Inconsiderate

Derpy Hooves hummed a tune as she flew, one hoof resting against the fluffy white cloud in front of her. They grey pegasus was not known for her singing voice, but Derpy honestly couldn't care less what other ponies thought. She was used to their puzzled, perhaps even disgusted, stares.

Contrary to most ponies' beliefs, Derpy was not oblivious. She was not stupid. In fact, she was remarkably intelligent: an imaginative and creative pony, the only reason she appeared dumb was because her head was always in the clouds - sometimes literally. She liked to muse. She was always thinking up some new adventure. Derpy was, overall, a pleasant pony.

Derpy shook her head. She had drifted into one of her trances again. Blinking her golden eyes, she once again focussed on the task at hand: clearing the sky. That way, Rainbow Dash and the others can take a break! I know how much Dashie loves her breaks!

Humming once again, Derpy continued to push the cloud. She wasn’t entirely sure where she was going to put it, though; perhaps she would fly to Cloudsdale and donate? Or perhaps she could give it to Rainbow Dash for a nap. I wonder how much time Rainbow spends napping on her breaks? Probably most of them! She gave a little giggle, earning an inquisitive look from Raindrops, who was working nearby. “You okay, Derpy?” the jasmine mare asked, her face quizzical.

“Oh, yes. I was just wondering how long Rainbow Dash naps for!” she giggled again.

“I see.” Raindrops smiled and flew away with a small, wispy cloud.

A sudden collision brought her to an abrupt halt. Frowning, Derpy pushed harder, wondering if there could be another cloud blocking her way. Unable to straighten her eyes due to frustration, Derpy gritted her teeth and pushed as hard as she could.

She only realised that whatever was in the way was not a cloud when her eyes straightened and a rainbow mane appeared through the fluffy steam, followed by a mare’s face that looked strangely like Dashie’s. But it can’t be Rainbow! Derpy thought, lifting a hoof to her mouth as one eye strayed to the ground once more. Confused, she tried hard to make sense. Rainbow is cyan. This mare is... red.

Whoever this mare was, she was shouting. Shouting at Derpy. Shaking the tufts of cloud out of her ears, Derpy listened.

“IN THE NAME OF CELESTIA, WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID AND INCONSIDERATE?!” Rainbow Dash screamed.

This mare was Dashie.

Dashie had just called her inconsiderate. Inconsiderate! Derpy could handle moronic, idiotic and even retarded, but ‘inconsiderate’ cut right through to her core. She stared at Dashie for a moment, then at Ponyville far below. The grey Pegasus took one tear-filled glance at her cyan ‘friend’ before speeding away, her streaming eyes shut tight. She dove into a blind descent, passionate sobs shuddering through her body.

“Derpy? Are you okay?”

Derpy groaned and opened her eyes. They focussed on the pink pony standing over her: Derpy’s old friend, Pinkie Pie.

“I’m fine.” Her eye instantly wandered as soon as she was aware who she was with. She was lying on a settee, a plump pillow behind her head and a light blanket over her body.

“You were diving! It was incredible!” Pinkie squeaked with a little bounce. But then her features creased and her eyes took on a sudden look of concern. “But you must have blacked out midair, because you didn’t pick up and start flying again or anything. You nearly crashed. I had my trampoline, though, so you just bounced against that... Does anything hurt?” She cocked her head.

Derpy shrugged. “Not really,” she said, flexing her wings.

“What happened?” Pinkie asked, taking a plate of blueberry muffins from Mrs Cake, who had appeared at the door, and balancing them on her nose.

Derpy stiffened. “Rainbow...”

“Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie asked, flipping a muffin to Derpy. The grey pegasus caught it, nodded and took a bite, chewing slowly as she tried to recall the day’s events.

Her chewing slowed. Her eyes widened and she dropped the muffin.

“Derpy? Don’t you like Mrs Cake’s muffins?” Pinkie Pie enquired, knowing that Derpy loved all muffins. It would take a truly vile cake to turn Derpy away.

Tears welled up in Derpy’s eyes. “Dashie... She yelled at me. She... She...”

Unable to hold it back any longer, Derpy Hooves’ tears spilled forth. Sobbing into the blanket, she pulled it over her head and writhed.

“Oh, Derpy, Derpy!” Pinkie wailed. “Don’t cry! Tears are contagious!” She wiped a fat drop of saltwater away from her own eye with a hoof. “Did Rainbow upset you?”

Her head appearing from under the blanket, Derpy nodded, gasping for air.

“That’s it, Derpy. Deep breaths, you’ll be fine.” Pinkie sat down on the floor, one hoof stroking her friend’s yellow mane.

Derpy wept for what seemed like days. All this time, Pinkie was desperately worried about Derpy, and a rare fury was building in her chest, tying her heart into a knot and tightening it with every tear her friend shed.

“I’m sorry,” Derpy Hooves sniffled through sobs.

“Cry all you need to. I’m here for you,” Pinkie Pie assured her.

Derpy shifted her forelegs and propped herself up. Wiping her snotty muzzle on a hoof she stared at Pinkie Pie, her eyes puffy and sore.

“Thank you, Pinkie... but...” she sniffed. “I have to get back to my job.” She wiggled around underneath the blanket and tried to find her hoofing, but Pinkie placed her hoof on her friend’s and gave her a determined look. “What did Dashie say to you?” she asked firmly.

Derpy shook her head and took the remains of her muffin between her teeth. “Thnmks,” she mumbled around the cakey goodness.

Pinkie Pie stood up and tried to follow her grey friend, but Derpy folded her wings sharply. Taking the hint, Pinkie plonked herself down on the floor. Her mane deflated as watched the pegasus go, tears welling in her big blue eyes.