Assisting Fluttershy didn’t go well either. Derpy scared away the rabbits by accidentally falling backward into a bush, frightening the daylights out of a family of bluebirds. It took Fluttershy forever to gather them all back together, and Derpy had tried to help. She only managed to scatter them further. Finally, Fluttershy landed on the ground, Derpy following suit, albeit much less gracefully.
“Um, I don’t mean to be rude, and I really do appreciate the help,” Fluttershy began carefully, “but I think that I can manage on my own from now on. Thanks for dropping by!”
Derpy blinked, then scuffed the dirt with one hoof. “Okay.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Derpy,” Fluttershy cried.
“No, it’s okay,” Derpy said, forcing a smile. “I’m gonna go see if Twilight needs any help.”
Twilight just nudged the last book into place, then stepped back and smiled with satisfaction. “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Turning her head, she said, “Isn’t that right, Spike?”
The dragon lifted his head with a snort. “Wha? Oh, yeah. Sure.” He promptly rolled over and went back to sleep, though not before muttering, “And give me some warning next time you want me to stay up all night helping you clean.”
Derpy burst in. “Hiya, Twilight!”
Twilight jumped. “Oh! Hello, Derpy. Can I help you with anything?”
Never down for long, Derpy bounced toward her, tripped over a table, and sprawled on the floor, looking up at her through her fluffy golden forelock, her crooked eyes twinkling. “I can to help you, Twilight!”
“Oh, you--you did?” Twilight couldn’t hold back a shudder at the thought of this clumsy pony terrorizing her library, which she had spent all night cleaning up.
Derpy acted like she didn’t notice. “Yeah! I’ve already tried helping everybody else out, and they all sent me away. So now I came to help you!”
“Well, I just finished cleaning up in here--” Twilight started.
“I get it. You don’t want me in here any more than everyone else does,” Derpy said sadly.
“But I can help you get ready if you like,” Twilight finished.
Derpy’s crooked golden eyes lit up, shining brighter than twin gemstones under the beam of a floodlight and she seized Twilight in a gigantic bearhug. “Oh, thank you! No pony’s ever offered to help me with anything before!”
“Really?” Twilight asked. “That’s hard to believe. You’re a really nice pony!” Just a little clumsy. Okay, a lot clumsy.
“When are we going?” Derpy tipped her head in the direction of the spa.
“Oh, we’re not going there. It’s sure to be completely packed with all the other ponies who’re getting ready. No, I’ve got a better idea.” She began to trot off. “Follow me!”
Derpy obeyed, and Twilight led her all the way out of Ponyville, down the road and to…
“The Everfree Forest!” Derpy cried, then bounced right in, a huge, goofy grin on her face.
“You’re not scared of this place?” Twilight asked in surprise, watching the gray pony roll around in the grass like it was the finest of carpets.
“Not one bit!” Derpy said cheerfully, shaking her gray coat. “I love it in here! I come see my friend Zecora all the time!”
“You’re friends with Zecora too?” Twilight asked with a smile, trotting into the forest.
“Oh, yes. She’s the closest thing to a mother that I have,” Derpy said, looking happily at the deep green leaves and the long black shadows that crouched under the canopy of criss-crossing branches. “Ever since my real parents died when I was a filly, I’ve been going to see her! She’s nice, nice, nice! And she taught me my favorite muffin recipe ever!”
“Well, that’s great that you have a maternal figure,” Twilight said. “Zecora agreed to help me get ready for the big party tonight since the spa is going to be so crowded!”
“Rarity made me a dress,” Derpy smiled, flapping upside down in front of her.
“Really? that’s sweet! What’s it look like?”
“It’s long and white and it’s hemmed with gold and it’s really poofy, just like a cloud, and there’s a big ribbon around the waist and it’s so pretty!” Derpy gushed, bouncing up and down on a tree branch. On the third bounce, the branch broke and she went crashing down to the forest floor.
“Woo! That was bumpy!” Derpy shook her head and grinned.
Carefully, Twilight pulled a twig out of her mane. “Come on, let’s hurry to Zecora’s!”
“Ah, hello, my young friends,” Zecora smiled, opening the door wide. “Come in, and your appearances I will tend.”
Derpy greeted the zebra with a great big hug, and Twilight looked around with a smile. The inside of the cottage was, as always, pleasantly cluttered with books and foreign treasures. Masks, strange stones lined the shelves, and bizarre jugs hung from the ceiling.
“Come on, Twilight,” Derpy chirped, then leaped right into the cauldron in the middle of the room, sending a spray of water everywhere.
“Derpy! What are you doing? Get--” Twilight started, shocked, but she stopped when she heard Zecora laughing.
“Don’t worry about it,” the zebra said, “Instead, come and sit.” She patted the space beside her and Twilight obeyed, watching as Derpy submerged in the cauldron, and presently, bubbles began to float out of the water and burst in the air. Every time they popped, they sent a sprinkle of rainbow powder floating back down, so that when Derpy stuck her head up again, it looked like she had been covered in runny rainbow paint.
“Woohoo! This feels so good, Zecora!” Derpy cried, falling back in with a big splash.
“What is that?” Twilight asked.
Before Zecora could respond, Derpy popped up and said, “It’s this really cool herb mix that’s the BOMB for getting dirt and stuff off your coat! Hey! Zecora, this works really good with sticky chocolate syrup, too!” Deroy sank back in, and more bubbles floated out.
Zecora turned and pulled a mug off the shelf near her shoulder and took a deep gulp. “Forgive me; my throat is horribly sore. But this tea helps. I must make more.” She clopped off to the other side of the room.
Derpy burst out of the cauldron in a shower of multi hued liquid and shook herself vigorously until her coat puffed out like a dandelion ready to spread its seeds. “Look how fluffy I am, Twilight!” She chirped happily.
Zecora handed her a towel and Derpy began to smooth down her gray coat, which now glistened like gray fluorite, and her golden mane was silky soft and shiny.
“Wow, you look pretty!” Twilight said, but she sounded just a tad too surprised.
“I feel pretty!” Derpy trilled. “I feel pretty and witty and bright!”
Twilight and Zecora started to laugh as Derpy bounced around the room.
The time for the party came much too quickly, and soon Derpy was ready to go. She was in her beautiful dress, flying to Canterlot. It had been decided that the new colt’s arrival would be celebrated in the same castle as the Grand Galloping Gala, and to get in, every pony had to register. Derpy had done that weeks ago, and she was practically giddy with excitement.
The night air was cool and crisp, and it made her feel alive, free, like there was nothing any pony could say to her that would make her feel sad or embarrassed ever again. Night flights were always her favorite, but flying under the stars in a beautiful dress while going to meet the pony who was the reason she was alive? It was almost more than her muffin-loving heart could bear.
When she got there, it looked as though every pony in all of Equestria was there. Swooping down, she snagged a spot in the long line before more ponies filed up to the admittance desk, behind which sat a calm brown pony with a pencil for a Cutie Mark.
Derpy wanted to bounce up and down and run in circles with wild excitement, but she didn’t want to ruin her dress. She kept perfectly still, her eyes shining like twin gemstones, and grinned in excitement as snow began to fall from the skies of Canterlot.
The palace lights were already glowing like stars had been placed in every towering stained glass window, and she could hear a fast and funky rock-’n-roll tune blasting from inside. Derpy couldn’t dance without injury involved, but she loved parties all the same. She bet that Pinkie Pie had already taken all the decorations and food inside from where she was designing them at her house. Looking around, inching ever closer to the front of the line, she saw dresses and suits with Rarity’s distinctive and stylish flair to them, and look! There was Rainbow Dash flying with the Wonderbolts! She could smell Applejack’s cooking, and the aroma made her mouth water and her stomach gurgle embarrassingly loudly. Twilight was almost certain to be talking to Princess Celestia. The Princess! Derpy’s heart was about to explode from too much happiness, and she couldn’t resist giving a little hop of joy.
At last, the brown mare looked down at Derpy. “Name?”
“Derpy Hooves,” Derpy said cheerfully, her eyes sparkling.
The pony flipped through the register, carefully scanning the pages, her large, dark green eyes skimming down the columns of names and registrations. “Miss...Derpy?”
“That’s me!”
“I’m afraid you’re not in the register.”