//------------------------------// // Always Keep Your Head Held High (Derpy's Poem) // Story: The Big Book Of Small Stories // by LordOfTape //------------------------------// Always Keep Your Head Held High (Derpy’s Poem) Today is the day I go visit Rarity at the boutique She’s got a lot of makeup and dresses Rarity always spends her time making beautiful dresses for beautiful ponies I hope she can make one for me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I know I’m not as beautiful as the other ponies My mane isn't as fancy My coat is a dull grey And my eyes, my eyes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I don’t know if there was a day when I havn’t heard “Hey Derp-Eyes, watch where you’re going!” Or “You’re late again? Dumb mailmare” The hateful verbal assaults never seem to stop ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I can never go out in public with my daughter without somepony insulting me Even if they just turn away in disgust for my eyes I can see them do it, even though they think I can’t I can see them all just fine ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My daughter, Dinky, always asks me why other ponies avoid us I never really know what to tell her How could I ruin her happy, blissful childhood with the harsh realities of adulthood? It was all I could not to run home and cry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today would be different though Rarity would make me a dress A gorgeous gown that would leave all the other ponies stunned beyond belief Or, at least draw their spiteful attention away from my eyes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The more I thought about it, the worse I felt I took it to myself to focus even more on my surroundings as I trotted down to the boutique I could still see all the ponies look down as I went by My heart grew heavy, and my pace slowed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Could I ever change these mare’s opinions? Did it even matter in the long run? My heart sank completely, crushing my stomach and lungs I felt sick, my grey visage shading green ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I quickly took to the skies My being sick in public could only further the other ponies jokes for me I had to find somewhere to sit down and relax myself I noticed a small pond not too far from the road and flapped my wings fast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The pond was bright blue, reflecting the clear day’s sky You could see the trees behind it flickering in the wavy water The mixing colors pooled themselves into a vortex of entrancing wonderment Even I, an ugly old mare of grey, could appreciate the spectacular beauty that nature holds ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As I gazed upon the small body of water, my aching insides began to soothe I could breathe regularly again, and my stomach loosened its knot Even my heart began to rise again Perhaps I would be able to complete my journey after all? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The water had been rippling due to the wind from my wings, causing the mixing colors But it soon found itself resettling in its original peace As the water joined in a harmonious accord with time, the natural scene froze and the pond became still The reflection I received from the now still pond upset me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Instead of the trees and sky I admired, only my face remained Mirrored against the placid reserve, I stared into my own being One eye stared that is, the other gazing off longingly to the distance The ever present, but never attainable distance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Truly I was a sight to see No normal pony could look as odd as I do No normal pony could be as much of a freak as me The heavy feeling returned to my heart ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I sat down on the edge of the water My flank nestled into the warm sand On any other day, I may have enjoyed the nice weather, but today was not the same A few droplets of liquid sadness feel from my deformed eyes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The tears hit the calm pond like a fire storm hits a hay stack No more could the water maintain a reflection Instead, it constantly shifted and churned, distorting the beauty in the surrounding area Now, even the trees were freaks like me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A soft hoof politely tapped my shoulder I wiped the tears from my face as I turned I hadn’t noticed anypony here before, and wasn’t expecting anypony to care even if they were The face that met me was not only familiar, but seemed happy to see me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Why, Ms. Derpina, what ever has happened here?” The beauteous white unicorn’s smile turned to an immutably concerned frown “Why in the heavens are you crying?” She asked of me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was stunned and unsure of how to answer “Well, I, I, I just don’t know what went wrong Rarity” “Oh Derpina, what awful events have transpired at this rustic oasis?” Her genuine concern for my well being surprised me, seeing as how so few ponies were even nice to me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Even with her expression, I did not believe that she would care for my personal problems So I answered “I was sad because you weren’t at the boutique” “I had hoped to buy a nice dress from you today” Rarity giggled and put her hooves around me to give me a hug ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “My dear Derpy, is that all?” “I, um, yes” I stammered “Ah well I truly do apologize, most sincerely really” “As you can see, I was merely partaking in this gorgeous day’s weather” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Yeah, it’s really nice outside today” “Oh quite! But I do suppose I’ve been outside long enough as it is” “Why don’t you head over to the boutique with me and we shall arrange the perfect ensemble for you!” I stood up from my seat in the sand and smiled back at Rarity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She led the entire trip to the boutique I followed closely behind, trying to stay out of the other ponies views It was not very effective unfortunately, and they still stared I guess when you have the most beautiful pony next to the ugliest pony, it really shows ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankfully the trip was short, and I didn’t have to suffer through much When we walked in, Rarity gingerly closed the door and turned around She looked me square in the eyes, as best she could, and sternly asked me “Hmph” she grunted “What ever was that all about?” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I don’t know what you mean Rarity?” I replied, confused “The staring?” she clarified “Why was everypony reacting to your walking by?” Scared and embarrassed, I tried to shift it “Maybe they were staring at you?” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Oh no, absolutely not” she shot back “I KNOW when ponies are looking at me, my dear” “But those ponies were focused all on you” I shrunk away, Rarity’s rising temper was frightening ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I’m sorry Rarity, I didn’t mean to cause any trouble” “Oh Derpina, I’m sorry” she apologized “It’s very un-ladylike for me to raise my voice, especially at such a wonderful guest” “Wonderful?” I piped up ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “But of course, do you not agree” “Those ponies sure don’t” I sighed Rarity frowned again, this time with more disappointment then sadness “Are those ponies making jovialities about you” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I nodded my head in shame “They think I’m a freak, because of my eyes” The pristine white unicorn gasped in astonishment “How awfully dreadful of them! Insulting a poor mare for her uniqueness!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “It’s not unique, it’s just weird” I sulked “My dearest Derpina Hooves, you are most certainly not ‘weird’!” she retorted quickly “But all the ponies say ---” she cut my pitiful rationalizations off “The other ponies do not define your most outstanding character” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I could not respond, my heavy heart choking my throat The prestigious tailor took the lead and pulled on my hoof “Follow me” she said She brought me to her designing room ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She waved her hoof across the room saying “Gaze upon my many works of the utmost beauty and style” I did my best to see everything, the many bright colors and patterns blinded my eyes “They are all very nice Rarity” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Oh Derpy, they are far more than nice, they are magnificent” She was right, but I said nothing more She let out a light sigh, followed by a quick chuckle “But they aren’t what is truly beautiful here” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What she was saying was so out of line for her, it befuddled me “What do you mean, Rarity?” “See here, my dear” she said, pulling me to the window “What do you see?” she asked “I see a big green valley, I think some trees in the distance, and its sunset right now” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Isn’t it a marvelous sunset?” she smiled I looked out further at the colorful sky I hadn’t realized how late it had gotten, but still enjoyed the swirling colors in the dusky sky “It is” I replied longingly ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She pulled once more on my hoof to the counter of her dresser She lifted up a small picture and held it to my face “And what do you see here?” “It’s you and your family, Rarity” I answered her, wondering where she was going with these questions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Exactly!” she exclaimed “Do you know why these are more beautiful than all of my dresses put together?” She didn’t even give me time to answer as she only move forward “They are more beautiful because they are both completely natural” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “My family belongs to me and me alone” “We are naturally together and love each other for we are family, no matter what” “And this picturesque scene outside of my humble abode” “It is the truest beauty of nature” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I tried to understand, but hurtful words still plagued my thoughts “Derpy Hooves” Rarity nudged “Nature inspires these dresses” “When I am lost for ideas or designs, I gaze out of my window, or talk to this photograph” “They can always give me the answers I seek” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “These dresses may be beautiful, but they can never match the beauty from whence they came” “Only nature holds that title” “And my dear, you are by far, the most beautiful mare nature has ever created” My friend grinned as she concluded her speech ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “But Rarity, if that’s true, then why do they make fun of me?” I asked of her I was still not convinced that I had any real worth Rarity stood strong in her opinion though “It is unfortunate, but nature is not always appreciated as it should be” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “And you, Derpina Doo Hooves, are the most splendid beauty of nature that I have ever seen” My disconnected eyes beamed by her words She was the first pony to say anything remotely nice to me, especially to that extent Once more, the solid object in my chest melted away and I felt light inside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Rarity, do you really mean that? That I’m beautiful, even with my eyes?” “But of course! And your eyes make you all the more stunning” she beamed “And I truly hope you won’t pay any more attention to those worthless hooligans ever again” I laughed a little, further my newfound happy mood, “I won’t Rarity” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Good” she nodded “Always keep your head held high, Derpy”