Suddenly They Appeared

by Faust

Rating: teen
Tags: Random, Derpy Hooves, Human, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other
Length: 6322

You hoped, you dreamed, but you never wanted it to happen like this...

You hoped, you dreamed, but you never wanted it to happen like this. You can't help but be disgusted with yourself as you race to save her in a world that would gladly tear her apart.

(Note: I am posting this only because I want to. I had no intention to until it was finished, but my current writer's block on my other stories made me write more for this, so here you go. Don't have any special editing thingie-ringies, so deal with a few mistakes. Have fun!)

Published 2012-03-06 11:34:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-03-06 11:34:01 UTC

Part I

Suddenly They Appeared

~Shaddy Moon~

"Yeah Applejack! Woohoo!~"

You sit in your room, re-watching an episode of My Little Pony. This is what you usually do everyday after school. Sit at home, watch MLP, and eat candy. Fun.

You shut off your computer, hoping to at least get some homework done. It didn't matter anyways, you were just going to fall asleep or procrastinate and have to make it up later. You ditch the idea, and op to go straight to sleep instead. Six is early, but so what. You head for your room, not-

*CRASH*

"WHAT WAS THAT?!

A resounding crash reverberates through your house, shaking it's frame. Your first thought is that a car's crashed into your house. Great, a car crashed through your wall. Just great. Your parents aren't the most well-off people you know, and you know they're going to have a hard time paying for this.

Running into the other, you look for the ruined wall, but can't spot one. Instead, a large hole goes through your roof and into the basement. Even worse, now your parents have to pay for meteorite damage. You head into the basement to inspect the meteor, walking carefully down the ruined old steps. They aren't exactly ruined, just more worn than anything. They're sturdy enough though.

You read somewhere that scientists and collectors pay top money for meteors. Maybe your parents could use that to pay for the roof, and maybe more. Perhaps you could afford a new laptop. You smile inwardly at the sliver of hope. As you reach the bottom of the stairs, you look over the damage. Collapsed beams and smashed wood were in a pile beneath the hole.  "...Dad's gunna make me clean this up..." You sigh, and move one of the larger pieces of wood out of the way, looking for the meteor. Something sticks out though.

A blond tuft of hair.

You're seriously confused now. No one in your house is blonde. Your older sister and dad are brunettes, and you and your mom have black hair. What would blonde hair be doing in your house, let alone an entire length of the stuff? You move aside more beams, revealing more of the blonde hair, until you reach the end.

Grey fur.

Okay, now you're on the verge of screaming. You start throwing away wood faster, thoughts racing through your mind. Grey fur flesh, blond hair. There's only one thing it can be, unless someone cross-bred a blonde and an alien. Although compared to what might be happening right now...

You move to the opposite side of the pile, moving dirt and wood away to reveal more blonde hair. Eventually through your vigorous digging, you come upon a small, grey rump. You breath becomes few and far between as you gently brush the dirt away. You reveal a picture, one that verifies your creeping suspicion.

Bubbles.

You think two different thoughts at once:

One, Holy shit.

And two, AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO WHAT DO I DO!?!?!?

You go from not breathing to hyperventilating. You frantically begin shoveling wood off of the body, failing to notice the tears streaming down your dirty face. Chunk after chunk of wood is tossed to the corners of the basement. Finally you uncover the entire mass.

Derpy Hooves, the pony you were just watching, lies battered and broken at your feet. Her wings are twisted, she has a piece of wood sticking out of her side, and she has many cuts and gashes over her body. The wood doesn't look too serious, but her wings. They're broken, bleeding, and it looks like the bone has broken the skin. You see her breathing is very shallow.

You cover your mouth in shock and disgust, until you notice something else. "N-No..." The grey pegasus had her front legs clenched inward, as though she were protecting something. You slowly unclasp them to reveal a small, pale purple filly. The tears come out unhindered.

"D-Derpy....Dinky...no..."

You gently pick the mare and her filly up, trying not to jostle her. You'd be devastated if you caused her any unnecessary pain. There's only one place you can take her. Your older brother is a veterinarian, surely he could fix her up. You carry her up the stairs, and into your room, laying her softly on the bed. You don't care about the blood, instead you grab a towel, wrapping Derpy and Dinky up to hide them. You call a cab, barely able to keep your voice on a set volume. As you wait, you check on the two ponies. Derpy is still breathing, though her condition hasn't improved, and she is still bleeding. You attempt to staunch it with a few t-shirts. In the meantime, Dinky looks to be fine, besides a few scrapes and cuts. Nothing a child wouldn't normally get while playing.

The cab arrives, and you climb in. The driver tells you something about 'no animals', but you tell him it's hurt. He immediately begins complaining about shit and vomit and blood, but you throw your birthday money through the slot and tell him the address of your brother's work. $243 shuts him up. The rest of the cab ride is silent, with no one moving. You even ask the driver to turn off the radio.

You contemplate what is happening right now. You whisper it softly to yourself, not wanting the cab driver to overhear. "Okay, so two cartoon characters who aren't even human crash through my roof, and now I'm taking them to my brother to get help. I hope I'm not hallucinating this..."

Suddenly there's movement beneath the towels. You lift up the rag enough so you can see the problem. Dinky wiggles her head from her mother's grasp, looking at you with fear and confusion. Tears begin to appear in the corner of her eyes, and you know you have to act before the driver notices.

"Shhh... Don't worry, Dinky. We're going to get you and mommy help. But you can't make any noise, promise?"

She looks at you in surprise, and shakes her head before settling in again. You put the towel loosely over her. You sigh, and attempt to collect your rampant thoughts.

The cab ride went well, dropping you off right in front of  the animal hospital your brother works at. It's a relatively large building for such a small town, easily noticeable in case of emergencies. You run inside, carrying the bundle of a pony inside. Walking quickly up to the receptionist, you can hear the nervousness in your voice. "E-Excuse me, Miss, but where can I find Dr. Collin Rodriguez? It's urgent. Tell him it's his brother."

The receptionist, a fabricated smile plastered on her face, picks up the phone. "Dr. Rodriguez, your brother is here to see you. Says it's urgent." You walk away from her, and lean up against the wall. You check the bundle, and see Dinky looking back at you. Her golden yellow eyes look exactly like they do in the show, and she even has a horn. Makes sense....kind of.

You give her a small nod and whisper gently. "We're here, but you can't come out just yet. Mommy and Dinky will get help very soon." She smiles nervously, but that doesn't stop it from being full of grattitude.

At that point, you see your older brother walk swiftly out of his office, carrying a clipboard. He walks up to you, not even looking up for a moment. "What is it, Wade? I'm very busy right now, I've still got six more check ups."

You lift up the towel enough so that he can see Derpy and Dinky. "Clear up your fucking schedule, we got major problems." His eyes widen at the sight of the beaten pegasus. Your brother watches the show as well, so he knows exactly who it is. He turns to a nurse and tells her to prep for surgery. Your brother then ushers you into an empty room. You lay Derpy down on the table in the center of the room and unwrap the towel. Dinky immediately wiggles out and looks at the both of you with tears streaming down her face.

"Please, you have to help Mommy! Mommy's hurt and you need to save her, please!" The filly is nearly screaming, but you sit there, stunned. You look at your brother. He's at a loss, so you take charge.

"Don't worry, Dinky. This is my brother. He's a very skilled veterinarian...like Fluttershy!" The mention of someone familiar to Dinky seems to make her considerably more comfortable. "We'll try our very hardest to help your mommy. I promise."

She looks up sadly. "Pinkie Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" You do all the necessary motions to convey it to her. You hurt yourself when slapping your eye, but that only serves to make her smile a tiny bit. You're glad you can comfort her.

You pick up Dinky and carry her over to a chair where she can lay down. She's a small thing. She must be very young. Too young to be put through this. Your brother begins examining Derpy, who is still stable. He takes notes on his clipboard.

"I don't know what to do. We can clean the cuts here, but that timber and her wings are a bigger problem. They require surgery, and..." He looks at you. There's something strange behind his eyes. "...I don't know how the rest of the surgeons will handle working on a pegasus."

You place a hand on your brother's shoulder. "I don't care, honestly. Make them do it. Who cares if the government investigates? We just need to get her taken care of, then we can hide her."

"But-"

"No buts. If they say they don't know how to do it... It's just like regular animals, except double the surgery. Avian anatomy for the wings and small equine for the rest!" You smile to reassure him. He looks at you, worry in his heart.

"I just hope you're right about this."

Your brother walks over to the door and calls for a gurney. A nurse brings one in, and looks at the pegasus on the table. The nurse's eyes widen in disbelief, and he attempts to stutter something out. Your brother quickly smacks him across the face. "Stick with me! It's an animal, it's hurt, it needs our help. What do we do?" The nurse looks shocked for a moment longer, but his look quickly changes from one of surprise to determination.

"Good. Now, go tell the Mikael and Strauss to get ready for surgery."

The nurse runs off, leaving your brother to his work. He gently lays the grey mare on the gurney, covering her with a sheet. You understand. He doesn't want her seen as he moves through the hospital. Too many people knowing about would just lead to problems. Your brother rushes out of the room with the gurney, shouting at nurses and doctors as he goes. He leaves you in the room to watch after Dinky.

Dinky nudges you and you look down. She looks confused. "Uhm, e-excuse me mister, but where am I? I've never seen a pony like you..

You smile and pick her up, holding her so she can see your face. "Well, Dinky, you're an awful long way from home. I'm a human. We're not like ponies, but are at the same time. We all speak Equestrian, but here we call it English..."

"So what are we performing surgery on that both of us need to be here?"

Dr. Mikael and Dr. Strauss look at their boss with confusion. Dr. Rodriguez looked at them like they were misinformed. "You are performing a equestrian-avian surgery."

"So, like, a bird and a horse in the same room? That's awfully strange..."

Dr. Rodriguez shakes his head. "Come with me." Leading them into the operating room, he frowns sadly at the body on the table. It's still covered by a white cloth. Rodriguez removes it.

"Is...is that a pegasus...?"

"Yes, and we are going to save it. Let's get to work gentlemen."

You and Dinky have been waiting for nearly five hours, talking about the world. You leave out anything about the show she's from, as well as anything else you deem 'inappropriate'. She's extremely worried about not being able to get home. You wonder about that as you clean her scrapes and cuts.

"How did you get here in the first place, Dinky? What happened?"

She puts her hoof on her chin, looking down in thought. She looks back up at you, sounding a bit confused with her own answer. "Well...Mommy was teaching me how to fly...and so she was carrying me...but then there was a big, bright light!" She threw her front hooves into the air to show her point. "And, and then, Mommy couldn't see! So she started falling, but she grabbed me and then I closed my eyes....and then there was a big crash...and then I woke up in that little moving room...and Mommy was hurt..."

Dinky began crying again. "I-I want Mommy to be okay..." She seems to slump in sorrow, tears falling down her face. Seeing her cry breaks your heart. She's so far from home, so far from anyone who looks even remotely like her... Yet all she wants is for her mother to be safe. You pick her up, and hug her. She seems a little surprised at first, but gradually begins nuzzling you.

"Don't worry Dinky. Mommy will be okay, remember? I promised. My brother is a very good doctor."

The doors to the waiting room open, and in walks your brother, along with two other doctors. The two doctors gasp when their eyes settle on the unicorn filly you're holding. You glare at them, causing their eyes to avert. Your brother wears a smile. "We were able to fix the wings, as well as safely remove the timber. She is likely to make a full recovery, but she will need to take antibiotics for a while to make sure the wound doesn't get infected." Your brother notices that your eyes are on the two doctors. You look at him with worry. "O-Oh! Wade, these are me colleagues, Dr. Mikael Romstrov, who specializes in avian surgery, and Dr. Christopher Strauss, an equine expert. I needed them if the surgery was to be done correctly, and they have already promised to not speak of this."

Dr. Mikael speaks up. "This is most fascinating, Wade. A pegasus! Those are only spoken of in myths! And I can see that you have a young unicorn with you. The thing that confuses me was it's anatomy. It is not like any avian or equine I have ever operated on before. It was similar, and that's why the operation was so successful, but it still made me worry."

Dr. Strauss also talks. "I agree with Mikael. It was most unusual. We can see that it shares those traits with the young one here. Tell me, where did you acquire such legendary specimens?"

Your brother's eye twitches. "Specimens? They aren't specimens! These are living breathing beings, same as you and I! They are completely sentient, they talk, they think, they have feelings! These are not your usual animals, Dr. Strauss. No, they aren't even animals! They are people!"

Dr. Mikael chuckles, cutting into your argument. "I hear that almost every day. Sure, animals have feelings, but can they convey them? Are they nearly on the same level of intelligence as us? If they were, they would have shown it by now-"

The malice drips off your own tongue as you verbally berate the doctor. "Intelligence?! Don't talk to me about intelligence! These ponies are more than intelligent! I had to sit here for five hours, comforting the filly in my arms. She just wants her mother to be okay! How could something that wasn't intelligent have feelings? Huh?! Maybe if you weren't so-"

"Please stop yelling..."

Everyone turns to look at the unicorn filly. Grabbing attention with barely more than a whisper, you look down to see her crying. Your argument must have upset her and caused her to become frightened. You feel like an absolute monster. "Shhh.... It's okay Dinky, I won't yell anymore..." You glare silently at the two doctors, as if to say 'What the hell did I tell you?'. They're too stunned to even respond. You tap Dinky ad she looks up at you. "Do you wanna go see Mommy? My brother fixed her up!" The filly rubs her eye with a hoof and nods. "Hey, bro, where's Derpy?" You question your brother.

"Down the hall, room 301. I propped her up like a person," he glares at the two doctors, "So she should be fine... The sedative should wear off in a couple of minutes, so feel free to wait. I've told the staff not to enter that room." You nod, and shift Dinky's weight, walking steadily down the hall. You see the food cart making rounds as you pass, and grab an juice box, slipping it into your pocket. You find the room and slowly open the door. You slink in without a sound, and close the door the same way.

Before you is Derpy. She lies on a make-shift hospital bed, which is really just a center-counter that was pushed against a wall. She is unconscious, and her breathing sounds better. Her wings are wrapped to her sides, just like in the show, and she has a bandage around her midsection as well. You remember that the wood was in her side, so they must have wrapped the entire area. Derpy is hooked up to several machines, one being a heart rate monitor. She is wearing an oxygen mask, and looks peaceful. You hate to see her this way. She should have never been hurt. You had always dreamed that she'd jus show up, but you never expected it to happen like this...

"Mommy!" Dinky shouts, hopping from your arms to the floor. She gallops over to her mother, tears running down her cheeks. She looks at her in sorrow. You sit down next to the make-shift hospital bed.

"Don't worry, Dinky... My brother made her all better... Mommy will wake up soon, but it's going to be a while before she can walk, much less fly." Your voice wavers. You don't know what to do. You aren't just going to let anybody come and handle her, yet you know your parents won't let you keep her at home.

"W-Where....where are we going to go?" Dinky asks. You're asking yourself the same thing.

Suddenly, words come from your mouth. You can't even control it. "You can stay with me. Even if it means camping outside of buildings, I will never let anything happen to you or Mommy ever again. Pinkie Promise."

She smiles. "T-Thank you..." Dinky turns back her mom. "You here that, Mommy? We can stay with him! I don't know where we are, or where Ponyville is... But we have a place to stay here."

You think to yourself. Shit... How am I going to do this? I couldn't control my own mouth, but I meant it... Where am I gunna stay? Suddenly it dawns on you. It was always in front of you, ever since you got to this hospital. Oh! I can stay with Collin! He's never home, he's got a pretty big place, and I'm sure he'd understand. I'll pay him rent if I have to, I don't care. I'll always be there. You smile and nod confidently to yourself.

The grey mare on the bed begins to stir. Her eyes blink open lazily, and she lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank Celestia... Somepony took me to the hospital... What happened..."

"Mommy!" Dinky cries, hugging her mother recklessly. Derpy cringes, but smiles softly, looking upon her daughter's tear-soaked face.

"Oh, my little muffin... I'm so glad you're okay... So...so glad..."

Derpy's eyes drift upwards from her daughter, to you. Her eyes widen, and she begins breathing erratically. The heart-rate monitor beeps faster and faster. You need to calm her down. "Derpy..." You whisper. Her eyes are darting from her daughter to you, back and forth. You know she's only thinking with instinct now. "Derpy, you need to calm down. I'm not here to hurt anypony. In fact, I'm the one that saved you." You smile softly, a smile of reassurance. Derpy's heart rate slowly steadies, and her breathing returns to normal, but she still stares at you with irises the size of pinpricks.

"W-Who are you? What are you?"

"My name is Wade Rodriguez, and I'm a human. You and your daughter crashed through my roof, and I brought you to my brother, a doctor. I hate to tell you this, but... You're not in Equestria anymore."

Derpy looks confused. "W-what do you mean? We were just there!"

"I don't know how it happened, but you are on a planet called Earth, in the country of the United States of America. This planet is filled with creatures that look like me. We aren't savage, and we are actually very similar to ponies."

She seems to have calmed down a bit. Dinky pipes up. "Don't worry, Mommy! Even though we aren't close to home, Wade said we could stay with him until we find a way back! Isn't it great?"

The grey pegasus looks at you for approval, and you nod. "Hey Dinky," You say softly, "Why don't you go play over there? I need to talk to your mommy about some important things." You point to the usual kid toys you always see in any sort of medical office. The frilly nods, and trots over to the toys. Derpy looks at you sadly.

"We really don't need to stay with you, we can find work, find somewhere of our own-"

"Actually... You can't." She looks at you, the slight fear in her eyes easily visible. "If anyone were to find you, or anypony else for that matter, they'd be taken. This place is a lot more violent and crueler than Equestria."

Derpy looks down. "I...I don't know what to do..." She begins to tear up, the weight of the current situation bearing down on her. You do what you feel is right to cheer her up. You gingerly wrap your arms around her, a whisper in her ear.

"Hey, don't worry. I'll die before I let anything happen to you, or your daughter. You can stay with me, and I'll try to figure out a way to get you back home."

She nods lightly. "Besides, I'm sure somepony saw what happened. They probably let Twilight know, and she in turn told Celestia. They're probably figuring things out right now."

Derpy laughs sadly. "I bet Raindrops is worried sick..."

"Yep, Raindrops too. You have a lot of ponies that care about you. I doubt they're going to let you just disappear."

She smiles and wipes her eye. You stand next to the bed. "I'm going to go talk to my brother, see if I can get you out of here tonight. Don't want anyone accidentally walking in and finding you. Okay?"

Derpy nods. You get up and head for the door, but not before whispering to Dinky. "Hey, I think you should go talk to Mommy. It will make her feel better." The filly smiles and nods, scampering over to her mother's side. You head out of the room, spotting your brother. He's talking to another patient's owner. As you walk up, he dismisses the person and turns to you.

"So?"

"She seems to be okay. She even woke up. She..." You strengthen your tone. "She's going to stay with me."

Your brother looks at you for a moment. "...You know what Dad's gunna say, right?"

"Actually... I was hoping I could stay with you."

"Wade, I-"

"Collin, you're never home, you have an extra two rooms... I'll even pay rent if I have to. Come on, man. It's Derpy for christ's sake."

Your brother sighs, and rubs the back of his head. You can tell he's having a hard time deciding. His apartment was always pride and joy. He had worked years to earn it, and was full of only the best things. But he also never had any spending money. He worked, went home, slept, and worked again. His life was a cycle. You looked at your brother with knowing eyes, though. You know he needs the extra income, and he knows you can provide if you needed to. "...Fine. But ask Mom and Dad first. Just in case they decide to be nice for once." You grin and hug your brother with one arm. Classic bro-hug.

"Thanks bro. I owe you a huge one."

Your brother pulls out his keys and take one off the ring. "Be home when I'm off of work. Oh, and did you tell them about the show?"

"No."

"Then for the love of God, do not let them into my room." You nod.

"Alright, so she's ready to go right now? I don't want some random stranger to walk in and see them..."

"Calm yourself, Wade. Give her a few hours. She just had surgery. In the mean time, I'll get everything ready. You should go talk to our parents while you wait. They probably won't believe you... Maybe you should take Dinky."

You have to admit, that will give them evidence, but your father... Wouldn't take it well to say the least. You have to though, to prove it to them. "Alright. I'll go tell them. You got something I can hide Dinky with though?" Your brother walks over to a chest and begins rifling through it. He pulls out a large work-out bag, emptying it's contents onto the counter and handing the bag to you. "Thanks."

You walk to the room again, opening and closing the door quickly. Derpy looks at you. "Alright. My brother said we can stay at his house, considering that my parents aren't ready for long-term company. I'm going to go talk to them to make sure. Would you mind if Dinky came with me? You do need your rest... And I'll be back later to take you to my house."

Derpy looks torn, but knows that it is for the best. She nods and looks at Dinky. "Dinky, muffin... Do you mind if you went with Wade for a while? Then you and Wade can come get me, and we can go to his house, okay?"

Dinky nods slowly, unsure what to think. Gradually she trots over to you. You look down at her and smile, which causes her to smile in turn. You turn your attention back to the grey pegasus. "Alright, Derpy, me and Dinky will be back later to get you. Try not to worry too much." You wink, and she blushes. It's absolutely fucking adorable. Derpy nods gently, and sinks back into the pillow.

"Bye, Mommy!"

"See you later, Derpy."

You walk out of the room, and turn to Dinky. "Okay, Dinky. We can't let anyone see you." You open the bag you're carrying. "Hop in." Dinky jumps in the bags, wiggling around until only her eyes are outside of it. You walk down the hallway, avoiding patients and their owners. Now comes the hard part.

You hop in a cab, setting the bag gently on the seat. You tell the driver your home address. You let yourself get comfortable and think. Fuck... I wonder what Dad's gunna say... He'll probably try to convince me that their just some mass hallucination. Aw, geez... I really wish this had happened when I had my own place- You stop yourself. Wait, WHAT?! I wish this never happened at all! I don't want Derpy to be hurt, and Dinky to be sad! God, I'm just monster, just like the rest of these people...

You gently lift the bag, and pay the cab driver a little extra. "Wait for me please." The driver nods his head and opens up a newspaper. You exit the taxi, taking notice of your parent's cars. They're obviously home, and you bite your nails as you stride up the brick path towards the house. It's a nasty habit, but it calms you. Slightly. Dinky pokes head head out of the bag, and you tousle her hair for a moment before putting your finger to your lips. She slides back into the bag, and remains silent.

You knock on the door, and immediately hear heavy footsteps approaching from the inside. Living at the house long enough has made you keen to everyone's footstep patterns. Slow and heavy means it's your father, while medium is your mother. Your father opens the door, and looks you dead in the eye.

"Ah, where have you been, boy? Gunna make a mess and run off?"

Your temper immediately flares up. You've always had a problem with being called 'boy'. You don't know what it stems from, but it always makes you angry. "No, Dad, I went to go visit Collin at work. It was urgent." Your father motions for you to come inside, and you enter. Your mother is standing near the hole with an enraged look on her face. She sets her glare directly on you as your father takes his place next to her.

"Care to explain yourself, Wade?"

You sigh. Great, two seconds into the conversation and you already gotta lay it all on the table. "Give me a minute to get some water." You walk to the kitchen, grabbing a glass. As you fill it up, you take the sharpest knife you can find out of the utensils drawer. It's a six-inch stainless steel knife, regularly used to dice vegetables. You slip it into your back pocket. Your father has gotten physical with you before, but you won't stand for it this time.

You walk back up to them with your water, still holding the bag at your side. You down the entire glass, and set it on the table gently. The room is near silent. "Well?" Your mother yells.

You take a big breath. "Well... I was at home, doing what I usually do, and there was a big crash. When I went to investigate, I found these," You point to the holes above and below you. "So I thought it was a meteor, but when I went to go look at what had caused the damage, instead I found...uhm...a...uh..."

Your father looks at you. "What? An alien? A monster? What, what did you find!?"

"...a pony."

Your father looks confused for a minute, but is soon laughing. "Seriously? Is that the best excuse you could come up with!" Your mother joins him in laughing for a moment, before they both get serious.

"Okay, seriously. What the hell did this."

"I'm telling the truth, Dad."

"Oh come now, Wade. We're not idiots. Horses don't fly." Your mother says. She acts as though her minimal knowledge makes her smarter than you.

"She's not a horse, she's a pegasus."

Your dad glares at you. "Okay, now you're bullshitting me. I want answers. Now."

You reach down and unzip the bag, and lift Dinky out. She looks nervous. You give her a small nod to tell her it's okay. Turning your gaze back to your parents, you glare daggers straight into them. "This is her daughter, Dinky, a unicorn. They both fell, and that's why I went to talk to Collin. He performed surgery, and this one's mother is recovering right now. I came back here to ask if we could house her while she gets better."

Your parents look stunned for a moment. Your mother is unmoving, but your father steadily approaches you. "Give me that thing." He demands. You shake your head, and set Dinky back down. You stand there, hands at your sides, anticipating your father's next move. You know he's going to try something.

"Wade, hand it over. We can give that thing to scientists and be done with it. They'll even pay us-"

"How about no? These aren't rare animals, Dad. These are people."

Your father stands silent for a moment, obviously attempting to look intimidating. That's always been his specialty, but you know better by now. Your father lunges to the left, attempting to snatch up the filly. You catch him midway, and tackle him to the ground. You press the knife against his throat, making sure it presses against the skin. Your father has fear in his eyes as you growl. "You aren't going to take her. I promised her and her mother that I'd keep them safe, that I'd get them home, and I will not let you get in the way of that. Do I make myself clear?"

Your father nods slowly, and you jump off of him. You stand next to Dinky, who looks almost equally afraid of you as your parents do. You stand with a blank expression, still pointing the knife at your parents. "I'm leaving now."

You beckon to Dinky, and she follows you as you head to your room. You throw the door closed and sigh. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Dinky. But I told you I was going to protect you, and I meant it." The filly nods. She still looks a little shaken up. "Hey, are you thirsty?" She nods again. She seems to be avoiding eye contact. You must have scared her pretty bad. You give her a small hug, and pull the juice box you've been saving from your pocket. You poke the straw in, and hand it to her. She takes it in her front hooves and begins sipping on it.

Oh my god, that's too cute. You smile at her, and she finally smiles back. You go about your way, packing. You throw anything valuable in your bag, things like your worn-out laptop and iPod, and also most of your clothes. You pick Dinky up, and place her gently in the bag. She fits snugly on top of everything, and you smile. You exit your room, and make your way downstairs. As you head for the door, you hear your parents arguing in the kitchen. They seem to be debating whether or not to call the police. You chuckle, knowing they never would. No matter how many threats they make, they never act on them.

You leave the house, and get back in the taxi. "Well... That went pretty good."

You arrive back at the animal hospital in the night, the long taxi ride giving you time to think. Dinky has fallen asleep in the bag, and is nuzzling it comfortably. You walk slowly into the animal hospital, the lights, and meet your brother in the lobby. He beckons you to come quickly, and you can see the excitement in his eyes. You approach him, and you both speak in low whispers.

"Dude, you have no idea how hard it was to hide Derpy." Your brother says wearily, but you know he is happy nonetheless.

"I know, I know. We ready to go? How are we gunna do this?"

"Where's Dinky?"

You open up the bag to reveal the filly, and it brings a smile to your big brother's face. "Right here. I'll tell you how it went with dad, but you know the answer already..." You hang your head, but your brother smiles knowingly. He knows you never really liked it there, and didn't get to do anything. You've only told him a million times.

You both make your way to Derpy's room, and stand outside the door. Your brother holds his hand out. "Here, give me Dinky. I'm going to bring my car to the front, and I want you to pick Derpy up and run outside as fast as you can." You laugh, and give your brother a scrutinizing look. You hand him the bag containing the unicorn filly.

"Seriously Collin? That's all you could come up with?"

Your big brother deadpans. "This isn't Mission Impossible, bro."

"Fine, fine. Go get the car, I'll be out in a second." Your brother walks off with Dinky, leaving you alone in front of the room. You push the door open quietly, and silently tip-toe into the room. Derpy lies on the bed, silently breathing. She's obviously asleep. You smile at how adorable it is. Sucks that I have to wake her up... You creep over to her (while resisting the urge to let out an extended hiss), and look over her. She's doing well, although still very disheveled, her coat, mane, and tail a complete mess. Rarity would freak out if she ever saw the mailmare looking like this. You put your hand on her shoulder (or whatever the top of her front leg is called), and jostle her.

Derpy slowly comes too, blinking her eyes. They do their trademark 'derp' which you have to say, is much more adorable in real life. She looks at you. "Hm... What's up?" You chuckle slightly at the sight of her, with her disheveled mane and derpy eyes. She notices you staring and quickly looks away.

"I know they're weird, and awkward, and funny, but that doesn't mean you have to laugh..."

You catch yourself. Ah fuck, that's not what I meant by it at all! "No! That wasn't what I meant by it!" She gives you a look, one that shows sadness and anger. "They don't make you look weird...they make you look...well...cute." Her looks turns from one of irritation to one of sheer embarrassment, and you see her blush a bit Wow, shit just got real. As if it weren't real enough.