- Story by Jeremy Whitley, art by Agnes Garbowska
Rarity and Sweetie Belle are about to go to Manehattan, with Sweetie planning to visit Babs Seed while Rarity works on some dresses for Sapphire Shores. However, Sweetie comes down with an ear infection, and Rarity is forced to go on her own. As she is preparing dresses in Manehattan, Babs stops by, disappointed that Sweetie couldn't come. Rarity, seeing Babs' disappointment, offers to take the filly around town instead. Rarity, being Rarity, drags Babs to a spa, a hair stylist, and a clothing store, but Babs is not as interested in these elements, and while thankful to Rarity for her time, leaves to go home.
Later, Rarity is fitting her outfits with Sapphire and recounts the efforts she tried to cheer Babs up. Sapphire recalls what Rarity had said earlier about her own childhood, her parents not understanding her sense in fashion, but still encouraged her to succeed. With this inspiration, Rarity uses her connections to secure tickets and backstage passes to a roller derby event that evening, taking Babs along. Babs is thrilled even in Rarity's confusion of the event, and is excited to met one of her favorite athletes, who also shows how her mother didn't understand her interest in roller derby to start but since has become one of her biggest fans. After completing her business in Manehattan, Rarity helps to prepare a special CMC-emblazed roller derby outfit for Babs with Sweetie Belle (with the performance name "Bad Seed") and sends it off to her, while writing in their journal about the importance of letting children follow their interests and supporting them.
This issue provides examples of:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Rarity doesn't quite approve of the violent nicknames used in the roller derby, but admits that "Shining Harmer" is pretty clever.
- The Cameo: Sweetie Belle has a Spike plush.
- Sapphire Shores appears as well, giving useful advice to Rarity on how to sympathize with Babs.
- It is not stated specifically, but one of the derby racers is named "Shining Harmer" and looks very suspiciously like Princess Cadance. She did say she liked adventure now and then... (Artist Agnes Garbowski remains purposely vague
on this point).
- Continuity Nod: Events from the episode "For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils" (specifically, Sweetie and the other CMC breaking into Sapphire Shores' studio in Manehatten) are brought up.
- The comic also follows on from the main comic series issues #21-22; specifically, Rarity remembers where Babs lives to bring her the tickets to the roller derby event.
- Babs' little breath of air to flip her bang out of her face comes up a few times. In one specific case, it actually helps to prevent a barber from cutting it off.
- Manehattan has their own pair of spa twins like Ponyville - this pair plays off a green and yellow color scheme, with the two having (separately) a pair of cucumber and squash slices for cutie marks.
- The name on the back of the roller derby outfit that Sweetie suggests, "Bad Seed", nods back to "One Bad Apple". Babs also notes that her Manehattan division of the CMC is growing as well, and Rarity recalls that Babs almost fell with the apple float off the road thanks to the CMC.
- Costume-Test Montage: Rarity treats Babs to one.
- Ironic Echo: A few panels have Babs being pulled off by Rarity on one of Rarity's pampering stops, with Babs giving a surprised look or glare. Later, when Rarity produces two roller derby tickets for Babs, Babs does the same to Rarity.
- Meaningful Name: Babs is surprised that Rarity knows "Hoi Polloi".
- Minor Injury Overreaction: When Rarity hears about her sister’s ear infection, she acts as though Sweetie Belle has a fatal disease and goes full Drama Queen.
- Punny Name: Some of the named derby athletes are puns from existing MLP characters, including "Scarswirl", "Princess Skullestia", and of course "Shining Harmer".
- Shown Their Work: The descriptions of the derby moves are accurate for the sport.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Babs and Rarity. Since Rarity is an authority figure to Babs, they're more polite around each other than interactions Rarity had with Applejack and Rainbow Dash have often been.
