Derpy's Hearth's Warming Eve
It’s the night of Hearth’s Warming Eve.
Derpy closed the mailbox. She smiled as she lowered the flag.
Last letter, she thought.
The pegasus took to the sky in a gust of wind and snow. The Golden Oaks Library was left behind.
It was a letter from Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville’s librarian, to Zecora. Derpy had no idea what was written in it. Perhaps a thank-you note for the zebra’s contribution in the spa. Derpy heard that it was offering free trials of Hearth’s-Warming-Eve-only Herbal Holly Bath for everypony. She heard that it stimulates senses, perfect for anypony who’s worn out in the extensive preparations for the holiday to have a good, quick boost.
Derpy could need a boost too.
She has been delivering letters, greeting cards, gift parcels and all kinds of other holiday-themed items to various locations of Ponyville, and what a job it is! Ponyville may not even be half as big as Canterlot or Manehattan or any other major cities of Equestria, but it is a place where everypony knows everypony, and where everypony loves everypony.
For that reason, everypony greets everypony, everypony gives something to everypony. Imagine the amount of mail she has to deliver. Imagine the work load. Derpy has been flying all day.
However, Derpy has received quite a lot too. Most of them are just plain old season’s greeting cards, but there’s some interesting stuff. An apple from Applejack, everypony received that; a fabulous dress from Rarity for “deliverance-in-style”, but she loves her mailmare uniform; a first-aid box from Fluttershy, ooh she could use that! Lastly, a funny snow globe featuring Derpy herself from Pinkie Pie.
She gotta remember to deliver Pinkie’s mail a little faster next time. There’s a time when her mail arrived a few seconds later than scheduled. A mailbox which hinges require serious repairing stood solemnly in front of the practically pooped pink party pony.
Yes. Pooped. Just like herself now.
Derpy careened in the air as she headed towards the Everfree Forest. Partly because of her clumsy nature, and partly because of the fact that she could finally return home after that.
Derpy pushed on as she flew under the midnight moon. Against the cold breezes of winter night, against exhaustion, against the memories earlier on in the morning of this day.
She didn’t want to leave Dinky. She didn’t want to leave her side. However, when duty calls, you’ve got to do what you should do. There are tons of mail and the citizens of Ponyville will be really disappointed if they are not delivered on time. There are not many mailmares and stallions in a little village, and they all have to spend time with their family. Her job needs her to do so.
But, does it serve a more important purpose than spending time with your family, Derpy? Is it worth it, at all?
Isn’t it Hearth’s Warming Eve, Mom?
Derpy could almost hear her. The question rang repeatedly inside her ears, as vividly as it could be. The tone, sorrow, yet coated with love and tolerance. Dinky knew that her mom had to go, she understands, and Derpy knew too. But that’s what escalates her guilt. What kind of mother would leave her family, leave her only daughter behind, just to do her darn work?
Moreover, isn’t it Hearth’s Warming Eve?
Moisture accumulated in her eyes. How familiar it is. That’s what happened to Dinky the moment she’s out of the door. There are something that sparkled in her daughter’s eyes, but those were not simply glimmers of hope that her mom can come back soon.
They were tears too.
Derpy could almost see her. The vision materialized repeatedly in front of her eyes, as vividly as it could be. The guise, sorrow, yet coated with love and tolerance.
Love and tolerance, love and tolerance. Why love and tolerance? Derpy wouldn’t feel this regretful if there’s not that much love and tolerance in the first place. She wanted Dinky to hate her a little for abandoning her own daughter in a day which was supposed to be with your family. She wanted Dinky to tell, no, scold her for thinking that her job is so important. She wanted Dinky to at least pout or show any signs of frustration at her.
But what Dinky had shown is just sorrow, coated with love and tolerance.
Derpy doesn’t know whether she can be forgiven, or whether she can forgive herself.
Isn’t it Hearth’s Warming Eve, Mom?
Derpy reached Zecora’s hut. There isn’t a mailbox, so she slid the letter under the door. She took to the air immediately after that.
Next destination: home.
Derpy finally returned. She pushed opened the door and found Dinky’ asleep beside the fireplace. The sight of her daughter made her heart ache.
Dinky, awoken by the moonlight on her face, saw her mom by the door. She gasped, leapt to her hooves and rushed towards her mother into her open arms, grinning with joy.
“I knew you'd come back today, mom.”
“I’m so sorry... my little muffin,” Derpy replied, choking back her tears, “I shouldn’t have left you, Dinky... I shouldn’t even have thought about it. I just don’t know what went... wrong with me. I’m so... stupid.”
“You’re not stupid, mom,” said Dinky as she looked into her mother’s eyes, “You’re great. I know you job really need you and you can’t help it. You wanted me to play with other colts and fillies and I did. I had fun and even made lots of new friends! And...” She lowered her volume, ”other ponies would have been really sad if their letters are not delivered to their family and friends, right mom?”
Derpy smiled. She had been forgiven.
“I’m proud of you, mom,” Dinky pulled her mother into a tighter hug, ”and I love you.”
“I love you too, my little muffin” Derpy whispered back, returning the hug affectionately.
A picture of this tiny family hangs on the wall. Both are smiling, both are happy. Among the crackling sounds of burning logs, Derpy and Dinky drifted off to sleep, the child lying on the mother’s shoulder.
The hearth is warmed by fire, the heart is warmed by love.
Can this Hearth’s Warming Eve get any better?
Knock knock knock...
Derpy jolted. Who could be at her doorstep so late at night? On Hearth’s Warming Eve too! Santa Hooves?
Derpy slid her wing softly off her daughter’s back. She got up as quietly as possible and approached the door. The visitor gave her a surprise.
“Doctor?!”
“Oh h-hi, Miss Doo. J-just call me Time Turner, I mean... it’s not the first time we’ve...uhm... met each other, is it?”
“In that case,” Derpy smiled, “just call me Derpy Hooves like everypony else.”
“Oh sure... uhm... Derpy?”
“Yeah?”
“I just wanted to... you know... give you something... as a gift... for Hearth’s Warming Eve...”
“In the middle of the night? This gotta be good!”
Derpy’s eyes “walled” even further at the sound of a present incoming. The stallion felt something skipped a beat in his chest.
“What is it? What is it? A muffin? Homemade ones? With raisins on top? That’ll be soooooooooo awesome!”
“W-well,” Time Turner blurted, “it’s not a muffin, sorry about that...”
“Oh,” Derpy’s ears drooped as she looked at her hooves.
“B-but,” The Doctor hurriedly continued, “the thing I’m about to give you is definitely better!”
Her ears perked up.
“A-at least I think it would, and I’m not really sure if it is... uhm... never mind, I’ll just show you.”
Doctor Whooves raised his right hoof, right above both of them. Tied to the hoof is something green, along with orbs of white. Half of it shone under the curtain of winter moonlight, the other half was embraced in the warm glow of fire. Derpy’s cheeks went flushed with pink.
A mistletoe.
This is Derpy’s best Hearth’s Warming Eve, ever.