"Oh, Muffin. My little Muffin. Open your eyes," Derpy's mother said quietly. Everything was quie-
"Honey! I heard about the baby and I wanted to come and see her!"
Never mind, then.
Derpy's father came crashing in through the ward doors, straight into the mare that was holding her new baby. The new parents could only watch in horror as the little pegasus named Muffin went flying across the room, only to land on her head.
"What in the name of Equestria was that?" Doctor Sailbine said, throwing open the doors. "What in the name of Celestia happened to this baby?!" the doctor shouted, picking Muffins up. The two ponies on the other side of the room smiled nervously.
Thirty minutes passed.
A huge argument had broken out between Doctor Sailbine and Derpy's parents. Just as it grew physical, little muffin woke up and started crying. Everyone stopped and stared in guilt. The doctor handed the baby back to her parents. Suddenly, they all gasped.
"Oh honey, look at her eyes!" Derpy's mother cried, staring at her daughter's twisted eyes.
"She's so... so... Derpy," her father said, looking at Muffin in disgust.
"How dare you! She's your daughter!" His wife shouted back.
"Well I don't want her! I'd be surprised if anyone did!"
Derpy's mother slapped her husband across the face before throwing her wedding ring on the floor.
"Where are you going?" he called after her.
"Away from you!"
"Muffin, dear. It's your birthday tomorrow. What would you like?" Derpy's mother asked.
"Friends," she whispered, sadly.
"Anything else?"
"Daddy," she continued. Derpy's father had started to drink ever since he split up with his ex-wife. One night, he went out with friends and found himself wandering into a fight. He was bed bound for eight days before the doctor took him off of life support. Derpy shook her head slowly before she started to cry.
"Oh, darling. He didn't like you." Seadle, Derpy's mother, said softly, wrapping her arms around her daughter.
Just like everyone else, Derpy thought.
"So, back to your birthday. I bought invites,"
"Happy Birthday to you, Muffin!" Seadle, Derpy's mother, said, clapping her hooves.
"Muffin? That's your name? Phffffft. P-lease. That's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard. We're gonna call you... Derpy Hooves." One colt said nastily. Of course, that little statement caused everypony to laugh. Derpy's eyes welled up.
"Yeah. That's right. Cry like a little baby. We're outta here," A mare, Derpy's age, sneered. Little Derpy's third birthday sucked.
The next year was the same.
And the year after that.
And the year after that.
Derpy grew weary. Everypony now called her Derpy Hooves and teased her at school.
Derpy was fourteen. She and her mother were spending some quality time together when something tragic happened.
"Sheesh, mom, you need to lay off the muffins if your gonna collapse that easily after exercise."
Silence.
"Mom?" Derps asked, flying towards her mother. Derpy gasped as she noticed that her mother's eyes were fully closed, not twitching to ensure she was blinking. The young pegasus felt a single tear fall down her bruised cheek. She shook her head. Dad first. Now her mother?
No, she thought. It took all of her strength but, with a great struggle, Derpy managed to lift her mother in her hoofs and race towards the hospital.
Two weeks passed.
Derpy sat joyfully outside of her mother's ward, holding some flowers and a balloon. She had done this everyday since her mother woke up. But then something happened.
A sudden commotion arose quickly, causing every doctor in the area to rush into Seadle's room. Derpy could only hear muffled voices. Soon, these became shouts.
"We're losing her!" One doctor shouted. This went on for about twenty minutes As every minute passed, Derpy grew more and more worried. After fifteen minutes, Little Muffin was sat, curled up, covering her ears. A puddle of tears formed around the flowers that the grey mare had dropped minutes before to block out the screams and shouts.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a young doctor emerged from the now-quiet room. Derpy sat up and smiled.
"Miss Muffin," He began. "We have some... News. We regret to inform you that your mother has sadly passed away. Her heart failed for no known reason. She was still young and..."
Derpy blocked out the rest of the words. Everything seemed to turn grey. Her eyes filled with tears as she rushed out of the hospital, all the way home.
Derpy had been inside for a year. Her school sent many warning letters, and today was the day she would return to her normal life. Well, as normal as it could be for her.
Everyone turned and stared. Many ponies turned and whispered to their friends. Others pointed and laughed. Not looking where she was going, Muffin walked into the two bullies that had been mean to her at her birthday party.
"Hey, watch where your-" The mare realised who she was talking to. "Well, look who finally decided to show up. Derpy Hooves!" She laughed. Derpy felt her face redden.
"Embarrassed much?" The colt said, pushing Derpy backwards. "And still a blank flank, I see. How sad. It looks as if it's gonna stay that way. Your only good at being stupid!"
Soon everyone was crowding around Derpy, cheering the bullies on.
"So, where's your mummy to protect you? Is she scared to?" The two laughed. Derpy looked up. Her eyes filled with tears.
"Stop." She said. "Just stop. You bullies have nothing better to do than going around, treating everypony like dirt and making them feel bad. And guess what? My mother is dead. I hope your happy!"
"She deserved it," The colt muttered. Derpy gritted her teeth together. She couldn't keep it in. Whipping her mane round, Derpy punched the two ponies right across their faces, leaving them shocked.
"It's on!" The mare screamed, charging after Muffin who was now running out of the school gates. She was chased all the way through Ponyville, finally losing them by hiding behind a blue telephone box. Derpy wiped the tears from her eyes. She slumped to the ground, her exhausted body resting against the ground as she fell asleep.
Derpy woke with a start. Her hooves ached. Looking around, she noticed a little bubble container. Of course she did. Derps opened it, blowing a few bubbles before popping them, strangely making her feel better. She chuckled gently. Just like me and mum, she thought. A flash of light appeared by her side as a cutie mark consisting of seven bubbles appeared. Muffins wasn't overjoyed. She had always wanted her parents to be there to witness he gaining her cutie mark. Now she just wanted her parents.
Derpy waited for two hours before somepony walked into the brown room she was in. A tall, brow-coated stallion with a hazel mane and tail and a time glass for a cutie mark. He wore a long, coloured scarf that was wrapped tightly around his neck. Derpy was confused. It was the middle of Summer.
"Ah! Your awake! Perfect timing, my friend. Get up and I will properly introduce myself," The stallion said, noticing Derpy's open eyes. She flew forward.
"My name is Doctor Whooves. A scientist and time lo-"
"I'm Muffin, but everypony calls me Derpy Hooves. I just wish they could see- Wait. Did you say time lord?"
Doctor Whooves nodded.
"Your different too, then?"
He nodded again.
"Oh, we're going to be the best of friends!" Derpy shouted, flinging her arms around the stallion.
He didn't pull away.
He just smiled.