Derpy was not stupid. Many ponies assumed she was. And Derpy was a lot of things, but stupid was not among them. Even those who respected her and valued her abilities treated her differently, and explained things more slowly. She had made a few mistakes in her life. Forgetting which name to sign on the final exam at the academy was on the top of that list. But nopony besides her was surprised to hear that she didn’t pass the test. Nopony trusted her then. No missions. No scouting. No friends. Derpy Hooves was forgotten.

But Derpy was not stupid. Very few ponies ever trusted her to handle things on her own, and always gave her very specific instructions on what to do in certain situations. But when a certain pink pony she was explicitly told to avoid snuck up on her, Derpy didn’t bat an eye as she lied in the face of one of the most intuitive ponies in Equestria.

“GAAAAAAAAASSSSSP! HI! You’re totally new to Ponyville aren’t you?! I’m Pinkie Pie. I live over at Sugarcube Corner, where I work and we sell pastries and treats and stuff. You should come by some time! But if you’re new here you’re not gonna know where it is! Silly me. I should give you a grand tour of Ponyville!” Pinkie Pie was just inches away from her new friend’s face.

Derpy gave Pinkie Pie a blank expression as the pink pony rambled on, letting her eyes drift apart in separate directions. When Pinkie finally paused to take a breath, Derpy pointed to herself and said “Not new” and smiled.

Pinkie gazed at Derpy, confused. “Of course you’re new. You have to be if I don’t know you!” Pinkie sounded a bit unsure of herself. “And I know everyone in Ponyville!” Derpy simply shrugged. “Well if you’re not new then you gotta know who I am right?”

Derpy pointed a hoof at Pinkie Pie, tapping her on the nose. “Pinkie Pie. Party Pony!”

Pinkie blinked a few times more; apparently forgetting she had just introduced herself to Derpy just a mere minute ago. She talked fast, so she wasn’t used to anypony remembering what she was saying on the first try. “Oh…well I guess I don’t know everypony in Ponyville. But since I don’t know you, we should hang out some time” she said, returning from her confusion to her typical bubbliness.

“Okay!”

“But first, once we’re done setting up the decorations for the celebration, I’m throwing a party for a different new pony today! She just got here. And I know she just got here because I watched her get here! And since she just got here she must not have any friends. And if she doesn’t have any friends then she must be lonely. And that just made me so sad so I went ‘GAAAAASSP’ and went off as fast as I could to get started on getting a party together for her. How great is that! Two new friends in one day!” Pinkie chirped, positively bouncing

Derpy nodded in agreement.

“Oh if only I could decide what kind of punch to get her?”

“Oatmeal!”

“Oatmeal, are you crazy??”

Derpy smiled. This pony craved illogical.

“It’ll take forever to make oatmeal flavored punch! I better get started right away!” and the pink party pony zoomed off.

Just as she expected. Derpy turned back to her work setting plates around the tables in the town hall and sighed in relief. Derpy wasn’t stupid. Odd, yes. But often times she marveled at her own little feats of wit. Others could call her stupid all they wanted but Derpy cherished her moments of cleverness. They were her special secret.

------------------------------------------

The passing day was uneventful for Octavia. She spent most of it on roof tops, hiding in apple trees, or peering inside from just out the window. From her scouting, the only thing she could tell was that Twilight Sparkle was antisocial. And that it would take quite a change for her to realize her role as the element of magic. After Twilight entered the library after checking up with all of the other soon-to-be elements, Octavia went back to the base of operations and had Doc set bring her team’s weapons to the town hall. After a few minutes tidying herself up to be presentable at a social gathering, she set out again to the library.

The knocked on the door softly and was answered by a handsome colt. He smiled at her and let her in. She walked past him, without so much as a glance; leaving him a little deflated. Not on your life kid, she thought.

After some searching she found her team, as well as some of Doc’s surveillance team. Lyra was arm wrestling with Berry Punch, a purple pony with berries adorning her flank. Another light blue pony with a blue and white mane and an hourglass mark just like Doc's was talking with Bon Bon. Derpy was playing pin the tail on the pony. She approached the group of mares.

“Hello Octavia!” Bon Bon said, “Looking sharp. I didn’t quite guess you for the dress-up type.” She said, motioning to the collar and pink bowtie around Octavia’s neck.

“I do my best to look presentable at social gatherings.” She replied, sounding half-interested. She turned her head away and watched the crowd.

Bon Bon and Colgate awkwardly turned back to each other. Colgate, eager to start conversation back up again, asked “So you and Lyra are working together? I thought you hated each other.”

“Oh, we do.” Replied Bon Bon matter-of-factly. “But we’ve decided to put our differences aside for the mission. Equestria first and all that.”

“Of course. So what exactly happened between you two?”

“Well, believe it or not, it actually all started in a lunch line in school as fillies. It was shortly after my cutie mark appeared. I was excited that day, and in the lunch line I was talking to my friends about it. I was first in my class to get one after all. And when I turn back, there she is walking in front of me. So I ask her nicely to let me have my spot back, and she refuses! I mean the nerve on that foal, to deny me my lunch! So I ask again and again, and when I finally resolve to let our teacher know, she calls me a ‘snitch’. I didn’t even know what that meant at the time and when I asked her, she said it meant I was stupid. And I don’t like being called stupid, so I gave her a hoof right in the eye. The teacher broke up our fight, but we’ve been rivals ever since.” Bon Bon shrugged.

Somewhere during the story, Derpy popped in and watched them. Her eyes were crossed. One eye looked to Carrot Top and the other to Bon Bon.

“You know, Ditzy, I’ve been wondering. Just how exactly did you learn to do that with your eyes? That’s quite a trick.” Bon Bon asked.

“Do what?”

Octavia was already tuned out of their conversation, floating her gaze over the crowd of ponies in the library. Sure enough, the antisocial ‘element of friendship’ was upstairs avoiding everypony else. Can’t say I blame her though, Octavia mused. The others were there though, participating in the reverie. The pink one bounced all over the party, almost seeming like she was in ten places at once.

Ugh, I just wish something would happen already. Octavia was anxious for round two with the moon ponies. She let her gaze drift to the floor, and stared at all of the hooves in the room. Some stood still, others were dancing. There were dozens of various colors and sizes. Octavia started to count them and organize the room according to the color. Suddenly she found herself staring at a set of marshmallow white hooves among the various other colors. Her heart quickened pace for a moment.

She got up and slowly walked through the party crowd, keeping her eyes fixed on the white hooves. As she neared the pony, she raised her vision up. The pony was behind another, but she could clearly see a white horn from where she was. She walked around the pony in front of her, ready for anything. The pony finally came into view.

And Octavia’s breath came back at last. It was just the element of generosity. Rarity was her name. Her over styled mane bounced lightly spoke animatedly to another party guest.

A heavy weight then pushed itself onto Octavia’s shoulders. Her heart felt like it was trying to burst out of her own chest. Behind Rarity, another unicorn came into view. A white unicorn with a spiked, electric blue mane and a pair of techno sunglasses. The world stopped as Octavia watched the unicorn walk through the crowd calmly. Her eyes were obscured and if the pony saw Octavia, she couldn’t be sure. She followed the mare slowly, and eyed her with deep suspicion. Looking at this pony, she felt something in her gut that told her it wasn’t happy being there. It must be… thought Octavia. She noted the cutie mark on the unicorn’s flank. A musical note. Copycat.

As she followed, she vaguely heard the mayor speak up over the crowd and announce that the sun would be rising shortly. Everypony began filing out of the library, and toward the town hall. She looked to her team and motioned for them to go with the crowd. She turned back and as the unicorn was exiting the door of the library, she turned her head, smirked, and dashed off into the night. Octavia followed suit.

Leaving the library and the party crowd behind, the unicorn and her pursuer dashed through the streets of Ponyville. The unicorn whipped back and sent a few bolts of magical energy toward Octavia to encourage her to stop. Octavia sped up, determined to catch her. As the earth pony made ready to make one final lunge at her opponent, the unicorn whipped around again. This time, a bright flash of light burst out of her horn, blinding Octavia. By the time she regained her sight, the pony was gone.

Octavia rushed to get to the town hall, where the rest were gathered. She ripped away the bush, hiding the weapons from view and grabbed her sheathed katana. She wrapped the strap around her and leapt up to the roof of the building, peering inside. No chaos yet. That was good.

A hoofstep behind her. Octavia exhaled and stood tall. She turned around to face the moon cultist once and for all.

“Hello, Octavia. It’s nice to finally meet you face to face.”

Next Chapter: The Return of Nightmare Moon Estimated time remaining: 16 Minutes