The Ballad of Xyclone

Ponyville, Equestria, midday

"Guys, wait up!" I yelled, trying to catch up to the group. "Slow down!" When I finally caught up, Vinyl Scratch said something to me.

"Hey, wanna race to the edge of Ponyville? I betcha 5 bits ya can't beat me!"

"Oh, you're on!" I said back. We then darted past the rest of the ponies, almost knocking Rainbow Dash over in the process.

"Hey!" she yelled. "Watch where you're going!"

"Heh, sorry!" I called back. In no time, I reached the edge of the town. I reared up onto my two hind legs victoriously. "Hah! In your face!" I called to Vinyl, who was still a good distance back. "Ha-ha! Victorious—!"

"LOOK OUT BELOW!!!!" I heard a voice call, interrupting my victory dance. I looked up to see a blonde-maned, gray-furred pegasus pony heading straight for me.

"Oh, shi—" I started to say, but was unable to finish. "OOF!" I grunted as the pony slammed into me.

"OOPS!" the pony said. "MY BAD!"

"D-Did anyone get the number of that truck?" I asked goofily. "The muffins are under the washing machine!"

"MUFFINS?!" exclaimed the pony on top of me. "WHERE?!"

I started returning to normal. "What the—?" I asked. I saw Lyra galloping up to me.

"Oh, my gosh!" she cried. "Xyclone! Are you okay?!"

I nodded dizzily. Lyra turned to the gray pegasus pony on my chest.

"And you!" she scolded. "What in the wide world of Equestria do you think you're doing?! Running into other ponies like that! You're a pegasus! Don't you know how to fly?!"

"Sorry!" the gray pony responded. "I was flying perfectly fine, and then I started falling! I just don't know what went wrong!"

"Wait a minute..." I said. "Where have I heard that phrase before?" Then it hit me. "Holy crap! You're Ditzy Doo!"

The pegasus nodded. "That's right!" she said. "Although, you don't have to call me that! Nopony else calls me that. Everypony calls me Derpy Hooves! I don't know why. Actually...now that I think about it, no one's ever called me by my actual name. And I've never seen you around here before! Who are you? How do you know my name?"

Lyra sighed. "It's a long story," she said. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're trying to help Princess Celestia with a problem she has, and—" As Lyra started walking away, Derpy interrupted her.

"Ooh, can I come?!" she asked ecstatically.

"NO!" shouted Lyra. "You'll just slow us down! What with your clumsiness—"

"HEY!" I stepped in front of Lyra, staring her down angrily. She backed up as I approached her. "You do NOT talk to Derpy that way! Just because she's clumsier than the rest of us and her eyes are messed up does NOT mean she's any lower on the social ladder than the rest of us!" I gasped suddenly. I didn't mean to yell at Lyra like that; she looked guilty.

"I...I'm sorry," she said apologetically. "I-I didn't know you were so fond of her." She turned to Derpy then. "I'm so sorry," she said to her. "I didn't mean to be so brash."

"Oh, it's fine!" Derpy replied, smiling. "It's happens to me so much, I've grown used to it!"

"Uh...Okay?" said Lyra, confused. "Anyway, can you forgive me?"

"Of course!!" Derpy beamed adorably.

"Thank you," continued Lyra. "And you're completely welcome to join us on our journey! Celestia said we'll need all the help we can get! And anypony who's cool with Xyclone is cool with me!"

"Yay!" cheered Derpy.

"Alright," I spoke up finally. "Now that that's cleared up, let's get going, shall we?" Everyone nodded in agreement. As we began walking again, Derpy came up to me.

"Thanks for standing up for me back there," she whispered to me.

"Oh, don't even mention it!" I replied back. "It's nothing, really!"

"Oh, but it is something!" Derpy continued. "Nopony's ever stood up for me like that, not since Rainbow Dash did to some bullies once, but that was way back when we were fillies. I don't know who you are, but I feel like I can already call you one of the nicest ponies I've ever met!"

I smiled and blushed at the same time. "Xyclone," I told her, holding out my hoof to her. "Just call me Xyclone!"

Derpy then held out her hoof and we shook them. "I'm Ditzy, but everyone calls me Derpy," she said, then laughed. "But I guess you already knew that, huh?"

I laughed as well. "You know, Derpy, I have a feeling that we're gonna become great friends one day."

"Hey, what're y'all standin' around for?" I heard Applejack call back from ahead. "Aren't y'all comin'?" she asked.

I then realized that I was behind again. "Coming!" I yelled.

"Hey, wait for me too!" hailed Derpy.