Role Reversal

Chapters

In the Flesh
A Delightful Tea Party
Under the Moonlight
Provoked Confessions
A Second Opinion
One Final Confrontation
The Loyalty of a Simple Doll
The Sequel

In the Flesh

Role Reversal

Today was the day. Big Mac had held the moment off for way too long. If it failed, well, then that would be it. No more trying. No more time wasted on mere hopes and wishes. It was a ridiculous proposition, anyway. He didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of tempting Discord, despite the amount of apples in his saddlebags. He'd heard that Discord had been reformed, and was currently living with Fluttershy, no matter how much he doubted it. Big Mac had never forgiven him for turning Equestria into his personal playground, so the thought of him suddenly being redeemed was almost unthinkable.

It wasn't just that, though. He remembered the things he did to him... Discord had turned him into a dog, which turned out to be a very ruff situation. Big Mac shook his head. It didn't matter. In the end, it had to be Discord to help him. Discord was the only one available — every other powerful pony had more important tasks to do. Big Mac had considered Twilight Sparkle, but the newly-appointed princess must've had some work to do. No, he needed someone who had the time and availability to do what he wanted. Someone like Discord; a lazy, powerful good-fer-nothin', who was able to do anything at any time. He would just have to put away his revenge for later.

Big Mac made his way up the garden path to Fluttershy's home. He paused for a moment, checking that none of the apples had fallen from their baskets, and making sure his darling was still with him. He smiled, boosting her confidence with a soft tap of his hoof. Once sure, he trotted up to the door. Big Mac knocked and waited. “H-hello?” a quiet voice said from behind the door. “Big Mac? What are you doing here?”

“Oh, hi, Fluttershy,” he said, blushing. His eyes tried to focus on her face — he really did try — but he felt them slip towards Fluttershy's... Big Mac shook his head. He definitely had more important things to do, he decided as he rubbed his chin. “Is Discord home? Ah wanna talk ta him.”

Fluttershy's eyes grew wide. “Oh, no! He hasn't got into trouble again, has he?”

“Not that Ah know of,” Big Mac admitted. 'Again'? He knew it was too good to be true.

“Good,” she said, sighing in relief. “Um, I don't really know where he is at the moment. I could leave a message if you want—”

“No, that's fine,” Big Mac interrupted. “Didn't he tell you anythin'?”

“I think he said he wanted something sweet. Does that help?”

“A lot. Thanks,” he said, turning away. “See ya later.” Big Mac waited for the door to click shut before moving. There weren't a lot of sweet things in Ponyville. According to legend, Discord had always owned a sweet tooth, so there weren't many places he could've gone. It had to be Sugarcube Corner; it was the only sweet shop in Ponyville. Big Mac started walking once more, in the direction of town. He never really liked going to the main part of Ponyville — he was much too shy to strike up a conversation — but if he got what he wanted, it would all be worth it.

The path to town from Fluttershy's place was a short one, but beautiful, nonetheless. Overhanging branches provided Big Mac with shade as he looked around. Countless flowers of countless colours layered the ground around him, almost begging for him to sniff. Bushes, heathers and hedges shaded the squirrels and rabbits as they played under the afternoon sun. Insects and birds fluttered around the stallion as he walked. Some ponies basked in the warmth on the grass, simply soaking in the sun.

It was a beautiful day. Fitting.

“Look, Smarty Pants. Look how pretty it is today,” Big Mac whispered to his companion. Even though there was no response, he knew there soon could be. He didn't even know if it was possible, but it would be worth the try, no matter how much Discord may laugh at him. Well, Discord laughed at anything. Even on his dying day, you could be sure of one thing: Discord would be laughing his head off.

Town came into view. Big Mac could see the bustling town simply buzzing with energy. It looked so... awkward. He didn't like large crowds, but, then again, he didn't like any kind of crowd. He had obviously visited on the wrong day. Mares, colts and fillies all filled the streets, obviously shopping in the market or simply enjoying the day. It didn't matter to Big Mac. Whatever the reason was they were around, he didn't like it. Too many eyes. Too much attention. It didn't suit him at all, but he pushed on, knowing that his dream may come true.

Eventually, the stallion entered the maw of the crowd. He instantly flinched, his eyes suddenly moving of their own accord. Big Mac checked his saddlebags once more. With a gulp, he pressed on into the town. The thing about the stallion was: he liked his comfort zone. When his precious comfort zone was invaded, it felt like a true invasion, not simply one of harmless intentions. He couldn't bear it. His space was his very own, and that's the way he liked it.

Then, with a happy sigh, he remembered why he was here, and it all seemed to go away, the noise, the bustle — everything but Smarty Pants and himself — seemingly vanished into thin air. Sugarcube Corner was just down the street. Big Mac felt his pace increase, and he began trotting through the town. His dream was so close now, he could almost see it. He tried to imagine what she looked like.

The stallion pushed the door wide open, and came face to face with the Spirit of Chaos. Big Mac stood smiling at Discord, blocking his path with his large shoulders. For the first time, he was happy to see Discord. He felt his breath return, even though he didn't realise it was missing. The draconequus looked to Pinkie Pie, and then back again. He shrugged. “Uh, I'll be on my way, thank you,” he said, teleporting behind Big Mac. He opened the door, but the pony got in his way again.

“Wait, hold on a second. Ya can't go.” the stallion mumbled.

“What is it, dear boy?” Discord replied, shaking his fist, “are the pesky humans trying their hands at shipping again?”

Big Mac shook his head. Sometimes, even he couldn't understand what Discord was on about. He'd heard him give a speech with mention to 'hands' or something or other, but it didn't make sense then. Pointless thoughts aside, the stallion had more things to worry about. “Ah've come ta ask you a favour.”

“Oh?” Discord asked, raising an eyebrow, “and what makes you think I'll give you it?”

“Uh, could we talk somewhere more private?” Big Mac said, nodding towards Pinkie Pie. The mare grinned before disappearing behind the counter. A waving hoof appeared from the desk, and Discord waved back with a hearty chuckle.

“Very well.” The draconequus clicked his fingers, and the pair appeared in a white space. Big Mac looked around. All he could see was white, as if it was a canvas. Oddly enough, he had the sensation of floating. He looked down at his hooves, and, sure enough, he wasn't on the ground. With the manliest scream Big Mac could manage, he flailed his limbs in all directions, attempting to find purchase on any form of ground. “Okay, that's enough,” Discord said, appearing alongside him with a poof. The screaming continued. “Seriously, it's starting to get rather annoying.” Big Mac couldn't control himself. “All right! Fine!” the draconequus shouted.

With a swish of Discord's claw, Big Mac fell to the blank floor with a crash. His eyes opened wide as he finally found the ground. He eventually got to his hooves, sighing. Big Mac looked down at the white nothing that was the ground, and decided it was probably best not to — it made him feel rather queasy. “Where... where are we?” he asked, eyeing the swimming Discord.

“Does that matter? You wanted peace, you got it,” he said, switching to backstroke. “Now, what was that favour you wanted?”

“Don't you wanna know what Ah can offer?” the stallion asked, cocking his head.

“Well, it depends on the favour, of course!” Discord said with a laugh, “I need to know what I'm dealing with before talking prices.” He began an erratic breaststroke through the white space.

This was the moment. The moment Big Mac had waited so long for. He retrieved Smarty Pants from his saddlebags. Closing his eyes, he presented the doll in front of him almost like he was offering a gift. Discord blinked. “Well, what do you want from me? It's just a run-down, dirty toy. I don't understand,” he said.

“Run-down?! Dirty? Don't you listen ta him, Smarty Pants. He don't know nothi—” The stallion was interrupted by a chorus of laughter. Discord stopped his swimming, as his laughter was rather obviously too much to handle with. After what seemed an eternity, the draconequus still hadn't stopped. Big Mac's cheeks flushed furiously. Discord began wiping away actual tears from his eyes before speaking.

“Hold on a moment,” he said in between chuckles and giggles. “Let me guess: you want that toy to come to life as a real pony? Someone to call your friend after being so lonely and desperate?” The laughing paused. An almighty silence fell upon the two.

Big Mac gulped. “Eeyup.”

The stallion was blasted back from the wave of laughter. His eyes grew wide in panic. Big Mac tried to hold onto the white ground, but couldn't find anything to grab onto. It seemed to be slpping away from him. The laughing pushed him along the ground like a ragdoll and away from Discord. He couldn't give in that easily. Big Mac dug his front hooves into the ground, forming his own hold. Even though his back legs flailed uselessly in the powerful winds of laughter, at least he had grip with his front. Once the hole had been made, he began to relax. That was when the laughter stopped, and he fell back on his stomach with an audible groan.

“Oh, this is too rich! You want your very own Pinocchio, don't you?! Someone to hold you through the cold, lonely nights!” the draconequus said, slapping his thighs.

“Ya heard what Ah want, Discord,” the stallion said, “so, can ya do it?”

“Of course! I am the now reformed Element of Chaos after all!” Discord exclaimed with a wry smile.

“What do ya want from me in return?” Big Mac asked, narrowing his eyes. “Ah've got plenty of apples Ah can give ya.” He looked back at his saddlebags to find his worst nightmare. No apples. Darn. They must've disappeared into the void of whiteness.

“Nothing,” Discord said, chewing on a very familiar apple, “I say again: I'm now reformed!”

Big Mac leapt up with joy. “Yup!” he bellowed to the blank canvas around him, before turning to Smarty Pants. “Ya gonna be a real mare now, just like Ah said! We gonna have so much fun, Smarty! First, we gotta get ourselves a drink, cool down in the heat, and then we'll go and talk ta mah family and all! This is gonna be great!”

“But, there is one consequence,” Discord added, “and, to be honest, it's rather steep.”

“And what's that?” Big Mac asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You have to take its place,” the draconequus said.

“And what's that supposed ta mean?”

“Exactly what you think,” Discord said solemnly. “If I turn ol' Smarty Pants here into a pony, you have to take its place as the doll. It's part of my magic system. All a bit of give and take, you see, and someone's got to give for someone to take.”

A silence fell between them. “Ya mean... if Smarty Pants comes ta life, Ah become the doll?” Discord nodded. “Ya sure there's no other way?” Discord nodded again.

Big Mac felt his legs buckle underneath him. Well, that was it: the final ultimatum. The stallion frowned. Would he ever see his family again? What was it like to be a doll? Would he feel anything or absolutely nothing? Questions flooded the stallion's mind, and he didn't have the answer to any of them. He looked back at Discord, who looked about as clueless as Big Mac felt. A tear rolled off his cheek, despite how much he tried to stop it. It had been months, if not, years since he last cried, and if he agreed to become the doll, it would be the last time. It wasn't fair. Discord had all the power in the world. Surely, he could make Smarty Pants a pony whilst keeping him the same.

More tears joined the lone droplet on the ground. For the first time, Big Mac had had a purpose in life, other than picking apples. He had made a friend, Smarty Pants; a little filly's toy, which anyone in the right mind would mock and tease, but it all made sense to him. That's all that mattered. She spoke to him on levels no-one else would or could understand, and he didn't care, because it was only between Smarty Pants and him. No one else was involved. No one else had to get involved.

He treated her with the same respect he gave to his family, even though she couldn't possibly do the same. If only it was easier to make his doll actually speak to him, he would've jumped at the chance. But, as with any great gift, it had a great price tag: himself. Big Mac looked at the doll on his back. He stroked her chin with a gentle hoof, looking into her eyes. They weren't real, of course, but he could've sworn he felt them staring right back at him. Big Mac smiled at her.

He loved her.

She gave him company when he maintained the orchard for hours upon hours. He would talk away to her, about whatever he felt like at the time. No matter how many times he talked, she would never reply. You could say that she was a great listener, but Big Mac didn't need a listener anymore. He wanted someone to speak back to him, to talk about the things he talked about. Instead of picking apples alone, he wanted actual company, instead of just a pair of button eyes watching him. Of course, his family were there for him, but it wasn't the same.

Big Mac never really had any friends, excluding his family. He was way too shy to try for new friends, but the doll already knew him. Smarty Pants had heard him speak his mind on numerous occasions, whether it be him simply talking about the day, or the hard choices to make in his life — she would listen. For all the time he knew Smarty Pants, which, admittedly, hadn't been such a long time, she had always listened to him. And now, it was time to listen to her.

With a sad smile on his face, the stallion stood up. He nodded at the Element of Chaos. “Are you completely sure?” Discord asked, raising a claw to his chin. “You realise I cannot turn you back until... Smarty Pants, or whatever it's called, gives its consent?” Big Mac nodded firmly. “Very well,” the draconequus said with a sigh, “but I'm not explaining this one to your sister.” Discord closed his eyes, and brought Smarty Pants and Big Mac floating into the air with a flick of his paw. The stallion resisted the urge to scream out again — Smarty was watching now.

“What has been brought together by fabrication now faces a new form of modification,” Discord said rhythmically, almost as if he had said the words many times over. “Turn he of flesh into cotton, lest he be fresh, but forgotten. Turn she of cotton into flesh, lest she be forgotten, but fresh.” Big Mac felt energy course through his body, through his very veins. It became uncomfortable, to the point where he nearly cried out, but he restrained himself. It was for the greater cause. “Allow these bodies to be switched across, for I am the Element of Chaos!” Discord yelled at the top of his voice.

Big Mac screamed as his body was broken apart by the magic. His great legs decreased in size. After seconds, he could no longer move them. After what seemed an eternity, he couldn't move anything. As his body made the penultimate step of becoming a doll, he looked across at his beloved. She looked so beautiful — everything he imagined her to be. Her eyes were shut tight, and it looked as if her hair had gone through a tornado, but it didn't matter; she was alive. Big Mac smiled, and for the first time since meeting Smarty Pants, he felt truly happy.

And then, Big Mac turned into a doll with a poof of dust.

The mare woke with a groan. Her body was sore, and her head was spinning. She rubbed her eyes with a yawn. She stretched her tired legs, reaching for the sky of... white? Why was everything white? Her eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of the place. Surely enough, it was just a room of blankness. Nothing. “Hello?” she called out in a gritty voice. The mare had a lump in her throat. “Am I in purgatory or something?” she said.

“Yes, my dear,” came a deep, booming voice. “I am your God. Bow before me.”

“My God?” she asked, cocking her head. “I wasn't aware I had one.”

“Of course you do. I am your living proof,” came the loud voice once more.

“Well, I can't exactly see you...”

“No, but you can hear me.”

The mare sighed. “Show yourself.”

“But, you know what they say! Hearing is believing!”

“That's not what they say at all! Show yourself!” she shouted angrily.

A laugh erupted her as a shape appeared from above. It seemed to be getting larger and larger. The mare squinted her eyes. Was that a... dragon? Whatever it was, it was descending from the blank sky at a rather alarming speed. It would probably be a good time to run. The mare began galloping away as fast as she possibly could, but the laughing only increased in volume. The thing was coming after her, and the maniacal laughter didn't exactly aid in her escape. She looked up one final time before it landed mere inches from her head. A wave of air hit the mare, blowing her mane into her eyes.

The thing cocked its strange head at her. It looked like some sick Pick 'n' Mix creation of monster parts. With a head similar to a horse, an antler from a goat, another from a reindeer and a big, bushy beard, it wasn't exactly the epitome of beauty. The mare looked at the rest of the thing's body, but there simply wasn't enough time in the day to describe it. She couldn't even recognise some of the other body parts. “What are you?” she said, backing away.

“As I said: God,” the thing repeated, smiling smugly.

“Knock it off,” the mare said. “Really, what are you?”

“Ah, so we've got a smart cookie, do we?” The dragon let out a hearty laugh. “Very well. I am Discord, Element of Chaos. At your service,” he said, bowing.

“Okay, Discord, where are we?”

“The question is: where are we not? Ponyville, that's for sure.”

“Ponyville?” the mare asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, you know, where all the cool ponies hang out,” Discord said, rolling his eyes. “I was only allowed in a short time ago. Apparently, none of them appreciated me all that much,” he said, pouting.

“Can we go there?” she asked impatiently. “I don't like it here.”

“But it's so peaceful here! Besides, I hafta talk to you about something.” The thing reached behind him, pulling out a doll from seemingly nowhere. “This is your coltfriend: Big Mac. He became a doll so that you could have life, Smarty Pants. I suggest you take good care of him.”

In an instant, Smarty Pants remembered everything: her name, her life, what had happened only moments ago and, of course, Big Mac. She gasped as the knowledge poured back into her head. It wasn't like she didn't want it, but it just seemed too much, almost as if it would overwhelm her mind. For some reason, she guessed, the magic spell must've given her temporary amnesia or something. Otherwise, how could she forget Big Mac, the very stallion who gave her life, replacing his own? It wasn't exactly an easy thing to forget, but she had only moments ago.

“Give him to me?” she asked, extending a hoof.

“With pleasure,” Discord said. “I was only, uh, giving him a tour of the sky up there.” The draconequus laughed before handing the doll over.

Smarty held up him with both hooves. He was quite a big thing, even for a toy. Much larger than she'd been. She poked his precious collar, which was surprisingly soft to touch. Like Big Mac, the wooden thing had turned into plush. Smarty giggled; he looked oddly adorable, especially the tuft of golden hair on the top of his head. His once powerful legs had been transformed into soft, huggable limbs, which only delighted her as she squeezed them. The mare looked into his deep green buttons, smiling. She knew he could see her, too.

“You know he doesn't like heights, right?” Smarty asked with a note of concern.

“You always have to face your fears at some point, dear child,” Discord said jokingly.

“Yes, well—” Smarty paused. Face your fears? “Discord, may I have a mirror?”

The draconequus was taken aback. “Of course,” he said, clicking his fingers... digits... whatever. A mirror suddenly appeared before Smarty with a high-pitch bleep, to which she yelped. She stared daggers at the smirking Discord before turning her attention on herself. Smarty gasped. With a gentle hoof, she touched her cheek. It was warm and smooth — soft, but completely different to plush. She was an earth pony, so nothing extravagant like wings or a horn. Her mane had remained in much the same way: black and white horizontal stripes in a tangled mess. Smarty's tail was the same, but shorter than she imagined. With a swish, she saw it was very similar to Big Mac's — short and stumpy, but efficient.

And then she saw her eyes. She used to have red and blue buttons for sight, and though her new eyes weren't exactly buttons, they had remained the same colour. Her left eye was of the lightest and calmest of blues, but her right eye burnt with the everlasting heat of red. The contrast was stunning; it looked so odd to see two very much different colours for pupils, but she'd have to make do. Smarty looked at her flank, seeing the pair of polka dot trousers tattooed on it. In all honesty... it wasn't exactly the best of Cutie Marks, but she didn't care. It was a true Cutie Mark, and that's what truly mattered.

Discord cleared his throat. “Yes, yes, you're a pretty mare. Hardly inconspicuous, but better than nothing.” The draconequus held out his paw. “Shall we be leaving?”

Smarty harrumphed. Hardly inconspicuous? What did he mean by that? Besides, the only ponies who would recognise her true self were Big Mac and Twilight.

The mare's eyes grew wide.

Twilight Sparkle.

“I don't see why not,” said Smarty, trying to contain her grin. This was going to be fun.

A Delightful Tea Party

In a flash, the odd couple returned to Ponyville. The park bustled with life — ponies, insects, birds and whatever else found the day to be wonderful populated the place. Smarty gazed around at all of them, curious as to why so many were there.“Well, I'll be on my way,” said Discord, materialising a top hat before tipping it to Smarty. “Be sure to find me if you need anything — being in the land of the living is a rather strange ordeal. Haven't quite got used to it myself yet,” he mused as he clicked his fingers. The draconequus disappeared with a pop.

A smile spread across Smarty's face. She was free. Finally, after waiting for so long: free. For the first time, Smarty felt the warmth of the sun fall on her coat. She simply closed her eyes and let the sun rays warm her body up. She felt the wind breeze through her mane and caress her tail. The songs of birds and joyful cries of foals playing in the sun filled the joyous atmosphere. It all felt glorious. For the first time, Smarty felt alive in more than one sense.

“Are you okay?” a small voice said from behind.

Smarty turned to face a filly, who was as almost as small as her leg. She had to bend down to speak to her, even if it made her look like some towering giant. “Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?” she said, cocking her head.

“You looked... sad,” said the filly, “Do you need anything? Maybe a hug?”

Smarty laughed. Damn, it felt good to laugh. It was like a quick release of happy feelings. The filly laughed with her. Was it contagious? It seemed like it. The small one had laughed almost instantly after hearing her own laughter. This would require further testing, but she had the curious child to deal with first. “Nope, nothing,” came Smarty's reply. She put on a smile. “But, thanks for asking.”

“That's okay.” The filly looked behind Smarty. “You have a nice doll there!”

“Oh, yes. He's very special to me,” Smarty said with a wink. She combed through Big Mac's hair with a soft hoof, making sure to brush it out of his button eyes. It was no fun not being able to see what was going on — she had experienced it many times over. “Actually, you can help me,” Smarty finally admitted. The filly's eyes widened in delight. “Do you know where Twilight Sparkle lives? I need to see her urgently.”

The young mare pointed to a tall building in the middle of town. It was more of a tree house than an actual house — the entire thing was a tree. “It's right there!” she said, smiling. Smarty Pants thanked the filly, and began walking down to the town. A small hoof poked her from behind, and she turned to find the same filly with pleading eyes. “Can I... hold him for just a minute?” she asked hopefully. She even put on the puppy eyes. Smarty rolled her eyes. She couldn't say no to that.

“Sure,” she said, “but be careful; he's a great friend of mine.” And with that, the mare hesitated for a moment before passing Big Mac over to the open-hoofed filly. She held him in a tight grip, smiling contentedly. Smarty remembered exactly the same scene — when she was given to Twilight as a gift, she'd never forgotten the look of pure joy on her face. The memory almost brought a tear to her eye. She once doubted that she would never see such a happy filly again, but the filly in front of her proved differently. “It's so fluffy!” the filly exclaimed, interrupting Smarty's train of thoughts.

“If you squeeze him any harder, I think you'll squish the fluff out of him,” Smarty said with a chuckle. The filly's expression turned from one of joy to complete horror. She quickly released Big Mac from her strong grip, and returned him to Smarty. The filly muttered a thanks before running off into the park. Smarty sighed happily. “I hope you're ready, Big Mac,” she said to him, “that's the kind of stuff I had to put up with.” Though the park was lovely, the mare had more important tasks to do. Besides, she had all the time in the world. She wandered through the streets of Ponyville, looking towards the sky to track the tree house.

Ponies of all colours walked with and against her in a seemingly endless march of trivial pursuits through the town, and that was putting it nicely. There was no reason for them to be hovering around town. The sun was shining, and the temperature was warm — Smarty could see no reason for their presence to be in a boring, dull place such as town. They could've gone to a beach, had a pleasant walk, eaten an ice cream at the very least, but no; they had to continue walking through town. Smarty sighed — the amount of bustling ponies was beginning to frustrate her.

Smarty looked behind, checking if Big Mac was still with her. He rested on her back, which only brought a smile to her face. “C'mon, Maccy,” she whispered, “we're off to see the wizard.” Twilight's home was in sight. Oh, she had so much to talk about. All those embarrassing secrets, all those times Twilight thought no one was listening when Smarty Pants had actually heard all. The memories made her giggle. On reflection, it must've seemed odd to see a mare laughing to herself with a foal's toy on her back. Very odd.

Eventually, after wading through the seemingly endless crowds, Smarty stood before Twilight's door. She raised her hoof to knock, but paused. The idea seemed a good one in foresight, but now it just seemed like a poor one. Though the expression on Twilight's face would be priceless, it wasn't really worth scaring the manure out of her. There was nothing to talk about, anyway. Smarty Pants had been her toy, and now she was a real pony. What exactly does a toy say to its master? 'Oh, hey, I was your toy' wasn't exactly the best of sentence starters.

“And be sure to book the early morning ticket! I don't want to be arriving late at the—” Twilight said as she opened the door. She collided with Smarty's hoof with a loud slap. “What the—”

“Oh, hey, I was your toy,” blurted Smarty Pants. Stupid, stupid, stupid...

Twilight stared at the mare. Smarty kicked the ground nervously, waiting for a response. After a minute of complete silence, Twilight extended a hoof and touched Smarty's cheek. She gasped at the contact. Slowly, she began backing into the library, closing the door at the same time. The strange frown remained on her face the entire time. Well, Smarty couldn't exactly leave her like that — she was previously her guardian of the night and its monsters after all. “Wait, lemme explain,” she said, blocking the door with her hoof. “I can explain it perfectly.”

“Buh... b-but, I don't understand!” Twilight cried, trying to slam the door shut.

Smarty rolled her eyes. Oh, boy, she thought. “Listen, it's not that hard to tell you. I've seen the things you've seen — I'm relatively normal compared to all that stuff!”

The unicorn looked as if she was going to kick Smarty's hoof out of the way and shut the door, or as if she was about to break down into fits of gibberish laughter and unintelligible words, but something sparked in her eyes. Maybe it was that habit of always wanting to know everything, just as Smarty remembered. Twilight looked her up and down. “Five seconds to prove it,” she said, presenting a stopwatch. “I'll be counting.”

“Well, Discord turned me into a real pony.”

“That's it?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow. Smarty nodded. The alicorn inspected the watch with a beady eye. “Three point five seconds. Not bad,” she said, scratching her chin. “I still don't believe you, though. Discord wouldn't do something like that. He'd have nothing to gain from it.”

“Why not? You've seen much stranger things than me,” said Smarty, smiling.

“That as it may be, you haven't exactly given me any conclusive proof.”

Smarty indicated to herself. “I look exactly like your toy.”

“Could just be Pinkie Pie under all that make-up. She's always been way too talented with her paint. I remember when she disguised herself as my mother on Mother's Day,” she said, shivering and staring into space.

“Just look at my eyes!” said Smarty, groaning. She got inches away from Twilight's face and glared at her. “One's red, and the other's blue! No amount of paint could colour in my eyes. Tell me I'm not Smarty Pants now!”

“Could just be some kind of unicorn magic. I've see it all the time,” Twilight said, waving her hoof dismissively. Smarty was about two snarky replies away from smashing her face in, regardless of previously being her toy. She didn't have to be so... mistrusting.

“Are you really going to make me do this?” Smarty asked with a sigh.

“I'm not asking you to do anything at all, and—”

“Do you remember that time you came home from school, and you couldn't stop crying? I could've sworn you produced your very own river of tears in your room. You told me everything — how you accidentally turned your teacher into a teapot, because you apparently got a question wrong. Then, when everyone laughed at you, you snapped and proceeded to turn them all into teapots.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes.

“When I didn't reply, which apparently was such a sin, you also turned me into one,” Smarty added, a smug smile spreading across her face. “How's that for your conclusive proof?”

Twilight continued staring daggers at Smarty. In a moment, the frown disappeared. She wiped her eyes, as if awakening from a dream. “Smarty Pants?” she asked, “is it really you?”

“The one and only,” she said, grinning.

Twilight had invited Smarty Pants in for a cup of tea, and the chance to 'be a subject of close investigation', which Smarty knew was Twilight's way of inviting her to chat. She had sat down on Twilight's sofa, and was being watched rather closely by Spike from the top of the stairs. Smarty wouldn't look at him directly, on pain of only alerting him further, but she could see him staring in her peripheral vision. He must have a very boring life if he stares at guests all day, she thought.

The library did look rather pleasant. Homely. Smarty had never actually seen the place, seeing as though she'd been kept in a cardboard box somewhere in the basement for so long, so it was interesting to see how Twilight had matured as a mare. Adult books filled the shelves, and Smarty could've sworn she saw some... overly romantic novels, but she couldn't complain — at least Twilight was keeping up with her reading. She remembered the days Twilight would read any kind of comic or book to her as a filly. Smarty knew Twilight wasn't a bad pony, that was for sure, but she still had no idea what to talk about.

“So, here's your tea,” Twilight said with a warm smile. She joined her ex-toy on the sofa. Smarty Pants plucked the hovering, steaming cup from the purple haze, and took a deep sniff. It smelt wonderful. Though the smell of fresh grass outside was pleasant, the tea was far better. Smarty could detect the earthy scent of the tea leaves. “Ladha ya Kinyesi leaves, the finest tea in all Equestria,” said Twilight, sipping from her own mug, “Princess Celestia kindly gave me some.”

“That was nice of her,” Smarty said, taking a sip. Her taste buds exploded. It was the first thing she had ever tasted anything, and, oh, what a wonderful first choice. Smarty was forced to put her cup down, due to the coughing fit that ensued.

“Too hot?” Twilight asked, a hint of genuine concern in her voice.

“Just perfect,” said Smarty, in between choking. “Just went down the wrong way.” She was lying, of course — there was simply too much flavour in one sip for her to handle, especially as it was her first ever taste. She relished the taste of it, and grinned at the satisfying aftertaste it left behind. Smarty wanted more, and right now, but she couldn't rush it. Too much of a good thing. She looked up to see Twilight watching at her, almost as if she was investigating her. Smarty couldn't blame her; it's not every day a master shares tea with its toy. “I, uh, see you've got yourself a nice set of wings now! What are you, a princess or something?” she asked, chuckling.

“Well...” Twilight smiled nervously. Smarty's jaw dropped so fast, she could've sworn it hit the floor.

“You're a princess?!” she screeched, her tone full of disbelief.

“Is that so hard to believe?” Twilight cocked her head. “I was, and still am, the protégé of Princess Celestia after all, though the circumstances are still pretty... hazy. I'm not exactly sure what I'm the princess of, you see. Just a princess at the moment, I guess. Does that still count for something?”

Smarty's eyes glimmered. A princess! Her own Twilight Sparkle had become royalty! Today was just a day of surprises. “Of course it still counts for something! It doesn't matter!” she said, jumping out of her seat to hug her, “I'm so proud of you, Twi!”

Twilight blushed a fierce crimson and returned the hug. “Thanks, Smarty. But, let's talk about you! I'm old news, anyway,” Twilight began. "Did you just come here for a chat, or for something else? I hope you're not hoping to exact revenge on me for turning you into a teapot,” she said sheepishly.

“The thought had crossed my mind... Oh, just to check up,” Smarty admitted without much pretence. "See how you've got on since... you left me.”

Twilight was taken aback. “You remember that?”

“I remember everything,” Smarty said. “Just because I was a doll doesn't mean I can't see what's going on, and I could certainly recall what happened then! You just left me in that heap of ponies!” Oh, she could have so much fun with this. She put on a hurt expression for good measure.

“You make it sound like I abandoned you!” Twilight exclaimed, blushing once more.

“Well, technically, you did,” Smarty said. “You put a spell on me, and then cast me into the masses! I was hurt, you know? Both mentally and physically...” She pointed to her left eye. “I think my button was nearly falling out...” she said, making sure to leave a dramatic end. Smarty took another sip from her mug, and tried desperately not to smile or laugh from happiness; it tasted just heavenly.

“I tried to find you!” Twilight tried, rubbing her neck.

“Liar! You saw Big Mac carry me off into the sunset,” Smarty cried. When the unicorn looked as if she was about to burst into tears, she laughed and immediately felt guilty. Smarty didn't blame Twilight for the incident — if anything, being taken in and loved by Big Mac was better than being stuffed back into a small bag and left for years on end. “I'm joking, Twi. I was perfectly fine in the end.” Still, the mare didn't stifle her sniffles. “Seriously. Twilight. I mean, look at me! Turned out much better than both you or I expected!”

“Well, if you say so,” Twilight said, her lips trembling.

“Hey,” Smarty said, jumping onto another topic, “do you remember those tea parties you used to throw me? ”

Twilight sniffed. “The ones with... Mr Bigglesworth and Big Momma?”

“The very same,” Smarty said, a twinkle in her eye. “You had those little plastic cups... and you would force-feed us all biscuits and tea all day. Mr Bigglesworth never liked it, but I did. Those were the days, you know.”

“They sure were. It's strange how you can remember that, but I can't," Twilight said, smiling.

“Well, life wasn't exactly that exciting as a toy,” Smarty admitted. “I had to cling onto the most exciting parts. Don't you think it's strange how we're having a tea party of our own right now?”

Twilight laughed. “I suppose it is.”

The purple blur Smarty had long forgotten about emerged from her peripheral sight. She finally turned her attention on him, properly looking at the dragon for the first time. It was Spike — of course it was Spike! How could she forget about him? He had simply grown up so much. The last time Smarty had seen him was when he couldn't even walk for himself, and now, he looked as if he glided along the ground. He was a professional at walking! Not exactly something to write home about, granted, but a darn sight better than what she saw last time. She grinned; it was good to see the little guy again.

“So, who's this, Twi?” Spike asked, his voice unsure. Smarty rolled her eyes. Well, so much for that reunion. She wasn't too surprised, to be honest; he was very young when he had met her.

“Oh, just an old... acquaintance,” she said with a chuckle.

Spike narrowed his eyes. “She looks familiar... almost too familiar,” he said, raising a claw to his chin.

“Spike!” Twilight exclaimed. “Have you no manners at all? You can't just say to a pony's face!” Spike grunted in response. He glared at the pair of the ponies whilst he refreshed their cups of tea in a rather clumsy manner. Almost as if it was on purpose. Tea sloshed at the side of her cup, almost overfilling, but it didn't matter. For the first time in ages, someone was serving Smarty tea, and this time she could actually drink it.

“Thank you, Spike!” said Smarty, smiling mockingly.

“Yeah, whatever,” the dragon dismissed as he left the room.

It was getting late. The warmth and light of the day was quickly disappearing. She could see the moon emerging through the grey clouds, which had seemingly arrived from nowhere. Smarty Pants took another sip of the wonderful brew, but coughed and spluttered. There was something she'd forgotten: Big Mac's family. “Smarty? Are you all right?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, I'm fine,” she said. “Listen, Twilight, I've got some things I need to take care of. It's been nice chatting, but I really need to go. Is that okay?” The mare looked confused, but nodded all the same. “Good. Thanks for the tea and all... It was nice having another tea party after so long,” she said. “I'll be around, though. See you some other time?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight said, returning the grin. “Wait, don't you even have the time to finish your tea?”

“Sorry, but no,” Smarty replied, scratching her neck. She got up way too quickly, and almost fell back down again, but a wave of purple caught her. Twilight planted her back on her hooves effortlessly. Just as Smarty was about to thank her, something rather heavy hit the wooden floor with an audible thunk. She looked down, wondering what it was, to find her Big Mac doll staring back at her.

“Smarty... what's that?” Twilight began, pointing at him.

“Oh, uh, nothing! Just something Discord gave me!” she said with a grin. She quickly squeezed him back into her saddlebag and closed the hatch tightly. She slowly backed away from Twilight, who looked as if she was trying to remember something.

“That looked a lot like... uh,” Twilight said, but was quickly interrupted by the sound of the door slamming shut.

“That was too close,” Smarty said to herself, hiding behind the door. She looked up, seeing the rays of moonlight brighten up the town. Everyone had disappeared from the streets, leaving Smarty feel suddenly alone. She almost felt vulnerable, were it not for the filly's red toy residing in her saddlebag. Smarty opened it up, allowing Big Mac to breathe and see the shining moon. With a gentle hoof, she patted him on the head. “Now, let's go and see your sister. She must be worried sick about you.”

Though she tried to sound calm, Smarty felt quite the opposite. After living with Big Mac for so long, she had become acquainted with his family. Strong minds, the lot of them, even though she wasn't much different. How would she even begin to admit to Applejack that her brother had become a doll in return for her coming to life? It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to explain.

With a gulp, Smarty began walking into the night.

Author's Note

So, thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! Question of the day: how would you react if your sibling/loved one was turned into a doll, so that a doll you never paid attention to could live, and said doll turned up on your doormat to say hi?

I should be a goddamned interviewer for that question...

Under the Moonlight

The night was cold and bitter, but the grey mare continued plodding on, using the dull moonlight to guide her through the trees. The woods around Ponyville were disturbing at the best of times; it made the mare wonder why the ponies settled around here in the first place. Smarty Pants shivered and shook before remembering the scarf in her saddlebags. She had pilfered it from Twilight Sparkle in secret. It wasn't like she would notice... Well, she could always give it back later.

Maybe.

Smarty stopped in the middle of the path to adjust the spotted thing. It took a few attempts, especially with her shaking hooves, but she eventually managed. Once it was snuggled around her neck, the march forward continued. Smarty had never walked to Sweet Apple Acres on her own hooves. She could barely remember the place from memory — Big Mac had walked with her on the way many times over. Smarty giggled; it was strange to think of their positions being reversed.

An owl hooted in the darkness, and the mare screeched back. With a flurry of feathers, the bird disappeared into the night. Smarty sighed, feeling sweat collect on her brow. She probably scared it more than it did her. Poor thing. “Hoo, boy, Big Mac. I hope there aren't any more creep animals like that out there!” she said, hoping to catch their attention. Smarty knew they were there, watching and listening. It wasn't like she was expecting a reply, but a wolf howled in the distance, anyway. She cringed again.

“N-nice animals,” said Smarty, desperately trying to avert attention, “you wouldn't want to hurt harmless, ol' Smarty, right?” She plodded into the consuming darkness, her eyes constantly zooming in on the smallest sound. A branch cracked. She squealed. The leaves whistled as the harsh winds ravaged them. A bead of sweat rolled off of her forehead. Another roar in the distance, but it was closer this time. She nearly had a heart attack. It wasn't long before the mare began galloping through the trees.

Smarty was making progress. She could've sworn she saw a glint of the barn just before a twig tripped her up. The mare felt her body fly through the air. She hit the ground hard and slid along the rocky path, coming to a stop beneath a tree. The wind had been knocked out of her lungs. Her legs felt weak and shaky as she tried to pick herself up. With a glance, Smarty confirmed that Big Mac was still sitting securely in her bag. She tried to dust herself off, but a sensation on her neck distracted her. It was warm, and she could also hear a deep, ragged breathing. Her mouth opened as the realisation hit her.

She dared not to look back. Just like in those horror films Big Mac had made her watch, whoever turned around to see the monster would... well, not exactly meet a happy ending. Instead, she simply chose to keep her eyes forward. Maybe that logic was enough to stun the monster. The thought of screaming crossed her mind, but that wouldn't help her; it was too late for ponies to be around. There was simply no other way out of this. The breathing became louder, as if whatever it was was getting closer. Obviously a mouth-breather, she thought.

Maybe she could reason with it. It hadn't attacked her just yet — perhaps it was simply waiting for her to make the first move. “Hello?” she said. The reply was a low, guttural growl. Smarty gulped. “Look, I'm going to turn around. If you have anything against that, just let me know now.” Another growl. Well, that seemed about right. Smarty felt her hooves running before she even told them to. Of course, the ensuing scream was necessary. It provided all the encouragement she needed.

The ground beneath her galloping hooves was cold, but Smarty ran through the night. She had to, otherwise the thing would—

A blood-curdling roar from behind derailed her train of thought. She looked back to find two pairs of green, piercing eyes glaring at her, though she couldn't quite make out the owners. “Help!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Oh, Celestia, please help me!” She was running out of breath. Soon, if no one came to her rescue, the monsters would catch up to her. Smarty didn't even want to think about what they'd do to her if that happened.

It felt good to run so fast, even though the conditions were less than stellar, what, with the bloodthirsty beasts following behind her. Perhaps they merely served as an incentive to keep her running. Though, she did feel powerful as she kicked up dirt from the road while sprinting. The wind blew in her face, temporarily blocking her view, but it felt glorious.

The road became more narrow, and Smarty could feel the difference on her hooves. The ground was a lot less stable. A glance downwards confirmed her fears. She was simply running on mud and earth. There was no track or path here — simply the place in which she chose to ran. Smarty gulped. She had gone the wrong way. There was a snap of jaws from behind her, and for the first time, she saw the monster. A predatory, wolf-like face stared back at her, its wooden features only visible in the brief moonlight shining down the forest.

Twigs, branches, logs and leaves made up the parts of its body. Sharp stakes of wood pounded the ground beneath it as it gave chase. Smarty could even see the thin, pointed sticks in its mouth, presumably for gnawing on flesh. No way; she would have none of that. Smarty had only just received the flesh herself — there was absolutely no chance she would simply give it up straight away. Adrenaline pumped and circled around her body as she ran. The wooden wolves were fast, but she was faster. Smarty was a pony now, and it was time she acted like it.

The ground up ahead looked soft, deep and muddy. Dangerous. Not for her, but maybe for those sharp claws the monsters had. She quickened her pace before making the jump over the shallowest parts. As graceful as a butterfly, she flew through the air and landed with a soft thump of hooves on the other side. Smarty looked back to find one of the monsters stuck in the mud, exactly as she planned. It looked down at its legs in confusion, as if willing them to move. With a strong pull from its hip, the poor thing managed to break the twig it had for a leg. It fell head first into the mud with a splodge and a splash of muddy water.

Smarty would've burst into laughter, were it not for the second wooden wolf bounding so effortlessly towards her. Unlike its partner, it managed to clear the jump. It leapt straight over its fallen comrade without so much as a worried glance, but Smarty no longer cared. She turned tail and began galloping away once more, solely focusing on her escape. This time, however, Smarty didn't feel as strong. The momentary pause had allowed her muscles to relax, and beginning galloping again so soon made them ache and hurt.

In a moment, her entire body screamed at her to stop, but she knew she couldn't. One wrong step, and she would be that wooden wolf's next meal. Slowly, without her knowing, Smarty's legs began to slow. The level of lactic acid steadily built up in her body, forcing her to drop her speed. The mare began wheezing and gasping for air, hungry for oxygen, but a hidden log in the middle of the forest answered her body's call for a rest. Smarty tripped, and felt the ground on her face once more. The shining light of the moon fell on her. Panting, she looked up to see the snarling face of the monster, its fiery, green eyes boring into her own. “Help,” she managed to mumble weakly.

The wooden wolf closed in on her, licking its lips. It had no saliva, but that certainly wasn't stopping it. With a growl, it pounced into the air. Smarty used her hooves to shield her face, bracing for the impact that never came. She allowed her eyes to wonder. Maybe the monster was simply playing with its food. When she looked, however, there was not a single wolf to be seen. The giant log that had tripped her up had also vanished, seemingly into thin air. A whimper came from above her. Smarty flinched, but then realised the fate of the wooden wolf.

The thing had become entangled in a type of net made of rope. It was suspended in the air, most likely using the weight of the log to keep it there. Smarty chuckled. That log had both doomed and spared her. Whatever trap the monster had gotten itself into, it was of genius design. She owed her life to the simple but elegant knots of the net. “You don't look so tough now, huh?” Smarty taunted the struggling wolf. “Thought you could take me on? Well, look where that got you. That's what happens when you mess with—”

“Yep, those timberwolves have been a real trouble lately,” said a voice from behind. Smarty jumped out of her fur, letting out a shriek. She turned to find a mare watching her with great curiosity. “Whoa there, Nelly!” she said quickly. “Didn't mean ta jump ya like that!” she spoke with a strong drawl. Smarty narrowed her eyes. That voice sounded familiar. When all Smarty gave was silence, the pony jumped forward into the moonlight. and shook her hoof. She wore a wide-brimmed hat on her head, and long, blond hair fell past her neck. “The name's Applejack! And, uh, what was your name?”

“Oh, um, Smarty Pants,” she said, instantly regretting it. There was no way Applejack wouldn't recognise that name, not in a million years.

“Strange name,” Applejack mused. “But, glad ta meet ya!” Smarty gave a sigh of relief, but Applejack seemed quite inquisitive as she watched her. Maybe it wasn't the best time to relax just yet. “Not often Ah see ponies around these parts. Especially at this time of... night. What exactly were ya doin' here?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I was walking back... home,” Smarty said, gulping.

“That so?” Applejack asked. “Sounded like ya wanted ta say more.”

Damn, Smarty thought. “Well, I was walking back home, and those... timberwolves, as you called them? They started chasing me. I managed to lose one in the mud, but if it wasn't for this trap,” said Smarty, indicating to the panicking timberwolf, “I think I would've been a goner.”

“A goner, ya say?” said the farmer. “Well, Ah was the one who set this here trap. These timberwolves have been pests for a while, and Ah thought it'd scare a few away.”

Smarty tried to act surprised. “Really? Well, thank you!” she exclaimed, shaking Applejack's hoof twice as hard as she had shaken hers. “I owe you my life! Thank you so much!”

Applejack tilted her hat downwards. “Aw, shucks. No problem. It was mah brother who thought of the idea, anyway.” Smarty blushed furiously at the mention of his name. In the end, it had been him that saved her. Well, technically both of them — the wolves would've probably tried taking a bite out of him. When she didn't reply, Applejack resumed talking. “Wanna help me release this thing? Won't take long.” She pointed to the timberwolf, who had simply resigned to its fate and given up fighting the powerful knots. It wore a sad expression, almost as if it was putting on puppy eyes. Pathetic.

Smarty's eyes went wide. “Release it?” she repeated. “Are you insane? This thing nearly killed me!”

The farmer's brow furrowed. “Ah'm not insane! There's jus' no sense in keepin' it hangin' there all night. Probably got a family somewhere, y'know?” Smarty looked back at the timberwolf. When it wasn't chasing her, she had to admit: it did look rather cute. It looked back at her with pleading eyes. The image of a predator had vanished, leaving a passive, dog-like creature to whimper and whine in the trap that had entangled it.

“Okay, okay,” Smarty said, “but just don't be sentimental when it has your head in its mouth.” Well, she had to back up her point. It was a simple matter of principle.

Applejack scowled at Smarty before instructing her to pull the net down. With a heave, the pair of ponies managed to bring the timberwolf back to the ground. It suddenly became restless, wriggling and writhing in the rope, but was quickly silenced by a glare from Applejack. The wooden dog whined before conforming to the net of shame once more.

“Right,” Applejack said, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, “that's the hardest part done. Jus' hold it in place for a sec. Jus' got to untie a bit.” The farmer disappeared into the mass of knots and bits of rope. Smarty did as asked, and kept the timberwolf in place. Its complacent eyes found their way into her own, and found herself smiling at the damned thing. Even more pathetic! The timberwolf had previously tried to kill her, but it was practically harmless now.

With a grunt from Applejack, the rope suddenly became lax in her hooves. Smarty dropped the net. The timberwolf struggled once more, finally finding the hole Applejack had made for its escape. It looked back at her temporarily before leaping through the net. The farmer bucked it up the arse for good measure. “Git outta here!” she shouted, chasing it into the forest. The wolf yelped and whimpered as it disappeared into the night. “Well, that takes care of that!” the mare exclaimed happily.

Smarty gasped in horror. “What is it?” the mare asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

“You know that timberwolf I was talking about? The one stuck in the mud?” Applejack nodded. “Should we go and help it out? It was quite far away, but I'll feel guilty if we don't.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow before shaking her head. “Nah,” she said, “it'll get itself free. They're tougher than ya think. Ah only helped this one ta catch more,” she said with a devious grin.

“Then why did you let it go?”

The farmer was taken aback. “For the thrill, of course. The thrill of the hunt.” Smarty felt like arguing back, but she knew how stubborn Applejack was, even if she was wrong. Unfortunately, she was almost as stubborn as herself. Smarty recalled all the conversations Big Mac had had with her sister, and the vast majority of them had never ended in his favour. She kicked at the ground, hoping Applejack would simply drop the subject.

“So, what are ya gonna do now?” the farmer asked.

“Might as well keep walking home,” Smarty said.

“With all these wolves around? Ah don't think that'd be a good idea.”

“Oh, yeah? What would you suggest?”

Applejack smiled. “Well, ya can always sleep at mine for the night. Got a spare room. In the morning, ya can just mosey on home. How does that sound?”

Smarty raised a hoof to her chin. She knew the answer already, but she had to make it look convincing. “Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden, and I'm—”

“Ya wouldn't be a burden!” Applejack interrupted, shaking a hoof in dismissal. “If anything, Ah owe ya it. Ah couldn't have gotten that timberwolf down without ya, so see it as a thanks!”

“Still, the thing wouldn't have been there if I was here,” Smarty countered.

Applejack frowned. “Listen, for someone named 'Smarty', ya don't seem all that bright. There are lots of timberwolves out and about tonight, roamin' in packs of two or more. Ya wouldn't make it back in one piece, Ah can almost guarantee it. It'd be best to wait till morning. Plus, it wouldn't feel right for me ta leave ya out here like this.”

Smarty tried not to respond to insult. She was silently seething with rage, but she couldn't let her emotions get the better of her. “Well, only if you're sure...” she said through gritted teeth. “I couldn't thank you enough.”

“Absolutely!” Applejack exclaimed with a smile. “Even if ya said no, Ah would've trussed ya up tighter than... well, Ah dunno,” she said, cocking her head. “Somethin' tight, I s'pose. C'mon! Mah home isn't that far away!”

“You were really thinking of tying me up and carrying me?” Smarty asked, raising an eyebrow.

Applejack paused before answering. “Maybe.”

With that somewhat disturbing revelation, Smarty began hesitantly following Applejack through the night, the light of the moon barely showing their path. For the first minutes, a deathly silence filled the atmosphere. The occasional, faraway howl of a timberwolf would make Smarty jump, to which Applejack would respond with “damned timberwolves” or “stupid wolves”, but the majority of the journey was quiet. Smarty felt the cold ground beneath her hooves and the bitter air of the night, but it made her feel alive. It was better to feel something — anything — rather than nothing at all.

She fell behind Applejack a little, so that she could check on Big Mac without her knowledge. There was no doubt in Smarty's mind that Applejack would freak out when she saw him. When, she thought. It was inevitable; she would have to tell her soon, but now was not the right moment. In the morning. That was the best time. In a calm and collected manner, she would casually mention it, as if it wasn't such a major thing. Fat chance, she told herself.

Unbuckling her saddlebag, she looked in to find Big Mac staring back at her with his green buttons. Smarty chuckled, stroking his golden hair. Just where she'd left him. “So, whereabouts do ya live?” said Applejack, turning around to talk. “Ah know all the parts round here, and nothing springs to mind.” Smarty panicked, quickly stuffing Mac back into the bag.

“Oh, ages away. Over the hills and stuff,” Smarty said absent-mindedly.

“Really?” Applejack said, a sceptical frown on her face. “What made it seem like such a good idea to walk home so late then? Ya must've known about the timberwolves.”

“Well... I've only just moved in. Came from, uh, Manehatten,” she said off the top of her head.

“Manehatten, huh? Ya not one of those fancy types, are ya?”

“No, don't think so.”

“Well, good. Ah went up there as a little filly, and those are some of the most silver-spooned, snot-nosed ponies Ah ever did have the displeasure of meetin'.” Applejack paused before chuckling. “No offence, of course. Ya don't seem like that type, anyway.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Smarty mumbled.

“So, do ya like it here? Ponyville's got some fine folks, even if we don't have many of them fancy shops y'all Manehatten ponies like so much.”

“Well, it's nice enough. I wanted to escape from the city, anyway. Nothing like some good, fresh air.” Ooh, she was a good liar. Smarty wanted to make it seem convincing, but she couldn't give too much detail away; it would only make it harder for herself to tell the truth in the morning.

“Too right!” Applejack exclaimed, smiling proudly. “Ah'm a Ponyville pony, through and through. Born and raised right here in this fresh air! Heck, ya seem like a nice pony. Ah'll let you in on a little secret.”

Oh, boy, Smarty could hardly wait. She simply shuddered with anticipation. Applejack beckoned her closer. “Listen, Ah've got a big brother named Big Mac. He's about yay high,” she said, raising a hoof above her head, “so he's pretty darn noticeable. Mac's got a red coat, green eyes and a blond mane and tail if that wasn't enough. He's been missin' all day, and Ah haven't heard anythin' about him. Believe me, Ah asked all around town. Maybe ya saw him on ya way over here? Ya couldn't miss him.”

Smarty blinked, and then blinked again. “Is... is that why you're out so late? You're looking for him?”

“Of course!” Applejack confirmed. “He's mah brother, for cryin' out loud. You'd think he'd tell me when he feels like disappearin', but Ah guess not,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Mac's been doin' it a lot recently, but it's the first time he hasn't shown up for dinner. Ah've been worried sick all day! Ya haven't seen him, have ya?”

She raised a hoof to her chin. This was going to make it much harder in the morning. “No... no, I don't think so.”

“Well, could ya keep an eye out for him?” Applejack asked. “Ah reckon he'll come back soon, but it'd have been nice if he'd jus' told me in advance. Makin' me stay up all night, lookin' for him... Ah'm gonna hit him so hard when he shows up! He better have the best excuse in the world!” she muttered, stomping the ground.

Smarty gulped. Oh, no.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, especially with the insufferable silence created by Applejack's last remark, the pair came across a clearing in the forest. Applejack pointed to a large, red barn standing proudly on the top of a hill. “This is our home,” the farmer whispered, “but you'd better keep it down — the rest of mah family are probably fast asleep. Ya can meet 'em all in the mornin'.” As Smarty followed her up the hill, Applejack pointed to the rolling hills of trees beneath them. “This here is our orchard,” she said proudly. “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres!”

“I was wondering what that Cutie Mark was for,” Smarty admitted. She knew all this already, but she couldn't just spill the beans.

“Well, Ah'm nothin' to write home about, but it's what we do for our livin'. We look after apples, pick 'em and then sell 'em. It's pretty simple work, but we're proud of what we do. Maybe Ah could give ya a job round here sometime!” she exclaimed with a smile. “Ya seem quite dependable!”

“Thanks,” Smarty said. “I might have to take you up on that.”

Eventually, after the steep climb of the hill, the pair made it to the door of the house. It was big, but of rather simple design. Smarty stepped onto the porch, making sure to press down lightly. The wood creaked under her weight, but there was simply nothing else she could do about it. Applejack opened the door with a push, and indicated to Smarty to go inside. She raised a hoof to her mouth, telling her to be silent. Smarty nodded, and went through the doorway.

“Okay, ya room is down on the left,” whispered Applejack, pointing down the corridor. “The bed's already made, and ya can put ya things on the table. Make yourself at home!” she said, smiling.

“Again, thanks a lot,” Smarty said, returning the smile. “Don't know what I would've done without you tonight.”

“Aw, shucks,” Applejack said in a hushed tone, blushing. “Think nothing of it. Have a good night's sleep, and Ah'll see ya in the morning, all bright and early!” Smarty thanked the mare again before walking down the corridor. She found the door open, and went into the room. It was simple and efficient, much like the rest of the house, but it suited her. First things first — her saddlebags. With a groan, she pulled the straps off of her waist and placed the bags on the table next to the bed.

The weight was gone from her back. She stretched, feeling several bones click satisfyingly. Smarty took the scarf off of her neck and placed it beside the bag. Of course, she had to fold it accordingly — everything had its place. Smarty jumped on the bed before remembering where she was. She had to be respectful, so no more jumping on beds. It was comfortable, the two pillows at the perfect angle for her neck, as well as the warm, fluffy blankets beneath her.

Smarty leant across the bed to look through her saddlebags. Her hoof came across something soft, and she pulled the thing out. Smarty set Big Mac next to her on the bed, finally giving him some air to breathe... well, metaphorical breathing. She knew how claustrophobic Big Mac could get at times, even if he was a toy. She looked deep into his green eyes, knowing he was staring right back at her. It was funny; if someone told her that she would turn into an actual pony earlier today, she would've done absolutely nothing.

Of course she would've done nothing. Earlier today, she was an inanimate object, so it only made sense. She probably would've at least felt surprised, even though she wouldn't have been able to express it.

She sighed. Even though the day was gone, her brain was still active enough to think of wild scenarios and situations. Smarty needed to sleep. She needed to let her body refresh. Unlike her previous self, she actually had muscles and organs that needed to rest and replenish energy. Smarty had never actually slept before, as she had never needed to. Would she simply drop off to sleep? Was there something specific she had to do, like drink a glass of milk before bedtime, just as Twilight had done as a filly?

There she went again. Thinking. There was simply too much to think about.

Smarty hugged Big Mac tightly, holding his soft limbs against her own. She kissed him on the forehead, silently thanking him for his gift. With a sad smile, she placed him carefully back into the bag, making sure no one could see him. If Applejack walked in to find her brother as a toy, well, she wouldn't exactly have the most fun explaining it.

With a sigh, Smarty snuggled into the sheets of the bed, and slowly felt her consciousness slip away.

Hmm.

It was difficult being stuck in the mud, as the timberwolf had figured out. If he pulled too hard, a part of his leg would break off. While this caused him absolutely no pain, seeing as though his leg was simply a branch with no pain receptors, it was still quite an inconvenience. With another pull, his front right leg made it out of the mud, unfortunately leaving a couple of claws in the earth. Another strong jerk of his leg saw his third leg out of the ground, though this time leaving half of his fibula behind.

That pony wasn't a very nice pony.

He had just wanted to play with her, but that nasty pony tricked him into this muddy situation. Maybe he had gotten a little overexcited, but still. It wasn't fair. Even his mate had left him behind in pursuit of fun. What a mate he had turned out to be. The wolf sighed. Another night, another failure. With one final pull, he got his fourth leg out of the mud. Luckily, he didn't lose anything else, aside from perhaps his dignity. Once unstuck, the timberwolf crawled over to the grass, making sure his footing was secure. He stood up on his uneven legs, and, using his power, called to the sticks and branches lying beneath the tall trees. Slowly, they slid across the ground, attaching themselves to his legs.

What kind of sick pony thought being stuck in the mud was a fun game? Certainly, no timberwolves thought the same. In fact, being stuck in the mud was seen as quite the opposite. Oddly enough, it wasn't fun. It was a distressing and rather annoying experience. He harrumphed. The sticks had finally converged on his legs. He raised his new limbs, flexing them with great curiosity. New limbs always felt strange. With a grunt, the timberwolf made his way into the wood, leaving the mud behind him. You could say that he was no longer a stick-in-the-mud.

Fun was out there. Somewhere. He only had to find it.

Author's Note

Sorry for the tardiness in this chapter — had some important exams I had to revise for. New chapters will take less time to get out there. However, I will be away this weekend. Going up to London to watch the Trooping the Colour, which should be fun. In a week's time I will be completely free to continue writing!

And that ending... Well, I was reading over the whole thing, and felt really bad for leaving the timberwolf like that. I couldn't just leave him stuck in the mud. I still feel guilty, even though I tried to justify it...

Provoked Confessions

The mare gasped.. Her eyes fluttered open as she adjusted to the suffocating darkness around her. “Very strange,” she said to herself, getting up from the ground. She tried to look around, but couldn't see anything. “Hello?” the mare called into the nothingness. There was no reply. Hmm. She waited for minutes, but there was still no reply. She couldn't even see her very own hooves in front of her face, no matter how hard she squinted and tried. There was no use.

With a sigh, the pony sat back on her haunches. No point in using up energy for standing, anyway. The ground beneath her flank didn't feel warm or cold. In fact, it didn't feel like much of anything. There was obviously something holding the mare's weight, but it wasn't normal, whatever it was. The mare inspected the ground, poking at it. Not soft or hard. Not consistent or irregular. “Oh, very helpful,” she commented, rolling her eyes.

The darkness around her seemed to be increasing. Though it already seemed as black as possible, the mare could feel it invading her body. It crept down her spine, filling her legs and hooves with a feeling of unease. It snaked up through her bloodstream, to her very core. Soon, she felt horrible, as if infected with a disease of some disgusting form. She closed her eyes, attempting to rid herself of the feeling of dread, but there was no such luck. The mare could feel her body shiver from fear as she realised how utterly helpless she was.

Suddenly, a light erupted into the darkness. It was dim, and most likely far away, but she could still see it. She watched as the light grew in intensity, spreading across the entire canvas of black. The disease retreated from her body, starting with her core until she could sense the darkness leaving through her hooves. Soon, she could see her grey legs and the brown mane flowing from her neck. Out of curiosity, the mare watched the light once more. On closer inspection, the light had a pink hue as it grew ever larger. The ball was moving towards her, and even though her instincts told her to run, she stayed. There was something familiar in that light, and she wasn't going to leave until she found out exactly what it was. It wasn't like her legs were going to let her run, anyway.

The ball of energy came close to her, nearly under her very nose, but she still didn't move. It was almost blinding, and she had to raise a hoof to shield her eyes from the intensity, but she remained glued to the spot. Flashing, the ball grew larger once more, turning into a shape very much like her own. Golden hair materialised from its neck, and the red colour became more solid, changing from the pink it had originally been. Powerful legs formed on the red light. Even though the mare had to look away, on pain of becoming blind, she could still see the green eyes of a pony piercing through the light.

Big Mac.

Once the light show came to a halt, Smarty Pants felt her eyes wander over before she could even command them to. It was him. In the flesh. Of course it had to be him. Who else would've saved the day? He stood proudly, defiance in his eyes. Though they were not looking at her directly, Smarty felt a smile spread across her face. With tears in her eyes, she ran over to the colt, launching herself onto his strong neck. “Big Mac!” she cried, holding onto his neck tightly. A gasp escaped him, to which Smarty laughed and reduced the strength of her grip slightly. “We're finally together, Big Mac!” she whispered into his ears. “Both of us. Finally.” She closed her eyes, nuzzling his soft, golden mane.

Smarty felt herself being gently pushed away. She looked at Big Mac, her ears drooping. “What's wrong?” she said, confusion riddled in her voice. Big Mac held about as much confusion in his eyes as he gazed into hers. His hooves were shaky under her weight, so Smarty steadied them with a hoof of her own. Big Mac jumped at the touch, quickly backing away from her. He cowered away, a look of genuine fear on his face.

His lips trembled as he uttered the very words Smarty feared. “Who... who are you?”

“No... no... no,” said a small voice from Smarty's bedside. She groaned, trying to adjust to the earliness of the morning. Light rays cascaded down on her through the window, and her hooves felt cold outside of the blanket. The dream still lingered in her mind, and the bed felt too warm to be true. Smarty dug deeper into the pillow, inserting her hooves back under the blanket as she tried to ignore the voice. A contented sigh escaped her lips as the increased warmth embraced her. The little voice stopped talking for a while, much to her satisfaction. Smarty began slipping back into her dream when it was interrupted once more. “No... no... Wait, what is this?” said the high-pitched voice. Smarty dismissed it, but a name made her frown.

“Big Mac?”

Smarty couldn't have woken up faster. Her eyes opened wide, and her hooves shot from the blankets. She landed on the floor with a crash as her eyes fell upon the owner of the voice. A little, yellow filly looked back at her, shrieking in fright. It was Apple Bloom. Big Mac's little sister, as memory served, with... Big Mac in her small hooves... looking back and forth between the doll and her. Smarty opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't form any words. A louder voice broke the silence between them. “Apple Bloom? What's with all the ruckus?”

Applejack walked into the room, seeing the open saddlebag on the table. Her cheeks blushed as a chuckle escaped her lips. “Sorry 'bout that, Smarty. Mah sis is a little too curious for her own good sometimes...” she said, buckling the bag back up. She glared at Apple Bloom, who was still watching Smarty and Big Mac. “Apple Bloom! Ya know better than ta rifle through a pony's belongings! How many times do Ah have ta tell ya that?” Smarty was too scared to talk. When not a single word was said, Applejack narrowed her eyes. “What's goin' on? Cat got ya tongues? It's too quiet round here... Ah don't like it.”

She walked between Smarty and Apple Bloom, staring at both of them. “What's wrong?” she said, waving a hoof in front of Smarty's eyes. “Ya better tell me right now, Apple Bloom,” Applejack threatened, turning to face her sister. “Yer in enough trouble as it is.” Her eyes moved downwards...

“No, wait!” Smarty cried, finally coming to her senses. She dove into Applejack, wrestling her to the ground while she was still surprised.

“What's with you, Smarty?” Applejack cried. “Get off of me right now!” She wriggled and writhed under Smarty's weight, trying to get up from the floor. Smarty knew that Applejack was a lot stronger than her, and that it was only a matter of time before she overpowered her. She was an athlete and a farmer, whereas Smarty was just a normal pony. It was obvious. Smarty's weight could only distract her for a short amount of time, even if she did have the element of surprise.

With a grunt, the farmer managed to free her strong legs, and kicked Smarty into the air. Her head hit the wall hard, and she fell to the floor with a groan. "No, wait!" she said weakly. Smarty looked up weakly to see Applejack finally find the thing in Apple Bloom's hooves. The thing that was distracting the pair of them. Big Mac.

“Oh,” she said simply. She plucked Big Mac from Apple Bloom's hooves, looking into his green eyes. “Oh,” she repeated. Smarty felt her head slam against the floor. There was no point in watching; she had failed.

“Apple Bloom, fetch the rope.” Applejack said simply, still watching the doll. Smarty's eyes grew wide. The filly closed the door behind her without a word. Smarty could hear the clip-clop of hooves moving on wooden planks. They grew louder, and she realised Applejack was moving towards her. She looked up to find Applejack staring down on her. “Yer gonna tell me why ya have a toy that looks like mah brother. Right now,” she said quietly. Her tone was far from friendly, even though the volume suggested otherwise. She stomped hard on the floor near Smarty's face, just to make a point.

“I-I can explain!” Smarty exclaimed.

“Ya better. And make it fast. Before Ah have ta use that rope,” she said through gritted teeth.

“If I told you the truth, you'd never believe me!” Applejack stomped once more, closer to her head this time. Smarty gulped. “Okay, okay!” Smarty said. “But, can I stand up? I'm quite... uncomfortable down here, and it's a long story.”

“Yer lucky Ah haven't touched ya yet,” spoke Applejack, “don't push that luck.”

“Fine,” Smarty confirmed with a frown. “Well, stop me if you get confused.” She cleared her throat. “I used to be a toy, very much like the one in your hooves.” Applejack's eyes fell on Big Mac, but quickly returned to Smarty.

“Yer a toy?” she asked, her nose wrinkling. “Ah don't believe it!”

Smarty rolled her eyes. “I was. Listen, let me tell the whole story, and then you can choose to believe it or not. Okay?”

Applejack scratched the back of her head. “But... no. But, Ah—”

"See, I told you that you wouldn't believe me!" Smarty complained. Applejack simply continued babbling incessantly. "Look, you've seen a lot of weird things here in Equestria. Seeing a toy come to life isn't exactly a life-changing experience, right? I mean, there must be even stranger things out there than little, ol' me. So, deal with it."

"Ah... Ah don't understa—"

“Anyway, I was exactly like that toy. The one in your hooves,” Smarty interrupted, growing tired of Applejack's confusion. Applejack raised an eyebrow, but allowed her to continue. “I was Twilight Sparkle's toy. You know her, right?” The farmer didn't nod or shake her head. “Never mind, then. Well, a while ago, she used me in this... science experiment, and your brother got involved. He had this little side effect where he, and pretty much everyone else in Ponyville, fell in love with me, fighting each other to claim me. Well, your brother being the strong colt he was, he ended up with me. As a toy, obviously.”

“He never told me 'bout this,” Applejack mumbled.

“Well, if you were a colt, would you tell your siblings that you liked a young filly's toy? It's not exactly the easiest thing to admit, I'll be honest.” Smarty could see the mare rack her brains, but she turned her attention back to the story without an answer.

“So, Big Mac decided he quite liked me, for some strange reason. The experiment wore off, but he still liked me. I'm still not entirely sure why myself, but he became really attached to me.” Applejack narrowed her eyes, to which Smarty responded with a wry smile. “As a toy, obviously. I was an inanimate object. Nothing more, nothing less. He would, you know, talk to me about stuff. About whatever he wanted to. Whenever he wanted to. I was there to listen to him, and that's exactly what I did,” she said, smiling warmly at Big Mac.

“Wait. Two things. Ah was always there ta listen ta him. He'd always talk ta me 'bout stuff, too. He did talk to me. What made ya so special?” Applejack asked, her ears slightly drooping.

“Like I said; I don't know. Maybe he just wanted someone to listen, not to respond. Anyway, he always thought you were—” Smarty stopped midsentence, gulping. It probably wasn't best to spill Big Mac's secrets right in front of him. Even though he remained complacent, she could feel his button eyes boring into her own.

“He thought Ah was what?” Applejack asked, her voice suddenly monotone.

“That you were... overburdened with your own problems. He told me you had enough problems as it was, what, with all the work you had to do, so he didn't feel right putting even more pressure on you.” Phew, Smarty thought, good thinking. She sighed silently.

“Well... that does sound a lot like him,” Applejack admitted, looking back at the doll. “Anyway, how the heck did ya hear him? As ya said, ya were an... in-any-mut object, so Ah jus' don't think that's possible.”

Smarty stuck her tongue out. “We inanimate objects hear a lot more than you'd like to think.”

Applejack was taken aback, but quickly resumed her stern look. “That... doesn't make any sense. Are ya sayin' ya watched mah entire family? If he's been keepin' ya here, which Ah can only guess, ya musta seen us around sometimes.”

“That's how I knew your name,” Smarty admitted. “And your little sister's name, too.”

“But—”

“Listen, I'll explain everything. Everything. Your brother and myself. Just give me a chance.”

Applejack's lips trembled, but her gaze stiffened. “Ya still need to explain why ya have a toy lookin' like mah brother. Ah'm only lettin' ya talk cos of that, ya hear? It's more than jus' creepy.”

“Are you done?” Smarty asked, raising an eyebrow.

Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Continue,” she said simply.

“Where was I?” said Smarty, bringing a hoof to her chin. “Right. About your brother. So, after talking to me for so long, he became attached. He grew lonely, because... well, he couldn't tell his problems to you, like I said.”

“Oh, Big Mac,” Applejack said softly.

Smarty blinked. “Yes. Anyway. Eventually, he got this crazy idea into his head. He wanted me to come to life, so that he could talk to me, and I could talk back. It was a good idea, I guess. Of course, I was willing, even if he didn't know. Yesterday, he finally mustered up the courage to go and talk to Discord about it, see if this whole thing was possible.”

“He went ta Discord?” Applejack asked. “After all the things he did to him?”

“Yeah, not too sure about that. You'd have to ask him yourself.”

Applejack frowned. “Do Ah really hafta use that rope Ah was talkin' 'bout?”

“No!” Smarty shrieked, her voice growing in pitch. “I really don't know! There's no point in not telling you, is there? What would I possibly gain from lying to you, especially under... these circumstances.”

“Whatever,” Applejack dismissed. “Jus' get on with it.”

“Thank you.” Smarty breathed a sigh of relief. “So, it turns out that Discord could turn me into a real pony... but there was a catch. There's always a catch. I don't know how to say this in any other way, so I'll just say it. In order for me to become alive, your brother had to take my place.”

“And, what's that supposed ta mean?” Applejack said. Smarty remained silent. In this scenario, it was probably best to let her figure it out for herself. The farmer glared at Smarty, but she couldn't look her in the eye. “What does that mean, Smarty Pants?” Applejack looked between her and the doll, shaking it in her hooves before she finally saw the link. Smarty could only watch her as she realised, only to fall into despair. Applejack choked, gripping the doll harder. Her voice became softer, and her words were riddled with sobs. “What... what does it mean?”

“Big Mac turned into a doll, so that I could live,” Smarty said simply. There was no other way to say it. She stood up from the floor. It was easy to see that Applejack was no longer in the mood.

“Why?”

Smarty scratched the back of her neck. “I don't know.”

“No, ya don't understand. Why would he leave us behind?”

“Leave who?” Smarty asked, frowning.

“Me. Us. All of us. His family.”

“I-I don't know.”

“He jus' did it yesterday? Without even tellin' us? I don't understand!”

“I don't know!”

“But, that doesn't make sense!”

For the first time, Smarty genuinely didn't know what to say. She remained quiet while Applejack paced around the room. She would occasionally grunt or groan in annoyance, so Smarty stayed out of the way.

“Why would he give up his family for a... a toy! Ya were jus' a toy!" she shouted, poking Smarty hard. "He... chose a stupid toy over his stupid family. What a great brother, right? Tell me, Smarty Pants! Why would he do that? Yer apparently the smart one! Yer the one he chose, so tell me! What's so great 'bout ya that it could compete with his entire family? Tell me!” Applejack yelled, the volume shaking the floorboards beneath Smarty's hooves.

Smarty rested her hooves on Applejack's shoulders. She looked deep into her tearful eyes, not smiling, but not frowning either. “I honestly don't know,” Smarty said. Applejack gazed into the button eyes of her brother, as if trying to read his mind. She wiped a tear from her cheek. Frowning, she pushed Smarty off of her, not caring about her feelings. She faced away to look out the window, to see the rolling hills only on the other side of the pane of glass. The early sun fell on her, covering her in light. Smarty felt a voice rise through her body. “Applejack... I can fix this.”

Applejack didn't reply, nor even acknowledge Smarty's presence. Smarty moved closer, joining the mare by the window. “I can. I can change this. You know—”

“Jus' go away,” she said softly.

“Applejack—”

“If ya don't leave, Ah won't be held accountable for mah actions,” Applejack threatened.

“No. I was going to—”

“I said: go away! Can't ya see Ah don't want ya here?" she yelled.

“For once in your stubborn life, listen to someone! You can have your brother back. I don't want... this!” Smarty said, indicating to herself. “I've had my time in the sun. It's been nice, but your brother is more important. We'll go over to Discord, and set this right. I don't see why he wouldn't be able to simply reverse it. Okay?”

Applejack remained quiet for a few moments. Smarty ground her teeth together. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Applejack mumbled.

“Good,” Smarty said, smiling even though she didn't want to.

“But, Ah wanna go ta Twilight's first. Ah don't trust that Discord as far as I could throw him.”

"Okay."

A Second Opinion

The pair walked with a spring in their step. Well, it looked as if they did. One seemed to drag their hooves behind, but the other seemed to be in a hurry. Smarty followed as Applejack led her through the large, simple house. As it was dark last night, she hadn't been able to see the home very well. Of course, Big Mac would occasionally take her around the house, but she would usually be concealed in a bag, unable to see. Even then, she'd be confined to Big Mac's room — he wouldn't dare bring her anywhere else, just in case anyone saw. She couldn't blame him for that.

Smarty went through the same corridor she had gone through last night. She looked around her surroundings, noticing the tidy layout of everything. There was not a spot of dirt to be seen, and the wood looked to be in perfect condition. The house was definitely spacey, but it simply had no details. A couple of old photographs hung on the walls, and several bits of furniture sat in the rooms, but there was nothing else of interest. There was no heart in the place; it looked like a simple place of residence, not a home fit for a family. Smarty held a hoof to her chin, but she couldn't quite place it. There was nothing obvious missing, but the general atmosphere just didn't feel... right.

“C'mon,” Applejack said, guiding her into the kitchen. An old, frail pony sat in a rocking chair facing the countless apple trees outside. She hummed and mumbled to herself in a quiet voice as she watched the sun rise high into the sky. She didn't even notice the pair walk in. Considering all the noise they'd both just caused a couple of rooms away, it was quite a feat. “Granny, Ah'm gonna head out for a while. Can ya look after Apple Bloom while Ah'm gone?” asked Applejack. The wrinkled mare continued to happily watch the orchard, a warm smile on her face. “Granny?” Applejack repeated, shaking the chair.

“Yes, deary?” the granny said, turning in her seat.

“Ah'm going out!” Applejack shouted. “Look after Apple Bloom while Ah'm gone!”

“Of course, deary. No need to yell!” she said before turning back to the window.

Smarty cocked her head. She'd never seen this member of the Apple Family before. Judging from her age, and the name Applejack called her by, she had to be the grandmother of Big Mac. She was a strange creature, seeming oblivious to the world around her. It looked like she was living in her own little world, content to ignore her surroundings. Applejack nodded, and walked towards the door. With a push, she opened it and allowed Smarty to go first. Once the pair had gotten outside, Applejack closed the door softly behind her.

Both of them were surprised by the absence of the sun. It was still early, but Smarty could tell it was going to be quite a cold day. Applejack removed her hat, and placed Big Mac in carefully. In a fluid motion, she managed to put the hat back on her head without allowing him to fall out. Of course, Smarty couldn't object to Applejack holding him instead of her. After all, she was his sister. The pair began walking to Ponyville, but silence reigned between them. Smarty felt too scared to speak, but it was too awkward not to. The walk was a long one, and she needed something to distract her thoughts.“Why didn't you tell her?” Smarty asked.

“It's much easier to leave her in her own bubble,” Applejack explained simply. “Besides, it'll all be settled by the time Ah get back. No point in wastin' words.”

Smarty gulped. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to turn back into a doll, but her hooves still moved. It was irresponsible, even for her, but she found her eyes wondering back over the hills for a brief second. A thought came to mind: she could run. Smarty could run far away, forget all about everyone else and live an actual life. She came to a stop on the road. It looked so inviting, it seemed so interesting, just the image of running away and living off the fat of the land forever. Smarty didn't want to return to nothingness. Freedom awaited. She could live the life she always wanted to, rather than stay as the doll forever more. The sun was waiting for her on the other side of the hill, and all she had to do was run.

But, she couldn't.

Her hooves remained rooted to the ground, seemingly at an impasse. She tried to move them, to will them into going somewhere — anywhere — but she couldn't. She sighed. Something kept them there, stuck to the ground, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Smarty knew exactly what it was, or rather who it was. It was that someone who was currently sitting under a hat, someone who had given up their life, alongside their family and friends, in a blink of an eye to give her the life that she was about to give back. That was what made her move towards Ponyville. Smarty knew she could've ran the other way, to secure some form of life for herself, but that simply wasn't her.

“Anyway, why did ya lie ta me yesterday?” Applejack called over her shoulder. “Ah see no point in fabricatin' that entire story 'bout livin' far away when ya coulda jus' said the truth.”

“Because that would've been even worse,” Smarty said, frowning. “Imagine if a random pony came up to you, a pony you'd never met before, and said that your sibling had taken the place of a toy. Not exactly the best thing to hear at the dead of night. At least you met me before I mentioned it.”

Applejack turned on the spot, and she scoffed. “Ya mentioned it, did ya? That's not how Ah remember it. Not at all. Ah remember findin' mah sister with mah brother in her hooves. Funnily enough, Ah also remember havin' ta interrogatin' the info out of ya. Ah don't recall ya mentionin' it at all.”

Smarty didn't answer at first. Applejack did have a valid point. “What else could I do?” she eventually said. “It wasn't like I chose the stupid situation. It's not like I forced your brother into doing it, but here I am. Sorry to be alive, even if it wasn't my fault,” she muttered. “Oh, but thanks for making me welcome, by the way. I've only been alive for a day, and I'm already made to feel guilty. As if becoming alive wasn't already tormenting enough, I'm also responsible for someone's actions. Thanks a bunch,” she said, her throat becoming sore.

“Well, when ya put it like that,” Applejack began.

“Oh, no, it's okay,” Smarty interrupted. “This whole stupid situation is completely my fault. Everything. If I hadn't existed in the first place, no one would've gotten into this trouble. You would have your family. Big Mac wouldn't have found me, he wouldn't have turned himself into a stupid doll or brought me to life, and everyone would be much, much happier.” Smarty's lips began trembling.

“Don't say that,” Applejack tried, kicking the ground.

Smarty felt a tear roll down her cheek. “But, you know I'm right! You would've preferred it if I just hadn't existed!” Smarty exclaimed, more tears falling down her face. “I saw the look in your eyes this morning. You were disgusted. You didn't want me there, and I knew it. As long as you had your brother back, you didn't care about me,” she said, feeling more tears drop off her face and into the soil. “And you know what's funny? I agreed with you. Your brother is much more important than me; he has a family to look after, and what do I have? Nothing! I'm just a doll with nothing.”

“That's not true.”

“It is, and you know it!” Smarty shouted, falling to the ground. “I'm a wreck! I took everything for granted, and I didn't even think about the consequences. I squandered the sacrifice your brother gave to me, lied to you about who I was for reasons I don't even know and destroyed an entire family because of my continued existence. I haven't even been alive for a full day yet!” Smarty closed her eyes and let her face fall to the warm grass. She heard hooves approach, but didn't bother looking up. Instead, she just let the ground soak up her flowing tears. For a while, it was quiet, and Smarty felt the peace calm her racing heart, even if she couldn't stop crying.

“Ah still like ya,” Applejack said.

“No, you don't,” Smarty mumbled into the grass. “You hate me.”

“Ah don't!” she exclaimed, “and Ah resent that accusation.” Smarty felt hooves grab her around the sides and pull her upwards. She looked up to find Applejack smiling warmly. With a tender hoof, the farmer wiped the tears and dirt from Smarty's face, making sure not to irritate her eyes further. Smarty tried to shy away, but Applejack's firm yet gentle hooves wouldn't allow it. Applejack placed her back on her own shaky legs and rested a hoof on her shoulder.

“Listen, yer not a bad pony.” Smarty tried to argue, but Applejack pressed a hoof against her mouth. She looked deep into her eyes, and Smarty could tell she was being sincere by the smile on her face. “Yer not a bad pony. Ya coulda ran off somewhere, and Ah would never have known 'bout mah brother, but ya told me, anyway. Ya came over here ta tell me, and even if ya coulda explained it... slightly differently, ya still did it. Ah saw ya lookin' at those hills over there, probably thinkin' 'bout runnin' off, but ya didn't. It musta taken all the will in the world not to run off, Ah know. Now, Ah don't know 'bout ya, but that seems like the right kinda thing ta do, right?”

Smarty sniffed. “Ah know Ah haven't exactly been the... kindest of hosts, but Ah'm jus' a little shocked 'bout Big Mac. It's not every day ya find out yer brother has turned into a doll, but that doesn't mean Ah hate yer guts. Yer dependable, honest and generally a nice pony to talk ta,” Applejack said, winking. “It wasn't yer fault what happened, though. Ya can't blame yerself, what, with ya bein' the victim and all. It was mah brother's fault, for puttin' all this pressure on ya, and Ah'm gonna have more than a few words with him, Ah can tell you...” Applejack threatened, shaking her hoof, but quickly returning it to Smarty's shoulder. “Yer a good pony, Ah swear.”

Smarty wiped her reddened eyes. “You really think so?” she said with a shaky voice.

“Ah do,” Applejack confirmed, nodding. “Yer doin' the right thing. Now, let's see what we can do 'bout mah brother, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, even though her mind said differently. “Thanks, Applejack.”

Applejack smiled, tilting the brim of her hat over her eyes. “No problem.”

“And sorry for being so high-strung. I'm just a little stressed, is all,” Smarty said, shrugging.

The farmer laughed. “Well, Ah think we'd all be like that when it comes to somethin' like this.”

Soon, the pair had arrived in Ponyville. As Applejack had said, they were both visiting Twilight for a second opinion. It wasn't like Smarty didn't want to see her again, but she could feel her hooves dragging as she walked. She knew she had to go, but that was it. It was only responsibility keeping her moving. While she was, however, she tried to get a slice of life of Ponyville. Most of the bustle of yesterday had disappeared, but, then again, the day was still pretty early. A couple of ponies walked around the markets to her left, but they were most likely trying to get the shopping done before the whole population of Ponyville arrived. Good for them.

To her right, a mare was lying in the corner of the street. She couldn't have been much older than Smarty. Dirt concealed most of her face, but Smarty could see the mare's eyes closed tightly. The mare must have been living rough, as Smarty couldn't see a bed or shelter of any kind. She noticed her chest rising and falling. With every breath the mare exhaled, Smarty could see a wisp of steam rise from her mouth and nose. On closer inspection, she could see the mare shiver and shake. It was cold outside, and the poor mare obviously had nowhere to sleep. Smarty had just the thing. Digging into her saddlebags, she pulled out her spotted scarf. Well, it was Twilight's scarf, but she was sure she wouldn't mind.

Smarty wrapped the scarf snugly around the sleeping mare's neck. She would have far more use out of it than Twilight or Smarty ever could, anyway. It didn't take too long, but she had to be careful not to wake the mare up. Awaking to find a stranger putting a scarf on you wouldn't exactly be the easiest scenario to understand, and Smarty had been in enough unexplainable situations for the time being. Once she was sure the scarf was in the perfect position, she caught up with Applejack, who was watching her with raised eyebrows. “What?” Smarty asked innocently, cocking her head.

“Oh, nothing.” Applejack scoffed. “Bad pony, mah flank,” she murmured under her breath.

“What was that?” Smarty asked, trying not to grin. Applejack just laughed it off before continuing the walk through town. Twilight's library came into view, and Smarty instantly began regretting her choice. It would be so easy to run away. At this point, Applejack wouldn't even realise. She was a fair couple of paces away from her, so Applejack wouldn't even notice her disappearance by the time she was out of Ponyville. Besides, she had let her guard down... Smarty sighed; she knew she couldn't. Applejack knocked on the door. Twilight wouldn't be up at this time of day. She used to get up early as a little filly. She'd be so excited for the new day, but, as she grew older, that motivation just disappeared before Smarty's eyes.

In a few seconds, Twilight opened the door, wide awake. Smarty harrumphed. Some things never change. “Oh, hey, Applejack! Long time, no see, right? We need to catch up. And, good morning, Smarty Pants,” Twilight said, smiling. She blinked. “Gosh, I still feel odd saying that. I almost forgot about you, what, with you being so... quick. Anyway, what brings you two to my door at such an early hour? I assume you've been making some friends, Smarty Pants?”

“Heh, kind of,” Smarty said, scratching the back of her neck. “Listen, Twilight, can we come in for a chat? It's quite important.”

Twilight smiled warmly. “Of course!” she said, opening the door wider. “Make yourselves at home.” Applejack and Smarty came through the doorway. They waited for Twilight to shut the door.

“Twi, we've got a... bit of a problem on our hooves,” Applejack admitted.

“It's, uh, not exactly an everyday problem, either,” Smarty added.

Twilight frowned. “Well, that doesn't sound good. I've already had enough of those problems this week,” she murmured. “Come sit down, and I'll try to help as much as I can.”

“Well, that's just the thing,” Smarty said, sitting down on the sofa. “We need your help. In terms of magic. See, this whole thing about me coming alive—”

“Whoa, slow down there, Smarty,” Twilight interrupted, wiping her eyes. “It's still pretty early in the morning, you know? Just let me... let me get my thoughts together, okay?” The unicorn bowed her head and closed her eyes for a few moments. “It's been a bit of a week, as you can guess.”

“Understandable,” Smarty said.

“Is it?” Twilight snapped, looking directly at her. Smarty averted her gaze. “Sorry, Smarty, just a bit on edge. We've got a number of celebrations coming up, and then you come to my door right in the middle of preparations with the Princess. Just one of those weeks, I'm afraid,” Twilight said, grinning.

“Really, Twi, it's okay,” Applejack said. “Take as long as ya want.”

“Thanks, girls, but I think I'll be okay for now. So, yes. What did you need help with?”

“So, you know this whole thing about me coming alive?” Smarty asked. “Well, of course you do, but there's more to it then just that.”

“Ah, yes, I remember you being... fairly vague with your explanation.” Applejack glared at Smarty, but then her gaze softened. “You said something about... simply coming alive? You didn't go into very much detail, but that's what I gathered.”

“Well, it turned out to be more complicated than that,” Smarty said, frowning. “The whole process came with a price. Not for me, but for someone else. There's no other way of saying it without sounding vague, so we'll just show you. Applejack, if you'd please.” Applejack removed the hat from her head, plucking the doll from it. She held up Big Mac to Twilight's eyes with great care. “As you can see... Big Mac is now a doll.”

Twilight picked Big Mac up in her hooves. “He's... he's a doll?”

“Yep,” Applejack confirmed.

“And, you're not concerned by this?” Twilight asked, her eyes going wide.

“Well, kinda,” Applejack said, looking away, “but, that's why we came to ya. Ah know we can trust ya ta do the right thing.”

The unicorn shook Big Mac in her hooves, seeing his limbs shake. “I... I don't understand.”

“Listen, Big Mac sacrificed himself for me, and—”

“So, what you're telling me is: for Smarty to become alive, Big Mac had to take her place as a doll? You effectively switched places?”

Smarty blinked. “Wow, you catch on quick.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Considering what happened yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't get it, though. No offence, Smarty, but I'm pretty sure Big Mac didn't know you at all. For him to sacrifice himself like that... he must have liked you quite a lot. I never showed you to anyone in Ponyville, so that can't be right.”

“He did. You know when you put that spell on me, making everyone fall in love with me? Well, afterwards, he carried me off in his mouth. He kept me as company, so that he could talk to someone about stuff. It didn't make a lot of sense to me at the time, and it still doesn't, but that's how he started liking me. Eventually, he just got fed up with no one replying to him, so he came up with the crazy idea of bringing me to life, which ultimately made him sacrifice himself for me.”

For a moment, Twilight said nothing. She merely bowed her head in deep thought, stroking her chin occasionally. “I don't get it; I thought he had Applejack and his family to care for... Surely, he could've just talked to them, instead of using a doll — again, no offence, Smarty — to give his own life for. Seems a bit far-fetched, and I can't see any logic behind it,” Twilight admitted, looking down at Big Mac once more. She stroked his golden mane, but a warning glance from Applejack made her stop almost immediately.

“Ah know!” Applejack exclaimed. “It don't make any sense ta me at all! Ah would always talk to him, anyway, so Ah don't know why he'd throw his life away like that. No offence, Smarty.”

“None taken,” Smarty murmured, looking away. Neither of them understood.

“Well, I had always wondered where you'd gotten to after what happened on that day, even though it doesn't make a lot of sense,” the grinning unicorn said.

“It was better than being kept in a little box, hidden from view.”

“There's another thing here I don't get, though,” Twilight admitted, ignoring Smarty's snarky comment. “Everything else seems... relatively plausible, if you take into account that Big Mac might have had a lapse in judgement.” A frown appeared on Smarty's lips, and she could feel anger rise up in her gut. “But, something just seems off. Big Mac wouldn't be capable of turning you into an actual pony, what, with him being an earth pony and all.”

Applejack glared at Twilight. “Are ya sayin' what Ah think yer sayin'?”

Twilight shook her head vigorously. “Oh, no, no, not like that. I mean, this is magic we're talking about. Big Mac isn't... wasn't a unicorn, so there must have been someone else doing the spell. It must have been someone fairly powerful, as I've never heard of this type of magic being done before. Of course, theoretically, it could be done, but I've never heard of a life reversal spell being used. In fact, it can only be a select few capable of that. Bringing things to life would be extremely hard to do. Smarty, you don't know who did this, right? It'd be pretty useful if you did.”

Smarty raised a hoof to her chin. “I, uh, think it was Discord. Y'know, the Element of Chaos. As I said before, but I guess you weren't listening,” she quipped.

With a sigh, Twilight slapped a hoof to her face. “I remember you telling me,” she said in monotone. “How on earth could I forget?”

“Well, you were pretty shocked at the time. I wouldn't be surprised.”

“So, you're telling me that Discord managed to bring you alive by turning Big Mac into a doll?” Twilight asked.

“Uh, yes.”

“Right,” Twilight said, opening the door. “I think it's time we paid ol' Discord a visit.”

One Final Confrontation

Smarty, Twilight and Applejack left the library without another word. The day felt much colder than it had before Smarty had gone inside. She shivered, regretting giving the scarf away for a brief second before mentally berating herself. It was, of course, for a better cause. Twilight took the lead, walking up through Ponyville. More ponies were walking through the town, and Smarty feared it would soon be the time for everyone to rise and shine. It wasn't the individual ponies that frustrated her, but the need to keep diving and dodging between ponies to get anywhere. At first, the bustle and business seemed exciting, but it eventually grew tedious. Like a lot of things, in fact.

It soon became rather obvious that Twilight had no idea where she was going. Smarty had noticed her taking them around a boutique twice, and even Applejack began to look worried. “Twilight?” Smarty asked, “do you even know where we're going?”

“Discord,” she said bluntly. “We're having a word, like I said.”

“Well, I didn't doubt that, but do you know where to find him?”

Twilight stopped in the middle of the road. Her head fell. “No,” she admitted.

“You could've said something,” Smarty said.

“Of all ponies, you know what I'm like,” Twilight said, raising an eyebrow.

“Too right,” she confirmed, chuckling.

“Twi, we could always do the magic trick!” Applejack exclaimed, her eyes glimmering.

“The magic trick?” Twilight asked, raising a hoof to her chin. “Well, there's quite a few. Which one do you mean?”

“Oh, y'know the one Ah mean,” Applejack said, kicking at the ground.

The unicorn glared at her. “Could you be any more vague?”

Applejack sighed. “The one where ya look in the mirror, and say the name of the person three times over. Ya must know that one, surely. Even Ah do.”

With a slap, Twilight brought a hoof to her face. “Applejack, those are just filly games. Everyone knows that actually doesn't happen. It's not actually magic!”

“Do ya have any other bright ideas, Twi?” Applejack asked, narrowing her eyes. “Discord ain't exactly the easiest ta find. Ah'm jus' spitballin' here.”

Twilight rolled her eyes again. “Fine. It's better than just walking around aimlessly. You'll be the one doing it, though. I'm not going to look like an idiot.” With a swish of her horn, Twilight materialised a mirror before Smarty's very eyes. She could see her red and blue eyes staring back at her, but Twilight quickly rotated in front of Applejack, apologising. The farmer looked at the mirror, holding a hoof to her chin. “Well?” Twilight said, pointing at the mirror. “We're waiting.”

“Can't we do it somewhere a little more... hidden?” Applejack asked as people walked past. They turned their heads and wore bemused smiles. “Ah think everyone's watching me...”

“Can't you just admit that it's just a myth?” Twilight asked.

Applejack hesitated, but shook her head.

“Whenever you're ready,” Twilight said, grinning mirthfully.

With a sigh, Applejack looked into the mirror. Several ponies stood and watched her, but she tried to avert their gaze. “Discord,” she said, eliciting a giggle from a member of the audience. Applejack ignored it, and said the name once more. The same member laughed again, but louder this time. The farmer looked around to stare before returning to the mirror. “Discord,” she said once more. The giggling mare came forward, pushing the small crowd aside. Smarty knew her from somewhere... She watched the mare carefully, trying to put a name to her face, but then looked down to find a spotted scarf wrapped snugly around her neck. Smarty gulped.

“What are you doi— Hey! That's my scarf!” shouted Twilight.

The mare shrugged. “Well, you asked for me, and here I am!” she exclaimed in a rather... ill-matched voice. Though quite whimsical, the mare sounded like an old colt retelling the tales of old, much to Smarty's confusion.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Discord.”

“Statistically,” the mare said, becoming enveloped in a bright light, “Applejack's idea wasn't entirely incorrect.” The onlookers held their hooves to the their faces, attempting to shield themselves from the intensity of the light. Smarty continued watching, completely bemused. She could see a shape change and increase in size. It tripled in size, towering all the watching ponies in seconds. Smarty heard a click of claws, and the light was gone. Discord stood before her, a menacing grin on his face.

“Of course it was!” Twilight shouted. “It was only by chance that you were here. An anomaly.”

Discord tutted. “You've only tried it once, and the results came back as positive. Isn't that a one hundred percent success rate, Twilight Sparkle?” he asked, winking. “And here I was thinking you were the scientist.”

“Th-that's not the point!” Twilight argued. “Scientifically—”

“Why were you here, disguising yourself as... that mare?” Smarty interrupted. She ignored the piercing glare Twilight was giving her.

With a shrug, Dicord gave the scarf back to Smarty. “I like pony watching. It gives me something to do on... well, boring days like this.”

“That's a weird hobby you have there.”

“Not as strange as keeping little fillies' toys, correct?” Discord countered. He winked a wonky eye. “Besides, it provided quite the insight on you, Miss Goody Four-Shoes.”

Smarty felt her cheeks blush.

“I jest, of course. At least you—”

“Uh, hello!” Twilight exclaimed, extending a hoof. “After all, it was my scarf!” Smarty passed the scarf back to its rightful owner with a frown. “Now, you,” she said, pointing at Discord, “you're going to explain the process in which... Actually, hang on for a second.” Twilight closed her eyes in concentration, sending purple sparks to her horn. A light blinded Smarty momentarily, but she opened her eyes to find herself in the same place it had begun. “That's better,” Twilight said.

The three ponies and draconequus stood alone in the park. Fortunately, no ponies were around to hear the conversation. “Gah, Twilight!” Applejack cried, her eyes wide. “Warn me the next time ya wanna do that! Y'know how that magic makes me feel.”

“Sorry, AJ, but not now,” Twilight said, a stern look on her face. “So, Discord, I want you to tell me how you managed to transform both Smarty and Big Mac in graphic detail.” She levitated the hat off of Applejack's head to reveal Big Mac. While Applejack clutched at her hovering hat, attempting to bring it down on top of her mane once more, Twilight plucked the doll from the air, holding it up to Discord. “Graphic detail,” she repeated.

Discord rolled his eyes and began tutting. “Well, I always thought you were a Goody Four-Shoes,” he said in Smarty's general direction, but she wasn't listening. She was transfixed by Big Mac in the air, as if seeing him for the first time in what seemed like a long time. “You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?” he murmured, “I was having such fun as well.”

“What was that, Discord?” Twilight said, narrowing her eyes. “Explain. Right now.”

With a click of his claws, Discord summoned a deck chair. He fell back into it, materialising a Martini in his paw. “I don't see why I should. I've done enough favours as it is,” he said, shrugging. Discord ate the olive from the stick before throwing the entire cocktail away with a shatter of glass. A second later, it exploded, and a colt cried out in pain, bringing an evil smile to Discord's face.

“You will tell me,” Twilight said, bowing her head slightly.

“I'll have to get back to you on that,” Discord said, chuckling.

Twilight swished her horn, and the deck chair disappeared from underneath the draconequus. He fell to the ground with a groan, quickly rubbing his back. Before Discord could get up, Twilight stood over him, her horn pointed directly at his chest. “As the newly-appointed princess, I command you to tell me how you did it,” she said, quiet but menacing.

Discord looked away, and then glared back at Twilight. He tapped her horn with a playful claw. “You think you have authority over me? I may be reformed, or whatever it is you call it, but I can assure you; no one commands me to do anything.” Discord poked the tip of Twilight's horn once more. “You may be a pretty, little princess, but you have nothing against the Element of Chaos.”

“Really? How about the magic of friendship, just like you admitted?”

The draconequus grinned menacingly. “Chaos reigns over all, Twilight Sparkle. How can you—”

“Oh, please,” Smarty interrupted, “Discord, do you have to be so immature? We're talking about the life of an actual pony, not just some toy for you to gawk at.” The Element of Chaos suddenly looked very small. He looked as if he was going to argue, but something stayed his tongue. Smarty gently pushed Twilight aside, offering a hoof to Discord. His eyes shifted away, and she could see the hesitation he had before he eventually took it. With a heave, Smarty pulled him up. “It's not for me, Discord — it's for Big Mac. It's for his sister, his family,” she added, pointing to Applejack.

Silence fell between the group for what seemed like an eternity. They waited for Discord to answer, but he simply stood still, not uttering a word. “Well? How did you do it?” Twilight asked, her brow furrowing.

“Give him time, Twilight.”

“I have the answer,” Discord said bluntly, “I don't think you'll like it much.”

“Any answer is better than no answer,” Smarty said.

“I'm warning you; you won't like it.”

Smarty shrugged.

“If you say so,” Discord mumbled. “You all understand how Big Mac here had to sacrifice his own life to give little Smarty Pants a life of her own, essentially reversing their separate existences, correct?” Smarty didn't appreciate the condescending words, but nodded along with Twilight and Applejack. “Well, that is an outright fabrication. A joke, if you will,” Discord admitted, nodding solemnly.

The three ponies were dumbstruck. Smarty could almost hear her jaw hit the ground. “A... a joke?”

“A joke.”

“... Mah brother didn't need ta become a doll?” Applejack asked, her body tensing immediately.

“Correct.”

“So, ya tricked us all for yer own sick joke?”

A bead of sweat trickled down Discord's forehead. He gulped.

Applejack nodded slowly. She tilted the brim of her hat over her eyes, panting slightly. Smarty could see her legs shaking. “Applejack...” she began, but her words were interrupted by a cry of rage. Screaming her heart out, Applejack leapt into the air, landing on Discord with the elegance and care of a rhinoceros. She began yelling all sorts of words Smarty had never even heard as spittle flew from her mouth. With another yell of anger, she pounded away at the helpless draconequus with her strong hooves.

“Applejack!” Smarty tried to yell, but Twilight placed a firm hoof on her shoulder, shaking her head.

“As a rule, don't get between Applejack and her family,” she whispered over the violence. “It never ends well, and it's usually best letting AJ blow off steam. Let this be a lesson.” As much as Smarty wanted to disagree, she couldn't not admit to having some heartfelt pleasure in watching Discord getting his just desserts. He had messed with her just as much as Applejack, perhaps even more, considering that he had seen her entire life as his toy. She pouted. Actually, it was rather ironic. The only thing stopping her from joining Applejack in hitting him was the sight of just that — it wasn't every day she got to see a normal earth pony tangle with an mythological creature and win.

Discord looked so utterly distraught as Applejack continued pummelling him. He tried to move away, but she had him pinned down tight to the ground. Eventually, however, Smarty could see anger appear in his eyes. He snapped his claws, and Applejack was soon levitating in the air. Discord took the opportunity to get up, and he glared at the farmer. Applejack was still insisting on kicking, even though the only thing she hit was the air. Occasionally, she would let out a grunt of exhaustion, but she didn't let up for a second, almost as if she hadn't realised that her position had changed.

“She's a feisty one, isn't she?” Discord asked.

“Rightly so,” Smarty said, smiling.

Discord gulped again. “You're not planning on getting some revenge of your own?”

Smarty chuckled. “Oh, I had my fun watching. Don't worry about that.”

“Hell hath no fury like a mare scorned,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes. “Are you quite done yet?” he asked Applejack, poking her side. The panting mare gradually began flailing her limbs slower, finally to the point of stopping. She adjusted her hat, making sure it sat perfectly aligned on her head. With a sigh, she nodded. The draconequus snapped his claws, allowing her to fall gently to the ground. Upon impact, Applejack turned and bucked Discord's reptilian leg. He winced, and began hopping on the spot, holding his injured leg. His cry of pain only brought a sadistic smile to Smarty's face, no matter how much she disapproved of it.

“That's for Big Mac!” she exclaimed, looking deep into his wonky eyes. “Don't ya dare cross mah family ever again!”

“Do you want me to turn him back or not?” Discord yelled as he hopped. Smarty could feel her eyes twinkle at the words. The thought hadn't occurred to her — if Discord had been pulling her leg the entire time, he could easily bring Big Mac to life. The conversation between the group faded in her ears as the happy thought entered her mind. She could finally be with Big Mac. With all his nervous quirks and awkward tendencies, Smarty could finally be with him. It was like a dream come true. Through all the trials and tribulations she'd faced, they could finally be together.

Her eyes wandered over to Big Mac, who was still clutched by Twilight's levitation spell. She could see his pure green eyes once more, instead of the buttons on his face. She could see that warm smile he would have etched across his entire face after a good day's work. All those little secrets he whispered to her would soon pay off. Smarty grinned at the thought, seeing the pair of them together at last. She wondered what he would say at first glimpse of her.

“Maybe I don't want to,” Discord said, folding his arms. Smarty's bubble of thought had been popped, but it didn't matter. It only brought her closer to the reality of the situation. “Especially after what you've just done to me.” The draconequus averted Applejack's gaze. The farmer walked over to a nearby tree. She made sure to make eye contact with Discord before doing so, even if he watched from his peripheral sight. Applejack stood on her front legs, launching her back legs at the poor tree. With a crack, the tree shifted back, and then began to decrease in size.

“Timber!” Applejack cried as the tree fell over, leaving a cracked stump behind. Upon impact, the tree shook the ground beneath their hooves, and the following thud made both Smarty and Discord jump out of their fur.

Discord did nothing but stare as his eyes went wide.

“Applejack!” Twilight exclaimed. “You can't just—”

“I'll do it,” Discord said simply.

“That ya will,” Applejack confirmed, nodding. “Twilight, are definitely ya sure ya can't do it yerself? Ah don't trust this snake at all.”

“I can't,” Twilight confirmed. “I don't even know the spell.”

“Well, okay,” Applejack said, giving Big Mac to Discord rather reluctantly. “Honest ta Celestia, Discord, if ya mess with me again, yer gonna snap like that tree.”

Discord gulped, but quickly tried to look unafraid. “Oh, don't worry,” he said, suddenly interested in his claw, “I've had my fun watching.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Ah'm just gonna pretend Ah never heard that.”

The draconequus looked at the doll in his grip. “Do I really have to do this again? It's only been a day since—”

“If you don't do it now, I'll help Applejack break you,” Smarty said.

“Oh, no, two little ponies want to fight me! Whatever shall I do?” Discord said mockingly, but the ensuing glares he received made him stop. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. His ears flicked as he recalled the spell. He snapped his fingers, and Big Mac was sent into the air from his paw. For a moment, the doll flew, but came to a hover just above Smarty. Discord clicked once more, and Big Mac began spinning in the air. He became enveloped in spirals of light, which cascaded down from the sky. Smarty had to squint in order to watch, as the radiance only increased in size and brightness.

Smarty's mind began racing. What if this was another trick? As Discord had proven, he preferred to joke about a pony's life, rather than take it seriously. For all intents and purposes, it could be another trick. A cry of pain interrupted her thoughts. Smarty felt a smile creep onto her face. After all, it was a very familiar cry. It was Big Mac, not a single doubt in her mind. She could see a limb flail out from the light at times, but she still couldn't see him completely. A gruff scream or shout would occasionally escape him, but Smarty knew it was for the greater good, even if the noises scared her.

Big Mac's dream were finally coming to life, and Smarty knew that she shared it. It wouldn't be long until they would be together. Neither of them would be dolls or toys, and they could actually converse with one another. Though Big Mac usually had little to say, his words were profound and wise. Smarty could hear him speaking as she closed her eyes. She could see him in her mind — how he used to hold her in the privacy of his room, how he would sometimes even act nervous around a doll. It brought a tear of joy to her eye.

As the light began to dim, Applejack jumped in front of Smarty. “It'd probably be best if Ah talked to him first,” she said, an uneasy smile on her face. It made sense. After all, she was his sister; Smarty couldn't interrupt family with what Big Mac and her shared, no matter how much it mattered. After all, family came first. In a moment, the blinding light disappeared. Smarty turned her head to see Big Mac in his true form. His golden, luscious locks fell down his neck, slightly waving in the breeze. His eyes were shut tight, but Smarty could picture the green pupils, anyway.

Big Mac was back to his pony self.

The group waited for Discord to return him to the ground. Big Mac stood on all four of his powerful legs, but his eyes remained closed. Smarty could see him sway in the breeze, but he still wouldn't wake up. “Big Mac?” Applejack called, running over to her brother. She grabbed him by his collar, shaking it slightly. “Can ya hear me?” she tried. When he didn't respond, Applejack turned to Discord. “Ah swear, if ya messed him up, Ah'll have ya for—”

“S-sis?” a soft voice asked.

As much as Smarty wanted to talk, she couldn't interrupt a family reunion. “Oh, Mac!” Applejack cried, launching herself at her brother. Fortunately, he was still strong enough to handle her, even in his dazed state. She latched her hooves tight around his neck, almost suffocating him. When he gasped, Applejack released him slightly, chuckling. “That's what ya get for scaring yer sis like that!” Applejack cried. She pulled away, not smiling, but not frowning either.

“Wha... What happened?” he said, rubbing his eyes.

“Ya were an idiot again. That's what happened,” Applejack said.

“Bu-but... the park? Why are we in the park? Ah was havin' such a weird dream,” he mumbled. Smarty watched his eyes shift around, as if not quite able to focus on anything in particular. She remembered the haze of waking up herself.

“Don't ya remember?” she asked, cocking her head. “Ya abandoned yer family. That's what ya did. Start explaining it right now, or Ah'll regret going through all this trouble you caused.”

“What? Ah'd never do that!” he exclaimed.

“Well, ya did,” Applejack said.

“There was this mare,” Big Mac interrupted. “She'd carry me all over the place... and Ah couldn't do anything 'bout it. Ah'd try to move, and Ah just couldn't.” He nodded feverishly, his eyes still not adjusted to the light of the day. “She... said some things that Ah can't remember, and Ah swear ya were there, sis.”

“What?” Smarty asked, moving into the light.

Big Mac's eyes went wide, and he began backing away. He had a look of genuine fear on his face. “Y-yer the mare in mah dream! Ah was trapped with ya!”

“I didn't trap you!” Smarty exclaimed. “I was looking after you.”

Big Mac mumbled something under his breath, which only Applejack heard.

“She's right. It wasn't a dream, Mac. What you saw actually happened. She had nothing to do with it.”

“No... that doesn't... B-but, who is she?” Big Mac asked.

Smarty felt her heart sank. “You... you don't know me?”

"Nope."

"You've don't know my name?"

Big Mac rubbed the back of his head nervously. The entire group went silent, waiting for his reply. He felt their eyes watching them, and Smarty could see him panic as he became the centre of attention. “No...”

With a sigh, she felt her head fall. That was that. Big Mac didn't even know her. After this entire journey, this great escapade, it was all for nothing. She sobbed as a tear fell to the ground. After everything, Big Mac didn't even recognise her, and that was a far worse predicament than before. At least then she was under the illusion of happiness. After all, ignorance is bliss. The entire time Smarty had been caring for Big Mac, he had thought of her as only his captor, nothing more. Whenever she had looked at him or said something, he hadn't understood.

Applejack nudged Big Mac, who jumped at the touch. She indicated over to Smarty, who was content to watch the tears roll off of her face. He walked over with a frown. “Ah'm... Ah'm sorry,” he said softly, kicking at the ground. “Ah barely remember ya in the dream, but Ah—”

“How is this possible?” Smarty asked, wiping away her tears.

Twilight was taken aback. “I... I don't know.”

“Think, Twilight!” she shouted, sniffing.

“There's only one explanation,” Twilight said, raising a hoof to her chin.

“And that is?” Smarty quipped.

“Remember the time I cast the 'want it, need it' spell?”

Smarty nodded quickly.

“When Princess Celestia arrived, she stopped it. Everyone stopped falling in love with you, and the crowd broke up.” Twilight paused, frowning. “Perhaps Big Mac somehow avoided the counter. When someone is introduced to something they are deprived of in a short amount of time, the reaction can be quite... extraordinary. Mentally, Big Mac had no choice in the matter,” she said, indicating to the stallion. “Minds are not always as straightforward as you may think.”

Smarty bowed her head. “Are you... are you saying that your spell was the only thing making Big Mac love me?” Twilight opened her mouth, but no words came out. She merely looked away from the mare's piercing glance. Smarty felt a lump build in her throat. She scoffed. “Of course,” she said, no tone present in her voice.

“When Discord used another spell on him, it could've possibly stopped my spell, which was still working.” She licked her lips. “Effectively, when Big Mac was turned into a doll, my 'want it, need it' spell was cancelled out. Two spells acting out on the same pony can sometimes lead to a conflict, leading to the effects of one spell ceasing. If that was the case...” Twilight stopped midsentence.

“Then Big Mac would stop wanting me,” Smarty finished. “How do you explain him not knowing me then? Just to add insult to injury,” she added, chuckling in a less than savoury manner as tears fell down her face.

“Well, I'm quite unsure on that,” Twilight said, somehow finding her voice. She frowned, sensing Smarty's complete mood change.

“The last thing Ah remember was Twilight telling me to get the doll,” Big Mac murmured, looking at the ground. “That was when Ah thought Ah had the dream.”

“You don't remember anything? Everything you ever said to me? Not even... me?” Smarty asked, her lip trembling. She already knew the answer, but she wanted proof.

Big Mac looked into the sky. Smarty watched his eyes, following them to a bird flying into the wispy clouds. Big Mac had once told her that he'd always wanted to have wings. He envied the pegasi. Of course he did. When he only collected apples all day, she couldn't blame him, even if he was afraid of heights. The freedom of flight was something only the lucky few managed to experience. He gazed down, looking into Smarty's eyes. At least he had the decency to do that.

“Nope,” he said softly, the look of regret on his face as soon as he said it. Big Mac frowned, unable to stop the inevitable.

“But... but...” Smarty whispered. Her mind was cluttered with emotions and thoughts trying to make themselves heard, but a lone phrase managed to keep appearing to the fore. The final nail. The final nail. Finally, the final nail. Her throat was sore, and her legs felt weak and unsteady under her weight. Smarty felt her hooves buckle, and she fell to the grass. The cold, muddy ground was there to welcome her, but she didn't care .Smarty was robbed of her breath. It was like her mind couldn't process everything — her only means of communication becoming the tears and sobs she gave.

“Smarty... it's okay,” Twilight said, feeling a tear well up in her own eye.

“Honest. At least ya two are breathin'. Ya coulda got into something much worse,” Applejack said, looking away.

“I-it's...” Smarty tried to say, but her throat wouldn't allow it. She gasped for air, hungry for the oxygen her body yearned. No amount of oxygen could restore her feelings, though, no matter how hard she tried. She felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder, and then another. Smarty looked up to see Applejack and Twilight trying their best to smile, even though it was clear that her outburst was affecting them, too. Her head sank to the grass again, and then she felt a larger hoof on her. It shook uneasily, but she knew who it belonged to.

“Twi-Twilight? Can't you just do the... the spell again?” Smarty mumbled, her voice quivering and interrupted by gasps.”

“You know I can't,” Twilight answered simply. “It wouldn't be right.”

“Wha... what about that memory spell?” she asked in between bouts of sobs.

“Smarty, Big Mac doesn't have any memories of you, aside from seeing you when he was a doll. He was just under an illusion. It's okay, Smarty. It really is. You don't have to—”

“It's not okay!” Smarty shouted, tears flowing freely from her eyes. “How is anything about this okay, Twilight? Tell me that! Go on — where is your everlasting optimism now, huh?” She felt her body calm down, and her voice declined to a whisper once more. “Nothing is okay about this, so don't bother trying to tell me otherwise.” Aside from the occasional sniffle from Smarty, the group fell deafly silent. No one knew quite what to say to the crying wreck of a pony on the ground, and Smarty knew it. There was no point for it, so she stood up, her shaking legs holding her weight once more.

“What do I do now?” she asked quietly. “I have nothing else to do.”

“Live, Smarty,” Twilight said, a sad smile on her face. “That's a question we all ask ourselves.”

“Yeah, well, you didn't just have... Oh, forget it,” Smarty said, dismissing it with a wave of her hoof. “There's no point in arguing, anyway. Nothing you can do.” She sniffed again, feeling pointless, alone and empty in a world filled with bright, colourful creatures. Of all places. She had to admit, it was better than being stuck in a cardboard box for all eternity. If this whole awkward situation never happened, that's where she'd still be. At least, she was happy for that.

“Come with us to the farm,” Applejack said, interrupting her train of thought. “There's plenty of work there for an honest pony like yerself. Ya can come live with us for a while if ya really want.”

Smarty wiped a tear from her cheek. She found her eyes wandering over to Big Mac, who was still watching her in his gentle, quiet way. As soon as her eyes locked on his, he looked away, pretending it never happened. If she hadn't been so depressed, it probably would've brought a grin to her face. He blushed fiercely, his red cheeks becoming a deeper hue. She didn't know such a thing was possible. That made her chuckle.

She nodded slowly. “Thanks, Applejack. I think I'll have to take you up on that offer.”

“Well, wanna go now? No sense in mopin' 'bout the place.”

“Sure,” Smarty said simply.

Applejack smiled, and helped her up from the ground. She took the lead, following the path to Sweet Apple Acres. Smarty turned and waved back at Twilight and Discord, who looked to be in a state of depression as well. She hadn't noticed it, but he had materialised a tissue, and was proceeding to blow into it almost silently. Twilight smiled back at her warmly, wiping away a tear of her own.

Big Mac walked next to her, looking straight ahead. He soon found Smarty's eyes burning into his own, and he turned to face her. She could've sworn he looked deep into her eyes before looking away again. She giggled, making him blush again. Applejack rolled her eyes, but she pretended not to notice. In a moment, Smarty felt the heat of the sun on her coat. She closed her eyes, feeling the gloriousness of the warmth. For the second time, she felt alive in more than one sense.

Smarty looked up to the sun, watching a flock of birds flew overhead. It was a start, at least.

It was something.

Author's Note

If you find my cameo, you all get an extra chapter.

Ah, who am I kidding? It's going to come out, anyway.

The Loyalty of a Simple Doll

Smarty woke with a gasp. She glanced outside her window, noticing the impending darkness. It was still night, and she should've been sleeping, but she was wide awake. Smarty dived deeper into the blankets, trying to fall back to sleep, but after five minutes, which she had been counting exactly, she knew it was pointless to try. There was something at the back of her mind, and she knew her brain would allow her no rest until the niggling thought was silenced.

She sighed. As if enough hadn't happened today.

As quietly as a mouse, she threw the blankets off of her. Besides, she didn't have to wake everyone else up just because she was awake. Smarty stretched her legs out. With a yawn, she crept out of the spare room — her temporary room — and into the corridor. She could see the moon shine through the windows of the main hall. When she peered through to get a better look, a howl erupted from nearby, making her shriek. It sounded like those damned things that had chased her. Timberwolves, or whatever Applejack called them.

It didn't matter. Smarty continued on her way up the stairs, and went through the second corridor. Fortunately, she had been in Big Mac's room before, so she knew exactly where it was. Smarty walked over to his door, making sure to put the smallest amount of weight on her hooves. The wooden boards were prone to creak and crack, and she didn't want to wake anyone else up. With a gentle push, the door opened without so much as a peep.

She walked in to find Big Mac snoring loudly, one of his legs poking out the blankets. The collar remained around his neck, which she knew he thought was more comfortable than wearing nothing. That was just something strange about him. His tongue lolled at the side of his mouth, but Smarty wasn't surprised. Besides, she'd seen him sleep before. It wasn't anything new. She looked behind, making sure no one was spying on her, before shutting the door with a quiet click.

Smarty shuffled over to the bedside. He was a big colt, but the bed was bigger. Outstretched, he could've easily covered the entire area, but Big Mac fortunately didn't. Lifting the blanket, Smarty quickly jumped in, attempting to keep as much warmth inside as she possibly could. She shivered. Her body adjusting to the sudden warmth made her realise how cold it truly was.

In truth, she had no idea what she was doing. Her mind had told her to do something, and she had to do it on pain of not sleeping. That was it. Well, that was what she told herself. If Applejack came in, she'd get the wrong idea. Of course, Big Mac would as well, but that wouldn't happen. Any other pony would've deemed the act as questionable, but she knew in her heart of hearts that it was more meaningful than that. After waiting for so long for Big Mac, Smarty simply wanted to be there with him in the moment. That's all that mattered. That's all she cared about, and that was why she was lying next to Big Mac in his bed.

He looked so peaceful when he slept.

The moonlight cascaded down on the pair, illuminating Big Mac's face. His golden mane fell down the pillow and into her reach. Smarty extended her hoof silently, stroking the few strands of hair. So soft. It smelt like the apples she had plucked only a few hours ago. His steady breaths would lift the blankets below his muzzle into the air. His eyelids would occasionally shift left and right. She wondered what he was dreaming about. Whatever it was, she hoped it was pleasant.

The last time she'd shared a bed with anyone was with Twilight when she was a filly. She would be cradled in her small hooves, held so tightly that she'd be suffocated, even if it was impossible for her to breathe. While Twilight slept and snored, Smarty would protect her from the horrors that would patrol and stalk the night. She never saw any action, but that's neither here nor there. She had been there for Twilight, and that knowledge had helped the filly sleep soundly.

When Smarty was a doll, she would look from across the room at Big Mac, watching as he slept. She wasn't the guardian of the night, as she had been for Twilight, but she would still look out for him. She hadn't resigned from her occupation. A couple of days had passed, and now she shared the bed with him. It was funny how things turned out. Of course, Mac didn't know of her intrusion, but it didn't matter. She was next to him, still watching over him, and that was enough.

She would only stay for a few more minutes. Only a few more. Staying for any longer increased the chances of being caught, and Smarty didn't feel like explaining anything else today. Her mind told her to leave, to eradicate any chance of that happening, but something made her stay. Smarty moved closer to the stallion, feeling the warmth from his body immediately. His hair was under her nose, and she could smell him. Not the apples or the summer day, but him. There was nothing else she could ask for.

The timberwolf howled into the night once more, but she wasn't afraid this time. Smarty would look after him, and Big Mac would look after her. She knew his type. Loyal to family and friends, till death do they part. Even though he never would remember her for the things he had admitted and said, it was okay. It was fine. Truly. She had resigned to the fact, but that didn't mean that she had given up on him. He had opened himself up to her, perhaps against his own will, but she knew him. She knew his true feelings and motives, even if he hadn't meant to share them. She wanted to be with him. Smarty knew he was lonely, and she knew how he longed to make a new friend.

With a contented sigh, she closed her eyes and wrapped her hooves around him. It was fine. Just like she had been for Twilight, Smarty would be there for Mac. His happiness brought her own. Knowing that he was no longer lonely, that he had made a friend, well, that's all she needed. She snuggled deeper into the bed, feeling his warm breath against her face as his chest rose and fell under her weight. The wooden wolf cried once more, but she could barely hear it. Silence fell. Smarty no longer felt a reason to leave. The bed was far too warm, and who cared if she had a little explaining to do in the morning? It was nothing new.

Smarty felt something wriggle from underneath her. “Wh... what?” came a confused voice. She turned to find Big Mac watching her with weary eyes. He was blinking a lot, as if not in control of his eyes, and he raised a hoof to rub them.

“You weren't meant to wake up,” Smarty whispered.

“Ah don't... It was... What was Ah... supposed to do?” he whispered back.

“Sleep,” she said, stroking his cheek. “Go back to sleep.”

“But... Ah'm awake.”

“You shouldn't be,” Smarty admitted, looking away. “Sorry, it's all my fault.”

His eyes suddenly went wide. “What are ya doin' in mah bed?” he cried.

“Shush, keep it down,” Smarty said. “It's the middle of the night, and you should be asleep.”

“So should you.”

Smarty opened her mouth to speak, but chose not to. “I'll just go. I shouldn't be here.” She lifted the blankets up, and planted her hooves quietly on the floor.

“Wait,” Big Mac said.

“Why?” she asked, facing him once more.

He tried to hold her gaze, but quickly looked away. “Well, yer in mah bed. Ah wanna know why,” he complained, his eyebrows furrowing.

Smarty paused. “I got scared. Those timberwolves woke me up,” she lied.

“Oh.”

“Well, I'll just be going—”

“Hang on,” he interrupted.

“What is it?” she asked.

“No point if yer still scared.”

“No, really, it's fine—”

“Ah used to be scared of 'em. Ah know what it's like.” He lifted the blankets up. “Look, yer shiverin'. It's okay.”

Smarty sighed. She had noticed herself shivering, but she didn't want to bring any attention to it. Taking his offer, she climbed back into the bed. Big Mac looked at her, and she caught his gaze, making him look away quickly. They both stared at the wooden ceiling. “About what you said, I knew,” Smarty admitted, gritting her teeth. “You told me yourself.”

Mac chuckled. “There's a lot of things Ah musta told ya.”

Silence fell. Smarty knew he was a colt of few words. “Do you... do you even know my name?” she asked, turning around. “When you were a toy, you must have heard it at some point.”

“Ah do,” he admitted, nodding. “Ah couldn't remember at first, but it came back to me.”

“I had the same thing. When I was turned into a pony, I mean. My memory was pretty hazy.”

“Eeyup.”

“Well, what do you remember?” she asked.

“Enough,” he said simply.

“That's... that's not enough detail,” Smarty complained.

“Ah don't know anything 'bout ya, but ya know everything 'bout me aside. Not too fair,” he said.

Smarty raised an eyebrow. “Are you blackmailing me?”

Big Mac shrugged. “Jus' sayin' it how it is.”

The mare harrumphed. “That's totally blackmail.”

“Call it what ya like. Ah only know yer name. And that you were Twilight's doll,” he added.

Smarty blinked. “What else is there to say?”

“Ya tell me,” he said bluntly.

“Maybe in the morning,” she confirmed with a roll of her eyes. “It's the middle of the night; we should be sleeping. I'll go back downstairs. Let you sleep.”

“Ya don't have to.”

“What would your sister think?” she asked.

“She won't mind.”

“Well, if you say so,” Smarty said, snuggling back down into her pillow. She closed her eyes, and let the silence welcome her. The moon still shone in her eyes, but she didn't care. She was with Big Mac, which he seemingly didn't dislike, so nothing else mattered. Perhaps he was too drowsy to think properly? Even Smarty knew Applejack wouldn't react so passively. It was the middle of the night, so his mind was probably too tired.

She caught him watching her again. No. Definitely not. She chuckled.

“It's strange being a doll, isn't it?” she asked.

Mac nodded solemnly. “Ah don't like it. No control.”

“You get used to it,” she mused. “After years and years of it, when there's simply nothing else to do, you have to. You have to watch everything and remember, just to stay sane.”

He let her finish her sentence. “Weren't ya gonna save that for the morning?” She glared at him for a brief second. Mac blushed. “Ya said ya wanted ta sleep.”

“That I did,” she confirmed.

Silence fell again. She felt the air blow in from the window, and her head suddenly felt cold. Smarty looked at Big Mac, seeing that he'd shut his eyes. Now was the best time. After all, she did like to mix things up a bit. Silently, she lifted her head up, and rested it on Big Mac's chest. He gasped in shock, almost jumping out of the bed as he looked down at the smiling mare. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but he was simply too shocked. Exhaling air, he returned to watching the ceiling as he blushed a deep crimson. It was an odd sight, seeing as though his fur was a deep crimson.

That thought that had been at the back of her mind hadn't turned out as bad as it could've been. Smarty was finally with him, and Big Mac was finally with her. All in all, not a bad night. She felt herself drift off as a warm smile appeared on her face. They were together, sitting in bed, and neither of them gave a damn about what anyone else thought. Two soon-to-be lovers sat quietly in bed, feeling each other's breath rise and fall alongside their own. There wasn't anything more Smarty could ask for.

In a moment, Smarty felt a hoof curl around her neck. She looked up to find him still looking at the ceiling. With a chuckle, she closed her eyes, and allowed her head to rest on his soft fur once more.

Another wolf cry echoed across the dark sky. Big Mac looked down at her. “Yer not scared?”

“Not anymore,” she replied simply.

And everything was peaceful.

Author's Note

That's all, folks. Hope you've enjoyed reading. It's been fun.

The Sequel

Did someone say... sequel?

Winning Him Over

It's been several weeks since Smarty Pants began her life at Sweet Apple Acres. Even after the night she shared with Big Mac, he hasn't realised her true intentions. Seemingly, his definition of 'friend' is very different to her own. When Smarty catches wind of an upcoming competition, she hatches a plan in the hopes of finally making Big Mac understand her feelings. What can possibly go wrong?

What are you still doing here? Go read it!