It was thanks to a short, casual request some months ago that Flash found himself pulling his car into the parking lot across the street from Haystack Elementary school. It often came to mind, though it had been months now that this had become a routine. As his car’s tires shuffled rock and gravel beneath them, he came to a complete stop, shutting off the car and muting the idle humming of the engine. Instead, the muffled audio of kids playing, shouting, and squealing as they tended to do, replaced it.

He opened the door, bearing the noise before locking the car and making his way to his destination. Kids darted past him, accompanied by their parents shortly after. Flash recognized a few exhaustion-stricken faces among them as they shoveled their kids into their cars before slumping behind the wheel. Flash silently wished them well as he continued on.

Before long he reached the front gates of the school. Their large and grandiose appearance along with the school building’s impressive size signified the status of the school. They were nice to look at, but Flash decided against staying around too long. The flood of kids might’ve swept him away if he did.

Once inside, Flash was hit by the familiar smell of glue and crayons. Across from him was the front desk, manned by a couple of teachers Flash recognized. To their side was a large industrial fan blowing air through the room. Considering the heat from outside, Flash couldn’t blame them. After a quick greeting, signing himself in, and a just as quick goodbye, he made his way to his next destination: the auditorium.

The room mirrored the qualities of the school that housed it: large enough to fit a couple hundred people, well maintained, and clean. Despite its capabilities, at the moment, it only held enough students to fill out the top three rows. Moving further in, he began to scan the crowd. It wouldn’t be hard to find the person he was looking for, especially not among the rowdy and wild kids that would be surrounding her.

“Oh, Flash! Hello.” His attention was pulled to his side where a pair of familiar faces stood. The one who spoke was the closest, Ms. Cheerilee. Behind her was a younger teacher Flash knew as Ms. Honeycomb. “I’ll go get Dinky, then.” Flash responded with a nod.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Cheerilee left in a hurry, making her way toward the group of kids. After turning his attention back to the crowd, his eyes land on a particular kid somewhat split from the rest of the pack. A head of short blond hair just barely long enough to fall past her shoulders. She was rolled up into a ball, with a large pad on her lap. Every now and then she would remove herself from it to stare off in some direction, but would quickly return to it when she got the chance.

“I’m glad to see that she’s enjoying her art.” Flash looked over to Ms. Honeycomb who’d followed his gaze into the crowd. “She’s a bright student and has a great future ahead of her.”

“That’s good news,” said Flash with a smile. “I’ll make sure to pass that on to her mother. She’ll be very glad to hear it.” With a finger pressed to her chin, she started to hum.

“I do wish that she would pay a bit more attention during my math and history classes, though,” she murmured. The two shared a brief laugh. “Well, you don’t have to report on that. I’m sure that Dinky will be just fine.”

“We’re back,” called Cheerilee. Flash glanced down at Dinky who clutched her sketchbook across her chest. “I hope you two have a good day!” Dinky turned around to face the two teachers.

“Bye, Ms. Cheerilee, bye Ms. Honeycomb.” With a quick wave of her hand, she turned away and headed towards Flash. With a silent farewell of his own, he extended his hand down for Dinky to grab onto, then made his way out of the auditorium. After signing out just as he signed in, Flash led Dinky outside.

The two didn’t share many words as they crossed the street and entered the parking lot. It was only after breaking free of the crowd that Flash finally got to breathe a sigh of relief.

“You’ve been holding onto that pretty tightly, Dinky.” She met his eyes when he spoke. “What did you draw today?” She paused, then flipped her sketchbook around so that Flash could see her work.

“A daisy,” she responded. Her hand reached out to Flash, giving him a better view of the picture. “It’s like the ones growing outside of the house.”

Flash was unsure of what made for a good art piece, but he couldn't describe Dinky’s artwork as anything short of incredible. It wouldn’t be winning any awards in a gallery, but the basics of drawing had somehow come to her just as naturally as breathing. She already had an eye for perspective and depth and was even capable of varying her line widths all from the young age of seven. It sounded incredibly simple, but she could just draw what she saw, and it would come out exactly as she wanted it. While Flash couldn’t find any of these words, his grin spoke for itself. He let go of her hand and ran his palm through her hair.

“You did a great job,” he said. “Make sure to show your mom when she gets home.” Dinky perked up, and a small smile grew on her face. With lights in her eyes, she spoke.

“Okay!” She skipped ahead of Flash, reaching the car a few steps before him. She hovered near the passenger seat, waiting for Flash to wrap around to the driver’s side. Almost as soon as he unlocked the door, Dinky pulled it open and hopped in. Flash admired her enthusiasm as he slipped into the driver’s seat. Almost before he sat down properly and closed the door, Dinky had dove back into her sketchbook. Already hard at work on a new sketch, Flash silently commended her motivation.

“Don’t forget your seatbelt,” he called. Dinky paused, then quickly strapped herself in just as Flash did. Her pause was over just as quickly as it started and she flew back into her book. Flash smiled at her as he turned the keys and started his car once again. “Hey Dinky, what do you say we get some ice cream to celebrate your new drawing?” Her head whipped around to face Flash, her wide-eyed stare and dropped jaw telling him all he needed to know.

“Really!?” she exclaimed. “I wanna get some for mommy, too!” Flash laughed, then pulled away from the parking lot. After a bit of careful driving in the school zone, he was out on the road, ready to head back home. Well, after the ice cream parlor, that is.

‘Of course, we can,” he responded, reaching over and ruffling Dinky’s hair once more. “I bet your mom will love it.”

For longer than she’d like to admit, Derpy assumed that the pain would get better.

The aches from working ten-hour-long shifts kept her body battered, and the exhaustion kept her mind sluggish. Walking the streets, she was more akin to a zombie than a person. A being with only a single goal and no room to think about much else: get home as quickly as possible.

However, once she entered the building, the pain would wane just a bit.

She couldn’t attribute it to the building itself. It was a run-down place, only a half-step up from a ghetto. The floors were filthy, there was writing on the walls, and the faint smell of urine was ever-present. Derpy was glad to be able to move through it as quickly as possible.

After entering the elevator directly across from the doors, she took a deep breath. Her mind was clearer and the aches were subsiding. Though nothing happened just yet, she could already feel herself beginning to heal. Once the doors opened on the fifth floor, Derpy made a beeline for the end of the hall. As she approached, she fished in the small pocketbook slung over her shoulder, quickly producing a small set of keys. Just as quickly, they entered the lock, a loud clunk sound signaling the retracting deadbolt.

Pulling open that door was enough to completely soothe her mind, body, and soul.

“Mommy!” The voice came from her left and pulled her attention immediately. She fell to her knee and opened her arms. The sole reason for her revival came barreling into her arms and wrapped her in a tight hug. “You’re back!”

“Yup,” responded Derpy, squeezing her tightly. “Mommy’s home.” After pulling away, Derpy’s face met her daughter’s. Just her smile was enough to make Derpy reply with one in kind. “How was your day, sweetie?”

“It was great! I made a new drawing and I got some ice cream!” Dinky’s excitable nature was quick to rub off on her mother. “Wanna see? I just finished it.”

“Yeah!” Derpy got to her feet, bringing Dinky up with her. As she carried her in her arms, she looked further in, meeting eyes with her caretaker. Flash was surrounded by scattered papers. Some Derpy could recognize as her daughter’s art, and others looked like her homework. As she got closer, Flash got to his feet. “Evening, Flash.”

“Evening.” His casual demeanor never failed to put Derpy at ease. She was surprised by how easy he was to talk to, even after all this time. He looked to his side, towards the kitchen. “Don’t suppose you’re hungry? I made some spaghetti with Dinky’s help.”

“Yes, I helped!” Dinky repeated. “I put in the o… um… or… something.”

“The oregano,” said Flash. Dinky pointed to him.

“Yeah, that!” Derpy chuckled.

“I wish I could’ve been here to see that.” Flash turned back to meet her eyes and smiled.

“At least you can try it,” he said. “It’s the second-best thing, right?” Flash turned away and headed for the kitchen. Derpy followed suit, reaching the kitchen in only a few steps. By the time she reached him, he was already making her plate. She leaned down so that Dinky could stand on her own, then walked beside Flash, who handed her a full plate.

“This smells amazing,” she said, not bothering to hide her hunger in the slightest. After Flash handed her a fork, she all but skipped over to the small table in the kitchen, plopping down in the chair and hovering over her plate. Before she could dig in, Dinky took the other seat across from hers, eagerly watching as her mother twirled the spaghetti on her fork. After unceremoniously shoveling the food into her mouth, she reminded herself to chew slowly and savor the flavor.

It became immediately apparent just how hungry she was. The flavors danced along her tongue and spread all around her mouth. She paused her chewing just to savor it for a bit more. With her eyes closed, she hummed.

“This is so good.” She finished chewing, then swallowed. “I think this might be the best spaghetti I’ve ever had.” Dinky’s eyes widened just like her grin. “I should ask you two to cook for me more often.”

“Okay!” answered Dinky. “I can do it!” Flash chuckled as he moved back to the pot.

“If you’ll have me.” Derpy listened to him put the lid on the pot to close it. “Though I don’t think you should get your hopes up too much. I’m not that good.”

“Whaddya mean?” asked Derpy with another mouthful of food. She turned around to meet Flash’s eyes. “This is like, crazy good. Way better than I could do.” There was a spark of something behind his eyes that Derpy couldn’t quite make out, but it was gone just as soon as she recognized it. Instead, he gave her his usual calm smile.

“You’re gonna make me blush.” He said. “Thanks, Derpy.”

The three sat in the kitchen and spoke for a while. Dinky showed her newly completed designs to Derpy, who admired and applauded her daughter’s talent. After Derpy finished off her plate, the three found a spot in the hall to place the sketch, hanging it proudly just before the bedroom door.

But no matter how much Derpy wanted these moments to last forever, they couldn’t. She was aware of how fast time was flying by. Her desire for happiness was quickly and easily overwhelmed by her desire for Dinky’s well-being. And after nearly half an hour, she gave Derpy a sign that their conversation was near its end.

“Ms. Honeycomb said I was doing good. I know all the way up to the seven times…” Dinky’s sentence was cut short, replaced with a large yawn. Derpy noticed Dinky’s droopy eyes and her slumped figure. She reached over and gently placed a hand on her head.

“Looks like it’s bedtime,” she said. Getting out of her seat. In response, Dinky pouted.

“I’m not tired,” she responded confidently. Despite this, Derpy could see through her fib with no effort. She walked around the table and picked Dinky up once again. “I’m not that tired, so it’s okay.”

“You have to get some sleep, Dinky,” said Derpy with a laugh. “If you don't, you won’t grow like mommy.” Her face told Derpy that she needed a bit more convincing. “And… if you go to bed earlier, you can wake up earlier. Then we can spend some time in the morning watching cartoons.”

“Okay…” It was clear that this wasn’t exactly what Dinky had in mind, but she didn’t argue any further. After a small pause, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Dinky’s forehead. Her expression softened.

“I’ll promise we can spend more time together soon, okay?” With a hum and a nod, Dinky agreed, then leaned in to hug Derpy tightly. “Alright, now let’s go brush our teeth.”

The walk was a short one. The apartment only really had three rooms: the bedroom, tucked away in the back with Dinky and Derpy’s bed, the bathroom, where they were headed, and the living room that they just left. The “kitchen” was more of a corner of the living room with the basic essentials. It wasn’t the greatest of living arrangements, but Derpy had to make do. And thankfully, Dinky didn’t seem to mind it much.

The two reached the bathroom and began to brush their teeth. Derpy helped Dinky with hers first, setting her down and helping her with the toothbrush. Though at this age, it didn’t seem like she needed much help, Derpy still assisted her. Once she was done, her fib from before crumbled. She stumbled out of the bathroom, her eyes open enough to see where she was going. Derpy led her the short distance to the bedroom, where she made a beeline for the mattress.

With a bit of effort, Dinky climbed up onto the mattress and laid her head down on one of the pillows. At the same time, Derpy plugged in her night light and turned on the fan blowing the already cool air in the room around. Derpy leaned down next to the bed, meeting the tired eyes of her daughter.

“Goodnight, sweetie.” Dinky blinked a couple of times.

“Are you coming soon?” asked Dinky. Her eyes were fully closed now. Still, Derpy decided to answer.

“Yup. Just gotta clean up and I’ll be right back.” Dinky went silent for a few moments.

“Can Flash sleep with us?” At first, the question didn’t properly register in her mind. It simmered there until it finally hit her.

“Erm… huh?” Dinky opened her eyes.

“He can’t?”

“Maybe… a different day,” answered Derpy with a nervous chuckle. “Anyway, I’ll be back soon. Get some rest, Dinky.”

“Okay.” She closed her eyes again and her breath reached a steady pace. Derpy got to her feet and turned away, walking to the door leading back out to the living room. She closed it with a quiet click, then headed back down the hall leading into the living room.

It was quiet without Dinky. The loudest thing was the hum of cars outside of the windows and the quiet buzz of the TV playing cartoons. The papers from before had been collected, stacked neatly on the table in the kitchen. Next to them were several plastic containers full of the food Flash made. As she approached, Flash tilted his head in her direction.

“Welcome back,” he said. “Dinky’s asleep?"

“Yup. Out like a light.” Derpy tried not to think about Dinky’s question as she approached the table, she realized how organized everything was. The containers were split into leftovers and her lunch for tomorrow. What was once a sink nearly full of dishes was now completely empty. “Flash… you know you don’t have to do all this for me, right?”

“I don’t have to, but I don’t mind.” He placed the lid on the final container, before lifting the pot up and into the sink. “It’s just a bit of housework. Nothing too big.” In response, Derpy pursed her lips. Flash was cool about it, but she could see through his words. Cooking, cleaning, and watching a child wasn't as easy as it seemed. Derpy would know, considering it was her responsibility for years.

“Even if you don’t mind, I do…” she sighed, then met his eyes. “Are you sure I’m not paying you too little?” He didn't respond, instead turning to the fridge on his left. He opened the freezer and pulled something out, closing it just as quickly. Once he turned around, Derpy’s eyes widened.

“I think it might have slipped her mind, but Dinky wanted to get you some ice cream, too.” He handed the small carton over — a pint of mint chip ice cream. “You know, she’s almost always thinking about you. Even though she can’t see you that much, she still loves you more than anything.” He smiled. “And I know you feel the same. You work yourself to the bone just so she can have a normal enough life. What little I do to support you two is nothing in comparison to what you both do for each other.”

“But still, I—”

“But nothing,” said Flash, crossing his arms over his chest. “What you pay me now is more than enough. I won’t take anything else from someone working so hard.” In the face of his stern look, Derpy had no option but to concede. With a sigh, she resigned to the table, using one of the spoons already laid out to pop open the ice cream and dig in. After the first spoonful hit her tongue, she took a deep breath.

“I still think you’re selling yourself short,” she hummed. She looked up at him and smiled. “But thank you, Flash.” He chuckled, then joined her on the opposite side of the table.

“No problem." He rested his chin on his palm and watched her as she ate. “How was work today?” After another spoonful, she sighed.

“Same old, same old,” she answered. “Tough but not too bad. I think I’ll be okay.” She spooned another bit of ice cream into her mouth before continuing. “How about you? Everything okay with your job?”

“Yup. Still as uneventful as ever.” Derpy wasn’t exactly sure what it was that Flash did, though he told her that he’d be on his computer for 10 hours a day if he wasn’t watching Dinky. It was these circumstances that allowed them to meet for the first time in over 10 years. “Well, that’s not entirely true. I got a bit of a gift from my boss.”

“A gift?” asked Derpy, eyebrow raised. “Bosses don’t normally do that… right?”

“Nah, but I guess he likes me.” Flash chuckled. “He accidentally ordered a second family pass to Golden Saddles somehow. Not sure how that worked out, but I’m not complaining.” Derpy’s spoon nearly fell out of her hand as her jaw hit the floor.

“You got a free ticket to Golden Saddles!?” she exclaimed. Her enthusiasm was enough to catch even Flash off guard. “That’s so cool! Congrats!”

“I was just lucky,” he said. A pause followed his statement, and he looked away for a moment before looking at her again. “Anyway… it’s a family pass, so… I wanted to know if you and Dinky wanted to go with—”

“Really!? We can!?” Derpy’s eyes lit up like a jewel in the sun. She clenched her fist and threw them into the air. “Yeah, let’s go! I should have a couple of vacation days saved up…”

“There’s no need to rush.” Flash laughed. “The pass works all year round. We’ll be able to go whenever you’re free.” Derpy frowned in thought for a couple of seconds before her eyes lit up again.

“Give me… a couple of weeks!” exclaimed Derpy. “On the weekend. We can go then!” Derpy raised her hand across the table. Flash was stunned for a moment, but his smile only got wider. He reached up to her and the two high-fived.

“Then it’s a date,” he said. Derpy paused but said nothing. In her silence, Flash got to his feet and stretched. “Can’t wait.”

“M-Me neither,” she said, pulling her hand back. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah. It’s getting pretty late.” Flash made his way over to the door in a few steps, slipping into his shoes and tying them up. “Besides, you’re probably even more tired than me and Dinky. You should get some shuteye.”

“You’re right.” As she returned to normal, she returned her focus to her ice cream. “Thanks again, Flash.” As he finished and stood up straight, he turned back and gave her a small wave.

“Night, Derpy.” With that, he was gone. The door closed behind him and the apartment once again descended into near silence.

For a minute or two, Derpy did nothing but look at the door. All the while, her mind was racing a mile a minute. What did she need to prepare before the trip? How and when should she tell Dinky? Did she need a new swimsuit? The questions floated around her head so quickly and fiercely that she simply couldn’t sit still.

Silently, she took another spoonful of ice cream. And as she did, she laughed to herself.

“Yummy."

“Are we there yet?”

“Hmm… not for another 10 or so minutes.”

Her grumbling told Flash that his answer didn’t satisfy Dinky. As much as he wanted to change that, there was little he could do, other than to start speeding of course. But that brought its own set of issues.

“Don’t worry. 10 minutes will be over before you even know it.” Dinky stayed silent. Flash chuckled. “How about this? Try to draw what you think the place will look like. And once we get there, we can see how different it is.” At the sound of his suggestion, she perked up.

“Okay!” Though he couldn’t see her, the reaction was enough. Soon, the sound of her pencil scratching paper reached his ears. With the conversation wrapped up, he returned his full attention to the road.

He’d been on the highway for a bit over a half-hour by now. For the sake of brevity, he’d chosen the far left lane, where he could go as fast as he liked to reach his destination. Though it was hard not to speed when Golden Saddles was the destination. Similarly to Dinky, a wave of childlike excitement came over him when he thought about the place. His last visit was well over 10 years ago, and places like it tended to only get better over time.

Still, the ride was long and boring. He often found his focus wandering to the things around him. The cars around him, the road signs, and most recently Dinky’s question. This time though, his eyes flickered over to his right, towards the passenger’s side seat.

Much to Dinky’s dismay, Derpy had called shotgun on this ride. Even before she got into the car, Flash was taken aback by her outfit. It wasn’t anything too stunning: a long sleeve black top with a pair of jeans and sneakers, but it definitely wasn’t something Flash was used to seeing. The outfit was fresh, Flash had to admit.

“Something wrong…?” Derpy’s words brought his focus back to the road.

“Nope,” he said simply. “Just think you look cool in your clothes, is all.” Derpy looked down as if she’d forgotten what she was wearing, then looked back up with a nervous smile.

“Oh, this is nothing,” she said. “Just something I threw on.”

“No problem with that,” said Flash. “I think the casual look suits you.” With a chuckle, Derpy’s hand reached up to tug on her hair.

“T-Thanks.” Flash grinned, then turned his attention back to the road.

It wasn’t long after that when Flash recognized that their exit was fast approaching. He switched lanes miles in advance and started cruising as it approached. He debated on whether he should tell Dinky or not but eventually decided to let the scenery do the talking.

After pulling away from the highway, he drove through a couple of twists and turns surrounded by heavy tree coverage. As he approached the end of the road, he checked his mirror, spotting Dinky as she lifted her head from her work. Her eyes hit the window just as he broke free of the forests around him.

The first thing to notice was the humongous towers on either side of the large golden castle. Though the building itself was impressive, the towers climbed above it and poked at the clouds. Next would be the giant Ferris wheel, the rollercoasters, and the drop tower. The other buildings didn’t stand quite as tall, but their myriad of sounds and colors wasn’t something to be ignored. As he slowed down and approached, another look in the rearview mirror gave Flash all the reaction he needed.

“Woah…” Dinky’s voice was low, but her astonished expression spoke volumes. “It’s… so cool!”

“Yup!” said Flash, his smile growing. “And in a bit, you can check it all out.”

“I wanna check out that rollercoaster!” Dinky turned to Derpy. “Can we go, mommy?”

“I was afraid you’d say that…” Derpy mumbled with a nervous chuckle. Still, she nodded her head and gave Dinky a confident smile. “Of course, sweetie. We can go on all the rides you want.”

“We’ve gotta check into the hotel first, though,” said Flash, his heart almost breaking once he saw DInky’s face change. “It won’t be long, I promise. We’ll just pop in and pop back out.”

“Okay…” Dinky’s disappointment was clear to both Flash and Derpy. The two shared a brief look before Flash sped up on his way to the hotel.

The visit to the hotel was just as uneventful as Flash suspected. They checked in at the front desk, placed all their belongings into their respective rooms, and stepped back outside all in 10 minutes.

Flash stretched and took a big breath of fresh air as he walked outside. Behind him was Dinky, almost shaking from excitement. It was no exaggeration to say her eyes shone like stars as she stared at the buildings before her. Flash couldn’t help but get infected by her enthusiasm. Derpy, making up the rear, offered her hand to Dinky, who took it and squeezed.

“Can we go on the big one first?” asked Dinky, turning her gaze to her mother. Though she was surely almost blinded by her raw eagerness, she looked back and answered.

“W-Well, you gotta remember to pace yourself,” she answered. “You’ve got all day. If you go on the biggest one first, then all the rest aren’t gonna be as cool right?”

“Oh… then what about that one?” Dinky pointed a finger at a closer ride: The Wendigo Wonderrail. From what Flash could tell, it was an interactive ride. “Is that one okay?”

“Okay, let’s go!” It was clear that Dinky’s liveliness was rubbing off on Derpy as she pumped her fist in the air. With a big smile and wide eyes, she turned to address both of them. “Let’s go have some fun.”

The trio all but rushed their way through the park’s attractions. The Wendigo Wonderrail was an interactive experience that showed the history of the spirits in a fun and cartoony way. The way the images popped out at them from the darkness made the entire ride seem like a trip through a real story. Though the ride was enjoyable, once they stepped off of the rail and back into the park, they knew it was only the beginning.

Next was bumper cars. A large section of the park had been sectioned off for them, so it was pretty hard to miss. The game started off well, but once Dinky got behind the wheel of her bumper car, she turned into something else. Her wild driving style was more like a ferocious gremlin’s than a quiet and well-mannered child like Dinky. Though she was aggressive behind the wheel, once the time was up and she returned to the battered pair of adults, her smile was all they needed to forgive her.

The attractions continued like this for hours. They played laser tag in Discord’s Realm of Chaos, had a bit of fun seeing Dinky scared on the Griffon’s Grave Ride, and because they were wearing their swimsuits under their clothes, they got to spend a little time getting wet on Surfin’ Sirens. For every ride, the memories got bigger and better. Soon, it was an experience none of them would soon forget. They even managed to tackle the Wonderbolt Blitzer, the largest and longest roller coaster the park had to offer. While Dinky was the only person to have lights in her eyes before the ride, the situation as the three walked away from the ride was different than what Flash believed it would be.

“That was sooooo cool!” Dinky’s expression was as expected. Her hair was more unkempt than usual, windswept and strewn every which way. She didn’t seem to mind, though. “That part when it was like… whoosh and then zoom and then… Woah!” She tugged on Derpy’s sleeve. “Wasn’t that cool, mommy?”

“It was the best!” Flash was taken aback by her change of heart at first. Though after realizing that her eyes sparkled nearly as bright as her daughter’s, Flash couldn’t help but accept it. “I thought it was gonna be scary, but it was just so cool! You could see everything up there, and it all passed by so quickly!” She turned to Flash, who offered her a nervous smile. “We should go again!”

“I think I might have to pass…” mumbled Flash. His heart wrenched tight as both Derpy and Dinky gave him a disappointed look. “I’m just a bit dizzy is all. You can go on without me.”

“But it won’t be fun anymore…” Dinky’s disappointed whine was almost enough to change his mind. “Please?”

“Well—”

“Hey Dinky, aren’t you hungry?” Derpy’s cutoff pulled Dinky’s attention away from Flash and brought it to a new issue. “We’ve been at it for hours. How about we take a little break and get something to eat?” Flash could see the question roll around in Dinky’s head as she thought it over.

“Okay.” Both Flash and Derpy gave her a smile, with the latter giving her a small hug. “But then can we go to the Dragon’s Drop Tower?”

“Yup!” said Flash with confidence. “You have my word.” With his confirmation, she perked up and nodded her head. “Alright! Let’s go find a place to eat!”

Finding such a place wasn’t a problem for the park-goers. It seemed that there was a map on every corner and intersection. The park’s section for restaurants and eateries was clearly marked out as part of its bottom right square. The three made their way there with haste.

“Got anything in mind, Dinky?” As they stepped into the food quarter, the three found out just how spoiled for choice they were. They had Italian, Japanese, French, and more. Or, for the frugal spenders, conventional fast food places. Dinky looked from place to place and hummed to herself. “There’s no rush. You can pick anything you want.”

“Um…” Her humming continued as she scanned. Their pace slowed and they explored the buildings at their leisure. Eventually, something caught Dinky’s eye. With a point of her finger, she spoke. “How about there?”

“Hm?” Flash followed her finger, his eyes widening as he realized just what caught her eye. The place, Cafe Bronco, seemed like a pretty average place at first; a mid-sized American cafe. That was until you looked above it. Erected on its roof was a huge statue of a horse, fiercely rearing up. “Wow, what a pose. Looks pretty cool.”

“Let’s go check it out,” said Derpy. Flash nodded in agreement and took the lead.

Despite the eye-catching exterior, the interior was much simpler. The scent of tea and coffee gave off a calm and quiet feeling that reflected its current state. The tables on either side of the door were mostly empty, save for a few groups here and there. The front was similarly barren, without even a single person waiting in line. The person behind the register seemed to be typing away on his phone before they approached.

“Welcome to Cafe Bronco, what can I…” His greeting tapered off as he looked up properly. ‘Yo… is that you, Flash?” Flash’s eyes went wide, and a small grin formed on his face.

“Sandalwood?” Though a bit unsure at first, his long, green, braided hair gave him away in an instant. Flash approached the counter and put his hand out, which Sandalwood shook. “Dude, it’s been like 10 years. Where have you been?”

“You know, here and there,” he said with a grin. “Just kinda livin’ life, y’know?” He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and gave Flash his full attention. “So what about you? What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been good. Got a free trip thanks to my boss,” said Flash. “He accidentally ordered two family passes, so—”

“Daddy?” The end of Flash’s sentence got caught in his throat. Sandalwood’s gaze drifted behind him, and his eyes went wide. The warm atmosphere turned glacial in a heartbeat. Derpy stepped beside Flash, her expression surprisingly hard to read.

“Hello, Sandy.” Though meek, her voice came out clearly. “It’s… been a while, hasn’t it?” Sandalwood’s grin slowly slumped into a frown.

“Yo.” He looked to his side, avoiding eye contact before turning back to Flash. “Guess I’m not the only high school friend you caught up with, huh Flash?”

“Wait, huh?” Flash asked. “You’re Dinky’s dad?” Instead of answering, Sandalwood rolled his eyes and scoffed.

“I guess so. That’s what she says, at least.” He lazily pointed toward Derpy. “Thing is, I always keep it wrapped up. My guess is I wasn’t the only guy getting dragged along, you know?” Flash’s eyes went wide and his jaw dropped.

“Dude…” There was a sharp sting in his chest that made him uncomfortable, but he managed to suppress it as he continued. “She’s standing right here. That’s not cool.”

“Just trying to look out for you, is all,” he said with a shrug. “In case you started falling into the same trap I did, you feel me?” The sting in his chest got more intense. He took a deep breath, then narrowed his eyes.

“For real, cool it with that.” Flash glared at Sandalwood with a frown. “I’m serious.”

“Whatever man,” he said with a chuckle. “I already pay my child support every month. I can talk about my ex however I want.”

“Okay, but still.” Flash’s mouth was working faster than his brain and his heart rate was picking up. “You can’t have a bit of common decency and save that shit for later?”

“I don’t know why you’re getting pissy with me for just trying to help, but ‘aight.” Again, he rolled his eyes, only serving to aggravate Flash even further. “I swear, you do nothing wrong and you’re pissing off somebody. Damn.”

“Are you joking?” Flash’s face twisted into one of disgust. “Nothing wrong? You haven’t even been taking care of your daughter. Where the hell have you been?”

“I really don’t have to tell you a damn thing.” Flash could hear a defensive tone rising in his voice, which only irritated him further. “Why do you even care? It ain’t about you. It ain’t your kid.”

“Why do I care? Who gives a damn about me?” Against his better judgment, his voice was rising. Other people were starting to catch on. “Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, they all go by and you can’t be bothered to get on your phone and shoot her even a single text? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“You’re the only one bitching about it!” snapped Sandalwood. “You know me, I’m a free guy. I don’t want to be tied down by a fuckin’ kid, dude.” Flash’s breaths came out more like growls.

“Do you know how much they have to suffer because of you?” Flash had long since given up on keeping himself reserved. His teeth were grit hard, but he still managed to speak. “Every night she has to come home to spend an hour at most with her daughter before getting ready to head out to another backbreaking shift in the morning just to be able to put food on the table.”

“And what, you think I’m doing fuckall!?” yelled Sandalwood. “I gotta work this bum ass job all day just so she can do whatever the fuck with my money! And that’s supposed to be fair?” He slammed his hand down on the counter. “Boo hoo, she has to look after some kid too, the fuck do I care? Cry me a river, we all got shit we gotta deal with.” He glared at Flash, his face twisted into a snarl. “Plus, Derpy had no problem with it this whole time, only you do. So maybe you should shut the fuck up and let her talk for herself if she’s so unfortunate.”

Above all the chaos, a single thought was at the forefront of Flash’s brain. Before he thought to speak, before he thought to breathe, this one command made itself clear that it should be followed above anything else.

“Do not punch him,” his brain pleaded. Unfortunately… anger forgoes any rational thought.

Flash pulled back his fist as quick as lightning and aimed it at Sandalwood. His eyes went wide and his hands went up to protect himself from it. As he launched it towards him, a heavy pull in the opposite direction kept it from going too far.

“Flash, stop!” The voice rang in his ears, and he whipped around to face it. Derpy looked up at him, clearly trying to hold back tears. “That’s enough! it’s okay!”

“Derpy, he’s…!” Flash glanced near his feet where he felt a small tug. Dinky had grabbed onto his pant leg. Her face was red and tears streamed down her face. Her lips were pressed tightly together, and small whimpers were all that escaped them.

“I’m s-sorry.” Flash’s chest tightened as his heart broke in two. “I’m sorry so… don’t b-be angry anymore.”

“N-No, I’m not angry ‘cause of you, Dinky.” He reached down and picked her up. In his arms, she pressed her face against his chest. Her whimpers turned into cries.

“Let’s just find someplace else,” said Derpy. Her eyes were pleading, but Flash needed no further convincing. He nodded his head, then made his way to the doors.

“Bastard.” Flash ignored the grumbling behind him as he walked to the door. With Derpy close behind, the three fled the scene and were back outside in a few steps. Flash walked in silence for some time before ducking into a random place nearby. It was a sit-down restaurant with a sea serpent theme. A lady was sitting at the front who was all smiles as the three approached.

“Welcome to Magnet’s!” she said with a chipper voice. “Table for three, with a kid’s menu?”

“Yeah,” answered Flash. “Thanks.”

Without much more conversation, they were escorted and seated at an empty table. Thankfully, this place didn’t seem to have much of a waiting list either. Once they arrived, Flash attempted to hand Dinky over to Derpy, but she gripped onto him even tighter instead. They gave up quickly and took their seats.

The idle buzzing of chatter around them did nothing to ease the awkwardness murkily floating above their table. Derpy was looking down at her hands, twiddling with her thumbs. Dinky continued to hold onto him, showing no signs of letting up. Flash stared up at the ceiling, focusing on the patterns and lights to distract him from his inner turmoil.

Flash knew what he did could only be described as beyond stupid. If he knew every language in the world and had until the end of time to do it, he couldn’t describe how Derpy must’ve been feeling. Of course, what Sandalwood said was unforgivable, but losing his cool helped nobody. As far as he was concerned, all it did was satisfy his own ego. With a sigh, he looked back down, meeting Derpy’s eyes as she looked up at him. Flash opened his mouth to speak, but Dinky pulling away from him caught his attention.

“Are you still mad?” Though it was a simple question, it managed to catch Flash off guard. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m not still mad,” said Flash. He smiled, then rustled her hair. “You don’t have to be sorry, Dinky, I do. That was all my fault.” Flash picked up the kid's menu that was placed in front of Dinky’s seat and opened it to a random page. “As an apology, you can order anything you want off the menu. It’s my treat, anyway.” Though she was clearly still distraught, her ears wiggled at the sound of that. She reached out for the menu and pointed at something near the bottom.

“I want this.” Flash followed her finger and discovered the Triple Trouble Ice Cream Sundae. Forget himself, Flash was unsure the three of them combined could finish it. He stumbled over himself to find the right words, then spoke.

“L-let's order something else, first,” said Flash. “You’re supposed to get dessert after the meal, right?” Dinky frowned, then crossed her arms over her chest.

“You said anything…” she pouted. Flash knew he was defeated before he even put up a defense. He chuckled, then laid the menu down flat. He grabbed Dinky in a gentle hug, which lightened up her spirits and brought a smile back to her face. It alleviated his guilt somewhat. He took another deep breath and spared Derpy a look. She’d turned away again, now glancing idly out of the window. For now, Flash turned his attention back to Dinky. He really didn’t want to ruin the mood twice in a row.

“You’re right,” said Flash, grinning wide. “Alright, Triple Trouble it is!

Though Golden Saddles advertised magic and wonder to all its attendants during the day, the park at night was also a special sight to behold. All of the rides were powered off, but the giant castle remained powered. Its golden light bathed the rides and other buildings in its glow, only managing to wane near the edges of the park.

Flash could only see all of this from the large window of his hotel room. Though it gave him an impressive view of the park and what it had to offer, he wasn’t too keen on spending too much time staring out of the window aimlessly. Unfortunately, the idle buzzing of the television in front of him didn’t provide much more entertainment either. Even worse, it didn’t take his mind off of anything. That was the job of the can he gripped in his hand.

With a sigh, he brought the beer up to his lips again. With a single swig, he drained its contents, returning with an exasperated sigh. With the way things were going, this wouldn’t get the job done, either.

The events only a few hours earlier weighed on him like a wet blanket draped over his shoulders. The argument with Sandalwood replayed in his mind over and over. What he should have said, what he would have done differently, and what he could have spared everyone on the trip from. They all swirled together in his mind, serving no purpose other than to make him fall back into more and more despair. And what that meant was that he needed another can.

His attempt to reach over and peel another can from the pack was interrupted by the small sound of a knock at his door. Flash was immediately on guard before relaxing only a moment later. Realistically, there was only one person who could be at his door this late.

He pulled himself out of bed and made his way to the door. After unlocking it and taking a deep breath, he pulled it open.

“Hey…” Her voice was low, but the relative silence of his surroundings let it come out clearly. “Were you asleep?”

“Couldn’t really settle down enough,” he said, holding up the can. “Had a couple of these, but I’m still up and active.”

“I’m the same,” she said, brushing her hair out of her face. “Couldn’t really get to sleep. I was just… wondering if you were alright.” Flash smiled, then stepped back.

“Wanna come in?” he asked. She opened her mouth to answer but left it to a small nod instead. The two entered the room, both deciding to take a seat on the bed. Flash grabbed his remote and brought the TV down to a whisper before returning his focus to Derpy.

Her outside clothes had been switched out for a pair of pajamas. A simple gray with a repeating cat pattern was the design. On the flip side, Flash decided it was best to just wear some shorts and a t-shirt. Unfortunately, simply admiring her clothes wasn’t a conversation topic, so the awkward silence between them grew.

“Dinky was asking for you earlier.” Derpy’s voice poked through the silence. “She wants us all to sleep together. I had to tell her you were probably already asleep.” He chuckled.

“Sorry for making you lie for me.” He took another drink from the pack as he meant to before, then handed it to Derpy. “Want one?” She put her hand up and shook her head.

“I don’t drink, sorry,” she said. Flash pursed his lips, then pulled back.

After cracking it open and taking a sip, the silence descended on the room again. Derpy looked at her lap and played with her fingers while Flash averted his eyes and drank. Once again, the nothingness tore at him. After his sip, he returned his gaze to Derpy.

“Derpy,” she perked up at the mention of her name. “I’m not gonna beat around the bush or try to dodge responsibility. What I did earlier was stupid and I’m sorry for butting into your personal affairs like that.” The words flowed from his lips without pause. “I should’ve thought of my surroundings… of Dinky, and I didn’t. Sorry.” Derpy averted her eyes but responded in turn.

“It wasn’t all your fault,” she said. “Sandy, he… we haven’t been on the best of terms since Dinky was born, but I never thought he’d be like that.” She took a deep breath, then continued. “I should have stepped up for myself when he started speaking, but… I froze up. I know I should have done anything to try to calm you two down, but I… I couldn’t think of anything.” Her eyes met Flash’s. “But even when I couldn’t act, you still decided to speak up for us. It may not have been the right thing to do, but honestly… I appreciated you saying everything I ever wanted to.”

“I lost my cool and put a lot of stress on you both,” he said solemnly. “I shouldn’t be congratulated for that.” Derpy placed a hand on Flash’s idle on, giving it a small squeeze.

“Nobody’s perfect,” she said. “You did your best to defend us. What kind of person would I be if I didn’t give my thanks?” Flash looked down at Derpy with wide eyes as a smile started to form on her lips. The worries and doubts swirling around his head earlier became a still lake as he looked at her. Derpy’s smile was nothing short of a superpower.

But soon it started to fade. Her lips returned to normal and her eyes darted all over his face. Neither said a word as they stared each other down. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, with only the small sounds of breaths reminding them that they were still alive. Derpy’s eyes narrowed, then closed entirely. Flash didn’t realize how close he’d gotten until he could feel her breath on his nose.

As far as he knew, Derpy wasn’t a makeup person. Yet, right there, he swore that he could taste the sweet taste of strawberries on her lips. Flash pulled away first, the kiss only lasting a few moments as best. He opened his eyes to Derpy’s flushed face.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “I probably taste like beer.”

“A bit.”

“Should we stop here, then?” Derpy squeezed his hand.

“No…”

Flash leaned back in and kissed her again. Before long, he couldn’t hold himself back from indulging in her. The beer in his offhand found its way to the nightstand while the other slipped around her waist and up her back. In response, Derpy’s arm wrapped around Flash’s body as well. Now pressed together, Flash could feel her speeding heartbeat against his own, even when pulled away.

With a now free offhand, Flash was allowed to do a few more things. First, he reached up and tugged on the hem of her shirt before unbuttoning it. Underneath was a simple black bra that fit snugly over her chest. His hands made quick work of the latch, even through the clothes.

“Haa…” Derpy sighed as he pulled away once more. Her hand went up to cover her chest, seemingly by instinct. Though with a bit of subtle persuasion from Flash, she was convinced to leave it bare. “I haven’t really had the time to keep in shape, s-so… I’m a little on the bigger side.”

“Please,” whispered Flash. “You’re beautiful.” He pressed his index finger into her nipple. Her large areola sunk down into the breast with it. Derpy whimpered a bit.

“You’re just flattering me,” she hummed. Flash chuckled, then tweaked her nipple between his middle and ring fingers. Though she showed impressive control over her voice, it was only a matter of time before it began to leak.

“Lay back.” Flash’s hand pressed down on her chest and pushed her back gently. She obliged, leaning down against the cool sheets of the bed. With a mouth hovering only an inch above her chest, she let out a small moan. “Tell me if I do something you don’t like.”

He latched onto her left breast, pulling a small squeal out from her lips. Her hand on his back tightly grasped at his shirt as his tongue flicked back and forth with reckless speed. All the while, his palm was pressed firmly against her stomach and slowly slid beyond the hem of her pajama pants.

To match her slightly pudgy stature, her pussy lips were large and puffy. Flash’s hand circled them slowly, followed by a basic rubbing motion. Derpy took a shaky deep breath as her legs slowly rose into the air. It seemed that with every inch they climbed into the sky, Flash would speed up more and more. Soon, his entire left side was shaking vigorously to rub against her lips and clit.

“Ah! Hmm…”Derpy’s head pulled back until she was facing the ceiling. He pulled away from her tit, brought his mouth up to Derpy’s newly exposed neck, and placed a kiss there instead. The contrast between Flash’s fierce fingering and his gentle kisses on her neck confused Derpy’s body. Her lower half was tense, while the kisses above put her at ease.

Then, abruptly, it ended. Flash stopped his hands and pulled away from Derpy entirely. He looked down at her slightly trembling body and couldn’t contain himself.

First, he reached for Derpy’s pants. Just his fingers on her hips were enough to make her yelp out in surprise. Flash knew she must’ve been close when he stopped. Her body was surely sensitive, yet aching for more. He intended to deliver. After pulling her pants away in a single stroke, he quickly got to work on himself.

“Hold on,” he said, reaching over to the nightstand. Next to his discarded can was his small leather wallet. After a quick trip inside, he pulled out a condom stashed away in one of the many pockets. Derpy looked up at him as he pulled apart the wrapper.

“Were you… expecting this to happen?” she asked. He chuckled.

“Nope,” he answered. “It was just in case, you know?” He climbed into bed, taking a position on Derpy’s side. With her back to his chest, he hugged her close. “Then again, I’m pretty lucky to be in bed with you right now.” The words brushed against her ear and made her tremble harder than before.

“You’re flattering me, again,” she said. Flash wrapped his arms around her stomach.

“I’m not,” he said. “Want me to prove it?” He brought his cock closer, enough to knock on her front door. She took a shaky deep breath, then another. With a small nod of her head, Flash had his answer. He pushed in, using his arm to lift her leg up and out of the way. She hummed, which quickly turned into a moan once he dug deeper. Her hands squeezed against his.

Once he pushed in, he spared no time for a break. He ground against the back of her pussy with his tip, thoroughly swabbing it. He pulled back enough to push back in, then again. Derpy’s moans began to get more uncontrolled. Flash leaned into her ear.

“You’re so tight,” he said, sliding his hand up her stomach to grasp onto the underside of her breast. “And the sounds you make are so cute.”

“That’s not trnnnh…!” Flash pushed in with more vigor. Not enough to be considered rough, but enough to cut her sentence off. The back of her pussy smooched him every time he plunged in. He continued with that same energy, his thrusts now fierce enough to leave behind a dull slapping sound as his hips hit her ass.

“It is,” he responded. “Every day you come home from work, I want to tell you how beautiful you are; how much I admire you.” He sped up, combining his strength with rapid speed. Her insides squeezed and pinched down on his dick as it barrelled through, leaving behind a near silent wet squelch each time he slammed inside. Next, he leaned up and planted a kiss on her neck once again, bringing out a shocked yelp. “You’re… perfect.”

“F-Flash, I’m close,” she murmured. Her body shook in his grasp. “I-It’s coming…!”

Flash pushed against her back, rolling her over onto her stomach. After lifting himself off the bed, he loomed over her back. With a hand on either side of her waist, he pushed in even deeper than before. The extra length made Derpy cry out louder with every inch. Flash leaned down and kissed her nape, before chuckling.

“Just relax,” he said. “I’ll make sure you feel good.”

Those words signaled a final burst of energy as he rammed himself into her like a machine. His dick plowed her down into the bed. The harsh impact of his hips smashing against her ass every second rippled her thick ass with every single strike. Derpy gripped the covers and clenched on a pillow with her teeth. Unfortunately, this did little to mute her moans as Flash drove into her from behind. The small squelches from before filled the room instead, the lewd sounds of sex all that Flash could hear or focus on.

With a final growl, Flash slammed in, his balls pulling inward as cum pumped into the condom. Derpy pulled her legs up, pressing against Flash’s butt and begging him to go even an inch deeper. With heavy breaths, he gripped the sheets and obliged, pushing in as much as he possibly could.

“Oh… damn,” Flash mumbled. He took another few deep breaths before slowly pulling away from Derpy. The condom slipped out with a quick schlick and hit the sheets of the bed as Flash left entirely. Both Derpy’s and Flash’s legs were dripping in her juices, though the bed took most of the flak. Despite it, Flash peeled the condom off before tying it up and tossing it away in the trash next to the bed. “Derpy? You okay?”

“Hnng…” The low groan was likely due to her stuffing her face with the pillow on the bed. Flash smiled, then laid down next to her. After grabbing her hands and giving them a little squeeze, she pulled away from them. “Flash…”

“Hmm?” She averted her eyes and dug even more into the pillow.

“That was great.” His heart skipped a beat. In response, he chuckled and reached for her, pulling her close and wrapping her in a tight hug. After a few moments, she responded in turn.

“This is a bit overdue, but...” he squeezed her tighter. “I may have fallen in love with you, Derpy.” She squeezed him back.

“Me too.” Flash closed his eyes. “Can we stay like this for a bit?” With a nod and a hum, Derpy got her answer.

Their hearts beating together was enough to make Flash feel at ease. The day had been long and arduous, with emotional highs and devastating lows. It had been a journey he was glad to embark on and, in the end, learn from. And after it was all said and done, at the end of the tunnel, he’d finally reached his paradise.

He opened his eyes. Staring back at him, with eyes the color of gold and as bright as the stars outside, was Derpy, the “new” love of his life. He was sure they’d have uncertainties, get lost along the way, maybe make a few mistakes… but none of that worried him. As long as he had Derpy’s optimistic smile to look forward to, he could do anything.

And to show his thanks, he would always smile back.

Author's Note

After-Sex Smoke