//------------------------------// // A Friendly Request // Story: The Secret of Smarty Pants // by Rough_Draft //------------------------------// One – A Friendly Request As she put the finishing touches on her latest dress for the next Royal Garden Party, Rarity smiled. She’d been looking forward to this for so long. And now that her dear friend Twilight was a princess, it was going to be even more amazing. All the finest ponies in Canterlot, seeing her at the Princess’s side—seeing all her dresses made for the occasion! But even as she stood back to marvel at her latest creation, Rarity felt just a little sad. She had nothing else to do between now and the royal event. Nothing but to wait and sigh and dream. But Providence was with her, it seemed. Not a second later, she heard a knock downstairs. Rarity eagerly trotted down just in time to see Applejack walking through the door, wearing her saddlebag. “Howdy, Rarity!” The earth pony tipped her hat. “How’s the dressmaking goin’?” “It’s going very nicely, thank you very much,” said Rarity. She leaned around and peeked at her friend’s saddlebag. “And what, may I ask, is in there?” “Well, that’s why I’m here.” Applejack opened the bag with her hoof and pulled out a very old and worn-out doll. “I was wonderin’ if you could fix this.” “Hmm.” Rarity scrutinized the doll. “I’ve seen this somewhere before. Isn’t this Twilight’s doll? Smarty Pants?” Applejack blushed. “Sure is. An’ after all that trouble with Twilight’s spell, somehow Big Mac gotta hold of it. He’s too proud to come himself, but he figured I could come an’ talk to ya about fixin’ her up.” Rarity pictured Big Macintosh curled up with the doll in his bed, then smiled. “Of course. And this is actually a wonderful chance for me to try my hand at making dolls. Pinkie Pie’s been begging me to fashion a new set of dolls and toys for the Cake twins.” “Glad to hear it.” Up in her workshop, Rarity had the doll sitting on her table. She used her magic to summon several coils of thread and yarn. By the looks of it, Smarty Pants had been designed several years ago and never once repaired. “I’m afraid this doll might need a complete makeover,” Rarity explained. “I might be able to save the coat, but the stuffing and the thread holding her together has got to be replaced, and her ‘mane’ is falling out.” “Well, do what ya can, Rarity.” Applejack was sitting on the other side of the table, watching her work. “I’m sure Big Mac won’t mind.” Very gently, Rarity summoned a pair of scissors and began to cut some of the decayed thread holding Smarty Pants together. The doll fell open, exposing the cotton inside. Rarity was about to pull it loose when she noticed something shiny buried in the middle. “Whatever could this be?” she wondered out loud. With another spell, the unicorn summoned a pair of tweezers and delicately pulled out the bauble. But it was stuck to the cotton. Still, she was able to turn it around and get a proper look at it. Applejack leaned over in surprise. “Whoa nelly. Is that a watch in there?” “It’s a pocket watch,” Rarity answered. She pulled on her glasses and looked over the watch very carefully. “It looks very old. Maybe we should ask Time Turner about it.” “But why’d there be a pocket watch inside Twilight’s doll? That don’t make any sense.” Rarity let the watch fall back into place within the stuffing. “I’m sure I couldn’t say, but I know who might.” When they’d gotten to the library, Applejack tilted her hat down in embarrassment. “Sorry ’bout yer doll, Twi. But y’see, Big Mac was mighty keen on havin’ it…” “Don’t worry about it.” Twilight trotted over and put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “I haven’t needed Smarty Pants for a very long time. I’m glad to know somepony is putting her to good use.” “Whew! Thanks, Twi. That’s been buggin’ me fer Celestia knows how long!” Rarity, meanwhile, was holding the doll up with her magic. “But I’m afraid we have to ask you something important. We were trying to fix your doll up when we found this inside.” She gently pulled out the watch from the stuffing. Twilight’s eyes widened. Her new wings fluttered anxiously. “W-where did you get that?” “It’s been inside the doll this whole time, darling. Didn’t you know that?” Slowly, Twilight settled back onto her haunches, still in shock. “No, I never knew. I… I knew that Smarty Pants was always a little heavy, but Cadance told me that was so I wouldn’t—” “Cadance? As in Princess Cadance, your old foalsitter?” Twilight smiled. “Yes. When I was a filly, she gave Smarty Pants to me for my birthday. I had her all through magic kindergarten and school. And after Spike was born, I put Smarty Pants away. I’d hardly touched her until after I came to Ponyville.” “Curious.” Rarity looked over the doll. “But why would Cadance put a pocket watch inside a doll? It seems far too valuable to be left inside a toy.” Twilight frowned. “I wish I knew.” “Couldn’t ya just write to Cadance an’ find out?” asked Applejack. The alicorn sat for a moment, thinking quietly. Then she brightened and turned toward the stairs. “That sounds like a great idea. Spike?” “Yes, Twilight?” the baby dragon called down. “Take a letter!” Dear Princess Cadance, I hope you’re doing well. I haven’t seen you and Shining Armor since the coronation party, and I miss you both so much. But I have a question for you. It’s about my old doll, Smarty Pants. Apparently, there’s a pocket watch that was stuck inside her this whole time. Can you tell me anything about that? Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle P.S. Please say hello to my brother for me. P.P.S. If the watch isn’t anything important, then don’t let me keep you from your royal duties at the Crystal Empire. I’m sure it just got stuck in the doll when you were making it for me. Two days later, a royal guard showed up at the library with a letter for Twilight. When she opened the scroll, she immediately recognized Celestia’s elegant handwriting. My most faithful student Twilight, I have just heard from my niece Cadance about your letter. There’s something you need to know about the watch and how Smarty Pants came to be. You and your friends need to come to Canterlot as soon as possible, and please bring the Elements of Harmony with you. Sincerely, Princess Celestia Twilight dropped the scroll and looked at Spike, who had just walked in with a feather duster and an apron. When he saw the look on her face, he took off his apron. “Okay,” he sighed, “what’s the crisis?” “Pack up the Elements of Harmony,” she said quickly. Twilight focused and summoned the crown to her head. Then she spread her wings and flew upstairs, where she kept all her cold-weather clothing. “I’ve a feeling we’ve got another adventure on our hooves.”