Deep breaths. She felt her very core shudder. It was a cold day in Tartarus when Princess Twilight Sparkle showed up on her doorstep looking apprehensive. Was there another incident in the Everfree? Was there another ancient foe of Princess Celestia ready to plunge Equestria into darkness? If so, what did it have to do with her? There was only one way to find out.
“Mom, are you okay - “ Dinky looked out of the glass panes at the top of the door - “Why is Princess Twilight here? You look scared.”
Derpy felt her cheeks rise slightly. Dizzy was such a caring daughter, always caring about her well-being. It warmed her heart and she hoped that never changed.
“I’m okay, my little muffin. Don’t you worry about me! I’m not scared.” Derpy leant down and nuzzled Dizzy’s forehead. “Why don’t you just wait in your room while I talk to Twilight. After that, we can go get some muffins! How does that sound?”
Dizzy giggled merrily, returning the nuzzle and bounding off to her room. “Can we get the blueberry muffins again? Those were so good!”
“We will!” Derpy felt her smile fade as her daughter rounded the corner. Now, back to the task at hoof. She grappled the door knob and twisted it open, letting the door swing wide open. On the other side sat Princess Twilight, a look of impatience and worry on her face that quickly gave way to stoicism.
Derpy put on her best smile. “Heya Princess! How’s it going? I’m having a wonderful day, are you having a wonderful da-”
“Derpy… now’s not the time. I’m sorry, but I need something from you.”
She gazed over Twilight’s shoulder, as the house adjacent to hers had its door visited by a duo of guards. Derpy looked back towards her princess and donned a mask of false courage. “I’ll do whatever is needed of me.”
Twilight levitated a small brown package out of her saddle bags. “I need you to get this to Canterlot as soon as you can.” With utmost care, the package was placed down by Derpy’s hooves. “I would have given it to Rainbow Dash but she is… indisposed at the moment.”
“Can you do this for me? Can you get this safely to Princess Celestia?” Twilight gazed into her eyes with something akin to worry. “Can you promise?”
Derpy felt her jaw flap uselessly in an attempt to fabricate an ample response that did not outright deny Twilight’s request. So much, so quickly. She had so many questions already. What was wrong with Rainbow Dash? What was going to happen to Dizzy? What was in the package?
Never before had Twilight been the cause of a paradigm shift in her day; normally, she was the solution to whatever had disrupted it. She felt her sweat bead up near the crown of her head before being soaked up by her hair. This was not good. But she wasn’t about to deny a Princess.
“What about my daughter? Will someone watch over her while I’m gone?”
“Don’t worry, she’ll be taken care of.”
That was all the reassurance she needed. “Can I say goodbye?”
“...Make it quick.”
She whipped around and quickly made her way back into the house. “Dizzy, I have something to tell you!”
“...”
Derpy eyed her daughter from the hallway entrance. Dizzy sat on the couch, watching the window silently.
“Dizzy?”
She followed her daughters gaze. Her breath hitched in her chest.
“Momma, what is that thing?”
“It’s a sign.”
Derpy whirled around to find Twilight right behind her, staring out the same window. She continued looking before turning to Derpy. “A fair tip: When you’re flying to Canterlot… don’t turn around. You might be scared of what you see.”