//------------------------------// // ...and Grey Feathers // Story: Postal Blues and Grey Feathers // by The_EE //------------------------------// “I have some errands to run,” Twilight said. “Do you want to stay here with Spike? You can come with me if you want to.” “I think I'll stay here,” Dinky said, digging her hoof at the floor. “Alright, Spike will keep you company. I'll only be a while.” As she shut the door, she could hear Spike speak up. “What do you want to do? I have some boardgames we could play. I never get a chance to play those, Twilight never has the time. Or that's what she says anyway. I just think she doesn't like to play because she keeps losing.” The dragon had raised his voice slightly at that last part, as if he hadn't been talking to Dinky, but somepony else. “Okay,” she could hear Dinky reply. The inside of Sugarcube Corner was quiet this time of the day. The bakery was open every day of the week, although on weekends the business hours were shorter. On Sundays the shop didn't see much business anyway, and it was usually the time to rest and prepare for the coming week. Still, the smell of freshly baked goods wafted through the air just the same as on any other day. The floors had been cleaned recently, and were still a little damp from the mopping. There was nary a trace of the usual fine coating of flour on every surface. Pinkie was leaning against the counter, absentmindedly flipping through a magazine. It was some kind of cheap gossip rag, the article she was reading was 'Top Ten Party Tips from the Equestrian Elite'. The bored expression on her face betrayed the fact that the magazine contained nothing she hadn't seen already. When she heard the bell on the door ring her eyes shot up and met Twilight's. “Hey Twilight!” She said in her usual upbeat manner, bouncing up and tossing the magazine over her back. “I was going to come and visit, but then Rarity said that you probably needed some peace and quiet.” She walked up from behind the counter and sat down next to Twilight, tilting her head to the side. “How are things going with Dinky?” “She's still a little shook up, but she's doing alright I suppose. Could be better, though. She was really silent yesterday and then we actually had a bit of a cry last night. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.” Pinkie was giving Twilight a quizzical look, the meaning of which seemed to escape the purple mare. “Well duh, of course it's a good thing,” Pinkie said, waving a hoof. “Why wouldn't it be? I bet she's feeling much better now.” Twilight was baffled. “Well, I guess she is. I just wish she would talk more. I try to ask her how she's feeling and all I get is nothing.” Pinkie gave her another curious look, then rolled her eyes at her. “She's just a little filly, you know,” she started, taking a deep breath before going on, “And all this has to be really hard for her, maybe she just isn't ready to talk. If I was her I would just cry too, it's still better than just keeping it all bottled up if you can't do anything else about it. Trust me, I know.” The sudden, and somewhat obvious, revelation gave Twilight pause. “That's actually...” she stammered, “...really insightful. I hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks, Pinkie.” “No problem. And don't worry about it too much. If she could cry with you then it means she trusts you. She'll talk when she's ready to talk, just give her time.” The librarian hadn't actually come to the bakery seeking advice, at least not knowingly. Still, the words of her pink friend had helped to take some of the weight off her shoulders and she found a smile starting to creep on her face. “Hah, I was actually half expecting that you would suggest throwing a party to cheer her up or something like that. Silly me...” Twilight noticed the blank look Pinkie was giving her. “You weren't planning a party, were you?” “Maybe juuuust a little one.” Pinkie blinked a couple of times and gave a nervous laugh. “How did you guess?” Twilight rolled her eyes at her. “I had a hunch.” “Couldn't help myself, I got some really cool ideas... but I'll save it for when Derpy is all better and things are back to normal.” “That would probably be for the best.” Twilight said and couldn't help but giggle a little. “I'm sure it will be as wonderful as always. But there is actually something I could use a little help with right now. That is actually why I came here.” Pinkie perked up. “Anything.” “I was just wondering what kind of treats Dinky might like, I though she might like a little surprise like that. I was thinking of baking her something, but I don't really know what she likes. And besides, I'm not much of a cook anyway. But I figured you might know what she likes.” Pinkie rubbed her chin for a while. “Well, Derpy usually just gets a batch of muffins, blueberry or lemon flavor. But sometimes she buys a couple of cupcakes too. I know she doesn't like them herself, so I guess those must be for Dinky.” “That sounds great! What kind does she usually get?” “Strawberry, with white glazing and extra sprinkles on top. Preferably pink and yellow ones,” Pinkie answered from the top of her head. “Haha, that's great! You remember what everypony likes, don't you?” “Pinkie Pie knows eeeeverything,” Pinkie said, giving Twilight one of her creepier stares. The purple mare wasn't quite certain whether it was intentional or not. “I'm sure you do,” she said, deciding to err on the side of caution. “Do you happen to have any of those on the shelf?” “Yes, but those won't do. Wrong color and they'd probably be stale anyway. I'll make some fresh ones, just for her. Can you wait twenty minutes?” “I've got some other errands to run, but I'll be back,” Twilight said, making her way back to the door. “Thanks, this really means a lot.” She turned to look, but Pinkie had already disappeared somewhere deeper into the bakery. The faint sounds from the kitchen indicated that she was already hard at work. Twilight came back a little over an half an hour later. A white box tied up with red decorative string was waiting for her on the counter. Pinkie was there too, leaning against the counter and absentmindedly flicking through her magazine again. Twilight was amazed at how she had managed to not only whip up the pastries but also to find the time to get bored in such a short while. She chalked it up to her just being Pinkie. When Pinkie noticed Twilight had returned, she trotted up the her, the box in her teeth. “Hehre yhou gho!” She mumbled. “Thank you”, Twilight said, levitating the box away from Pinkie. “Ugh, the post office was a mess. I guess Derpy does a lot more there than just deliver the mail after all.” “Yeah, I've heard her complain about it a couple of times. Well, not really complain, I don't think that's in her nature, but anyway... Is there anything else you need? I don't want to keep you from Dinky.” “No, this should do it,” Twilight said, digging at her saddlebags. “How much?” Pinkie smiled and waved her hoof. “I put it in a gift wrap for a reason. Just say hello to Dinky for me.” “Alright then, thanks. I'll be sure to.” Just as she was about to leave, she was stopped by Pinkie calling her. “Oh wait, one more thing I forgot,” the pink pony said as she trotted back up to Twilight. “I was so caught up in how Dinky was doing I forgot to ask about you. About how you are doing, that is.” “Me?” Twilight asked, baffled again. “I... am fine, I suppose? Why do you ask?” “No reason,” Pinkie said in her usual bubbly manner. “I just figured this must be really stressful for you. And you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of anypony else, that's all. I'm sure you can handle it, but don't be afraid to ask for help if you think you need it. If you need some time to yourself just ask, I can cover for you.” “Okay, I'll remember that. Thanks again Pinkie.” “No problem. What are friends for?” Twilight and Dinky had just finished having dinner. Dinky had been quiet again, but she had finished what was on her plate this time, much to Twilight's relief. Not eating enough had left the filly short on energy, but now she seemed to be in somewhat better spirits. “Tomorrow is Monday... I- I don't think I want to go to school. Do I have to?” Dinky asked. “Of course not, if you are not feeling up to it. Nopony expects you to go after all that has happened. Cheerilee understands and she will send somepony to bring you your homework. She might even stop by herself, if she has the time. She's just really busy with her work, as always.” “But she said there was going to be a test tomorrow...”, Dinky said, shrinking back. “Don't worry, you can take it later when things get back to normal. Besides, you're a bright filly, I'm sure a few missed days won't do you any harm.” “I guess,” Dinky said, relaxing a little. “Mom just always says that I have to take school seriously.” “And you should, but there's no point in getting stressed over it right now... say, is there any subject you need help with? I could help you with your homework.” “No, I'm fine, but thanks anyway. I'll ask if there's anything.” Twilight couldn't help but smile as she patted the filly on the back. Dinky reminded her so much of herself when she was her age. She noticed the filly seemed to be thinking of something. “Well, actually...” she started, uncertain, “there is something I could use a little help with. If it's not too much trouble, that is.” “I'll be happy to help. What is it?” “Well, it's kind of embarrassing really... I, uh... I can't write very well.” Dinky saw Twilight raise an eyebrow and went onto clarify: ”I mean, I know how to write, but it's hard because I can't use magic. Like, at all. I just make a mess.” Dinky hopped onto the couch and leaned back as she continued: “Most of the other unicorns at school already know at least some magic. It's a little embarrassing to still be using my mouth to write. Mom says it's nothing to be ashamed of because that's what earth ponies and pegasi do all the time. But sometimes the others tease me about that... too.” Twilight had never had much of a problem with magic herself, but then again it was her element. As such what Dinky had said had come as a slight surprise to her, but the more she thought of it, the more it made sense. Derpy was a pegasus, after all. Ponyville was a small town and didn't have much to offer in the way of private magic tutoring, and even if it did Twilight wasn't sure Derpy could afford it, as those classes tended to be on the expensive side. What Dinky needed was an older unicorn to teach her. She gave the filly a gentle smile. “That's a silly thing to tease somepony about, don't listen to them. And soon they won't have any reason to anyway, I can teach you. Our first lesson could be today. Would you like that?” “Really?” Dinky said, perking up a little. “Of course. I'll just get a quill and some paper. This is going to be fun!” Twilight trotted back a moment later, a few quills and a stack of blank paper in tow. “Okay. First, show me what you can do.” A few seconds passed and a faint glow appeared around Dinky's horn. Soon the same glow enveloped the quill resting on the table. The filly brought the quill up a little shakily, then pressed it tentatively against the sheet. She stopped and gave Twilight a blank stare. “What should I write?” “That doesn't matter. Just write what ever comes to your head. Or just do letters, it doesn't matter. I just want to see what you can do.” Dinky closed her eyes and took a deep breath in a vain attempt at calming her heartbeat. After a moment the quill began to move, drawing shaky black lines on the paper. She got a few letters down, but then the quill shot across the page, tearing a few sheets deep into the stack. Twilight managed to stop the quill before it could scratch into the table. “Sorry,” Dinky said, shrinking back. “I said I'd make a mess.” Twilight patted her on the back. “It's alright. That's not bad for a first try, really,” she said, encouragingly enough, but holding back a cringe. She put the ruined sheets of paper aside. “Try again.” Dinky tried again, with similar results, this time breaking the quill in the process. A puddle of black ink spilled onto the page. “Sorry about your quill,” she said, in a defeated tone. “Maybe this wasn't a good idea...” “Don't worry about it, I have plenty more. I got so tired of how I could never find one when needed that I bought a whole box of them. Besides, I think I now know where the problem is.” “You do?” Dinky asked, giving a surprised look. “Yes, I think I had the same problem when I was about your age, actually. You are thinking too hard about what you are doing. Then when your mind wanders briefly, uh, this happens,” Twilight said, pointing to the ruined papers. “Don't worry, it's really not that uncommon.” “I though I was supposed to think about what I was doing...” Dinky said quietly. She gave Twilight a confused look. “Well, you need to, just not too hard. Just pick up the quill and let it land on the paper. Then just write. It's just like...” Twilight trailed off, trying to find a suitable metaphor. When after a few seconds she couldn't think of one, she gave a mental shrug and finished: “It's a subconscious thing, you don't need to think about holding it anymore.” Dinky took a deep breath and tried again, bringing the new quill down on the paper once more. After a few words it shot into the air, but there was no damage done this time. Twilight had to suppress a giggle, the filly's magical mishaps really were pretty funny to look at. She gave the filly an encouraging pat on the back. “See, that's progress. Let's try doing this the same way my parents taught me. I'll just hold that quill for you, so if you slip up you won't have to start over again.” Twilight quickly noticed just how unwieldy Dinky's magic was. The filly had surprisingly plenty in the way of raw potential, but she had a hard time controlling it and finding her balance. The slightest of distractions would either cause a wild surge in power, or make her magic fizzle out completely. Twilight had thought that teaching Dinky would be easy, but she found herself struggling just to keep the quill in check and often failed to do so. However she could still see the little unicorn improve at every attempt and a few hours, many torn pages and broken quills later Dinky had finally finished a couple of pages without slipping. The text was mostly nonsense and the lettering was a little shaky, but a full page was a full page none the less. Dinky leaned back, looking over her work in awe, clearly proud of herself. “Wow. I wish some day I could do that without help.” Twilight gave her a knowing smile. “You just did. I wasn't doing anything for that last page.” Dinky's jaw dropped. “Really?”, she said, glancing at the paper, then back at Twilight in disbelief. “See, it's not that hard once you get the hang of it. You just needed a little help, that's all. If you keep practicing I'm sure you'll be one of the best writers in your class in no time.” Twilight paused briefly to look at Dinky, who was still trying to get her jaw back up. “We'll have to do this again some time, I'm sure I could teach you a lot more. But right now I think this deserves a little celebration. Which reminds me, I got you a little something when I was out. Hold on a second.” She trotted back to the kitchen and returned with the box of cupcakes in tow. She opened the box and couldn't help but smile when she saw Dinky's expression. “Cupcakes! And my favorite kind, too! How did you know?” Twilight let out a chuckle. “A little bird told me.” “Who? Owlicious?” Dinky asked, surprised. She took a quick glance at the owl sleeping on its perch. She wasn't certain if she had seen the bird move all weekend. “No, silly, it's just a figure of speech. Really, I just asked Pinkie... So, do you like them?” “Yes!” Dinky said happily. “Thank you. Mom usually buys me these when I'm feeling down or when it's a special day. She says that they aren't really healthy and I shouldn't eat them too often, so she only buys them every once in a while.” “And she's right, again,” Twilight started, sitting back down. “Too much of a good thing and all that. But it's alright to have something sweet every once in a while.” Twilight looked as Dinky started to nibble on her favorite treat. The purple unicorn felt her own mouth start to water. “Could I have a little taste too? Those look really good.” Dinky broke off a small piece of the cake and handed it over to Twilight. As she popped it in her mouth she couldn't help but wonder what the recipe called for, but she could tell that sugar was definitely very prominent on the list. The pastry was just full of the stuff, almost to the point of being sickly sweet. Derpy was right for not letting her daughter eat them daily. At the same time she couldn't help but wonder what kind of metabolism Pinkie had to have, as she consumed such sweets almost constantly with no apparent ill effects. Twilight and Dinky were sitting side by side on the couch, quietly enjoying their cocoa that Spike had made them, as well as the left over cupcakes. The mood was light enough, giving no indication as to what was coming next. “She's not my real mom, you know,” Dinky said suddenly, causing Twilight to almost take a lungful of hot chocolate. “What,” she started flatly, stopping to cough, “what makes you say that?” “Or, I mean, of course she is my mom, but it's not a secret my parents... went away. I was so little I really don't even remember them, but I still sometimes wonder what they were like. I wonder how things could be different.” Twilight didn't say anything right away, partly because she was still trying to suppress a cough. The foremost reason, however, was that she didn't really know how to react. “I know it has to be hard sometimes... and those are some very difficult thoughts to have,” Twilight said, having caught her breath again. “Sometimes bad things just happen and it's unfair, it really is. But even when life takes something away from you, it often gives something of equal value in return. For you it gave Derpy. Family is not about whose blood you have, it's more about who loves you and takes care of you, and who you love back in return. In the end everything else is just little things, and matter very little, or not at all... But I think you knew that already.” “I guess that's true,” the filly sighed and gave a slight smile. “And she is the best mom in the world.” Having said that she slumped against Twilight's side. “I'm scared she's going to go away too. I don't want her to go away.” Twilight lied a hoof on the filly's shoulder, pulling her a little closer. “It's alright to be scared. Like I said, it just means you love her... she is going to be alright. It's just, sometimes when somepony is hurt, like Derpy is now, they need to, well, sleep for some time so they can get better.” Twilight gave a brief pause to ruffle the filly's mane. “And she is going to get better soon, I'm sure of it, so don't you worry.” The filly fell silent for a long while. She leaned against Twilight, her eyes fixed on the floor below. “But what if you are wrong?” She said finally, with a heavy sigh. “What if she doesn't get better? What if she never wakes up?” Twilight knew this was what she had been waiting and preparing for for the past few days. The filly was finally opening up about her worries, just like Pinkie had said. Now that the moment had come, however, she wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. All words escaped her. Dinky was still waiting for her answer and Twilight knew she couldn't sugarcoat it any longer. “There is always a chance...” she started hesitantly, pausing to reconsider her words before continuing, “...a small chance when somepony has been hurt badly that they might not get better. I'm sorry I have to say this, but I don't know what will happen, not for certain. Nopony does.” Saying the words was difficult, but she knew that ultimately it was the truth that the filly wanted, and needed, to hear. Dinky shrunk against her side, letting out a snort composed of equal parts sourness and apathy. “So she is going to leave too. Figures.” “I didn't say that,” Twilight said quickly and gave the filly a gentle tug on the shoulder. “Look... I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but it's not in our hooves. But I know one thing: she's never going to leave you, no matter what.” Twilight got a bemused look from Dinky, to which she answered with a gentle smile before continuing: “When somepony loves somepony else as much as your mother does you, they give away a little part of themselves.” She touched her hoof to the filly's chest. “And that part is always right here. Even magic has its limits, sometimes it fails and fades away, but what I'm talking about is something else. That kind of love is unbreakable and will never go away.” The room fell silent for a while. Slowly a small grin started to form on Dinky's face. “That's a little cheesy, isn't it?” She said with a somewhat hollow snicker. Twilight couldn't help but giggle a little herself. “Yeah, I guess it is. But it's still all true.” Dinky bit her lip, immersed in thought. “Mom does have a really big heart,” she began, “...and she gives it all to me. I guess I'm really lucky then, huh?” “Look who's being cheesy now?” Twilight gave Dinky a little nudge and got a small giggle in return. “But like I said, it's true.” She gave a brief pause and turned, picking the filly up to hold her against her chest before continuing: “Try not to worry too much. The doctors have been very optimistic, remember how Silvertail said that Derpy is doing much better now? And no matter what happens, you need to know that you will always have somepony to take care of you, and to love you. I'm telling you this because Derpy made me promise that I'd look after you, and I'm going to keep that promise... You know, that was the last thing she said before she... fell asleep. She wasn't afraid for herself, the only thing she cared about was you.” “I know she loves me, she says it every day,” Dinky said, mumbling her words ínto Twilight's mane. “She even writes me a note every time when she has to go to work before I wake up...” The filly went silent for a while, then returned the older mare's embrace, wrapping her forelegs around her back. “Thanks for taking care of me, Twilight. I'm sorry I haven't been very good company.” “It's alright, I understand. I know this is hard, but you've been really brave.” They stayed that way, holding each other for a few long minutes, completely silent. There really was nothing more to say. Twilight felt the filly's heartbeat against her chest and just by that rhythm she could tell Dinky was going to be alright. “Are you feeling better now?” Twilight asked, slowly letting go of the filly. Dinky sat back down and nodded, with a small smile lingering on her face. “Yeah. But there's something else... can I tell you something, Twilight? You have to promise to keep it a secret. I don't want anypony to know I said this.” “Of course. Is something bothering you?” Twilight asked, suddenly worried again. The filly shifted, uncertain how to begin. “No...” she said. “Or yes, a little. I dunno. It's about mom. Sometimes I get a little worried, you know, for her.” “Why? Is something wrong?” “Not really. Or I don't know... I'm worried because I don't think she has that many friends.” Twilight looked more than a little surprised and the filly continued: “Or I mean, mom knows a lot of ponies, from her work and all, and she likes talking to others... but she doesn't get visitors that often and doesn't really visit others outside work. I think she's a little shy like that, or something. She always says that she's happy and that I'm all she needs. And I know she's happy when she plays with me or tells me a story... but I think she gets really lonely sometimes and that makes me sad. And I'm worried it's because of me, like, she doesn't want to leave me alone, or something.” Dinky fell quiet. Twilight nodded, urging her to continue. ”I know there are things, you know, grownup things, that she won't talk to me about, but I can see that she is really worried sometimes. She always says everything is fine, but I know when she is worrying about something. It's really not that hard to notice, her eyes go straight when she does that, it actually looks kind of funny... I know she doesn't tell me because she doesn't want me to worry too, but I still do. I think she needs to talk to somepony...” Dinky paused, biting her lip briefly and looking up to Twilight. “And I was thinking, well,” she continued, hesitantly, ”since you've been so nice to me and all, could you, maybe, talk to her? So she won't be so lonely anymore.” Twilight was surprised and more than a little shocked to hear what Dinky had to say. This was a completely new side to Derpy, and Twilight couldn't help but feel an odd pang of guilt. Apart from Pinkie, Derpy was probably the only other pony to know everypony else in town. The thought that she could have been left alone with her worries was something the purple mare couldn't have ever imagined. “Of course, if she wants to talk, I'll listen. I'll be her friend,” she said, giving the filly a gentle nuzzle. Dinky smiled. “That would be really nice.” Her words faded into a yawn. “It's getting pretty late. Would you like to go to bed now?” Dinky just nodded in response and hopped to the floor. Having tucked the filly in for the night Twilight was ready to leave when Dinky suddenly spoke up: “Could you tell me a story?” she asked. Twilight felt a smile creep on her face. She levitated a couple of books from the nearby bookshelf, hovering them so Dinky could see them. “Of course. What kind of a story do you want to hear? 'The Carrot Garden of Mr. Sprinkles' is one of my favorites. Or maybe you'd like something more along the lines of 'The Princess' New Dress'?” Dinky shook her head slightly. “Okay, did you already have something in mind? I'm sure I can find pretty much anything here if I look.” “Could you tell me about how you defeated Nightmare Moon and rescued princess Luna?” Dinky asked, excited. Twilight felt herself blush a little at the attention. She bit her lip. “I don't know, it's a pretty long story and it's getting late...” “Please?” “Now just how am I supposed to say no to that?” Twilight thought and smiled. “Alright then, just this once,” she said and pulled a chair next to the bed. “It was the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration...” she began. The light pitter-patter of rain filled the night, the cold droplets drumming against the rooftops and streets below. A lonely streetlight shone into the otherwise dark room, projecting a fuzzy image of the streaks of water on the glass to the ceiling. The sole occupant of the room shifted slightly, then rolled onto her side giving a lengthy sigh before falling back asleep. A few moments passed until Derpy shifted under her covers again, then brought a hoof to her head. She felt the bandage on her temple and the bump underneath. It felt sore, but it was a dull pain. Other than that she could feel bruises on her legs and along her side, but they didn't hurt that much. For whatever reason she felt almost hung over, which surprised her, as she rarely drank and certainly never enough to warrant a hangover. When she moved her left foreleg she could feel a line attached to the limb drag, giving her a slight pinch. Opening her eyes she could see the room was dark, save for the small amount of light coming in from the window and beneath the door. She wasn't completely certain where she was or why, but at the moment it didn't matter. In any case her head felt too fuzzy to think about it. The bed she was lying in felt warm and comfortable enough, inviting her to slide a little deeper under the covers. It felt nice and safe. A few minutes later she could hear hoofsteps from the corridor, stirring her back awake, a little more alert this time. She tried to speak, but her throat was dry and she broke out in a fit of coughing. The sound of steps stopped and the door opened with a quiet creak, allowing a beam of harsh artificial light to enter the room. Derpy squinted her eyes and brought a hoof to her face to block out some of the offending light. “Oh good. You're awake,” the pony from the corridor said as she looked inside and entered the room. The pegasus tried to speak again, but her throat was too dry. She tried to sit up, but only got her head a few inches off the pillow before she had to lie down again. For some reason the room had started to spin. She could feel her heart beat harder and small beads of sweat started forming on her forehead. “It's alright, stay calm,” the other pony said as she noticed Derpy struggle. She trotted up to her, offering a juice box. After Derpy had finished the pony spoke up again: “I'm going to turn a light on now, is that alright?” Derpy nodded and one of the ceiling lights turned on, making her reflexively shield her eyes again. Thankfully the light wasn't too bright, and had a much softer glow to it. After a moment she lowered the hoof from her face and took a look at her surroundings. The pieces of the puzzle started falling into place as she glanced around the room, first at the soothingly colored pastel walls, then down at her generic bedsheets and finally at the white mare standing beside her. “Now, do you know where you are?” the nurse asked. Derpy looked around for a brief moment, then spoke: ”Am I... this is the hospital, isn't it?” The nurse nodded in response, but before she had the chance to say anything Derpy suddenly panicked, her eyes going wide in alarm: “Oh no, what time is it? I have to get home!” The nurse lied a hoof against the mailmare's chest before she could try getting back up again. She smiled at her reassuringly. “Take it easy. You don't have to worry, your daughter is fine. Your friend Miss Sparkle has been taking care of Dinky for you while you have been here. I'm not sure if you remember any of this, but you were in an accident and hit your head pretty badly. You have been unconscious for three days.” “An accident? I think I remember... something.” Derpy looked up in disbelief. “Three days? Really?” “Yes. You are lucky miss Sparkle found you when she did, you were in pretty bad shape when you were brought here. It could have been much worse.” Derpy stopped to wonder for a while, but the thoughts of what had happened were shrugged off quickly. There was something much more important on her mind. There always was. “Can you send somepony go tell poor Dinky that I'm alright? She must be worried sick.” “It's the middle of the night right now,” the nurse said, pointing to the clock on the wall, “but we'll send someone to tell them first thing in the morning. I know they will be relieved to know you are back awake.” Derpy leaned back on her pillow, visibly calmer now. “Now, how are you feeling?” The nurse asked, leaning closer. She felt Derpy's forehead and nodded approvingly. “Your fever seems to have gone away and the swelling has gone down, at least. You look much better.” “I'm alright. A little sore, I guess, but I feel fine. I, uh...” She tried flexing her wings and gave a little wince. At the second try a somewhat panicked look came over her face. “My wing is stiff.” The nurse gave her a reassuring smile. “Don't worry. You landed on it and as a result it got dislocated, but nothing is broken. There is some bruising and you lost a couple of feathers, but there shouldn't be any lasting damage. It will probably be a little stiff at first, but give it some time and it will be as good as new.” “Thank goodness,” Derpy said, leaning back and sighing in relief. “I'd lose my job if I couldn't fly anymore. I don't know what I'd do then.” “Don't worry about things like that right now. You need to get better first before you can even think about going back to work.” The nurse paused briefly, noticing the look on Derpy's face. “But it's good to hear that you're feeling better. Actually, you seem to be doing remarkably well, all things considered,” she continued. She noticed Derpy was trying to scratch at her temple, and pulled her hoof away gently. “It would be best if you left it alone. That was a rather bad cut and required several stitches. It will heal better if you don't scratch it. It will probably leave a scar, but it shouldn't be visible once the fur grows back. Apart from that there is no major damage, but you will probably be sore for a while. We are going to have to keep you here in observation for a couple of days, though.” Derpy lied her hoof back down. The nurse circled around the bed and leaned closer. “This line can come out now. This may pinch a little.” The pegasus averted her eyes, the very thought of the needle in her skin making her feel a little nauseous. Instead she turned to look at the bedside table. A smile spread on her face as she noticed the dandelions. They had gone more than a little droopy, but she didn't care about that. “From Dinky?” she asked. “Yes. She and miss Sparkle have been here to visit every day.” Derpy couldn't help but smile a little wider. Next her attention turned to a stack of cards next to the flowers. At a quick glance there were almost two dozen of them. “Are these all... for me?” She asked, surprised. “Of course they are,” the nurse said, picking up the stack and handing them to the pegasus. “I think everypony in town knows you. These have been coming in steadily since the word of your accident started to spread.” The nurse paused for a moment when she noticed the look on Derpy's face. “You look surprised. But why? Ponies know you and like you. It's hardly a surprise, given your profession, you know. I know some might make the odd joke about you every once in a while, but deep down I don't think there's anypony in Ponyville who doesn't like you.” Derpy shuffled through the stack, giving the cards a quick count. There were twenty one of them. “I guess I should take a look, then,” she said. “Alright, but try to get some rest as well. I'll leave you now. Before I go, is there anything else you need?” “No, I'm alright,” Derpy said, lifting her eyes from the cards. “Thanks.” “OK, then. If there is anything you need, just give me a shout. Oh and, you probably don't feel hungry right now, but I'm sure that in a while you will. I'll come back to bring you some breakfast soon.” The grey mare nodded and focused on the cards again. As the door creaked shut she began flipping through them, wondering how and why so many had bothered. “Here's one from Lyra and Bon Bon... and one from Pinkie Pie... how did she get that muffin scent on here? Do I really even want to know? One from work... wow, this is an expensive one... leaf gold? How did the cheapskate bring himself to send this? And this one has to be from Rainbow Dash. Still can't read her scribbles... the thought that counts... Hah, Fluttershy. Even her hoofwriting is timid... Applejack's cursive is really pretty. Somehow I always suspected that... A few from Dinky's friends... from Cheerilee...” After she had read all of the well wishes, she laid the cards back down onto a neat pile. As she turned to her side and closed her eyes she couldn't help but smile a little wider. It felt good to know so many cared so much about her. It was a new feeling, one she liked. Despite what the nurse had told her, Derpy didn't get much sleep. She had woken up again long before the sunrise, the years of early mornings being something impossible to shake away. She had eaten breakfast quickly, a few pieces of toast and a bowl of stale oatmeal that had gone cold by the time she had woken up again. The next few hours had been spent counting the lavender stripes on the mint green and white wallpapers, starting over again every time she lost her count. She was finally interrupted by an excited knock on her door. There really wasn't any time to react as the door opened, just enough to let a small unicorn filly in the room. Twilight followed her a few seconds later. Dinky jumped up to give her mother a hug and impacted with quite a bit of force. Derpy flinched and the little unicorn immediately shrunk back. “Did I hurt you? Sorry,” Dinky said. The grey mare just smiled and reached a hoof to pull her back. “You could never hurt me. I already feel ten times better now that you are here. I've missed you so much.” Derpy motioned for the filly to hop onto the bed, an order she was more than happy to oblige. The gray mare pulled her daughter under the covers and held her tight against her chest. “Mom! You're squishing me!” Dinky yelped, but her giggle betrayed the fact that she didn't mind. “That was the plan, sweetie,” Derpy giggled back. She extended her good wing and wrapped it around Dinky like an extra, feathery, blanket, her smile mirroring that of her daughter's. The warmth radiating from the embrace could be felt from halfway across the room, all the way to where Twilight stood. “Besides, I'm the one who should be sorry,” Derpy continued. “I wasn't feeling well that day and I shouldn't have been working, it's my own fault that I got hurt. I'm sorry for making you worry.” “It's okay. I was pretty scared, but Twilight was really nice and took good care of me...” Dinky stopped and nuzzled up under her mother's chin. “And besides, you're all better now, right? Can we go home now, mommy?” “Not yet, dear,” Derpy said, running a hoof through her daughter's mane, “The doctor said I have to stay here for a few more days. They said that I'm going to have to take it easy for a while, so we'll have plenty of time together once I get home.” She turned to look at Twilight, who gave her an approving nod. “Twilight will take care of you until then.” Dinky didn't say anything, but it was clear she was alright with spending a few more nights at the library. For the longest while the two just lay there, holding each other. Then Derpy turned to look at Twilight, still holding her daughter tight and smiling wide. “Thank you so much for taking care of her for me, I don't think I can ever repay you.” Twilight dug a hoof at the floor, blushing a little. “It's alright. It's my pleasure, really. Dinky is such a good filly. And I had a promise to keep, after all.” Derpy sighed happily and turned to give her daughter a loving look. “You know, a little over six years ago I started feeling like I... needed something more in my life. I would be lying if I said I didn't have my doubts, though. I wasn't completely certain if it was what I really wanted, or if I could handle it, and I didn't know if I was doing the right thing when I walked in those doors...” She paused and nuzzled her daughter under her chin. “But I didn't have to be sure, because Dinky chose me. I remember it like it was just yesterday: She was sitting alone in the corner, but when she saw me she ran straight up to me. She didn't say anything, but she was looking at me, with those big, bright, beautiful eyes of hers. Then she wrapped herself around my leg and just wouldn't let go, not that I would have wanted her to. At that moment I knew that she was mine... and a week later we went home together. I've never regretted or doubted that decision. Not even once, not even when things have been hard. She's my daughter, there is no question about that, and I love her more than anything else in this world. I couldn't live with myself if she was left all alone just because I was stupid and got myself hurt. You taking care of her means more to me than you can ever imagine.” She gave her daughter another nuzzle. “Mommy loves you so much, my little muffin,” she whispered, pulling back slightly and giving a brief pause before she continued: “Dinky, mommy needs to talk to Twilight alone for a moment. Could you be a good filly and go wait outside for a while? It will only take a few minutes.” The little unicorn wouldn't have wanted to leave, but she didn't complain. She hugged her mother tightly. Derpy tussled her mane and gave her a kiss on the cheek before letting her go. Then the filly left, leaving the two mares alone in the room. As the door creaked shut Twilight was surprised to see Derpy's expression darken. The pegasus slumped deeper into her bed and seemed to tense up. The change was slight, but noticeable. “I really don't know how I can pay you for all this. Money has been a little tight, but I'll think of something, really.” “Nonsense. I already said it's alright. I'm just happy I could help.” “Well, alright then, if you really mean it. Thank you...” Derpy said, somewhat hesitantly. After that she fell quiet, turning her head slightly to avert Twilight's gaze. “Is something troubling you?” Twilight asked. “You look like you're worrying about something.” The room fell silent for a while. Derpy sighed and fidgeted under her covers. It seemed almost as if she was gathering courage to speak. Finally she lifted her head and her eyes met Twilight's. The purple mare took note of how they seemed to be unusually level. “Yeah, I guess there is... something.” Derpy scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. “There is something that has been giving me some worry. I guess you should know too, I owe you that much after all that you have done for me.” “You don't owe me anything, really. But if there is something you want to tell me, please do,” Twilight said, remembering what Dinky had told her the night before. Something wasn't right, she could see that much and began to worry a little herself, but did her best to keep it from showing. “I'm just not really sure if I can... ugh, it's nothing, really. Forget I said anything,” Derpy said, waving a hoof. She had already gotten Twilight's attention, however, and the purple mare wasn't going to let the matter drop. “Something is bothering you. Please, just tell me,” Twilight said, taking a step forward. The pegasus took a deep breath and fixed her position a little. “Alright. But if I do tell you, you have to promise me that you will keep it to yourself. Nopony else knows about this and... well, you know how it's impossible to keep anything secret in this town. I don't want Dinky to hear anything... I don't want her to worry over nothing. Can you promise me that?” “Of course I promise. Nothing you tell me will leave this room unless you want to.” Derpy sighed and nodded her head. “Alright then... uh...” She fell silent for a while. “It's about my father,” she began, blurting the words out, but then stopped just as rapidly. She seemed to hesitate and paused to look at Twilight, who gave her an encouraging nod. She sighed and continued, quite a bit calmer: “I inherited a lot from him. My mane, my coat... even my wonky old eyes. Really the only thing got from my mother was my hair type, father's was much coarser than mine, almost like dry hay.” She gave a slight laugh, but the previous warmth in her voice was fading. She swallowed hard before continuing. “Ever since I can remember he... he wasn't well. Sometimes he would trail off mid sentence and stare at nothing for a few seconds, before continuing like nothing had happened. He was clumsy, even more than I am, and sometimes it was hard for him to even walk straight. He would get really bad headaches... I even remember him blacking out a few times. Just like that, from standing to lying on the floor... He tried to hide it and I don't think many other ponies knew, but I know I did. My parents never really told me what it was about, though. I didn't know what it meant.” Derpy paused for a moment and closed her eyes. When she opened them again they had gotten a moist glimmer. Twilight could see something very painful was welling up inside the pegasus, ready to surface. She pulled herself closer and held Derpy's hoof in hers. The mailmare gave her a slight smile, though it withered away quickly as she continued: “For the most part everything was normal, but it was slowly getting worse. I was only little, but I could still see it. And I think some of the other ponies started noticing it too, they started acting, well, different, around him and us. Of course he still wouldn't say anything. Then one day he came back from work, complaining that he had a headache again. He went to bed early that night and-” Derpy choked up. “He never woke up. I was only little when he... when he- I'm sorry, I-” The painful memory made the pegasus whimper. She scrunched her eyes shut just as the first tears began falling down onto the sheet. Twilight held her hoof tighter. It took Derpy a full minute to gather herself up again. She looked Twilight straight in the eyes as she continued: “I'm sorry, it was so long ago, I though I wasn't going to... anyway... The doctors said that me having dad's eyes didn't necessarily have to mean anything, that it wasn't necessarily... hereditary. But I still fear, sometimes. Not for myself, but for Dinky. At least when my father... was gone... I still had my mother, but I'm a single parent, and I'm afraid what would happen to Dinky if I- if something happened to me too.” Twilight had no words. Derpy fell silent, biting her lip and looking down to the foot of the bed. After a few seconds had passed she looked up again. “I have been healthy most all of my life and for that I am truly grateful, but there have been a few times when things have gone a little... fuzzy. Hard to stand up, to walk, to fly. The world going black and feeling sick, almost fainting... I know what that headache feels like.” Derpy fell silent for a moment, then added quickly: ”It has only happened a few times in the last couple of years, and I had never actually fainted before. Maybe this time it was just from working too hard, or from being sick, or maybe it was something else. I really don't even want to know. But it's still something I worry about.” She fell silent again. “If...” Derpy started, but stopped, trying to find the words to skirt around the issue, even if only just a little. “If I have the same thing my father had, it won't come as a surprise. He was so sick and I could see him getting worse. But I'm still healthy. If it's going to happen to me, I'll see it coming. There will be time... it won't be a surprise.” She held Twilight's hoof tighter, shaking from the effort as she finished: “But when I made you promise to make sure that Dinky would be alright, I meant it. I have never been more scared than I was right then. I really thought that it was it, that I was going to... well, die. But what scared me more was the thought that Dinky was going to be left alone.” Derpy released her grip and wiped a tear from her eye, only for it to be replaced by another. She was sniffling and looked absolutely miserable. Twilight did the only thing she could think of and offered her a hug. The pegasus was quick to accept the offer and soon Twilight could hear and feel the pegasus sob quietly into her mane, the hair becoming drenched with tears, her agitated heart beating hard against her chest. Derpy was pulling herself so tight against the unicorn that her legs shook from the effort, as did her entire body after having finally let out years worth of pent up worry. “I- I'm sorry,” Derpy said, amidst her sniffling. Her quiet words were almost completely muffled into the purple mare's mane. “I wasn't going to cry... I'm pah- pathetic.” “Shh... It's alright. Nopony should have to deal with those kind of worries alone... I can't imagine what you must have been feeling like, all this time. I'm glad you could tell me,” Twilight said, running a gentle hoof up and down her back. “And you're not pathetic. You're a wonderful mare, and even more than that you're a wonderful mother, no doubt about it. But you need to take care of yourself too, you know.” As terrible as she felt, the warmth of the embrace and Twilight's words were slowly sinking in. She had often comforted Dinky when the filly had been feeling down, but Derpy couldn't remember when was the last time somepony had done the same for her. Just being held felt good, even if Twilight was little more than just another stranger to her. For whatever reason she found the comfort she hadn't even known she had been needing in that purple mare. The dark dread that had been clouding her thoughts ever since she had woken up was now dissipating with every passing moment. When they broke the embrace a moment later, Twilight was surprised to see Derpy smile again. It was a weak smile that only lasted for a moment, but it was a smile none the less. “Thank you for listening, Twilight.” “What are friends for?” Twilight paused to think for a moment. “You know what? When you get released from here, I'll come visit every day and help around the house until you are feeling better. And if you feel like you want to talk some more, I'll listen.” Derpy wiped the last of her tears away and sighed, happily this time. “I- I think I'd like that, if you really have the time. I don't want to be a bother, but it would be nice to have some help for a while. I'm already feeling much better, though. Nothing is broken so it shouldn't be more than a couple of days until I can get back to work.” “Wait wait wait... a couple of days?” Twilight was baffled. “I'm glad that you're feeling better and all, but didn't they say that you needed at least a few weeks off?” “Well, they did. But I can't really afford to miss work for that long. Like I said, money has been a little tight... well, more than just a little really. I think I can take this week off without it being too much of a problem, but then I'll have to go back. Don't worry, I'll manage somehow.” Twilight didn't like what she was hearing. She wasn't quite sure how to say what she was going to say, but decided to go on with it anyway. “I'm sorry if I'm being blunt here, but isn't that kind of how you ended up in this mess in the first place? If you've been overworking yourself like that then it's no wonder your health gave out the way it did.” Derpy didn't say anything, but instead gave Twilight a hard glare in response, her words having struck a nerve, or at least near one. The unicorn wasn't going to let the matter drop, however. “When was the last time you took some time off? You know, had a break, went on a vacation?” “Vacation? I'm not sure what you mean by that.” Derpy made a small swooping motion with her hoof and feigned a chuckle. “Well, last fall we went to visit some relatives over the weekend, I had to take a few days off for that... and two years ago, I think, I chipped a tooth and had to take the day off to go to the dentist... before that there was that one time when... no that wasn't it...” There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice, but it seemed to fade away the further back she thought. “So in other words you haven't?” Twilight interrupted her when she noticed the pegasus had started to trail off. “Why don't you think of this as a little vacation then? Please, take a couple of weeks off and rest. Spend some time at home and just relax. You more than deserve it.” A smile had made it's way on the mailmare's face again. “That would be nice, really. I've always wanted to walk Dinky to school in the morning...” her smile withered away as she finished, “...but I really can't afford the time off. I've got bills to pay, you know.” Twilight seemed to think about something for a while, then pointed to the stack of cards she had received over the past few days. “Just look at how many care about you. And I'm sure there's plenty more still on their way, it's just been a little hectic at the office since you've been gone. I'm sure everypony who wrote would be more than happy to pitch in a few bits each to hold you over until you're well again.” Derpy seemed to be upset by the comment, her lips twisting to a frown and her brow furrowing. “Don't be too quick about putting two and two together and getting five now, we will manage.” By this point a hint of hurt pride and a tinge of bitterness had crept into her tone. “I'm not a charity case, you know.” “I know you're not, and there's nothing wrong with being proud about providing for yourself. But there's no shame in asking for help when you need it, either.” She paused to give a meaningful look to Derpy, who was still pouting, and continued with a empathetic sigh: “Listen, I'm not saying that I think that you can't manage on your own, because I know you can. But what I am saying is that you don't have to.” The pegasus slumped deeper into her pillow, bringing a hoof to her face and rubbing the side of her muzzle. “I don't want to be a bother.” “And you won't be.” Twilight stopped to give her a worried smile. “Friends look after one another, it's what they do. I want to help you, if you'll only let me.” She got a bemused look from Derpy, and continued: “Look... I won't do anything if you don't want me to, but I could talk to a few ponies and get a little collection going. What you're talking about isn't right, you should be allowed to rest until you're well again. And after what you've been through that will take some time, everypony understands that. I'm worried for you, and so has been everypony else I've talked to in these past couple of days. They do care, you know.” “You... you really mean that, don't you? Thank you... How about I sleep on it and I'll let you know tomorrow?” “That's all I'm asking,” Twilight said, letting out a sigh of relief. “Just think about it.” Derpy shifted a little and dried her eyes onto the edge of her blanket. She tried to brush her mane back into order, but it still remained bit of an unruly mess when she was done. Satisfied that she looked at least somewhat presentable, she spoke up again: “Could you go tell Dinky to come back in? This has all been a little too much. I think I need to hold her right now.” Dinky climbed into the bed and Derpy wrapped her back under her wing. There were no words needed as the two held each other close and warm in a sleepy embrace. The nightmare had come to an end and Dinky was already drifting off to sleep, her mother not too far behind. As Twilight watched this display of purest, strongest love, she felt a her own eyes start to water a little and a great warmth begin to spread in her chest. Fear, pain, sadness, those were all lesser emotions, and as such could not hold a candle to what these two shared. It was something much stronger indeed, something unbreakable. Twilight gave one last glance at the mailmare and her daughter and couldn't help but smile. She left the room content in the knowledge that, at least for that moment, everything was right in the world. I was going to go fix a car or have a beer or something, but then I decided to do something manly instead. So I wrote this. Thank you for reading, whoever you may be. Yours in love and tolerance, –The_EE PS: If you liked this, why not check out some of my other stories? Disclaimer: Rainbow Dash Derpy is best pony. (Sorry Dashie)