The sounds of Hearth’s Warming Carols filled the air, giving the small sleepy town with a sense of holiday spirit—it was festive, jolly even, enough to lift up anyone's spirits if they were feeling down.
All except one.
She wandered into town from the north, clad in a silver cloak and cowl that masked her face from view. She trotted through the snowy roads, snaking through Ponyville, and passing by foals jumping into piles of fluffy white flurries that rained down from the skies above, while others tossed snowballs during their little makeshift reenactment of some war they probably made up. It was amusing to her, but... she couldn't bring herself to enjoy it, even if a little.
Her eyes wandered across the old town, taking in the scenery of the farming community that set up decorations during the holidays. It was gorgeous, and it reminded her of a simpler time when all she did was celebrate the holidays alongside her family. Mother, father... her sister.
Daring sighed to herself and continued focusing on the route ahead, looking for a specific house.
It's been so long since I was last here, The mare remarked in thought, her eyes flicking to and fro across the rows of houses and cottages lining the roads in town. Her old home still held that small-town charm that came with being a tight knit farming community.
the ponies had happy smiles on their faces; they waved to her when she passed by, a few carolers even sang a little to her, warming her heart.
But as she ventured further into town... the warmth was replaced with the icy cold grip of regret.
She felt nervousness creep up in her gut once she spotted the familiar outline of a building up ahead, probably for the first time in years. All of the times she's faced down intelligent villains, ancient monsters, and powerful magical artifacts the likes of which would probably end all life on the planet ten times over, couldn't possibly begin to prepare her for something of this magnitude.
Daring approached the front door of the small house. It was only a single story, with a cute sort of color scheme to it. A little white picket fence surrounded the small front yard, and a mailbox stood out front of the open gate. She looked at the door and couldn't stop the memories from coming back.
"Daring! Wait! Please don't go!"
She bit back a curse, looking down at the snowy ground in disappointment. All of those dreaded memories came rushing back to her, but she stopped them before they overwhelmed her emotions.
Daring stood in front of the door, raising a hoof, she knocked upon the door.
Knock-Knock-Knock
What am I doing...
She had come back to a home she hadn't seen in two decades, to see a pony she had neither spoken or written to. Daring could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears, that nervousness creeping into her limbs and making her tremble. She stared out ahead before scoffing loudly at herself, she’s faced down demons and eldritch horrors from the abyss of Tartarus to rogue angels and spirits from Elysium. Countless threats, some that made it into her best selling books, and others she kept out of the public eye more for their safety than anyone else's.
So why was she so nervous about seeing family again?
...
Thinking back, perhaps it—most likely—had something to do with how and why she left in the first place.
Crick, clunk, squeak
The door unlocked and opened up a smidgen, breaking her from her thoughts. Looking at the door, she didn't see anyone until glancing down, spotting a tiny unicorn filly looking up at her through a crack in the door. "C-can I help you?" she asked in a tiny voice.
She didn't expect a filly to answer. Dang it... is this the wrong house? Or... drat, they must have moved... She didn't think to take that into account. Her family could have moved during her adventures, leaving for another house or even leaving the town itself... "Sorry, I... I thought some family of mine still lived here." She felt pretty dejected, it would seem her trip was a waste after a-
"Dinky, who's at the door?" A voice broke her thoughts, an older mare's that sounded strangely familiar.
"A mare in a cloak!" the filly cried back.
Wait... Daring knew that voice. It was older, sure, but...
Hoofsteps closed in from behind the door, and the door swung open, revealing a gray mare with a distinct cutie mark of bubbles upon her flanks, carefully tended wings by her sides, and a pair of golden eyes. But Daring noticed one of them was askew, being slightly more raised than the other one.
"Yes?" The mare—Derpy Do—questioned, tilting her head as blonde strands of mane fell from one side. A happy smile was plastered on her face, matching the friendly personality Daring had been so fond of in her youth.
... Daring stared at the other mare, her magenta eyes locked onto Derpy's own and her muscles locked up. This couldn’t be her… could it?
“Miss?” Derpy spoke again, her voice was so familiar; friendly and welcoming, but also concerned for her?
Daring managed to shake her head and fight back the uneasiness. “U-uhm, you’re Derpy, right?” Daring knew it was her, no one else had eyes that gold. “Derpy Do?”
Derpy smiled brightly and nodded, “Yes, that’s me! Why do you ask?” She tilted her head, and then got a worried look, “Oooh, did I end up giving some of your mail to another pony? Sorry, that happens so much!”
The adventurer shook her head, looking at the mare, “I… no, this isn’t about mail, uh...”
“I… it’s not?” Derpy fluttered her eyelashes in confusion, “Uhm… a-are you here to sing a carol?”
“No, I...” Daring gulped… and finally just bit back her fear, and reached up to grab her hood.
Derpy was unsure as to who this mare was… she was wearing a cloak, that much was obvious, but she was also acting rather suspicious, perhaps she was in need of some help? Maybe a beggar?
But then the mysterious pony threw back her hood to reveal golden fur, a pair of familiar magenta eyes, and a distinct grayscale mane. Her eyes went wide as she was suddenly able to focus. Her heartbeat picked up, memories rushed through her from her childhood when she was younger.
"Daring! Wait! Please don't go!"
“I’m sorry, Bubbles...”
The two mares looked at one another with wide eyes for the longest time, both of them perhaps truly speechless for the first time in well over two decades. Memories rushed through both of their minds in those first few moments, of the past, of that fateful moment that tore them apart.
Derpy stared at the golden mare, her eyes focusing on her aged form. She had certainly grown up from the lanky teenager she had idolized. “Daring...” Her voice was quiet, shocked and unsure with an inkling of anger lacing her tone.
Daring returned her gaze, but there was no anger—not aimed at her however, there was only sorrow and regret in those colorful eyes of hers. “Derpy...”
The tension in the air was thick like tar, and both mares could feel it.
Derpy’s eyes flicked across Daring’s body, before locking back onto her face. “...”
“It’s been awhile.” Daring licked her chapped lips—she suddenly felt very cold.
Brushing back her blonde mane, Derpy was swift to reply, “Twenty six years.”
Hearing her say how many years it had been was like a dagger twisting its way into Daring’s chest, has it really been that long for her? “Yeah...” So much time had passed for her, like sands through an hourglass, that she hardly noticed.
“Momma, you’re letting snow inside.” The young filly pointed out, breaking them both from their staring contest. The young unicorn looking a little confused at the current events, her gaze switching from her mother to Daring.
Momma? Daring thought as she glanced down at the filly… she had certainly missed out on a lot, it seems.
Looking down at the filly, the mare bit her lip and looked back up at Daring. After a moment, she stepped out of the way, “Come in?”
Daring wasn’t expecting that… but who was she to refuse? “I… t-thank you.” Daring, as timid as she was right now, mustered the courage to walk up to and move past Derpy.
Once she did, the filly glanced to her mother, “Momma, who’s this?” The little unicorn had no idea, did she?
Moving by the mare, Derpy replied with, “A... guest, now why don’t you run along and get cleaned up for dinner, okay?” Her tone was stern yet gentle.
Daring was… shocked, to say the least, and that ball of regret bubbled up deep in her gut. Once more, another reminder of just how much she’s missed over the years. She bit back a scowl at herself and instead just focused on Derpy and her daughter.
“Alright!” The filly happily cantered off into the hall nearby, leaving the duo alone.
The tension in the air only grew.
“Derpy...” Daring began, trying to break the ice.
“Why are you back…?” Derpy’s crestfallen voice questioned, a golden eye turning to glare at Daring.
Not a very warm welcome…
“I...” What could she say to that? ‘Oh hey, I decided to come back after two decades of fighting dangerous monsters and going on treacherous adventures to pop up unannounced! How are you lil’ sis?’ She mentally smacked herself for the stupidity. “I needed to come back.”
Derpy made her way over to the kitchen, not even responding to the mare.
Dang it. She followed after her, “Look, I… I know this is so out of the blue, but I had to come back.” Derpy just went over to the cupboard, angrily opening it up and rooting around for something. “Derpy, please...”
Slamming her hooves onto the countertop, Derpy inhaled sharply before exhaling with a shudder, “W-where have you been?” Her voice was filled with the sting of a venomous bite she was so familiar with… but hearing it come from a family member made it sting even worse.
Daring’s features scrunched up into a wince, she recoiled a little and stepped back, “I… was traveling.” A pathetic excuse, but it was all that came to mind.
She didn’t think to plan of anything, this was a hurried mission she had to get underway, something she had to do before it was too late. Getting such a window to actually head home was not easy, and she didn’t want to squander it.
Then again, it’s been two decades, so she could have had something planned.
But her throat closed up, she choked and couldn’t think of anything except that; Traveling.
“...Traveling?” Derpy’s eyes focused on Daring’s. She fell onto all fours and glared, “Just traveling for twenty years?” She sniffled hard, her body trembling and wings fluttering in agitation. “Twenty years of wandering Equestria? A-and you never thought t-to write o-or visit?!”
“D-Derpy, i-it was more complicated than t-that.” Daring pitifully tried to reason.
“What could have been more im-important than your own family?” The mare’s golden eyes were growing more fierce by the second.
“I-I-” Could she even tell Derpy? Tell her exactly what she’s been doing these past two decades? Would she even believe her?
Advancing on the mare now, Derpy asked once more, “You have been gone for twenty years.” She said, reaffirming what Daring already knew, “You left me without so much as a goodbye, and now all of a sudden you’re just… y-you’re just back?!”
Daring quickly thought of something, the mare was getting angry… it was clear. Clutching her cloak’s pendent that held her cloak closed, she said, “Bubbles, l-look, I-”
Slap
Daring’s head snapped to the side and her cheek stung, her eyes were wide.
Did she just… She felt of her cheek and glanced at Derpy, the mare’s hoof raised slightly and her face a mixture of shock and anger.
“D-don’t c-call me t-that...” Derpy was livid looking, her breathing labored and shaky. A light sheen of tears brimmed in her eyelids, hate and betrayal glimmering in those pools of gold.
And it was just then that Daring realized her cloak had come undone in the front, and it slipped off her withers and onto the floor.
Any hate and anger Derpy had slowly withered away once her eyes laid upon her sister’s body for the first time in a long long while.
Faint and jagged scars ran across most of her flanks running up and along her back to her neck. A few slashed across her chest, barely visible under her coat. Her fetlocks and legs were probably the most damaged, chipped hooves and even more of those scars.
She looked as if she had been through hell; Her magenta eyes dimmed and her ears flopped to the sides. She backed up a little—wings fluttering nervously. “I...I’m sorry...”
Suddenly, a voice broke through the tension and silence. “Momma?” Dinky’s voice broke through suddenly from the doorway.
Dinky was standing there in confusion, her eyes wide and looking between both mares. She looked a little scared, had she been listening for very long? Her little frame quivered and trembled, but she kept a brave face on.
Derpy returned her gaze to Daring, who swiftly gathers up her cloak and puts it back on, “I’m sorry.” She half choked out, backing up and making her way towards into the hall leading to the front door.
The unicorn filly watched as her mother shed a few tears—her eyes firmly locked on the retreating form of mysterious mare.
And it wasn’t long before Derpy gathered her wits and told the filly, “Dinky, stay here.“ Ignoring her daughter’s questions about who that was and why she looked so familiar, Derpy quickly left the kitchen and hallway, heading to the front door that had been left open in Daring’s haste to leave.
Her legs moved on their own and carried her outside into the cold air of Ponyville. She looked left and right for her long estranged sister, an onset of panic taking over her mind and body. She hadn’t meant to do that! Hitting Daring? She… she was angry, yes, but she didn’t think she was so angry that she’d end up hitting her!
Oh Celestia, I’m so sorry! Please don’t leave me again! Tears ran down from her eyes, she should have been happy! Why did she mess that up!
Her hastened job turned into a full on gallop through the streets, and her mind wandered.
She remembered when Daring had first left so vividly. It was morning, and she had wanted to play with her before going to school. Only their parents were gone at work, leaving her and Daring alone all day.
She had gone to her sister’s room, but she was gone, and so were her bags. Had she gone to school without her? It wouldn’t have been the first time, so she wasn’t too put off.
But after gathering up her own bags for school, she had found Daring writing a letter on the table.
"Whatcha writing, Deedee?” Derpy had asked as she waddled into the kitchen, looking over to her big sister curiously.
Daring had paused, a look of fear in her eyes along with a hint of regret. She set down her pencil, “I’m leaving.”
The younger blonde filly gave her a strange look. "For school? Gimme a second to get a toastie muffin!” The filly hurried over to the cabinet and quickly opened it up for one of her favorite before school snacks.
Only… Daring said, “I’m not going to school, I’m leaving home.” The older filly—when Derpy glanced over to her—was dressed in a jacket and a small hat.
Gasping and dropping her muffin, she rushed over to Daring, excitement in her eyes, "You’re going on an adventure?! That sounds fun! Can I come with!” She bounced from hoof to hoof. "We can adventure around Ponyville!”
A heavy sigh, and Daring began walking towards the door, “I’m not going on an adventure around Ponyville, I’m leaving it...”
A minor bit of panic filled the younger filly’s heart, but she figured Daring meant something else, "O-oh… uhm, a-are you going to visit your penpal in Manehattan? C-can I-”
“No,” Daring shook her head, opening up the door. “I’m leaving Ponyville… I’m leaving Equestria.”
Something cracked inside of Derpy from hearing that, something deep in her heart cricked and began spider webbing across it as if it were fragile glass. "D-Deedee?” Her tiny heartbroken voice was a little choked up.
“I need to go,” Daring made her way outside into the cold air of winter, scarf around her neck.
Derpy was quick to drop her bags, tears brimming in her eyes, she galloped outside after her, screaming, "Daring! Wait! Please don't go!"
“I’m sorry, Bubbles...” Daring muttered before taking flight, blasting off from the ground and flying off.
"Wait! Take me with you!" She cried, wings flapping uselessly, she wasn’t strong enough to fly! She collapsed into the snow after another failed attempt in her long chase. She looked up… and a pitiful cry left her, "Please don't leave me!"
But her cries went unheard…
After that… her life had just gone down from there.
She started failing in school, their parents got divorced, and she had gotten injured in a flight accident leading to her eye problem.
And what she would like to consider a happy accident, a drunken night in high-school during a party led to Dinky being born, and to this day she still doesn’t know who her father is.
But she still loved Dinky to bits…
And she should have shown that to Daring, despite it all.
She galloped hard, her wings flapping by her sides to try and give her some manner of extra speed. Her legs burned and her heart furiously pumped blood through them to keep her moving; she had to find her!
I can’t lose her again! Please!
Turning a corner, Derpy slid past a stand and hurried down the road, her ears flicking about and eyes glancing around for any sign of the mare in her cloak. She was so scared, she couldn’t lose Daring again, not again!
After galloping through the snow, Derpy arrived at the paths leading out of Ponyville, her chest heaved and lungs gasped for breath, she then realized where she was…
She was at the very spot she had last seen Daring twenty years ago, and just like before… the mare collapsed onto the ground, covering her face with her hooves. She bit back a cry, cursing her stupidity.
Daring had come back! She had come back to her!
And what did she do?
I hit her… She thought, depression rearing its ugly head once again. I h-hit my sister. Thinking about it did little to stem the tide of sadness that began to envelop her senses. “I-I’m s-so sorry, D-Deedee.”
She sobbed pathetically into her arms, body racked with shakes.
Up until she heard a voice cut through the emotional agony fluttering around her heart and belly. “I’m sorry too… Bubbles...”
Her eyes snapped open, as she whirled around and saw the teary eyes of Daring.
She couldn’t handle it…
Derpy managed one last bout of strength, propelling herself towards Daring and wrapping her arms around her. She felt Daring’s own arms return it, holding onto her as her own legs gave out.
“Please don’t leave me,” Derpy cried into Daring’s mane, her body shaking and trembling, or was it Daring’s?
Daring didn’t say anything, just holding onto Derpy and struggling not to break down herself. She wanted to cry with her, she wanted so badly to tell her and reassure her she’d never leave again…
But it would be a lie…
Daring swallowed the painful truth she’d have to break to Derpy and pulled away to lift up her head, she saw Derpy’s teary and hopeful eyes lock onto her own, “W-we need to talk…”
Derpy nodded wordlessly and struggled to stand, and together the duo slowly but surely ventured back home.
And as they did, wings wrapped around and hugging them tightly to one another, Derpy muttered, “I’m s-sorry I h-hit you, D-Deedee.” Her voice cracked at the end, sending a emotional pang of agony through Daring’s chest.
Placing her head against the gray mare’s, Daring replied, “I know, little sis.” It felt so good to say that again, to actually be able to see her sister in of itself was a miracle.
A short lived one.
Upon arriving and heading back inside, Dinky stampeded to the hall and glanced at the two. “M-momma? What’s going on?” She demanded to know, tears in her own eyes. The filly was so lost and fearful.
Looking between the mare and her daughter, Derpy spoke, “D-Dinky… this is your Aunt,” She gulped, looking from Dinky’s sudden look of shock to Daring, “Daring Do.”
Dinky’s jaw dropped a mile, any tears she had evaporated in an instant. “M-m-my aunt is D-Daring Do?” She breathed out in disbelief, plopping to her rump.
Daring smiled timidly to that and slid off her cloak, setting it aside next to the door, “Yeah… so you’re my niece, huh?” There was an inkling of something in her voice, joy? Fondness?
Tip tapping her way forward, Dinky glanced up into Daring’s eyes, “...M-my aunt is Daring Do.” She mumbled again, sounding so confused, but if one listened close… one could have heard the excitement dripping into her tone.
Daring sniffled and wiped away her tears, giving Derpy a little look before focusing back on Dinky, “Yeah kid, your aunt’s Daring Do, legendary adventurer, heh.”
Shaking, Dinky’s expression morphed from the shock to pure excitement before she jumped at the mare, “This is so cool! My aunt’s Daring Do!” She happily laughed as Daring embraced her.
Her aunt was Daring Do!
Derpy watched the scene with a sad little look in her eyes… but she was happy, she couldn’t deny that. She had been reunited with her sister, and that alone made her start crying again.
After the tearful reunion of two estranged sisters and one very clueless neice, the trio had moved to the fireplace, and Derpy made the mare a wonderfully delicious home cooked meal.
Daring had never felt more at home.
As they ate, Derpy couldn’t help herself and had to break the silence, asking the question the duo had probably been dreading for some time.
“Where have you been for so long?”
That caused the adventurer to stop eating, her throat growing uncomfortably dry.
This was it… she had to tell her, but would she even believe her?
Turning to face the mare, she saw Dinky huddled up next to her, under her wing and wiggling in obvious excitement. To hear of a story no one else has, from the legendary Daring Do, no less? How could a pony not be excited?
She sighed heavily and bundled up more under the covers she was given. A deep breath, and spoke, “I made a mistake… twenty years ago,” Daring’s voice was quiet. She gave a look to Derpy, her eyes dimming and betraying that regret to her. “I should have never left home. Going on an adventure was something I wanted to do, and I had gotten to do it.” She turned her gaze to Dinky now, saying, “A journey full wonder and mystery, learning different cultures and seeing the world.”
Dinky listened with such childhood wonder radiating in her eyes, that all sounded so fun to her!
But Daring’s expression died down, her eyes grew dim and hollow, “But I made a mistake thinking it was just going to be fun and adventures.” She gulped hard, “I made a really horrible mistake leaving my family l-like I did.” Tears brimmed in her eyes, a few trailing down her cheeks, “My whole life i-isn’t fun, it’s full of pain and misery. I haven’t had a g-good night’s rest in twenty years...”
Derpy and Dinky were quiet as they listened to her. The anger and sadness lacing her words; the look of defeat in her eyes…
“I’ve been forced into fighting monsters and demons, j-just to keep Equestria safe,” She kept going on now, tears flowing freely now, “I’m forced to go on these adventures, n-not because I want to, but because I have to!” She buried her head in her arms, eyes staring into the fire, “I’ve lost all of m-my friends, I’m all a-alone out there.” Her eyes locked onto Derpy and Dinky, both looking at her in pity and sadness, “I have to choose between my family and the fate of the whole w-world… I’m risking everything r-right now just being here!”
Burying her face, she let it out… she couldn’t handle it, years of pent up frustration, anger, depression just came flooding out.
“I can’t do this anymore!” She cried out, “I can’t! Every day is a fight just to stay alive! Every day I wonder if I’m going to wake up, or if my body is just going to quit!” The mare’s scarred body was wracked in shivers and shakes, “But I c-can’t stop...” Daring looked down at Dinky, a whimper leaving her, “If I do I lose you both.”
And with Derpy… it was clear to her now.
The hurt in those eyes, the pain, agony, all of those emotions whirling around inside, she didn’t want that life anymore. But she stayed away, not for her own selfish wants…
She stayed away to protect the only family she had left in the world.
“I’m so sorry, Bubbles,” Daring muttered, struggling to keep her body under control, “I never should’ve left you, but I was being stupid!” A trembling gasp and a shaky swallow, “I don’t even know where mom and d-dad are...” More pain rushed through her, and she whined, “I never got to say goodbye to them! And it’s all my fault!”
Derpy couldn’t take it anymore. She rushed up and over to Daring and pulled her into a hug, if only to provide some small comfort to her. She felt Daring wrap her forelegs around her, as Derpy wordlessly held onto her tightly while pulling the blanket up and around her. “Shh,” Derpy soothed her, holding her head to her chest and laying her cheek atop it, “Shh I f-forgive you.” Tears stung in her own eyes, “You’re home now, Deedee.” She cried softly, feeling Dinky pad up next to them and hug Daring tightly, “With your family.”
Daring lost herself. She cried long and she cried hard, held by possibly the only family she had left on this world. She knew that, perhaps, this would be the last time she’d see them both in a long time. Her heart ached for this comfort, her heart ached to stay with them, to relish in the feelings that came with being in a family.
She knew she’d have to leave tomorrow… to go back out there into the harsh and cruel world.
But… there was a small comfort in this. She knew her family still loved her despite her horrible mistakes, still loved her despite abandoning them. That alone was enough to spur her into fighting.
That alone let her know that she still had something left to fight for.
Author's Note
This was... a challenge to write, due to the emotions in it and some struggles irl... but I thank you all for reading, and I hope this story helped in some way. Because it is the holiday seasons, and sometimes despite the things someone else does, (unless we're talking full on dick level stuff ) they deserve just a little bit of forgiveness and some love. 
So I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday, and a very very Happy New Years.
I love you all, thank you all so much for the amazing memories, friendships, comments and just general support you've given me. It's been one hell of a ride this year, and we got ourselves another year coming up in about a week.
Stick around guys, Dustchu's just getting started.
