Protecting Derpy Hooves

Foster woke up, but not with a groan. Not this time. He jumped out of bed and brushed his teeth, ate breakfast, and threw himself out the door. The whole time he was walking he was looking up. Looking for Derpy. Foster had his doubts that she might come back to school. Foster didn't want her to not come back, but he didn't want her to come and get bullied. So he left the decision to Derpy. All through the night he was worried about her. Worried that she might never come to school again, worried that she had to move again, just worried. He kept telling himself:

"You'll find out, don't worry," Foster repeated to himself. He stopped as he realized he was about to run into the directional sign of Ponyville. Not today, he thought. Following the direction the sign pointed, he entered Ponyville. Lots of ponies already fussing about. One mare setting up an apple stand, another selling balloons, Ponyville was already alive. As he walked, Foster had passed up the point where he always met Derpy to walk to school. He looked up. No sign of his friend anywhere. He lowered his head and continued walking. He walked into the school once again worried. She wasn't coming. She had already been taken out. All because he didn't protect her. He felt awful. He wouldn't be surprised if she moved. He walked to his seat.

"Hey, Foster!" somepony said.

"Oh, hey, Derpy," Foster said taking his seat and letting his head slam on the desk. As soon as it went down it shot up. He turned around. And there she was. Same blonde mane, same gray coat, same smile. "Derpy! You're here!" Foster said throwing his arms up. Derpy's smile widened.

"Of course I am, silly," she said.

"I thought you... left?" Foster said, not knowing how to word it.

"It's gonna take a lot more to take this filly down," Derpy said, pounding her chest with her hoof twice. Foster laughed. He had completely misjudged her. No, he had underestimated her. Here he thought she'd quit after one or two critisizing remarks. But she was still here. Foster respected her.

"Glad you're here," Foster said. Mrs. Dandy called for attention.

"Okay children, be seated... in your own seats. Okay, today we are going to learn about the different kinds of ponies. Specifically, Earth ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi. Will you raise your hoof if you are a... an Earth pony?" Foster raised his hand. About four others raised their hand, too. Mrs. Dandy continued the roll call of species. Now that Foster's worries of Derpy were disproved, he could think more clearly. Now he remebered what he had to do after school. He had detention. He wasn't angry about it. But he wasn't thrilled, either. He just didn't mind. He heard a shift behind him and he assumed Mrs. Dandy called for the Pegasi to raise their hooves. If there was anything he feared, it was recess. Where Dezzy had the chance to pick on Derpy. He had to think of something. How to avoid that situation. It wasn't until before recess had he figured out a plan. Between trying to think and also participate in class, he didn't have much time to think. But the idea he did come up with was sure to work. The bell rang and the kids piled out of the door to the playground area. Derpy and Foster walked out. Derpy turned toward the table they sat at yesterday.

"Hey, Derpy, let's sit somewhere different," Foster said, beckoning her over. He walked over to a different table. This one was almost next to the one Mrs. Dandy sat at recess to watch the children and grade their papers. Derpy nodded in understanding. They sat down Derpy began to tell stories. Foster swore he even saw Mrs. Dandy seem to listen sometimes. One of her ears twitching, or an eye looking at them. Foster looked around and saw Dezzy looking at them. Foster smiled and she sneered at him.

"This was a clever idea, Foster." Derpy said. Foster thanked her. "But my mouth is getting tired. And you haven't told me a single story!  Your turn is long overdue." Foster looked around. He remembered one story. One that his mother used to tell her when he'd have nightmares. But he didn't want to tell it. To anypony. Ever. That story was the most special thing he had. And he felt that if he shared it, it would lose it's meaning. It would be just another story. Foster decided to lie.

"I... don't know any stories," he said. Derpy raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing? Not even a single tale?" Foster now decided to tell the truth.

"Nope. Most of my babyhood I forgot, and my mom never tells me any stories," he said. Then the bell rang again. Derpy frowned.

"Well you gotta get some. It feels like I'm the only one contributing to this relationship," Derpy said sarcastically. Foster smiled and they walked together to the school. The rest of class went well. After it, Foster watched all the other fillies and foals walk away. He stayed. Mrs. Dandy turned to him. But not directly at him. First she looked at him. Then she looked behind him. Foster turned around confused. Only to be met with the nervously smiling face of Derpy.

"What are you doing here?" Foster asked. Derpy didn't give an answer.

"Foster, can you explain your actions from yesterday?" she asked. Foster fiddled with his hooves.

"I... um. No. Not really. I don't think is was thinking."

Mrs. Dandy looked surprised.

"And that is exactly why you are here. Always think before you act. Always!" Mrs. Dandy said, regaining her posure. "Foster, you are dismissed." Foster looked up, surprised. Mrs. Dandy walked over and leaned her head down to his. "Thank you for protecting her," she whispered. Foster's jaw dropped. Now he knew why Derpy had gone to school early. "I said, you are dismissed!" Foster got up and walked out. Derpy behind him.

"You told her?" he asked.

"Of course! I'm not gonna let you get in trouble just because Dezzy is mean. It's not fair!" Derpy said.

"Thank you, Derpy," Foster said. "So how is she gonna handle it?" Foster motioned to the school.

"She won't do anything to sell us out, but she will move Dezzy on the far left side of the room, us on the far right. And she'll keep an eye on us at recess. But she said 'anything besides that, I'll leave to Foster.'" Foster's jaw dropped again once Derpy finished speaking. The words replayed in his head 'anything besides that, I'll leave to Foster.' So now, not only did Derpy depend on him, so did his teacher. She obviously wants Derpy safe, else she wouldn't move us or watch us. Now he had two people to dissapoint. This made him nervous, but determined. He knew how it felt to let one person down, Derpy, he wouldn't let himself let two people down.

"Wait, my mom thinks I'm in detention right now. If I went home, she'd think I'd skipped," Foster said. Derpy shot up now flying around Foster.

"Oh! Oh! I know how to kill some time! Let's go to... Sugar Cube Corner!" She landed, but she was still hopping. Foster took a step forward. He put his mouth next to her ear.

"... race ya" he whispered. Then he took off. Running to the place. He heard Derpy laugh, then saw her shoot over him. Showing incredible speed. Foster knew he would lose, but that didn't matter. When he got to the corner he saw Derpy waiting.

"What took you so long?" she said, winking. She walked in and placed the exact number of bits it cost to buy a muffin. By the way she knew where the place was, and how she knew exactly how many bits a muffin cost, Foster guessed she had recently been here. His guess was proven as the worker knew her name. She got the muffin and left with Foster. As soon as she left she opened up the bag and took out a blueberry muffin.

"You want half?" she asked Foster. Foster shook his head.

"It's all yours," Foster declined.

"I insist, you deserve it," Foster didn't see Derpy budging in her offer.

"Are you sure?" Derpy nodded and split it in half, some pieces and crumbs falling to the ground. Foster picked them up and threw them away. He came back to get the half muffin. "Thanks, Derpy," he said, taking a bite. And together they sat down. Talking about whatever they wanted.