Strangers in a strange land

by Snowy Flanks

Hoof in the mouth

Baker and Light walked to the park to enjoy the sunshine. Baker sat down on a bench so that he could keep an eye on Light without get unnecessarily dirty. Light smiled and ran around looking for frogs and newts to play with. Within seconds he undid all the cleaning that had been done at the spa. He started splashing in the water and rolled around in the grass having a great deal of fun. Light then began to chase butterflies and smell all of the flowers. Light followed a fast flying butterfly over a hill, so Baker sighed and hopped off the bench to follow him at a brisk pace. As he got over the crest of the hill he saw Light dash under a grey pony while following the butterfly but did not have enough time to stop.

“Excuse me madam, watch out I can’t seem stop in time, sorry!” he shouted as he tried to slow down.

Baker smashed into the side of the pony knocking her down and causing both of them to roll down the side of the hill.

“I am so sorry miss! I was following my nephew and he was running so I had to run too and I didn’t see you before it was to late, I am so sorry are you ok?” stuttered our Baker in a panic.

The grey pony stood up and shook herself. Baker stopped talking when he saw that she was a pegasus. He looked more carefully and his heart almost stopped, the pony had a long blonde mane and a bubbles cutie mark. The pegasus turned and Baker could see that she had golden eyes that were crossed.

“It’s OK, there was no harm done are you OK?”

Oh yesyesyesyesyes it is Derpy! OK calm down Baker do not leap and hug her. These ponies might be nice but that would just be crazy. Remain calm, just act cool. You have a rare opportunity to meet the best pony ever. Don’t kiss her just stay calm. But it is Derpy, I must hug her. No I can’t. But Derpy! OK she is staring at me, take a deep breath.

“Again I am sorry miss, I wasn’t hurt, my name is Baker can I trouble you for your name?”

“I am Derpy Doo, the high speed delivery extraordinaire of Ponyville!” said Derpy raising her hooves up.

“You are the delivery pony of Ponyville? I have heard legends of you; they say you have never failed to make a delivery”

Derpy’s ears drooped a little “I assure you those legends have been greatly exaggerated”

Light appeared from behind Baker and started to pull on his tail. Baker reached over and stroked Light’s mane “Miss Doo, I feel terrible about colliding into you, will you please allow me to take you the Sugar Cube Corner for an apology treat? It would make me feel so much better.”

Derpy tilted her had a little. “It’s OK Mr. Baker, I am fine”

“Please Miss. Doo, I feel terrible”

Derpy lowered her head “All right Mr. Baker if it is really that important to you, I guess we could go and get something”

Baker smiled, whistled for Light and skipped to Sugar Cube Corner, Derpy dropped her shoulders and wings and followed Baker. After getting in line Baker turned to smile at Derpy but she made a neutral expression on her face.

I know what to do to make her smile.

When he arrived at the front of the line Baker smiled at Pinkie.

“A cookie for Light, a cupcake for myself and a muffin for the lady” said Baker with a smile.

Instead of gaining a smile, Derpy’s face formed a frown and she drooped even more.

As they left the store and got back in the park, Baker could not understand why Derpy looked so sad.

“What is wrong Derpy? You love muffins”

Derpy stopped walking and slowly turned around to stare at Baker “What did you say?”

Baker shivered a little “Umm I was told that you love to eat muffins”

Derpy lifted up her wings and puffed up her fur, and then she started to shout.

“I AM SO SICK A TIRED OF PONIES SAYING I AM OBSESSED WITH MUFFINS! I make one innocent comment about muffins and suddenly it’s the only thing anypony ever talks about. No I do not love muffins! they are OK and I will eat one, but they are not my favourite thing in the world, they are not even my favourite baked goods”

Baker cowered on the grass and tried to apologize “Please Derpy I”

But Derpy was on a roll “Don’t interrupt me and don’t call me Derpy. I know the real reason why you wanted to get me a treat; you wanted to make fun of me right? Poor stupid muffin obsessed Derpy, she is so uncoordinated and stupid lets make of her, she is too dumb to know she is being made fun of”

“Miss Doo I may have made a presumption about the muffin, but I wanted to by you a treat because I want to get to know your better, I would not set up a pony just so I could make fun of them, that would be cruel” said Baker through tears and with a touch of anger in his voice.

“You be quiet, I am not some muffin obsessed retard here for your amusement!”

“Please Miss Doo I am sorry I assumed you wanted a muffin, It was a mistake on my part, if there is anyway I could make it up to you please tell me” said Baker lying down as low on the grass as possible.

Derpy began to calm down “I’m sorry Mr. Baker, that just been building up in me for a very long time and the way you sounded when you just order for me was the step that broke the cloud”

Baker tentatively looked up ‘What do you mean the way I ordered?”

Derpy stared at him “You kind of sounded a bit like a smart aleck Baker”

“I did?” asked Baker with a sound of shock “I really had no idea. How long has this been going on? Oh my Celestia!, the things I’ve been saying to Twilight, the things I've been doing, I’m amazed she hasn’t smothered me with a pillow”

Derpy let out a small laugh “What did you do?”

“Baker looked down “I kind of mocked her library, told her I was better at it then her, dared her to prove me wrong, then told her to apologize to me”

“Your right she should have hit you with a pillow”

“I was just trying to help her, I love that library so much I just want to make sure other ponies can enjoy it” Said Baker rubbing his hoof on the ground.

“You need to learn how to help people without sounded like you think your better then them” said Derpy placing her hoof on Baker’s back.

Baker looked up “I am so sorry for hurting you Miss. Doo”

Derpy looked down “And I’m sorry I yelled at you Baker, and you can call me Derpy if you want”

Baker got up and looked at Derpy “So is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

“You don’t need to do anything Baker”

“But I want to Derpy, it will give me a chance to get to know the real you and not the rumours I have heard”

“I don’t need your help”

“I know that, but I still want to help you, it will be a chance to get to know you, it will give me something to do today and to get a nice tour around town”

Derpy tapped her hoof on her muzzle “OK if you really want to do it, I guess you can help. Just make sure you do what I say, the ponies here really like getting there mail on time and devoid of dirt marks.”

Baker called for Light and the three of them left the park. The first stop on Derpy’s route was going back to the Mailhouse to pick up her afternoon mail for delivery. They went to the home of Heartstrings and Bon-Bon, Derpy handed Baker a pile of letters and Baker levitated the letter to the mail slot. The door swung open and Baker saw an aquamarine unicorn in front of him. Baker lifted the mail up to her and smiled.

“Here’s your mail madam”

Lyra grabbed the letters with her mouth and dropped them on a table. Then thanked Derpy and closed the door. The next stop was a delivery to Time Turner. Baker knocked on the door while Derpy pulled a package out of her bags.

Time Turner came to the door “Hello?”

“Package for Time Turner” said Derpy dropping the package in front of him

Time Turner picked up the package and placed it on a table inside “Thank you Derpy, this is my new supply of sand from Sand Palomino Desert., best sand in the world for hour glasses”

“Sign here please” said Baker levitating a clipboard in front of him.

Time Turner picked up the attached pen and signed the received line on the papers.

“So how are you today Derpy?” Asked Time Turner.

“I guess I am fine, nothing too bad has happened today” said Derpy.

“and who is this?” Asked Time Turner.

“My name is Baker; I’m helping Derpy out today”

“Well thanks for the sand you two” said Time Turner.

Baker, Light and Derpy went down the street and kept delivering mail and packages to the houses on the street.

“Do you mind if I tell you about my life Derpy?” asked Baker.

“I guess we could do it to pass the time” replied Derpy.

“Let’s see where to start. I was born in the suburbs a few weeks premature. So they had to stick me in an incubator for a little while until I finished developing. We moved a couple times when I was younger but stayed in the same town long enough for me stay in the same school for all of my whole learning years. For some reason I never got around to making some friends, perhaps it was my conceitedness. Anyway I had so few good friends in all of my school years that you could count them on one hand, and they all ended up having to move away just when we were getting close. So instead of having friends I read, I read everything I could find. The books let me retreat to a different world, where I could become the main character and live a different life. The books gave me more happiness then anything else in those years. That was probably the reason why I wanted to become a librarian specializing in youth services. That way I could introduce other children to the wonders of the written word. Now I’ve moved here with something more important to me then anything I’ve seen before. My little Light will need me to protect and teach him. After all it is my belief the children are mirrors, how they turn out is a product of their environment. Sorry that sounded smug again didn't it?”

“No it was OK Baker and I agree with you. It sounds like you had a pretty lonely life”

“No I was never lonely, I had a family that took care of me, and I was never without love from them”

“That’s good”

“So tell me about your life Derpy, if you don’t mind of course”

“I was born in Las Pegasus. When I was a little filly I went on a camping trip with my parents in the Smoky Mountains and I wandered away from the camp. I got kind of thirsty so I went to the river to get a drink of water. Unfortunately I didn’t know that the ledge I was standing on had been undercut, my weight caused it to collapse. The river was moving pretty fast so I was sucked under the water before I even had a chance to scream. I got dashed on the rocks a couple times and pulled into an underwater cave. I thought I was going to die but by the grace of Celestia the river pushed me against a crack in the roof caused by a root. I managed to hold on with my teeth and push my nose into the crack. I held on long enough to get a few life saving puffs of air before the root snapped and I was pulled down again. I don’t remember what happened after that but they found me passed out on the side of the river. My parents found me and rushed me to the hospital. I was treated for hypothermia and they set my broken bones. Everything healed perfectly except for my left wing” said Derpy.

“That sounds terrible” said Baker.

“It was, and my parents where mad at me for leaving the camp. But after that I knew that they loved me very much. Anyway after I recovered I had to go into rehabilitation. Learning to fly again with my wings, I had to adjust to speaking with a slight slur and occasionally getting crossed eyes. I got teased a lot from the ponies I thought were my friends, but the way I see it, my accident just let my real friends rise to the top. Ponies like Fleetfoot, Blossomforth and Rainbowshine were so kind to me. I got a job delivering packages around Cloudsdale and I found that I enjoyed doing it. I got so good they made me the mailmare for all of Ponyville.”

“It sounds like you’ve had a hard life, I’m glad you were able to rise and become so strong”

“Thank you”

It took two hours but eventually all of the deliveries were done and walked over to Derpy’s house to drop off her bags. Baker was just about to leave when a grey blur tackled Light. Baker blinked to see a grey unicorn filly hugging Light.

“DINKY! Let go of the poor colt right now.” Shouted Derpy

Dinky jumped off Light and ran to her mother

“I’m sorry mom, but he is just so cute!”

OK that is it. This kid has got to learn to turn off his swag.

“Well I don’t think he is hurt so who is this?” asked Baker.

“Oh I’m sorry this is my daughter Dinky” said Derpy pushing her daughter to Baker.

Baker smiled “Hello Dinky, I see you have inherited your mother’s looks”

Both Derpy and Dinky blushed a little “Who are you?” asked Dinky.

“I’m Baker and this is my nephew Light. We are new arrivals and I had the pleasure of meeting your mother today. She graciously allowed me to accompany her on her mail route.”

Light wagged his tail and smiled at Dinky “I think he likes you” said Baker patting his nephew

Dinky looked at her mother who nodded, then she took Light and played in the front lawn.

“So tell me about your nephew” said Derpy watching the two foals play.

“My sister adopted him a year ago and he is just getting used to all the new faces. Before we came here he was actually kind of shy. I was babysitting for them when I came here so now I've got to make sure he doesn't get hurt until we go back. What about your kid?” said Baker.

“I was married a few years ago to one of the royal unicorn guards named Svalinn, she was born a few days before my husband had to go on a mission to the Frozen North. There was a severe storm and his troop was trapped in a cave all night. Svalinn kept up a shield all night to protect everyone from the cold winds, but the strain was too much for him and he died from exhaustion. They managed to get him back and he was buried with full honours. The three of us visit him every year.” Answered Derpy her eyes watering.

“May I ask you a personal question Derpy?”

“Umm OK”

“How do you do it?”

“What?”

“How do you go on? Life just keeps pounding on you and you manage to remain standing. I found it awe inspiring.”

Derpy blushed again and pawed the ground “I don’t know how to explain it. Some how I just keep going. After I had Dinky I just would not allow myself to fail, for her sake”

“So who is the third pony?”

“What?”

“You said the three of us visit him, who is the third one? if you don’t mind me asking”

“My other daughter, Sparkler. I was twenty and I had seen her a couple times when I was delivering packages in Canterlot. She was ten years old and stuck in an orphanage. I saw in her the same loneliness that I felt when I was her age; I couldn’t let that happen so I adopted her. She had a little trouble getting used to Dinky at first, but now they are as close as sisters could be” said Derpy.

“Yah, I can understand how easy it is to love some one you adopted, all it takes is opening your heart”

“Yah” said Derpy looking longingly into the distance.

“So where is she now?”

“She works as a motivational speaker and speech writer”

“Really that is awesome!” I love those kinds of speakers”

“I’ll be sure to tell her you said that. So how are you enjoying Ponyville?”

“This place is absolutely wonderful, way better then where I came from. Every pony here is so friendly I keep feeling that I am loved. This place is beautiful; once I get settled in I am totally going for walks every day. I love going on walks”

“What is so good about going for a walk?”

“I’ve always been a slow person, walking around give me more time to see the world around me”

“I agree, with my condition I can’t always fly as faster as I want to, it’s one of the reasons I am so good with deliveries. I have such a keen eye for details that I always find my way; it just takes a little longer.

“So you never get lost?”

“Nope”

“But, no offence Don’t you get lost every year during Winter Round Up?”

Derpy leaned in close “Let me let you in on my little secret, I never get lost, I just spend the day taking a nap faraway from the chaos of Winter Wrap up”

“That’s....brilliant” said Baker taken aback. “I think you might be my hero”

Derpy laughed “Thanks”

“Don’t worry I won’t tell anybody”

“Well to be honest, now that Twilight is here to keep everypony in line I probably will stay around this time”

“Well I’m sure they will enjoy your help”

Baker heard a laugh and turned to see Dinky and Light tumbling on the ground.

“Well those two seem to be having a lot of fun” said Baker.

“I know it’s odd, Dinky is usually nervous around colts”

“I blame his stripes, no one can resist the stripes” laughed Baker.

“Really I was going to say it was his mane, I just want to pat it so much” “giggled Derpy.

“Yah that’s a lot of fun to do” agreed Baker.

Derpy nodded and smiled at her daughter new friend.

“So you’ve raised two children, any suggestions for a first timer?” ask Baker staring down at the two kids.

Derpy rubbed her chin “Well let’s see the first thing I can see is make sure they are loved, children must be loved to show kindness to others. Don’t try to be perfect and don’t be afraid to ask for help, you will need help. Make sure you don’t forget yourself when you are taking care of your kid”

“Thanks Derpy” said Baker “We’ve got to go right now, but if you don’t mind could Light come by again? I know it is important to socialize kids as much as possible.

“I was going to suggest the same thing” said Derpy “Dinky will love it”

Baker nodded and walked over the two foals who were now playing tag

“Sorry Dinky, it’s time for me and Light to leave, but don’t worry we will come and meet you again. We are staying at the Books and Branches, so feel free to drop by anytime”

Comments

[Snowy Flanks]

To be honest this was a hard chapter to write, I didn't want to make Derpy's life so awful but i couldn't think of any other way to do it.

[Blankscape]

You need to make use of descriptions in your story, filling the majority of it with dialogue can make it seem a bit bland.

[KvAT]

That is a load of exposition.