Chapters Twilight sat in the train seat, looking out the window. She was upset that she couldn't bring her friends this time, as it was a business trip, and she wouldn't be able to actually do anything with her friends.
"It's only three days.." Twilight sighed. "But of course, I'll write." Twilight couldn't help but grin as she remembered Pinkie's overprotective antics.
"You mean you have to go to Canterlot with Princess Celestia to fill out big boring papers and you have to stay there for three days? Without us? Awwww! We would have let you sit and fill out the boring papers and we would bring you chocolate, donuts, cake, popcorn, hot chocolate, and more ink and quills and boring office equipment that you really really need for work but we wouldn't bother you much, and we would help the princess with other stuff she needs so you don't have to do that and Rarity might make you a dress, and we would make sure you aren't super super lonely and bored to tears but still kinda bored! Annnaa-" Pinkie's voice had grown weak, and she stopped to take a breath. "But since we can't go, I'll write to you and I'll send you care packages with goodies from us, and some icky boring office supplies, and I'll wait at the mailbox for your letters so you don't forget me and fall in love with the desk or the papers or the quill or the ink and forget about us! You can go now! I don't want you to be late!" Pinkie gave her a big hug, and stayed silent until Twilight was in the train. The moment it started, she heard Pinkie's scream as loud as thunder. "MAKE SURE YOU WRIIIIIIIIIIIIITE!!!!!" At that moment, she remembered how Pinkie did the same thing when Rainbow Dash was leaving for Wonderbolts Academy.
Twilight snapped out of her thoughts as the train hit a large speed bump. Many passengers uttered sounds of fear, then immediately calmed down. Feeling bored, and wanting something to read, she dug through her saddlebag, hoping she had packed some form of literature. She didn't find any books, or even a sheet of paper to read, but did find a small pink box with Pinkie Pie written all over it. Literally. She couldn't hold back her snort of laughter, and pulled it out of the bag. She carefully unraveled the ribbon, and opened the box.
A large amount of confetti hit her in the face, much expected to Twilight, as she opened it. She shook it off of her, and peeked inside. There was a very tasty looking purple cupcake with Twilight's face drawn in frosting on it. Luckily, Twilight had packed a camera, just in case. She pulled it out, and took pictures from every angle of the cupcake before slowly eating it, savoring the delicious flavor. "Tathes lie gapes!" Twilight muttered, spraying crumbs all over her seat, disgusting some of the more refined ponies.
"Now boarding at Canterlot! Canterlot, I repeat! Canterlot!" The conductor shouted. Twilight grabbed her things, including her half eaten cupcake, and headed out, ready to go to the castle. She took some time to sit down, finish her cupcake, and brush her hair, in order to look ready for royal duties. She watched as two unicorn fillies chased each other, most likely playing tag.
"Miss Sparkle, I believe the Princess is expecting you." A royal guard trotted up to her. "I shall escort you there, if you don't mind, your highness."
"Oh, it's no trouble at all! Thank you for getting me." The two ponies trotted to the castle, ready for a boring, boring business trip.
Twilight and the Royal Guard headed into the throne room, where Celestia was sitting, happy as ever to see her beloved former student.
"Twilight! How have you been?" Celestia asked as she strutted up to Twilight.
"I've been doing great, Princess!"
"That's wonderful! I'll lead you to your room, and I hope I don't sound like I'm scolding you, but I'll need you to get right to work! We've got plenty of these papers, but if you need time, we're glad to let you stay as long as you want. You may take breaks when you please, since we don't want you to be completely bored." Twilight thought she heard Celestia snort at the last part, but she also thought it was sort of funny as well. We was she to judge others by their humor? "We're here!" Celestia's voice put her back in reality. "It's..Sunset Shimmer's old room. I hope you don't mind the decoration...It's the only one open." Was that a touch of sadness in her voice? Probably. She trotted into the room.
"Thank you, Princess!"
"The papers are on the desk. I have to leave now, I have royal duties too!" The door closed, and Twilight inspected her work, while wondering what Celestia's royal duties were.
"Ugh...Twilight....stop thinking so much! you've got work to do! I'm going to bed early..." She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, and continued her work. "Let's see...." She picked up a paper "Dear Princess, we have suffered some problems, namely, our crops have stopped growing, our house is starting to crumble, and we don't have any shops, carpenters, builders, etc. by us to help us with it. Although my husband is excellent at fixing things, we don't have the right tools, or enough money to buy a new one somewhere else. Please send a reply to this letter, and some money, or the supplies we need, to help us!
-Sincerely,
Cabbage Patch and Slate Mountain
Twilight put it back down, deciding to organize the papers by how fast the job would be, and when it needed to be done, letter's replies being last. But she felt sorry for the family, and decided to do this one first. She wrote a quick reply, and headed out to the market to get their supplies. She wasn't as familiar with Canterlot as she was with Ponyville, so it took a while to find what she needed.
"They need food...So I'll get them veggies, fruit, grains, some flowers, and maybe a small cake for them to celebrate with." After finding a veggie cart, she continued onto the fruit cart, and continued to search for a bakery. She had no luck, and skipped to a flower shop, picking out quite a few daisies, her personal favorite. She asked a filly playing nearby if they knew where the bakery was. All she did was run away screaming, "Stranger danger! Stranger danger!" obviously not noting Twilight's wings that gave her away as a princess. A princess that didn't fillynap young ponies! She trotted up to a bigger, full grown unicorn, and asked her where the bakery was, if there was a bakery.
"Oh, dearest princess, Of course we have a bakery, and I can take you to it. Follow me." She followed the unicorn for five minutes, until they reached a small building with a sign that looked like bread rolls above the door.
"Thank you, miss!" Twilight gave a small bow as a symbol of great thanks.
"Oh, uh, yes what an honor!" The unicorn was flustered, her cheeks turning red. She trotted away, and Twilight could hear her giggles. "Oh my oh my! I can't believe it! The princess bowed to me like I was royalty! Heehee! What an honor!" She sighed, unhappy that as a princess, she became more of a robot to other ponies she didn't know as well. She walked in, the sweet smell of bread filling her nostrils, and lifting her spirits.
"Welcome to Rocky Farm Bakery. How can I help you?" A gray mare trotted up to her.
"Oh, may I order...say... thirty-five bread rolls, five loaves of bread, and a small cake?"
"By sistah's parties! How much do ya'll eat?" She said, her accent reminded her of Applejack, and she was once again homesick.
"Oh, they're not for me, uh...miss..?"
"Marble. Marble Pie."
"Pie? Oh, sorry if I'm intruding, or being rude, but by any chance, are you related to Pinkamena Diane Pie?"
"Darn tootin' I am! She was the loveliest foal in the family! Happiest too. But, ehh..... we...we usually just call 'er Pinkie. But Pinkie left the rock farm not too long aftah she got 'er cutie mark. She wanted to spread more happiness to the world, and we just wanted to let 'er to do what 'er cutie mark was tellin' 'er."
"I'm actually great friends with her, sometime I might be able to bring you two together!" Twilight said, finding another chance to make a new friend.
"Well, ain't that somethin'? Just come and get us when ya'll are leavin'!"
"Us? Who else?"
"Mah other sister! Limestone Pie! Git' out of the bakery! Say hello to Pinkie's friend here!"
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" This voice didn't have an accent at all, unlike Marble's heavy southern accent. A bluish mare with light gray hair burst out of the door behind the counter.
"Hey there! Name's Limestone Pie! Pinkie's other sister! We're very glad to have you here and.. oh! Marble! Doesn't she have an order of some sort? We can't stop for chitchat! She's probably bored to tears! Aren't you?" She turned to Twilight.
"Uuuuhhh-"
"See? She's really bored! Tell me, Marble, what was her order?"
"Uh... yah see....Ah forgot! Eheheh...."
"Really Marble?!" Limestone whacked Marble of the head, and turned back to Twilight.
"Sorry! I know it looks like we don't get along, but we actually love each other very much, but sometimes get into fights. All sisters do. Anyways, what was your order?"
"Thirty-five bread buns, five loaves of bread, and a small cake."
"Whoa! That's-" Marble put a hoof over her mouth.
"They're not for her, dummy."
"Oh. right. It does make sense."
"So get to work, Limestone!" Limestone ran back into the door, most likely the kitchen, and started baking Twilight's order.
"It'll be 15 minutes at the maximum. I'm sure ya'll know how fast Pinkie bakes. She taught us how to bake just like her!"
They talked about many things, cupcakes, rocks, their childhood, and food too. Limestone came out, announced her entrance with a shrill "ORDER UP!" and walked up to Twilight with the tray.
"Oh! There are thirty-six?"
"You deserve to have one for your kindness!"
"Thank you!" Twilight left with the tray, and began to ask where the post office was. She mailed her things, and went back to her room for more work.
"Sunset Shimmer?"
"Mm-hmm.
"B-but how? You were in the other world!"
"I know. But it's opened again. Foolish Celestia. She doesn't care about that mirror anymore. She'll never know I was here." Twilight felt enraged at her former mentor being insulted. But she held her anger back, and decided to ask more questions.
"So you say you've seen Smarty Pants?" Twilight inquired. Sunset nodded, and opened her bag. Inside was Smarty Pants. Twilight gasped. "Where did you find her?"
"Took her." Sunset answered flatly. Twilight expected her to smirk, but she didn't. She stayed serious. Although she was happy that Smarty was found, she was upset that Sunset took her.
"How dare you kidnap Smarty Pants!" She reached for Smarty Pants, but Sunset rose the doll higher into the air. "Hey! Give her to me!"
"Not yet. You'll run home with it. I need to tell you something." She scolded her like a filly who was trying to get cookies before dinner. "I need to tell you something. It could save your life." Twilight scowled at her.
"I may have forgave you, but I still don't trust you!" She complained. But she sat down to listen anyways.
"This business trip isn't for business at all. Twilight, both you and I aren't ponies. The princess wants to kill both of us."
"N-no! The princess would never do that!" Twilight didn't want to hear any more. Celestia was a fair, kind ruler, and treated everypony equally. She'd never murder anyone! She snatched Smarty Pants, and tired to run to the castle, but was encased in ice.
"Twilight! I'm sorry to do this! But I'm trying to save you! I know I've been horrible to you and your friends! But you have to trust me! Just this once, Twilight!"
"No!" Twilight screeched. She was already melting herself with her magic.
"Ugh.." Sunset sighed. "Not going to be able to persuade you, huh? Well then. I'll be waiting for you. Tomorrow. Then you won't be able to stop me from saving your life. They'll kill you on the third day."
"Liar! YOU'RE the one who's going to kill me!" She melted the ice, and ran back to the castle. After getting in her room, and in bed, she fell asleep, but had a haunting dream.
Twilight looked at the time. "Seven thirty..I'll wrap up and go to bed." She signed a few more papers, then crawled into to the soft bed. Before falling asleep, she realized the had forgotten something. "Smarty Pants!" She jumped out of bed, and dug into her saddlebag. She knew she brought her. She did! She did! She lifted up the bag, and dumped all of the contents out. None of those contents were Smarty Pants. She remembered that she brought her saddlebag with her while she was shopping, and she would have noticed if she mailed Smarty Pants. "Oh no... I dropped her!" She quickly drew Smarty Pants on every blank paper she could find, making posters so that if she didn't find her, somepony else would, and return the doll to her. She crept out of her room, and headed out of the castle.
She retraced her hoofsteps, while posting her posters on poles, walls, and some even on the floor. She ran into the bakery, which was just about to close.
"Heya Twilight!" Marble greeted her with a very friendly voice. We're closin' in five minutes, if ya' want to order anythin', feel free!"
"No time to talk! Have you seen a doll that looks like this?" Twilight shoved a paper in her face.
"Hold on, hold on! You seem pretty shaken about this here doll of yours. Ah wish ah could help ya'll, but I ain't seen anything like it b'fore!"
"Ohhhh never mind!" Twilight growled in frustration. She ran out the door to continue her search for Smarty.
"But ah can keep an eye out for it!" Marble called. Twilight asked any pony that was outside, went in every shop, but the answer was always the same.
"No, princess."
"Sowwy. I haven't seen youw dowwy. You can have miss coco, my dowwy though!"
"Doll? Nope."
"Haven't seen it."
"Sorry, don't have that in stock. Not sure if we ever did."
"GET OUT! WE'RE CLOSED! AND NO. I HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR DOLL!"
When Twilight thought she had looked everywhere, she gave up, and sat down on a nearby bench. An hour passed, and Twilight didn't move from her original position. When she felt tired, she decided to go back to the castle. She hopped off, and slowly walked towards the castle, her head hanging, tears flowing from her eyes. If anypony saw her, they would realize that she had lost someone, or in this case, something special to her. Just then, she saw a hooded figure hiding in the alley. She hadn't asked this pony yet. Having a last bit of hope, she trotted up to the pony.
"Excuse me, have you seen a doll that looks like this?" She held up her paper one last time. Much to Twilight's surprise, the pony flipped their hood off, showing their face.
"Indeed I have, Twilight Sparkle." Said a familiar orange unicorn.
"Twilight! I've decided you've done enough work. You'll get to leave before the third day!" Celestia trotted into Twilight's room. "You've done so much work, I'd feel bad keeping you here!" Twilight got up from her work, and stared at her for a while.
"Leave? Already? It's only morning of day two, and I only signed five papers and replied to one letter!" Twilight asked, very confused.
"Yes. Why should I have somepony like you still existing?" Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't speak when she found herself on a stage, her horn wrapped up so she couldn't use magic, and about to be hanged. Behind her was Sunset Shimmer, her face twisted in rage.
"I told you! I tried to save your life! But did you listen? Nooo! Now we're both going to die, Sparkle! And it's only fitting that you go first!" She found herself unable to breathe, and the ponies began cheering, louder and louder, until her vision went black.
Twilight sat in her bed, taking deep breaths. "It's only a dream... Only a dream.... Sunset Shimmer isn't right...Celestia's kind.." She kept muttering to herself until she had calmed down. "Time for work."
Hours had passed, and all Twilight had to do was respond to the large stack of letters. She picked up the first one.
Dear Princess,
My daughter, Jade Locket is a beautiful young pony, but sadly, is a spoiled selfish greedy bratty brat. She says that she wants her birthday early, and she wants a giant cake. She drew a picture of what it HAS TO HAS TO HAS TO look like or else she'll throw a fit until she gets her way. I've heard the bakery in Canterlot can pull off that trick, and I know this sounds silly, but this is a dire emergency. Please send cake. And please, make sure it's not a lie.
Sincerely,
Dancing Dew
Twilight could not hold in her laughter at this letter, but decided not to give them cake.
Dear Dancing Dew,
Sorry, no cake for you. Teach her manners.
Sincerely,
Twilight Sparkle
Twilight continued writing back to many letters, but none that really needed any supplies. After a few hours, Twilight decided to take a walk around the castle. She itched to go visit Marble and Limestone, but remembered that Sunset Shimmer was waiting. She realized that there wasn't much to do in the castle, so she returned to her room, and found a letter that had needed something.
Dear Princess,
We have been attacked by other ponies recently, and they have greatly ravaged our home. What's worse is our son has fallen sick, and is dying, We don't know what we need, please send something!
Please help,
Veiled Fog
"Oh great... Looks like I'm going into town."