The sun rose outside the Boutique, and the light hit Rarity square in the face as she lay upon her bed. Her eyes were red and puffy, from furious tears and rubbing her eyes with her hooves, with dark circles under them, denoting her lack of sleep. Her head had been resting on the few remaining feathers of her pillow; torn to shreds in her bout of rage. She let out a cry of annoyance, knowing she had to get up, but really not wanting to do anything.
Slowly, she dragged her unkempt form out of her bed, her fur reeking from lack of her normal showers, her mane completely tangled and mussed. She just didn’t care about anything; not Applejack, not outfits, not even her own well-being. It no longer mattered to her. In an almost zombie-like state, she trudged down the stairs where Sweetie Belle had attempted to cheer her sis up, and unfortunately, it had not gone well.
The smoke detector was going crazy and the smell of burnt pancakes fouled the air. A small fire was desperately attempting to spread as Sweetie Belle swatted at it with a wet dishrag, crying out as soon as she saw her sister.
“Hey, Rarity I made you…some...pan...cakes.”
Her words fell on deaf ears as Rarity just slowly walked past her towards the table, seeing nothing, saying nothing. Sweetie Belle fell silent as she managed to finally outmaneuver the stubborn flame, snuffing it out for good.
Quickly, Sweetie Belle rushed her labor of love over to Rarity, the smell pungent and the pancakes reduced to charred clumps. Yet, Rarity didn’t flinch or hesitate as she bit down on the inedible meal.
A week had passed since Rarity had caught Applejack cheating on her with Rainbow Dash. Since then, Rarity had been lost in her own head, helplessly going over the scene again and again, desperate to find what caused it. She didn’t understand. Was it something she had done? Maybe it was something she hadn’t? If so, what? If not, then why? She just didn’t know.
Sweetie Belle stared at her sister in distress as Rarity chewed and swallowed the foul flapjacks, and reaching for the napkin, simply began chewing on that as well. What could she do? She had tried to help her big sister and sure, her cooking skills were sub-par but this? Rarity was starting to worry her.
That’s when a loud knocking came from the window beside Rarity, causing Sweetie Belle to blink in surprise. It was Rainbow Dash, and the Pegasus was indicating she wanted to come in, however, the instant she saw the smoke she vanished from sight.
A moment later, the Element of Loyalty was heard smashing through the front door of the Boutique, yelling loudly as she swiftly made her way to the kitchen.
“Don’t worry! I’m-”
Looking around in momentary confusion for the fire, Rainbow finished her thoughts as her eyes fell on the reactionless Rarity, who was still chewing, unknowingly, on her napkin.
“Here? To...Save you?”
Completely at a loss, Rainbow turned from the sight to stare at Sweetie Belle.
“What’s...What’s going on here?”
About to answer, Sweetie Belle was pre-emptively interrupted by the loud sounds of splintering wood and heavy hoof steps approaching the kitchen; slowly, yet deliberately. Moments later, Pear Butter stepped into the kitchen, turning to look at the depressing sight of Rarity, and sighed. Shaking her head in dismay she muttered softly.
“Well, I was wondering where my Unicorn has been lately…”
Her murmurings trailed off as she spoke loud enough for all present to hear.
“I had come to order a custom outfit, but I can see, other things will have to happen first, won’t they?”
Without waiting for an answer to the previous question, the farmpony casually asked if she could take care of this situation. With surprise at the statement, Sweetie Belle just nodded. Immediately, the mare’s hoof flew up and slammed sideways into Rarity’s neck, causing her to fall forward, crashing onto the empty plate. Seeing the now outraged look of shock on the faces of the other two, Pear Butter just shrugged.
“What’s wrong?”
Sweetie Belle squealed at her.
“What did you do to Rarity?”
Just chuckling for a moment, Pear Butter then told her.
“Oh relax, she’s only unconscious. My own daughters weren’t always so keen on body hygiene, though, you ever tried to move a conscious Earthpony? Stubbornness is our specialty after all. It’s almost impossible. So I developed a simple method to ensure they took their showers. Rainbow, dear if you wouldn’t mind, lift her onto my back, I need to carry her to the bathroom. This dirty little mare here is getting a cleaning intervention.”
Speechless, Rainbow helped drape Rarity’s unconscious body over Pear Butter’s back. With a cheerful whistle, the Earthpony casually headed off towards the bathroom, while Sweetie Belle just stood there, unable to say a thing.
***
In the bathroom, and with the door locked, Pear Butter carefully dumped the unconscious Unicorn to rest comfortably within the tub. Slowly, she turned the shower’s cold water on, startling Rarity as the icy water blasted her.
Wildly, she looked around in confusion, her eyes seeing Pear Butter, causing her to stutter.
“W-what? Pear Butt-t-t-er? Why are you in my bathroom?”
Ignoring her, Pear Butter turned the hot water on, creating a soothingly warm shower. Grabbing the curtain in her hooves, she passed Rarity a bar of her frilly soap.
“You are going to scrub yourself clean of all that grime.”
With that, she closed the curtain on the still-stunned Rarity, who shouted at her, still confused.
“W-what?”
Pear Butter, having sat down on the toilet to wait, replied in a firmer, and commanding voice.
“I did not stutter, Rarity. You will scrub yourself fully, and I do mean everywhere, and when you leave that shower I will be making sure you are clean.”
Chuckling, she finished in a honey-sweet voice.
“And make no mistake, if any part of you isn’t, I will personally be scrubbing you down, with my own hooves and you don’t want that. Get to it.”
Rarity was speechless. Slowly, and without a word she lathered up the soap. She wanted to argue, she wanted to yell at her, but still, she continued scrubbing herself, thinking. How dare she tell me what to do, who does she think she is-
She carefully washed up her hooves as she angrily continued her thoughts.
She’s not my mom, she can’t tell me what to...do. Though, her voice was so fierce, so commanding…
Gliding the bar across her fur, she carefully ensured not a speck of dirt or a smote of odor remained. At that moment the curtain slid partly open and Pear Butter, with her eyes closed, passed Rarity a shampoo bottle.
“Your mane and that tail had better be silky smooth as well. You’ll need this. Get to it. Now.”
And here I am, following her demands, without a single argument. Why?
Quietly, Rarity nodded and took the bottle in her levitation magic’s grasp, quickly lathering her mane and tail, making sure every strand was cleansed to the absolute possible degree.
Why am I listening to her? I mean, the way she said that it makes me feel...makes me feel...Happy.
Inspecting literally every angle of her body, just to make sure, a now very awake and strangely excited Rarity, turned off the shower’s hot and cold fixtures. Immediately, Pear Butter’s voice was heard; loud and absolute, yet somehow sweet and encouraging in time.
“Are you ready for inspection?”
But why am I so happy?
Taking herself by complete surprise, Rarity eagerly replied to her.
“Yes Ma’am!”
Pear Butter raised an eyebrow in amusement, as a blush spread over Rarity’s face. That’s when Rarity remembered something that had been on her mind.
“Er- can I ask you something?”
***
As Rarity and Pear Butter silently walked back to where Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle sat, still unsure of what was going on, it was clear something was different. This was a completely different Rarity. She wasn’t moping, her eyes were bright.
Rarity’s mane was perfectly coiffed, her tail styled, and her fur sparkled while smelling of roses and peaches. Pear Butter wore a big smile and pointed at a kitchen chair, onto which Rarity immediately sat, an expression of joy on her face.
In a gentle, yet firm voice, Pear Butter told Rarity.
“Talk to her, ask her what is on your mind, remember what we talked about, and don’t you dare try to lie. Or I will be quite annoyed, and you will not be happy. Got it?”
Rarity meekly nodded, after which Pear Butter walked over to the stove and began fixing up the kitchen, calling back to the table.
“And Rainbow, pay attention. It’s important.”
Completely bemused, Rainbow Dash listened intently to the question that Rarity wanted to ask her.