Applejack's Day

"I... I..." whispers Derpy, tears streaming from her red eyes. What is Derpy doing out here?
"Why are ya here? Big Mac needs ta get his work done, and he can't concentrate with ya cryin'. Now tell me what's got into ya."
"Okay..." says Derpy in a more audible tone. "I was going... to the spa with friends. I was walking along when I heard crying. I went to see what was going on, leaving my friends to do their own thing. I saw the bullies from flight school mocking a filly, I think her name is Scootaloo... so I went to help her. I told the bullies to get lost and that bullying was horrible. They called me a cross-eyed idiot who can't fly straight. I got really upset, but I still told them to get lost. Then one of them hit me, and hit a flower out of my hair that my daughter picked for me. They stepped on it, then I came here."
"That's not good, sugarcube." I say. Trying to calm the pegasus down, I put my leg reassuringly around the sitting mare's body. I feel her heartbeat; it is rather quick. She looks at me with gleaming, hopeful eyes. I look back into her bright yellow eyes, then I realize what I'm doing. I shake my head.

Don't lose it, I think. I've got to help this pony. I settle myself down on the cool grass. I take off my stetson hat, holding it to my chest, leaving my mane in a yellow mess. The smell of fresh grass fills my nostrils as I take a deep breath, then push all of the air out of my lungs. I take my hoof from around Derpy's body, then silence. I close my eyes for a moment, sigh, then open them again.
"Ah wanna tell ya a story, Derpy."
Derpy sniffs, but she is taking notice of me, so I carry on.
"Well, yer gonna 'ave ta sit 'ere long if ya wanna listen."
Derpy nods.
"When ah was a little filly, ah never got mah way. Ah wished that one day ah'd get mah way, but that time never seemed to come. One day mah friend was gettin' bullied, so ah rushed to her side. Ah stood up ta that bully and, surprisingly, he went because of the strength of mah very words. Words are powerful, ya know."
Derpy looks at me, a true smile forming on her face.
"Ah bet ah sound like somepony who does speeches, don't ah?"
Derpy giggles.
"Whenever ya 'ave a problem, come ta me. Ah'm always open fer ya."
"O-okay..." Derpy wraps her legs around me, crying, but managing a faint smile. Her fur is hot, hotter than a winter coat that just came off of a warm radiator on a cold winter day.

I put my stetson back on and tip it. "Ya'd better get ta the spa."
Derpy laughs. "T-thank you, s-so much..." she releases me from her tight embrace.
Derpy pushes down on her hooves, flaps her wings and flies away, leaving only me and the apple tree. It is a weak apple tree, but it carries on whatever the weather. That reminds me of Derpy. I'll never forget her.

I shake myself out of my thoughts. Derpy is still in view, so I shout, "Derpy! Come back a minute!"
At first she doesn't hear me, but after a few shouts, I have her attention. Tiny clouds dot the skies as she floats down to the ground next to me. I stand on my back legs and pain shoots through my body. I want to recoil and lay down, but I don't. My bandages loosen as I reach up at one of the apples on the apple tree. I reach further.
"Aargh!" I say.
Derpy looks in confusion, then realizes what I'm doing. "No, no, Applejack. I couldn't accept that."

I still try to pick the apple. I reach up and... finally! I've got it! I go back down onto all fours, then hold my hoof out, with a juicy red apple sitting on it. It is cool, refreshing, and (In my eyes) special. My emerald green eyes stare into hers.
"Please Derpy, take it. It reminds me of ya." I say.
"Okay," she says. "But I still feel a bit guilty."
"Don't, ah want ya ta take it." I insist.
Derpy reaches over and takes it in her grey hooves.
"Thank you, bless you." says Derpy, looking into my eyes, her eyes welling up.
"Aww, shucks." I blush.
Derpy wraps me in her hooves.
"What were ya goin' to the spa fer anyway? Was it just to chat with friends or was it somethin' else?" I frown.
"I was going to talk about charity... about how I was going to put 500 bits towards it."
"What charity?"
"Fight Homelessness." she says calmly.
"Ah've heard of that." I reply, a smile forming on my face.
"Every bit feeds one homeless pony for a day."
I don't wan't to let go of Derpy anymore. She's so generous, but nothing lasts forever. She lets go of me and says, "Thank you. You've done so much for me."
"Ya've done so much fer me, Derpy."
We release each other.
"I'd better be off."
"Yep." I reply, looking off into the distance and raising a hoof to my face to block the rays of the sun. The sun would soon be dipping below the horizon and disappearing.
"Now go, Derpy."
Derpy flaps her wings quickly and flies off.
"That pony sure is somethin' special."

I look into the sky, which is beginning to turn into shades of orange as my new found friend glides into the distance. I sigh, giving a tip of my old stetson hat.
"Somethin' special..." I repeat.