A Silver Lining for Derpy

by Teyeson Bee

Tears

That night, everybody was probably staying up late or partying, celebrating about the fall break they were going to enjoy. Everybody but Derpy. She lay in her bed, tossing and turning, trying to forget what happened that day. She didn't succeed. She couldn't help but feel guilty about yelling at Silver like that. He was just trying to cheer her up, and she just took out all her aggression out on him. She didn't know what happened. Something he said about letting go everything bad that had happened to her made her snap, but that's still no excuse. She couldn't afford losing him over something that trivial. She knew what she had to do. The next morning, the first thing Derpy did was call Silver. As the phone rang, Derpy rehearsed what she was going to say. When a voice picked up, it turned out to be the voicemail. "Hi this is Silver Lining. I'm not here right now, but please leave a message after the tone." After hearing the tone, Derpy spoke.

"Hi...uh Silver? This is Derpy. Look, I'm calling to say I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day. I shouldn't be taking my unhappiness out on you like that. Could you call me back as soon as possible? I still want to go to the Running of the Leaves with you. Thanks. Bye."

Strangely enough, Silver DIDN'T call back. Derpy kept her phone on her all day and heard nothing from him. This wasn't like him. Silver usually responded within half an hour if he didn't have his phone. Worried, Derpy decided to go to his house instead. When she got there though, the door was locked and the place was empty. Derpy was starting to really worry. He didn't have his phone and he wasn't at his house. Where else would he be? He didn't have a job to go to. He didn't tell her anything about taking a vacation, and even if he did, he would still have his phone with him. As every possibility passed through Derpy's mind, each one was shot down by reality. She didn't know what had happened to him. "C'mon Derpy," she told herself. "Maybe he'll meet you at the Running of the Leaves. Just go, and he'll probably be there."

The Running of the Leaves was a yearly event done every autumn in Ponyville where people sign up to run a marathon through the forest. There was also a festival that happened along with the event, so people from all over came to compete and have fun. Derpy and Silver had talked about going together, so Derpy went down on the day of the festival to meet with him. However, as the festival went on, Derpy still saw no sign of him. He was never late for an event, so what was keeping him? Derpy waited...and waited...and waited, but still nothing. After an hour and a half, Derpy had come to the conclusion that he wasn't coming. So with a frown forming on her face, Derpy turned to leave for home. Unfortunately, as she turned, she ran into a snack table and accidentally toppled everything over. Cookies, chips, and drinks splattered everywhere as the table fell. Everyone turned to see Derpy, on the ground, with soda soaked on her clothes and crumbs in her hair. And if Derpy thought it couldn't get any more embarrassing, a familiar voice called out, "Oh no! Who let the derp-eyed wrecking ball in the party?" Derpy looked up to see Rain Storm, smiling smugly at her. The sound of giggles and murmurs passed throughout the crowd as Derpy sat there, embarrassed and more hurt than she had felt in a while. Gathering up what was left of her dignity, Derpy got up and flew hastily back home. As she flew, Derpy felt a tear starting to leak from her eye, so she quickly rubbed it out of sight.

The week-long break was the longest Derpy had ever experienced. All she did was stay inside her house and mope around, and for good reason. Not only had she not heard anything from Silver, but Derpy felt more lonely than she had before. She never knew how much she truly depended on Silver to make her smile again. She never realized how much he had started to change her. Without him around, Derpy started to go back to her usual depression. It made her sick to the stomach. As for not hearing anything from Silver, Derpy had started thinking bad thoughts, like what if he took what she said to offense and didn't want to see her again, or what if something bad had happened to him. In any case, she couldn't help but miss him. It had only been a week, and Derpy felt so lost without him. With the next term coming up, Derpy wondered if he'll even be coming back to school. At that point, all she could do was hope.

After fall break had finished, the students were back in class, looking forward to winter break and Hearth's Warming Eve. Unfortunately for Derpy, her first day went like any day before meeting Silver; full of solitude and embarrassment. As she sat in class, listening to the teacher's lecture, she occasionally glanced over at the vacant seat next to her, imagining him there. She really did miss Silver. He didn't appear throughout the entire day though, so she wasn't too sure anymore if he would even be coming back. After school, Derpy walked outside where a certain smug pegasus-girl and her groupies were waiting. "Here we go again," Derpy thought sadly. "Just like old times."

"Hey there Klutz," Rain greeted. "Y'know, I've never noticed how horrible your life must be without Silver Lining to fight your little battles. It must suck to know that he probably won't be coming back."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," a voice called out.

Derpy's expression changed in an instant when she heard that familiar voice. Rain's expression changed as well from smug to disgusted. The two turned to see none other than Silver Lining, walking towards them. "I'm not going anywhere," he said to Rain calmly. Rain huffed in anger as she turned and flew off, followed closely by her groupies. Derpy didn't waste any time in wrapping Silver in a big hug.

"Oh my gosh Silver! I thought you weren't coming back! I'm so sorry about what I said to you before! Where have you been?" Suddenly, her tone changed from happy to outraged as she broke the hug and stared at Silver. "Where HAVE you been? I have tried calling and calling! I've been to your house, our hangout spots, everywhere! Not one call from you! You had better have a good explana-" Derpy stopped mid sentence as she finally noticed Silver's appearance. He looked...different. His skin, it seemed, had grown more pale, his body seemed thinner that before, and his hair was cut shorter, almost to the point of being buzzed. "Did you get a haircut?" Derpy asked.

"Uhh...yeah," Silver replied. "Just a haircut."

"Well where were you?" Derpy asked again. She then stopped and noticed what Silver was wearing. He had a heavy coat, but instead of being worn normally, he had it draped over the left side of his body, covering up his arm. "Uhh...Silver? Don't you think it's a little cold to NOT be wearing your coat?"

"Oh it's nothing Derpy," Silver said.

"Then why don't you put it on normally?" Derpy asked.

"For my own reasons."

"What reasons?"

"Derpy..."

"No. I want to know. Why are you wearing your coat like that?" Derpy was definitely not going down without a fight. The two stared each other down for a minute before Silver sighed of defeat and took off his jacket. Derpy's eyes widened, her pupils shrunk to the size of pins, and she cupped her hands over her mouth in shock from what she saw.

Silver's left arm was gone.

"Silver!" Derpy gasped. "W-what happened to you? Were you in an accident?"

"No, not exactly," Silver sighed. "I was going to tell you tomorrow, but I suppose I might as well say it now." He took in a deep breath.

"About two months before I moved here, I was...well...diagnosed with...bone cancer."

Derpy gasped in disbelief. "I had aches going on in my arm and I didn't know why until I went to the doctor." Silver continued. "I had been fine for a while, until the last day we saw each other. After I had gone home, the aches in my arm were far worse than before, so I called the doctor. I was rushed to the hospital and kept there for the entire week. After running tests, the doctors concluded that the cancer was spreading at a much rapid pace. To try and stop the flow, they decided to...well...amputate my arm. I went through some chemotherapy sessions and for the most part, started to feel better. I was released yesterday. That's why I never called you back. I'm sorry I worried you so much."

"YOU'RE sorry?" Derpy shrieked as she closed in on Silver. She then wrapped her arms around him in a more comforting hug. "I'M the one who's sorry. I thought the worst about what happened to you, but it still wasn't as bad as what you just told me. It must've been horrible to learn that you would lose an arm." Derpy could've kicked herself. She told Silver that he didn't know what it felt like to be unhappy from having a deformity, and now he HAD one! Derpy knew that Rain would find something to say about this in an instant. She couldn't let him journey through that ridicule alone. He was there for her, so now she was going to be there for him. "Well don't you worry Silver. I'm gonna be right here to comfort you when you need it!" Silver smiled as he returned the hug.

"Thanks Derpy," he whispered.

The next day came before Derpy really wanted it to. She spent the night worrying about Silver. How would he handle the struggle of having only one arm? Would Rain taunt him? And if so, how will he respond? In any case, Derpy was ready to repay herself for all the kindness he gave her. As they walked into the classroom, every eye fell on Silver, sporting a sweatshirt with the left sleeve tucked in. Whispers scattered throughout the class as everyone stared at Silver as he traveled back to his desk with Derpy. As they sat down, in came Rain, looking as smug as ever. "Here we go!" Derpy thought. "Maybe Rain will be sympathetic. Maybe she won't taunt him."

As Rain traveled back to her desk, she stopped at Derpy's. "Morning Derp-face. Nice to SEE you! Of course, for you, it would only be seeing HALF of me." She laughed a little then turned to Silver. She opened her mouth, but then looked down at his torso. Her eyes grew wide as she glared at the missing limb for a second, then she looked back up at Silver's face, and said, "I guess this ruins any chances of you being ambidextrous, huh?" Derpy's insides roared with fury! Had she no moral? How dare she taunt him! There he was, at his weakest point, and she was taunting him! Well Derpy wasn't having any of it! She was ready to defend Silver! She felt as if she could handle anything!

"I guess it's a good thing I'm right-handed then." Silver chuckled.

Except that. Derpy froze as her mouth fell open. Confusion swept her mind as she tried to comprehend on what she just heard. Even after getting his arm chopped off, even after it being confirmed that the deadly disease was still inside of him, and even after being harassed by Rain...he STILL had his happy attitude? Derpy couldn't believe it. He was still as chipper and heartfelt as before. Rain just brushed her hair back in a huff, and walked back to her desk, just in time for the teacher to come in. As he started talking, and Silver went to his notebook, Derpy still sat there, staring at her desk, with a look of disbelief on her face. Derpy was confused. She should've been happy that he was still strong. She should've been thankful that he didn't take Rain's words to heart, but she didn't feel any of that.

To her surprise, Derpy felt...angry.

As the day went on, Derpy's feeling just stayed as she saw what Silver did. Throughout the day, he didn't show any sign of unhappiness or depression from his condition. On the contrary, he just stayed peppy no matter what happened. At one moment, Silver was trying to tie his shoe with his right hand and mouth. Someone finally came to help him, but not before Rain walked by him saying, "Having a predicament are you, Onesy?"

Silver just casually replied, "Yea. It works better with two hands." Another moment was when Silver was walking in the halls and came up on a student who was trying to get his stuck locker door open. Silver just casually walked up and happily said, "Need help? I'll lend you a hand, but only one!" He was like that throughout the entirety of the day. And the whole time Silver showed his happiness, Derpy started to show her depression. Every time he was around her, she acted cold and distant, kind of how she acted when she first met him. Derpy didn't know why, but she just didn't feel happy for him. It sounded horrible, but she didn't. At one point in the day, Derpy sat in the bathroom, fighting back tears and telling herself to toughen up. By the end of the day, Derpy had been fighting her anger to the brim, and Silver was just as casual as how he was when the day started. Nothing had changed. As they crossed the street to get home, they passed a mother walking with her young daughter.

The girl noticed Silver's arm and said, "Mommy, where did his other arm go?" while pointing at it. Derpy's insides stirred some more.

"Puffy!" the mother scolded. "It's not polite to point." She turned to Silver. "I'm very sorry."

"It's quite alright," Silver replied with a smile. As the mother and child walked away, Silver turned to Derpy. "Kids these day huh? Full of questions and need for understanding. I remember as a kid, I would ask questions consta-"

"OH MY GOD! WOULD YOU STOP BEING SO HAPPY FOR ONE STUPID MINUTE?" Derpy shouted. Something had finally snapped inside of her. Silver closed his mouth and looked at Derpy, stunned at her comment. Derpy didn't waste time glaring at him and ran off toward her house, the slight sight of more tears leaking out. This did not go unnoticed by Silver. He followed her back to her house and found her sitting at the front door, knelt down, with her head in her arm.

"Derpy," Silver calmly called.

"Go away," Derpy replied quietly, but roughly.

Silver scooted closer to her. "Derpy, what was that about?"

"I said go away," Derpy replied more harshly.

This time, Silver was not about to leave without a fight. "Derpy! I had been patient with your attitude in the past, and I've tried to help in any way I can, but today, you seem more miserable than before. I know it's hard to lose a family member that you loved so much, but-"

"It's not that," Derpy said.

"Then is it about your eyes?" Silver asked. "It's natural to feel down about yourself, and to let the things they say get to you-"

"It's not me!" Derpy snapped. "It's you!"

"Me?" Silver asked. "What about me?"

"Nevermind," Derpy said, turning her head away.

"What's wrong Derpy?"

"Leave me alone."

"NO!" Silver finally snapped. "I will NOT leave you alone! I want to know. What is truly wrong? Derpy, please let me in! I want to help you! I want to be here for you! But you have to let me in! Tell me! Why are you so upset? Why are you so miserable? Why are you so depressed? WHY ARE YOU SO UNHAPPY?"

"BECAUSE YOU AREN'T!"

Those last words made everything go silent. Now it was finally out. A long silence filled the air as Silver and Derpy stared at each other. Finally, Silver broke the silence. "What do you mean?" he asked calmly.

Derpy sighed. "Do you remember the last time we spoke before break, I yelled at you saying that you didn't know what it was like to be unhappy because you didn't have a deformity to be taunted for?" Silver nodded yes. "Well, now you DO have a deformity, AND were teased for it, AND you have a deadly disease that has been nipping away at your life for months, and you're STILL not unhappy!" Silver never thought about it that way. Now that she mentioned it, he wasn't feeling depressed at all.

"You're right," he mumbled. "I'm not." Suddenly, that's when a realization came to Silver's head. "That makes you angry. Doesn't it?"

Derpy nodded as her eyes started to water. "Yeah! I-I don't know how to do that! How can you-" Derpy stopped as she frantically wiped the tears off of her cheeks and started to hide her face. But Silver had other ideas. He quickly grabbed Derpy's arm as he positioned her so that they were looking face to face.

"Derpy! Stop fighting!" he said intensely. "I know you think that crying show weakness, but it doesn't! In fact, it shows that you are strong! It's ok to cry Derpy! I can tell you have been blocking it for years, and your dam is ready to burst. If you don't cry soon, it'll destroy you! You have to let go!" At that point, tears started to flow from Silver's eyes. "You don't have to face this alone Derpy! I'm here for you! I will always be here for you! Just let go!"

Derpy stared at the man in front of her with a million thoughts rushing through her head. She didn't know what to do. Maybe...just maybe if the strong-hearted Silver Lining could cry, maybe it was ok for her to cry to.

"Just let go!" Silver repeated. At that point, Derpy let go of all thoughts. Her brain went dead, her floodgates opened, and she started to bawl. The tears flew down her face like waterfalls as she howled with years of pain, depression, and sadness finally breaking free. Silver grabbed her and wrapped Derpy in a comforting hug as she continued her sobbing. No more holding back. No more closing off.

Derpy had finally broken down.

Comments

[3volve]

this felt right so i added this music

[No One Of Nowhere]

AAARRRAAGG!!! The FEELS!