A Ditzy Relationship

by JesterintheNight

Chapter 3 A Long Ride Home

“What do you mean you’re leaving Manehattan?!”

Light yelled as Red pushed his door to his hotel room open.

“Just as I said, I’m leaving I have to find somepony” He said not even pausing to look at Light’s stunned face, Light shook his blonde mane out to clear the stupid look on his face.

“Who though? This Derpy Hooves? What is she to you?” Light asked, Red froze at that name for a moment before he sighed lightly. His red eyes fell on Light who cringed a bit, his eyes weren’t mean but the almost blood red would cause any pony to cringe back.

“Yes Derpy Hooves, and she is… Well she’s somepony I hurt.” Red responded sounding vague, vaguer than normal. Light had known Red since he began training for the Wonderbolts before he even trained his pupil Spitfire to take over, for Red’s strange retirement. After all Light was the one who signed off on Red’s papers, he only asked that Red train someone before leaving.

“Was she the reason you retired?!” Light asked raising his voice, somepony stopped by the door and looked in. Light kicked the door shut in their face before glaring at Red, he still didn’t understand Red’s choice to retire. No one but Red knew the reason for that, he wasn’t even close to being too old to keep up with the younger generation. Heck even Spitfire couldn’t keep up with Red’s skills now, even with how rusty Red let himself get.

“Yeah” Was all Red said before he picked up a briefcase, opening it up there was an old picture inside. Well it looked old at least, it was folded several times even looked like it was crumpled up a few times. Light looked at Red as he moved aside to take his old Wonderbolts jacket from the chair, folding it up and tossing it in the briefcase. As the jacket landed the photo slipped free from the briefcase and sailed across the room landing in front of Light’s hooves. He reached down and picked it up to get a good look at it…

“This is her?” Light asked, Red paused and looked at the photo in Light’s hoof. He felt a desire to snatch the photo from Light, but it’s not like he could wipe the memory from his head. He just simply nodded before continuing to pack. Light looked down at the photo once more, there was Red holding somepony with a matching grey coat as him. She had pale, light grayish apple green eyes. It was a rather pretty color Light had to admit but her eyes were weird, one was looking straight at the camera the other was looking at the ground. She is Strabismus (Crossed eyed simply put), her mane matched her eyes as well. She was standing in front of Red, his head resting on top of her’s they almost looked like a couple.. As if this filly was Red’s special somepony. That wasn’t the strange part of the picture though, it was that Red was smiling. He looked very happy, Light glanced at Red who was closing the briefcase now his face was emotionless… broken even. Was that really the same Red now?

“She must have been very special to you…” Was all Light could say at this point, Red grabbed the briefcase handle in his mouth before he swung his head making the case land on his back. Opening his wings they pinned the case down, as he walked to Light he reached out with one hoof and grabbing the photo before gently tugging it away.

“Yes, she wasn't…” He said before putting the photo between his feathers, walking past Light he mumbled one more thing.

“She still is”

Light watched as Red left the room, what could have happened between the two? To make such a skilled Pegasus like Red Bullseye, look so broken in only a year’s time…

“That’s right it was only one year ago… since Red quit the Wonderbolts…” Light sighed lightly, he remembered the day Red came into his office. Light was much older than Red, too old to be an instructor anymore. That’s why Red was the new instructor or at least he was chosen to be, Light picked him out from Junior Flight Camp when he heard about Red’s display of skilled flying…

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“You sure Rainy Arc?” Light asked, a slightly nervous Pegasus stood in front of him. The Pegasus was Red’s instructor back at Flight School, the Pegasus named Rainy Arc handed him a clipboard.

“Yes Light Ning, Red Bullseye would be a perfect as your replacement. He’s skilled, fast, and good with instructing the others.” Arc said, Light took the clipboard looking at the reports Arc made of this young Pegasus called Red Bullseye.

“Bullseye, isn’t that the son of Vector Bullseye?” Light asked Arc, who nodded once.

“One in the same, he displays the same skills as his father. Perhaps even better” Arc said sounding unsure, though it was understandable Vector Bullseye was before Rainy Arc’s time. If Vector was still alive, he’d be the same age as Light though a little younger.

“I remember Vector, he was good. Though I never knew him on a personal level, he was mostly just a name on sheet of paper.” Light said sounding rather casual about it, he handed the clipboard to Arc who took it.

“I’d like to see him in action” Light ordered, Arc nodded once and led Light through the doors to the field. As Arc opened his mouth to called Red, Light covered Arc’s mouth with a hoof shaking his head.

“I’d prefer seeing him acting normal, not trying too hard to impress me.” Light said, Arc nodded once before pointing to a grey Pegasus who was at a starting line with a strange blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane. Light’s eyes looked to the cutie marks on their rumps, a cloud with a red lightning bolt. Now, he looked to the grey Pegasus, he had a bull’s eye target with a red dot in the center of the target. That had to be him, the assistant couch raised a starting gun. It fired off and the rainbow mane Pegasus took off, a small rainbow was behind her. Kind of like the storm clouds that were behind Wonderbolts when they took off for shows, though that was all fake just for the fillies and colts at the Wonderbolts shows.

“The rainbow one is fast” Light commented, he then looked to Red but he was gone. Blinking in amazement his eyes scanned for the grey Pegasus, and those red eyes. But he was nowhere to be seen til the rainbow mane Pegasus was about to cross the finish line only to slam into the grey Pegasus who suddenly was in front of her. The grey one slid across the finish line, the rainbow one rolled past the finish line and hit a few Pegasus who were cheering for her. Several of the Pegasus flew all over hitting the ground, Light looked to Arc who was smiling.

“What just happen?” Light asked, confused as to what happen. Arc looked at him with a cocky smirk at his best student, he then walked out onto the field Light followed.

“Red’s able to stay in ponies blind spots, a very rare skills. He has it, while you were seeing Rainbow Dash what was actually happening is he was flying right by her side til the last second. Then took the lead from her.” Arc said in an almost bragging tone, Rainbow Dash picked herself up and stomped to Red who was talking to a few of his class ponies.

“You cheated Red!” She said as she slammed her head into Red’s challenging him, Red simply blinked at her in confusion. Light watched for a moment before figuring out what Arc meant, Red was using Rainbow Dashes own blur against her so she believed she was out front til the last second and passed her. The sudden action startled her so she slammed into him, knocking him ahead even more and slowing herself down at the same time.

“Genius…” Light said before trotting ahead of Arc to the fighting ponies well more to say Rainbow Dash. Red was just staring back at her, he seemed careless of the fillies’ anger.

“That’s enough Rainbow Dash!” Light screamed out, Rainbow Dash looked to Light only to have her jaw drop in amazement. She moved away from Red and zipped over to Light her hoofs on her face like a fan girl seeing her idle. Light stopped at the sudden action catching him off guard, Red on the other hoof rolled his eyes and began to trot away to a filly who had a matching coat as Red. She was sleeping it seemed, her mane a unique color. And a strange cutie mark it looked like bubbles…

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“Bubbles...”

Light said, he had lost sight of Red. His eyes widen in surprise, as he ran into the hall looking down it for any sign of Red. But he was gone, most likely to the train station…

“That pony... was Derpy Hooves...”

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“One ticket to Ponyville”

Red said to the filly behind the glass of the ticket booth, she nodded once taking a ticket from a large roll and slid it under the glass.

“50 Bits please” She said, Red nodded once and pulled one of his wings forward. Shaking a bit a large emerald fell free landing in front of the filly, her eyes widen.

“G-Give me a moment to get your change.” She said, but Red grabbed the ticket and ran off. She screamed after him, but he didn’t stop though. He couldn’t he had to get to Ponyville and the train was leaving now, he couldn’t wait for them to count it out. Not that he cared money was such an unimportant thing to him, bits, jewels, trading none of it mattered to him. Not anymore at least, not since he lost Derpy…

“Ticket please” The conductor said, Red quickly dropped the ticket in the hoof of the conductor before climbing onto the train. He slid the first car door open seeing only a pony with a white mane done up in a bun, she was elderly it seemed. Seen a good few years on her Red could see, sighing he didn’t mind being in a train car with somepony but he did want to be alone. Shaking his head he walked into the train car and sat by the window looking out, as he did a sudden jerk made him shake a bit as the train was pulling out from the station…

“Hey sonny!” A loud voice came from Red’s left, jerking his head it was the elderly pony. She had a large smile on her old face, now that she was closer Red got a better look at her. She had a pie on her flack, judging from the red on it apple pie.

“Ma’am” Red said, being formal to the old pony. She laughed before sitting across from Red, he could hear her old bones creaking from her movements. She stared at Red for a few minutes before Red finally decided to talk.

“Can I help you Ma’am?” Red asked trying to cover his annoyance, he was hoping she’d ignore him but it seems that wasn’t going to be the case. She tilted her head a bit placing one hoof on her mane rubbing it, lost in thought… or maybe she lost her thoughts…

“Um… call me Granny Smith. And can I help you youngin?” Granny Smith said, her smile big… and full of kindness. Red blinked before face hoofing himself, sighing he dismissed her sudden forgetfulness.

“She’s old Red… Remember that” He mumbled only to get a smack in the mane, it didn’t hurt but it caused Red to jump back.

“Who you calling old sunny!?” She said insulted, Red’s eyes widen. Damn her hearing was sharper then Red thought, sighing he decided to at least apologize and introduce himself looking up at her brilliant orange eyes.

“Sorry Miss. Smith, I’m Red Bullseye.” Red said tipping his head a bit, she smiled and nodded. Appearing to forget Red’s rudeness, though she didn’t seem surprised to hear his name.

“Nice to meet you Red, I’m Granny Smith.” She said kindly, Red sighed once more… she had already introduced herself… Was it going to be like this the whole trip, by Celestia he hoped not. He could only tolerate so much…

“What ca going to Ponyville for?” Granny Smith asked, snapping Red’s attention back to her. For a moment he stared at her, he debated telling her is reasons for two reasons. One he didn’t wish to be bothered, the other… maybe she knew Derpy…

“I’m… visiting an old friend.” Was all he said, Granny Smith nodded once.

“Aw ain’t that the sweetest thing, I’m going back home from visiting some of my relatives here in Manehattan. The Orange family!” She said sounding happy to be going home, she must have been home sick Red guessed. Simply nodding once to the elder pony he looked out the window, they were crossing the water now. He could see the shining water, Celestia would be setting the sun soon because the water was dyed a lovely orange. Then would be raising the moon, and night would fall among all of Equestria.

“Excuse me youngin, you look like a pony on a mission” Granny Smith, Red glanced at her for a moment before looking out the window once more and nodding to her.

“I guess you could say that… but Miss. Smith I’m tried, I think I’m going to rest my eyes” He said, Granny Smith looked worried about Red. In a way he could respect that, the elder pony had a good head on her shoulders. Red closed his eyes and began to think back, back to his second encounter with Derpy…

“Well more like second attack…” Red mumbled Granny Smith didn’t hear him this time as Red remembered that day…

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“Red! Reeeeeed!”

A voice came from behind Red as he walked down the hallway, the voice slightly slurred. Derpy? That was the only pony Red knew that spoke with a slurred tone. Turning around he spotted that pale, light grayish apple green mane bouncing up and down. That bubble cutie mark on her flack as she almost had like a skip to her clumsy run, as she came to a sliding stop in front of Red. As she did though stepped on a piece of paper, Red’s eyes widen as she flew right into him. The two rolled down the hall several times before Red hit the floor hard, shaking his head he was about to get up til something landed on top of him knocking him right back into the hard floor. His head slammed into it making him see stars in his vision, Derpy’s head landed right on top of Red’s.

“Oops… sorry…” Derpy said, Red shook his head a little making the stars vanish before he looked up at Derpy. Sighing lightly he didn’t move much to Derpy’s surprise til finally she pushed herself off him after a minute or two. Looking down in shame, both her eyes unfocused as usual. Red pushed himself off the floor before turning to Derpy.

“It’s fine, it was an accident” Red said brushing himself off with his wings a few times before looking to Derpy. She was looking at him now, even with those two unfocused eyes he could tell she was surprised.

“You’re not mad at me?” She asked, Red shook his head a bit making his brown mane sway a bit. The action made Derpy’s grey cheeks slightly warm up, he was much nicer then the rumors said. Everypony told Derpy Red was mean and didn’t like to be bothered. Even when they crashed into each other the first time he sounded mad at her til he saw her… Why was he so nice to her?

“You’re a lot nicer then everypony says” Derpy admitted, Red tilted his head before shrugging once to Derpy.

“Sorry to disappoint you?” He said questioningly, Derpy raised her hoof in defense making Red back up a bit since she was close enough to almost hit him.

“No, no, no. I didn’t mean it that way.” She said sounding like she was defending Red in some way, it caught Red a little off guard.

“It’s fine, but what did you need Derpy?” Red asked, she was running after him after all it must have been important. Derpy lowered her hoof appearing lost in thought, what was she chasing him for?… She just saw him down the hall and went after him with no goal in mind.

“Ummm… oh! Would you like to eat lunch with me?! I’ll buy!” She said shooting her head up to looking right at Red both her eyes focused on him. Red blinked a bit bothered by her request, not because he didn’t want to. It’s just… nopony ever invited him, it bothered him as to why she asked him. She must have had other friends to ask.

“Um... suuure but why me?” Red asked, Derpy tilted her head in puzzlement at his question. Why not? Was the first thing that came to her mind, but that might sound strange?

“As sorry for me bumping into you… twice.” She said sounding a little ashamed by her weak answer, but she really didn’t know what else to say. Red thought about it a moment before nodding, she must of felt bad for it he thought. He wasn’t mad about it though strangely… whenever Rainbow Dash crashed into him or sent things flying at the others Red would always get annoyed.

“Alright than Derpy I accept your offer” Red said before walking beside Derpy in the direction of the cafeteria, it was quiet though… neither of them knew what to say to the other. Red was looking ahead, Derpy was looking well in two directions. Once in a while she’d lose her balance bumping into Red saying “Sorry” but Red simply smiled seeming not to bothered by her clumsiness. It wasn’t til they entered the cafeteria that Derpy finally said something…

“Muffins!” Her sudden outburst made Red jump a bit, he looked at her with a bit of confusion til he looked at the lunch line up. Indeed they did have muffins… a lot actually. Blueberry, Cherry, Strawberry, Banana, and so on. Derpy quickly ran to the line that was gathering for the lunch hour, Red quickly followed after. As they got into line Derpy was trying to peek over the taller Pegasus’s who were grabbing their lunches her unfocused eyes locked on the pile of muffins that were quickly dying down. Red looked over her as well at it, did she really love muffins?

“Derpy, do you like muffins?” Red finally asked, Derpy wiped around and nodded several times with enthusiasm before looking back at the muffins. Red felt a small smile creeping up on his lips, she was… kind of cute. Like an innocent pony who was discovering a new world before her, if innocent was such a thing Red thought. Derpy was pretty close to it

“What’s your favorite kind?” Red asked, Derpy didn’t turn around this time but she said.

“Oatmeal”

“Oatmeal is a kind of muffin?” Red thought, he had never seen an oatmeal muffin before though to be fair. He never really saw too many muffins before, his mother never really brought muffins home. And he was always eating at home, never having any friends to go eat with… Though here he was with Derpy, was she his friend?

“Yay! Oatmeal!” Derpy cried out snapping Red out of his train of thought, she eagerly grabbed several muffins that looked like they indeed were made from oatmeal. She then pushed ahead to set them on a lunch tray, Red looked at the oatmeal muffins before grabbing two. One to try now, and if he liked it the other for a snack later. He then grabbed an apple just in case he didn’t like it and set it on a tray before following Derpy. True to her word she bought Red his lunch and trotted off with her tray in her mouth, Red followed after her without a second thought his tray on his back with his wings keeping it pinned in place. Derpy turned around smiling at Red her eyes both locked him before saying.

“There’s an empty table ove-“ But her words were cut off as Red saw her fall forward, the tray slipping from her mouth. The muffins flew from the tray and landed all over the floor, Derpy soon joined them as she hit the floor. The tray landed on her head, Red’s eyes widen in panic. What happen? There wasn’t anything to trip over, she was clumsy sure but she could walk normally enough. As Red moved to Derpy’s side he heard a group of ponies laughing. Raising his eyes he saw Billy, the school bully and his group of lackeys. All pointing and laughing at Derpy, he then saw that Billy’s hoof was right behind Derpy.

“Nice fall Dippy Hooves, maybe if those eyes weren’t so crossed you would of saw my hoof.” Billy said howling with laughter, Derpy sat up looking at her muffins all over the floor. She picked up one, it was covered in dirt though… they all were. Derpy then looked to Billy, he was a brown Pegasus with a dumbbell on his flank. His tan mane covered one of his eyes, he looked to his friends one was a bluish grey with a black mane. The other light brown with brown mane, both of Billy’s lackey’s mane’s covered their eyes mostly. Red looked down to Derpy whose pale, light grayish apple green eyes began to shine as tears began to collect in her eyes.

“Aw Dippy’s going to cry, what a loser!” Billy yelled out, some of the other Pegasus began to laugh at Derpy who was trying to wipe her eyes with her hooves. Soft sobs escaping her lips, Red set his tray down on the table and walked past Derpy to Billy who stopped laughing as he saw the glare Red was giving him.

“You got something to say?” Billy said, his tone slightly threatening though Red didn’t back down as he stopped in front of Billy a foot away.

“Say you’re sorry” Red said, his tone much darker then Billy’s but Billy laughed at Red’s attempt to scare him.

“What do you care? You Dippy’s friend?” Billy said smirking, some of the Pegasus grew quiet as Red didn’t even pause before saying.

“Yeah so what if I am DumbBilly” Red said, one of Billy’s lackey’s coughed a little holding back a laugh. Billy threw him a dark glare quickly shutting him up, before looking back at Red. Derpy sobs stopped as she looked up at Red, both her eyes focused fully on him.

“He… cares about me?” Derpy thought, Billy got up from his seat and slammed his head into Red’s like goat challenging another.

“Then you’ll get beat down for being Dippy’s fri-“ But his words were cut short from Red’s head slamming into Billy’s head. Billy fell back into one of his lackey’s who caught him, Billy rubbed the impact spot with one hoof before pointing at Red.

“Kick his flank!” Billy’s lackeys let go of Billy, who fell back words hitting his head on the seat since he wasn’t being supported by his friend. The brown mane Pegasus flew at Red, raising his hoof to strike him only Red was gone. The Pegasus came to a stop in midair looking around before.

“Above you!” The Pegasus looked up before Red’s hoof slammed into his face knocking him to the floor and knocking him completely out. The bluish grey Pegasus charged Red now, slamming into Red from behind the two of them flew at the table Red’s tray sat on. As they were about to hit it Red’s wings caught the table flipping him and the lackey over the tray. The Pegasus surprised by the sudden flip and seeing the world upside down released Red to try and correct himself. But he slammed into the middle of the table, bouncing off the surface and hitting the floor hard. Red smirked before a voice called out.

“Hey loser!” Red whipped around only to feel Billy’s hoof punching him in the face, Red flew into a small group of chairs knocking them over with ease. One of the legs of the chair hit him in the eye, he grabbed his eye with one hoof. He could feel it swelling up already, if he hadn’t closed his eye from Billy’s hit he might have lost an eye. Sliding across the floor still holding one eye, he saw Billy (with his only good eye) taking off flying. The bluish grey lackey picked up the tan one following after quickly, Red pushing himself to his hooves.

“Oh no you don’t!” Red cried out as his wings spread open before he flapped them several times, a small tornado formed in front of him. He kicked one of the chairs into the tornado before smirking, his one good eye locked onto Billy’s head.

“Target locked” He said before he flapped once more tilting the tornado enough to send the chair flying out like a cannonball it aiming right on target. As it was about to hit, Billy entered the hallway with his lackey in tow, the door closed shut breaking the chair as it hit.

“Damn!... Negative impact.” Red said cursing himself for not reacting sooner, his tornado lost it’s power and faded away. Red wanted to hunt Billy down, and demand he say sorry to Derpy but the teachers would soon arrive. And right now Derpy needed him, he ran to Derpy grabbing her wing with one of his own.

“Come on!” He said before he opened his wings to take flight releasing Derpy’s wing, she opened her own wings to follow. But not before Red stopped and picked up one of the oatmeal muffins off his tray, gently putting it in Derpy’s hooves before taking his other muffin. He took off flying, Derpy on the other hoof looked at him with one eye. The other looking down at the muffin, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

“Derpy!” Red screamed snapping her back to her sense she took off after him quickly, cradling her muffin in her hooves as if it was a living creature. They both flew out the open windows quickly going to the courtyard of the Flight School, Red landed beside the old fountain that fired out a small rain cloud. The cloud gently showered the metal in the fountain making the pool of water that cycled reusing the old water. Derpy landed beside Red who set his muffin down on the metal seat of the fountain he rubbed his eye in a bit pain.

“Buckin Billy, figures he’s a coward who hits when you’re not looking” Red said to himself, Derpy looked up at Red who was slightly taller than her. Setting her muffin beside Red’s she flew up to the small raincloud carefully ripping a piece of it off with her mouth before landing beside Red. Who was busy messing with his eye, she placed one of her wings on Red’s shoulder to turn him around.

“Mph mh mhh (Let me see)” Red blinked his good eye as Derpy gently moved his hooves from his bad eye. As she got closer Red could feel his face warming up, but the cooling moister from the cloud quickly washed that blush away as he felt the slight sting from the cold cloud on his eye.

“Ahhh…” Red mumbled out in pain as Derpy gently dabbed his bad eye with the cloud in her mouth. After a few minutes, the swelling began to go down and Red convinced Derpy to let himself do it since he felt strange having Derpy so close to him. She moved away from him as he placed his hoof on the cloud to hold it in place. She then returned to her oatmeal muffin picking it up in her hooves, looking at it for a moment.

“Thank you Red…” She mumbled out, Red’s ears perked up in an attempt to hear her.

“Huh?” He said, Derpy shook her head a bit making her pretty mane sway softly back and forth. Red shrugged once as he tended to his eye, Derpy smiled before taking a bite of her special muffin. A soft blush rose on her cheeks and her smile grew softer.

“Best oatmeal muffin I’ve ever had…”

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“Sonny!” Granny Smith cried out shaking Red awake from his dream, or memory was more like it.

“Huh?!” Red said as he shot awake his eyes open in alarm, he looked from side to side before looking out the window. The sun had already risen…

“Did I really sleep through the night?” Red said to himself, that was the longest slept he’s had in months it felt like. Though with how he felt it was most likely true, he then looked to Granny Smith who was picking up her bag in her mouth before setting it down on the train seat beside her.

“We’re almost to Ponyville” She said sounding happy to be almost home, Red on the other hand felt scared… an emotion he hadn’t felt in ages…

“…I’m almost there…”

Author's Note:

Sorry everypony for the late in the day release, slightly been busy today. Enough to where I'm stuck on chapter 6 of the story. I'd like to make this story atleast 10 chapters long. But anyway enjoy everypony and have a good night.