Chapter 1
Derpy was flying about, looking for Pinkie Pie. She needed a new muffin urgently, the last one had disappeared! Landing with a crash into the door of the Cake family's shop, it opened, making her fall face-first onto the ground. Jumping up, the Cakes were no where to be seen. Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake were sitting quietly on the floor in a play-pen, chewing some wooden cubes made for teething and cribbing*. Derpy managed to walk up to the twins without breaking anything.
"Hey there little Cakes, have you seen Pinkie Pie?" Derpy asked the twins, who blinked.
"Pinkie?" Pound looked at his sister. "Pie?" Pumpkin asked, turning her gaze away from her brother to look up at Derpy. Derpy blinked her crossed eyes, and they began to cry.
"Oh! Please don't cry baby Cakes! I'll find Pinkie Pie!" Derpy picked up the twins, which was probably a mistake, seeing how clumsy Derpy could be.
Flying upstairs with the screaming babies in her hooves, she found that there was no one upstairs either.
"Huh. Maybe there's a town meeting?" Derpy said to herself.
Flying back downstairs, she raced out the door, but everything seemed normal other than a brown stallion that now had cupcake covering his face.
"Oops. Sorry." Derpy said as he walked off scowling.
Derpy wondered where the Cakes and Pinkie Pie could be. She decided that they might be at Twilight Sparkle's house.She flew a few feet, then remembered the wailing ponies in her arms. Looking around, she tried to find a temporary babysitter. Luckily, Bon-Bon and Lyra were a few feet away, sitting on a bench chatting.
"Hey! Lyra! Can you watch the baby Cakes for me?" Derpy called over, and Lyra looked up, then asked Bon-Bon a question, and turned back and nodded. Flying over, she deposited a baby in each of the mare's arms, and giggled and played with them.
Flying back towards Twilight's library, she nearly crashed into 15 ponies, and crashed into 5. Eventually she found the front door, and opened the door.
"Twilight? Spike? Pinkie Pie?" Derpy poked her head inside. "Hello?"
She heard a groan from upstairs. And she heard Spike's voice murmuring. Walking up the stairs, she saw Twilight lying in bed, with Spike at her side. Spike looked up as Derpy came in. He motioned her over silently and put a claw to his mouth to tell Derpy to be quiet.
"Twilight's sick." Spike whispered.
Derpy looked down at Twilight and recoiled slightly. Her mane was disheveled and her pelt color was looking rather gray. Her eyes were shut tight, but her breath was even.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Derpy asked quietly. "Pinkie's missing."
Spike shrugged. Derpy leaned over Twilight and the sleeping mare woke up.
"Hey! Get away from me!" Twilight yelled into Derpy's ears.
Derpy and Spike recoiled in shock. No pony had heard Twilight so rude before.
"Um, Twilight? Are you feeling okay? Pinkie's missing, I thought I'd tell you." Derpy said quietly.
"Wonderful! That crazy pink party pony finally left us alone!" Twilight said before rolling over.
Spike and Derpy looked at each other, both equally shocked. "I'll go check on the others." Derpy said to Spike, who nodded. Twilight, on the other hoof, groaned.
"Why check on them?" Twilight complained.
Derpy flew out of the room quietly, to avoid her. Downstairs, she puzzled over this predicament. Twilight was acting funny, and there was no pony to make her muffins! Outside, there was no better news.
Only complete chaos.
*cribbing : When a horse takes it's teeth and latches onto something, sucking in air. See RoosterTeeth podcast animations for more info.
