A Study In Nonsense

by Professor Piggy

Treasures

Derpy Hooves sat right where she was, gazing at the night sky with a smile on her face and an empty hole in her belly. It was troubling, that hole. It was, she couldn’t help but feel, a wholly unacceptable state of affairs. Her belly was empty, and it wanted very much to be full. But she had promised she would stay, still and quiet, until the other weather pegasi called for her. Because, of course, she had a habit of breaking things. And things that were broken, even clouds, didn’t tend to do what they should – which was, of course, a very rude thing to do when what you should do was rain.

But she had been waiting an awfully long time. And it was chilly. It was rather an unpleasant thing, to be waiting endlessly when you were cold and hungry. But it was a part of being a weather pony. For her, at least. The other weather ponies tended to spend somewhat more time in the air than on the ground, but everypony had their place. And if she were being entirely truthful with herself, there was no place she wanted to be that she wasn’t. In fact, the only place she wanted to be was right where she was – sitting in a field, gazing at the night sky with a frown on her face, an empty hole in her belly, and the most wonderful pony in Equestria by her side.

Fluttershy was a Pegasus. But much more than that, Fluttershy was a Fluttershy. And Fluttershy’s were quiet, gentle, soft spoken, soft, kind and perhaps a little bit yellow. They were also entirely one of a kind. Fluttershy was the only Fluttershy she knew, and to Derpy she was perfect. It had been more than five months now, since the perfect Pegasus had first made her careful way into the field, and set down a picnic basket between them without a word. More than five months since Fluttershy had unfurled the blanket and lined it with treats, nosing them towards Derpy in silence, but she remembered it as clearly as if it were yesterday. A small part of that was likely because just the same thing had happened yesterday – but she chose to believe that she would have remembered it anyway, because it was important. Important things were not things she tended to forget, even if they sometimes got lost for a little while.

It seemed silly, now, but she had been afraid then - afraid that this new, treat bringing wonderpony would speak to her. Because if the other pony spoke, she would have to answer. And if she had to answer, she would be disobeying the captain of the weather team. That would somehow lead to things breaking, or falling down – but not answering the other pony would be bad manners, and that was even worse. If Dinky were to learn bad manners, it would not be from her – there were worse things than being a clumsy, silly pony and one of them was being a mean pony.

But Fluttershy hadn’t spoken. Not that day, or the next, or any of those following for almost two weeks. And then, quite suddenly, she had said “Hello.”

It had been like a gift, frightening but beloved, flowing into her and stealing her carefully guarded words quite away. But that was okay – she hadn’t needed them, because Fluttershy understood. And Fluttershy told her so, and told her that if she wanted they could go back to Fluttershy’s cottage after her shift and talk. And Derpy had wanted, and so she had gone and they had talked. But the problem with starting to do a thing was that sometimes it was hard to stop, and Derpy had found that if talking was one of those things, visiting was another, much larger one.

And so their days passed. Long hours sitting silently in the meadow staring at the sky or at each other with smiles on their faces, sometimes full but never empty, and long evenings spent talking or singing or playing in the garden with Dinky and the animals. The days were quiet and soft, like Fluttershy. And the nights were warm and loving, like Fluttershy. All things considered, Derpy Hooves had never been happier.

But this moment, Derpy decided, was different. There were things more important than manners, and there were things more important than not breaking things. Unless those things were hearts, but she very sincerely hoped that no hearts would be broken. Slowly, hesitantly, she leaned across and she spoke. Just three words, never said before between them and yet true beyond all measure.

Fluttershy smiled, eyes sparkling, before leaning in to kiss her on the muzzle. Three words became seven, and the two lapsed into silence once more.

Comments

[Professor Piggy]

This wasn't written for a prompt, but for the second round of the Epic Fluttershy Ship War - the theme of the round being quiet. The same basic rules applied though: half an hour to write and edit a story. Since Pinkie had already been eliminated, I went with my second favourite Flutterpairing.

It's not often I write something I'm really, genuinely happy with - but this is one of them. I hope you enjoy it, too.

[Midnight herald]

That was at once one of the most adorable, beautiful and heartbreaking things I've read in a while. The way that Derpy views the world is very well written, though. For instance:

It was rather an unpleasant thing, to be waiting endlessly when you were cold and hungry. But it was a part of being a weather pony. For her, at least.

I choked up a bit when I read that. And I stayed that way until Fluttershy came into the picture and made everything nicer around the edges. A really great read, thanks for sharing.

[Professor Piggy]

1594962 Thank you. That means a lot, and I'm really pleased that you enjoyed it so much.

[G S tol Kriaal]

Right in the feels

On another note, I have never seen this pairing before. I think I like it

[TheAlmightySage]

D'aww

[ForSpite]

You know this probably exemplifies how to make a crack pairing work (without comedy, anyway, which is the other way to make a crack pairing work). You have two characters who have literally never spoken a word to one another on screen and it still feels very real.

On an unrelated note: Anyone else think Derpy's bubbles represent fragility and her ability to make things pop, burst, or break?

[aljada]

'Three words became seven, and the two lapsed into silence once more.'
Choked up a bit at that, very nicely put. I'll need to remember that line.

[Donnys Boy]

I still think this is utterly lovely. Your Derpy characterization is the favorite I've yet encountered--it's based on what little we have from canon and yet it feels very real and not like a caricature.

1596739
I dig the idea of D's bubbles representing fragility.

[ForSpite]

1611217
Thanks, I take full credit for the idea, which struck me when I realized we never see her do anything with bubbles. What we see her do abnormally well is break things. Feel free to use it, though.