The Minstrel's Coda
Chapter 2: The Mailmare
As I stared up into the morning sky, seeing the beautiful shades of light blue and feeling the sun's radiant heat pierce through the cool morning breeze, I sighed heavily. Knowing that even though I felt the thoughts of this recurring dream and wondering what it meant, began to over take me. I would't let that spoil my moment of just witnessing my first Equestrian Dawn.
"Get a grip over yourself Kiniro. It's just a dream and you're probably just paranoid. Paranoia does some crazy things to you after all..." I said aloud trying to reason with myself. "Yes, that's what it is. It's just paranoia, what else could it be? It's just a silly dream. Besides... maybe if I say this enough, maybe I'll end up believing it so I don't get so obsessed with it." I stated as I came to my conclusion to help aid myself and began to close my eyes in an attempt to relax my mind.
Upon closing my eyes, I began to see images of Meadow Song, and the letters that we had been exchanging with one another these past few weeks since he began his journey of redemption. I remembering the idle conversations we had, about him inquiring on how Midgard had changed, and how I asked on how Midgard was previously, that were strewn through various letters on top of many other topics we had discussed. Many of the letters were of friends getting to know each others, helping him get acclimatized to being a pony in full control of himself, what were the events back on how I ended up learning the song of Ragnarok and how I ended up defeating Satan Morroc. But one letter stood out to me, his most recent that he had sent me. He had asked me out of curiosity of my story of being a bard, then minstrel in Midgard, what had lead me to be the person, or pony I am today. His reasoning being primarily because he felt I had him at a disadvantage considering I knew some of his history, as he was a bard from Midgardian history, but he knew little of me.
I had recently sent him a letter in response two days ago, giving him the story of me in great detail. Several times I had to stop writing the letter, due to all the trauma and bad memories that had transpired that brought me to tears. I know I had let go most of my past, but even letting go of my past was a traumatic event in its own, as it was all I knew until recently. But I had to constantly remind myself, that because all I had endured, made me stronger and made me appreciate all that I had now. I even confided in him, telling him my biggest fear from Midgard, was after all I had done for my land, and my country. My biggest fear was being alone, being forgotten for who I was due all the loss I had suffered during my life, that no matter what I did, it was all for nothing and for the longest time, I was living in that fear... Until I came here to Equestria.
I opened my eyes slowly to avoid from blinding myself from the morning sun. I began to scan the horizon, wondering if today would be the day I received another letter in response from my friend. I gave myself a few moments to ponder the thought as I scanned the morning sky, trying to interpret the clouds as if they were messages for me to read, but I knew I was letting my imagination get the better of me.
"No use in just waiting around, my mail will get here when it gets here..." I said to myself in a somewhat depressing tone. "I just hoped today I'd get a response... but the day isn't over..."
I slowly pushed down on my electric guitar for leverage as I attempted to bring myself up on all four hooves. Once gathered enough strength, I pushed down with all my might with my front hooves and quickly positioned my hind hooves firmly on the ground. With my hind l hooves down, I brought down my front left hoof, and used the right to swing the guitar on to my back with the aid of Vinyl's trusty strap.
"Still can't thank her enough for that, maybe I'll pay her a visit later." I said aloud as I turned around to face the door. "Guess I better get on inside." I muttered to myself still knowing that Twilight and Spike would still be fast asleep at least for another hour. So any attempt to do anything eventful this morning would have to wait. I slowly closed my eyes, held my head down low and began to slowly trot to the door awaiting my boring fate until one of them awoke. As my I made my short journey to the door, I heard the ruffling of what sounded like feathers in the wind, followed by hooves tapping upon wood.
"Hello, Equestrian Postal Service!" I heard a female voice call out to me.
I stopped my journey to the door, opened my eyes and quickly turned my head to see a grey pegasus with a blond mane with saddle bags with a muffin embroidered on them, with her eyes closed.
"Ahem..." The pegasus cleared her throat. "No bad weather, or cravings of muffins shall stop the mail! For the mail stops and always flows! For it gets delivered on time with out a doubt by your Equestrian Postal Mailmare! Derpy 'Ditzy Doo' Hooves!" She stated and opened her eyes to reveal her walled stare. "Hey wait a second... you're that stallion who used to show up my door before and I'd given muffins to!"
"Derpy Hooves? So that's you're name!" I said in excitement finally discovering the name of the mysterious pegasus, that I had run into in the past when taking lessons from Octavia.
"Don't tell me you're going to make fun of it too..." Derpy said shamefully.
"No not at all! In fact I think its rather adorable if you ask me." I responded in kind, even though her name was a little bit akward. "So just for the record, cause I know that name is a little bit long, what can I call you for short?" I asked.
"Derpy Hooves, the ponies at the postal service game me the nickname of Ditzy Doo, a long time ago, due to my first botched delivery, for a while I used it as my real name instead because it sounded better than what my real name is, but recently considering these past few months, I have such a spotless record with the postal service. So I think I can use my real name with pride! Because Derpy Hooves is best mailmare!" She explained with immense excitement.
"Best mailmare?" I asked confused to the expression.
"Oh sorry... I meant to say 'is the best mailmare.' Its just when I get excited I forget somethings... But that's ok, it's in my charm about who I am." Derpy said as she posed and winked.
"I can see why!" I chuckled lightly and she laughed with me. "So whats with the little slogan of yours?"
"Oh yes, the Equestrian Postal Service demands that every mail carrier comes up with their own small slogan that best represents them, I know it sounds trivial, but I had a lot of fun with creating it. Just to make sure our customers know its us delivering their packages, and not one of those other mail services like, UPS or FEDEX" Derpy explained.
"Oh...?" I said slightly confused.
"You know United Pegasus Service or Formal Equestrian Delivery Express. Ugh... they are so lame." Derpy commented with the sound of disgust in her mouth.
"Oh I see... So what do you have for me today Derpy?" I asked.
"Oh yes! Right! The reason I'm here, sorry I almost forgot, I got excited explaining." Derpy commented as she dug her head into right saddle bag. "I think its in here... wait... wait a... hold on... almost got it... nope..." Derpy said as she pulled her head out of her bag with a muffin in her mouth. "Nope, muffin, that's for me." Derpy said with a smile and quickly devoured the breakfast treat in one bite and quickly dug her head into the other bag. "Ah! There they are! First thing's first!" Slowly Derpy pulled her head out of her saddlebag with a book in her mouth and she slowly set it down on the ground, revealing a musical note for cover art.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Its a book silly!" Derpy replied.
"What kind of book... and who is it from?" I responded slightly frustrated with her answer.
"Oh right! Let me see..." Derpy stated as she slowly brought her front right hoof to her snout and scratched her invisible beard. "Ah now I remember! Its a book sent on the behalf of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, on Equestrian Music History!"
"Oh wow... look's like Twilight wasn't just pulling my leg a few weeks ago..." I said as I slowly opened the book cover with my front right hoof to see an inscription. "To Kiniro, We hope you enjoy this freshly printed copy from the Canterlot Archives, we hope it helps you in your pursuit of knowledge in music. Signed Celestia and Luna." I read aloud.
"Wow a gift from the Princesses." Derpy commented with a smile.
"Wow I guess Twilight wasn't kidding that books take forever to get made here... no wonder she takes care of them... " I muttered under my breath. "What else is there for me?"
"Oh right. You got a letter from pony called Meadow Song. Why does that name sound familiar..." Derpy wondered as she passed the letter, that was rolled up and wrapped in a single red ribbon with the button of Equestrian Postal Service emblem, to me. "Maybe I've just just been out flying in the morning cold too long." Derpy muttered.
"It has been really cold these past few nights, Perhaps, you'd like to come in for some hot chocolate or some hot tea?" I offered as a gesture of thanks for the delivery.
"I appreciate it, but no thank you, I do have a busy day ahead of me. Maybe another time when the deliveries are a little less." Derpy stated as she slowly began to turn around, spread her wings open and positioned herself downward. "Oh also, my muffins, I almost forgot, you got another package."
"I do?" I asked.
"Yes, but unfortunately it was to much for me to carry on my morning route, considering I still have plenty of other small parcels and letters to deliver. If you want you can come pick it up at the post office later in the afternoon once I'm finished with my route, I'll hold it for you." Derpy reassured.
"So meet you at the post office later today?" I asked to reconfirm.
"Yup! After I finish with my route, I have to work the desk for a while, been doing it for a few extra bits here and there." Derpy commented.
I chuckled nervously, "I understand, we've all been there." Only to have Derpy nod her head lightly to agree. "Also who is the package from?" I asked.
"Its from Twilight's brother, Shining Armor." Derpy stated as she began to flap her wings and pushed herself off the balcony and began to hover lightly.
"I wonder what he sent me..." I pondered.
"Well come in later and find out!" Derpy smiled and stuck out her tongue at me as if to answer an obvious question. "Anyway! You have a good day... um... whatever your name was!"
"It's Kiniro, and it was a pleasure to talk with you Derpy." I responded. "I'll see you later at the post office."
"Alrighty now! You have a good rest of the day Kiniro! Nice meeting you officially for the first time!" Derpy commented as she took off in flight to continue her route.
"Hmm... I'm glad I finally got the chance to meet her, and actually talk to her instead of just awkwardly showing up at her doorstep by accident and be given muffins randomly." I said aloud to myself with a smile and waved her goodbye with my front right hoof. "Well... that's a start to an interesting day... I finally got my book from the princesses that Twilight had requested for me a while ago, I got to finally meet the mysterious grey mare, I got my a response from Meadow Song, and apparently I got a package from Shining Armor waiting for me at the Ponyville Post Office."
I lightly grabbed the letter by the button with my mouth and slowly released it on top of the book. Finally I brought my mouth down to slowly cusp the book with my teeth, carefully positioning myself to pick it up without dropping the rolled letter that sat freely on top and slowly closed my eyes trying to concentrate. Slowly I made my light journey to the door that would lead me back inside, only to realize I had shut it earlier. "Uh... crap... what I would do for hands right about now... I really need to become more aware of small things like this still..." I lightly laughed at my mistake.
Even though, I had been a pony for months... small trivial things still alluded me, even though I had gotten the grasp for most of the transition from being a human to being a pony. I just hope that my new friend Meadow Song was adjusting well, perhaps the letter he had sent me would provide some insight, and perhaps the response to my story he had asked for...
End of Chapter 2.