//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Behind the Derp: The Untold Story of Derpy Hooves 
// by Trot Pilgrim 
//------------------------------//

The princess depended entirely upon Ditzy. She had her draw all the circles for her incantations, check the charts to watch the placement of the night sky, even get food for the princess! Ditzy had the best job! Every day, she helped the princess time when to raise the sun, and when to make it sink past the horizon. She helped Her Majesty greet the ponies with their problems, and help her decide what to do. One pony she always enjoyed seeing was a little filly named Pinkie Pie. The little pink pony always had a huge smile on her face and would always bring a basket of muffins to share with Ditzy. The princess would always smile when Pinkie walked in. She'd turn to Ditzy and nod, letting her know she was free to take a break to enjoy some time with her happy friend.

"I know you get lonely, Ditzy." The princess murmured when the gray pony got up the courage to ask why she was allowed to take a break.

"Oh, never, princess! I'm never lonely when I'm around you!" Ditzy said instantly.

The princess laughed. "Yes, but you don't have any other fillies YOUR age. Twilight is always busy with her studies, and I certainly cannot be a suitable friend. Go, enjoy your time with Pinkamena."

The pony nodded, smiled, and galloped off to spend time with her only friend and catch up on life outside the castle walls.

"Ya shee…" Pinkie mumbled around a muffin she had just tossed into her mouth, chewing noisily. "They're called PARTIESH. Ya have fun, dance, eat muffinsh, cupcakesh, whatever. Ya just HAVE FUN, and fun is my middle name!" She swallowed the muffin, then rubbed her chin. "Well, actually it's Diane, but ya know what I mean!" She giggled and started dancing around the room.

Ditzy giggled as she nibbled on her muffin, watching her friend cartwheel around the room.

Every week, at the same time, on the same day, Pinkie would show up for their visit.

Once a week, Ditzy would help the princess with the cleaning of Canterlot. She'd dust all the stairs, wash the walls, and fly up to the towers to clean the spires to make sure they gleamed. She quite enjoyed this time, as it gave her time to just think. She'd whistle the newest song Pinkie had taught her and clean the castle. It was enjoyable work, and she liked that she was helping the princess with her duties.

One week, Ditzy was cleaning the walls when she saw Twilight trot past. She smiled and waved, but Twilight seemed deep in thought, a book levitating in front of her face. Ditzy shrugged and went back to cleaning the walls.

Once she was done, she cleaned her rag and floated up to the spires to wash them. She started humming her new Pinkie song, which Pinkie had given the working title of "Crack Up with the Creepy" as she worked.

Suddenly, a purple glow enveloped her and her wings snapped to her sides. As Ditzy began to fall, she tried and tried to spread her wings, but the purple glow kept them from budging. Down and down she fell, and as she plummeted towards the ground, she began screaming. Everything seemed upside down to her, and she saw a balcony fast approaching. She saw a white blur out of the corner of her eye, and then everything went black.