Sweetie Belle's Unforeseen Date

by Derpator

A filly's best friend is her sister.

The bell chiming of Carousel Boutique was both good and bad to Sweetie Belle. On the one side, she was home in her sanctuary.

On the other hoof, she entered said sanctuary with two other fillies. She could have just twisted around and told them to buck off, but knowing Rarity, she’d get scorned for being disrespectful to house guests.

They were her closest friends after all, and their inane chatter going on whilst she contemplated her situation was a distraction. Just a distraction. She had to focus on more important matters, such as, how to get out of her supposed ‘date’ with Snails.

It didn’t take long for Rarity to come happily trotting from another room to check out who had entered. As soon as she saw the possible patrons, instead being met with the three recognisable fillies, her mood brightened. A loss of a potential customer was admittedly bad, but her little sister would never steer her the wrong way.

“Sweetie Belle,” she called out as she made her way across the foyer. “You’re home! How was school?”

Sweetie Belle looked off to the side and huffed. School was fine for the most part, especially a pirate saving her from Captain Flashbeard Sentry, the dreaded pegasus pirate of the vast seas. She enjoyed that, but other than listening to Cheerilee explaining how to take care of petunias, she didn’t find anything remotely good.

And she knew precisely why Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were with her, even following her to her home. The accursed date she’s supposed to be going on... they wouldn’t let her get out of it for any reason. Knowing them, they’ll probably tell Rarity at the first opportunity that presents itself.

“Not interesting,” Sweetie Belle mumbled.

“Sweetie Belle’s going on a date!” Scootaloo shouted from her side. Upon looking around at the pegasus, Sweetie Belle quickly saw that Scootaloo was thrilled at her statement.

Rarity raised her eyebrow at the group. “I beg your pardon?”

Sweetie Belle wanted to jump in right then and dismiss everything, but she couldn’t, not with two others by her side.

“Yeah! He’s coming by at seven!” Apple Bloom added.

Rarity looked down at Sweetie Belle, who was attempting to hide her eyes from view. “Sweetie Belle?”

“I-I don’t want to!” she replied, dreading her current situation. She was half-expecting Rarity to yell at her for dating at such a young age, but instead, Rarity walked over to her and placed her hoof on her shoulder in a caring manner, no force whatsoever.

“Is this true?” she asked calmly. Whether she was fighting back any sign of annoyance, Sweetie Belle couldn’t tell. If she was wearing some sort of mask, Rarity wore it well.

“Yeah it’s true,” Scootaloo replied for her.

“But I don’t want to go on this date, Rarity!” Sweetie Belle protested, hoping her sister would show some sign of sympathy.

Rarity’s warm smile increased. “Nonsense Sweetie Belle, you can’t turn down this opportunity.”

Sweetie Belle’s mouth fell agape. “What! You’re not mad or anything?!”

“Mad? Why would I be mad?” Rarity chuckled. “I’m ecstatic! Just think, my little sister on the dating scene!” She removed her hooves from Sweetie Belle and seemed to wander off with her eyes. Her eyelids dropped a little as she let out a blissful sigh.

Sweetie Belle wanted to argue. She wanted to do something to get out of it, but when she looked at Rarity, and remembered how much Rarity constantly went on about dating, she didn’t see a plausible solution. Rarity was on the other side. “But...”

“Now now,” Rarity said, coming back to reality. “What time is the gentlecolt coming around again?”

“Seven,” Apple Bloom said, making sure that that information made its way to Rarity.

Rarity took a brief glance at the clock in the foyer. “Seven? That gives us plentiful time to get ready! Come along Sweetie Belle, we must get you ready for your date.” Without giving a chance for Sweetie Belle to do anything, Rarity grabbed her little sister’s hoof with her own and pulled her through the Boutique. “Oh yes, I think I may have something that would be perfect for you.”

Sweetie Belle whimpered as she felt herself being dragged to what she could think was a torture chamber, or rather, Rarity’s dressing room. She didn’t want to get into anything. She didn’t want to do anything. She needed some excuse.

“Oh, but what about my dinner?” she asked with hopeful eyes. Anything to get out of it...

Rarity shook her head. “Tut-tut Sweetie Belle, have you not paid attention to anything I’ve said to you? What does a couple do on a first date?”

Sweetie Belle quickly figured it out. “Oh...”

“Mhmm,” Rarity said. “Exactly, you needn’t worry about dinner. I’m sure he will have picked out the most fabulous restaurant for you to dine at.” She paused as she scouted her room, ready to put Sweetie Belle’s preparations in gear. “Actually... I wouldn’t have imagined you’d be going to a restaurant.” She waved her hoof in the air. “Nevertheless! I think he would have come up with something, otherwise this date will end in complete disaster!”

Sweetie Belle stared at the ground as she rotated her hoof along it. It was the only entertaining thing for her to do. If she attempted to flee, Rarity would likely ask where she’d be going. But she couldn't help and wonder, just what did Snails plan exactly?

Panting could be heard as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo dashed their way into the room the two unicorns were in. “So, what’s the plan?” Scootaloo asked with exhilaration. She wanted the details of what Sweetie Belle was going to not only be dressed up in, but Rarity’s takes on ideas.

“With the time allotted, my estimations giving me a few hours, I shall create and put together something spectacular for Sweetie Belle,” Rarity replied as she continued to gather materials.

“But don’t you have to make designs for clients?” Sweetie Belle asked, chuffed that she came up with another excuse. Yes, that was a good one.

Rarity turned and walked up to Sweetie Belle. “What, and miss out on making something extra special for my sister to wear on her very first date? Not a chance!” She lowered herself to Sweetie Belle’s level, rubbing her cheeks with her hooves. “You’re going to be the most adorable date ever,” she said, putting on a cute, captivating voice.

Sweetie Belle quickly frowned and groaned. She wasn’t a kid, is what she would usually respond with. But she knew Rarity like the back of her hoof. Rarity set herself to a task, and she saw it through until the end. She referred to it as 'The Zone'.

“Could we help?” Apple Bloom asked, smug. She wanted to try and lap it up to Sweetie Belle, but she was honestly pleased for her at the same time.

Rarity paused in her small scavenger hunt to imagine the possible damage that would come out of little assistants. She scrunched up her muzzle. “Uhh... I think I’ll be fine by myself, thank you. This could take a while, so feel free to go home if you’d like girls.”

Sweetie Belle wanted to go home. But then she realised that she was home.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom exchanged a few looks between each other. “Applejack won’t mind me being late,” Apple Bloom said.

“Yeah, and Rainbow Dash won’t care what time I go home,” Scootaloo said, putting forth her side.

“What?” Rarity replied, taking time away from her magic conjuring. “Doesn’t care? That’s irresponsible.”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Eh, she’s cool.”

“Well rest assured I shall be having a little personal chat with Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, strictly emphasising the chat portion of her sentence.

Sweetie Belle glanced at Scootaloo with a complacent grin, as if to say, “Yeah, my sister just shot you down. Deal with it.”

Scootaloo narrowed her eyes in response, fighting back with a leer. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t scold her for anything.

“Actually girls,” Rarity said as she brought forth a giant pile of materials. “Maybe it would be best for you to go home. This will take a while and I wouldn’t want any of you to go without dinner. I can’t cook anything for you, I’m afraid.”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo played with their lips as they thought about it. They gave Sweetie Belle a certain look before they seemed to agree telepathically on their decision.

“Sorry girls,” Rarity continued. “Come back just before seven and you can get a sneak peek okay?”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo didn’t need anything more than that. “Sure!” Both of the fillies giggled amongst themselves as they scampered from the scene, and presumably the Boutique, just imagining what design Sweetie Belle would have been put in. They couldn’t wait.

“Rarity,” Sweetie Belle whined to get the attention of her sister. She didn't know waht to follow-up with.

“How did this all begin?” Rarity replied, intent on focusing on whipping something up.

“What?”

“This date. Tell me Sweetie, how did you catch the attention of this colt?” She stopped. “It is a colt, isn’t it?”

“Yeah...” Sweetie Belle mumbled as her eyes rolled around.

Rarity sighed in relief, placing a hoof on her chest. She avoided an awkward conversation there. Not to mean she was homophobic, but the conversation would have taken a turn if Sweetie Belle ‘came out’ in that moment.

“So indulge me as I work my magic,” Rarity continued, activating her horn. A variety of objects flew around, all of them surrounded by a magical aura, floating around in circles like a carousel itself. Her head kept twisting and turning as she decided mentally on what to put together.

Sweetie Belle sat down on her rump, exhaling. Rarity was in 'The Zone'. “Well, it all started with a rumour.”

“A rumour?” Rarity replied, bringing forth a few select objects. She was multi-tasking like usual. She looked like she was in deep concentration, but she could still handle a conversation with her little sister at the same time.

“Yeah...” Sweetie Belle admitted, rubbing the back of her head. “A colt has had a crush on me for some time.”

“Really? For how long?”

“A few weeks...”

“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity said at a higher volume, Sweetie Belle freezing. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have planned something special, maybe give you pointers on how to court him properly.”

“It was just a rumour!” Sweetie Belle replied. “I liked to believe it was true, but I never knew. Until today now obviously. But you always told me that the colt had to make the first move.”

Rarity puckered her lips. “Yes, I suppose so,” she said in a monotone voice. “But still, I could have assisted you, given you tips for when this day came. It has now though, and I have to say, I’m so excited! My little sister, waltzing out on her first date.” She sighed as she imagined the romance and magic.

Sweetie Belle would have shared in her sister’s moment of bliss, except for the defining trait of her date. It was Snails. She didn’t get romance or magic out of him. Magic maybe, because he’s a unicorn, but certainly not coltfriend material.

“So who is the lucky colt then?” Rarity asked with high anticipation, bringing forth a pair of scissors, ready to start snipping at a cloth.

* * *

For several hours, Sweetie Belle was locked in what she might have conisdered her own personal hellhole. She described her date, while at the same time, not revealing who the date was.

Somehow, Sweetie Belle managed to linger around the topic while keeping the name a secret. She managed to come out with ‘unicorn’ and 'lanky’. Rarity agreed and even liked the anonymity, preferring to see a surprise arrival rather than being spoiled. She held high hopes, and she couldn’t wait, which only made Sweetie Belle tenser.

As time had gone on, the dress had inched towards completion with each second. It was finally done, but now that it had and Rarity had to meet the date, Sweetie Belle was afraid. What would Rarity think after putting in so much hard work, only to see who was taking her one and only sister out?

Sweetie Belle waited ambiguously in the foyer next to Rarity, who was anxious. She played with her hooves to try and take her mind off things, but to no avail. The never-ending ticking of the little hand on the clock brought her one step closer towards the inevitable end.

She jumped when the doorbell rang. Immediately, she hid behind a chair so that anyone at the door wouldn’t be about to see her in their vision.

Rarity arched an eyebrow at the suspicious behaviour, but happily trotted over towards the front door anyway. It was time to meet the lovely colt who would be taking Sweetie Belle out. Oh, how much fun they’ll have, she mused. The endless possibilities. The spark. Perhaps even a first kiss, or was she being too precedent?

Sweetie Belle hid completely as Rarity opened up the door. The older sister presented herself in the doorway with as much grace as possible, fully really to welcome the date.

But it wasn’t Sweetie Belle’s date. Outside stood two grinning fillies, immediately recognisable. Her demeanour changed fast, rolling her eyes. “Come on in girls,” she said with very little enthusiasm. The moment was anticlimactic, and she had to readjust herself to her previous state of mind.

Sweetie Belle still wanted to cover up as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo bolted towards her to check her out. “Hey Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo said, holding her grin.

Sweetie Belle attempted to curl up, holding back as much of the alluring dress as possible. She whimpered as she tried to hide her blush.

“Are you ready?” Apple Bloom asked with a big amount of glee.

“I-I...” Sweetie Belle stammered, unable to say a word.

“Come on girls, that’s enough,” Rarity interjected. “We’ve just spent the last number of hours putting together her wonderful figure. Gorgeous, isn’t she? Such a dainty little thing.”

Both of the two fillies agreed without a doubt, nodding their heads.

“And I just know Sweetie Belle will be a little star tonight.” Rarity walked over towards Sweetie Belle, offering her assistance out of her small hiding spot. “Remember what we’ve talked about. Remember how to act delicately. Maintain your dignity. If he is a true gentlecolt, act like a lady. Okay?”

“Yes Rarity,” Sweetie Belle agreed like it was a prerequisite.

Rarity stroked at Sweetie Belle’s forehead. “Oh, I can’t believe this. My little sister on her first date.” She instantly jumped up full of joy and clapped her hooves together with a squee when the doorbell rang. “Oh he’s here, he’s here!”

As Rarity hummed to herself, preparing herself thoroughly to introduce the date to her household, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom converged on Sweetie Belle. “Does Rarity know who your date is?” Scootaloo asked suspiciously, her eyebrows placed in a manner that made her look like a detective.

Sweetie Belle could only shake her head.

“You’ve got to tell her!” Apple Bloom hissed, keeping her volume down. “And you’ve got to do it now!”

“Too late,” Scootaloo said as she pointed towards the opening door.

When Rarity opened the door, she expected a well-attired, good-looking—possibly even handsome—character with charm and a divine personality from first glance. Did he have an older brother too?

She was met with Snails, a colt with the opposite expectations that Rarity wanted in its entirety. He wore a little tuxedo. Bless his heart, Rarity thought. But why was he here?

“Hello there, can I help you?” Rarity asked the colt. She peeked past his standing posture and around outside, hoping to see Sweetie Belle’s date somewhere. It turned out barren, much to her dismay.

“Hi Miss Rarity,” he replied with his signature voice. The tone alone sent Rarity into a sense of dread.

“Hello... you...”

“Is Sweetie Belle ready?”

“Ready? Ready for wha—“

Sweetie Belle felt her impending doom wash over her as Rarity slowly creaked her head towards her. Her irises were shrunk so much that they couldn’t be made out. Two huge white blobs took up the space for her eyeballs.

“Sweetie Belle? Could I possibly talk with you in private please?” Rarity asked calmly. She gave her sister a stare that was to say, “Now,” and trotted off into the next room.

Swallowing what she could muster, Sweetie Belle slugged her way towards the direction of Rarity, all the while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo watched on. They knew they wouldn’t be able to interfere, so there was a better option: entertain Snails, however that would work.

“Sweetie Belle? Explain please,” Rarity said as her little sister appeared through the door.

Sweetie Belle shuffled with her hooves. “I... I wanted to tell you Rarity, but I was afraid you would do something.”

“Do something? Sweetie, you should have told me. I wouldn't have been one to judge.” She sighed. “So... he’s your date...”

Sweetie Belle continued to fiddle with her hooves, facing the floor. “Yeah... his name is Snails.”

Rarity held back everything she could to say anything imputable about a colt with the name Snails. She had seen him before, the memories coming back to her. Not the brightest of the bunch, or even much of a looker. A voice that made her shudder with disgust too.

Actually, was there anything remotely congenial about him? Her fears led her to believe that he wasn't a suitable candidate for her little sister.

Rarity sighed when she put everything together, like she was brewing it in a cauldron. So many hours were spent on designing something so fancy for Sweetie Belle, the exhaustion wearing thin. She lost motivation to even cook anything. And then Snails was standing right at her door.

Rarity sauntered over towards Sweetie Belle. “Dear, do you even want to go on this date?”

“I told you no earlier,” Sweetie Belle replied. “But you didn’t pay attention.”

Rarity scrunched her lip as she placed a hoof over it. “Oh my. Sweetie, I’m so sorry. I should have listened to you more. Once I get 'into it', I don't seem to stop.” She sighed. “It’s a bit late to back out now though.”

Sweetie Belle only nodded her head, like she had known that fact from the beginning. No words had to be spoken, rather expressing everything through her body movements.

How was she such a terrible sister? Rarity wanted to know.

Rarity watched in worry as her younger sister made her way towards Snails and started talking with him. It wasn’t long—only a few minutes—before the pair left the Boutique, Sweetie Belle calling to her that she’d be back later.

With haste after the door shut, Rarity ran into the foyer towards the two other fillies. “Girls, I have a request.”

The girls were intrigued. “I’d like you, in the most surreptitious manner possible, to follow them and make sure Sweetie Belle has a splendid evening. I’m not asking you to spy, per se, rather keep an eye on my little sister. Could you possibly do that?” She presented a sheepish smile.

Scootaloo frowned. “I don’t know...”

“Well sure Rarity!” Apple Bloom said chirpily. Why she was so eager to follow them both, nopony knew.

“Oh thank you girls!” Rarity thanked the pair before turning around and trotting away. “Please make sure it all goes smoothly.”

“What are you doing?!” Scootaloo hissed at Apple Bloom when Rarity was out of their vicinity, whispering.

Apple Bloom’s grin turned devious. “We can’t pass this up now can we? Snails on a date? This is bound to be fun to watch.”

Author's Note:

Oh, Apple Bloom did not just say that!

Kind of want to see Pipsqueak fighting off Captain Flashbeard Sentry to save Sweetie Belle now.

Now edited. Hopefully, it should seem a little more polished.

Comments

[Ese Wey]

Oh dear nothing good can come from AB and scootaloo following them.

[RaylanKrios]

Wow everypony iskinda mean to snails here, I mean give the guy a shot.

[Baree]

So, she tries to find an excuse to let Rarity get her out of the date a couple of times, but she doesn't want to tell her its Snails because then Rarity will cancel the date?

[Derpator]

4764291
Not exactly. By the point Sweetie Belle had tried to get out of it, Rarity had entered 'the zone' where she wouldn't stop, and would do everything possible to get Sweetie Belle out on the date. At that, Sweetie Belle effectively gave up, knowing she wouldn't get out of it. She likely had the mind-set that if she said who the date was, she would have ruined Rarity's good intentions and hard work. She sucked it up, not wanting her sister to be disappointed. In this, Rarity is the type to expect some well-mannered stallion too, and if she found out it was Snails beforehand... Well, she wanted Sweetie Belle out on her first date, and Sweetie Belle knew. Rarity wouldn't have cancelled it, but she might have been disappointed in Sweetie Belle's taste. You could say Sweetie Belle is taking one for the team, or Rarity.

Or at least, that's what I was trying to convey here. Might have come off a bit poorly.

[Jake The Army Guy]

4764324

Yeah, you kinda did. Sweetie explicitly states in narration that she knows Rarity would cancel the date not a few paragraphs after she bemoans not wanting to go. I usually advise against going back and editing when a story is over, but if you went back and changed it a bit, it would greatly improve the story.

[NobleValor]

Glad to hear you polished it. However, there are still 2 errors: I think you meant 'delicately' in place of 'delinquently' and 'bunch' in place of 'brunch'