Author's Note: I apologize for the delay with this one, but I wasn't happy with the original New Year's Story I wrote for Dinky. So after several total rewrites this is the end result. Thanks for reading and enjoy this final story.

“Wake up sleepy head!” Dinky opened her eyes. Her mother was gently shaking her awake. “Don’t want to be late!” Dinky groggily got out of bed and began prepping for the day. Ditzy flapped out of the room and quickly down the stairs. Dinky took a moment clumsily levitating a brush and with great care straightened her mane for the day. Magic was difficult, she didn’t have anywhere near the talent of her adopted older sister. Her mother always told her it was because she was only a half unicorn, but wasn’t she also a half Pegasus? How come she never got wings, instead she only got weak magic? It wasn’t fair. Regardless of her grumbling she still wouldn’t trade her life for all the bits in Equestria.

“C’mon Dinky you’ll miss breakfast if you take too long.” Dinky accepted that as a challenge and raced Sparkler to the kitchen. After a quick breakfast of muffins and milk, Ditzy had to leave to deliver mail, and Sparkler had to rush to her job at Carousel Boutique. Dinky was left alone to get ready for school. This wasn’t uncommon. Her mother and sister had to make it to their jobs on time, and Dinky could handle getting herself ready for the day.

Wearing an adorable little scarf and earmuffs she waited outside for the schoolwagon. She liked school. She enjoyed learning new things. Of course she wished she was in Miss Cherrilee’s class. No one said it to Mister Worm’s face, but everypony knew that Miss Cheerilee was the better teacher. Finally the cart pulled by the handy-colt turned down Dinky’s street. The handy-colt was an elderly brown earth pony and as always wore his beat up hat and goatee while sucking on a piece of hay. The wagon pulled to a stop.

“Hello Mister Hayseed.”

“Howdy Dinky. Have a good break?”

“The bestest!” The grey unicorn happily climbed onto the back of the wagon where several colts and fillies were happily chatting away about what they did, where they went, and what they got. She sat alone. She got along fine with most of the other children, some had even invited them to join their group on Nightmare Night, but she just wasn’t very social with these large crowds. The wagon continued its route around Ponyville picking up the occasional schoolbound pony. Finally a small pinto colt wearing a red and white striped scarf climbed aboard the wagon.

“Hi Pip!” The colt looked around before recognizing Dinky waving a hoof and taking a seat next to her. He set down a small bucket, which he presumably was carrying his lunch in. His mouth now free he offered Dinky an enthusiastic “Hello.” The two began happily chatting as the wagon made its way into the still lightly snow covered schoolyard. The class disembarked some mumbling thank yous to Hayseed the handy-colt. Dinky and Pipsqueak happily took seats to the back of the class. Mister Worm was an elderly earth pony stallion, fond of wearing argyle sweaters and odd hats. His cutie mark of a pile of books was nothing if not accurate. Often he would merely drone on reading directly out of the books or his lesson plan. That’s exactly what happened today. Dinky dutifully followed along, but grew increasingly bored. Pip had fallen asleep mumbling something about the Princess in his sleep. She’d have to remember that. She liked teasing him about Princess Luna being his girlfriend. She’d have to find a way to listen to him talk in his sleep while still appearing to pay attention.

She propped her book up so that her face was hidden. She then leaned in to listen to Pip talk about his “favorite Princess ever” He was mumbling something about being gobbled up. His face began turning through fearful expression after fearful expression. She leaned over and began shaking him with her hoof.

“Pip!” She said in an overly audible whisper “Wake up! You’re having a nightmare.”

“Miss Doo is there something you’d like to share with the class?” He adjusted his small cap and walked away from the podium where the book was resting.

“No Mister Worm.” Dinky lowered her head and tried very hard to become invisible. He looked over and saw the small colt twitching in his sleep. He quickly rapped his ruler against Pip’s desk. Pip awakened with a start, he looked up at Mister Worm who shot him a nasty look.

“I advise you try to stay awake in class.” Pip squirmed, and Mister Worm went back up and continued droning about Equestrian history.

“So Pip” Dinky did a much better job of hushing her voice this time “How’s your favorite Princess?”

“How did you know what I was dreaming?”

“You talk in your sleep.” Pip began blushing. “It sounded scary.”

“I wasn’t scared…” Pip was putting on a brave face, Dinky could tell he wasn’t telling the truth. She’d let it slide though. What else were friends for?

She’d have to ask the Doctor about checking the school’s clocks. There was no way time was moving this slowly. On any other day she might be interested in the culture of Griffins, but this was the first day back from break, and nopony honestly expected them to get anything done. That is except Mister Worm. He continued droning on about their mountaintop architecture and their occasional conflicts with dragons.

After an eternally long time the bell finally sounded for a recess break. Both classes took their break simultaneously, which unfortunately for Dinky’s class meant the older ponies usually got the playground equipment. There were plus sides to. One of the older fillies, Sweetie Belle liked talking with her, and sometimes her other friends would hang out with the younger foals, but it often was overshadowed by them. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were notorious bullies, but they did not stop at bothering their schoolmates. They would often take time to mock Mister Worm’s Class. None of them had earned their cutie marks yet, and that was all the cause they needed to deride them. It looked like they were keen to make up for lost time over break.

“Oh look if it isn’t the little blank flank with almost no magic.” Diamond Tiara said with a sneer. Dinky had learned to ignore them for the most part. She and Pip continued playing with his new marbles. “She’s practically an Earth pony except she isn’t as strong or smart as one of us” Silver Spoon added.

“Puh-lease she would be an insult to Earth ponies if she was one of us.”

“How are those cuties from your coltfriend?”

Pip looked angry and was about to speak up for his friend when Dinky mouthed for him to be quiet. The two fillies saw they weren’t getting enough of a reaction from Dinky, so they moved onto Pip.

“Who even wants a little colt from Trottinghiem here? You’re ruining Ponyville, and you talk funny. ”

“Your coat is a mess. You don’t even have your special talent. You aren’t special.” Pip sniffled and wiped a tear from his eye. He had a hard time fitting in after moving to Ponyville. Dinky stood up and turned to face the fillies.

“Everypony is special.” Dinky said staring down Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon almost daring them to keep going.

“Of course you would say that” Silver Spoon shot back.

“What do you mean?” Diamond Tiara grinned at Dinky’s response and regained the momentum in the conversation.

“Isn’t it obvious? “ Dinky still looked bewildered. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon began circling the filly, while Mr. Worm continued reading whatever it was he was reading. “You would say that everypony is special”

“Because you’re not”

“and your mom is a different kind of “special”” Diamond Tiara mockingly made quotes in the air with her hooves and went crosseyed. Silver Spoon laughed and continued mocking Ditzy’s ocular condition. Dinky was normally content to let the bullies get bored, but they had just crossed the line. Dinky stomped her hoof in the ground, shut her eyes, and began focusing intently on bringing up as much magic as possible. She felt butterflies rattle around in her stomach. Her forehead grew hot as she tried to cast a spell. All she heard was more laughing and Pip’s continued sniffles.

“Oh. Are you going to use your magic?”

“We’re like waiting.”

Dinky felt the heat dissipate from her head all at once and she opened her eyes.

“It didn’t like do anything” Silver Spoon smirked. Dinky lowered her head, she didn’t even have enough magic to stand up for her friend or her mom. She now felt awful and began sniffling.

“Aww what’s the matter? Going to cry Blank flank?” Pip responded with a strangley authoritative voice.

“Takes one to know one!” Dinky stopped for a second that comeback didn’t even make sense. She opened her eyes and looked at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon they seemed the same.

“What’s that like supposed to even mean?” Pip pointed at their flanks. It shocked Dinky she did not notice it before. She had made their cutie marks vanish. Diamond Tiara looked back at their now completely bare flanks. They started screams of panic and ran off saying they were going to be in so much trouble. Dinky grinned for once the inattentive Mister Worm would be a good thing. He just nodded and kept reading his large hardcover book.

The rest of the day passed as slowly as the morning did, but the entire class sort of saw Dinky as a hero for standing up to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Pip was comparing her to the pirates in his comic books. The whole class liked the idea so much they scribbled doodled and generally frittered away throughout the lesson in Pegasus Literature. Mr. Worm didn’t really care, he was just glad the class was quieter than usual. The drawings ranged from simple scribbles showing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon as blank flanks to some showing Dinky as a pirate to Dinky dressed as Mare Do Well saving the day, and her personal favorite her using the elements of harmony to banish all the mean-ness from their resident bullies.

Class finally let out. Dinky thought about taking the cart home, but she realized her mother and sister would still be at work and it would be boring there alone. She decided to wander around town with Pip. He normally dawdled before going home, and today had been exciting. There were lots of things to talk about. Break, magic, pirates, what they were going to get from Sugar Cube corner. The afternoon was looking up. Trotting into Sugar Cube Corner the afternoon immediately began to look dreadful. It somehow had slipped their minds that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon loved to go to Sugar Cube corner. Both their cutie marks and their bad attitudes had returned.

“Oh look if it isn’t the blank flanks.”

“Your stupid spell didn’t even last that long.”

Mrs. Cake was preoccupied with two little foals, and wasn’t exactly giving all her attention to her customers. Pip ignored them and began looking over the various confections. Dinky glared at them she focused very hard and made her horn glow again. The two panicked and rushed out of the sweet shop. Dinky sat down and enjoyed their now unattended cupcakes. Pip joining her and happily enjoyed a free treat rather than paying for one.

“Aw that’s cute. Are you having a good date sweetie?” Dinky looked up and saw her mother carrying a large package and a handful of letters addressed to the Cakes. She was bewildered. Why did her mom ask her how her date was going? She normally asked how her day was, and she had a cupcake not a date.

“What do you mean Mommy?” Ditzy giggled and shrugged her shoulders. Pip seemed just as lost. Regardless Ditzy delivered the mail and resumed her route. After eating their sugary treats, the pair resumed walking about Ponyvile stopping to build a snow pony in the park. Pip had to go home and the pair went their separate ways. Dinky wondered what she was going to do for the rest of the afternoon, when she passed a familiar establishment.

Tardis Watch Emporium stood out with its bright blue coat of paint on the otherwise dull block. Dinky hopped on in. The Doctor was lifting a large grandfather clock onto a cart.

“Hello Dinky!” His eyes lit up as somepony had finally arrived to keep him company. “How was school?”

“It was great I used my best magic ever!” The Doctor chuckled.

“So what did your spell do?”

“I taught those nasty bullies Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon a lesson.” The Doctor gulped, he clearly was displeased about hearing this.

“Dinky… why? What did they do?” He stopped working on the clock and looked very seriously at the little filly.

“They made fun of Mommy and Pip” The Doctor remained silent for a moment; the only sound was the ticking of dozens of clocks in perfect unison. He finally spoke, choosing his words very deliberately.

“Dinky.” She recognized that voice, it was similar to her mother’s voice when she had done something wrong. “I’m sure you were very brave standing up to those bullies. But your mother has learned to fight her own battles, and she doesn’t let mean names bother her anymore. The last thing she wants is for ponies to get in fights for her. Believe me, I once got in a brawl with a most ill-tempered stallion, for insulting your mother. She was not happy with me.” The Doctor put a hoof around Dinky’s shoulder “I don’t think she’d want you causing trouble at school for her sake.”

Dinky looked guiltily towards the ground. “But what about Pip?” It had been a long time since the Doctor had been a foal, but he still remembered more than enough to know what Dinky was really trying to do.

“Dinky, I’m sure your friend is glad you stood up for him, but there are other ways to get a colt’s attention than fighting his battles for him.”

“I wasn’t trying to!” Her voice filled with anger. The Doctor laughed

“I’m sure Dinky.” The Doctor gulped a little at the angry glare he got. “Like mother like daughter” He mused to himself. “Anyway, why don’t you run along and play? I’ve got some more work to finish up on.” Dinky nodded and glumly slinked away, the Doctor oblivious to her mood souring.

Dinky walked along kicking the occasional clump of snow. She didn’t mean to be bad. She just wanted to stand up for her mom and Pip. “No” she muttered to herself. She did it because it was the right thing to do, not because of some colt. She wasn’t sure why, but every pony seemed to think she had a crush on Pip. At least Pip had not picked up on that. He seemed just as embarrassed when her mom brought up them being on a date. “That’s what she meant!” A few ponies looked at Dinky who had not realized how loudly she had exclaimed her realization. She grinned and kept walking home. Come to think of it, Pip seemed more embarrassed than she was. It was probably just because he was a boy. Boys were always more afraid of cooties and stuff.

Dinky cheered up as she spotted a familiar face opening the gate to their house. “Sparkler!” Her big sister turned and waved.

“Hey Dinky.” The pair walked inside the house. Looking at the living room floor it seemed as if the laundry had unfolded itself to make a mess everywhere. “C’mon Dinky let’s take care of this.” The pair of unicorns began folding the clothes.

“Sparkler, how can you tell when a colt likes you?” Sparkler continued folding towels

“Don’t you think you are a bit young to be worrying about colts Dinky?”

“Well it’s just Mommy said we were on a date at Sugar Cube Corner and the Doctor thought I wanted to impress him”

“Do you?”

“NO!” Sparkler laughed at her sister’s emotional response. She remembered when Colts had cooties. Now she wished they’d notice her a little more.

“Well Dinky, I don’t think I need to tell you whether Pip likes you or not. He’s your friend right?” Dinky nodded “Then you already know he likes you.” Dinky put a hoof to her head, she had not thought about it that way before.

“But what if he gives me cooties?”

“Sis’ I’ll let you in on a little secret. “ She reached over and drew Dinky in close to whisper into her ear “You can’t actually catch cooties. It’s okay for you to play with colts.”

“Really? Is that true?”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye”

“You’re the best Big Sister ever” Dinky looked up and gave her sister a hug.

“Why?”

“Because you know everything”

Sparkler laughed “I’m not going to dispute, but we should probably get this laundry done.” Dinky frowned. She hated laundry, but she wouldn’t change anything for all the bits in Equestria.