//------------------------------// // New Identity, New Life? // Story: In A Time Unfamilar // by Sumiye //------------------------------// Smart Cookie shuttered as the chilled water flowed over her body, and she curled inward, trying to collect heat. "D-Do you r-r-really have to w-wash me down?" She chattered, shivering wildly. Rarity waved a dismissive hoof. "Of course, darling. You've been trapped in a cage of solid ice for over a thousand years. Your mane and fur are a complete mess!" She levitated the sponge over to the tub, rubbing against Cookie's rough fur. "Ow!" She shouted, slapping the item away with her hoof. "Not so hard." She muttered, closing her eyes. Rarity pouted, starting again. "I apologize, darling." She said, moving the sponge slower to make sure not to cause anymore pain. "Thank you." Cookie grinned. A loud knock broke both their concentration. The sponge went flailing into the gradually warming water. "Are you two done yet?" Rainbow's irritated voice yelled out. Rarity groaned, slapping a hoof on her forehead. "In a minute!" She spoke back, careful to hide her anger under her tone. She gestured for Smart Cookie to walk out, the mare complying as a soft towel wrapped around her body. She nodded in thanks to the unicorn and came to a stop by a lone chair. "Sit down there, darling." Rarity said. Cookie again did the action without a word. She eyed the mare careful as she pulled open the cabinet with her magic, shuffling through the objects. Rarity smiled as she yanked out a hair dryer. "Here we go!" Cookie suspiciously watched as the dial cranked. "What's that?" She questioned. Rarity leveled the machine at her comrade. "A hair dryer, dear." She answered quickly. "You may want to shut your eyes, it is on full power." The mare squeezed her eyes shut, before a blast of hot air nearly shot her off the chair. She spat out multiple strands of her mane as she waved her hooves wildly, trying to stop the air flow. She scrambled for an easy breath as she wind stopped, Rarity moving the dial back to off. "What...was that?" She croaked. Rarity cocked her head. "Just getting the job done faster, dearest. So Rainbow over there would stop complaining." She tucked the hair dryer away, facing the earth pony with a warm smile. "Now, this is my favorite part!" "What is it?" Cookie inquired. "Your outfit, Smart Cookie!" The earth pony's ears dropped. "Oh." She whispered as a new rack came before her sight. She gaped at the glimmering colors. "Do I really need all this?" "Of course!" Rarity gleamed. "You definitely want to stand out, yes?" "No!" Cookie spat, shuffling her hooves through the clothing. Rarity winced, eyes watering. "Alright." She said, trotting forward. Smart Cookie stiffened when she sensed the unicorn's upset nature. "I'll still wear something, though!" She tried. Rartiy's structure straightened. "Really?" She almost shrieked with joy. Cookie nodded. "Delightful, now what can we do?" She muttered as she walked away, coming to a stop by other rows of outfits. Smart Cookie left her be as she searched through the rack she was first given. A flash of standard brown caught her eye. "How about this?" Rarity hummed as she turned, searching for the item her friend had found. She gasped when she found Smart Cookie placing a brown Stetson over her mane, tilting it for effect. "No!" She grasped the leather with her mgaic, whipping it back. "To rustic!" She snarled, but still placed it gently back. Cookie frowned. "But I liked how it looked." She countered. Rartiy's gaze hardened. "Darling, please, that piece of cloth was one of my first designs, and I only kept it because it was." She shut her eyes. "I will not be letting you take something that will ruin your chance at style." Her ear flicked at a high giggle. "It looks nice." Her eyes snapped open, and she glared when'd she found the hat once more atop Cookie's head. She sighed, falling under the pressure. "Alright." She plastered on a smile. "We'll stick with the..beautiful Stetson." It took every ounce of her being not to rip the clothing to spreads. Smart Cookie chuckled. "Thank you." She paused at the mischievous glint in the unicorn's eyes. "What would you like?" She asked dryly. Rarity raced over. "Just a small decoration on the end of your mane and tail, please darling?" She pouted, and Cookie avoided the stare. Her legs started to waver. "Fine!" She gave up, drooping as Rarity squealed in delight. "Wonderful!" "Finally!" Rainbow Dash lifted her head from the plastic chair, grinning as Rarity sauntered from the room. "Are you done with your session, Rares?" She taunted. "Yes, and it was a spectacular success!" A whimper came as the door widened in the slightest bit. "Smart Cookie, be a dear and come please." The door swung fully and Cookie slugged in, tail tucked between her back legs. Pinkie laughed. "You look great, Cooks!" She squealed, staring at the highly noticeable Stetson. Rainbow locked eyes on a spike of red. "Really," she deapanned, flapping over and lifting the end of Cookie's mane. "ribbons?" She flicked the edge of the silky product. Rarity scoffed. "I would've loved to give her a full attire, but she refused my generous offer." "Yep, generous." Rainbow said. Cookie looked up from the floor. "I look alright?" She asked self-consciously. "Absolutely." Rarity confirmed, Smart Cookie's anxiety flooding from her body, replaced by a sense of relief. "Good." Her breaths shuddered as she sighed. "Are you alright, dear?" Rarity questioned. Rainbow and Pinkie's eyes filled with concern. Smart Cookie's own clouded over. "If I have this new name, Applejack...and this new attire." She showed off her Stetson and glowing ribbons. "Does that mean I'm no longer who I was before?" Rarity wasn't expecting the personal question she asked. "Of course not!" She said, keeping her voice surprisingly level. "You may look different than before-" "But than can never change the awesomeness inside of you, girl!" Rainbow interrupted, shouting. The silence floated over the group once more. Rainbow Dash coughed, causing Pinkie to chortle at the move. "Where are we going next?" Cookie blurted before she could stop. Rarity shuffled her hooves. "I'm not that sure" she answered truthfully. "I believe the right thing would be to head for Canterlot. Then we could speak with Princess Celestia..." "But we can't!" Rainbow butted into the conversation. "The Princess said once a week, remember? And she totally has other work she has to do as Princess!" Pinkie caught heir attention by laughing madly. And hard. Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you would like to share with the group, Pinkie?" The mare composed herself, pushing her hoof against her muzzle to stop her laughs. "The Princess really wouldn't mind," she chuckled out. "I went just a few days ago before our last visit, and we had a small part in the gardens!" "However did you get the Princess in on your little games?" Pinkie leaned inward, dropping her tone. "Cake." She murmured, seemingly pulling a slice from nowhere. Rainbow and Rarity shared the dull expression as the mare gobbled down the treat she had saved. Cookie licked her lips. "May I have a part?" "Msumre!" Pinkie spoke through her filled mouth, reaching into her cotton-candy mane. Smart Cookie's heart jumped with excitement as the frosted delight stared her directly. She laced a caramel hoof around the plate, but even as her eyes shone with hunger she ate the food slowly, and equally as careful. "She's so...weird while eating." Rainbow muttered to Ratity, who was watching the same scene. The unicorn turned to the pegasus. "Smart Cookie lived when the tribes were still in chaos. Earth Ponies were forced to give away their food to the Unicorn's and Pegasi in return for Day, Night, and Weather." Rainbow's brow furred. "How do you know all that?" Jealously was weaved into her simple question. Rarity smirked back. "I read the book Princess Celestia had given us. I suppose you 'only read the end', correct?" Rainbow grumbled as her cheeks turned pink at the true statement. "Shut up." The unicorn mare growled, swatting the back of Ranbow's head with a light flow of magic. "Ouch!" Rainbow whined. "Hush now, ponies." Pinkie called, her proper sentence stunning them into silence. "We must move to approach our next destination." She grinned. Smart Cookie set down her slice of cake. "Where are we going?" Pinkie's mouth went agape. "Well duh," she stretched out the last word. "Sugarcube Corner!' Rainbow groaned at the mention of her friend's work place. "Nopony goes through Ponyville without stopping at the best shop in town!" Smart Cookie ran the idea through her mind. "Alright," she finally answered. Pinkie cheered, hooves clapping in upright happiness. "but only for a little while. I would like to visit this Princess Celestia you spoke of." "I think you should already know who she is, Cookie." Rainbow said. "Really?" Rainbow threw her hooves, exasperated. "Yeah!" She shouted, startling the mare. "I mean, the only reason we know about you is because the Princess was told by Princess Platinum about your prisonment!" There was a split moment of overwhelming quiet. "I don't remember the Platinum having any close friends at the time, other than Clover." She muttered. "But she was her assistant, and was assigned." Her head throbbed. Rarity placed a kind hoof over her neck. "You thinking a bit too much, darling." She said in a calm tone. "We can try to figure out this problem after we've had a few candies from Sugarcube Corner." Pinkie shocked them to their core by releasing a large gasp of horror. "And it closes in one hour!" She pressed her hooves against her cheeks. "If we don't move now, we'll miss the best part of the day. Dessert!" Rainbow raised her own hoof. "Pinkie, we're only a block away from it." She swiftly pointed out thoughtfully. "We'll be there in like...five minutes." Rarity nodded in agreement. "We must get going!" Pinkie yelled heroically, before wrapping her hooves around Smart Cookie and shoving her out the door.