Derpy flapped with quickened haste through the sky, wanting to hurry with her deliveries so she could head back home and help her daughters adjust to their guest and her guest to her daughters. She would have loved to stay at home today to help them, but work was inevitable, plus it would help her gauge a few things for herself.
Last night was pretty uneventful. Conquest insisted (though not verbally) multiple times on trying to move himself, but his legs weren't all that strong, and Derpy had gladly aided him whenever he conceded to his fate and took him on a tour of the house. She had Amethyst tag along so that she would know what to do while she was at work. She only hoped that Amethyst had the patience.
Then there was Dinky. She wasn't thrilled with there being a colt in the house, to which Derpy would roll her eyes. Foals were so segregated. Dinky hadn't said anything to Conquest after her comment at him being small, only glowering at him the rest of the night, then pouted a little bit a bedtime when she saw Derpy help the colt into the bed placed in her room. Derpy also read them a story, and since Conquest was a guest, had asked him what story he would like. But he didn't answer, so she chose one she thought both Dinky and he would enjoy. Neither appeared to pay attention.
Derpy arched herself towards the ground near Sweet Apple Acres, coming to a stop in front of the slightly red, mostly rusty mailbox. She sorted through her banded bundles of letters and found several for the Apple family. With flick of her wing, she opened the mailbox and a yellow filly with a red mane and a big bow fell out.
"Aaaah."
Derpy blinked a couple of times at Applebloom as she rose up off the ground and rubbed her head with a hoof while giving her an embarrassed smile. Derpy just patted her on the head and handed her the letters.
"Silly filly," she said with a giggle, "I'm not allowed to ship animals or ponies. Besides, you don't even have a stamp."
Applebloom help up a folded piece of paper to Derpy. "Actually, my big sis' asked me tah give this to ya. Said yo're havin' a family reunion sometime soon an' that ya could use some help settin' it up."
Derpy took the paper and scanned for a minute. "But-but, all I wanted was some advice, not a whole catering service. I can't afford a fifth of what's on this list."
Applebloom was curious as to how Derpy could read with those eyes.
"I'm sorry, but you'll just have to tell your sister that it's simply not feasible," Derpy said with a sigh, handing the paper back to Applebloom. "Tell her: 'thank you, but I cannot afford something of such extravagance'. Bye, see you tomorrow, maybe, Applebloom."
Applebloom watched as Derpy took off. She shrugged, putting the letters in her mouth and trotting her way back to deliver the mail. It seemed odd to her. Shouldn't Applejack know that one of her friends didn't have the budget for such a thing? Oh well, as soon as she delivered the mail she'd go find Scootaloo and go crusading.
Derpy on the other hand just tried to push the idea of an amazing reunion out of her head. It didn't do her well to have a reminder of her low income. She just wanted the knowledge that she was doing well enough for herself and her daughters. Conquest was getting finances from the regency, so he was covered just fine. It would be her only reunion, since a different family member was chosen every year, and surely she couldn't make the worst.
Before she knew it, lost in her thoughts, she arrived at Rarity's boutique and was instinctively trying to put the letters through the mail slot on the door. Instead, poor sweetie Belle got a mouth full of paper.
"Sorry," an embarrassed Derpy said after the filly spat out the letters all over her. "I was lost in thought."
Sweetie Belle shrugged as she gathered up the letters. "I was just on my way to go crusading with Applebloom and Scootaloo. But it's nice to meet see you today, Miss Doo."
"You too little, filly," Derpy said with a smile.
"Oh, yeah," Sweetie Belle suddenly piped up. "Miss Doo."
Derpy practically fell on her face when she paused her take off to look back at the little filly. "Ow! Yes?"
"My sister has been saying you're supposed to drop off some dresses for her to fix."
"Oh. I forgot about that," Derpy said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "She did mention something about a discount. How late is she open?"
"As long as she's not on some random adventure? Till about seven o'clock. But if you knock hard enough you could get her midnight."
Derpy laughed a bit at that last part, not noticing Sweetie Belle's serious expression. "I suppose I can drop them off later this week. I won't be needing them too soon, but better soon or else I might forget. Thanks for the reminder, Sweetie."
"Any time," Sweetie said, marching back inside to put the mail on a table.
Along Derpy went, glad for the reminder. Rarity was a generous soul, she wouldn't charge anything outside her budget. She was quite famous for that trait. Derpy continued the rest of the day delivering letters and packages across her area of Equestria until she came again to Twilight's castle. It was always the final stop on her route, even when it was just the library.
She was paying attention this time and found Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie Pie waiting there for her. She just landed near them and gave twilight her rather hefty package of mail, and turned to leave.
"Now, hold on there, surgarcube," Applejack said, taking hold of her left foreleg. "I've been waitin' here with Twilight for a few hours. cause I need to talk with ya."
"You know route?" Derpy asked, considering that for a moment. "Well, what did you want to talk about? I've got time now. This is my last stop."
"Well this mornin'," Applejack started with a puzzled look on her face, "Applebloom came to me an' said you didn't want me to cater yer reunion. I thought you would be thrilled and all."
"It's not that I don't appreciate it, Applejack," Derpy said in a soft voice. "It's just that, I can't afford it. I make just enough for my daughters and myself. Holiday bonuses help us as well, but beyond that I can't really afford all that much. So I cannot accept your offer."
"But Derpy, you don't understand," Twilight said with a chuckle. "I'm offering to pay for it. I guess you forgot to mention that to Applebloom, eh, Applejack."
"Darn it, knew I fergot somethin'."
Derpy shook her head resolutely. "I don't accept charity."
"So now that that's all cleared up, we can- WHAT?" Twilight flared up her wings and jumped in surprise. This frightened Derpy a bit and she backed away a few steps.
"I don't accept charity," she said again, though softer this time with a little tremor.
"But, Derpy, you have about four hundred relatives coming over," Twilight reasoned with wide eyes. "If you hardly have enough for your little family, how can you hope to afford everything else?"
Derpy looked at the ground. "I can find a way. I always have. I've survived many things, Princess. I'll find a way to do this. I've still got a month and a few weeks. I can..."
"Listen to yourself, Derpy," Twilight said, stepping forward and placing a hoof on her shoulder. She swallowed a bit when she felt her tremble under her touch. "You're not thinking straight. There is no way you can afford to do this by yourself."
"But... but," Derpy tried to say something, but it wasn't coming out right.
"Yer lettin' pride take hold," Applejack said, sitting down and giving Derpy a kind smile. "I know from experience that it ain't worth it. Now then, the Princess of Friendship herself has offered her help, an' you're rejecting that?"
"But... it's just, how can I face my family?" Derpy said, tears starting to form in her eyes. "I've done everything for my daughters as best I could. I've never let them down. I've never once had any outside help. I just don't want them to think I've failed. I don't want to fail."
Twilight pulled her into a hug. "This isn't failure, Derpy. You've proven yourself more than a capable mother, and have even had the compassion to take in an orphan I need. If anything, you've proven that you're a champion amongst mares. Even I don't think I could handle all those kids with such a small budget... Derpy, just let us help you. Let us help you give your family a reunion worthy of the Doo clan."
"But, I don't want to take advantage of..."
"Enough," Twilight said, putting a hoof to Derpy's mouth. "I'm offering you the chance of a lifetime. Take it, because it would sadden me more to see you unhappy than something as trivial as money being spent. That's what it's there for."
Derpy seemed frozen for a moment. then, with a low sob, she lunged forward and hugged the princess in a tight grip, resting her head on her lavender shoulder. "Th-th-thank you, Prin... T-Twilight. I'll never forget this."
Twilight embraced her with her wings and then gently broke the hug. "Good. Now I've already got a partial list made, but I need your input on some of the finer details so I can make double and triple checklists."
Applejack took off her aht and fanned herself with it. "Sit tight, Derpy. This'll take a while."