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DuplexFields — To Have

Published: 2011-11-06 21:40:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 6034; Favourites: 86; Downloads: 28
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Description As soon as the Sisterhooves Social race ended, Dinky the unicorn ran up the bleachers to her mother.  "Didja see us?  Didja?  Didja?" she asked, grinning like her face would split.

Derpy grabbed her daughter and swung her around.  "Butter and excellence, the cute badgers sing!"

Violet Sparkler trotted over.  She stopped next to the bleachers, and nervously rubbed one forehoof against the other.  "Hey, Miz Hooves?" she said, "I know Dinky and I aren't real sisters, but, um, thanks for letting us compete together."

"Kumquat and the entrance," said Derpy, nodding.

"I mean," said Violet suddenly, quickly, as if she'd been holding the words back for too long, "I've never had a little sister, and when they put Dinky in my foster home I was so happy there was another unicorn there, but she was just so sad, and she missed her mother so much."

Derpy looked at Violet (and a tree to the left), intrigued.

"And when she got to go home, she was so happy, but then I was sad, because I didn't have a sister anymore."  Violet looked down at the ground, and sniffled.  "Or a real mother."

A hoof on Violet's neck made her look back up.  "I'll always be your sister, Violet," said Dinky, softly.

"Thanks," said Violet, and hugged Dinky.  Their hug was so full of joy that they didn't even hear the sound of pencil on paper.

Derpy held a notepad between her hooves, and had a pencil in her mouth.  She was scribbling furiously.  Frustration creased her brow as she tore the page from the pad and crumpled it up.  Then she continued.

"Hey all y'all!" shouted Applejack, "Git'cher cornbread an' beans, compliments of Sweet Apple Acres!"

Dinky and Violet made a mad dash for the food.  The pie-eating portion of the contest completely slipped their minds until they'd each started eating a plate of the free food.

"Hey Dinky, how'dya like yer corn pone?" asked Apple Bloom, walking past in her apron and serving hat.  "I helped bake it."

"Dee-lish!" said Dinky, licking her lips.

"Ditto here!" said Violet, then finished her meal.

"Good t'hear it.  Oh, hi, Miz Hooves."  Apple Bloom turned and walked toward another table, presumably to inquire about the other guests' dining experience.

Violet and Dinky scooted over to make room, but it wasn't a plate of refreshments Derpy held.  Instead, she placed a single piece of paper on the table.

Violet and Dinky leaned over and read it:

To Violet Sparkler:
Dinky and I live in a small house on the edge of Ponyville.
It's cozy- some might call it cramped- but it's home.
I have a medical condition, but I manage to provide for us.
Dinky has told me a lot about you, and your kindness to her.
Would you like to be her sister legally?

They gasped.  "Do you really mean it, mom?" asked Dinky, bouncing up and down, "Can Violet be my big sister forever an'ever?"

Violet turned and hugged Derpy.  No words, only shaky sobs and a wet spot on Derpy's mane.

"In the clear," said Derpy to her younger daughter.  "In the clear."

By the bleachers, Apple Bloom was picking up trash.  "Durn messy ponies," she muttered.  There were several crumpled up pieces of paper in a pile by the bleacher.  "Huh?"  She uncrumpled one, turning it this way and that.  It appeared to be addition problems.  The numbers were labeled 'rent,' 'food,' 'job' 'second job,' 'adoption fees.'  The sum was negative, with a frowny face drawn next to it.

Intrigued, Apple Bloom uncrumpled another.  This one matched the previous, but also had 'third job - temporary' listed, with a note: 'help her develop mark talent into small business???'  This time, the numbers added up.  "Huh," she said, then tossed them in her garbage sack and continued on her way.
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Comments: 51

DuplexFields In reply to ??? [2013-02-21 01:30:15 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Let's see if I can satisfactorily explain who Dinky's dad is, considering how often Dinky has been seen recently with Golden Harvest and a lavender unicorn stallion...

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UniversesCollideInc In reply to DuplexFields [2013-02-21 12:46:15 +0000 UTC]

Well, for that, Golden Harvest could just be married to that stallion and the 2 of them are Derpy's closest friends who helped her get custody of Dinky again and help watch Dinky whenever Derpy is busy with something or other.

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DuplexFields In reply to UniversesCollideInc [2013-02-25 07:43:11 +0000 UTC]

I like to think Carrot Top is a sharecropper at Sweet Apple Acres, and the carrot-shaped mini-barn is her work-shed.

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UniversesCollideInc In reply to DuplexFields [2013-02-25 12:45:58 +0000 UTC]

Neat theory.

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Biosonic100 [2012-12-10 03:36:11 +0000 UTC]

Only one man could help that family. He's kind. He's mad. And he has a blue box,and two big hearts.

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DuplexFields In reply to Biosonic100 [2012-12-10 05:21:19 +0000 UTC]

When working with The Doctor, I prefer Sparkler's origin to be extraterrestrial, or at least extrachronal or xenobiological.

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Biosonic100 In reply to DuplexFields [2012-12-10 11:38:53 +0000 UTC]

In the Doctor's way of things, that would be too easy.

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AmrasFelagund [2012-11-05 03:28:31 +0000 UTC]

Family is not always about blood, and Violet Sparkler's induction into the Hooves family is a heartwarming story to have read...!

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DuplexFields In reply to AmrasFelagund [2012-11-05 05:49:47 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. I've heard too many stories IRL where blood is the only thing that keeps families together, and does a poor job of it. I wondered how a pony at the cusp of adulthood and a young mother could have gotten together in the first place, and the rest just wrote itself.

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NicLove [2012-05-12 08:00:58 +0000 UTC]

regrettable incident with Foal Protective Services, = [link] ?

My Sweetie = [link] ?

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DuplexFields In reply to NicLove [2012-05-12 09:56:46 +0000 UTC]

I love ~Ciroton 's take on the Derpy/Dinky/FPS situation. It really is epic. That being said, the stories I linked to in the description were in the forefront of my mind when I wrote this.

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NicLove In reply to DuplexFields [2012-05-13 03:11:02 +0000 UTC]

That's good, but those 2 links don't werck!

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Zimdox [2012-03-31 19:35:26 +0000 UTC]

lol

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spiritplumber [2012-02-25 13:37:15 +0000 UTC]

Best pony.

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CaramelSwirlzCat [2011-12-10 04:44:09 +0000 UTC]

This is really cute :3
This made me feel all warm of fluffy inside.

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DuplexFields In reply to CaramelSwirlzCat [2011-12-10 06:12:50 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. In this dark world, love makes all the difference.

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dragonpony [2011-12-02 01:18:58 +0000 UTC]

so sweet! but i thought her name was just sparkler, not violet sparkler.

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DuplexFields In reply to dragonpony [2011-12-02 01:37:16 +0000 UTC]

When I wrote the story initially (and created the prop), I couldn't find a name for her on the wiki. So I called her Violet something. A half a day later, I ran across her fan name, so I modified it to match.

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dragonpony In reply to DuplexFields [2011-12-02 01:41:05 +0000 UTC]

oh, okay! that makes sense!

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DuplexFields In reply to dragonpony [2011-12-02 09:41:46 +0000 UTC]

Although honestly, single name ponies and ponies with names that perfectly match their cutie marks (Silver Spoon? Really?) make me think that in pony society, it's accepted to change one's name to match one's mark.

(My ponysona's name at birth was Greene Fields, but information duplication is his mark talent.)

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dragonpony In reply to DuplexFields [2011-12-03 02:30:27 +0000 UTC]

yeah, sometimes in my head, i make up an episode where twilight realizes the thing with the names and cutie marks.

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silentsteel [2011-11-16 00:51:17 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much for writing this! I feel simultaniously very hopefull and very worried for this little family.

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DuplexFields In reply to silentsteel [2011-11-16 07:58:26 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for the fav. I figure she's smart enough to balance her job(s) and raising Dinky, and Violet is almost old enough to care for herself, plus she did the math. Of course, this all assumes no other financial hardships come down on them.

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shining-armor7 [2011-11-13 21:31:14 +0000 UTC]

love it

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chibi-jen-hen [2011-11-10 17:43:02 +0000 UTC]

I thought I faced this D: ! Fixing now! Thanks for the mention btw .

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DuplexFields In reply to chibi-jen-hen [2011-11-10 19:13:03 +0000 UTC]

No prob; thanks for the fav, the fanart, and all the views that come from a secondary link from EqD.

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ThoughtWanderer [2011-11-10 11:57:13 +0000 UTC]

This made me so happy. My favorite version of Derpy, a bittersweet but overall happy ending, and it perfectly reconciles fanon with canon. Wonderful job.

Are you going to submit this to ED?

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DuplexFields In reply to ThoughtWanderer [2011-11-10 18:50:35 +0000 UTC]

I was sorta waiting for someone else to. It's a quickfic, not EqD's usual style. However, it got over 900 (OVER 900!!!) views and 34 favs so far, just from links from CJH's fanart. I might as well.

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Nova225 [2011-11-08 18:24:09 +0000 UTC]

Oh hey ? ...I'm mentioned here . That's a first. ...Hurray.

---

Short, but good story.

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DuplexFields In reply to Nova225 [2011-11-09 00:54:32 +0000 UTC]

Everyone remembers a happy ending.

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ColtintheMoon [2011-11-08 09:21:35 +0000 UTC]

okay............... but it's my headcanon that Sparkler and Ditzy are sisters. That would make her Dinky's Aunt.

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alexwarlorn [2011-11-08 01:15:44 +0000 UTC]

Beauty.

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RK-Striker-JK-5 [2011-11-08 01:00:47 +0000 UTC]

Aww, very good here and sweet.

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MagicaITrevor [2011-11-08 00:54:58 +0000 UTC]

Rather short, but still adawwable, so thanks!

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ChibiRegalli [2011-11-07 23:54:13 +0000 UTC]

Perfect. I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. I can definitely get behind fanon this adorable. Major props for cuteness.

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catgirl479 [2011-11-07 23:16:01 +0000 UTC]

i love it! thanks for making this!

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StarryOak [2011-11-07 21:55:28 +0000 UTC]

and then they went home with the doctor

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pj202718 [2011-11-07 18:54:12 +0000 UTC]

Given how smart Derpy really is, I'd say that the numbers will more than add up!

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alexwarlorn [2011-11-07 17:37:23 +0000 UTC]

You deserve a medal.

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ravenrunner [2011-11-07 15:59:18 +0000 UTC]

Love it!

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motomori [2011-11-07 13:00:47 +0000 UTC]

awwwwwww

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TheUniverseTraveler [2011-11-07 08:39:07 +0000 UTC]

Not to sound rude, but what is wrong with Derpy? Did she have a stroke? Those sound like the results of one.

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DuplexFields In reply to TheUniverseTraveler [2011-11-07 23:45:46 +0000 UTC]

There are several different depictions of Derpy in the various fan communities:
1. A silly pony who messes things up. May or may not speak in gibberish.
2. A pony of average intelligence whose eyes are a bit wobbly; speaks normally.
3. A pony of average or above-average intelligence whose eyes are googly and who talks in word salad nonsensical language. She can write at an average or above-average level, and may be a poet.

This story is about Derpy variation #3.

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pj202718 In reply to DuplexFields [2011-11-09 18:29:49 +0000 UTC]

As I recall, the Variation #2 you've written for in the past has a not-so-lovingly given distortion of her real name to contend with.

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DuplexFields In reply to pj202718 [2011-11-09 20:38:35 +0000 UTC]

True. Her momma was an athlete, and named her daughter Derby. Of the Derpys (Derpies?), that's the one most interesting to me, which is why that's my only fanfic continuity with more than one story. However, I like to mix it up.

My own name is easily rhymed with offensive words, so I know that particular pain.

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pj202718 In reply to DuplexFields [2011-11-09 22:24:36 +0000 UTC]

Oh. Man. Bummer.

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TheUniverseTraveler In reply to DuplexFields [2011-11-08 00:15:44 +0000 UTC]

Ahh, okay. Thank you for clearing that up for me.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

DuplexFields In reply to TheUniverseTraveler [2011-11-08 00:39:41 +0000 UTC]

All the fics I linked in the description are well worth reading. Save Ciroton's for last, though, it'll rip out your still-beating heart and wipe your tears with your own arteries.

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TheUniverseTraveler In reply to DuplexFields [2011-11-08 09:53:30 +0000 UTC]

Ah, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you.

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MC-Myztery [2011-11-07 08:17:55 +0000 UTC]

this was a good read ;u; ...but i feel kinda sad now ;n;.
But the adorable image makes me lol xD.

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