She held her head high though the brilliance of her garment was not something typically seen on an average afternoon. Rarity’s descent from the luxurious carriage Diamond had graciously offered her for the return home only added to the spectacle, and the seamstress knew that people were likely staring. Let them; she had enjoyed the Gala thoroughly, as well as the company throughout. So what if she had yet to change attire? The event had only come to a conclusion last night, and a lady did so need to spend quality time with a loving girlfriend after a romantic evening. She had every right to take her time.
“Sweetie? I’m home,” Rarity called as she entered her home, finding the kitchen dark and no different from when she had departed this place. The table was clear of both plate and crumbs, the sink showed no sign of use today yet, the tea strainer hadn’t been left to dry… unless she was rather wrong, this room hadn’t seen any use since yesterday. It seemed that Sweetie had yet to arise and return to the waking world after such a long night. Goodness, and that girl is so obsessed with keeping a strict sleep schedule. She must be exhausted!
Though she’d been more focused on the pleasures of the sensuous heiress at her side, Rarity did recall the sight of her younger sibling in the arms of Princess Celestia, dancing through the crowd- or at a table with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, or sitting alone and seemingly chatting in private. Try as she might to have kept up confidence regarding her sister, the lovely seamstress had been rather worried that loneliness might lead to melancholy and thus ruin her first true Gala night. It had been such a dream for her, treating as a ceremonial entry into adulthood; how horrible it would be if that long-desired evening was marred by unhappiness. So to see the Princess come to her side and treat her so warmly-! I’ll have to thank her myself the next time I see her, Rarity mused. She absolutely saved Sweetie’s night.
For the first time in years, the pristine fashionista found herself attending to a duty she had not undertaken in years as she turned the corner to the stairs and headed toward her sister’s room. To be the alarm bell again? Not a task she found enjoyable, considering how difficult it could be to make the young woman actually arise and stay awake. But nevertheless… “Oh Sweetie, darling! Rise and shine, you’ve already let half the day pass you by-”
The door to her room was open; a quick peek inside its darkened confines was all it took to see that the bed remained empty and the sheets were neatly tucked. Had Sweetie already awoken and gone elsewhere? Maybe she’s out at the farm with Apple Bloom, or at Scootaloo’s house. Hadn’t Sweetie mentioned they’d wanted to visit Donut Joe’s before leaving for home again? Maybe the group of friends had decided to stay so late that they had simply remained in Canterlot until the next day rather than travel back home in exhaustion.
But as Rarity racked her brains for a reasonable conclusion, she found her mind perturbed by a rather intrusive observation: she herself had remained rather late, and hadn’t she seen Scoots and Apple Bloom depart before she had? And when Diamond had insisted they head to their hotel room for a little romp, hadn’t Sweetie still been dancing with the Princess?
Maybe Sweetie hasn’t come home yet. She wasn’t searching for a reason to fret, nor was Sweetie the type to behave foolishly, but she couldn’t help being a little concerned. This was her sister, after all.
Her puzzlement over the matter came to an end when her ears caught the sound of the house-side door opening, aged hinges creaking and followed by a heavy slam that gave birth to the sound of light sandals against tile. Down the stairs did Rarity go, and the sight awaiting her in the kitchen was that of Sweetie Belle attending to brewing a cup of earl grey, kettle on the boil and awaiting the rise of heat. Not an uncommon sight, but the fact that the young songstress was still wearing her evening dress was a shock- as well as her tussled appearance!
The thought darted into her mind and she pushed it aside just as quickly. No. That is preposterous.
The feeling of eyes boring into the back of her head must have alerted some inner sense, for Sweetie Belle turned about to find her sister standing there, and to her did she give a smile. “Hey,” she said, her voice a bit croaky but mild and pleasant all the same. “Did you not change?”
“I only got back a few minutes ago, actually,” Rarity admitted, hoping that continued scrutiny might unveil the reason for her sister’s lateness. She seemed in good spirits, perhaps still a little drowsy- or was she weary? Dancing for that long could certainly tire one out. “Did- did you just leave Canterlot?”
“Mm- yeah, I did. Cellie was kind enough to give me a ride back home in her carriage. You’ve ridden in it before with Twilight, right? It’s nice.”
Cellie? The intrusive, sneaking thought entered her head yet again and seemed intent on remaining until its suspicions could be allayed. “Y- yes, I have. It is lovely…”
For a time, Rarity was willing to let their afternoon carry on in continued silence. Sweetie tinkered with her tea and saw to a small plate of cakes for the two to share, unwilling to take a seat until her mug of earl grey was in hand and she could at last relent from any task. The sigh that came after her first sip was a pure and lovely sound, so deeply filled with contentment that it could testify to nothing less than a true peace of heart. “That’s nice,” Sweetie murmured.
Shuffling in her seat, the edge of Sweetie’s gown slipped just a tinge- enough for the gown’s low neckline to falter and reveal the sight of a golden mark upon the edge of her sister’s bosom. Rarity gave a double-take; now seated across the table, Sweetie’s neck showcased another golden mark, this one clearly having been the stain of lipstick, just above the collarbone.
The intrusive, impolite thoughts were going to win out this afternoon, for what Rarity was seeing simply wasn’t possible. The very preposterous, absolutely outlandish explanation for Sweetie Belle’s late return to her home was because she had been romantically entangled with Princess Celestia was- was-
“S- Sweetie? Darling?” Rarity began tremulously. She tried to keep her smile pleasant, but surely it had to be just as shaky as her voice.
Held within her own serene thoughts, the younger woman hadn’t taken note of her sister’s intense observations until now, eyes opening and finding herself the subject of gawking. “What?”
“Is-” She didn’t want to say it aloud; too improper! But curiosity burned in her like wildfire and Rarity knew she absolutely had to hear this one explained. “Is that a hickey on- on, erm- on your neck?”
Sweetie Belle froze, and right to the lipstick mark did her fingers immediately rush as though she already knew its placement upon her form- and then to her chest as she seemed to recall the memory of what had transpired in her private world, the lovely songstress beginning to turn red and becoming more crimson with each passing second. “Umm.”
It was utterly impossible. Things like that didn’t just happen. But if Rarity was right, and she had every reason to think that she was, then her sister had just left the arms of- things like this just didn’t happen! “Sweetie,” Rarity breathed, “What did you and Princess Celestia do?”
Sweetie put down her cup of tea and sighed, grateful that she had yet to fully delve into its contents. This story might take a cup or two for her to finish.