D.E.R.P.Y.H.O.O.V.E.S.

The next morning...

"C'mon, Derpy, we're gonna be late for the train!" Carrot was anxious. She didn't want to be late for a scheduled meeting with her superior. "I'm coming!" Derpy floated out of her room with a small suitcase, and hugging her big muffin plushie. Whatever makes her happy. Carrot thought. She knew that muffin stuffie was her favorite, and if she was traveling, she didn't go anywhere without it. The two barely made it to the train station, and the train started it's long 3 hour ride to Canterlot.

1.5 hours later...

"Are we there yet?" Derpy was growing impatient. Carrot shook her head sadly. Derpy had asked that same question five times in the past thirty minutes. Carrot knew the poor grey pegasus couldn't survive a ride longer than thirty minutes. She got her to sit, and the rest of the ride went smoothly. Carrot played some filly games with Derpy to help pass the time, such as "I Spy," and "Twenty Questions," and it seemed only a few minutes later that they had arrived. They walked/flew off the train and into the big city of Canterlot.

Derpy saw muffin shops everywhere, but Carrot had to keep Derpy focused. They had to get to the castle at 1200 hours sharp, and it was 11:30 AM already! "C'mon Derpy, I'll race you to the castle!" Carrot grinned, and Derpy's eyes lit up once more, and the two friends were racing each other to the castle in no time flat. They got to the entrance at 11:45 AM, and got into the throne room about 15 minutes later. Sergeant Hard Drive stood at attention next to Celestia in all her glory. Derpy dropped her things and her jaw, remaining aloft in a relaxed bend. "Attention!" Hard Drive hollered. Agent Carota immediately straightened and saluted. Celestia hollered with a chuckle, "At ease, Agent." Derpy fell to her hooves and looked at Carrot. She looked back at Derpy, whose eyes began to water. "Oh, no, Derpy, I can explain!" Carrot whimpered. Derpy shouted, "You better! How long have you kept this from me?" Carrot Top, saddened with her burden, replied, "Since I brought you home." Derpy gasped and hyperventilated through her sobs, crying, "Why didn't you tell me? Why?" Carrot embraced her friend, saying, "I couldn't, Derpy. Even if I wanted to." Celestia walked to Derpy's crying state, and put a hoof on her shoulder, saying, "It's okay, Aquaswirl..."

Derpy looked up, tears still welling in her crooked eyes. "My name is Derpy! Not... whatever you said!" Celestia smiled warmly down at her. "That's why I brought you here." Carrot sniffed. "It's time for you to know the truth." Derpy wiped her nose. "Okay, but it better be good!" And so, Celestia began the chant: Otpustivospominaniya ob etompadshemrebenke i day yey uvidet' pravdu. Once again, Carrot could understand, barely, what was being said: Release the memories of this fallen child, and let her see the truth. And then the chaotic screaming began to emit from Derpy's mouth. Her eyes were glowing white as the memories rushed into her open conciousness. Carrot galloped to her side and held her as the screaming continued. Celestia looked down expectantly, hoping she didn't do the chant and spell wrong. Then Derpy's eyes returned to normal and she hugged Carrot tightly. Carrot returned the embrace with a tighter squeeze. She looked up at Celestia, and mouthed, Thank you. Celestia nodded in welcome, and Derpy released Carrot, and stood tall. She saluted in a natural rigor that she had five years prior, and said in a firm voice, "Agent Aquaswirl, ready for orders, My Princess." And Carrot's eyes filled with glee.

Celestia sighed with relief, and smiled, "As you were, Agent." Derpy pulled her hoof down and began the walk down the red carpet toward the throne next to Celestia. "So, what's going on?" Celestia sourly snuffed, "Loremane got out of prison. We need you to get him back in." Derpy smiled, and said, "I can get him back in, in no time flat."

"I'm afraid it's not that easy. He's grown in power."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Loremane gathers power and magic by killing ponies and collecting pieces of them, as you very well know, but he has captured and killed eight ponies by now."

"And the last time I fought him, he had absorbed almost fifty souls, Princess, what do you mean 'It won't be that easy?'"

Celestia turned to Derpy and said, "He has found a way to quadruple his magic intake." Derpy's wall-eyes widened. "And there's only one thing that could grant a pony that strength." Celestia and Derpy looked each other in the eyes solemnly and in unison, growled, "B.R.E.A.D." Hard Drive spoke, confused. "Bread? Last I checked, bread was harmless. Are you telling me that wicked Violet Glow got out and is making her pony breads again? I'm gonna ki-" Celestia cut Sergeant Hard Drive off with, "No, the B.R.E.A.D. machine. Brain Receptive Eye Activity Destroyer, you know, the one that killed your partner seven years ago?" Hard Drive nodded solemnly in remembrance of his precious Honey Cupcake. Celestia turned to Derpy. "He has consumed only three shreds of the B.R.E.A.D. metal, still tainted with the Dark Magicks from the original explosion." Derpy shook her head at the remembrance of Aquaswirl's run-in with near-death. "It is now up to you two, Agent Carota," who nodded accordingly, "and you, Agent Aquaswirl. You are The Reapers of Justice. And yes, I did come up with that." Celestia winked. Agent Aquaswirl grinned, and called, "C'mon, Carrot, we got a menace to capture."