Sergeant Gold Watch is a tough-as-nails detective in the Canterlot Police Department. He has faced hardened criminals, vicious monsters, and cataclysmic threats to the kingdom. He now faces his greatest challenge yet: retirement. Heading to quiet Ponyville, many thoughts weigh on his mind. How can he build a better relationship with his daughter? Where can he find a decent cup of coffee and some fresh doughnuts? And how can he stop thinking about the one case he never solved?
And speaking of the prospect for a quiet retirement, what's this he hears about Princess Celestia's personal student moving here?
A look at life in the no longer quiet town of Ponyville from the perspective of its everyday heroes.
Set during Seasons One and Two.
Chapters (16)
I want to see what other ponies think of Twilight. Clearly Gold Watch is aware of her, and she has a reputation in Canterlot. What will that cause for everypony? Also, you do not have to stick strictly to the episodes. You can also make up small events involving the bearers.
The easiest way to have Gold Watch use the skills from his monster fighting classes is probably the Nightmare Invasion from the comics. Although that's supposed to be set between seasons 2 and 3 so it might happen too late for this story.
Is that Sharp Eye, Optometrist, or Sharp Eye, spy and/or sniper?
Bwhahahahaha! Thanks a lot, Twilight!
I've always liked Ponyville as a bit of a bedroom community for the Guard.
Hmn, suggestions for episodes to touch on? It's About Time comes to mind, seems pretty likely that Gold would have an opinion on the disaster proofing. Mare-Do-Well also feels like something he could be involved in on the side. It depends a little bit on whether he ends up filling the role of (possibly unofficial) police chief.
Dat ending lol
Deeeeeeeeeerpy!
I wonder how many crisises and attempted recruitments by the mayor it will take before he gives in.
*Grins* Very nice. I confess I was wondering when he mentioned old unfinished cases, but I confess I like this take on things more than having it become actiony.
4417551 The story is primarily a look at Ponyville from the perspective of background ponies. It isn't an action story, except for when the action comes to Ponyville. (Yes, that means you, Discord!) So why did I mention that old case?
After Mayor Mare's comment about the destroyed cart you can't not do Boast Buster.
4417591 Duh, because he will stumble upon the missing foal in town. Once he drops a time frame we will be able to start speculating in the comments on who in town it is.
4417591 *Shakes fist humourously* Darn youuuu
So it's the magic of harmony that enables town-wide montages and sing-alongs?
Headcanon accepted!
- I think you meant for apples to be plural here, unless that's a mighty big apple.
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I won't claim credit for that one. I'm sure I've seen it enough on this site that it became part of my own headcanon. The Leroverse is probably the best known example.
That's a direct description of a scene from Swarm of the Century (at the 15:00 mark).
4459494 Huh, I thought that bucket was full of apples. Looks like I was wrong.
*shots fired*
4460509 Of course, we can all see the future. She will do well when put in charge of Winter Wrap-Up. She will lead the defeat of Discord.
And then... she'll forget to send in a friendship report.
4461234
Eeeyuuup.
Awesome story by the way, since I didn't mention it in my first comment.
*Grins* Poor Golden. I could easily see his coffee being stolen by Twilight after a late night writing binge.
I do like the idea that Twilight was well know to the Canterlot police on account of fallout (both metaphorical and literal) from her magic studies.
Crisis management powers, activate!
Heh.
The magic of harmony as the method used to repair the town? Interesting. And in this case, leading the charge to construct a police building is a good way to end up building your future office.
*Grins* Another lovely chapter. I definitely think your plan of alternating sounds good.
Don't fall to the tea drinkers, Gold! First it's 'green tea', next'll be 'chai tea', and before you know it you won't have had any coffee for months!
4657566 Even in the realm of coffee, there's risk. It starts with a latte, then turns into a mocha, and before you know it, you're drinking melted down candy bars.
4657654 Crap, looks like I've already fallen and I didn't even notice.
Oh well, at least melted candy bars taste pretty good.
I am liking where this is going so far.
Interesting explanation for how the pageant works. At first I was confused about the actors in it, but then I remembered that we're still in a season one time frame.
Hah!
As someone who started running inside the last year, all this talk about the running of the leaves and turning it into a more official race is really entertaining to me.
Hmn.
That Nightmare Cultist storyline is definitely going somewhere, but I can't quite imagine where at the moment.
This relationship with Green Tea feels like it could be going somewhere too.
Resolved: Winter Wrap-Up is the best song in MLP:FIM.
Thumbs up if you agree.
Respond with your counterargument for best song if you disagree.
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I really really really really really like "Smile Song" A/K/A Smile Smile Smile!
Makes me smile.
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Hey, I was going to say the Smile Song.
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Don't know if it's the song or the plot, but that's one episode I've never rewatched.
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In all fairness, I didn't like the plot of the episode at all, just the song.
Dunno, Pinkie vs Cheese is pretty amazing n_n Also, nice chapter.
Big Macintosh, Princess of Fancy Mathematics!
i.imgur.com/z62UP.png
Man, no wonder Twilight had to optimize Winter Wrap Up, their order of operations is terrible.
This has long been one of my favorite lines in the entire series, I just love the delivery on it.
I've always wondered about just how many lakes Ponyville has. Could be part of a fairly large irrigation system, would fit with the general farming community image.
On the other hand, I've never understood how setting up the Rube Goldberg style wakeup machine wouldn't have taken far longer than just individually ringing a bell by each den.
4979245 Ponyville has as many lakes as the story demands. It's like Springfield that way.
And yes, not everything in a given episode makes sense. That's why it's fun to write. Like, why are the pegasi free to use their magic during Winter Wrap-Up?
Now this is a story worth following. I'll be waiting for more.
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You invest some time to set it up once and then just use it every year after. The time saved adds up over time.
Green Tea and Gold Watch
I'd ship it
5044269
I couldn't help but laugh at your comment. That was hilarious.
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5044523
I'm shipping all the ponies!
For them, it's a tender story of second love. Giving ponies a human life span, he's 63 years old, and she's 56. Now aren't you glad this story is Everyone rated?
Not a bad contingency plan for handling Discord, even seems fairly likely to work on a version of him that isn't too pointlessly cruel.
And heck yeah, Ponyville Police Chief Gold Watch is a go, as is WatchTea!
5048469 GoldGreen?
5049465 I couldn't quite decide, but that one looks better now that I'm looking at it in print. Has an amusing color theme.
That was so much bullshit. They totally should have had those in there to show the improvements and changes resulting from the first time around. We got gypped!
Stop making me cry tears of joy! (Please don't)
Great work, I can't wait to read more :)
Haven't read this yet but being as I have an extreme worry of dying and growing old...I may have to read this.
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I wonder how Flim&Flam's little crime game will play out...
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It's a con, not a crime; IIRC, everything they did was technically legal.
5164657 Really?
So if I go into an orchard and destroy a few dozen trees that is legal? Destruction of private property is legal?
Are you sure you know what the word legal means?
Not to mention that they planned on stealing a significant number of apples if they lost.
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Gold Watch will be there to discuss their scheme, and how likely it is to work. He will also be keeping an eye on them for any illegal activity.
My personal thought is that Flim and Flam chose the Apples as the target for their con because they're the only family honest enough to allow them to win.
There's another situation with questionable, though legal, behavior that will also be discussed in that chapter.
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Or dumb enough to, even if they did manage to win, not realize that F&F left town with several barrels of cider made from apples they didn't pay for?
Which they then would have sold in the next town for twice as much with no competition? Granny Smith only said they could use the south field for the contest, she never said they could have those apples.