Derpy whistled tunelessly as she fluttered across Ponyville, doing her rounds. She had delivered some notes to Lyra and now her thoughts were on music. Most musicians were unicorns of course, but there were instruments for other ponies, too: drums and pipes and mouth organs. Images of fame and cheering crowds dancing in her mind, she swooped down towards the library.
The heavy parcel had to be more books for Twilight Sparkle. Neither she nor her dragon friend answered the door when Derpy rang the bell. To be sure, she also knocked and looked in the windows. Nobody there, so she left the books on one of the balconies and carried on, wondering what it would be like to be the Princess' favorite student.
Engrossed in her daydream, she almost collided with Cloudkicker, and only a quick and undignified dive saved both ponies from a crash. "Oopsie!" she cried over her shoulder, her bad eye wobbling worse than ever, and hoped that the other mare had heard.
Focusing on her job again, Derpy headed across the town to the Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh's birthday was coming up and the stallion was getting letters and gifts from the far-flung Apple family daily. Wouldn't it be cool if she, too, had relatives all over Equestria and in foreign lands? She could write them letters, and someday visit them all! Derpy had read so many books on distant lands, but she'd never traveled far, herself.
The last package was addressed to Zecora. Derpy swallowed as she eyed the Everfree Forest, rising dark and forbidding on the horizon. Maybe she could keep it in the post office until the zebra's next town visit? Yeah. That would be prudent. As she flew back, she was already imagining herself braving the dangers of the forest...