Derpy Hooves knew it was her birthday, but she didn't feel much like celebrating. Pinkie Pie was throwing her a party later, but she wasn't even sure if she wanted to attend. The only thing Derpy was sure of right now was how empty she felt.
Everypony always thought of Derpy as silly at best, stupid at worst. She wasn't. She was clumsy, sure; that was glaringly obvious even to herself, but she wasn't stupid. The grey Pegasus would never be considered the most intelligent mare in Ponyville, but her head could hold its share of thoughts, and she could at the very least comprehend her own emotions, and she knew her emotions were where this emptiness stemmed from.
The most core, raw emotion in Derpy's heart at this moment was loneliness. She didn't have, nor had she ever really had a very special somepony. She wiped a tear from her cheek as she thought of it. Nopony ever took her seriously if she so much as tried to flirt, and that was painful. It was as if they weren't aware that she even had feelings. They all thought she was too dumb.
Before she realized it, Derpy had lost track of time wallowing in her solitude. She looked up at the clock and suddenly remembered that her birthday party was in half an hour. She figured she may as well go, if only to spare Pinkie's feelings. She cleaned herself up, combed her blonde mane as well as she could, forced a happy face, and set off for Twilight's library, where the party was to be held.
When she arrived and opened the door, Derpy was immediately swept up by Pinkie Pie, who was shouting, "Birthday girl! Birthday girl! The birthday girl's here, everypony!" She placed Derpy in the seat of honor at the front of the room. "Wait here, I've got a special treat for you, straight from Sugarcube Corner," she said, then dashed off to get it.
As she awaited Pinkie's return, Derpy surveyed the room. She saw that all five of Pinkie's friends were there, probably more because of their friendship with Pinkie than because of genuinely caring for Derpy, but that was why she had come as well, so she couldn't judge them too harshly. What really made her sick were the other ponies, who had come due to either a sheer love of partying, or sympathy. Derpy couldn't decide which was worse. She wanted love, not pity.
After a short time, Pinkie returned and put something very large on the table in front of Derpy. Because it was covered, she couldn't see what it was, but it smelled delicious. It smelled like...
"A birthday muffin!" announced Pinkie, simultaneously unveiling the pastry. "I know how much you like muffins, so I got Mr. and Mrs. Cake to help me make this for you. Don't you just love it?"
Were she in any other mood, Derpy would have, but loneliness is not easily dissolved by over-sized muffins. Still desiring not to hurt Pinkie's feelings, though, she reinforced her faked grin and said, "It's great."
Pinkie Pie squealed with glee and rushed to light the candles. "Now blow them out and make your wish," she said.
"Well, it can't hurt," Derpy thought. "I wish somepony, anypony, could just love me." She then let fly the extinguishing breath.
Pinkie then quickly set to work serving up pieces of the muffin to everypony, of course making sure that Derpy got hers first. Derpy managed to force down a few mouthfuls, but really didn't have much of an appetite. Her favorite food didn't even tempt her.
After close to an hour of moping around, picking at the muffin, and feigning joy, Derpy began to wish she could just go home. It was getting harder and harder to keep up the charade, and nopony besides Pinkie Pie had said anything but "Happy birthday" to her all evening. She was slowly resigning to the fact that her birthday wish wasn't going to come true, not that she'd really expected it to. How could a wish and a puff of breath change a lifetime pattern of loneliness?
As she was lost in depression, Derpy became aware of a small voice tapping at the edge of her consciousness. She snapped out of it and looked up to see a yellow Pegasus with a long, flowing, pink mane. She was face-to-face with Fluttershy.
"Excuse me," she said in a voice barely more than a whisper, "Derpy, Pinkie wanted me to ask you what's wrong."
Derpy sighed, "Nothing."
"Oh, okay then," Fluttershy seemed satisfied. "Have a good birthday." She then went back across the room to rejoin Pinkie and the rest of her group of friends.
Not long after, she returned. "Pinkie says you're not telling the truth. What's really wrong?"
"I said nothing," Derpy repeated.
Fluttershy's only response was a look, but not just any look. It was an inexplicably piercing look that somehow willed Derpy toward the truth.
She gave in. "Okay. I'm just... lonely," she admitted.
"I'm sorry," Fluttershy responded, "I don't understand. All these ponies come to a party for you and you're lonely?"
"I'm not..." Derpy tried to think of the right words, "that... that kind of lonely."
"Well..." Fluttershy still didn't fully comprehend, "what kind of lonely are you?"
"I... I'm... 'special somepony' lonely." Now it was out in the open.
"Oh..." Fluttershy blushed and appeared to get very uncomfortable very quickly.
"Yeah..."
The two stood there in what was easily the most awkward silence of Derpy's life, neither one sure what to say next. Derpy tapped her hoof nervously, while Fluttershy simply stared at the ground.
After a while, Fluttershy began tentatively, "Well, umm... I don't really have a very special somepony right now, either."
As Derpy came to full realization of the implications of that remark, everything became almost surreal. "Wait a sec. Are you saying--"
"I'm not making any promises," Fluttershy said. "Just come by my cottage for lunch tomorrow, and we'll... see what happens."
Derpy smiled, and a rosy flush came to her cheeks. "Th-thank you, Fluttershy."
"No problem, Derpy. You never know, this could work out great for both of us."
With that, she went back across the room and left Derpy feeling infinitely happier. Derpy was overjoyed just to be given a chance. Oddly enough, she was also a lot hungrier, and gobbled down the remaining pieces of muffin on her plate. It was banana-nut, her favorite, and it really was tasty.
The next morning, Derpy awoke bright and early. She was giddy with anticipation and began getting ready a full four hours before her date, making sure to take extra special care of every little detail. Nothing could go wrong today.
At 11:40, when she was almost ready to burst from eagerness, she set off for Fluttershy's house, feeling excited, but also determined. As she strolled through Ponyville, the only thought on her mind was not to blow this opportunity. A beautiful mare had given her a shot. A beautiful, kind mare had asked her out. This was not to be taken lightly.
Derpy found her destination and knocked on the door. Fluttershy answered shortly. "Hi, Fluttershy," she said. "Am I early?"
"Just a little, but that's fine. Come inside and sit down; I'm just finishing up our lunch."
Derpy did as she was told and took a seat on Fluttershy's couch. As she sat there, looking around and listening to the various preparation sounds emanating from the kitchen, she suddenly noticed something soft, warm, and furry moving across her lap. She looked down to see the pure white little form as if ready for a nap. She let it happen, partly because she wanted to make a good impression, but mostly because he just looked too peaceful and cute to disturb.
A few minutes later, Fluttershy came into the sitting room. "Derpy, I thought we could have lunch outside today becau--" but she was cut off by a giggle as she saw where Angel had chosen to sleep. "I guess Angel likes you already."
"Hehe, yeah," Derpy agreed. "Umm... how should I get up?"
"Oh," Fluttershy chuckled again, "here, just let me get him." She then scooped him up off Derpy's lap and gingerly placed him back down on the sofa. Angel didn't even stir. It actually amazed Derpy how gentle Fluttershy could be. With the bunny now taken care of, the two walked outside to their meal of hay sandwiches and tea.
Derpy was a little nervous at first, but as she started to talk and saw how good at listening Fluttershy was, she began to open up more. She got a very open and innocent feeling from Fluttershy. She knew she could be herself and not be judged.
Everything was going great; Derpy could even feel herself beginning to fall for the Fluttershy. She was hoping Fluttershy felt it, too. Then, unexpectedly, she knocked over her teacup.
The brown liquid went everywhere. It soaked the napkins, the tablecloth, and even got on Fluttershy herself. Derpy felt horrible. Just when the date was running smoothly, her clumsiness had to rear its ugly head and ruin it. All she could think to do was say, "I'm sorry," over and over.
Fluttershy was barely phased. "That's okay, that's okay," she said. "Just let me clean this up and we can get back to our date. I really am having fun."
"Well, let me help," Derpy said. She couldn't very well just sit there and let Fluttershy do everything. She bent down to assist.
It happened that Fluttershy stooped down at the same time. Their heads collided painfully. "Ouch!" Fluttershy exclaimed, and stood up rubbing her cranium.
Derpy had an aching in her head, but an even worse on in her heart. She sat dejectedly on the ground and began to cry. She'd ruined it. Somepony as great as Fluttershy didn't deserve a hopelessly uncoordinated, awkward Pegasus for her special somepony. The emptiness that had vanished when she'd been invited on this date now returned with a vengeance. Her opportunity was now blown.
As she wept, Derpy felt Fluttershy come over and hug her. "It really is okay. We can clean up the mess, and my head doesn't hurt that bad," she said soothingly.
"But..." Derpy struggled to speak through the sobs, "you don't like me, do you? I mean, I'm so clumsy. I never really had a shot, did I?"
"Don't say that," Fluttershy reassured her. "I wasn't lying when I said I was having fun. I..." she trailed off.
"Yeah?"
Fluttershy moved closer, and whispered in Derpy's ear, "I like you a lot."
"Really?"
"Mmm-hmm." Fluttershy then did something uncharacteristically bold: she gave Derpy a gentle kiss on the cheek.
Derpy then turned so they were face to face. They gazed deep into each other's eyes. This was the moment. She inched closer to Fluttershy, and the gesture was reciprocated. They kept moving gently inward, and kissed. Their lips met, and as Derpy felt the passion and affection in that kiss, her emptiness filled. She was deeply in love with Fluttershy, and judging from the kiss, Fluttershy felt the same.
After they released, Derpy began to worry. She loved Fluttershy, but what would everypony think of them? "Fluttershy?"
"Yes?"
"What about everypony else? Like, what if somepony makes fun of you for dating me because they say I'm stupid or whatever?"
Fluttershy smiled mischievously. "Well, let's just say I didn't forget everything I learned from Iron Will."