"I can't tell yah how much help yah were today, Derpy."
She blushed. "It was nothing, Applejack."
"Nonsense, sugarcube. Ah thought it would take all day tah clean up after our family reunion, but not only did yah get it done in an afternoon, yah didn't break any of mah good dishes!"
"You've got Twilight to thank for that. Anyway, I'm home. Cya, Applejack!"
Applejack waved as she trotted away. "Bye, Derpy! Come over for lunch sometime!"
Beaming with satisfaction, Derpy sauntered into the kitchen. "Dinky, I'm home. I've had the most amazing day today. I helped Rainbow Dash move the clouds without causing a single thunderstorm, then I went to..."
She stopped herself short. Where was Dinky? It was after school, so she should be home. In fact, she always came running down the stairs to greet her. Confused, Derpy started up the stairs. "Honey? Are you home?"
She approached the door to Dinky's room. "Is everything alright?" Inside, Dinky was sitting on her bed, facing away from the door. "Dinky, talk to me. What's going on?"
"What's going on?" Dinky replied angrily. "What's going on is that you changed!"
"I know, and it's working out great. Don't you think so?"
Dinky turned around, giving her mother a cold stare. "You let everyone else tell you who to be. They made you believe that something was wrong, but they're wrong!"
"I...But.." Derpy was taken aback. "Dinky, this is what I wanted."
"What you wanted is for ponies to like you." She turned away from her mom again. "But this isn't the way to do it."
"But I don't know another way." Derpy joined her daughter on the bed. "Honey, this is the only way I know how."
"That's a lie! Carrot Top likes you. She likes you because you're friendly and you let her help you."
Derpy wrapped a leg around her daughter's shoulder. "Come here, Dinky. Not everypony is like Carrot Top. Not everyone likes to help me."
Dinky looked up at her mom. "Do you give them a chance? Do you let them see you for who you are?"
"I've been showing them my clumsy self. That's why I have to fix my eyes."
"You don't have to change for people to like you. They'll like you just the way you are. You just have to let them meet the real you."
The pair sat on the bed, Dinky being consoled and Derpy deep in thought. After a moment, Derpy rose from the bed. "Come with me, Dinky."
"Huh? Where are we going, mom?"
"You'll see. Trust me."
Dinky hesitantly followed her mother downstairs and out into town. They walked together in silence. As they passed by the shops, Dinky noticed that the previously shuttered windows and doors were now open and inviting. Some ponies were even waving hello, but Derpy was uncharacteristically serious, and did not wave back. Through the town square, they eventually arrived at the library. "Mom, what are we doing here?"
"This is where this all started. I'd like you to see something."
She knocked on the door. Twilight opened the door with a smile. "Oh, Derpy, I'm glad you're here. Please, come in!" Twilight ran over to her desk and levitated a quill and paper. "Now, I just have a brief survey about the side effects of the spell. First, how many elephants..."
"Twilight, we have to talk."
"Um...OK." She set the paper and quill down. "Is it about Dinky here?"
"No, it's about me." Derpy stepped up to Twilight, but Dinky stayed in the doorway, intimidated by Twilight's attitude. "Can...can you undo the spell?"
Dinky and Twilight both gasped. Twilight was the first to respond. "Really? I thought this is what you wanted."
"It was. At least, it was before." She motioned to Dinky to join her. "But Dinky here showed me that there are other ways to be happy, and I don't have to change to make people like me."
"Oh, mom!" Dinky ran into the library and wrapped herself around her mom's legs. "I knew you'd understand!"
"Well," stated Twilight, "A counterspell should be simple enough. Is there anything else you want to do while you're able to see straight?"
She thought for a moment. "Two things. Firstly, let's go outside. I don't want to smash into your doorframe on the way out."
Twilight chuckled. "That makes sense. What's the second thing?"
"Do you think I could write a letter to Celestia about the magic of friendship?"
"I think so. Spike!"
Derpy shook her head. "No, I want to write the letter. I still remember how to write, being the post pony and all, but it's been so long since I've been able to see the paper well enough."
"All right," said Twilight with a smile. "I'll be outside when you're done. Just seal it and Spike will send it off. And Derpy?"
"Yes?"
"I'm proud to be your friend."
As Twilight walked outside, Derpy turned her attention to the paper in front of her.
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Dear Princess Celestia,
I've had trouble making friends. I thought I had to change to get ponies to like me. And it worked for a while, but in the end, I learned that you don't have to change to make friends. All you need to do is be yourself.
It doesn't matter if your eyes are crossed, or if you're a blank flank, or if you live in the Everfree Forest. Everypony can have friends. It just took me this long to realize it. Now I understand what the magic of friendship truly is.
Your humbe, cross-eyed subject,
Ditzy "Derpy Hooves" Doo