You let the comb glide through Derpy's mane one last time before setting it aside and admiring your handiwork.
"I think we're done."
The small pony in your lap turns her head around to look at you, smiling brightly with her crossed eyes. There were a lot of knots in Derpy's mane but you think you managed to get at least most of them out.
"Can you do my tail next?", she asks happily as she runs through her mane with one of her hooves.
You don't see why not. If her tail is as tangled as her mane was it's probably a good idea.
You tell Derpy as much and she shifts around in your lap a little to give you better access to her tail, swinging it upwards and almost hitting you in the face had you not quickly pulled back. Using one of your hands to keep Derpy's swinging tail in place you use the other to pick up the comb again, carefully letting it run along the length of Derpy's appendage.
You realize that this is the first time that you've touched a pony's tail, or that you've really had any extended physical contact with a pony for that matter. There was that one time when you were tackled to the ground shortly after arriving in Equestria because you 'looked like a monster' but you don't really count that.
Eventually you manage to straighten out Derpy's tail though and she quickly jumps out of your lap with a flap of her wings.
Well, everything's got an end you guess.
You notice that Derpy is walking up to a nearby ledge that was built into the wall, which is where you had gotten the comb from, getting onto her hind legs as she seems to be looking for something. After a few seconds she seems to find what she was looking for, quickly walking back to you with a brush in her mouth.
Didn't you already do that?
Regardless, you can see that behind the brush she's giving you a happy, little smile so you might as well spoil her a little. You take the brush from Derpy's mouth and she promptly gets onto her hind legs again, clumsily climbing into your lap with her small hooves. She sits down with her back facing towards you, giving you an expectant look.
It doesn't take you long to get to work, setting the brush against Derpy's scalp and slowly moving it down the length of her hair. When you were using the comb the experience was a little rough; Now with all the knots already out of her hair the brush slides quite effortlessly through Derpy's silk-like mane. You don't really get the point of combing her hair a second time but if you look at her and see how she leans into you with her eyes closed, sighing happily with each stroke of the brush, you get the feeling that if nothing else Derpy at least seems to be enjoying the attention you're giving her.
You continue brushing Derpy's mane for a few minutes, eventually moving on to her tail. This time around she seems to be a lot more relaxed, keeping her tail almost perfectly still apart from the occasional lazy sway.
Eventually she seems to have had enough though, jumping out of your lap and onto the floor in front of you. She looks back at you with a radiant smile that you can't help but return, and you notice how different Derpy looks with her hair straightened out. And also despite how obvious it is now that she's in dire need of a haircut she somehow seems more colorful, more brilliant than before.
Then Derpy shakes her head, returning her mane to the unkempt look you're used to. Still, she seems different.
As if on cue Derpy says: "Mommy always says that the right way to do your mane is to first use a comb and then a brush because then it gets all clean and shiny."
Makes sense you guess. You're just going to assume that her mother knew what she's talking about here because you sure don't.
"Now you're a pretty pony, aren't you?", you remark as you stand up.
"Really, Anon?", Derpy asks, weirdly enthusiastic, "Am I a pretty pony?"
"The prettiest of them all", you say as you ruffle Derpy's hair and you can't help but smile at how excited she gets over a simple compliment.
With your pretty pony in tow you leave the bathroom, looking for Twilight. Seems like she's not in her bedroom, nor in the kitchen or the room where you always eat together.
She's probably still out talking to the Ponyville Guard.
Remembering one last place where you might find her you take the door opposite from her bedroom and enter the castle's core library, where Twilight keeps her most frequently used books. It's also the perfect place to study or read since it's right at the center of the castle and thanks to the thick walls surrounding it almost perfectly quiet.
However, Twilight doesn't seem to be here either.
With a sigh you sit down on the pile of cushions at the center of the room, resigning to the fact that Twilight is not available right now. Next to you Derpy also climbs onto the cushions, lying down on her belly while attentively looking at you with her big eyes.
She must be expecting you to do something, though you don't really know what to do right now yourself. You let your gaze wander around the room, eventually resting it on the stack of books that you've been reading recently.
"Hey, Derpy, how about I read you a story?"