//------------------------------//
// The Standby Guardianship 
// Story: A Mother's Touch 
// by doomie-22 
//------------------------------//

There was something in the back of Rarity's mind that was bugging her, a constant, persistent little nagging feeling that was buzzing in the back of her skull. Despite feeling groggy as she got out of bed, she had the feeling that today held some significance, yet, at least at the moment, she couldn't recall why. She must have figured that a hot cup of coffee would do the trick in helping her remember, because she soon found herself seated at her kitchen table, holding said hot mug in her hooves, and taking little sips here and there, licking her lips and letting out a tiny moan of appreciation as the hot, sweet coffee burned her lips and tongue and traveled down her throat. Naturally, the coffee did its job in waking her up, making her more alert, yet it did little to improve her memory. So, she was left with no choice but to aimlessly look around the room while she sipped her coffee.

Her ears perked up, hearing a faint thud just outside her front door. She smiled. Ah, good. The morning newspaper had arrived. At least she would be able to get some reading done while she drank her coffee. Stepping out of the room, she quickly retrieved her paper, then sat down at the kitchen table, flipping it open with her magic while she took yet another drink of her coffee, once again licking her lips. She flipped through its pages, trying to find something of interest, something that would catch her eye. Unfortunately, there was little to nothing of interest in the newspaper, at least not today. She folded the newspaper up, lying it atop the kitchen table. She sighed, lifting her mug to her lips. Somewhere in the room, Opalescence meowed.

She wasn't particularly hungry, leaving her with little to do but to take a shower as soon as she was done with her coffee. Once she'd brushed her teeth, she stepped into the shower, taking a moment to adjust its temperature before closing the curtain, shrouding herself in darkness. She let out a soft sigh of content, letting the hot water wash over her body while she used her magic to deposit a few dollops of shampoo onto her open hoof. . . . .





Her shower completed, and feeling nice and squeaky clean as a result, she went downstairs to her workroom and started working, humming a merry little tune, the beating of the needle as it bobbed up and down, punctuating the fabric as she steadily ran it through her sewing machine, providing the tempo, the beat, to her tune. She always found listening to music, or simply humming a happy little tune to herself, immensely relaxing as she worked. She pondered on this for a moment or two, supposing that it had something to do with her upbringing. After all, her childhood home hadn't exactly been deprived of music. Very often in her childhood, she found herself merrily listening to her mother sing while her father played piano. Pretty soon, once she had undergone some singing training from her mother, she had started to join in alongside her mother. The singing had only gotten better once Sweetie Belle had been born, up until Rarity had moved out to go to university in order to undergo training in the fine arts of fashion designing as a means of starting her fashion career.

Mind you, she wasn't exactly inept when it came to designing, nor was she ignorant about the proper way to thread a needle, as she had, in her youth, been instructed how to properly sew, knit, crochet, all thanks to her mother, who was a part of a knitting club that was stationed in Ponyville, where she had met one of her best friends, Suri Polomare. The two had been inseparable up until Suri had moved to Manehattan to make it big as a fashion designer, while Rarity was resigned to remain in Ponyville with her mother and father and little sister.

Likewise, she had always had a strong passion for the arts, most likely due to the fact that her father was, in addition to being a buckball coach as well as a veteran player, an aspiring artist. However, once he became a pony that was more concerned about the well-being of his family than his career as an aspiring artist, he had sadly been unable to finish any paintings; he would begin one, only for something to come up, which would then hinder him from completing his piece. There was only one that he had actually finished, a painting of his youngest daughter, his baby girl, Sweetie Belle. As such, Rarity hadn't been deprived of the arts, as was the case with music. Soon thereafter, she had begun being instructed in drawing, her father congratulating her by saying that she was a born natural.

Recollecting the painting her father had done of Sweetie Belle caused the nagging feeling in the back of her mind to come back full-force, once again causing Rarity to think that today held some sort of significance, something very important. But, for the life of her, she couldn't recall what that was. She groaned, stopping her sewing for a moment to rub at her temples, the mental anguish of trying to remember what it was about today that was so important producing a headache. She took a few steps back away from her sewing machine, clenching her eyes shut, continuing to rub at her temples in the faint hope of doing so would cause her headache to dissipate. However, this did little to nothing to soothe her headache, and she was forced to retreat to the bathroom to retrieve some aspirin, washing the pills down with a few gulps of water from the faucet, letting out a relieved sigh upon rising up to stare at her reflection in the mirror. There. Perhaps that would make her headache go away.

Going back to her workroom, she resumed her work, continuing to stitch and sew, looking over at the sketch that was pinned up on the wall out of the corner of her eye, making sure that she was following the sketch to the letter. She smiled to herself. While her work was not in any way easy (as a matter of fact, it was quite difficult at times), she still enjoyed it immensely. When she was busy working, nothing else mattered; when she was working, she could easily forget about all of the worries and troubles that plagued her outside her workroom. Here, she could relax.

For the next few hours, she busied herself with her work, stopping every once and a while to fight the urge to sketch an outfit as soon as the idea entered her mind, wanting to complete the outfit she was currently working on beforehand. She stopped long enough to fix herself something to eat, only to go right back to work as soon as she was done eating.

Hours later, she sighed to herself, having completed her work for the day. Closing the door to the workroom, she started to make her way to the kitchen to fix herself something to drink as a means of celebrating a job well done. She gasped suddenly, falling forward, having fallen over something. She flailed her hooves out in front of her in an attempt to catch herself. Her hooves slid out from under her when they made contact with the floor, making her regret having had them mopped earlier in the day, causing her to slam her chin against the floor, the jolt hitting her chin and going all the way up to her horn, making her teeth chatter. Groaning, she sat up, rubbing at her sore chin, turning her head to look back over her shoulder, only to discover that she had tripped over Sweetie's soccer ball. The instant she laid eyes upon this ball was it that the nagging feeling came back with a vengeance and it was in this moment that realization suddenly struck her, her eyes going wide and her mouth dropping open in shock as the realization materialized in her mind, making her thoughts come to a screeching halt when she remembered why today held such a huge significance.

The soccer game! Sweetie's soccer game! She closed her eyes and groaned to herself. How could she have possibly forgotten!? She stomped her hoof in frustration, mentally slapping herself, wishing that somepony would physically slap her across the face for her slip-up. She spun her head around, glancing behind her to look back at the clock on the wall, only to frown in disappointment when she realized what time it was. It was currently half-past nine in the evening. Had she really been working that long? She had a mistake to correct, regardless of what time it was. Without hesitation, she ran towards the front door, wrenching it open with her magic along the way, heading towards her childhood home the instant she locked the front door.

It took Rarity very little time to reach the home of her mother and father, in spite of the fact that it was on the outskirts of Ponyville. Her legs ached, begging her to take a moment to stop and rest, but she pressed on, determined to correct her mistake. She started up the steps of the front porch, stopping to catch her breath and smooth out her mane. She inhaled deeply through her nose, letting out the breath slowly through her nostrils, then, with her magic, gripped the doorknob and turned it. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the family cat, Nikki, staring at her while the feline sat on her haunches to the side. Turning towards the cat, Rarity said, "Hey, Nikki, how bad is it in there?" The cat did not offer a response except for a meow, leaving Rarity to sigh. She took Nikki's response to mean, "Good luck." "Yeah," she replied, turning back towards the door. "I'm going to need it."

Stopping to once again take a deep breath, she finally opened the door, the scent of tonight's dinner hitting her nostrils the instant she did, filling her with nostalgic memories of her time spent in this house as a child. From the scent, she deduced that tonight's dinner had been one of Sweetie's favorites, whether in response to her team winning or losing the soccer game was unclear. She stepped forward, silently closing the front door, not wanting to draw attention to herself. Up ahead, just beyond the small amount of stairs before her, was the archway to the kitchen, in which her mother, Cookie Crumbles, was currently busy washing dishes. She forced herself to step forward, going up the stairs. Just to her right, in the living room, sitting on the couch, was her father, Hondo Flanks, currently busy reading the newspaper. She started towards him, ducking down behind the couch and crawling her way towards the archway that joined the dining room with the living room, only standing back up to her full height once she'd made it past her father and the coast was clear. Her eyes nervously looked to the left to see that her mother was still preoccupied. Stepping forward, she started to strike up a polite conversation. "Boy, something sure smells go ––"

Her mother pounced on her instantly. "You promised her, didn't you, Rarity?" she growled, storming into the dining room and glaring at her eldest daughter. "Why did you go and do that, Rarity!?" When she received no response, she sighed, rolling her eyes and turning to walk back to the sink, where she continued to go about the task of washing dishes by way of rinsing off a recently washed plate. "Rarity, how many times do I have to tell you? If you're not going to be there, don't say you're going to be there." She made her way back to the dining room, snatching a plate from Rarity that the unicorn was offering to her with her magic, ignoring Rarity's comment ("Here," she said), while she continued to rant and rave. "You know how I knew you promised her? She kept looking at me and your father up in the stands and, I don't know, around the fiftieth time, I realized that she expected you to be there."

She sighed, beginning to wash the recently acquired plate. "Rarity, I don't care if you get too busy or if you flake out on me." She seemed to reconsider this statement because, after a pause to think about it, she added, "Well, I care, but I'm your mother; I raised you, I chose to, I'll deal with it." Walking back to the dining room, she continued, still looking peeved: "She didn't choose this, Rarity. You know" – she sighed – "one of these days, Sweetie Belle is going to score her very first goal, and you're not going to be around to see it, just like you never saw her with the measles, or the time she got her hoof stuck in the sewing machine." Her daughter opened her mouth to speak up, but she cut her off. "You know, those things only happen once, then they're gone." Yet again, her daughter attempted to speak up, only to once again be thwarted. "Don't, Rarity! You've said enough!" She stormed off past the unicorn, turning to the right and starting down the hall that was just beyond the archway to the kitchen.

Rarity followed her, saying, "Mother, if you'll just listen for a moment, I could explain it to you."

Cookie Crumbles turned, sneering at her daughter as she barked, "Don't explain it to me! It wasn't my soccer game you missed!" And with that, she stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

Rarity sighed, looking down at the floor, feeling like she'd royally messed up. She'd broken a promise, a Pinkie Promise at that. She had promised Sweetie that she would be at that soccer game, even if her very life depended upon it, and she hadn't fulfilled that promise. She'd chose instead to work rather than attending her little sister's very last soccer game before the summer began. She stomped her hoof, gritting her teeth, clenching her eyes shut, feeling angry at herself for her stupidity.

Opening her eyes and lifting her head, Sweetie's bedroom was just beyond her. Her legs feeling like lead, she forced herself to walk forward. Pressing an ear to the door, she waited to hear something, anything, but heard nothing. She wasn't sure whether or not Sweetie was still awake. With it being so close to summer vacation, it seemed likely that she was still up, and far less likely that she was asleep. With her magic, she opened up the door, stopping after it was open only a crack to peek inside, but the room was so dark that she couldn't see anything, except for a small sliver of light, most likely coming from the other side of the room, as indicated by the reflection of the light on the wall that was within her field of vision. Pushing the door open the rest of the way, she stepped inside silently, gingerly closing the door, stopping to take a look around the room. As she'd presumed, there was a small amount of light coming from one side of the room. On this side of the room was Sweetie's bed, where the filly currently was, using her various blankets and bed sheets and comforter as a makeshift fort, using her horn as a makeshift flashlight, a book laid out open in front of her.

Though tentatively, Rarity approached her. "Hey, how did you guys do?" She took a seat on the floor beside the bed.

"Got killed," Sweetie Belle replied, not looking up from her book.

Rarity sighed. "Listen, Sweetie Belle, darling, I'm really sorry that I didn't make it. I really am." Sweetie turned a page in her book. "I remember when I was your age, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I mean, I just wanted to be a really great artist, seeing my work brought to life through the magic of sewing and stitching." She smiled. She crossed her forehooves on top of Sweetie's bed and rested her chin on top, watching her little sister for a moment before speaking up yet again. "This is something that I've been thinking a lot about lately, I've been giving this a lot of thought." At this, Sweetie looked up at her. "You, me, Mother, and Father, we pack our bags and we head to Manehattan and we have a real family vacation throughout the summer." She began sweeping her hoof through the air and shook her head as she said, "No work. No crusading. No magic.  No hanging out with friends. Nothing!" She rested her hoof atop her other one again. "Just you, me, Mother, and Father relaxing and enjoying each other's company."

"Hold on," Sweetie spoke up. "No using magic or hanging out with friends?"

Rarity frowned. "Yeah, I was thinking about that too." She scratched at an itch on her nose. "Maybe we can practice a little bit of magic, and see about hanging out with a few of our friends over the summer, if they're available." She cleared her throat. "So, how did the game go?"

"Got murdered. I thought Spike was going to blow a gasket. You should've seen Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon . . ."





Sweetie Belle sighed and rolled over onto her side, watching the sunset beyond her window, causing various shades of purple, yellow, red, and orange to be cast over the shadows of her room. She watched the shadows dance for a moment or two, before flopping back down on her pillows and staring up at the ceiling, whilst her forehooves rested folded together over her soft tummy. After a moment or two, she reached over and grabbed hold of one of her favorite stuffed animals – a plushie in the likeness of a certain purple dragon that Rarity had made for her and had presented to her as a birthday present one year. Holding the stuffed dragon in her hooves, she stared up at its beady green eyes. "Maybe I should try to spend some more time with Rarity this summer. What do you think, Spike?" She squeezed the stuffed dragon. Other than a tiny squeak, no audible answer came out of the creature. Nonetheless, she nodded her head and grinned. "Yeah, I think so too."

"Talking to inanimate objects again, I see," a voice rang out.

As if jolted awake, Sweetie's eyes popped up and she sat bolt upright in bed, her head swiveling around as if on a spring as she searched for the source of the voice. The pony whom this voice belonged to soon made their presence known as they strode into the room, allowing a rosiness to overtake Sweetie's cheeks as she blushed. She looked down in a futile attempt to avoid having to make any eye contact with her mother. "Hi, Mom."

Cookie Crumbles sat down by her youngest daughter. "Sweetie Belle, we have to talk about something. We need to talk about what we're going to do this summer."

Despite her prior embarrassment, Sweetie lifted her gaze towards her mother, making eye contact with her for the first time since she'd walked in the room. "Okay, Mom. Go ahead." Without realizing that she was doing it, she cast a longing look towards Spike the stuffed dragon.

"Sweetie Belle, we've been talking with Rarity and we've decided that we're going to Manehattan this summer."

“Sweet! That’s awesome Mom! When are we going?”

“Wait, Sweetie Belle. What I mean is, your father and I are going to Manehattan. Alone.”

Sweetie's demeanor changed, this time adopting that of a child who had just had their hopes and dreams dashed to pieces. Her ears flattened against her head. She cast yet another glance down at her bed as she mumbled, "Really? By yourselves? That's . . . okay, I guess. You guys deserve some time alone." She glared up at her mother. She didn't even bother getting her hopes that she would be able to go on this one; her parents always dropped her off at Rarity's while they went on their vacations. Even so, she was already starting to think about what she was going to be able to do over the summer with no parental supervision.

Cookie Crumbles scooped up Sweetie into her hooves and cradled her in her lap. "I'm glad you're so understanding, Sweetie Belle. 

Sweetie snorted in anger, crossing her forehooves over her chest and fixing her gaze towards her window. "How come I never get to come!?"

"Don't take it personally, dear," Cookie Crumbles said, running her hooves through Sweetie's mane. "I promise you'll get to come with us on the next vacation."

Sweetie rolled her eyes. She'd known better than to get her hopes up this time around, too. An angry growl escaped her lips after her mother leaned down and planted a tender kiss on her forehead.

"So, I don't have to go over my whole speech?"

“Nah, that’s fine. But if you spent a long time working on it, you can do it if you want.”

“You’re funny, Sweetie Belle."

"So, is that all you wanted?" She squirmed in her mother's grasp. 

“Hold on, we’re not done, Sweetie.” Sweetie stopped squirming to get out of her mother's Hooves and looked up at her mother. “We haven’t talked about where you’re going to be staying.”

“What? I thought I would just stay here.” Her plans for the summer were already beginning to crumble.

“You can’t stay here alone for three months, Sweetie Belle!”

“But, Mom, I’m almost eleven years old!”

“I know.” She had Sweetie’s number better than she thought she did. “It would be too expensive to hire a foalsitter for that long, and I don’t want some stranger looking after you anyway. So you’ll be staying with Rarity.”

Sweetie said nothing, only continued to glare at her bedroom window. If anything else, it was at least warm and comfortable in her mother's hooves, and she felt so safe.

"Cheer up, Sweetie. Like I said, you'll be spending the summer holidays over at Rarity's until we get back from our vacation. Doesn't that make you happy?"

"Yeah, that’ll be okay, Mom. I’ll stay with her over the summer. Is that all?" 

"For the time being, yes," Cookie Crumbles replied. "Anyway, I think I've kept you away from your toys long enough. We'll discuss more when Rarity gets here. For now, I need to go finish dinner. We're having potato soup tonight, so don't spoil your appetite with all the junk food I know you have stashed up here.”  Cookie Crumbles slid off the bed, the springs beneath which creaked underneath her weight, and took her leave, closing the bedroom shut behind her.

At exactly the stroke of seven o' clock sharp, there was a knock at the door, signaling the arrival of a visitor that Sweetie was sure could be none other than Rarity herself. The knocks came in five quick successions, each one equal in volume.

The front door was just being opened shortly after Sweetie arrived at the front door. Her father had already beaten her to it and was currently giving Rarity a hug. She glared and gritted her teeth. What about me, she bitterly thought. Didn't she deserve some affection too? Perhaps the trio hadn't seen her and thus, needed to be reminded that she was in the room. She took a deep breath and cried, "Hey!"

All talk ceased and an awkward stillness filled the room as three sets of eyes fell on the glowering little filly standing before them. Her expression quickly changed from one of frustration to one of guilt, as if she was afraid that she would be chastised for yelling. She took a cautious step back, but nonetheless, the angry tone to her voice wasn't lost on anypony present. "Do I get a hug or not!?"

"Oh, of course, Sweetie Belle," Rarity replied, making her way across the room to her little sister. She wrapped her hooves around Sweetie and held her close. "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't see you there."

Sweetie said nothing.

"How have you been?" Rarity asked, finally pulling away from her little sister. "I hope you've been staying out of trouble."

"A little," Sweetie replied, grinning guiltily.

Rarity sighed in disappointment. "Just be sure not to get into too much trouble while you're staying over at my place. Speaking of which" – she cast a questioning look towards her mother and father – "when is that, exactly?"

"Pretty soon," Cookie Crumbles said. "You're sure you don't mind watching over Sweetie Belle for the week while we're gone?"

Rarity blinked. "I'd much prefer if we all went together."

"I'd much rather spend the week with you," Sweetie said, nuzzling Rarity's side. She was pushed away by Rarity. "Besides, it's only for a week. I'll still get to spend the summer holidays with Mom and Dad. And anyway, it's Manehattan. I'm sure you'll be on your way there with a new fashion line or something, so it's no big deal if I don't get to go now. I can always go later."

Rarity gave her parents a pleading look. "Can't you get somepony else to do it?"

"Aw, come on, Rarity," Hondo Flanks replied. "You're more than qualified for the job."

Rarity sighed irritably and gritted her teeth. "I guess that means I have no choice in the matter, do I?"

"None whatsoever," Cookie Crumbles stated.

"How delightful," Rarity muttered through gritted teeth, sneering.

"Well, I'm glad that's settled," Cookie Crumbles spoke up. "Now, why don't we all go into the kitchen and have something to eat?"





Dinner went by in a slow manner. The four ate slowly as they made small talk around the table, talking about their upcoming plans for the summer and of memories past. Sweetie Belle took the opportunity to get as close to Rarity as possible.

During the meal, Cookie Crumbles whispered to Rarity, "Rarity, honey, as soon as Sweetie Belle's put to bed, there's something your father and I need to talk to you about."

Rarity looked over at her, wearing a confused expression. "About what?"

"Well, it's about Sweetie Belle," Cookie Crumbles said.

"What about Sweetie Belle?"

"You'll find out later." She turned to Sweetie Belle and said, "Finish up and then you need to go brush your teeth. It's nearly your bedtime."

Sweetie glanced over at the clock on the wall and gave her mother a disbelieving look. "But it's only nine thirty, and it's not a school night. I should be able to stay up as late as Rarity."

"She's not a growing filly," Cookie Crumbles replied. "You need your rest."

"But I was going to stay up with Rarity tonight."

"Sweetie Belle, you heard me."

Sweetie nodded. "Okay." She picked up her plate and extended it towards her mother. "Can I have some dessert now?"





An hour later, Sweetie Belle had been put to bed and Rarity, Cookie Crumbles, and Hondo Flanks had all gathered in the living room, each sitting on the sofa. Rarity sat on one side, across from her mother and father, while her parents sat on the other side. It was obvious that her mother and father were uncomfortable; her mother was breathing heavily, while her father's face looked wan, making him look rather ill.

Taking a deep breath, Rarity asked shakily, "So, Mother, Father, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

For the longest time, Cookie Crumbles and Hondo Flanks had been avoiding eye contact, looking at anything besides Rarity, as if afraid making eye contact with her would get the conversation started. At Rarity's question, they looked over at each other first before meeting Rarity's gaze.

"Rarity," Cookie Crumbles started, "you know you and Sweetie Belle are the most important things to us. We gave up a lot for not only her, but for you as well. Remember I took a second job so you could go to fashion school?"

Rarity smiled and nodded her head, remembering fondly how her parents had encouraged her to go to music school instead, stating that she had quite a knack for singing, but she had followed her passion for fashion despite their objections. In spite of this, they had supported her nonetheless.

"I'm sure you know of Applejack and the situation with her family," Hondo Flanks said. "How their parents are dead."

Rarity raised an eyebrow, suddenly getting a queasy feeling in her stomach, a feeling that told her that she was not going to like where this conversation was going to go.

"Well," Cookie Crumbles said, "that got us thinking. You see, we're not going to be around forever, and, in the event that something should happen to us, we want to make sure that Sweetie Belle is well taken care of."

Rarity swallowed hard. "Why are you talking like this? S-Stop it!"

Hondo Flanks smiled sympathetically. "It's something no one ever wants to think about, honey," he said, "but it's something we need to consider. You see, Sweetie's going to be need somepony to take care of her if the worst should come. Which is why we're meeting with our lawyer tomorrow to issue a standby guardianship."

Rarity blinked. "A standby what now?" She thought she remembered hearing something about that months ago, as well as being investigated and interviewed for it, but couldn't be sure. 

"It's a legal document that grants you custody of Sweetie Belle in the event that we're unable to take care of her, like if we were to, Celestia forbid, become gravely ill or pass away," Cookie Crumbles explained.

"We need you to come with us to sign on it," Hondo Flanks said. "Oh, and bring Applejack with you while you're at it."

Once again, Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Applejack? Why Applejack?"

"Well, for one thing, we need an alternate caretaker if you're unable to take care of Sweetie Belle for any reason," Hondo said, "and word around Ponyville is that she's quite reliable. I'm sure she'd have no problem with taking Sweetie in if you weren't able to take care of her, for whatever reason. I mean, the two of you are like sisters, for crying out loud. Besides, she has experience with kids, I'm sure she'd love to look after Sweetie in your absence."

"Mother, Father, this isn't . . . your way of telling me that you've become ill, is it?"

"Of course not, darling," Cookie Crumbles said. "We're perfectly fine. For Celestia's sake, we're going to Manehattan this summer."

"Don't remind me," Rarity muttered through gritted teeth. Sighing, she nodded her head and said, "Very well, then. Applejack and I will meet you here tomorrow."

Cookie Crumbles suddenly frowned. "Rarity, dear, what if someday there came a tomorrow when we were apart?"

Rarity smiled. "As long as we're apart together, we shall certainly be fine."

"Yes, yes, of course," Cookie Crumbles said, nodding her head. "But if . . . if we weren't together . . . if me and your father were . . . somewhere else?

"Oh, but you really couldn't be, as I would be quite lost without you," Rarity said. "Why, who would I call on those days when I'm just not strong enough? Or brave enough?"

"Well, actually ––" Hondo Flanks started.

Rarity went on as if she hadn't heard him. "And who would I ask for advice when I didn't know which way to turn?"

Hondo Flanks tried again. "Rarity, we ––"

Once again, Rarity pressed onward. "We . . . we simply wouldn't be," she said tearfully.

Hondo Flanks sighed. "Oh, Rarity . . ."

Rarity gave a small yawn.

Cookie Crumbles dropped down to the floor and approached her daughter, sitting down in front of her. "If ever there's a tomorrow when we're not together, there's something you must remember," Cookie Crumbles said.

Once again, Rarity yawned, though this one was bigger and louder than the last. "And what might that be, Mother?"

"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

Rarity chuckled. "Oh, that's easy. We're braver than a bee, uh, longer than a tree, and taller than a goose . . . or, uh, was that a moose?" Her eyes drifted shut.

Cookie Crumbles giggled. "No, Rarity. You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." She gently tapped Rarity's nose. "But the most important thing you must remember is" – she picked Rarity up and set her in her lap and began rocking her back and forth as Rarity began drifting off to sleep – "even if we're apart, I will always be with you. I will always be with you. I will always be with you . . ."





"Ah'm not sayin' that Ah'm not flattered that yer folks think highly of me," Applejack said as she and Rarity walked towards the latter's former home, "but Ah don't feel right takin' care of somepony else's kid. 'Sides, it ain't like yer folks are goin' to die any time soon. And even if they do, Celestia forbid, you'll be there to fill their hooves."

Rarity nodded her head. "I suppose so. Ah, we're here." She lifted a hoof and rapped on the front door of her mother and father's home, taking a few steps back and standing beside Applejack, waiting patiently for the door to be opened.

After a while, Cookie Crumbles greeted them at the door. "Applejack!" She gave said pony a hug. "So glad you could make it!"

"Ah appreciate the opportunity, but Ah don't feel right about this," Applejack said.

Cookie Crumbles gave her an understanding nod. "I understand, dear, but you understand we have to be prepared for the future in case the worst comes to pass. Besides, what would we do if Rarity weren't there to take care of Sweetie Belle?"

"Everypony here?" Hondo asked, walking out the front door. Smiling and nodding his head in approval, he said, "Good, let's get going then." He closed the door and locked it, then started leading the group to their lawyer's office.

Throughout the trip, Rarity and Applejack talked to each other with Cookie Crumbles and Hondo Flanks in front of them. They became so invested in their conversation that they didn't notice when Rarity's parents had come to a stop, causing the two of them to bump into both of them. They were led inside and the proceedings were soon underway, with the lawyer explaining just what a standby guardianship was to both Applejack and Rarity in explicit detail, right down to all of the legal jargon that came with it, none of which either one of them were able to follow, but they nodded their heads and simply acted as if they had a shred of knowledge about what he was talking about. Afterward, a form was presented to them. First, Cookie Crumbles and Hondo Flanks signed their names, followed by Rarity and Applejack. Whereas the signatures of Rarity and her parents were written quite nicely, Applejack's was quite sloppy, given that she was an earth pony and was therefore forced to use her mouth to write. Her signature was readable nonetheless.

The whole ordeal had taken just a little over an hour and upon exiting the office, it was noted by Hondo Flanks that lunch was just around the corner, leading him and his wife to offer Rarity and Applejack the chance of being taken out for lunch. At first, Applejack politely declined, stating that she didn't feel right about taking them up on their offer, but they insisted, and Applejack soon found her objections crumbling at the promise of food, if only to satisfy her own hunger. Once again, she walked behind the happy couple, talking with Rarity.

"So, uh," Applejack said, "did ya happen to understand a word of what that guy was sayin'?"

Rarity shook her head. "Not at all, darling."

Applejack sighed in relief. "Oh, good, so it wasn't just me. That guy didn't make a lick of sense."

Rarity nodded her head. "Too right." Her nose suddenly collided with her father's rear, having not paid attention to where she was going since she was talking to Applejack. She rubbed her sore nose, taking a few steps backwards. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Applejack nursing her own sore nose. She smiled to herself.

The four were quickly seated and their drinks were jotted down. Rarity ordered tea. Cookie Crumbles ordered a coffee. Hondo Flanks ordered a soda. And Applejack ordered an alcoholic beverage. Noticing the odd looks from the others, she asked, "What?" Her question went unanswered as the three of them looked down at their menus to decide what they wanted to eat, leaving Applejack to glance down at her own menu, only for her eyes to go wide at the pictures of some of the selections. "Oh, my! Everything looks good!" She lifted a hoof to wipe at her mouth, having started to salivate. Looking up with a smirk, she asked, "Is there any chance we could just order one of everything on the menu?"

Hondo Flanks laughed while their drinks were brought to them. He smiled at his eldest daughter. "I like this pony, she's a funny gal."

Applejack grinned and tipped her hat at him. "Thank you kindly, sir." She took a swig of the bottle of liquor she'd ordered, licking her lips and letting out an, "Ahhh . . ."

"Applejack, dear, do you drink often?" Cookie Crumbles asked.

"Mother," Rarity hissed, sneering.

Applejack shook her head, appearing not to be offended by the question, despite how personal it was. "Ah don't get to drink too often, seeing as how Ah'm so busy on the farm and all. Ah try not to drink around Apple Bloom. Ah am her older sister, after all, gotta set a good example."

"Very responsible," Hondo Flanks said, nodding his head and taking a sip of his drink.

"Speaking of Apple Bloom," Cookie Crumbles said, "how is she doing, Applejack? Sweetie Belle talks about her all the time."

"Does she now?" Applejack inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Well, ain't that somethin'? As a matter of fact, Apple Bloom just got done workin' on a play o' hers, something about a love triangle between our friend Twilight, Princess Luna, and" – her expression hardened – "that showboatin' snob Trixie."

"I believe Sweetie Belle was supposed to play the part of Princess Luna, wasn't she?" Cookie Crumbles said. "She and Apple Bloom were rehearsing constantly."

Applejack nodded her head.

"And you were perfectly fine with your sister kissing another filly?" Hondo Flanks asked, once again taking a sip of his beverage.

"Oh, stop it, Father," Rarity chastised, smacking his foreleg. "You and Mother have been trying for months to get me and Applejack together. I dare say that this whole standby guardianship thing was yet another ploy to get us together."

"Well," Cookie Crumbles said, "you two do make an adorable couple."

Applejack blushed while Rarity glared.

"Besides," Hondo butted in, "you two fight like an old married couple."

"We do not," Rarity objected.

"Weren't you two fightin' like cats and dogs during Twilight's first sleepover?" Hondo asked. "Remember, Rarity, you told me about that."

"Well . . ." Rarity blushed. "Y-Yes, that's true, but we made up."

Hondo smirked. "Did you kiss her too, Rarity?"

"Father!" Rarity growled.

Applejack snickered behind her hoof.

Rarity cleared her throat. "The point is that whole ugly mess is all behind us, and we're practically like sisters now, aren't we, Applejack?"

Getting her laughter under control, Applejack said, "Yep, that's right. It's fittin', Ah guess, seein' as how Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are practically like sisters too."

"You know, Applejack," Cookie Crumbles said, "if Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were to go into business together, they'd make a killing. With Apple Bloom's talent with writing and Sweetie Belle's singing ability, there's no telling where they could go."

Rarity sighed. "I really wish she would embrace that side of herself instead of trying to be like me all the time."

"Oh, come now, Rarity," Hondo Flanks said. "You should feel proud that your little sister idolizes you so much that she wants to be like you when she grows up."

"It's not that I don't want her to try new things, Father," Rarity said. "I just don't think it's a good idea for her to ignore the special talent that's right in front of her nose."

Their waiter arrived at their table yet again to take their orders, though Applejack had a bit of a hard time picking one. At Rarity's suggestion, she got the stuffed crescent rolls – crescent rolls stuffed with asparagus and other vegetables, served with ranch dressing. The group continued to chitchat with one another, thankfully avoiding the topic of romance and relationships, much to Rarity's relief. A basket of yeast rolls was placed at their table to tide them over until their food arrived, and Applejack wasted no time whatsoever in helping herself to some, completely covering one roll in butter and eating over half of it in one bite.

Rarity chuckled. "Applejack, don't fill up on the bread."

Applejack shook her head and gave her belly a few loving pats. "Oh, don't worry about me, Rarity. Ah could eat this whole basket and still have room for lunch and dessert." She gave a bashful grin at Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles. "We Apples are kinda well-known for our big appetites. Workin' on a farm will do that to ya."

"Well, in any case, please don't attempt it," Rarity said. "I believe the last thing Mother would want is you throwing up in her flowerbeds."

Whatever the others didn't eat, Applejack ended up eating. Rarity was a bit uneasy about her friend's appetite, fearful that her mother and father would deem Applejack something of a pig due to how much she was eating; if anything, the two seemed to be enjoying watching Applejack stuff her face, leaving Rarity to drink her tea and make conversation with her mother and father while Applejack stuffed herself.

It was while they were finishing up and getting ready to leave that Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared, hopping up on the table, looking excited as she exclaimed, "Applejack! Rarity! Thank Celestia I found you! You gotta come quick! Mrs. Cake's new baby has just been born! Mrs. Cake's new baby has just been born! Come on! We gotta go! You gotta hurry! We gotta get to the hospital now! See you there!" And like a rocket, she was off, causing the group's manes to be tossed in the wake of her exit.

"What . . . just happened?" Rarity asked, reaching up with her hooves to fix her mane.

"Ah think Pinkie wants us to meet her at the hospital," Applejack replied. "Something about the new baby being born."

Rarity gasped, her eyes lighting up as she squeezed her cheeks in excitement. "The Cakes' baby has just been born?! Well, why didn't you say so, darling?! Let's go!" She grabbed Applejack's hoof and took off down the street.

Over her shoulder, Applejack called, "Thanks for lunch!"





Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were all gathered around the window of the nursery room by the time Rarity and Applejack arrived. They squeezed in between Twilight and Fluttershy, peeking into the room along with their friends.

Looking over at Twilight, Applejack asked, "Can you believe the new baby's finally here?"

"Cup Cake and Carrot Cake must be so proud," Twilight said.

"I wonder if it's a filly or a colt," Rarity added.

At the other end of the line, Pinkie Pie had her face pressed up against the glass, staring excitedly into the room. "I wanna see the new baby pony! I wanna see! Which one is it?!"

Inside the room stood Mr. Cake, who looked as if he had seen better days; his usually well-groomed mane was in strands, his bowtie was left untied, hanging limply off his body, and some additional hair was growing around his cheeks and chin. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn't gotten much sleep in the past few hours, probably as a result of helping Cup Cake during the birthing process. He stood between two cradles, one holding a bundle wrapped up in a pink blanket and the other holding a bundle wrapped up in a blue blanket. From the right, he pulled back the sheet as he said, "Meet our son, Pound Cake." His comment was met with a series of, "Awws" from the ponies behind the glass. He turned to the cradle on the left, removing the sheet as he said, "And our daughter, Pumpkin Cake." Like her brother, she stretched her hooves and let out a cute little yawn. Unlike with Pound Cake, this was met with a series of confused looks from the others.

"Two new foals for me to play with?" Pinkie asked, grinning. She gasped. "That's two-two-two times the fun! This is the greatest day ever!" She suddenly disappeared, only to reappear in the nursery, wearing a birthday party hat and a party blower in her mouth. Throwing her hooves up in the air she cried, "We need to celebrate your birthday, babies, 'cause you were just born today! Whoo-hoo!" She took in a breath to blow the blower, but was stopped by Nurse Redheart.

"Shh!" she hissed. "The babies are trying to sleep."

"But I was just ––" Pinkie objected.

"Shh!" She started to walk off.

"But ––" The blower fell from Pinkie's mouth.

Nurse Redheart turned around sharply, sneering, and hissed, "Shh!"

Once the nurse had walked off, Pinkie stepped around and stood between the two new twins. Grinning, she broke into song. "Happy, happy birthday to you and you today."

Nurse Redheart appeared once again to utter a silent, "Shh!" before tossing Pinkie out of the nursery. She bounced in the room behind her friends.

Applejack watched Pinkie for only a moment before turning her attention back to the twins inside the room. "Now how in thunderation is one of them twins a unicorn and the other one a pegasus?"

"Easy," Mr. Cake spoke up. "My great-great-great grandfather was a unicorn, and Cup Cake's great-aunt cousin twice removed was a pegasus. That makes sense, right?" His eyes darted back and forth around the room.

"Aw, yeah," Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Just you wait. Once little Pound Cake there gets his wings going" – she pointed to her own wings – "he'll be all over the place!" She zoomed about the room, coming to a stop with her limbs outstretched and a big smile on her face.

"And be careful around Pumpkin Cake," Twilight advised.

Rarity nodded her head in agreement. "Baby unicorns get strange magic surges that come and go." She recoiled, recalling how much trouble she and her parents had had with Sweetie Belle when she had been that age, all of the damage she had done, which had all been purely unintentional of course.

Mr. Cake bent down to tuck Pound Cake in, only for Pinkie to suddenly pop up, holding a birthday cake in her hooves. "Quick!" she cried. "Make a wish and blow out your candles, which is easy 'cause there are zero candles! You are zero years old after all!"

"Shh!" Nurse Redheart hissed.

Pinkie jumped, causing the cake she was holding to become smeared all over her face. She gave Nurse Redheart a sheepish grin.