//------------------------------//
// Derpy's clock 
// Story: Rainbow over Griffany: RotE Episode 7 
// by Dream Volt 
//------------------------------//

	I looked out over the city.  Gilda was always good at finding awesome places.  The waterfall came out between two huge statues, but because both were below any major building and the heads were held so high between the front paws of either statue was a nice place to hide.  It also had the best view.  However before I got the Gilda I stopped.  Something felt, off.  I had flown about a bit, and landed next to a big chunk of amber embedded in one side of the tunnel the waterfall came out of.

"I’m not even sure why I'm annoyed by it, but weren't you looking to bother me?"

"Just a second G.  I have a feeling this is really important.  Besides I'm sure you can sit there being all emo for another few seconds."

"Hay."

Of course her coming after me was even better, so this was working out great.  I then touched the chunk of amber.  It felt the exact opposite of Discord.  Well, maybe it was a little different but it felt good.  A little stifling but good.  Actually it sorta reminded me of Twilight's library, but even more something else.  I just couldn’t but my hoof on exactly what right now.  I then turned to Gilda.

"So, you think you can pry this thing out of there."

"I dunno, maybe.  Why do you care?"

"Cause you know that freaky jerk Twi just sent away, this feels like the exact opposite of him when he touched me."

"Why the hay are you letting him touch you."

"Cause he's a jerk with no respect for personal space, duh."

"Fine.  I can pull it out I'm sure but you wanna talk about stupid feelings or something first I'm sure, so lets get that out of the way since we're alone."

I frowned.  "Come on G.  You know me.  I just want to know what's up with you.  You're acting really weird."

She sighed.  "Ugh.  I keep forgetting how dumb you are sometimes.  Ponyville is lame, at least most of the ponies in it are lame, and Equestria in general is lame.  Except there are a few problems.  First, it's your home.  Second, even though I never thought of it that way, it's mine."

"Weren't all your trips home to Griffany real?  I mean you fudged a few details but…"

"That's all they were though.  Trips.  I grew up in Equestria.  I thought of Lion's Airie as home, it was the only stable house I have even, but it wasn't my home."

"And you were worried about me talking about mushy stuff."

"Shut up."  She then lightly shoved me.  "I haven't even gotten to the last problem.  See the thing is no matter how lame it all is, I hate it here."  She took a breath.  "I hate it here more than anything.  Griffany is cooler than anywhere else in the whole world, but I despise actually living here."

"How does that answer my question?"

"I'm being nice because I'm trying.  It's hard.  You have no idea how hard, but all the best moments in my life involved you somehow.  So I vowed I'd do everything I could if I ever saw you again."

"Oh, so that's why you didn't start ripping out my feathers in your room.  I mean we've got in a fight for way less than that."

We both laughed at that.  Once I even remember getting into a brawl with her over the right way to say potato.  I could see Rarity or maybe even Twilight getting genuinely upset about proper pronunciation, but we sure didn't.  We just both refused to back down and it eventually came to blows.  Then suddenly I thought of something.

"Wait, really nothing?  I know I'm awesome, but nothing else?"

"There is some stuff, but I can't think of any time here where my happiness wasn't tainted in some way.  Also I just said you're the best, my life is just awful."

I smiled, and now I'm about to cry.

"Whatever.  Let me get this dumb thing out for you.  The more I look at it the more curious I am."

"What do you mean by that?"

She was in front of it, claws digging into the soft dirt around it, and with a big tug it came lose, tumbling to the ground.  There was a big coo-coo clock inside.  The chunk of amber was about as big as me.  Actually touching it reminded me of what actually felt like that, even if it was really confusing.

"That thing is heavy.  I'm not lifting it again."

"Yea. We need to get Twilight out here."

"I'm not sure how that would help, but whatever."

"So any idea what this thing is?"

"One of Derpy's clocks."

"Wait, that crazy mare you're related to somehow."

I laughed.  "Yep, super great grandma Ditzy Doo.  She's been collecting these weird clocks for a while now.  Actually I guess they sorta feel like she does too a little, and maybe it's even that weird vibe I've been getting from that stallion she's seeing and Dinky.  That guy is so fun."

"Wait, are you talking magic?"

I then smiled and turned to her.  "Oh by the way.  I was totally right.  I wasn't just imagining things.  I can read auras or whatever in flight.  I also started doing it on the ground recently which is kinda weird."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Luna said it herself.  Twi got really excited and started blabbing all this stuff about reading auras and it made like no sense to me so it's not like a unicorn but at least some things work somehow.  I can't really explain it right."

"So you know why lazy eyes is collecting these clocks?"

"No idea.  Mom got one for her once though.  It wasn't easy either."

Gilda rolled her eyes.  "She can make going out for dinner not easy.  Heck, I still get really nervous shopping for groceries because of her."

I laughed.  "Oh come on it wasn't that bad.  There was only one ninja attack and we were only really in mortal danger like four times max, and that's counting those ninjas."

"Your mom is cool but I'm still glad I haven't seen her in a while.  I don't need that much stress in my life."

I laughed.  "It really isn't that bad."  Then I sighed.  "I know what you want by the way."

"What?"

"I never really had the whole picture until today, but you want freedom.  As long as you're here you're trapped, in Eqsuestria you had that, at least you sorta did."

"When the hay did you get deep?"

"Freedom is like really important.  Also I think about it a lot whenever I'm up in the air."

"Oh yea, that isn't just you, but all pegasi, isn't it?"

"Yea, so much it can freak out earth ponies and unicorns.  Rarity came to me all worried since she heard Scootaloo say something about her parents not caring."

"How old is she?"

"Er I dunno exactly, but she's still foal, but totally big enough to be off on her own."

Gilda laughed.  "As in she would have been long kicked out of the nest, and probably the house if she was a giriffin?"

"Yea, though pegasi don't really ever do that.  Also never comes up, I mean we gotta do our own thing ya know."

"Even little Ms. Butterfly?"

I nodded.  "Especially her, though her own thing doesn't make much sense to me.  I sure as hay wouldn’t choose to live on the edge of the Everfree.  I mean sometimes my house drifts that way, but that's not the same thing."

"Seriously?  The foal that was afraid of her own shadow…"

"Still is."

"Lives next to the Everfree on purpose?"

"There were other places nearly as cheap, and her dad used to own the house.  In fact he was way overprotective of her but she convinced him to buy that one.  So she got her chance to visit the ground a lot, mostly with her mom, and now she owns it."

"Weird."

"Anyway, I'm going to fix it."

"Fix what?"

"You not being free.  I'm going to fix it."

"How the hay are you gonna do that?"

"I'm sure I'll think of something."

Gilda rolled her eyes.  I had no plan of course.  First thing I need to do is go get Twilight.  Teleporting this thing back to the palace should be way easier than carrying it, especially for her.  It would be so much easier if Celestia would just get off her flank and make Twi an alicorn already.  Seriously, what is she waiting for?