Sweetie Belle couldn’t pinpoint the exact time that she was outright banned from entering her older sister’s kitchen.
Was it three months ago, when she burned those cucumber sandwiches? Or four weeks ago, when those ice cream sundaes started smoking? Or was it when she decided to make toast and it turned into black-colored soup?
Since then, or whenever it was, Rarity had placed severe restrictions on Sweetie Belle’s access to the kitchen, out of concern for their mutual safety.
Sweetie Belle could go in, only with permission, to get a glass of water or other cold drink. She could also get any pre-packaged snack, like a bag of chips...as long as it wasn’t on a high shelf. Under no circumstances was she to touch the stove, oven, microwave, or soymilk making machine. (No, not “everything but the kitchen sink.”)
If Sweetie Belle wanted to eat something that required cooking, she could either call for delivery or ask Rarity to make it for her. If Rarity was cooking in the kitchen, she was required to stay at least ten feet away from the kitchen while Rarity was cooking.
Sweetie Belle wasn’t even allowed to make instant noodles on her own, after that incident with the kettle and the plastic buttons on Rarity’s dress. As a result of that, Sweetie Belle discovered that instant noodles could be eaten dry, straight out of the packet. Which counts as a “pre-packaged” snack. Just sprinkle the seasoning packet all over the noodle brick, dunk it in some sauce for moisture, and take a big bite.
Incidentally, Sweetie Belle now had really strong teeth.
Sweetie Belle had been playing video games a lot recently. Her friend Button Mash introduced her to this life-simulator game called The Ponies, and she’s been hooked ever since. Her character, named Tweetie Swelle, had a new mansion with an indoor pool, a job as a Bridleway singer, and a Level-10 skill in cooking—some thing(s) that would probably never happen in real life.
Rarity was at first concerned by Sweetie Belle’s new obsession with video games, but it didn’t seem to affect the filly negatively. She was still going to bed at reasonable times, getting all her homework done, and she still attended her Cutie Mark Crusader meetings. Nothing suggested to her that Sweetie Belle was addicted or engaging in any otherwise unhealthy behavior. So, for a long time, Rarity didn’t say anything to her little sister.
Then, one afternoon, while walking down the hallway, Rarity saw the door to Sweetie Belle’s room was open. Peeking inside, Rarity saw Sweetie Belle playing The Ponies on the game console, with a bottle of soda at her side. She was also eating something—what was it?
Rarity squinted, then gasped. “No, Sweetie, no! You must add water first…!”
It was too late. Rarity watched in horror as her little sister dipped a cube of dry instant noodles into an open jar of mayonnaise, and then, completely unfazed, took a big bite out of it.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Two big bites.
“I really must tell Sweetie Belle to stop playing those video games,” Rarity concluded.