Disclaimer: I don't own any of the MLP franchise, Hasbro and co do.
The Cutie mark crusaders in:
They changed Derpy's brain!
"Erm Scootaloo what exactly is this thing?" asked Sweetie Belle with a mixture of concern and confusion. An odd building consisting of wood and some rusted cheap looking metal, just about held together with nails stood in front of the small pony.
"It's a erm magic thinga-majig," said Apple Bloom. "Scootaloo made it herself."
"It took me almost an hour to build it!" said Scootaloo. "I made it for you to use Sweetie Belle!"
"Is…is it safe?" asked Sweetie Belle. From where she stood it looked as though a strong wind, perhaps even just a sudden gust could reduce it to the pile of rubble and timber it had originally been.
A small breeze rustled Sweetie Belle's mane around her unicorn horn as Scootaloo took a moment to reply.
"Sure it is Sweetie Belle!" said Scootaloo, noticing and quickly hammering a loose nail back in with her hoof. She shook her hoof, grimacing slightly.
"Ya had the hammer right there," said Apple Bloom, pointing.
"I made it, I know what I'm doing," muttered Scootaloo, crossing her front hooves in an annoyed manner. And frowning slightly as she placed weight down on her injured hoof.
"So…what exactly is it?" asked Sweetie Belle again. "I'll guess that it's…a clubhouse maybe?" she added squeaking.
"Nah," said Scootaloo shaking her head. "It's a magic erm, thing I built for you."
"Magic?" asked Sweetie Belle. Why was magic involved? That didn't sound good at all to the unicorn pony. And magic for who? Her?
"I was thinking to myself that you never really got to use your magic," said Scootaloo, "So I thought if we gave you a boost maybe your magic would work...I mean work better."
"Boost?" asked Sweetie Belle, unsure if she should be slightly offended by the suggestion. "And I've never been able to use magic yet."
"Yeah a boost like giving Scootaloo balloons so she could fly better!" said Apple Bloom.
"Yeah like that," said the distinctly unimpressed Scootaloo.
"But how does it work Scootaloo?" asked Sweetie Belle. She was still unsure how exactly it would allow her to use her magical abilities.
She didn't like the look of the smile that promptly appeared across Scootaloo's face.
"You go through the door," said Scootaloo pointing to her construction. The door promptly fell to the floor, landing with a thud and revealing a host of crooked nails pointing out of the other side.
"And then you focus really hard and direct your magic power stream thingy at the mirror inside, which hits other mirrors, boosting its power and making your magic work properly, stronger and for longer!" said Scootaloo ignoring the damage.
"Mirrors? That sounds odd."
"No no no," said Scootaloo shaking her head. "It's pretty basic science if I dare say so," she added.
"If it's basic science can you explain how it'll actually work?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"So yeah, basically you just go inside and sit down," said Scootaloo ignoring her friend's question. "I left a cushion inside on the floor so you don't have to worry about sitting on the mud."
"What's the worst that could happen?" asked Apple Bloom, having caught a faint glimpse of Sweetie Belle's slightly scared expression.
"It's science, it has to work!" said Scootaloo.
"Have we ever actually done any science at school?" asked Sweetie Belle. "I don't remember Cheerilee talking too much about it."
"Twilight's mentioned something…sometime I guess…?" said Apple Bloom.
"I know it'll work!" said Scootaloo.
"How?"
"Because erm I saw it in a er book. Yeah that ought to be a good answer," said Scootaloo.
"You said the last bit out loud Scootaloo," said Sweetie Belle. "And I don't think I can use magic, I haven't been able to before."
"Come on Sweetie Belle it'll be fun," said Apple Bloom. "You can try at least right? It might even work!"
"It will work," corrected Scootaloo.
"Fine," said Sweetie Belle. She gave one last look and then walked to the wood assembly, taking care to step over the dangerous door and promptly vanished inside.
Scootaloo grinned, when from above she became aware of a faint flapping sound. She doubted that her 'machine' could do that…right? She can't remember including moving parts. At least not deliberately. With a faint thwump something landed behind them. Apple Bloom cocked her head curiously, finally causing Scootaloo to turn around too. The grey Pegasus pony Derpy Hooves sat on her rump, holding a letter in her mouth.
"Are you ok?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Did something happen out there?" called out Sweetie Belle. "Can I come out?" she added hopefully.
"No, stay in there it's fine," called back Scootaloo.
"Ohhhh," came the disappointed groan from inside the structure.
"I don't know what went wrong, I just can't find this letter's address anywhere," said Derpy, voice faintly muffled from holding the letter.
"Is the house meant to be out here?" asked Apple Bloom.
"I'm not sure. I was helping Rainbow Dash back in Ponyville when she suddenly said she needed a letter delivered. Well I thought to myself it was my duty, so I offered to do it for her!"
"What's the address?" asked Apple Bloom.
Derpy peered down at the letter with one eye: "1234 Fake Street," she said.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stared at one another in silence for a few seconds.
"Oh…that's where one of my family lives," said Apple Bloom. "I can take that for you and deliver it to them myself."
"Are you sure?" asked Derpy. "I promised Rainbow Dash!"
"I've been meaning to visit her for a while," said Apple Bloom continuing with her innocent little lie.
"Oh ok then, here you go! I'll go back and tell Rainbow Dash! I'm sure she'll be glad that I get to go back and help her."
"I'm…sure she will," said Scootaloo. Even the two young fillies were familiar with the clumsy Derpy's predisposition for causing accidental destruction. And almost killing Twilight Sparkle that one time.
"Woohoo I'll get to be helpful again!" said Derpy with a beaming smile.
"Have fun with that Derpy," said Apple Bloom. Derpy nodded and prepared to leave, quickly checking her bag.
"Am I meant to be doing anything else?" called out the forgotten Sweetie Belle from inside the structure.
"Sure, try and have a go!" called back Scootaloo. "This ought to be interesting," she said turning back to Apple Bloom.
"Is anything actually gonna happen Scootaloo?" asked Apple Bloom. She didn't look concerned.
Scootaloo shrugged: "Maybe I guess?"
"Ok then, here goes nothing," came Sweetie Belle's reply.
Derpy held up her hoof to wave goodbye to the fillies, but seeing they were all busy she didn't want to interrupt. Her head dropped slightly, and her wings spread out. It was always nice to see young ponies playing together though, so she did find herself smiling slightly. For a faint moment she was almost tempted to offer joining in, but she knew Rainbow Dash would need her help.
With a sweep of her wings she took off into the air. She flew over the fillies, attempting another wave briefly, before flying over the strange wood thing she had forgotten to ask about. She looked down at it, noticing a mirror staring straight back up at her, face slightly distorted. A moment later a strange purple glow smacked into her. Her eyes rolled around and her wings froze up. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth as she spun around out of control, before promptly smacking into the ground.
Back at ground level Scootaloo and Apple Bloom gasped in surprise, mouths dropping wide open. They froze for a moment, unsure what to do next.
"Did something happen out there? I did it! I actually managed to use magic! Well for a couple of seconds!" called out Sweetie Belle. "I didn't change the colour of the sky or anything else did I?"
"Nah, I don't think you did anything like that," said Apple Bloom. No need to make her friend worry. Just yet.
"Just stay in there for a bit," said Scootaloo.
"Nothing's gone wrong right?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"No, of course not," said Scootaloo. "Don't be a silly filly."
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rushed over to the 'crash site' to find a prone Derpy, who had crashed face first into the ground. The fillies stood still for a moment with still gaping mouths as the pony remained still.
"We didn't kill her right?" asked Apple Bloom.
"What do you mean we…I mean no way. Right?"
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cried out in surprise as Derpy suddenly lifted her head up out of the ground. She sat up, leaving an impression of her face in the dirt. On another day Apple Bloom might have found it a little funny. Beside her Scootaloo gave a faint giggle.
Derpy shook her head, dirt falling from her mane, and then turned to face the fillies. Both eyes focused on the young ponies with an oddly malicious tint present. Scootaloo shivered slightly.
"I didn't feel any wind," said Apple Bloom noticing her friends behaviour.
"Derpy are you feeling ok?" asked Scootaloo.
"Oh Scootaloo I'm feeling just fine," said Derpy with a smirk. "Feels good."
"Are you sure?" asked Scootaloo. Derpy's tone of voice was different somehow.
"Yeah and I don't have any time to spend with you losers- ponies my own age are waiting," said Derpy as she took off for the second time. In a quick flap of wings she was gone.
"Was it just me or did she sound different?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Well duh."