The Bubbly Mare

1, 6
“Honesty"

It was early morning. Derpy's mane was still a bit messy, and her tummy grumbled (as she was still in need breakfast), but she was otherwise presentable. So was her house... and it better be, as she had company.

The pegasus looked Applejack in the eyes, but her guest was too focused on the task at hand. She had been over for only a few minutes, able to spare an hour from the farm, and they were already assessing the damage to the couch. Applejack pulled back the hanging cover -- which she noticed had a tear in it from the broken wood in the frame -- and nodded slowly.

"Ah should be able to fix this easy enough," she said, looking Derpy in her good eye. "Must've taken quite bit of force to break it like that, though. It split almost like it was wrenched... looks like a pegasus flew into it. How'd this happen?"

"Um, Thunderlane tripped and knocked the couch over," Derpy half lied, putting a hoof to the back of her head and not looking Applejack in the eyes. "He, um... fell on it. Hard. Nearly cracked his head open. Anyway, can you fix it today or are you going to have to come back sometime?"

Applejack knew Derpy wasn't telling her everything, but let it go. The only hint was a raised eyebrow... whatever had happened, though, was Derpy's business and probably personal.

"Ah can give you a temporary fix right now with just a bit o' twine from my saddle bag, but I'll need to come back in a couple days with some scrap planks to properly reinforce it."

"Oh." Derpy sighed. "Okay."

"Hey, you don't sound too happy. Were you hopin' your couch was ruined?"

"It's not that," Derpy looked up at Applejack, forcing a smile. "It was a special couch... mommy gave it to me from our old place. Anyway, um... will it be able to support two ponies again tonight?"

Applejack gave a sly smile.

"Of course. Provided you're not jumpin' on it." Derpy blushed furiously. Or makin' whoopie, the farm pony thought to herself. She couldn't help grinning. "It'll take just a few minutes, Derpy."

"Okay, um... then can I offer you a muffin or some milk?"

Applejack smiled again, this time less slyly.

"Well, that's mighty kind of you," she replied, laying the couch on its edge so she could get a better look. "I'll take a muffin, if'in I ain't deprivin' you none. Your tummy's been growling since Ah got here. It's almost noon. Ain't you had breakfast yet?"

Derpy was already headed for the kitchen.

"I came to get you first thing after I got up...," she said, going into the refrigerator. "I didn't sleep well last night. I didn't know how long this was gunna take, and I didn't expect you to come right over."

"Good timin', I guess." Applejack chuckled, searching through her bags for some twine. "Tradin' one project for another. Say, you don't sleep on the couch, do ya?"

"No, I've got a bed... I just kept thinking about last night and got really sad. Playing it in my head like a record." Derpy put a hoof to her mouth. She didn't want to tell Applejack too much about her personal problems. "It's not important." She loaded a plate up quickly, ready to change the subject. "I've got muffins."

Smiling, the pegasus headed into the living room with a plate as Applejack looked up from her task.

"Say," Applejack said, looking at the muffins. "Did you make these?"

"Oh, no... they're bought."

"Well, they look good."

"Thanks!"

In a matter of minutes, Applejack had wrapped around the broken wood tightly; she then set the couch up properly. The farm pony tested it by sitting on it, in a way like Lyra was fond of sitting on park benches. If it didn't break again with her leaning back, then it would probably be fine for now. She patted the other cushion.

"Come on! Test it with me. We'll break it in, or end up breakin' it."

Derpy hesitantly sat down beside Applejack, very slowly, unsure... offering her a muffin once the creaks finally stopped. Applejack took it, of course, and it disappeared quickly. Derpy picked one up, too.

"Um, AJ... Can I ask you something before you go?"

The farm pony's eyes went wide. She figured she might already know what this was about.

"Uh... sure! What's on your mind, sugarcube?"

"Have you ever had to tell Rainbow Dash anything you didn't want to?"

The orange pony grimaced, putting a hoof to the back of her neck. To say Derpy was being cryptic would have been an understatement.

"What'd ya mean?"

"Well, I wanna tell Thunderlane something important about myself.... and I don't know how he's gonna take it. I'm kinda scared."

"Well..." Applejack thought for a moment. "Is this something ya really have to tell him to keep things goin'?"

Derpy nodded, looking up at the earth pony and biting her lip.

"Ah see..." She let out a sigh. "Whew. Well, when it comes to things like that, me and RD just try and be direct with each other. She's a bit more liable to beat around the bush about things if they really matter to her, actin' like they don't. Don't tell her, but sometimes I think she's a bit of a big ol' fraidy cat when it comes to personal stuff. Fact you're havin' trouble talking about this means it's probably real important to ya. Sit him down and tell him, maybe show him how important this is to you. Showin' is better than tellin' half the time. If he's any respectable Special Somepony he'll hear ya out and understand why it's important. Well... hope that helped some."

Derpy grinned ear-to-ear, munching down the last muffin.

"Oh, very much!" She giggled. "Thank you! You've been a big help, Applejack."

"I'm glad." The farm pony got up and stretched. "If there's anything else I can do, just lemme know. If not, I'm headed back to the farm now."

"I can offer you another muffin, but you probably want to get going."

"'fraid so." Applejack turned towards the door. "It was good seein' ya again, Derpy. Don't be a stranger, now."

"I won't."

Applejack smiled, then walked out the door. Derpy followed, slowly, watching Applejack depart. She wished she was as strong as the farm pony, able to fix couches on her own. That would be nice.

Outside Derpy waved off Applejack as she headed down the road towards the farm. The pegasus was smiling sincerely for the first time in ten hours, which felt good after a fairly restless night. Her mind was without worry. Once Applejack went over the hill, Derpy was going to head back inside. Her plan was to rest up for now, maybe take a nap... as now she felt like she could. Of course it would mean another diaper and possibly another shower afterwards (which she would probably take one anyway, just so her rump wouldn't end up smelling like foal powder for her next date), then... she'd go meet Thundie at his house. A late afternoon date on a Sunday. This would be idyllic, it would be perfect... and if the two pegasai came as close as they had the night before, Derpy wouldn't be nervous this time. She had a plan in mind.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon.

Derpy stood in front of Thunderlane's door, shivering. It was always so cold high up in the clouds where he lived, but it was worth it just to see his smiling face again. He met her at her house occasionally, so it was alright to come up here. She tapped a familiar rhythm on his door:

Tap-tap-tap, knock-knock! ... Knock-knock!

Except for the breeze it was silent for a moment... this was usually how it worked. Though Thunderlane knew when to expect her it always took him a moment, as he usually had something else going on. What that was Derpy had asked before, and it usually amounted to "something work related" or "adding the finishing touches to my mane." Derpy didn't mind too much, especially if it was the later. His mane was very nice, after all.

The door opened.

"Derpy! So good to see you. Are you ready or would you like to first come in?"

Derpy looked down at the ground, the hairs on her back clearly ruffled in the cool breeze.

"Um... if it's alright with you, Thundie, could we please go down to Ponyville?"

Thunderlane laughed.

"Of course. Eager to start the date, are you?"

Derpy looked at the ground, nodding. "In or down, please..." she whispered. "I'm so cold!"

Again he laughed.

"Well, I guess I'm ready." The stallion shut the door behind him and spread his wings. Despite being preoccupied by the cold and (to a lesser extent) the height, Derpy noticed he was wearing his lime green saddlebags this time... they were her favorite because of how they complimented his color. Thunderlane kicked off from his doorstep, soaring downwards."Race you!"

Derpy turned around and spread her wings fast, gliding down with him. He only had a four-second head start on her, but that was more than enough to beat her. Flying down was always fun, even though Derpy wasn't particularly fond of being airborne for any length of time.

After they touched the ground (Thunderlane hit it almost ten seconds before Derpy) their date began. It was typical -- they caught a late matinee -- a comedy about a sentient society of lawn ornaments -- then settled on a park bench for a bit. Derpy still had her soda from the theater, which was typical. She'd refilled it for free twice before they left... it was all the money she had for the date just to see a film, though she might've bought that just to keep from going to his favorite restaurant. By the time they got up it was approaching evening, her drink was just gone. Thunderlane suggested, quietly:

"Hey, why don't we head to the Horte Cuisine?"

He was headed in that direction before Derpy could speak. She followed, voicing her opinion:

"But Thundie," Derpy quietly protested, the restaurant already in view. "I don't have anymore money!"

The dark pegasus stopped, turning to look Derpy in the eye. He knew the good from the bad and stared into it.

"Derpy," he said, firmly, with a smile. "This one's on me. I feel awful about what I did last night. I want to make it up to you... Please let me do this for you."

Derpy was taken aback.

"Y- ... you really don't have to, Thundie." She smiled awkwardly. "Me and Applejack kinda fixed it up... well, almost. She'll come back and make it all better in a little while. It's going to be okay, I promise!"

Thunderlane continued to smile. Derpy was weak to his smile and he knew it.

"I want to," the stallion said, still looking in her good eye. "And after this we can do whatever you want."

"Really? ...whatever I want?"

"Whatever you want, Derpy."

This was unusual coming out of Thunderlane. Derpy was used to having to compromise with him in some way, or just give him his way. Fighting usually made her feel icky, so she didn't unless it was really bad, but this... this was nice. She was grinning ear-to-ear.

"If it's alright with you, Thundie, I'd like to-"

"Don't worry about me, Derpy," he said, confidently. "This is for you."

The two were silent for a moment. Thunderlane's smile was especially appealing today for some reason... it had that extra umph in it. Derpy looked away and blushed.

"Well..." She thought for a moment. "Would a walk in the park be okay?"

Thunderlane snorted, putting a hoof around her shoulder.

"Hey, it's free, isn't it?"

Derpy nodded.

"And that's what you really want to do?"

Again, she nodded, rapidly this time.

"Then I think it... might be a date!"

* * *

Derpy and Thunderlane ended up at Horte Cusine. Derpy's heart was in her throat at first, because she knew the waiter treated her not so nicely, and when they showed up the he treated them both as he always had.

"Ah, so good to see you again. Right this way, Monsieur!"

They sat and Derpy was of course uncomfortable as one might expect, but when Thunderlane turned to her as the menus were brought out and said, "you order first," ... the entire experience instantly changed for her. She looked up. The waiter was paused, looking attentively at her... in her good eye, which stared back. She couldn't help giggling nervously as she spoke:

"I'll have... two currant muffins, some mozzarella, and a glass of milk please?"

Her order was phrased as more of a question, directed towards Thunderlane. The waiter picked up on this and turned to him. He nodded and the waiter scribbled down the order.

"Very well, Madam!" He turned to Thunderlane. "And for Monsieur?"

"The same. Hold the mozzarella and give me a daffodil sandwich with extra mayo."

"As you wish, Monsieur! And to drink?"

Thunderlane looked over at Derpy, who kept her mouth shut, waiting for him to answer for her. He grinned seeing that.

"Some sparkling champagne for the lady." He winked, gesturing towards Derpy with a hoof. "That's non-alcoholic, trust me." He turned back to the waiter. "And some red wine for myself." He looked Derpy in the good eye again. "Is that agreeable to you?"

She nodded quickly.

"Then it's settled!"

"Excellent choices, Monsieur!" The waiter turned to Derpy and smiled, looking at them both across the table. "Your meal will be ready shortly."

He then padded off quickly as he arrived, leaving the two in silence. Derpy was stunned. She spoke first:

"This really is different from what I'm used to," she said, giggling. "I kinda like this!"

"Me too, Derpy... Me too." Thunderlane smiled at her. "I want you to have lots of fun today. Okay?"

"Oh... I already am. Really!"

Thunderlane leaned forward.

"Honestly?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Good to know... good to know."