Lost and Found

by Jay-Ruth

Chapter 1: A Day in the Life

CRASH

Derpy Hooves gasped as the vase seemed to fall in slow motion, shattering against the floor into a dozen jagged pieces.
"I am so, so sorry Mrs. Glass!"
Derpy had clumsily bumped into a table, knocking the expensive vessel to the ground, leaving its former owner, Crystal Glass, staring blankly at a pile of broken crystalline fragments. "Eh, Never— Never mind, Derpy. My late mother's wedding gift can be replaced..."

Crystal’s voice was taut, and her words caught in her throat. She stood ridged, her body tense as a stretched wire. Derpy could see the fury in her eyes, and she shuffled her feet nervously, lowering her gaze to the floor so as not to make eye contact with the fuming mare. After a long moment of agonizing silence, she spoke again. “I really am sor—"
Crystal cut her off.
"I… I think you should go."
"But—"
"Please! Go!"

Derpy scuttled out the door, tripping over her hooves in her frenzied effort to move out of the way as Crystal slammed the door behind her. For a moment, Derpy merely stood in mortified silence, listening to the muffled tirade coming from behind the door, then hesitantly turned and pressed her ear to the wood, trying to make out what the mare was saying.
"That filly! Someone needs to put her in a mental institute, where she can't break or hurt anything else! I just can’t stand her! I mean, really— my mother’s expensive— AUGH!"

Dismayed, Derpy turned and trudged away forlornly. Once again, she had turned a perfectly fine day into a perfectly awful one. This was a fairly normal occurrence for Derpy, “disturbing the peace” as the Ponyville constable so eloquently put it. Normally, Derpy was berated, scorned, or otherwise shunned only once or twice a week, but lately, the incidents had been steadily growing in number. Just this week, she had offered to help re-shelve books at Twilight's library, but ended up knocking over two large shelves, and breaking poor Spike's tail in the process. Then she tried to assist the Cakes with preparing for a large bake sale, but before the day was over, the fire department had thoroughly soaked their newly refurbished kitchen. She then was inspired to pay Rarity a visit and see if she could help out around the boutique. That was a mistake to be sure. Derpy learned a few new curse words that eventful day.

Quietly, the blonde mare walked without purpose, head to the ground. While she wasn’t exactly having a good time in town, she didn’t want to go home just yet. It was a nice day after all, she thought, lifting her head to study the sky. Wispy clouds drifted sluggishly across the sky, and a faint wind tousled her mane. She smiled in breathed in the scent of freshly trimmed grass. Fall had always been her favorite season, and she was going to enjoy it. Picking up her feet, Derpy quickened her pace to a trot, admiring the pretty scenery around her as she made her way toward the Ponyville Marketplace.

A loud grunt caught Derpy’s attention, and her ears perked as she turned to find the source of the noise. The mare twisted to see Carrot Top struggling to hold a large pile of fresh vegetables in an undersized basket, stumbling this way and that as she attempted to keep the towering pile upright. The grey pegasus shook her forelock from her eyes and trotted forward, speaking tentatively.
“Hello, Miss Carrot Top! Do you maybe need help?”
"Oh! Yes, please! Hurry if you would!"

Derpy quickly jumped forward and placed her hooves on either side of the basket, using her wings to steady herself. The two ponies carefully lowered the mass of carrots to the cobblestone, and Carrot Top heaved a sigh of relief, rolling her shoulders.
“Gracious, thank you so much! I was having such a hard-“

Glancing up, Carrot Top caught a glimpse of her helper for the first time, and froze when she saw just who she was talking to. After a moment of awkward silence, she flashed a quick, nervous grin, and bent to retrieve her overflowing basket of vegetables.
“Thank you so much for your help Derpy, but I, um, I should be going! I appreciate it. Bye now!”
“Wait! Don’t you want any help? That’s a big basket, and the Market’s still a ways away. I don’t mind—“

Carrot Top hefted her basket and shook her head vigorously, causing several carrots to drop from the massive heap.
“Uh, actually, I’m fine! Thanks for asking! I’d better get going! I’ll, um, see you around!”

Several more carrots hit the stone walk she attempted to hurry away, doing her best to balance on her back hooves and trying to catch the carrots as they fell. She wasn’t having much luck.
“Are you sure you don’t—”
“Quite sure! Thanks for the help.”

Derpy sighed and turned away. Of course Carrot Top didn’t want her help. The pegasus winced as she recalled her last encounter with the mare. The gardening incident was still fresh in her mind. She debated continuing on her way to the Marketplace, but considering Carrot Top was headed in the same direction, she decided it might not be the best idea. Perhaps it was time to head home after all.

Being a social outcast, Derpy had made her home on the outskirts of Ponyville, separated from the busy town by a thick stretch of woods. Because of this, it took the pegasus quite some time to make it back to her cottage. After a long flight made more tiring than usual by the day’s events weighing on her mind, Derpy sighed with relief at the sight of her home. Landing with a huff, Derpy shook out her wings and folded then against her sides, then nosed through her saddle bag for a house key. After a few minutes of searching without result, she began to panic, eventually resorting to upturning the bags contents onto the front step. The key was nowhere to be found. Derpy realized she must have lost it when she tripped and tumbled down the side of Blackberry Hill earlier that day. She was always loosing things.

Derpy sighed and trotted around to the back of the old house, where she spread her wings and leapt into the air, clumsily rising to the roof top. Landing with a thud, Derpy picked her way across the treacherous shingles, slipping more than once as she navigated the roof. Finally reaching the blackened chimney, she hauled herself over the rim, and tucking her wings tightly against her sides, wriggled down the tight space. This wasn’t the first time she had been forced to such measures, so it wasn’t long before she fell into the ash filled fireplace. Hacking as the dusty air filled her lungs, Derpy stumbled forward, blinking hard to clear her vision. The mare felt something soft and fuzzy beneath her hoof, and a startled squeak filled the room as she placed her full weight on a fluffy red tail. Quickly, she lifted her foreleg, and a ruddy ferret darted away.
"Oh geeze, I'm sorry Brick!"

A black nose peeked out from under the coffee table as the ferret slowly revealed himself, gazing at Derpy with an indignant look. After considering the mare’s apology, ferret scurried up Derpy’s leg, wrapping itself around her neck and nuzzling her cheek as a sign of forgiveness. Derpy giggled and returned the ferrets love, brushing noses with him.
"You good boy!"

It seemed Brick was the only friend Derpy had. Out of sheer loneliness, she had adopted the rust colored ferret from Fluttershy a few months back, and had no doubt now it was the best decision she had ever made. She had named him Brick, not only for his red color, but because of her fondness for bricks. Bricks didn't tend to break.

Yawning, Brick curled up at the base of her neck, between her shoulder blades. Derpy smiled and nuzzled him fondly, inhaling his musky scent. It smelled like home. As she wandered down the hallway, the pegasus happened to catch a glimpse of herself self in the mirror on the wall, and couldn’t help but giggle at the sight before her. A coal black pony with grey patches around her eyes stared back from the mirror, white teeth flashing as she laughed. She sighed and gently lifted the sleeping Brick onto the couch, then hurried away to take a quick shower.

Sleek and shiny one more, Derpy dried her mane with a towel as she walked to her bedroom. Shuffling through the pile of papers on her bedside table, she finally managed to locate her contacts lenses, which she had forgotten to wear that morning. She couldn’t help but wince as she thought of the trouble with Crystal Glass that could have been avoided had she remembered them. As she began to make an attempt to tidy her bedroom, her stomach rumbled loudly, a welcome distraction. She laughed and shook her head. “I suppose I did miss breakfast this morning.

Humming softly, the mare wandered into the kitchen and opened the pantry, searching for something edible. Brick soon joined her, squeaking rapidly.
“You too, huh?”

Scanning the contents of the pantry, she wrinkled her nose in distaste and turned to the refrigerator, hoping for more appealing results. When both pantry and refrigerator revealed nothing substantial, Derpy gave up on the idea of a healthy meal and selected an English muffin from the basket on the counter, if only to hold her over until she could get her hooves on real food.

Munching happily on her prize, the blonde mare sat down at a small table, a sketchbook and a pencil in front of her. While no one knew it, Derpy had a passion for art, and she wasn't bad either. As she began the draw, she glanced out the open window into the branches above. The sun shone brilliantly through the leaves and window frame, warming her face with dappled light. The birds chirped merrily in the tree tops, and an autumn breeze blew through the branches, causing them to sway back and forth, creating a soft rustling, chirping melody that the mare found very comforting.

Thirty minutes later, Derpy stepped away from the table and studied the final result of her sketching. A handsome pony stared back at her, with large deep eyes, his wings unfurled as if he were preparing to take off. Derpy smiled and took the drawing between her hooves, holding it close to her face. As she studied the kind face she had created, a pang of loneliness resonated in her chest, and she gently set the drawing back on the table. Her gaze returned to the window, and as she admired the glimmering sun, she couldn’t help but think it would be the perfect day for a flight.

Smiling, the mare trotted to the door and called to Brick. "I'm going for a walk! Do you want to come dear?" The ruddy ferret bounded to her, scrambling up the table leg and leaping from the table top her back. Derpy smiled and touched him with her nose, then trotted out the door, nearly tripping over the emptied saddle bag she had forgotten on the front step. Pausing to quickly recollect her belongings, she slung the saddle bag over her back and set off for Ponyville.

Derpy blissfully wandered through Ponyville Park, a beautiful plot of land decorated with small statues and brightly colored flowers. Young fillies and colts chased each other over the thick green grass, while their worried mothers called after them from the shade of the trees. Derpy lifted her face to the sun, warm light caressing her cheeks, and smiled as a cool breeze caught her mane, causing it to fan out behind her. The park helped Derpy feel better about the past week, the fresh air clearing her mind. She adored the feel of fall leaves crunching beneath her hooves.

"Hold on, Brick!" She chirped to the ferret clutching at her shoulders as she spread her wings, flapping gently and letting the strong breeze lift her off the ground. Flapping harder, she slowly rose until she was just above tree level, observing the scenery beneath her. A small group of fillies, whom she soon recognized as Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, were scrambling franticly around a practice field. The wind carried the shrill cry of "Cutie Mark Crusaders Foot Ball players!" to Derpy's ears, and she smiled to herself. Everything was calm up here, no one to offend, nothing to break.

Suddenly, the breeze changed direction, and Derpy was caught completely off guard. Her wings caught two different air currents, and Brick uttered a shrill screech as Derpy was spun in mid air. For a moment, the wind held her aloft, and she floated weightlessly as the two winds spun her round. Then the breeze changed course once again, and Derpy was overtaken by gravity. As the top most branches of the trees bellow rushed up to meet her, the grey pegasus frantically spread her wings, catching the air and slowing her fall. She was nearly clear of the trees when a branch snagged her wing, sending her hurtling towards the ground.

Plummeting through the air, Derpy didn’t have much time to think, but she somehow managed to right herself and slow her speed just enough to save herself any serious damage. Trees now behind her, she now faced the obstacle course of scattered flower beds and stone statues. She flapped furiously in an attempt to save herself, but couldn’t seem to gain any altitude. Helplessly ,she smashed into the ground, rolling along the ground like a tumbling stone. Her dizzying flight was finally brought to a halt when she slammed into something large and hard.

Groaning, the grey mare lay sprawled across dirt path, her head light and fuzzy. Chimes echoed in her ears as the world seemed to fade in and out of focus. Wincing, she heaved herself to her feet and shook her head, clearing the stars from her vision. She stretched her wings, yelping as the popped in painful protest, but she seemed to be mostly undamaged. Stumbling forward, she lifted her head and searched for the object she had smashed into. At first, she saw nothing in the vicinity, but her stomach tightened when she saw another pegasus laying motionless in the grass.

”No no no no no.” She thought frantically, scrambling over to the pony she had tumbled into.
“Sir? Sir are you okay? I’m so sorry I didn’t mean—“
The stallions eyes opened, and he simply lay on the ground for a long moment, blinking. Then, with a grunt, he heaved himself upright, stumbling slightly as he stood. Derpy scrambled backward, watching with concern and he lifted each hoof experimentally, then folded and stretched his wings. Finally, after checking all of his extremities, he brushed his blonde forelock back into shape and turned to face his attacker. Before he could even open his mouth, Derpy began to speak quickly and frantically.

“I am so sorry! I don’t know what happened. I just lost control and I didn’t see you there. I promise it was an accident! I can pay for any damage!”
The stallion quirked and eyebrow, watching as the flustered Derpy apologize profusely. Finally, he shook his head, signaling her to be quiet. The grey mare snapped her mouth shut, dreading the pending response.
“Pay? For what? A bent feather?"

For a moment, his attempt at humor confused Derpy, and she frantically wondered just how much fixing a bent feather would cost. She then noticed the smile playing across the stallions face, and cocked her head in confusion.
“You… you aren’t mad?”
He shook his head, gold eyes sparkling in the mid day sun.
"These wind currents are completely unpredictable. It could happen to anyone. Besides, like you said, it was an accident."

Derpy stared at him, aghast. He wasn't mad? Everyone got mad when she crashed into them, and with good reason. So why wasn’t he yelling at her in frustration. Derpy realized she was staring at the stallion in silence, and hastily extended a hoof.
"Um, well, thank you then. I’m so sorry, I really didn't mean too."
“Well obviously!”
The stallion took her hoof, shaking it as he laughed.
"I'm Blue Skies, nice to meet you...?"

Derpy simply stared at him, and after a long moment of silence, realized he was waiting for her name. Smiling hesitantly, she replied,
“I’m Blue— eh, Derpy! I’m Derpy Hooves. Some people call me Ditzy though. Or Clutz.”
Instantly regretting her words, she took a hasty step backward, pawing the ground uncomfortably. But Blue Skies took no notice of her slip up and merely grinned at her.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Derpy! I’d love to stay and chat, but I have somewhere to be. I’ll see you around!”
With that, the pale blue stallion turned and trotted away, leaving Derpy stunned. She simply stood, staring after his retreating form. She was still shocked by his calm response to her brutal attack. Any other pony would have leaped at her throat for bowling them over in such a fantastic manner, but it hardly seemed to bother Blue Skies in the least. A feeling of warmth blossomed in her chest, and the blonde mare felt a silly grin forming on her face.

Suddenly remembering Brick, Derpy Hooves whirled and glanced about, trying to locate him. After calling his name a few times, a disgruntled squeak of protest lead her to a nearby clump of tulips, where she found him trying to untangle himself from the flowers. She scooped him up and cradled him close to her chest.
"Geeze, I’m really sorry about that."

Brick just huffed and at looked her with eyes that said, “Not like this is the first time”, then wound himself round her neck, nibbling at her ear. Derpy smiled with relief and turned to head home, as slowly sunk lower and lower on the western horizon. As she walked, a pair of gold eyes glowed in the back of her mind, and blonde mare smiled.

Blue Skies. What a lovely name.

Comments

[Jay-Ruth]

Guys. Guys I love you. So comment, even if its just to tell me I made a mistake somewhere. I love help!

[Jay-Ruth]

3612109 HEY MAN, LATE GUESTS ARE ALWAYS THE MOST FUN.

And thank you! I'll jump on it! But perhaps you would enjoy the revised chapter a bit more. xD This chapter was written two years ago!

The story is undergoing a massive rewrite, and I'm so glad you jumped on board! I hope you enjoy your stay!

[La Barata]

Hey dude

You hit featured.

(And I thought this looked familiar)

piclair.com/data/9cn9r.jpg

[Jay-Ruth]

3612133
-SQUEALS IN DELIGHT-
OMIGOSH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING ME.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN ITS SO OLD AND BAD

THANK YOU/

[DismantledAccount]

Chapter one:

It looked a good day for a walk.

*like
Chapter two

2 years ago

*two
Chapter three

The lavender unicorns

*unicorn's

“Uh yeah, I heard you. Sevens good.”

*Seven's

Like and a fave from me!

[Doctor Derpin]

I just started reading the story and I like the premise. I understand you started writing a couple years ago and must say that I have high hopes for this.

[Xhoral1865]

Like I said, here's some stuff

The park helped Derpy feel a better about the past week, the fresh air clearing her mind.

It can be 'feel a bit better' or just remove the 'a'.

It's the only thing I found. Other than that it was pretty much perfect to me. I like this. I'll read some more of it tomorrow when I'm more awake.