On a Snowy Winter's Night
A unicorn filly lies on the bottom bunk of her bunk bed, waiting for sleep to take her. She looks out the darkened window of her room she shares with other orphans like her. The snow gently brushes the frosted glass as it falls from the night sky streaked with clouds, dim moonlight dripping out of them. The filly known as Dinky Doo silently cries, careful not to wake her peers around her.
Hearth's Warming Eve is a week away and, yet, no pony has come in to adopt her. It's not like anypony in the Metrotpolis Orphanage cares. No pony is here long enough to care. Every time a pony comes in to adopt, they look through her like she's a ghost not meant to exist. Friends she has made all leave sooner or later, never to return, not even to say hi or bring her a present. The caretakers try their best to make her feel special, but they are just doing their jobs. All their "love" is fueled by a paycheck.
A sob escapes Dinky's lips, surprising her like an unannounced guest. She quickly covers her mouth to make sure another one doesn't show up and wake somepony. Her bunk mate, a pegasus filly, sleeping above her stirs causing Dinky's heart to race. After moving and squirming around in her bed to find that sweet spot, the pegasus returns to her slumber. Dinky releases her pent up breath in relief and comes back to her indulgence in self-pity.
It's a strange feeling, but she has come to accept her sadness. Not that it makes her situation any better, but feeling sad all the time is normal for her. She finds comfort in her misery. It's like if she doesn't feel sad, then something's off in her life. She continues her crying until her tired eyes could no longer stay open.
The following morning is like any other morning. Dinky lazily gets out of bed, last as usual. On the way down the hall and into the cafeteria, she tries her best to avoid talking to other ponies. The caretaker, Mrs. Whinny, a mare with a light brown coat and a dark green mane, greets Dinky upon entering the cafeteria to which Dinky replies with a simple nod. She could care less about formalities and just wants to get this day over with.
The cafeteria is a depressing room. Most notable are the windows, covered in a wired mesh making it feel like a prison. There are three long wooden tables extending from one end of the cafeteria to the other, all filled with noisy fillies and colts. To the left of the entrance is the kitchen where the slop passed off as food is prepared.
Dinky heads to the kitchen. On a tin counter top lie some red food trays, all carrying the same thing: a green mush in a porcelain bowl with carrots on the side and a glass of orange juice. With her unicorn magic, Dinky picks up one of the trays, enveloping it in a light gray aura. She looks around the room for a place to sit. All the other orphans are screaming and talking really loud. The noise irritates Dinky, it grating against her ears. She sighs and sees an empty corner away from all the other ponies.
Setting down the tray, she sniffs the bowl of mush. An acrid smell flares up her snout bringing tears to her eyes, so Dinky pushes the bowl away and takes a bite of a carrot instead. The orange vegetable is warm, limp and soft, but at least it's tolerable. Next, she takes a sip of her orange juice which has a strange bitter taste. She gags, trying hard to keep from spitting out the juice.
She sighs once more as if done by routine. The others don't seem to have a problem with the food. Maybe it's just Dinky's luck she always picks the wrong tray, though arriving late for breakfast everyday might have something to do with it.
Dinky stomachs down another carrot and gets up to throw away the rest of the food. A couple of hoof steps approach her from behind. "Look, it's the permanent resident of the orphanage."
Dinky, recognizing the voice, solemnly asks, "What do you want Flash Fire?" Flash Fire is a rude little pegasus colt. He never listens to the caretakers and always picks on other ponies. His mane is a dark orange with yellow highlights. His coat is blood red and he has a cutie mark of a bomb with a short fuse.
"Not much, dorky. I just wanted to tell you that I just got adopted. I won't give this place a second thought once I leave with my new dad."
"Okay, you told me. Now can you go away?" Dinky turns around to her food. She sits back down, taking a mouthful of the mysterious mush to try and ignore Flash Fire.
Flash Fire stomps on the table with his forelegs, causing the mush in the bowl to jiggle in place. "Doesn't it burn you up inside, everypony is getting a family this Hearth's Warming Eve. Everypony, but you. If I were you, I would just run away, hide my face where no pony can see it. No pony wants you here anyways."
Dinky sighs. "Please, just go away."
Flash Fire glares at Dinky. "Fine."
He smirks and pushes Dinky's face into the bowl of mush. He laughs and laughs and laughs and Dinky simply takes it. She doesn't react beyond wiping her face clean.
Flash Fire stares at her disappointingly. "You're no fun," he says and walks away.
A single tear crawls down Dinky's cheek. She continues eating until the food and everypony in the cafeteria are all gone.
Later that day, everypony is called out to the front. Dinky is in her bed when the announcement comes through the intercom. "Everypony come to the front door. It's time to say good bye to Flash Fire."
As much as Dinky hated Flash Fire, even more so because he got adopted and not her, she wills herself to go. Doing something to keep her mind and body occupied is really the only thing that keeps her from thinking negative thoughts.
She's in no hurry though. Dinky waits for everypony to go ahead of her before getting up from bed and heading out. She walks down the gray hall, and turns left, apathetically putting one hoof in front of the other as she steps downstairs into the lobby. She arrives to see many ponies crowding the front door, all wishing Flash Fire farewell.
There is another group of ponies watching from afar. Obviously, they are ponies who were picked on by Flash. It is comforting to Dinky to see she wasn't the only target of Flash Fire's bullying. Dinky sits down away from all the noise. She sees Flash hugging the foreleg of a very important-looking stallion. He has a dark black mane and is dressed in a business suit. His coat is white and his cutie mark is of an overflowing bit bag.
Mrs. Whinny is there too, hoofing him the papers which makes the adoption official. Flash and his new father walk out. He turns around, locking eyes with Dinky. She nonchalantly stares back at him until he is out of sight. The ponies disperse, leaving Dinky alone in the lobby.
Dinky stares at the door and thinks about what Flash said before. You should just run away. No pony wants you here anyways. What did she do to deserve this? It should be her walking out the door with a new family, not a colt as foul as Flash. Tears swell up behind Dinky's eyes.
She looks around to see if any pony is there watching. Confirming the room is empty, she lets out a sob. Her crying echoes off the gray walls, but, even after she exhausts all her tears, no pony comes to comfort her. She heads to her room to wait out the rest of this miserable day in bed.
Another snowy night. Instead of Dinky sleeping--or crying--in her bed, she's staring out into the city from the only window in the room. Dinky's breathing fogs up the glazed window, so she's constantly rubbing away the condensed water from the glass. Outside a blanket of snow covers the courtyard.
A single gray pathway is outlined by light posts illuminating the white downcast in a dim yellow halo. In the distance, past a wrought iron gate of interweaving metal laces, Metrotpolis glows faintly in the cold fog hugging the ground. Headlights from automobiles slug along peacefully in the city streets. Above the city, stars and snow dance around each other making it hard to tell which is which. It's a distant world, something Dinky can only experience from her room.
Hearth's Warming Eve is six days away. Visions of that day flash through Dinky's mind. She goes over many scenarios in her head: Mrs. Whinny giving her a gift with absolutely no thought put into it, the cook making a special breakfast just for her. She even goes through the possibility of getting adopted, but she quickly dismisses the idea. She doesn't want to get her hopes up. Her head bobs in the air as drowsiness veils her eyes.
Through her haze, the snow flakes drifting close to the window twinkle like stars. She mouths a single wish and, no longer being able to keep her eyes open, gets down from the window sill and feels for her bed in the dark. Unintentionally, she kicks the metal bedpost of her bed with her left foreleg. Dinky groans as she rubs her hoof to ease the pain away. She limps onto her bed and snugly wraps herself in the warm embrace of her blankets, drifting away into a light sleep, but mouths her wish a second time before blissful darkness finally takes her.
Another cold morning, with the same routine. The cafeteria is emptier than usual because Dinky overslept. She gets her food and sits down in her normal spot. The carrots are crispier and more tolerable than yesterday though the mush is still the same. Dinky chews on a carrot when hoof steps echo off behind her.
Her first thought is of Flash Fire, but she remembers he left yesterday. Dinky concludes it must be some other pony passing by, not worth her attention. A voice resonates in the nearly empty cafeteria which captivates Dinky. "My, what a fascinating establishment you have here. Look, Ditzy, tables. Ah, blast, these aren't real wood. What a shame."
"Yeah, what a shame," says another more feminine voice sarcastically.
"Your husband is quite... eccentric," says the familiar voice of Mrs. Whinny.
"That's the Doctor, always getting caught up by the weirdest things," says the mare.
Dinky turns around and sees Mrs. Whinny standing with two other ponies. One is a light brown earth pony with a darker brown mane and a simple white collar with a blue tie. His cutie mark is an hour glass. The second pony is a light gray pegasus with a blond mane. Her cutie mark consists of seven bubbles.
"Maybe you should look at the fillies and colts instead Mr... uh, what was you name again?"
"Oh, I don't have a name. And if I did, it would be one most tantalizing you wouldn't be able to say it."
Mrs. Whinny, baffled, looks at the Doctor's wife. "Just call him Dr. Whooves," replies the pegasus.
"Very well," says Mrs. Whinny, "Dr. Whooves, we have many ponies here at the Metrotpolis Orphanage. I'm sure we could find somepony with similar... uh, tastes such as yourself."
"Oh, what fun would that be, hmm? If I wanted another me, I would simply clone myself."
"Oh, okay? What are you looking for in a son or daughter?"
"I don't know yet. Ooh, what about her? What's her name?" He points at Dinky.
Dinky turns away. Did he really point at her? Can today really be the day? Her heart races as she tries desperately to hold back a smile.
"Um, her, yes. Her name is... oh, what was it? Dorky! Yes, I heard her friend call her Dorky the other day, that is her name." Mrs. Whinny chuckles nervously.
Their hoof steps come closer to Dinky. Each step causes her heart to thump louder and faster. She holds her breath, unsure of what to think. All these questions bubble up inside of her. What if they don't like her? What if she isn't what they're looking for in a daughter? She couldn't hold her breath any longer and lets it out in one big respire. She pants as she refills her lungs with air. A hoof lands on her shoulder causing Dinky to freeze.
"You okay there?" The pegasus mare asks.
Dinky slowly turns to see the face of a concerned mare looking at her. "My name is Dinky!" She blurts out, smiling nervously.
"That's almost like your name, Ditzy," says the Doctor.
Ditzy giggles. "Yeah."
Mrs. Whinny looks away, embarrassed she didn't know Dinky's real name.
"What are you doing sitting here by yourself?" asks Ditzy.
Dinky looks down. "I don't have any friends to sit with."
"But what about Flash Fire?" asks Mrs. Whinny, desperate to redeem herself. "Certainly he is your friend. I saw you two here together yesterday."
"He isn't my friend. He always picked on me and called me names."
Ditzy glares at Mrs. Whinny for not knowing that. She sits next to Dinky, putting her wing around her. "You know, I was picked on too when I was a filly, because of my derpy eyes. You know what got me through it all?"
"What?" Dinky asks innocently. She looks into the soulful eyes of Ditzy, entranced by how much care is behind them.
"My mother. She always knew what to say and got me through some tough jams even if she had to stand up to my bullies herself." Ditzy smiles and giggles. "Let me ask you this: Would you like a mother?"
Dinky's eyes widen. After a few moments of stunned silence, she hugs Ditzy and begins to bawl with no reserve. Ditzy smiles and returns the embrace as Dinky continues to cry her heart out. She looks at her husband which, in turn, looks at Mrs. Whinny.
"We'll take her," says the Doctor.
That snowy winter's night is different than the others. Dinky can't sleep, but it's out of happiness and excitement, not sadness. She finally got adopted! And she will be on her way to her new home tomorrow. She's sitting on the window sill, thanking the snow flakes for granting her wish. She feels silly talking to frozen water, but she's sure she isn't the only one who has done it before. She thinks back when the adoption became official, never getting tired of replaying the scene in her mind.
* * *
Mrs. Whinny took Dinky and her new family to her office. She had never been in the record's office. It looked very different compared to the rest of the orphanage. The walls were painted a bright yellow, there was actual carpet rather than a concrete floor, and the room smelled of lavender. Mrs. Whinny pulled out some paper work from a large file cabinet for the Doctor to fill out. While he did so, Dinky and Ditzy got to know more about each other.
"So, what do you like to do for fun, Dinky?"
"Fun? Um, I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?" asked Ditzy concerned.
"Well, I usually stay in bed all day."
"You better not do that when you with me, cuz we're gonna have lots of fun."
Dinky giggled as Ditzy tickled her rib cage.
"What do you do for fun?" asked Dinky with a dying laughter from being tickled.
"Hmm." Ditzy put on a thoughtful expression. "Muffins!"
"Muffins?"
"Yeah, I like to bake banana-nut muffins and blueberry muffins and poppy-seed muffins with a hint of cinnamon. Not so much that it's overpowering, but just enough to let you know it's there." Ditzy gasped at a sudden realization. "I know, I'll bake you a muffin! Consider it your home-warming muffin."
"I-I never had a muffin before."
"That's just sad," said Ditzy. "Muffins are the greatest thing in the world! Oh, I guess they're now the second greatest thing in the world." She ruffled Dinky's mane.
Dinky hugged Ditzy, a tear falling from her eye. Ditzy lifted Dinky's head and gently rubbed away her tear.
"There, we best head home, Ditzy," interrupted the Doctor after signing the last piece of documentation. "We have much to prepare for Dinky Whooves' arrival." He winked at Dinky.
"And you have to pack your things," Mrs. Whinny said to Dinky.
Mrs. Whinny led them out to the lobby; Dinky was under Ditzy's wing the whole way there. She didn't want to leave her side. Dinky couldn't pinpoint it, but something about Ditzy made her feel safe. Nothing really existed out of Ditzy's warm embrace when they hugged. Maybe this was what having a mother felt like.
At the door, Dinky was reluctant to leave them, but Ditzy promised they'll be here to pick her up tomorrow at eight. Dinky hugged Ditzy one last time before parting ways. Afterwards, Dinky raced to her room and peered out the window to see the Doctor and Ditzy get in an automobile and drive off to what will be her new home.
* * *
Dinky steps down from the window sill and jumps on her bed, shaking the filly above her awake. "H-hey, what was that?"
Dinky laughs. "Sorry," she says.
The filly leans over the side of the bed. "You okay?"
"Never better."
"Well, can you quit jumping? You nearly gave me a heart attack." The filly slumps back onto her bed.
"Sure, I promise I won't do it again," says Dinky. The pegasus filly tries to returns to sleep the rest of the night away when Dinky interrupts her attempt. "Hey, what's your name?"
The filly groans. "Scootaloo, now can I please go back to sleep?"
"Hi, Scootaloo--"
"Guess not..."
"--My name is Dinky. Don't you find it funny that we've been sharing this bunk bed for months now and we barely got to know each other's names?"
"No," says Scootaloo blankly. She covers her head with her blanket hoping it will drown out Dinky's voice.
"I find it hilarious." Dinky laughs.
Scootaloo tosses her blanket forward. "Yeah, well I find it annoying. Why'd you pick today to finally talk? I have to get up early tomorrow."
"Sorry, I'm just so excited. I finally got adopted today!" The corners of Dinky's smile nearly fly off her face. It feels wonderful admitting she got adopted.
"Yeah, well, me too. Now, I want to sleep so I won't be tired when I meet up with my new big sister tomorrow."
"Oh, sorry, good night."
"Good night," says Scootaloo bluntly.
"My name's Dinky by the way."
"I know! Go to sleep!"
Dinky recoils from Scootaloo's tone, but that doesn't quell her happiness. She slips into her blankets and closes her eyes, trying to hold in her enthusiasm so Scootaloo can sleep. It's hard though, because, starting tomorrow, she finally has a family to love her.
As the night drags on and Dinky's energy boils down, the last image she sees is the snow twinkling in the night sky, it watching over her. She mouths one more wish before the veil in her eyes fully envelopes her vision, casting her in a comforting wave of peace.
Dinky is blissfully snoozing away when Scootaloo jumps out of bed, landing with a loud thud. She rouses at the noise, concerned somepony might do her harm. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees the eager pegasus filly run out the room. Dinky considers it insignificant, and turns away from the door, pulling in her blankets closer as she tries to go back to sleep.
What's today? Sunday? Dinky thinks to herself. She mentally sighs. Another day here in the orphanage. Another day to go by and... wait.
Dinky instantly opens her eyes at her realization. She kicks off her covers and hurries out of bed only to trip over the end guard rail as she tries to jump over it to fetch her saddle bag she packed yesterday before going to sleep. Collecting herself, Dinky quickly puts on the bag and gallops to the cafeteria. She has never gone this early to eat breakfast before. Upon arriving, she sets her bag down near the entrance and reads the clock ticking on the wall on the far end of the cafeteria. 6:43 am. Perfect, that gives me plenty of time to eat.
The cook has already prepared some food trays in an attempt to get a head start on the day. Dinky heads over to the kitchen. There, she stares at the trays, slightly confused at what's on them. Instead of the familiar slop, there's a steaming bowl of oatmeal with brightly colored carrots stacked neatly upon each other and a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice. "Hey, mister?" she says to the cook while she pulls in a tray.
"What?" says a gruff voice. The cook is a unicorn stallion with a mustard-yellow mane in a mane net. His coat is a milk chocolate color and his cutie mark is a metal soup pot. He's busy stirring oatmeal in a pot over the stove.
"Where's the usual breakfast?" Dinky asks.
"You're looking at it."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you gotta come early for breakfast, kid. This stuff doesn't stay fresh for long." The stallion grabs a plastic shaker from a wooden shelf next to the stove's hood and sprinkles some red powder into the pot.
Dinky looks up, thinking back at all the times she could of avoided her turmoil at breakfast these past years and quietly laughs at herself. She sure is glad this is the last time she'll have to deal with breakfast at the orphanage. I wonder if my new mother knows how to cook anything else besides muffins. I wonder if it's okay to call her mom. It feels like a funny word. Mom...
"Hey," says the cook. "Why'd you pick today to be early for breakfast, Dinky?"
"Huh? You know my name?" asks Dinky, shaking her head as she snaps out of her daydream.
"Of course I do. I'm not just a mindless cook, you know." The stallion places another tray on the counter to replace the one Dinky grabbed.
Dinky smiles, but it quickly dies down. "If only Mrs. Whinny knew my name too."
"Ah, give her a break, kid. She's an old mare. She doesn't just have you to worry about. So?" asks the unicorn as he returns to tend his pot.
"So? What?"
"Is today a special day or something?"
"Oh." Dinky giggles. "I got adopted yesterday, and today they're picking me up."
"Congratulations, kid. Here." The cook places an apple on Dinky's tray with his magic, with his attention still on the food he's cooking. "Fresh from Sweet Apple Farms. I got a delivery just this morning."
"Thank you, um..."
"Stew. Call me Stew."
Dinky chuckles at the pun. "Thanks, Stew."
"No problem, kid. Hey, have fun with your new family."
Dinky grins in affirmation. She picks up her tray with her magic and walks over to her usual corner. Dinky sits down and takes a mouthful of the warm oatmeal. It's flavor is like nothing she's ever tasted before. It has a pleasant earthy feel to it with a little sweet taste of something. Cinnamon? Whatever it is, Dinky loves it. She takes a bite of a carrot and a sip of the orange juice. The carrot is cool, crisp, and delicious. And the orange juice, refreshing with a bit of tang to its sweetened flavor.
Dinky regrets not coming early for breakfast everyday. It's hard to believe that, in a few hours, this delectable meal will become the awful slop she has come to loath. She revels in the food, savoring every bite to its fullest. What more, there isn't a pony in sight to annoy her. Dinky is having a hard time eating and smiling without having some of the food in her mouth fall out. After a while, her cheeks begin to ache from trying to repress her growing smile, but she doesn't care.
A strange rolling sound comes down the hall. Dinky has never heard such a noise, so, instinctively, she turns to the source of the racket. Scootaloo enters the cafeteria riding a blue scooter. She stops by drifting to the side and takes off her helmet, flipping her mane to get rid of the imprint left behind by the helmet. She places her own saddle bag next to Dinky's and dismounts her ride.
Then she goes to the kitchen to get her own food. With a tray in her mouth, Scootaloo sees Dinky and heads toward her. Dinky prefers to be alone since no pony ever paid much attention to her and the attention she did get was usually from Flash Fire. She turns away hoping Scootaloo will pick a different place to sit.
Scootaloo places her tray next to Dinky's. "Hey, Dinky, right?"
"Uh-huh."
"Ya mind if I sit here?"
"Um... no, go ahead," Dinky says flatly.
Scootaloo sits down. "Cool. Um, hey. Sorry about last night. I was being a bit harsh on you. No hard feelings, right?"
"It's fine. I should have kept quiet and let you sleep. I was just a little excited, that's all."
Scootaloo laughs. "But if you didn't wake me up, we wouldn't have become friends."
"We're friends?" Dinky doesn't know how to feel about this. She has had friends before, but that was in her early years when she was optimistic about the future. After having to experience her friends leave her over and over, Dinky cut herself off from other ponies and stopped making friends.
"Heck yeah we are. Getting adopted on the same day has to count for something, don'tcha think?"
"I guess it does."
"Well don't guess." Scootaloo fills her mouth with oatmeal and downs it with two gulps of orange juice. She lets out a satisfying AH. "We're friends and nothing is gonna change that." Scootaloo extends her hoof towards Dinky.
Dinky stares at Scootaloo's hoof for a good while. She's still unsure about this whole "friends" thing. Hesitantly, she extends her own hoof to meet up with Scootaloo's in a hoof shake.
"So, who adopted you, and what is he or she like?" asks Scootaloo setting her sights on her own food.
"Umm, well, a couple came in to adopt me. The stallion is a doctor of some kind. He's... odd, but I like his voice. The mare, on the other hoof, was really, really nice to me. She likes to bake muffins... a lot."
"That's weird," says Scootaloo with a mouthful of oatmeal. She swallows it and then takes an aggressive bite out of a carrot. "Why muffins?"
"I don't know, but I don't mind. Um, who adopted you, and what are they like?"
Scootaloo takes another drink from her orange juice. "A pegasus adopted me. Her name is Rainbow Dash. She just got out of college and was looking for somepony to take under her wing to pass on everything she knows. She was a hotshot at Metrotpolis U, and wants somepony to carry on her legacy. She saw me shredding on my scooter out in the playground and really liked my moves."
"We have a playground?" asks Dinky.
Scootaloo shoots Dinky a confused look. "Ye-yeah, it's out back. You don't get out much, do you?"
Dinky stays silent. She doesn't want her first friend in a long time to think she's a social shut in, but she doesn't know how to prove it otherwise since that's exactly what she has become.
"Hey, don't worry about it," says Scootaloo, patting Dinky on the back. "Cuz, today, we're both getting out of this awful place."
Dinky smiles as she relives the moment she got adopted. Out of her nostalgia, Dinky looks at Scootaloo who is attacking her breakfast with such vigor. "Why are you eating so fast?"
"I told you I had to get up early. Rainbow Dash is picking me up at seven so we can go see this race at Wonderbolt Stadium."
Dinky and Scootaloo simultaneously glance at the clock. It's 6:53 am. "I only have seven minutes," says Scootaloo as she resumes her assault on the helpless meal. Dinky turns to her food. She came early, because she thought the food was going to be terrible, and it takes her forever to eat it.
She doesn't want to be hungry when the Doctor and Ditzy come pick her up. It'll be embarrassing having her stomach growl in front of them and she doesn't want them to think she's starving herself. Dinky really wants to make sure they get what they want out of a daughter, so they won't send her back to the orphanage.
"Hey," says Scootaloo.
"Huh." Dinky snaps out of her thoughts.
"While you were there staring at your food, I finished mine." Scootaloo turns to the clock. "I still got a good two minutes left. Want me to wait here till you finish, or I have to go?"
"Oh, uh, you don't have to wait for me. I don't have to go until eight, and I'm a slow eater." Dinky hates being a bother. She would rather have Scootaloo leave than wait around for her, even for a mere two minutes. Dinky can't think of a way to entertain her for two minutes. Being alone for most of her life has striped her ability to socialize and she doesn't want Scootaloo to think she's boring.
Scootaloo shakes her head. "So what? What kinda friend would I be if I just left you here all by yourself?"
A smile creeps onto Dinky's face and her eyes begin to water up.
"Whoa, hey," says Scootaloo. "Don't go crying on me. I'll leave if that's what you really want me to do."
"No, I don't want you to go." Dinky wipes her eyes.
"Then what's with the waterworks?"
"It's just..." Dinky hesitates. "I'm not used to ponies being this nice to me. That's all."
"Wow, this place really treated you that bad, huh? You shoulda talked to me sooner. You and I would of had loads of fun."
Dinky chuckles. "Too late for that now." Her face quickly saddens at her own remark.
"Now what's up?" asks Scootaloo.
"We're leaving."
"Yeah, that's a good thing, remember?"
"No, I mean yes, but..." Dinky sighs as she looks back down at her food. She plays around with a carrot, slowly rolling it around her tray with her hoof. "All the friends I make leave me. No pony sticks by me for long."
Scootaloo busts out laughing. "Is that all?" She continues laughing.
"Why is it so funny?" asks Dinky, tearing up some more.
Scootaloo calms down from her laughter. "If there's one thing I learnt from my big sis yesterday, it's loyalty. She and her friends have know each other practically since birth. If I want to be anything like my new big sis, I need to be loyal to every one of my friends, and that includes you." Scootaloo touches Dinky on her snout.
"Really?" Dinky sniffs.
"Totally, I don't care how big this city is. We'll find a time and place to hang out."
Dinky perks up from her small fit of sadness. "Okay, I'd like that."
Scootaloo opens her mouth to say something when Mrs. Whinny's voice interrupts her. "Scootaloo! Where are you? You're new sister is here to pick you up."
A voice Dinky has never heard before announces itself next. It sounds slightly raspy, but still young and full of life. "Yeah, squirt, we're gonna be late for the race."
Scootaloo leaps out of her seat. "I'm in the cafeteria!" She looks back at Dinky. "Um, looks like I gotta go."
Dinky tries her best to put on a smile despite her departing friend. "Yeah, I guess you do."
Scootaloo stretches out her hoof towards Dinky. "See you on the outside?" Her face is full of care which reminds Dinky of Ditzy's face. Saying goodbye to a friend is always hard. Dinky knows Scootaloo promised to spend some time with her outside of the orphanage, but the chances of them meeting again are slim and Dinky knows this.
Dinky grins. "Yeah." She bumps Scootaloo on her hoof in hopes of actually meeting again.
"There she is," says Mrs. Whinny. Walking in next to her is a sky blue pegasus mare with a multicolored mane and a cutie mark of a white cloud with a rainbow lightning bolt. She is quite beautiful, sleek and streamline as if she is built for speed.
Scootaloo flutters in the air with glee. She hops over to her new big sister. "Sup, Rainbow Dash."
"Hiya, squirt." Rainbow rubs Scootaloo's mane. "Come on, get your things. We gotta race to get to."
"Yes, ma'am." Scootaloo salutes Rainbow Dash by putting her left hoof to her forehead and pulling it away, glistening at the authority Rainbow Dash has over her. It's a stark reminder that she has a sister to call her own. She goes about putting on her saddle bag and mounting her scooter. "Ready," she says.
"Alright, let's go," says Rainbow with excitement.
Rainbow Dash takes off when Mrs. Whinny stops her from going too far. "Hang on, you need this if you want the adoption to mean anything to the city." She waves a rolled up piece of paper wrapped in a red ribbon. On the ribbon is the official seal of Metrotpolis City Hall.
Rainbow Dash sighs. She turns back and snatches the papers from Mrs. Whinny's hoof. "Anything else?" she asks impatiently.
"Nope, that's it."
"Good, cuz we're running late as is. Come on, Scoots. Double time." With that, she flies out of the cafeteria.
"Right behind you, Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo looks back at Dinky and waves at her. Without waiting for a response, she places her helmet on her head and chases after Rainbow Dash.
Dinky timidly waves back, wary of Mrs. Whinny's presence. It doesn't work though, because Mrs. Whinny heads her way. Oh, I didn't want to get her attention. The caretaker has a small smile on her face as she approaches Dinky.
"Um, you don't have to keep me company," says Dinky.
"What? No, dear. I'm just picking up Scootaloo's tray."
"Oh," says Dinky in a weak tone.
Mrs. Whinny takes Scootaloo's tray back into the kitchen, leaving Dinky behind alone. Dinky sighs and continues eating her food. She can never pinpoint why Mrs. Whinny treats her like this. She's just as bad as the families that come in to adopt, treating Dinky like an insignificant shadow.
* * *
It's 7:38 am. The Doctor and Ditzy will be here in twenty-two minutes. Some colts and fillies are already filling up the seats, so Dinky hurries with her meal. More and more ponies enter the cafeteria, talking away, stepping on Dinky's eardrums. Why does she find them so annoying?
Their underdeveloped voices stab at her ears like a barrage of needles. Maybe, after hating this place for so long, her physical body has grown an intolerance to everypony here. Whatever the reason may be, she doesn't want to be caught in the flood of ponies entering the cafeteria and be late to meet up with her new family.
Dinky washes down the last bite of oatmeal with the rest of her orange juice. She picks up her tray with her magic and steps down from her seat. This is the last time she'll have to do anything like this ever again. It makes her smile. There was never a time when Dinky smiled in the cafeteria before. She never had a reason to. But this day is very different.
Dinky trots to the kitchen, humming a tune she heard long ago. She places her tray on the side of the counter where it belongs. Looking around, she scans the kitchen for Stew, but he isn't there. He must have left after finishing up everypony's breakfast. It would have been nice to say goodbye.
Dinky goes to grab her saddle bag. She expects Flash Fire to come in any moment to ruin her day. It's a habit she gotten into every time she's about to leave the cafeteria. Seeing that nothing is happening, she steps out into the hallway and heads to the lobby, humming the same tune she was before. She sits down on top of the stairs and waits with a large smile on her face. The grandfather clock in the lobby ticks away, saying it's 7:40.
7:52, Dinky is playing with a ball she got from Mrs. Whinny last year. She rolls it around on the floor, occasionally throwing it off the stairs and watching it bounce all the way down, just to retrieve it with her magic, starting the process all over again. "There you are Dor-, uh, Dinky. Waiting for your new mommy and daddy?" asks Mrs. Whinny.
Dinky flattens her ears. I'm not five. I'm twelve, but you wouldn't know that. "Yeah, I am."
Mrs. Whinny condescendingly smiles, ignorant of how she is talking down to Dinky. "Okay. Would you like me to wait here with you?"
"Mm-hmm." Dinky desperately wants to show her what a terrible caretaker she is and how much she hates her, but she bites her tongue. She knows better than to act like Flash Fire.
Mrs. Whinny continues smiling as she sits down next to Dinky. Dinky notices Mrs. Whinny is carrying a parchment in her hoof similar to what she gave to Rainbow Dash when she came to pick up Scootaloo. Her hatred soon drains away as she looks back at the clock. It's actually happening. Dinky smiles and continues playing with her ball.
7:59, Dinky sits up, fixated on the face of the grandfather clock as the second hand ticks onward. It crosses the thirty second mark. Each tick resonates within Dinky, causing her heart to quicken. It flies by the forty-five second mark. She bites down on her lips. Can time go any faster? Dinky wonders. It reaches the fifty-nine second mark. Dinky closes her eyes and DING DONG. The clock announces the coming of the eighth hour of the morning, its metallic peal echoing off the walls. Dinky gasps, and opens her eyes.
She turns to the door, expecting it to swing open to reveal a path of light leading to a golden chariot holding her new family, but it remains motionless. She giggles to herself. Of course they're not going to be here on the dot. Nopony is that perfect. Dinky throws her ball downstairs and retrieves it. They'll be here any minute now.
* * *
8:21, Mrs. Whinny taps her right hoof. "Um, Dinky?"
"They'll be here." Dinky's voice sounds desperate.
Mrs. Whinny looks at Dinky. "Sure, dear. They'll be here." She smiles, full of pity.
Dinky lies on the floor lifeless. She rolls her ball slowly around in circles with her hoof.
"Um, Dinky?"
"I told you they'll be here," says Dinky a bit more irritated.
"I know, dear, but I have to go check on the foals. Here--" Mrs. Whinny hoofs her the adoption papers "--give this to your parents when they show up."
Dinky looks at them without moving her head and grabs them with her magic, placing them down next to her saddle bag. Mrs. Whinny stands up and gazes at Dinky. She wants to say something to make Dinky feel better, but she knows anything she says will have no effect on her. Despite her experience as a caretaker, she still does not know how to comfort an abandoned orphan, so she walks away.
Dinky feels numb. She closes her eyes to stop her tears, but it doesn't help. A steady stream flows onto the cold floor. She looks at her ball, it reminding her of Mrs. Whinny. Dinky scowls at it and throws it with all her magical energy at the front door. The ball hits hard, causing it to wheeze and lose some of the air inside. It falls limply on the ground. After everything Ditzy has said, they abandon her. This is worse than the ponies who ignore her. At least they say they don't want her, indirectly or not.
Something hits the front door like a stone. "Ow," says a voice muffled by the wood in the way. The sudden impact alone catches Dinky's attention.
The door creaks open. "You have to be more careful Ditzy," says the Doctor opening the door for his wife.
Ditzy walks in, rubbing her forehead, and holding a saddle bag in her mouth. She sees Dinky's face puffy from crying. Her own eyes tear up as she realizes what she has done, how she made Dinky feel. She rushes to her and hugs her, swinging her wildly back and forth. "I'm soooo sorry." Ditzy wails.
Dinky stays quiet. What can she say? It hurts to try to talk over the lump in her throat. The two ponies she hoped to call family are here, but at what cost?
Doctor Whooves steps up the stairs. "Terribly sorry we are late. I'm usually good at this sort of thing, time and all, but Ditzy's boss held us up for quite a bit more than expected."
Ditzy places Dinky back down. "I quit my job as mailmare, you see, so I can spend some more time with you. Um, I didn't know what kind of muffin you like so I made a whole bunch of them." Ditzy opens up her bag to reveal a mixed mess of scattered pieces of muffins and muffin wrappings. "Sorry they're kinda... uh... crushed. It happened when I hit the door." Ditzy, in a half smile, offers the bag to Dinky.
Dinky stares at the bag, unsure of what to say.
The Doctor places a hoof on Dinky's shoulder. "I know you feel like we've abandoned you. But, believe me when I say, we have not. We are here, and we still want you as a part of our family if you'd simply give us that chance. We may not be the best parents in the world--we are fairly new at this--but we love you, and we wouldn't dream of hurting you like we did today ever again. Not if I have anything to say about it. So what do you say, hmm? Do you still want us as a mum and pop?"
Dinky looks down and walks to her saddle bag. She stays there, mulling over the Doctor's question. This is her chance to finally have a family, but... they were late. She picks up the adoption papers and returns to the Doctor and Ditzy. The air is stale around them despite the open door allowing the cold wind to run rampant in the lobby. Dinky stares at them as they do to her, nopony blinking. No family is perfect, but--in the end--as long as they love her, it doesn't matter how imperfect they are. Dinky rolls the papers to them with her snout. "Let's go home."
