re just been... a bit confused, is all. Honestly, with everything you’ve been through recently, I’d be more surprised if you weren’t a little mixed up.”

“Heh. Well, I must admit it has been a rather unusual couple of weeks.” She cleared her throat and took a deep breath, wiping at her eyes.

“That’s a bit of an understatement.” She gave Ditzy a few minutes to compose herself, then stood up and tossed her head at the ground below. “Now c’mon, let’s get back down there. Your daughter’s been worried about you, too, you know.”

Ditzy hesitated briefly, but took off only a second or two behind her, leaving the bulky cloud unspun to slowly drift away in the wind.


The wind stung at Ditzy’s eyes, which were still sensitive and slightly watery. She wiped at her face with a hoof again as she glided beside Spitfire down toward the house. I’ve been such a coward, she berated herself silently. I’ve been beating myself up for abandoning Dinky, then I go and try to do it all over again. She beat her wings furiously, far more vigorously than was necessary for her slight course correction. Well, not this time. Never again. I’m done with that life.

Dinky waved at her from the lawn, calling out a cheerful “Hi, Mommy!” as the pegasi came closer. As Spitfire flared out to land, Ditzy sped up and shot past her, angling straight for Dinky and scooping her up into a hug. Ditzy took off and Dinky shrieked with delight, clinging to her mother as she was hoisted into the air. As she slowed to a hover, Dinky clung tighter. Ditzy squeezed back and nuzzled her, leaning to whisper in her ear.

“I love you, Muffin. You know that, right?

“Mmm.” Dinky snuggled closer to her. “Mmm-hmm.”

She smiled and gave her a kiss as they began to descend. “Good.” She winced. “I’m sorry I’ve been so out of it lately.”

Dinky looked up at her and smiled back. “It’s okay, Mommy. I’m just glad that you’re happy again.”

She chuckled. “Me too.” As they touched down, she reluctantly released her hold and let Dinky back down to the ground. Spitfire was grinning at them, while Scootaloo was trying, with limited success, to maintain her composure around the celebrity.

Spitfire looked to the sky briefly, judging the sun’s position. “Well, I took the day off to go to court, so I don’t have anywhere I need to be. I doubt I’d make it back to the aerodrome before practice ends anyway.”

Ditzy gave an amused murmur. “In that case, since you’re already here, why not stay for dinner? I’m sure the fillies won’t mind.” Dinky’s face lit up and Scootaloo gasped with excitement.

Spitfire pretended not to notice and spoke with exaggerated deliberation. “Hmm... I suppose I could stay for dinner.”

“YAY!” The fillies took off across the lawn for the front door.

Ditzy called out after them. “Now, Dinky, make sure you and Scootaloo wash your hooves before you start baking anything!”

“Okay, Mommy!” Dinky called over her shoulder without slowing as the duo darted indoors, the grown mares following along more slowly, laughing softly at the fillies’ display of enthusiasm.

Spitfire stopped in the doorway, shooting a quick look inside to check for prying ears. Apparently satisfied by what she saw, she came back out on the porch and put a hoof to Ditzy’s chest to keep her from entering. “Hold up, Ditz. I wanted to give you something.”

Ditzy pulled her hoof back from the door and looked at her questioningly. After a short rummage through her saddlebags, Spitfire withdrew the embossed photo book and held it out to her friend. “I think you should hang on to this.” She smiled as Ditzy took the book from her. “Y’know, just in case.”

Ditzy gave a wry snort. “No offense, Spitz, but I really hope I won’t need it again.” Her tone softened. “Thanks.”

Spitfire nodded and pulled the door open, holding it for her. “We’d better get in there while there’s still something left of your kitchen.” Ditzy slid past her and made for the living room as Spitfire went into the kitchen, the front door swinging shut behind her. “What have you two done? You’ve only been in here for, like, two minutes! How could you make this much of a mess in two minutes?

“We got out all the pans and stuff and then we picked out the ingredients! I’m making mine banana nut muffins, but Scootaloo wanted carrots and cinnamon.”

“What’d you want on yours? Chocolate chips? Strawberries? Apples? I think there’s some peanut butter somewhere...”

“I wouldn’t mind some blueberries...”

Ditzy tuned their voices out as she moved to the bookcase, sliding the new photobook in next to her plain brown one full of family pictures and late-night visits with Spitfire. It looked so ordinary next to its stylish counterpart. Maybe just a little embossing? She ran a slow hoof up the spine, whispering to herself softly. “Ditzy Doo: Mailmare Extraordinaire? Hmm...” It did have a bit of a ring to it...

She shook her head with snort and dropped her hoof. “Nah.” With both sets of her memories safely tucked away, she turned her back on them and went to bake some muffins with her daughter and her friend.


The End.

Return to Story Description

Login

Facebook
Login with
Facebook:
FiMFetch