The Bubbly Mare

2, 3
"New to Town"

Applejack and Derpy walked down the street towards the Sugarcube corner. This was quickly becoming Derpy's favorite place, next to the fountain, which was pretty and always so peaceful. Like Applejack, the filly said hello to everypony they passed, or at least tried to... some ponies looked busy and just nodded, others gave an enthusiastic hello right back. Applejack said, one of the first times time they went for a walk into town alone:

"Don't be nervous! Just say hello, have it come from the heart. Most ponies'll smile if they know yer bein' sincere. If they're grumps, ya can't rightly do nothin' about that, so ya just gotta keep on trottin'."

Even after a month this was all very new. Everything was, actually. In a couple more months school was going to start up, but for now Derpy was still adjusting -- to a new life, a new house, and new ponies.

Derpy now lived in a tiny house with just two bedrooms, actually smaller than the apartment in Canterlot, but it was nice to have an outside she could play in any time she wanted, and her own tree to climb (well, try to climb). Granny Smith once said they might put a swing in it for her birthday. At night she slept with Mommy on a queen-sized bed they got when they moved... this was decided by Mommy because the foal would need space and Derpy could never sleep with loud noise right next to her.

The foal wasn't born yet, though. This is why Derpy was with Applejack for a few days. Mommy had to go to the hospital... something about the birth being complicated, Mommy needing a c-section because of the baby's horn. It was funny that a pegasus foal should have a horn, but no pony seemed too worried about it. This told Derpy everything was going to be okay, and it helped that she knew the Doctors would see that. The one thing Derpy was a little sad about was not being with Mommy, but that would change in a few days.

For now, Derpy just enjoyed her time with Applejack.

* * *

When the two got to the Sugarcube corner they noticed something different this time. There was a filly about their age outside, maybe a bit younger, vivid pink with a kinky mane and balloons for a Cutie Mark. She was juggling while balancing on a rubber ball. Resting alongside her was a deep wooden box with a rope handle, open just a crack... some Bits barely visible inside. The box was covered with crayon drawings, very vibrant and cute. The filly's blue eyes shone brightly in the light, she was clearly having fun entertaining the passing ponies, and had made a few Bits while doing so.

When Applejack approached she didn't want to break the pink filly's concentration, so she nodded politely.

"Hi!" chirped the pink filly.

"Howdy," Applejack replied, stopping to watch while Derpy gathered behind her.

"Hello!"

"I'm Pinkie Pie!" The juggling filly giggled. "This is my first time in Ponyville! It's a really nice town!"

"It is," Applejack said, looking over at Derpy. She noticed Derpy's mouth was hanging open and shook her head. "Uh, Derpy?"

Pinkie Pie looked over and imitated Derpy's slack jaw expression. She giggled, also imitating her crossed eyes. The pegasus immediately clamped her mouth closed and turned away... biting her lower lip and taking a deep breath.

"Aww, I didn't mean anything by it!" Pinkie said, pouting a bit. "I just thought it was funny!"

Derpy didn't turn back, as that explanation didn't help matters. Pinkie continued to juggle all the while, unaware of how much she had just hurt Derpy Hooves.

"She's bein' truthful, Derpy," Applejack said, giving the pegasus a squeeze. "Maybe if ya told her what you were lookin' at it might make ya feel better. She seems pretty friendly."

"Oh, I am! Trust me! I wouldn't hurt a fly... well, maybe one if it was the size or you or I, but then I'd need a super big fly swatter to do that and I don't have one of those quite yet."

Shyly, Derpy turned around and looked Pinkie Pie in the eye... the grey filly's right eye drifting off towards the clouds, her left remaining straight on. Pinkie didn't imitate her this time. The pegasus smiled weakly.

"How do you do that?" she asked, point-blank.

"Do what?" Pinkie responded, in earnest.

"You're juggling and talking at the same time."

"And balancing!"

"... how?"

Pinkie smiled, throwing a quick shrug as she continued to busk.

"I dunno!"

Derpy looked at Applejack, who also shrugged.

"Some ponies can just do that stuff," she said, plainly. "It's like Big Mac with buckin'. He knows just where to put the buckets without even havin' to look."

"It's neat."

"That it is."

Pinkie Pie giggled, watching Derpy's good eye move smoothly with the motion of the balls. Her eyes slowly began to move together until she was distracted by clinking right beside her.

Applejack fished out a bit from her own saddlebag, placing it into Pinkie's box.

"Thanks!"

Looking up, the farm filly grinned.

"I'm Applejack," she said, plainly. "This here is Derpy Hooves! Hope you enjoy your stay Ponyville, now."

"Oh, I will! Thank you!"

With a nod from the farm filly, the two slowly trotted past Pinkie and entered the Sugarcube corner, Derpy looking back one final time at the juggler who appeared to be yawning with her eyes closed and still not missing a beat. Even juggling seemed impossible to Derpy. Balancing and talking while doing it? Even more so.

How does she do that?

The door slammed shut, but Derpy could still see Pinkie through the window plain as day.

* * *

The Sugarcube Corner was dimly lit compared to the outside. Applejack quickly found a table near the counter and Mrs. Cake came right out as Derpy headed for the seat across from Applejack. Mr. Cake smiled from behind the counter.

"Good afternoon girls!" said Mrs. Cake in her usual, cheery tone. "What can I get for you today?"

"An extra-large apple spice muffin for me," Applejack said, taking off her stetson.

Derpy sat down:

"Same please!"

Mrs. Cake smiled at her husband, who pulled the order out from behind the counter. Derpy continued to stare out the window.

"I see you met Pinkie Pie," commented Mr. Cake, setting two muffins larger than his own hooves on the counter.

"She's kinda hard to miss," Applejack said. "Pretty good at jugglin', too!"

Mr. Cake laughed.

"That she is." Mr. Cake looked out the window, watching the balls move along with Derpy. "Fancies herself a traveling entertainer... at ten years old. I don't have a clue how she made it out this far, seeing how she says she came all the way from the old rock farm, but she told Cup that she hoofed it the whole way here."

"Land sakes! That's over fifty miles!"

"Fifty-five, to be exact," said Mrs. Cake. "She showed up ten minutes ago and started busking out front with just her toys... normally we don't allow that right outside of our shop, but a little thing like her... I just had to offer her a place to stay the night. She's out there trying to pay for it. I told her it's not necessary, but she's having so much fun doing it."

"Gotta admire her spirit."

"She is awfully cheery." Mrs. Cake turned to her husband. "Carrot, I think it might be best if we close up shop early today. Make sure our cheery little filly's story checks out and give her something to eat."

He nodded.

Applejack and Derpy sat watching Pinkie as Mrs. Cake quickly passed them their food. Derpy didn't know it yet, but Applejack did (and would tell her later) that the Cakes were planning to find some way of contacting Pinkie's parents... the farm filly could only surmise to make sure she hadn't run away. This also meant that, while they were welcome to stay there as long as they liked, the sooner they hit the road the better.

The farm filly tore off a piece off her muffin and tapped the table, pulling Derpy's eyes from the window, which were just starting to work in sync again.

"Hey, I'll race ya!"

Smiling, Derpy had no problem accepting that challenge. She scarfed down the muffin entirely in one bite, before Applejack could even pick up the rest of hers to take another mouthful. The farm pony's jaw dropped.

"H- ... how'd you do that? Th' whole thing was the size of ma head!"

Derpy just grinned and giggled, bits of muffin showing in her teeth. Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, that's real appetizin', you know." Applejack shook her head, laughing. "But I can't stay mad at you. You're just too... nice."

Applejack scarfed down the rest of her muffin in three big bites. They then paid the Cakes and trotted out. Before Derpy knew it the fillies were on their way yet again, to entertain themselves off in another part of town... undecided and idle, as were most foals during summer break. They both waved to Pinkie Pie as they passed, Pinkie smiling back and nodding. Derpy saw Mrs. Cake looking at Pinkie through the doorway one final time before they turned the corner. She liked the filly and hoped to see her again sometime soon... even if she had accidentally made her feel bad.

Little did either filly know that Pinkie had her parents' blessing to be out entertaining others, even miles from home. Equestria was a pretty safe place to travel, after all, provided ponies didn't stray too far from civilization, and it was her calling to make others laugh, as indicated by her flank. This was a new feeling Derpy could relate to, enjoying the smile one somepony else's face, but she had no desire to throw big parties. She just liked to be Derpy, out in the open air, and to have nice friends. She was being given a chance for the first time ever and it felt so good. Just like Pinkie, she was happy just where she was.