> A quest to deliver > by The delusional pegasus > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > 1. The mailmare > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1 The Mailmare It was a quiet morning in Ponyville. The sun had just risen and was starting to bathe the small town in an orange glow, Lighting up the small houses and shops below and casting huge shadows across the empty streets. The world started to come alive. All the birds started to sing, every colour became bright and vibrant, flowers began to poke their little heads up to the sun as if they were gazing at it in awe like a child looks up to their older sibling when they have done something impressive. The warmth came in a summer breeze to anyone awake to appreciate it but only one pony was awake to catch this breeze. The pony in question was a light bluish-grey Pegasus pony with a blond mane, bubbles for a cutie-mark and bright yellow eyes that were in a cross eyed position as if she had a lazy eye. She was wearing a saddle bag with writing on it that said MAIL. The Pegasus was gazing at the sunrise, as it unfolded in front of her, in wonder. "Wow..." Ditzy Doo mumbled. She had seen this sight many times before but she never stopped gazing at it in awe. Every morning she saw it and every morning she sat there and stared. The beauty was wonderful, it made her feel so alive and connected to nature. she closed her eyes and took a deep breath or the morning air. This was just one of the many perks of being a mailmare in a town like this. Ditzy's moment of peace was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a door opening and a small bell ringing. Ponies were starting to open their shops. It was market day in Ponyville so that meant more business for the shops dotted around the town. Ditzy opened her eyes and stood up. "Right. The mail." She said under her breath. Ditzy reached into her saddle bag to take out the first letter. She held it in front of her, read the address and headed off to the first house on her round. She was well known around the town so she got a few sleepy greetings from the few ponies that had woken up. She smiled and waved back as she walked past them. She didn't dare to fly because one too many accidents had been caused by her flying. of course she had no idea what had gone wrong but that didn't stop her from almost smashing somepony's door down. Ditzy grimaced at the memory as she came up to the first house on her round. It was a tree. A big tree and was also the local library. Ditzy trotted up to the red door and knocked three times. "Coming!" Shouted a voice from inside the tree. A few moments later the door opened up to reveal a lavender unicorn. The librarian looked at Ditzy and smiled. "Hello Ditzy." She said slightly sleepily. "Hi Twilight! I have some mail for you." Ditzy replied and with that she handed over the letter. The letter was suddenly surrounded by a purple aura and floated toward Twilight Sparkle. "It's probably a letter from my brother. Thanks Ditzy." Twilight said, grinning. She started to close the door but a hoof reached out and stopped it. Twilight opened the door again and raised an eyebrow. "I was wondering if you had a copy of the new Daring Do book?" Ditzy asked "I've been looking forward to it for months now!" She grinned expectantly at the sleepy librarian. Twilight giggled at the question and nodded her head. "Yes I do actually. Come in." Twilight beckoned Ditzy into the library and Ditzy followed excitedly. She was a big fan of Daring Do and often had conversations about it with Rainbow Dash. When they were in the library Twilight walked over to one of the big bookshelves that surrounded the room. Using her magic, Twilight brought down a thick hardback book and hovered it over to her desk. Twilight opened a big book, turned it to the right page and writing down a note about what book was taken by who and when it should be back. She then levitated the quill over to Ditzy, before realising that pegasi couldn't hold quills and quickly swapping it for a pencil, and told her where to sign. Ditzy grabbed the pencil in her mouth and wrote down her signature. Unfortunately for the pencil, Ditzy was biting a little too hard and the small wooden object snapped in two. "woopsh..." Ditzy said with half the pencil still in her mouth. She looked at Twilight apologetically. "shorry I jush..." she trailed off. Twilight simply smiled at her and said. "It's alright we have plenty more here. One silly pencil won't make a difference!" Twilight shut the book and levitated the Daring Do book over to Ditzy. Ditzy let go of the pencil and grabbed the book out of the air, tucking it under her wing. "Thanks Twilight!" Ditzy said happily. she turned and began to walk towards the door but before she could get there Twilight shouted out. "Hang on a sec," Ditzy turned around, confused, and watched as twilight rummaged around under her desk. "Ah-ha!" Twilight exclaimed in victory as she pulled out a small box with a letter on top. She turned and walked up to Ditzy with the box in her magic grip. She levitated it to Ditzy and said "I got this package a few days ago. It came with no name on it and was delivered late at night," Ditzy had now taken the package in one hoof and was staring at it intently. Twilight continued "All that was on it was a note saying that this was to be given to you and no pony else. I meant to give it to you a few days ago but it completely skipped my mind sorry." Ditzy put the box in her saddle bag amongst all the letters and faced Twilight. "Oh that's ok. Thanks again." Ditzy waved at Twilight and Twilight waved back. As Ditzy left the library and brought out her next letter, she couldn't help but wonder who had gotten her the box. The only time she ever got a package in the mail was on special occasions like birthdays and such and even then they weren't delivered to her because she was the only mailmare of Ponyville. That meant that any mail addressed to her was in her bag she got before each delivery round. So what could it be? What could be in the box? Why didn't the pony give it directly to her? Ditzy went on with this train of thought for a while and before she knew it she walked straight into the door of somepony's house. Ditzy reeled back in shock and fell over a hedge next to the pathway. The door opened and a green unicorn stallion poked his head outside. "Hello?" He called out "Anypony there?" A groan rose up from the hedges beside his house and the head of the clumsy Pegasus popped up to look at him. Ditzy stared at him for a few seconds before smiling sheepishly at him and saying. "Mail for Carrot top?" The Green unicorn sighed and rolled his eyes once he realised who it was. "Yes that will be for my wife." He grabbed the letter in a green aura and pulled it from Ditzy's mouth. Ditzy climbed out of the hedge and apologised to the green unicorn. He was used to her antiques by now so he accepted her apology and walked back into his house making a mental note to get a letterbox. As he closed the door he heard a shout and a crash. He rolled his eyes once again. "That's our Ditzy." he mumbled to himself. A few hours later Ditzy had finished her round and was now lying on her bed looking at the box in her hooves. It was just a normal box with a letter attached to the top. Nothing special. She pulled off the letter, opened it and began to read. Dear Ditzy Doo I have heard from sources apart from myself that you are a mailmare and a particularly good one at that. I trust that these statement are true, and I really hope they are, because I am trusting you with an item that is VERY important and I mean VERY important. The item that you will find in this box is to be delivered to a specific location at a specific time. If you are late then you have failed and there will be consequences. If you do not wish to accept this delivery then you can take the box, unopened, and place it on the edge of the everfree forest, next to the path, by noon on Friday. If you do wish to accept this delivery offer then you will find directions inside the box but be warned. This task is not to be taken lightly for once you have opened the box you cannot go back. This choice is yours and yours alone. I shall leave this decision in you hooves. Ditzy read the letter twice (she got bored on the third time) and lay down flat on her bed. This was a big decision. On one hoof this could be an opportunity to get away from home. It did sound like it would be a hard delivery. Whoever sent this box must trust her to be a good mailmare to give her something this important. But on the other hoof this sounded like it could be dangerous. the letter said there would be consequences for failure and she could turn down the offer if she wanted. She looked at her bedside clock to see how much time she had left to decide. The clock read 12:01 Friday Looked like time had already made up it's mind for her. "Well I guess I have no choice now. Besides, what the worst th-" she clamped a hoof in her mouth before she finished her sentence. one too many times had she said than and one too many times had things gotten worse. She took a deep breath and reached for the box. She grabbed the lid and pulled it off. Ditzy gasped in astonishment for inside the box was an amulet, glowing bright orange with magic, and on top of it was a note with 8 words. Ditzy Doo You are going on an Adventure. > 2. Companion > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2 Companion Ditzy sat there and stared at the amulet, the light shining brightly on her face It's beautiful she thought. Ditzy reached out gingerly with one hoof and touched the glowing ornament. Nothing happened. She let out a sigh of relief and picked up the amulet to observe it further. It was warm to the touch and sent waves of heat up her forelegs. The base of the amulet was a small circle made out of gold and there were small yet complex pictures and symbols engraved around the edges. In the centre was a deep orange sapphire from which the light was emitting from. The sapphire had carvings on it that ditzy couldn't quite make out. She squinted and saw the vague shape of a mother embracing her daughter. Any other carvings were too small and Ditzy couldn't see them through the light. Strangely, though, the light wasn't hurting her eyes no matter how long she stared at it for. she shook her head and examined it further. Around the golden circle were 12 more stones. These stone were silver but none of them had any carvings of any sort on them. Ditzy placed the amulet down on the bed next to her and looked back into the box. Another letter was sitting there so Ditzy reached down and picked it up. As she unfolded it she realised it was a map. she laid it flat on her bed in front of her and saw a red line drawn across the map ending at a big red X. That must be where I'm supposed to go. she thought. At the bottom of the map there was some writing. It read. I see you have made your choice. there is no turning back now. for this adventure you will need a companion you can't do this alone. on the map you will see the place that you need to get to when you are there you will meet two other ponies that are on a quest of their own. together you will stop a destructive event from happening any more information will be told at the destination. To achieve this quest you must: Tread carefully through the everfree forest Then wander the endless lands of the forever prairie once you have reached the other side you must step lightly over the streets of Griffonia then traverse the great hills of ignotumque finally trek through the Moltus mountain range and scale Mount Externa at the top you will find the other two and their companions and together you will find the meaning of your quest. Good luck. "Can I come?" said a voice behind Ditzy Ditzy yelped and jumped 5 feet in the air. She hit her head on the roof and then fell back down onto her bed, bouncing a few times before falling off with a thump. "Whoops" Said the voice again. Ditzy stood up and turned to face a sheepish unicorn filly. She was a light greyish pink and had a blond mane much like Ditzy. She had a small horn sticking out of her mane, no cutie mark, yellow eyes and a big grin on her face. "Dinky! What have I told you about sneaking up behind me?" Ditzy said in an annoyed tone. Dinky giggled slightly and replied. "Sorry mum I didn't mean to. I was just going to get breakfast but I saw a light coming from your room. When I walked in I saw a shiny thing next to you and a big map in front of you so I- well, I wanted to see what it was. I wasn't trying to scare you! Honest!" Ditzy smiled at Dinky. "It's alright. I believe you." She said ruffling her daughter's hair. Dinky giggled at this and looked up at Ditzy. "So can I?" She asked curiously. Ditzy frowned. "Can you what?" She asked back. "Can I come on the adventure with you?" Dinky repeated smiling at her mother, who stared back as if she was crazy. "No! Of course you can't! It's way too dangerous for a young filly like you." She replied sharply. Dinky pouted. "But I have nothing else to do!" she wined. "Why don't you go and stay with your sister?" "She's gone to a friend's house in Manehattan." "What about your friends from school?" "well- I- they- uh..." Dinky stuttered and trailed off, accepting defeat. "There we go. we can set up a play date with one of your friends," Ditzy said smiling. She flew down onto the floor and walked toward the bedroom door. "Come on! lets go!" Dinky sighed again and looked down at the map before snapping her head back up and shouting to Ditzy. "Wait mum! It says here that you need a companion! I can be your companion! I'm a good companion! I can do loads of companion-y stuff! like! like. like... um... Well there's no one else who can be your companion!" Dinky was bouncing up and down on the bed now. "Yes there is Dinky. I can go and ask Rainbow dash. She likes adventures. Now stop jumping around before you-" THUMP "Fall." Dinky groaned as she picked herself off the ground and leaned against Ditzy's bedside table for support. At least she didn't break anything CRASH Dinky looked up at Ditzy, smiling sheepishly next to a shattered Vase. Ditzy sighed. I needed a new one anyway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Please?" "No." "Pleeeease?" "No. "Pretty please with a muffin on top?" "MUF- NO!" "Ple-" "For the love of Celestia! No means NO!" Dinky realised she had crossed a line and took great interest in the road below her. They had been walking for about five minutes. Five minutes of non stop Dinky begging to go on the adventure with Ditzy. She had said a whole speech about why she would make a good companion but to no avail. She offered countless muffins but Ditzy, bless her soul, turned down all of them. She almost gave in when Dinky offered to bake her a muffin with fresh blueberries, strawberries, bananas and apple flavoured jelly flowers. She LOVED jelly flowers! Especially the apple ones! Jelly flowers, if you didn't know, are sweets in the shape of flowers that are made out of the jelly plant that is only grown in the everfree forest. But through all this begging Ditzy stood strong, refused all of the offers and kept her head held high. At least she did until she tripped over a rock and fell face first into a puddle much to the delight of Dinky. But that was a minor set back. A mere rock was nothing to Ditzy. She was a headstrong mare! And she wouldn't give in to- oh. no she's walked into a tree. "Are you okay mum?" Dinky asked trying to conceal her laughter. Ditzy turned around to face her daughter, who snorted when she saw her mother's face had a brown line across it from the bark. "Yes I'm fine. We're nearly at your friend's house now so we can- oh look there's Thunderlane. I can ask him if he's seen Rainbow dash anywhere." She called to Thunderlane to wait up and started toward him. Dinky, trailing behind, was still trying to keep in her laughter but she completely lost it when her mother slipped on a patch of mud and fell flat on her face once again. Thunderlane trotted up to where the two were standing and helped Ditzy back onto her feet. The black Pegasus was grinning at Ditzy's spectacle but promptly stopped when she glared daggers at him. He cleared his throat and asked. "So Ms hooves what's up?" Dinky, now recovered from her laughing fit, stood up and replied before her mother could. "The sky" Dinky said, Grinning wildly at her own joke. "What?" Thunderlane asked, confused "you said what's up and I said the sky 'cause the sky is up see?" Dinky explained, a bit annoyed that no one got her joke, but the smile returned to her face when Thunderlane started giggling. Ditzy started to facehoof but stopped when she remembered her hooves were covered in mud. She shook her head instead and answered Thunderlane's question. "Well I wanted to know if you had seen Rainbow dash recently? I need to ask her something." Thunderlane stopped giggling, but continued to smile, and said to Ditzy. "Sorry but I saw her earlier on today, flying toward the train station, and I asked her where she was going. Turns out she's off to Manehattan with her Friends she was just popping into Ponyville to get some snacks for the ride," Thunderlane explained. Ditzy sighed and started to say something but Thunderlane wasn't finished yet. "And! Apparently they have all got free tickets to see the musical Hinny of the hills! I've always wanted to see that musical!" Thunderlane concluded his speech and looked at Ditzy who didn't look too interested. "Really?" She said. "I've never been struck on musicals. I just think it's a bit silly when ponies suddenly decide burst into song every two seconds. And even then for some reason everypony knows all of the lyrics and dance moves and I dunno. I just find it a bit unrealistic." Thunderlane smiled and took a step back. He took a deep breath. And starting singing. "Well I-" "Don't even think about it" Ditzy cut in before Thunderlane could get anywhere with his song. She glared at him again and he grinned back, sheepishly. He took a few weary steps back. "Oh wow. look at the time. I should be. um. going bye!" With that he shot off, embarrassed, and headed back to his house. Ditzy watched him leave before sighing again and looking back to her daughter. As expected she was grinning wildly. she knew what this meant. With Rainbow dash gone Ditzy didn't have a companion. Sure, she could ask somepony else to join her but who's going to want to go on an potentially very dangerous adventure with the clumsiest mare in town? Exactly. "Sooooo. Your companion is in Manehattan then" Dinky began slowly and patronisingly. "Dinky don't do this to me." Dinky ignored her mother and continued "Well if they're in Manehattan that means that you haven't got a companion right?" "Dinky. Stop" "Well that's a real shame isn't it? You might have to call this entire thing off." Dinky was enjoying the look of defeat on her mother's face. "Dinky." "If only you had somepony else. Somepony that wanted to go on an adventure too. Too bad you're sending your daughter to have a 'play date'." Ditzy sighed in defeat "Fine you can come." She said. Dinky immediately beamed and ran up to her mother, smothering her in a massive hug. "YAY! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANK-" "On one condition." Dinky stopped shouting in her mum's ear and looked up. "What?" She asked. Ditzy smiled "On the condition that you promise to make me that big muffin with jelly flowers on it for dinner tonight." Dinky giggled. "Deal." And with that they bumped hooves to seal the deal. "How are you so good at making me change my mind?" Ditzy asked. "Because you're so bad at keeping it," Ditzy laughed at that and ruffled Dinky's hair. "Anyway I know you better than anyone else and so do you so we can look out for each other! Right?" Ditzy smiled "I guess you're right," Ditzy replied as they turned and headed towards their home. "Besides, what's the worst that can happen?" Dinky's eyes went wide. "MUM NO-" SPLAT