//------------------------------// // 39. Derpy Hooves // Story: X Steps Through The Portal // by Tennis Match Fan //------------------------------// Derpy stared at the classroom clock. 2:58. Maybe letting Blue off on her own adventure in a world full of ponies wasn't such a good idea. She hadn't returned yet! "Raspberry?" she leaned across the aisle to whisper to her friend. "I think we made a mistake." Raspberry twisted a strand of pink hair. "We should ask Sun-" "I have an idea!" Derpy interrupted, beaming. "Let's go through the portal ourselves! To find her!" Raspberry raised an eyebrow. "Derpy, no offense, but that doesn't seem the most prudent-" "I want to see myself as a pony!" Derpy explained. "Don't you, Raspberry?" "Yeah, but that wouldn't help if-" "Then let's go!" Derpy ran out the door. "Derpy!" Raspberry hurried after her. "Miss Hooves, Miss Fluff! School hasn't let out yet!" Ms. Harshwhinny yelled after them. "Sorry, Ms. Harshwhinny!" Derpy called back. "Derpy, we're going to get in so much trouble!" Raspberry exclaimed. "Blueberry needs our help!" Derpy yelled, pumping her fist in the air like she was preparing for battle. "We must defend her!" She heard Raspberry sigh as her friend caught up. "I'll play along!" Raspberry cried, waving her hands in the air. "Crusaders for Blue!" "Woo hoo!" Derpy cried. They raced out the doors of the school. The statue stood glinting in the afternoon sunlight. "It's inviting us," Derpy commented. Raspberry nodded in agreement. "On the count of three, we run through, okay?" Derpy grabbed Raspberry's hand. "Okay, Derps!" Raspberry agreed. "One!" "Two!" Derpy responded. "Three!" they cried in unison. Derpy and Raspberry ran forward and disappeared into the portal. This story is brought to you by chicken wings: and by contributions from viewers like you. Thank you! Derpy was up on her new hooves in an instant. "We're ponies!" she squealed, prancing around. "Ponies!" Raspberry, however, wasn't as quick to get up. "Okay, Derpy, never again," she said, raising her head slowly. "We're pegasuses!" Derpy exclaimed in delight, observing her wings. "You and me both!" Raspberry looked at herself in the reflection. "Nice. But, uh, Derpy, we have a mission. Find Blue!" Raspberry reminded her. "Oh. Right." Derpy blushed. "Here, need a hand- uh, hoof?" She extended her right hoof to Raspberry. Raspberry accepted the offer, and Derpy pulled her up. "So, what do we do know?" Raspberry asked. "I guess we get out of here and start asking ponies if they've seen Blue!" Derpy decided. "Alright, this way!" She skipped across the room to the top of the stairs- "Uh, Derpy? I don't know how you started walking so quickly, but I sure as muffins can't move like this!" Raspberry called. Derpy paused and turned around. "Just put on hoof in front of the other!" she suggested. Raspberry nodded. "Alright, Derpy," she agreed, albeit uncertainly. "How could I doubt myself?" Raspberry asked as they walked outside. "This is so easy!" "Well, we can't fly yet," Derpy pointed out, "but this is still totally awesome!" "Where do we start looking for Blue?" Raspberry responded, flexing her wings. Derpy frowned. "I don't know!" she admitted. "Maybe we should find the Pinkie Pie pony that lives here? She could probably help." Raspberry bit her lip. "But it could take even longer to find her than to find Blue!" she pointed out. "We need to do something quick, Derpy!" "I know, I know!" Derpy replied. "I'm not good at this stuff." "And we're just standing around, talking!" Raspberry continued, her voice rising. "I think I'm starting to panic!" Derpy sat down, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. "This was a bad idea!" Raspberry cried. "I know!" Derpy yelled. She started to cry openly. Raspberry started crying, too. "We're doomed!" Raspberry yelled. "We're never going to see our best friend again!" Raspberry curled up next to Derpy and began crying even harder. "What are we doing?!" Derpy sniffled, trying to wipe her eyes. "Excuse me? Do you two mares need help?" Derpy blinked through her tears. An orange pegasus stallion had appeared on the path. With his spiky blue mane and deep blue eyes, he looked familuar to Derpy. "W-who are you?" she asked, sniffling. "Oh, uh, my name's Flash Sentry," he told them. Raspberry jolted right up. "Flash Sentry?" she gasped, nudging Derpy. That's why he looked familiar! Derpy realized. He's the pony counterpart of Flash at school! "Do I know either of you?" Flash asked. "I don't think I do, since I work in the Crystal Empire, but I'm bad with faces." "I don't think you know us," Raspberry responded, standing up. Derpy stood up, as well. "I'm Derpy Hooves, and this is Raspberry Fluff," she introduced herself and Raspberry. "We lost our friend Blue-" "That's short for Blueberry Pie!" Raspberry interjected, her eyes trained right on Flash. "Yeah! Blueberry Pie!" Derpy agreed. "We lost her this morning." "Have you talked to Twilight Sparkle?" Flash asked. "She's a friend of mine. I'm on vacation to visit her, actually. I bet she could help you!" "Maybe, Flash," Derpy agreed. "We thought maybe if we could find Pinkie Pie, she could help us find Blue." "Pinkie Pie?" Flash rubbed his chin. "I think the name rings a bell. Twilight may have mentioned her. I could help you look for her! What does she look like?" "Like me!" Raspberry exclaimed. "She's pink, and has pink hair and blue eyes!" "We don't know if she's a pegasus, though," Derpy added. Suddenly, she remembered something. "Balloons! She might have balloons on her flank!" "Hmm..." Flash pondered the information. "Where'd you get balloons from?" Raspberry whispered. "I have bubbles on my flank, the symbol I use on my clothing," Derpy responded quietly. "I figured if it was the same for everypony else, Pinkie would have balloons!" Raspberry's eyes lit up. "Good thinking, Derpy!" "Good news!" Flash announced. "I think i might know the mare you're talking about. She gave me a giant hoofshake this morning, then put an possum on my bags. That scared me half to death!" Flash chuckled. "But I can take you back to Ponyville, if you'd like." Raspberry and Derpy exchanged glances. "We'd like that very much, thanks!" Derpy responded. Flash nodded. "Right-o! Let's go!" As Flash turned, he tripped on a rock. "Oopsies!" Raspberry giggled. "I'm clumsy, too," Derpy told him, offering condolences. Flash grinned sheepishly. "Let's go for real," he said. Derpy and Raspberry trotted after Flash, down the path to Ponyville.