Hello there. I sort of needed a break from my two current projects so I wrote this. I'll probably do a couple more of these in the future. But any who, I hope you like it.
"The sandwiches are ready Ditzy. How are your muffins coming along?" Chimed Time Turner, the loving husband of Ditzy Doo and caring father of Dinky Doo. Today Time Turner had no appointments so he closed down the shop and decided to take his family for a picnic.
"Almost done, how about you check on Dinky while they finish up?" Ditzy suggested as she sniffed the air and exhaled in satisfaction at the delicious smell of blueberry muffins.
"Right!" Turner said with a smile. He trotted up the stairs of Ditzy's cottage and came to Dinky's room. Inside she found her looking into her mirror brushing her mane being sure not to leave a hair standing up.
"Dinky, are you ready to go?" He asked gently.
"Just finishing grooming dad." Dinky replied, she brushed one more time and put the brush in her drawer.
"Does mom need any help with the muffins?" Dinky asked eagerly, she always loved to help her mother in the kitchen. Ditzy's soothing voice would instruct Dinky how to measure each ingredient and stir them together. After waiting for thirty minutes their muffin timer would ring and Dinky would rush to see the oven. Afterwards she and Ditzy would enjoy the muffins she had made.
"Actually, the muffins are about to be ready." Turner answered. "But I could use some help packing the basket."
"Of course!" Dinky replied happily. In truth she liked to help every pony, especially if it was one of her parents. So, she hopped down the stairs with her father in tow. Together they folded their red and white checkered blanket and packed it into a rectangle shaped wicker basket.
Next, they packed a covered pitcher that had fresh lemonade in it and Time Turner's sandwiches. Right then they heard a timer go off with a loud rrrriiiinnnngggg!
"The muffins are ready!" Ditzy called out in excitement.
"Yay!" Dinky cheered.
Time Turner chuckled, it made him truly happy and gave him a certain peace to see his family like this. Both he and Ditzy had come a long way. Ditzy always being bullied about her eyes and her clumsiness, no one giving her any respect. And Turner, the stallion who thought he was a cold loner and a mean person. Not giving him a chance to show who he really was.
Alone they would've broken down by now. But ever since they got married they've been supporting each other through the bad and sharing the good. They became even more blessed when they received Dinky. Now it's been 7 years and Dinky has been doing well in school with Ditzy teaching her extra and Time Turner's shop has been picking up in business.
"You alright there muffins?" Ditzy asked Time Turner who was reminiscing the past.
"Oh, I'm fine dear. I was just remembering something." Turner dismissed.
He then picked up the basket which was now heavy with goods and set off with his family towards Gazelle Hill. They walked down the cobblestone path observing the bustling afternoon of Ponyville. There were ponies bargaining with the stall managers over prices or vendors advertising their goods with signs and words. Shoppers with saddle bags stuffed to the brim with celery, apples, hay, and wheat. Personally, Time Turner preferred the quiet and focused atmoshpere of his clock shop. For him the market was to noisy.
But the further they walked the less noise they were able to hear. At one point the cobblestone path had now turned into a beaten dirt path, they continued walking and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Although Dinky soon became restless and began talking about how school was going.
"I'm at the top of my class right now." Dinky said proudly.
"Thats my girl, smart as a whip." Turner replied.
"Careful that you don't leave the other students in the dust now." Ditzy agreed.
"Who's your teacher right now? Cherry Lee? Cheery Me?" Time Turner asked trying to remember her name.
"It's Cheerilee dad." Dinky corrected with a giggle.
"Oh silly me, I'm surprised I haven't forgotten my name by now." Turner joked and put on a silly face. Ditzy and Dinky laughed with mirth.
"Actually, I'm at the top right now because of mom. Miss Cheerilee is a great teacher, but mom teaches me better and she does it in such a fun way." Dinky said.
"Oh, stop it. I don't know that much." Ditzy hushed, she blushed at her daughter's praise.
"On the contrary our daughter is right." Turner chipped in. "You don't give yourself enough credit. I mean who else in Ponyville knows how to grow a banana tree or how to group together measurements so they'll be easier to remember."
"I-I guess your right." Ditzy stammered, she always wondered what she did to earn such a loving and supportive family. But then she stopped questioning and simply cherished it.
"So, have you given any thought about what you want to be when you grow up Dinky?" Turner asked curiously.
"Well, I was thinking about being a clockmaker like you dad. Or maybe I'll open my own bakery." Dinky pondered. She wanted to do something that her parents did.
"I don't know about being a clockmaker. But I like the idea of the bakery. Don't you Ditzy?" Turner dismissed.
"Whats so bad about being a clockmaker?" Ditzy asked.
"Well, it's just that being a clockmaker is quiet and focused job. Not only that but it doesn't yield that much business. Dinky is an energetic mare who I think would be more qualified as a baker than a clockmaker." Turner explained.
"We'll see about that, right sweetie?" Ditzy told her daughter.
"Right!" Dinky exclaimed.
They finally arrived at Gazelle Hill and began to unpack. Dinky and Time Turner unfolded the blanket while Ditzy hour out the food. When they were all set up they sat and lied down on their backs, tired from their long walk up. They were all staring at the clouds when Dinky started calling out what they looked like.
"That one looks like a duck!" She said.
"I thought that was a rabbit." Turner disagreed, he turned his head to look at his daughter's angle and then said, "Oh, now I see." As he saw the rabbit.
"Well, I see a flower." Ditzy pointed.
"Where?" Dinky asked.
"Over there." Ditzy replied and she pointed in the direction of the cloud with her hoof.
"I see it too." Turner agreed.
They all kept searching the sky for clouds that looked similar to the things on earth. Time turner found a muffin shaped cloud which Ditzy and Dinky clamored to see while Dinky found a clock shaped cloud and Ditzy found a cloud house. After a while Dinky's stomach began to rumble with hunger. So, they brought out the daisy and hay sandwiches that Turner made with the lemonade by Dinky and the muffins cooked by Ditzy.
So, they spent their afternoon snacking on the different treats they had made, having idle conversations about numerous subjects: How Carrot Top was doing, the new pony park that opened, life. Even Dinky talked about her friends and how they were thinking on starting their own baking club. They all could cook different sweets so it seemed like a good idea.
Time Turner was loving every second of this picnic. Out with his family, away from the constant tick tock of his clock shop. Not a care in the world. Now he knew this wouldn't last forever. Challenges and hardships would come along, such was life. But as long as he had his family with him he knew they would make it through.
As a Family.