"Oops! Sorry, Mrs. Cake!"
"That...that's all right, lemon drop. I'll clean that up right away."
Derpy wrenched her hoof out Mr. Cake's new pecan pie. "No, it's no trouble. I can help!"
"No!" Mrs. Cake stopped herself. "I mean, don't you have somewhere to be, sugar plum?"
Derpy's crossed eyes lit up. "You're right! Rainbow Dash asked me to help her move the clouds today! Thanks for reminding me!" She bolted straight for the door, but ran into the wall instead with a thud. Dazed, she watched as a carefully balanced shelf of jars of colored sprinkles started, one by one, falling to the floor. "Oops! Sorry, Mrs. Cake!"
"Just go! You don't want to be late!"
Derpy picked herself back up. "You're right. I'll come back to clean up later!" She carefully stepped through the door, then beat her wings and took off, leaving a cloud of dust to waft through the open front door and settle on a freshly frosted cake.
Mrs. Cake sighed and picked up a washcloth. "That poor creature. Someone should help her," she muttered as she repaired the considerable damage Derpy had caused.
In flight, Derpy's countenance fell. She was used to putting on a happy face, trying to maintain a positive attitude. However, as time wore on, it was becoming harder and harder to stay in good spirits. Her perpetually crossed eyes didn't affect her mental ability, and she knew she shouldn't always destroy her friend's hard work, but she couldn't help it. "Was it my fault I was born this way?" she wondered aloud.
"Derpy?"
"I mean, Pinkie Pie causes chaos and messes on a daily basis, and she's an integral part of the community!" continued Derpy. "What does she have that I don't? Is it her smile? No, I already smile; that can't be it."
"Derpy!"
"Maybe it's her singing. She's a really good singer. Maybe...maybe I need to learn how to sing!"
"DERPY!!!"
She stopped mid-flight and looked beside her. Hovering at her side, Rainbow Dash looked tired and annoyed. Derpy sheepishly smiled. "Were you following me?"
Dash sighed. "Yes, Derpy, I've been following you for two miles. The clouds we have to clear aren't over here. I tried to get your attention, but you seemed...distracted."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Derpy responded. "You see, I was at Sugar Cube Corner, and I broke a cake and a shelf and I think Mrs. Cake wasn't happy."
"You don't say?" asked Rainbow Dash as she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, and I guess I got lost in thought on my way to meet you. But I'm here now, so let's get started!"
"Well," Rainbow Dash said cautiously, "you were running late, so..."
Derpy's smile disappeared. "You already finished, didn't you?" She started slowly returning to the ground.
Dash followed her down. "It's not that I didn't want your help. I just have a schedule to keep. You understand, right?"
"Yeah, I understand," Derpy replied as she sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Can..can I help next week?"
The pair landed as Rainbow Dash put a hoof on Derpy's shoulder. "Sure. Be on time, OK?" And with that, she took off like a rocket, rainbow trailing behind her.
Derpy wiped her eyes again. On top of making a mess at Sugar Cube Corner and disappointing Rainbow Dash, she was two miles outside of town, lost, and too tired to fly. She had never ventured outside of town, for fear of causing a problem for somepony who didn't understand her condition like her friends in Ponyville did. Who knows what kind of trouble she could cause? And now that Dash was gone, she had no way of knowing which way was home. Left in a green field, there was no path in sight. Dejected, she lay down next to a rock. "There's no way this can get any worse."
"What could get worse?"
Derpy looked up. Most ponies would be hard to recognize under all the streamers and pinwheels, but there was no mistaking Pinkie Pie. "Oh, hi, Pinkie," Derpy sighed.
"What're you doing there on the ground? The sky's up there!" Pinkie exclaimed as she jumped skyward.
Derpy put her head back down. "It's a long, boring story."
"Well," replied Pinkie, "Boring stories are still stories, and I love stories! Tell me tell me tell me!"
Derpy raised herself to a sitting position as she explained. "Well, first I broke Mrs. Cake's pie and shelf, then I..."
"And cake!"
Derpy looked confused. "What cake?"
"Well, when you took off, a big cloud of dust blew in and got all of the frosting of a cake, so Mrs. Cake had me go out to Doctor Whooves' blue house and see if it was OK if he got a different cake because it was his cake, and he said it was OK, so I'm on my way back now," Pinkie stated very matter-of-factly.
"Oh, I see." Derpy's head fell again. "Um, why are you wearing streamers and pinwheels?"
"Twilight's magic. It's a long story, but you started yours first. What happened after you ruined the cake?"
Derpy sniffed again, holding back tears. "Well, after I broke all of Mrs. Cake's stuff, I was late to help Rainbow Dash clear the clouds, and now I'm lost, and nopony likes me!"
"By Celestia, that can't be true!" Pinkie exclaimed. "I like you, and Rainbow Dash likes you, and Mrs. Cake likes you! Whatever gave you that silly idea?"
"It's just...just...I always break stuff and I can't do anything right!" Derpy couldn't hold back the tears any longer; her crossed eyes let loose a river.
"Well, lucky for you, I'm here!" Pinkie extended a hoof. "I know that, with the power of friendship, we can help you so you won't be sad anymore!"
"R...Really?" Derpy stuttered as she let Pinkie help her to her feet. "How?"
"Oh, I dunno. Twilight usually thinks of something. She's an egghead, you know. C'mon!" With that, Pinkie lifted Derpy onto her back and bounded across the field. "I mean, how hard could it be?"