Chapter 7

"Have you seen Derpy?" asked Scootaloo, the young pony standing impatiently as she waited for an answer.

"You asked me this already and I told you, no I haven't seen her today," replied the frumpy pink pony. "Do you want to ask me again or am I free to go now?"

"Oh sure, sorry it must have just slipped my mind," said Scootaloo. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Still not looking impressed with the interruption or the apology the mare trotted off with her head high, expensive looking bag bouncing up and down on her flank as she left. Scootaloo made a face in the direction of the pony, before turning back to her friend.

"Did we ask her already?" asked Scootaloo.

"Maybe," was Apple Bloom's weak reply.

"Can you remember who else we asked?"

"Well…hmm well there was Bon Bon and Pinkie Pie and-,"

Scootaloo moved closer, wanting to her have memory refreshed.

"- and well that's about all I can remember Scootaloo."

"Surely you must remember a few more ponies' right?"

"Oh well there was also Zecora too, she hadn't seen Derpy though. Can you remember who you've spoken to Scootaloo?"

"Maybe…possibly…well no not really."

"This ain't going too well is it?" asked Apple Bloom.

"It could go a lot better. And it'd be nice to catch a bit of a break for once."

"Maybe Sweetie Belle will find her!"

Scootaloo didn't respond.

Derpy came to a sudden halt in mid-air, in a far smoother fashion than she had ever managed before. She hovered in place, wings exerting the smallest amount of effort possible to allow her to lazily stay in place in the sky.

Her attention was drawn to the white fluffy cloud below- very comfy looking. From below it would have looked like just another fluffy cloud hanging in the sky, but from her vantage point she could see that somepony had left an imprint in the cloud- somepony had been lying on this cloud very recently.

"Rainbow Dash," she hissed to herself.

She yanked her wings to her side and dived, splitting apart the cloud as she fell. The ground rapidly approached her frail frame and at the last possible moment she spread her wings wide and landed gently and gracefully on all four hooves.

"Wow for a minute there I thought you were falling," said Lily Blossom, the pony with a blond mane still wearing a worried look on her face. "I was started to worry if I should fly up before it was too late."

"I know what I'm doing," replied Derpy curtly.

"Well I know that, but sometimes you can be-,"

"Can be what?" asked Derpy, staring deep in Lily Blossom's eyes as she took a step forwards.

"Oh you know," said Lily Blossom, fiddling with her blond mane and desperately hoping the conversation would change course. Quickly.

"Rainbow Dash," said Derpy.

"What? No I'm Lily Blossom," said the pony.

"No I'm looking for her," said Derpy. "It's very, very important that I find her."

"Oh I think I saw her go in that direction, she was grumbling about being hungry I think."

"Thank you for your help," said Derpy sarcastically. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I really don't want to."

"I don't understand why it's my fault, I didn't make that thing and I wasn't sure about it from the start. Scootaloo was the one who told me to use it, why is it my fault?" Sweetie Belle found muttering to herself. Along with other complaints as she trudged through Ponyville alone.

It was true, she was certain of it- Scootaloo had started all of this. But she wouldn't have resorted to the blame game if Scootaloo hadn't done it first!

All Sweetie Belle had wanted to do was play outside; she had even decorated a ball they could have used (with a couple of edges sharp enough to take out eyes owing to not enough glue being used). But oh no, Scootaloo had something to show her, Scootaloo had something they could do…

But still, it had been a fun and big surprise to suddenly have been able to use her magic today, even if it hadn't only lasted for a matter of seconds. She guessed the little nudge, and a bit of pressure had helped her. And now just like Scootaloo she had something to build on!

"Hi Sweetie Belle, not with the others today? I had heard you were."

"Oh hi Twilight," said Sweetie Belle automatically. It took a few seconds to properly register. "Wait, Twilight I've been looking for you!"

"Huh, I've been looking for you too- well all three of you."

"I think something bad has happened!"

"Does it involve Derpy Hooves?" asked Twilight.

"How did you know that?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"I ran into Pinkie Pie today and she told me about some strange happening today- involving Derpy. And most ponies have noticed you three have been going around asking if they had seen Derpy around recently."

"They all know?"

"Well if you go around asking everypony in town, don't be surprised if everypony in town notices it," said Twilight with a shrug.

"Oh Twilight I'm so sorry!" said Sweetie Belle, running forwards and surprising Twilight by burying her head into the older ponies chest.

"Sorry for what?" asked Twilight, peering down at the filly directly below her.

"Well we built a thing with mirrors and I went inside the thing, and then I actually used my magic but Derpy was overhead and then she got hit and crashed or that's what I heard," said Sweetie Belle, just about avoiding going blue in the face as she sped through her story.

"So Derpy fell? Is she hurt- no wait that can't be right," said Twilight, remembering what Pinkie had talked about earlier.

"She didn't look or sound hurt but she was- she was different."

"And what does different mean?" asked Twilight.

"She sounded…kind of meaner. She didn't sound like she normally does at all. She's like normally so kind isn't she, but today she wasn't after she fell and I'm so sorry!"

"Well I'm glad you decided to tell us…eventually," said Twilight. "Where's Scootaloo and Apple Bloom?"

"I don't know, I left them after I got in an argument with Scootaloo," said the young filly, just about holding back her tears. "We got really angry with each other and now I don't think she likes me."

"Oh Sweetie Belle all friends argue every now and again. I think. Come on let's try and find Derpy, and then we'll find Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

"Everything will be alright right?" asked Sweetie Belle, lip quivering slightly. "Derpy will be back to normal again right?"

"Don't worry Sweetie Belle, we'll do our best," said Twilight. Both Twilight and the filly knew she hadn't actually answered the question.