Past Conditional: More Speedfics and Drabbles by Present Perfect

by PresentPerfect

Derpy's Day

Derpy's Day
by Present Perfect

Here she stood, in the entryway of Canterlot Castle itself, and she still couldn't believe her eye.

Her, Derpy Hooves, Ponyville's own humblest mailmare, at the Grand Galloping Gala? Wearing a pretty, fancy, sparkly dress, surrounded by pretty, fancy, sparkly ponies from the highest, most powerful reaches of pony society? It was all she could do not to start dancing on hooftip.

But as she'd told Dinky while they had gotten fitted for their dresses from Miss Rarity (who had politely but firmly refused the notion of payment), they needed to be on their best behavior. After all, the Princesses were here! And even if she'd been invited as a personal guest of Princess Twilight Sparkle (as thanks for saving her during the Friendship Festival), she needed to make a good impression on the other princesses.

Beside her, a solemn-faced crier called out, "Announcing the Lady Ditzelinda Derpina Hooves and the Lady..." She caught him squinting at his register out of the corner of her eye. It was only a second's pause, but it was noticeable. "Skinnamarinka Dinky Dinka Doo!"

"Mommy, that's us!" whispered Dinky to her right. "We're ladies!"

"Yes we are, Muffin," Derpy whispered back. Her wings fluttered at her sides. The skin on her back crawled as though lightning were trying to zap its way out of her. She clenched her teeth, trying to keep the lightning inside.

But that's the thing about lightning. She'd been struck by it enough times to know: you can't keep it bottled up.

With a squeal of, "I'm at the Grand Galloping Gala!" Derpy scooped her daughter up onto her back, leapt into the air and flew to the front of the line of ponies waiting to greet Princess Celestia.

She could feel Dinky glaring a hole through her mane.

"Mommy," she said with a scoff. "Best behavior, remember?"

"Sorry," she said, not feeling the least bit admonished as she landed among cries of dismay and disapproval. "But I couldn't help myself."

And then there they were, staring up at the tall, majestic form of Princess Celestia and the dark, regal countenance of Princess Luna. Derpy had just enough self-control to remember to bow as ponies behind her objected to the interruption.

"It's all right," said Princess Celestia in a tone that made Derpy a little bit jealous for how patient and motherly it was. "Rise, my little pony. Welcome, Ms. Hooves, to the Grand Galloping Gala."

Wow, the Princess even knew her name! It was enough to make Derpy want to do a loop-de-loop. Dinky scrambled down off her back, though, and so reminded her to control herself.

"It's a pleasure to be here, Your Highness!" she said with what she hoped was a suitable amount of enthusiasm.

Princess Luna smiled, and in her deep tones asked, "And who might this little darling be?"

Derpy beamed. "This is my daughter Dinky, Your Majesty! Dinky, this is Princess Luna!"

Dinky scoffed again. "Mommy, I know her. She's Pipsqueak's friend."

"That I am," said Luna as her sister tittered behind a hoof. "A pleasure as always to see the charming Miss Dinky Doo."

"Please enjoy your time at the Gala, both of you." Celestia swept a hoof to the side. "You've more than earned it."

That was all the invitation Derpy needed. She gave a quick, tiny bow before dashing off in the direction the Princess had indicated.

She had no idea what lay that way, but she knew whatever it was, she and Dinky were gonna have the time of their lives.

---

The festivities were over. The guests had gone home. The lights were off, and the cleaning crews were making the palace presentable for the persnickety upper classes once again.

Celestia stood on her balcony, overlooking the last few stragglers leaving the palace. A weight she could not describe had settled in her heart shortly after the Gala had started and remained there for the rest of the night. She was a master at schooling her expression, of course, and had been nothing but the nurturing, approachable princess her subjects had needed her to be for the rest of the affair.

But try as she might, she could not get the visions of grey coat, blonde mane and a single lazy eye out of her mind. How she had flown through the air with equal parts unbridled joy and innocent clumsiness. They had exchanged a scant few words at the night's start, but the mare's very being had haunted her for the rest of the evening. Even now, it lodged fast in the forefront of her mind.

At the sound of hoofsteps behind her, she said quietly, "I'm sorry for not believing you sooner. It seemed impossible at the time, but now there is no doubt in my mind."

Her sister moved up beside her. "I was quite distracted during the Tantabus debacle, but even then, I could not mistake her mein. And she has a child?" She took a long, shuddering breath. "What do we do, sister?"

Celestia squeezed her eyes shut. Aeons of memory exploded behind her lids before she could bring to mind a tall, winged form, a white coat and autumn red mane that shimmered like fire. With it came the memory of the last time Celestia had seen those colors, watching transfixed as they muted, the form lessening to paltry mortality, power draining from it into her to imbue new celestial hosts and ensure the cycle continued unbroken.

She had thought at the time that Luna was too young to understand what was happening. But, truth be told, she had also been far, far too young to understand. The only mare who could have understood that sequence of events, the reasons why and how the mantle of immortality had to be passed on, was the one who had rendered herself too weak and insensate to ever explain it.

Where once the eyes had been deep and full of love, now they barely functioned. The keen mind was reduced to that of a silly foal. Her warmth and brightness remained, but like a sunset, it had diminished in grandeur, no longer cosmic but plain, ordinary.

Celestia had watched, transfixed by magic and fear as the universe lost its spark. A mare had died on that day, so many centuries long forgotten, yet her shell still walked the earth. And now...

"I don't know," Celestia said, and she could not keep the tears from trembling in her voice. "I don't know, Luna."

Luna stepped closer, so that their shoulders touched. "But her daughter? Our--"

"No." Celestia hated how final the word tasted in her mouth. "We couldn't. There is no way that we could explain it. All we can do is give her the gift of a mortal life with her friends and family."

She felt Luna tense beside her. "But there will come a time when they notice. That she isn't senescent. That she hasn't aged."

"It has caused no problems these long centuries. We will confront that day it does if and when it comes." Celestia's head bowed low. "I can only hope that she herself never notices."

In her mind, she pictured a silly little gray mare climbing into a carriage that was ornate for her standards but antiquated and common to those around them. She imagined the excitement the mare had shown so openly lasting until she got home to Ponyville. That she might tuck her daughter into bed and fall asleep right beside her, finding she was more tired than she'd thought.

There would be no hint of the omnipotence she had once wielded in the distant past.

"Whatever happens, it was nice to see you again," she whispered as tears fell down her muzzle.

"...Mother."

Author's Note:

Sometimes, I wake up with a story in my head and I just gotta get it out.

I can probably thank TheDriderPony for sticking this idea in my subconscious. :)

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

A truly fascinating concept, one I’m eager to endorse. I know rekindling the embers of what remains probably isn’t possible, but I can dream.