There Comes a Rainbow
“I hadn’t intended to come to Ponyville.” Derpy’s quiet yet powerful voice drifted through the classroom, soft, yet still commanding attention. A patch of sunlight filtering through the window glinted off her mane, causing it to glow golden like a halo round her head. There, in the late morning, she looked ethereal and unlike herself.
That same sunlight had caused the room to grow warm and slightly stuffy, but the small ponies –for the most part; two of the three note-passing fillies just looked bored and the pegasus was sulking on top of that- hadn’t seemed to lose focus. All of their attention was still front and center, their bright, eager faces lit with the pure, unspoiled hope and anticipation that only children were capable of feeling.
Hope for her; that her story would lead up to a happy ending.
Derpy looked out over their little faces, so full of promise, and found herself wondering if she had ever felt like that when she was small. Had there ever been a time when she had dreamed of things beyond her world; things that seemed impossible, yet still happened to somepony, somewhere?
There had been so little of that kind of unadulterated optimism in her foalhood; so little to be faithful in. Between her classmates constant teasing and her parents’ cold indifference, what had there been to be hopeful about? Even with Surprise to lift her, Derpy had never fully believed she would ever truly escape from the bleak, empty world she’d been born into. She had learned to be a realist early on; to stop expecting things she knew would never come. Things like friendship, acceptance, and her parents’ love.
Things everypony needed.
And yet, somehow, those things had found her. Or she had found them. And now, as an adult, she was able to feel what the little ponies did; able to look at the world as it was and still dream of the beautiful things to come. She was never quite sure how and when it had happened, but she knew it had started with Surprise and that it would never end, this new optimism that flooded her heart and made her hopeful for the future.
“I had planned to fly to Canterlot, just to catch the train there. I thought of going to Baltimare; I’d always heard it was a nice city and it’s close to the ocean. I kind of enjoy being near the water…In a lot of ways, it’s very soothing. And my parents didn’t really know anypony in Baltimare, so maybe I could escape my past, I had thought. But I’m myself-” Here, she smiled ruefully, poking fun at herself in a way she’d never really been able to before- “and things don’t often go quite how I want them to. I got lost not long after I left Cloudsdale; completely and hopelessly lost.”
It was okay to laugh at herself, now. Because in a way, it was funny; really funny. If she hadn’t been so clumsy and awkward…If she hadn’t been so distractible and if her sense of direction hadn’t been so dreadful…
She never would have discovered Ponyville; never would have found her home and her new, wonderful family.
And the thought that she could have missed that but hadn’t –the sudden burst of relief that she hadn’t made it to Baltimare or even to Canterlot- made her want to laugh with joy.
“And you crashed here!” Rainy Feather blurted out from her seat in the back, waving a hoof high in the air, but not waiting to be called on. She knew this part of the story; her big sister Raindrops was the one who’d rescued Derpy after her impressively bad landing.
Several of the foals near Rainy Feather jumped at her sudden outburst, while a few others snickered openly. The rude pegasus filly in the back made a show of dramatically rolling her eyes, speaking in a purposely loud whisper, “Gee, there’s a shock.”
Rainy Feather turned in her seat, glaring sharply at the other young pegasus, who simply gave her a bored look and another eye roll. The yellow filly’s gaze flickered forwards to see if either of the adults were looking at them, and –noting that they weren’t- reached over and punched Tornado Bolt hard on her right foreleg.
The other filly bit back a startled yelp, rubbing a hoof over the sore spot as Cheerilee’s watchful gaze drifted in their direction. A stern frown from the teacher caused Tornado to snap her mouth shut, and she folded her forelegs across her chest, a pout settling across her face again.
Beside her, Rainy Feather had put on her best angelic expression, leaving Cheerilee none the wiser.
“Yeah, I crashed.” Derpy hadn’t noticed the exchange at all; she’d drifted off again to the past, lost in some memory only she and Raindrops shared, “It was a really windy night and my flying is a little cock-eyed even in the best weather. I took a dive after getting slammed by a hay of a downdraft and wound up crash landing near the clock tower. Raindrops was on her way home from work and she found me there, upside down in a shrub.”
The mare smiled fondly; in the beginning, Raindrops had been her only friend. The other pegasus was a slow, meticulous worker and her unhurried work habits often frustrated her fellow weather ponies, leaving them annoyed with her. Raindrops was well aware of the fact that she drove them nuts, but she was who she was and Rainbow Dash kept her around because ninety-nine percent of the time, her tasks were performed perfectly.
Her diligence paid off, as far as the weather went, but it didn’t make her very popular with the other ponies.
It also left her in need of a friend.
“She helped me out and, even though I protested, she took me to the emergency room, just to make sure I was okay. The doctor’s saw my eyes and –of course- thought I had bumped my head. No amount of explaining that I was born that way could convince them to let me leave, so I spent a night at the hospital for observations.” Derpy shook her head, still smiling. At the time, it had been incredibly annoying, being told she wasn’t allowed to leave. But she wasn’t the kind of pony who argued with those in positions of authority; years of belittlement had seen to that. “And I was amazed when Raindrops came back for me, the next day. Strangers didn’t usually care about me.”
“But my sister is awesome!” Rainy Feather butted in, sitting up straighter in her desk again, “And she even brought Derpy home with her and helped her get her job and stuff!” She beamed, proud to contribute to the story, even though interrupting was likely not the most polite way to do so.
“She is.” Derpy nodded in agreement, “And she did do those things. Raindrops offered me a place to stay and mentioned that the weather team was short on capable, dependable pegasi. I wasn’t sure how capable I was –I’d never actually manipulated the weather, just packaged it up- but I am a hard worker and I thought ‘What the hay? If it doesn’t work out, there’s always Baltimare.’ So I met with Rainbow Dash.”
-
“And you’ve never done this kind of work before?”
“N-no…” Derpy looked to the side, rather than at the wind-tousled, cocky mare standing in front of her, “I worked in the factory in Cloudsdale, not on a placement team.”
Raindrops had called Rainbow Dash down from the sky, interrupting her work in what was probably a very big no-no. The Weather Crew leader had been cursing up a blue streak as she rocketed towards the ground, her mood incredibly foul as she berated the other mare for bothering her and didn’t Raindrops know they were behind schedule because there weren’t enough ponies to handle the work?
Rainbow was fierce. It didn’t take much for Derpy to realize that. The way she held herself, tall and proud, was a dead giveaway that the blue mare was no different from the self-important ponies of Cloudsdale.
And there had been rumors at the factory that the brash new leader of the Ponyville weather crew didn’t accept anything less than perfect quality. She had ambitions of being the best, Starsong had said, and any order sent to Ponyville had to be top-notch or it would be sent back. The leader was young, and new to the job, and out to impress her superiors – And she had no problems with complaining to those who would listen if things went wrong.
Derpy had been a bit intimidated by her before she even met the mysterious Pegasus who signed her very precise order forms with a loopy ‘R. Dash.’
“Raindrops.” Rainbow wheeled on the yellow pegasus, brows knit, ears back, “We’re behind enough already. How could you possibly think an inexperienced newbie could help us get back on track? How could she possibly be any help if she doesn’t even know what to do?”
The other pony wilted slightly under the cool gaze of Rainbow Dash. “Any help is better than no help?” She offered meekly.
“I work really hard, Miss Dash.” Derpy spoke up, voice hesitant as she glanced up at the bothered mare standing between her and Raindrops. She did her best to be brave, and even when Rainbow’s gaze met hers, and even when her focus started to drift, she didn’t back down. “And I don’t…I mean, I might not know what to do, but I can learn. I’m used to handling all kinds of weather.”
Rainbow Dash looked her over critically, taking in the eyes wandering in two different directions, the feathers all out of alignment, the slumpy way she stood, the mixture of fear and hope in her expression. This Derpy Hooves didn’t look like she’d amount to much –she didn’t even look like she could manage to stay airborn! Where the buck had Raindrops found her?- and she had absolutely no experience working on a weather team.
But something about her…Despite her somewhat goofy appearance, there was some spark in her –in the thin slash of her mouth across her face; in the determination hidden behind fear in her eyes- that reminded Rainbow a little of herself when she was smaller.
“Fine.” Rainbow snorted, “But only because they gave me this position without giving me the proper staffing and we really do need the help. You show me you can handle it, and the job is yours.”
Derpy nodded eagerly, wanting desperately to please the other pony. She’d had enough of embarrassing herself in the face of coworkers and she didn’t want her new boss to regret hiring her on the first day. “I’ll do my best, ma’am.”
Rainbow’s head inclined slightly in reply, then she turned once more to the other mare. “Raindrops!” She barked, “Take her and show her what you and Flitter have been working on all week. If you two can handle a little cloud placement, she should be able to, too.”
“C’mon.” Raindrops beckoned to her new work partner as Rainbow Dash rocketed off again, “We better get going…That storm’s not going to situate itself properly.”
-
“I was totally scared of Rainbow Dash, even more so when I found out she was from Cloudsdale, too. I was scared I would goof up like I always did, that I would mess something up…Or worse yet, that she would know who my father was and be embarrassed of me on his behalf like so many other Cloudsdale pegasi were. But she was none of those things…She actually gave me a chance and I got kind of good at handling the weather work.”
“And then you moved into our house!” This time, it was Rumble who interrupted, his voice cracking with excitement, “’Cause you decided to stay in Ponyville, instead of going to Baltimare.”
Derpy looked over at the eager colt -Rumble was wriggling in his seat, little wings fluttering, a beaming smile spread across his face- and felt another serge of love for him. He was such a charming little pony, full of the unbridled enthusiasm and hope of the young; so innocent and bright. And it warmed her heart to know she had a hoof in his upbringing; that there was even a slight chance she had helped make him who he was.
“I did.” She smiled, “I found out Rumble’s parents were renting their attic and I moved in as soon as I could. The rest, as they say, is history. Everypony in Ponyville knows where I live, what I do, and that I’m…kind of the butt of a lot of jokes. I know that, just like everypony else knows that. But very few ponies here in Ponyville actually took the time to get to know me…Or to know how and why I came here.”
Derpy paused for a moment, trying to think of how she wanted to sum up the story; how she could best explain. She hadn’t told the story to vilify her parents, or even garner sympathy for herself. And she certainly hadn’t told of her friendship with Surprise simply to boost her own popularity among the citizens of Ponyville.
But would the little ponies understand that?
“I found a new family when I came here; I found my heart family. I never belonged there, in the clouds; I was always meant to be here, with Rumble’s family, working on the Weather Team.” She said slowly, placing a thoughtful hoof against her chin, “Being friends with Surprise and sharing in her view of the world helped me to find the bravery needed to take her punishment and make such a sacrifice for her as I did. But really, it was my parents who made me the way I am.”
Her voice was quiet, full of consideration for the past. “And I don’t mean scared and uncertain of myself. My mom and dad were a certain way –mean, aloof, cold- and it taught me…They taught me, without even knowing it, not to be like them. They showed me the wrong way to act and I…I didn’t let myself become like them. I learned instead to look at the whole pony, not just judge somepony by their appearance. Money doesn’t make you happy. Beauty doesn’t make you kind. Fame doesn’t make you good. And, just like that, goofy eyes don’t make you ugly. Poor flying doesn’t make you useless. And thinking differently doesn’t make you stupid. I came here with nothing but a few bits and the lessons my parents –and Surprise- had taught me…But if I ever leave here, it will be with everything good and wonderful in the world.”
A hush had fallen over the room again, and all the little ponies watched as Derpy trotted across the room to Rumble’s desk, where she gave the colt a warm, loving hug. He smiled, not at all embarrassed by the open display of affection as most colts his age would be, and nuzzled against her.
“It was ultimately because of my parents that I came here,” she concluded, “And I’m glad for that.”
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(Joke) Alt. Title: Are We There Yet?: Thunderlane's Speech
Damn, still have to wait to see what role Dinky has in this.....
And still no Surprise!!!
Is surprise going to make an appearance in the story? I just can't wait for more!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with the world. I love your story of Derpy.
1947542
I know; I'm annoyed with myself, because I'm eager to share that part. I should be posting it in the near future, though.
And Surprise will make her appearance soon!
1947549
Surprise will be showing up in Ponyville soon. I still have a lot more planned for this story!
1947568
Thank you for reading it. I think a great part of what helps make any story wonderful and successful is the support of the readers.
I hope you continue to enjoy it :)
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/185/722/1318563689003.jpg
This story gave me diabetes.
I have no regrets.
What makes this story awesome is your obvious love for the characters and your talent for writing.
1947975
Oh, we've got that covered!
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb2c8goB7L1qc5ffho1_1280.jpg
1948002
Thank you. It's taken me a long time to get this far and I hope to only continue to improve my writing abilities as time goes on
1947692
I was on the bus when I got an e-mail about this update... Lets just say I was so excited about it I'm not allowed back on that bus.
Great chapter, I love Derpy's storytelling skills (a.k.a yours
)
1947975
Yea....beware. I've had to get an insulin shot for reading this story.....
twice. so much 'DAWWWW!'
1948199
HA! Nice. And I know all about fandom excites on the bus.
oooo, good chapter. Now that Derpy's story is over, I want to see where the story is going now.
1950665
Hopefully, every one will see the next turn of the story tomorrow! I wrote more today :3
ok, so just finished re-reading this all since I had forgotten the story line. Still very good. I can't remember what chapter it was, but Thunderlane or Blossomforth mentioned noticing something white, possibly a stray cloud coming from Cloudsdale. Unless I'm wrong, they might be in for a bit of a suprise at that?
I think you did a great job of portraying rainbow! Great chapter.
Surge*
Thought you would like to BURN IT IN THE FIRES OF THE WARP!
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