Autumn in Ponyville is a very special time of year. And not only in Ponyville - in all of Equestria fall is felt as the time of muse, as if nature whispers to pony: "Is it not the time to gather stones together? Look back, think about what happened in your life...". Discussions in small cafes are becoming quieter and more reserved, but in cozy living rooms - longer and more trusting. Young ponies are wandering around the gardens and alleys, kicking fallen leaves, old ponies complain that this year autumn is abnormally cold, so the Apple family certainly will lose their late harvest (though this prediction never came true since Granny Smith was a little foal), ladies rush to Rarity for scarves and hats - bright and colorful, just right to scare the dark grayness of autumn days.
And every, absolutely every pony, even tireless Pinkie Pie (in between singing songs about autumn and compilation bouquets of fallen leaves), in secret from everypony go somewhere they can be alone, and indulge in a pleasant autumn sadness...
Derpy was lying on the shore and watched the autumn leaves falling on the water surface. It was difficult for the gray pegasus to trace the trajectory of the falling leaves, so she had to constantly turn her head so as not to lose sight of them.
"Oh... Derpy, I did not know you are here... I did not want to interfere, I'll come back later..."
Derpy turned to the voice - and saw Fluttershy shyly gazing down.
"Hey!"
Derpy knew Fluttershy quite well, so she knew the yellow-pink pegasus won’t say evil and rough words. She smiled widely.
"The leaves are falling, Fluttershy. They’re beautiful."
The conversation has already struck up - and the yellow-pink pegasus felt uncomfortable to go away. Especially, to go away from Derpy.
"They are really beautiful." Flatty said, slowly going up to the lake.
Derpy looked at Fluttershy - and for the first time ever she wanted to tell about herself. She wanted to tell lots and lots of things. To tell, that when she was a child, she did not have any friends. Not because children hated her, except, perhaps, the trio of absolutely desperate hooligans, just because for the foals it was not very interesting and a little scary to spend time with such a specific pegasus. To tell her about how she came home after school or flying courses and her dad was always looking at her with a kind of sadness, breaking through tenderness, with his hoof affectionately ruffled her mane, gave a her large sweet apple from the basket, saying, "Do not be offended, Princess, but dad must work very hard..." and went into his room to the drawings - he was an architect.
Derpy was not offended. She sat on the sofa in her father's room quietly munching an apple and watching him work. Sometimes, when her father was in a good mood, he sang to her or told her stories, while doing his work - in such moments Derpy felt indescribably happy. Most often, dad told her about the incredible adventures of Princess Celestia and what she had experienced and saw in her countless journeys - and the little filly was staring at him with huge eyes, sometimes even forgetting to chew her delicious apple, and the whole heart was worried about their beautiful princess.
When dad was not in the right mood for telling stories, the little filly, having finished her apple, came to this lake, this place. And she looked at the water surface. She especially liked to come to the lake in the autumn, when the leaves were falling on the surface of the lake and then swam like little boats. Sometimes she was flying over the lake, touching the water with her hooves - and laughed happily.
But one day her dad, having met her back from school, did not apologize and go to his room, as he always did but stayed with his beloved daughter.
"Princess!" he said, smiling in response to the smile of a foal. "I got you a very special thing."
"O-o-oh! Cupcake, right?" jumping for joy, laughed Derpy.
"No, dear, not a cupcake. Bubbles."
With these words dad withdrew from the cabinet a small bowl, a bottle of soapy water and a tube packed in a special bag.
"Dad, you cheated, there are no bubbles!" exclaimed Derpy. And added after checking: "No Dad, there are really none of them!"
On the same day her dad took his Princess to the lake and taught to blow bubbles. Of course, it did not happen immediately, but she was trying very-very hard. Beautiful multi-colored bubbles soared into the sky - and, slowly circling, sank to the water surface. Derpy laughed - laughed heartily, as only foals can laugh. And with her, her dad laughed – laughed as only parents can laugh, seeing the appearance of the cutie mark of their children.
"Oh!" shouted Derpy, seeing a colorful picture on her rump. "This is a cutie mark, right? My cutie mark, Dad?"
"Yes Princess, it's yours cutie mark. The most beautiful in the world."
"Oh-oh-oh! And what does it mean, Dad? I'll do the bubbles?"
"You'll give happiness, my dear..."
Derpy wanted to ask her dad why he was crying and laughing at the same time, and if she did something wrong, as it often happened in school, but he did not give her anything to say - and hugged her close to him. And that evening Derpy was the happiest pony in all of Equestria...
Derpy was overwhelmed with her memories and she wanted to share this all with Fluttershy, with sweet, kind Fluttershy, she wanted to explain her why it is so important to come to the lake and look at the leaves, why she loves big sweet apples and why do the bubbles bring joy... But Derpy simply did not know how to start and it was so sad that her eyes filled with tears and she just could whisper:
"Bubbles, bubbles... Fluttershy, they are beautiful..."
"I know, Derpy... They are very, very beautiful." said the yellow-pink pegasus and hugged her friend.
And Derpy cried, burying her face into Fluttershy's mane. But it was not like crying in pain. She cried in relief of knowing that Flatty, sweet, kind Flatty understood her without words.
They stood at the lake till darkness, looking at the leaves falling on the water and thought each of hers. Derpy thought about the bubbles and how happy her dad was when she was returning home from school. And quite a bit about cupcakes. And Fluttershy thought that tomorrow she will come to the lake again, but not empty-hooved. Tomorrow she will bring a bottle of soapy water, a bowl and tubes - and they will blow bubbles and laugh. Laugh just because bubbles are beautiful.