Chapter 1: Family Appreciation Day

DINKY'S DADDY

CHAPTER 1:

FAMILY APPRECIATION DAY

Celestia's sun was raised high in the sky overlooking Ponyville, with much of the city going about their usual days.

Business ponies were selling products and food in the market.

Mailponies, including a certain gray-colored pegasus mare, were delivering letters and packages at rapid speeds throughout town.

Older ponies were enjoying the sunlight, chess, and other stereotypical elder activities in the park.

Bon Bon was struggling to keep her eyes open through her wife Lyra's latest lecture on humans.

Big Macintosh was attempting to transport some hay through town while ignoring the multitude of mares and stallions trying to get his romantic attention.

Pinkie Pie was leading a big musical number about the importance of sugar through the streets while Colgate sobbed over a tub of toothpaste in the background.

Twilight Sparkle and Applejack were attempting to stop a somewhat stressed out Rarity from beating Rainbow Dash to death with a pincushion while Fluttershy watched from her unconscious and recently fainted form on the ground.

You know, all the usual things.

But none of that mattered to a small purple unicorn filly as she cheerfully bounded into the Ponyville Elementary schoolhouse. All the other foals had faces of disappointment that their recess had ended, but six-year old Dinky Doo was excited, especially when she saw an adult Earth pony stallion sitting patiently in the back of the classroom.

Today was Family Appreciation Day, and it was Dinky's turn to bring in a family member to speak!

Dinky quickly ran towards the front of the classroom, and secured herself a seat in the front row. It was the first time in two months since it had been her turn for Family Appreciation Day, and she couldn't wait to hear what the stallion waiting in the back of the room would say.

Behind her, two other fillies noticed her excitement, and they collectively scoffed and shot her nasty looks. Dinky ignored them, and instead smiled as Cheerilee, the teacher, led the stallion to the front of the room.

"Okay class," Cheerilee said, sitting down at her desk. "For today's Family Appreciation Day, we are all very pleased to welcome Dinky's uncle Time Turner,"

She gestured over to the brown-coated Earth pony who stood smiling in front of the class. He was wearing his usual green and white tie, and he also had the same old Cutie Mark he had since he was a little colt - an hourglass.

Dinky immediately applauded with enthusiasm, and she didn't notice quite a few of her classmates look at each other in confusion at Cheerilee's words.

"Good afternoon, students of Ponyville," Time Turner said in his Trottish accent. "My name is indeed Time Turner, and some of you may know me as the owner of Clockwork's, the clock store here in Ponyville. I'm also the assistant to Mayor Mare, and in charge of all things timey-wimey here in Ponyville,"

"That is the most interesting thing I have ever heard," Diamond Tiara, one of the two fillies who had scoffed earlier, said in a very sarcastic tone. Dinky shot her a glare, while another colt raised his hoof.

"I heard my dad say that if Mayor Mare can't fulfill her duties," the colt said, stumbling over he word "fulfill". "Then that means you become acting Mayor of Ponyville. Is that true?"

Time Turner smiled, happy that somepony knew that information. "Why, yes, that is true, and I have actually been acting Mayor several times over the years," he confirmed.

"Anypony would be a better mayor than that lazy coon," Silver Spoon, the other scoffing filly, piped up.

"Silver Spoon!" Cheerilee chided, and the filly shut her mouth. "Everypony, please stop interrupting and allow our guest Time Turner to speak,"

"Oh, that's alright Cheerilee," Time Turner said. "I don't mind if they have questions. After all, a mind eager to learn is one of the most important things a little pony could have, in my opinion,"

Dinky beamed as Time Turner looked over at her and winked. Time Turner often would compliment her so-called "inquisitiveness". Maybe she'd get a Cutie Mark in it!

...What would and inquisitiveness Cutie Mark look like anyway?, she wondered, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

She shook herself out of her thoughts as Time Turner began describing his job as the town timekeeper, his experiences as assistant to the Mayor, and even some of his early life in Trottingham. She knew that a lot of ponies assumed that those kind of things would be boring, but Dinky loved listening to her Uncle Time Turner's stories. She was very happy to see most of the class was also listening quite intently.

"...And then I came to Ponyville, opened up my shop, and the rest, as they say, is history," Time Turner concluded after several minutes of talking. He accompanied his conclusion with a dramatic flourish of his hoof.

Dinky began clapping her hooves enthusiastically once again, smiling proudly as her classmates also clapped. Yeah, Uncle Time Turner did so good!

"That was wonderful, Time Turner," Cheerilee said, clapping along with her students. She looked over the class. "Now, does anypony have any questions for Mr. Time Turner?"

Apple Bloom, a yellow filly with a red mane, raised her hoof. "Is my Granny Smith's clock almost ready? She really wants to have it back as soon as possible," she asked.

Time Turner chuckled. "Tell Granny Smith she'll be ready by tomorrow morning," he said.

"Um...does anypony have any other questions for Mr. Time Turner?" Cheerilee asked after a pause.

"Is it true you're secretly an alien from another planet who travels through time and space inside a time machine shaped like a gigantic blue box?" a younger Trottish accent spoke up.

Everypony in the room turned and stared at the brown-and-white coated Pipsqueak in shock.

"......No," Time Turner answered after a long, awkward pause. He gave Pipsqueak a strange look and took a few steps back. Where in Equestria did THAT even come from? he thought.

A pegasus filly with a dark blue coat raised her hoof. "Yes, dear?" Time Turner asked, pointing to her.

"So...you're Dinky's uncle?" the filly asked.

"Well, I'm not actually her biological uncle," Time Turner replied. "It's kind of an honorary title,"

"And he's the best honorary uncle ever!" Dinky cried, causing Time Turner to smile again.

"Wait, you're not actually related to her?" an orange pegasus filly named Scootaloo demanded. "Isn't that kind of completely against the point of Family Appreciation Day?"

"Family isn't always just who you're related to Scootaloo," Cheerilee reminded the little pegasus. "Family is also anypony whom you love,"

"Besides," Diamond Tiara suddenly spoke up. "The only other family she has is that cross-eyed freak she's so unfortunate to call her mother,"

"HEY!" Dinky shouted, sitting up in her seat and pointing a hoof angrily over at Diamond Tiara. "Don't make fun of my mommy!"

"Diamond Tiara, you just earned yourself another detention, young lady!" Cheerilee snapped at the filly. She looked over to Time Turner. "Mr. Time Turner, I am so sorry about that,"

"It's okay," Time Turner said, although the glare he was sending Diamond Tiara said otherwise. He looked back at the other filly who had asked the question. "I'm sorry dear, was there anything else you wanted to know?"

The blue pegasus filly shrugged. "I just always thought that you were Dinky's daddy," she said.

Dinky froze in her chair.

Time Turner laughed, but his laughter was a bit forced. "Did you really?" he asked.

"Yeah, so did I," another colt said.

"Me too,"

"Me three!"

"I always thought you were her dad too,"

Time Turner looked around in shock as a large portion of the class nodded their agreement. "Oh...did you really?" he asked again, feeling very awkward.

"Well, you are always hanging around with Dinky's ma Derpy," Apple Bloom pointed out.

"And since the Cakes had Pound and Pumpkin, we all figured that you and Miss Derpy having a unicorn foal wouldn't be that weird," a white and purple unicorn filly, Sweetie Belle, added.

"Well, that is because me and Dinky's mother Derpy are very dear friends," Time Turner said. "In fact, I was the first pony she and little Dinky met when they first moved to Ponyville six years ago,"

"But, if you're not her daddy," Pipsqueak spoke up. "Then who IS Dinky's Daddy?"

Time Turner opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His focus was drawn to Dinky, who was looking straight down to the floor, her hooves curled up on her desk. "Uh..."

Cheerilee, sensing the clear and imminent danger, cleared her throat. "Well, class, I think that was a lovely Family Appreciation Day presentation, but I believe our time is up for the day, so please all give Time Turner a round of-"

"Isn't it obvious?" the ever vile voice of Diamond Tiara once again interrupted the teacher. "The little blank flank doesn't have a daddy. Who would wanna be her daddy, anyway?"

"Diamond Tiara!" Cheerilee shouted as the rest of the class gasped.

Time Turner wasn't looking over at the bully. He quickly trotted over to Dinky, worry in his eyes as he gently wrapped his hoof around her. "Dinky?"

The unicorn filly didn't answer. Instead, she looked away from everypony else, trying to keep her tears out of her eyes.

I don't know who he is. I don't know...