The Bubbly Mare

3, 2
"Little Things"

Derpy sat in the Sweet Apple Acres living room. Staring out the window, watching the rainfall... she was bored. It was Saturday afternoon and normally she'd be off playing with Applejack, but today the orange filly was tied up with chores for at least an hour... even in the rain, she and Big Mac still had to do them.

It wasn't all bad, though. Derpy still had Mommy, Granny Smith and even Amethyst today. They were all off in the kitchen talking, Amethyst giving Dinky and Apple Bloom lunch while the two other grown-ups talked about grown-up things. Dinky was always so quiet when she was eating. Derpy already had lunch, Amethyst brought some home-made muffins, which were currant-flavored. Derpy thought that was kind of a funny name, but everypony liked them... even though she liked Granny Smith's apple spice muffins a little bit more.

"Derpy?"

The voice was familiar, but it still startled her. Jumping, Derpy turned around to see Mommy.

"Uh-huh?"

The mare smiled, clutching her tummy as she sat down on the couch. She chuckled under her breath.

"You look bored, Sweetie."

Derpy found herself shrugging.

"I dunno."

Smiling again, Mommy opened her forelegs. The filly dove into her big belly without hesitation, feeling the warmth of her embrace. Mommy was always so much bigger and stronger than her, it made her feel so comfortable and secure.

"I know you want to go out and play, Sweetie, but-" Mommy pulled a foreleg back, giving Derpy the room to look up. She did so, grinning, "when you're bored, it's usually the best time to try new things." Mommy patted Derpy on the back, then once playfully on the rump. The filly couldn't help giggling. The two hugged, and all was silent for a moment. "Derpy, Mommy's trying to tell you something."

"Um... what?"

She felt her mommy stroking her mane. She looked up again.

"We've all been thinking about it -- me, Granny Smith, even Amethyst. We think it's time you get some chores of your own to do. Like Applejack."

"Um..." Derpy thought for a moment. She was curious about chores and it was fun to help out, especially with Applejack, but she didn't live anywhere near Sweet Apple Acres. Most of the stuff she had done involved feeding farm animals. "Okee."

"Derpy..." Mommy let out a sigh, shaking her head. "I thought you'd be more excited. You're not worried I'm going to send you out in the rain, are you?"

Derpy shook her head, giggling.

"Good, because we don't have your raincoat! Now... why don't we go into the kitchen?"

Derpy nodded rapidly. "Okee!" She backed away and watched Mommy get up slowly. Once up the two cantered toward the kitchen, where everypony sat, either talking or still being fed.

* * *

First thing Derpy saw was Granny Smith smiling at her from the counter.

"So ya want some chores to do, huh?" she asked the moment Derpy stepped in. The older mare flashed a toothy grin. "Did I ever tell ya how glad I am yer Applejack's friend?"

"Um... nope."

The older mare chuckled, motioning Derpy toward the sink.

"Most fillies and colts yer age tend to think chores are just icky, and they can be... but that's only part of it. Sometimes ya get to do things ya like with ponies ya like to do 'em with, and sometimes ya have to do things ya don't like with ponies ya don't like either!"

Derpy grinned, rocking a bit. Granny Smith smiled, nodding her head.

"So! Here's what Ah want ya to do..." She motioned the filly towards the table.

"You sure you're okay with her doing this?" Mommy asked, causing Granny Smith to momentarily freeze. "I can think of other things right here which might be a bit less... well, breakable."

The older mare looked back, giving Mommy a warm smile... much like Mommy would do to Derpy every time she was unsure.

"It won't bother me, none! She's gotta learn if'n you want her to take care of herself someday." Granny Smith turned back to Derpy. "Get every dish and peice-a silverware, 'cept the one's Amethyst's usin', and bring 'em here. Take the plates, put 'em under th' dishes... ain't gotta do it all in one trip."

Turning to the table Derpy saw Mommy looking towards her from the side.

"It's okay, Sweetie."

For some reason the way Mommy stared at her was making her feel funny. It was like something was wrong, but Derpy didn't know what. She couldn't help looking back, staring there a moment, waiting for Mommy to say something... anything.

"Focus on what yer doin'," Granny Smith said. "Yer mom's just watchin'. It's natural!"

Derpy looked back, then at the dishes... focusing on the closest one. It was hard for her to focus her vision, as on her right side everything usually looked blurry, but she adjusted herself and walked up slowly, picking up a plate. This was the first time she ever picked up more than her own food stuffs, Mommy and Amethyst always took out everything and cleaned it up. Derpy couldn't help smiling as she turned around and walked away from the table all by herself.

She set the plate on the counter, where Granny Smith gently patted.

"Get another."

Derpy turned and picked up a glass, setting it on the counter.

"Good," said Amethyst Star.

Lunch had been fifteen minutes ago. There were still places set for everypony and quite a few dishes out. Derpy approached, picked up a plate, placing a dish on it. A teacup, that made a neat tingling noise as it slid. Turning towards Granny Smith with it held up high Derpy heard that little tingle again:

Slllippp- chinggkk!

The filly looked down to see the teacup on the floor across the kitchen, it's decorative little grip (for species other than pony) shattered. She looked up at Granny Smith. The older mare nodded.

"Careful now," she said, picking up the broken pieces and setting them to the side. "It happens. Fortunately that particular set's just somethin' Ah picked up at a yard sale a few years back. The plates do have sentimental value, though!"

"One at a time, kid," Amethyst said. "Take as long as you need."

"But please be careful!" Mommy added. "You wouldn't want to make Granny Smith sad."

"Oh, don't say such things like that, Diamond!" Granny Smith smiled. "It's okay to tell her to be careful, but in this kitchen we gotta trust her to do the best she can! She's gotta learn, for everypony, right? Ya came to me sayin' that."

For some reason Derpy found herself smiling. She couldn't exactly say why, but she felt happy hearing this.

One-by-one, sometimes two with one in each hoof, Derpy brought the dishes to the sink. When she was getting to the last few, Granny Smith started filling the sink with steamy water. Derpy found this all relaxing... getting one dish after the other, going a little bit faster each time. Maybe even faster if it wasn't for Mommy:

"Slow down, sweetie."

It made her frustrated, but that was okay, because soon Derpy had all of them at the sink.

* * *

"One by one we take 'em," Granny Smith said, pouring a bit of soap from a squeeze bottle into the water. "And with just a dollop of soap, we wash 'em." The older mare took a sponge, putting the plate under water, bringing it up while wiping it off in a circular motion, then doing the process again a few more times. "After ya dun see no more food, wipe it off again to be sure, then," suddenly the water was on," quick rinse..." She grabbed a towel from her right, "dry, then set 'em up in the drainer and move on!"

The filly looked on as the older mare stepped aside, going under the sink to get a step stool.

"Go ahead... you do it, and Ah'll just see the first couple."

Derpy looked up at her, then down at the warm, sudsy water.

"Okee."

She stepped up, grabbing a teacup.

It made sense to Derpy to clean it inside to out. She looked at Granny Smith for some sort of cue. The older mare looked back, nodding her head.

"Go on."

Derpy started by submerging the dish (and her hooves) in what she soon found to be very hot water. She reflexively yanked them out, leaving the dish... then looked to her right, to be greeted by yet another soft grin and a nod. She heard a chair pull back.

"Stay where ya are, Diamond," Granny Smith said, firmly. "She ain't gunna get hurt."

"It's hot," Derpy said, under her breath.

"Well, it's gotta be..." the older Mare gestured towards the steam. "Gets 'em clean! Your hooves will get used to it 'fore ya know it. Now reach in there and grab the cup ya dropped. Do it fast if ya gotta. Nothin' bad'll happen to ya, but it might smart a bit."

Derpy stuck her hoof into the water again, slowly, pulling it back and looking up at Granny Smith... who nodded again at the water.

"Quick."

Derpy stuck her hooves in lightening fast, grabbing the cup, feeling that the heat of the water got more intense the deeper she went... but she held on and pulled up. Granny Smith gave her a sponge, and... immediately she began shoving it inside, trying to make it spin in a circle. When Mommy did this it looked much easier. Derpy still tried.

"Yer gettin' it," Granny Smith said, leaning back. "Now pull it out, give the outside a wipe down, and I'd say do it... two more times."

Derpy pulled the sponge out and gave the outside a "wipe down" as Granny Smith had called it... going so far as to work the sponge inside its tiny intact grip. She then put it under the sudsy water and wiped it down again. This time went by much quicker, with Granny Smith nodding and praising Derpy for her second time through, all the while watching. Making the old food stuffs go away made Derpy feel kind of good, almost excited, plus it made the dish clean.

The filly held the dish out and Granny Smith briefly turned on the water. Soon the dish shined, suds free. When that happened, the older mare placed it upside down on the rack right beside the sink.

"Ah'll show ya how to do that with each type-a dish, but after that yer on yer own."

Derpy looked up, grinning. She couldn't help it. She looked at Mommy again, who looked back at her, sitting up tall. She looked over at Amethyst, who was just finishing up feeding the foals, but she still looked up at her... smiling.

"I'm doing it," the filly said, with a wide smile.

"Yes, you are," replied Mommy.

"Good job, kid."

Granny Smith patted her on the back as she turned to clean yet another dish.

* * *

Soon enough all the dishes were clean and in the drainer. Derpy had put most of them there herself. She turned to Granny Smith when done, the older mare already having something else in mind for her to do. The kitchen had fallen silent, and, strangely... Derpy was okay with not being told she'd done a good job again. If anything, she felt hyper.

Granny Smith entered the pantry, all the while speaking to Derpy:

"Yer new job, should you choose to accept it, is to make all the dirt on the floor disappear. Ah think you can do that...." She poked her head out for a second, grinning. "Well, what'd you think, Diamond?" Before Mommy could answer the older mare went back inside and emerged with two tools -- an old broom and dustpan. She held them towards the filly. "Hmm?"

Taking the tools, Derpy smiled. She didn't realize it, but Granny Smith was treating her like a big pony -- she even had a choice. She could say no, but this was quickly becoming kind of neat.

The older mare stepped toward Derpy and stood a little too close while giving instructions, but she still listened. The filly didn't look up, but she heard everything, nodding and watching. The instructions barely took a minute, though unlike the dishes there was nothing to break and no heat.

As Granny Smith stood in close ponies began to move. Mommy and Amethyst picked up Dinky and Apple Bloom, heading into the den right beside the living room. Granny Smith overturned a few chairs, Mommy joining her just in time to get the last one.

"All the dust, now. Even under the table," Granny Smith said.

"Be careful not to knock the chairs on your back," Mommy added. "We'll be right outside. I'll be watching you carefully, Sweetie. I- I'd like to see you do good!"

"She'll be fine," Granny Smith said, motioning towards the doorway. "Come on. We can hear if something goes wrong, we ain't gotta watch."

Just like that they were all gone.

* * *

Derpy stood a moment, grinning... left alone to do a job. "Neat." She then turned to start in.

Sweeping wasn't so hard... if anything, it was easier than the dishes. Sort of. It took more than a few tries to actually move the dust and not have it fly everywhere. Granny Smith suggested "keepin' the broom upright unless ya haveta to go down low", so that's what Derpy tried. Soon enough it made sense. Sometimes things worked that way... what Derpy didn't understand at first she would after a few tries if left alone, especially if she could use her hooves and not just have to listen.

Like the dishes, Derpy found this relaxing to do by herself. When she looked outside of the room she could see Mommy had turned her chair so it was facing the doorway, like she said she would. That was okay, though... Derpy could hear Granny Smith talking, more than she could hear Mommy.

Derpy had no idea how long she had been doing this. Just sweeping and cleaning the dishes... whenever she had a full dustpan, into the dustbin it went... though the first time she had to sweep it up twice because she spilled it on the way. This wasn't easy because it was right against the counter, but she did it and moved on, just like she was told to. Eventually she heard slow steps approaching the doorway.

"Ah think yer done," said Granny Smith, quietly. "And Ah'm proud-a ya!"

"We all are!" said Amethyst, from the other room.

"Very much Sweetie," Mommy said, leaning right behind the door so Derpy could only kind of see her.

Derpy looked at the broom, then her hooves, and up at Granny Smith.

"Ya all right?"

The filly nodded.

"One more place ya can clean... would you like that?"

Derpy found herself smiling.

"Uh-huh."

"Well, come on then!"

There was just one more place to clean and Granny Smith took Derpy there. Derpy could appreciate going slowly, which they did...Granny Smith wasn't like a filly or colt, who usually ran too fast. This place was past the living room and den, in a narrow spot well out of the way, though Derpy walked through it almost every time she came to Sweet Apple Acres. She was left wondering at first, passing both Mommy and Amethyst along the way, eventually figuring out where she was headed to the main entrance of the farmhouse.

* * *

It was cold there, but not too cold. Maybe a tad dusty.

"Been 'bout a week since Ah last swept it up," Granny Smith said. "Soon we'll have hot coco for y'all to enjoy... not too cold out here, are ya?"

Derpy shook her head.

"Nope."

"Good, good. Should take ya a few... after that come on back!"

Just like that Granny Smith was gone again, but Derpy didn't really mind.

Derpy looked at the dusty walkway, bits of water right by the door, soaking the welcome mat. First thing she did was walk towards the mat, putting a hoof on it.

Wet and dirty.

"Derpy?" The voice came from behind her.

The filly jumped, even though she knew who it was. She turned around quickly.

"Mommy?"

She saw her mommy smiling, leaning against the wall by the screen.

"I think what you're doing is really wonderful, Sweetie! I'm so proud of you."

"Um..." Derpy looked at her hooves. "Thanks!"

The mare's smile grew.

"Sorry we didn't get to try this sooner. I really wanted to." Mommy chuckled. "I guess grown-ups can be pretty silly sometimes, huh?"

Derpy paused for a moment... blinking.

"Um... okay."

Mommy shook her head.

"Sorry, that's just more grown-up talk." She turned around. "Mommy's being silly again, Sweetie. Don't worry! She's happy for you. Always."

"Okee."

With a smile Mommy went away and Derpy turned right back to the doormat, picking up... her mission: to make all the dirt and dust go away. There was a tall narrow trashcan just to the left of her by the door. Any dust could go in there, Granny Smith didn't need to explain that. All was set. She was also kind of happy to see there wasn't a whole lot of dust under the mat when she picked it up off the floor, just a little soupy mud which Derpy managed to sweep under the porch door where the rain took it away. Even though she was new at this, Derpy could already tell this wasn't going to take very long. She put the mat back, grinning.

* * *

The filly could smell hot coco all the way from the other end of the farmhouse. She looked forward to it, and she was just about done when she heard a sound.

Thunk, thunk... thunk!

It was loud and right outside. As she looked up, the door swung open. Standing there, in his green raincoat, was Big Macintosh. He smiled when he saw Derpy standing at the opposite end of their porch, in the warm way he always did that she thought was kind of neat. Derpy couldn't help nodding, as she didn't know what else to do. Wiping his hooves he breezed passed, glancing at the broom in her hooves, and Applejack stopped just after the doorway, stripping off her yellow raincoat, wiping her hooves and blinking.

"Derpy... are you sweepin' up our porch?"

"Yup, yup!" The filly set the broom down. "Granny Smith gave me some chores to do!"

"And you're excited...? Well, how 'bout that. Doesn't surprise me, though." Applejack shook her head, chuckling while sniffing the air. "Say, I know what that is! Smells like it might hit the spot 'bout now."

Derpy giggled.

"Uh-huh."

"Well, what'd ya say we all go enjoy it then? We've worked hard today, huh?"

"Okee."

As Applejack approached, her raincoat over her back, Derpy turned with the broom and dustpan. They walked together into the house, setting their stuff aside by the walkway while heading into the den with the rest of their families. The two Apple children were outside twenty minutes longer than expected on account of the thick mud, but Derpy didn't even notice. She was too busy with her own stuff, cleaning spots well past the point of actually being cleaned... it kept her occupied, plus it made her feel good and taught her a skill she could take home and always use.

Mommy was proud. Granny Smith and Amethyst were proud, too. Sitting down to tell the two Apple children over coco what she'd done for the past hour, they seemed quite proud. Most importantly Derpy couldn't have been happier, though that was easy to tell just by looking at her. It was a feeling she would appreciate even more when she was older.