//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Derpy's First Day 
// Story: Time Bubbles 
// by Janicethelight 
//------------------------------//

Ditzy took a breath, "Okay, Ditzy Doo. You can do this. The first day at a new job...time to show that you can be more than some clumsy mare. You can be the best mailpony ever! Just, remember...stay on task, be courteous, and, above all else, do. NOT. Drop anything. You've been working toward this since you were a foal and got your cutie mark in-" she looked behind her to the bubbles on her flank, "...Bubble wrap, I guess...I wish I could remember..." she sighed.
"You almost ready, Ditzy?" Amethyst Star inquired.
"Yes. Thanks again for letting me stay with you, Amethyst. You're a true friend.
"Hey, I know what it's like to need to spread your wings a little...no pun intended." The Purple unicorn laughed, "Now, I have some activities to organize. Don't forget, I won't be around much today. I hope your first day goes great. You look so cute in your uniform!" she grinned.
"Thanks, Amethyst...Here I go!"
Ditzy took a breath, flying out the door into the beautiful day before her. Her heart raced with anticipation. A new start, and a chance to really understand her mark. She felt lighter than air. Flying had another benefit. While high in the air, she wasn't knocking anything over or bumping into anything...she felt free. She closed her eyes, before finishing her flight to the mail office.
"Good morning everypony!" she greeted happily. A few mail ponies stopped, staring at her. She froze, ready for anything. She had a bit of a reputation after all.
Two other pegusi scoffed, "Don't tell me they hired Derpy to work here." A brown pegasus rolled his eyes, picking up a package from another pony, "You might as well just kiss any mail goodbye if you're going to trust it in her hooves!"
"D-Dumb-bell. What are you even doing in Ponyville?!" Ditzy asked, trying not to sound hurt, and failing miserably.
"Somepony delivered my equipment to the wrong city, and now I know who did it!" he glared.
"I did not! This is my first day!" she nearly growled.
"Well, I guess you're right. If it were you, my package would have been ruined completely!" He laughed, leaving.
"Uh, that blockhead pegasus...one of these days he's going to get his comeuppance."
"He seemed like a bit of a bully to me." another voice rang out. Ditzy looked over to a yellow pegasus with a teal main. She had water drops as a cutie mark. "Crafty sent me to come show you around. I was the last newbie."
"Oh, uh thanks, um..." Ditzy scrunched her face, trying to remember the mares name.
"Sunshower. And you're Ditzy, right?"
"Uh, yeah. It's nice to meet you." Ditzy smiled, feeling more at ease with a childhood bully gone. The two girls walked together, while Sunshower showed Derpy each part. Derpy was in awe of each area. Finally, they stopped in the office of a stallion she would never forget. He was brown with peach main and short tail, and he wore a black cap on his head.
"Excited to start your first shift, Ditzy?" his gruff voice resounded as his hoof wiped a bit of coffee from his stubble.
"Yes, sir. Thank you so much for this opportunity!"
He grinned, holding his hoof up, "No thanks necessary. I like your moxy. Sunshower here is going with you for a bit to give you the old run down. Listen to her advice, and I'm sure you'll do fine."
Derpy nodded, before receiving her very first mail mag. She and Sunshower flew off. Derpy listened and carefully placed mail where Sunshower told her. She tended to fumble the letters, put the wrong mail in the box the first time, and even dropped mail, having to catch it in the breeze. Sunshower patiently laughed. Ditzy smiled. She messed up so many times, but Sunshower only reminded her that first days were about learning and that she messed up more times than note. "It was raining on my first day, and I ended up dropping a bunch of letters right into a puddle. They were soaked." she giggled, "It's perfectly natural to mess up on the first day."
Ditzy felt tears in her eyes wiping them away with a wing, "Thanks, Sunshower. You're...really sweet."
"Looks like we have one last letter to Pinkie Pie."
Ditzy looked around, seeing Pinkie close by, talking with other ponies as always. "Hey, there she is. Is it alright to give it to her personally?"
"Of course, and wonderful question!"
"Derpy's heart soared. She flew over, landing next to Pinkie, "Um, excuse me, Pinkie. You have a letter."
Pinkie bounced around to see Ditzy, a grin on her face, "Hey, Ditzy, there's a huge party at my house! You should come!"
"A newcomer to Ponyville?" Ditzy asked, remembering her own warm welcome.
"Of course. Hey, will you see if you can find him and bring him to sugar cube corner? You can think of it as an extra special secret agent mail pony assignment to commemorate your new job! Congrats again, by the way. We can have a mail party tomorrow if you would like!"
"No, it's fine." Derpy smiled. "But, yeah, I guess I don't mind looking for him. What does he look like?"
"Brown coat, brown main that's just a bit spiky and same with the tail, blue eyes, oh, and he has an hourglass for a cutie mark!"
Derpy nodded, and, with her mail pony regular job finished, asked to see if Sunny could report in for her long enough to help Pinkie. Sunshower agreed. Derpy scanned the small town, finding the pony wandering around. She flew down slowly, seeing his confusion at first. "Excuse me..." she started.
The stallion tilted his head, taking a step up to her, "Forgive me..." he started in an accent she had never heard before, "But your eyes...they're-"
"I know...wonkey...odd...wall-eyed. Don't feel bad. Most ponies notice that fi-"
"No." The brown stallion shook his head, staring into her eyes, "They're beautiful." Derpy's whole face flushed. She had been used to hearing ponies comment about her eyes for most of her life, but beautiful was one word she wasn't ready for.
"Um..thanks..." she murmured, not able to look straight at him, "If...If you'll follow me...I...I'm supposed to show you to...somewhere." She managed, breathing a bit. She needed a moment to let her heart settle after the unexpected compliment, but she had a job to do. She flew slowly, watching the Stallion follow her to Sugar Cube Corner.