Now that I’ve talked a bit about the present, I think it behooves me to go back and tell you about the circumstances around when we met. I had just come back from postal service training in Canterlot. Luckily for me, the old mailpony was close to retirement and there weren’t too many pegasi interested in the job. My love of the clear blue empty sky made for a perfect match with my bubble wrap delivery cutie mark. Up there, you don’t have a thing to run into. Up there, no one calls you clumsy. The sky is clear and boundless, save for the soft bouncy fluffs of clouds that dot the cerulean sheet.

For the first month I had been taking on various apprenticeships to learn the trade and all the rules. Let me tell you that the overnight express runs were terrible on my sleep patterns; the trainees called it the skeleton run, but I enjoyed the majesty of the night and how crisp and clear it was. This day was my first day back home as apprentice to the pony I would soon be replacing, Tawny Fry. He was an old, but jovial gentlecolt who demanded speed above anything else. He was one of the first express riders who took mail at high speed from Canterlot to Ponyville. His stories were that of legend and he would gladly talk your ear off about them if you let him.

I got up early that morning to a clear and beautiful dawn. My uniform was tightened and straightened to within an inch of its life. I closed one eye and then the other making sure I had everything perfect for my premiere. I galloped down to the postal service having eaten only a bit because my stomach was turning with nervousness. I reached the mail office fifteen minutes before I was supposed to and found that Tawny was already there waiting for me. His hat was tipped down over his eyes as he leaned a worn wooden chair against the sheet metal of the building. The only light was from a faintly flickering lantern peering down on top of him from its extended holder. His tan coat contrasted heavily with his now gray and ragged mane.

“Excuse me” I called to him, wrestling him from his slumber with a start.

“Good, I like to see a prompt mailpony. You’ll do just fine here Miss Hooves,” he lifted himself up raggedly from the chair, adjusting his cap to its proper place. He fumbled with his keys and opened the old rusty door with a creak.

“Thank you sir” I saluted, much to his laughter.

“Relax kid, no need to wind yourself so tight. Come on in and have a seat.” He closed the door behind us and showed me to a chair around his sorting station. The office had a metal shell, but inside it was wood framed. The smell of pine wafted from a newly patched bit of a wall as the wooden floor creaked beneath our hooves.

“You’ve landed yourself a plum assignment there Miss. Not too much mail comes in or out of this town.” He pointed to a weathered but sturdy set of saddlebags set aside in the corner.

“I took the opportunity to make up your saddlebags before I closed up shop yesterday. I figure you don’t need me to tell you where to go, but I put a map with it as well just in case. This place will be yours in whole soon, so get used to it. I’ll watch the fort while you get to the deliveries for the next few weeks, but you’ll take over from there.” He kicked up his hooves at the front desk as he absentmindedly cleared his teeth with a toothpick.

“I won’t let you down sir.”

“I know you won’t kid. You remind me of myself at that age, rearing to go and full of energy. Reminds me of the time I…” He was cut off by a knock at the door. I started towards it but he waved me off, signaling to have a seat. Opening the door, a golden pegasus mare dropped her weary load and picked up an outgoing one with little fanfare or conversation.

“Oh, one thing before you go Goldie, this is the new mailpony for the town,” he introduced me and the pegasus turned halfway.

“Nice to meet ya,” she waved and took off.

“That was quick,” I said, confused at her abruptness.

“Mailponies should be quick as lightning, no matter the load. You never know how precious time can be for the letters you carry. I want you to remember that for so long as you remain in service to this humble little burg.” He lifted his cap and scratched through his mane as he slipped the letters into my saddlebag and loaded it onto my back for me.

“I’m off!” I flew out of the office like a gray flash with the purple and orange sunrise to my rounds.

“Be careful!” he laughed and hacked a bit.

I flew as hard and fast as my little wings would take me. My last assignment was running the express, so they were no stranger to the strain of flight. I would flit between houses like a hummingbird, delivering the mail as if it was the single most important thing I’d ever done. How little did I know back then…

Taking to the skies once more I hit the business district and the droves of shopkeepers greeted me with a friendly smile as they opened for the day. I felt for the first time in a long time that I really belonged and was appreciated for what I did. Reaching one last time into my bag I found a letter I’d missed. I zipped down the back alleys and the shortcuts I used to take as a filly. This town was my oyster and I took full advantage of every little bit of knowledge that swam through my brain as I made the way to the last stop. Dropping the letter in their box, I looked around and did a little celebratory dance, pumping my hooves. The sun had cleared the horizon, but most ponies were still fast asleep or just waking up. I had delivered my first day of mail and it wasn’t even half past eight yet.

Feeling pretty pleased with myself I decided to dart my way back to the office. Tawny would be so impressed by my speed and diligence. I flew through the streets at a breakneck pace when something blue materialized in front of me and pulled open the door. A few last whiffs of smoke billowed from the door as the stallion who would change my life forever stepped into the light, coughing and hacking. It was already too late and all I could do was try to slow down and brace for impact. I bowled him over and we rolled in a pony ball until we reached the back of the room. Opening our eyes we found each other nose to nose with me on top.

“Well, hello…” he said with a laugh.

“I’m so sorry…” I shuffled back from on top of him, looking for the door. I finally realized that I was standing in a gigantic room that hadn’t existed less than a minute before. I was entranced.

“She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” he got to his hooves and began to inspect me much to my alarm.

“Well, I’m quite flattered, but…”

“No, I mean the ship… Not that you aren’t. I’m sure you’re very pretty for a pony. Never seen a talking one before. That’s new…” he seemed to gab away a bit nervously.

“Have you never looked in the mirror?” I said and he quickly turned toward the nearest reflective surface.

“Oh dear, I’m an equine. That’s new,” he adjusted his jaw left and right. “Still not ginger.” He combed his mane a bit.

“What?” I stood there baffled by this pony before me.

“Regeneration and cross dimensional travel don’t mix…” he seemed to marvel at his form.

“Are you some sort of crazy pony?” I asked bewildered.

“You might say that,” he rushed over to the hub of controls in the middle of the room.

I stepped back a few paces toward the door.

“What luck! I landed smack dab on top of a rift. Ooh she likes the taste of this universe. She should be able to move immediately.” He flew around from panel to panel.

“A rift?” I looked around.

“Yes, a rift in space and time. Think of it like a big gas station for this ship, spewing out Artron energy left and right, which means... I should be able to get back to my dimension quickly. I only hope I land back in Cardiff.” He seemed incensed with the controls.

“This thing moves?” I looked around.

“Through time and space. Also, she’s not an it. She’s alive. Now, I suggest if you want to stay in your universe you step outside and never tell a soul about what you’ve seen” He flipped a switch and it began to creak and whine.

“Okay…” I started toward the door, but it slammed shut, almost pinching my nose in the gap. The noise grew louder and almost seemed to wheeze.

“No no no no…. What are you doing?” he slapped at all the switches he could.

“Doesn’t seem she wants to listen.” I turned back towards the feverish technician.

“Yes she’s a bit temperamental at the moment, but I’ll fix that soon enough.” He flipped a couple more gizmos and I found myself walking closer to him. My fear was trumped by a twinge of curiosity.

“Who are you?” I asked finally.

“I’m the Doctor.” He replied as he finally seemed to surrender to the will of his ship.

“Doctor what?”

“Just the Doctor.” He swung around nearer to me.

“That’s an odd name.” I said, realizing how silly it was to fuss about a name in this situation.

“I rather like it. Now, if you would hold onto that lever we might not go careening out of control and hit the Andromeda galaxy.” I obeyed and the ship seemed to stabilize and after a time felt as if it had landed somewhere. The room was now still and the Doctor looked up from his panel with a smile and what seemed like surprise.

“You’ve got wings, that’s fantastic!” He no longer seemed preoccupied with the controls and turned his attention back to me.

“Well, I am a pegasus pony. It isn’t that weird.” I fluffed my wings a bit.

“Do I have wings?” He looked back and found none.

“You seem to be an Earth pony. No wings or horn.” I looked over at him almost as curiously as he looked at me.

“There are unicorns?” he grabbed me by the shoulders.

“Well, yes…” I answered him. His hoof glowed just slightly.

“This universe gets better by the minute!” He laughed heartily as if he’d found a pot of gold, spinning in a bit of ecstacy.

“Why is your hoof glowing?” I pointed it out.

“Oh, just a bit of leftover regeneration energy,” he shook his hoof and the energy dissipated.

“Regeneration?”

“Yeah, little trick my species uses to cheat death. Comes with a new body, new face and a bit of a different personality.”

“You’re some sort of alien?”

“Well yes, I’m a Time Lord. Are you scared?” he seemed to gain a bit of a serious expression.

“No.” I buried what remained of my fear deep down.

“Good,” he regained his energetic disposition, “let’s go!” He threw open the doors to an open field. The smell of wet grass wafted up from the morning dew.

“Where are we?”

“Same place, though we do seem to have traveled to the past. Seems the spatial displacement is still a bit fussy.” He pulled a metallic looking pen from his coat and waved it around as it hummed.

“This must have been generations ago,” I looked around in wonder at the nearby hills and valleys bereft of any pony to mention.

“There seems to be some sort of life in this direction,” he looked back toward the Everfree Forest.

“You don’t want to go in there. There are terrifying creatures who live in there.” I tried to stop him.

“More terrifying than you know… I detect signs of weeping angels afoot.” A grim look spread across his face.

“What’s a weeping angel?” I asked, growing a bit afraid.

“They’re a quantum locked species. They can’t move while they are being observed and turn to stone. They’re quicker than you can imagine and twice as vicious. If you see one, don’t blink. As long as you don’t blink they can’t move.” He peered into the fog that had rolled in from the forest.

“Are you really going to go in there with those things?” I asked a bit concerned for my new found friend.

“I have to. I can’t leave those things here to unduly influence the time stream. You might not exist otherwise. We can’t have that now can we?” He seemed to almost revel in the danger. It was almost hypnotizing, this pony who couldn’t be scared or maybe he just couldn’t show that fear to others. Either way, he always has had a way of making you want to follow him even into the pits of Tartarus itself.

“You say they can’t move while they’re being observed?” I asked as a smug little grin crossed my lips. I don’t know why I was so intent on impressing him, but I just couldn’t help myself.

“Well, yes.” He looked at me ponderously.

“Do you have a musical instrument in that ship of yours?” I looked back toward the open door.

“I believe I do.” He seemed to run back into an impossibly far corner of the ship with a clang and clatter that made me wince. A few moments later he popped out with a recorder and a long tan jacket.

“What do you think?” he made a bit of a triumphant twirl with a smile.

“It’ll do.” I smiled.

“Why do we need a musical instrument?” he asked while taking a hoof at playing the recorder, to which he could only play a few notes due to the cumbersomeness of hooves.

“I have an idea,” I explained to him the plan and we struck out through the fog and set about our mischievous work. The preparations were easy enough for the pied piper despite our need to be vigilant for both our predator and our prey.

We set our trap not far from the TARDIS in case things got hairy. Satisfied with our progress we made our way into the forest.

“Do you think it’ll work?’ I asked, a bit concerned.

“Only one way to find out... Oi, weeping angels!” he began to yell.

“Hey weeping angels!” We both yelled and hooped and hollered until in the distance a stone figure emerged from the fog with its grotesque figure in full display. A slight gust of wind revealed more in the distance.

“It’s a whole colony of them. They must have been here for decades starving to get in this condition. There’s a veritable buffet here with this rift; how did they become so decrepit?” he scratched his chin.

“Enough contemplating! Let’s go!” I yelled and laughing we both ran off towards the trap. We leapt into some nearby bushes and lifted the cover on the bale of parasprites we’d caught earlier using the music of the Doctor. The weeping angels were ensnared in the gaze of a hundred parasprites glimmering in a rainbow of colors. I hurled a half dozen apples towards the statues who were then swarmed by the little ones.

“Ready?” the Doctor grabbed a plank and I followed suit.

“You bet,” I yelled back through a plank in my teeth and we turned the angels towards one another. Caught in each other’s gaze as the flood of cute little bobble beasties peeled away for their homes, the angels could do nothing but stare infinitely into one another. Their vicious stance was forever stranded in the tranquility of eternity.

“Well, that’s that…” he wiped his head of sweat.

I nearly collapsed and had to lay down.

“Are you okay,” genuine concern beamed from those clear blue eyes as his face drew closer to mine.

“I’m just scared half to death. I’ve never done anything like that. I don’t know how I managed it.” I looked up at him.

“Yeah, but it was worth it,” peering out into the distance you could see the first pioneers just crossing into the area.

“We did that…” I looked out at the ponies peacefully singing a happy travelling tune.

“Yes we did, thanks to you,” he sat beside me. My eyes drifted towards his and found two spheres which seemed to hold the universe in a glance. The Doctor was young, but his eyes were so old, so full of dark and happy days. I was mesmerized by them, a captive at a glance.

“Wait, what if something happens to them and they get loose,” I shot up at a start.

“That would be a bother,” he scratched at his chin as he is want to do. He seemed to ponder deeply.

I sat and watched him for a time until a stroke of thought snatched his eyes out of their pensive stare.

“I’ll create a perception filter for them!” He strode hard and fast back into the TARDIS as I clipped not far behind him.

“What’s a perception filter?” I asked taking in gulps of breath.

“It makes anyone not want to see the thing it’s on. The TARDIS has one as well. It makes it to where no one notices a big blue box in the middle of the city. Quite a handy bit of technology if you ask me.” He strode inside and came out with a net and a few clanky bits of metal. Hammering away until he seemed satisfied we dashed off towards the angels once more.

Tossing the net over the angels and fiddling with a few settings the Doctor finally stood fully upright and smiled at me.

“Is it always this dangerous with you?” I asked him as we looked over our work, the grim spectre of the angels so mollified by our teamwork reflecting in his eyes.

“Usually… I won’t lie to you,” he seemed to be getting a bit pensive again.

“You’re gonna need a companion to guide you through the world of ponies,” he seemed to turn his head my way, but only slightly.

“You don’t have to come. I’ve lost friends and companions before…” his eyes seemed distant as if looking at a grave of an old friend.

Then I did something bold. I did something neither of us expected… I kissed the Doctor. His eyes carried a weight of affection and fear in them that I did not appreciate at the time.

“Like I’m going to let you get away…” I galloped towards the TARDIS with the Doctor giving chase.

“I never got your name,” he yelled after me.

“The name’s Derpy… Derpy Hooves, mailmare extraordinaire,” I said to him slyly as I peered back at him from the doorway of the TARDIS. He followed me inside and with a whir of the engine we were back off.

As time passed we grew closer and after a run-in with some Daleks… well our passions began to run high. My parents were as surprised as the Doctor to find out I was carrying his foal. He thought he was incapable of having foals and so wasn’t particularly worried about it before. We were married not long after and our wedding was attended by the princesses themselves. I don’t know what we’ve done or are going to do in the future, being the wife of a time traveler leads to some funny things, to earn such an honor, but they were entirely insistent upon it and made sure we had a nice place to live and raise our children in Ponyville. The Doctor took on the name Time Turner and set to working on watches and clocks for an occupation, though between my mailmare duties and the stipend the royal sisters gave us we didn’t want for anything.

The day Amethyst was born was one of the happiest days of my life. She was so beautiful and clever from the start. Everyone always thought it strange that an earth pony and a pegasus had a unicorn, but the Doctor always chalked it up to the influence of being in the TARDIS so much while I was carrying her. She outpaced her friends in almost anything she tried, much to their teasing and jeering. As a result, she became strong and independent. The Doctor had a habit of calling her Amy for short, but it always brought a little mist to his eyes; he would never really talk about it, but I knew it had to have some deeper meaning for him. She’s always had a knack with gems and spent six months studying under a master jeweler who thought it would take years to master what she had learned so quickly. She became a rising star in the artisan world, but always had her hooves firmly planted on the ground, firmly planted in our hometown of Ponyville.

That brings us back to the present, and from which our story will continue. Perhaps another time I’ll tell the story of Dinky, but for now I think we should get back to the matters at hoof.

The morning after came with the sun filtering in through the blinds. Sunday mornings were a peaceful time for us. The Doctor and I would snuggle in bed until Dinky woke us with her poorly concealed clamor. These are times I really appreciated how for the most part he had decided to stay chained to a linear timeline with us. It seems a shame to cage such a beautiful bird, but I don’t think he’s ever resented us though. He said we were a welcome rest after “a long stretch of running”.

Dinky wasn’t home this morning, so we slept in much later than usual. I woke first, but decided to just snuggle in closer to my husband. I listened to the complicated heartbeat that drummed out beneath his chest. This was the same heartbeat that resonated in our foals, an inheritance from the stars.

“Derpy,” he groggily stirred,” you awake?”

“Yep,” I rubbed my neck against his and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Good morning” he said looking down at me.

“Good morning,” I replied in kind.

At that moment there was a knock at the front door that sent us both to scrambling out of bed and tripping over ourselves and the sheets. We promptly smoothed our coats and manes and headed down to the door.

Disheveled as we might have looked, we opened the door to see Amethyst standing there, half annoyed and half embarrassed.

“I’m not interrupting anything am I?” she sneered a bit.

“No no, we’re just uh…” the Doctor stymied for once.

“Sleeping in,” I said nudging my husband back inside.

“Sheesh, Dinky leaves for one night and you two,” she shuddered.

“It’s perfectly healthy for a married couple,” the Doctor said with a smile.

“Not helping dear,” I put my hoof over my face. Amethyst just shook her head and had a seat.

“What?” he seemed to be confused.

“Anyway… what brings you by?” I sat on the couch and motioned for my husband to join me.

“I have some great news!” she clapped her hooves together.

“Really?” I asked and we both looked at each other wondering if Altair hadn’t jumped the gun already.

“Mr. Hay is going to make me a partner in the company. He’s already decided that I will be in charge of the Ponyville branch permanently. This means that I’ll have some say in not only my branch, but how the company is run long-term. Isn’t that great?” She seemed to beam with pride.

“That’s great! My daughter is a proper businessmare. I knew you had potential,” the Doctor hugged her.

“What did you think I was going to say?” she seemed suspicious.

“Oh…” I began, a bit stymied by that quick wit of hers.

“Don’t tell me. I want to be surprised… I don’t want to be spoiled on the future.” She waved her hooves in front of her.

No sooner had she said that, but there was a knock at the door. I made my way to the door to find Cookie Crumbles standing there with two playing fillies chasing each other around behind her.

“Nice to see you again. How was she?” I asked from the doorway.

“Oh, they had a grand old time. You’d swear they were sisters,” she looked over at the two with me.

“I’m glad to hear that. With both their sisters out of the house and on their own it can get lonely for a little filly.” we stifled a laugh as Dinky and Sweetie Belle tripped into a rotating ball of pony.

“You’re right. She has other friends, but they are always so mischievous. It’s nice to know I can turn my back on those two and they aren’t going to get into anything,” she tipped a light tan sun hat back a bit.

“Well, I certainly appreciate you looking after her for me. We’ll have to return the favor for you and Hondo someday soon.”

“That sounds like a plan if I ever did hear one,” she motioned for Sweetie Belle to come to her side.

“Come along Dinky, your sister is here!,” to which a light purple flash blinked past me into the room.

“Amy!” she hugged her sister tight.

“Hey Dinkster. How are ya?” she hugged her and gave her a little rub on the head.

“Well, looks like you’re having a bit of a get together, so we’re gonna scoot on home. See you later” She waved to all inside and Sweetie Belle followed suit.

“Have a nice day.” I closed the door behind them.

“Oh, Mom!” Dinky looked up from her seat with her sister.

“What is it?” I asked, sitting back down.

“I think I’m some sort of superhero!” she seemed endlessly excited.

“Why is that dear?” I tried to humor her.

“Last night as were getting ready for bed I decided to read a story and I read it in like a minute!” she mimed flipping through a book.

“I guess you are getting better at reading. What kind of book was it?”

“It was one of those big books like you and Daddy read. It didn’t have any pictures and was kinda boring. I thought a book called War and Peace would be more exciting.” she grumbled. The Doctor and I both looked at one another with a bit of dread.

“Dinky, what have you done with that watch I gave you?” the Doctor leaned in and even Amethyst seemed to have a concerned look on her face.

“Nothing. See, it’s in my saddlebags,” she leapt down and after a bit of digging procured a silver fob watch.

“I told you to leave that at home,” his voice grew a bit more stern.

“Nothing happened to it. See?” she held it up, but the cover danced ajar a bit.

“Come here Dinky,” she obeyed and he listened to her chest intently.

“What’s wrong Daddy? Why is everyone so serious? Am I hurt? Am I gonna die?” She seemed very frightened.

“No, you’re perfectly healthy my child.” he stroked her little mane and kissed her forehead carefully.

“Then why are you all so serious? Why were you listening to my heart? Why does my heart feel weird?” she still seemed a bit scared.

“We have much to discuss my child…” he told a very nervous little unicorn.

Author's Note

This meandering memoir continues. I do hope you enjoy it. Comments are welcome and I do read them. Thank you to those couple of posters for your words of encouragement. I'm considering employing a pre-reader to help me sort out the bits that are a bit clanky, so if you have an interest I'd like to hear from you.