Protecting Derpy Hooves

Foster opened the door to his house and let it shut behind him. He walked over to his couch and slumped down. Derpy was gone. Not forever, though. That fact kept Foster's spirits up as high as they could go. He should have stayed longer. He should have talked with Derpy more. He should have... Foster stopped himself. Thinking about what he should have done would not help. Derpy's last words ricocheted is his mind. Keep myself busy, how am I supposed to do that? Foster thought. He didn't see himself finding an answer anytime soon. Plus, he was tired. Instead, he got up and climbed the stairs. He knocked on his mother's door. Instead of saying 'come in,' she just hummed what it would sound like. Foster pushed it open. Sitting at a desk was his mother. She was wearing glasses with a pencil between her ear and head. She had two piles of papers. One smaller pile in front of her and a second, almost comically, larger pile to her left.

"What's going on, love?" she asked Foster, not looking up from her work. Foster internally sighed.

"Eh, nothing much. You?" he asked back. His mother shrugged.

"Just finishing up some work. There has been a lot of customers, lately. Speaking of, have you been eating carrots recently?" she turned to Foster. Determined not to have him lie. There was something about him ditching school that didn't seem right. Foster shook his head. "Well they're very good for your eyesight. Can you be a dear and grab some for you and me?" Foster nodded and did as he was asked. He got back up to her room to see that the piles of paper had switched. The larger in front of Foster's mom, the smaller to her left.

"Are you starting over?" Foster asked. His mother laughed nervously.

"Of course I am, turns out that, silly ol' me, did something wrong... on every. Paper." she laughed again. But it died away quickly. "Oh, you have the carrots. Good. Just split them, half for me and half for you. But, I'm really sorry to say, but I really need privacy because having to redo ALL these papers is putting me in a bad mood. I'll play with you later, though." Foster left and shut the door. He bit into a carrot and walked into his room and threw himself onto the bed. It had been long since he had so much time to spare. Tomorrow morning he have to find something to keep him busy. For a month. Since tomorrow was a weekend he would have the whole day. He fell asleep. But right before he slipped into unconsciousness his last thought was of what Derpy could be doing right now. Then he was out like the candle he forgot to blow out.

The balloon ride had been beautiful. Derpy got to see the sunset from a completely new point of view. She felt that this month was gonna be okay. There were a few other Pegasi in the balloon with her, making it rather cramped, but Derpy didn't mind. After all, she had this view to marvel at. The different shades of red, orange, and yellow were magnificent. The higher they went up, the longer it lasted. Derpy was lost until a thick white cloud blocked the sunset. She mentally sighed as she remembered the times when she and Foster watched the sunset together. Derpy shook her head. She kept acting like she'd never see him again. She decided that when she got to her room, the first thing she would do was write a letter to Foster. Her parents gave her a satchel after they decided they'd see her off as she got on the balloon instead of seeing her off as she left for the balloon. Anyways, inside the satchel was everything she'd need. Paper, quill, snacks, everything. Derpy wondered how they'd gotten it all to fit. A male Pegasi guided her and the others to a building made of clouds. It looked to be a hotel. Derpy had forgotten how soft clouds were. The Pegasus guided them through the doors and they were met with a female Pegasus. She introduced her name and what she was to them.

"I'm your dorm master. If you need anything, I'm here." The ponies had already been paired with roomates. Derpy's name was called last. She was paired up with a mare named Morning Mist. Derpy looked around to see who Morning Mist was, but everypony was talking to each other. The dorm master had them follow her through the building as she assigned them their rooms. Derpy was the second assignment. "Derpy and Morning Mist, room seven. You'll receive a letter at nine o'clock with each of your schedules and an extra just in case. Goodnight, girls." Derpy saw the door close and assumed that Morning Mist had already entered. She entered, too. Morning Mist had already set her bag down and took out a pillow. She placed it back inside as she saw a cloud pillow had already been placed on the bed. She assumed that one was more comfortable. Derpy placed her satchel down and put on a smile.

"Hello, Morning Mist, how are you?" Derpy said, trying to make a conversation with her new roomy. Morning Mist turned and looked to Derpy. Her eyes immediately shot to Derpy's bad eyes. Derpy's fears that her roommate was mean had been awoken. She didn't want to have to move rooms. But Morning Mist didn't make a comment.

"I'm fine. How 'bout you?" she asked.

"I'm alright, it was kinda hard to leave family and friends behind, though," Derpy said, once again thinking about Foster. Morning turned back to unloading her bag.

"It always is. I didn't go with being a shoulder for a few to cry on." Derpy got a good look at Morning Mist. She had a red mane and a yellow coat. Her eyes were yellow and she had a cutie mark of cloud with the sun poking out behind it. Out of the corner of Derpy's eye, she saw a white square slide under the door. She walked over to it and picked it up. It was labeled 'FLIGHT SCHOOL SCHEDULE.' Derpy ripped it open and looked inside. In it were four papers. Like the dorm master said, two for her, two for her roommate. She took out her two and handed the others to Morning Mist.

"Here's you schedule," Morning Mist thanked her and took the envelope. Retrieving her own two out and discarding the envelope. "Wait, can I have that envelope? I could use I to write to my friend," Morning Mist got the envelope and handed it back to Derpy. After unpacking Derpy took her quill and ink bottle, presealed, and sat down at the desk next to her bed. She opened the ink bottle and set the cap next to it. She dipped the quill into it and touched it to the envelope. She wrote:

Dear Foster,

It's me Derpy. I have already settled in and my roommate seems nice. I have lots of classes, each one covering a different aspect of flying. The beds here are extremely comfortable. I will take some cloud home to give you for sure, it's a miracle I'm able to get up after laying down. Anyways, I'd like to hear about what you've been doing, so be sure to write back. It'll be like I never left. See you, soon.

Your friend

Derpy.

She rushed out the door to find the dorm master. She found her in the lobby.

"A letter? Already? Somepony's popular, eh? Haha, I'll get it sent out no problem," and with that, Derpy slept soundly.